Oct 17 2011

Facebook, iPhones, and Boomers

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Facebook, iPhones, and Boomers

Recently, I attended a gathering of my in-laws. My wife comes from a fairly large family so these infrequent events are almost like a convention. Much of the time was spent listening to the many tales of adventure and mischief that, as you can imagine with such a large family, were plentiful.

What really caught my attention though was Facebook and iPhones. Let me explain.

First, it’s important to understand the demographics of this family. All together, the members present represented almost the entire range of the Baby Boom Generation. We also had a couple of members from previous generations. Most of us in that room didn’t see a home computer until we were adults and for a couple of people, it wasn’t until they were well into their 40s or even later. As for the iPhones, it seemed that almost everyone had one. There were exceptions, like my Blackberry and a couple of folks with plain cell phones. But what really caught my attention was the discussion about Facebook.

Someone asked if everyone was on Facebook. That started a round of the question “Are you my friend?” It was somewhat comical to see middle aged people, and some a little beyond middle age, asking that question like a bunch of kindergartners. The fun was compounded as everyone tried to figure out how to accomplish the friending task on their smart phones. One person was actually fairly proficient at using Facebook on the iPhone, but had absolutely no idea how to check email on the device.

Besides providing a little comedy to the event, all this illustrated an important point to remember when working with different generations. I call it generational adoption; each generation tends to adopt things from other generations, but with varying degrees of success. Again, I must momentarily digress.

I’ll use the computer to explain generational adoption since this whole discussion revolved around computer technology. The first real electronic computer was built during World War II but Baby Boomers made it small enough to be available to the masses. Current computer capability, while still managed and led by Boomers, is often the product of Generation X, and to some extent Millennials. (Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook is a Millennial)

So, Generation X and the Millennial Generation have adopted computer technology as their own, while Boomers have, to some extent adopted social media from later generations, which is what I was observing. But, generational adoption only goes so far. That point was illustrated by this room full of Boomers struggling to do something that my son does almost without conscious thought. I’ve observed that each generation seems to have a point past which they cannot or will not go. My grandparents, while always willing to consider new things, never came to accept the social norms that have become more common today. Most Baby Boomers can become fairly competent with computer technology to a point, but can’t quite grasp the nuances of how the newer generations use it today. I wonder where we’ll be when Millennials reach middle age and beyond and can’t quite fathom the newest technology.

Each generation seems to have their limit on how far they can go to adapt to new things. So, when us Boomers are a little slow to grasp what seems obvious to the rest of you, be patient. We’re not dumb, but it may take us a little while to figure out how to be your friend.

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Oct 10 2011

The Scar Never Really Goes Away

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The Scar Never Really Goes Away

Robert Whipple

Most of us have had a miscommunication situation where another individual took umbrage at something we said. Let’s suppose that the problem was truly a misinterpretation of what you meant and that you were able to go to the other person and set the record straight. Now the issue is behind you both, right? Wrong!

The problem is that, for deep wounds, the scar tissue never fully heals. Sure you are able to go on, forgiven for the gaffe, but there is always going to be a degradation of trust in the mind of the other person. Nothing either of you can say or do can totally erase the issue. So how can you proceed? Does this mean that every time there is an innocent mistake, irreparable damage is done. Thankfully no!

The trick is to acknowledge the gaffe, work to heal the ill feelings as much as possible, then seek other trust building techniques to more than make up for the permanent loss due to the slip up. Actually, if you both work at it, the trust can come out higher than ever before, even though the scar is still there. It is as if the rest of the skin around the scar has become so strong and beautiful that even though there is still an imperfection, it is overridden by the surrounding area.

Think of a merger situation where one party inadvertently left some assets off a list. In the due diligence process, the error was discovered by the other party. The relationship can never be exactly the same as it was before the situation occurred, but with the proper rehabilitation, the trust can actually come out stronger than before. This situation can be more complex than I am representing here because it might be the accused person who is feeling the betrayal rather than the accuser, since the mistake was an honest oversight. It all depends on the situation and the temperament of the individuals.

The same remedial logic is operational if the betrayal was due to an actual deception rather than a misunderstanding. In these cases, the scar tissue is particularly deep, and it may be impossible to repair the damage, despite the effort. Many people at work or organizations that have merged know the pain of a complete collapse of trust. In serious cases, trust never does come back, and the individuals live with the duplicity or agree to go their separate ways.

A falling out in the work environment, whether justified or not is something that removes huge amounts of built-up trust. Good dialog and a conscious attempt to set the record straight are excellent first steps, but we need to go beyond these remedies to make the main focus of the relationship be the positive forward aspects instead of scars from the past. This means seeking out ways to generate more trust over an extended period of time.

 

Robert Whipple, MBA, CPLP, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust. He is author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals,Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind. Bob had many years of experience as a senior executive with Kodak and with non-profit organizations. Bob Whipple is currently CEO of Leadergrow, Inc., an organization dedicated to growing leaders. To bring Bob in to speak at your next event, contact him by email, phone 585-392-7763, Website, or BLOG.

This article was originally published September 25, 2011 in The Trust Ambassador. Reprinted here by permission.

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Oct 03 2011

Leadership Development: Work-Life Balance

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Leadership Development: Work-Life Balance

 

A boss once told me a story about a friend of his. The friend had been offered a very coveted position, one that was highly sought, but for which few were chosen. That evening he went home to tell his family but before he could say much his teenage son requested his dad accompany him to the high school awards banquet the next week. His son would be graduating that year and really wanted his father to attend this final event. Realizing this was important, the father rearranged his schedule and attended the banquet. The next morning he went to work, declined the promotion, and submitted his retirement. Why? At the banquet he had watched his son receive award after award for things his father didn’t even know he was doing. He realized, perhaps too late, that he had sacrificed something precious and unrepeatable in favor of career success and that he had chosen the wrong course.

How many leaders see themselves in this story? It’s all too common to aggressively pursue success, and to gain gratification in that success, at the expense of a personal life. The problem is, work success won’t last forever, but family and personal relationships should. Yes, career success often means a more comfortable standard of living, but as the father in this story discovered, there are still things worth more than money.

This is something for leaders to watch in their subordinates as well. Help prospective leaders, and those just getting started, develop a good work-life balance. That doesn’t mean you or they shouldn’t work hard or put in the long hours that are sometimes necessary. Those things are part of the job, but must be balanced with time away spent with family, friends, or just doing things they find relaxing. Lee Iacocca, CEO of Chrysler between 1978 and 1993 was worked hard to save a company that was in trouble, but he stuck to his policy of no work from Friday night to Sunday night. Only on Sunday evening would he take out his briefcase and review the schedule for the coming week. Over the weekend, his family had priority.

This concept of work-life balance is more common now than ever. That’s a little ironic given the explosion of technology that allows us to work 24 hours a day if we want. Don’t yield to that temptation. It’s critical to a leader’s mental and even physical health to balance work with their non-working lives. That means it’s also a leaders responsibility to make sure the people who report to them are doing the same.

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Sep 26 2011

Leadership Development: Seven Do’s and Don’ts for Effective Counseling

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Leadership Development: Seven Do’s and Don’ts for Effective Counseling

Of all the tasks leaders perform, one of the most difficult is counseling. I know it always has been for me. Sure, I enjoy talking with other people, sharing stories and sometimes solving all the world’s problems. However, I don’t enjoy telling someone that their performance is not acceptable and I’m not the greatest at helping someone with a problem. I always assumed that, as I rose through the levels of leadership, I would reach a point where this task would be something I could pass on to lower levels. Wrong! It’s a basic responsibility that never goes away. But it’s also a task that carries some risk that leaders need to carefully consider. Here are some do’s and don’ts for effective counseling.

1. Do document everything. I hate having to do this but in today’s legal environment, your word is not going to carry a lot of weight later on if the issue gets bigger.

2. Do try to keep counseling positive. Some people like to get right to the point and that’s okay, but I find it’s more effective to also say at least something good. Of course you don’t want to exaggerate or lie, but try to find something related to the discussion that is positive.

3. Don’t swear. I know this is difficult for some people, but it’s important. While you may consider a little profanity as a way to emphasize your point, it may be very offensive to the subject of the conversation. People who are offended by your language will not be as likely to hear your message.

4. Do keep an even keel. It is very easy to get excited or even angry and have that emotion build up as you speak. That doesn’t help. Letting your emotions take over and drive loud and demonstrative speech doesn’t help and can even make you look silly.

5. Don’t talk down to the person you are speaking with. They are an adult, just like you.

6. Don’t try to be something you’re not. Specifically, some leaders who feel close to their followers will find themselves offering services they aren’t qualified to provide. Don’t hesitate to refer to the professionals.

7. Don’t expect, or offer, confidentiality. You have no legal expectation of confidentiality and your followers should understand that. Does that crimp your style as a counselor? Maybe a little, but following this rule can keep you out of serious trouble.

These suggestions should help you be a better leader and help you with the difficult and sometimes tricky task of counseling. Here’s a final tip. Always remember that your job is to help the organization accomplish its mission and goals while helping your followers be their best. If you’re always honestly focused on those responsibilities, and have established a level of trust and respect between you and your followers, counseling will be easier and more effective.

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Sep 05 2011

What Does Leadership have to do with Customer Service?

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What Does Leadership have to do with Customer Service?

Have you ever walked out of a business saying to yourself, “Their customer service sure isn’t very good?” What was it about that service that caught your attention in that negative way? Did you perceive a lack of concern for your needs or perhaps an unwillingness to go that extra distance to address your particular issue? How about a time when you felt customer service was excellent. What caused you to make that determination?

One of the most popular subjects for leaders in almost any kind of business is customer service. In fact, many are obsessed with this one subject to the exclusion of all else. Customer service is important. But, there are many parts of the customer service equation. One that is often overlooked is the importance of developing good leaders. Is there really a correlation between leadership and customer service? Absolutely! Here’s why.

Customers want one thing from you; satisfaction. They’ve come to you because you have something they desire. You want to provide whatever that is at a price that you both agree is reasonable. But customers are not automatons. They expect to be treated well and given a certain amount of deference. After all, they’re spending their money.

There are many good programs available to help your staff learn great customer service. Of course as management you are always reminding them how important it is. You may even be surveying your customers to understand their perception of the service you provide. One common problem these surveys reveal is that customers don’t quite feel like your service is the best. They may not spell it out, but they just aren’t sure your staff is as interested in them, as you would like them to be. Why?

This is where leadership development comes in. There’s an aspect to the customer service equation that doesn’t get the attention it should; the attitude of your leaders. Think about that place where you didn’t feel the customer service was up to your standards. Was there a feeling of stress or fear? Maybe not much, but an underlying atmosphere of uneasiness or discontent? If so, it’s because the leader (manager) has not set the proper tone, and that’s probably because they haven’t been trained in leadership skills.

When managers are good leaders their area of responsibility will run more smoothly, people will understand why they are important to the company, and that leadership knows and appreciates what they contribute. When your staff works in that kind of environment, with good leadership at all levels, the encouraging atmosphere will radiate to the customer, giving them a positive experience that they are more likely to want to repeat.

Leadership development is very definitely a component of great customer service. Do your leaders know that?

 

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Aug 29 2011

Five Critical Steps for New Team Leaders

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I recently saw a request for help from someone who was chosen to replace the leader of an already established team. He doesn’t know the team members and has not led a team of this size before. To make things even more complicated, the team is spread out in several countries.

That’s a daunting responsibility! But, basic leadership principles still apply. Here are five steps any leader should take when embarking on a new leadership challenge. Don’t worry that you’re new and didn’t hire any of the team. All teams need good leadership and that’s what you’re there to provide.

1. Learn as much as you can about the team before you start in the new position. But, don’t act on any of that information until you have a chance to meet the team and observe. Analyze all the information you gather, then decide how to act. People outside the team will often provide incomplete or even erroneous information, whether intentionally or not.

2. When you first meet your new team tell them,
a. You have been honored with the opportunity to help them do great things.
b. You have already seen the work they have done and are excited about being a part of that.

Now, it may be that this team hasn’t been very successful, but you can fix that later. Don’t lie to them or exaggerate, your credibility will be shot, but you do want to begin on a positive note. You also don’t want to appear to be the guy who’s going to change everything. That would be the fastest way to build a giant, impregnable wall between you and the team.

3. Talk to, and more importantly listen to each member of the team. You want to learn as quickly as possible each person’s strengths and weaknesses.

4. Make sure you know what the team is there to do. Often teams just wander around in the wilderness because their mission is not clearly defined. When you are clear on the team’s mission, make sure the team is too. Then, if the team doesn’t have a clear plan to accomplish that mission, bring them together to build one. This is a great way to build a cohesive team and let them see how you are as the leader.

5. Two things you should not do.

a. Don’t start out with the attitude that you’re there to fix things or that you’re there because you have the answers. Even if you are there to fix things, don’t say it.
b. Don’t immediately start issuing orders and making changes. There are very, very few situations where a leader needs to make immediate changes. You may see things that need to be changed, but they can most likely wait until you have gathered more information.

These five steps will help you get started on the right foot with the new team. Always remember that the leader is there to serve the team, not the other way around.

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Aug 22 2011

Leadership Development – There are Lots of Answers, But are You Asking the Right Questions?

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There is no shortage of leadership experts. Peruse a list of what various coaches, consultants and trainers offer and you’ll find many different subjects, but they all seem to have something like “and leadership” somewhere in the mix. Browse the shelves in your library or favorite bookstore for books on leadership and you’ll find no shortage of volumes on the subject. In fact, a search of the word “leadership” on Amazon.com returns 81,285 titles. So, there are plenty of answers available. But are you asking the right questions. Here are 6 questions you should ask about leadership development in your organization. With these questions, and maybe a couple of your own, you can narrow that search.

1. What do we really need? Are we looking for one-time training for a person who has a problem or do we need something a little more robust? If we need something for just one individual, why? Is it really just an issue with one person or does that issue indicate a more organization-wide problem? No single shot or short-term effort will produce lasting results. First time supervisors and managers need a different level of training than executives.

2. Are we, as an organization, taking leadership development seriously, or is it a hit and miss proposition? Should we have a leadership development program that is part of the organization’s culture?

3. How complex should our leadership development program be? Are we trying to create professors or practitioners?

4. Do we have a sufficient pool of more senior leaders who can be mentors? If not, what do we need to do to develop those senior leaders?

5. What is the best delivery method? Will an on-line type training program really meet our needs? Can we depend on people in the organization to actually accomplish training programs on-line? Would real-time, in-person training be more beneficial and provide a better return on our training investment?

6. If there is already a leadership program in place, is it effective? Does the program provide real training with follow-up and on-going support or does it seem like a bottomless pit into which we’re constantly throwing money to buy the latest thing?

When you have seriously considered these questions you’ll be in a much better position to critically evaluate the many options that are available. Note that these questions refer to a leadership development program. Developing leaders is an on-going effort, not a one-shot requirement to be accomplished with a single seminar or motivational book. Leadership development should be part of your organization’s culture. Is it?

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Aug 15 2011

Why Should I Hire You? Five Questions to Ask About Leadership Trainers, Coaches, and Consultants.

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I recently heard some advice that I thought was amazingly simple; before hiring a coach, consultant, or speaker on the subject of leadership, check to see if he or she actually has any leadership experience. Simple, yet often ignored! Lest you think this is just a rant on my part, (okay, maybe a little) here are some tips for seeking leadership training.

1. Clearly define what it is you’re really looking for. Do you need coaching for executives, or training for managers? Those are actually fairly broad categories so narrow it down some. For instance, do you need to train mid-level managers, first time supervisors, or maybe new executives? Each of these categories requires a little different approach. You need to know specifically what your needs are before you can decide on someone to fill those needs.

2. Start by looking for candidates who are experts in the area of your need. Not all trainers have expertise in all areas. For instance, I do not coach CEOs on how to be a CEO, but I do work with them to develop effective leadership development programs. Also, your candidates may have expertise in more than one area, but be cautious about those who profess to be all things to all people.

3. When you’ve found some potential trainers, take a hard look at what they bring to the table. Specifically, check out three areas.

a. What is the person’s experience? Does your candidate have substantial experience as a leader themselves or have they just read a few books? Is their resume heavy on academic achievement and light on real world experience? That isn’t to say that academic achievement should be ignored, but you’re most likely looking for someone who has also dealt with the complicated issues of the real world.

b. Does your candidate have a body of work that shows he or she is thoughtful and doesn’t just follow the pack? What is often presented as the latest and greatest is usually neither.

c. Is your candidate a single operator or part of a larger company? Either one might work for you but you should know this up front.

By now, you should have narrowed your search to two or three candidates. So it’s time to ask the last questions.

4. What sort of package does the candidate offer? Does he or she offer to provide a comprehensive service? A single speech or workshop will have some value, but real success comes from follow-up which should be part of the overall package.

5. Does your candidate offer any kind of guarantee? If they don’t have confidence in their service, why should you?

When you’ve considered these five questions, you are prepared to make a wise decision on hiring a trainer, coach, or consultant.

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Aug 08 2011

Leaders – Is Your Probation Policy Costing Too Much?

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What does probation mean to you? It’s a common practice to reserve a period of time for a leader to evaluate new employees and decide if they are a good fit for the team. It’s an evaluation time for the employer and should also be an adjustment period for the new employee. I recently came across an organization that uses this probationary period in a very different way that is completely dysfunctional and amazingly self-defeating.

A probation period has two primary purposes.

1. It’s an opportunity to find out if the new employee really does have the skills they professed to have. Let’s be honest, there is a bit of resume inflation these days. We try to weed that out during interviews and reference checks, but sometimes someone will slip through who just isn’t quite the rocket scientist they professed to be. The time also allows the leader to determine what, if any, additional training may be required.

2. It’s also an opportunity to make sure that the new employee’s personality is going to fit with the rest of the team. That doesn’t mean they have the exact same personality as everyone else, but that they don’t clash too badly with other team members.

So what was so surprising about the company I’m talking about? They have a policy that during the probationary period, any mistake or minor infraction of their fairly complex rules automatically results in termination. No explanation, no second chance, no consolation prize. Thanks for playing, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

What a shock! Think about what this draconian policy is doing for them. They spend the time and expense for the hiring process. They hire the person, provide them very little training, then lie in wait until the new employee messes up. Then they go through the whole process again.

They’ve lost some promising people this way and of course, raised their employee costs substantially; their turnover rate is horrendous. But I’ve found this policy has another effect. Even though the termination rate after the probationary period is much lower, all employees still live in fear for their jobs! As a result they are not as effective, and are really more likely to make mistakes, because of that constant fear. Employees who are worried about being fired for minor reasons will not be as willing to go the extra mile or even take the risks that are sometimes necessary.

The result shows in this company. They are successful, but not nearly what they could be and employees are not very enthusiastic about doing anything to help the company move farther ahead.
Is probation in your organization a good thing or more of a shooting gallery where new employees are the unwitting targets?

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Aug 01 2011

Leaders and Stress – Are You Causing it or Solving it?

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People seem to be under more stress than ever these days. As if the normal stressors of work and family aren’t enough, the on-going poor economic situation makes it worse. Since increased stress can lead to increased absenteeism, health problems, and inattention to the job with resulting accidents and injuries, leaders must make managing stress in the workplace a priority.

What can you do as a leader to help reduce your employee’s stress? First, understand that employees come to work with at least some stress which you can do nothing about. There will always be at least some concerns in their personal lives. While you can’t affect their personal stressors, you can probably reduce workplace stress. Of course some jobs have more of that than others. In fact there will always be at least some, low level stress associated with work. This will vary from person to person based on the type of work, their experience level, and their own psychological makeup. But are you adding to that? Here are a few factors that are probably increasing your workers levels of stress.

1. Job uncertainty. I’ve seen companies that use the pink slip as the solution to all problems. Even the most minor infractions can lead to dismissal. Employees fear for their jobs which can quickly drive up the stress level.

2. The bad boss. Some leaders cause worker stress, usually in two ways. First, they get overly excited about every issue. Such overreaction can increase worker’s stress, even if there is no immediate threat. Second, a boss that overreacts tends to cause uncertainty in the workplace as no one knows what he or she might do next.

3. The unsafe workplace. This is less of a problem than it used to be, but still exists. When workers don’t feel safe, stress rises. There are some jobs that are just inherently dangerous, and therefore more stressful, but when leaders fail to take every reasonable and prudent precaution, that stress is magnified.

Do any of these apply to your workplace? These are all situations that can be reduced by leadership. Let’s take another look.

1. Economic insecurity and downsizing make job uncertainty a serious issue, but you can reduce stress by communicating honestly with employees and not using termination as the first step in problem resolution. When employees are confident that you are not going to end their employment at the drop of a hat, stress levels drop!

2. If you’re the bad boss, take note. If you are responsible for other leaders though, observe them to make sure they keep an even keel. This is part of your leadership development responsibility.

3. You may think the workplace is safe; or at least as safe as you can make it. Don’t be overly confident though. Observe and talk to workers to uncover situations, unknown to you, that they may see as a threat to their safety. This doesn’t mean you can remove all hazards, some jobs have inherent dangers, but your worker’s stress is reduced when they know you’re looking out for them.

You can’t control all the stress your employees experience. You can reduce that stress in the workplace. It’s the right thing to do for people and it will positively affect your profit margin!

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