Leadership Barometer 189 Remain Calm

March 22, 2023

One important trait of a great leader is to remain calm while others panic. There could be an extreme case where the leader has a laissez-faire attitude to mortal danger. Most of the time when a leader remains composed it demonstrates a calming influence over others.

Remain Calm and model a constructive behavior

Good leaders often are able to remain calm in the face of panic or crisis. By doing so, they can help others to feel more secure and confident. They may make better decisions in the moment.

When people are panicking, they tend to become reactive and impulsive. That reaction can lead to poor decision-making and irrational behavior. In contrast, leaders who remain calm can think more clearly and logically. They are better equipped to find solutions to the problem at hand.

Some tips to build the personal skills

  1. Use meditation and mindfulness practices. Meditation and mindfulness can help leaders stay calm and centered. They learn to focus on the present moment and let go of distractions and worries.
  2. Get regular exercise. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety and improve overall health. That habit helps leaders stay calm and focused.
  3. Try deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress and calm the body and mind in high-pressure situations.
  4. Use positive self-talk. Positive self-talk can help leaders stay calm and confident by reminding them of their strengths and abilities. They focus on solutions instead of problems.
  5. Seek support. Leaders can stay calm by seeking support from trusted colleagues or mentors who can offer guidance and perspective.
  6. Utilize time management. Time management helps leaders stay calm by reducing stress and anxiety associated with missed deadlines or overwhelming workloads.
  7. Embrace uncertainty. Leaders who can embrace uncertainty and adapt to change stay calm and maintain their composure in challenging situations.
  8. Take breaks. Leaders who take regular breaks, whether it’s a short walk or a vacation, can recharge and stay focused.

Remain calm and connect with your people when they are stressed out

Connecting with people who are stressed out can be challenging, but here are some tips that can help.

  1. Listen actively. Give the other person your full attention, ask clarifying questions, and summarize what they say to show you understand. This action helps the stressed person feel heard and validated.
  2. Show empathy. Try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and understand how they are feeling. Let them know that you understand and that their feelings are valid.
  3. Offer support. Ask how you can help or offer specific suggestions. You might take on some of their workload or help them find resources to manage their stress.
  4. Be patient. People who are stressed out may be irritable or easily frustrated. It is important to be patient and avoid taking their behavior personally.
  5. Avoid judgment. Do not judge the stressed person or their situation, even if you disagree with their choices or behavior.
  6. Be positive. Offer words of encouragement and positivity to help the stressed person feel supported and more hopeful.
  7. Respect boundaries. If the stressed person does not want to talk, respect their boundaries. Let them know you are available if they change their mind.

Remember, everyone experiences stress differently, so it’s important to be flexible and responsive to the person’s needs. Observe their body language carefully for clues to their feelings.

Conclusion

Stress is an unfortunate fact of life, and it does not seem to be getting easier. It is important for leaders to help their teams deal with their stresses and rise above frustration.  It is an important aspect of leadership we all need to remember.

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.

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Leadership Barometer 188 Taking Extra Time

March 14, 2023

There are many situations at work where taking extra time will pay off. It sounds funny to say because the scarcity of time is one of the biggest issues for all professionals. Availability of time is the root of most conflict between people.

The trick is to know when an investment of time will pay off in time saved down the road. It is up to leaders to make that judgment.  What factors should they consider as they decide?

Factors that impact when taking extra time is a wise move 

  1. Observe the current use of time. You can judge for yourself the number of occasions where people are basically spinning their wheels. They get all worked up over an issue and spend inordinate hours arguing their case.
  2. Check the alignment of activities. A large percentage of time wasted is trying to get various groups aligned. There must be a clear vision that is supported by all.  You need to have strategies in place to achieve the vision. In addition, you need agreement on the tactics and measures.
  3. Determine the level of trust. When trust is low, people spend a lot of time protecting their turf or fighting useless battles. Measure the trust in your group and see if you are satisfied. Take the extra time to improve the level of trust and it will pay off in time saved.
  4. Don’t get blinded by the busy work. Sometimes the problems come in at such a rate that they begin to stack up like cordwood. There is no time to deal with yesterday’s problem because there are three new ones today.
  5. Coach people who spread gossip and rumors. Many people spend more time spreading lies than doing their work. Identify these individuals and coach them to reduce that practice.
  6. Assess the level of teamwork. When teams display parochial views and fight over what is right, it is time to intervene. An improvement in team cooperation will translate to major savings in wasted time. If people are resistant, it is time to do some form of team building.

Identify periods of time to work on the culture 

I know many corporate situations where they are out of control with the use of time.  When I suggest that they need to go offline for some soul-searching with a good facilitator they balk. “You have no idea how busy we are here. Taking time away from the daily challenges will bury us.” With that attitude, there is little hope they can break out of the cycle that is killing them.

Carve out time 

The most productive groups have carved out at least 15% of their time to work on their culture. Doing this actually resolves the issues that make the groups inefficient.

Many groups play “whack-a-mole” with crises and problems every day. When one issue is resolved, another one pops up.  This practice goes on day after day until it actually becomes the culture.

Conclusion

To break the cycle, earmark at least a day every month to step back and take the time to make changes in a thoughtful way. Seek out a coach who is not part of the chaos and can see what is going on. Making this investment reduces the whack-a-mole problem and allows groups to function better together.

 

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.

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Reducing Conflict 84 Root of Conflict

March 12, 2023

It is important to understand the root of what is causing a conflict. You must get a different view, like doing an “up scope” so submarine officers can see what is happening. In the heat of battle, it is essential to know where the enemy ships are located.

The advantage of a submarine in battle is that you cannot see the vessel with the naked eye.  The craft can maneuver in any direction without being detected.  The disadvantage is that once you have been detected electronically you are a sitting duck for an attack.

How to change the view to find the root of conflict

When individuals or groups are in heavy conflict, their focus is on destroying the opponent’s points.  It is easy to become myopic and miss the essential nature of what is going on around the conflict. You can get so caught up in the rancor that you forget the bigger picture.

It is helpful to call for a hiatus in the action to take stock of what is going on. Try some of the ideas below next time you are in severe conflict. In this article, I refer to the conflict between two people.  The ideas will also work for groups that are in conflict.

Review the facts and seek agreement

You often fight with others because there is a misunderstanding of what happened. If you take the time to sit down calmly and analyze what happened, the problem may disappear. View the problem from a different angle and check for areas of agreement. If you and the other person can agree that the problem started last week, it is a good start.

In this early discovery phase, you may run into areas of disagreement.  Set these aside and continue brainstorming for ways you can agree.  Once you have a big pile of things where you agree, then you can begin to make progress.

Upscope any areas of disagreement

Look for the underlying cause of areas where you disagree. You may uncover some areas of jealousy or some historical things that have colored the relationship. By surfacing these in an up scope, you allow progress toward a resolution. If the process is rocky and you run into repeated rancor, look for a mediator.

Obtain a neutral third party

Both people must agree that the mediator is neutral and be willing to listen to the analysis. If there is a totally closed mind, you will never reach a resolution. Keep in mind that one type of resolution calls for no “winner” or “loser.”  You simply agree to disagree on that point and move on.  It is not essential to agree on every point for you to have a good relationship with another person.

Document any resolutions to resolve the root of the conflict

If there is a truce and an end to the acrimony, feel good about it.  If any changes in perception resulted from the discussions, document them and state the new agreement. Following the steps above can make a significant reduction in the conflicts you experience.

Summary

Conflict between people is a simple fact of life. Everyone does not see the world with the same colored glasses.  Follow the steps outlined here to resolve your differences. It can enhance the quality of your life.

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations. 

 

 

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Leadership Barometer 187 Lazy Employee

March 8, 2023

Early in my career, I had an extreme example of a lazy employee.  Through some dialog with my manager, I learned a valuable lesson that stuck with me.

My role was clear

I was brought into a manufacturing department of a large company.  My job title was “Assistant Department Manager.”  That was a level between the first-line supervisors and the Department  Manager whose name was Nick.

The purpose of my position was to figure out how to get more engagement in the workforce.  I felt well prepared for this assignment, having studied Organization Development in Graduate School. I also had several assignments working with people to maximize output.

A lazy employee 

The department was pretty good overall, but there was one individual who stuck out. Jason was an inspector who worked on the shifts rotating from day to night work. The work of an inspector can get pretty boring. You basically wait for the product to be made and then measure it for compliance.

Most of the time, the product was compliant, so it would pass on to the next operation.  Jason had a habit of taking catnaps at his station when the work was not in front of him.  We tried giving him extra duties, but he was not very responsive.

Caught in the act

One morning, Nick and I were walking around the department. I spotted Jason at his station sound asleep on the job. I told Nick that we were having problems with keeping Jason engaged in the work.  He showed little initiative and either goofed off or fell asleep nearly every day.

I told Nick that we were considering firing Jason because of his low morale and general lack of attention to his job.

The moment of truth for the lazy employee and me

Nick stopped walking and squared up right in front of me.  He agreed that at the plant Jason was a slug. He brought the morale of the team down and sometimes missed defects.

Nick said, “You’re right Bob. Here at the plant Jason is a nothing. But that young man is a member of the Webster Volunteer Fire Department where I am the chief. You should see him when he steps into that building.  He is a ball of energy. He volunteers for extra duty, he stays late to clean up, he gets along with all the other guys. In that environment, Jason is a model employee even though he is a volunteer.  You tell me, Bob, who is the problem here? Is it Jason or is it you?”

 Brought up short

I was forced to admit that the real issue was me.  I had failed to provide the culture and atmosphere that brought out the potential in Jason. I had a conversation with him. He shared that at the firehouse there was always some important action. At work, he was mostly sitting and waiting.  We made some changes.

We attached the inspection function to the manufacturing team. This freed Jason up to do more active work. He really liked the fast pace of the assembly line, so we tried him there.  He did extremely well, and six months later we made him a team leader. He was a different person.

From that point on, I have worked to understand that each individual is different. Each person has a key that will unlock the potential that is bottled up inside. My job as a leader is to find the key and provide it to the worker.

Stephen M.R. Covey’s book

I really appreciate Stephen M.R. Covey’s new book “Trust and Inspire.”  Stephen shows us the path to go from a “command and control” environment to one of “trust and inspire.”  Covey demonstrates the wisdom of shifting our leadership thinking so that we bring out the greatness in every individual. 

Conclusion 

I learned a valuable lesson in that exchange with Nick and saw it supported in Covey’s book.  Some people are calling it the best leadership book of the year.  I personally believe it could be the most useful leadership book of the decade.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.

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Leadership Barometer 186 Ubiquitous Reinforcement

March 1, 2023

Ubiquitous reinforcement should occur at all levels.

You can never overdo sincere reinforcement in an organization. The best reinforcement approach is to make it ubiquitous and continuous. The word ubiquitous comes from the Latin root, ubiqe, which means everywhere.

Reinforcement is intrinsic

When people are properly reinforced, they develop habits of doing the right things because it makes them feel good. The reinforcement becomes intrinsic. People are doing their best at all times, not just when the boss has a chance to witness it.

Of all the tools at a leader’s command, positive reinforcement is by far the most powerful. Reinforcement can be a minefield of potential problems, and many leaders, after getting burned, become reluctant to use it. By avoiding reinforcement, they ignore the most powerful correcting force available to them.

Typical reinforcement mistakes

It is sad that many attempts at positive reinforcement actually lower motivation.  You have probably experienced this yourself, either on the sending or receiving end, and it can be very frustrating.  There are four reasons why positive reinforcement can have a negative impact.

  1. Overdone Tangible Reinforcement – The overuse of trinkets, buttons, T-shirts, or stickers to reinforce every positive action gets old quickly.
  1. Insincere Reinforcing – Insincerity is transparent. When a manager says nice things about you that do not come from the heart, you know it instantly.
  1. Not Perceived as Reinforcing – What people find reinforcing is a matter of individual taste.
  1. Reinforcement Perceived as Unfair – Of all the reasons for not reinforcing well, the issue of fairness is the most common. If they reinforce Sally publicly, it makes her feel good but tends to turn off Joe and Mark, who believe they did more than she did.

That dynamic is why the “employee of the month” concept often backfires. It sets up a kind of implied competition where one person is singled out for attention. One person wins while everyone else loses. 

Ubiquitous reinforcement

If reinforcement occurs at all levels, then the culture will thrive. That culture is a social norm that encourages everyone to honestly appreciate each other and say so as often as possible.

As a leader, you want to develop this kind of atmosphere, but how?  A good place to start is with yourself.  Make sure you are practicing positive reinforcement in a way that others see and recognize.  Create an atmosphere where everyone understands and places high value on effective reinforcement.

Transform the culture 

A reinforcing culture transforms an organization from a “what’s wrong” mindset to one of “what’s right.” The quality and quantity of work increase dramatically because you have harnessed energy previously lost in bickering.   You put it into positive work toward the vision.  What an uplifting way to increase productivity! 

Don’t get discouraged if you make a mistake in reinforcing.  Sometimes you will.  It is an area of significant peril, but its power is immense.  Continually monitor your success level with reinforcement.  Talk about it openly, and work to improve the culture.  Consider every mistake a learning event for everyone, especially yourself. 

Conclusion

Let your reinforcement be joyous and spontaneous.  Let people help you make it special. Reinforcement is the most powerful elixir available to a leader.  Don’t shy away from it because it’s difficult or you’ve made mistakes in the past.

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.

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Leadership Barometer 185 Pushing Back

February 22, 2023

As a leader, you will run into times when people are pushing back on your ideas. There can be many different reasons why an employee could disagree. It is critical to find out what is going on before you respond.  If you guess wrong, then serious damage to trust can occur.

This article is about the process of pushing back.  We will discuss several of the reasons why you may see this behavior. I will suggest several antidotes that you may find helpful.

Keep in mind that there is an infinite combination of things that can cause some pushback. As a leader, it is always up to you to do the right thing in the right way. The best advice is to always follow your values and show empathy for what the employee is experiencing.

Honest disagreement can lead to pushing back

Hopefully, this root cause is what you will run into the most. In this case, the employee has a different opinion of what is right to do or say. It is important to let the employee express himself and not put him down.  Listen carefully to the input and consider it as valid information before deciding what to do.

This behavior is what I call “Reinforcing Candor,” which is the best way to grow a culture of trust. This is true especially when there are disagreements between people.

In a group setting, it is often helpful to ask what other people think about the topic. You get a more balanced view of the sentiment of the entire group rather than just one voice.

By treating the employee as an adult and encouraging honest dialog, you are creating psychological safety for the employee.  This practice will normally enhance trust as long as the employee is sincere with his input. 

Searching for a compromise 

The employee may feel that your proposal is okay but that there are better possibilities. Go into some form of brainstorming where the group can consider the merits of several ideas. Be open to these ideas and judge them fairly. By seriously considering alternate views, you demonstrate flexibility and openness.

Pushing back by acting out

Part of leading well is being able to read the emotions of other individuals and the group. Be sure to observe the body language in the room.

If the employee has some kind of issue with you or others in the group, he may push back. It is a way to express his frustration. He wants to grab air time so he can vent about what is really on his mind. 

In a meeting, It may help to shift the topic. Ask for a follow-up discussion with the person. You need to be extremely gentle with the shift in order to not enflame the person further. Once you are in a more private setting you can ask the employee what is really bugging him.

Keep in mind that no one solution is going to be right for all individuals and situations. You have to consider the person and the context, then select your approach.

Grandstanding 

The employee may be trying to grab the stage to gain attention. This usually happens for the purpose of lobbying for some other course of action. By monopolizing the stage, he is blocking other people from getting the floor. He takes the majority of air time. You need to provide for other people to get air time as well.

Hindering progress 

Sometimes an employee will keep talking just to slow down progress. He does not agree with the direction you are heading. He tries to limit the ability to make decisions. 

Remind the vocal employee that everyone on the team deserves the right to be heard.

Advancing his own cause

Sometimes the employee is adamant that his way is the only logical way to view the issue.  Poll the entire group to see if his view is supported by all. Not taking his advice because the majority of people felt it was wrong is explainable.

Summary 

There are some people who will push back on most ideas just for sport.  You need to coach these individuals to be more respectful of the group.

It is a delicate balance because he needs to feel he can speak up without getting smashed.  That is where the technique of reinforcing candor is the best medicine. The first order of business is to make the person glad that he brought up his concerns. By insisting on respectful dialog, you foster better teamwork and take advantage of the creativity of the entire team.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.

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Leadership Barometer 184 Succession Secrets

February 14, 2023

This article is about succession secrets because succession is a very delicate and dangerous area of leadership. I have worked as a consultant for hundreds of organizations over the past quarter century. Companies and executives call me in when there are issues that they cannot resolve themselves.

Roughly half of these situations have a delicate succession situation as the root cause of the problem. Each case is unique, because of the infinite variety of potential challenges that are specific to their situation. There are some common denominators that I will discuss in this article.

The leader does not want to go 

This is a typical situation where the incumbent leader has not been performing well but wants to stay and correct the problems.

What if the heir apparent is not competent? 

In the early 1980’s Wang Laboratories was one of the largest computer manufacturers in the world. Founder, An Wang, was the fifth richest American in 1986 and he passed on control to his son Fred Wang.

The company went downhill quickly. After three years, Wang decided to fire his son, but it was too late to save the company. The damage had been done. I have a brother who was able to witness this catastrophe from the inside.

A common succession secret 

The most common situation is where a leader is set to retire and the replacement leader is selected by a third party. The anointed person does not have the support of the people he will be leading (I will use the male pronoun in this article to keep it simple. Recognize the problem is equally valid for both genders.)

Sometimes the heir is easy to spot, like in a family-owned business.  Other times there is an outside influential person who lobbies for the new leader. The bottom line is that if most people are against the new leader, you are heading for trouble.

The current leader does not want to go unless he is convinced the organization can survive

I have run into this situation many times.  The leader has been in place for over 20 years and the organization has performed well.  The incumbent leader is in his 70s and is ready to retire. The problem is that he does not want to leave and have his “baby” suffer because of it.

In this case, I have found the best approach is to reason with the incumbent leader that he will be happier once he makes the decision and moves on. There will be less worry. It is amazing to see the relief on the part of the older leader once a replacement is in place.  

The succession secret is to plan and groom

Leaders should look down the road for several years and groom a successor over a period of time. They have a better outcome for several reasons.  The people in the organization become familiar and comfortable with the replacement.  The outgoing leader has plenty of time to influence the replacement. The time urgency is not there, so the whole process seems less frantic or arbitrary.

Conclusion

Successful succession requires a lot of attention and careful planning. Putting a decision off until you have to select a replacement urgently is a formula for failure.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.

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Leadership Barometer 183 The Nature of Trust

February 7, 2023

In my work, I help organizations understand the nature of trust and how to obtain more of it. I have noticed that people tend to visualize trust in pretty narrow terms. They believe it is a feeling of one person toward another. I trust you or I do not trust you. 

Different kinds of trust 

I start many of my programs by demonstrating that trust is far more complex than we realize. It is extremely dynamic.  If you believe trust is one thing, think again. Consider this (incomplete) list of the different types of trust in our lives:

  1. Assurance – You always have my back.
  2. Consistency – You always do what you say.
  3. Reliance – You do what you believe is in my best interest.
  4. Dependency – You do things to keep me well and happy.
  5. Values – We share common core values and trust each other to abide by them.
  6. Fearless – It is safe to voice an opinion without fear of retribution by you.
  7. Vulnerability – You are willing to listen and admit mistakes
  8. Safety – You will protect me from harm.

These are just eight of the obvious categories of trust, and they only include the trust between individuals. There are several other major categories and many subcategories of the ones I have listed. Trust also is evident in every aspect of our lives. It is there in the people we know, the services we obtain, our institutions, and the products we use. Trust is ubiquitous.

Trust is all around us 

We cannot get out of bed in the morning and go to work without experiencing trust several hundred times. We are rarely conscious of the interplay unless something does not work. We walk into the bathroom and turn on the light switch trusting that the lights will go on. We turn the spigot in the shower trusting the water to come out.

As long as things go as expected, then we are not conscious of the possibility for something else to happen.

Most conscious trust

We pay most attention to the level of trust between ourselves and other people. This is the most common form of conscious trust. What we experience is a kind of one-way trust.

We often fail to recognize that trust is always bilateral. The other person trusts us at some level just as we trust her at some level. The levels are rarely the same at any point in time.

Dynamic trust

Trust is far more dynamic than we realize. Our trust in a peer at work may shift slightly several times in one day. It depends on the moment-by-moment interplay of dialog and activities.  These shifts are usually small, but if they are all in the same direction, a great deal of trust can be either gained or lost in a single day.

Trust between people is cumulative rather than zero-based.  We start each interface with roughly the level of trust we had at our last interface. Each person has an “account” of trust with the other person. The balance of trust is the sum of all deposits and withdrawals in the account up to that point. I made a demonstration of how trust works between people using a bunch of metal and plastic scraps. I made a short video about it: Trust Barometer.

The point of this article is that trust is far more complex than most people realize. It is everywhere in our lives.  The cumulative impact of all the trust in your life creates your equilibrium with things and people.  

Expand to cover an organization 

Imagine taking several hundred people and putting them together in a kind of pressure cooker called an organization. You have a rather complex situation. The cumulative level of trust between people in the entire organization is what gives the entity its power to operate. 

The role of leaders 

Leaders provide the environment where this fragile commodity called trust will flourish or be extinguished. I believe it is the behaviors of the leaders that determine the level of trust in any organization.

Trust is not dependent on the desires of leaders, their intelligence, or their intentions. All leaders seek high trust. It is their behaviors that govern the reactions in people that lead to higher or lower trust. Here is a two-minute video explaining this point.

If an organization is struggling with performance issues, the root cause is normally one thing. It is the inability of the leaders to create an environment where trust grows.  That is both good news and bad. 

The bad news is that most leaders do not believe what I just wrote. It is easier to blame others or circumstances. The good news is that there is a way to educate leaders and actually do better.  The hurdle is getting leaders to recognize that the outcome is created by their behaviors.

Conclusion 

My mission in life is to educate as many leaders as possible about these ideas. By doing that, I can make a tiny difference in our world. Come and join me by passing this article on to a leader you know.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.

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Leadership Barometer 182 Evaluate Alternatives

January 31, 2023

Are you happy with your process to evaluate alternatives? Leaders make decisions every day, and they rarely stop and think of the alternatives that are left behind. That practice can be devastating to the business.  This article shines a light on the practice of evaluating alternatives and suggests some improvements.

Always consider and evaluate alternatives

You owe it to yourself and your organization to consider the alternate path. Don’t jump to the one that seems most appealing at first. When you fixate on the most logical path forward, you exclude all possible alternatives.

When you elect to take an action, let’s say “buy a new packaging line,” you have a choice.  Clearly, one alternative is to do nothing. The null hypothesis is always available, and it may be the best choice.

In our example, let’s suppose we have been contracting with another firm to package some of our products because we are out of capacity. The cost of hiring another firm to package our product has severely cut into the profit margin.

Why we tend to jump to the “obvious” course of action 

We are so close to the issue that a logical solution practically tackles us. The easy answer is always the case to beat. Few leaders ask for specific alternatives that were considered but rejected.

We concern ourselves with the short-term solution that eases the pain. In doing this, we tend to overlook an option that has far greater appeal in the long run. We also fail to evaluate a more creative solution that might have many side benefits.

For example, in the case we described above, the obvious solution was to buy a packaging line. It would handle the razor line we have been selling. It is a specific machine for that purpose.  We don’t realize there is an alternative. For very little extra cost we could purchase a line that could handle razors, batteries, and light bulbs. That would provide the factory with a significant advantage in flexibility.

Evaluate alternatives as a conscious process 

Before making a major decision, always ask if we have considered at least three different solutions. That way we can confidently say that we did not make a snap judgment. Be sure to look at the options from all angles, not just the obvious ones.

When evaluating alternatives, avoid analysis paralysis 

You can study alternative ways to do anything until you are old and grey. That is clearly a waste of resources in a different way. Grab onto three or four different courses of action and evaluate the long and short impacts of each one. Make a reasonable decision and sleep soundly knowing you made a fair comparison.

Conclusion

The flow of ideas will steer you toward solutions that may not be the right ones for your business.  Be sure to take the time and energy to evaluate alternative approaches.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.

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Leadership Barometer 181 Avoid Playing Favorites

January 24, 2023

As a leader, how do you avoid playing favorites at work? I ask this question in my consulting and teaching work frequently. Most times leaders think about this for several seconds. Then say with a shrug, “Well, I guess I do play favorites, but I try not to.”

Occasionally I will have some managers or supervisors who are adamant, “No, I do not play favorites.” As we discuss this a bit more, the managers realize that they do favor some people.  They feel more compatible with them than others. In every group, there are people you would rather work with, if possible.

Avoiding playing favorites is more challenging when people are working remotely or hybrid

As the logistics of who is working where, and when become much more complicated, the problem is more difficult. Since the frequency of face-to-face discussions is now lower, leaders need to be more sensitive about signals they send.  People who do not know the details will make certain assumptions about a leader’s relationship with a coworker.

Playing favorites is human nature

When making decisions about who does what in an organization, leaders habitually “play favorites.” They do it even though they know it is a real trustbuster. Let’s examine why this is and suggest a few antidotes that allow you to operate freely.

See the truth about playing favorites

First, recognize that you do have people that you prefer to work with on specific jobs. You click with them and work well together. They may have a special skill and track record that gives you confidence the job will be done well. These are your “go to” people for specific jobs.

When you use certain people in a special assignment, you appear to be paying favorites. That can create unfortunate conversations about you behind your back.

Techniques to reduce the problem of playing favorites

Can you usually operate with your “go-to” people and still beat the stigma of playing favorites? There are several ideas to consider:

  1. Have a kind of standard for special assignments. You select George to do the budget work because he has accounting training. That is something you can explain to others.
  2. Discuss the situation openly with employees and offer flexibility. Give other people the opportunity to learn the skill. This method has three advantages. First, by openly addressing the issue of favorites, it becomes impossible for people to accuse you of being clueless. Second, you have shown a willingness to develop others in this special role, if they want to step up. Finally, no one is the heir apparent just because she has done you a few favors in the past.
  3. The easiest way to beat the favorites stigma is to operate outside your “normal groove” on a few occasions. You only need to do this a time or two to beat the rap. The vast majority of times you can go with your gut or normal pattern. You get to choose which circumstance has some latitude. Also, be sure to include the remote workers in your analysis. Do not always favor the most accessible employee.
  4. Cross-training everyone on a few jobs is another easy way to reduce the favorites issue. This is a simple matter of developing bench strength, which is a sign of an astute organization anyway.

How to be more objective

There is an interesting backlash to the issue of having or playing favorites. If you are in a leadership position, you want all of your feedback and appraisal information to be objective. How do you know when you are being objective? The best way out is to have a solid correlation process among managers to review all performance appraisals. Be on the lookout for any local bias.

It is amazing how people cannot see their own biases toward certain individuals. In order to have an environment of trust, people need to know they will be treated fairly.

Conclusion

Be constantly aware of the issue of playing favorites. It is a significant trust buster in every organization. By using the techniques outlined above, any leader can avoid the trap. At the same time, you can use your “go-to” people most of the time for critical assignments.

 

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.

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