management – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Fly-by Leadership

Posted May 16, 2024
by admin

Seagull managers fly in, make a lot of noise, dump on everyone, and then fly away. – Ken Blanchard

Living in coastal South Carolina and thoroughly enjoying time at the beach, I have come to get acquainted with seagulls.

I have had a love-hate relationship with seagulls over the years. I have been fascinated by watching them at the beach whether in flight or walking along in the sand in search of food. I have been annoyed by their dive-bombing in attempts to partake in my snacks at the beach or interrupting my outdoor dining at local seafood restaurants. It just comes with the territory when you live along the coast.

Seagulls are interesting birds. In my research, I have learned that they can detect food from as far as three miles away, can fly as fast as 28 mph, and can fly long distances and glide over open ocean for hours in search of food.

In the quote above, Ken Blanchard humorously sums up what it is like to be around seagulls. Seagulls tend to fly in, make a lot of noise, dump on things, and then fly away. From experience, I can tell you that this is not too far-fetched.

Marshall Goldsmith observed, “One of the most important actions, things a leader can do, is to lead by example. If you want everyone else to be passionate, committed, dedicated, and motivated, you go first!”. As a leader, you have to be out front leading the way in the things that matter most to you and those you lead.

I would like to share my leadership takeaways from Blanchard’s quote and the actual approach you should take as a leader.

Fly-in vs. being present and approachable

As a leader, you can fly in and fly out and be all over the place. Or, you can take a more deliberative approach and be a leader who is present among his/her people and is recognized as a stabilizing influence. This is not to be confused with micromanaging. Instead, you are a steady and reliable leader who leads with passion and influence.

Leadership Tip: Don’t flit and fly. Be present.

Make a lot of noise vs. being humble and listening

If you have ever worked with a leader who flies in and flies out and makes a lot of noise, you know how unsettling that can be at times. In your leadership, strive to lead with humility, and be in touch with your people. Take time to listen and be engaged with them and build relationships.

Leadership Tip: Don’t be a loudmouth and bark orders. Be approachable and a good listener.

Dump on everyone vs. adding value to everyone

When your presence is a disruption because of your words and actions, you need to rethink your leadership. If all you are doing is dumping on people, barking orders, and flying away, you are only making things unbearable for your people. That style of leadership sinks morale along with the ship. Consequently, your best and brightest will soon be leading an exodus. If instead, your presence adds value, meaning, and purpose to your people, you will see your leadership style transform from that of a seagull to that of an eagle – soaring to new heights.

Final Thoughts

Your leadership development is a work in progress. Leading and lifting others begins when you develop the right leadership mindset and attitude that is attractive and uplifting, not disruptive and ugly.

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Checking Your Bags

Posted April 14, 2023April 15, 2023
by admin

We all have baggage. The question is: What baggage can you deal with? – Jaime Pressly

I recently took my first trip out of the country since Covid. As a person who loves to travel it was great to once again get the proverbial passport stamp and experience a different culture.

Belize is already hot as it’s summer there. But the trip was great, the water was beautiful, and snorkeling with the stingrays and sharks at Cay Caulker was a thrill.

When it comes to air travel, of course, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I’ve traveled the world, and prefer to travel as lightly as possible. But there comes that time you have to decide whether to check a bag, carry-on only, or both. One way or another, you have to decide what you’re going to do about your bags.

In leadership, as in life, you have to decide what you’re going to do with your baggage. We all have some and how we deal with it makes all the difference.

Here are a few lessons I’ve learned as a traveler and as a leader about carrying baggage. See if you can relate to any of the following.

Only pack the essentials

When traveling, it’s wise to only pack what you need. Keep it to the essentials. The lighter your load the farther and faster you can move. I’ve seen people pack for a week-long trip and you would have thought they were going to be gone for a month.

Leadership Tip: In leadership, excess baggage such as a poor attitude, grudges against a colleague, poor morale, etc. can weigh you and your organization down. In travel, excess baggage will cost you. It will cost you in your leadership as well. To move forward, you will have to have some items in your bags so you’d better be smart about it.

You don’t have to carry other people’s bags

You are not responsible for other people’s baggage. When maneuvering through an airport, you typically have all you can do to keep up with your own bags, much less anyone else’s. And, you never leave your bag unattended.

Leadership Tip: In leadership, you will deal with a variety of people with differing levels of baggage – some good, some not. It’s essential as a leader that you recognize that there will be some people who will try to bring their negative baggage with them into your culture. And once it gets in, it’s hard to get it out. Just as you go through screening at the airport, you have to screen and weed out negative influences and toxic people from within your organization.

Don’t weigh yourself down

We’ve come a long way over the years when it comes to moving about with luggage when traveling. You no longer have to bear the burden of heavy bags and moving about with them – think spinners.

Leadership Tip: In leadership, you want to utilize every tool at your disposal and surround yourself with people who can help move things along. You don’t have to be weighed down by outdated methods and procedures. You can lighten the load for yourself and others by checking your bags carefully and packing in such a way that everyone can benefit.

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About My Altercation At The White House

Posted March 6, 2023March 6, 2023
by admin

Conflict is drama, and how people deal with conflict shows you the kind of people they are. – Stephen Moyer

I believe the time is now right and any concern of repercussions would be covered by the statute of limitations.

It all started innocently enough while on a family vacation. Our tent was pitched at Bull Run in Prince William County near Manassas, Virginia.

We spent our days taking in all the sights in Washington, D.C. This also included a much anticipated White House tour.

I was only about 6 or 7 years old at the time. We were queued up in line to go inside the White House and when we arrived at the door to step inside, a guard greeted us. He reached out and patted my head and said, “Hello, curly.”

At that time, I had blondish-brown curly hair. The only thing I hated more than having curly hair was someone mentioning it. At the moment, I did not appreciate the “compliment” that he was paying me. I was offended and I let him know.

With all the strength that I could muster, I reared back and proceeded to kick this White House guard in the shin as hard as I could.

It was not the proudest moment in my young life and more than once I heard about it from my parents.

I’ve been back to Washington numerous times since and have stopped by the White House to take a picture, but have never been back inside. I hope to again someday, and, if so, I promise to be on my best behavior.

As leaders, we all have choices with regard to the way we handle conflict. You see it play out on a daily basis in your place of work where conflict and tensions seem to always be simmering just beneath the surface.

Recent research by The Myers-Briggs Company revealed that managers spend nearly 4 hours a week dealing with conflict on average.

The research included insights such as:

Poor communication is the number one reason for conflict
Nearly 1 in 4 people think that their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly
The more time that an individual spent dealing with conflict at work, the lower their job satisfaction and the less included they felt

In this day and time, leaders can’t afford to be passive bystanders when conflicts are occurring all around them. There are some things that a leader can delegate for the sake of good organizational management, but when it comes to a healthy organizational culture – and preserving it, the ownership of it starts with the leadership.

Final Thoughts

Conflict is never easy but not all conflict is bad. Not every pat on the head is an act of hostility, and not every kick in the shin should be seen as a rebellion. People’s perspectives are different, and that’s why smart leaders are relentless communicators to bring out the best in others, discern the motives, and rally the team to its higher purpose.

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Leading Through a Crisis

Posted February 5, 2023
by admin

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

The wintry afternoon walk in the field out behind our house with my older sister started out like any other. I was about 10 years old. The field was a great place to play. There were plenty of trails to walk and ride our bikes. We built forts, shot our Daisy BB guns, and caught fireflies in Mason jars. This day, however, would be different.

As my sister and I exited the field before heading inside, I did something I’d done many times before with no thought. I pulled a tall weed out of the ground. But this time the weed didn’t budge. When the force of my pull met the resistance of the weed, it slit my finger open and laid the skin back.

As we approached the backyard my blue coat was already soaked in blood. I went to the water faucet and began rinsing my finger. “Don’t tell mom!” I shouted to my sister as I saw her run inside with no intention of following my command.

Once I went inside, my mother was already in a panic. She walked me up to the kitchen sink and told me to stand still. “I’ll be right back!” she exclaimed. Moments later she returned with a bottle of rubbing alcohol. “Hold your finger still”, she said. I was under the impression that she would perhaps pour just a little on the cut. I was wrong.

With the best intentions that a loving mother could conjure up at that moment, she emptied the entire contents of that bottle of rubbing alcohol onto my finger as I screamed. Which was just prior to my fainting on the kitchen floor.

My mother – God rest of her sweet, loving soul up in heaven, meant well. And in my moment of crisis, she did the best she knew how.

As a leader, there are two things you can be certain of – 1) You will face moments of crisis, and 2) Your people will be looking to you for confidence. So what do you do in a crisis? Here are a few practical ideas.

Stay calm

Remember, in times of crisis, your people will take their cues from you. From you, they need to see steadiness, resolve, and confidence. They don’t need to see you running for the doors. Or reaching for the alcohol.

Assess the situation

In times of crisis, you want to gather as much information as you can as quickly as you can. Gather your key people, ascertain what you know, separate fact from fiction, and start developing your action steps.

Communicate clearly

A good plan poorly communicated will only make matters worse. Click To TweetMake sure everyone knows the plan and everyone knows their role. Don’t assume anything.

Empower your people

Your people will gain confidence when you place your confidence in them. You can inspire your team by empowering your team. A time of crisis is not the time for a one-man show. Walk through the crisis with your people and you will make your team stronger.

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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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The Priority of Time

Posted August 29, 2022
by admin

Guard well your spare moments. – Emerson

If you’ve ever taken one of those long international flights you know a thing or two about how changing multiple time zones messes with your body clock.

A few years back, I spent my summer in China. My departure out of the U.S. was on a 16-hour non-stop flight from Newark to Hong Kong. The adjustment during the first few days in China was not that difficult all things considered. But it took me about a week to get fully adjusted once I came home. Crossing back all those time zones, the loss of sleep, and reacquainting myself with my normal routine was challenging.

Time is our most precious commodity. It always has been and always will be. And in leadership and management circles, we hear a lot about “time management”. But, quite honestly, “time management” is a myth. All we can do is prioritize it.

Concerning time management, author Myers Barnes writes:

“Time management has nothing to do with the clock, but everything to do with organizing and controlling your participation in certain events that coordinate with the clock. Einstein understood time management is an oxymoron. It cannot be managed. You can’t save time, lose time, turn back the hands of time, or have more time tomorrow than today. Time is unemotional, uncontrolled, and unencumbered. It moves forward regardless of circumstances and, in the game of life, creates a level playing field for everyone.”

As a leader, how you “manage” time or better yet, set the priorities of how your time will be invested is of great importance. Jim Rohn was correct when he said, “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” And this is your challenge as a leader.

I’d like to share a few things that I’ve learned over the years on this topic in hopes that they will add value to you on your leadership journey.

I had to learn the myth that everything matters equally

I learned this principle from Gary Keller’s book, The One Thing. In it, he writes: “When everything feels urgent and important, everything seems equal. We become active and busy but this doesn’t actually move us any closer to success. Activity is often unrelated to productivity, and busyness rarely takes care of business.” And this is such a necessary thing to learn in leadership.

Keller makes the case that a to-do list can easily lead you astray. More times than not, it’s simply the things you think you need to do; which often is nothing more than the first thing you thought of. Keller adds, “If your to-do list contains everything, then it’s probably taking you everywhere but where you really need to go.” In short, the most menial thing on your to-do list is not equal to the most important thing. Stop buying into the myth that all things are equal. They’re not. As Keller recommends, in place of a “to do” list, make a success list. It will change your mindset and your focus.

I had to learn that I choose my life by how I spend my time

I learned this very important principle from John Maxwell. In his book, Today Matters, he writes, “If you’re over the age of twenty-one, your life is what you’re making it. To change your life, you need to change your priorities.”

The playing field with time is level. We all get the same amount regardless of who we are. The priorities you set determine how your time is used. Changing our approach to our days makes all the difference between time well spent or time wasted. Maxwell framed it in three questions that are quite useful.

What is required of me? When ordering priorities, always start with the requirement question and give it careful thought before moving on to the next question.
What gives me the greatest return? As you grow as a leader, you will discover that there are some things that will give you a greater return than others. What are they?
What gives me the greatest reward? If you only do what you must and what is effective, you will be highly productive, but you may not be content. It’s important to consider what gives you personal satisfaction. But don’t get these questions out of order.

Final Thoughts

As leaders, we have to understand that we can’t, and shouldn’t, do everything. And this is why establishing your priorities is so important. You have to be your own timekeeper. Your time is too valuable to relinquish to someone else.

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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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Burnout: Is There More to it Than Meets the Eye?

Posted March 22, 2021
by admin

Burnout is what happens when you try to avoid being human for too long. – Michael Gungor

A first-grader became curious because her father brought home stacks of work from the office each night. Her mother explained, “Daddy has so much to do that he can’t finish it all at the office. That’s why he has to bring work home at night.”

“Well then,” asked the child innocently, “why don’t they put him in a slower group?”

While meant to be humorous, that story is a reflection of reality for many. The work never ends. There never seem to be enough hours in the day to get it all done. The stress is real. Burnout is inevitable. Can you relate?

But is it really the daily number of hours a day that you work that is the primary contributing factor to the source of your burnout?

The results from a Gallup report indicate that while the number of hours people work each week does matter, burnout risks increase significantly when employees exceed 50 hours and climbing even higher after 60 hours. A foregone conclusion, right?

Would you be surprised to learn that the survey found that it wasn’t the number of hours worked that caused the burnout? It was how people experienced their workload that had a stronger influence on burnout than hours worked.

According to the survey, engaged employees who have job flexibility tend to work more hours per week than the average employee, while reporting higher well-being. When people feel inspired, motivated, and supported in their work, they do more work and that work is significantly less on their overall health and wellbeing.

The top five factors that correlate most highly with burnout in the Gallup survey are:

Unfair treatment at work
Unmanageable workload
Unclear communication from managers
Lack of manager support
Unreasonable time pressure

We know that burnout is real. 76% of the respondents to the survey report experiencing burnout on the job at least some time. Have you?

Leaders can make a real difference when it comes to how their people experience their work and as a result improve their personal wellbeing. Here are a few considerations.

Make the environment a priority

It’s not the work that your people shy away from. They shy away from toxic environments that hinder them. When you make the environment in which your people work a priority then you will cut down on the stress, burnout, and the other negative effects that flow from it.

Rightfully empower your people

Take a holistic approach to leading your people. There’s more to your people than their skill sets and the work that they produce. Think in terms of the whole person and seek out additional ways to serve them. When your people are empowered to work in a healthy environment and live healthier lives (mentally, physically, spiritually) they will thrive.

Intentionally be aware

Your degree of awareness makes a difference. But unfortunately, it’s a trap many leaders fall into. Most leaders are not wired to notice warning signs of burnout and by the time they do, it can be too late. As a leader, you can better serve your people by being more proactive not just about the environment that you create but in the relationships you develop. Don’t leave it to chance, make it a priority.

Share accountability

When one suffers, all suffer. When everyone on your team takes responsibility for the well-being of your workplace environment and the well-being of its people, then the cases of burnout and stress can be reduced. In order for that to happen, everyone must take ownership. Shared accountability equals shared responsibility. When you have each others’ backs you can have everyone at their best.

How are you improving your work experience?

Employee Engagement: Creating Space for Engaged Employees and a Healthy Culture

A new e-book from Doug Dickerson and Dr. Elizabeth Stincelli

This new e-book is a collaborative effort of our shared passion for healthy workplaces and engaged employees. Stay tuned for more details!

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What To Do When Things Aren’t Working

Posted February 9, 2021February 19, 2021
by admin

Leaders need the courage to acknowledge when something isn’t working. – Mark Batterson

One of the challenges in leadership is having the awareness of knowing when things aren’t working. Acknowledge it too late and you may not recover. But having the ability to see things as they are in real-time with the courage to change can make all the difference between success and failure. This sounds simple enough, but is it?

Take British Airways for example. Profiled in a TinyPulse blog post, they were credited for their ability to change during a difficult transitional time. After a massive merger some years ago, British Airways faced difficultly managing itself and bring a decent service in the aftermath.

The article states, “It wasn’t until its privatization and the incorporation of the new chairperson…that the company started to enjoy positive momentum-and increase their profits accordingly.” British Airways is not alone in its ability to acknowledge when things aren’t working and making the hard decisions to make things right. But not every story has the same outcome.

An article in Collective Campus highlighted 10 companies that failed to innovate resulting in business failure. One of the companies was Polaroid. When the digital camera revolution began, they were behind the curve in adapting to the times. The article states, “Falling into the ‘success trap’ by exploiting only their (historically successful) business activities, Polaroid neglected to explore new territory and enhance their long-term viability.” And herein lies the challenge in leadership.

Two distinctions emerge when analyzing the differences between the companies who succeeded and those who failed. Here are two key takeaways.

Companies that succeeded embraced change

The TinyPulse article stated that 70% of change initiatives fail as a result of bad management, poor implementation, or even back luck. But companies with the ability to adapt to change do so because they are thinking long term.

Companies that failed relied too much on past or current success

Polaroid had a long-standing history dating back to the 1930s. For many decades they had few competitors. But when the digital age arrived they were too slow in adapting and were ultimately left behind.

Measuring what’s working and what’s not is critical to your success. Here are a few ways to do it.

Evaluate honestly

Many metrics go into how you see your business and your current posture in the marketplace. Be careful not to look at things through rose-colored glasses. Acknowledge the good, identify what’s not working or underperforming, and stay informed. Surround yourself with people who will tell you what you need to hear not just what you want to hear. In the end, what you need to hear is all that matters. Click To Tweet

Know your competition

Many of the referenced businesses that failed did so not because they didn’t have a good product. They failed because they underestimated the competition and the speed of change. By the time they got around to it, it was too late. In addition, don’t look to your competition to set the pace. Make it your mission to be early adopters and set the example for the rest.

Don’t settle

Many of the businesses failed because they relied on past successes to carry them. This is a prescription for disaster. You must constantly be improving and innovating. The work and innovation that got you to where you are today likely won’t be enough to sustain you long term. Click To TweetKeep learning and improving. Be aware of coming trends and position yourself accordingly. In short, never settle for where you are today.

Get to the root causes

It’s important to know what to do when things aren’t working. But more importantly, you need to understand why it isn’t working. You need to know things like how much ground you lost before you made the discovery, what warning signs did you miss, what changes need to be made to keep it from ever happening again, etc. Get to the root causes so that you don’t make the same mistake again.

Final Thoughts

When things aren’t working it doesn’t mean failure is inevitable, it means a correction is needed. Get out in front of it quick and lead the way.

Check out the Cardinal Point Leadership Podcast

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Moving From Buy-In to Engagement: Why Buy-In May Not Be Enough

Posted March 11, 2020
by admin

None of us is as smart as all of us. – Ken Blanchard

In his book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell devotes a chapter to Law 14 – The Law of Buy-In. In it he states, “People don’t at first follow worthy causes. They follow worthy leaders who promote worthwhile causes. People buy into the leader first, then the leader’s vision.” This statement is profoundly true, simple, and complicated all at the same time.

Many leaders and many more organizations work diligently on buy-in. We aren’t knocking it, we understand that without it, you’re dead in the water. But making the transition from buy-in to engagement can be difficult.

Here’s what we know. The latest 2019 Employee Engagement Report from TINYpulse found that employee loyalty is decreasing. 43% of workers would be willing to leave their companies for a 10% salary increase. A staggering 44% of employees don’t feel they have sufficient opportunities for professional growth in their current position. Less than one-third of people believe they have a strong culture.

We can’t say enough about the importance of buy-in. It means so much for so many reasons. But without active engagement, everything else is in jeopardy. With this in mind, we have identified four essentials that we believe are necessary for engagement.

Purpose

The hardest task for you as a leader is to get the buy-in. Selling the ‘why’ to a prospective team member or client puts your vision to the test every time. And, the truth be told, before they buy into the vision, they buy into you as a leader. Oftentimes the crisis of buy-in is not about the organization or product, it’s the leadership.

Everyone is searching for meaning and purpose. People thrive when they feel their work is meaningful. This meaning is not found in the work itself, it is found in connecting their work to a purpose larger than themselves. Your ‘why’, as a leader, provides purpose and direction that gives those who follow you something to believe in. It appeals to others on an emotional level and makes work feel less like work and more like a purpose. People will be more engaged when they buy into your leadership and are excited about the work they are doing. Click To Tweet

Communication

Once buy-in has been achieved, now the real work begins. How do you harness the momentum that buy-in gives you and turn it into action steps that advance you? We believe communication is essential and that it should take place on a regular basis.

American psychologist, Rollo May, believed that “Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy, and mutual valuing.” This sense of community fosters an environment where others feel safe to collaborate, cooperate, and compromise. Effective leaders use conversations to build connections, convey information, share stories and thoughts, and to encourage questions. Click To Tweet These connections form trusting relationships that earn a commitment from others. The safety and inclusion of the relationships built on open communication enhance engagement.

Coaching

We believe that engagement is the life-blood of your organization. With that in mind, it must not only be communicated regularly, but it must also be given priority. With this in mind, ownership must be taken at all levels and coaching is critical to how it’s done.

Successful leaders play the role of coach and supporter with an emphasis on helping others succeed. They invest their time and resources into building others up. We are drawn to those who want the best for us and will use their strengths to help us achieve our goals. Your employees are more likely to become fully engaged when they know that you will always be there to offer support and catch them if they fall.

Accountability

Engagement is not hard to measure, but we believe you must keep your finger on the pulse of your organization at all times. The time to find out about issues that impact your people and their performance is not at the end of the year; by then it’s too late. Click To Tweet

Accountability boils down to taking ownership of one’s own thoughts, words, actions, and reactions. One of the greatest keys to accountability is the level of control people feel they possess over their work. When employees are in control of the “what, when, and how” of a decision or action, their ownership and accountability skyrockets. As a result of taking ownership of their work, people will become more engaged.

At the end of the day, worthy leaders are the ones who effectively lay out their vision and get others to buy into that vision. Successful leaders are able to encourage others to move beyond buy-in to becoming fully engaged in their work. Engaged employees have a sense of purpose and know that they are making a difference. They feel safe and included because of open and ongoing communication. They feel supported by a leader who serves as a coach. And, they feel a sense of ownership and accountability for their work.

Final Thoughts

Lay a strong foundational culture for your employees by deliberately sharing a meaningful purpose, building relationships through open communication, serving as a supportive coach, and giving them control and accountability for their work. This foundation will move you from buy-in to engagement. And, active engagement is the key to success.

To learn more about Liz Stincelli visit her website at https://www.stincelliadvisors.com/

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