Ten Ways to Gain Initiative by Giving Authority

Image source by Виталий Смолыгин

Ineffective leaders seize and hoard authority; successful leaders give it. Those who cling to authority loose it. Those who give authority gain authority.

Authority is permission to act without permission.

Control freaks never inspire initiative. The more they control the less initiative – acting without permission – others take. Inspire initiative by giving authority.

Benefit:

Giving authority enhances your authority.

Releasing others to act apart from your direct guidance motivates them to seek your guidance. Delegating decisions enhances commitment to you and your organization.

People who believe they matter act like they matter.

Giving authority:

1. Train and equip to handle authority effectively.
2. Begin slowly.
3. Establish structures and systems that guide and limit authority.
4. Give decisions to those impacted by decisions.
5. Create titles. Titles convey authority and they don’t cost anything.
6. Create revised, temporary chains of command based on organizational context and team member competence.
7. Publicly explain new authority.
8. Establish the authority of others by deferring to those with expertise.
9. Share benefits and consequences of mistakes. Teams who hire a poor fit need to deal with replacing or reassigning them, for example.
10. Never neglect your authority.

Example:

Give teams authority to hire co-workers.

Warning:

You lose authority when others believe you are neglecting authority or passing the buck. Giving authority isn’t an excuse to not do your job.

Giving authority – asking people to act without permission – is the leaders job.

Who to trust with authority:

1. Do they clearly understand, embrace, and exemplify values, mission, and vision?
2. Do they understand organizational context and consequences of decisions?
3. Have they demonstrated competence?
4. Do they embrace accountability for choices? How have they dealt with past failures? Blame or responsibility.

Gain authority by giving it.

How can leaders effectively give authority?

7 Secrets to Leading Through Turbulence

I chartered a sailboat for our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. It was clear, sunny, and we could see the shores of St. Croix, when the captain invited me to “take the helm.”

Even a former farm boy can steer the boat in calm waters. I felt more important than I was. But…

Leaders matter most during storms.

Turbulent times and threatening circumstances call for skillful leadership. People depend on you. Challenging times make or break you and those around you. Rise up.

Your response impacts their response.

7 Surprising secrets to sailing in rough seas:

1. Give power don’t take it. Tough times paralyze powerless people. Stifle your inner control freak!
2. People feel most powerful when they feel in control. I still remember the feeling of holding the helm. I wasn’t doing much but I felt in control. Focus on controllable behaviors not uncontrollable circumstances.
3. Ramp up compassion; tone down harshness. Embrace the tension between tender and tough. You tip toward one or the others. Cling to both. Exceptional leaders call for excellence in compassionate ways, for example.
4. Deal quickly and decisively with lollygaggers. Do it for the good of the team. They anchor everyone. Give ultimatums to half-hearted foot-draggers. “You have one week to get on board or I’m throwing you over the side.” Crews cheer when sluggards walk the plank.
5. Respond to hand wringing naysayers by asking, “What can we do?”
6. Say everything you can say. Information is power. The more information you give the more powerful they feel.
7. Create predictability when times are unpredictable. Establish rituals. Schedule a Wednesday morning meeting to track progress,  adapt plans, and create wins.

Bonus: Stand on deck more than ever. Be seen: walk around more, touch base more, stop in more.

Added resource: “10 Ways to Navigate Turbulence.”

What does leading successfully in turbulence look like to you?

Register today for tomorrow’s FREE – LIVE conference call with Dr. Henry Cloud. Learn how setting boundaries extends results. Find strategies for results, relationships, and being ridiculously in charge. INFO

One Choice that Informs All Others

Unable to choose is unable to move. Choices enable movement. Unable to choose is another way of saying stuck. Successful leaders make decisions.

Everyone who’s stuck
lives with choices waiting to be made.

Fear of choosing is fear of losing opportunity.

Fear of missing out is the reason you miss out.

The critical first choice:

The choice that informs all others is who to be not what to do.

First choices enable action.

Choosing what do before deciding who to be means you’ve caved to external pressure.

Answer “what to do questions” by clarifying who you want to be. What to do is an event. Who to be guides the journey.

First choices involve who to be.
Second choices explain what to do.

First choices are relatively easy. But, if you’re not sure who to be, ask, “How do I want to be known?”

Benefit:

Identity off-sets external pressure with internal strength. Success demands you become bigger than challenges. The only way to be bigger than challenges is to know who you are.

Warning:

Choosing “what to do” before “who to be” means you’re pushed around by circumstances and activities.

Identity determines function.

Comfort:

Chill out. Life changing choices are often insignificant and unplanned. For example, Jay Elliot stopped at a diner after a new job fell through. At the diner he met Steve Jobs. Jay became a Sr. VP at Apple. Stopping for something to eat changed his life.

Chill out. Most choices aren’t final they can be unmade.

Four decision making tips:

1. Choose forward-leaning. Avoid the comfort of going back.
2. Identify real problems/challenges. Keep asking, “Why.”
3. Connect with people of experience and expertise.
4. Focus on what can be done. Any fool can find reasons things won’t work.

What decision-making tips can you add?

How can leaders choose who to be?

The Top 10 Performance Factors for Teams

Image source by Vojko Kalan

Memo to the new team, 2/23/13:

Raise your hand if you love wasting time on:

1. Meaningless drivel.
2. Frustrating stagnation.
3. Superficial relationships.
4. Worthless discussions.
5. Trivial decisions.
6. Mediocre results.
7. Mundane impact.

If wasting time excites you, create dysfunctional teams.

Members of dysfunctional teams:

1. Dread meetings.
2. Can’t wait for meetings to end.
3. Return to meaningful work after meetings.

Functional formation path:

New teams follow predictable formation paths; forming, storming, norming, and performing. Tragically, many teams never perform.

10 high performance factors for teams:

1. Buy-in based on acceptable agreement. Go all-in based on 70% or 80% agreement. Express disagreements but leave all reservations in the meeting. When two people agree 100% of the time, one of them isn’t necessary. Waiting for 100% agreement means you’ll always be waiting.
2. Individual responsibility. Everyone grabs the rope and pulls. Reject drifting and drifters.
3. Honesty. Say what you think clearly, kindly, and respectfully. Going along to get along equals mediocrity.
4. Accountability. Ignoring nonperformance guarantees no performance. Avoid dancing around people, it’s dysfunctional.
5. Clear, agreed upon patterns for narrowing options and making choices. How will you make decisions?
6. Trust. What happens when others are honest?
7. Preferred communication channels. Email or phone, for example
8. Pursue results. What are you accomplishing? All talking informs doing or its wasted time.
9. Create momentum by building on wins. Wins are platforms not easy chairs.
10. Ask awkward questions. Dance with elephants before they crush you. Don’t expect perfect answer, however.

High performance is never a gentle accident.

Successful teams:

1. Trust.
2. Argue.
3. Commit.
4. Follow through.
5. Celebrate.

Above list inspired by, “5 Dysfunctions of a Team.“

How much do you want to matter?  High performance teams make you matter more.

Added resources:

“The Three Pillars of High Performance Teams”

My leadership coach Bob Hancox sent me this “Team Decision Making Tool.” Informed consent is enough.

Pattrick Lencioni’s pyramid of “5 Dysfunctions of a Team.” (Image source, me)

What team performance factors can you add?

I Don’t Butt Heads with the CEO of Zappos

Image source by Hana Muchova'

Many CEO’s are told what they want to hear, rather than what team members really think. That’s a foolish way to avoid butting heads with the boss.

I asked Jamie Naughton, Speaker of the House for Zappos, to talk about a time when she butted heads with her famous CEO, Tony Hsieh. Jamie indicated that issues don’t escalate to head butting.

“There’s no argument, ever. If I don’t like something, then I just say it.”

How to avoid butting heads with the boss:

1. Establish disagreement-rules. Ask your CEO how he best receives disagreement.
2. Fully align with organizational values.
3. Advocate for the organization not yourself.
4. Say what you believe not what’s expected.
5. Disagree early, clearly, politely, and specifically.
6. Constantly communicate. Express opinions when you have them. Flare ups occur when issues build up.
7. Once decisions are made, grab an oar and row, regardless of your position.

Bonus: Add positive options.

Butting heads and who decides:

“The best thing about Tony as a CEO, as a boss, … He will give direction. He will give advice. … He’s going to be part of the conversation but he’s not the decision-maker.” Jamie Naughton.

Corporate teams fear CEO’s because CEO’s make too many decisions. Jamie explained that her boss would never make a decision about phone systems or sponsorship opportunities, for example. “Why would he approve a sponsorship when we have a marketing team who’s trained?” Jamie Naughton.

“He’s – Tony Hsieh – not going to interfere with my department because I know it best. He’s going to offer suggestions and I take it or leave it.” Jamie Naughton.

What suggestions do you have for disagreeing with the boss?

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Bonus material: Jamie Naughton in her own words. (6 min.)

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Connect with Jamie:

Jamie Naughton works directly with Tony Hsieh as the Speaker of the House for Zappos.

LinkedIn

Twitter: @Jamstar

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5 Ways to Become a Healthy People-Pleaser

Only people-pleasers succeed. The more people you please the more success you enjoy. The list of people who need pleasing includes:

1. Clients.
2. Superiors.
3. Boards.
4. Employees.
5. Colleagues.
6. Vendors.

“Just please yourself,” may be an excuse for lazy, self-indulgence. But, unchecked people-pleasing destroys people.

Five ways to become a healthy people-pleaser:

Please yourself in ways that please others.

I please myself when I write this blog, for example. I write short sentences, paragraphs, and articles. I leave stuff out. Not everyone likes it, but enough do.

Say “no” clearly.

“No” is part of leadership.

1. Listen carefully.
2. Consider prudently.
3. Seek advice.
4. Don’t rush.

But whatever you do, make clear, honest, compassionate decisions. Indecisive leaders, who need to please everyone, end up pleasing no one.

Anticipate information needs.

Eliminate the “wondering factor” with information.

Information pleases; being in the dark frustrates. Understand the information needs of those you serve and exceed them. Knock on their door before they knock on yours.

Wondering if they are wondering stresses you.

Manage expectations.

Pleasing others means meeting or better yet, exceeding expectations. Let them know what to expect. Consider deadlines, for example. Too much need-to-please causes you to accept unrealistic timelines.

Manage expectations before they manage you. Set realistic expectations and exceed them.

Leverage sweet spots.

Align your strength with their need, then trust yourself. Take coaching, for example. Curiosity is my sweet spot. Clients discover insights because I trust my curiosity. Do what you do best, most of the time.

Success is always about pleasing people. Healthy people-pleasers use knowledge of themselves and those they serve to build pleasing relationships and environments.

Still, you can’t please everyone. Don’t try.

How does people pleasing get out of hand?

How can leaders please others in healthy ways?

10 Ways to Navigate Turbulence

Catastrophe is one decision away during turbulence. Reacting makes you look like a fool, eventually.

Wise leaders respond to turbulence; fools react. Reactions are passionate but uninformed. How many times have decisions outrun information? Ouch! That hurts.

Successful leaders respond; failures react.

“Make it go away,” reflects self-serving reaction. “What caused this,” begins organization-serving response. Circumstances control reactionary leaders; they feel pushed around. Principles guide responsive leaders; they face into the wind.

Establish direction before solving issues.

10 Ways to respond to turbulence:

1. Define smooth sailing. Is smooth sailing an option?
2. Predict duration. Is this a squall?
3. Explore intensity. Is this a hurricane?
4. Examine history. How long has this been brewing?
5. Who or what is at the center? People who consistently cause turbulence won’t solve it.
6. What behaviors, attitudes, or circumstances instigated turbulence? Should they stop or continue?
7. Describe the best next step? Forget perfection.
8. Are you navigating by the stars or controlled by the wind?
9. What new turbulence does the next step create?
10. Is public response warranted?

Bonus: Identify, support, authorize, and follow champions who lead through turbulence.

Hard truth:

Sometimes the ship should sink.

Any organization determined to save itself has lost sight of its mission. It’s not worth saving. Think of all the bureaucratic organizations bailing water to stay afloat.

Turbulence purifies and clarifies. Every response to turbulence clarifies the value you bring and how to bring it best. If you don’t bring value you deserve to sink.

“… In a free market the only way to do well is to do well for others.” Gary Hamel

How can leaders navigate turbulence?

How Leaders Frustrate Others

Last week, I frustrated someone, again. I thought I learned my lesson but old habits die hard.

There’s always room for improvement, from my point of view. Nothing’s ever done. I’m tempted to add to or modify projects while in progress. It feels great to me. I’m adding value.

Modifying project outcomes, after jobs begin, doesn’t excite people like it excites me. “Could we?” and, “What about?” are great before projects or tasks begin; frustrating after.

Completion is more important than minor improvement.

Don’t modify current tasks, finish them. Modifications confuse and hinder. People start wondering what they’re doing and what you want. They say, “I thought we were…?”

Checking tasks off is better than stopping to tweak them.

Process:

Improve processes, don’t change deliverables. Suggestions that simplify tasks and speed completion are welcomed. Improve oars in the middle of the stream, don’t modify destinations.

Application:

Complete tasks. Arrive before changing direction. Completing tasks is more important than tweaking outcomes. Minor corrections do more damage than good.

Changing:

Know the difference between minor corrections and necessary course adjustment. Jump in quickly to avoid unforeseen rocks or storms, otherwise, hold the course.

Avoid costly mistakes; allow minor imperfections.

Save the day; forget minor adjustments. It’s ticklish to know when to step in. Err on the side of trusting good people.

Context:

This post concerns day-to-day projects and tasks, not strategic goals.

How can leaders add value when projects are in process?

How do you decide to step in or stay out?

Finding Focus: 12 Leadership Focal Points

Ever end the day worn out but wondering what you accomplished. Coach Wooden warned, “Never confuse activity with achievement.”

Life without focus is wasted.

Worse yet, wrong focus guarantees wrong results.

Don’t focus on:

1. Distant dreams.
2. What you don’t want.
3. Problems.
4. Failure.
5. Fear.
6. Excuses.
7. Obstacles. “I don’t focus on what I’m up against. I focus on my goals and I try to ignore the rest.” Venus Williams
8. Activity.

Achievement requires focus.

Focal points for leaders:

1. Developing talent, both yours and theirs. The number one priority of all leaders is self-development. That’s wise not selfish.
2. Emotional environments. How do people feel at work? How do you make them feel?
3. Creating clarity and simplicity.
4. What you do for them, not what they do for you.
5. Focusing the strengths of others.
6. “Relationship before opportunity.” Jeremie Kubicec
7. High impact behaviors and activities.
8. Activities that enhance energy.
9. What you want. “The key to success is to focus our conscious mind on things we desire not things we fear.” Brian Tracy
10. Progress.
11. Next steps.
12. Solutions. “Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer.” Denis Waitley

Bonus: Giving and receiving feedback.

4 ways to create focus:

1. Deadlines end dabbling. Set a timer for 12 minutes and focus on one thing.
2. Use interruptions to clarify priorities and create next steps. (Thanks Doug Conant)
3. Eliminate low priority activities.
4. Complete a few easy tasks and use the energy to tackle something hard. Warning, too many easy tasks drain energy.

Added resource:

There are nearly 70 comments related to focus on my Facebook page as of 11/28/12.

Which of the 12 focal point should leaders focus on?

How do you find focus?

The Struggle and Power of Divergent Values

It’s a mistake to expect everyone to fully align with your values. Shared values are never fully shared.

Power of values: 

Shared values are the heartbeat of vibrant organizations.

1. Values drive decisions.
2. Decisions drive direction.
3. Direction drives satisfaction.

Diversity in values:

Close alignment and diversity
are better than full alignment and unity.

Mary and Carl share the values of growth and systems, for example. Carl’s top value is systems. He believes systems assure success. Systems precede growth.

On the other hand, Mary’s top value is growth. She prefers learning as you go. Systems follow growth.

They share values but have divergent priorities and intensity. Can you see a collision in the making?

Collisions:

Collisions between values challenge decision making. Do we pursue growth and organize as we go or do we organize first. Mary embraces the former. Carl holds to the latter.

Full alignment of values creates lopsided organizations.
Diversity stabilizes.

Respect:

Successful leader understand varying levels of intensity and priority within shared values. Losing Mary or Carl is problematic.

Divergent values add value.

Both/and:

Successful leaders embrace both/and. Do we pursue growth and create systems as we go or is it the other way around? YES! Wise leadership leverages both.

Breaking points:

Either/or choices occur when Carl refuses to support Mary. On the other hand, as long as Mary respects and supports Carl’s values she enrich their organization. However, when they don’t value the other’s values, one has to go.

Never make the mistake of cutting people off because their values don’t fully align with yours. Successful leaders get excited about things that excite others.

How can leaders navigate diversity in values?

When does diversity become distraction?