Loyalty – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Talking Up Feedback

Posted September 16, 2020
by admin

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. – George Bernard Shaw

A story is told of a man who dialed a wrong number by mistake and got the following recording, “I am not available right now, but I thank you for caring enough to call. I am making some changes in my life. Please leave a message after the beep. If I do not return your call, you are one of the changes.” Talk about your not so subtle message.

Employee engagement and the manner in which you communicate as a leader is essential to the success of your organization. It matters now more than ever especially during this time of remote work that so many are still participating in.

One of the barriers to good communication and employee retention is found in the ability of your people to not only receive good feedback but also in their ability to give it. Click To TweetThis was pointed out recently in a TinyPulse article regarding employee retention.

In the article, it was brought out that employees that don’t feel comfortable in giving upward feedback are 16% less likely to stay at their companies. It went on to say that while 60% of employees have a way to provide feedback about their employee experience, only 30% said that their feedback is acted upon. And this is where change can and should occur.

As a leader, you know how important your workplace culture is to your overall success. You also know that the way in which you provide feedback to your people is equally important. But feedback is only as effective as each person’s ability to receive it and give it.

What is the ultimate benefit to the health of your organization if the only feedback given is top-down? What purpose does this serve and in what realistic way do you think you benefit as a leader if your people do not have a regular means of talking to you?

Here are four simple tips to consider for the benefit of everyone as you think about employee engagement and employee retention.

Be intentional

You must make it known that you are always available to talk with anyone who wants that opportunity. But you need to do more than just provide lip service. Give specific times and days when you make yourself available for conversations and not just ask for feedback in writing. Many things get lost in translation. Have an open-door policy and make it known.

Be receptive

If you really want the feedback to mean something, be receptive to what you hear. Listen with an open mind and try not to be defensive. Listen to what your people have to say with the understanding that this is likely not easy for them. But when the conversation is over your people need to leave with the confidence that they were heard and respected.

Be responsive

The worst thing that can happen is for one of your people to come and give feedback and feel that they have been dismissed or not taken seriously. Be responsive to their feedback and listen with an open mind. Typically, those closest to the problem or concern have the greatest sense of clarity regarding the issue. Click To Tweet Listen respectfully and respond accordingly.

Be appreciative

As mentioned already, giving upward feedback may not be the most comfortable thing your people do so don’t make it any harder for them. Be appreciative of the fact that your people are invested enough to come to you. It means that they care.

Final Thoughts

Just as loyalty is a two-way street, so too is feedback. And while not every idea or concern is something that you can address or satisfy to their liking, you can set a positive tone in your organization by being a leader who listens.

Employee engagement and retention is up to you. If your people do not believe that they are being taken seriously or are valued then they will find a place where they are.

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Stop Throwing Your Leader Under The Bus

Posted September 15, 2019
by admin

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. – Lao Tzu

I read the story of a young man who applied for a job as a farmhand. When asked for his qualifications, he told the farmer about his previous experience then said, “I can sleep when the wind blows.” This puzzled the farmer, but he took a liking to the young man and hired him.

A few months later, the farmer was awakened in the night by a violent storm. He ran outside to make sure that everything was secured. He found the barn doors tightly shut and the shutters closed. The storage shed and machinery was already properly taken care of. That was when the farmer realized the significance of the statement, “I can sleep when the wind blows.”

Just as the farmer found the type of worker he needed in the young farmhand, so too, do employers need those dependable people within their organizations. They need those who know what to do when the winds blow and the storms rage.

In my space here last week, I wrote about leaders not throwing their people under the bus. This week, we flip the script. The measure of your value to your organization is in how you treat those in positions ahead of you.

Thriving and successful organizations are so because those in leadership and all within it place premium value on relationships, communication, trust, clearly defined values and goals, and collaboration to name a few.

But when people within the organization are throwing the leader under the bus then the health of the organization is at stake. And for the sake of context here, I am not talking about incompetent bosses, bullies, and jerks which is a topic for another day. I am more directly addressing the issue of an otherwise good leader performing well.

So what are some of the more common ways leaders are thrown under the bus and what are the consequences. Let’s explore these four ways.

You throw your leader under the bus when you elevate your agenda ahead of the organizations’ agenda

When you put your personal agenda ahead of the organization’s agenda, then you are undermining those in leadership. If you are placing what’s best for you ahead of what’s best for everyone then you are only serving your own interests. The way you get ahead is not by cutting the legs out from underneath those in leadership but by elevating them. Click To Tweet When you help your leader succeed you will succeed.

Leadership Truth: No matter what our circumstances, our greatest limitation isn’t the leader above us-it’s the spirit within us. – John Maxwell

You throw your leader under the bus with whisper campaigns

It usually sounds something like, “If I were the one in charge…”, or “She’s in way over her head” and of course this one, “He’s always playing favorites”. And from there it takes on a life of it’s on. Instead of adding value to your leader by “leading up”, many find it easier to just throw them under the bus. But when you see that your success is tied to your leader’s success you will begin to see things in a new light. Maybe instead of water cooler whispers, you can try having their back.

Leadership Truth: If you want to get ahead, leading up is much better than kissing up. – Dan Rieland

You throw your leader under the bus when you withhold your best and don’t offer solutions

When you withhold your best from your leader and don’t offer solutions you are making the work of your leader harder. You are denying your organization the leverage they need to move forward. Solutions withheld is progress denied. By not giving your best, offering your best, and being your best, you are more of an obstacle to progress than you are a help. Click To Tweet Those in leadership need you at the top of your game, not holding back. They need to see that you are a strong team player.

Leadership Truth: The team with the best players wins. – Jack Welch

You throw your leader under the bus when you are unable to adapt

Flexibility is essential to a thriving workplace culture. So long as you have a “this is the way we’ve always done it,” attitude and are unable to make adjustments, then you are throwing your leaders under the bus. When the wind blows and the storms come, you should be able to demonstrate to your leadership that you can sleep in the wind. Let your leadership see that you can adjust your sails and not only adapt to change but you can lead it.

Leadership Truth: Growth is painful. Change is painful. But, nothing is as painful as staying stuck where you do not belong. – N.R. Narrayana

I know this to be true – no one likes being thrown under the bus. We need more people on it and no one thrown under it. It’s time to find a better way and lead by example.

Additional resources from my website:

Hope For Discouraged Leaders

Four Things All Humble Leaders Do

A Message To Broken Leaders

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Reclaiming Morale and Loyalty Within Your Organization

Posted December 16, 2014
by admin

The best morale exists when you never hear the word mentioned. When you hear a lot of talk about it, it’s usually lousy. – Dwight D. Eisenhower

Morale issues in the workplace are as important an issue as ever. Frank I. Fletcher said, “No man can deliver the goods if his heart is heavier than his load.” Many organizations today are facing this leadership challenge: striking a balance between what is economically advantageous for the bottom line versus the best thing for the people who operate the business.

As you consider how to build strong morale within your organization take these three ideas to heart. Building strong morale in many ways is about reclaiming the basics of leadership and making them relevant to your environment. Here are three simple steps to help you begin.

Listen to your people

When those in leadership are proactive about listening to the frontline people who make things happen, morale issues can be addressed before they become major problems.

When you take the initiative and care enough to be out among your people and it helps you to more readily identify with your people, assess their needs, and empower them to achieve. It all begins by listening.

Encourage your people

Encouragement is the fuel that drives your business – it’s an awareness of the sacrifices your employees make because they have bought into the vision and purpose of the company. Encouragement is the expression of your human capital IQ and the sharing of common values with like-minded people who also took a risk by following you.

Encourage your people!

Respect your people

Many variables come into play as it relates to strong or low morale within an organization. Strong leaders who listen to and encourage their people inevitably have strong morale. Strong morale begins with mutual respect for the gifts, talents, and contributions of each team member.

Loyalty is the product of leaders who understand the value of human capital.

How is loyalty working in your organization?

This post is an excerpt from the book, Great Leaders Wanted, which can be purchased by visiting the “Order Doug’s Books” page when you click on the tab above.

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