Encompassing Leadership Associates

Keys to Successful Leadership

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 16:49:16 GMT

As a coach, I have had a front row seat to stories of hundreds of leaders at multiple levels across many industries. I am continually amazed by the desire for growth and creativity that everyone brings to the coaching process. As a bonus, partnering with clients to elicit their great potential is deeply rewarding work. Throughout the coaching process, I listen for meaningful themes, “Keys to Success” – thinking, communicating, and actions that result in ideal outcomes. Considering numerous great leaders amidst diverse settings, I want to share several recurring keys to success that are components of efficacious leadership. These significant takeaways are deep and sustained engagement, acquisition of sufficient perspective, and an adaptive approach to leadership.

Based on work with clients, without a doubt, the number one predictor of success in coaching and leadership is engagement; genuine engagement with others and their related contexts. If a client and/or leader is engaged, their areas of focus will vastly improve. When I think back to three occasions where the coaching process never took flight, it was because, despite intensity of effort, the clients never engaged. This also holds true for leadership. Ineffective leadership can be tied directly to insufficient engagement – these absent leaders are often unaware and by extension unskilled at managing related opportunities. They do not have the meaningful relationships that bring about ideal results. Engage not just with those who appear content, spend meaningful time with those who are dissatisfied. If people are complaining, that is not bad, they are still invested, they are still engaged. If people are silent and apathetic, they may be completely checked out. Engage with depth and authenticity. As a leader, engage in the areas where the actual work is taking place. Engagement facilitates awareness, connection, development, and optimization among individuals, teams, and organizations. Engagement is a force that energizes and educates all participants.

Frequently, we proceed from misperception based on mistaken and/or insufficient information. In all but the direst of emergencies, leaders can work to gain a truer and more thorough perspective. Effective leaders find time to breathe. They understand the need to move from a reactive to proactive stance. To take periodic timeouts for reflection, be it solitary or with others. That space allows for framing and reframing of complex and emotionally charged issues. We might consider broadening perspectives. By stepping back, we can take a big picture or system view of what is occurring and how to best proceed. For instance, we may be examining an opportunity from an individual or department stance, when we need to be exploring it from an organizational or geographical context. Finally, biases and emotions deserve consideration. We may have an associate who pushes our buttons or some emotional history. Assess with clarity and without rancor. Most people are not out to take advantage of others or situations. They do the best with what they know. Things usually are not an either/or proposition, therefore we can work for a necessary balance. Into this space of understanding, emerges calm, partnership, rejuvenation, and the way forward.

Once engagement and perspective are in play, select the best course given people and circumstances. Although they may not realize it, many leaders practice as if one leadership approach fits all. I wrote about this previously ( New Leader Syndrome (allcanlead.com) ) – how successful leaders take on new responsibilities and mistakenly apply the exact framework. Of course, we want to carry forward what has been successful, but we need elasticity and room for measures more appropriate for emerging situations. People and events are unique and nuanced. That is what makes things challenging and what brings a deeper strength to any meaningful work. So sufficiently assess and choose the practices that are pertinent to the tasks and culture at hand – this becomes easier when we are plugged in and have a true measure of culture and situations.

The best client goals link and drive one another, as do the previously mentioned keys to success. They are interdependent practices; meaning they support and facilitate another. Becoming practiced at one, enhances another. Equally important, these practices – engagement, true perspective, and a tailored leadership approach – will be adopted and successfully applied by those whom the leader influences.

Again, these are my observations. What practices have you found to be most successful in your leadership?

What Was Learned, What Can Be Applied

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 14:26:25 GMT

Individually and collectively we emerge from a time of sorrow, ingenuity, and adaptation. Referred to as a once in a 100-year event, a view the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic supports. A deep systemic circumstance highlighted by global illness, economic downturn, inequity, and division. New interrelated aspects continue in pent-up demand, inflation, and labor shortages. Unfortunately, polarization cements us into fixed positions of thinking.

During such a difficult time, I wanted to see if something of value could be learned. I decided to seek out others, hear their stories, how they were adjusting, and get their viewpoints on long-term ramifications. Through phone and virtual interviews with dozens of people, I was fortunate to talk with individuals in healthcare, education, financial, charitable, religious, manufacturing, and military settings. I also incorporated related articles and webcasts.

Distinct schools of thought quickly became evident. Many wanted to go back to the way things were, the status quo, the good old days. Others felt that we’re in the midst of major change regarding how we view and live life; a tipping point that requires us blow up and cast away certain views and methodologies. A third group saw a hybrid of reinstituted and altered practices. Some feel the longer the pandemic the more significant and hardwired change will be.

Below are additional themes:

How we approach change offers us more opportunities, fewer barriers. Recognize that change is constant, part of life, organic. It is cyclical, involves highs and lows. If we come with openness, a desire to learn, grace, change can serve as a school for learning. Upcoming challenges are fields of practice where we can apply our insights, where we can draw on the fortitude that comes from engaging, failing, persevering, and overcoming.
Courageousness stands out. Bravery emerges again and again, from varying levels, in numerous settings. All in a time of sickness and economic uncertainty. Frontline workers who show up every day to meet customer needs. Families manage complex residences of work, school, and caregiving. Teachers work in hybrid environments where physical and mental safety is at risk. Leaders/business owners personally sacrifice so others retain their jobs. A selflessness stands out that can be extended past the pandemic, utilized in countless future environments.
Our communication has been transformed. While many of us have been somewhat drained from the constant virtual nature of interaction, it offers significant advantages. Imagine Coronavirus taking place 10, 20 years before. The isolation would have been less tolerable and deadlier. Many would have been unable to work. Mental strain would have been incalculable. Currently, the technology is in place to support much of our efforts. These platforms give expanded voice to many who were previously not considered, the unheard. Repeatedly, I hear the need for transparent dialogue; now we have additional vehicles for shared awareness. Before Covid, we required accessible, responsive, and genuinely engaged leaders; an obligation that has only strengthened.
Finally, there is a systemic aspect to what we have undergone and what we continue to experience. Put another way, events and lives are interrelated. The pandemic highlighted disparities in healthcare and income. It drove changes in medicine, education, real estate, leadership, and the majority of workplaces. Some of these transitions are irreversible. At the least, they will continue in some fashion. More people will work from home, learn remotely, visit doctors online, have food and entertainment brought to them. We face additional change. People are making hard choices about returning to the workplace. Services and supplies are in great demand. Remember, change is cyclical. Yet, there are constants we can draw upon for assistance. Think differently, think globally. Partner. Employ creativity. Consider the greater good. Stay in tune with accelerating technology. Make use of virtual connections.

We have undergone an extraordinary time. As with any meaningful experience, there’s an accumulating impact to all participants. There is the event and our responses to the event. What will we do with the knowledge gained? Can we reframe challenge to opportunity? We must remember and mourn as demanded and needed. Change is a sliding continuum requiring reflection, celebration, and learning. Let’s utilize our newfound learning and strength to achieve meaningful endeavors. Prepare for other cataclysmic events, whether harmful or beneficial. By acclimating to change, we enhance and ensure biological and organizational life.

New Leader Syndrome

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 13:38:21 GMT

Years ago, I was promoted to a sensitive leadership position over several senior people. My promotion was due to strong technical expertise and initiative. My eagerness to succeed in my new role and my desire to fix all that seemed wrong led to crucial missteps. My initial aims were for others to meet and adhere to my standards which resulted in making everyone miserable and creating alienation. Fortunately, I had a friend who had no reservations in portraying the inadequacies of my style and a leader (the one who championed my promotion) who gave me valuable advice that altered and immensely improved my leadership approach.

I was suffering from what I have come to term New Leader Syndrome (NLS). I still occasionally lapse into NLS. And I have witnessed many others – my leaders, my peers, my direct reports, and my clients – fall into the NLS trap. Numerous times I have watched those afflicted by NLS crash spectacularly or fade into oblivion (those around them suffer as well). Let me be clear, the term New Leader does not necessarily mean that the individual has never led before. It means that they are new to that particular leadership position. There are other preconditions for NLS as well:

First, the new leader has been successful in prior positions, but that does not mean that success may readily transfer to the next setting. Across industries, people are often promoted due to their technical, not leadership, expertise.
The new leader might also be hyped as a savior, albeit untested in the current arena. This perception of invincibility means they are often left to sink or swim.
With NLS, we bring a rigid template and a surety to our leadership role that misperceives systemic conditions, undervalues input, and employs misplaced solutions that fall short in meaning and sustainability. There are significant cultural nuances that new leaders, in their impatience, miss or choose to ignore. Instead of getting the lay of the land, we say, “I got this!”

How do we prevent or recover from NLS? Engage in self-awareness. Avoid the assumption that you know the answers. Even if you do, there exists an ongoing opportunity to develop partnerships and refine your ideas. Slow down, question what other presumptions are in play. We can then turn outward. What do we need to find out? Who do we ask? How do we obtain critical input and secure buy in? How can we learn about people and their work? How do we go about developing organizational savvy?

Don’t take yourself and your team out early as a result of NLS. Our greatest strength is in the whole pack, not the lone wolf. Rather than being another new leader, provide new leadership that engages others, listens and considers, sees and fosters relationships, and evolves with emerging change.

Pre-defined Outcomes

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 13:31:02 GMT

In a prior position, I repeatedly watched a very senior leader bake and present an initiative as if there was the possibility of input and revision. He didn’t really want ideas, he wanted to create the illusion that he sought and valued collaboration. His approach worked for many years until people woke up. A merger fell apart, he moved on, and his boss got pushed out.

Most often, the leaders I work with are consumed with achieving an outcome. They give too little consideration to the process and the people involved. The outcome is achieved, but it may be underrealized or unsustainable. And the opportunity for individual and team growth remains dormant.

We have an inclination, whether innate or learned, to get the quick fix, to put it in place, to move on to the next outcome. When the results are all that matter, especially exact results that have been defined and championed by a few (or one), then systems are left unattended. Those resulting outcomes involve solutions that are cosmetic leading to underwhelmed customers and disengaged coworkers.

As an alternative to pre-defined outcomes, we can examine problems in depth, from different vantages, with a variety of participants, and formulate the best alternatives. The common defense is that “I don’t have the time.” In reality, we don’t have the time to continuously resolve the damage of insufficient solutions. Investments on the frontend save us time on the backend and in future efforts. We engage others who know the work. Their creativity comes to the forefront. Experience and relationships develop in ways that come into play for subsequent challenges. We will enjoy outcomes that stretch from beginning to end; work that stands as our individual and collective legacy.

So next time you know the answer, consider standing down. Back away and reflect. Involve stakeholders in the creation. Adapt and do it again.

“The path is the goal.” – Gandhi

Burned Out or Burned In?

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 19:24:10 GMT

It seems that every day we wake up to a quickening, more complicated world. We have often little time or focus to delve into, let alone integrate, the avalanche of information coming from a diversity of sources. Minutes, days, weeks, years of time evaporate without notice. We become numb. It is in our faces. It is in the words we use and our accompanying tones. It is in our action or more likely, inaction. We burn out. We have all been there, maybe are there still. What is unnatural is to surrender to burnout as if the condition is terminal rather than transitory. There is a way out and it must start from within. Consider where our time and our mental energy are expended. Examine our thoughts, our beliefs, our self-talk, and the culminating behaviors that arise from our mental model – then shift to a stance of self-agency. When we firmly stand on new ground, we are positioned to identify and resolve what is externally working to wear us down.

A generation ago, “a burnout” was someone who had succumbed to hard living via substances and other self-abuse. We have come to see burnout as something being done to us: by society, by work, by friends and families, through acquisition, via consumption by and of us. If we are even aware that we have stepped on this accelerating merry-go-round, we are not clear about whether we can or should exit. Yet, if we are taking the vantage of a rider rather than an operator, then possibly the traditional definition of being a burnout is not off base. At the end, it is up to us to break the cycle. It’s not that our burnout is not real or that it is not insignificant. It is that by initially and regularly turning inward to self, that we are better positioned to identify and sustainably mitigate the internal and external factors reinforcing our condition.

Clear cut quick wins start within the physical domain of our lives. Are we getting the sleep we need? Do we take in what is healthful in terms of types and amounts of food and drink? Do we exercise? Is our caffeine use mindlessly undertaken? Can we regularly turn off the damn phone, hide it in a drawer, toss it in the back seat? Do the same with the TV, the computer, the gaming device. Physical wellbeing leads to mental health, and by extension, emotional calm. Now that we feel a little more rested, a little more at peace, we can begin to notice, then reflect.

We are taught to continuously aim high, achieve, acquire. We strive to jump to the next rung, ignoring the view, denying the cost. How exhaustive, how unfeeling, how empty. We can move from an outcomes-based paradigm to one of engagement, to each moment, to each being. Discern what is superficial (most things) and what has true meaning (a select few things). Relish and draw upon the meaningful aspects. For instance, I might get a notification that I had exceeded budgeted income by millions of dollars. This would give me fleeting satisfaction lasting only a few seconds. Later while transitioning from meeting to meeting, I would find a couple, lost and infirm, trying to find their appointment location. Seeing the relief when I escorted them by the easiest route to their physician gave me happiness, a feeling that lasts to this day, many years later, when I recollect it.

Next, practice gratitude. Good fortune comes at different frequencies for each of us. Part of that regularity depends on our cognizance and appreciation of what comes our way. Studies show that being thankful elevates our emotions, our personality, our relationships, our career, and our health. So, take notice and give thanks for anything that brushes the realm of joy, even the littlest things.

Lastly, we can make a choice between judgement or empathy. The habit of judgement takes precious energy. We waste moments of our lives propping up artificial constructs predicated on misconception and/or blind emotion. Empathy for others gives us energy, and just makes us feel better. Caring about and helping not only aides them, it helps us to care for and help ourselves.

Once we have a better relationship with self, we can truly extend outward to others and our various environments. Seek out positive people and places. Ask for help, instead of toughing it out. Provide help as you can. This reciprocation of assistance, appreciation, kindness, ripples into a cascade of goodwill and genuine acts that become a legacy echoing through time. This gestalt, relating to others and the world has, time and again, allowed us to create the miraculous and solve pervasive issues. And so here we are above the fray – removed from the madness, clear eyed, calm, resolute, no longer a casualty, but a hero, one of many, ready to collaborate to address the exterior elements fueling our individual and collective chaos.

One last reminder: most of what we give negative attention either does not matter, will not happen, or we have no power to control it. As Andy Warhol proposed, “Sometimes people let the same problem make them miserable for years when they could just say, So what. That's one of my favorite things to say, So what.” Step back, lighten up, breathe, reflect, let go, take a fresh approach to this life, and repeat…

Making the Invisible Visible

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 19:21:47 GMT

Paul Klee supposedly said, “Art does not reflect what is seen, rather it makes the hidden visible.” I say supposedly because I would have to do more than cursory research to ensure I had his actual words. So, it is true with all relationships in life. We can choose to take something at face value or we can make genuine effort to get closer to, understand, and embrace a vision closer to reality, of wholeness – to make the invisible visible.

When we first meet an individual, we get their name, take in their physical appearance – note the visible. Yet, we don’t know – unless we engage over time – their beliefs, their preferences, their practices, their potential. Organizations are similar. We need to focus on a variety of people/settings/situations to gain a true sense of organizational culture. And we have to be conscious of the enablers to our capacity for blindness. Others, unconsciously and consciously, passively and actively, can work to keep us from knowing about them or their workplaces.

How can we make the imperceptible apparent? It starts with curiosity, a mindset to engage in discovery going beyond the superficial, not being satisfied with scratching the surface; instead, getting to the essence of what is being examined. It requires an openness to finding differences from what we knew or believed. It takes effort. It takes discipline. We often say we do not have the time, but the investment of minutes brings huge dividends in hours, even days.

The goal is awareness of other – individuals, groups, societies – and self. A stunning insight arises from the acceptance that we do not know it all, nor do we have to; that we have help, that we have partners. The benefits are new and deeper relationships. Integration, rather than an insular view, results in a more global understanding. Moreover, we are increasingly likely to conduct optimal assessments, make informed decisions, drive sustained implementation of our initiatives, and cultivate attributes for future endeavors.

After digging in various sites, I am reasonably sure that Franklin Thomas did say, “One day our descendants will think it incredible that we paid so much attention to things like the amount of melanin in our skin or the shape of our eyes or our gender instead of the unique identities of each of us as complex human beings.” His sentiment can be extended to groups, nations, and societies. When we comprehend that difference makes us much more effective in our words and deeds, then we can get down to the really important business of healing, saving, and developing.

The Gift of Conflict

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 13:07:23 GMT

Speaking of events ranging from joy to misfortune, Rumi, in his poem The Guest House , writes for us to “be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.” Conflict, if we choose to adequately consider it, can serve as a guide that prevents disaster, instructs, and empowers. Unfortunately, we tend to avoid this gift. Thus, we lose chances for improvement and unrecognized conflict morphs into an invasive weed that is nearly impossible to uproot; a heightening monster that consumes our time and energy at the expense of other priorities. Let’s consider three types of conflict: That between parties other than self, that with self and others, and that within self.

For us to sense conflict amongst others, we have to be engaged at individual, team, and organizational levels. When we see the smoldering contention, we have a duty – to customers, to company, to coworkers – to address or seek help in preventing widespread destruction to workplace and service delivery. So often, this misplaced attention on struggle is a result of misperceptions fueled by assumptions…and denial. A common manifestation is an employee, arms crossed/face stern/voice hard, saying they can do a good job despite the “other person.” When it’s in the interest of the greater good, help to air the grievances. Tie a positive outcome to the mission, the common purpose , and to individual success. Once understanding and commitment is achieved, people are happier and more productive. Plus, they gain experience at navigating future strife. And you gain credibility by assisting others.

Conflict between another and self is a distracting burden for both parties. This is a needless weight that can be alleviated through direct and respectful communication or by enlisting a third party to mediate. Like above, misunderstandings or old resentments underly the tension while sharing perceptions and a focus on the bigger picture aides in resolution. Without the drag of interpersonal conflict, making our way in the world is a freer and more pleasant journey. A foundation of trust is in place for further partnership. However, the conflict with others may originate in our conflict with self.

Regarding conflict, our greatest opportunity may lie within self. Physical, emotional, and mental signals serve as internal alerts. Less than favorable verbal and nonverbal responses to our words and deeds are external signs. When relationships that were once smooth are now rocky, a good starting point is to look inward. Find a time and place where clarity and objectivity can come forth. Take notice of what your body and mind are telling you. Be proactive through self-examination, seeking feedback, and reflection. Observing our internal conflict expands our awareness of self and enhances our capacity to engage externally. A profound example of personal conflict is when our values are not aligned with our environment – this state can be a time of deep introspection and informed decision making as to where our lives can and will lead.

Our busy existence and desire for quick fixes leads us to ignore or relegate conflict. Instead, we can invest in conflict when it is still manageable, when it is signaling to us that something important exists, when something of meaning can be accomplished. There are times when conflict is fleeting or benign enough to ignore. And there are occasions when action can be deferred until more is known. Finally, we may only have the choice of acknowledging and accepting conflict before moving on. Examination and practice lead to discernment of what matters and how much attention is necessary.

Imagine driving on a rainy night and coming to a sign that says BRIDGE OUT AHEAD! Do you want to drive into a raging river or would you rather pull over and figure out the best course? Manifestations of conflict are the caution signs that you may have an organizational problem, disruption in key relationships, or internal disharmony. These signs are also opportunities to find a better way of traversing forward in terms of efficiency, connections, and fulfillment. When you sense conflict, explore it. If it holds relevance, examine it. If it has value, embrace it. Draw learning and satisfaction from the resolution, the knowing that you had the courage to embark on a difficult undertaking to improve conditions for yourself and for others.

Leadership and The Grateful Dead

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 17:58:22 GMT

(With inspiration and thoughts from Jeff Powell)

My oldest son, Jeff, and I have some similar interests in music. There was a time when I provided him tips on bands; that has shifted and most of my new music preferences comes from him. Approximately five years ago, I suggested he check out The Grateful Dead. He took to their music completely. Since then, he has often made clear the benefits of hearing a Dead concert with little adoption on my end. Maybe it was just a function of time and space, but I have finally come around to the soothing beauty of a Grateful Dead live performance.

Experiencing their music on a more complete level, I began to contemplate how The Grateful Dead’s unique style could inform leadership practice. I consulted Jeff, an Air Force Officer, and he gave me his take on leadership and The Dead. In order to get me in the right frame of mind, he also suggested listening to their concerts while I wrote this piece (which I did). The initial takeaway is there are at least three ways The Dead’s music can be interwoven with leadership: imperfection, experimentation, and rejuvenation.

A Dead concert is a bit of a mess and no two Dead shows are alike. When we expect absolute adherence and perfection as leaders, people are constrained and have difficulty realizing their full potential. When there is the recognition, followed by acceptance, that leadership is messy and not always the same tools apply, we can benefit. Things seldom go according to “plan.” By observing external conditions and listening to the internal self during times of imperfection, we can individually and collectively adapt for future conditions. Of course, there are settings, flying and surgery come to mind, where precision is required, but there are simulated settings for those vocations where imperfection can safely be allowed to occur. For to slip and stumble is to gain insight, grow, discover and obtain our true capabilities. Furthermore, minor mistakes, if acknowledged and examined, have the capacity to prevent major disasters.

It is not enough to be cognizant of disarray and reframe it as an opportunity for development. There has to be sufficient space for divergence. Jeff uses a metaphor of a balloon blown to the fullest possible expansion without bursting to describe a Dead concert. When leadership allows for a similar kind of expansive environment, it provides a safe place for experimentation beyond existing practices. Room is now allocated for the inclusion of people and ideas previously left out of consideration. Listening to The Dead go an extended jam is like taking a trip to new lands. When we walk unexplored paths in leadership and life we sometimes hit dead ends, yet we more often find new ways of seeing, thinking, and doing.

Finally, there is the replenishing nature of listening to The Dead. When the music starts, one increasingly realizes, emotionally and cognitively, that all is well (or will be). Leadership, as with other meaningful enterprises, is infinitely rewarding…and periodically exhausting. Jerry Garcia in describing The Dead: “We're like licorice. Not everybody likes licorice, but the people who like licorice really like licorice.” Identify and partake of your licorice, your meandering jam. Whether it’s music, reading, nature, helping others, meditation, or a combination thereof, find your mindful haven – the place and time where you can rejuvenate and allow your creative forces to reawaken without the intrusions of traffic, work, and media. When we come out of those contemplative states, we are fully open to possibilities and are extraordinarily creative with our responses to the challenges at hand. It’s not only okay to periodically immerse oneself into the barely controlled chaos of a jam, it is an absolute necessity.

The Unifying and Sustaining Power of Common Purpose

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 17:50:00 GMT

The other day I was out walking. I heard them before I saw them. They came over the trees, wheeled left in symmetric perfection, let out a solitary call and, as one, landed onto the field across from me. Unlike geese, we are not in perfect harmony. And being in perfect lockstep is not always necessary. Yet when we need to go in the same direction for a sustained period, we all have a powerful and unifying tool at our fingertips: Common Purpose .

I have had the good fortune of seeing and utilizing the effectiveness of common purpose in two distinct settings. The first, the military, provides a very clear sense of purpose, “the mission.” The mission runs through all activity while fostering camaraderie. The other example involves healthcare where the unequivocal common purpose is patient welfare. When there is a fork in the road, the path pointing towards the patient is taken. I have seldom witnessed a poor outcome when orienting towards patients’ true interests.

Utilizing common purpose is a strategic mechanism, yet also assists in our day to day activities. Common purpose is a great method for arbitrating intense conflict. When two parties, individuals or groups, are at odds, bring out common purpose and how it can be best served. Remind everybody by asking the question, “Why are we all here?” Common purpose minimizes distractions and referencing common purpose aids in setting priorities. It furnishes consistency. It minimizes ambiguity. It brings a sense of comfort. True common purpose energizes us for optimal performance.

Great things have been and will be facilitated by common purpose. Common purpose is the lighthouse, illuminating the direction when we are lost, inspiring us when we are tired. Unearth or revisit your common purpose. Ensure it is ethical and unselfish. People want to be part of something meaningful. Tie purpose back to their needs. For instance, the welfare of a company ensures job security. Test its validity with others and refine if necessary. Put it into a meaningful and transferrable message. Employ it! Then be ready to exceed your aims and experience an upsurge in the wellbeing of self and those you lead.

The One Thing You Can Do to Ensure Successful Change Management

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 17:42:47 GMT

Change results in questions. People ask when are things going to stop changing. The answer is never – change is constant. People want to know the reasons behind change. Ideally, change is being undertaken to improve customer and employee outcomes and experiences. People wonder why they did not know more about upcoming changes. Too often in change management, key constituents are left out of the change process or involved only as an afterthought. Conducting change initiatives without sufficient representation is like trying to arrange a classical orchestra without strings or manage a baseball team without an infield.

The traditional agents of the change process – leadership, strategic planners, HR, and IT – experience and contemplate change for an extended period. This extended relationship facilitates understanding and acceptance. Seldom do the frontline employees get the same amount of time and information in their change experience. As with the change agents, frontline users need time to process prospective change and sometimes even grieve in order to accept and embrace change.

As much as possible, those impacted by any change initiative process should participate at the outset. Consider two examples, one in the IT domain and another involving mergers, each with favorable and unfavorable outcomes. Corporate IT was implementing an overall system that would better serve clients, yet eliminate a number of high functioning standalone department centric IT applications. One location was not sufficiently involved in IT system design and implementation planning. Another location participated fully from beginning to end in the IT change process. In the former, there was great anger and resistance while in the latter there was a smooth adoption of the system product. In the merger scenario, two approaches were also applied. At the first facility, the change was handed to the staff with an accompanying message that the merger initiative was being undertaken due to their poor performance. But at the second site, leaders and staff from both companies took time to establish relationships, understand nuance, and learn from one another. Guess which merger site took years to resolve bad feelings and reach performance targets? And guess which merger thrived?

Inclusive change management results in a number of positive outcomes. First, there is a greater chance of understanding and acceptance regarding the need for and benefits of change. Next, there is essential input that can lead to a smoother change process and optimal products. There is the shared experience of resolving a challenge, a powerful way to bring all together in a more lasting bond. Finally, trust and ongoing engagement for day to day operations and future change is established. Being an architect of one’s destiny brings a degree of control to our lives; a prime correlate to job satisfaction and retention. Consider your current change efforts and where you can bring in others. Going forward, involve stakeholders early, genuinely, respectfully, and thoroughly when contemplating change.

Establishing Credibility & Effectiveness as a New Leader

Tue, 10 Jul 2018 19:41:18 GMT

Whenever you are assuming a new leadership position, there a few things you can do to generate immediate personal credibility while improving organizational effectiveness. Follow these three successive steps: deeply and broadly engage, take action from what you have learned, and circle back with relevant communication.

First, engage authentically at multiple levels: supervisor(s), peers, customers, direct reports and their staff. Ask them what is going well and what needs attention in their areas. Listen intently for verbal content and nonverbal cues! Throughout, be respectful and enthusiastic. A helpful hint here is to take a few minutes preparing for each encounter by ensuring a dedicated focus on meaningful outcomes. Look for themes and passion; why the topic matters to the individual and the organization. Find out what works and determine how to reinforce it. Discover what needs fixing and gain potential solutions.

Taking what you now know, enact what you can, as quickly as you can, as completely as you can. The change does not have to be earth shattering. It helps if the issue has been long standing and matters greatly to people. It could be a revision to a process, a schedule, or a product. It could be resolution of conflict between people or areas. There are easy challenges; knock those out. There are things that are more complex; do what you can and gather information for next steps such as deeper analysis or team formation.

Now communicate back to those impacted regarding what has been done. Give full credit to others for their suggestions and efforts. Besides communicating accomplishments, if necessary cover what cannot be done and why. There may be certain aspects that can still be addressed. If possible, offer alternatives when an issue cannot be resolved per initial expectations. Monitor your interventions to ensure they are working to design. Make adjustments as necessary. Be careful – asking for input and not taking action may cause more damage to credibility and to relationships than never asking. Therefore, follow through on commitments and communication.

Quickly bringing about impactful change shows that you care, that you involve those in the know, that you are listening, and that you are competent and dedicated enough to get things done. This is an introductory message of great importance: people matter and their input is valued! There are long-term benefits as well. You establish relationships and a foundation of trust. You gain organizational savvy – system workings, cultural awareness, and how to get things done. Confidence in self and one’s own ability to effect change is boosted. With a new role, you have a wide-open window for accomplishment. You have incredible leeway due to initial goodwill – people want you to succeed! A few key successes will allow you to quickly establish and sustain your leadership presence.

Looking Upstream

Sat, 09 Jun 2018 22:22:14 GMT

We, people and companies alike, take comfort in habit. Doing the same comfortable thing over and over is not always in our best interest. When it comes to problems, we consistently gravitate to the quick and temporary fix, the band aid, when what was really necessary was a deep dive of examination and intervention into cause. Practicing misdiagnosis (or absence of diagnosis) by addressing symptoms instead of disease results in an incredible waste of time and energy; misplaced efforts that should be going elsewhere.

Imagine a body of water. We each inhabit a stretch of that stream. All is fine: the water is cool, clear, and tastes great. Then one day we walk down to the water’s edge and nothing is the same. The flow has become sluggish, clogged with silt, it smells funny, tastes bad. We hope it rains. We filter the water to make it cleaner. We provide additives to mask the smell. Still, the water is of a far lesser quality. If we step back and frame the issue from a larger expanse, we start to ask important questions. What is choking off our water? Why has the strong flow become a trickle? What entered the stream to make it look that way; to smell and taste bad? We realize that in order to get answers to those questions, we must travel upstream to find the source of trouble. There we will discover what is truly the cause of our disruption.

Let’s examine a common example across a number of industries. A company captures key customer information during the initial encounter of a multistep process. Staff on the frontend of this registration process are inputting incorrect data and/or omitting important information. These errors are corrected (if identified) or missed at varying points throughout the service process. The possible ramifications are many: poor customer experience, heightened risk for further error, lost revenue, declining customer base, reduced staff morale, and inefficiency. Instead of continuing this haphazard practice, the problem can be greatly mitigated if someone is willing to question the status quo and go to the source of the problem. Looking at data to find the origination of the errors and talking with stakeholders for possible solutions can result in a plan involving standardization, thoughtful computer prompts, training, and monitoring to positively impact the process from beginning to end. Now, everyone can get back to the meaningful work of achieving organizational mission…and identifying any other disruptions.

Instead of treating the issues at hand with superficial repetitive correction, we can break the cycle by identifying and fully addressing the root cause of an issue. Going upstream requires courage, systemic examination, inclusion, and creativity. It will not be easy – existing culture and fixed leadership may be barriers to overcome – yet the rewards call for a change in practice. The shrinking margin of error for many individuals and organizations calls for the cycle of continuous imperfection and inadequate improvement to become obsolete.

Travelling the Path

Sat, 09 Jun 2018 21:29:38 GMT

Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of The Little Prince and pioneering aviator, said that in order to save ourselves we “need to take a step. Then another step. It is always the same step, but you have to keep taking it.” My take on this very inspiring quote is for us to keep moving forward despite daunting challenge. I am not so sure about “the same step” however. I would argue that the step may vary in terms of cadence, length, direction, and force.

Whether long-term or at a moment’s notice, we all have to make informed choices about the paths we take. Once we have stepped upon our chosen path, lesser consciousness and effort is given to how we travel that road. Be it making a point in a conversation or satisfying a long-term goal, we become so intent upon getting to the destination that we tend to miss out on valuable experience and minimize our own impact. Besides our choice of paths, we have real opportunity to derive and give meaning along the way to our desired endpoints.

When embarking upon our chosen course, there always exists the corresponding prospects of learning and growing. That expansion of thought and ability depends upon our openness and attention. Instead of a mindless trudge, head downward, we can observe, through a variety of senses, what is occurring at each step. These newfound discoveries can be incorporated with prior internal knowledge and the experience of others to bring about utilizable insight. We have obtained the knowledge, the tools, for the next path. And we will have the confidence, the resilience, for the continuation of our current way forward and the beginning of new journeys.

Equally important to what we take is what we provide from our presence on the trail - how we take care to preserve or improve the path, how we engage with our fellow travelers. There are alternatives to tearing and stomping our way forward, obliterating people and things just to get to our targeted objectives. Obstructions require clearing. Misleading trails call for identification. We can stop to help those struggling on the path, as others have supported us when we stumbled. Ideally, we impart our lessons, leaving instructive signs for those who follow. We may even seek out and find viable alternatives to known routes.

What we take away and what imprints we leave as we travel this life are crucial in our development and the progress of those we encounter. When I was a kid, I was walking through a vacant lot with my best friend, a person who has my greatest admiration decades later. Without thinking, I tossed a candy wrapper on the ground. My friend immediately picked it up. I looked at all the litter around us and asked why bother? He said our job is to leave each place better than we found it. He then picked up what trash he could on the way through the lot. I began to get the idea and helped. When I travel these days, I try to notice litter and beauty in their physical, mental, or emotional guises. My better self helps clear the debris. My best self assists in making sense of what matters and facilitating better paths for others.

Awareness

Sat, 28 Apr 2018 14:49:42 GMT

A great starting point and ongoing exercise for any leader involves expanding awareness. An understanding of self, others, and our environment(s) facilitates individual, team, and organizational success.

We begin with an examination of self. What are our values and are they congruent with our actions? A great exercise is to look at stress behaviors (practices under extreme pressure) and see if we are acting in accordance with our values. Another option is to ask others about self. A quest for genuine self-awareness seeks and is receptive to external feedback, followed by changes on our part. Recently, a person had the kindness and courage to tell me something about myself that I needed to hear – I consider her message lifechanging for myself and my ability to positively impact others! Lastly, we must examine our self-talk. What are we telling ourselves and, by extension, what are we telling others with our verbal and nonverbal behaviors?

We can be too self-focused. We also spend a good deal of our lives looking upward, always aspiring for more. Our gazes can be trained in predominant introspective or skyward positions. We forget to look at those around us, those that have helped us or those we can help. Little of meaning can be accomplished by ourselves alone. We require an awareness of others. Like us, they have a lot going on and it can be similar to our experience or vastly different. A look at the dynamics between self, others, and groups is another area of opportunity. Who brings energy and can contribute further? Who is struggling and needs assistance? Where can individual or team relationships be leveraged or improved?

Our home and work environments are undergoing constant change. Ignoring the various contexts of life may lead to unwanted outcomes. Taking in the awareness of self and others, we have to contend with the variability of our settings. Examine what is at play within and without our personal and professional lives. Clarify what is it we are trying to achieve. Ask why that aim matters and is it a shared objective. Uncover what is stuck. Discover what works well and then expand those concepts and practices. Identify what brings joy and spread that message.

Examine past learning, consider present awareness, and orient to the ideal future. Make time to rest. Take time to consult with others and broaden your horizons. Safeguard time to reflect and consider. These efforts may seem like time that cannot be given away, but they are investments that will broaden the quantity and enhance the quality of our hours. Cast away the debris and polish what is left, what truly matters. We can find out if we are able to better our existence. We can determine if we are moving towards who we aspire to be. And if not, we can find the means to ease or change our course.

Integrating Perspective(s)

Sat, 28 Apr 2018 14:26:32 GMT

On both sides of a multitude of issues, we see evidence of confirmation bias. We look to sources – people, writings, imagery – to reinforce our beliefs. Instead of blind acceptance, we have the choice to ask questions of others and self. Recently I watched a leader come up with a readymade diagnosis for one of his leaders, “he is exactly the same as I am.” Another way to look at that situation would have been to ask: we know there are similarities, but what might be different between this leader and you? Because given our individual makeup and circumstances, no two people or situations are exactly alike – there are always subtle variations.

The unknown can lead to a couple of potential problems. The first is fear, an emotion that can lead to flight or fight. The second is to make assumptions about things we really do not fully comprehend. Into the vacuum of the unknown flows our stories of incomplete or mistaken truths. Alternately, when we share stories with one another, we fill in each other’s knowledge gaps. It is not enough to gain perspectives. It is critical to acknowledge and incorporate alternate viewpoints or explain why they must be modified or cannot be put into play. Thus, people know where they stand individually and as groups. They are valued and they are provided a systemic understanding.

Creativity ensues when we are not initially focused on being right or disproving something. Next time you have an encounter with a “difficult person” or you need to convince a group that “your way” is best, try suspending prejudgments and seek the best outcome for all concerned. We all have too much going on to spend continuous energy and time on sustained conflict. What we need is everyone to be going forward in a similar and agreed upon direction. Achieving something of deep and lasting meaning in today’s tumultuous world requires synergy: common ground, joint aims, and collective effort.

The Right Leadership

Sat, 28 Apr 2018 14:22:22 GMT

Leadership can have a Goldilocks and the Three Bears feel to it. A leader’s approach and/or intensity of effort may be too cold, too hot, or just right. Each approach, in the right measure, can be appropriate at given points. It is when we rely on the same formula for every setting that we may be ineffective or worse. There is also a question of balance; knowing when to shift or to shift back along with degree of effort.

As we move through life, we take on more and detach from our original surroundings. However, we sometimes become too overly reliant on a hands-off approach. In extreme cases, it can be characterized as leadership avoidance. A remote approach may be due to limited time, reduced energy, or natural inclination. For some, there is a necessity in inhabiting an office for the majority of time. The same argument could be used for immersing oneself in email and data. We may prefer spending time in the company of our peers. Yet to truly grasp the nuances of our lives, the challenges that face us, and the opportunities that are available to us, we have to travel outside our zones of comfort. By engaging outside our artificial boundaries, we become informed, better skilled, and stronger through trial and error.

Because of past success using a directive approach, some are stuck in a command and control pattern of leadership. Given urgent deadlines and unproven levels of knowledge and skill, a hierarchical process makes sense. At its worst, a strictly authoritarian practice can display impetuosity and a lack of trust. It is a not a style that patiently lets others misstep, learn, and develop. A white knuckled hands-on approach leads to short-term wins, but not long-term growth. A universal unilateral approach to leadership is dangerous for today. Our worlds are too fast paced, too complex, and too evolving for one person or a select group of people to accurately and adequately lead. Spreading the wealth of leadership involves people who are subject matter experts and also strengthens their leadership ability.

Determining the best approach requires assessments of people, settings, and objectives. Evaluate whether sufficient resources and expertise are in place. Revisit the mission for overall relevance and acceptance. Identify the internal and external constraints. Consider the urgency and complexity surrounding objectives. With sufficient information, one can discover the appropriate leadership method and depth of approach. The benefits are many: shared understanding, strong leadership from many sources, and optimal outcomes.