Leaders Show They Care

According to a recent survey conducted by Paychex, one of the top reasons people quit their jobs is that they felt their employer didn’t care about employees (52.77% of those surveyed).

What does that really mean?  And, what can employers do to let their employees know they do really care about them?

People feel cared about when we are treated with respect. People feel cared about when our efforts are appreciated.  We feel cared about when we are listened to and acknowledged for our contributions. When we are not taken for granted. When we are not yelled at or abused.  When we are paid well for our contribution (the #1 reason for people quitting is low pay!)

As leaders, our role is not to be buddy-buddy with our team, but to care about each person on the team and do everything you can to make his or her work experience a positive one while still being fair and consistent.  A challenge…right? But you can do it.

When appreciation is expressed through lame employee recognition events rather than a sincere thank you for a job well done, people feel patronized.  Employee recognition events are fine, but it makes some people feel great but other people feel crappy while they wonder why they aren’t being recognized.  As a leader, what are you doing to find the right tone for showing true appreciation?

Does the culture of the company lead employees to feel like children—always being told what they can’t do or shouldn’t do? Or is the culture one that communicates trust in the professionalism of your people?  Again here, as the leader, it is your task to find the right balance of rules vs. accountability given the employee mix that you have.

Do you listen to the ideas and thoughts your people offer? There is nothing more frustrating for an employee than to have a boss who feels like he/she has all the answers rather than leading a discussion.  After all—you hired people with expertise. Why not listen to them?

What about that trouble-making team member? You know—the one who bullies others, the drama queen, or the one who isn’t pulling his weight? Do you address concerns with that person in a caring but direct manner?  Letting that person slide and not taking care of issues that arise lead your people to feel like you aren’t taking good care of them and are letting things fester. That you don’t care enough to make sure the work environment feels safe and productive.

And then there is the dreaded annual review process.  How awful!  As the leader, you should be caring enough about your people to provide constant on-going collaborative feedback rather than waiting until the end of the year and surprising them with negative statements that what they have been doing ALL YEAR has not met your expectations.  If you are in an organization that requires annual reviews, by all means, provide them. But make sure nothing in the review is a surprise. Make it yet another opportunity for you and the team member to work together to set goals for the coming year.

And, do NOT create or implement a review process that requires your people to compete against each other. Nothing creates a more conflictual or competitive work environment than knowing that you are competing against your colleague for a raise.

There are so many opportunities every day on a personal level, and on a structural organizational level, for you to either show your folks you care about them or show that you don’t.   Most importantly, you really do need to try and actually care about them and appreciate their efforts—don’t take your people for granted!  Treat them how you would want to be treated. Then, always be aware of your day-to-day decisions and conversations and their potential impact on your team.

Leadership: Asking for Feedback

As the leader, how are you supposed to know if what you are doing and how you are running the ship is working well and meeting the needs of the rest of the team members?  You ask them.

Feel free to ask for feedback of the group, and from each individual.  You can’t play favorites and only ask a few—include everyone in this practice. It’s interesting how sometimes it’s the Intern or the newest team member who has the most astute observations about how things are working!

When you are assembled in a team meeting, it is good from time to time to ask for feedback about:

• how they think the meetings are going
• how to improve the meeting agendas to get more accomplished
• how to better prioritize activities and work projects
• what could make the office space more comfortable
• basically, anything that involves them as a group.

When meeting one on one (which you should be doing regularly!), ask for feedback about them as individuals:

• Do they have any feedback for you and how you are leading the team?
• What could you do to better support them in their responsibilities so they can be more successful?
• Do they have any observations about what could improve within the team?
• What do they think could improve the overall team’s success?
• Do they have any observations in general about how you or the team are doing?

When you ask these questions of your team members on a regular basis they will begin to think about how to answer them, and know that they will have an opportunity to provide direct feedback to you about how their job is working for them, and about how you are leading them.

This is a great way to keep tabs on how each team member is feeling about their job and how much stress they are feeling and what that stress is about.  Because you can’t fix something g if you don’t know about it.

Asking for feedback requires trust.

You need to have enough trust in your team members to believe they will not skewer you if you ask for feedback.  If you ask in a respectful way and expect respectful honesty in return you are likely to get it.

On the other hand, they have to trust that if they are respectfully honest, that you a) won’t come unhinged or freak out; and b) that you won’t become angry and find a way to punish them later.

One way to do that is to explain the following:

1. You want to have their honest opinion;
2. You will keep their comments confidential (and you MUST);
3. You won’t be upset with them;
4. You will try to begin to address their concerns, but don’t promise any particular outcomes.

And finally, it is up to you to be prepared to hear some possible not-so-good things about yourself and how the team is doing, and to not lose your cool if you don’t agree. Be respectfully clear, however, if they cross a line into personal insults or criticisms about you or other team members.

Simply thank them for their observations and promise that you will think about them, consider them, and continue to work to make the work environment work for everyone.

And do just that. Then repeat.  Regular feedback is one of the most important things you can do as a leader to ensure that you are creating a positive work environment for everyone.

Leaders Take Action

Leaders take action.

We all know the sayings: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”, and “You are measured by what you do, not what you say you will do”, and many other that illustrate that accomplishing something is what leadership is all about.

It’s a lot like exercise–it is easy to sit at our desks or meet with our team and talk about getting things done or think about getting things done. It is much more difficult to actually get it done.

 

 

There is nothing more discouraging to a team member than to have the leader say they will do something, then not follow through.  It sets a bad example for the team, who then can begin to believe they don’t need to follow through on their responsibilities either.

Even worse and more discouraging, is when the leader seldom follows through, yet expects the team members to jump on things and get them done quickly.

Leaders are successful when they and their teams accomplish their goals.  That occurs when everyone is accountable for their job and they hold each other accountable. The leader sets the tone and example.  When leaders jump in and start making phone calls, sending out emails, scheduling meetings and reporting about what they have accomplished, that is the example set for the team. Over time that becomes the culture for the entire team—people know they are expected to follow through with what they agree to do.  No wasting time on this team!!

It is so easy to say to yourself “I will put that on the list for tomorrow”.

But, successful leaders don’t waste time or put off doing something they could get done right now:

• They make the phone call right in the meeting.
• They send the email right then.
• They set up the meeting so the pressing decision can be made as soon as possible or the discussion can be had with the right people in the room.
• They write that article by the end of the day.
• They have the discipline to get their list done first thing in the morning.

They do these things for three reasons.

• First, to actually move their projects forward.
• Second, because when they get their ‘to-dos’ done they are then able to hold their team members accountable when they don’t.
• Third, they know that success comes to those who get things done.

Leaders are accountable to their team and to themselves. Set the right example and get moving!

Leadership is an Active Sport

I once worked in a company where one boss spent most of his time behind a closed door. Not meeting with people, just by himself in his office. Doing what??  We didn’t really know.

While he was in his office, there was all kinds of dysfunction that occurred among his team.  Alliances were formed, work wasn’t getting done and no one was being held accountable, team members were yelling at each other and competing for his limited attention. This team, in its inaction, caused warnings for the company from federal regulators.  It was pretty awful to watch.  It wasn’t a surprise to watch the reputation of that department plummet throughout the company.

Don’t be this leader!

Your job, as the leader, is to work with the team to outline the vision of what needs to be accomplished, clarify who is going to do what, by when. And then dig in with your team to facilitate that process.

• Make sure the team has the right tools. Is there a software program that will simplify the task? Is training needed in a new technology or process?  Does your space facilitate the necessary sharing of information?  Whatever it is, do what you can to make sure the foundational tools are in place.
• Talk over progress with the team. Know when steps toward the goal are accomplished. It is also critical to know if steps aren’t getting done in a timely way so issues can be resolved and so that the next steps won’t be delayed.
• Remove barriers. Is another department failing to collaborate? Work with them to get them on board.  Is communication falling by the wayside? Schedule and facilitate effective, productive meetings. Your job is to remove barriers to success.
• Resolve conflicts that arise. It is natural for members of a team to have different ideas of how to accomplish something.  If these differences turn into conflict, you must address and resolve it. You may have to make a decision about how to proceed, but don’t avoid addressing conflicts—deal with them as soon as you know they exist and before the situation escalates.
• Be your team’s cheerleader. Let others know how great things are going. Talk your team up to leadership.  Celebrate progress with your team regularly and make sure they know you appreciate their efforts. Highlight them on social media, share photos in the newsletter.
• Ask team members for feedback about the process. What is working for each of them? What is getting in the way?  What is driving them crazy?  How could this process go a little better? As the leader, it is important to know and resolve what you can so the process goes more smoothly.
• Add positive energy to the process. Creating a strong team and making the process fun is key. Order lunch in. Show funny movie clips during a meeting. Plan a happy hour. Bring chocolate. Cheer, clap, hoot and holler when things are going well.

As the leader, you set the tone. Make it a good one. Hiding your head in the sand and hoping things go well, like the leader who spent all his time behind a closed door, doesn’t ever work.

What Drives Your Leadership Patterns?

As leaders, we are presented with problems (or opportunities, depending upon how optimistic you are) every day that need to be addressed.  Your superiors have requested the impossible by tomorrow, your team has been upset by another team’s request, your order of supplies didn’t come in on time and you have a deadline, the caterer didn’t show up for the event…the list goes on forever. Every day leaders head to work wondering what the issue of the day will be.

This daily challenge highlights how important it is to really understand yourself—your strengths and weaknesses, what pushes your buttons and what gets you excited.  When confronted with a daily cascade of items to address and people to calm, we often react automatically to do the best job we know how to resolve the issue. There typically isn’t time for reflection or introspection.  We act on instinct.

But, your instincts are formed by your long history of experiences and your interpretation of those experiences. They are influenced by conscious and forgotten events, belief systems, fears and hopes. Without a clear understanding of what drives you, it is possible that you are being driven by your thoughts and feelings rather than making conscious decisions about how to best handle each challenge that comes your way.

For example, I know of one leader who feels inadequate when her ideas are challenged by a subordinate.  This leads her to lash out in sarcasm rather than encouraging different viewpoints to find the best solution.  Her team has learned not to offer suggestions by being on the cutting edge of her responses.  I know another leader who does not handle conflict well, so manages meetings to prevent an honest airing of concerns, thus putting a damper on the long term success of the organization. His team members talk about possible solutions outside of meetings, but are never allowed to voice them when they really count. Other leaders react as victims when confronted with problems, others are narcissists who only want to hear themselves talk.

What drives your instinctive behaviors?  Do you even know what those behaviors are?  If not, it is time to begin to make those drivers and behaviors conscious. Otherwise, at the very least, you are likely not being the very best leader you can be. At the worst, you could be frustrating your people and leading your team down a very unhealthy path.

As a leader, it is up to you to know and understand how you handle challenging situations and why. Without understanding and insight you may be reacting to situations rather than making a conscious choice about the way to handle any given challenge to achieve the best outcome.

While it is easy to talk about, understanding oneself and working to become a more conscious leader is not easy. It requires self-observation, self-reflection, the development of alternative ways to handle situations, and then reflection on how those alternatives worked and how you felt during that process. Time, energy, and focus are required to do this properly.

This is also where a guide, a coach, a mentor or consultant can help.  Having some supportive outside perspective and ongoing gentle feedback that you trust can move the process along much faster. While your subordinates probably have a very clear understanding of your weaknesses and habitual behaviors, they are not in a position to honestly provide you with feedback.  Someone above you in the organization, or completely outside the organization will be most effective in guiding you through this self-discovery process.

This is something every leader should commit to. Not only will you be a better leader, you will be a better wife/husband/partner, a better parent, and a happier person.

Leadership is Respecting Your Team

The beginning of great leadership is having respect for the people around you, especially those you lead.  The people on your team have chosen to spend their time and talent helping you accomplish your goals.  They could go elsewhere, but they are on your team.  The very least you can do is to appreciate them and respect them for choosing to work with you.

It is critical for leaders to remember is that no matter what your job title compared with theirs, you are not a better or more important person than your team member.  They may be there to assist you, you may be in a position to review their job performance, but just like you, they are a person with hopes and dreams and a family that loves them.

Sadly, I have seen many leaders who forget to respect their people. There are so many ways that leaders mistreat their team members, or at the very least, show disrespect for one or more people they lead. Some are egregious, some are subtle, but make sure you are absolutely NOT doing any of the following:

• Raising your voice or yelling
• Bullying or allowing others to bully
• Sexual harassment
• Asking someone to do anything illegal
• Lying
• Talking about one team member to another
• Withholding information
• Having favorites among your team
• Being anything but fair
• Ignoring a team member and/or never asking their opinion
• Any form of discrimination

When any of these (or many other really bad things) happen in the workplace you are not fostering a healthy work environment.  In fact, you negatively impact the health of your employees through the stressful and hostile situation they are spending time in every day.  And, the stress ripples through their lives to their spouses/partners, children, and friends.

As the leader, it is your responsibility to ensure that your team members feel respected for their skills, talents, and contributions.  Make sure they know how appreciated they are for their efforts to help you accomplish your goals and dreams. Reward them. Celebrate them. Have fun with them. Create a workplace in which they want to spend their time, rather than one they dread.

The Art of Providing Employee Feedback

One of the hardest jobs a leader has is providing feedback to someone who reports to them.  The anxiety of what to say and how to say it can keep many leaders up at night.  Many leaders feel like it is just easier not to say anything than to confront someone on their performance.

I have certainly known many leaders who bungle the conversation with their staff person, but there are some who do it well and actually build the relationship.

The metaphor I use for providing feedback hearkens back to my high school orchestra days.  If you have been in a band or orchestra, you know that all the members of the group have varying degrees of talent, but you all have certain responsibilities in making the music piece sound like, well, music.

The conductor leads the group through a piece and stops the entire group when she hears something not played properly. She provides feedback to the player or section about how to make it better, then has the entire group play it again. Sometimes it has to be done several times before it sounds just right. No blame, no shame, no drama—it is part of getting it right.

If there is someone in the orchestra that simply does not have the skills to perform with the rest of the group or disrupts the group on a regular basis, they are asked to leave the group.

You are the conductor.  Providing feedback allows your team to function at its best.

To be able to provide productive feedback, you should already have invested time in developing a relationship with this person.  You already know them and they trust that you want them to succeed and have their best interests at heart.

If you currently do not have this kind of relationship with this person, you can begin now. In the meantime, you still need to provide timely feedback.  So, how do you do it?

1. First of all, (unlike the orchestra example) do it in private, in a non-threatening environment. No good leader wants to publicly shame a staff person. That is definitely no way to build trust among your team.
2. Let him/her know that you are pleased they are on your team, and specifically outline ways they positively affect the team and/or accomplish their work.
3. Say that you noticed (fill in the blank—behavior, comment, something didn’t get done). Ask what their thoughts are about that particular thing.  You really want to know their perspective—they may have thought they were doing something really positive, or they may sheepishly admit they knew they weren’t fulfilling your expectation—you just don’t know where they are coming from unless you ask.
4. Thank them for their perspective. Then tell them how you viewed whatever it was, and how it affected the team’s ability to reach the goals you have set in a timely way. Be straightforward and clear. It is important not to beat around the bush on this.
5. Describe what you would like to see instead. Ask them for feedback about your preferred method. Will it work for them? If not, why not?  Ask if they have an idea about a different way to accomplish the same goal.
6. Once you come to an agreement about how to move forward, thank your staff person and move on to another subject.

It really can be that simple—but only if you and your staff person have an ongoing positive relationship.

If this staff person is toxic, is alienating other team members or the reputation of the team, or if you have had to remind them on numerous occasions of the agreement that you have made for change, then it is time to be kind, but firm.

1. Describe the behavior.
2. Describe how it is negatively impacting the team.
3. Tell them that it is unacceptable, and that for the sake of the team, you do not want to have to deal with this again.
4. Provide a timeframe in which you need to see the change, and let them know that if you do not, then something will need to change, including the possibility of you having to let them go. After all—your job is to make sure you have a well-functioning team, and you need to take the steps to make sure it is.
5. Be observant and calm over the next several weeks. Compliment change, check in with this person regularly to see how they are feeling about what is happening.
6. Do not hesitate to let them go if necessary.

Know that sometimes once things have passed a certain point, it is very difficult to rebuild trust with a person or change the perception of them with the team.  If that is the case, it is likely you will need to let them go.

Remember—you are the conductor and part of your job, dreaded or not, is to make sure the team performs well together.