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Leaders Asking for Feedback
Tuesday 10/12/2010
Asking for feedback is not often a fun task. It isn’t easy to do and may be even more difficult for leaders. You attained that leadership role because you knew what you were doing, right?
Data from Kouzes and Posner reveals that asking for feedback on how our actions impact others is consistently the lowest score on the Leadership Practices Inventory. Yet, what other way is there for us to improve our leadership capabilities than to ask for feedback and incorporate it into our daily habits? If we understand how we are affecting others in our organizations, we have the power to change our leadership legacy.
How many of us take time each day to reflect on our actions and really ask ourselves if we consistently acted in alignment with our values? ”I’m so busy, reflection isn’t something I have time for!” is a response I have frequently heard to this question. Yet, if we don’t reflect, we don’t know the areas of our leadership behavior that may need improvement, and we don’t know in which areas we need to ask for specific feedback.
For me, daily reflection usually comes at night. Right after I turn off the lights and settle into bed. Or sometimes in the middle of the night something niggling in my head wakes me up saying, “Hey look at this thing you did today and think about who it impacted and how you might have handled it differently.”
I know other leaders who take an afternoon or a day every few months and get away from their typical duties in order to reflect back and look forward. They know their leadership is key to the forward movement of the organization. They know there is always more to learn in leading us quirky humans beings to a better place in any organization.
If the only feedback you receive as a leader is in an annual performance review, most likely you are not using your full capabilities for leadership. Feedback needs to be timely in order to be relevant. So be the model in your organization. Start asking for feedback from a variety of sources. You might be surprised at what you learn about yourself!
2 Comments »Leading the Way for All Generations!
Tuesday 09/21/2010
You may have seen the article that is circulating again, Bill Gates 11 Rules for Life That Kids Won’t Learn in School. The article was actually written by a contributing editor at the San Diego Union-Tribune in the mid 90’s, a fact I learned by checking the www.urbanlegends.com. The rules are a list of generational differences that makes us Baby Boomers look like the most fabulous workers ever created while anyone under 35 is painted as an entitled brat with all the negative characteristics and behavior that implies. As a person with many friends in the Gen X or under age range, I take exception to the wide ranging implications and want to offer a few countering thoughts.
First, yes. I have run into Gen X’ers who don’t understand why they are not making $75,000+ right out of college (the list used $40,000 but I am accounting for the salary inflations I have witnessed in the last 14 years); and I’ve run into those who won’t do certain tasks that they feel are beneath them; and those who think their boss is picking on them. Yet in my experience these behaviors are not limited to that generation. For years, I have witnessed managers pacify Boomer employees based on attitudes of entitlement and over-inflated egos, particularly if the individual had painted themselves as a star, a stellar perform, a strategic employee that cannot be lost. Really, what did Traditionalists think of our behavior as we insisted on new ways of engaging with the work and our co-workers?
I believe it would be a mistake for employers to set cultural attitudes or workforce policies based on viewing the worse characteristics of a generation. Each generation brings new ideas—often exciting, thought-provoking, and challenging—to the workplace. Yet organizations adapt and even thrive on the energy and results generated by these ideas. The technology industry would not be where it is if not for new ideas generated by younger employees who are not tied into our set systems of thinking or the specific cultural norms of an organization.
I encourage employers to embrace the change and energy that comes with younger employees. Listen with an open mind. Learn their values and understand where your values mesh. Implement policy changes regarding work hours and childcare and where the work actually gets done. Maintain your focus on the bottom line and the fact that the work does get done and goals are met. Isn’t that really what it is all about?
As someone who’s career is focused on the effectiveness of organizations, I must, however, comment on the Rules that state that no one cares about your self-esteem, and work is not a place to find yourself. Current data tells us that organizations that value career development and life balance, that have employees who feel they have a voice in the decisions around their work, and maintain a focus on outcomes, have more highly engaged employees—meaning employees more committed to your organization and more likely to remain in their jobs. I believe that is because they have found some piece of who they are at their job. They have learned new thinking, tested new skills, gained some footing in finding their niche in life. That is what makes them good employees. Organizations must—and many do—care about people’s self-esteem and their personal growth. That is one key to maintaining an organization’s long-term success.
So, let’s welcome those next generations with open arms! Encourage learning at all ages, model balance for all generations, and support self-understanding in finding one’s niche in life. Let’s model the way for all generations!
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Random Thoughts on Change
Tuesday 09/07/2010
Fall is on its way! As a child I always looked forward to the changes that fall brings – back into the routine of school (which meant new clothes and, more importantly, new school supplies!), the start of football season, the cooler mornings and the changing colors of leaves on trees and bushes. I spent last weekend in the mountains of North Carolina and noticed a few color changes already occurring. It invigorated me!
What does the change in seasons mean for you personally or for your organization?
- Are you pursuing an advanced degree and arranging your schedule to accommodate study time?
- Are you taking on the challenge of learning a new language or trying out a new hobby?
- Are you contemplating the next phase of your career and clarifying what you want to accomplish before your graceful exit?
- Are you reviewing your company budget and finding those extra training dollars to send an emerging leader to a national conference?
- Are you already thinking ahead to winter and the holiday memories you want to create for your family this year?
Change is always with us. We change jobs, we take on new home projects, we start healthy habits, we start new businesses, we join new social groups. What changes do you find yourself contemplating as we slip into the fall season? No matter what it is, your success is assured if you clarify your goals and set reasonable targets to achieve. Send me a note and let me know the changes you are undertaking. And, my best wishes for your success!
No Comments »The Job Interview: Demonstrating Leadership
Monday 08/23/2010
Did you catch the Parade article yesterday about Natalie Randolph? It’s exciting to read the story about a woman coaching a high school football team. It shows just how far our world has come in recognizing the value of good leadership.
What really captured my interest in Natalie’s story is the part about her interview for the coach’s position. Up against candidates such as two former NFL players and a retired Army brigadier general, the interview committee selected Natalie hands-down as their best choice. Why? I believe a significant reason is that in her interview Natalie was the only candidate who spoke about the students and what she would do for them. In the committee’s mind, that made her the real deal.
Natalie wasn’t focused on selling herself, she was focused on sharing the ways she could contribute to the advancement of the school and the individuals she would be impacting. She understands that leadership isn’t about her ego or a big office or making a name for herself. Leadership is about caring for others, seeing a better future, sharing that future with your followers, and implementing strategies to move everyone forward. That’s what won Natalie the job and that is what she is doing every day on the field with her team.
If you are someone who is seeking a job in these difficult economic times, give thought to how you present your leadership style in the interview process. It might just be the thing that differentiates you from a wide field of candidates.
No Comments »Who wouldn’t want to work here??
Thursday 08/12/2010
I saw an ad for a Manager of Online Communities at the Extraordinaries and I had to share some of its content with you. This organization gets it! They set the tone for the job and the work environment right in the job posting. In addition to the technical abilities sought, these traits are also listed:
- A giant ball of energy! You create fun campaigns to keep our energy high!
- Have a bright smile and more energy than your dog!
- Are detail-oriented and results-driven like nobody’s business!
- Can think fast, put your foot down when you need to, and operate independently!
- Can spend hours in front of a computer making people feel special on the other end!
- Wear lots of hats (especially goofy hats) and work hard!
- Have a ridiculous sense of humor!
- And when submitting your qualifications, submit links to three of your favorite websites and tell us why (the point here is to make us laugh!). Also include a special secret attachment of your choice - make sure to provide context.
Who wouldn’t want to respond to this ad and work for a company called the Extraordinaries? I wish I had the technical skills. All of us can be a whole lot more fun in how we approach our work and how we recruit people to join our team. And still meet the 4 C’s of character, competency, chemistry and culture!
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