This is true; no matter how effective or ineffective the manager, the team is a reflection of the manager. Repeatedly, I have seen teams go exactly where their managers are leading - even if they were not conscious of it.
From the leader's perspective, this fact emphasizes the importance of living the type of behavior that you want from your team. It also gives you insight into the functionings of teams led by other individuals.
Crazy Begets Crazy. Funny, or sad, or probably both. . .we all recognize that there are managers out there who are just a little bit (or a lot) well. . .crazy. Regardless of the caliber of their team, its going to rub off on the individuals that they are supposedly leading. Even if the manager is not directly involved in a discussion, it's rational to expect a certain level of craziness when dealing with this team. It is difficult to expect a team to be rational if their leader is not.
Insecurity Breeds Uncertainty. If a team is lead by a manager who is insecure or uncertain. . .you can be assured that members of the team will reflect that insecurity and uncertainty. There's almost no choice - they do not have a foundational leader to rely upon.
Indifference Brings Apathy. Then there are leaders who care so little about their work that it rubs off on the remainder of the team. Seriously, have you ever tried to get personally excited about a project when the owner of the project doesn't care? It's rough.
Conversely. . .the good news is.
Passion Brings Performance. Leaders who are excited about their mission will, by osmosis, instill that passion into their team members.
Hard Work Equals Great Results. Leaders who genuinely work hard can naturally expect that most of their team members will follow that example and they will have a high functioning team.
Emotional Intelligence Begets Emotional Intelligence. Leaders who guide their teams with smarts combined with sensitivity are teaching teams the same skill sets - resulting in the team that everyone wants to be part of.
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My book, "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for e-readers, tablets and PCs on Amazon Kindle.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Thursday, June 19, 2014
When "Winning" at Work Becomes Losing
Survivor be damned.
I'm talking, of course, about the popular TV show which creates drama by encouraging lying, cheating, backstabbing (really, can murder be far behind?) all in the name of being the one "survivor" or "winner."
(In all fairness, other TV shows do the same - watch any of the Real Housewives franchises).
In terms of entertainment, these things probably have a place in popular culture. In terms of the workplace, the school, the church, the family. . . the idea of an individual winning at any cost is so 1980's.
Which is to say it has no viable place in today's team environment. No one inside of your own environment is the enemy. Back in the 80's, I had an interviewee describe the internal culture of a renowned department store as "running gun battles in the hallway."
It no longer exists - it self-destructed.
Even if it is entertainment, I become perplexed. . .and worried. . .that some people will accept these televised "realities" as reality. Which of course, they are not and shouldn't be. Time and again I have seen people who were self-serving (all in the deluded belief that that's how one gets ahead in life) fail and fall. . .and fall hard.
Conversely, I have seen people who were experts at forming great consensus building teams succeed. . .and succeed beyond imagination.
Teamwork. Collaboration. Taking counsel. Running ideas past people. Handing ideas off to people who are experts in the area. Being willing to be wrong for the sake of innovation. Honesty. Integrity. All of these are very good, very current ideas that work. They don't make very good television, because it eliminates all of the unnecessary drama.
And I guess that's just the point.
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My e-book, "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon for just 2.99.
I'm talking, of course, about the popular TV show which creates drama by encouraging lying, cheating, backstabbing (really, can murder be far behind?) all in the name of being the one "survivor" or "winner."
(In all fairness, other TV shows do the same - watch any of the Real Housewives franchises).
In terms of entertainment, these things probably have a place in popular culture. In terms of the workplace, the school, the church, the family. . . the idea of an individual winning at any cost is so 1980's.
Which is to say it has no viable place in today's team environment. No one inside of your own environment is the enemy. Back in the 80's, I had an interviewee describe the internal culture of a renowned department store as "running gun battles in the hallway."
It no longer exists - it self-destructed.
Even if it is entertainment, I become perplexed. . .and worried. . .that some people will accept these televised "realities" as reality. Which of course, they are not and shouldn't be. Time and again I have seen people who were self-serving (all in the deluded belief that that's how one gets ahead in life) fail and fall. . .and fall hard.
Conversely, I have seen people who were experts at forming great consensus building teams succeed. . .and succeed beyond imagination.
Teamwork. Collaboration. Taking counsel. Running ideas past people. Handing ideas off to people who are experts in the area. Being willing to be wrong for the sake of innovation. Honesty. Integrity. All of these are very good, very current ideas that work. They don't make very good television, because it eliminates all of the unnecessary drama.
And I guess that's just the point.
Like it? Share it!
My e-book, "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon for just 2.99.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Make This List and Make Your Life Better
Here is a list that every leader should have in their mind. . .every day of the week.
Right now. . .create a list of everything that is going right. Seriously - project about to be completed - it goes on the list. Accident free work days - they go on the list. Promoted an internal candidate - on the list. Crossed off a majority of your to-do's from yesterday - own it. Always have a readily accessible list of everything that is going right.
Thankfully, we engage (sometimes to a fault) in critical thinking. In the spirit of process improvement, or building a better widget, or creating a better team - we are constantly on the prowl for what is wrong. . . hopefully with the mindset that we can fix it.
When we overindex, however, on everything that needs fixing - the situation starts to become hopeless, we are expending more effort on what is wrong vs. what is right and we lose focus on both the team and what is driving business.
When we balance out everything that needs to be fixed. . .with everything that, hey (!) is going pretty good. . .we become much more realistic (and usually become nicer people to be around).
By spending time with "what is right" we are also creating focus for our teams. By saying , "Hey, the analysis you did on the Simpson project was great - that's exactly what I was looking for," you are both paying a well-earned compliment and stating your expectations for the future. By acknowledging a job well done with "Thank you, the planning you did on that team project was perfect," you are both expressing appreciation and letting the individual know that's how you like things done.
Process improvement is important. . .but it becomes more realistic and vital when balanced out with the public acknowledgement of everything that is going right (and 99 times out of 100 - more things are going right than are going wrong).
Constantly have that list. . .whether handwritten or just in your head. . .of everything that is going right for you and your team. Your life will be better.
Like it? Share it!
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle for e-readers, PCs and tablets.
Right now. . .create a list of everything that is going right. Seriously - project about to be completed - it goes on the list. Accident free work days - they go on the list. Promoted an internal candidate - on the list. Crossed off a majority of your to-do's from yesterday - own it. Always have a readily accessible list of everything that is going right.
Thankfully, we engage (sometimes to a fault) in critical thinking. In the spirit of process improvement, or building a better widget, or creating a better team - we are constantly on the prowl for what is wrong. . . hopefully with the mindset that we can fix it.
When we overindex, however, on everything that needs fixing - the situation starts to become hopeless, we are expending more effort on what is wrong vs. what is right and we lose focus on both the team and what is driving business.
When we balance out everything that needs to be fixed. . .with everything that, hey (!) is going pretty good. . .we become much more realistic (and usually become nicer people to be around).
By spending time with "what is right" we are also creating focus for our teams. By saying , "Hey, the analysis you did on the Simpson project was great - that's exactly what I was looking for," you are both paying a well-earned compliment and stating your expectations for the future. By acknowledging a job well done with "Thank you, the planning you did on that team project was perfect," you are both expressing appreciation and letting the individual know that's how you like things done.
Process improvement is important. . .but it becomes more realistic and vital when balanced out with the public acknowledgement of everything that is going right (and 99 times out of 100 - more things are going right than are going wrong).
Constantly have that list. . .whether handwritten or just in your head. . .of everything that is going right for you and your team. Your life will be better.
Like it? Share it!
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle for e-readers, PCs and tablets.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
8 Things You Can Do to Make the Workplace Better
Thankfully, there are several of these types of news stories every week. An anonymous person helps a family in need. A stranger assists a mother with toddler while traveling on a plane. The commonality is that these everyday heroes are mindful of the needs of others and are reaching beyond themselves to assist; and in so doing, they make everything just run better.
So what can we do to make things run better at work today?
1. Seriously, sometimes it's just as simple as getting ourselves out of the way of talented people.
2. Conversely, sometimes you need to get in and "work the line." It's helpful in the short term, and also in the long term, because it gives you an opportunity to interact with, and learn from, the team.
3. Listen. Compassionately and wisely.
4. Provide consistent, focused and simple direction.
5. Check in with the team regularly and listen for your opportunities to provide re-prioritization, new time guidelines or additional instructions that will make the work easier. . .or at least more reasonable.
6. Think universally. How can you maximize your efforts to positively impact the most people?
7. Be human. If the company had wanted a robot to manage a team, they could have capitalized it and it probably would have been less expensive than you. Because you are human you should utilize emotional intelligence when guiding others.
8. Always. . .treat others as you wish to be treated.
Like it? Share it!
My book, "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for e-readers, tablets and PCs from Amazon Kindle.
So what can we do to make things run better at work today?
1. Seriously, sometimes it's just as simple as getting ourselves out of the way of talented people.
2. Conversely, sometimes you need to get in and "work the line." It's helpful in the short term, and also in the long term, because it gives you an opportunity to interact with, and learn from, the team.
3. Listen. Compassionately and wisely.
4. Provide consistent, focused and simple direction.
5. Check in with the team regularly and listen for your opportunities to provide re-prioritization, new time guidelines or additional instructions that will make the work easier. . .or at least more reasonable.
6. Think universally. How can you maximize your efforts to positively impact the most people?
7. Be human. If the company had wanted a robot to manage a team, they could have capitalized it and it probably would have been less expensive than you. Because you are human you should utilize emotional intelligence when guiding others.
8. Always. . .treat others as you wish to be treated.
Like it? Share it!
My book, "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for e-readers, tablets and PCs from Amazon Kindle.
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