Leaders developing leaders.

Behaviors

What Do You Think?

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.
― Aristotle

What Do You Think about the concept of being a continual learner? That the more you know, the more there is left to learn? You’ve obtained degrees, certifications, licenses, etc, so does that mean you’re done learning? Hopefully not!

Often we need to keep our technical and professional skills up to date, but what about our “people” skills and even understanding our current passion and desires?

Do you devote time for increasing your awareness levels? Is self-development something you enjoy doing? What about being committed to better understanding and communicating with others and helping others do the same?

PeopleTek has created a LEADERSHIP COMPASS which is a combination of leadership skills, traits, behaviors, and talents, along with concepts from the Johari Window to help individuals better understand themselves and relationships with others.

Below is a subset of the components we recommend you assess, explore and develop. For scoring, use a scale of 1 – 10 with 10 being best.

  1.  Awareness:   Do you know which of your behaviors and skills are considered strengths versus growth areas? Do you know which behaviors and skills are considered strengths in your colleagues? What about their development areas?
  2.  Magic Dust: Do you have a clear understanding of the value you provide and your natural strengths and abilities?
  3. Vision/Mission/Goals: Are they written, communicated, tracked monthly, and do all of your behaviors support them?
  4. Communication: Are your messages accurately interpreted? Do you know how to use varied approaches and styles to improve results and enhance relationships?
  5. Clarity: Do you (or your team) clearly understand their roles, responsibilities, and desired organizational results?
  6. Accountability: Do you live up to your commitments? What about encouraging others to do the same?
  7. Conflict: Can you manage differences in a healthy, respectful manner?
  8. Influence: Do you have an effective presence that favorably impacts interactions and inspires others?
  9. Relationships: Are you proficient at building & maintaining lasting relationships?
  10. Feedback: Are you open and receptive to giving and receiving feedback?
  11. Inspiration: Do you empower and stretch others making them feel valued?
  12. Change: Do you embrace change and effectively communicate the “how and why”?

What do you think about the need to continually learn, grow and transform? It’s always a great time to invest in yourself and others!

And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself?
― Rumi

Inclusiveness Is A Major Factor

Many employees do not feel fully included at work and want their organizations to do more to advance inclusion and diversity.
–McKinsey & Company

It’s probably no surprise that the feeling of inclusiveness in the workplace impacts employee engagement, productivity, relationships and the commitment to support organizational goals. A study by McKinsey & Company says:

  • many employees have considered organizations’ inclusiveness while making career decisions, yet almost half of all respondents do not feel very included at their organizations
  • 39% of all respondents say they have turned down or decided not to pursue a job because of a perceived lack of inclusion at an organization.

This study also found that respondents from ALL backgrounds experienced some kind of issue with inclusiveness, and the issues increased for women, ethnic and racial minorities, and those with alternative gender identities.

The Top 4 Factors For Feelings of Inclusiveness

1.Diverse, Inclusive Leadership
Having a diverse leadership team helps, but even if the leader is not part of a minority group, building cohesive and collaborative teams helps, as does having a leader that truly cares about ALL their workers.

2.Meritocracy and Initiatives to Increase Fairness in Performance Evaluations
A culture based on merit increases feelings of inclusion, but gender does play a role:
-40% of men say meritocracy has boosted their careers
-Less than one-third of women say the same

3. Sponsorship
Having a sponsor (or mentor) aids career advancement, and those with multiple supporters experience an increased feeling of inclusiveness

4. Substantive Access to Senior Leaders
The ability to have meaningful interactions with Senior Leaders increased feelings of inclusiveness, but once again gender was an issue. 57% of males reported that interacting with senior leaders helped their career growth, but that number was reduced to 45% for women.

So what can a leader do? Start by displaying inclusive behaviors. Next, make an effort to build relationships with ALL colleagues and team members, and become a sponsor/mentor for a variety of people. Also, commit to continual learning which includes keeping current with diversity and inclusion issues.

Make a difference!

A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions,
and outcomes for everyone.
— Sundar Pichai

Inspire vs Motivate

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.—John Quincy Adams

Do you view the words “inspire” and “motivate” to mean the same thing? Marissa Levin, Founder and CEO, Successful Culture feels they are very different and provides the following differentiators:

  • “Inspire” translates to “in spirit.” Inspiration comes from within.
  • The root word of “Motivate” is “motive,” which is an external force that causes us to take action
  • Motivation pushes you to accomplish a task, or work through a difficult event, even when you would rather be doing anything else. We are motivated by a result.
  • Inspiration pulls you towards something that stirs your heart, mind, or spirit. We are inspired by a person, an event, or a circumstance.

How do you feel about these definitions? We think it makes sense that if your heart, mind, or spirit are “stirred”, a person will indeed be inspired and more engaged, and per a study by Bain Research, they will also be twice as productive. This links to our “Magic Dust”™ theory; when a person is in the position to do what they enjoy, and feel they add value, they thrive and results grow.

So as a leader, how can we increase inspiration levels? Surveys state:

  • Set stretch goals with your team
  • Commit to developing direct reports
  • Engage in collaborative behavior
  • Build emotional connections with team members and others you interact with
  • Establish, share, and continually talk about how your vision (or your organization’s vision) can be supported
  • Communicate clearly and often
  • Explain and manage change

It’s up to us as leaders to model these behaviors and recognize others when they display them. How are you helping others dream more, learn more, do more, and become more?

Leaders can be found at all levels of the company and it is through their efficacy, influence and ability to inspire that our company is reinventing itself.–IBM

Under-Used Leadership Behavior?

Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They’re absolutely free and worth a fortune.—Sam Walton

Are you under-using any critical leadership behaviors? As leaders a lot is expected of us; we need to keep our skills sharp, our relationships strong, and we need to communicate effectively.

That’s just a starting point. We need to be accountable for all of our behaviors, we need to know what we’re doing well, we need to know which areas to develop, and we must acknowledge the accomplishments and contributions made by our direct reports (and colleagues too).

The old adage that people quit their boss and not their job is pretty accurate. We’ve previously shared that only 33% of employees are engaged at work – so what’s up with the 70%?

Research has found:
• 79% of employees say a major reason for quitting their job was due to lack of appreciation
• 65% of U.S. employees claim they received zero recognition in the past year
• Over half said they are more motivated by recognition/appreciation than money

Do these numbers surprise you and do they make you think about what, why, and how you show your appreciation?

We once worked with a leader that told us he expected everyone to go “above and beyond” and that as a result, there wasn’t anything exemplary to reward or show appreciation for. (No wonder his turnover rates were so high!)

Appreciation can be a simple thank-you or a financial bonus, and there’s a wide variety of things to recognize; here are but a few:
Accuracy/Customer Satisfaction
Financial Saves/Process Improvements
Driving Results/Inspiring Others
Positive Attitude/Collaborative
Top Performer/Goal Attainment

Whatever you do, make sure you’re authentic and provide the exact reason for the recognition. The recipient needs to clearly understand the praise, and they must know you’re sincere. This will help create a culture of engagement and positivity, reduce attrition, and lend itself to obtaining desired results.

Don’t neglect the power of appreciation; it’s definitely one leadership behavior not to under-use!

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. — William Arthur Ward

More About Communication

Intelligence, knowledge or experience are important and might get you a job, but strong communication skills are what will get you promoted.
–Mireille Guiliano

We’ve previously shared information about communication styles and now want to provide a bit more. In theory, we all fall into one of the following descriptors:

D – DEMONSTRATORS
Demonstrators are people-oriented, fast-paced and enthusiastic. They usually have more open and casual body language. They tend to be animated and outgoing, and prefer an informal atmosphere. Demonstrators can be outrageous, spontaneous, excitable and sociable. They are ideas people who like to be in the limelight. If over-balanced in this style some weaknesses may show up such as being unreliable, self-centered, overly optimistic and indiscriminate.

A – ASSERTORS
Assertors are fast-paced and direct, like Demonstrators, but are more task-oriented, than people-oriented. They tend to be hard working, ambitious, leader types. They are good at making decisions quickly and efficiently. They are goal-oriented, assertive and confident. Assertors are the take-charge people who let nothing stop them. If over-balanced in this style some weaknesses may show up such as being too impatient, competitive and judgmental.

C – CONTEMPLATORS
Contemplators are task-oriented like Assertors. However they are more indirect and slow-paced. Contemplators tend to be analytical, detail-oriented, thinker types. They are persistent, good problem solvers, and pride themselves on their orderliness and accuracy. Often seen alone, they tend to have quiet, low-key personalities. If over-balanced in this style some weaknesses may show up such as being too withdrawn, rigid, closed-minded, and overly pessimistic.

N – NARRATORS
Narrators are slow-paced and indirect like Contemplators, but they are more people-oriented like Demonstrators. They are warm, friendly, gentle and cooperative. They highly value relationships over goals. They are good at listening, have a sweet temperament, and tend to be open-minded. Most people find them to be loving, and emotionally intuitive. If over-balanced in this style it can show up as overly meek and easily sidetracked.

Can you strongly relate to one particular style? Is there one that is definitely NOT you? Are you a blend?

The ABC’s are attitude, behavior and communication skills.
–Gerald Chertavian

Be Purposeful With Behaviors

Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge.
–Plato

The last piece of our VMGM (Vision, Mission, Goals, Measures) discussion is related to BEHAVIORS. We must be purposeful with our behaviors, and bottom line, all of our behaviors must support the achievement of our VMG.

This obviously requires that we are intimately aware of our VMG, that we are not only very clear on our role, but that we have a deeper understanding of HOW our role impacts successfully living and achieving our Vision, Mission, and Goals.

As Plato says our BEHAVIOR flows from our desire, emotion, and knowledge.

We also have to ensure our key processes and strategies are linked with our vision, mission and goals. This includes:

  • Hiring
  • Training and development
  • Performance Appraisals
  • Rewards and Recognition
  • Communication plans (the mode, the frequency, the level of content)
  • Change (anything new?)
  • Conflict (managing differences and expectations)

Do you want your behaviors to be modeled by others? Be honest! Ideally we’ll see positive behaviors in others, and if we’re truly effective leaders, some of those behaviors we observe may have been influenced by our own actions and behaviors.

You know the old clichés:
Walk the talk. Practice what you preach. Lead by example. Actions speak louder than words. Don’t ask others to do something you’re not willing to do. Be continual learners. Practice and apply new learnings. Be open to feedback. Listen twice as much as you talk.

Bottom line: be aware that we as leaders are indeed observed so model the behaviors that will help us, our colleagues, and our direct reports achieve the vision, mission, and goals for our organization.

Behavior is what a man does, not what he thinks, feels, or believes.
—Emily Dickinson

What Are You Doing For Others?

Average leaders focus on results, and that’s it. Good leaders focus also on the behaviors that will get the results. And great leaders focus, in addition, on the emotions that will drive these behaviors.
–Hitendra Wadhwa (professor, Columbia Business School / Founder, Mentora Institute)

This week in the United States we once again celebrated the life and memory of Martin Luther King, Jr, a minister, a civil-rights activist, an advocate of nonviolence, and a Nobel Peace Prize winner (1964).

Dr. King influenced so many without being arrogant, without being a bully, without looking down and speaking poorly of others, and without being divisive.  Quite the contrary, his focus was on peace and unity, and one of his most famous quotes was “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?”

He was a leader that held true to his beliefs, and promoted the behaviors required for everyone to be judged on their personal qualities, (not their color) and that violence not be responded to with violence, but rather with actions of peace.

Dr. King shared his “I Have a Dream” speech (and vision) at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. He wanted to create a national movement to promote equality and economic opportunities for everyone, and that people would not be “judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Professor Wadhwa provides the following insights from Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I HAVE A DREAM” speech:

  • Great leaders do not sugar-coat reality
  • Great leaders engage the heart
  • Great leaders refuse to accept the status quo
  • Great leaders create a sense of urgency
  • Great leaders call people to act in accord with their highest values
  • Great leaders refuse to settle
  • Great leaders acknowledge the sacrifice of their followers
  • Great leaders paint a vivid picture of a better tomorrow
  • Great leaders know it’s always right to do what is right

And we’ll add one:  Great leaders want to make others be their best; they take others where they have not been before, and would not go by themselves.

What are you doing for others?

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.–MLK

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