Employee Engagement – Page 8 – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

On The Brink and Out the Door: How Employers Can Build a Culture that Matters

Posted January 29, 2016
by admin

culture

People don’t quit companies, they quit lousy bosses. – Jimmy Collins

I was in the car not long ago listening to an episode of the Dave Ramsey Show (http://bit.ly/NfZIDm) when a caller was describing to Dave how her husband was ready to quit his six-figure income because of a toxic work environment that had pushed him to the brink.

I couldn’t help but wonder how a person in such a financially secure position could walk away from it due to deplorable working conditions. Unfortunately, it’s a wide spread problem for far too many people.

A Benefits Pro article (http://bit.ly/1ZZ4oeU) reveals some of the top reasons why many in the workplace are ready to bolt. Among the top reasons are: Low pay, awful commute, unreasonable workload, annoying co-workers, poor work/life balance, lack of opportunity for advancement, the boss, and layoff/firing fear, to name a few.

If you were to give yourself an honest assessment of your present circumstance would you find yourself in the position like the lady talking to Ramsey or perhaps a person described in the article above who for whatever the reason were ready to quit?

Perhaps you are an employer who is trying to make sense of poor morale and attitudes that reflect a disengagement that troubles you. Here are some steps you can take to begin to close the gap and build a culture that matters.

Look in the mirror

Building the kind of company workers would never dream of leaving begins by being the kind of leader everyone wants to follow. If workers are ready to walk out the door making six figures it likely has less to do with the company and more to do with the leader. Never stop growing and learning as a leader and before you try to grow others, grow yourself.

Get connected

It was John Maxwell who said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Unless you get this right, your organization will be a revolving door of talent who can and will go elsewhere. Building your company begins by building relationships. When your people mean more to you than your profits you will never have to worry about people walking out the door.

Build bridges

Building a culture of trust and openness begins when you connect your people to one another. While job descriptions and responsibilities may vary it is important that each person see the value of his or her role. Job titles and duties may vary but everyone brings talent and skills needed for success. Building a culture that matters begins when you bring people together, not when you keep them apart.

Embrace change

Building a culture that matters can only happen in an environment where change is allowed. The way things were done twenty years ago may have served you well at the time but how is it working now? Employee engagement is essential to your success and creative options exist today on levels that were not present a decade or two ago. Many an organization have lost their competitive edge simply because they were not ahead the curve as it relates to change. Don’t let your inability to change be the reason your best and brightest flee.

Be willing to prune

The truth is, some people are never happy unless they are unhappy. They are chronic complainers and whiners. They have bad attitudes and are the laggards on every decision to move forward. For them the glass is always half empty and they are always finding fault along with sowing seeds of strife. The old saying goes, “What you tolerate, you promote.” In order to build a culture that matters in which everyone can thrive and reach their potential you must accept the reality that not everyone can or should take the journey with you. Let them go.

Give ownership

When your people are empowered they will seldom disappoint. It’s an age old principle that has been proven time and time again. When people have ownership and the power to make decisions at the closest level to the problem they will succeed. Sometimes the best thing you can do as a leader is to get out of the way. When there is a shared ownership of the mission and vision then everyone has a stake in the outcome. The key for you as a leader is to welcome your people into the process, not shut them out.

These are but a few practical steps that if implemented can start a process of closing your revolving door and building the kind of culture that you and your people can take pride in. Are you ready to get started?

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Relationships: The Fuel of Your Company Culture

Posted January 15, 2016
by admin

work

The purpose of life is not to be happy, it is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. – Emerson

Some time ago I came across this story of 76- year old Bill Baker. If you think your family has problems, consider the mayhem created when he wed Edna Harvey. She happened to be his granddaughter’s husband’s mother. That’s where the confusion began, according to Baker’s granddaughter, Lynn.

Lynn said, “My mother-in-law is now my step-grandmother. My grandfather is now my stepfather-in-law. My mom is my sister-in-law and my brother is my nephew. But even crazier is that I’m now married to my uncle and my own children are my cousins.”

From this experience, Lynn should gain profound insight into the theory of relativity.

We’d all agree that relationships can be tricky. We bring to any workplace culture our own unique personality, quirks, beliefs, and qualities. Blending those characteristics into a cooperative environment can be a challenge.

The truth is, we live and work in the context of relationships and as leaders we are not exempt. Are you being intentional about the value of relationships and doing what you can to foster good ones? Passive participation will produce nominal results at best.

Building a strong organizational culture begins with building solid relationships – it’s that simple. But it’s also that hard. So what is a leader to do? Here are four steps to building better relationships.

Take the initiative

This is one of the fundamental characteristics of a strong leader. As such, you do not wait to take the first steps in the right direction. Take responsibility and act as if developing good relationships depends on you- because it does.

You build good relationships as a leader by being proactive. For some leaders this may be a big step out of your comfort zone but the more you do it the more at ease you will become. Show your people that relationships matter by making it personal.

Find common ground

Good relationship are essential to your company culture. Mesh all of the personalities and differences together and you have the potential for something truly unique and special—if you do it right.

So long as we allow our differences to divide us we will have problems. A strong leader will find common ground, find points of common interests and goals, and build off of it. Our objective is not to create molds of ourselves – to mold everyone into our way of thinking, believing, and way of doing things. It’s to embrace our differences, build off of our uniqueness, and elevate everyone because of it. Find common ground and build from there.

Welcome everyone

Building relationships in your company environment happens as everyone is welcomed in. The responsibility rests with you as the leader to create an atmosphere in which everyone is made to feel welcome and no one is shut out. To foster anything less is to play favorites and create division.

When diversity of relationships are seen through the lens of value that each person in your organization possesses then everyone feels like they belong. Your life as a leader is much richer and rewarding when you experience the full range and scope of a diversity of relationships. Do yourself a favor- broaden your circle and welcome everyone.

Look outside yourself

The final thought is this – the strength of your relationships and the power of the company culture you build is realized not when you attain it but in how you use it. It’s not so much about having a “look at us” mentality, but in a “how can we serve you?” expression of it.

As a leader it’s not about you. If you integrate that belief and expand it system wide, then you have the potential to do great things. Why not tap into the uniqueness of your people, harness the power of your relationships, and turn it into a force for good? Can you imagine the impact you can make? When you do this then you will begin to discover a whole new dimension of the power of relationships. Are you ready?

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Three Characteristics of Exemplary Leaders

Posted January 7, 2016
by admin

example

Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, see how you react. If you’re in control, they’re in control. – Tom Landry

A story is told of Gen. George C. Marshall when upon taking command of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, GA, found the post in a generally run-down condition. Rather than issue orders for specific improvements, he simply got out his own paintbrushes, lawn equipment, etc., and went to work on his personal quarters. The other officers and men, first on his block, then throughout the post, did the same thing, and Fort Benning was brightened up. Leadership by example.

Many a leader want to equip their teams to achieve certain results, move the company forward, set new sales records, etc., but fall short at the most basics leadership practices to get there.

Living a life of exemplary leadership is not an elusive goal that only a select few can attain. You can live it every day if you will simply follow the example of Gen. Marshall. Here are three observations from the story that can elevate your leadership.

Exemplary leaders are decisive

Arriving at Ft. Benning, Gen. Marshall found run-down conditions. Rather than assess blame or pull rank by assigning the task to men under his command, he took decisive action and began the work himself.

There is a time and place to forge strategy, communicate across the spectrum, and otherwise set plans into motion that will best serve your organization. But there is also a time to act.

Do you want to be a decisive leader? Exemplary leaders are those who see what needs to be done and do it.

Exemplary leaders are engaged

One of the largest complaints among employees that you will find in most any survey is that they have a manager or boss who is disengaged. In fact, in a story by US News and World Report, (http://bit.ly/1O7c5vT) it was revealed that, “Only 18 percent of managers at U.S. jobs had “high talent” for leadership skills, including the ability to encourage accountability in the workplace, motivate workers and build relationships with them.” Sobering, isn’t it?

Being engaged as a leader can’t be phoned in, faked, nor neglected. If you want to lead on a level that engages your team then you have to be engaged with your people and be intentional about creating a culture in which your people can thrive.

Do you want to be an engaged leader? Just as Gen. Marshall took out the paint brush and went to work, so too must you roll up your sleeves and not be afraid to get your hands dirty. Get engaged and get involved with your people.

Exemplary leaders take responsibility

Maybe in some circles taking responsibility has become a lost art, but it still works. Upon arriving at Ft. Benning, Gen Marshall saw what had to be done and went to work. Beneath the dignity of a General? Maybe. Below his pay grade. No doubt. But exemplary leaders are not worried about either- they just see what needs to be done and get busy.

Peter Drucker said, “Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility.” And that is the essence of exemplary leaders. When you worry less about your title and position and more about the responsibilities that come with it the greater your impact you will have as a leader.

Do you want to be a responsible leader? Play the hand you are dealt. Find solutions and not fault. Set the example by being the example of what exemplary leadership is all about.

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5 Ways You May Be Killing Employee Morale

Posted December 12, 2015
by admin

morale

Everything rises and falls on leadership. – John Maxwell

Addressing the topic of work many years ago, Indira Gandhi said, “My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was less competition there.” While there may not be a shortage of people trying to take the credit for work, many a leader faces the challenge of a strong workplace culture and its accompanying morale.

In my research on the topic of employee morale much of the focus I’ve seen is employee driven. By that I mean the attention leans toward what can be done to make the employee happy (perks driven), motivated, etc. I see little on what I consider to be the root of the problem which is leadership driven.

In Gallup’s 2013 State of the American Workplace Study, as reported on in RYOT (http://bit.ly/1poqwxQ) 70 percent of those who participated described themselves as “disengaged” from their work. Only 30 percent admitted they honestly enjoy their job and bosses. Interestingly, the study revealed that workplace perks which have been popular approaches to boosting workplace morale, “do not compare to the employee enjoying and feeling engaged in their work.” Here’s the takeaway – employees and employers desire the same results, but often have two distinctly different means of getting there.

Strong morale is essential to your success as an organization. Leaders need employees who are engaged on all fronts. Employees need strong leaders to show the way. The last thing you want to do is kill employee morale by ineffective leadership. Here are five ways it could be happening.

You kill employee morale when you ignore input

A leader who won’t listen to his or her people is a leader out of touch with his people. If you are out of touch with the people that make your business work then employee morale will suffer. If your people attempt to be engaged and offer their input only to be ignored then you are killing employee morale. A smart leader will make it a priority to listen and to invite feedback from team members. Buy-in begins when you invite them in.

You kill employee morale when you hoard decisions

Killing morale happens when leaders hoard the decision making process and by-pass those directly affected by the decision. The most successful teams are those whose people are engaged and invested in the well-being of the organization. They are the ones who have bought in and go all out to be successful. A smart leader won’t hoard decisions but will bring others in to help make them. Employees don’t want a dictator; they want a facilitator. Here’s a simple rule to consider: if a decision affects your people then talk to your people.

You kill employee morale when you keep people in the dark

Communication is the life-blood of any organization, but if you keep your people in the dark; especially with things that directly affect their performance, then you are killing employee morale. This weak leadership style not only builds walls but it tears down trust. If you want your people engaged and enjoying what they do then make open communication a practice and a priority.

You kill employee morale when you play favorites

While responsibilities may differ among departments and personnel, it is important not to play favorites with your people. While not everyone’s role is the same, the way you treat them should be. As a leader it is important to understand the basics of good social skills. The amount of time you spend with the people in your organization will vary depending on assignments, responsibilities, skills, etc., it’s a variable. But not the way you treat your people. If you are perceived as playing favorites you will kill employee morale. Be nice to everyone.

You kill employee morale when you lead from behind

Successful organizations have strong leaders who are not afraid to lead. Employees respect a leader who will confidently lead his or her team. A leader who is perceived to be weak, indecisive, reactionary, or uncertain of their role will kill morale. How can an employee confidently follow a leader who is unsure of himself? Leaders who lead from behind can’t possibly know what direction they are going, the pitfalls in front of them, and how to stay relevant. Leaders; be out front, lead with confidence and with clarity, and you will have employees who will go the distance with you.

What do you say?

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Five Traits of Extra Mile Leaders

Posted November 20, 2015
by admin

mile

There are no shortcuts on the extra mile – Zig Ziglar

Bob Kuechenberg, the former Miami Dolphins great, once explained what motivated him to go to college. “My father and uncle were human cannonballs in carnivals. My father told me, “go to college or be a cannonball.” Then one day my uncle came out of the cannon, missed the net and hit the Ferris wheel, I decided to go to college.”

The way you tap into your motivation as a leader may not be as drastic for you as it was for Bob Kuechenberg, but tapping into it is necessary nonetheless. Going the extra mile as a leader is what will set you apart from the rest of the pack and will take you farther than you could have without it.

So what traits do “extra mile” leaders possess? Here is a sampling of a few that I believe are essential. It’s not an exhaustive list but is a good place to start.

Extra mile leaders are proactive

Extra mile leaders take the initiative in getting things done. They prefer to tackle issues head-on rather than assume a reactionary posture. Extra mile leaders are out front on understanding the culture of their organization and the needs of the people they serve. They don’t wait to be told or asked, they see what needs to be done and they do it.

Extra mile leaders possesses a contagious enthusiasm

What sets extra mile leaders apart from mediocre leaders-every time, is a passion and enthusiasm for what they do. Their attitudes are positive and their temperament is even-handed. An extra mile leader in your organization with enthusiasm and passion will be the benchmark for the rest of your team. Without extra mile leaders your work will be hard but with them your team can see extra-ordinary results. Extra mile leaders bring out the best in those they serve.

Extra mile leaders put the team first

Extra mile leaders by and large are selfless in that their motivation and their proactive ways are done with the intent of benefitting the team. Yes, there can be exceptions when what motivates an individual is selfish in nature. But by and large, extra mile leaders have a broad understanding of the mission and vision of the organization and their extra mile sacrifices are for the benefit of the group. Of course, it pays dividends in the long run as all hard work and effort does, but it’s not the prime motivation. Extra mile leaders put their colleagues first.

Extra mile leaders have an attitude of excellence

Extra mile leaders are not satisfied with the status quo nor do they settle for what is merely acceptable. Extra mile leaders have a compelling desire to be the best personally and professionally. At times it can be misinterpreted by those without the extra mile mentality as self-serving, grand-standing, or posturing, etc. but at their core, the extra mile leader cares deeply and truly wants to advance the team in the right direction.

Extra mile leaders have found their purpose

Extra mile leaders have not only tapped into their passion but have taken it a step further in discovering their purpose. Extra mile leaders intuitively understand that it’s not about what they “do” that defines them or motivates them to go the extra mile. Extra mile leaders are those who have embraced the blessing and gift of their Creator and have committed themselves to living their life in such a way that honors it.

Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said, “There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.”

What you are capable of becoming as an extra mile leader is realized when you worry less about what you do and care more for the life you have to live and the ways in which you can serve others. When you do, the results will speak for itself.

Are you an extra mile leader?

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Leadership Toolkit: When the Visionary Leader Meets the Strategic Leader

Posted October 18, 2015
by admin

Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. – Warren Bennis

About 350 years ago, as the story is told, a shipload of travelers landed on the northeast coast of America. The first year they established a town site. The next year they elected a town government. The third year the town government planned to build a road five miles westward into the wilderness.

In the fourth year the people tried to impeach their town government because they thought it was a waste of public funds to build the road westward into a wilderness. Who needed to go there anyway?

Here were people who had the vision to see three thousand miles across an ocean and overcome hardships to get there. But in a few short years were not able to see five miles out of town. They had lost their pioneering vision.

Visionary leaders (those who see the big picture) and strategic leaders (those who create the plan) are essential for the future growth and development of any organization. But can the two co-exist? It can be a challenging relationship but not an impossible one if you follow these basic rules of engagement.

Embrace your differences

Visionary leaders tend to be your charismatic type leaders who can cast the vision with great enthusiasm and confidence. They have a clear picture in their heart and mind of where they are going and why you should too.

But visionary leaders can at times be hard to work with. In his book, Rules of Thumb, Alan M. Webber writes, “Great idea people are rare- and also frequently hard to live with. They see things the rest of us can’t see, which is their gift. They can’t see what you and I see easily, which is their burden. Still, you need them and they need a home where they can contribute.”

Strategic leaders can be a great asset to the visionary leader by breaking down the vision into doable and measurable action steps which creates the vision. The strategic leader is the one who puts the puzzle together.

Leadership key: Your differences are your strengths. Embrace them and work together. You need each other.

Build a bridge

What strategic leaders and visionary leaders need is a way to connect. The divide between ideas and implementation must be joined. There has to be a way as Webber says to “build a bridge the great ideas can walk across from those who have to those who can make them real.” For the vision to materialize this is a necessity. So what is a leader to do?

The vision needs a strategic plan. It has to be clearly communicated and thoroughly understood before the pieces of the puzzle can be created. From there roles can be assigned and teams put into place, and the execution can begin. The hard part will come later.

Leadership key: Before you build your vision build your relationships. The vision rises and falls on the strength of your communication and relationships.

Give each other space

The role of the visionary leader is not the same as the strategic leader, and vice versa. The relationship is one of isolation and interdependency. Boundaries must be set, observed, and protected while at the same time staying bridged with a unified goal and vision. It’s tricky.

The temptation of the visionary leader is to tinker, mettle, and tweak. Their greatest asset can now become their greatest liability. While they are excellent at creating the vision they can be terrible at designing the plan. As long as they keep interjecting themselves into the details of execution they will stifle the execution.

Strategic leaders thrive on creating the plan and seeing it come into existence. The visionary leader has to learn to give this person the space they need to work. It is a relationship of necessity, one of complexity, but most of all trust. The partnership will only survive if it’s built on mutual trust. The respective leaders have to know how to embrace a shared vision but then give each other the space needed to bring it to pass. When they do it can lead to overwhelming success.

Leadership key: Out of respect give each other space. Out of trust let each other work.

This is a “Best Of” column originally posted in 2015.

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Five Keys to Engaging Your Team

Posted October 9, 2015
by admin

Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better. – Bill Bradley

A recent Gallup story (http://bit.ly/1uUCjpX) revealed that less than one third (31.5%) of U.S. workers were engaged in their jobs in 2014. While that was an improvement over 2013 figures, a majority of employees, 51%, were still “not engaged” and 17.5% were “actively disengaged” in 2014 – according to the story.

It goes without saying that employee engagement is critical to the success of any organization. But with numbers like these it makes the leadership challenge more pronounced. How you position yourself as a leader is essential. Your engagement can’t be underestimated.

Theodore Roosevelt said, “The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” The secret to your success is your people. They secret to their success is you–getting out of their way. Walking the tightrope of leadership is definitely a challenge but not impossible if are ready to get in the trenches and engage your people. They need a compelling reason to be engaged. Here’s where to start.

Your team needs a compelling leader

Before your team can buy in to your vision they first must buy in to you. If you do not inspire them to dream beyond their own limitations and work for a greater cause and purpose then don’t expect them to be engaged in something that makes no sense to them. If your people aren’t connected to you they won’t be connected to your vision.

Your team needs a compelling vision

Your team members must have a compelling vision if you want them to be engaged. When your people know the purpose behind what they are doing they will do it with passion. The formula breaks down like this: T (tasks) +P (passion) = E (engagement). T (tasks) – P (passion) = W (work). Passionless work leads to disengaged teams. Your team needs a clear vision of where they are going and why.

Your team needs a compelling example

Your team members need a leader who not only points the way but walks the road with his or her people. They need a leader who sees what they see, hears what they hear, feels what they feel, and shows by example that they have skin in the game. Bridging the gap with disconnected team members and you as a leader begins by setting the example. If you are not engaged then why should they be?

Your team needs a compelling trust

Your team needs to know that you trust them and that you have their backs. Nothing will lead to disengagement faster than a leader who does not empower and trust his people. It is your responsibility as a leader to set the bar high and hold people accountable. When your level of trust exceeds your level of expectation then your people will outperform your dreams. Empower your people with trust and engagement will rise with it.

Your team needs a compelling culture

It’s not a secret that the key to any thriving organization is one that is built on strong community. Strong relationships are the key to your success. When your team is centralized around strong leadership that sets the example, when your purpose is clear, and trust abounds, you have a culture that is ripe for success.

An engaged team needs compelling reasons for the journey. Begin with the ones I’ve outlined and build upon them. Your success depends upon it.

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Six Reasons Your Employees Don’t Believe a Word You Say

Posted August 6, 2015
by admin

By Doug Dickerson and Elizabeth Stincelli

“Don’t believe what I say. Believe what I do.” —Carlson Ghosn

Two psychiatrists meet at their 20th college reunion. One is vibrant, while the other looks withered and worried. “So what’s your secret?” the older looking psychiatrist asks. “Listening to other people’s problems every day, all day long, for years on end, has made an old man of me.” “So,” replies the younger looking one, “who listens?”

That humorous story reminds us as leaders of not just the necessity of listening but of the importance of how we communicate. It’s not so much what we say that’s important but that we are leaders who understand why our people should listen to us in the first place.

If your people are tuning you out and not believing what you say then your leadership is on life-support. Knowing the symptoms is the first step in turning things around. If your people don’t believe a word you say then here are six reasons why.

You are self-centered

If you are a self-centered leader your people will not believe you because you are only looking out for yourself. When decisions are made based upon what is best for you –what makes you look good- then you are using your people. Self-centered leadership tends to be manipulative and puts what is best for you above what is best for the team. If you are a self-centered leader you’d better wake up before it’s too late. One day you will look around and you’ll discover that not only are your people not believing you – they are not following you either.

You are inconsistent

Inconsistent actions produce inconsistent results. The flow and continuity of your leadership is essential to your success. If you say one thing and do another then those very actions will lead to mistrust and will marginalize your leadership. Flexibility is a must for any team moving forward. Unexpected things happen and your people will have to learn to go with the flow. But if you are inconsistent in terms of what you communicate or how you treat them it will be impossible for them to move forward or have faith in your leadership.

You don’t have their backs

Nothing will empower your team faster than having the backs of your people. A good leader knows this. But your people will not believe you if your message to them says “I have your back” yet you are nowhere to be found when they need you. When you empower your people and have their backs you create a momentum that can take your team to new levels of success. Don’t squander the drive, motivation, and ingenuity of your people by failing at this one critical element of your leadership. If you have the backs of your people they will have yours.

Your ego is front and center

If, as a leader, your ego is front and center, your employees won’t believe a word you say. Your ego can prevent you from seeing the world as it really is; you begin interpreting reality through your own biased lens. When your ego is front and center you send the message that your opinion is the only one that matters. Soon your employees, tired of hearing about how you know everything, will stop listening to you at all.

You lead with fear

If you lead with fear you will never earn the trust of your employees and they won’t believe a word you say. Fear stimulates the fight or flight response. In this state of mind, there is no higher-level cognitive thinking. When you lead with fear your employees disengage and become more focused on protecting themselves than what you are saying. Your attempt to control your employee’s behavior through fear will result in distrust and will undermine your ability to share your message and vision.

They don’t feel valued

Our success is deeply intertwined with our ability to collaborate. When your employees don’t feel valued they lose interest in continuing to try to contribute to the team. They withdraw and you lose the value of their unique skills and knowledge. Your employees need to have a voice and to have their individual contributions recognized and valued. Communication is a two-way street and when your employees don’t feel valued, you lose their respect which has a negative impact your ability to communicate and influence as a leader. When your employees don’t feel valued they won’t believe a word you say.

The key to leadership is trust and influence. If your people don’t believe a word you say, you have lost your ability to lead. It’s time to evaluate your leadership. Is your leadership self-centered or inconsistent? Do you have your employee’s backs? Is your ego front and center? Are you leading with fear? Do your people feel valued? Answer these questions honestly, make a change, and start leading today.

Elizabeth Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the CEO of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Elizabeth holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Elizabeth by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at [email protected].

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How Delegation Raises the Bar of Leadership

Posted July 9, 2015
by admin

The inability to delegate is one of the biggest problems I see with managers at all levels. – Eli Broad

In the world of leadership development there is no shortage of material on the subject of delegation. It’s been a hot-button topic for as long as I can remember. Most of what I read about it falls into a “how to” category of “best practices” and delegation is relegated to independent acts of leadership as the need arises.

But is there another approach worth considering?

In his book, It’s Not About the Coffee, Howard Behar, the former president of Starbucks International, writes about what can happen when a business harnesses the creative power of its people. He states, “When any of us, from staff to managers to the CEO, think of ourselves and our colleagues as people- not workers or assets- we discover a wealth of knowledge and talent. When we allow ourselves and others to think creatively and make independent decisions based on common goals, we become more fulfilled, and we make a more worthwhile contribution.”

The concept here is a more lateral view of leadership rather than the traditional top-down approach. When the people in your organization are looked upon as people, not assets or workers, then your approach as a leader will be different and the relationship will be more personal.

When people are allowed to think creatively and make decisions based on common goals everyone wins. It’s what Behar refers to as people using a tool book instead of a rule book. It’s the difference between empowerment and stagnation.

How this plays out in terms of delegation can be a game-changer. Instead of a leader being a dispenser of decisions, or too insecure to delegate, the leader can now- without reservation- turn loose the best and brightest within his or her organization. The results can be transformational. This approach to delegation raises the bar or leadership throughout the organization. Here’s how.

Delegation that empowers the team

When the creative powers of your team are turned loose it creates a special momentum that can’t be duplicated by just one person. An empowered team- dutifully delegated to- can create an energy that is rare. Why? It’s the power not just of a buy-in on the part of the team (employee to employer) but a philosophical shift of “I’ve bought into you” (employer to employee) that makes the difference.

When a team is empowered and trusted, and its collective talents are respected, it raises the level of leadership for everyone.

Leadership Tip: Individual talents and skills are great but make sure your team members are playing to their strengths in the right place. If not, you are wasting valuable time and energy and will have little to show for it.

Delegation that rewards the team

Nothing frustrates a creative team more than an insecure leader who won’t act. The results can be detrimental and eventually the creative ones will leave because they are not fulfilled in their work. But when a leader respects and appreciates the individual as a person and the power of independent thinking- it will dramatically raise the bar of leadership. This approach pays dividends because team members will see their work as rewarding, valued, and appreciated. When this is the system-wide attitude and belief then productivity increases, morale is stronger, and the rewards are greater.

Leadership Tip: Delegation is not an abdication of your responsibility to make sure the vision and goals are clear and the work is being done. There’s a fine line between micro-managing and delegation. But once you delegate- get out of the way and trust your people to perform.

Delegation that elevates the team

When done right delegation will elevate the team to a higher level. When individual talents, skills, knowledge, and expertise come together with a unified goal and purpose, it’s hard not to envision such success. As a result, momentum rises and soon a new attitude and energy will propel your team. A new excitement in the air can be contagious. The bar of leadership has been raised. As a leader you now see and understand that delegation is not your stumbling block to success it is your pathway.

Leadership Tip: It’s incumbent upon you as the leader to channel this new found momentum and energy in the right direction. Unbridled energy moving in the wrong direction can be just as harmful as not enough energy toward the right direction. Keep the mission and vison in front of your people.

Richard Branson invokes an “in it together” attitude within his organization. When this is the approach to delegation it changes everything. Let your delegation empower, reward, and elevate.

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Why Do The Good Ones Leave?

Posted May 7, 2015
by admin

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. – John Quincy Adams

How is the organizational culture where you work? How is morale? Depending on the day and when asked, the answers can run the gambit of responses and emotions.

A document was discovered in the ruins of a London office building. It was dated 1852. Here are a few of the notices that were posted for a group of employees: 1) This firm has reduced the hours of work, and clerical staff will only have to be present between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays, 2) Now that the hours of business have been drastically reduced, the partaking of food is allowed between 11:30 and noon, but work will not on any account cease, 3) No talking is allowed during business hours, and 4) The craving for tobacco, wine, or spirits is a human weakness, and as such is forbidden to all members of the clerical staff.

Would you like to reconsider your answer about morale in your organization now?

Here’s what we do know from polling and surveys, like this one from Gallup (http://bit.ly/1uUCjpX) that reports employees are just not as engaged as they once were.

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

There are consequences to poor leadership and where it’s not present, people will leave to find it. Inevitably it’s the good employees who leave. Left behind is a weakened and demoralized team forced to pick up the pieces.

But why do the good ones leave? What is the tipping point in which a good employee will cash in the chips and bolt? The specifics vary, of course, but typically the good ones leave for these reasons.

The good ones leave because of leaders with no backbone

This type of leader plays to the crowd and will say whatever he or she thinks you want to hear. The good ones had rather hear the uncomfortable truth than the pleasant sounds of an appeaser. The good ones want a leader who is not afraid to make the difficult decisions.

The good ones leave because of leaders with no vision

The good ones long for and thrive in an environment where the leader has a vision for the future, can articulate it, and sets a course of action that will take them there. The good ones understand that without a clear vision for the future there is no future to be had by staying.

The good ones leave because of leaders with no skin in the game

It will be hard to command the respect of your people if you have no skin in the game as it relates to your organization and its mission. You can’t expect a buy-in from your people if you are not fully invested yourself. The good ones seek to be with leaders who are as passionately invested as they are.

The good ones leave because of leaders who place limits on their potential

The good ones will thrive in a culture of excellence where their hard work and talents are put to best use. The good ones will not sit idly by while the leader plays politics or favorites and be denied the opportunity to advance professionally.

The good ones leave because of leaders with no accountability

The good ones fundamentally understand that accountability and transparency are the cornerstones of success. When a leader no longer feels the need to be transparent or be accountable for his or her actions, then the good ones will not stay. Trust is like glue for the leader, is there is none, people won’t stick.

The good ones leave because of leaders with no boundaries

Ultimately, the leader is responsible for the culture of the organization. If proper boundaries are not being observed and inappropriate behaviors are being tolerated- such as bullying, then the good ones will not stay in that environment.

The good ones leave because of leaders with no integrity

At the end of the day it all comes down to the integrity of the leader. The good ones want their leader to be a person of integrity and one they can trust. If integrity is lacking in the leader then integrity will be lacking in the culture. The good ones will leave to avoid the connection.

Many personal factors contribute to the reasons why the good ones tend to leave and move on. I’ve discovered that it’s not always for the money or a promotion. The good ones understand the wisdom of the words of John Maxwell who once said, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” That’s why the good ones leave- to be with good leaders.

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