Peter Barron Stark Companies » Leading Change

Keep Yourself Uncomfortable

Peter Stark — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:29:59 +0000

Change Brings Discomfort – Even to Leaders

I have a challenge for you today. Take your watch off the wrist on which you normally wear it, place it on the other arm and leave it there for the rest of the day. How does this feel? Count how many times during the day you look at the arm where you normally wear your watch, only to find that it is no longer there. Even this most simple of changes is uncomfortable to fully incorporate into your life. Since you’re reading this, you probably realize how difficult change can be on a scale much larger than wrist watches.

Change is not possible without discomfort, and because of this, great leaders keep their people uncomfortable. The most successful leaders also keep themselves uncomfortable. It is the job of the leader to improve the condition of their organization or the causes for which they are working. Improving something means creating change. Whether it is improving a process, implementing a new idea, lowering costs, improving quality or taking customer service to a level that challenges just about everyone in the organization, change is uncomfortable.

Before leaders can be successful at improving organizations, they must first take a look at themselves and identify ways in which they must change. The following 6 tips will help you become more comfortable with the discomfort caused by realizing that in order to lead change, you must first be able to change yourself.

Crystallize your positive vision. Because you see yourself as someone who is able to lead others through change, it only makes sense that you will be leading the way in implementing the change. Also, when you have a positive vision, it will overcome the obstacles and hurdles that present themselves along the way.
Set goals. A goal is something you want to improve or accomplish, preferably written with a specific timeframe. To accomplish goals, you have to change the way in which you currently spend your time, energy and resources. This is why most diets fail. Most people are not willing to do things differently over an extended period of time because they don’t have the vision and are not willing to deal with how uncomfortable the change is to incorporate permanently into their life.
Think possibilities. Any time you think about a situation and resolve, “There is nothing more I can do,” you limit your ability to change and carve out a way to keep yourself comfortable. Instead, ask yourself something like, “What could I do to help our team take the level of service to a place that would WOW our clients?” This opens up a lot more possibilities which can create positive change.
Get excited and move. The average life expectancy for men is 75.7 and for women it is 80.8 years. Most people do not like thinking about their own death but when you realize that you are on this Earth for a limited time and the countdown is on, it makes you want to implement actions a little quicker, including accomplishing the goals on your bucket list.
Acknowledge your weakness. Everyone is really strong at something. Some can sell, others can build businesses and still others are outstanding at managing a process or efficiently completing tasks. But, everyone has weaknesses that hold them back from rising to their full potential. Understand your weaknesses and challenge yourself by pushing past them. If we only did things that we are comfortable with, we would never grow. Discomfort equals growth. When it comes to implementing change, it almost always means there is going to be a conflict somewhere… because change is uncomfortable. If you are not comfortable resolving conflict and working on your weaknesses, you won’t reach your potential. What is your weakness?
Celebrate your successes. When you incorporate new changes into your life, some are going to work successfully and some will miss the mark. Keep a list of the successful changes you make in your life, and the goals you have achieved in a place for quick reference. You are not going to be remembered in this life by the number of times that you fail, but by the number of times you succeed. Focus on your strengths and celebrate your successes.

It is difficult to get others to change if you, the leader, don’t first personally change. By following these six tips, you will find it is easier to lead others through the uncomfortable parts of change because you are the role model for what you are asking others to do.

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Peter Barron Stark Companies is a nationally recognized management consulting firm that specializes in employee opinion surveys, executive coaching, and leadership and employee training. Send Peter Barron Stark Companies an email at info@peterstark.com for more information about how we can help you create an organization where your employees love to come to work and your customers love to do business.

The Beauty of Failure

Peter Stark — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:30:37 +0000

Sometimes, despite your best effort, things just don’t go as planned. You experience challenges, setbacks and outright failures. You look back at your life and begin to count the few failures, losing sight of your many successes. What you forget is that so many success stories have resulted from failure to accept failure as an end result. If everyone gave up at their first failure, no one would learn how to ride a bike, read or tie their shoes. Accomplished people realize that failure is just a part of the path to success. Here are few examples of famous individuals who had a taste of failure before succeeding:

J.K Rowling, famed author of the Harry Potter series was penniless, recently divorced, and a single parent when she was writing her first manuscript – on a manual typewriter. After twelve rejections, a publisher agreed to publish the book, but recommended that J.K. keep her day job, as there was no money in children’s books. When speaking to Harvard’s graduating class in 2008, she said, “You might never fail on the scale I did, but it is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case you fail by default.”
Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was four. His teachers described him as mentally handicapped, slow and anti-social. He was expelled from school and refused entrance to the Zurich Polytechnic School. He may have been a slow starter, but he ended up winning the Nobel Prize and changing modern physics forever.
Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because he lacked imagination. He went on to start a number of businesses that all failed, ending in bankruptcy. Not to be deterred, he kept his vision of a place where young and old could enjoy a land of delight and enchantment, despite being turned down hundreds of times for loans to finance Disneyland. He persevered, despite a succession of early failures, and the rest is history.
Orville and Wilbur Wright started a bicycle shop and began experimenting with flight. After years of hard work, experimentation and hundreds of crashes and failed prototypes, they finally created a plane that could get airborne and fly.
Michael Jordan, who might be the best basketball player of all time was cut from his high school basketball team. On the topic of failure, Michael Jordan has said, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to make the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over again in my life. And this is why I succeed.”

All these talented contributors who so positively changed our lives, had the same thing in common – persistence and the undying belief that through their failures they would ultimately achieve success.

The fear of failure is a profound force limiting many people from reaching their full potential. Of course, there are valid reasons for fearing failure. We live in uncertain times: We are still reeling from the recession; markets are unpredictable; job security is a thing of the past and countless other worries tell us to “play it safe.” But, playing it safe, while insulating you from failure, will surely limit your potential for success. Yet to fail big, like all of our previously listed heroes, is the hallmark of success. To maximize your potential for success, read on for some tips on how to overcome your fear of failure:

Put Things into Perspective: Despite caution and best efforts, failure sometimes happens. Don’t dwell on the past and what happened. Will it matter a week from now, a month from now, next year? Acknowledge that failure is part of the learning curve and look forward, not backward. Looking back and dwelling on your failure sucks your energy. Instead, look forward to what will be and figure out what you will do differently to create a successful outcome. It’s the looking forward and taking action what will energize you and beat back your fear of failure, which is immobilizing.
Identify what You Learned and Take Action: Every failure is an opportunity to learn, even if it is just to identify what doesn’t work. Ask yourself, “What did I learn?” and “What should I do differently next time?” Don’t be afraid to try again. Quitting and accepting the failure will not only prevent you from reaching your goal or dream, it will demoralize you, limiting your ability to take risks in the future. Instead, keep wrestling with the problem. Each time you tackle it in the future, you’ll learn more. Try a different approach. Take baby steps, but keep on trying.
Research Alternatives: It’s often not fear of failure that limits our potential, but fear of the unknown. We procrastinate taking action because of all the “what ifs.” Get rid of the unknown. It’s never been easier to do research and identify your alternatives. Play out a “worst case” scenario and identify the pros and cons of each solution or approach. Have a contingency plan. That way, when things don’t go well, you can say, “I thought that might happen. Here’s what I’ll try next.” As you research alternatives, you will find that while some of your fears may be valid, some may actually not be that rational. Knock down the fear by filling the unknown void with facts.
Hang Out with Positive People: To up your chances of success and increase your tolerance for failure, hang out with successful people and find out their secrets for success. Most will tell you that they didn’t become overnight successes; that their success was the result of persistence, hard work and picking themselves again and again after multiple failures. Most successful people will share freely and can be a great source of support and inspiration for you.
Remain Optimistic: Create a positive, compelling vision, get excited and then go for what you want. Don’t miss opportunities and reaching your full potential because of being held back by fear of failure. Reflect on all your past successes and believe in yourself. Tell yourself, “I can do this” and then be steadfast in taking actions that will get you closer to your goal. Keep your eye on the target and understand that achieving great success is usually the end product of surviving equally spectacular failure.

Life is short. You don’t get many opportunities for “do overs.” As we start the new year, don’t let fear of failure limit your full potential for success. Seize the moment to create all the success you deserve in life. We will be cheering you on from the sidelines!

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Transparent Leadership

Peter Stark — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:00:39 +0000

Basic to leaders gaining followership are two critical leadership components: humility and transparency.

When you think of humility as a leadership attribute, it can connote a lack of toughness and resolve. You many think of a humble leader as a weak leader. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Humble leaders set their ego aside to best serve the good of the team. They are assertive, but not aggressive. They are confident, but not arrogant. They admit their faults and freely acknowledge that they don’t know it all. Consistently, they have the ability to set aside their ego and self-aggrandizement in the best interests for the success of the team, rather than the promotion of themselves.

Humble leaders lead with an unpretentious, outer focus. Over time, they find themselves surrounded by followers who clearly align themselves with the leader and contribute freely for the good of the team. These humble leaders are role models for we and not me or I.

Being transparent is at the heart of building trust with others. Transparent leadership has many definitions. The one that works best for us is that transparency is a process by which leaders consistently behave in a way that is predictable. No surprises. They are who they are, all the time. They walk their talk. This means they are candid, honest and genuinely express their thoughts and opinions. They are consistent. The message doesn’t change, depending on the audience. They tell the truth, and when they can’t divulge information, they let people know why they can’t disclose the information at that time. They keep commitments. They handle their own defeats well, owning them and not blaming others. They ask good questions, listen to the answers and remain open to new ideas. They value the feedback of others and are prone to ask, “How am I doing?” or, “What could I do to better support you?”

Humility and transparency are not just social niceties, but are essential to the foundation of leadership. Humble, transparent leaders are able to achieve great results because, over time, they have built solid relationships based on their integrity and character. They are trusted and easy to follow, allowing them to achieve their goals, if not change the world.

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The Great College Myth

Peter Stark — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:00:40 +0000

You Don’t Always Need a Formal Education to be a Success

Throughout your primary education, how many times were you told that your success in life, or in business at the very least, was tied to going to college? 10? 50? Lost track? Us too. Looking at unemployment statistics, we see that as of July 2011, the unemployment rate for High School graduates was at 9.5%, while the unemployment rate for those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was 4.4%. These figures speak about the importance of a higher education, but don’t necessarily prove that higher education is a prerequisite for great success.

Would you say that Steve Jobs, Rachel Ray, Richard Bronson, Glenn Beck, Mark Zuckerberg, Coco Chanel, Jay Van Andel and Joel Osteen are succesful? Each of the people above has achieved great success in their career without ever graduating from college. And they certainly are not counted in the unemployment rate.

I am not one to put down a formal education. For thirteen years, I taught at San Diego State University in the College of Extended Studies. To this day, I highly recommend a formal education. It is my hope that each of my three children will achieve a higher education. It is important to note that the success stories that are listed above are exceptions and not the norm. There are a lot of professionals who cannot even open a door without the highest grades from a top-rated university. If you want to be a pediatric thoracic surgeon…start studying now and be willing to work hard, be paid little in the beginning of your career and rack up huge student loans for years to come.

But, more than ever today, people can no longer use the excuse they do not have a college degree as their reason for not achieving great success. In fact, many people who hold a college degree today find themselves in the unemployment line.

Whether you have a college degree or not, here is what you need for success:

Belief in Yourself: All of these success stories had a compelling positive vision that they not only could make it in this world, but also a vision that they could make a significance difference in this world.
Hard Work: To accomplish anything great, it takes hard work. If it was easy, everyone would accomplish the same thing and no one would say, “Wow, that was great.”
Time to Think: To accomplish anything great, you need to be able to carve out time to think. I recently interviewed one of the top ten cardiologists in the nation. When I asked him how he receives this great reputation, he replied, “Early in my career, I spent a lot of time writing papers and speaking at conferences to build my reputation. The problem with today’s medical reimbursement system is that I need to spend 70 hours a week in the operating room and I no longer have the time to think.” To create anything great, we need time to think about solutions to problems that others have ignored or deemed unsolvable.
Accountability: Successful people don’t blame their place in life on others, but rather take accountability to learn what they need to know and then take the actions to make their success happen. I will never forget a wonderful statistics professor in my MBA program, Dr. Milton Chen, who told me after I failed a test, “If you get an A in this class, you will end up teaching statistics. If you get a B or C in this class, you will end up becoming an entrepreneur and own your own company.” He looked at my test and asked, “What business are you going to start?” It was my first lesson that a formal education does not have to be your reason for not creating great success in this life.
Willingness to Outlearn the Competition: In today’s world, anything you need to learn, including an MIT education, can be found for free online: all it takes is just a few keystrokes. As fast as new knowledge is generated in our universe, it is important to note that universities will be behind the learning curve. If you realize this and put this concept into action, you can outlearn universities and your competitors.
Ability to Spot New Trends: You can either work in a declining industry like the United States Postal Service or you can align your skills and knowledge to an industry or job that is just beginning to blossom. Which track are you on?
Be Highly Motivated by Obstacles: Along the path to accomplishment, successful people will be, and have been, told, “No,” or, “It can’t be done,” many times. For whatever reason, successful people are born with a switch in their brain that makes them go into full gear, watch me mode, when told something is impossible. These are the people who are motivated to do today what others refuse or overlook, and enjoy success tomorrow that the others will not.
Associate with the Right People: You can have a great vision and be highly motivated to overcome obstacles, but if you don’t hire the right people for your team, your ability to accomplish great things will be inhibited. Some people feel it is their mission in life to tell others what can’t be done. Don’t put yourself around people like this. You need to surround yourself and listen to the people who will encourage you and help you figure out how to get things done.
Produce Significant Results: Degree or no degree, it’s hard to argue with great results. Results speak multiple languages. If you don’t produce results, people can always point to your lack of a degree. When you produce significant results, no one will ever mention your lack of a formal education as the reason you achieve superior results.

These points make it sound so simple, but if it really were that simple, the number of successful entrepreneurs would be infinite. Tenacity is always consistently evident in these self-taught, highly successful people. The lesson they have to teach us is: work hard, tackle big problems, never stop learning and surround yourself with smart people. A college degree is not always a prerequisite for success in today’s world.

Image courtesy Jeff Foust, flickr.

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Getting Leadership Buy-In

Peter Stark — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:00:10 +0000

How to Get Leaders on Board with a Change

There is no such thing as organizational change. Organizations don’t change. The only thing that does change in an organization are the people within it: when enough people have bought into the change, we then see the changes happening.

Any change that impacts our life is uncomfortable. If you don’t believe that, just move your watch for one day to the opposite arm. Most of us like the comfort of predictability. When organizational change impacts us personally, it rocks our status quo. If given a choice, we’d typically rather keep on doing it the way we’ve always done it.

How do organizations successfully lead organizational change? They don’t, until their leaders champion the change. Organizational leaders have the power to lead the change, or sabotage it. Employees grow immune to the flavor of the month when it comes to accepting change and will look closely at their leaders to see if they are walking the talk when it comes to buying into the change being mandated.

The following tips will help ensure that your organization’s leaders are role models for leading the change being proposed.

Sell Problems
As you roll out the change, give the why behind the need for the change. Sell the problem that is resulting in the need for change. Rather than saying, “We need to give a service guarantee because all our competitors do it,” say instead, “Our competitors are advertising that they will complete the entire process on the same day or the service is free. If our competitors have a service guarantee and we do not, is it possible that our customers will migrate to our competitors? Do you see that as a problem?”
Communicate a Clear Vision and Goals
Multiple times, in multiple formats, communicate to every leader and employee the desired outcome is, as well as what the goals and milestones are to fully implementing the change. Your communication should leave no room for fabricating facts, cloudy visions or unclear goals.
Clarify Actions
Once the problem has been analyzed and the root cause determined, design actions to address the problem, assign who is responsible for those actions and specify when the actions will occur.
Hold Leaders Accountable
The successful implementation of any change is tied directly to the leader. Leaders need to be on-board with the change, even if they personally don’t think it is best for the organization. It’s okay for them to communicate their concerns to their boss, but once the boss and the senior management team has decided on the change, these leaders have the responsibility to make the change happen. Once a clear course of action has been identified, individual leaders need to be held accountable for taking ownership for positively driving the change within their area of influence.
Demonstrate Support for the “First Team”
When it comes to leadership support of change efforts, there is no middle ground. Leaders need to be positive, both verbally and non-verbally, in their support of the change. They need to demonstrate their commitment to the success of, not only the change, but support of the leaders above them who are driving the change. They need to be supportive of the goals that the leadership team decides are best for the organization.

If they don’t support the change, and are vocal about their opposition, they’re sabotaging the change effort. In today’s competitive market, there is no excuse for stonewalling a change effort, unless of course a leader can’t ethically support the change.

If you, yourself are ever asked to support a change that is in direct violation of your values, it would be best that you look for another job where your values are more in alignment with the new organization. Until then, be a role model for others by embracing the change, regardless of whether it was initiated by you or another leader in your organization. Your positive vision of the outcome will be contagious.

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Reinvent or Die

Peter Stark — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:57:11 +0000

Globalization, dazzling advances in technology and increased customer demands drive organizational change. To remain competitive, your organization and its people must be willing to adapt, or even completely reinvent, to stay relevant.

As opposed to waiting for the market to force you or your organization to change, why not try leading the change?

For inspiration, keep the following case studies in mind. For over 150 years, these companies have survived a dynamic, competitive market, the ups and downs of business cycles and the whimsical nature of customers. In an economy of constant change, they’ve figured out where they need to be next and how to get there.

In 1850, American Express began as an express mover of goods, securities and currency throughout New York state. Realizing that it was difficult for people to obtain cash outside of their immediate banking area, American Express introduced large scale travelers’ checks in 1891, and, in 1958, began issuing travel charge cards.

The first cards were merely pieces of paper with the cardholder’s name and account number printed on them. Noticing the increasing profits from the charge cards, American Express introduced the Gold Card (1966) and the Platinum Card (1984) to targeted audiences who were willing to pay fees for the premium service associated with the cards.

While American Express completely changed their strategic direction to stay relevant, Levi Strauss & Co’s strategic direction has stayed relatively the same over the past 150 years. The key to Levi Strauss & Co’s success was that their product’s marketing, positioning and fashion sense has been almost intuitive, keeping their denim flying off store mannequins long after Mr. Strauss ran the company.

Levi Strauss began producing denim overalls in the 1870’s, then created jeans designed for cowboys, lumberjacks and rail workers in the 1920’s. This jean design was eventually adapted to attract the greasers of the 1950’s and a great portion of the world has not dreamed of parting with their Levi’s since.

Despite facing stiff competition from overseas and a decade of declining sales, Levi’s jeans are still a strong presence in the world market. Although Levi Strauss & Co claims that their popular “Shrink-to-fit 501s” are still made from the original, unaltered design, they have clearly figured out how to stay in existence through decades of fashion and competitive market conditions.

Another company that is a regular part of consumer’s lives more than a century after it was founded is Macy’s, which opened in Massachusetts in 1843. Between 1843 and 1855, Rowland Hussey Macy opened four retail dry goods stores. They all failed, but he learned from his mistake: he was not operating in a prime location.

To rectify his past mistakes, Macy moved to New York City and established R.H. Macy Dry Goods on Sixth Avenue in 1858. It was there that Macy’s flourished through insightful business and marketing moves such as displaying themed exhibits, lighting window displays and offering customers a money back guarantee to ensure their satisfaction. It wasn’t until 1983 that Macy’s began opening stores outside of New York. In 1994 they merged with Federated Department Stores and in 2005, Macy’s acquired the May Department Stores, giving them a commanding presence in markets across America.

All three of these companies, along with other giants like McDonalds, Hewlett-Packard and IBM are classic examples of companies that have been able to reinvent themselves over and over again to ensure their survival.

Whether you are a CEO or a front-line employee, look to the future, challenge yourself to think beyond what’s working now, and anticipate what will be needed to ensure your company’s success and your job security.

In some cases, this may even mean eliminating a product line. For example, Nokia recently made the bold decision to eliminate the operating system that made them the leader in the cellular business and move to Microsoft Mobile Network.

In other cases, inventing an entirely new product which may have little to do with your original business may be necessary. This will require that you anticipate your competitor’s next move and respond in a way that is both timely and accurate to the market’s need.

Considering the pace of today’s market, you will need to think beyond today and accurately anticipate what will be needed to not only survive, but to thrive in the world that is constantly evolving. A daunting challenge? You’re right, but predicting the future and getting it right is what makes work so much fun.

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Employees and Social Media

Peter Stark — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:00:58 +0000

Navigating the Slippery Slope of Employees Using Social Media at Work and at Home

We live in interesting times, as evidenced by the provocative Tweet erroneously sent by Congressman Anthony Weiner recently. As high profile examples similar to this incident seem to be surfacing on a regular basis, they certainly highlight the power of social media.

Without a doubt, the Internet is the greatest technological innovation of the 20th century. It is an extraordinary tool, helping us find answers in a keystroke or two, increasing our efficiencies and productivity, and of course, connecting us to the world and potential markets.

Despite all its tremendous benefits, if not managed appropriately, the Internet’s strengths can quickly become an organization’s worst nightmare.

Recently, two Domino’s Pizza employees filmed a prank in the restaurant’s kitchen, then posted it on-line. While preparing sandwiches, they jokingly included foul ingredients that clearly violated health-code standards. In a few days, thanks to the power of social media, the clip was viewed more than a million times on YouTube, causing Domino’s Pizza a huge PR problem and earning the pranksters a felony charge.

A recent survey conducted by Robert Half Technology queried more than 1,400 CEOs of organizations with 100 or more employees. The CEOs were asked, “Which of the following most closely describes your company’s policy on visiting social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, while at work?” Their responses are listed below.

Policy	2011	2009
Prohibited completely	31%	54%
Permitted for business purposes only	51%	19%
Permitted for limited personal use	14%	16%
Permitted for any type of personal use	4%	10%
Don’t know the answer to the question	0%	1%

Evident in the survey findings is that fewer organizations are completely prohibiting the use of social networking sites and slightly more than half of the CEOs surveyed indicated that visiting these sites for business purposes is condoned.

John Reed, Executive Director of Robert Half Technology states, “Companies recognize the value of using social media for brand building, whether it’s marketing a product, offering customer service, gathering information, or simply listening to what fans and followers have to say.”

Most organizations today have Internet policies that provide a basic framework for guiding employees on the appropriate use of the Internet and social media.

At a minimum, typical Internet usage policies regulate or restrict how employees may use the Internet while on the job. The policy will spell out which particular online activities are allowed or prohibited. Typically, certain activities, such as buying or selling items online, downloading programs and applications, gambling, or playing games will be described as prohibited.

Policies may also specifically warn employees about sharing proprietary information, and require all requests from the media to be forwarded to a specific individual within the company. Many companies inform employees that the employer has the ability and legal right to “snoop” electronically to see where employees have gone on the Internet.

These policies continue to be refined as social media becomes an ever increasing part of our business world. However, at best, these policies have a difficult time covering the “gray areas.” As fast as the mediums develop and spread, it’s almost impossible to keep policies current and applicable to all potential misuses of the Internet.

In early February of 2011, the National Labor Relations Board and Dawnmarie Souza agreed to end a lawsuit which was the result of some derogatory remarks she made about her boss on Facebook. When she posted the comments, she was writing on her personal computer, at home, on her own time. Her employer, a Connecticut ambulance company, read the comments, deemed them to be “online badmouthing” and fired her.

Although the lawsuit was dismissed and the settlement undisclosed, it is indicative of challenges ahead for employers who struggle to interpret employees’ actions through policies that lag behind the real world.

We all know that we have freedom of speech, but what’s not so clear now is where we can exercise that right.

What is certain, though, is that regardless of policy, all of us need to realize that we are only as credible as our Google search results, and that our online reputations are at stake each time we post something online.

That’s why we like the advice given by Janet Kyle Altman, principle of Kaufman Rossin, Co., who says, “Don’t write or say anything, anywhere that you’d be ashamed to see on a billboard on the Interstate or on the front page of the newspaper.” Too bad Congressman Anthony Weiner didn’t think that through before he fired the Tweet seen around the world.

Social media should not be feared, it should be embraced – after all, no one wants to become a dinosaur – but it must be used in alignment with the organization’s mission. Those who use it to act in direct violation of what the company stands for should be held accountable.

The question is, how?

When it comes down to it, tainted tweets and putrid posts need to be handled on a case-by-case basis. Every organization is just as different as each of the individuals who fill the positions within that organization.

With this in mind, we leave you with these thoughts: know the laws in your area, create a social media/internet usage policy that best fits your organization and educate employees on what is and what is not appropriate.

What has been your experience with social networking and employees?

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Triumph Over an Unwanted Change

Peter Stark — Tue, 17 May 2011 15:00:50 +0000

This blog entry has been adapted from the May 2011 issue of The Quest for Leadership Excellence newsletter (sign up here)

“I don’t like change.”
How many times have each of us heard that statement? In reality, this statement is only partly true. It’s not so much the change that unnerves people, as it is the fear of the unknown. What will happen? What could go wrong? Some of us might remember as a kid hiding under the covers, thinking that there was a monster lurking under our bed. We remained terrified until a parent turned on the lights, checked things out, and reassured us that everything was going to be okay. The same sort of irrational fear often impacts the workplace. As the leader, you are the one who needs to show your employees that the change is nothing to fear. In fact, it could even be the best thing that ever happened to your team or for your organization. It’s also important to realize that as an individual, you may not always agree with every change your team is asked to carry out. However, as a leader you must get on board in order for your team to get buy in and accept the change.

Tasked with implementing a change that you might not be in agreement with is one of the most difficult challenges that leaders face. Perhaps a merger or acquisition occurred. Maybe you have begun working with a new boss. Almost always in these situations, leaders are required to implement significant changes to better align their team’s contribution to the organization.

When a leader needs to implement an unpopular change in their workgroup, one that their direct reports are not thrilled about executing, these 10 tips will help them successfully put the change into action.

Recognize the difference between agreement and support for the change. Initially, it is common for a leader to not be in agreement with an upcoming change. We have learned that it is alright for the leader to share their concerns about the change, as long as they communicate honestly with their team. What is not alright is for the leader to roadblock the change, either personally or though their direct reports. Honest communication is good. Outright or passive opposition will get the leader fired.
Create a positive vision for the implementation of the change. If the leader cannot visualize a positive vision for the implementation of the change, then there is no hope that the leader’s direct reports will see the change as positive. Even though you know the change will be challenging, envision a better, more positive outcome after the change has been implemented.
Promise problems. Most leaders want to tell people that the change is going to make everything better. A much better strategy is to tell your direct reports that with the implementation of this change, there will be a ton of problems…but what excites you is that if any team can figure out the problems and solve them…this team can.
Involve your direct reports in developing a plan. People don’t dislike change as much as they dislike being changed. Take the time to involve the people who will be responsible for implementing the change…even your most difficult or challenging employees.
Over-communicate. When it comes to big change, employees are famous for telling their leaders that because of the change…we are too busy to meet. It is a trick. In times of change, more communication, not less will help successfully implement the change.

Provide training. Training helps people learn new ways of doing things. But, it is important to remember that people who do not want to change, do not like to attend training about the change either. The earlier training can be provided in the change process, the better. Then follow-up the training with a shortened session where people can get their questions answered or learn advanced skills.
Focus on results. When it comes to significant change, leaders can get sidetracked and focus on how team members feel. The challenge is that most people do not feel excited and positive when they are being asked to make significant changes in how they do work or the amount of work we are asking them to do. To focus on morale is a mistake. Focus on the results you are trying to achieve by making the change. When people achieve positive results and the team is aligning to a world that is constantly evolving, morale will take care of itself.
Remember the “J” Curve. Whenever you make a change, remember that there is a good chance that things will get worse before they get better. It is what we refer to as riding the “J” curve of change.

When you begin to hold employees accountable for implementing a change, it is important to remember that morale and productivity may go down before it rises to a higher level. When you start implementing a change and hold employees accountable for the results, some employees may become resentful. We have all heard employees tell us that the old way was better.
Hold People Accountable. Don’t manage by “hope” that the challenging employee will change, or by dropping “hints” about the behavior that needs to occur. Hold team members accountable for making the change happen. Realistically describe the behavior or action you need accomplished. Provide recognition when it happens, but if it doesn’t, be clear about the consequences for not making the change.
Move Fast. All the research we have tells us that fast change is easier for an employee to deal with than slow change. Some organizations can implement a change in 24 hours. Other organizations take years to implement the same change. If you think employees enjoy slow change, than put a Band-Aid on the hairiest part of your arm and have someone pull it off…slowly, one hair at a time. Before long, you will want to yell at the individual, telling them to just yank if off. How much time do you have to implement your change and still remain the competitive force in the marketplace?

Being a great leader in search of the path that leads to workplace excellence is not for the faint of heart. Holding all employees accountable to clearly defined outcomes is hard work. With really difficult employees, it feels like a fight. Yet, implementing significant change and then holding onto the “J” for the entire ride takes you one step closer to creating workplace excellence.

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Successfully Lead an Innovative Culture

Peter Stark — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:27:56 +0000

How to Empower Employees While Ensuring that Everyone is on the Same Page

We recently worked with the VP of a financial institution who was challenged by the fact that one of his managers was constantly trying to change the ways of the bank. Although many banks have had to change radically over the last 36 months, historically, banks have not been well known for rapid change and innovation.

When we talked with the manager, we found out that he had come from a consulting firm that specialized in working with banks and he felt that all of the ideas he shared and wanted to implement were proven strategies that would improve the organization. The VP felt that the current processes and products were working well, customers were happy and, if ain’t broke, don’t break it.

On this project, we made several recommendations to both the VP and the manager. First, our recommendations for the VP:

Clear vision and goals: Collaborate with the manager and create a compelling positive vision with clear goals and/or results.
Promote and expect innovation: Encourage the manager to keep thinking of progressive and innovative ways to help improve his department and the organization. To not acknowledge, honor and put to use this direct report’s innovative ideas will be a fast slide to lower morale and disengagement.
Set clear priorities: Work with the manager to prioritize the new ideas and develop a realistic timeframe for implementation.

The manager was perceived as an obnoxious pain by both the VP as well as his peers and direct reports. When he told everyone how he handled something at his old consulting firm, everyone wanted to make a point, then ask him a question. The point they wanted to make is that the Bank everyone works at is very different than the consulting firm. The question everyone wanted to ask this manager was, “If this consulting firm was so good, why don’t you go back and work there?”

Our tips to help this manager become successful at sharing and implementing his innovative and progressive ideas are:

Honor the past: To say anything negative about how the organization currently does something is indirectly saying something negative about the people who implemented the current task or procedure. When you put down the organization’s past, you are only guaranteed to do one thing: upset the people who have worked at the organization longer than you have. You will be better off honoring the organization’s past, and then helping people build a bridge to the future.
Ask Questions: Ask a lot more questions to better understand the organization and what other team members perceive as the opportunities and challenges. Gain their perceptions of what can be done for improvement.
Sell people on the problem, not the solution: Ask people, if our competitors are offering this product or service and we don’t, is it possible our customers may consider switching banks? You will be much more successful selling people on your ideas by exploring the problem before you try to sell the solution.

With these six recommendations put into action, we feel confident the VP will be creating an environment where his direct reports are working hard to improve their areas of influence and the manager will have the skills to put their innovative ideas into action.

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3 Keys to Clearly Communicating the Organizational Vision to Employees

Peter Stark — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:00:03 +0000

Make Sure that Your Vision is More than Just a Piece of Paper on the Wall

Employees may like reading a mystery, but they don’t like working in one. Heidi Grant Halvorson, writing for Fast Company, says it right when she says, “Make a point of saying exactly what you mean, and asking for exactly what you want, and you will be pleasantly surprised by how often you get it.” It is difficult, if not impossible, for employees to arrive at their destination if you, their boss, are not crystal clear in providing them the directions and road map detailing their journey.

In our twenty years of conducting employee opinion surveys, we have collected data from 100,000 employees and have noted significant variances between the Overall PBS Benchmark and the Best-of-the-Best PBS Benchmark-the top 25% percent of organizations surveyed. (Click here for more information on PBS Benchmarks)

One thing that has caught our attention over the years is that the Best-of-the-Best PBS Benchmark is significantly higher than the Overall PBS Benchmark in the communication category. Here’s what the Best-of-the-Best organizations do better:

First, leaders in the Best-of-the-Best organizations do a better job of telling employees about their vision for the future. They clearly define goals and ensure that each employee understands how their contributions help the leader and organization achieve the vision. Here’s how our two Benchmarks compare on the question regarding clarity of the organization’s goals and future direction:

Statement: “I am clear on my organization’s goals and future direction.”

Best-of-the-Best PBS Benchmark	91.5%*
Overall PBS Benchmark	76.5%
Best-of-the-Best exceed by	+15

*Percentages in the benchmarks are the number of employees who either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” in response to a statement in the survey.

Second, although most companies hold regularly scheduled management meetings, when the Best-of-the-Best leaders exit the meeting, they are significantly more likely to make sure they communicate important information to their employees:

Statement: “My supervisor/manager keeps us informed about our organization’s plans.”

Best-of-the-Best PBS Benchmark	88.3%
Overall PBS Benchmark	74.0%
Best-of-the-Best exceed by	+14.3

Finally, although vision is usually the responsibility of senior leaders, the challenge for senior leaders is that they will never be fully effective at getting the message down to the front line unless supported by managers and supervisors who place a high value on keeping their employees “in the loop.”

Statement: “Communication flows effectively from upper management to employees.”

Best-of-the-Best PBS Benchmark	70.3%
Overall PBS Benchmark	57.3%
Best-of-the-Best exceed by	+13

Here are three quick tips to get the right information to the right people at the right time:

Make sure the vision is more than a framed document hanging on the wall. Employees are more apt to act off what they see in the hall versus what they read on the wall. It’s not good enough for senior leaders to develop a powerful vision. They need to make sure that the vision is clearly communicated to every employee, along with the goals that will help bring the vision to life. When people are clear on their destination, and are given a map to get to the destination, as well as a tour guide communicating along the way, they will not only support the expedition, but usually will really enjoy the trip.
Place a high value on two-way communication. Get in the habit of actively seeking employees’ thoughts and opinions, especially prior to making decisions that impact their work. You’ll experience fewer surprises along with greater employee engagement and productivity if you consistently encourage your employees to think and provide their input to help you and your team make the best decisions possible. Look at the significant difference between responses to the following statement:

Statement: “Managers and supervisors in my organization seek the opinions and thoughts of the employees who work here.”

Best-of-the-Best PBS Benchmark 78.4%

Overall PBS Benchmark 62.6%

Best-of-the-Best exceed by +15.8
Over-communicate during periods of rapid change. Often, we communicate the vision and goals, then shortly after, change goals. Keeping pace in this interconnected, global market place requires change after change. Most employees understand that to be successful, plans need to change, often frequently. What they don’t like is being blindsided because they did not know that the plan had changed. Make it a high priority to provide timely updates when plans change.

Statement: “When good or bad things happen at my company, employees hear about it in a timely manner.”

Best-of-the-Best PBS Benchmark 81.6%

Overall PBS Benchmark 64.5%

Best-of-the-Best exceed by +17.1

Great leaders do a great job of communicating vision and values. Make it your personal responsibility to tell the right people, the right information, at the right time – all the time.

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Best-of-the-Best PBS Benchmark	78.4%
Overall PBS Benchmark	62.6%
Best-of-the-Best exceed by	+15.8

Best-of-the-Best PBS Benchmark	81.6%
Overall PBS Benchmark	64.5%
Best-of-the-Best exceed by	+17.1