The Vulnerable Leader

March 12, 2013 by

Vulnerable-Leader-Lora-CrestanLeadership is not easy. In fact, if you are doing it right, it is downright difficult.  Learning to lead is an ongoing process that evolves with you.  Many skills and talents are molded together to create the leader you are today.  Your personality and the experience you have had either as a leader or with the leaders around you will definitely contribute to who you are as a leader.  We are clearly influenced by leaders and their actions, whether directly or in the media – a great leveler when it comes to viewing leaders as they truly are.

Think about this though.  Have you progressed in your leadership development so that you know it is okay to be vulnerable?

Vulnerable is defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as ‘being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally’.  As leaders, we need to accept that we are human – being vulnerable is part of that.

Being vulnerable is not:

–        A sign of weakness or indecision

–        Becoming a doormat and allowing others to walk all over you

–        Crying at the drop of a hat

–        Taking unnecessary risks that could harm you or your organization

–        Abdicating responsibility

Being vulnerable as a leader is:

–        Letting others know you need help and asking for it

–        Listening to feedback and incorporating it into your next steps or development plans

–        Understanding that not everyone will ‘like’ you and dealing with the emotions that comes with that acknowledgement

–        Being empathetic and compassionate with your team, your family, your clients and your vendors – consistently and authentically

–        Allowing yourself opportunities to reflect and review your past performance and behaviour and seeking guidance for change

In quite the opposite direction, a leader needs to be confident to show their vulnerable side- this includes self-awareness that shows the leader can be multi-faceted and certainly focused at the same time.  It may not be easy to reconcile this in your mind.  As a human being, many emotions collide and keeping them bottled up really is not a good idea.  Finding ways to express emotions like frustration, confusion, regret, happiness, joy and all the rest is an art developed by experience.  Take some time to think about the many ways in which you interact with clients and colleagues.

Do you focus on building relationships instead of making transactions?  This applies to both clients and team members.  With clients, it is clear – get to know them and build the relationship so that they trust you.  As soon as trust develops, the relationship is now a two-way street and no longer about a transaction but about making both parties better.  The same applies to relationships with your team – it is not about strictly giving direction (the transaction – they do what we say). Now you are venturing into tapping into who does what best, or who needs to stretch and grow in new directions because you have gotten to know them and understand who they are and the direction in which they would like to move.

Are you interested in listening and truly understanding as opposed to glossing over objections to close the sale?  If you truly listen, you are doing so with your whole body – and seeing as well as hearing what is being said.  If you are only trying to close the sale and get the dollars, they most certainly will not stick in the future as there has not been a true effort to build trust.  By taking time to listen, even though you may not get the sale today, you have been open and vulnerable to rejection and allow the other party to learn more about you.

As a leader, you are charged with guiding others to move forward through your example. Lora Crestan Tweet this!

This could be an individual or an entire company.  How you act will define how others act.  How you develop relationships will be reflected in how your team learns to, and then builds relationships.  Your ability and courage to show vulnerability will provide a more open environment in your organization, allowing for change, personal growth and stronger bonds to develop.

 How you act will define how others act”.

Are you a Vulnerable Leader? Describe to us how you became one.

 

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Culture trumps Strategy in Business Success

March 11, 2013 by

Strategy-in-Business-Success-Heidi-Alexandra-PollardEvery business has a culture – some are inspiring and healthy, others are crippling and toxic. The level of an organization efficiency and wellness is a direct reflection of its culture.

Traditional corporate cultures are no longer adequate to succeed in the new world of business. Cultures that originated in the era of the industrial revolution are now obsolete precisely because they discourage learning, change and innovation.

A huge demand exists for a new type of culture in our organizations today in order to become productive, profitable and sustainable well into the future.

Why culture is critical

Workplace wellness isn’t just a factor of the employees fitness or BMI ratings, it is particularly characterized by how motivated, inspired and engaged the workforce are to do great work. Key indicators of healthy workplaces are the presence of creativity and innovation and an energy of possibility – which all result in a positive, sustainable culture.

Unhealthy cultures tend to devalue creativity, stifle innovation and leave their workers feeling miserable and frustrated, stuck in the rut of the daily grind and stressed by the demands of productivity they no longer have the energy to face. Managers tend to create these cultures by discouraging new ideas, frowning on change and stymieing enthusiasm. The result, major disengagement that sucks the life out of the organization and its people.

The best culture is a UQ culture       

While understanding and managing culture is fundamental to success, for many organizations, the idea of going down the road of a ‘cultural change’ initiative is too daunting. It needn’t be. It is possible to convert low-engagement teams and cultures into engaged, high-performance UQ Cultures with some intent and a slight shift focus.

In UQ (Uniqueness Quotient) Cultures there is a subtle shift to WHO people are rather than WHAT they do. That is, WHO they are is more important than WHAT they do. A strong UQ culture shapes how employees perform and gives them a strong sense of purpose.

What is a UQ culture?  It’s one that is powered by an inner force, it’s who they are and why they do what they do, it’s one that has a unique, competitive edge. In today’s crowded marketplace organizations need to be able to stand out as Unique and different from their competition with a unique brand. A strong UQ culture is the key to setting a business apart from its competition and ultimately attracting and retaining high quality employees to grow with the organization.

With companies large and small competing for the same global talent pool, a UQ Culture will set them apart and deliver tangible, measurable benefits to any business.

Micro-managers Kill Culture

Micro-managers or Container Managers are those managers who find it hard to let go of the reins, to trust the team and get out of the way. In some ways, this is counter-intuitive and atypical of traditional role models and therefore understandable, however in high performing UQ Cultures there is always more macro managing than there is micro-management.

Container Managers are typically good at doing what has to be done. They are good at dealing with facts and not letting their emotions or other people’s emotions get in the way of making a decision. They are great at developing procedures, implementing plans, and no-one can do the job as good as they can. However, their tendency to hold onto decision-making and undertake jobs that could be delegated is not conducive to the creation of a UQ culture full of motivated, inspired, and engaged staff.

Container managers are typically responsible for the bottleneck in organizations, where innovation is stymied and ideas are shelved. They may be producing revenue and results however they rarely create a leadership pipeline, are reliant on the command and control approach and can ill-afford time off as their teams become co-dependent. This approach may have worked in 1965 but it will not allow a company to survive in 2020.

The New Leadership Alternative

One way for organizations to begin to shape and construct a more positive and productive UQ culture is to start with its managers and leaders – importantly with those in linchpin positions – in middle management.

In their book Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown discuss how great leaders extract at least two times more capability from their people than poor leaders.

A UQ culture is one that does just that by turning managers into Expander Leaders who live by the motto that you have to give power to empower.

Expander Leaders value inclusiveness and participation, they hand over the decision-making process, and let their employees govern themselves. Expander Leaders deal with the facts, but also consider how it impacts people. They listen to their employees, realize their strengths, tap into their potential, and include them in the growth of business.

Expander leaders create healthy relationships, a caring environment and an openness to trying new things which brings out best in their team. By appreciating others, engaging in purposeful conversations and helping their people to find work they love to do, they create driven, loyal employees who are engaged and energized, and want to make a valuable contribution to the organization and go the extra mile.

Essentially, it takes an attitude of figuring out how best to serve the teams, rather than asking the teams to best serve you. ~Heidi Alexandra Pollard Tweet this!

Expander leaders create UQ Cultures by:

  • Telling their people WHAT needs to be done and WHY but letting them figure out HOW
  • Not shooting them down for any crazy ideas, instead COACHING them to find ways to improve or refine their ideas
  • Treating their people as human BEINGS not DOINGS and getting to know their Uniqueness and what makes them tick
  • Not only TELLING them what to do all the time, instead ASKING them how they envision the future and how they would create a more successful, sustainable company.
  • Encouraging rebellion, creativity and risk-taking
  • Recognizing and rewarding achievement, progress and innovative behaviors

Do you consider yourself an Expander Leader? In what way have you contributed to your team? Share your thoughts below.

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Eliminate Barriers and Borders by Leading Effectively When You’re Not There

March 10, 2013 by

Leading-Effectively-Andy-PhillipsThe days when your team would be all located together have long gone. Even in the smallest organizations multi-site and multi-national teams are commonplace. Leading virtual teams is a challenge for most leaders. There is always a risk that the virtual team will become not a team at all but a group of individuals and that the leader is not a leader but someone who spends their time endlessly chasing up the team, checking that everything that needed to be done has been done.

Leading virtual teams effectively means taking leadership best practice and handling it in a way that takes into the account the fact that they team is dispersed over different countries.

What steps can you take to better lead virtual teams?

  1. Define the mission in a way that inspires the team to commit to something bigger than their own contribution. The most inspired people have a sense that they are contributing to something bigger than themselves. To do this, you need to explain why the work of the team is valuable. Even in the most commercial environments, there is a clear benefit that the work of the team will deliver. You need to explicitly state this regularly and often. Say it, write it, include it in documentation as often as you can. Every member of the virtual team needs to fully understand the mission of the team and commit to it.
  2. Define the interdependencies of each team member. There is a danger in virtual teams that each member loses sight of how their work is critical to the work of others. While in non-virtual teams you can do this in a casual way, in a virtual team you need to be explicit: a simple chart illustrating how each person’s work enables the work of others. Peer accountability is the most effective motivator and critical to the success of a virtual team.
  3. Set team and individual targets and share with the whole team. Everyone should know what everyone else is accountable for. Don’t just do this once then forget about it. Open sharing of progress against targets is essential. Some people get uneasy about this but in a virtual team you cannot be the sole chaser of work. By openly and explicitly sharing progress against targets and deliverables, the team itself takes on this role.
  4. Meet face-to-face at least once a year. Don’t just have a kick-off meeting. You need to meet up. It is much easier to work as a virtual team when you have actually met. These meetings should focus on points one to three as well as any project-specific issues that need to be tackled. I think it is a good idea to meet face-to-face as new members join.
  5. Agree communication standards and routines. I was once in a team where I spoke to the team leader once every three or four months. It was a disaster. Don’t rely on email to manage. Agree regular calls on a one-to-one and team basis. Provide the team with a monthly key update showing progress against targets and deliverables. Make sure that everyone in the team is comfortable with the level of contact. This is a good topic for discussion at the kick-off meeting. You won’t be able to please everyone but you should have spoken at least once with each member of your team every week. Be careful to take into account time differences. No one is going to be happy having a regular call with you at 10pm in the evening.
  6. Set language protocols. While English is the global business language, not everyone speaks it in quite the same way. Using metaphors or expressions that are unique to your location, such as cricket or baseball references, can be unintelligible to anyone else. While your average Brit understands what is meant by a sticky wicket, it is unlikely that those from elsewhere will. Agree with your team what type of language you will avoid. For non-native speakers prepositional phrases are hard to understand even though the words are simple. Use the Latin version instead. So instead of saying “We are going to call off the meeting” say “We are going to cancel the meeting.” Ask your team what they struggle to understand and build the protocol from that.
  7. Get culture out of the way. Don’t assume that as leader your cultural preferences are the ones the team will adopt. Different cultures have different approaches to risk, change, hierarchy, time and leadership. Don’t leave these to be discovered as you go along. Give time in the kick-off meeting to explore their attitudes to these areas and agree how you will adapt to them. Most cultural differences can be handled through discussion and flexibility. Don’t assume that your way is the best way. It is simply your way. Learn to appreciate the benefits of different approaches. You can formalize this into a team agreement that states how the team will work together. Get the team to write this and then all team members sign up to it.

Don’t assume that your way is the best way. It is simply your way. ~Andy Phillips Tweet this!

To better lead virtual teams you cannot leave anything to chance. The more explicit you are, the more effective the team will be.

What would you do to make leading virtual teams more effective?

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A Myth That Thwarts Leadership

March 10, 2013 by

Myth-That-Thwarts-Leadership-Susan-MazzaWhile sitting with a group of teachers as they reflected about their own leadership, it became clear quite a few of them were struggling.

This group was known as the Leadership Team for their school and most had been part of this group for a few years.  Yet when asked to assess themselves as leaders the majority of them were seemingly paralyzed. As we discussed why… an underlying theme emerged.

While they had respect for their principal they did not want to ever be like many of the people in leadership positions they had seen come and go.  Blinded by what they thought being a leader was supposed to look like, they did not even consider the possibility that they could determine the kind of leader they wanted to be.

The notion of leading without a title has gained ground, yet the grip of past interpretations of what it means to be a leader continue to have a tight grip on many organizational cultures, not only in education, but in business and government as well.

It is particularly strong when you have highly technical people who pride themselves on their knowledge and skill in their craft.  Sometimes promotions are granted as a way to reward them financially even though these individuals often have no interest in managing or leading.  Yet if you listen closely you will discover that lack of interest in managing or leading is only part of the story.

Having been an IT professional for many years before becoming a leadership coach and organizational change consultant, I have explored this resistance to becoming a “leader” from both the inside and the outside.

What I have observed is that often people do not want to become a leader because they think they will have to become like someone else.  That someone else is often already “above” them on an organization chart or in a position of power that has impacted them in some way.

There is an unspoken belief for many that if you get to a certain level or position you will have to change who you are.” ~Susan Mazza Tweet this

For some it seems they would have to become like people for whom they do not have very much respect.  What that “certain level or position” may be cannot be defined globally.  It is very personal.

This belief is a myth that continues to thwart the loud call for leadership from every corner of our world. It is a myth that for many is barrier between the concept of leading without a title and embracing that they can and often are already leaders as a reality regardless of their position or role in life.  It is also a myth that keeps people from embracing the call to lead in their current role or position.

Being the most effective leader you can be requires that you become the most powerful expression of yourself rather than attempt to emulate someone else.

A leader is someone who takes action to make a difference where they work or live in service of a commitment to something that contributes to others.  In the framework of Random Acts of Leadership™ that means speaking up, stepping up or standing up in service of your commitments.

It is only when we start to consider leadership at the level of action that we can begin to observe the simple yet potent acts of leadership that are committed everyday by people at all levels in organizations and all roles in life.

Just look around you and you will see examples every day leaders – people who are speaking up, stepping up and standing up for something that matters to them and makes a difference for others.

The skills of leadership can be cultivated by anyone.  However, to cultivate them you must be willing to act; and to cultivate them in others you must be able to recognize leadership in action.

What other myths do you believe are thwarting leadership from flourishing where you work and live?

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Patient Centered Healthcare: Conditioning Your Culture To Go the Distance

March 9, 2013 by

Conditioning-Your-Culture-To-Go-the-Distance-leadership-Susan-ThornWe are now knee-deep and headlong into Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act. The Main Event is set, at least for now, on January 1st, 2014. This is when purportedly all Americans will have purchased their tickets to seek admission to the insured affordable healthcare match. Healthcare organizations, doctors’ offices, and community clinics will begin to see and treat a population of folks that has historically not had access to insurance, and they come sicker than we  have seen before. Our operation, fiscal, and quality outcomes resources will be challenged like never before. If your fight card does not include a pound for pound approach to strategy and culture, get ready for a TKO! In this time of focused patient centered care delivery models and innovative transformational approaches to healthcare, there is a real barn burner about to begin.

Peter Drucker said “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”. If that’s the case, where then do we put our efforts? Strategy alone will not be enough. If healthcare organizations expect to come out the winner in the next decade, they will need to condition themselves to go the distance in both culture and strategy. As we begin to see a population that has not had access to routine healthcare for many years, or ever, the strength of our strategy and culture will be put to the test.

Operationally our strategies need to include a focus on culture as it relates to leadership excellence, the empowerment of our workforce, consistency in the delivery of quality service, and creative innovation. Walt Disney did a great job of this. Walt effectively demonstrated with great heart and passion that the actions of one leader, multiplied be the actions of many, can re-shape a culture and an organization. Operationally we need to invest in our leaders, empower them, and hold them accountable to creating a healthy and conditioned workforce that has been well equipped to meet the challenging needs of the populations we’re tasked to serve. Operationally we need to invite every person in our organization that has anything to do with patient care to take part in finding innovative ways to do things better and leaner.

One often missed leadership strategy in creating great operational outcomes is by inviting your customer into the ring. Who are your customers? Remember, everyone is your customer when it comes to operations. Anyone that has anything to do in your organization is a customer. This includes your management team, billers, coders, housekeepers, those that answer the phone, and the patient! Everyone is your customer. Your entire team of customers should be given the title of Personal Performance Partners. Invest in them as a strategy and the organizational  culture will win in every round.

Everyone is your customer.” – Susan Thorn Tweet this!

What about the organizational level of fiscal fitness? The promise of more in the way of budget cuts and payment denials has the fight purse getting smaller and smaller. As the purse gets smaller, our number one strategy needs to include a fully engaged culture. Organizations that look at their bottom line without understanding the impact of culture on it will suffer. Culture is like the wind, it is invisible to the eye, but felt by all. Culture is built by the values expressed through its leadership. If you want to assure that you will be at your ideal level of fiscal fitness then your battle cry needs to be “Culture is our bottom line”.

What about outcomes? We are now being held to a new level of accountability when it comes to creating favorable healthcare outcomes for the populations we serve. If we don’t do it well, we are as good as a white-collar boxer, we don’t get paid! As a healthcare leader and consumer I have seen both sides. Quality in outcomes with the resources availed to us will take new and innovative approaches if we expect to go the distance. We are already seeing hospitals partnering with community clinics to prevent hospital remissions. Healthcare organizations are beginning to move toward a case management model approach for the high-end users of our healthcare systems. Population based case management for our most vulnerable populations’ results in a unanimous decision in adding to the way we can all deliver better and leaner quality in healthcare.

So where does your organization weigh in on culture and strategy? If your strategy and culture don’t touch knuckles before the opening round, somebody is going to get sucker-punched. Make cultural competency your organizations biggest innovative strategy to win in healthcare!

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The Precipice: Influence and Manipulation – Which Way Will You Fall?

March 9, 2013 by

Influence-Manipulation-Leadership-Ali-PaskunIn some ways, to influence and to manipulate can seem to be the same thing. After all, the intent of both influence and manipulation is to get other people to behave, think, or make the decision you want them to. But is that really the case as demonstrated by these definitions from thefreedictionary.com?

Influence:  (n) 1. A power affecting a person, thing, or course of events, especially one that operates without any direct or apparent effort. 2. Power to sway or affect based on prestige, wealth, ability, or position.  (v) 1. To produce an effect on by imperceptible or intangible means; sway. 2) To affect the nature, development, or condition of; modify.

Manipulate: (v) 1. To move, arrange, operate, or control by the hands or by mechanical means, especially in a skillful manner. 2. To influence or manage shrewdly or deviously. 3. To tamper with or falsify for personal gain.

As indicated in the definitions, the main purpose of both influence and manipulation is  to sway; however, there is a definite difference between the two. Influence is an ethical behavior; manipulation is unethical. We admire leaders who have mastered the power of influence; equally, we mistrust leaders we believe to be manipulative. They are both getting us to see things their way. Taken too far, influence can move to the other end of the spectrum and become manipulation.

The differences between influence and manipulation include the:

  • reason behind the intention to persuade another person
  • truthfulness and accuracy of provided information
  • transparency of the process
  • benefit, affect, or impact on the person.

Manipulation implies an intent to fool or trick someone into doing, believing, or buying something that leaves them harmed in some way. We view manipulators as schemers. Out to get what they want using whatever means possible, manipulators selfishly pursue their own agenda, trying to control instead of wanting to influence another person. For example:

Influence:  Someone offers a proposition that is beneficial to both parties.

Manipulation: Someone offers a proposition that serves their own purposes and is against the other person’s interest. They conceal a desire to move the person to their point of view in a way that will only benefit themselves. In addition, if their intention were uncovered, the discovery would cause the other person to be less receptive to their idea.

Influence: All information provided is accurate and shared openly.

Manipulation:  Information is withheld or distorted to trick or deceive.

Influence:  Someone is willingly led to something they want or that will benefit them.

Manipulation: Someone is led to something that will harm them or lead them to eventual regret.

Influence:  Requesting someone to do you a favor you believe they won’t want to do using sincere appreciation.

Manipulation: Getting someone to do you a favor you believe they won’t want to do using guilt or emotional blackmail.

Many years ago I worked with a manager who often ended his directives with, “And if I find out you didn’t follow what I said, you’re fired,” Looking back now, I assume that he was not confident in his role, his ability to do the job, and/or his effectiveness as a manager and leader. We have all known people who, like my former colleague, get others to do what they want through fear and intimidation. Using these tactics may accomplish what they want, but it does not make them leaders. Like love and hate, there is a fine line between influence and manipulation.

Like love and hate, there is a fine line between influence and manipulation.”  ~Ali Paskun Tweet this!

Which side are you on? Please share your insight and experience below.

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Risky Business – Making Phenomenal Decisions (While Not Forgetting the Risk)

March 8, 2013 by

Risky-Business-Leadership-Kai-RoerAs a leader, I am expected to make decisions all day – every day. Some decisions are huge, possibly critical to my business or people, while others are minor. Making sure that these decisions are as good as they can be at the time of decision is vital.

There is risk in every decision. Risk of failure, and risk of success. I try to reduce the risk of failure, and increase the risk of success in all the decisions I make. How do I do that, you may ask, allow me share my secret…

The Risk Process

Managing risk is not exactly a new science. Humans have managed risk since the dawn of time, trying to survive in a harsh environment. There should be no surprise then that risk management process’ exist. Depending on your sector, terminology may differ, but the steps of the risk process remain the same.

Good news:  you don’t need to be an expert in risk to successfully manage risk.

The risk process can be summarized in these steps:

1. Risk Assessment

  • You identify the risks involved.

2. Risk Evaluation

  • Evaluate each risk and it’s severity,
  • Classify them by severity and likelihood,
  • Analyze the possible outcome(s) of the risk.

3. Risk Management

  • Decide how to handle each risk. There are two main things you can do:
    • Accept the risk: You accept that this risk may happen, and choose not to do anything about it
    • Mitigate the risk: You decide that the risk is not acceptable, and choose to change its impact.

4. Evaluate and Review

You monitor your process, and make changes as you progress. You may receive new information later that changes the way you perceive some risks. The more you know, the more accurate your map.

There is risk in every decision. Risk of failure, and risk of success.” ~Kai Roer Tweet this!

How Much Risk Analysis Do I need To Do? 

The answer is entirely up to you, your organization and the situation. Sometimes your decision require a rigid process where you must document and analyze many different aspects. Other decisions can be made without writing anything. The secret lies in a list of questions.

The questions follow the process outlined above, and are designed to help you make better decisions.

Questions 

  1. Identifying risk:
    What can go wrong?
    What is the desired outcome?
  2. Evaluating risk:
    What can happen if things go wrong?
    What happens if we do not get the desired outcome?
  3. Mitigating risk:
    What can I do to change the outcome?
    Do I want to change it?
  4. Evaluation:
    What did I just learn?
    How can I reapply that in this decision?
  5. Do I make this decision, yes or no.

The last question is critical. The whole reason behind using a risk process is to help you make better decisions so you can run your company better.

Choosing Right

As you have observed by now, each of these questions can be expanded as needed. This means that if there is an easy decision to be made, you can just run through the questions in your head. If there is a tough decision to be made you can use the exact same process and questions to document the risks involved.

One last note – there are always risks involved which we are not able to identify. I call these Blind Spots. Watch for them!

How do you manage risk in your decision making? Are you concerned with the unwanted outcomes your decisions may create?

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Culture Inhales Strategy for Breakfast… Then Spits it Out!

March 7, 2013 by

Culture-Strategy-leadership-breakfast-Joan-de-winnePeter Drucker, often considered the inventor and  father of modern management stated, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” This saying explains why many people in a formal leadership position are struggling to obtain the results they are looking for. It also explains why so many change programs fail, even when they are supported by a clear and compelling vision.

To realize a vision and obtain desired results, we need to develop certain strategies, objectives, and processes. This is the part most managers are very good at. What is often forgotten, however, is that other road to be followed. Indeed, there’s also the culture of the company, the organization, the division or the team to take into account. Culture is defined by the common values, the individual behavior, and the attitude of the people working in the organization. This is where managers often fail – perhaps because they’re simply unaware of the cultural aspect’s importance, perhaps because they don’t feel comfortable with it or because they don’t have a proper road-map at their disposal.

I’d like to suggest to you a clear road-map, based on 3 simple principles: come out of your office, tell stories and focus on behavior.

First Principle: Management by Wandering Around

‘My door is always open. Whenever you feel the need to address any issue, feel free to come talk to me.’  This is what managers very often enjoin on their employees. Just as often, though, they find themselves surprised that when problems do arise, causing friction on the work-floor or even financial loss, no-one came to them beforehand. Many managers advocate the ‘open door policy’ but they too often see it as a one-way communication. They forget what it’s all about: when the door is always open, people can come in and talk to you, indeed, but you can go out and talk to your employees and team members yourself just as well! Don’t be an “undercover boss”.

Douglas R. Conant, former CEO of Campbell Soup Company and author of the book ‘TouchPoints’, talks about how he implemented this very principle in his own company in an interview with Jon Katzenbach, leadership expert and Senior Partner at Booz & Company.

Second Principle: Corporate Storytelling

Storytelling is a very powerful tool to influence an organization’s culture and its employees’ behavior.

Eric Van Zele, CEO of Barco and elected ‘Manager of the Year 2012’ in Belgium, swears by the storytelling principle. “I am a conceptual  with a synthetic mind. Talking to everyone around me, provides me with the answers our organization needs. It’s not that difficult, really – you just need to listen. Focusing on the essentials, I then build up a good story and communicate it. The key to  a good story is understandability – everyone should understand your story, be it a Chinese worker, an American engineer or a Belgian HR person “.

The basics of storytelling are summarized very nicely by Sigrid Van Iersel, a Dutch expert in this field:

  1. The wish: Almost all stories begin with a dream, an ambition or a deep desire to put the story in motion.
  2. The obstacle: The main character takes action but is confronted with a barrier, an obstacle.
  3. The solution: In the end, a solution is found  and the obstacle is overcome.
  4. The result: And so ….  (Fill in what the result of this solution means for the organization, the team or the employees.)

Not all stories have a permanent solution or a crystal clear happy ending. The ‘result’ may also be  an  insight gained.

Third Principle: Focus on behavior and attitude

Douglas R. Conant  also asserts that “Behavior matters”.  Dick Brown, former CEO of Electronic Data Systems Corporation once said: “A company’s culture is really the behavior of its people… leaders get the behavior they tolerate.”

You may find changing someone’s behavior a harsh job – just think of all the times you already tried it with your children, partner, employees, or colleagues. Perhaps, though, you were unsuccessful only because your approach was rather clumsy.

The simple four-step method  outlined below will help you putting this third principle into practice.

Step 1: determine very precisely which kinds of behavior contribute to the realization of your
company’s vision. Do so by translating your company’s values ​into clearly defined behaviors.

Step 2: define which kinds of behavior are counterproductive and unacceptable.

Step 3: set a good example by complying with the defined rules of conduct yourself.

Step 4: consistently reward positive behavior and immediately address unacceptable behavior.

 A company’s culture is really the behavior of its people… leaders get the behavior they tolerate.” ~Dick Brown Tweet this

Try it out these three basic principles. You’ll be amazed at how they will contribute to developing the desired organizational culture your reaching for.

What other methods do you use to build a better culture in your organization? Please leave a comment below to share your thoughts and experience.

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Effective Communication – Leadership’s Linchpin

March 6, 2013 by

Effective-Communication-Leadership's-Linchpin-Martina-McGowanThe ability to find success in our own personal lives, or in our businesses is rarely dependent on our own skill alone. Maintaining the proper attitude and effective communication are also important contributing aspects of our roles as leaders. Contrary to the current popular belief, effective communication is not merely a matter of how well we can speak in front of an audience, or how well we can write documents, articles or blog posts. Effective and superior communication can only be adequately determined in how well people have understood us and what we are attempting to express.

Communication is an important foundational element of your authority and influence as a leader.  Many businesses and organizations fail to survive because of poor or substandard communication between business decision-makers and the people who have to implement the tasks. Poor or ineffective communication can be a major contributor to employee burn-out, unnecessary and unwarranted elevated stress levels, dissatisfaction and disengagement.

To achieve effective communication, it is important to focus on this essential aspect of how we decide to lead. For many leaders this will entail a change in both attitude and perspective.  It is important that, as leaders of other people and of organizations, that we work to maintain openness to actively engaging  colleagues, employees and yes, customers.

Businesses are built on trust. And, trust is built on relationships. Communication is an important linchpin of relationship building.  The most important relationship in your life is your relationship with our inner self. Consequently, communication with you inner self should be a high priority. I know, it sounds hokey and touchy-feely; but the way in which you communicate with your inner self is very much a determinant of how you communicate with others.

If you spend most of your time doubting your own capabilities, and putting yourself down, it is all but inconceivable that you will be able to mount a positive or even celebratory response to the activities of the people around you. Positive thinking, positive affirmations and positive reinforcement would help you deal with life’s difficulties better. Henry Ford was right when he said,

” If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” ~ Henry Ford Tweet this!

If you believe something, then those beliefs can either become limiting or expansive in terms of what you decide to pursue, and how you elect to do it. Having a positive inner dialogue will launch you into a more positive and supportive communication style with others.

One example of maintaining effective communication is giving appropriate, useful and practical feedback or constructive criticisms to your teammates.  You must first develop an internal successful feedback pattern for yourself.  This will help you give and receive criticisms more openly.

Effective communication is important to us and to the people we serve.

• Effective problem solving.  When you are able to communicate to your employees and co-workers clearly and successfully about real issues and problems, this can lead to a deeper understanding of problems. A deeper understanding will lead everyone to a quicker and more effective problem solution.

• Effective leadership.  For you, as a leader to be able to set the appropriate tone, get people to progress in a suitable and desired direction, and to influence the team or the organization, you must be able to develop a healthy style of communication with them.  As we have already discussed, positive feedback is important. But, so is criticism. Criticisms should be given as a form of positive, helpful useable suggestion and should serve primarily as support rather than chastisement.

• Effective planning.  Planning involves completely understanding the mission, the vision, and the goal of the individual, the department or the organization.  Planning should must directed by the guiding principles of the group. However, we all know that everyone approaches things differently. So it becomes important to properly communicate with each team member so that all of the energy and ideas can be channeled to create and pull together an effective and executable plan.

• Effective organizational improvement.  Communicating well as a leader is not only about your own personal and professional development and growth.  There should also be some noticeable improvement in the personal and professional paths of the people you lead. And, this can have significant effects on the improvement of your whole organization.

As you work to lead and develop yourselves and your colleagues, you will learn sooner or later that your success often depends on being able to interact effectively with other people. Learning good communication skills, and applying them to your inner dialog can only enhance your external dialog and interaction. Effective, on-point, erudite communication can make or break your leadership, your leadership style and your business.

What other ways can effective communication help an organization? Please share your thoughts and ideas below.

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The Greatest Potential for Organizational Improvement

March 5, 2013 by

organizational-improvement-Dave-Bradley‘Engage Engines Scotty’.  As Captain James T. Kirk utters this directive to his crew, the Starship ‘Enterprise’ launches towards its destination with the greatest of ease. 

How we might wish our organization could change position so quickly… maybe you can.

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