Sep 26 2012

Gut Feelings

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Gut Feelings

I was new to the organization and not exactly a technical expert on the job itself but I just knew we needed to take action – now! I had a feeling; that famous gut feeling that we all get from time to time. I had no empirical data to support my gut and at the time the organization was in the throes of Total Quality Management and we were all worshiping at the feet of W. Edwards Deming. One of Deming’s precepts was that decisions should only be made when supported by data; gut feelings were to be suppressed.

It turned out I was right and ever since then I’ve trusted those gut feelings. They’ve never let me down.

I’m not suggesting that leaders should make all decisions based on what might be just gas. The vast majority of decisions should be based on careful analysis of all available data. To do otherwise leads to knee-jerk reactions that cause more problems than they solve. In fact, even a strong gut feeling should be backed up with hard facts, time permitting.

But that feeling shouldn’t be ignored. I firmly believe that what we call a gut feeling is really a reaction of the subconscious mind. Deep in our brains there’s a memory or piece of knowledge that, while not consciously obvious, is providing an answer. We may not be able to explain why we feel that a particular course of action is correct – we just know it is.

I have no empirical evidence to prove this theory. I just have a gut feeling.

 

 

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Sep 19 2012

Leadership, Trust, and Reality

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Leadership, Trust, and Reality

“You can’t be a leader until you establish trust.”

That statement caught my attention recently. It’s one of those statements that sounds nice but isn’t really accurate. In fact, you won’t establish trust unless you’re a good leader.

Trust is earned. I can walk into a room and say, “Trust me, I know what I’m doing.” If you know me you may say to yourself, “Yes, I trust him.” Hopefully you’d say that. But if you don’t know me you’re probably not willing to give me your trust just because I ask you to. You’d be more likely to say, “Prove to me that you’re worthy of my trust.”

How can you earn trust as a leader?

Always be honest with your workers. If you don’t start out with complete honesty, you’ll never recover.

Know yourself and be yourself. Who you really are will become evident to your people pretty quickly. If they think you’re trying to be something you’re not, you’ll never gain their trust.

Be consistent. Don’t tell the workers one thing and the boss or peers another. That sort of thing will get back to the workers. Think how you would like that.

Be fair. That doesn’t mean treating everyone the same, but giving a fair hearing to each situation. People want to be treated fairly, not identically.

Most importantly, listen. People find it hard to trust someone who doesn’t listen. Don’t you?

You’ll be a more successful leader when you’ve established trust, but you won’t establish that trust unless you start out as a good leader.

 

 

 

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Sep 06 2012

Leadership With MBTI and Other Instruments

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Leadership With MBTI and Other Instruments

“Jerry is an INTP so he may not follow-up and will probably have trouble working with the team.”

“Really, how do you know that?”

“I can just tell that would be his Myers Briggs score.”

“So you can briefly observe someone and tell what their personality is?”

I’m noticing a trend among leadership experts that is dangerous – over reliance on personality survey instruments to label and categorize people. As in this conversation, it’s becoming too common to analyze a person based on a particular instrument, label them, and treat them accordingly. Be careful! People are human and they will fool you every time if you try to put them in little boxes.

Here are some things to think about when using these types of instruments.

The most popular, and in my mind the most accurate is the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The MBTI is very good at identifying personality types. But, it is also probably the most complex and time consuming to administer. I don’t recommend it for initial leadership training because I like to spend that training time with the basics that will form the foundation for good leadership. Myers Briggs is better understood when that foundation is in place.

Many instruments are designed to show certain traits while also selling something. That doesn’t make them bad, just make sure you really understand them before you use them.

Keep in mind that these instruments are designed to help an individual and produce a score only after analysis of a carefully crafted and scientifically validated series of questions. So, you’re probably not going to provide the most accurate analysis of your workers just by observing their behavior.

That’s because people adapt. For example, I speak and train in front of large groups of people. If I haven’t met you, I probably will come up and introduce myself. But, by the Myers Briggs definition, I’m an introvert. MBTI is correct and explains why I do some of the things I do. I compensate, and this is very important, not because I have to but because I want to.

Your workers may do the same thing, adapting their behavior to what they feel is needed or desired in a particular setting.

Survey instruments are a great tool and I recommend their use. Just make sure you use them in the right way, to help an individual learn about themselves, not for you to label and package people in those nice neat boxes.

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Aug 30 2012

Risk Taking Leaders and Leaders Supporting Risk Takers

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Risk Taking Leaders and Leaders Supporting Risk Takers

There is no shortage of experts in the world who tell us the only way to great success is to take big risks. They’re right. History is full of the tales of those who took big risks. In fact, for the most part, history looks favorably only on those who were successful risk takers. And there’s the rub. Unsuccessful risk takers are largely forgotten, or held up for scorn and ridicule.

All good leaders take risks. I find it difficult to define anyone who isn’t willing to take a chance as a real leader. But what happens when that chance you took goes sideways? That’s where great leaders stand out from those who are just in the position. You’ve probably experienced the leader who publically states that he wants you to try new things and encourages you by saying “Don’t be afraid to take a chance.” Those words sound good, but experience, or maybe office gossip, tells you that there’s another statement that leader isn’t saying out loud: “You better be right!”

I’ve been fortunate to work for leaders who supported me when a risky move didn’t quite work out. They would help me analyze what went wrong and how to salvage the situation while they ran interference. That support certainly made me more willing to continue finding ways to improve the operation.

Here are four tips to encourage constructive risk taking that I learned from them.

1. Maintain open communications. Make sure your workers are comfortable bringing ideas to you.

2. Support them, even if it doesn’t work out. (This doesn’t mean excusing criminal activity).

3. Recognize success, learn from failure, but don’t criticize the attempt.

4. Demonstrate true appreciation for someone who’s willing to step out in front and take smart chances – even if they don’t always succeed.

Are you the kind of leader who encourages people to take a constructive risk? Do you toss them aside if it doesn’t work out or do you support them? Which type of leader would you like to work for?

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Aug 23 2012

What are You Doing About Social Media?

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What are You Doing About Social Media?

It’s been a tough month for Facebook. From what I hear on the news, Founder Mark Zuckerberg is only worth about half a gazillion dollars now. For all the Facebooks, MySpaces, and now Pinterests, that come and go, I think the concept is here to stay. First it was email, then instant messaging. Somewhere along the line we, as a global society it seems, decided the rest of the world cared deeply about our dinner menu or our cat’s latest antics.

Now it’s an issue in the workplace. How much time are your employees spending on social networking instead of really working? What are they saying about you? Don’t try to figure that out. If it’s an issue you really have other problems. I suggest you figure out how to use social media, or a form of it anyway, to improve your efficiency. Even curmudgeonly people like me need to try new things once in a while.

I look back on past responsibilities and think how nice it would have been if we’d had a tool like that, especially when I was working with organizations that were spread out across the globe. Here are a couple of things to think about though.

First, consider email. I know, I’m old fashioned, but hey, if it works, use it. Or even better, pick up the phone.

But, if you really want a social media type tool for your organization, consider having a smart tech guy create it or use one of the companies that can create a network for you. I’m not endorsing anyone here but a quick search will present some options. Facebook and its like are way too unsecure.

Don’t let this be a substitute for personal contact. Get up and go see people once in a while. We have a tendency to span the vast distance over a three foot high cube wall electronically. Encourage people to get up, travel those three steps, visit the next cube and actually have a conversation.

Finally, remember this. Everything that was accomplished in the 20th century, from airplanes to space flight to the computer, and yes, even cats came about without the benefit of social media. It isn’t a bad thing but remember that it’s a tool. Use it but don’t let it take over.

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Aug 15 2012

Leaders and Politics

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Leaders and Politics

It’s election season again; that time when we all wait in front of the TV in breathless anticipation of the next campaign commercial that will mercilessly hack away at the opposing candidate. We’ll nod appreciatively as our candidate makes a good point about the other guy. Through it all will be a common thread telling us that each candidate will be a great leader and is the only choice to take the country forward to new heights.

Of course if you have a DVR, you’re probably missing most of this.

There is a somewhat redeeming value in these campaigns: a lesson in recognizing leaders.

Most politicians are not real leaders. Sure, we think of them as leaders. After all, they are in leadership positions, aren’t they? The truth is, they’re in positions that have the potential for leadership, but that doesn’t make them leaders.

Our two party system produces a political class whose members often find themselves so beholden to a party that true leadership is difficult if not impossible. Doing what the party boss says, isn’t really leading.

It’s a good thing the workplace isn’t like that. Or is it? Ask yourself a few questions.

1. Do I encourage my leaders to think for themselves or just do what I say exactly how I say?

2. Am I willing to seriously consider disagreement or do I expect unquestioning loyalty?

3. Do I see people who step out in front as potential leaders, or just troublemakers?

True leadership is risky. As a real leader, there’s a chance, a very good chance really, that someone will be unhappy with you. A real leader must be able to please the party but also know when to lead change.

Are you a politician or a leader? More importantly, what are you developing other leaders to be?

 

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Aug 08 2012

Random Thoughts on Leadership

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Random Thoughts on Leadership

Here are a few random thoughts and observations.

I’ve seen a lot of figures about social media lately that seem to indicate everyone on the planet has a Facebook account; you’re nobody if you’re not Tweeting; and your business will quickly go the way of the dinosaur if you aren’t frantically using social media. But wait! I also see that a large number of Facebook accounts are not “real,” whatever that means, only about 8% of internet users actually use Twitter, (Helle Dale) and several studies show the actual number of people who buy because of Facebook is really small. We think of social media as the younger generation’s territory but my admittedly unscientific experiential statistics say that isn’t so. Most everyone I know who is active on Facebook is my age. Most of the younger people I know are not.

So, what does that mean for leaders? An incredible amount of time is being wasted on social media, and it isn’t necessarily workers sending pictures of their cats. It may be in your marketing department. Social media might not be a complete waste for your organization, but like everything else, take a careful look at what you’re adopting beforehand. Don’t buy into the hype until you’ve done your own due diligence.

It’s political season again. I’m proud to be a citizen of a country that can boast over 200 years of bloodless government transition. I’m not always as proud of how that transition happens. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just get the real facts about the candidates so as to make a truly informed decision? Unfortunately, that’s probably never going to happen, and therein lies the lesson for leaders.

In order to select the right people for public office, we voters must dig a little deeper than just what we see on TV. That applies to our organizations as well. Leaders who take everything they’re told at face value aren’t very good leaders.

Speaking of what we hear, I’m troubled by a trend that’s becoming more and more common: intolerance of other’s opinions. I was absolutely amazed at the reaction to Dan Cathy’s comments on marriage. When did we get to the point where an individual’s opinion was worthy of such public vitriol, especially when that person is known to hold such views? Unfortunately, the Chick-fil-A dust up is not unique.

As a leader, we have to remember that it isn’t about whether gay marriage is okay. It’s about keeping an even keel in the workplace. While that seems almost impossible these days, it’s easier when everyone knows they will be treated with respect, no matter what they may look like or believe in. Leaders must lead the way to developing that sort of workplace.

Find the truth, act on facts, and treat people fairly. Not a bad formula for leadership success.

 

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Aug 01 2012

Leaders Shoot For The Moon

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Leaders Shoot for the Moon

 

Take a look at this blog posted at

http://www.amirashiraz.com/blog/2012/08/01/guest-blog-bob-mason-on-business-development/

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Jul 26 2012

What Are Your Workers Worth

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What are Your Workers Worth?

What are your workers worth? What value do they bring to your company? How much unrealized value might they posses that you aren’t utilizing?

I had an interesting discussion with a young woman recently who wanted me to sign a petition to raise the minimum wage. In New Mexico where I live, the minimum wage is $7.50 per hour except in Santa Fe where it’s $10.29 per hour, the highest in the nation. This young woman thought that such a high minimum wage was a great thing.

People who push for such high minimum wages never want to talk about employee value. Unfortunately, company leaders often don’t really consider this either. For instance, does the server in a restaurant in Santa Fe really produce $10.29 in value every hour? Does a worker at a manufacturing company somewhere else in the state produce $7.50 in value?

Maybe, maybe not. Let’s look a little deeper. What is a worker’s value to the company? That isn’t an easy number to calculate. A 2007 study titled “Employee Lifetime Value: Measuring the Long-term Financial Contribution of Employees” by Frank Mulhern and Yuri Moiseyev provides some formulas that can help determine the long-term value of your workers.

One of the most glaring points I derived from the study is that leaders often don’t consider what the true value of their workers might be. Companies that developed ways to tap workers full potential find that workers have more value.

Unfortunately, too many leaders don’t get to know their people well enough to find that additional value, or they aren’t willing to make the investment to realize their full value.

Employees, especially hourly employees are considered an expense. They are an expense, but when leaders make full use of their talents and abilities, they become more than just an expense, they become a valuable resource.

I’m not a big fan of minimum wage laws. From a business point of view, they seem to approach the equation backward, trying to determine what it costs for an employee to live instead of calculating the employee’s value to a particular company. But, on the other hand, I see too few leaders who honestly consider what a worker’s value really is and how to fully utilize and even increase that value.

What are your workers worth?

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Jul 18 2012

What’s Wrong With This Generation?

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What’s Wrong With This Generation?

What is wrong with this new generation? I just don’t understand what they’re thinking. They just want to have a good time. I worry about our future.

You’ve probably heard, or made these comments yourself. In fact, these are comments I heard growing up. I’ve also read similar remarks in older literature about generations that came before me. In a few years we’ll hear the Millennial Generation making similar comments about their own offspring.

I was recently at a church workshop where the leader was discussing the younger generation, of which he is a member. Someone in the group asked why the younger generations seem to be more willing to challenge, and even ignore what older generations consider well established authority and social norms.

It’s a good question, but the answer is a little uncomfortable, especially for us Baby Boomers. You see, we made them that way. If you’re a Boomer think back to your own youth. You probably questioned authority, rebelled against “the way things are,” and wanted to go your own way. There is a big difference though between then and now.

In our time, there were generations before us that gently nudged us, sometimes not so gently, to conform, at least somewhat, with their idea of what was right.

You might say they were leading. We weren’t quite as good at that.

It’s true that the Millennial Generation is very different. It’s also true that they are more successfully rebellious than generations before them. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t good people, full of outstanding potential.

I was listening to a business owner tell me how hard it was to find good Millennial Generation workers. He had a string of complaints. I asked him if he remembered his own first job. Was he perfect? Did a boss have to help him along? He agreed that was true and others had helped him.

That’s what being a good leader is all about – helping those we lead become better. The difference today is that young workers don’t always come to us with the basic skills we expect. Leaders must remember that they need to provide the assistance workers need, not just what they think workers should need.

So let’s help those new workers develop, just as past mentors helped us develop. The future belongs to the next generation, but it is shaped by the previous one.

Balancing the Generations: A Leaders Guide to the Complex, Multi-Generational, 21st Century Workplace”

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