Susan Scott's Blog, page 39

Fierce Tip of the Week: Your First Idea May Be Your Best

Imagine for a second that you are in a meeting where the goal is to solve a challenge. An idea immediately comes to mind, however you skip over it, with the hope that an even more brilliant idea might pop into your head.

Why do we do this? Why do we discount our immediate instinct?

This week’s Fierce tip encourages you to vocalize all the first ideas you have, and to trust the instinct that told you that this is a problem, solution, challenge, or whatever it may be. If you’re a leader, this week when you are in a meeting, ask everyone to say their first ideas. You may be surprised as to what is being left unsaid due to self-editing.

No matter what your initial idea may be it may look different once others collaborate and innovate on it, or it might be the perfect solution right off the bat.

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Friday Resource: 5 Easy Ways to Handle Conflict at Work

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by Inc and explores five ways to handle conflict at work.

Conflict isn’t always a bad thing. Challenging a colleague’s opinion and “interrogating their reality,” as Fierce CEO Susan Scott would say, can produce amazing business results. It is important to know how to have these conversations tactfully to avoid a full-blown argument that accomplishes little. Great leaders know how to facilitate these conversations and set aside ego while practicing patience and self-awareness.

Per Geoffrey James, Inc, some tips for handling conflict at the office are:

1. Pick your battles carefully. Although no one should be exempt from these difficult conversations, from the intern to the CEO, it is always best to choose them carefully. It is devastating to the individual and their colleagues if everything turns into a conflict.

2. Admit when you’re wrong. A common mistake for new managers is the feeling that they must always be right or else have their leadership questioned down the road and “loose face.” In reality, people respond to someone that is willing to listen to others and be convinced their opinion is wrong. The inability to do so is a sign of insecurity and weakness.

3. Assume other people have good intentions. Assuming the worst in people’s motives and behavior only makes life more miserable for the person creating these assumptions.

Read the other two tips and the entire article here.

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When Heads Collide: 5 Tips for Managing Conflict

“If we aren’t going to be afraid of conflict, we have to see it as thinking, and then we have to get really good at it.” –Margaret Heffernan

Since January, we’ve focused our content heavily on creating more robust inclusion in the workplace. The main idea is this: inclusive cultures require collaboration and diversity of thought, where each team member has an equal opportunity to share their perspective. But what can you do as a leader when perspectives collide, causing friction between team members?

Starkly opposing views can potentially stagnate timelines and cause friction—especially when one or more people hold particularly passionate views about a topic or high-stakes decision. Conflict can be productive, but in its midst, we want to assure we’re making decisions effectively, maintaining (or reestablishing) a sense of team unity during the decision-making process, and patching any tension that may arise during and after heads have collided.

A number of factors can cause friction between team members including bias, the desire to be right, opposing personal values, etc., and the reality is that disagreements don’t need to be personal. A Deloitte article titled “Diversity’s new frontier” makes a substantial point that helps distinguish the person from the idea: “Ideas either have merit and points of connection or they do not. Diversity of thought challenges managers to rethink conflict itself, shifting their perspective away from mitigating conflict’s negative effects and toward designing conflict that can push their teams to new levels of creativity and productivity.”

Here are five useful tips to keep in mind when friction arises during collaboration with your team:

Tip #1: Own the decision.

Understanding that you (and perhaps other leaders within your organization) own the final decision is an important precursor to team collaboration. As a leader, it’s necessary to fully take different perspectives into consideration and avoid “the illusion of inclusion.” However, at the end of the day, the decision is yours. Your team members may be pointing in different directions, but you’ll have to decide which direction will be the most beneficial for the entire company. Consensus is not an essential precursor to deciding—call the final shot to end lingering disagreements and keep with predetermined timelines.

Tip #2: Show respect for even the most outlandish ideas.

While not all ideas that are brought to the table will be part of a final decision, an inclusive culture doesn’t expect them to be. Sharing ideas often includes brainstorming, where creativity can flow freely and strong merit doesn’t have to be present before expressing an idea. Although respectful feedback or criticism of ideas may naturally arise among team members (which can be a productive part of the decision-making process), make sure to address and diffuse any criticism that becomes personal and is directed toward a person rather than an idea.

As a leader, also keep in mind that behind every idea or vision, no matter how unusual or unpopular, is a value to be understood.

Tip #3: Use data.

The numbers don’t lie. When several ideas are on the table, divert attention to what does (or doesn’t) support each idea. Depending on the topic or decision at hand, what do statistics show? What does company history data show? Having data to use as a benchmark against potential decisions can help determine which ideas have the most merit for the final decision.

Tip #4: Avoid avoidance.

A natural tendency for many of us is to avoid conflict, but conflict can strengthen relationships and lead to more innovation. The purpose of conflict management is not to avoid conflict but instead manage in such a way that disagreements can occur constructively. Disagreement and conflict can be healthy precursors to desirable results, so it’s important to grant team members the opportunity to fully express their perspectives—with you and the rest of the team—even if some initial friction results.

Tip #5: Address lingering emotions with follow-up conversations.

The last and most important tip is to address any emotions that may be present after an incident. Whether it was a small disagreement or a heated argument, it’s important to know where each team member stands after it has occurred. Even if the matter at hand was resolved during the meeting, follow-ups address any unresolved issues that could potentially have a negative impact on workplace culture and environment. Commit to having either inclusive group or one-on-one conversations to discuss behavior and emotion, both yours and theirs, to create a feeling of completion and reestablish a sense of team unity.

What are your experiences managing workplace conflict? Share your thoughts with us.

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Fierce Tip of the Week: Bust Generation Stereotypes

The media is buzzing every day with news of the latest epidemic of generational conflict. Millennials are flipping things completely upside down while the boomers stand sternly, clenching status quo.

Well, how much is this really happening?

I’ve traveled to several conferences and corporate events, and during that time, I had several conversations about generations in the workforce. Most people say the generational gap is a real one but admitted to knowing people who don’t fall into their generations’ stereotypes.

So I ask you: When have you defied your generation’s stereotypes? When have others around you? 

I am an “older” millennial, yet I hold some very “boomer” values and tendencies. In our Fierce Generations workshop, we do a values exercise in which participants choose values most important to them. The beauty is that most people walk away from the training acknowledging that they have values from all the different generations. There are more similarities than differences.

This week’s tip is to get curious and not make assumptions about different generations around you. Don’t assume the millennial would want to use technology over a face-to-face interaction. Don’t assume the boomer would want the face-to-face. Just ask.

Stay curious. We have so many things to accomplish together – we need all the perspectives we can get.

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Friday Resource: How to Prepare for Workplace Changes Brought on by Millennials and Gen Z

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by The Business Journals and examines how companies can prepare for changes brought on by Millennials in the workplace.

Much has been said about Millennials in the workplace for better or worse. One thing is certain—with a new wave of workers claiming most jobs in the United States, changes are sure to occur. As the older generations of managers begin to retire, Millennials are stepping into leadership roles and filling the void. The biggest question being asked by companies and leaders that are transferring their knowledge to the next generation is, are they prepared?

“According to a recent Randstad global study, one of the top things that millennials feel their educations did not prepare them for is managing other people.”

Although a lack of experience and training may be prevalent, the desire to become leaders and earn the respect of their peers within organizations is of the utmost importance to aspiring Millennial leaders.

Per Kristin Kelley, The Business Journals, a few tactics to help prepare your Millennial staff to take on bigger leadership roles are:

1. Communicate with them often, and in person. Although Millennials can be found glued to their devices, they much prefer communication with their managers to be in-person. Subtle nuances such as body language and tone can make these interactions much more meaningful and the impact of the conversation far greater.

2. Be a role model. In order for the next generation of Millennials to flourish in their leadership roles, they need to have role models who exemplify what it takes to be a great leader.

Read the other tactic and the entire article here.

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5 Biggest Takeaways from LAMP

The relationship between Fierce and GAMA International has been built on a common vision: to support and develop field leaders in the insurance and financial services industry.

In this industry, recruiting, maintaining, and sustaining relationships between employees is one of the biggest challenges—keeping the lines of communication open between the field offices and the corporate office can be difficult. This challenge is where Fierce conversations can play a transformative role. The financial industry is also shifting, and organizations are coming together as a community to tackle the tough challenges that accompany change.

Fierce attended GAMA’s 2017 LAMP, themed “Ignite Change.” During the four-day event that included general session speakers and conversations with field leaders, we learned a great deal about how the financial industry is changing. Here are our five biggest takeaways that financial and insurance organizations should keep in mind, with highlights from event speakers.

1. Culture is key for recruitment and retention.

For businesses offering financial or insurance services, creating an inclusive culture is key to attracting women and millennials. Two millennials leaders shared their personal experiences with culture and how it relates to growing their firms:

Travis Penfield, Founder and Managing Partner of 49 Financial, shared how he built his continually growing firm by creating a strong culture and sense of purpose. He urged others to create this sense of purpose, using the analogy that he had a desire to paint, and it’s his team that helps bring that painting to life.

Misty Weltzien, the Director of Business Development for Pacific Advisors, is charged with recruiting, attracting, and developing experienced advisors looking to take their practices to the next level and career changers who feel financially or intellectually stagnant. She echoed the need for a strong culture, placing emphasis on open dialogue and being real with herself.

The future success of recruitment efforts within financial and insurance services is hinging on the success of building desirable, inclusive cultures. Leaders need to prioritize culture to attract the innovative minds of women and younger generations.

2. Disruption is happening – prepare yourself and your team.

In the finance and insurance business, this absolutely means leaning into progressive technology and considering where the industry is headed. Ask yourself: how can you and your team take the opportunity to really think about the future of your industry and where certain industries may coincide with yours?

At LAMP, Salim Ismail shared his global perspective on the impact of breakthrough technologies and how organizations can leverage these disruptions to grow 10x faster than their peers. For instance, he shared the impending changes with self-driving cars and genetic testing (the audience immediately wanted to buckle their seat belts to prepare for what this will mean for the industry). Salim has spent the last seven years building Singularity University (SU) as its founding executive director and current global ambassador. SU has empowered people from more than 85 countries to apply disruptive technologies—biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and neuroscience—to more than 100 startups and countless patents and ideas.

Disruption is happening, culturally and technologically. Prepare your team by having the necessary conversations that will prepare your organization for the changes that lie ahead.

3. Women leaders are critical for business.

Women operate differently on a strategic level, which means they offer a unique perspective that can help organizations flourish and adapt to change. For this reason, the recruitment of women is greatly needed in the financial and insurance industry.

Will Marré, Co-Founder & Former President of Covey Leadership Center and Smart Power Institute, focused on developing smart power leaders through Smart Power Institute. Smart Power is based on gender synergy—how men and women can use gender-based strengths to lead and work together to multiply positive results. During his talk, he placed importance on addressing gender bias within organizations.

Women offer unique perspectives that are essential to growth in the financial and insurance industry, and gender bias is a preventative barrier that organizations needs to address.

4. Care about your daily leadership. It’s the small things that count.

Marshall Goldsmith authored and edited 31 books, including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers MOJO and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There. In his presentation, he encouraged the audience to use a spreadsheet that includes a few questions you find important to ask yourself every day to assure you’re living the life you wish to live. They must be yes/no or numerical answers so you can easily calculate the trend. Some of the sample questions are:

• How many times did I try to prove I was right?

• Did I do my best to set clear goals?

• How many minutes did I spend reading?

Little things comprise the whole, which is why it’s important to take the small things into account when reflecting on leadership and making day-to-day, minute-to-minute choices. As a leader in the financial industry, it’s important to think big at times, but don’t forget to think small, too.

5. Conversations are critical during times of change.

The necessity of conversation in both creating and managing change was a repetitive theme at LAMP. Simply put, strong conversational skills are needed for leaders who want to help their teams navigate difficult transitions. The future of the financial and insurance industry depends on the quality—and frequency—of these conversations.

Till next year…

Our time at LAMP 2017 was inspiring to say the least. Another unifying echo from all leaders—from home office to field—who attended was a reminder to focus on the industry’s purpose and the why behind the work: to help people with financial freedom and security.

At the end of the day, it’s all about people. That’s certainly a purpose we can all get behind.

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Fierce Tip of the Week: Prepare for Change

A survey from Deloitte on change reports that 68% of participants agree that “change is continuous and embraces all areas of life and activities.”

If you fall into the other 32% of people who either partially agree or don’t agree, we have news for you—you can’t escape change, and it’s an unavoidable part of life. You can’t change change. It’s also a big part of what you may want for yourself, including growth and progress.

In the workplace, much is changing, particularly around diversity and how we approach our careers. Millennials have replaced baby boomers as the most prevalent generation in the workforce, and women are earning higher salaries and holding positions in leadership now more than ever before. Technology will continue to evolve and play a larger role in our daily lives, and collaboration is becoming a bigger part of decision-making processes. Read some interesting predictions on the future of work from Fast Company here.

This week’s tip of the week is to not only embrace past and present change, but also prepare yourself for the inevitable changes that lie ahead this year.

Think back to any point in time, whether it’s as recent as yesterday or as far back as childhood. Think about the different areas of your life that have changed since—family, work, relationships, and even who you consider yourself to be. Some of these changes we could predict, and some of them occurred without warning. So, what happens when we resist these changes? We are resisting the inevitability of change itself. Both emotionally and logically, this resistance doesn’t serve us.

Regardless, change can be scary. It shakes the foundation of what we’ve known and presents us with something new, requiring us to adapt in ways that might be uncomfortable. Here are a couple of tips that can help you adjust your mindset and prepare for future transitions:

1. Consider the why behind the change. Change often occurs as a response to something that wasn’t working. Try looking at change as simply an improvement, either to your own life or someone else’s.

2. Have a conversation. Don’t hold in your thoughts or concerns. Having a conversation is an important part of managing change, especially when big shifts are expected that could directly affect you, your team, or your relationships.

What are your thoughts on change? How do you manage it successfully? Share with us in the comments below.

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Friday Resource: Millennials – A New Generation is Reshaping the Workplace

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by INC and examines how Millennials are reshaping today’s workforce.

Over a third of today’s workforce in the United States is currently comprised of Millennial workers, and this number is constantly growing. In the last few years, Millennials have surpassed Generation X to become the dominant generation in the workplace and it is becoming increasingly important for companies to understand what Millennials want in order to attract and retain top talent.

Per Sylvia Ann Hewlett, research from the Center for Talent Innovation identifies three areas of focus that are important to this generation that progressive companies are taking note of.

1. A Diverse and Inclusive Workplace – As the most diverse generation in the workforce to date, with 44.2 percent identifying as non-Hispanic white in the latest census, an inclusive and diverse workplace is incredibly important. Millennials desire a work environment that mirrors their beliefs and values and provides the chance to work with people of different gender, culture, ethnicity, and sexual orientations.

2. Flexible Work Arrangements – With most Millennials in dual-career families or relationships, flexible work arrangements become a very desirable perk to ensure work-life balance. Per a Ernst & Young 2015 study, Millennials would like to have a flexible work schedule and still be able to grow within the company.

Read the third area of focus and the rest of the article here.

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New Fierce Survey Reveals Millennials Embrace the Benefits of Diversity

The current political and global climate has led to an increase in conversations about diversity and inclusion in the workplace. According to Deloitte’s 2017 Global Human Capital Trends, the number of executives who cited inclusion as a top priority has risen 32% in the last three years, and over two-thirds of executives rate diversity and inclusion as an important issue.

We surveyed over a thousand individuals nationwide to gain a better understanding of how people perceive the benefits of workplace diversity. We also explored issues relating to discrimination and safety in the workplace.

We thought it was interesting that over 40% of survey respondents believe their organization would benefit from greater diversity. This number increased to 55% amongst those 18-29, however, decreased to just 30% of those 60+. A clear disconnect exists here between generations, as younger individuals seemingly place a greater value on diversity than those older. This finding is important for organizations to address head-on.

Company leaders need to encourage all employees to embrace the insights of individuals of all backgrounds and discover the value diversity plays in an organization’s success. Inclusion regardless of race, religion, gender, and generation is paramount.

As Susan notes, “Instead of getting curious and learning, people often use conversations as a forum to validate, confirm and reinforce their own previously-held beliefs. Millennials are starting to shift this norm, which in general is a good thing, however, company leaders need to ensure employees across the board can do the same.”

To read more about our findings, check out the release.

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Fierce Tip of the Week: Reflect on Your Generation

I am proud to be a millennial. And this is despite the many demoralizing stereotypes.

It may be weird, but yes, I do prefer face-to-face conversations when I have a difficult topic to talk about with someone. I also am not a serial job hopper; I can actually be loyal to a fault. I also don’t expect to get something unless I work very hard, and then if I achieve it, I work more to share gratitude for all the people who inevitably helped along the way.

Yes, I am not the stereotypical millennial. However, I do not believe the publicized generalizations apply to most of my millennial peers.

That’s the thing – it is an amazing time to be in business. Sometimes it seems easiest to just keep bucketing people in a way that “makes sense” and allows us to feel more comfortable. The landscape is constantly changing, and we are learning as we go with the tremendous amount of change in data and technology. This applies to all of us – Gen Y, Boomer, and Millennial alike.

This week’s tip is to reflect on your generation. How would you describe it in your own words? What are you most proud of? What do you think is most misunderstood? Please share, I really want to know. #fiercegenreflection

At the end of the day, the progress of the world is dependent on each of us – each generation. Let’s get curious and really listen.

Start with yourself. Using sweeping generalizations rarely have propelled the world in a positive way. The power is in truly connecting with purpose.

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