Leadership

Apr

2020

Leading Virtual Teams

I was discussing the present reality of leading virtually with a couple organizational leaders. As we talked, I realized the challenge in virtual leadership lies in leading effectively.

A leader will more often live out the idea I have heard one of my mentors Mark Cole (CEO of the John Maxwell Enterprise) mention. 10 – 80 -10.

Take ten percent of the time up front to provide clear expectations and answer questions. The next eighty percent of the time he is available for the team but gets out of the way to let them do the work. When the project is ninety percent done he reconnects for the last ten percent, asks questions, and potentially suggests ideas on how to up level the project and then they move forward.

When I look at Mark’s process, I see three clear principles we can all take away not only in leading virtually, but at any time.

Set Clear Expectations

Think of when you have been either on a work team, sports team, or any other team. When would you get frustrated? It may have been the results, but often I know I would get frustrated if the rules were changed on me or were not clear upfront. Expectations give us freedom to be creative.

When we were children at a playground there may have been a fence. The fence gave us clear expectations of where not to go, but anywhere inside we could explore, play and run. Clear expectations give your team that freedom. Give them the freedom to use their strengths and accomplish the goal to the best of their ability.

Follow up

If Mark did not perform the last ten percent, then the other ninety percent would be meaningless. Many of us have heard the idea “inspect what you expect.” When the expectations are clear up front, then asking how the project went or is going will not negatively impact the team. A good leader will hold the team accountable by following up.

In a virtual team leaders may use a phone call, a text, an e-mail, a group check-in meeting or another form of accountability. Set a reminder for yourself and follow up, but in the process make sure to follow the second part of the final principle.

Regularly Communicate and Connect by Appreciating

Malhotra et al in their article on Leading Virtual Teams discuss how technology can be used to maintain trust through regular communication. When we are present in an office together communication and even connection can be much easier, but virtually this takes intentionality.

I am part of a virtual team and in order to keep communication and expectations clear I have a regular touch point meeting with the leader I am accountable to. This leader does a fantastic job of connecting first and making me feel valued. As a task-oriented person, I tend to go right to business, but connection is key in building trust. Take time to regularly communicate, but more importantly connect with those you lead and show sincere appreciation.

The principles of leadership are similar whether virtual or in person. As leadership expert John Maxwell says . . . put people first. As you lead virtual teams maybe you need practical help on a virtual platform such as ZOOM if so go here for a few short videos I’ve created to help you lead your teams better. Keep holding your vision and lead well.

Malhotra, Arvind, et al. “Leading Virtual Teams.” Academy of Management Perspectives, vol. 21, no. 1, 2007, pp. 60–70., doi:10.5465/amp.2007.24286164.

Mar

2020

Are You a Carrier?

I was preparing for a Facebook Live mini workshop I did the other day and an idea came to me. This idea was reinforced as I listened to John Maxwell speak on day one of his virtual leadership summit.

We are carriers . . . all of us.

Whether at work or at home we are a carrier of a disease . . . or a cure.

In the unique reality we are experiencing this idea challenged me. Whether leading at work or at home I am carrying something.

Hope or Fear

Whether in an e-mail I send, a post I make, a blog I write or any communication I make publicly or privately what am I spreading? No matter the circumstances around us we either are a beacon of light and hope or we spread anxiety and fear. This starts with us.

What I allow in my mind and dwell on impacts if I am spreading hope or fear. When we think there is no hope we nurture and act from a fear-based mindset. On the other hand, if we see opportunity and options amidst difficulty we create soil for hope to grow.

Selfish or Generous

The soil we nurture impacts our actions. For example, if we believe resources are limited and will never return our highest concern may be ourselves and from that mindset we will act. Alternatively, if we have hope that the situation we are experiencing is temporary we will consider more than just our needs.

When operating out of generosity we seek to serve, give and help those in greater need. My wife is an amazing example of this generous mindset right now. She has gathered a group of people to partner in serving an elderly neighbor who is not well resourced by purchasing and delivering groceries. Her generosity is rooted in the soil of her selfless mindset. Nurture that soil in each of us and we will spread the same generosity and hope.

The Natural Antibodies

I am a person of faith so you can ignore this part if you want. As I listened to a faith leader recently he reminded me of what I would call the antibodies against fear.

Faith

Hope

Love

Regardless of whether you are a person of faith, as leaders at work and home we spread faith that there will be a better tomorrow. Deal hope to those who are in fear that today’s reality will not last. Extend love to those around us. As we nurture these antibodies, we create an environment that carries hope and healing instead of dis-ease and fear. It all starts in our perspective.

Can I encourage you to take captive your thoughts and ask yourself if it will bring hope or fear? Be aware of reality, but let’s point one another to hope in difficult times and lead as beacons of light to those in our workplaces, communities, and families. You are a leader, you influence, use your influence to be hope and a lighthouse in the storm. Lead well.

Mar

2020

Leading In A Stressful Home

We are behind closed doors in our house. Not because we are sick, but because we have three boys that will constantly interrupt us as we attempt to discuss a plan for the next month.

Both my wife and I work with mildly flexible schedules. Now we must navigate keeping three boys focused enough to accomplish their homework, work ourselves, and maintain a low stress home. This is what we were attempting to navigate during our conversation.

Our completely opposite personality styles became very apparent as we started the discussion. For those of you familiar with the Maxwell DISC Personality Indicator I use, I am on the exact opposite side of the spectrum. During this conversation I realized some ways I need to be a better leader for both our sake.

Maximize Each Other’s Strengths

I am a very task-oriented person. Combine that with a tendency to look at things black and white it creates tension with my relationship oriented spouse. At first this frustrated me, but when I created the structure my wife brought her strength of being able to think of the possible variables that could impact our kids.

After combining our strengths, we found a path that effectively provided both clear expectations and a plan for our children while leaving room for flexibility. In this flexibility we can adjust to each child’s unique personality.

Be Aware of Weaknesses

We both have weaknesses and one of mine is holding rigidly to the plan. By remaining aware of this, I can adjust my responses to neutralize the negative impact. In a situation that is ever changing and fluid I need to have a plan while recognizing the plan may need to be adjusted. This applies daily when raising children, but also in an ever-changing business or team environment.

You may not have the same weakness but understand yours and determine ways to neutralize it. This awareness prevents blind spots that can dramatically hinder our personal and professional leadership.

Work Together to Build a Unified Plan

While fending off interruptions from children, we recognized our individual strengths and weaknesses and then had to determine our best possible plan. Through gaining a unified agreement on our structure (with flexibility of course) and what we expect we will create a lower stress environment.

This sounds easy, but while implementing this process we will have to adjust. These same principles can be utilized at home and work. What helped this conversation the most for us was an awareness of our basic behavior styles. Had I not known our individual styles this conversation could have been much more difficult. If you want to learn your style go here or if you want to go deeper and learn your style and have a personalized debrief contact me writing DISC with debrief in the subject line at randy@wheelercoachingsystems.com and I will provide a blog reader’s discount. Keep focused, communicate often, and lead well.

Feb

2020

Learning From a Leader in the Senior Housing Industry

I was sitting across the table from a woman who feels called to serve the elderly. I don’t have time to go into her story, but Jan Pegues who is Executive Director for 5 Star Residences in Noblesville, Indiana had an experience early in her life that gave her a passion to provide care to elderly in a manner that provides dignity and respect to them.

While we sat in her office, I learned her three keys to leadership. This is what she said:

Maybe you are familiar with the Golden Rule: Do to others as you would have them do to you. This is the foundation of Mrs. Peques treatment others. She consciously strives to treat her employees like adults and not talk down to them. For example, if staff approaches her after listening she will respectfully redirect them to their direct supervisor in order to maintain a healthy culture of respect and communication.

Jan also increases respect among those she leads by creating an atmosphere where feedback and initiative are welcome. First, when constructing a plan, she will ask for her teams input in order to open the conversation and receive various perspectives. Also, when her staff encounters problems she encourages them to bring solutions to discuss. Both practices create an atmosphere of mutual professional respect.

Fairness

Any leader understands this concept is a challenge because the leader wants to avoid creating any perception of showing favoritism. Jan’s goal is to be consistent in not showing favoritism, so we explored this idea a little deeper.

When we discussed this further, she clarified that she works with people differently, but treats them the same. A new employee will have the same expectations as a senior employee, but the newer or less experienced leader will receive more of her time. This time is spent coaching the leader and equipping him or her to lead effectively.

Work Ethic

Jan is a woman who exemplifies this principle by leading among the people she serves and modeling the work ethic she expects. As a leader she believes you must be in the “trenches” with your team and willing to do what you ask of them. This example helps create a culture of respect in her organization.

This principle applies in all industries because the ability to exemplify what we expect of others is critical. Imagine a sport coach who asks his or her players to do sprints. They will because that is what is expected of them, but if the coach runs with them the effort increases dramatically. Why does this happen? Because of the example. Whether at work or at home what we do demonstrates what we expect.

What about you? When you are leading how are you performing in these three areas? What is one way you can grow your leadership in any of these areas? Share your thoughts below. Lead Well.

Feb

2020

What One Trait Did These Three President’s Have in Common?

Not too long ago I read an excellent book by Doris Kearns Goodwin called Leadership In Turbulent Times. This book chronicles the lives and leadership of four presidents during various tumultuous times during United States history.

Each president had a difficult stages in life. They did not easily attain the position of president, but through various personal tragedies and losses they grew from adversity. Three of these presidents had experiences that led them to the same conclusion.

Abraham Lincoln

Many of us have heard the many failures Lincoln faced on his path to ultimately becoming President of the United States. I could share the lessons learned from those failures, but I will leave that to others. What Kearns pointed out from Lincoln’s leadership was an example of his humility.

Kearns describes how Lincoln assembled a team of “independent, strong-minded men, all of whom were more experienced in public life, better educated, and more celebrated than he. . . . he placed his three chief rivals” to key leadership roles. To be the President of the United States and acknowledge you are not the smartest person takes humility and a quiet confidence in oneself.

Teddy Roosevelt

Teddy Roosevelt was the one man of the four Kearns discusses who led men in the heat of battle. During his time of service, he understood he must not always be the one leading even if it means he may look foolish to others.

Kearns states that Roosevelt had “the self-awareness to soberly analyze his own strengths and compensate for his weaknesses.” He demonstrated by turning down a leadership opportunity to give someone else the job because their experience would be able to lead the team to victory. This humility of putting the team over his personal ego would serve him well as he continued to lead during his life.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

A man who had experienced great success had his world shaken when he was diagnosed with Polio. After many years of struggling with polio, Roosevelt envisioned creating a community for healing and connection among those suffering from this disease. That vision became Warm Springs.

During his time running Warm Springs Kearns

states he not only brought healing and hope to others who suffered from Polio, but he himself experienced what she quoted Perkins as saying was a “spiritual transformation.” Through being in a shared community where they shared with one another the struggles of this disease and learning and listening to others Roosevelt removed the elitist air that surrounded him. This experience grew humility as a leadership strength into FDR’s character.

Each man had a different path, but all three came to a point where they either explicitly or implicitly learned the importance of humility for effective leadership.

What about you? In what ways do you need to recognize the need for others and have the humility to accept help in your leadership? Do you surround yourself with others smarter than you to provide healthy conflict? What is one step you can take today to lead with humility? Share your thoughts so we can become more aware of areas we may need to grow. Lead Well.

Feb

2020

A Four-Letter Leadership Word

Love is necessary for effective transformational leadership. Stick with me a minute. I know this sounds like a soft skill that could have nothing to do with leadership. Think about this though. Who is one of the best leaders you have had?

Was the individual harsh and overbearing?

Was the person kind?

Was the person a mixture of both?

Both are necessary and provide “tough love.” Accountability and standards are necessary in combination with discernment on when to provide the room to grow and forgive. Take a moment with me and look at these four ways to demonstrate “love” in leadership.

Learning

“Learning . . . seeing the world simultaneously as it is and what it can be, understanding what you see, and acting on your understanding.”

Warren Bennis

A leader who is a learner will seek to understand those he or she leads. One way is to understand their communication style and adjust how we deliver our message in a manner they can hear. If you want to invest in learning your communication style then go here.

More often than I want to admit, I overreact and jump to conclusions before understanding a situation. As leaders we demonstrate love and build improved connection when we slow down to learn about the situation. Instead of assuming the worst, I need to take time to understand all sides and then make a conclusion. This exemplifies what Bennis stated above.

Optimism

“Avoid entertaining the concept of the worst, for whatever you take into your mind can grow there.”

Norman Vincent Peale

I naturally tend to see the challenges of a situation, therefore I understand optimism is a choice. Leaders must accurately assess the situation, but then see the possibilities. When we have that picture we paint a picture for those we lead to help them see how they can positively contribute to achieving the vision.

As Peale suggests we want to focus on the possibility instead of the worst because where our focus goes our mind stays. When our minds stay more focused on the challenge than the solution, we get results in line with that focus. As leaders we have a challenge to help others see the possibilities even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Value

Tasks need to be accomplished in order to meet a goal, and people are the ones who perform them. Effective leaders help those they lead understand their value by first helping them see their personal role in the bigger picture. Another great way to help them understand their value is by identifying their strengths.

After identifying those strengths, position them for success by having them working in their strengths often. When this occurs not only are they more personally effective, but they are utilizing their most valuable assets for the organization’s overall benefit.

Encouragement

Blanchard and Zgarmi developed a process of leading called “Situational Leadership.” I suggest this model provides practical application to the idea of encouraging those we lead. According to the model individuals need varying degrees of support and direction. As leaders who care about those we lead we will come alongside others to encourage, equip, and eventually let them perform on their own. When we are leading with the appropriate amount of encouragement, we increase their confidence and performance.

As you look at these four areas which area can you strengthen this week? As leadership expert John Maxwell says “leaders develop daily not in a day.” What is one way you will develop today? Lead well.