Our Plan: "To See Ourselves as Others See Us"

Two hundred years ago, when poet Robert Burns penned the words about seeing ourselves through the eyes of others in his famous poem (To a Louse, 1786), he could not have known that they would apply so fittingly today. Today's economy might be very different if only the leaders running some of our most respected organizations were willing to view themselves through the lenses others use. This year, we must deal with an uncertain national and global economy. It is a good time for us to reassess our priorities and goals. Instead of looking in the mirror and reflecting on whether the hair is combed or the jacket fits well, a wise leader will look beyond
the outer image, go beneath the surface. He will evaluate and look inside his true self. Viewing our deeper selves and honestly recognizing what we see is a difficult task. Getting to the truth will require the help of others, perhaps many others, since some people know only one side of us. Deciding what we are going to do with the information we get back will require help, too, because it is easier to make no change. If you are tempted to think that way, remember: change is the only way to grow. So, facing two paths – CHANGE and NO CHANGE –let's say we opt for the first one. What will keep uson the straight and narrow path? Here is a plan that can enable change:

Seek feedback. The only way to know how others view us is to ask. Getting their input can tell us where we are now, which is an important step in getting where we want to go. Honest feedback illuminates our current state and provides a foundation for our betterment. In addition to seeking out trusted friends and mentors, it is helpful to learn from the people you interact with on a regular basis. How do you treat those who can neither hurt nor harm you, like the clerk at the convenience store? The answer could be revealing.

Be courageous. Whether or not you believe in making resolutions for the new year is immaterial. If you discover that you behave in ways that make it difficult for others to do their jobs, you have a responsibility to change your behavior. The alteration might be as simple as communicating in person instead of through memos. Or it might be more complex, requiring
you to restructure the way you and your management team do business. Remember that
embarking on such a course implies to those who take the journey with you that you are
serious about change. To request feedback is not easy, but to seek it and then do nothing
invites cynicism.

Do not assume anything about your employees. Know them better than they know themselves. New tools are available to tell you exactly who is working for you – their competencies, their weaknesses and their goals. Do not decide that you can apply the same management style to everyone and get the same results. A multitude of different faces greet you when you walk into the department. They are likely to include four different generations, both genders, and different races and ethnicities. In the global marketplace, you will find variations even within identifiable groups. It is imperative that you learn what skills your employees have, the skills they are capable of acquiring and what it takes to keep them motivated.

Stay focused. Pledges you make to yourself come with a tempting reality: If you made them, you can also unmake them. The consequences of straying offcourse can be daunting, however. One of
the biggest is inertia that permeates your organization. If you start something you don't finish, who will keep others focused? Create an accountability system. Make a list and read it at regular intervals. Or go a step further and give your list to a trusted peer to review with you regularly. Think of your colleague's reminders as a pep talk.

Recheck midyear. In today's fastchanging world, a goal that's only a few months old can quickly become obsolete. Examining each item on your list after six months will let you know whether you need to stay the course or readjust. Of course, you may have seen some flaws in your
accountability plan and made changes accordingly. Remember that the creation of new goals does not have to wait for a new year. You can set goals anytime. Build a new list as necessary depending on what has happened inside and outside the organization.

Manage frustration. Realists know there are some things they will never change. Smart leaders recognize obstacles and adapt their responses when difficult changes are beyond their control. Keep this in mind whenever you feel caught between harsh choices.

Know your limits. Sometimes achievers forget that no one is perfect. Just as an artist is never done with his creation, each of us is still a student of life and a creation in progress. This is not permission to remain static, but we don't need to consider ourselves failures, either. Take the middle path: Admit your mistakes and resolve to do better.

How to Fly Safely Through Turbulence

CEOs these days must feel as if they are piloting a plane upside down and backwards through the perfect storm, where all things that can go wrong, do. Following the storm, comes a brief period of misleading calm before the chaos begins again. Everyone on board gets a wild, somersaulting ride and fears what lies ahead. For some organizations, holding on for dear life is all they can do to survive. In today’s economy, surviving the storm has become an organization’s main priority. The uncertainty that makes quick changes necessary means organizations must rely on their well-trained employees to carry them through. Strong workers who come to work each day with enthusiasm, focus and creativity make for trusty copilots during times of economic turbulence. They can help navigate above, below or around obstacles while offering solutions that no one else has thought of to help calm everyone aboard. But, as leaders prevail upon key players to do more with less manpower and fewer resources, we cannot just distribute assignments and walk away hoping they will figure out what to do. Keeping the company steady through tough times requires commitment from the top to stay on course. Now is not the time to abandon goals, ignore the problems, or adopt an “every person for himself” attitude. Remember, nothing is more crucial than hiring competent people and helping them develop the skills necessary to help pilot the plane. Making sure your employees have the talent, skill and knowledge to make it through the storm is more important than ever. Here are some key things to do– in good times and bad.
If you are not operating under a hiring freeze, count your blessings. Then treat every new hire as if he or she might be your last. Be sure managers take the important steps of recruiting potential candidates that fit the position and your company. Insist on tools that help recruiters ask the right questions during the job interview and help them make decisions based on science instead of guesswork.
Train new workers well, and do not neglect the old guard – the stalwarts who choose to stay with you even when the going gets rough. Even in a good economy, everyone needs training. Specific training and everyday coaching helps retain workers and makes sure they are ready for current and future challenges. In a down economy, some might covet the training budget with an eye toward making the bottom line look healthier. Repeat this mantra: short-term pain, long-term gain.
Do not assume anything about your employees. Know them better than they know themselves. New tools are available to tell you exactly who is working for you – their competencies, their weaknesses and their goals. Do not decide that you can apply the same management style to everyone and get the same results. A multitude of different faces greet you when you walk into the department. They are likely to include four different generations, both genders, and different races and ethnicities. In the global marketplace, you will find variations even within identifiable groups. It is imperative that you learn what skills your employees have, the skills they are capable of acquiring and what it takes to keep them motivated.
Check the pulse of your key leaders. Are they engaged? A recent study reveals that more than half of senior executives possess “less than ideal emotional connection and alignment” to their organizations. Are any of these your co-pilots? If so, re-coaching, and moving around employees is likely in your future, if you want to be assured of a future.
Have a plan and use it. Do not fear adjusting it as necessary. Traveling through turbulence is much smoother and less alarming if you carefully map out your flight plan before you proceed, tweak the course as needed, and make sure you have a team of willing and able employees to make the necessary in-flight changes.
Now, buckle your seatbelts and prepare for takeoff. We may have a bumpy ride ahead.

Developing the Recession-Proof Workforce

The latest labor statistics help tell the story of the continuous churn in the workforce. Unemployment was 5 percent for April; the annual average for 2007 was 4.6 percent. The rest of the story is that the most talented employees are coming and going as usual, because hiring does not stop even in a down economy. They will do what they believe is best for them. And among the departures may be some of your top talent. When you agree that the only way to compete is with the best people, try some of these ideas to manage and keep the best:

Build a recruiting strategy that operates all the time – not only when people leave. If you shop for talented people only when you see turnover, you will be presiding over a system where jobs either stay open too long or you hire in haste (and repent not too much later). Remember this equation: Open positions = poor productivity. Poor productivity = both customer and employee dissatisfaction. Jobs left open too long = a financial drain, not a savings. Jobs left open for extended periods also may create more openings.
Be a matchmaker. Make sure of the person-to-job match from the very start; do not hire someone who "sort of" works and hope for the best. Do not rely on your instincts. Do not hire someone because he or she is charming or just like you. Smart business leaders use assessments to guide them.
Know your employees. Find out what their dreams are, and help them realize those dreams by developing their skills. Knowing what they want starts at recruitment and continues throughout an employee's career.
Cross-train. When superb workers know how to do many things, you can place your employees strategically. Challenging your best people in this way lets both people and organizations grow.
Find creative ways to reward excellence. If the bonus pool is limited, you can make the award more meaningful by giving it to those whose performance is stellar. Spreading it out equally among all employees, even those that did not perform so well, diminishes the meaning. Your best people expect to be recognized. Also, be innovative beyond financial rewards. If you know what your employees value, figure out ways to see they get it. Some ideas: Extra time off, challenging training for new jobs, flexible hours.
Get out of the way and let your excellent workers perform their magic. Keep your door open but do not micromanage. You might learn something new as well.

Q. When Are Assumptions Good? A. Never, When Options Exist

Even employers with the best of intentions are guilty of assuming too much. As they see workers of different ages, genders and racial makeup working side-by-side, they might think that this one fits in a group that wants to multitask at a fast pace because she is young, while her counterpart from another generation is interested in slowing down.
As we learn from experience, assumptions are often wrong. That young person may prefer devoting her attention to one workplace issue at a time, while her older co-worker is the multi-tasker. Many things, including life stages, could affect each of them. And if a leader changes work assignments based on erroneous assumptions, he could end up with disgruntled or absent employees, high turnover and unfinished projects.
The only truly effective method of managing diverse employees is to look at each one as an individual and to understand what motivates them. Then, coach them regularly to get the behavior you want.
Last month we stressed the importance of coaching and how effective coaches connect with individual employee needs. Supporting our goal of knowing what it takes to engage our workers and coaching them regularly to higher performance levels is research we conducted with The Concours Group and Age Wave. The findings, published in the manual WHY We Work, helpfully define six different segments of employees working in our organizations. This research found that different groups of people need different things to remain engaged on the job. This finding is widely relevant because most organizations, especially large ones, contain some of each group.
Briefly, the six worker segments include:
1. Fair and Square Traditionalists, who make up the largest part of the workforce at 20 percent. They are loyal and traditional, as their name implies, and want their work to provide stability and a secure future.
2. Stalled Survivors, who represent 19 percent of the workforce. These workers see their jobs as a necessity. It is not the most satisfying part of their lives. These are often a firm's younger workers.
3. Accomplished Contributors, about 17 percent of the workforce. These loyal players often go above and beyond. They place a high value on teamwork.
4. Demanding Disconnects, 15 percent of our workers. As their name suggests, they are the least satisfied with work and the least committed to it.
5. Maverick Morphers, also about 15 percent of the workplace. These workers are generally young, like excitement, and do not fear taking risks.
6. Self-Empowered Innovators, about 14 percent. These employees make up the most engaged segment of the workplace and derive personal satisfaction from the job.

Transforming a Culture through Coaching

Watch coaches on the sidelines of a game. Collaborative coaches coax, urge, ask questions and draw diagrams. The team gathers around. Conversation is open and transparent.
Bosses differ in their approach. They direct, tell and make statements.
That we are more and more using the word "coaching" to describe what goes on inside today's progressive work environments is no accident. Leaders today specifically chose the word to describe the same kind of teamwork that occurs during a sporting event. New leaders envision their jobs as eliciting – in lieu of demanding – the best performance possible from the team.

In the third addition of THE HEART OF COACHING: USING TRANSFORMATIONAL COACHING TO CREATE A HIGH-PERFORMANCE COACHING CULTURE, author Thomas G. Crane describes the structure for creating the level of trust and support needed to work with the different generations that perform side-by-side in many of today's businesses.
He urges leaders to get out of the old-school "boss" mindset to adopt a broader, collaborative model, which he sees as a key to survival in our fast-changing economy.
Crane describes the differences between the boss and the coach this way:
While the boss is pushing people for higher and better performance, the coach is asking questions of his/her team members to find out what they think needs to happen next.
The coach invites creativity and fosters confidence, while the boss tells people what to do – no thinking required.
While the boss focuses only on the bottom line, the coach is looking at both performance and results.
The slogan of the boss might be "Never let them see you sweat." The coach is not afraid to sweat, or to show that he does not know all the answers; he asks questions designed to elicit the best information from the people doing the job.
THE HEART OF COACHING leads coaches and their teams to a common language, shared culture and people-oriented learning. The coaching is not just from coach to team members; it travels up, down and sideways, from manager to direct report and back, manager to manager, peer to peer – almost any direction you can think of.
The author is a consultant and speaker who helps leaders develop new workplace cultures by embracing coaching as a primary method of communication designed to enhance both individual and team effectiveness. He has worked for the last 18 years in small and large organizations.

ABOUT THE BOOKTHE HEART OF COACHING: USING TRANSFORMATIONAL COACHING TO CREATE A HIGH-PERFORMANCE COACHING CULTURE240 pages Publisher: F T A Press ISBN-13: 978-0966087437

Effective Coaching

10 Steps to Effective Coaching

1. Recognize the important differences between coaching and performance reviews.

2. Teach that all coaching is a standard part of development, not a punitive action.

3. Listen well, ask questions and speak clearly, using language that everyone understands.

4. Always focus on the behavior, never on the person.

5. Know where the manager wants/needs to go. This will help you develop a road map.

6. Remember that you do not control the process or the manager's behavior.

7. Be a trustworthy partner and confidante. Do not gossip.

8. Act as a sounding board when necessary.

9. Support your partner's self-esteem. Never laugh at fears or worries.

10. Coaching is a process. Commit your time and patience for the best results

Workforce Crisis the Next Generation

We are facing a talent shortage of unparalleled number, how will your company survive?

Through savvy use of flexible work arrangements, innovative learning opportunities, and creative compensation and benefits programs, companies can meet the unique needs of each employee cohort:

Mature (55+ years old): Many older employees want to remain productive, even after traditional “retirement” age. Learn how to keep their capabilities, company knowledge, and customer connections working for you.

Midcareer (35-54 years old): Too many talented employees find their work increasingly routine and feel squeezed between their professional and family obligations.

Young ( 18-34 years old): In competitive labor markets, your most able younger employees won’t hesitate to job-hop for better opportunities elsewhere. How to keep these workers engaged and loyal to your firm?