Employee Engagement – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

When We Disagree

Posted November 18, 2024
by admin

Disagreement is inevitable, but disrespect is unacceptable. – John Maxwell

Years ago, Charles Swindol shared a story about meeting a gentleman who served on one of Walt Disney’s original advisory boards. He recounted being told how tough those early days were, but that the remarkable, creative visionary refused to give up.

He told the story of how Disney responded to disagreement. He said that Disney would occasionally present some unbelievable, extensive dream he was entertaining. Almost without exception, the members of his board would gulp, blink, stare back at him in disbelief, resisting even the thought of such a thing.

But unless every member resisted the idea, Disney usually didn’t pursue it. The challenge wasn’t big enough to merit his time and creative energy unless they were unanimously in disagreement.

I believe in many ways that Disney was not only a pioneer in the realm of entertainment, but in many respects what healthy disagreement can look like from a leadership and management perspective.

It would be safe to say that many frown upon disagreement and many do not speak up for fear of being labeled as a trouble-maker. Rather than voicing disagreement, many opt to just go along and get along for the facade of unity.

When this happens – whether by design or by default, creative thinking is sidelined, great ideas are silenced, and morale is compromised. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

General George S. Patton said, “When everyone is thinking alike, then someone isn’t thinking.” And this is precisely the reason why we need to learn the art of respectful disagreement and restore it to its rightful place.

To be sure, we live in a divisive culture as a whole. Our recent elections here in the U.S. showcased that point. And while disagreement is normal, division is a choice. In practical leadership terms, what does and should that look like? Here are a few tips for consideration for your consideration.

Welcome disagreement

As a leader, the best way to handle disagreement in your workplace culture is to welcome it. Not so that your people sit around and come up with ways to be disagreeable for no legitimate reason, but to demonstrate that respectful disagreement is healthy for the organization.

You want all points of view to be represented and people to know that you are a leader who listens and seeks the best options. If people in your organization are afraid to speak up, then most likely it’s a leadership issue that resonates with you. Your job is to set the table and hear from everyone.

Remove the barriers and misconceptions

How sad it is that in some organizations people do not speak up for fear of retribution, not being seen as a team player, or being seen as an obstructionist, etc. These are all valid fears or concerns that many have. As a leader, you need to address those fears and misconceptions and create an environment where a diversity of opinions – even those different from yours, are voices, heard, and when possible, acted upon.

When you remove the barriers to open and honest communication, you also build new levels of trust with your team. In return, morale is boosted and more people have buy-in and a sense of belonging and purpose. But this can’t happen if you are an insecure leader who doesn’t welcome input.

Respect for all

Gandhi said, “Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress.” And while making progress is the goal, it should not come at the expense of anyone being disrespectful toward those with differing views. And after all differing views have been expressed, there still may be lingering disagreement on the path forward. But respect should always prevail.

Healthy disagreement is a sign that people are invested, engaged, and care about the issue at hand. That alone deserves respect. Your job as a leader is to honor that and make sure others on your team do as well even when they disagree.

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Are You Questioning Your Own Thinking?

Posted November 4, 2024
by admin

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. – Albert Einstein

At the turn of the century, Blockbuster reigned supreme in the video rental industry. If your family craved a movie night, chances are, someone had to drive to one of Blockbuster’s 9,000 stores, stroll through rows of DVD-lined shelves, and hand a membership card to a blue-clad employee.

When Reed Hastings, founder of the fledgling startup called Netflix, met with Blockbuster CEO John Antioco in 2000 to propose a partnership, he was laughed out of the office.

Despite changing consumer preferences, Blockbuster doubled down on its store-first model by offering popcorn, books, and toys, while Netflix experimented with a subscription model and no late fees. Only 10 years later, Netflix became one of the largest streaming sources on the internet. Blockbuster declared bankruptcy.

That story is a reminder of what potentially can happen if we do not question our thinking and systems regularly.

Andy Stanley once observed “We should remember that every tradition was originally a good idea – perhaps even revolutionary. But every tradition may not be a good idea for the future.”

Think about your current systems and ways of doing things whether in the context of your organization or elsewhere. What traditions or ways of doing things remain in place? How long has that been? Would they still be considered a good idea or revolutionary by today’s standards?

I am not advocating dumping standing traditions for the sake of dumping them. I am challenging you to question your thinking about them. How could an honest assessment potentially be beneficial to you? Consider the following.

How many of the current traditions and ways of doing things in your organization are inherited or passed down over time?

There may be ways in which you operate in your organization and no one quite understands why other than to say “This is the way we’ve always done it.” If so, now might be a good time to evaluate whether a change can be made.

What would be the most uncomfortable thing about making a change to your standing traditions?

Would it be the fear of possible pushback? Would it be the fear of it being obsolete and time to replace it?

What new advancements in operating systems, technology, and training exist now that didn’t when your traditions were first established?

Over time, things streamline and improve. What advancements and updates could help you operate more efficiently? What training and development would improve employee morale and engagement? Give yourself permission to keep up with the times you are now in.

Are the original goals of your traditions being met and achieved?

If not, why are you still holding on to them? Is it time to do away with them or refine them? Either way, no standard way of doing things should exist if they are not moving the needle in the right direction.

Are you the catalyst for change or the status quo?

There comes a time when every leader must come clean with an honest answer to this critical question. Are you holding your organization, team, or yourself back because you are stuck in the past? Does the memory of the “way things used to be” mean more than the possibility of what could be next?

Questioning your thinking is not easy. It speaks to your motives, your vision, and yes, to your relevance as a leader going forward.

John Maxwell was right when he said, “If you want to reject popular thinking in order to embrace achievement, you’ll have to get used to being uncomfortable.” And this is why it’s important to question your own thinking.

What questions are you asking yourself today?

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Who Are You Cheering For?

Posted May 29, 2024May 29, 2024
by admin

We rise by lifting others. – Robert Ingersoll

I read a story by Jeffrey Zaslow some time ago as he recalled his father coaching a team of eight-year-olds in baseball. “He had a few excellent players and some who just couldn’t get the hang of the game. Dad’s team didn’t win once all season. But in the last inning of the last game, his team was only down by a run. There was a boy who had never been able to hit or catch the ball. With two outs, it was his turn to bat. He surprised the world and got a single.”

The next batter, Zaslow explained, was the team slugger. He continues, “Finally, Dad’s team might win a game. The slugger connected, and as the boy who hit the single ran to second base, he saw the ball approaching him. Not certain of baseball’s rules, he caught it. Final out! Dad’s team lost.”

“Quickly, my father told his team to cheer. The boy beamed. It never occurred to him that he lost the game. All he knew was that he had hit the ball and caught it for the first time. His parents later thanked my dad. Their child never even got in a game before that season. We never told the boy exactly what happened. We didn’t want to ruin it for him. And ‘til this day, I’m proud of what my father did that afternoon.”

The story is an inspiring example of what it means to cheer for others and support those around you even when it would be all too easy to do otherwise.

In far too many workplaces, we see cultures of unhealthy competition instead of healthy collaboration. Getting ahead seems to be more important to some than getting along.

However, it will come as no surprise that productivity and workplace culture significantly improve with recognition and seeing each other as colleagues, not as competitors.

In a Nectar State of the Workplace survey, respondents weighed in by affirming the following:

83.6% of employees surveyed said that recognition drives their motivation to succeed at work
77.9% of employees surveyed said they would be more productive if their employer recognized them more frequently
81.9 % of employees said that recognition for contributions improves employee engagement

These statistics should not surprise any leader who sees, recognizes, and values the value of his or her team members. Good leaders understand this and make it a practice.

Let me ask you, who are you cheering for? Can you celebrate the successes and wins of those around you even when not experiencing one yourself?

As a leader, your ability to cheer on those around you happens when these three things happen.

You can cheer others when you set aside your ego

The leadership lesson here is simple – it’s not about you. You will be a more secure leader when you acknowledge and embrace this fundamental premise of leadership. When you can check your ego at the door, you win and are now positioned to cheer those around you with no hidden agenda or motive.

You can cheer others when you value the team over yourself

Your team will succeed when they see what they do as something greater than themselves. While roles, responsibilities, and contributions will vary, the team wins when each person values the team over self.

You can cheer others when you don’t care who gets the credit

Lao Tzu said, “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” And this is the beauty of your role as a leader- to shine the light on others as the wins are celebrated.

Who are you cheering for today?

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Leadership and the Toxic Workplace Culture (Part 1)

Posted June 29, 2023
by admin

Who you attract isn’t determined by what you want. It’s determined by who you are. – John Maxwell

A quick toxic workplace culture Google search netted more than 43 million results. To say that toxic workplace cultures are not prevalent would be grossly inaccurate.

What is a toxic workplace culture? How do you know if you are in one? What can be done about it? These are more than just curious questions. For far too many, these are some of the most relevant questions many in the workforce want answers to.

A good working definition comes from a post at CareerPlug. They define a toxic work environment as a “workplace where a negative atmosphere caused by coworkers, supervisors, and/or company culture makes it difficult to work or progress in a job.” In the same survey, 87% of respondents, when asked, said they had experienced such an environment.

My purpose here is not to throw around too many statistics and figures. That toxic workplace cultures exists speaks for itself. But I will sparingly use some for the sake of context.

Writing in Forbes, Bryan Robinson, author of Chained To The Desk In A Hybrid World says, “More than 90% of North American CEOs and CFOs believe that improving their corporate culture would benefit financial performance. Although most leaders acknowledge that their organization’s culture is not as healthy as it should be, many don’t know where to start (emphasis mine). But time is running out.”

This admission of not knowing where to start is a telling revelation as it relates to leadership. Knowing that there is a problem does not translate into being able to do something about it. When/if leadership is paralyzed by the inability to act in a decisive way, the people - the culture, suffer. Click To TweetAnd what’s troubling about this is, people in the organization are not waiting around for things to improve. Employees who are tired of waiting are moving on. Can you blame them?

My leadership mentor, John Maxwell says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership”. And as it pertains to toxic workplace cultures, the absence of engaged leadership creates a void (intentionally or by default) that must be filled. And unfortunately, this is the root of many toxic workplace origins – not exclusively, but certainly a strong contributing factor.

So what’s the starting place for leaders? In part one of this series, I believe the focus has to be on those in leadership. Here are some starting points for consideration.

Leaders must define the culture

Simon Sinek says, “Corporate culture matters. How management chooses to treat its people impacts everything – for better or for worse.” And this is where leaders must step up. The type of culture you want is determined by who you are. The creation of your corporate culture begins with the leader and expands from there. In order to build a of culture of excellence, integrity, loyalty, passion, etc. it first must reside in the leader. This is where it must begin. The absence of these qualities in the leader will produce the absence of them in the organization. From there, the leader sets the tone in words and in actions. Again, who you attract isn’t determined by what you want. It’s determined by who you are.

Leaders must defend the culture

It’s just not enough to point out the values that you say define your culture. You must live it and breathe it, and ultimately, you must defend it. So how does a toxic culture evolve in an organization? It happens when the leader phones it in and believes that because the values and mission statements are written in a dusty policy handbook the job is done.

Your company culture and workplace must be defined and defended by those in leadership. And this means holding yourself and others accountable for it. Without this safeguard, you are on a slippery slope. As a leader, you must fight for your culture.

Next week I will look at specific things leaders can do to enhance employee engagement and put a stop to toxic workplace cultures.
Read more about employee engagement and workplace culture in my book: Employee Engagement -Creating Space for Engaged Employees and Healthy Culture Click here to order my book on Amazon
For more information about employee engagement and workplace culture workshops, email me at: [email protected]

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Are You Listening?

Posted November 14, 2022January 13, 2023
by admin

There is a difference between listening and waiting your turn to speak – Simon Sinek

Dana Visneskie tells the story of a Native American and his friend in downtown New York City, walking near Times Square. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening.

Suddenly, the Native American said, “I hear a cricket.” His friend said, “What? You must be crazy. You couldn’t possibly hear a cricket in all this noise.”

“No, I’m sure of it, the Native American said. “I heard a cricket.” “That’s crazy,” said the friend.

The Native American listened carefully and then walked across the street to the big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located the cricket. His friend was utterly amazed. “That’s incredible,” said his friend. “You must have super-human ears!” “No,” said the Native American. “My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you’re listening for.”

It was not surprising to read in a Business News Daily article that in a study, 64% of 675 professional workers in the U.S. and Canada who were polled said that “leaders making decisions without seeking input” was the biggest problem. If that were not bad enough, the article added that 38% of respondents said that “leaders dismissing ideas without exploring those ideas” is the second biggest reason why people don’t take initiative.

And herein lies the problem – the disconnect if you will, between leaders who do not listen and why people are not more engaged in their work. If those in leadership simply do not listen or dismiss ideas out of hand, where is the incentive to be more engaged?

Consistently in any employee engagement survey or reading on the topic, it will almost always identify listening as one of the major concerns on the minds of its respondents – and rightfully so. Until we can get this right, it’s going to be hard to make tangible progress anywhere else.

So how can a leader develop this important skill and increase their influence regardless of where they serve? I believe it comes down to a few key concepts that when put into practice can pay great dividends.

Be proactive

A good leader will always listen to his or her people. But a proactive leader will initiate the conversations. A proactive leader has his finger on the pulse of the organization and will not sit back and wait for people to come to him, but will move toward the people.

A proactive leader is essentially a proactive listener. Click To TweetThis means that the leader is actively engaged with his or her people and sees this engagement as a means to better serve the organization.

Proactive leaders are asking and listening to questions such as: What can we do to improve our product or service? What can we do to improve our culture? What resources do you need? What happens if we don’t change? How can I help you?

By asking proactive questions you keep your pulse on what’s happening, what your people are thinking, and how to best serve them.

Be present

Your ability to listen is predicated by your ability to be present in the moment. This is done by being fully engaged and removing all distractions. By doing this, your people will know that they are important and that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say.

Leaders who are present in the moment and are actively listening stand to gain a lot of insight that would otherwise be missed. Leaders who are present are asking questions like: Currently, what is your greatest challenge? If you could change one thing, what would it be? As a team, do you believe that we are moving in the right direction? What do I need to know that I don’t? What are your growth goals and how can I help you achieve them?

Be prepared

As a leader, you need to be asking key questions of your people and listening. It’s not something that you do to appease your people and give the impression that you care only to walk away and not act on it. Your people do not need or want your lip service.

Leaders who listen should be prepared to act on what they’ve heard. The only thing worse than not being engaged and listening to your people is to have those conversations and not act on them. Click To Tweet As a leader, you need to be prepared to listen and then act.

Final Thoughts

Bryant H. McGill said, “One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” And this will always be one of your greatest challenges as a leader. So make it a point to be proactive, be in the moment, and be prepared to act on what you’ve heard. You’ll be the better leader for it and your people will greatly appreciate it.

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Why Do The Bad Ones Stay?

Posted November 1, 2022January 13, 2023
by admin

Choose your companions before you choose your road. – Patrick Lencioni

In this space back in 2019, I wrote an article entitled Why Do The Good Ones Leave? In that article, I shared various reasons why good people leave organizations. Those reasons included: leaders with no boundaries, no vision, limits placed on potential and opportunities for growth, and no accountability, to name a few.

Since writing that article, we have continued to witness what’s being called “The Great Resignation” and its impact on business everywhere.

Writing in Forbes, Cindy Gordon states, “Employee disengagement and unhappiness is worrisome, and year over year, it’s getting worse, not better.” And herein lies the dilemma for the modern-day worker and employer.

Much research has been conducted as to why employees are leaving. Pew Research has excellent data citing many of the causes of this great resignation and where things are headed. I encourage you to read it.

It’s been said that people don’t quit organizations, they quit leaders. It’s a sad but true commentary on the lack of strong leadership skills desperately needed in the workplace.

There are consequences to poor leadership and as the research has demonstrated, employees will leave good jobs for less pay if it means being in a better working environment with stronger leadership. Here’s the sad reality: good employees leave bad working environments where weak leadership exists. Left behind is a weakened and demoralized team forced to pick up the pieces, share increased duties, and often with no additional compensation.

On the flip side of this dilemma is another issue that needs to be addressed. Why do the bad or toxic employees stay?

Often, it’s not the bad team members that leave that give you the most heartache and grief, it’s the ones who stay. Click To Tweet

Why would a disengaged employee – the one with little to no skin in the game, who instigates or is in the middle of every bad vibe in your organization still be around? Here are a few possible reasons.

Those in leadership have miscalculated that person’s value to the organization

Could it be that an employer had rather overlook bad behavior from a productive employee than cut them loose and face the headache of finding their replacement? With the worker shortage as we know it, this is certainly a possibility.

But it also comes down to ways in which leadership within the organization perhaps has overestimated the value of the employee in question. Consistent poor behaviors and actions can’t be glossed over simply because they are the best salesperson on the team. It means little to have an employee who is the biggest contributor to the bottom line of the company means little if they are also the biggest jerk in the company. Click To Tweet

Those in leadership have miscalculated the climate of their culture

Many in the workplace suffer in silence. They see poor behaviors and actions, see little to no consequence for it, and wonder why such actions and behaviors are tolerated. It’s demoralizing.

When those in leadership fail to see the residual effects and consequences on the culture of the workplace due to the bad ones staying then poor morale is going to always be an issue. You can’t expect the good ones to look the other way forever. They will leave if you don’t deal with it.

Those in leadership had rather try to “keep the peace” than rock the boat

Some in leadership simply don’t want to confront what everyone else sees. They had rather look the other way than just deal with the issue at hand. They just don’t want to rock the boat and deal with the fallout.

This is one of the worse decisions a leader can make. On the one hand, leadership side-steps and avoids the necessary confrontation that needs to take place with the bad employee in hopes that it will get better. As a result, morale continues to falter. The longer this goes on the worse things get. By trying to “keep the peace” with one another, you’ve made things worse for everyone.

Final Thoughts

It’s been said that what you tolerate, you promote. And this is especially true as it relates to why bad employees stay in your organization. It can be for any reason mentioned or any number of reasons not. But the end result is the same. The bad ones will stay until those in leadership decide it’s time for them to go and that the morale of the good ones and the culture of the organization is worth the sacrifice and worth fighting for.

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Stay In Your Lane: Why Focused Leadership Matters

Posted April 11, 2022
by admin

Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is going on around them. – Jack Canfield

I came across an interesting story not long ago about Roger Bannister. He was the first man in the world to run a mile in under four minutes. That was in May of 1954. The next month, Australian John Landy broke that record by 1.4 seconds.

In August 1954, the two fastest runners in the world met for a historic race at the British Empire Games in Vancouver, Canada. The race was dubbed “The Miracle Mile”, the “Race of the Century” and the “Dream Race”.

As Bannister and Landy turned for the last lap, Landy was ahead and looked certain to win, but as he neared the finish line he lost focus and allowed his mind to wonder about Bannister’s position. Unable to stand the strain, he finally looked back over his shoulder, and as he did his stride faltered and Bannister passed him to break the tape and win the race.

How that race ended is an example of what happens when we lose our focus. As leaders, it’s not how you start the race that matters but how you finish.

Roger Bannister and John Landy sculpture.

To commemorate the historic race, Vancouver sculptor Jack Harmon crafted a bronze sculptor of the two men captured at that moment when Bannister overtook Landy for the win.

Keeping focused as a leader is important. Staying in our lane is essential. I was reminded of this recently while driving on I-95 in Florida and passed a big sign that read, “Stay In Your Lane”. The primary purpose of the sign, of course, was to remind motorists of basic safety rules and that staying in your lane is a thing.

How you navigate the ins and outs of your leadership is important. In many respects, it’s about learning how to stay in your lane. Why is this important? Why should we be mindful of staying in our own lane? Here are a few tips that I think will help.

Staying in your lane keeps you focused

Staying in your lane keeps you focused on your priorities and responsibilities. As a leader, you have certain duties and things that fall under your purview that require your attention. But not everyone’s business is your business. Understanding what needs your expertise and work and what needs your opinion is something you need to learn as a leader. Click To Tweet

When you drift out of your lane, you tend to be in places where you don’t belong and end up meddling in ways that are unhealthy. It can lead to resentment and can cause more damage than good and when the crash happens it will be your fault. Stay in your lane!

Staying in your lane protects boundaries

Staying in your lane protects boundaries that must be respected. Just because you have an opinion on what’s happening two lanes over from you doesn’t mean that you need to swerve over and weigh in on it – unless you’re asked. Nothing will break down morale and hurt the culture in your organization faster than when someone gets out of their lane to barge in on someone else. And consider this: When you leave your lane of responsibility, what’s not getting done in yours that should be?

Healthy workplace cultures operate best when people stay in the lane that is designed for them. When you stay in your lane you will thrive in your lane and when you do no one is getting hurt. Stay in your lane!

Staying in your lane accelerates progress

The logical outflow of staying in your lane means everyone is moving forward at optimum speed. When you stay in your lane, focused on being your best where you are, doing what you do, means everyone else has the time, space, and energy to do the same. When you resist the temptation to change lanes or drift across drawn lines, it gives you and those around you the opportunity to move forward faster.

If your workplace or organization operates more like bumper cars then it could be because too many people are trying to change lanes. And while it’s being done by well-meaning people just wanting to help, it will end up creating more harm than good. The best advice I can give to you as a leader is simply this: stay in your lane!

Final Thoughts

Staying in your lane can be hard. It’s too easy to get distracted and lose focus. It doesn’t mean you walk around with blinders on and are oblivious to what’s going on around you. There may be times when a lane change is necessary to help at the moment, but then you get back in yours. There has to be a degree of flexibility here, but by and large, when you stay in your lane, crashes are avoided and everyone is moving forward together.

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Why People Fire Their Leaders – And How To Stop It

Posted February 21, 2022
by admin

People quit people, not companies – John Maxwell

I remember my first job out of college. I was excited and filled with great enthusiasm. But it played out like A Tale of Two Cities, “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. I was surrounded by people I genuinely liked with many friends. With a great team in place, we made great strides in the community we served. But I had “the boss from hell” who made life hell. So, I fired him.

An article in Inc. magazine identified the top 5 characteristics that caused employees to leave their jobs. They are:

Management style — 37 percent
Condescending attitude — 30 percent
Mean or bad temper — 30 percent
Inappropriate behavior — 26 percent
Harassed employees — 24 percent

Speaking of bad boss behavior, here is a sampling of what respondents called unacceptable or deal-breaking behaviors: Your boss takes credit for your work 63%, your boss doesn’t trust or empower you 62%; your boss doesn’t care if you’re overworked 58%, your boss doesn’t advocate for you when it comes to compensation 57%, your boss hires and/or promotes the wrong people 56%, your boss doesn’t provide proper direction on assignments/roles 54%, your boss micromanages and doesn’t allow you “freedom to work” 53%, etc.

When you look at the above examples of why people leave their work or the characteristics of bad bosses, one thing is certain – there is a leadership gap. As it relates to employee engagement, bad bosses, company morale, and corporate culture, how the leadership gap is addressed going forward is critical. A boss without strong leadership skills will drive his or he people away.

I’ve said it in this space before: Building the type of organization that your people would never dream of leaving begins by being the type of leader everyone wants to follow. Let’s explore three basic ways in which you can build that type of culture.

Serve your people

The higher you ascend in your organization the more responsibilities you take on – not more rights. This is where many a boss drops the leadership ball. Think of a pyramid. The old way of thinking is that at the bottom you have many rights and at the top, few responsibilities. Now flip it- when you do, the opposite becomes true. You now have more responsibilities as the leader/boss and fewer rights. Now, start acting like it.

You will build the type of organization people would never dream of leaving when you develop the mindset of servant leadership and by empowering your people at every opportunity. Click To Tweet

Empower your people

Employee engagement is directly tied to empowered employees. The cited survey, along with many others drive this point home. If your people are micromanaged, underappreciated, and not given credit for their ideas and work, is it any wonder they are firing their bosses?

Billy Hornsby said, “ It’s okay to let those you lead outshine you, for if they shine brightly enough, they reflect positively on you”. The boss who makes for a good leader understands that when his or her people are empowered it makes them look good. You will build the type of organization they would never dream of leaving when you empower them to reach their full potential.

Engage your people

Employee engagement is only as meaningful and effective as the leader who engages on this level. The boss who only sees employee engagement as something “they do” may have the work of his employees’ hands, but will never have their hearts. If you want to stop your people from walking out the door, then you must open yours. You must be among your people, know your people, and serve them. Click To Tweet

Building the type of organization people would never dream of leaving begins when you understand that they are the most appreciable asset you have. Simply put, employee engagement begins at the top.

Final Thoughts

There’s no way in this space to take a deep dive into all of the issues that need to be addressed here. But engaged and invested people need to step up and help right the ship. What role will you play in closing the back door and helping build the type of culture no one would ever dream of leaving?

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Stop Assuming, Start Connecting

Posted November 7, 2021November 7, 2021
by admin

You can make more friends in two months by becoming more interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. – Dale Carnegie

In the book Leadershift, John Maxwell shares a story about being invited to a game by Pat Summit, the late head coach of the Lady Vols basketball team at the University of Tennessee.

He recounts how he was able to go into the locker room at halftime which served as a major “aha” moment for him. In the locker room, Summit and a few coaches gathered to talk about what took place in the first half of the game. The players gathered around a whiteboard in a semicircle to answer three questions written on it: What did we do right in the first half? What did we do wrong? What do we need to change? When the girls had answered all three questions, Summit and her coaches would then go over and talk about their responses, and then she would send them back out to warm up for the second half of the game.

Curious about this, Maxwell asked Pat Summit about this technique. She replied, “Too many lead by assumptions. They assume they know where their people are. That halftime exercise lets me find my players so I can lead them. That can only be done by asking questions and listening to their answers.”

In her remarkable career at Tennessee, Pat Summit won eight national championships. Her leadership on and off the court left an indelible impression upon many and she is greatly missed today.

Her insights into connecting with her players still have relevance today. Look at most any survey on employee-employer relations and you will consistently at the top of any list are complaints like not listening, favoritism, micromanaging, not showing appreciation, overbearing, and the lists go on.

It’s been said that assumptions are the termites of relationships. I believe this to be true in leadership. But as leaders why do we do it? What are some of the mistaken assumptions we make that hurt our leadership? Here are a few for your consideration.

We assume everyone shares our perspective

While you may wish it were true, not everyone in your sphere of influence shares your perspective and sees things your way. When you assume that they do, it can create misunderstandings that you caused but the shift in blame usually falls elsewhere. At the end of the day, if you want a culture of shared values, mission, and purpose, then you have to quit assuming it exists and connect with your people to create it. Click To Tweet A key to effective leadership is found when you purposefully connect with your people and respect everyone’s voice.

We assume everyone else will eventually come around to seeing things our way

In as much as we mistakenly believe that everyone shares our perspective, we can also assume that over time, everyone will eventually fall in line and see things our way. Let’s be honest – wearing your people down is not a good leadership strategy. However, when you listen to your people, as Pat Summit listened to her players, then you can connect and build relationships with your people which in turn elevates morale and creates wins for the team.

We assume everything is dependant on us

“It’s not about you,” is the opening sentence of the acclaimed book The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. It pointedly encapsulates everything you need to know about living a life that matters and also your life in leadership. The assumption that everything is dependant on us or it all goes down the tubes is a misnomer. Perhaps we need to rediscover a renewed sense of humility in our leadership which makes the whole idea of connecting with others more meaningful when we understand that we truly need each other. Click To Tweet

Final Thoughts

Connecting with others and building relationship is one of the greatest privileges in leadership. We should never take it for granted and always remember that what we can accomplish together is greater than what we can do on our own. In order to do so, we need to stop assuming and start connecting.

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Getting Unstuck: Four Principles to Change Your Leadership – Part Four: Be Prepared

Posted August 2, 2021
by admin

Be Prepared – Boy Scout Motto

Growing up I was a Boy Scout. Troop 300. In fact, I believe my mother held on to my uniform long after I was grown and gone from home. Those formative years being in Scouts was a great time to learn many adventurous things.

The character lessons learned in Scouts – things like being faithful, respectful, frugal, and kind are timeless.

My friend and author John Patrick Hickey wrote a remarkable book entitled, Scouting Out of Uniform: How the Boy Scout Oath & Law can lead You to a Successful Life. It’s a great book, even if you are not a Scout or ever have been.

In it, he writes, “ Positive people see the world and life around them for exactly what it is. They know troubles and difficulties are all around us. They face the same challenges of work, home, and life like anyone else does. Here’s the difference, positive people do not allow the difficulties of life to get them down and refuse to accept defeat.”

Click here to order Scouting Out of Uniform

When it comes to being stuck in your leadership as I have written about in this series – those times when we feel like we are in a fog, when we feel like we are in a rut, when we feel like we’ve lost momentum, and when we feel like we are not making any progress – we have a choice to make.

Before unpacking principle # 4, let’s review the principles thus far:

Principle # 1 – Be Present. Here we learned that when you are stuck is not a time to panic. It’s normal. Chances are, you’ve been stuck before and will be again at some point.
Principle # 2 – Be Patient. Being stuck will not last forever but what you learn during these times will be invaluable to your leadership going forward.
Principle # 3 – Be Practical. You will hit your stride again so you need to be realistic about where you are and what you can do in this season.

No one likes to be stuck. I get it. When stuck, you feel like you are being left behind, but it can be a great time of learning and growth if you manage it properly once the fog begins to lift and you re-emerge from the ruts you were in. And this is where the next principle applies.

Be Prepared – You have new opportunities before you

When you begin to emerge from being stuck, hopefully, you have come away with some fresh insights and things that you learned during that time. The point being, every experience that you go through – good or otherwise, is preparing you for something greater on the other side.

The lessons you learn when stuck will make you a better leader, but now you can use that knowledge to benefit others in their time of struggle.

The key to successfully emerging to the other side of being stuck is to be prepared for what’s next. The mistake many leaders make when stuck is in spending all their energy trying to get unstuck rather than just being in the moment and learning from it. In doing so, you might discover a few things about why you were stuck, to begin with like:

Your priorities were out of sync
You tried to do it all yourself
You were trying too hard to be a people pleaser rather than a leader
You forgot that you need to take care of yourself – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually

Emerging a better leader is not always a guarantee. Being prepared and utilizing your time wisely when you are stuck is essential. Click To Tweet

Final Thoughts

Being stuck is just a season you are in now. Discover the principles of being present, being patient, being practical, and being prepared. You’ve got this!

Click here to pre-order my new book: Employee Engagement- Creating Space for Engaged Employees and a Healthy Culture

The new book releases on AUgust 30th!

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