Another reason to love Tom Peters

So, back to The Art of Management event on Oct 16.  Just re-reading some classic Tom Peters quotes from the day.  Here’s one of my favourites:

“Leadership at any level is a sacred trust.”

Given that the majority of people leave their jobs because of the relationship with their boss and that 20% of employees are actively engaged against you, it seems that the majority of bosses aren’t getting this message.  (They must be non-subscribers to this blog!).

Peters went on to suggest some key questions that should be asked of leaders during the interview process.  Why not try these, next time you’re looking for the type of leader who knows how to attract, and not repel, talent.

• “Name 3 people you have most contributed to.”
• “Tell me about your greatest development triumph (as it relates to growing others).”
• “Now tell me about your greatest development disaster.”
• “What are the 3 big things you’ve learned about how to help people grow?”

Remember, as Matthew Kelly, author of The Dream Manager, states: An employees primary purpose is to become the best version of him or herself.

Your job as their manager is to help get them there.  After all, you made the choice to take on the mantle of leadership… so, what are you going to do with the opportunity that’s presented?

Happy leading!

Putting the “cult” in culture

I had a fascinating discussion today with Michael Mattalo and Shana MacEachren of Fifth P Solutions about people and branding and another personal “a-ha” moment.  (FYI – Fifth P is a VERY cool company that ANYONE who has customers needs to check out.)

Anyway, here’s my “a-ha” moment.

Organizations spend hundreds of thousands (make that millions) of dollars building their brand.  They define their brand “promise” and “value” and come up with all kinds of snappy ways to differentiate themselves from the competition.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the executive suite, the senior executives (and in some progressive organizations) a smattering of emloyees come up with the “VALUES” for their organization (also known as, what words are we going to use to describe the culture we want to build here).  Now, as we all know, lot’s of times organizations come up with the standard set of “words on a wall” schtick (eg: “Our values are: innovation, customer focus, integrity and social responsibility… sound familiar???)  Anyway, this post isn’t about that.

My “a-ha” was about the process of defining your “corporate” values.  Shouldn’t they be aligned to your customer brand?  Shouldn’t you be figuring out how your corporate position aligns to how your people are behaving?

As Michael said to me: “How many marketing people have an HR person on their planning teams?”  *SNAP*

Instead of running two separate processes and coming up with two separate sets of rules around how we’ll treat customers vs. how we’ll treat each other internally… wouldn’t you be smarter to combine both of these thoughts into one?  Kill two birds with one stone and drive better business results.  Now that just seems to make tons of sense to me.

If this topic intrigues you, then join Michael and I on our e-Roundtable this Friday (Oct 30) or check out Fifth P Solutions for more details.

Happy leading!

In Conversation with Suzanne Sherkin

A few week’s back, Executive Roundtable Founder & President, Glain Roberts-McCabe joined host Suzanne Sherkin on her wildly popular internet tv show, Essential Conversations.

Check out the full interview: http://blip.tv/play/g60lgaX6TgI%2Em4v

 And check out Suzanne’s Show on That Channel, each Thursday at 10 a.m.

Happy leading!

Are your antics overshadowing your message?

At last week’s Art of Management event, Tom Peters took the closing keynote.  Probably a good call, since late in the day you need someone who’s going to wake you up… and Peters’ is certainly up to the task.  I actually think of Tom Peters as the corporate equivalent of a “shock jock” ala Howard Stern.  As one of my fellow “tweeters” noted:  Time on stage before Tom Peters launches into his first rant: 10 seconds.

Peters is not known for being subtle.  I’ve seen him at least 8 times over the past 10 years and always find him to be an entertaining speaker who gets you thinking.  He throws out provocative statistics and anecdotes and has a terrific way of making you see that the majority of organizational processes are idiotic and most managers are inept.  As an example from this session:  most doctors get the info they need to diagnose their patients from the patients themselves.  And yet… most doctors will interrupt the patient in the first 18 seconds.  To bash the point across, Peters shouts: “How many of you in here are 18 SECOND MANAGERS?!?!?!?!”

It’s edutainment at its finest.  However, as I heard Peters rant about the fact that he’s never been more frustrated with organizations (because apparently he’s been doing this schpeel for years and nothing’s changing), I started to wonder if all his hype was killing his point.  I can certainly attest to the fact that Peters message hasn’t changed much since I first saw him in ’99.  Same stats, same rants… just a few different spins.

It got me thinking: can you, as a leader, actually overshadow your purpose by overhyping the problems?  As I watched the audience I saw a lot of laughter and head nodding, but I wondered how much of the message was actually sinking in and how much was the enthusiastic response of an audience enjoying a “show”.

As leaders, especially you passionate excitable types (guilty as charged), one of the Achilles heels that we may need to watch for is the constant need to dial everything up to 11, when maybe a 5 will suffice.

 

Passion for your cause is crucial to winning people over, but don’t go over the top.  People may enjoy the show, but they’re probably going to tune back to another channel when it’s all over.

 Happy leading!

Are those REALLY your strengths??

So, I had an “aha” moment as I was sitting listening to Marcus Buckingham woo The Art of Management crowd last week: sometimes people with the best intentions can reek havoc on your career path.  Here’s what I learned:

Having been a disciple of Buckingham since reading his book “First Break all the Rules”, co-authored with Curt Coffman, I am completely enamored with the idea of strengths-based leadership. (If you’re wondering where Coffman is now, check his cool biz here.)

From 2000 on, I tried tirelessly to focus and clear on my own strengths and have “strengths-based” discussions with my direct reports.  I even worked in a consulting firm that embraced the “work to your strengths” philosophy and put a big emphasis on not fitting a “square peg into a round hole” and getting people into the “right seat on the bus”.

What I learned on Friday was that, for all this enthusiasm, I had only a partially correct view of what a “strength” really is.  I always interpreted that my strengths were partly what I enjoyed doing and was good at, but also what other people told me I was good at and what I got rewarded for (performance).  And here lies the problem.

What Buckingham pointed out was that when you’re using your true “strengths” you feel energized and engaged (not exhausted and depleted).  True strengths have less to do with your performance ability and more to do with the personal “juice” you get out of the experience.  In many cases, especially as you get more “seasoned” in leadership, you learn how to “manage” your weakness and can even get quite skilled at things that you don’t particularly enjoy doing.  For example, as a leader, I love the “big ideas” and hate having to wade around in the details of execution.  That being said, if you saw me in action you would think that I’m actually very good with details.  Which is very true… just don’t make me do it all day every day!

Buckingham suggested that we should call these things that we’re good at, that we don’t enjoy, anything BUT strengths.  Strengths are things are you love to do.  Here is a formula he provided to help you pinpoint those things that are truly your strengths:

• Success (A strength makes you feel effective)
• Instinct (You look forward to doing it)
• Growth (You are inquisitive about it, and it provides you with focus)
• Needs (You feel fulfilled when you’re in the task or have completed the task)

To help you begin to catalog the things that are your strengths, he suggested you try this exercise for a week:

Keep a diary and list all the activities that you’re doing in the day.  Jot them down as you do them (don’t try and reflect back at the end of the week).  Notice how you FELT when you were doing the activity.  Catalog your activities under two columns: 

I Loved the Activity

I Loathed the Activity 

The crucial element of the exercise is to clearly define what you loved or loathed about each activity.  Then, at the end of the week write a strengths statement and a weakness statement.  The example Marcus used was:

“I felt strong when I was interviewing Rosa.”  You then drill down to get really specific on what exactly about the situation made you feel strong.  His final draft became:  “I feel strong when I interview a person who excels at his or her job to explore why they excel.”

The key is to make sure it is an activity that YOU are doing, not something that is being done by someone else to you.  (eg: “I feel strong when I receive recognition from my boss.”)

Why not give it a try and see what you come up with.  In the next blog we’ll talk about how to STOP doing some of the activities that don’t play to our strengths.

Happy leading!

Are you talking more than you’re listening?

One of the strengths that many leaders have is an ability to convey ideas, to communicate their big visions, to enthrall their direct reports with terrific insights, strategic priorities and crucial “burning platform” initiatives.

Often what’s equally impressive is these same leaders INABILITY to listen.  Something seems to happen along the corporate hierarchy where, unless you’re careful, you as a leader can fall into the trap of falling in love with the sound of your own voice and/or thinking that all of the solutions have to come from you.

The truth is, some of the best leaders are phenomenal LISTENERS and one of the most crucial skills to develop to become a great listener is the skill of asking great QUESTIONS.

Courtesy of career coach Martha Dove, here are some of her favourite questions to add to your toolkit:

1. Tell me more…?

2. Can you give me an example…?

3. Can you describe a situation where…?

4. What’s been your experience with….?

5. What’s your opinion on…?

6. What does that “look like”?

7. What do you think the consequences might be?

8. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

9. Who would agree with that idea?

10. What would be another possibility?

11. What would happen if…?

12. What are you trying to accomplish?

13. What do you see as an obstacle?

14. What’s your hypothesis?

15. What did you try?

16. What else did you try?

17. What would you like to see happen?

Happy leading!

When it’s time to go, it’s time to go

In some previous posts, we’ve been exploring the “career doom loop” and it’s affects on our motivation to stay doing what we’re doing. Once you decide that it’s time to move on, most of us go to the default of finding a job before actually quitting. If it’s really bad on the work-front and you’ve got the confidence, track record and bank account to put-your-money-where-your-mouth is, others of us will take a leap into unemployment without the “next job” safety net. And, in rarer cases you may resign, but provide several months “working notice” (a la David Miller). Lately, I’ve been having a few conversations these days with individuals who have been given “working notice” and/or have given themselves “working notice”. It got me wondering, if we know that people who are engaged are more productive, is keeping someone (or staying yourself) who is evidently “unengaged” ever a good strategy?

Let’s start with you – the employer/manager – who has decided to give someone working notice. The only reason I could see this ever being beneficial is in the case of someone whose role has minimal effect on the business (and the fallout from their emotional reaction to the news will be minimal to the remaining employees). This probably doesn’t leave many people on your list that would fall into that category. Afterall, if they have minimal effect on the business, why are they there in the first place?

Which leaves the only other reason I could think of: working notice could work when the person being given the working notice has a vested personal interest in making it work. David Miller has given himself “working notice” as Mayor and has insisted that he will give 100% to the job in his remaining term. I gave myself ‘working notice’ in a couple of previous jobs and would tell you that I worked really hard in the remainder of the time I was with both organizations. What motivated me to work hard, was less to do with my work ethic (quite frankly) and more to do with my professional reputation. (I’m guessing the same may be true for Miller). I didn’t want to burn any bridges on the way out either door. So, I worked hard.

But, was I contributing to the maximum? I’d like to say yes, but I doubt I could have been. How can you give your best effort when you’re not going to be around to make your ideas happen? As you exit an organization psychologically, you start crossing a mental bridge where you begin to change your language from “we” to “they”. “We” may have believed 100% in the strategic direction, but once the decision is made to move on, “they” are the ones that will ultimately execute it. And, if you’re leaving, chances are you don’t have the confidence in that team to make things happen, so why would you tie yourself too closely to any activities that may tarnish your track record?

Working notice is probably something that we can’t get away from in today’s workplace, but as leaders, we should think long and hard about whether it’s the right strategy for the employees in question… or for ourselves. Sometimes, “working notice” is a little like ripping the bandaid off slowly. Maybe it’s better to just cut bait and move on.

Happy leading!

What doesn’t kill you… may kill the desire to lead

Michael Ignatieff, the current leader of Canada’s Liberal party, is having a tough leadership time lately.  It seems the guy can’t catch a break.  With his popularity sliding to even below that of his much maligned predecessor, Stephane Dion, the feeding frenzy on his lack of leadership ability is reaching the usual “life in a fishbowl” fever pitch.

According to so called “leadership experts”, the true test of whether “Iggy” has the “right leadership stuff” is how he will handle this particular set of challenges.  Anyone who’s been leading for any length of time would likely agree that adversity builds your leadership character and (hopefully) makes you stronger.  After all, we typically learn more from our mistakes than when things have gone well.

Although most of us aren’t being scrutinized to the same degree as your average politician, there does seem to be a hyper amount of criticism thrown at the average boss these days.  On behalf of all managers out there who are trying their best, this post is for all you non-managers who seem to think that slinging extra mud at a leader who is struggling is a helpful strategy (for those of you working for bad leaders, skip to our previous post of what to do if you’re working for a psychopath).

The saying goes “if you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen”.  I don’t think that anyone would argue with the fact that today’s “kitchen” for leaders, is pretty damn hot.  The workplace is far more challenging than it was 20 years ago and, on top of that, today’s managers have markedly LESS time to lead and manage their teams.  Most are drowning in their own tactical deliverables.

And here’s the interesting irony… people I talk to generally want to work for a manager who is personally supportive of them.  This skill, my friends, is called EMPATHY.  Studies have shown that leaders with higher empathy scores get more out of their teams. Period.

But here’s the thing… if you work for a people-oriented boss, chances are they also take the verbal hits a little bit harder than most and, in my observation, are the ones that start to question whether they could be just as effective being an “individual contributor/coach” vs remain in a formal management role.

This leaves the low empathy, thick skinned leaders at the table.  Is this really what we want or need in our organizations… more ego-driven, bottom-line pushing, grind-down-the-team to produce results types?  Think about that for a minute.

Maybe we need to think about the type of leadership we’re encouraging by how supportive we are of people who are trying their best.  Afterall, you probably don’t go into work everyday trying to screw up… and I don’t believe that your boss is either.

Happy leading!

Branding YOU

Yesterday, we hosted our first PowerRoundtable of the fall with our fantastic friends at Right Management.  The discussion with our executive panelists on how you can build your brand to achieve career success ran the gambit from Matthew Corrin sharing his experience of having Sir Richard Branson douse him with a glass of water; to Patricia Lovett Reid sharing the importance of the soundbite; to Rosemarie McClean’s parting quote from Oscar Wilde: “Be yourself…everyone else is already taken.”.

A great discussion with great contributions made by our members and panelists alike.  Here are the top tips, as gathered by the Right Management coaching team:

1. Take ownership… organizations are no longer compelled to help you build your brand in the way they did when tenure was longer.  The need for you to take ownership of your own brand is crucial.
2. Know your skills… be clear on your strengths and what you can offer your organization. Seek feedback regularly.
3. Stay on top of the trends… stay attuned to trends so that you can continually build your toolkit to remain competitive.
4. Think “small steps”…  your brand will build over time through each action you take.  Talk is cheap, execution is key.
5. Seek opportunities/take chances… think beyond your job box to find ways to build your career brand. Lead a committee, join a not for profit board, extend yourself in new directions to gain new experiences that help you build your brand.
6. Know when to say “no”… walk away from opportunities that don’t align with your personal brand.
7. Stay aligned… when representing an organization, remember that you are an extension of that brand. Pursuit of your personal brand in a way that is misaligned with the strategic priorities of an organization will compromise your effectiveness and success within the organization. And, if you no longer believe in the corporate brand, know when it’s time to move on.
8. Be authentic… start with who you are and build your brand from there. Only this will build trust in your brand, overtime.

Don’t miss the discussion at our next event:  Strategy: balancing short and long-term decisions. Register here.

Happy leading!

Did Dave hit the doom loop?

Let’s put the theory of the last blog post into action as we consider the recent announcement by Toronto Mayor David Miller NOT to seek re-election in 2010. According to various news outlets, Miller’s closest advisors were “shocked” by the decision (which Miller says he started considering in 2006).

Of course, the critics are all accusing Miller of ousting himself before the public have a chance to ditch him, but I think this is a legit example of the doom loop in action.

Here is a guy who found himself in stage 3 on a quick spiral to stage 4 (some may say he’s already there)… in a job he didn’t like anymore that he was still (arguably) good at. But in this case the “didn’t like” factor wasn’t to do with boredom on the job but rather with the emergence of a deep personal priority. Miller, himself raised by a single Mom, has found it increasingly difficult not spending time with his kids. This nagging core value began to outweigh the excitement of his role as Mayor and he decided to quit before the kids were out the door with nothing but vague memories of their dad making an occasional appearance at family events.

And I say, “Congratulations David Miller for having the guts to stand up and follow your values!” For all those pundits out there at are bashing the decision and labeling the “family factor” a cop out… get a grip. As the old adage goes… no one on their death bed wishes they’d spent more time at work. It’s refreshing to see a committed, talented leader make such a brave choice… and sticking to it, despite what I am sure are many upset people in his camp wanting him to take a run at a 3rd term.

And here, my friends, is a further lesson in the application of the doom loop. Sometimes, it’s not the boredom factor that kicks in… it’s life. We talk a lot in organizations about trying to “retain” talent. The reality is… people are complex and there is no way of predicting how life is going to affect you or anyone else. You can’t really retain people… but you can retain water! As leaders, we can create the conditions that help people stay “engaged”, but if there are bigger factors at play, the best you can do is support them as they transition to their next journey.

It will be interesting to see how Miller lasts out his term given that he’s already made the decision “to check out”. But that’s a topic for another post. In the meantime, remember that, despite your best efforts as a leader… you may not be able to keep all the people, all of the time and that your values are something one should never compromise. No matter how exciting the job.

Happy leading!