Poll – Page 46 – thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World

How well do you solve complex and ambiguous problems?

February 19, 2015/0 Comments/in Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How well do you solve complex and ambiguous problems?

– Very well — I’m a great problem solver: 49.9%
– Well — it takes a lot of effort though: 42.39%
– Not well — I could be much better at it: 7.1%
– Poorly — I have trouble with ambiguity and complexity: 0.61%

Ambiguity is Challenging. Half of you put substantial effort into solving complex and ambiguous problems. The typical reason big, ambiguous problems are challenging is because we try to tackle the entire problem at once. In doing so, we often chase many low impact ideas or worse, we miss the true root issue. The easiest way to solve those complex big problems is to turn them into smaller ones. In breaking the problem down, the true causes become clearer and you can focus on big impact solutions while ignoring smaller ideas.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– 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!

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What is your style for moving a team toward making decisions?

February 12, 2015/1 Comment/in Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: What is your preferred style for moving a team toward making a decision?

– I push and drive until we get there: 14.44%
– I build consensus through influence: 65.81%
– I remain quiet and keep the group on track: 18.46%
– I let others drive the decision: 1.28%

There is power in silence. Clearly most people have a bias toward building consensus by directly influencing people. The approach works and can be effective but consensus-based decision making can also take a lot of time. And while you’re pushing to influence others, they might dig in and push back. A different technique to try is being silent and only asking questions to keep things on track. In so doing, you’re letting others come to the conclusion by simply steering the conversation. The method can work faster than influence-based consensus in that you get less push back from those involved because you’re making the idea their idea.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– 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!

These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 190,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.

Are “horrible bosses” tolerated in your organization?

February 5, 2015/0 Comments/in Career, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: Are “horrible bosses” tolerated in your organization?

– Absolutely not — we address their issues immediately: 8.7%
– Somewhat — there are a few who manage to get by: 32.92%
– Often — we rarely address their performance issues: 43.35%
– Always — being a horrible boss is how you get ahead here: 15.03%

Too many horrible bosses. These are pretty surprising and disappointing results. When 58% of you are saying horrible bosses are not only tolerated but that it’s a way to get ahead, it’s a sad state of affairs. So you have three choices here: quit, suck it up, or try to change it. The first two are pretty bad options. Ask yourself how you can provide feedback to that individual, help “lead up” by coaching them, and see what other channels there are to help rectify the behavior. It will never get better until you try to do something about it.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– 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!

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Do you consider your team to be “high performing?”

January 29, 2015/0 Comments/in Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: Do you consider your team to be “high performing?”

– Absolutely — they’re consistently excellent: 26.32%
– Kind of — they’re good but have room to improve: 60.15%
– Not really — they’ve got their share of issues: 11.09%
– Not at all — I’m in disaster-recovery mode: 2.44%

Driving High Performance. The high performing team is elusive. It requires a special chemistry among the team members and you are the chief chemist. If your team is currently high performing, beware of throwing off the mix with new hires, role changes, or revised priorities. If you’re trying to elevate your team, step back and list what’s working great and what’s holding the team back (caveat – you might be on that list of things holding them back). Building a high performing team is about leading, following, and getting out of the way. Try changing one variable at a time and see how it affects performance. Time thinking about your team far outweighs time in many of the meetings you attend. Prioritize accordingly.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– 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!

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How good are you at giving difficult feedback promptly?

January 22, 2015/0 Comments/in Communications, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How good are you at giving difficult feedback promptly?

– Great — I share difficult feedback immediately: 21.53%
– OK — I give tough feedback with some hesitation: 60.76%
– Not good — I struggle with giving tough feedback: 16.64%
– Poor — I rarely share difficult feedback: 1.07%

Prompt feedback matters. You should never hesitate to give tough feedback promptly. Not doing so is a failure of leadership. You’re not only letting that individual down – you’re letting down the rest of the team too. Invariably they see the person’s shortcomings and they wonder why the boss isn’t taking corrective action. It’s a slippery morale slope from there. Not giving tough feedback promptly can lead to disastrous results and damage your credibility as a leader. That failure also impairs your team’s overall performance. So swallow hard and go deliver the tough messages – it’s much easier to do than you might think.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– 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!

These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 190,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.

What’s your perception of a leader who has an “interesting” title?

January 15, 2015/5 Comments/in Career, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: What is your perception of a leader who has an “interesting” title with words like “guru” or “ninja” in it?

– It’s awesome and fun: 3.71%
– It’s OK: 4.3%
– I don’t care what they’re called as long as the work gets done: 23.28%
– It’s silly and I view them as less credible: 68.72%

Stop being a guru ninja! Clearly most folks find self-given titles like “guru” or “ninja” to be silly and you lose credibility for having it on your card or signature block. At best, you get apathy over it and clearly it drives a very small percentage of people to think you’re more highly of you. Now while you may not have a silly title like that, you must realize this dynamic applies to every aspect of your “signature block persona.” You need to ensure your don’t fall into the typical traps of a bad electronic calling card. Your first impression and credibility depend upon it.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– 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!

These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 190,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.

What’s the biggest mistake you see during a formal presentation?

January 8, 2015/2 Comments/in Communications, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: What’s the biggest mistake you see people make when they’re giving a formal presentation?

– Too much content, not enough time: 24.69%
– Too focused on the slides versus the desired meeting outcome: 35.69%
– Poor stage presence: 7.6%
– Not reading the audience well: 7.33%
– Not having a clear and compelling story they’re telling: 24.69%

PowerPoint is Evil. Well, the program itself isn’t evil – just the way we use it and rely too much on it is. Too much focus on too many slides and failing to have a clear and compelling story is a recipe for disaster. It’s easy to fixate on the presentation because it’s something tangible that we can manipulate. We seem to feel that if we include more content, we’ll be more compelling. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Focus on having a clear message, clean visuals, and remember you’re there to get to an outcome – a “yes” from your stakeholders. If you don’t want your presentation to be a disaster, be sure to remember the purpose of the meeting in the first place and avoid the big, common presentation mistakes at all costs.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– 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!

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Have you ever gone ballistic during a workplace dispute?

January 1, 2015/0 Comments/in Career, Communications, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: Have you ever gone ballistic during a workplace dispute and completely lost your composure?

– Never: 43.29%
– Once or twice: 49.8%
– Several times: 5.7%
– Often: 0.9%
– All of the time: 0.33%

Losing your cool is OK. Sometimes we all get pushed over the edge and snap. With the stresses we face, it’s no surprise. Sometimes being deliberate about when, where and how you snap can have its benefits. If you’ve been on the wrong side of mistreatment or a power struggle, deliberately losing your cool can help put things back in order. It lets people know where your line is and what happens when they cross it.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– 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!

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When your people are on vacation, do you respect their time off?

December 25, 2014/0 Comments/in Balanced Lifestyle, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: When your team members are on vacation, how good are you about respecting their time off?

– I don’t contact them unless there’s an emergency: 88.36%
– I contact them when I need important things from them: 9.28%
– I contact them frequently and leave it to them to respond: 1.55%
– I contact them constantly and expect timely responses: 0.81%

Gone fishin’. Time off is just that, and bravo to the overwhelming majority of you for recognizing the fact that your people need their R&R. We operate under enough stress as it is. Robbing people of the little peace they’re afforded on the occasional vacation borders on criminal. Not only does doing so deprive them of time to recharge their batteries, but it also adds stress because you’re likely causing conflict between the demands of their work and their desire to spend time with friends, family or just enjoying some quiet. Before you send that “urgent” e-mail to someone on vacation, ask whether it’s really all that important.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– 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!

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What’s your opinion of people showing emotions and crying at work?

December 18, 2014/2 Comments/in Communications, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: What’s your opinion of people showing their emotions and crying in the workplace?

– It’s acceptable as long as it’s not affecting performance: 17.72%
– It’s OK sometimes but only in extreme circumstances: 61.13%
– It’s not OK and can seem disruptive and unprofessional: 17.97%
– It’s completely wrong — keep your feelings to yourself: 3.19%

Empathy matters. Eighty percent of you understand and accept crying and emotions related to it as a natural part of the human experience. Furthermore, that realization and your acceptance of it in the workplace (as long as it doesn’t affect performance or disrupt the organization) is laudable. Too often we seem to try to segregate emotions from business. That’s impossible to do, given that business is composed of humans who run through thousands of emotions a week. If you’re not open to understanding and empathizing with the feelings of others, you might want to reconsider your desire to lead people.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– 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!

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How candid are you with job applicants when they don’t get the job?

December 11, 2014/0 Comments/in Career, Communications, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How candid are you with job applicants when they don’t get the job?

– I’m completely honest with candidates as to the reason they didn’t get the role: 25.44%

– I’m straightforward but a little vague when I tell them the reason they didn’t get the role: 48.6%

– I’m evasive when I tell them the reason they didn’t get the role: 7.02%

– I let Recruiting break the bad news and explain the reason they didn’t get the role: 18.95%

Can we be a little more direct? It’s hard to stomach that 75% of people who interview and don’t get the job really don’t know the reason they weren’t selected. As difficult as it might be to tell them the reason they didn’t get it (poor interview performance, a better candidate, lack of training, etc.), put yourself in their shoes. All they know is they didn’t get it, and they’re wondering how they can perform better next time. We’re all tired of hearing about unemployment numbers — how about we try leading those seeking a job, too? Otherwise, they’re left to their own devices and to reading blog posts about the real reason they didn’t get the job.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– 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!

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How good of an example of living a balanced life are you?

December 4, 2014/1 Comment/in Balanced Lifestyle, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How good of an example of living a balanced life are you for your team?

– I’m a perfect example. My life is very much in balance: 13.61%

– I’m a good example. I’m mostly in balance but sometimes work too hard: 37.58%

– I’m a fair example. Sometimes I’m in balance but not as often as I’d like: 29.48%

– I’m a weak example. I’m out of balance most of the time: 12.53%

– I’m a terrible example. I’m never in balance and work consumes me: 6.80%

Half in balance. Living a balanced life is important both for you and for your team. For you, managing stress and balance in a fast-paced global economy is tough, but if you don’t, you’ll burn out and be worthless. More importantly, your team takes their cues from you on how hard they should be working. It’s hard for them to reconcile you telling them to leave by 6 p.m. when they’re still getting e-mails from you at midnight. Sometimes you have to set a pointed example of what balance is because you might find, as I did in this particular scenario, taking time out for yourself sends a strong signal to your team as well.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– 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!

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