Phillip Van Hooser's Blog: Build Performance Blog, page 20

Leaders Create Problems for Themselves

I hear a lot of stories in the client events and leadership training programs I conduct. And regularly, employees share how their leaders create problems for themselves that are completely avoidable. Let’s take a look at two common leadership problems and what can be done to avoid them.

Leaders Create Problems for Themselves
Distorted View & Disregarded Facts

I’ll begin with Kathleen, a higher education professional who offered this insight.

“Too often leaders embrace those things they fear. Then when faced with contrary facts, they choose to stick with their initial beliefs and fears, disregarding those facts. Their beliefs are not validated regularly, so the lens through which these leaders look, gets cloudy.”

Then Kathleen finishes with an exceptionally important statement.

“Instead of cleaning the lens periodically to make sure they are seeing clearly, they don’t. And thus have a distorted view from which to proceed.”

You know, Kathleen has identified an issue which should be of great importance to all leaders. Let me rephrase her concern about a “distorted view” by asking,

“Why do you believe what you believe?”

Do you believe it because you’ve researched, gathered, studied and applied the relevant facts surrounding your belief?

Or do you believe what you believe because:

That’s what someone told you?
Or that’s the way you’ve always done it?
Or heck, it’s just easier than checking facts?!

Many leaders create problems for themselves by forgoing a fact check. In those cases, American author and humorist, Arnold Glasow offers this jewel,

“The fewer the facts, the stronger the opinion.”

Here’s a fact of which I’m sure. When you lead based on facts, the opinion others have of you will be secure.

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Decisive, Yes! Understanding, Not So Much

Steve, CEO of a technology company, offers our second example in the “leaders create problems for themselves” file. Steve writes,

“Phil, I think one of the biggest problems leaders face is not taking the time to “seek first to understand.”

“Far too often, leaders want to take over a new area of responsibility and make quick, decisive decisions before they really understand the history, experiences and circumstances their employees have been through.

“Engaging employees, spending quality time interviewing employees, seeking to get their input, drawing on their history — all help to create a more accurate picture on which to base decisions.”

Good point, Steve!

I once heard a seasoned manufacturing supervisor advise one of his employees. After giving his formal instruction, he then added. “Hurry, but don’t rush.”

Confusing? I hope not.

Think about it for a moment.

Leaders create problems for themselves when they:

Rush to judgment
Accelerate leadership actions before gathering facts
Discount the environment in which their followers function

When leaders make decisions apart from this understanding, they’re just inviting trouble. And the last thing a leader needs is more trouble — that’s a fact!

(Your leaders need a refocus or reset? Take a look at these training options.)

Leaders Create Problems for Themselves When…

So what would you say? What problems have you seen leaders create for themselves? I’d love to hear and I bet others would too. Please comment below.

#leaderscreateproblemsforthemselves #problemsleaderscreate #stopshootingyourselfinthefoot #leadershiphelp #philvanhooser #leadershiptips #leadershipblog

If you’re doing a self-check, here are some other common leadership mistakes to think about.

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Generation Z: What Do I Do With My Life?

Generation Z is flooding the workforce. Many young people are coming up for air and feeling like something is missing. Because of this, I get questions all the time from Generation Z’s asking for career advice. Let’s talk about it….

Generation Z: What Do I Do With My Life?
“What do I do with my life?” I hear that all the time from Generation Z employees. When I’m asked to weigh in, I consistently offer these points and today I want to share those with you.


Maintain Your Integrity

First, while you are questioning what your next move should be, don’t jeopardize your current opportunity. To Generation Z and all other employees, you need to show up every day, give your employer your very best performance, and focus on learning everything you can right where you are. 

Why?

Well, through the whole process of trying to figure out what it is you really want to do, you may realize you actually want to stay where you are! If you slack off, then you risk losing what you already have.

Secondly, you are currently being paid to do a job —  so do it! Your integrity is at stake, and truly successful professionals maintain their integrity at all times, no matter what.

Finally, don’t negatively impact your coworkers. Just because you are questioning what you want, doesn’t mean that anyone else is. As you interact with your coworkers, focus on having conversations that will build them up and encourage them to excel in their positions. Also, if you are tasked with training new employees during this time where you are wondering if this is where you want to be, focus on showing them the best parts of your job because this may be their dream job–even if it’s not yours! Don’t ruin their opportunity. If you let your doubts and questions infect your coworkers, then you can singlehandedly be the disease that brings down the morale of the entire organization. That’s not good for you or for them.

Ultimately, maintain your integrity by focusing on creating an environment where even if you do decide to leave, you will be leaving it in a better place. That’s a win for everyone.

Get Real

I continue to meet Generation Z employees who are searching for the dream job that is going to make them rich and keep life easy. In every conversation, their idea of what work should look like or do for them is stemming from someone they’ve seen or heard on social media, YouTube, or in pop culture some way.  I hate that so many people have such an inaccurate picture of what work looks like now. Here is what I say to those dreaming of a job that doesn’t exist in the real world…

What you see on the internet is most often just a person’s highlight reel. You see the best moments of what a person does with three photo filters on top. What you don’t see is every time they have to:

Get their hands dirty
Work extremely long hours
Miss important moments with their family and friends
The hundreds of times they’ve had to deal with angry customers
All the years they worked for low wages — sometimes for free — just so they could learn more
Long days where they showed up even though they felt horrible
The years they spent paying off debt or saving up to invest in the business…

The list could go on and on! Why? Because THAT is the real world. That is what you don’t see on social but what you will experience in real life.

Work is called work for a reason. Yes, there are jobs out there with really great perks, but even jobs with awesome perks have aspects that are grueling. No matter what you decide to do, you will not love every aspect of your job every day. However, you will still have to work and go all in every day if you want to be successful. How do you make the grind worth it? You make sure the work you are doing feeds your “why”.

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Find Your “Why”

“When you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Have you heard that quote before? I couldn’t find the original source for this quote but I’ve seen, heard, and disagreed with this quote for years.

I absolutely love what I do and there are still days that it feels like work. You may be asking yourself, “Why would you irrevocably pursue a career that feels like work sometimes? First, every job will feel like work at one point or another so don’t follow a lie that would make you believe otherwise. Second, my work 100% feeds my “why”.

Your why is the reason you do what you do. Some of the most common why’s I’ve heard over the years when it comes to people in their jobs:

Make an impact
Control of schedule
Financial freedom

Do you know what your why is? If not, take time to ask yourself the question of what it is that you ultimately want to accomplish. Incredible value lies within understanding and naming your reason for doing what you do. Your why will  keep you grounded on the best days at work and keep you motivated on the inevitable dull or tough days at work. Having a meaningful why makes all the work worth it!

Take Action

Let’s do a quick recap. We discussed working really hard where you are right now. Then we talked about work taking real effort and not being Instagram worthy all the time. Then we talked about defining your reason for doing what you do. Lastly, it’s now time to take action to make your success happen. 

Whether you are staying where you are, working your way up in the organization, or changing careers altogether…if you’re going to be successful you can’t sit back and hope for a better future, you have to make moves to make it happen.

Your action might be to level up your performance at your current job. Maybe your next move might be to schedule a conversation with a successful person in the industry you think you want to be in so you can pick their brain. The options are endless. Whatever the action is, make sure it is a move forward and in the right direction.

Learn, Grow, Work Your Butt Off

To Generation Z and all other professionals in the workplace today wondering what to do with your life, don’t quit your job without another one in place. Don’t dive headfirst into something without doing all the research…and I don’t just mean on Google. Take action to figure out your why and which career is going to help you achieve that.

(Do you have emerging leaders who need leadership or professional development training? Let’s talk about some options.)

You have to know that in some cases, your job can be your dream. In many cases, your job may not be your dream but it does allow you to live your dream outside of work. Wherever you are, focus on learning, growing and working your butt off. You never know what opportunities may come your way because of it!

#GenZ #GenerationZ #GenZEmployees #GenZMotivation #WhatDoIDoWithMyLife #ProfessionalDevelopment #SuccessMindset

Hey Generation Z (or those on-boarding them), you might like this post on a success strategy for your first day. 

The post Generation Z: What Do I Do With My Life? appeared first on Van Hooser Associates, Inc..

Don’t Say ‘You Know Who You Are’

‘You know who you are’ is a phrase great leaders don’t say when addressing performance issues. The fallout from this phrase is significant, here’s why.

You Know Who You Are or Do They?

See if this scenario sounds familiar. The boss schedules a rare department wide meeting. At 1:00pm everyone is to be in the conference room. In the run up to the meeting, there’s plenty of water cooler whispering, guessing and hand wringing.

Only one thing is clear. No one knows what the meeting is about.

Eventually, the time arrives and all department members are present and accounted for. Tension hangs thick in the air. At 1:00pm sharp, the boss strides into the room. And her demeanor is unmistakable. There is a problem.

She pauses momentarily before launching purposefully into her prepared comments.

“I’ve been checking department attendance records and I’m NOT pleased.

“A couple of you — YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE — have missed far too many days this year. And it’s unacceptable. AND IT’S GOING TO STOP!”

She’s on a roll.

Her tongue lashing increases in intensity and duration. But little does she recognize the damage being done. And unfortunately, for this unsuspecting boss, the damage is primarily self-inflicted.

Leaders, Practice Specificity

Today, let’s talk about the need for specificity.

Specificity. Now there’s a word I bet you don’t use every day.

Personally, I just like saying it. Specificity.

C’mon, you say it with me. Specificity.

Yep, it’s fun to say. But it also represents an important leadership concept. Here’s Webster’s definition. In a nutshell, specificity means to have something “clearly defined or identified.”

Do you think the boss knew specifically who was having attendance problems? Of course she did! She had access to the attendance records. She’d heard complaints — directly or indirectly — from supervisors and employees alike.

She knew exactly which employees were missing too much work. But for some reason, she didn’t want to confront them directly.

So, rather than confront the real offenders, she chose instead to blame the entire team. Perhaps hoping her broad message would hit the specific target.

Foolish choice. It’s one that rarely, if ever, works. And here’s why.

Fallout from ‘You Know Who You Are’

The employees with bad attendance knew their individual records sucked. But they’d never been confronted. Now listening to the boss’s comments, they begin to think, “Maybe I’ve gotten a pass for some reason. Maybe she doesn’t even know it’s me that is the problem.”

As a result, no motivational foundation is established for future improvement in their personal attendance. I can accurately predict that it will be the “same ol’, same ol’” in the future.

On the other hand, the employees with good attendance records were confused and demotivated. They had made sure they were at work on time, every day.

And now what does it get them? The boss apparently doesn’t even know who the poor attenders are. They begin to think, “Now I’m getting a butt chewing?! Does she think I’m the problem?! What a crock!”

You know, that’s really not good. So what should have happened? It’s pretty simple actually.

Address the Problem & the Person Now

First, great leaders don’t look forward to difficult conversations any more than anyone else does. But great leaders know this.

Bad news does not get better with time. If a problem needs to be addressed, the best time to do so is now. Not a week, a month or a year from now. Address it now!

Secondly, when preparing to confront any issue or problem, a great leader makes sure they definitively know who’s at fault and who isn’t. They then methodically and specifically, deal directly with those involved.

They identify clearly and specifically what is expected regarding future performance then hold them accountable.

Leaders are most respected when they are focused, rather than unfocused. Can you say, “Specificity?”

You know who you are!

Your Turn

What’s been your experience with the ‘You Know Who You Are’ approach? We would love to hear your stories! Please feel free to comment.

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For more ideas on how to motivate and engage your people, read Alyson’s post, Leaders Own Employee Engagement.

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#specificity #youknowwhoyouare #badnewsdoesnotgetbetterwithtime #difficultconversations #leadersoughttoknow #accountability #leadershippitfalls #managingconfrontation #leadersdon’tsaythis

You might also like this: Leaders Own Employee Engagement

The post Don’t Say ‘You Know Who You Are’ appeared first on Van Hooser Associates, Inc..

Promoted to Leader — Now What?

You’ve gotten the call that you’ve been promoted to leader. Suddenly, everything changes.  There are obvious changes like a new title or maybe more money. However, the biggest change of all is increased responsibility. What should your first move be? Here are 3 actions to help you kickstart your leadership in the right direction.

Promoted to Leader — Now What?

I’d probably be guessing correctly if I said that you were really successful in what you were doing before you got the promotion. How do I know that? Because that’s how it happens most of the time…because people are really good technically, they get promoted into a leadership position. The hope from decision-makers is that you can lead other people to achieve that same high level of success you’ve had.

The challenge most newly promoted leaders face is that while they excel technically, they lack leadership skills. Don’t worry, everyone has the power to learn to be a great leader. The fact that you’re here reading this article shows me that you’re already headed in the right direction. Here are three next steps to help you in your new leadership role.

 

Own It

Leadership is a responsibility. As a leader, your responsibility is to serve your people. Big picture — your people include both the people you work for and the people who work for you. This article’s focus is on the people who work for you. From that perspective, your goal should be to serve your people by equipping and inspiring them to achieve better performance that drives bottom-line business results.

From day one, you have to own this new responsibility. 

As you work through planning, organizing, directing, and controlling all aspects of your team, you will experience challenging days. That doesn’t mean that you’re the wrong person for the job. Instead, it means you have an opportunity to learn, grow, and do something to make it better. 

When performance is declining, own the responsibility of figuring out why and how to fix it. If your culture is sucking the life out of your high-potentials, own the responsibility of figuring out how to make it better. Whatever the issue is, you’re the leader. Issues most often come from the top down. You now have the power to enact positive change. Own it!

 

Elevate Your Leadership Vibe

A new title at work won’t automatically grant you respect, admiration, or buy-in from your people. However, being promoted to leader will change the way people see you. It’s your choice whether you take action to help them see in you in a good light or a bad one.

Take time to think about leaders you’ve loved throughout the years: 

What did they do that made them great?
What words would you use to describe them? 

Now ask yourself, how do I want people to see me as a leader?

Maybe you thought of characteristics like smart, inspirational, selfless, professional, innovative, dependable, trustworthy, etc. Whatever you want your people to think of you, you have to take action to bring those qualities to life. From the moment you pull into the parking lot on day one, you elevate your vibe…you’re the leader now! Choose to walk, talk, dress, think, and act like the leader you want them to see you as.

 

Listen to Stories

As a new leader, you must get the right people in the right positions in order to create an environment that breeds success. In order to do that well, you have to have a deep understanding of your people: who they are, where they come from, strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, etc.

You’ll likely have access to all kinds of reports and records that will give you some insight into the people you are now responsible for leading. It is a good idea to also take the initiative to study different genders, generations, and other demographics that will help you better understand your diverse workforce. However, the power to deeply understand your people lies in their stories, not the statistics. 

Here’s what I mean:

3 Benefits of Listening to Employee Stories

Showing that you care enough to listen to someone’s story is where you’ll start building a relationship with them. That relationship is critical to a good work environment going forward. That means that listening to your people’s stories is a quick win for you right off the bat!
Stories also have the power to unlock otherwise undiscovered truths and motivation for past, present, and future performance. Someone may initially think a person is motivated by money, but after listening to stories about their kids, you might learn that they are actually more motivated by a flexible schedule to allow for more family time. 
Listen carefully as people share their stories with you because they will give you clues into whether or not someone is your ally or your adversary. As a leader, it is always helpful to know who is rooting for or against you so you can adjust your actions as necessary. 

The knowledge you gain from listening to stories from your people will help you evaluate the competency of your team and drive how you position and lead them going forward. You may find that there are people who are not a good fit for the team, others whose responsibilities and expectations need to be rearranged, and some who are exactly right where they need to be. Your cognitive ability to peel back the layers on your people and effectively lead them to achieve better results will be a defining factor in your success now that you’ve been promoted to leader.

 

Lay Down the Law

As a new leader, your people are busting at the seams to hear your vision for the future. Each of them is dying to know if you’re going to stop any bleeding and/or help them ramp up for huge success. Ultimately, they want to know how your leadership is going to affect them on a day-to-day basis.

Don’t rush, but you have to lay down the law soon. Laying down the law is the process I use for visioning in my leadership training sessions. Briefly, there are three questions you must answer:

Where are you now?
Where do you want to go?
How are you going to get there?

It is critical that you frame your answers to each of these questions to line up with not only the expectations of your company but also the needs and wants of your people. Doing this will cause your people to be more likely to quickly get on board and start steering performance in the direction you want it to go. A clearly communicated vision is a weapon for mass success.

 

You’ve Got This

Remember, you were not promoted to leader by accident — it happened because someone believes in you. So once you’ve been promoted to leadership, don’t look back. Own it! Own it because you’ve been given the opportunity to positively influence and impact lives. Choose to focus your time and effort on what you can do to move results in the right direction. Leadership is not always easy, but it’s always worth it.

 

Need leadership training for your emerging leaders?  Let’s talk!
#promotedtoleader #emergingleaderdevelopment #storiesnotstatistics #leadershiptraining #ownit #laydownthelaw #yougotthis

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Use a Devil’s Advocate for Better Decisions

Want to get a decision right? Learn how using a devil’s advocate to vet critical decisions before finalizing and enacting them can help you make better decisions.

Devil’s Advocate: Your Friend or Enemy?

You’re standing at the head of a conference table surrounded by several high level managers. Their collective gaze is fixed squarely on you. You’ve just finished presenting a critical proposal. A proposal you’ve spent 6 months researching, developing, testing and fine tuning.

If approved, the proposal will cost the organization thousands of dollars to implement. But if successful, a 10 to 1 return on investment could be realized. You know this proposal could ultimately make — or break — your future within the organization.

Silence engulfs the room as your closing comments linger. You wait anxiously for that initial, key response. Then, a lone voice pierces the silence.

“Excuse me. I hate to play ‘devil’s advocate,’” the voice begins. “But I have a number of concerns with your proposal.”

Is a Devil’s Advocate a Good Thing or a Bad Thing?

Okay, let’s stop right here.

You and I both know that this situation might be uncomfortable for even the most experienced leaders. But is the devil’s advocate a good thing or a bad thing?

So let’s explore the value of utilizing a devil’s advocate in your future decision making.

First, let’s clear up one common misconception. For some, a devil’s advocate is just some knucklehead taking pleasure in creating unnecessary conflict. Or someone who loves to see others squirm and look bad in public.

Frankly, such an attitude demeans its original intent.

The Promoter of the Faith aka the Devil’s Advocate

In the 16th Century, the Catholic Church established an official position known as “The Promoter of the Faith.” But the role was more commonly referred to as the “devil’s advocate.” (More on the role of promoter fidei…)

The services of the devil’s advocate were only used when considering a candidate for canonization — sainthood. And that was/is a really big deal.

Their duty was to take a skeptical view of a candidate’s character or any misrepresentation of evidence presented. The devil’s advocate was responsible for arguing a position to further debate and examination of the critically important matter at hand. And keep in mind, this might be a position they did not personally hold.

In other words, the Church was proactively testing the quality of their original position. This was to uncover weaknesses or flaws before a final decision was made and enacted. Interesting concept, don’t you think?

So, could a similar concept benefit you? Many leaders have had opportunities and careers derailed when important decisions made unraveled. These same decisions had been applauded and encouraged by the “yes men and women” who populate organizations.

Not a negative note was sounded during the decision making process. Maybe they feared being ostracized or branded less than a team player. Yet the leader, the ultimate decision maker, was left to pick up the pieces and shoulder the burden of the failed decision.

Strategically, designating someone to challenge conventional thinking could ultimately be a brilliant business decision in itself.

(Are you a new manager or leader? These 3 strategies can help you transition well.)

3 Duties of a Devil’s Advocate

An internal devil’s advocate should be challenged to:

1. Ask tough questions.

2. Give voice to contentious opinions.

3. Provoke spirited debate.

This is for the defined purpose of vetting critical decisions before finalizing and enacting them.

So let’s get practical. How might this work in your world? Consider the concept. Think about the most important decisions that await you — personally or professionally.

Remember, not every decision requires the services of a devil’s advocate. But some might. Figure out which ones do.

Then find those individuals who can be trusted to make sure you get this right. Even if it means telling you — or others — you are wrong. Challenge these people to embrace their roles.

This is big stuff — hard stuff — important stuff — challenging stuff.  And it’s not something the average leader is likely to consider. But it’s something every good leader ought to think about.

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Looking for in-depth training on leadership, employee motivation and other management skills? That’s what we do — let’s talk!

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#devilsadvocate #howtomakebetterdecisions #promoterofthefaith #decisionmakingskills #playingdevilsadvocate #philvanhooser

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3 Reasons Gen Z Make Great Employees

Warning: I just read a New York Times article about Gen Z that set me on fire! Consider yourself warned. If you’re a leader who is dreading hiring more young employees, or if you are a leader dying to know if the next generation is going to bring anything good to the table, this message is for you!

3 Reasons Gen Z Make Great Employees

With headlines such as the one published recently from The New York Times: “‘Ok Boomer’ Marks The End Of Friendly Generational Relations, major media outlets are oftentimes incorrectly shaping the way leaders view entire generations in today’s workforce. I am all for freedom of speech, so since I spend my time researching generations and training leaders to successfully navigate today’s multi-generation workforce, I want to share a different perspective with you on why this is not the end of friendly generational relations. 

As a millennial, it may be surprising to you that I don’t even necessarily like that term. Why? Because it feels like most of the time when the term is used, someone is talking about my generation in a negative light…in a way that is very different than how I see myself and my peers. The Center for Generational Kinetics latest research proves that “Millennials are breaking into two different generational groups”. That in and of itself allows many millennials like me to take a sigh of relief at the fact that there is proof that all millennials are not entitled, under-performing employees who just want to drink coffee all day. I wonder if that will be the same story for Gen Z. Gen Z is only about 24 years old and younger right now, so time will tell. I want to go ahead and share three reasons everyone can get excited about as Gen Z enters the workplace and takes on leadership roles.

 

Gen Z Craves Relationship

Parenting always plays a huge role in shaping a person. Gen Z’s parents are Gen X. Gen X grew up in a time when, in most families, both parents worked. Because Gen X was at home often without their parents, this created a more distant relationship between parents and children of that time. Because many in Gen X grew up without a close relationship with their parents, like every other generation, they are making up for it with their own kids. Gen X is focused on building strong relationships with their Gen Z kids. 

What does this mean for leaders in the business world? Better performance control.

As Gen Z becomes a bigger part of your workforce, you can rest easy knowing that many of them want to build a relationship with you! They want to learn about you, hear from you, and talk with you often. Why? They have that same close relationship with their parents. This means that as you are controlling performance and results through the people side of your business, you will be met with someone who is eager to hear from you. Where the “‘Ok Boomer…’” New York Times article I mentioned earlier would have you think Gen Z could care less what seasoned leaders have to say, I would disagree.  From the Gen Zs I know personally, I see young people putting out a welcome mat for leaders, not a stop sign.

 

Gen Z is Ready to Get Their Hands Dirty

We’ve all heard and seen the world roll their eyes at Millennials getting participation trophies. Because of the damage those meaningless trophies did for some, Gen X is drilling into Gen Z’s heads that they have to work really hard for their success. 

We all see technology take over many of the entry-level jobs that generations before have counted on…especially in customer service. This means that Gen Z understands that their competition is not only their peers but technology, too. All of this is shaping Gen Z to be a very competitive generation and one that is positioned perfectly for monumental innovation.

When you put together the message of hard work that has been consistently fed to Gen Z, their highly competitive nature, and even Gen Z’s experience of the Great Recession, we have a recipe for a really hard-working generation. During my time in the corporate world, I would have given anything for more hard-working, higher-performing employees. The good news is that they are here and they will keep coming as the next ten plus years pass!

 

Gen Z is Geared for Change

Gen Z has only ever known a world with technology. Some of them have been holding a phone in their hand watching cartoons since they were a toddler! As they’re growing up, they are using it more and more every year in school and at home. With the world at their fingertips for as long as they can remember, they’ve watched everything change at a rapid pace their entire life. Because of this, I believe Gen Z are wired to see endless possibilities for their future and instinctively welcoming change!

Did you know that YouTube is the second largest search engine? One of the most popular searches people do on YouTube is “How to __________”. Yes, Gen Z has the expectation that possibilities are endless and that products and processes should continually get better, but they also know how to figure out how to make it happen. While they may have been searching for “How to Dougie” on YouTube ten years ago, now they are professionals and are searching for things like “How to be successful at work”.

Gen Z is really good at navigating change. Not only that, but they are willing to take initiative to figure out how to make it happen. If leaders give them opportunities for success, I doubt you’ll find many that won’t take charge and make it happen!

 

Gen Z Is Not Better Than You

No single generation is better or worse than the other. We are all people experiencing life at different times. All of us are trying to figure out how to make life good at work and at home. In the end, we all want to leave our mark on this world. Choosing to work to understand the people around you, those like you and those completely unlike you, allows everyone to come together to achieve really incredible results.

As a leader, understanding generations gives you a solid starting point to creating loyal, high performing, engaged teams. All of that means better results for your business!

I want to leave you with this…Generational statistics and research are really helpful at creating a starting point for understanding your people. That’s why I gave you just a hint of that today! But, the best resource leaders should tap into are personal stories from their people. Why? Because multi-generation leadership solutions lie within the stories from your people, not the statistics about them. Personal stories help you to deeply understand

  1. Why your people do what they do.

  2. How you can get your people to perform better.

As a leader, the best thing you can do to level up your leadership success is to make getting to know your people on a personal level, a top priority. Choose today to schedule a time to meet with your direct reports. Start building a relationship with them. Work for understanding, through listening to their stories. You’ll learn exactly where they’re coming from, who they are, and what they want. That’s where successful leadership in today’s world starts!

Have a leadership team that needs help navigating today’s multi-generation workforce?  Let’s talk!

 

#GenZ #Millennials #LeadershipDevelopment #MillennialsLeaders #Boomers #OKBoomer #GenerationalLeadership #LeadershipTraining #UnderstandingGenerations #GenZAtWork #GenZEmployees

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When to Address Performance Issues

Leaders can’t always pick the perfect time to address critical performance issues with an employee, so sometimes sensitivity and timeliness are at odds. So when is the right time to address performance issues? Good question. Let’s talk about it.

Performance Issues Plus Bad Timing Equal Tough Call

Following an on-site client engagement, one of the program participants posed a very interesting question, wrapped around a less than enviable situation involving performance issues. Here is the question I received.

Q: Phil, have you ever had to address performance issues with an employee after they have just experienced a traumatic event? For example, a death in the family? In your program you identified “working environment” as one of the barriers to communication. And you specifically mentioned timing. Where does compassion for the individual’s circumstances enter into the equation? Should I wait for some better time to address the performance issues?

Sooner or later, leaders are certain to experience situations with no clear cut answer. And the situation posed in the question clearly falls into one of those gray areas.

First, I am quick to counsel leaders to be sensitive to the personal needs of their employees and followers. Doing less can create frustration and resentment that an employee harbors for a long time. Leaders should make every practical accommodation to help the individual work through their personal difficulties. The end goal is to quickly return to their expected performance level.

The “Perfect” Time vs. Pressing Performance Issues

That being said, we can not always pick the perfect time to address critical performance issues with our followers. Pressing performance issues should not be ignored. To do so creates the possibility of putting the entire organization, its customers, employees and other stakeholders in a compromising position. It is a leader’s responsibility to take the necessary steps to deal with unsatisfactory performance whenever it’s found.

In situations like the one posed, I suggest directly approaching the individual concerning the performance issues in question. But do not approach in an accusatory manner. Instead, be straightforward in identifying the problem at hand. Then quickly move the conversation toward solving the problem.

Bad News Does Not Get Better With Time

While searching for solutions, the employee’s current personal difficulties may or may not be factored in. Each situation needs to be considered on its own merit. But there should be no question that the ultimate goal  is to correct the performance issue at hand. Working together to find a mutually acceptable solution should help the individual bear his/her emotional burden.

To some the answer might seem to be, “wait for the right time, a better time.” My answer calls us to remember this: bad news does not get better with time.

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We help organizations that need in-depth training on leadership, team building and other management skills. If that’s what you’re looking for, let’s talk!

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#badnewdoesntgetbetterwithtime #performanceissues #addressingperformanceissues #noinstructionmanual #toughleadershipquestions

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Grey’s Anatomy Leadership Lesson

Grey’s Anatomy has been my guilty pleasure since it first aired in 2005. I have always loved Grey…and McDreamy…and now even DeLuca, but today I want to take a look at Jo. I am a keynote speaker, trainer, and (soon to be) author on leadership and in Season 16  Jo perfectly played out leadership principles that I cannot ignore and want to point out to you.

Grey’s Anatomy Leadership Lesson

If you’ve never watched Grey’s Anatomy, let me give you a little background information to bring you up to speed. Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama television series. The series follows Meredith Grey and other surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop throughout their careers. In this article, we are focusing on the character, Jo.

Jo had a tough life being abandoned by her mother and then growing up in foster care. She went on to graduate from Harvard Medical School and is now an attending general surgeon at Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital. How did she become so successful? Let’s simply take a look at S16 so far and see what leadership lessons we can learn from this character.

Get Back Up

At the beginning of this season, because Jo had been dealing with personal issues, she decided to get help through psychiatric treatment. Point number one, if you need help–get help!

Once Jo completed the treatment she had a hard decision to make: Do I return to my job or not? If she went back to where she was working before treatment, she worried people would be judging her. Her husband even mentioned her taking a job where nobody would know who she was or what happened. In the end, Jo decided to go back to the same hospital she was working at before.

She could have decided to go somewhere else. She could have decided to give up her dreams and run away from the judgment from her co-workers. After all, facing people who might see you in a negative light is not always easy. However, Jo made a choice that was going to get her closer to her goals, not further away.

Here’s my point, if you are going to be a great leader then you have to pick up the pieces, get back up, and go after YOUR dreams. Leaders are not bulletproof. Leaders are human like everyone else. But, those who lead well choose to get back up after they fall. So if you have been in a hard place, take time to heal. Once you’ve healed, choose to lead yourself well. Get up and go do the work you were meant to do! Choose to lead others well by showing up for them better than ever before! That’s what successful leadership looks like in the real world.

Don’t Jump At The First Opportunity

Jo’s husband, Alex, works at a different hospital than she does. He offered her a really great position at his hospital. She thought about it of course — she would have been crazy not to at least consider it!  However, that job wasn’t exactly what or where she wanted to be. After several discussions back and forth between Alex and her boss, Bailey, about potential promotion opportunities, Jo decided to make one last move.

If you know me at all then you know I am deeply passionate about asking for what you want — in the right way and at the right time. Jo did just that!

Jo wanted to continue working with Bailey at Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital and wanted the attending general surgeon position.

She went to Bailey and asked for a time to meet with her.
Described the need of Bailey and the hospital.
Made a BIG ASK that would solve the need…even though it was a long shot.
Described all the positive results Bailey and the hospital would experience if she got what she was asking for.
Explained the negative results Bailey and the hospital would experience if she did not get what she was asking for.

Did Jo get what she asked for? Yes!

If Jo would have jumped at the first shiny opportunity presented to her then she would have missed out on her dream job at her dream location.

The next time you are presented with an opportunity, make sure you have considered all the other great opportunities you could be passing up if you take it. You never know, your dream job at your dream location may be just a big ask away!

 

Push Through Hard Things

As the new attending general surgeon on Grey’s Anatomy, Jo is replacing Meredith Grey in a really difficult surgery.

Quadri is an intern and loved working under Meredith Grey. Quadri is not happy about having to work with Jo now instead of Meredith, and she makes no bones about it.

During the first discussion of the surgery, Jo is excited and Quadri’s attitude is horrible. Quadri is rude and sarcastic to Jo.
When Jo and Quadri talk to the patient about Jo performing the surgery instead of Meredith, the patient is very upset. The patient demands to have Meredith do their surgery. Quadri stands beside Jo and is disrespectfully rolling her eyes the entire time Jo is working to gain respect and rapport with the patient. Obviously, this just adds to the patient’s disgust with Jo.
During an intense moment in the surgery, Quadri stops and doubtfully asks if Jo even knows how to do the surgery.

How did Jo handle it?

Jo did not lose her temper with Quadri the entire time. Jo worked to set a positive example and to encourage Quadri despite her negative demeanor. Joe created a solution that worked for herself and the patient. Jo successfully performed a really difficult surgery in her first week as an attending general surgeon.

*SPOILER ALERT* Quadri ended up getting fired by Bailey (Jo’s Boss) because she witnessed firsthand Quadri’s actions and attitude. Don’t be like Quadri!

Think about your workplace. It is incredibly difficult to work with and lead someone who has a horrible attitude and publicly doubts every move you make, right? However, just like Jo, you cannot give in to the pressure. Successful leaders keep their composure, set the example for high performance, and get positive outcomes even through difficult circumstances.

Remember, life will be tough but so are you. You can do hard things. It’s simply a choice to take actions that will get you further –not farther– from your goals.

 

It’s Not About Jo, It’s About You

Although Jo is just a character on Grey’s Anatomy, leaders can take a lesson from her today. Maybe you are living through some of the same difficult circumstances she has. Maybe you’ve been dealt a tough hand in life and at work, too. But, just like Jo, choose to take responsibility for making good things happen for yourself. Lead yourself well and set the example for others. When things go bad, get back up. Don’t jump at the first opportunity, jump at the best opportunity. Push through hard things so you can accomplish great things.

 

#leadership #leadershipdevelopment #modernleadershiptraining #greysanatomy #jokarev #greysloanmemorial #makeleadershiptraningentertaining #leadershipmotivation

 

Have a team issue that really needs addressed through training? Let’s talk!

 

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One Compelling Reason to Act

There’s a sobering truth about change that all leaders need to know. It’s one the really great leaders will act on. When other leaders are prone to vacillate, it could be your compelling reason to act. Read on.

One Compelling Reason to Act

My personal experiences as a leadership speaker, trainer and business owner have exposed me to hundreds of different businesses and a great number of leadership philosophies. And believe me, they’re not all positive.

Today, let’s think about why some leaders are compelled to make decisions that move their businesses forward while others make decisions that hold them back.

Consider two small businesses. They are in the same industry, competing in the same geographic space. Both have a solid history of success and sustained profitability. And both know change is headed their way.

Taking a Preemptive Approach

Here’s what they know:

Competition is changing — with new, advanced technological capabilities.

Customers are changing — with new product and service choices and expectations.

Regulations are changing — with new compliance and reporting obligations.

These and other anticipated changes are a very real threat to the future, long term success of these two organizations. 

In a positive, preemptive move, key leaders from both institutions begin to meet informally. Rather than sit on their hands, they put their heads together to imagine the future of their industry. They anticipate specific challenges their respective organizations might encounter and they imagine how to proactively respond.

And in this process of imagining and exploring, something interesting happens. Their conversations lead them to an undeniable, consensus opinion that both organizations would be stronger and better equipped to face an uncertain future if they merged and became one.

Their combined knowledge, experience, resources and commitment to success would be infinitely more powerful in concert — rather than in competition.

Versus No Compelling Reason to Act….Now

Now, imagine this.

After months of focused discussion and careful deliberation, it’s now  time to move from conjecture to action. But one of the leaders just can’t do it. 

The leader says, “I agree this merger of equals makes sense and would make both organizations stronger. But honestly, I see no compelling reason for us to act right now.”

And with that, the process essentially ends. No further conversations will be necessary. The opportunity to strengthen their competitive positions and proactively prepare for change has been forfeited.

By way of the “no compelling reason” comment, this leader essentially says,

“This was a fun exercise, but I never really intended to do anything with it. I don’t plan to take action until our backs are against the wall.  Until we’re certain we’ve lost customers, market share and profitability. Only then will I have a compelling reason to act.”

A Sobering Truth About Change

Here’s a sobering truth about change that all good leaders need to know. This is one the really great leaders will act on.

By the time the need to change is obvious to everyone, it’s too late!

Opportunities abound. They’re all all around us. Always have been; always will be. But too often, real opportunities to effectively manage change end in the “what might have been” pile under the guise of “being deliberate,” being too hesitant or waiting too long to act.

So here are some questions for you to reflect on.

#1. As a leader, what compels you to act?

#2. Are you only compelled to act when assigned a definitive task or your back is against the wall?

#3. Are you compelled, reluctantly, for fear of the negative consequence rather than the possible positive outcome?

#4. Are you willing to act — whether instructed to do so or not — because of your commitment to make a positive difference in your role and responsibility?

#5. Are you compelled to act by the motivation to do even more than is required or expected of you?

Your answers are important.

Remember this — the more compelled you are to act proactively, the broader the opportunities for success. And the greater example you set for your followers to do the same.

If your leaders or team need some guidance managing change, we can help. Connect with me here to talk about solutions.

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#failuretoact #compellingreasonstoact #truthsaboutchange #managingchange #indecisionisadecision

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Influence Equals Power

Leading a diverse workforce to massive success can feel really difficult sometimes, right? I want you to know that you are not alone, and I am going to help you ignite your bottom-line business results. In today’s world, influence equals power. To harness your power to drive profits through your people, let’s talk about practical, tactical ways you can increase your influence with them.

Influence Equals Power

Regardless of whether you are working with a GenZ or a Baby Boomer, a man or a woman, your boss or your employee — leaders must be able to create influence with them all so they can drive their performance in the right direction.  Meaningful influence is not freely granted because of your title or position in the organization’s hierarchy. Instead, influence is earned. Here are three ways to strategically earn a powerful influence with your people.

Be Strategic With Your Words

No matter who you are or where you are from, everyone wants to work with people they trust. Without trust, it’s impossible to influence people to move in the way you want.

How do people gauge how much they will or won’t trust you? The answer is simple — your words.

As soon as you say something, there is no going back. Think of your words like a bottle rocket. In case you have never used fireworks, a bottle rocket is a small rocket attached to a stick. The fuse is short. Typically, people place the rocket in a bottle (hence the name), light the fuse, and when the flame reaches the rocket, the rocket will shoot up into the air in the direction it was placed in the bottle.

Bottle Rocket Firework
(tntfireworks.com)
Here is what you can control when it comes to the bottle rocket:

Where you place it.
When you use it.
How you deal with the aftermath.

If you place the bottle rocket in the wrong place or direction, it might shoot off and cause harm to someone or something. If you use fireworks at the wrong time, you might upset your neighbors or ruin the fireworks show. When you shoot off a firework, there will be trash. If you do not pick up the trash, you may lose the ability to be able to shoot off any fireworks in the future.

When it comes to your words, similar to bottle rockets, you can control:

Where you use them.
When you use them.
How you deal with the aftermath.

Certain things should be said at certain places. For example, maybe you have heard this phrase: “Praise in public. Punish in private.” If you blow someone out in the wrong place, they might lose all trust in you as their leader. You can control where you use your words. If you use them in the right places, you will create trust.

Over the years I have seen this to be true, oftentimes the smartest and most respected person in the room is the quietest. It is impossible for people to not listen and consider what they say because every time they talk, they add value. You can control when you speak. If you make your words count, you will create trust.

When you shoot off the rocket, when you say the words, your employees will immediately begin processing what you’ve said and how it affects them and what it means about you — that’s the aftermath. You have to choose to be aware of the impact of your words and cleanup any misunderstandings or wrong interpretations. If you don’t, your people will lose trust in you. Although, when you do choose to effectively deal with the aftermath of your words, you can create and/or maintain trust in the relationship.

Be smart about where, when, and how you use your words so you can build trust with them. Trust is critical to creating a powerful and positive influence among your people.

Set Strength-Based High-Performance Expectations

Effective leaders put the right people in the right positions. When you align a person’s strengths with the job responsibilities, you are creating a foundation for success. The next step is to set specific strength-based high-performance expectations.

People are more likely to meet high expectations when they are positioned based on their strengths. There is research to prove it:

“The relationship between strengths-based employee development and performance at the individual and work-unit levels is substantial and generalizable across organizations.” Gallup, 2019 (Meta-Analysis can be downloaded here.)

When you set strength-based high-performance expectations and someone becomes a more successful version of themselves because of it…their loyalty to you will grow, their engagement with you will increase, and they will allow you the power of becoming very influential in their life.

 

Serve Them With Development Opportunities

Your best employees want to grow personally and professionally. If they are presented an opportunity to grow — whether it is in knowledge, skills, position, etc. — they’ll likely take it. Because today’s market is an employee’s world, you better make sure you are the one giving them the most opportunities for the best growth. If not, you might not only lose influence with your employees, you might lose them to your competitors, too.

Give your people access to more information. Decide to send them to that conference. Invest in training to help them be successful. Create a new position to give them additional responsibility. Whatever the opportunity may be — options are limitless — if you are the person opening doors for them, your influence will grow with them.

Does your team — new and not-so-new employees — need leadership training? Let’s talk!

 

Influential Leaders

Your power to drive results will not happen automatically or accidentally. Influence equals power. Influence is created through strategic action. Choose today to take action on the three tips we just discussed.

Speak on purpose.
Start developing a deeper understanding of your people so you can create strengths-based high-performance expectations.
Serve your people by giving them growth opportunities.

Those strategic actions will help you as a leader increase your influence to drive bottom-line business results!

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#howtocreateinfluence #influenceinbusiness #influenceequalspower #speakonpurpose #giveopportunity #personalgrowth #personaldevelopment #professionaldevelopment #leadershiptraining

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