Leadership

Oct

2021

Leading When People Want to Leave

I was talking with an organizational leader recently. During our conversation we discussed why people leave a company. This leader suggested the desire to leave could be a symptom of something else.

Before going any further allow me to suggest examining your response when a team member wants to leave. Do your people feel comfortable to let you know they are looking? This leader wants his people to feel comfortable so he can help them in any way possible. Also, this gives him an opportunity to explore why they want to leave. Below I am going to highlight a few reasons people may want to move on.

Growth

Each organization is structured uniquely and employees have various tenures. A team member may come ready to leave and after some questioning you may realize they feel stuck. For example, if you are in a young and flat organization with a founder/CEO and technicians, this individual may feel there is no room for growth. The roles are either worker or owner. This can also be true in a department in a larger organization. There are no steps for growth.

As the leader you have at least a couple options. First, would it serve your organization and the individual well if you created a structure with an opportunity for a next step? Some form of leadership role that serves both the individual and the organization. Another option is to help this person move into a more challenging/leadership role in another area of the organization or at another company. Either way, be the leader who helps him or her succeed and grow.

Glass Ceiling

This idea can be explored in multiple ways, but one primary way an individual may experience a glass ceiling is by not having opportunities. This individual may have reached his or her capacity within the organization and there is no next step. The next step may not open for years, or he or she is not qualified and needs to grow in some way.

This is not the “political” glass ceiling based on circumstances out of the individual’s control. Leaders can help the individual facing this ceiling by discussing how he or she could break through either at your organization or somewhere else. Hopefully this is an opportunity for candid conversation to help the individual realize blind spots and opportunities for growth. On occasion the ceiling may be harder than glass if people above are going to remain. The leader should encourage and support the desire to leave in this situation.

The Leader

This is the harsh reality as a leader you may not want to hear. You may be the reason they want to leave. How you lead, a personal issue, or several other reasons may create the desire for this individual to leave. If you are the reason, I encourage you to create space for a candid conversation to learn what you do not realize about your leadership.

My friend, we all have blind spots and when team members leave because of us we need to embrace the feedback as a blessing. An opportunity to learn, grow and develop to prevent this from being the reason in the future. How to handle that feedback . . . that is a blog for another day.

How are you at creating an environment for your team that they feel free to come to you? Ask them and adjust how you lead so they know you will support them and help them succeed. Ultimately if we lead others as we would like to be led, with compassion and care then both of us will be successful even when things end. Lead Well.

Oct

2021

Learning From an IT Services Leader

I was sitting across from this Lebanese leader in a coffee shop learning about leadership. Fadi began his career as trained electrical engineer, but soon shifted to programming and writing software. While growing his business he had the opportunity to learn how to lead a team of people to achieve greater results.

Through over thirty years of leading The Brookfield Group Fadi has learned many leadership lessons. Throughout the years a few principles have guided his experience to build and sustain a successful business in the technology sector.

Help others achieve their goal

Leaders have vision for the organization’s direction. They may even have specific steps they expect people to take to reach the goal. Clarity of purpose for the organization is essential, but Fadi emphasizes the importance of helping others achieve their goal.

As leaders understand what their people want they are better able to align the organization’s vision with what is important to the individual. This alignment creates a learning atmosphere where the leaders and those being led continually learn from one another. This culture also helps people feel welcome, encourages teamwork, and everyone accomplishes more.

Customers are part of the organization

Imagine being a coach on a sports team. If you believe the team’s job is to help you win and look better how might that make the players feel? What would happen if your mindset shifted to seeing each member as an integral part of the organization? Let’s take this further. What if a coach saw each fan as a part of the organization.

You would probably have the New England Patriots or Cleveland Browns. Loyal fans and relentless ambassadors even regardless of the team’s performance. Fadi was not suggesting having a poor organization or service with this principle. What he suggests is leaders look for ways to make the customer profitable.

When we seek to serve those we lead they feel a part of the organization. One specific way Brookfield Group creates this environment is by understanding the client’s needs so they can provide a solution that will make the other organization profitable.

Give Back

Fadi is not the only leader I have talked to who lives by this principle. I have found great organizations live by a principle of generosity. Small businesses to large corporations. When a leader not only values generosity, but also models it this behavior has a positive impact throughout the organization. This idea reminds me of the famous quote by Zig Ziglar:

“You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”

This is the mantra of giving back. As leaders give, they reap the rewards of generosity which are goodwill, appreciation, and respect among others.

One final major lesson Fadi has learned as a leader that he was willing to share is:

“Be true to you and own your own issues.”

As leaders we must be authentic and self-aware enough to accept responsibility for the problems we may create. Show up each day as your most authentic version of yourself because there is only one you and no one else can be you. Be great at you and lead as you while continually growing and adapting.

When you look at these areas what is one way you can grow in any of these areas? Need help thinking into this? Contact me for a thirty-minute thinking partner session to grow your leadership. Lead Well.

Sep

2021

Leading as a Laborer

This is embarrassing. I have been alive for quite awhile and experienced multiple Labor Day holidays, but never knew what it was about. So I did what any modern person would do . . . I Googled it.

In case you were wondering, here is a very simplified version of what I found. During the late 1800’s at the height of the Industrial Revolution the average American worker experienced twelve-hour days for seven days a week. Even children as young as five or six experienced these conditions including extremely poor working conditions.

Over time there came a tipping point as marches, riots, and strikes occurred throughout America. Tensions rose and Congress passed a law making Labor Day a legal holiday which President Grover Cleveland signed into law on June 28, 1894.*

This is where it originated from, but what does this have to do with leadership? As I was looking into this, I thought of the fact that more people do NOT have a leadership title than those who do. Let me suggest a few ways those who do the labor, whether a labor-related job or those who sell a product or service, lead.

Innovate

Imagine a manufacturing plant where everyone has a role they fulfill. The people on the line see a problem. They have two choices: ignore it because “that’s not my job” or solve it. When a person without a title sees a problem and provides a solution they are innovating.

I realize some leaders insist every idea come from them (that is a topic for another day), but “laborers” can lead from their position by creating solutions. Who is the person most aware of the problem on the assembly line or out in the field? The person daily doing the work. Step up, provide a solution that will make the work easier or more efficient for everyone and demonstrate your leadership.

Demonstrate

“The truth is that credibility is the foundation of leadership.”

James Kouzes and Barry Posner

If you have been following what I write or talk about for any amount of time you hopefully know I believe all of us are leaders because leadership is influence. A person who is a technician in their industry increases influence by how they demonstrate what they do.

Are you a salesperson who is a great closer or great at making new relationships? Are you a technical worker who is excellent at what you do? Are you consistent in who you are and what you do? All of these are ways to increase credibility. This credibility comes from the demonstration of excellence in what we do and consistency in who we are. Over time our example leads others to seek us out for advice and our influence increases.

Facilitate

Those without positional power must master the art of influence. Imagine trying to assemble a product and your peers are slowing you down. You can’t boss them around because you have no power. Maybe you’ve gained credibility with them through your relationship, results, or what you have brought to the team. Through this relationship you can facilitate conversations to help everyone produce at a higher level.

This higher production may keep the boss off your back. Maybe you create a game out of your work so all of you enjoy it. If you are in sales, maybe you facilitate a friendly competition with a co-worker that increases production. All these are ways people without positions can use their influence to lead.

You may or may not have a position of leadership. Hopefully this has helped you identify ways you can recognize those who do the work on your team. If you aren’t in a position of leadership now, I hope this helped you see how you can lead from where you are. Whether you have a position of leadership or not, thank you for how you serve and labor every day in whatever you do. Please, let me know any way I may be able to serve you or those you lead. Lead Well.

* https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/labor-day-1

Aug

2021

Improv and Leadership

Recently I went to an Improv Comedy Club with my wife. Since we had the opportunity to be away from our children we thought going someplace to get a laugh would be a great experience. Because I constantly think about things through a leadership lens I discovered three leadership lessons from this experience.

Energy

As the evening began the host came up on stage and created an environment of high energy. He got people clapping and had people stand up and dance. This was designed to be an entertaining evening and he had to set the tone and create the right “vibe” in the room. If we have a title or position of leadership we have a responsibility to set the tone in a room.

We can walk in with an overbearing scowl or we can be upbeat and full of life. If the meeting has a serious topic, we set that tone. If the meeting is a strategic brainstorming session, then we need to create an open atmosphere. The leader creates the energy and can influence the energy of a meeting often through both verbal and non-verbal communication.

Engagement

If you are unfamiliar with Improv, part of the experience is audience participation. Before each sketch the host asks the audience for words or may have someone come up to participate. This creates an environment where the audience is part of the experience instead of passively watching. Effective leaders draw out their team members to get them engaged in the conversation.

Have you been in a meeting where no one talks except the person leading? These meetings are difficult to remain engaged in. If you lead a meeting where you are the only one talking you may want to consider ways to engage your team more. Maybe the meeting should only be an e-mail or brief stand up conversation. Possibly preparing questions related to what you want feedback on will help you increase engagement. Each person on your team has value they can bring so figure out how to best engage with them.

Boundaries

We went to the early show on purpose because it was a family friendly experience. At the beginning of the show the host asked for people to judge the competition. One individual was a young man around ten years old. The host did this to help remind everyone this was a family experience. As the host and leader, he had to create a boundary and establish the rules of our time together.

Some of us may not like creating boundaries because of our temperament or other reasons. Boundaries help provide freedom like a fence around a playground. When the team understands the expectations and boundaries they have more freedom to get creative. Create the boundary and free up your team for innovation.

How are you doing in these three areas. What is one step you can take today to grow in one of these three areas. Need help creating an engaging environment? Contact me about facilitating The John Maxwell Team Leadership Game to open up conversation and increase engagement on your team. In the meantime, Lead Well.

Aug

2021

What My Wife Unknowingly Taught Me About Leadership

One night I asked my wife to read one-page of my personal DISC assessment to give me feedback if she thought it sounded like me. She read it and gave some feedback and said now you have to watch this thirty-minute video with me.

I must admit I feel I got the short end of the deal, but little did I realize she was introducing me to the opportunity to learn from an amazing leader. My wife has been involved with Young Living for quite awhile, but I never realized how great a leader the founder of the organization was.

Allow me to share with you some of the wisdom I learned from this interview Scott Shuler of ManUpProject had with Gary Young.

Self-worth keeps you from quitting.

As a leader when you are pursuing a vision many voices internally and externally will discourage you. Some of those voices may be those closest to you therefore we must understand our worth personally and be confident.

Dream or Vision?

During this interview Gary Young provided an illustration. Imagine you just had a vivid dream. You wake up, but did you forget it? Maybe instead you wrote down all the details so you would not forget it. The difference, a dream fades, but a vision sticks. Which are you leading others to pursue?

Nice and passion.

Many of us have heard the phrase that “nice guys finish last.” Gary would argue that nice guys finish where their passion lies. Whether in business or life if a person operates with honesty and integrity they can finish where they want. May passion be supported by the leader’s honesty and integrity.

Passion or Excitement.

A gas grill often has an ignitor people use to start the fire. This ignitor Young would say is excitement . . . quick and sudden. Add gas to the ignitor spark and then the entire grill is full of fire. Young suggests that a leader’s passion fuels the excitement. What is the gas you are adding to fuel your vision?

Business and Family.

Young suggests we pursue our dream at a pace which will be good for everyone involved. We may have an idea, but if those closest to us are not supportive of the dream problems arise. In a respectful way we can sell our family on the idea and go at a pace that works for all involved.

These are only a few of the ideas I gathered from this brief interview. What about you? Do you know who you are as a person? Is your vision clear? How is your passion level? What do you need to do in order to refuel? How are those you love involved in your vision . . . do you need to adjust your pace so you don’t lose those closest to you? I hope these principles have been as valuable to you as they were to me. If you want help thinking into your results feel free to contact me. If you want to learn more about Young Living and all they do, contact me and put “Young Living” in the subject. In the meantime, keep pursuing your dream and lead well.

Aug

2021

Learning from a Leader in the Tech Industry

I was sitting across from a man who has led six different tech companies over the years and presently is the Chief Strategy Officer for Counterpart. I always enjoy these conversations and learning from leaders and their experience. During this time together I was able to learn the three principles that guide him as he has assumed various leadership roles over the years.

Giving

“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”

Zig Ziglar

This idea applies in many ways. Generosity is at the foundation of many successful people’s lives. One of the biggest ways Drew applies this idea of giving in his leadership is by investing in his people. The greatest asset we have on our team or in our organization is the people. This leader invests in his team in a couple key ways.

Nurtures their strengths. The tendency may be to focus on improving our weaknesses, but when leaders nurture the strengths of those they lead then they are going to multiply the results. As Buckingham and Clifton say:

“you will excel only by maximizing your strengths, never by fixing your weaknesses.”

Understand them. This requires a leader to slow down, communicate, observe, and listen. If we are busy giving orders and fail to slow down and connect with those we lead we fail to invest. Taking time to give our time will multiply in the return when done genuinely and strategically.

Transparency

This idea could be discussed in a blog of its own. I have asked some of my mentors how to be transparent with those we lead, but not too transparent that it creates more unnecessary challenges. The two ways Linn suggests we be transparent are through integrity and honesty.

Nothing is more frustrating for those being led than when what we say and what they experience from us are out of alignment. This alignment only occurs with integrity and honesty. If the organization is struggling be appropriately transparent. While being transparent leaders need to discern how much to truthfully share without creating alarm and also create appropriate urgency. This transparency is also evident when the leader is humble enough to admit not knowing all the answers and engaging the team for solutions.

Continual Learning

The humility I mentioned above is the backbone of Drew’s final leadership principle. He realizes he is not the smartest person in the room. As leadership expert John Maxwell says, if we are the smartest person in the room we are probably in the wrong room. Drew has two key ways he maintains a learner’s mindset.

Get out of his comfort zone. I was talking to my mentor and coach one day and he reminded me that I have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. As leaders when we stay in our comfort zone too long we risk what we lead either plateauing or declining.

Learn people’s story. As I mentioned earlier, people are an organization’s greatest asset. When we take time to learn about others we are showing we care and will be able to align the team/company vision more intimately with someone’s personal vision.

Leadership is a journey and we are all growing every day. If not, we may not be leading much longer. Which of these three areas do you need to develop in? Need help thinking into it? Contact me for a thirty-minute thinking partner session at no cost to you. Lead Well.