Category Archives: Growth

How to kill wisdom

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Barry Schwartz studies wisdom and gave a brilliant Ted lecture on the topic that you won’t want to miss. In case you don’t have 20 minutes to watch the whole lecture now, here are the highlights.

Leaders want to encourage certain behaviors in their employees, ones they believe will advance the organization’s mission. The goal is for people to grow in wisdom – acting based on intelligence, experience and common sense. Dr. Schwartz discusses how to promote practical wisdom, which he defines as the moral will (I want to contribute) and skill (I know how to help) to do the right things.

Using the example of hospital janitors, Dr. Schwartz outlined how people use practical wisdom to make a difference. Although their job descriptions included nothing about contact with human beings, their care for and interactions with others positively impacted patient care and outcomes. The janitors:

Ignored orders in order to help people. A janitor skipped cleaning the waiting room out of respect for sleeping visitors who had been at the hospital for days.

Improvised based on the situation. Because a parent did not see him do it the first time, one janitor re-mopped a comatose patient’s room.

Used their skills to serve others, not themselves. These janitors often added to their own workload, so that patients’ and families’ needs were met.

Leaders often create rules and incentives to increase the likelihood that people will exhibit desired behaviors. Dr. Schwartz cautions that rules keep people from making well-reasoned judgments and don’t allow improvisation in the service of what is right.

Incentives seem harmless, but they shift people’s thinking from, “What is my responsibility?” to “What is in my best interest?” In effect, activities that involve incentives have been shown to reduce morale and morality.

Rather than more rules, incentives or ethics policies, Dr. Schwartz advises us to:

Celebrate moral heroes who show practical wisdom every day.

Get to know the people in your organization in order to know how to encourage moral will and skill.

Allow people the time and give them permission to do the right thing, because moral heroes are made, not born.

Think you’ve got the right amount and types of rules and incentives? Maybe it’s time for a second look. As Dr. Schwartz says, without wisdom, brilliance can get you into trouble. Watch this Ted video now.

Need help developing practical wisdom in your organization? Contact Humanergy.

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Just do one thing

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Most people would describe their lives as busy, even overwhelming. That’s the most common reason people give for not tackling the not-urgent-and-very-important things that we say are priorities. We don’t do them, in spite of the fact that they are the difference between reaching our potential and simply getting by.

How can you finally tackle that personal development goal that always gets moved to the back burner? How can your organization address the strategic issue that will surely derail you if you don’t attend to it?

I heard a bit of simple wisdom the other day. (I wish I could remember where!)

This week, do just one thing.

Do the one thing that will move you closer to achieving the result you need. It doesn’t have to be time-consuming or extremely difficult. It simply needs to be the one thing you can do now.

Next week do one more thing. “Don’t wait. The time will never be just right” (Napoleon Hill).

 

Can’t figure out what one thing to do? Contact Humanergy!


Curiosity: A leadership superpower

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We are hard-wired to be critical of new ideas. Maybe it’s our Stone-Age brains in the forefront, avoiding risk in order to survive. Sometimes the urge to appear intelligent and decisive can result in too-swift judgment of something novel.

Art Markman’s blog on promoting a culture of smart thinking includes a tip on staying open to ideas. He recommends that you allow fresh information some “soak” time and try them out before you pass judgment.

Staying open to different viewpoints can only happen when we are willing to be wrong sometimes. We may also need to wrestle with some powerful emotions, such as anger or hurt. In these moments of vulnerability, curiosity is both difficult and much-needed.

If you’re like me, you may be programmed to quickly ask, “What’s her problem?” or “Is he nuts?”

To boost curiosity, try some new questions: “I wonder why he said that?” “What would that look like?” “How would that work?” “What do I like best about it?”

You may find that these questions will not only open your mind…it will unblock those of the people around you as well.

Need some help staying open-minded? Contact Humanergy.

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Why being willing to learn is not enough

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One of our Humanergy team members is the poster child for learning and self-improvement. (Rather than embarrass him, let’s just call him Bob.) Once new information is available to Bob, he quickly assesses its merits. Will this improve my work with clients? If the answer is yes, Bob doesn’t just wait for an easy way to implement this new insight. He does his homework, analyzes best practices and immediately puts new ideas to work.

Bob is not just “willing” to learn something new. He’s passionately invested in getting better all the time. He’s all in, 100%.

Here’s how you can be a continuous learner like Bob:

Be a sponge and be choosy. It can be hard to wade through the myriad sources of information. Peruse likely sources of quality information for “news you can use.” Be selective about what you invest time in, recognizing that you can waste a lot of time exploring options that are impractical or not applicable.

Try it out. Through hands-on experience, use the new tool or technique. Then tweak it to be even more effective in real-world situations. (We call this Do and Learn.)

Share with others. Let others learn from your experience. Not only will they benefit; they may also have brilliant insights about how to better the ball… you know what they say about great minds.

What about you? Are you just willing, or are you relentless in your quest to learn and grow?

 

See a need that Humanergy can fill? contact us

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More reasons you are not achieving your goals

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Are you tired of hearing about New Year’s resolutions? If you’re like me, you may have ambitious goals in January, only to find them a distant memory by February. That’s why comedian Joey Adams coined the toast, “May your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions.”

If you want to achieve your objectives, you aren’t doomed to fail, even if you have done so in the past. If you missed our post called The real reason you’re not achieving your goals, read that now for ideas about how to avoid resolution-derailment. Here are more potential obstacles and their solutions:

Goals fall off the radar. Life has a way of overwhelming our goals, and we often lose track of what we wanted to achieve. One strategy for keeping your goal top-of-mind is an in-your-face tracking method. Try an automatic an email or task notification that is sent to yourself each week, reminding you of your goals and action steps. Create a public chart of your progress, and enlist others to help you stay on track.

You don’t involve others. The days of the lone rider are gone. Setting appropriate, challenging goals and achieving them require input from others throughout the process. Consider seeking feedback from people outside your industry, as well as subject matter experts in your field. You may be surprised at the new insights you will gain.

You don’t prep for action. Just aiming for a target is not sufficient. At some point, you must shoot. This means planning goal-specific, targeted action. Break big goals up into manageable bits, then set milestones for each stage. Your action plan must be flexible, yet contain the necessary detail to drive getting things done.

You set them for others. If you set the goals for your direct reports, proceed with caution. Will your people perform at their best if they do not “own” their goals? How would you feel if someone set yours? Probably less than enthused. If you must set others’ goals, at least engage them in a conversation to get their input and buy-in. Also, make sure you’re not expecting the impossible. Impossible expectations equals stress and poor performance. In other words, you’ll frustrate your people and not achieve your goals. Not only that, you’ll likely end up wasting time recruiting and training new employees when your people bail on you.

Reaching your goals requires dedication and discipline. Don’t use the age-old excuse: I don’t have time. As H. Jackson Brown, Jr. said, “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”

 

Need some goals guidance? Contact Humanergy!

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The real reason you’re not achieving your goals

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Advice abounds when it comes to setting goals. You’ve probably been told a million times to make your goals SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Result-driven and Time-bound). Yet year after year, you either don’t bother setting goals or you lose track of your resolutions by about February. What are some of the barriers that might be keeping you from goal attainment?

You don’t want to be accountable. You may set nonspecific goals (or none at all) if you fear being held accountable. You think that you can stay beneath the radar and won’t be held to task. Sorry. The days of just going through the motions are long gone, and every person needs to know where they’re going and how they’ll get there. Otherwise, why pay you? There will be someone else just waiting to step into your shoes.

You set goals too high. Challenging goals are necessary to activate our motivation for achievement. It’s been said that you should aim for the stars. However, if you find that you lose momentum quickly or never achieve your milestones, you may need to become a more realistic goal-setter. Dream big, but do not set the bar so high that you cannot be successful. If you consistently set unrealistically high goals, face the fact that you are not setting goals at all. You’re really aiming at nothing, so there’s no hitting it.

You set goals too low. Maybe you’re setting low, attainable goals because you fear the consequences of failure. Even if your boss demands 100% goal success, you can always set a separate set of personal goals that don’t get reported in your annual review. To boost success, share them with a trusted person, who can be your sounding board, cheerleader and guide. When you succeed, take pride in and celebrate your achievements, knowing that you stretched yourself past your comfort zone. If possible, report these achievements to your boss,

Your goals don’t align with a worthwhile purpose. If your objectives and targets don’t motivate you, it may be that your work doesn’t fit with what is really important to you. Your goals should help you get out of bed in the morning and fuel you through the challenges that inevitably come. If your goals don’t fire you up, consider a move to a different type of position – one that gets your juices flowing and lines up with what really matters.

It takes time to develop goals that matter and give your life meaning and motivation. Don’t shortchange the thinking part of the process. Devote some time to journaling about what you want out of life, personally and professionally. You’ll then be in a stronger position to establish goals that you will accomplish.

(Stay tuned to our next blog for more ways to overcome barriers to goal attainment – just in time for those New Year’s resolutions!)

 

Need some goals guidance? Contact Humanergy!

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How to respond to offensive remarks

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How many times have you heard a comment that struck you as disrespectful or offensive, and you didn’t respond? Maybe you didn’t know the other person, and felt too awkward to comment. Maybe you just weren’t sure you wanted to wade into the issue. Many of us (myself included) have opted not to comment, because we are afraid of the consequences or are unsure of what to say.

You don’t have to confront every piece of communication with which you don’t agree. When should you engage, having heard what you feel is a demeaning remark?

When it offends you. This may be obvious, but sometimes we think, “maybe I’m being too sensitive.” That’s usually just a way of avoiding the issue. If you find the remark offensive, that’s grounds enough to comment on it. You don’t need a panel of experts backing you up.

When the comment is made within your conversation. Overhearing a rude outburst from afar might give you a free pass. However, if someone makes an offensive remark in the context of your discussion, you can and should respond. Even if the words weren’t directed at you, it is still important to weigh in.

When you know the person. Strangers behaving badly may benefit from some type of intervention. Friends and colleagues definitely would. The difference here is your ability to influence their thinking and behavior. You owe it to the other person to bring the matter to their attention.

When you have the power. Let’s face it. There are some people who are in a much better position to confront distasteful speech. Leaders must role model the standards of the organization and confront those who disregard those standards. The implicit message when you say nothing is to approve.

When you know you should weigh in, how can you do so in a way that is maximally constructive?

Be brief. There is no need to launch into a protracted speech on the distasteful statement. Get to the point. “I found the term “fairy” to be offensive,” for example.

Stay focused on observable behavior. Resist the urge to extrapolate and comment on the person’s attitude or beliefs. “You used the word “girl” to refer to a grown woman.” Leave out your personal opinion that the person is a sexist.

Be willing to educate. Often people are operating out of ignorance and do not intend to be disrespectful. Assume that this is the case, until proven otherwise. A comment like, “that term has negative connotation you may not be aware of,” may pave the way to increased awareness.

State your feelings. After you’ve named the behavior, it is more than appropriate to state how you felt about it. “I felt offended [hurt] [angry].” This will help the other individual understand your true perspective and the impact of his behavior.

Be respectful and loving. It might seem strange to respond with care to a person who has said something you found repugnant. However, don’t give in to your urge to demean the speaker. Doing so would only inflame the situation, and may cause the other person to shut down and stop listening. Remember that your goal is to promote and model respectful communication; you won’t do that if you respond angrily.

Remain firm in your feedback. “Hey, lighten up,” can be a common response to being confronted. Simply stated, offensive speech is not trivial. At work, it can be illegal or at least highly disruptive. Your feedback is valid, regardless of the other person’s receptivity (or lack thereof).

Report abuse or discrimination. Persons who are verbally abusive or practice discrimination have no place in your organization. Take action, either yourself or by reporting such behavior to the person’s boss.

Part of our responsibility as human beings is to preserve the dignity of others. Caring enough to speak the truth is not always easy. It is, however, one of the most important things we can do. It may not feel that way at the time, but refuting objectionable comments is a courtesy we extend to the speaker. Giving difficult feedback means, “I care about you too much to let this go.”

 

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Need more information or want to speak with a Humanergy associate? Contact us!

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Ask the right questions at the right time

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Your once-well-oiled machine of a team is experiencing strife. Some people seem to be spending more time whining than doing their jobs. A high-priority project is behind schedule and over budget. What questions do you ask to understand what’s really going on?

You’re first instinct may be to ask, “What isn’t working?” If you’re really at the end of your rope, you won’t be that polite.”What in the HECK is WRONG with you people?!” As frustrated as you may be, don’t focus on the negative right away. This will put people on the defensive and may deteriorate into a blame game. You will end up wasting time and will probably miss some incredible strengths that could be put to use to solve the current problem.

Begin with this question: “What’s working and why?” Here’s where you uncover the brilliance – and regain a balanced perspective. It isn’t all broken, and some things are going great.

Then, ask: “What is the need we are trying to address?” This will get people zeroing in on their purpose and goals. Be very clear about exactly what you’re trying to achieve, why it’s important and the desired results and impact.

Next, ask: “What do we need to start doing to get there?” You’ll find that there are some best practices that were never shared or have fallen by they wayside. Build on what’s working to address the gap between the need and current performance.

Only then should you delve into “What’s not working?” Figure out the behaviors that need to stop in order to remove barriers to success. Often the previous questions will have addressed some of the gaps with an eye to constructive resolution, so this conversation may be very brief.

When there is a problem, focusing first on the negative keeps you trapped in the past and may encourage you to throw in the towel too early. While it’s important to learn from what went wrong, the real power for change lies in what is going well. It takes courage and talent to overcome adversity. You’ll uncover more of both when you uncover strengths you didn’t know existed.

 

Want to learn more or just need to ask some questions of a Humanergist? Contact us.

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Rituals at work

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We typically associate ritual with religious services, mystical practices or organizations like the Masons. A ritual, according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, is 1) the established form for a ceremony or 2) a ritual observance, ceremonial act or an act (or series of acts) regularly repeated in a set precise manner.

Lindsay Mannering wrote in the Huffington Post about rituals, saying, “I like to think that rituals are our way of telling the future: we know what to expect when, and we know what to do how.” In addition to helping us anticipate the future, are there other useful aspects of workplace rituals?

Rituals reduce stress and increase focus. I have loved my summer work schedule, which includes arriving early in the morning, before anyone else is in the office. In addition to checking voicemail and email, I open the front door and take a moment to appreciate the day’s weather. I breathe deeply and get ready to start the day. This daily ritual has allowed me to be more productive, because I begin the day more calm and relaxed.

Rituals bind people together. When Humanergists bring in new work, we ring a bell dedicated to that purpose. Bell ringing has become a joyful act, even if it is a little corny. It forms a shared memory that unites us, signifying that something wonderful has happened as a result of our work together.

Rituals make best practices stick. Some people have a daily practice of walking around and touching base with people in the workplace. Because it’s a routine (or ritual), they don’t make a conscious choice each day. It’s just what they do. The benefits of this discipline are many – increased connection, better communication flow and an accurate understanding of the “pulse” of the organization.

Rituals allow us to free our minds and focus deeper, increasing our presence on the task at hand. Adam Kayce blogs about the intention that is required:

“What makes the difference? Intention. Have the intention to carry your focus and presence deeper as you do your daily rituals, and see what happens. If you’ve never thought of your work as potential for ritual before, take a moment and reflect on your day… where does this idea of ritual make perfect sense?”

Do you want to use ritual to build best practice and make work more meaningful? Or, do you want to chat about another topic that’s on your mind? Contact Humanergy.

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Leadership requirement: X-ray vision

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High performance leaders know how to read the pulse of the organization. They regularly adjust strategies and tactics based on their understanding of what is really going on. This type of X-ray vision is the ability to see the unknown, inner mechanism of people and organizations. Leaders with x-ray vision:

Understand the meaning behind surprises. When people are surprised it gives you insight to their internal landscape of beliefs and expectations. You will also learn more about your own assumptions and recognize that not everyone views the world as you do.

Gain insight from people’s emotions.  When people have an emotional reaction, they are really communicating about something that is important to them. Conversely, if they are working hard to contain an emotional response, that also gives a clue that the issue is significant. Be aware of and sensitive to people’s responses, and your analysis will be better informed.

Recognize the importance of noise.  We’ve all seen it. A seemingly minimal change creates a furor. People become frustrated, distracted and unproductive. This “noise” tells you that something isn’t right or a process is not working. Dig deeper and listen carefully to analyze what is happening, before you respond.

Watch for the vacuum. The signs are chaos, stress and an increasing number of unanswered questions. These symptoms indicate that some aspect of leadership isn’t being filled. Respond quickly with a clear vision and the direction that your people need to move forward. No matter what, the vacuum will be filled. It’s up to you to ensure that it happens productively.

Practice “show me.” When you’re fuzzy about what’s going on, get out of your office. Go connect with your people, see firsthand the challenges they encounter and observe how they resolve them. You will have a more complete picture of their world and be better equipped to support them in their work.

Practice “teach me.”  There is no substitute for direct personal experience. You will further deepen your understanding (and credibility) if you ask others to teach you what they know. Ideally, you should then roll up your sleeves and grapple with this new task. You’ll be better able to strategically address gaps and foster learning when you know from experience how hard it is to get the job done.

Summarize their understanding for others. You’ve gone out there with your x-ray vision, and you think you’ve gleaned just the right information. Before you leap to making changes, restate your insights to others to make sure you’ve got it right. You need to be open to the possibility that other eyes “reading” the situation have picked up on a nuance you’ve missed.

Are fully present. X-ray vision requires that you are not caught up in your own head, your own thinking and your own agenda. In Mark Goulston’s blog on presence for Fast Company, he quotes Wilfred Bion about the importance of listening without memory or desire: “…when you listen with memory, you have an old agenda that you are trying to plug/maneuver someone into and when you listen with desire, you have a new agenda that you’re trying to do the same thing. In neither case are you listening to their agenda and in neither case are you present.”

X-ray vision gives you a new perspective on reality – allowing you to experience its full, connected complexity over time. It takes dedication and hard work to look beyond the surface as an ongoing discipline. As Alfred North Whitehead said, “It requires a very unusual mind to undertake the analysis of the obvious.”

 

Want to find out how you can acquire x-ray vision or teach this super-power to others? Contact Humanergy.

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