Leaders developing leaders.

Performance

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

Feedback Competencies

All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual.
–Albert Einstein

Do you have colleagues or direct reports that could be even stronger performers?  Have you given them feedback, but perhaps they don’t accept it as they’re only hearing it from you?

Conducting a formal 360 Feedback process may be the solution. You and the feedback recipient can jointly select who should provide the feedback.  It should minimally include:

  • Their immediate leader
  • All Direct Reports (if applicable)
  • Colleagues/co-workers

You can also include customers/clients and vendors and strategic partners (and any others with a working relationship).

We primarily use Wiley’s 360 feedback tool which focuses on 8 Competencies:

Pioneering
Finding Opportunities, Stretching The Boundaries, Promoting Bold Action

Energizing
Showing Enthusiasm, Building Professional Networks, Rallying People To Achieve Goals

Affirming
Being Approachable, Acknowledging Contributions, Creating A Positive Environment

Inclusive
Staying Open To Input, Showing Diplomacy, Facilitating Dialogue

Humble
Maintaining Composure, Showing Modesty, Being Fair Minded

Deliberate
Communicating With Clarity, Promoting Disciplined Analysis, Providing A Sense Of Stability

Resolute
Setting High Expectations, Speaking Up About Problems, Improving Methods

Commanding
Showing Confidence, Taking Charge, Focusing On Results

The recipient also rates themselves in these same areas, and part of the tool results includes showing how similar (or different) the self ratings are from those from others.

The results are debriefed by a coach in a non threatening way, with areas of strength as well as development opportunities discussed.

As a leader, this is a great way to help others grow – who do you think could benefit from hearing what others have to say?

I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better.
–Elon Musk

A New Kind Of Leader

Chief Leadership Officers (CLOs) authentically embrace the business of business and people, not as “human resources” but as human beings – the crucial contributors to organizational success.—Kevin W. McCarthy

Are you familiar with the role of CLO? Kevin W. McCarthy wrote a book entitled CHIEF LEADERSHIP OFFICER. Mr. McCarthy feels that new and challenging times call for new leadership roles that include:

  • Position the organization to be a leader in its chosen field
  • Position each person to be leaders on and off their jobs
  • Meaningfully integrate the two above so everyone profits (financial gain is just one aspect of profit)

Mr. McCarthy explains that the role of CLO is a way of life and also a manner of doing business “where purpose, people, and performance are increasing wealth so everyone profits”.

A Chief Leadership Officer® Integrity Map is provided in the book and is comprised of Articulation, Synthesis, Development, Performance and Re-think. You start with “on purpose” statements that support your purpose, vision, mission and values. (We think this aligns well with PeopleTek’s concept that ALL behaviors must support your Vision, Mission, Goals and Measures).

A CLO checklist is also provided and is divided into 3 categories that help with the transition of the CEO leadership mentality to that of CLO:

Personal Leadership Development – There are 8 components; one is: I have written my personal 2-word Purpose, Vision(s), Missions, and Values (PVMV)

Professional Leadership Development – There are 7 components; one is: I have one or more trusted team member(s) with complementary talents for collaborative efforts

Business Leadership Development – There are 17 components; one is: Our Service Model™ links our PVMV, Plan, People, Processes, and Performance to serve our Customer Chains within our Values

A CLO “has a heart for service, a head for profit, the resilience of the military, and a moral imperative”. Are you ready to be a new kind of leader?

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

Click to read why LEADERS ARE CONTINUAL LEARNERS

Mergers

The fundamental premise of any merger is that the merging entities will be more valuable together than they are separately.–George Bradt

Mergers seem to be happening with great frequency. It could be between teams, organizations, and even companies. As leaders, we’re required to consistently look at “doing more with less”, improving processes, and ensuring we have the right people in the right job.  Bottom line – there’s always a need to reduce costs and improve value.

Brad Gevurtz, D.A. Davidson & Co. reported that mergers and acquisitions were down in 2016 from 2015 ($3.84 trillion globally vs. $4.66 trillion in 2015), yet 2016 was considered a strong year, and the forecast is that mergers will increase this year.

What does that mean to us as leaders? Mergers are a form of change and we don’t always spend sufficient time assessing the “people/human” impact and the impact to our existing culture.

How and who will be impacted? What’s the likelihood performance and productivity will suffer during the merger? How will the merged teams/organizations function? What will it take to keep our culture strong? What are the new expectations from the CEO and senior leadership team?

We need to start by communicating the specific value of the merger, we need to identify all changing roles, and whether or not our vision and mission have changed. We need to share the behaviors and build relationships that will make the merger successful, and ideally we will obtain buy-in.

It’s also a good time to ASK your staff about their perceptions and feelings. A simple survey can provide a wealth of information, and there are many tools and assessments available that provide invaluable information about teams and individuals.

Team Dimensions is one such tool. It identifies what role each person plays on the team (creator, advancer, flexer, refiner, or executor), helps understand group priorities, makes the team aware of the contributions and value each person brings to the process, and how to most effectively work together.

Another helpful tool is DiSC Workplace. Individuals and teams learn how to build better relationships, regardless of title or role, and improves the quality of the culture. Participants understand and appreciate differing styles, and create strategies for overcoming challenges.

All in all, mergers will continue, and as always, success is more likely achieved when there is a clear vision, shared goals, with team members aligned and truly believe that value will increase when the team works together.

What are you doing to ensure your team supports your strategies that reduce costs and improve value?

QWIKTIPS  read more on LEADERSHIP TOOLS

Corporate culture is the only truly sustainable competitive advantage and the root cause of any merger’s failure or success. —George Bradt

Improving Accountability

Holding ourselves and others accountable is not a new topic in the workplace, or at home for that matter, and is often a struggle for leaders.

Henry J. Evans, author of Winning With Accountability says:

  • Accountability is about high performance and not fear or stress.
  • It’s about holding yourself (and others) to a standard that improves performance.
  • When holding someone accountable we must recognize and respect the power of intention (this allows all staff to hold one another accountable regardless of title or level)
  • Continually ask “How am I doing”?
  • Set crystal clear expectations.
  • When things don’t go as planned, ask yourself:
    • Where did I fail to clearly communicate?
    • Who did I forget to include in the process?
    • What solution can I provide?
    • What can I do to obtain more information to make a sound decision?
    • What could have I done better or differently to improve the results?

“A culture of accountability makes a good organization great and a great organization unstoppable”.
–Henry J. Evans

Sometimes we just get stuck, sometimes we make excuses, and sometimes we fall into an “if only” mode where we justify our lack of action by saying things would be different “if only…”

So, what else can we do? John G. Miller (author of QBQ!) suggests answering the following questions:

  1. What can I do today to move forward?
  2. How can I change me?
  3. What can I do to be my best?
  4. How can I solve this problem?
  5. What can I do to let go of what I cannot change?

Do any of these questions resonate for you or perhaps could be asked of a team member? What are you doing to make your organization unstoppable?

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5 Common Leadership Mistakes

We all want to be strong leaders and be error free, but we all make mistakes.

Here are Five Common Mistakes Leaders Make

  1. Absence of a clearly defined vision
    • Bill was a group leader and thought his team was aware of departmental goals, objectives, strategies and the overall vision. The truth was, they were not.
    • Suggestion: Take time to clarify and document the team’s vision, get others involved in understanding and refining it, and link all key processes to it. (This includes your hiring strategy)
  2. Minimal communication
    • Many leaders only hold meetings and share information on an “as needed” basis. The lack of interaction and regularly conducted meetings can cause the team to lose focus and prevents the opportunity for team members to build synergy and trust.
    • Suggestion: Keep in touch; make yourself available, schedule both team and skip level meetings on a regular basis, and refine the agenda as needed. Don’t do all the talking; engage the team and let them share their thoughts, accomplishments, and obstacles. Don’t forget about reinforcing your vision and the status of goal attainment.
  3. Failing to hold others accountable
    • It’s not uncommon for leaders to NOT reach out and provide meaningful feedback about what went well, and what did not. This inhibits growth, suppresses results, and can cause frustration and confusion.
    • Suggestion: Determine the quality and quantity of work and behaviors you desire in order to achieve your vision. Hold everyone accountable for supporting the vision and provide timely, specific, and meaningful feedback when deviations occur. (And don’t wait until your annual or semi-annual assessment to address gaps!).
  4. Failing to recognize good performance
    • Many leaders feel everything is part of their staff’s job. This can leave team members questioning what it takes to go “above and beyond”; they want to be recognized for their effort and accomplishments!
    • Suggestion: Take the time to look for things that are special and point them out. During your team meetings have the team recognize peer contributions; you’ll be surprised what you may hear. This can be inspiring and a simple “thank-you” can go a long way.
  5. Over managing
    • Most individuals are ready, willing, and able to do their job, and they want to excel. They are not afraid of taking a risk and don’t need to be over-managed. Over-managing causes the loss of feeling empowered and is a huge de-motivator.
    • Suggestion: Validate that the required skill sets exist, share your expectations, and let your staff “run with it”.

We all make mistakes! The key is to recognize them, own them, learn from them, and move on!

Here’s a Wealth of Information

Each week we partner with QwikCoach and provide the ability for you to reinforce or expand your knowledge of a prior topic.

Last week’s tip focused on 5 Behaviors Of A Team.

Go to QwikTips to read more! There are two different versions–one for visitors and one for licensed QwikCoach users.

Help turn your leadership knowledge into leadership action!