Last week I wrote in my Friday Redux that we need to Allow Time to Notice.
On the weekend at a friend’s barbeque afternoon, I was asked how I was able to continually generate ideas, thoughts, solutions and if it is hard to do. One person even commented that I must spend an inordinate amount of time on such matters.
Actually the opposite is true. We need to allow the Muse to whisper in our ear.
Doug King (the poet) said: “Learn to pause … or nothing worthwhile will catch up to you”.
What problem, issue or project are you working on that could benefit from a pause? Find your little piece of paradise, pull up a seat and admire the vista.
If you offer advice as part of your business model, you no doubt have heard those mercurial words, “Yeah, we already tried that, didn’t work!”
I am adamant that the value in my consulting-business-smarts is about the questions I ask rather than the answers I give. And, here is another typical example. The response by your clients to your advice needs to be diagnosed. Yes, diagnosed. They may genuinely have tried your recommendation, but exactly when, exactly how, and what was the outcome they hoped for?
Do not assume that the client knows what you are intending, or that they understand precisely how it should be implemented. When they give you this typical response, it may be for any of three reasons:
They are resisting change.
They are annoyed that you are smarter than them in offering your suggestion.
They’re just an aberrant wise-guy (and I don’t mean this in the Mafioso sense, either)
How do you handle this, however, when it happens? Ask intelligent questions:
When, specifically, was it that you attempted this in the past?
How are the conditions (environment) different today?
What was the exact outcome when you tried this?
How did you measure and evaluate the results?
Who did the measurement and evaluation?
Why, specifically, do you think it didn’t work?
By asking these questions you can establish if perhaps what was attempted, was not exactly as you are now recommending today. You will also have the client clearly articulating how the business environment has changed since then (which may effect the resultant dynamics in today’s conditions); or that the analysis of the results and outcomes back when it was previously attempted were flawed or at least ineffectual; or that YOUR assumptions may not be appropriate now that you have this additional background information!
Never assume the client is damaged – establish the facts to verify your assumptions. The upside is that the client may become more willing to consider your suggestions after answering your questions (and gaining that blinding flash of the obvious), or the questions in themselves may actually lead you to providing an even better recommendation after receiving the answers.
Exemplary leadership is essential for purposeful and positive people performance. While walking through a general office area with a national executive manager of an organisation that has me on retainer, he pointed to a department manager seated in a corner office. “His work has been disappointing for months and it’s time we did something about it.”
Are you about to confront him right now?” I inquired.
“Confront him! Certainly not. You and I are on our way to see his boss. If anyone under my purview isn’t performing, it’s the fault of the direct superior. A poor performer has to be developed, moved to other work, or let go. If one of those three isn’t being successfully undertaken, the boss is failing.”
Rightfully so …. it is never the poor performer who is the real cause of the problem, it is essentially poor leadership. We are all aware you cannot solve a problem until you find cause. When people are lost, it’s more likely the leader who got them there.
HR appear driven on utilising psychometric tests and analysis in the workplace. Mostly, I believe this is to explain away behaviour rather than attempting to improve behaviour. HR ought to be focusing on:
Creating alignment among every position and corporate strategy.
Marrying succession planning to career development and ensuring “bench strength”.
Proactively helping line management with greater efficiencies and productivity.
Optimally focusing resources on the product, the service and the relationships with customers.
Ideally, no one should have a career insulated in HR. I recommend to CEOs in my Mentoring & Coaching Program that they routinely rotate HR into other areas of the organisation so that HR gain first-hand knowledge and experience of what the staff face in their specific roles. Of course, the colour usually drains from the faces of HR people in the room when they hear me say that to their boss.
Life balance is not only about play, family, fun and alike. Life balance means having an excellent working life, as well. To achieve a positive, fulfilling life balance you must ensure that your work is sustaining your enthusiasm and zest.
What do you need from your work to generate high levels of enthusiasm and zest for what you do?
An A-Class client list?
A preponderance of high-level, quality projects?
Access to the tools, resources and support you require to do good work?
Highest standards requested, expected and embraced by all members in the business?
Organisational brand and repute that helps the individuals within the firm reach the marketplace?
Working with like-minded professionals who share the same drive for quality, ethics, mutual support, collaboration, cooperation and values?
Intelligent and energetic colleagues?
An organisation driven by principle, not expediency?
What would you add to this list for you personally?
Power your business to better results with Ric Willmot’s Five Keys:
1. Keep raising the bar – be innovative, focus on growth rather than cost-cutting or problem fixes, and expect more of yourself and those in your employ.
2. Always work towards results and outcomes – being busy doesn’t make you good, producing results does; means are less important than ends.
3. Empowering people is positive – power does not corrupt but powerlessness creates bureaucracy and roadblocks to positive productivity.
4. People believe what they see – influence is more likely through being an exemplar more than hanging motivational quotes on the walls.
5. Perception informs your reality – your perceptions may not necessarily be fact but they do inform your sense of what is real … to you. Walk in the other person’s shoes to get a sense of what may appear real to them.
The story goes … upon completing a highly dangerous tightrope walk over Niagara Falls in appalling wind and rain, ‘The Great Zumbrati’ was greeted by an enthusiastic supporter, who urged him to make a return trip, this time pushing a wheelbarrow, which the spectator had thoughtfully brought along.
The Great Zumbrati was reluctant, given the terrible conditions, but the supporter pressed him, “You can do it – I know you can,” he urged.
“You really believe I can do it?” asked Zumbrati.
“Yes – definitely – you can do it,” the supporter gushed.
“Okay,” said Zumbrati, “Get in the wheelbarrow ….”
No doubt, you’ve heard many times a supervisor or manager say, “You can do it” or “Make it happen”. These words are very easy to say but the trust, belief and commitment that it can be done are much more difficult to earn.
Will you get in the wheelbarrow?
We wouldn’t hesitate if we were confident that Zumbrati was well trained, experienced and motivated; that the wheelbarrow was of the best design and materials; and that the tightrope was securely fastened and recently inspected.
As leaders we ask our people to do many things in support of the organisation. Many of these tasks are complex, intensive, very demanding and some even ambiguous. So how is it that your people might do such great things every day – and enthusiastically walk that tightrope?
A major reason will be if they have trust and confidence in the leadership. Their beliefs do not come easy, but must be earned by the supervisor or leader.
You can start by understanding exactly what you are asking your people to accomplish. To do this you have to be ready and willing to get “down in the trenches” and see what is really happening. Often, this is the only way to accurately assess training, equipment and processes as well as identifying any potential roadblocks to mission performance.
You need to know your team’s capabilities and when it may be more appropriate to say, “No, we can’t do that.” This might be for many good reasons such as a lack of staffing numbers, training or equipment. Whatever the reason, making this decision is not easy and goes counter to the “can-do” attitude most of us have in leadership positions.
However, this is a key component of earning trust from our staff. As we move into the future we will continue to have great challenges. As leaders we have to be sure we cultivate this trust by showing our confidence in our people and that we ensure they have the best training, equipment and experience to accomplish the organisational objectives.
If you succeed in this endeavor, your people will walk any tightrope you ask, and you will have the confidence to get in that wheelbarrow with them!
Geelong dentist Paul Gardner, a confessed "God-botherer" has been described by a tribunal investigating his professional conduct as likely to re-offend. He has been accused of spouting fundamental Christian views during consultations. Lawyer Patrick Monahan, acting for the Dental Board of Australia said Mr Gardner has failed to comprehend the seriousness of his actions and was as "likely to repeat his behaviour as he ever was". (The details of this case can be found by searching your favourite news website.)
But here's a thought: If you don't like your dentist - change and get a new one!
Why, why, why do we seem intent on replicating the moronic litigious culture of the United States? When things go wrong in our lives, are we as a people really so weak, indecisive and pusillanimous to deal with it? Let's take back responsibility for ourselves from the legislators. In business, become responsible and make your own path. If something in your firm doesn't work, change it. If it upsets you when you do something, stop doing it. If what you're doing now isn't working, do something different. Build some resolve to be accountable for your own success. Execute some action that will go towards achieving your desired objectives and results. You're in control.
The proverb in Luke 4:23 was right: Physician, heal thyself.
Many organisations mistakenly believe that their Mission should be all-encompassing and explain everything. The Mission should articulate the corporate objective in a simple manner that all stakeholders can comprehend and embrace. Ric Willmot gives a striking example of how to achieve this.
What does workforce planning really mean? Talent management? Recruitment and retention?
Could we amend our thinking around what retention stands for?
A few years ago, Bernard Salt spoke at the "State of the Industry" dinner for the Recruitment & Consulting Services Association in Melbourne, at which I was a special guest of CEO Julie Mills. Bernard recounted a story whereby a lawyer had in years previous, lamented at how they would invest considerable time, resources, training, development, etc., into graduates with the expectation that these new recruits would become long-term valuable members of the firm.
Of course, Gen Y being what they are, head for the UK where the wages are wonderful, the currency exchange rate is even better and life is a lark with travel, booze and parties. Bernard bumped into this same law firm partner a fortnight ago and he chuckled how a lot of these young law graduates had been retrenched due to the economic downturn, and were emailing him with their availability for re-employment at his practice.
Could we consider the word, retention, to infer that although employees may leave, the relationship is at such a level of trust, liking and respect -- that they will come back when ready?
Baby Boomer's are retiring. I wonder how delighted they might be if you were to offer them the opportunity to return after an initial "retirement holiday" to become mentors and coaches for other employees at your firm? Retaining them so you and your people can have access to their "smarts".
Do you really need to replace someone when they leave? Maybe that particular role could be absorbed by sharing it with a few existing staff? It could become a job share? Maybe it's only a part-time role now. With the changes in technology, you don't need a full-time person with all the associated costs. It may well be the work could be completed by a remote employee, working from home with flexible hours.
When Mothers retire from the workforce -- could you offer them opportunities for sporadic employment after they have settled in to their new full-time role?
We all enjoy perusing exciting menus in restaurants. How can you create an exciting menu of job roles, opportunities, challenges, compensation, remuneration, etc in your business?
What if we, as employers, stopped thinking in terms of "jobs" but rather "careers"?
No to "one size fits all" ... Yes to "Career Customisation".
No to full-time employees ... Yes to a "Working Parents Toolkit".
No to focus on the jobs ... Yes to developing your "bench strength".
No to rigid dimensions and employees as a "resource" ... Yes to "pragmatic loyalty".
No to the shackles of past employment practices ... Yes to the (insert your company name here) Alumni.
What if we viewed our employees as clients of the firm?
What if we created a database for "best fit" internal clients to operational requirements?
What if we "talent-pooled" with other organisations and formed "employment strategic alliances"?
What potential might this have for your business?
Might it help to alleviate the skill shortage?
Might it improve your ability to retain access to good people?
Might it promote employee loyalty to your business?
