‘The Times They Are A’ Changin’ … 9 Questions To Check If Your Team Is Ready

There is a proverb that teaches that living in interesting times is both a curse and a blessing.

Most of my clients are facing change or a looming disruption, such as the advent of autonomous and electric trucks in the motor transportation industry.

We, the leaders of organizations, invest inordinate amounts of time in looking over the horizon, divining the future and developing strategic plans to protect and defend our organization or to prepare to exploit the disruption for growth and success.

Leaders and their organizations fail to prepare their people for disruption and whatever its impact is on them, their careers, their families, and their dinner plates.

watch the article where I explore why people are afraid of change

Because the leadership has spent all that time thinking, considering, and envisaging the change, they feel like they are already living in that new place where cats sleep with dogs, it only rains at night, and it is just enough to keep the golf course green.

Our employees only see the change in the area of old maps labelled ‘There Be Dragons.’

How prepared is your organization?

Click the image to download this 9-question assessment to see if you are ready to change ….

If you are not scoring 4s and 5s across the board, your big plans are at risk of being eaten by the dragon.

I have seen battles lost, money squandered, and opportunities frittered away because we have not brought our people along.

 

Culture & Connection Resource List

I have compiled a list of videos, articles, and other resources for you to explore related to the human elements of how we come together to deliver on our strategic direction. As you immerse yourself in these resources, we invite you to reflect on the following questions:
  • What stood out for you? What lingered in your mind?
  • Where were you intrigued by what you heard? Where did you feel most challenged?
  • How did these videos challenge or affirm the way we work at CRNA?
  • What key learning are you taking away from this?

The Speed of Trust

The following resources relate to trust – what it is, how it works and how it influences our collective impact.
  1. Success (Video) – Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist and bestselling author who explores the science of motivation, generosity, original thinking, and rethinking.
  2. The Speed of Trust (Video) – Stephen R Covey is an American writer, public speaker, and author of the books: The SPEED of Trust, Smart Trust, and Trust & Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash the Greatness in Others.
  3. Turf, Trust, Co-Creation & Collective Impact (Paper) – Liz Weaver is Co-CEO and Director Learning Centre at the Tamarack Liz is passionate about the power and potential of communities to impact complex issues.)

Safe Workspaces

To build and maintain trust, we must feel safe speaking up, making mistakes, and being authentic at work. These resources explore safe workplaces – what is and isn’t a safe space, how we create them and why they are essential for us to build belonging and be exceptional in our work.
  1. How Do You Create Psychological Safety at Work? Interview with Amy Edmondson (video). Amy Edmondson is a scholar of leadership, teaming, and organizational learning and is widely known for her work on Psychological Safety in
  2. Why Is Psychological Safety Important In An Organization? (4 Building Blocks) (video). Chad Littlefield is the co-founder and Chief Experience Officer at We and Me, (www.weand.me)—an organization whose mission is to make real connections easy. Forbes calls Chad a “global expert on asking questions that build trust and connection in teams.”
  3. WorkLife with Adam Grant: Is it Safe to Speak Up at Work? | TED Talk (podcast). Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist and bestselling author who explores the science of motivation, generosity, original thinking and Rather not listen to it? You can read the transcript here: Is it Safe to Speak Up at Work? (Transcript) | WorkLife | Podcasts | TED
 

Building Strong Teams

We have learned about trust and about building safe workspaces as foundational pieces for effective teams. When we have faith and safety, we can realize the true potential of each other and our teams. The following resources invite us to think about and reflect on how diversity builds team capability, what it means to feel belonging, and how we can take a strengths-based approach for ourselves and others.
  1. The Power of Diverse Thinking | Matthew Syed (video) – Matthew Syed is an author, speaker and champion table tennis athlete focusing on high performance and the power of a growth Check out this blog article from Farnam Street: The Stormtrooper Problem: Why Thought Diversity Makes Us Better – Farnam Street (paper).
  2. Belonging, A Critical Piece of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | Carin Taylor | TEDxSonomaCounty (video) – Carin Taylor is the chief diversity officer at Workday and is a speaker, facilitator and coach in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and
  3. Strengths How Employees’ Strengths Make Your Company Stronger (article) – Gallup is a global analytics and consulting company focusing on people’s work experience.

Conflict Is A Good Thing

We have a strategic direction we are headed in, and there will be times when we have differing views on HOW to get there. We must have a healthy perspective and practice conflict to move through these times. Safe, trusting and inclusive teams are spaces where conflict is welcome and a part of how we work. Conflict is a part of work. It helps us find better ways of doing our job, learn from one another, and results in innovation.
  1. The Danger of Avoiding Conflict Patrick Lencioni (video) – Patrick Lencioni is the author of 13 books and a pioneer of the organizational health He consults in the areas of leadership, teamwork, and engagement.
  2. Finding Confidence in Conflict | Kwame Christian | TEDxDayton (video) – Kwame Christian is the founder of the American Negotiation Institute and the host of the number one negotiation podcast in the world, Negotiate
  3. What is Radical Candor? (video) – Kim Scott is the author of Radical Candour, whose insight on honest conversations brings a new perspective on communication.
 

Conversations – The hard & messy kind

These resources get into our human elements’ messiest and most challenging parts. Understanding trust, safety, belonging and why conflict is part of great teams is only one part of the equation. Another equally important factor is showing up with authenticity and challenging ourselves to find the best ways forward. Below are several resources from Brené Brown to give us insight into empathy, vulnerability and rumbling (hard conversations). We have also included her tools to support us in tangible ways to have hard conversations.
  1. Brené Brown on Empathy (video) – Brené Brown is an author and podcast host known for researching shame, vulnerability, and
  2. Lets Rumble – Brené Brown (article) – How to lean into vulnerability to have hard and messy
  3. Brené Brown: Curious How To Brave? Here’s What The Research Says (podcast) – how to be your most courageous self.
When you’re ready to have the conversation, here are some more helpful resources:
  1. Dare to Lead The Story Rumble Process: A Guide for Groups and Teams – Brené Brown
  2. Dare to Lead |The BRAVING Inventory – Brené Brown

First Time Leaders

All your hard work culminated in your appointment as a leader within your organization. Quite intentionally, your company has allowed you to move beyond being a ‘worker’ to get your arms around a more significant piece of the business, learn what it means to head up a unit and take your leadership skills to the next level. Watch out, however. The world is full of failed Site-Superintendents who were once great carpenters. Many rising stars trip when they shift from being a worker to leading and, for the first time, taking responsibility for Profit & Loss and oversight of others who used to be peers. It truly is different at the top. Transitioning from a worker to a leader, you will:
  • Move from in-depth knowledge to understanding the overall organizational picture.
  • Represent senior management decisions and policy.
To find the right balance between advocating for the team and advocating for senior management, you may find these articles helpful.
  1. 5 Secrets To Avoid A First-Time Manager’s Worst Mistakes
  2. 5 Questions You Should Ask Your Team Members Every Month 
  3. Why 75 Is The Single Most Important Number You Will Ever Need To Lead 
  4. Simple Shifts – Your Checklist To Being A Better Leader 
  5. Can You Name the 9 Essential Qualities of a Leader? 
  6. Steps to Leading in A Crisis: Don’t Be an Ass
 

10 Signs You Have A Scary Boss

According to the Gallup Organization, having a bad boss is the number one reason people quit their jobs.

Seen one lurking around your office lately?

Bad bosses can create all sorts of problems for their employers, causing employees to call in sick, become disengaged, and even quit their jobs. 

Here are 10 signs you may have a scary boss.

1. The stalker

One of the signs of a scary boss is when he stands behind you and watches what you’re doing–not just once or twice, throughout the day or worse when your boss calls you outside business hours.

2. Plays favourites

This boss has pet employees whose performance requirements are set much lower than everyone else–leaving it to the rest of the office to pick up the slack.

3. The dreaded late Friday meeting

Your boss asks to meet with you late Friday afternoon before you go home for the weekend. Scary how often people are fired on Friday afternoons.

4. Inexplicably incapable

A scary boss is one who doesn’t even know how to do his job and relies on you to cover for him.

5. Super stressed out

It’s scary when a project kicks into high gear or goes south, and the boss can’t handle the stress and begins barking orders and making everyone feel like they’re two years old.

Read about not being an Ass

6. NSFW conversations

There is nothing scarier than when a boss confides in you about his private life–inappropriate and embarrassing.

7. Never makes a mistake

A scary boss never admits when she’s wrong. Instead, you get excuses, or your boss turns the tables on you, and somehow you end up getting stuck with the blame.

8. Weakly wishy-washy

It’s scary when a boss tells you one thing in the morning and then completely changes direction by the afternoon. Triple scary when they claim you didn’t hear them correctly if, God forbid, you call them on it.

9. It’s my way or the highway

A scary boss thinks the only way to get something done is his or her way–any other way is completely unacceptable.

10. Never a kind word

A scary boss never has a kind word to say even when you work hard and succeed. Instead, your boss congratulates you with another ominous work assignment.

Read about being gracious.

Scared?

If some of these signs sound frighteningly familiar, it may be time to consider a new job.

 

 Written with credit to Inc.com

LEADING THROUGH SCARY TIMES

Who would have thought that a worldwide pandemic would be the least of our worries a few years ago?

The pandemic seems quaint now that Europe and the Middle East are on the verge of the Third World War.

We watch the news with fascination and horror over recent events and concerns.

I have spent time with clients, prospects, and friends, and most are deeply concerned by recent events. Many fear for their families, communities, lifestyles, and livelihoods.

In short, they are scared and living in scary times.

If you are a leader, you are responsible for dealing with scary times, for your conduct impacts not only those in your personal life but also employees.

What follows are several thoughts for leaders concerning yourself, your family, your company, and your community.

Leading Yourself through Scary Times

Your employees deserve better than you being an ass.

1)  Watch your stress – A contagious virus or an insurrection is undoubtedly something to take seriously. Nothing is gained, however, from adding stress and anxiety to the situation. It is a challenge dealing with these big hairy ugly problems that are entirely out of your control. Still, if individuals in leadership positions exhibit unnecessary anxiety or stress, one problem turns into two: the original problem and our stress level. It can be helpful to remember that few things are either as good or as bad as reported.

If you feel anxious, turn off the TV, Twitter or the radio, disconnect for a couple of hours from the relentless pounding of hyperbolic news and get outside. Distance and open space give perspective – something that is easily lost when caught up in the whirlwind.

2)  Take care of yourself – it is an excellent time to get some rest and make sure your health stays good. Eat well, exercise, and carve out some “you time” – this is not a selfish notion. It will help to ensure that your decision-making remains sound.

3)  Know that it will end – It is unhelpful to put a date on the calendar when you suspect things will be better because you have no control over that.

In the middle of crises, the world seems to shrink around us, and all we can see is the scary mess of the current situation. At those times, it is helpful to raise your chin just a bit, look out further, and remind yourself that time will move on and things will improve.  

Leading your Family through Scary Times

1) Don’t get too caught up in business – If you are a leader within your organization, you are rightfully concerned about your business and your employees. Attend to that, but don’t lose sight of your family. They may also be scared. Your kids need to see a parental role model who projects strength and calmness. Your significant other needs a full partner. You need not have all the answers – you need to be there – not just in body, but fully present with your heart, mind and ears.

2)  Be Together – Scary things can sometimes make us reassess what is important in our lives. We can often get great strength from our family and friends – and we should openly turn to them at times of stress. 

Read about being exceedingly human.

Leading your Company through Scary Times

1)  Opportunity #1 – I recently talked with a good CEO who noted that as his company has been reacting to the rapidly changing operational landscape for their business, they have come up with some ideas that should have been implemented earlier. Adversity sometimes gives us the kick in the rear needed to make changes we should have made long ago.

2)  Opportunity #2 – If you are in a leadership position, make sure to note those staff members who show up ready to help when you need it most. It is a chance to identify your real Stars – the people you want to invest in.

3)  Opportunity #3 – Do your best to treat your staff well through this difficult period. The company is under stress, but so are your employees and their families – they are scared too. You are on stage right now. Your employees are watching how you respond. Thoughtful acts of kindness and understanding will be magnified and remembered – so act accordingly.

4)  Opportunity #4 – This is a hard one, but accept there will be a financial hit. That is how the world works: things go up and down. When customers are being hit with adversity and are fearful, be as generous as you can with customers under stress. When you respond to their needs with understanding and kindness, you are taking the opportunity to improve your business relationship toward more of a full partnership. 

5)  Be the Chief Reminder Officer – More is better regarding communication. In the present situation, many will be working remotely for the first time. Don’t worry if your communication is repetitive – repetition can be reassuring. It is also okay to share concerns – your employees are not children and can deal with reality. If you fail to communicate, their imagination will fill in the gaps with fears worse than reality.

Read about being the CRO

Closing Thoughts

Watch for Emotional contagion – There is a psychological phenomenon called emotional contagion that can infect a group, a business, a town, and even a nation. It refers to a human tendency to mirror or take on the emotions of those with whom we interact. It is particularly evident when the emotion being spread is fear – and as mentioned above, fear is the emotion that negatively impacts decision-making, which is one of the most important things a leader must do. 

Humans are drawn to drama, and the pessimists among us seem odd to enjoy being on stage – those two factors make for a bad combination. You can help to stop the spread of emotional contagion  by:

  1. Being mindful of the phenomenon so you can resist it,
  2. not constantly reading the latest “news” on the concerning situation at hand from such questionable sources as your inbox, Facebook, and Twitter,
  3. staying informed, but only at reasonable intervals and exclusively from reliable sources,
  4. stop making every conversation in your day about the frightening topic,
  5. actively reminding yourself and others of the blessings all around, and
  6. graciously accepting what you can and cannot control.

You, my friends, will successfully come through this and even thrive if you focus on taking care of yourself, your family, your business, and your community.

And remember the great Canadian philosopher, Red Green, advice:

How to Motivate People When Pay is Off the Table

How to Motivate People When Pay is Off the Table

An interesting theme ran through several conversations I had over the past few weeks. People are frustrated in volunteer roles. Non-profit leaders can’t figure out how to engage volunteers. They want to know how to motivate people, which can be especially tricky in situations where pay isn’t involved. In this case, for volunteers.

Interestingly, the frustrated volunteers were exactly the type of people the other group was looking for.

After spending a significant amount of time in the non-profit sector and working with military reservists and cadets, I saw several very comprehensive programs established to lead volunteers effectively. Quite frankly, those efforts kept those who didn’t know how to lead employed and gave consultants a decent revenue stream.

(While you’re here, don’t miss this post next: Can You Name the 9 Essential Qualities of a Leader?)

Leading Volunteers vs. Employees

In my opinion, the only difference between leading a volunteer and leading employees is a system of compensation.

I recall a staff meeting when a manager started complaining about volunteers who were given tasks, and when that staff person checked in after a couple of months, the work was not done to her satisfaction. I spoke up and asked, “what would you do if one of your paid supervisors left another employee for months with poorly defined tasks and then got angry when it wasn’t done right?”

The response … “I would discipline them!” Really! The only problem I had was to figure out if this person was the pot or the kettle.

A terrific friend of mine who is a very accomplished businessperson and a community leader of the highest order related to me was asked to participate in a membership drive.

At the inaugural committee meeting, a consultant sat everyone down. Next, they instructed all of the volunteers on what they must do as part of the committee. These volunteers are all very accomplished in their own right. For them, being treated like five-year-olds must be very off-putting.

How would you respond if this was your boss talking to you like that? Let alone how you might respond
as a volunteer.

(Do you have volunteers working alongside paid staff? Then take a look at this post next)

I served with volunteers who, when given authority, and responsibility, and were held to account, led the responses to some of the most complex disasters of our time. I saw reservists (when treated like the professional soldiers they were) accomplish superhuman tasks.

How to Motivate People When Pay Isn’t on the Table

If you want to know how to motivate people, paid or not, it might take going back to basics. Consider what motivates you, other than money, and imagine those same things motivate your volunteers.

Here are some ideas.

Whether paid or unpaid, people want to:

  • Have honourable and engaging work to do
  • Receive clear expectations
  • Feel they are part of something bigger than they are
  • Be employed at or above their current capacity
  • Get respect and appreciation

Could you use a little more guidance with motivating and leading your team? We should talk. Click here to read about my one-on-one coaching and get in touch.

Did you learn a lot about how to motivate people in this post?

Here are three more to read next:

This post was first published in 2017, but it was updated in 2021 just for you.

8 Strategies To Improve Your Virtual and Remote Workplace

Creating a better workplace is hard.

Creating a better workplace virtually is the same as in person, but 8 times as hard

Consider doubling down on these eight strategies to improve your virtual and remote workplace:

  • Make the conversation as “rich” as possible.

People often think first about using webcams. Of course, they add richness by allowing you to see facial expressions, body language and the like.

But richness also considers the ability to share documents, so you are both looking at the same data and information and making the conversation a legitimate 2-way conversation in real-time.

  • When coaching, follow a process. 

Many of us use a model for our coaching conversations to guide our discussions, we may also take notes. The same is true online.

Make sure the person knows what you’re doing so that when your eyes drift off-camera to check your list, or if they hear your fingers on a keyboard. Let them know that it is in service to your coaching conversation, and not a distraction.

  • Start conversations with, “So, what do you have?”

Too often we start with what’s on our list, then ask the employee, “So, what do you have?”

By finding out what is top of mind for the other person, you can address what’s most important or most concerning to them.

You need to do everything possible to reinforce the idea that this is about them, not you.

The secret of asking ‘And Waht Esle?”

  • Stick to schedules and time frames.

When working remotely, time with the boss is precious and your people look forward to having your attention more than you might think.

When you are constantly rescheduling or keeping an eye on the clock, it sends the message that this coaching time isn’t as important as other duties. What might seem like no big deal to you can send a powerful message about your priorities and where they fit in that list.

  • Create more pathways

One of the biggest mistakes made in communicating virtually across an organization is assuming that since you have said it, it has been communicated.

Creating more pathways means having more ways and methods of sharing messages. Townhall-type sessions have a limited value. Emails and slide decks are never enough. Cascading communication is helpful but can lose clarity.

The solution isn’t finding one communication pathway but using more of them more often.

  • Allow more feedback loops

Even one-on-one communication is hard without a feedback loop.

While we know that, we don’t often create the sort of feedback loops we need in an organization.

Do people have ways of asking meaningful questions? If they do, are they used (and are the questions answered)? Make sure people at all levels have more chances and ways to ask a question, share a concern or make a point and feel safe in doing so.

  • Communicate more frequently

Once is never enough.

Organizations create ad campaigns knowing that messages need to be repeated, but often shy away from repeating internal messages often enough. Research shows that a message needs to be heard at least seven times to be assimilated.

Leaders must become the CRO (Chief Reminder Officer) and communicate their most important messages over and over and create an overarching message that is part of all communications.

Read more about the CRO role

  • Reduce the risk of assumptions

Leaders often make assumptions about their audience.

Like your people understand the strategies you are talking about, they know the competitive forces in the same way you do, and generally assume people see and think about things the same way you do.

You can reduce assumptions by spending more time on the front line. Go work in the store, answer the phones, and ask people what they see. The better you understand the perspectives of everyone in the organization, the fewer assumptions you will make, and your communication will resonate better with your audience.

Final Thoughts

Communication is only effective when both the sender and receiver are active in the process.

Encourage your audience to be better informed and aware, ask more questions, share opinions, and listen thoughtfully and make sure you are listening carefully and thoughtfully.

Work hard to understand what your people are saying without judgment.

When you do these things, you are doing your part to improve organizational communication.

 

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