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Is the latest management strategy a trend that will help your organization, or is it just a passing fad?

Seth Godin says it best: “You can’t stand out if you fit in all the way.”

Since we began our careers as consultants, we have watched leaders who feel like they have to follow the latest management trend, struggle to figure out how to apply it to their organization. While I admit that there are some good management trends that we can apply to our teams and organizations, it’s difficult to see the amount of resources that go into implementing the newest trends when they don’t seem to be benefiting the organization. Those resources could have been better spent in hiring the right people, inventing new products, improving the customer experience, shortening delivering times, lowering costs, increasing sales and improving profits.

What are some of the more well known management strategies that we have experienced?

• Quality Circles
• Management by Objectives (MBO)
• Management by Walking Around (MBWA)
• Total Quality Management
• Re-Engineering
• Lean Manufacturing
• One Minute Management
• Empowerment
• Accountability
• Competencies
• Six Sigma
• Learning Organization
• Peak Performance
• Right Sizing
• Employees Are Our Most Valued Asset
• Dilbert (We had to add one for the cynics)

Continue reading “Management Fads” »

The Coaching Discussion Model

On Tuesday, we shared some tips on how to address employee issues when they occur. Our goal was to help you get the employee to acknowledge inappropriate behaviors and come up with a plan for what he/she will do differently in the future. Today, we’ll give you some guidelines for addressing more challenging, reoccurring behaviors . . . issues that you have addressed in the past, but the problem hasn’t been resolved. This is where the coaching discussion comes in.

The purpose of the coaching discussion is to redirect the employee’s behavior. You want the employee to stop the inappropriate behavior and start demonstrating appropriate behavior. It is a two-way process, a discussion. The intended purpose is for the employee to be engaged in the discussion as well. In fact, the employee should be talking more than the supervisor or the manager. Using the following six steps of the Coaching Discussion Model will make your coaching discussions effective.

Continue reading “Coaching Employees” »

If you are a leader, chances are good that you have had at least one employee in your career who has caused you to lose sleep. Maybe the employee is frequently late, is participating in gossip or is making reoccurring mistakes. Our advice for difficult behaviors in employees is to train them, coach them and if that still doesn’t work, share them with a competitor.

When you address the issue appropriately, it may even shed light on a behavior that employee wasn’t aware that was an issue. Open up the lines of communication through the following actions:

Remain calm. If you have ever driven home from work saying, “Now, why did I say that?” chances are you may have regretted giving feedback to an employee when you were mad. If you are angry or emotional, postpone the discussion until you are feeling more in control. Remember, communication is permanent. Do not lose control of the discussion or say something that may later come back to haunt you.

Continue reading “How to Handle a Difficult Employee” »

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.

Continue reading “Getting Leadership Buy-In” »

From the Quest for Leadership Excellence Newsletter (sign up)

Today’s successful organizations are led by talented leaders who have high expectations for their organization, their employees and most importantly, for themselves. In many cases, long before they received their title, these leaders were demonstrating their leadership capacity by leading themselves. What do we mean when we talk about leading yourself? When you are a successful self-leader, you typically achieve the following:

A Compelling, Positive Vision:

There are three types of vision:

• A positive vision: Today is good and tomorrow will be even better.
• A status quo vision: I hope tomorrow is as good as today.
• A negative vision: If you think today is bad, just wait until tomorrow when…

Before you lead others, you need to have a compelling, positive mental vision of where you are going. What are your goals with your organization, your team and yourself? The only leadership vision that energizes a team is a positive vision that paints a picture of the intended destination and focuses individual effort on team outcomes.

Continue reading “To Lead Others, Start with Yourself” »

In Good Times and Bad

Depending on which business analysts you listen to and believe, the recession is over (or not) and business projections for the coming year are improving, (or not). Although the experts cannot agree on the future of our global economy, there is no disagreement that most businesses and industries have experienced significant blows to what was business as usual.

While most of our clients are cautiously optimistic about the future, many are still dealing with lingering pain points, including keeping morale up during difficult times. In a recent survey conducted by Express Employment Professionals, 19,000 companies were questioned about their hiring plans for the second quarter of 2011. In addition to identifying what sectors anticipated hiring, the survey also found that 62% of the respondents were concerned, or highly concerned, about morale in the workplace. Respondents identified reasons for low morale, including:

• Fear of lay-offs or general job security
• Employees feeling undervalued
• Poor communication
• Lack of confidence in management

Continue reading “Keeping Employee Morale Up” »

Great leaders have the confidence to hire smart talent and then get out of the way, letting people do what they do best. They surround themselves with people who not only have the necessary technical expertise, but are as passionate and excited about the success of the business as they are.

These leaders hire people with a can do, take charge attitude; people who know how to get things done, even when the boss is not around. These talented contributors not only get things done, they challenge the status quo, sharing recommendations that no one had ever thought of before. They are thinkers, not just doers. In some cases, they are smarter than the boss . . . at least in their area of expertise.

However, some leaders, fearful for their job security, strive to be the brightest star and hire accordingly. If you find yourself working long hours, putting out daily spot fires and herding cats to ensure that that things consistently turn out right, we challenge you to think about hiring someone smarter than you are . . . at least in a particular area of expertise.

Continue reading “Hire Smart” »

12 Leadership Traits That Are Guaranteed to Sabotage Your Team and Lower Morale | Quest for Leadership Excellence Newsletter (sign up)

We have spent the last 20 years identifying the traits that make leaders successful. This has led us to strongly believe that there is a significant difference between leaders and managers. Managers always have a title and a formal position on the organizational chart. Leaders may or may not have a title but they always have a relationship with people who make a conscious decision to follow them.

Over the past several weeks, we have conducted executive coaching for leaders who were in jeopardy of losing their jobs. Our prediction is that they will lose their jobs… it is just a matter of time. Based on our work with leaders, here are 12 leadership actions we have found that undermine a leader’s ability to build relationships where people are highly motivated to help the leader accomplish goals:

Continue reading “How to Sabotage Your Team” »

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.

Continue reading “Reinvent or Die” »

What is a distinguishing characteristic of a great leader?

Great leaders make sure that team members have the tools and skills necessary to get their jobs done. Being a phenomenal leader is a lot easier when you’ve got great team members. An exemplary employee is one who communicates their goals and what they need from the leader to maximize their success.

These employees are:

Thinkers: They are constantly thinking about ways they can improve their work, the business, help their leader become even stronger or improve the service they provide to customers.

Confident: They go into the job motivated because they deeply believe they can make a positive difference.

Empowered: Many people believe that empowerment starts with the boss. Great employees tend to make good decisions, take action and keep their boss in the loop each step of the way so there are no surprises.

Continue reading “What Employees Need to Shine” »

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.

Continue reading “Employees and Social Media” »

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.

Continue reading “Triumph Over an Unwanted Change” »

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 4 years, 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:

Continue reading “Successfully Lead an Innovative Culture” »

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

Bad bosses. Chances are good that at least once in each of our careers we are challenged with working for a bad boss. These bosses are bad for our careers, our health and our work-life balance. Unfortunately, bad bosses are just part of the real world and we have to find a way to make it work.

The question is: how?

Several times each year, we are hired to be an Executive Coach to leaders who identify their boss as the main cause of their problems at work. More specifically, if their boss was a better leader who did what they felt needed to be done, they themselves would be a better manager or leader.

Specific examples we have heard are that their boss:

Is a micro-manager
Is not trustworthy or doesn’t keep promises
Gave a poor rating on the employee’s performance review
Gave no raise, or not enough of a raise
Does not stand behind decisions made by employees
Is moody
Is a “know it all” and does not listen
Has questionable ethics
Is disrespectful

What if you work with a boss that does one of these bad behaviors? Worse, what if you work with a boss who does all these behaviors…a real jerk?

Continue reading “6 Things Not to Do When Your Boss is a Jerk” »

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:

Continue reading “3 Keys to Clearly Communicating the Organizational Vision to Employees” »

Creativity is Today’s Competitive Weapon

Innovation is quickly becoming the word du jour despite being around as a concept since the beginning of man. For the longest time, it has simply been called creativity. The other day I noticed that on almost every TV commercial, the word innovation was mentioned at least once. And it’s not just commercials, it manages to creep its way into articles, books and now even job titles, like Chief Innovation Officer. This has got me thinking…

Who’s in charge of creativity (spotting problems and identifying new and different solutions) at your organization?

Ideally, your answer should be “everyone.”

Up until recently, creativity and innovation were typically viewed as the responsibility of a small number of people, usually those residing in the R & D department. Today, it is widely felt that those organizations that will be the most successful are those which expect, value and reward creativity throughout the organization. These organizations will work hard to create an environment where creativity thrives, leading to even greater employee engagement, motivation, productivity and ultimately, a stronger bottom line.

Continue reading “Promoting a Creative Work Environment” »

What Happens When Managers Treat Everything as an Emergency

Have you ever complained, “All I do around here is put out fires?” Even worse, do you have a boss who is the pyromaniac, setting the daily fires that you have to run around putting out? One urgent call, email, text or request can rec havoc on you and your team for the rest of the day. These alarms, most of them false, rob people of the time they need to do the truly important work… obtain the results they are paid to produce.

We recently worked with an organization who had a C level manager who mastered in pyromania. At any time, he would walk out of a meeting or send an email saying that the CEO wants this or that, and it is the highest priority. Five minutes after making the request, I am convinced that both he and the CEO had forgotten about the request and had moved on to another ‘high priority.’ It’s a sad fact, but some of these managers actually like to start fires so they can claim the credit for putting them out.

Continue reading “Pyromaniac Managers and Their Fire Brigade” »

This blog entry has been adapted from the January issue of The Quest for Workplace Excellence (sign up here)

How do you define an “oh no” nanosecond? This is the regret-filled split second after you hit the send button on an email or text that would have been better off remaining in your drafts folder.

Each year, we have the privilege of coaching managers who have sent an email that, to put it bluntly, should have never been sent. These emails have caused friction, escalated conflicts, and undermined teamwork in the organization. Even worse, the sender has hurt his or her ability to lead successfully and others in the organization may no longer be motivated to follow this individual. The following tips will help you to avoid sender’s remorse by becoming an even more effective communicator and leader.
Continue reading “The “Oh No” Nanosecond” »