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What’s My Message?

The art of communication is the language of leadership.
–James Humes

We think we’re good communicators, we think our message is understood; we’re often wrong.

Levels of understanding differ and it’s up to us as leaders to assess each situation. We need to adapt to differing styles and we need to remember that communication is not a one way exchange. Most importantly, we need to remember to communicate with others in THEIR language.

Things to consider:

  • What level of detail is desired?
  • Should the “bottom line” message come first with supporting details to follow?
  • Avoid getting too “wordy”
  • Ensure your message is organized and your grammar correct; plan, prepare, practice!
  • Don’t race through your message; be aware of the speed in which you’re speaking
  • If it’s a complex message, break it down into smaller bullet points or sub messages
  • Allow time for your message to be processed
  • If there will be impacts, share what they will be
  • Are there any takeaways or expectations? Request they be repeated backEveryone has a story about communication gone wrong – the delivery was well intended but somehow the message was garbled. (This happens both professionally and personally). If you are the sender, ask the receiver to share what they heard, and ask for their perceptions. If you’re the receiver, and especially when the message seems off, ask for clarity.  Perceptions left un-discussed can haunt us.

Do you ensure your messages are accurately interpreted?

To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.
Tony Robbins

Did You Hear Me?

Genuine listening is hard work; there is little about it that is mechanical…  We hear with our ears, but we listen with our eyes and mind and heart and skin and guts as well.–Alfred Benjamin

Hearing versus Listening. Do you consider them to mean the same thing? We’re here to share how and why they are very different.

We hear things without any effort or thought. In reality, most of us have the ability to tune out what we view as distractions or if we view the information as inconsequential.   Listening on the other hand requires focus, and in general includes being attentive to what is being said and processing the message with the intent to understand (and in most cases we’re interested).

It’s been reported that words represent only 7% of what we “hear”, that volume, pitch, rhythm, and tone account for 38%, and that facial and body language represents 55%. No wonder it takes energy (and focus) to be an active listener.

Below are some reminders for improving our listening skills:

  • No interrupting
  • No multi-tasking
  • Be aware of body language, expressions, and tone
  • Listen for underlying meanings
  • Be open to differing views
  • Retain eye contact (this helps with attention levels)
  • Don’t suggest words or finish sentences when a pause occurs
  • Don’t solve or judge
  • Ask probing questions to obtain clarity and recap what you think you’ve heard

Something else to be aware of is “selective” listening. Are there individuals that you seem to always be fully engaged with and others that you have the inclination to “tune out”? Does the “deliverers” age, skill, gender, title, general demeanor affect your ability (and desire) to be an active listener? What else de-rails your ability to listen?

Awareness is key. Pay attention to your “non” listening behaviors ex. pencil tapping, raised eyebrows, blank stares, “zoning” out, making shopping lists, etc. If you have a “history” of losing focus with a particular person, make an extra effort to be attentive.

Do you have any other tips to improve one’s ability to be an active listener?

Man’s inability to communicate is a result of his failure to listen effectively.–Carl Rogers

Goals and Measures – Keys To Success

People with goals succeed because they know where they are going.
–Earl Nightingale

We’ve discussed how VISION statements are dreams or aspirations that provide direction and also how MISSION statements provide us with clarity and personalize our VISION statements. The next key elements for success include GOALS and MEASURES.

GOALS add even more clarity to our vision and mission statements and ACTION is required.    Think in terms of what, when, and how the actions will be executed, by whom, and in what time frame. (Dates must be identified, even if they are only target dates).

GOALS keep us moving forward. They help us focus and track progress towards what we’d like to achieve. No one knows why a written goal is more effective than one that’s known and understood but not committed to paper. Some psychologists theorize that writing triggers important processes in the subconscious, which in turn inspires action towards achieving those written goals. So, don’t keep your goals in your head, document and share them!

It’s okay to start small. Consider one to three goals you wish to accomplish this year. Make sure they are clear; if the goals require others to be involved ensure that the “supporting” cast knows their roles, and that time frames, tasks, and ownership are assigned. (ex. Who’s going to what by when with weekly check-ins).

Note: Understand that goals can be changed or dropped – the idea is to keep on target with your desired results. Sometimes goals must change when dependencies or personal or organizational strategies and priorities change. That happens. Communicate the “what and why”, and document and share the new goals.

Don’t neglect to include measures that track your progress. Have milestones been met? Why or why not? Celebrate your successes and assess any misses (what kept you off track? What’s needed to gain momentum and move forward?)

What would it take for you to get excited and motivated to realize your goals? Determine what you want to achieve, make a plan, commit to it, and go for it!

Sticking to good habits can be hard work, and mistakes are part of the process.   Don’t declare failure simply because you messed up or because you’re having trouble reaching your goals. Instead, use your mistakes as opportunities to grow stronger and become better.—Amy Morin

Vision versus Mission

Outstanding people have one thing in common: An absolute sense of mission.
–Zig Ziglar

Last week we talked about VISION statements and shared that they are a dream or aspiration that provide us with direction. This week we’ll take it a bit deeper and talk about MISSION. Mission statements bring clarity to our vision; it represents what we must do to support realizing our vision, and it personalizes it for us.

Below are a few comparison examples of vision and mission statements:

ZAPPOS
VISION: Our purpose is to live and deliver WOW!
MISSION: As we continue to grow, we strive to ensure that our culture remains alive and well through our 10 Core Values:

Deliver WOW Through Service
Embrace and Drive Change
Create Fun and A Little Weirdness
Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
Pursue Growth and Learning
Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication
Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
Do More With Less
Be Passionate and Determined
Be Humble

AMAZON
VISION: To be earth’s most customer-centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.
MISSION: Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking.

MICROSOFT
VISION: To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
MISSION: Empower people through great software anytime, anyplace, and on any device, and to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential.

TARGET
VISION: Make Target your preferred shopping destination in all channels by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and exceptional guest experiences by consistently fulfilling our Expect More. Pay Less. Brand Promise.
MISSION: We fulfill the needs and fuel the potential of our guests. That means making Target your preferred shopping destination in all channels … Besides getting paid, the “company mission” is the most important thing for a Target employee.

Note: Target also stated that comparably data clearly shows that a focused mission statement and cohesive core company values are vital to maintaining employee alignment.

PEOPLETEK
VISION: Creating Worldwide, Individual, Team and Organizational Excellence
MISSION: Connecting leaders, teams and organizations to the coaching development and tools they need to be successful

As you read through them, did you think the MISSION statements added clarity each VISION? Does your workplace have both VISION and MISSION statements? Do you know how to support them?  Stay tuned!

Stay focused on the mission.
— Naveen Jain

Having A Known Vision

VISION = A dream or aspiration that provides direction and guides us to a place far away. It may be unattainable, but we can focus our attention and make strides for ideally getting there.

Having written VISION, MISSION, GOALS, and MEASURES is old “news”, but they are essential elements for achieving the results we (and our organization) desire. Not everyone has a vision statement and struggle creating one, so we wanted to share a few:

ZAPPOS: Our purpose is to live and deliver WOW!

AMAZON: To be earth’s most customer-centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.

FORD: People working together as a lean, global enterprise to make people’s lives better through automotive and mobility leadership.

MICROSOFT: Empower people through great software anytime, anyplace, and on any device, and to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential.

DISNEY: To make people happy.

CVS: We will be the easiest pharmacy retailer for customers to use.

TARGET: Make Target your preferred shopping destination in all channels by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and exceptional guest experiences by consistently fulfilling our Expect More. Pay Less. Brand Promise.

And ours:
PEOPLETEK: Creating Worldwide, Individual, Team and Organizational Excellence.

As you can see, some visions are very simple and to the point, and others add a bit more detail. There is no right or wrong vision statement as long as it’s a dream or aspiration that provides direction.

Do you have and support a vision statement? Is it understood and shared across the organization?

Good leaders have vision and inspire others to help them turn vision into reality. Great leaders create more leaders, not followers. Great leaders have vision, share vision, and inspire others to create their own.– Roy T. Bennett, author The Light in the Heart

Listen for Energizers

One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.
—Bryant H. McGill

When you saw “Listen For Energizers” what came to mind? That it was a weird subject? Energizers are a part of magic dust and should be both listened for, and shared.

When you’re having one on one feedback or update sessions, do you listen (and watch) for excitement? Enthusiasm? Joy? Do you watch for levels of engagement? Does the person lean in?

This is all part of someone’s magic dust and as leaders it’s something we need to pay attention to. Not only is this respectful, it provides us with an understanding of how others feel, and shows that we’re interested in the person.

We don’t always have a lot of latitude when assigning work, projects, or tasks, but whenever possible, it behooves us to consider the requirements and match them with not only the skill-set, but with each person’s magic dust. Note: Often skills that are well done are linked with magic dust, but not always.

As leaders it’s important to pay attention to the type of work that others thrive on, and it’s equally beneficial for us to share our own interests with those we report to. We’re not saying you’ll only be given work that you enjoy doing (wishful thinking!), but if we’re candid about what kind of work we find most enjoyable, maybe we’ll be lucky enough to get more of those assignments.

Capitalizing on personal strengths will help with achieving results, as well as increasing satisfaction levels within the work culture.

Do you listen for energizers?

Listening is a master skill for personal and professional greatness.
—Robin S Sharma

EQ and Success

If your emotional abilities aren’t in hand, if you don’t have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can’t have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far.
—Daniel Goleman

We’ve written about Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in the past and have shared that EQ can increase through self development and consists of 4 areas: Self awareness, self management, social awareness, and relationship management.

Success Magazine’s Rhett Power shares more. He provides the following about those with high EQ:

  1. They’re change agents.
    They understand that it’s a necessary part of life—and they adapt.
  2. They’re self-aware.
    They know what they’re good at and what they still have to learn; weaknesses don’t hold them back.
  3. They’re empathetic.
    Being able to relate to others makes them essential in the workplace. With an innate ability to understand what co-workers or clients are going through, they can get through difficult times
    drama free.
  4. They’re not perfectionists.
    They know perfection is impossible; they roll with the punches and learn from mistakes.
  5. They’re balanced.
    They know the importance of maintaining a healthy professional-personal balance in their lives.
  6. They’re curious.
    They don’t judge; they explore the possibilities; they ask questions and are open to new solutions.
  7. They’re gracious.
    They believe every day brings something to be thankful for; they feel good about their lives and don’t let critics or toxic people affect that.

Any idea which element of EQ you’d score highest in? Which area do you feel has the greatest growth potential?

Emotional intelligence is a way of recognizing, understanding, and choosing how we think, feel, and act. It shapes our interactions with others and our understanding of ourselves. It defines how and what we learn; it allows us to set priorities; it determines the majority of our daily actions. Research suggests it is responsible for as much as 80 percent of the “success” in our lives. -J. Freedman

The Cost Of Conflict

The better team members engage, speak, listen, hear, interpret and respond constructively, the more likely their teams are to leverage conflict rather than be leveled by it.
–Craig Runde and Tim Flanagan

We’re at it again, that is, sharing information about conflict, and the newly published costs for conflict in the workplace.

Based on results published by the Washington Business Journal, the typical manager spends 25 – 40% of his or her time dealing with workplace conflict. That equates to 1-2 days every workweek!

And, the Cost of Workplace Conflict in the U.S. is estimated at $359 Billion annually (2.8 hours per week @ $17.95 per hour).

Do you find this as staggering as we do? We’ve all experienced conflict in the workplace, and some of us are better at managing it than others, but it looks like it’s time we all make addressing conflict a priority.

According to authors Karl A. Slaikeu, Ralph H. Hasson, managing conflict is the largest reducible cost in many businesses, and the most common disruptive behaviors associated with workplace conflict include:

  • Being dismissive
  • Finger-pointing
  • Arguing
  • Not listening
  • Being sarcastic
  • Belittling
  • Gossiping
  • Caving in
  • Being disrespectful
  • Complaining about someone

It’s up to us as leaders to understand how we respond to conflict. We need to increase our awareness of not only our own conflict behaviors, but also those of our colleagues. And lastly, we need to recognize destructive responses and replace them with productive ones.

How well do you manage workplace conflict?  We can help!

If we manage conflict constructively, we harness its energy for creativity and development.
Kenneth Kaye

Feedback Increases Effectiveness

We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.–Bill Gates

Can you believe it’s the 4th QTR of 2018? How are you doing?  How are you feeling? Have you accomplished all that you planned for, or will the next few months be action packed?

Hopefully your annual plan included soliciting feedback. Bill Gates’ quote above shares that we need feedback to improve.

As leaders, we may be more comfortable giving feedback than receiving it.  We view giving feedback as part of our job and have scheduled meetings (one on ones, performance appraisals) that lend themselves to discussing the positive behaviors and accomplishments, as well as the missed goals and opportunities.

We all have perceptions as to how our peers, subordinates, and business partners would evaluate us, but we rarely solicit feedback on a regular basis.   So what can we do?

You can start simple.  Ask 3 questions:

  • What do I do that makes a difference that you want me to continue doing?
  • What am I doing that you want me to stop?
  • What could I do better?

You may also want to consider using a formal 360’ feedback program – we use Wiley’s 363 For Leaders tool that evaluates 8 approaches for effective leadership (pioneering, energizing, affirming, inclusive, humble, deliberate, resolute and commanding). (Contact us if you want to learn more).

As leaders it’s pretty much a given that we provide regular and honoring feedback to our staff or team members, but there’s added value to the organization when we extend this to include peers and our boss.

How do you feel about both giving and receiving feedback? Do you find the process constructive and a learning experience?

Make sure any feedback you provide is timely, well intended, and delivered in an honoring way.  Also, when you receive feedback, you don’t necessarily have to take action – listen to what you’re being told, process it, and evaluate if acting on it would serve you well.

Remember, the whole idea of feedback is to grow and improve!

Author Alexander Lucia says:
Truly great leaders spend as much time collecting and acting upon feedback as they do providing it.

Transformational Leaders

All good businesses are personal. The best businesses are very personal.
–Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks

Lately we’ve had a theme around relationships. That’s because without relationship building, we as leaders would not obtain desired results, we wouldn’t have effective and productive teams, and the morale, commitment, and dedication of the team members would be diminished.

Dr. Greg Halpern says: Transformational leadership is about implementing new ideas, continual change to maintain relevance, staying flexible and adaptable, and continually improving relationships with those around them.

He also feels that transformational leaders build relationships by applying or possessing the following behaviors and traits:

  • Charisma
  • Inspirational motivation
  • Intellectual stimulation
  • Individual consideration
  • High morals
  • Trustworthiness
  • Creates an actionable vision
  • Treats everyone as individuals
  • Coaches, mentors, and provides growth opportunities
  • Creates a culture of self-fulfillment and self-worth
  • Provides constant and candid communication

Dr. Terry Jackson adds to this list in his 7 Principles For Developing Quality Relationships where he defines what in his opinion constitutes quality relationships:

  1. Acceptance
  2. Respect
  3. Understanding
  4. Transparency
  5. Non-judgment
  6. Empowerment
  7. Trust

This is quite a list and one that even a seasoned leader will need to review in depth to assess up-skill needs.

We suggest you rate each one on a scale of 1 – 5 to help narrow down areas for development.  You can even ask your peers and direct reports to rate you and compare how aligned you are.

The results may prove interesting!

Manipulative Leaders-Create Distrust and selfishness
Transactional Leaders-Create Mediocrity and complacency
Motivational Leaders-Create Positivity and Action
Influential Leaders-Create Growth and Empowerment
Servant-Leaders-Create Authenticity and Explosive Growth
Transformational Leaders-Create Change and Leave Legacies
― Farshad Asl