Susan Scott's Blog, page 41

Different Perspectives Lead to the Best Ideas. Here’s Why.

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” -Marcus Aurelius

You’ve probably heard any of the given advice before: seek input, welcome perspectives, collaborate with others. But why? Where does the premise come from that inclusion is beneficial for individuals, teams, or organizations?

An article from Scientific American entitled “How Diversity Makes Us Smarter” states that “decades of research by organizational scientists, psychologists, sociologists, economists and demographers show that socially diverse groups (that is, those with a diversity of race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation) are more innovative than homogeneous groups.” Although the focus should be geared toward diverse thought regardless of social group, this finding illustrates that when individuals from different walks of life come together and share unique viewpoints, positive results increase.

Our Fierce Team model uses the term “beach ball” to describe how perspectives occur within organizations. Each person, from every level within the organization’s hierarchy, has their own color stripe on the beach ball. And of course, it takes all the individual stripes coming together collectively to make up a complete beach ball.

The beach ball analogy derives from the idea that no single person holds the whole truth, but rather a mere sliver or “stripe” of it.

Inviting different stripes can be one of the most effective ways to explore potential solutions and make important decisions—our past experiences and backgrounds inevitably shape how we approach problems, and our varying strengths make it possible to see what others may not see, or create solutions that others may not have considered. And often, the best outcome or decision will be a union of various perspectives.

In 2013, Fierce provided training for the Iowa Department of Education. The organization was looking to increase collaboration among administrators, principals, and instructional coaches. After the implementation of our team model, a greater sense of unity was created by ensuring everyone was heard. “The process prevents domination by individuals,” said Dale Lass, Principal of Roosevelt Middle School. “Everyone has time to reflect on their thoughts and suggest solutions.” Through increased collaboration and sharing of perspectives, evaluations improved and the fabric of the organization changed for the better.

To read more, view the case study here.

To create an inclusive environment where other perspectives are welcomed, the focus should be on getting curious and expanding your thinking. This week’s Fierce tip on creating diversity of thought provides a more in-depth explanation on how to apply these two focuses.

Here are some additional tips to keep in mind when inviting perspectives:

1. Abandon “right and wrong”

Sure, there are times when objectivity is needed, and data doesn’t lie. But when it comes to our approach toward the perspectives of others, especially when subjectivity plays a role, it’s important to be open by avoiding the labels of “right” or “wrong” when inviting other perspectives. The question to ask is: what’s the best collective decision for the organization based on the individual information that’s been shared?

2. Practice inclusion without illusion

Don’t just implement inclusion initiatives for the sake of best practices. Do so out of genuine curiosity and interest. Check in with yourself regarding your approach—if you don’t believe another’s input to be valid or worth hearing, chances are, they’ll be able to pick up on the fact that you’re brushing their perspective under the rug. Remind yourself that every stripe has value (regardless of organizational level) and listen with an open mind.

An added benefit to inviting diverse perspectives is that on an individual level, we feel appreciated and heard. Knowing that your own stripe is being considered, regardless of the outcome, is a good feeling.

Have you or your organization achieved a positive outcome from having invited various perspectives? If so, share your story with us.

The post Different Perspectives Lead to the Best Ideas. Here’s Why. appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Fierce Tip of the Week: Create Diversity of Thought

All you have to do is turn on the news to see that there is a lack of diversity of thought around us, from our grid-locked Congress to our arguments about anything under the sun. There is never one simple solution to the challenges we face, and we need, more than ever, diversity of thought. In order to get there, we need to focus on two things: getting curious and expanding our thinking.

To dig a little deeper, I want to share a relevant excerpt from our white paper: A Perspective on Diversity, Building a Culture of Curiosity:

The metaphorical phrase “you can’t judge a book by its cover” has endured as long as it has for a reason. In a similar vein, an employee should not be judged by the generation they represent, the religion they practice, or the socioeconomic status they were raised in. Because the combination of experiences and characteristics are so vast, it is fruitless to attempt to do so.

What organizations can do is ensure employees become skilled at gathering insights from people of all backgrounds and encourage employees to interrogate their own perceptions of reality. Focus then shifts to the ideas, and thought processes of the individual.

One of the transformational ideas at Fierce, Inc. is that “all conversations are with myself and sometimes they involve other people.” In other words, everyone enters into conversations with their own opinions, beliefs and attitudes. Instead of getting curious and learning, people often use conversations as a forum to validate, confirm, and reinforce their own previously held beliefs.

This week’s tip is to create more diversity of thought around you. Here are two ways to do it.

GET CURIOUS

Building a work environment where diversity of thought is valued begins with the commitment to enter into each conversation without making assumptions, to interrogate personal context. The goal is to learn rather than to convince. If participants spend an entire meeting convincing others of what they know, nobody learns anything new. Curiosity not only brings fresh ideas to light, it also increases the likelihood of well-rounded decisions.

Without curiosity and inquisitiveness, meetings become mere presentations; perspectives are not shared and acumen is not improved.

EXPAND YOUR THINKING

Organizations understand the benefits of a workforce that represents its consumers and clients. When employee diversity mirrors the customer base, organizations have a better understanding of the clients they serve. However, if the work environment rewards apathetic agreement, thereby discouraging the very differences it sought to engage, the benefits of a diverse workforce are wasted and the organization is put at risk of falling into the trap of group think.

Diversity, in and of itself, is not the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is the creativity, innovation and insight that result from open and inclusive dialogue.

Leaders can replace the potential for diverse thought with the reality of diverse thought by creating a work environment that encourages employees to challenge their own realities, ask questions, and revisit alternate perspectives regularly.

What will you do to create diversity of thought with your work?

 

The post Fierce Tip of the Week: Create Diversity of Thought appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Friday Resource: 9 Habits That Destroy Workplace Relationships

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by Entrepreneur and shares nine habits that can destroy workplace relationships and how to avoid these slip-ups.

It is well known that if you work a full-time job, chances are you’re spending more time with your “work family” than your immediate family. Due to the sheer amount of time spent with your colleagues, it is important to the individual employees and the business to have amicable relationships.

There are countless reasons for forging strong bonds with coworkers. It boosts office morale, increases productivity, and most importantly – builds trust. If the reasons for creating these bonds at work are clear, what can get in the way of them?

Per John Rampton, Entrepreneur, some nasty habits that can lead to strained relationships include:

1. Gossiping – Although the watercooler chat can be tempting sometimes, it’s best to avoid topics that include other colleagues. Gossip can sink the most buoyant of ships because it pits colleague against colleague and forces people to choose a side. Any trust built disintegrates quickly with gossip and turns the healthiest of environments toxic.

2. Unreliability – This is one that many people have experienced and can strike a nerve quickly. Whether it is a colleague that shows up late to work consistently, or frequently delivers projects late, it can be frustrating. At Fierce, we try to show up as our real, authentic selves, every day. Building trust means that colleagues can depend on you every day, not just sometimes.

3. Stealing credit – Nothing can be worse than working tirelessly on a project just to have someone else take all the credit. It is disheartening and can severely damage employee morale and production.

Read Rampton’s other six habits to avoid here.

The post Friday Resource: 9 Habits That Destroy Workplace Relationships appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

The Power of Friendship in the Workplace

Are you having a so-called “hangover” from chocolate, hearts and all the love from Valentine’s Day? If the focus yesterday was on romantic love, let’s focus today on your coworkers, who may also be friends.

Current research reveals that all types of relationships with coworkers play an increasingly significant role in job satisfaction. We released a new study at Fierce, Inc. with over a thousand individuals surveyed to gain insight into the impact of relationships between coworkers.

While the line between friend and coworker can be thin, most employees have embraced the dual title for those they work with. Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed consider two or more coworkers friends, with no significant differences between male and female respondents. Fierce has found both in working with clients, along with a renowned Gallup poll, that the most productive employees and workgroups take this a step further and have a best friend at work. Not a friend, not even a good friend, but a best friend. We’ve known this since 1999 when a Gallup poll discovered that having a best friend at work pinpoints a dynamic of great workgroups.

Whether certain individuals are friends or not, the Fierce survey found that coworkers affect job satisfaction:

● Just 1 in 5 believe coworkers have no impact on their job satisfaction.

● Two-thirds note their coworkers make their jobs more enjoyable.

● For those indicating they are happy in their current role, only 7% say their coworkers make their job less enjoyable.

● For those who are unhappy in their role, that number increases to 30%.

For many, the occasional happy hour or social lunch out of the office are valuable opportunities to connect with coworkers. However, less than 50 percent of those surveyed believe their bosses are supportive of employees socializing outside of the office. This is an area of disconnect between management and employees: only 44 percent of those in entry level positions believe their bosses are supportive of socializing, while nearly 60 percent of senior management believe the same.

So I ask: do you feel supported to socialize outside of the workplace? If not, what conversations do you need to have? And yes, you need to have the conversations, because feeling unsupported impacts your job satisfaction. Of those unhappy in their current role, 28 percent say their organization is unsupportive of socializing outside of work; just four percent of those who are happy feel the same. If organizations are in fact supportive of these relationships, these results indicate there is more that can be done to communicate that the support is there.

Given these statistics, here are some ideas for building friendships if you lead a team or influence a leader:

• Discuss the importance of relationships and friendships. Talk about how they relate to overall job satisfaction, and reference this study. Go for it…people want proof.

• In one-on-one conversations, get curious about how supported team members feel to build relationships whether personal or cross-departmental ones.

• Have a team conversation and brainstorm ways to further develop relationships on your team.

• Authorize a happy hour budget and allow a group of individuals to plan the events. Create structure to receive the information you need to feel comfortable with socializing outside, or even inside, the office.

• Create a list of 3-5 people who you would like to have stronger relationships or friendships. List the conversations you need to have and create a deadline around each.

How do you encourage friendships in the workplace?

The post The Power of Friendship in the Workplace appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Fierce Tip of the Week: It’s the Week of Love – Share Appreciation at Home

This is the week of love in the United States. Valentine’s Day turns to the personal sides of our lives more than the professional, and to some, that may seem inappropriate for the workplace.

However, I argue, with greater significance than ever, we must care about our employees’ relationships outside of the workplace. Gone are the days that our personal lives don’t intertwine with our workplace conversations. In fact, it is directly related to personal satisfaction at work. Last year, we surveyed 1,000 working women about work/life balance, and 82.6% shared that having a fulfilling relationship with their partner was the primary attribute of having it all.

In Fierce Conversations, Susan Scott shares that we must discard the idea that our home and office conversations are quite different. She says, “When you squeeze an orange, what comes out of it? Orange juice. Why? Because that’s what’s inside it…When we get squeezed—when things aren’t going well for us—what comes out of us? Whatever’s inside us.” The point is that if your conversations at work are creating disappointing results, it is likely that you are getting the same at home. Or vice versa.

This week’s tip is to share appreciation with someone you love at home. While Valentine’s Day is portrayed as a time to give chocolates, jewelry, or nice gifts, use the occasion to share the gift of deep connection. Set aside some time to really connect with the person, and be specific with what you appreciate and give concrete examples. Warning: Warm fuzzies may ensue. That’s why it is called the week of love.

So, I ask: Who will you talk with this week? What do you appreciate?

The post Fierce Tip of the Week: It’s the Week of Love – Share Appreciation at Home appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Friday Resource: The Surprising Power of Appreciation at Work

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by Forbes and explains how both positive and negative emotions have a cascading affect with employee morale.

At Fierce, we have a term called an emotional wake. An emotional wake is what is remembered after you have left a conversation. Whether positive or negative, your emotional wake ripples out and affects your colleagues. It is contagious.

A negative attitude in the workplace is just as infectious as a positive one. Per Chris Cancialosi, Forbes, constant complaining can have devastating outcomes on a team including:

• It hurts productivity

• It makes you look unprofessional

• It brings people down

Fortunately, a consistently positive outlook can produce the opposite results. According to Positivity Strategist Robyn Stratton-Berkessel, what you focus on grows.

“It seems simple: you focus on joy and you grow joy; you focus on trust and you grow trust; you focus on integrity, you grow integrity. When you train your appreciative eye in this way, you see there is so much to be appreciated—from the glorious sunrise, to the smiles of your colleagues, and the feeling of satisfaction for a job well done.”

A change in perspective can alter the way an individual or an entire company feels about the work they do. If you focus on what is working instead of what is not, you’ll be surprised by how much there is to be grateful for.

Read the full article.

The post Friday Resource: The Surprising Power of Appreciation at Work appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Workplace Appreciation: How to Create Warm Fuzzies

“The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.” -William James

Who can honestly say they don’t appreciate a warm fuzzy from time to time?

This past holiday season at the Fierce office, we participated in a gratitude exercise where each person was instructed to express their appreciation for their randomly-assigned gratitude partner. We were given the name of our partner beforehand and then met as an entire company to verbally deliver our gratitude. As you can imagine, the room was filled with an abundance of warm fuzzies that day—warm fuzzies that gave us a burst of energy and a feeling of unity as we transitioned into the new year.

Sometimes we operate in the workplace not knowing whether our efforts are noticed by others. When our efforts are noticed, the acknowledgment we receive has the power to increase our motivation by letting us know we’re respected and seen.

It also makes us want to stick around and work harder. A survey from Glassdoor reveals that 53% of employees admit they would stay longer at their company if they felt more appreciation from their boss, and 81% of employees report they’re motivated to work harder when their boss shows appreciation for their work.

Aside from stats and warm fuzzies, showing appreciation simply lets people know they’re valued. And in the workplace, nothing is more important than feeling like your presence matters. Here are a few easy ways you can actively create an environment of appreciation in your workplace.

When You See it, Say it

Appreciation shouldn’t just be reserved for special occasions. Instead, it should be handed out freely any time the opportunity arises. When Steven from the planning department goes above and beyond to produce a quality deliverable, or Margo the assistant quickly prepares a room for an important meeting, acknowledge their efforts as they occur, in the moment.

Bring a Gift

Although verbal communication is often the most effective way to express appreciation, gifts can be a fun way to accompany your message. If you want to show appreciation for a specific person, consider giving a gift card or taking them out for lunch. If you want to show appreciation company-wide, bring in a baked good or even something quirky like an office plant. If you decide on a gift, make sure to express either verbally or in writing that the gift is intended to be a show of appreciation to those on the receiving end.

Facilitate a Gratitude Exercise

Consider implementing an exercise like the one we carried out here at Fierce. Another idea—originally mentioned in a previous blog where Stacey listed some helpful gratitude exercises—is to create a card for every participant in the exercise and pass each card around so that everyone can write their words of appreciation on each person’s card, and then meet with everyone later to read the cards aloud.

Leave a Personalized Thank You Note

Communicating face to face is often the most impactful way to strengthen relationships, but sometimes leaving a note can be an equal alternative, especially for those of us who express ourselves most accurately through writing. Writing a note also has the added benefit of longevity—a meaningful thank you note can be read again and again, creating reinforcement of your appreciation for years to come.

Have a Conversation

Sometimes the actions or behaviors of others move us deeply, and a quick “thank you” just doesn’t suffice. If that’s the case, set up a one-on-one meeting with the person or people you want to thank. Be specific in these conversations, and if you’re feeling courageous, be vulnerable. Explain how their words, behaviors or actions had a positive emotional impact on you. For example, if Cynthia from accounting took on a last-minute make-or-break project and delivered it with a can-do attitude, you might start out by mentioning the behavior that moved you, and the emotion you felt as a result of her efforts (relieved, excited, inspired, etc.).

Don’t let the opportunity pass you by to spread warmth and show gratitude, both for yourself and those around you.

What’s your favorite way to show appreciation?

The post Workplace Appreciation: How to Create Warm Fuzzies appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Fierce Tip of the Week: Address Your Mokitas

Mokita is a Papua New Guinean term for something that everyone knows but no one talks about. Papua New Guineans measure the health of their tribes by how many mokitas they have. The fewer mokitas, the healthier the tribe.

In other words, the tribes that can talk about the difficult topics are the most healthy.

We have this concept in America. It’s called the elephant in the room. That thing that we know and feel compelled to not talk about, because the consequences may not be “pleasant.” The family gathering may have its own special elephant while your team meetings may have another.

Mokitas can show up everywhere. One could be that your one team member is always late, and although it has negative impact on everyone, no one ever says anything. It could be that your mother always pressures you on a particular topic, and no one ever tells her that it pushes the family apart. It could be that your board president thinks that a goal is attainable, and everyone else knows that it isn’t.

If you were that person, would you want someone to tell you? Consistently with our clients and work, the resounding response to that question is yes. People would rather know than be oblivious.

This week’s fierce tip is to write down three mokitas. Are they at work? At home? With your parents? With your friends? With your husband/wife?

Once you have mokitas identified, decide the conversations you need to have to make the environment healthier. Reference other fierce tips and considerations, so that you can prep to be authentic and real when going into the conversations.

Please share what gets in your way about addressing mokitas.

The post Fierce Tip of the Week: Address Your Mokitas appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

friday resource: How to Make Microlearning Matter

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and explains how to make microlearning matter to your organization.

Microlearning, or “self-directed learning,” is gaining popularity within organizations around the globe. In an increasingly regionalized workforce, the ability to get remote teams together in-person for professional training can be difficult.

In a world where people are constantly consuming information through video and mobile technology, microlearning can enable significant employee growth without significant time investments. An employee can learn about new industry trends on their morning commute or read a new recipe for dinner on their lunch break.

The phrase “just google it” is a common answer to any burning question, and employees can learn on-demand from a plethora of online resources. New online learning platforms like the one founded by Harvard and MIT named edX allows people all over the world to access high-quality education for free or significantly reduced costs.

Per Annie Murphy Paul, SHRM, there are dozens of ways to incorporate microlearning into professional development and training. A common use is for training reinforcement—It is impossible for employees to retain important training information when they are experiencing information overload daily. Additionally, picking simple subjects that employees have previous knowledge on allows them to immerse in the subject easily and expand their current knowledge.

To learn more about why microlearning should matter to your organization, read the full article.

The post friday resource: How to Make Microlearning Matter appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

What it Takes to be a Top Training Company

At Fierce, we know the various issues that can arise when building training programs. It can be difficult for organizations to build a program that is both meaningful and impactful.

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, Fierce was at the Training Conference & Expo in San Diego, where the Top 125 Training Companies received awards for their exceptional training program designs and results. We are honored to work with Van Meter, Inc., who won a position on the prestigious list.

I interviewed Jenn Bleil, Learning & Development Manager at Van Meter, Inc. She shared insights about what makes their training effective and how Fierce helps Van Meter achieve its goals.

What do you attribute as the reason for Van Meter’s success in training?

As a 100% employee-owned company, we believe our greatest asset is our people. Our success in training is due to our commitment to helping our people be their best. Our people are our greatest asset, and we invest in them. We believe that well-trained and skilled employee-owners make better decisions and optimize our business success. Employee-owners who are learning and growing are much more satisfied and engaged personally and professionally. Our training offers real learning that makes our employee-owners’ jobs easier.

What are you most proud of that you accomplished in the past year?

There were many successes in 2017. A proud accomplishment is the alignment of our Leadership Development Strategy and Programming to our company direction. Leaders make a huge impact on the company in ensuring that the development they get is aligned to the direction our organization is headed will enhance their ability to lead their teams and help our business grow. We also facilitated an Internship Program that was aligned with our company values and provided a true learning experience for the participants.

What focuses are on the learning docket for Van Meter in 2017?

In 2017, we are revising our Onboarding Strategy to more directly align with our company values in a way that supports growth and development.

What excites you in learning today?

The learning trend I am most excited about is microlearning. While this concept has been around for several years, as training professionals, it forces us to think about how we can deliver an effective, meaningful message in a shorter time frame. This approach supports a learning culture and mindset because it easily allows learning to be integrated into everyday activities. It is much easier to incorporate 15 minutes of learning daily than 3 full days out of the office.

Why is Fierce important to Van Meter?

Fierce aligns with our company values and beliefs. An important part of our company culture is building/maintaining relationships and giving feedback. Fierce communication models have helped us show what this can look like in the everyday. Because of this, we have incorporated Fierce as part of our Leadership and Employee Development Strategies.

What personally resonates with you about Fierce?

What resonates with me most about Fierce is that it is a mindset focused on people and relationships. The building blocks of our lives are the relationships we have with others. Fierce methodology and communication models really help people get better for themselves and the people in their lives. It is flexible and meaningful. It shows us how small changes can impact our lives in big ways.

Please share a story about someone or something being impacted by your Fierce work inside of Van Meter.

After almost every Fierce Training I have conducted, I hear stories of how the incorporation of new ways to communicate have made relationships better – either in work or personal worlds. This impact is visible in people and their lives. I literally had someone share with me that the training not only made them a better employee, but a better spouse and parent. That is incredible!

Fierce is also proud to be partnering with Jenn Bleil and Corridor Women Connect, which is focused on being a leader and catalyst for advancing women’s leadership development in Iowa’s Creative Corridor. Our event is March 9 in Cedar Rapids. For more information visit: https://www.corridorwomenconnect.org/.

The post What it Takes to be a Top Training Company appeared first on Fierce, Inc..