Category Archives: Effective Leader

Why You Should Write Down Team Objectives

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Great leaders reach their annual goals, meet or surpass quarterly objectives and insist on hitting weekly metrics.

Teams that show up and work hard will achieve a lot.  Teams that strive for specific objectives (outcomes) achieve more.

Yet, when I ask managers and employees to list the top three objectives for their teams, surprises bubble up.  I combine the individual lists and the result looks like a hundred-car pile-up.  Items fight with each other, general (often meaningless) statements emerge from the deep, and important outcomes disappear into the mist.  Literally no one agrees on the priorities.

Confusion abounds in spite of the fact that companies have systems for identifying, communicating and tracking objectives.

If you want to send a bat signal to your team, write down three objectives you want the team to achieve by quarter end.  List three measurable targets for each objective.  Communicate this list to your boss and employees.  Monthly, attach a symbol (green, yellow, red) to each objective to signal how the team is doing.  Discuss progress, or lack of, briefly in regular meetings.

To galvanize a team, members most know what defines success and they must receive timely feedback (scores) on how well, or poorly, they are doing.

Don’t Make the Same Mistake Twice!

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At a crucial point in the game, the coach yelled, “Take care of the ball!  We’ve had two fumbles already.  We don’t need another one.”  All players focus on “don’t fumble” and too often there is a fumble or another mistake.

Managers see repeated mistakes as something akin to the pneumonic plague and admonish the team with, “We are supposed to learn from our mistakes–not keep making them!”

To reduce repeated mistakes, consider three approaches.

One, shine the spotlight brightly on successes, no matter how small.  Start catching employees doing things right.  Cheer all improvements.  Managers who focus strongly on mistakes, like coaches who prioritize fumble avoidance, create tense environments which actually contribute to error-making.

Two, require checklists whenever appropriate.  Pilots who have successfully performed hundreds of take-offs and landings still complete checklists.  Why?  Checklists are proven devices for reducing mistakes.

Three, consider removing an employee from a task if, after training and experience, the employee continues making dumb mistakes.  All tasks, no matter how simple, require some degree of talent to be performed well.  Remember Shaquille O’Neil, after untold hours of practice, could not improve his free-throw shooting.

You Behavior at Holiday Parties Counts

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“I guess I should not have had that last drink,” Fred commented.  “But it was a party.  We were having a good time.  The vice president was in worse shape than I was.  I don’t think anyone will hold it against me.”

At the annual holiday party, Fred a front-line manager, had apparently told a couple of off-color jokes and sang a karaoke tune loudly and badly.  And that was after he spilled his food dish into the lap of one of his staff member’s spouses.

Like it or not, you are the leader twenty-four-seven.  Your behavior off-the-job, on the weekend, at the grocery store or during annual celebrations impacts your leadership.

Whenever and wherever you make a fool of yourself, descriptions of the incident will get back to your workplace; it may even be on YouTube.  And you can bet that all unprofessional behaviors will negatively impact your leadership effectiveness.

Do attend your company events and use the experience to enhance your leadership.  Initiate greetings with your staff and family members.  Make it a point to say something nice.  Visit with people from other departments.  Express your appreciation for their contributions.  Ask others about their personal interests.  Minimize the alcohol.

 

More Structure or More Freedom?

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“I believe in empowering my employees,” a manager said to me.

“What do you mean by ‘empowering’?”

“They know what we need to do.  I let them to do their thing. If they have questions, they know how to contact me.”

Another manager, taking a different approach, remarked, “I like to tell my team how I want tasks performed.  I use checklists, status reports, and deadlines as tools.”

“Do your people complain about micromanagement?”

“Not really, if they have suggestions they tell me and I listen.  I think they like to know what I expect.”

Recent management trends are clearly in the direction of the empowering, employee-freedom model.  Some companies even allow employees time to work on items of interest outside of their job responsibilities.

However, seventy-three percent of my workshop participants say that their organizations would benefit from more—not less—structure.  Suggestions for increasing structure include:  performance tracking, standardized processes and consistent application of policies.

High-performing employees tell me they like managers who tell them how they want things done and also listen to their suggestions for doing things differently.  Perhaps the key is to be both clear about what you want and open to employees’ ideas.

 

 

Employee Retention: Promotion versus Respect

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“With such a strong economy, it is getting harder for us to retain our good employees,” a manager said to me.  “It’s especially hard to keep younger talent.”

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“We are developing promotional paths for the people that we really want to keep.  We also try to keep our wages competitive.”

“Have you looked at your front-line managers?”

“What do you mean?”

“How do they relate to employees?  Do your managers treat employees respectfully?  Take a personal interest in them?  Seek their suggestions occasionally?  Show their appreciation?”

About two-thirds of the participants in our management workshops, when given a choice, say that opportunities for promotion are more important than employee-manager relationships.

However, research clearly tells us that the number one reason good employees quit is because they did not respect their managers.  It is true that many employees do get a pay increase when joining another company.

But as an employee said, “I did increase my pay but I just got fed up with my supervisor.  You could never please him and he had his favorites.”

Managers who develop professional relationships with their employees have much better retention records.

 

Leaders Show Up and Speak Up

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In describing his approach to problem-solving discussions, Felix said, “I like to sit back and listen to what others are thinking.”

“Not me,” countered Marilyn.  “I get my ideas on the table first and then I encourage others to challenge my views.  The give-and-take helps me clarify, and often improve, my suggestions.”

“Aren’t you afraid you will suppress others’ thoughts by speaking so quickly?” asked Flex.

Marilyn answered, “No.  I encourage others to chime in.  In short order, we get our adrenaline flowing with rapid-fire comments and counter points.  We get more creative suggestions.”

“I see it differently,” Felix said.  “I’m very cautious about putting forth suggestions.  I want my team to own the solution.  I don’t get that if I talk too much.”

Most of us can recall verbal colleagues who express views on everything–including topics they know nothing about.  These people do lose influence because they eventually expose their lack of preparation.

Still, leaders do talk more than most during meetings.  Managers overlook some very capable people because they are reluctant to express their opinions.  To increase your influence and your value to your company, prepare well for your next meeting then show up and speak up.

 

What Makes a Good Coach?

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Below are comments from employees in two different departments.

“Our manager, Gardner, is patient and always gives you a second chance.”

“He takes as much time as you need to help you work through things.”

“When we fall short, Gardner recognizes our challenges and encourages us.”

“Gardner is always there for you.  You can count on his support.”

Employees from the other department shook their heads and chimed in:

“Well, you know where you stand with Jasper but he is not too patient.”

“Jasper will show you how to do things and then he expects you to do them.”

“When Jasper praises you, you know you have earned it.”

“Jasper does not hold grudges, but if you violate policy you can expect a write-up.”

Good coaching, I think, is about achieving goals.  Good coaches set specific expectations.  They train and support their employees.  When employees falter, good coaches are quick to help but their interventions are usually brief and to the point.  While effective coaches relate well to their employees, they enforce the rules consistently and fairly.

Gardner, who is popular, may not get the most out of his team.  By contrast, Jasper is likely do what he has to do to get results.