Okay, HGTV denizens, you know this to be true. The one constant throughout all of this Home Buying/Improvement/Selling/Gnashing-of-Teeth-Regarding-the-Kitchen-Island programming is the unfailing commitment to predictability. Week after week, it is the same. . .
Can even one Househunters show air without the following: "Yes, I can really see myself having my morning coffee on this patio/deck/front porch/slab of concrete." "Oh, look honey (said as if one is seeing the pope) crown molding!" "This closet will just fit my wardrobe," one says before turning coyly to their partner, "but where will you put your clothes?" And, of course, the hunting couple always come to the conclusion that the best way to make a decision among the predictable three choices is, "I think we should eliminate one." Now THAT'S creative problem solving!
But HGTV's predictability doesn't end there. The couple on Property Brothers is always shocked (!) that they can't get everything on their wish list (open floor plan, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a rolling lawn, home office, nursery, maids quarters, spa-like master bathroom and the fountains of Bellagio). . .for their budget of $89,000. Despite their protests that "we really don't want a fixer-upper" they spend the next 50 minutes sledgehammering through rodent infested walls until they arrive at a remodeled home that looks remarkably like the home from last week's installment.
On Love It or List It, we are treated to the couple parading through the requisite three homes whilst Hillary invariably discovers a costly "surprise" that means that they have to make the tough decision between replacing a faulty sewer line that's backed up within inches of the new bamboo flooring or to go forward with adding the much-needed gift wrapping room.
After 1,318 episodes of the expected. . .one gets a little weary of the same-old, same-old and you really wish that the couple from International Househunters would just say "We really wanted an American fridge so we are going to give up our exotic dreams of living in Bora Bora and just go back home. After all, there's no place like Peoria."
So, here's the HGTV allegory. We profess to love predictability at work. We want everything to go like clockwork - and that's not a bad ambition. At the end of the day, however, it can also be pretty unexciting and definitely unchallenging. There are no true surprises, no reason to exercise creative thinking and frankly, we are bored.. And while we may profess to hate surprises - they also keep things interesting. . .and stretch our strong teams in new ways. So while we love (and even build predictability). . .we should also welcome the freshness, learning and excitement that the unexpected can bring to our lives.
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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.
Friday, April 29, 2016
Friday, April 22, 2016
What's Important to You?
Hands down - this is one of the most important discussions that team members can have with one another. What's important to you?
The forsaking of this question leaves so much collateral uncollected - whereas a discussion around this provides so much information that benefits the leader and the team.
What's important to you? is a key motivator of the individual. We may think we know what's going on with that person. We may guess at that individual's intents. We may wonder endlessly why that team member does what they do. When "What's important to you?" is honestly asked and answered - all of that useless speculation goes away and one can move on with work and life.
Beyond removing the veil of mystery; the answer to this question provides the leader with great opportunities to enhance the team member's performance. If the answer is "doing great work" we should provide that individual with the opportunity to do great work and reward them with ample praise once the work is done. If the answer is "my family" let's assure that the individual (and all individuals, for that matter) have the opportunity for a great balance of personal and professional time. If the answer is "security" let's take the opportunity (often) to assure the individual of their contribution and their ongoing importance in the organization.
A strong secondary benefit to asking a question this powerful is that it removes barriers that may have prevented other conversations from happening. Once individuals go to the place of this depth, the opportunities open up for other conversations of equal importance.
And finally, ask yourself "What's important to me?" Give yourself the chance to answer the question and let the answer guide your work and life going forward.
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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.
The forsaking of this question leaves so much collateral uncollected - whereas a discussion around this provides so much information that benefits the leader and the team.
What's important to you? is a key motivator of the individual. We may think we know what's going on with that person. We may guess at that individual's intents. We may wonder endlessly why that team member does what they do. When "What's important to you?" is honestly asked and answered - all of that useless speculation goes away and one can move on with work and life.
Beyond removing the veil of mystery; the answer to this question provides the leader with great opportunities to enhance the team member's performance. If the answer is "doing great work" we should provide that individual with the opportunity to do great work and reward them with ample praise once the work is done. If the answer is "my family" let's assure that the individual (and all individuals, for that matter) have the opportunity for a great balance of personal and professional time. If the answer is "security" let's take the opportunity (often) to assure the individual of their contribution and their ongoing importance in the organization.
A strong secondary benefit to asking a question this powerful is that it removes barriers that may have prevented other conversations from happening. Once individuals go to the place of this depth, the opportunities open up for other conversations of equal importance.
And finally, ask yourself "What's important to me?" Give yourself the chance to answer the question and let the answer guide your work and life going forward.
Like it? Share it!
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.
Friday, April 15, 2016
I Will Take Care of You
Think of an excellent customer service experience, be it retail, hospitality, medical. Perhaps you had a certain level of anxiety regarding a specific issue. I bet you it was resolved by an individual who reassured you, and then followed up with real actions. At that moment that you knew the issue was resolved you could exhale all of the anxiety because in your mind that person had effectively said, "I will take care of you."
Not in the mafia-sense of "I'll-take-care-of-you-now-go-for-a-ride-in-the-trunk-of-my-Desoto." Not in the world weary, alright-already, let's just get this over-with sense. No. "I will take care of you," said genuinely and followed up with action, is one of the best and most effective things that leaders can do for their teams.
"I will take care of you" should mean many things. I will be fair, in fact, I will be more than fair. I will do more than look out for your best interests; I will adopt your interests as my own. I will drive the business forward positively with ethics and integrity. I will assure that we as a team are successful. I will make tough decisions based on the greatest good. I will have an extra sense that looks for both opportunities that can be leveraged for the team member as well as dangers that can be avoided. I will conduct my own business so that you, as a team member, can rightfully be confident in engaging my trust on both professional and personal matters.
It is a tall order. To suggest that this is wishful thinking or pandering to the masses is an excuse. Think of it this way. Think of people who have your back, who will go the second mile to assure that you are both protected and successful. . .wouldn't you follow them to the moon and back?
The fact that rightfully taking care of the workforce assures that people follow you is, however, a side benefit. The main benefit is that you, and everyone who engages in the act of caring, become fuller individuals who contribute to a better society.
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My book, "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.
Not in the mafia-sense of "I'll-take-care-of-you-now-go-for-a-ride-in-the-trunk-of-my-Desoto." Not in the world weary, alright-already, let's just get this over-with sense. No. "I will take care of you," said genuinely and followed up with action, is one of the best and most effective things that leaders can do for their teams.
"I will take care of you" should mean many things. I will be fair, in fact, I will be more than fair. I will do more than look out for your best interests; I will adopt your interests as my own. I will drive the business forward positively with ethics and integrity. I will assure that we as a team are successful. I will make tough decisions based on the greatest good. I will have an extra sense that looks for both opportunities that can be leveraged for the team member as well as dangers that can be avoided. I will conduct my own business so that you, as a team member, can rightfully be confident in engaging my trust on both professional and personal matters.
It is a tall order. To suggest that this is wishful thinking or pandering to the masses is an excuse. Think of it this way. Think of people who have your back, who will go the second mile to assure that you are both protected and successful. . .wouldn't you follow them to the moon and back?
The fact that rightfully taking care of the workforce assures that people follow you is, however, a side benefit. The main benefit is that you, and everyone who engages in the act of caring, become fuller individuals who contribute to a better society.
Like it? Share it!
My book, "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.
Friday, April 8, 2016
To Own It
Of all the factors that make a difference in a team member's performance, here is one of the most important.
Does the team member own the business? (And, as a leader, do you allow them that privilege of ownership?)
When I went to work at a previous company, I was alarmed by what I experienced. Team members came in and left at the appointed time, kept their heads down in their cubicles: the office had all of the quietness, but none of the solace, of a mausoleum. Entrepreneurialism was replaced the execution of tactics. Cooperation? Teamwork? Really didn't exist.
None of the team members felt ownership of their part of the business. Previous management made it clear that the team was only there to do management's bidding. Their investment in their work earned them only a paycheck with benefits, but not the greatest benefit of feeling invested in their collective accomplishments.
After a couple years - once the team understood they owned the business and were responsible for their decisions, the place gradually came to life. And not too long after that, they became a well-functioning group that both individually and collectively owned the business.
How can you tell when someone owns the business?
They protect it.
They are well aware of their contribution to the greater good.
They exhibit a strong understanding of mission and goals.
They are strong ambassadors for the team.
They know the business well enough that they can be entrepreneurial with it; the business does not stagnate.
They bring their ideas and their personas to what they do.
Instead of the leader always bringing ideas to the team, the team brings ideas to the leader.
Here's another advantage of owning the business. A wise person once instructed a somewhat dysfunctional group (who kept making excuses why they couldn't get things done) "You cannot change what you do not own."
Like it? Share it!
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.
Does the team member own the business? (And, as a leader, do you allow them that privilege of ownership?)
When I went to work at a previous company, I was alarmed by what I experienced. Team members came in and left at the appointed time, kept their heads down in their cubicles: the office had all of the quietness, but none of the solace, of a mausoleum. Entrepreneurialism was replaced the execution of tactics. Cooperation? Teamwork? Really didn't exist.
None of the team members felt ownership of their part of the business. Previous management made it clear that the team was only there to do management's bidding. Their investment in their work earned them only a paycheck with benefits, but not the greatest benefit of feeling invested in their collective accomplishments.
After a couple years - once the team understood they owned the business and were responsible for their decisions, the place gradually came to life. And not too long after that, they became a well-functioning group that both individually and collectively owned the business.
How can you tell when someone owns the business?
They protect it.
They are well aware of their contribution to the greater good.
They exhibit a strong understanding of mission and goals.
They are strong ambassadors for the team.
They know the business well enough that they can be entrepreneurial with it; the business does not stagnate.
They bring their ideas and their personas to what they do.
Instead of the leader always bringing ideas to the team, the team brings ideas to the leader.
Here's another advantage of owning the business. A wise person once instructed a somewhat dysfunctional group (who kept making excuses why they couldn't get things done) "You cannot change what you do not own."
Like it? Share it!
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Extremism: Bad for Business and for Us
Daily we see the repercussions of extremism, both in terms of personal tolls and business liability. Certainly terrorism wrought by extremists has a high personal and business cost: following the recent tragedy in Brussels, many airlines took a significant hit to stock price. Recent examples of extremism (discrimination masquerading as "religious freedom") passed as law in Georgia (but vetoed) and in North Carolina. National businesses were quick to condemn, recognizing not only the financial repercussions but the unfairness to individual lives.
And business, in this case, is absolutely right. Rarely, if ever, in history have we seen businesses, or individuals, prosper in extreme environments - whether they be left or right.
Extremism causes polarity, not collectivity - and that's a bad thing. But let's bring it down a level or two - have your ever been in a company in which there was an extremely righteous and unyielding view on how to do the business? Also - not good for business. Extremists within a team are usually fighting for a single point of view - and great companies know they must function from multiple points of view. Fundamentally, the extremist is out of contact with this world truth.
The extremist is also unwilling to bend. . .and nature clearly shows that the unwillingness to adapt usually results in breakage.
To the extremist - compromise is a bad word. Compromise should be a very good word - meaning that multiple points of view have been duly considered to arrive at a collective decision for the overall good of the majority.
Extremists often are very aware of the blockage that those on the opposite extreme cause, but are blissfully unaware of the logjam their own actions create. Or worse yet - they justify the logjam they create as some sort of higher purpose.
Whether it is a business point of view within a company, or an extreme political point of view, extremism not something to be worshipped, but rather an unproductive evil to be eschewed. Extremism is not good for business or people.
Like it? Share it!
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.
And business, in this case, is absolutely right. Rarely, if ever, in history have we seen businesses, or individuals, prosper in extreme environments - whether they be left or right.
Extremism causes polarity, not collectivity - and that's a bad thing. But let's bring it down a level or two - have your ever been in a company in which there was an extremely righteous and unyielding view on how to do the business? Also - not good for business. Extremists within a team are usually fighting for a single point of view - and great companies know they must function from multiple points of view. Fundamentally, the extremist is out of contact with this world truth.
The extremist is also unwilling to bend. . .and nature clearly shows that the unwillingness to adapt usually results in breakage.
To the extremist - compromise is a bad word. Compromise should be a very good word - meaning that multiple points of view have been duly considered to arrive at a collective decision for the overall good of the majority.
Extremists often are very aware of the blockage that those on the opposite extreme cause, but are blissfully unaware of the logjam their own actions create. Or worse yet - they justify the logjam they create as some sort of higher purpose.
Whether it is a business point of view within a company, or an extreme political point of view, extremism not something to be worshipped, but rather an unproductive evil to be eschewed. Extremism is not good for business or people.
Like it? Share it!
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.
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