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Empowering the Members of Your Team
For you to get the most out of the members of your high performing team, you need to empower them. For you to get the most out of the members of your high performing team, you need to empower them. Remember, on a high performing team, those team members are typically very self-motivated, and they like being self-directed. You need to understand how letting go of your agenda, creating space for them to flourish, and then accepting that there are different ways of doing things is going to bring out the best in your people. Setting direction is critical for those people, but then as the leader, you need to get out of the way and let them run. I like to use what I call a concept of lanes where you set a direction for a team member. Say the goal is here, and here are the boundaries within which you can operate. But it’s up to you to decide how you get from here to that goal. You’ll also need to accept, if you’re giving them those lanes, that there are different ways of doing things. A team member may take an approach that you fundamentally disagree with. The measure of a good leader is being willing to step back and say, “Hey, I think you might be going the wrong way. Here’s a different way to think about it. But ultimately, it’s up to you how you want to proceed, and the goal is the same. Let me know what you need from me to be successful.” You have to let go of that agenda and give them the resources, then get out of their way. I had a great leader I worked for at one point when I was in the army. He was my company commander. He had very specific ways that he wanted to deploy our unit. He would […]
Failures Are Experiments, Not Failures
There’s a difference between experiencing failure and being a failure. Some of the greatest lessons come from failing – but only if you’re willing to learn them. Today’s post is by Shawn Hunter, author of Small Acts of Leadership (CLICK HERE to get your copy). On March 2, 1962, Wilt “the Stilt” Chamberlain had the highest scoring NBA basketball game of all time. He scored 100 points in that game, a feat likely never to be repeated. Chamberlain was the number two highest average scoring player in history, behind Michael Jordan. He would have easily been number one, had it not been for his free throws. Wilt Chamberlain was terrible at free throws. Terrible. He was so bad that the coach wouldn’t play him at the end of a close game, since the opposing team only needed to foul him, and send him to the free throw line, where he would surely miss. Meanwhile, Chamberlain’s teammate on the Golden State Warriors, Rick Barry, was the most accurate free throw shooter in the league. By the time he retired, Barry was the most accurate free-throw shooter in NBA history, averaging 90.0 percent of his free-throw attempts. In his final season, Barry hit over 94% of his free throws. Rick Barry shot all of his free throws underhanded. That’s right, Barry shot “granny style.” You might think since both Chamberlain and Barry were on the same team, Chamberlain would learn a thing or two about shooting free throws. Well, sort of. For a short period, Barry convinced, and taught, Chamberlain to shoot underhanded also. He improved his free throws remarkably. But it didn’t stick. Chamberlain said he couldn’t do it. He said he felt “like a sissy” shooting underhanded. What other people think of us – or what we think other people think of […]
When is the last time you went out of your way to thank a team member for their contributions?
Our reader poll today asks: When is the last time you went out of your way to thank a team member for their contributions? Within the last couple of days: 79.55% Within the last month: 17.73% Sometime this quarter: 0.91% Sometime this year: 1.36% I don’t go out of my way to thank them: 0.45% The High ROI of a “Thank You” – Taking time to say “thank you” so someone on your team or in your organization is a simple investment to make and the vast majority of you have done so recently (97% have done so within the last month with 80% of those doing it in the last few days). It’s the right thing to do, it’s appreciated, and it makes people feel seen and valued. If it’s not part of your regular habits, start by adding a reminder to your calendar to drop someone a note. Saying “thank you” in person or on the phone is best because it personalizes it and shows them you’re making a point of seeing them. While emails can suffice for expressing gratitude, a handwritten note can be seen as exponentially more valuable. If you’re in the minority that doesn’t thank people for their contributions very often, give it a try and see how rewarding it can be for both of you. That might create a positive reinforcement loop that gets you saying thank you more frequently. – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!
Being a Net Exporter of Talent
You can either hoard talent on your team or you can develop it and export it. If you’re a net exporter of talent, there are huge benefits both to the broader organization as well as your individual team. Some of the strongest leaders I know are what I call net exporters of talent. You can either hoard talent on your team or you can develop it and export it. If you’re a net exporter of talent, there are huge benefits, both to the broader organization as well as your individual team because you’re bringing people in, building them, helping them grow, and then sending them off to new roles outside of your team. So, let me tell you what it means to be a hoarder of talent. The way the cycle works is: That leader hires somebody and brings them into their team. That individual performs well and they grow and eventually, they become a high performer on that team. But then, the leader fears losing that person because they’re critical and they start discouraging that person from moving elsewhere, which is very selfish from the leader’s standpoint. Ultimately, that individual gets frustrated or they get bored with the role they’re in and they start becoming a poor performer. Their morale drops or they leave the company and go take on a bigger role, something that’s more challenging on a different team outside of the organization. And then, even worse, that individual might start discouraging other people from joining that leader’s team, saying things like, “Well, you don’t want to go to that team because it’s a dead end. You’ll get there and you won’t grow. You won’t be given new opportunities and you won’t develop.” And ultimately, what happens is the high performers start leaving and that leader is […]
Five Things No One Ever Tells You About Becoming Senior Management
Unveiling the Truth: Navigating the Nuances of Senior Management. Gain insights into the unexpected challenges and rewards of leadership. Today’s guest post is by Amy Feind Reeves, author of College to Career, Explained (CLICK HERE to get your copy). Stepping into senior management brings unexpected surprises and overwhelming responsibilities. As you ascend the corporate ladder, you’ll encounter nuances and challenges not found in textbooks. This article explores these topics, revealing hidden truths about leadership. From decision-making to strategic management, we’ll uncover the multifaceted nature of senior leader roles. You can’t blame senior management for everything anymore, and you learn why you never should have. Becoming senior management means you can no longer blame what you perceive as corporate mistakes (or anything you don’t like about work) on senior management. Suddenly, you are senior management and hold the cards. The decisions are yours, and your decisions will not please everyone. You realize that you cannot optimize every aspect of the company to meet every goal. Some of the goals have inherent conflicts. You are privy to a set of facts and data that only you and your team, and sometimes only you need to manage. With that data, you will make a decision that optimizes what is most important. And some people will be disappointed. It will look like a mistake to them. But no one else knows all the factors that went into your decision. You must get used to looking out of touch, while the truth is that you are looking at a wider lens than others in the company have access to seeing. Suddenly, you rethink those times you complained about decisions that worked against your line P&L, and you realize senior management wasn’t dumb after all. Becoming a senior manager makes you rethink your opinion of every […]
What is your opinion of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts at your company?
Our reader poll today asks: What is your opinion of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts at your company? They’re great! Everyone needs to feel respected, fairly treated and included 41.78% They’re okay. I get the principle but sometimes it doesn’t work as intended 34.23% They’re a distraction. We have more important issues to deal with 8.00% They detract from our work environment and aren’t helpful 8.88% They’re really bad and don’t have a place in our work environment 7.11% Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Matter. 75% of you feel DEI efforts are important in the workplace. Getting the most out of people requires understanding and accepting them for who they are. DEI efforts are often a way to build awareness of the importance of these dynamics. For those who feel negatively toward these types of efforts, ask yourself if it’s a question of how these efforts are being executed at your company or if it’s because of personal views you have toward the importance of DEI in the workplace. If it’s how the efforts are being carried out, get involved. Offer your thoughts on how these programs could be more effective. If it’s because you don’t see the value in diversity, equity, and inclusion, I encourage you to spend some time with your colleagues who feel otherwise and understand why they see it as being so important. The better we understand one another’s perspectives, the more effectively we’ll all work as teams. – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!
Why Making Great Decisions Matters Now More than Ever
How can leaders consistently make great decisions, particularly during times of considerable change and uncertainty? Today’s guest post is by Jack P. Flaherty, author of The Decision Switch: 7 Principles of Successful Decision-Making (CLICK HERE to get your copy). We are experiencing one of the greatest revolutions the business world has ever seen and unlike any other we have experienced in our lifetimes. Are we ready for this? In 1965, Gordon Moore saw it coming. He posited that the computing power of microchips would double every two years. A prediction he confirmed a decade later, concluding it would likely continue. “Moore’s Law” has since been used to describe the ever-increasing speed of technological innovation. But Mr. Moore and his Law could not have predicted the impact the latest technological developments, such as automation and artificial intelligence (AI), would have on virtually every industry and aspect of business. Let’s take a moment and define some important terms. Automation is our ability to use software scripts to perform what were historically human tasks in a fraction of the time, reducing the need for manual labor and ostensibly increasing efficiency. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is our ability to use new technology platforms for processing data, recognizing patterns, and making decisions, all while constantly learning and improving their effectiveness, very much like humans. What jobs and industries will be impacted by automation, if not displaced? What about AI and the ripple effect it already has had on creativity and informed decision-making? How will automation and AI continue to drive the current wave of digital disruption, and will we even need accountants or fast-food restaurant order-takers, after they become ubiquitous and widely adopted? Conversely, what jobs and industries will be created as a result? Who will be the winners and the losers? Now, more than ever […]
Which of the following best describes your organization’s approach to promoting people?
Our reader poll today asks: Which of the following best describes your organization’s approach to promoting people? Promote them when they demonstrate 70-80% of the ability required at the next level 39.85% Promote them when they demonstrate 100% of what’s required at the next level 10.16% Promote them once they’ve been serving as an “interim” at the next level for a while 13.29% Promise promotion but don’t be clear on what it takes to achieve it 23.43% Promise promotion, set clear standards, and then move the standards when they get close 4.68% We never promote anyone 8.59% Take the risk or lose them. While a sizeable portion (40%) of you report your organization promotes someone when they’re almost ready for the role, 24% are more conservative and wait for the person to be in an interim role at the next level or fully-functioning at the next level. While this mitigates some risk, it also reduces motivation and increases frustration. You’re basically telling the person “we don’t believe you can get to that level of performance so you have to prove to us that you can before we take the risk and promote you.” Not a very motivating message or vote of confidence in their ability to grow. For those who promise promotion but aren’t clear or who change the standards before the promotion is due, you’re going to lose those people eventually. People have career goals and don’t take kindly to being toyed with. Move the standard too often or never articulate what it takes to get promoted and you might find your people moving on and getting promoted somewhere else. The cost to replace someone is drastically higher than promoting from within. Take the risk and develop them. After all – that’s what being a leader is all about. – […]