Leaders developing leaders.

Behaviors

Are Workers Today Different?

Your workplace is its own unique culture. It is a community made up of people with many different backgrounds, perspectives, work styles and expectations. Each generation is valuable to your team for different reasons just as their values often differ from each other… or do they?
–Balance Concierge

When we ask “Are workers different today”, we’re not addressing changes made due to covid, but rather changes in the work culture and the transition from the Baby Boomer population to the Centennials.

If your workplace consists of a blend of multi generations, do you believe there are noticeable differences in styles and behaviors? 5 generations have been identified with the approximate associated years below. (Note: different studies show differing ranges)

  • Silent Generation – born during the Great Depression and WWII (1925-1945)
  • Baby Boomers                        (1946-1964)
  • Generation X                          (1965-1980)
  • Millennials or Generation Y   (1981-1996)
  • Centennials or Generation Z  (1997 – )

The intent is not to label people, but rather share the perceptions of what each generation is known for.

The Silent Generation was considered hard working, optimistic, accountable, financially savvy, and optimistic about the future.

Baby Boomers are considered to have strong workplace and family ideals and traditions, are relatively active, have adapted to changes in technology, and generally do not change places of employment.

Gen X folks are thought to live in the present, like to experiment, desire immediate results, may question authority, and have embraced the internet. They also like teamwork and strive for harmony and trust in the workplace.

Gen Y / Millenials are considered a global generation with connections around the world with shared values.  They are self-confident and committed, are tech savvy, and are not afraid to change jobs.

Gen Z / Centennials are the youngest in the labor market. They prefer the digital world and remote work, are considered innovative and pragmatic, and may be hard to retain as employees.

Do you think workers today are different? Has your leadership style evolved over the years? Knowing the strengths and preferences of those you lead, regardless of the generation, will help your workplace thrive and grow.

Every age group contains people who are different, people who are
extroverts, introverts, over achievers and underachievers.—Allessia Musso

Introvert, Extravert, or Ambivert?

We all move along the continuum of introvert and extrovert
behaviors and preferences all day long.
–Patricia Weber

Do you consider yourself an introvert or extravert?  Maybe neither? Perhaps a bit of both? Here are some common adjectives:

Extravert:                               Introvert:
Sociable                                     Shy
Outgoing                                   Withdrawn
Gregarious                                Reserved
Friendly                                     Quiet
Assertive                                   Timid
Live wire                                   Introspective
Dominant                                  Cautious

Swiss psychiatrist Carl G. Jung first came up with the terms in the early 1900s and believed some of us are energized by the external world and some of us are energized by the internal world. What if we’re a blend?

Have you heard the term Ambivert? It’s defined as “a person whose personality has a balance of extravert and introvert features”.  Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist and professor at Wharton conducted a study and found that two-thirds of us don’t strongly identify as introverts or extraverts. Rather, our style varies based on the situation.

Rena Goldman, a health and wellness author provides five signs that you’re an ambivert.

1. You’re a good listener and communicator
Extraverts prefer to talk more, and introverts like to observe and listen. But ambiverts know when to speak up and when to listen.

2. You have an ability to regulate behavior
Adjusting to fit the person or situation seems to come naturally to ambiverts.

3. You feel comfortable in social settings, but also value your alone time
Ambiverts can feel like they’re in their element in a crowd or when enjoying a quiet evening at home.

4. Empathy comes naturally to you
Ambiverts are able to listen and show they understand where a person is coming from and they might listen and ask thoughtful questions to try and help resolve issues.

5. You’re able to provide balance
In the case of group settings, ambiverts can provide a much-needed balance to the social dynamics and is likely to help break an awkward silence and increase comfort levels.

We all have our preferences, neither is right or wrong, and the ability to adapt our style to the situation is a true sign of effective leadership!

I’m neither extrovert nor introvert. I’m just an imperfect example of an ambivert.
― Irfa Rahat

What’s a Bad Boss?

People don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses.

What type of boss do you like? Better yet, what type of boss don’t you like?

We all learn from work experiences which include the culture, colleagues, our roles and the work itself, and at the top of the list is the relationship one has with their boss.

In the past we’ve suggested looking for leadership behaviors and styles you want to emulate. How did others make a difference? Why are they able to build strong relationships? Why are people drawn to them? What do they do to encourage and motivate others for goal attainment?

Now we’ll switch directions – what behaviors and styles do you dislike or find un-motivating or even upsetting?

A Gallup study of 7,272 found that 50% of employees quit their job to get away from their boss. That’s impressive and not in a good way.

The most common items that negatively impact boss relationships include:

Communication
-Is it consistent and meaningful?
-Are meetings regularly scheduled?
-Is the boss reachable when needed?
-Is communication limited to work or does it include a “personal” check in?
-Can difficult discussions be held that are healthy and respectful?

Performance Management
-Are successes recognized?
-Are skill gaps developed?
-Is feedback regularly provided?
-Is everyone treated fairly?
-Does favoritism exist?

Utilizing strengths
-Is the boss aware of each contributor’s strengths and the value they add?
-Are work assignments given based on strengths and “magic dust”? (passion and skills)
-Are team members encouraged to collaborate and learn from one another?
-Are innovation and change encouraged?

These are just a few items that are attributed to “bad bosses”. What should we add to the list? What are you doing to ensure you’re not considered a “bad boss”?

I am thankful for all those difficult people in my life,
they have shown me exactly who I do not want to be.
Author unknown

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