Posts Tagged ‘Motivation’

Passionate leadership

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

You show up every day and work diligently. You strive to exceed expectations. But are you a passionate leader? Passionate leaders love their work and it shows in their attitudes and actions. How do you recognize and develop your leadership gusto? Passionate leaders:

Sustain commitment. Even when times are tough, passionate leaders continue to enthusiastically engage in the work at hand. They keep their people focused on the right stuff and adjust to changing conditions without compromising their values. Passionate leaders never waver in their optimism and belief in the organization, its goals and its people.

Ignite passion in others. Just being around a passionate leader helps people discover what really makes them tick – their purpose and passion at work. The passionate leader doesn’t just assume that this inspiration will happen on its own; she orchestrates it through getting to know her colleagues and tapping into what really drives them to be their best.

Have a burning desire to make a difference. Passionate leaders have a fervent need to make a difference in the world. They aspire for more than the next promotion or acquisition. Their focus is on the organization, its people and its impact. They have an irrepressible desire to enrich people’s lives and recognize that the best way to make a difference is to continually feed the strengths of the organization’s people.

Roll up their sleeves. Passionate leaders don’t step in to rescue people, only getting into the trenches when they must. They get out of their offices, listen to and talk with others, so they know enough about what’s going on to be the catalyst for others to achieve greatness.

Take care of themselves. Passionate leaders know that a fire can burn bright and then extinguish without attention. They have the stamina to energetically address challenges because they know when to step away and refuel.

W. H. Auden said, “No person can be a great leader unless he takes genuine joy in the success of those under him.” The passionate leader takes joy in many aspects of work – and knows how to both focus and share that enthusiasm for the best results.

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Posted in Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Leadership, Motivation, Supervision, success | 2 Comments »

Accountability with compassion

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

A recent New York Times  interview with Niki Leondakis, chief operating officer of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, illustrated an important point. You can hold people accountable to high expectations and show compassion at the same time. Early in her career, Ms. Leondakis felt that she needed to emulate the other (mostly male) leaders who had a take-no-prisoners, harsh style. Over time, she learned that it not only felt better to show compassion, a more compassionate approach was more effective as well.

What is compassion and how can it help you hold others accountable?

Compassion isn’t weakness. Compassion is rooted in a profound respect for others and reflects an unfailing commitment to uphold the dignity of people. As such, all people deserve compassion, even if they’ve made a mistake or even done something unethical or illegal.

Compassion requires listening. When people don’t meet our expectations, it’s all too easy to jump to conclusions. Compassion requires that you slow down and take time to gather facts and listen to the perspectives of all involved, most particularly the person who appears to have a performance issue.

Make sure performance expectations are clear. Part of being a compassionate boss is clearly outlining what you expect in terms of behavior, results and impact. This should be done not only at the point of hiring, but should be reviewed periodically. Don’t forget that communicating expectations isn’t a one-way process. Check for understanding by asking your direct report to summarize her understanding in her own words.

Schedule check-ins and follow through. The annual performance review should not be the first time your direct report hears that there is a problem. Upon hiring, or when a new project is assigned, schedule time for updates and feedback. Don’t assume that everything is going well. Ask questions and share your perspective; if more resources, such as training, information or time, are needed, advocate for what is necessary for success.

Don’t dilute feedback. You might think that you’re doing the person a favor by being less direct. In fact, you’re potentially creating harm. If your direct report doesn’t hear all of the feedback, performance may continue to deteriorate. Then you’ll be forced to deliver even more bad news – even to the point of disciplinary action.

If disciplinary action is necessary, move forward. Expectations were clear. The person was properly trained and supported. If poor performance dictates disciplinary action, as Nike says, just do it.  Not ruthlessly or in a cold manner, but don’t beat around the bush. Share the behaviors that are a problem and how they impact the organization. Outline next steps and expectations. Don’t forget to listen, too, since this is one way to honor the person’s dignity. You can certainly share that you find the situation unfortunate, but  remember that it’s not something you created; therefore, you cannot apologize for it.

Allow the person to have a reaction. Just don’t fall into the trap of taking responsibility for the other person’s feelings. You didn’t create the situation and aren’t responsible for managing the other person’s emotions. Listen and remain calm in the midst of the storm. Above all, avoid phrases like, I know just how you feel or everything will be all right.

A truly compassionate supervisor not only delivers the good news, but the bad as well. Done well, both types of communication foster positive relationships and professional growth. Having the other person’s best interests at heart is a great foundation. In addition to good intentions, deliver your clear, factual message with compassion. You will sow the seeds of goodwill and future success, and everyone will be happier. As the Dalai Lama says, If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

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Posted in Communication, Decisiveness, Development, Leadership, Supervision, performance | 1 Comment »

Coaching lessons from golf school

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

My recent experience at golf school illustrated how frustrating and exhilarating it can be to learn something new. In fact, an anonymous but wise person said, Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle.

What lessons were learned that will help all of us to be better coaches and learners, regardless of the subject matter? For coaches:

Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. The golf pro spent 99% of the allotted time on the basic building blocks for a good swing. It wasn’t just on the driving range. Every time we had a club in our hands, she connected the dots between the current focus and the swing fundamentals.  As we built a good short shot, we also improved on our drives, and vice versa.  Whether you’re teaching someone how to sell widgets or service a machine, define the fundamentals and keep them front and center.

Stay true to what works. The golf pro was immovable when it came to the fundamentals of a good swing, no matter how many times she heard, “Well, what works for me is…” If there are tried and true best practices, stick to those and don’t compromise.

Communicate in a way that works for the learner. The golf pro used multiple means of communication, including verbal instructions, physical demonstration, video reviews and an illustrated manual. She adapted her methods to suit the needs of her students, like when her “80% angle” reference caused us all to stare blankly. She quickly understood that we didn’t get the spatial relations talk, but responded well when she said things like, “keep your head steady, rotate at the waist and straighten your left arm.” A good coach learns to communicate in many different ways – not just in the way in which he or she is most comfortable.

Break complicated stuff into manageable bits. Instead of tackling the whole swing, I spent hours working on bringing the club back to shoulder level correctly. Once my brain and body were coordinating this move well, I was able to incorporate other swing elements. Remember that people can’t keep numerous steps in their head all at once. Mastery of each component part builds muscle memory, increases confidence and sets the stage for overall success.

Use cycles of show, imitate, rectify. The pro would model the correct behavior, we would try to imitate her, and she then provided us with constructive feedback. The cycle was repeated over and over, until we were able to imitate the desired results fluidly.

Think you’re ready to be coached? A successful learning experience requires both a great coach, and a learner with the right motivation and attitude. For learners:

Align with your coach on goals. Some people came to golf school thinking that their game was great and only needed a few tweaks. The pro helped each person become more realistic about their current performance and set goals for improvement. In any coaching situation, be open to the fact that you may have more to learn than you previously thought.

Be a sponge, not a filter. In many ways, the novices at golf school got it right. They kept their mouths shut and their eyes and ears open. They didn’t waste time debating the merits of one grip or another. They took in as much information as possible, and readily tried new things. The result? Fewer tragedies and many more miracles. If you’re learning something new, try not to screen suggestions through the lens of your past experience. You don’t know what you don’t know.

Practice perfectly. Yes, it was mind-numbing to repeatedly practice the correct back swing. Contrary to popular belief, practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. It is only through doing things right that you develop a habit of excellent performance. The amazing thing is, according to Gary Player, the more you practice, the luckier you get.

The most valuable lesson from golf school? Golf, like any skill, is not about executing the right physical movements. It is largely played in our minds. Success is dependent upon having the right attitude as well as skill set. My attitude? Focus, relish the occasional miracle of a stellar shot and remember to have fun along the way.

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Posted in Coaching, Communication, Development, Emotional Intelligence, Fun | 2 Comments »

Love diversity? Value and tap each person’s unique contributions

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

green-red-apple2It would be hard to find someone who’d argue that diversity in organizations is not valuable. Diverse experiences, cultures, skills and perspectives make the workplace dynamic, creative and innovative.

The tragedy is that some of the most seemingly-diverse companies don’t actually maximize people’s contributions the way they could. This isn’t about intent. It’s about time. In the whirling dervish that is today’s work environment, leaders sometimes don’t take the time to tap the full breadth of their people’s capabilities.

Embracing diversity means more than just recruiting and retaining a talented, multi-ethnic workforce, though that is a great start. Ask yourself these questions to find out if you’re fully utilizing the treasure that lies within all of your people:

Do I know what my people can do?

Do I know what stretch goals would broaden and motivate each person?

Do I know their career aspirations?

Do I know what really gets my people excited about coming to work?

Do I know what they love doing outside of work?

Each person’s passion and energy can be drawn upon to move your company to a new and exciting place. Make a commitment to learn more about the folks around you. Build upon their strengths. Give them opportunities to try new things.

Everyone knows that challenging work combined with just the right amount of support are the best teachers. You may be surprised by who moves to the head of the class.

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Motivating staff during challenging times

Monday, September 28th, 2009

light-in-darknessHow do you keep employees motivated when times are troubled? If your go-to motivation strategy is a bonus or pay raise, you may be in trouble. What are other techniques that are even more powerful than financial rewards?

Give people interesting work. People want to keep them growing and learning. Provide enough autonomy so that people can express their unique contributions while they also address the organization’s needs.

Redouble your efforts to communicate. Give people frequent status updates during a crisis. Allow them to ask questions and then answer them to the best of your ability. Open communication derails rumors, gossip and misinformation.

Share both reality and hope. An earlier blog post featured the Stockdale Paradox – a mixture of 1) faith that you’ll prevail AND 2) discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality. Share both the grim realities and the reasons you’re going to not only survive, but thrive.

Be around and really listen. With so many important ideas to share, it might be easy to stop listening. Get out of your office and find out what’s on people’s minds. Then you’ll know what/how to communicate.

Make light of things. In fact, be a bit silly. Start a “joke of the week” contest. Tell your team it’s “bring a banana to work day.” You surprise them with ice cream and other toppings for banana splits. Levity defuses tension and builds camaraderie, but keep the jokes clean and poke fun at yourself, not others.

Things may seem gloomy now, but you can provide a light in the darkness to calm the people around you. In the process, you may also find that the steps you take to keep people engaged and motivated in crisis are the very things you should have been doing all along.

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The lost art of appreciation

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

CB065332“Thanks.” “That was excellent work.” “I really liked it when you….”

We don’t say these words often enough. Maybe it’s the overdrive mode that most organizations are in these days. What we’re missing by not sharing genuine appreciation with others is a key to employee motivation. Showing gratitude and giving positive feedback isn’t the only way to motivate, but it can be one of the easiest and most enjoyable.

We recently stumbled into an opportunity to appreciate each other at Humanergy. A couple of years ago, we started exchanging “white elephant” gifts during the holidays. A “white elephant” is that thing that’s been sitting in your basement or garage that you’ve been meaning to get rid of, but you don’t really think anyone wants it. Maybe you’re even embarrassed to admit you have it.

One of our staff gave a fellow employee a “beautiful” rope necklace embellished with a dozen Southwestern figures, like a coyote, cacti, sombrero and snakes. The nicest thing we can say about it is that it is unique.

The receiver of this gift quickly transformed it into a talisman for our Humanergy team. We each picked a figure to represent ourselves, and the necklace was passed from person to person when we noticed something good. To document our appreciation, we started using a journal which travels with the necklace.

A typical journal entry might read, “To Karen, the green cactus, for outstanding detail management and customer-centric thinking on the ABC project. From Christi, the sombrero.”

What started out as a fun gift exchange has been transformed into a way to communicate about the great things that are happening at Humanergy and each person’s contributions.

The fun factor cannot be ignored here. The journal alone would have been satisfying, but the quirky necklace adds a bit of spice and personality. (And, yes, some team members have been spotted wearing the necklace around the office from time to time. So far no one has been brave enough to wear it elsewhere.)

Sharing appreciation feels magnificent. We just can’t figure out who’s enjoying it more – the people receiving the heartfelt thanks, or the people giving them.

You don’t need a funky necklace. Look someone in the eye and share your specific, meaningful gratitude. You’ll both feel wonderful. And you’ll get back to work smiles on your faces.

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Are you sharing the wealth?

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

moneyA recent article in the Indianapolis Star titled Sharing the Wealth highlights something that we’ve always believed – that companies gain loyal employees through respectful practices, enriching job roles and, when possible, sharing the fruits of their labors with those who are responsible for producing them.

AIT, which was featured in the article, is poised to share $2 million in bonuses with its 300 workers. As President and CEO, Michael A. Evans, puts it, “They have earned this.”

What have we at Humanergy experienced when it comes to profit sharing and employee loyalty?

  • Profit sharing helps create employee loyalty, but it’s not a panacea. Research indicates that sharing profits can positively impact turnover, but other factors can outweigh its effects. Profit sharing won’t trump a toxic work environment or other negative working conditions.
  • Profit sharing is one good way to show people their efforts are appreciated, but it is not the only way. Employee appreciation can take many forms, including verbal praise, public recognition, employee incentives, etc.
  • Profit sharing can boost productivity, but watch for shortcuts and quick fixes. In the best of all worlds, employees will take actions that boost productivity, increase revenues and lower costs. In the worst case scenario, employees cut corners on quality – something that can have a profoundly destructive effect in the short and long term.

Because we understand that our people own our success, Humanergy shares profits with its employees. Giving employees a stake in the company’s financial future sends a powerful message about how much we value those who make it possible.

Because we also know that profit sharing isn’t the universal remedy, we also make sure share the wealth in other ways – by keeping communication open, valuing everyone’s diverse contributions and helping our people realize their dreams.

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Are you ready to be coached?

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

j0386148It seems like everyone these days has a coach – maybe a life coach or a career coach or a business coach (or all three).

More and more of Humanergy’s work  involves coaching people to improve in mindset, skillset and resultset. Most of Humanergy’s coaching is in the context of work, but obviously the line is blurry. When you start working on your work life and work relationships, there are wonderful spin-off effects in other realms as well. (We occasionally hear from spouses that they LOVE the results, which is very fun!)

So, why wouldn’t everyone be ready for some coaching? We’ve identified 4 factors that correlate with a successful coaching experience:

  • Motivation: Incentive, drive and energy to improve. If you’re really ready for coaching, you are eager for growth and recognize the benefits of making changes in thinking and behavior.
  • Receptivity: Openness to learning and change. If you already think you’ve got it figured out, you don’t need a coach. If you are committed to listening and implementing recommended changes (even the hard ones), you’re ready for coaching.
  • Resilience: Strength with adaptability to build your best self. You may hear some difficult feedback. Coaching can help you fully understand yourself (warts included) and figure out how to bring out your best attributes. But only if you’re ready to examine some long-held and comfortable old habits.
  • Discipline. Willingness to use accountability tools to ensure action, learning and progress. Getting the most out of your coaching experience requires more than insightful discussions and good intentions. You will need to create an action plan, implement it diligently and track your progress over time. Focus and discipline are required.

Lou Holtz once said, “Without self-discipline, success is impossible, period.” Maybe you’re ready to find a coach who can help you not only discipline yourself, but also enable you to realize outcomes you’ve only dreamed about. (You’ll be a better leader and maybe even an improved human being!)

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