Invite one key player to an affirmation session for the sole purpose of encouragement. Be prepared. You do this so little it may freak them out.
First, clarify mission, vision, and values.
Second, honor their admirable qualities, outstanding service, consistency of character, and growing potential. Explain how they fit in. Say things like, “You’re helping us become who we want to be when you ______.” Be specific.
Third, ask how things are going in their area.
Fourth, say how can we help.
Fifth, discuss their future direction within the organization and beyond.
Finally, hand them a thank card with hand-written notes from each member of the team.
Do not offer suggestions or improvements.
The only time improvement enters the conversation is when the leadership team asks, “How can we help?” At that time, any discussion of improvement focuses on the organization and the leadership team, not on the person being affirmed.
It takes about an hour to affirm a key organizational player. It may sound a little like sitting in a circle and singing kumbaya but it’s the best hour of the day. It does as much for you as for them.
I’m spearheading some interdepartmental activities with the goal of more open communication and increased relationships between departments. Could you suggest some good resources? Would you consider posting a question on your Facebook page?
Reply:
You’re asking the wrong questions. Leaders often rush to fix painful symptoms before defining root problems.
First:
The first question is, “What is the problem?” Craft an agreed upon definition of the problem. (Agreed upon by all stakeholders, not just upper management.)
Powerful solutions begin with powerful problems.
You can’t solve problems you can’t define.
Every solution to poorly defined problems is unsatisfactory.
Ask:
Why does interdepartmental communication (IC) matter? Think about mission, vision, and values.
What’s frustrating about IC?
What behaviors, attitudes, or beliefs interfere with IC?
Second:
The second question is, “What is the win?” Define success in behavioral and emotional terms.
What does winning look and feel like?
What improved results are we seeking?
How will we act differently?
How will success be measured?
What does implementation look like?
Who are the champions?
How will we celebrate wins and correct failures?
Bonus: How will we stick with it?
You can’t implement solutions you can’t describe.
Tips:
Engage as many as possible in the process of defining problems and describing wins.
Engage people if you expect people to feel engaged.
Design training activities that solve real problems and create tangible wins. Don’t waste your time throwing communication building activities against the wall to see what sticks.
Facebook:
I posted this question on Facebook: Leaders who cultivate interdepartmental communication _______.”
What suggestions would you make to this young leader?
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Warren Buffet (4th richest person in the world) and Tony Hsieh (CEO of Zappos) are great leaders because they hire great people and get out of the way.
Buffet said:
Hire people and don’t tell them what to do.
Let good people set their own standards and direction.
Delegate almost to the point of abdication.
Dr. David Vik (Doc) invested early in Zappos and worked there for five years. I asked Doc what made Tony Hsieh a great leader. “Zappos’ vision to Deliver Happiness is so clear and powerful that management doesn’t have to tell employees what to do.”
Enable people to act without you
by establishing shared vision.
Stop telling good people what to do.
Two factors of great leadership:
Great leadership isn’t about you. It’s about the people around you. “Get the right people on the bus.” Jim Collins.
Surround yourself with the most talented, passionate people available. Jack Welch said, “The team with the best players wins.”
Second, great leaders become less central, not more. Work yourself out-of, not into jobs.
If you are essential you are the bottleneck.
Third essential ingredient:
Doc believes organizational culture creates environments that empower people to function at their best. In other words, you can’t simply hire people and leave them alone. Success requires high performance cultures.
Great leaders build empowering organizational culture.
Doc explains the five factors essential to culture building in his book, “The Culture Secret.”
Vision.
Purpose.
Business Model.
Unique/Wow factors.
Values.
Doc, in his own words on what makes Tony Hsieh a great leader:
I asked G.J. Hart, when he was CEO of Texas Roadhouse, if he could spot emerging leaders. He didn’t rule out talent, education, or leadership presence, but he replied, “I can usually tell if they have the humility to make it.”
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself
but thinking of yourself less.”
Necessity:
Leadership skills are important for leadership success but humility is necessary. I’ll take a less skilled humble leader over a more skilled arrogant leader every time.
Arrogant leaders might succeed but they’ll never be successful. Can you think of any leadership skill that isn’t more beautiful with humility?
The Path:
Leadership is first about character then about skills. Spend more time developing the practice of humility and less time working on leadership skills.
You can’t talk your way into humility; it’s always practiced.
Decisions should be made
by those closest to the action.
The trouble is those closest to the action may not see the big picture. They may act selfishly. Perhaps they’re great at their jobs but they’re fearful. Should I continue?
You have a bag full of reasons why others shouldn’t have decision making authority. Most are self-made; many are self-serving.
Leaders can’t let go of decisions because they:
Believe distributed decision making creates mediocrity.
Think they know better.
Don’t share information.
Have more experience.
Have an agenda they haven’t shared.
Don’t trust others.
Personally, I don’t let go of decisions because I believe:
I’m more passionate.
I better see where we need to go.
I like control.
Five Ways I know you’re ready to make decisions:
You fully embrace organizational values. The more closely aligned we are the more trusting I am of you.
You have a proven track record of unselfishness. I can’t let you make decisions if you have your own best interests in mind.
You have a proven track record of follow-through. The more you’ve succeed in the past the more I trust you in the present.
You understand and believe in organizational vision. Decisions that impact future direction most touch vision.
You understand and believe in organizational mission. Decisions that improve present conditions most touch mission.
What prevents leaders from sharing decision making authority?
How do you know when others are ready to make decisions?
How can you prepare people to become decision makers?
Saying, “I’m the boss,” indicates you’ve lost influence and resorted to intimidation.
Coercive power offends. But, power isn’t a dirty word, with it you get things done. Without power, nothing gets done. Power is the ability to change things.
Power and position often come together; higher position usually equals more power. Using power associated with position is the least desirable and most offensive use of power. Think of individuals who advance their own agenda at the expense of others.
It’s said that:
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Gaining power:
Power as influence is better than power associated with position. Influence doesn’t require position. Weak, disenfranchised people can have power.
Gain power – influence – by understanding others and advancing their goals.
Power that corrupts is about getting.
Power that influences is about giving.
People in positions of power talk too much and listen too little.
People with influence listen.
Leaders with positional power want you to understand them.
Leaders with influence understand you.
Influence is always given never taken.
Managers using positional power push down, limit, pressure, and coerce. They’ve lost influence so they resort to position.
Influencers lift, expand, inspire, and set free. Influencers invigorate. Vitality characterizes organizations led by influencers.
Get things done:
If influencers advance the goals of others, how do they get things done? They align goals, passions, values, vision, and mission.
Tell me what makes you tick and I can influence you.
Influence only works when alignment exists. You won’t influence everyone. Create teams who align with your passions and you create opportunities for influence as long as you focus on their goals. Their goals become shared goals.
What do leaders who rely on positional power do?
How can leaders gain influence without resorting to positional power?
The self-defense instructor taught us to escape first. But if you can’t escape, put your back up against the wall or find a corner to stand in. Attackers can’t surround you – vulnerabilities diminish by 50 and 75 percent, respectively.
Every leader has been up against the wall. What was it like?
Up against the wall is the place
where failure matters.
Benefits:
“Proper” procedures fade.
Fear creates resolve.
Passivity turns to activity.
Confusion turns to clarity.
Confusion turns to clarity.
Everything matters more.
You forget about what others think of you.
Opportunities:
Clarify your mission – realign.
Forget what you used to do – reinvent.
Escape remembered identity – reimagine.
Assess the strengths of your current team – reexamine.
Better utilize the strengths of your team – reassign.
Tap into sustaining relationships both within and without – reconnect.
Act decisively.
Be willing to fail large, it’s freeing – release.
When you’re up against the wall, stop doing the things that got you there.
What has being up against the wall done for you?
What suggestions can you offer leaders who are up against the wall?
When I was young fitting in meant becoming what others expected. Now I know, fitting in requires knowing yourself not losing yourself.
Leaders and managers who help people fit in create dynamic organizations. But pressure to fit in from immature leaders prevents people from standing out. In those organizations, stand out and you’re out.
Organizations and leaders who demand conformity resemble immature adolescence; they can’t stop thinking about themselves. They cry out, “Love me.”
Outstanding leaders call people to
fit in and stand out.
If all you do is fit in, you’re mediocre. If all you do is stand out, you’re on your own.
Help people fit in by:
Clearly articulating organizational values, mission, and vision?
Helping people fit into organizational values and vision? You hired people for the mission.
Understanding the dynamic of adapting? More adaptation translates into less passion.
Explaining where you require alignment? Are you communicating that up front?
Expecting high performance once people understand how they fit in.
Help people stand out by:
Working to understand their values, hopes, and goals.
Connecting their values and vision with organizational value and vision.
Giving choices rather than making demands.
Establishing career and opportunity paths.
Developing their skills and exposing their blind spots.
Helping people fit enables them to stand out.
Bonus:
Standing out hinges on how people interact with their environment, colleagues, and clients. Everyone wants to succeed. Helping people remove attitudes and behaviors that hinder their potential often creates greater success.
