Tough Times does NOT mean using Tough Tactics When the economy is in turmoil leaders tend to resort to tough tactics to stay afloat and in business. Budgets are cut, staff are let go, hours are curtailed and perks are reduced. Many sleepless nights are spent mulling over options and strategies only to rise in the morning fatigued and uncertain. If this sounds like you then you need to find another approach. The wiser leader or manager turns to trusted advisers to gain fresh perspectives and alternative viewpoints – asking for help early in the process rather than trying to go it alone. But even this is not enough. All organizations can benefit from the insight of the whole team – your sales force, production crew, maintenance team, shipping department and the accounting department. But we’re not talking about suggestion boxes here – we’re talking about frank, honest, open, face to face dialogue. When leaders connect more with their own staff, they reap enormous benefits from a kaleidoscope of viewpoints – all helping to create a well-rounded picture of the situation. When leaders ask their employees, “Do you think we can we make a go of it?” and “Will you help us get there?” Amazing synergy is created. People want to help out, to have their ideas sought, to feel valued for their knowledge. When leaders take the time to meet their employees, in the parking lot, on the shop floor or in the cafeteria, everyone becomes united behind a common cause. People talk and toss ideas to and fro, others build on simplistic notions to make them realistic and more acceptable, union and management roll up their sleeves and work together to keep the company viable and their membership employed, the ‘buzz’ in the lunchroom is electric. However, this approach takes skill and a good degree of finesse too. The manager who has a reputation for being aloof and out of touch will find it hard to win over others by simply getting out and talking with people. The VP who has been invisible and on-the-road may find it hard to reach people he or she hardly knows. This is when your ‘people’ oriented employees can bring their style into full play. Following on the important question posed by the CEO or President at an ‘all hands’ or ‘town hall’ meeting, these people keep the dialogue alive; they feed it and nurture it; bringing key ideas and proposals forward for consideration, then employees see action is truly resulting from those initial questions from the top. Small changes lead to bigger ones, and the momentum begins to gather speed like a huge snowball gathering mass as it moves. A handful of engaged employees soon becomes a larger group, a department gets on board and then another and finally a disgruntled employee is heard making positive and helpful suggestions and others decide they don’t want to miss out on the ‘energy train’. In the meantime the leader may be feeling disempowered by this mass of energetic employees seemingly out of control. Yet that’s exactly where the leadership is needed. The wise leaders stays engaged, they listen, encourage, endorse, support and provide information or resources so results can take hold. They don’t try to take control, to push in a specific direction; instead they pay attention to the ideas surfacing from their employees, they look for ways to say “Yes”, to find the silver lining in obscure ideas so that the momentum is maintained. The wise leader is leading from behind! This leader knows their role is to remove obstacles or provide resources. Basically to clear the path so the employees can forge ahead to create the results that will build engagement, loyalty and boost the bottom line. So the next time you lie awake at night mulling over a problem, consider sharing the problem with your staff and asking them for help. The leader who does this, shows a great deal of respect for the employees, this leader shows by this simple act that great ideas can come from many areas, from the new recruit or the board of directors, or from listening to loyal clients. Isn’t it time for you to lead from behind?

The Boss from Hell! Yup! You know what they are like, these leaders who don't lead, who sit in their offices, only emerging to rush past their staff who have been waiting all day to see the whites of their eyes. "Got to dash, off to an important meeting," they toss at their staff as they whip past, flapping papers in the air to show how important and busy they are. Then there's the boss who seems to spend all day hanging around your desk checking your work, poking into files, asking questions as if to test your knowledge, waiting for you to trip up then pouncing when you make a mistake. "Got ya", this 'hovering' boss says with a big grin. The joy of catching you out clearly made their day. But what about the one who insists on delegating important projects to you, then presents the fabulous work you have done as if it was the result of their own efforts. "Yes, I was able to pull this together quickly, thank you for telling me how pleased the client was," says this claim-you-did-it-yourself boss with absolutley no mention of your behind the scenes efforts. Another "boss from hell" might be the one who breaks the rules for one employee but is rigid and strict with another. " I know I gave Sally they day off on Friday because she worked late on Wednesday, but I need you here as I have an important project to wrap up this week." If these bosses sound like people in your office, do not dispair. Yes, they are a pain in the enck to work with but in actual fact they are giving you marvellous lessons on what not to do when you are selected to fill a leadership role. These bosses should never have reached, let alone stayed, in this position of authority. If they started the business they may never have taken any leadership training, or listened to sage advice from peers. If they rose through the ranks, or climbed the corporate ladder, then clearly there are lax management practices at the top that allow this inept leadership to continue. But for you, the employee struggling to earn a living, to gain knowledge and skills, and go on to better things, all is not lost. In a quiet moment, when you are not stressed, ask to meet with your boss and suggest some ways in which you can work better together. Explain what works and does not work for you and ask them if they would be willing to try another approach. Be specific. "When you hover by my desk I get flustered and it makes it hard for me to remember all of the details." "When I work hard on a project but you don't mention my contribution, it makes me feel unimportant, I'm sure that's not what you intended is it?" "When you are in your office with the door closed, I don't have the chance to speak with you about some of the challenges I anticipated. If we could meet first thing in the morning for 15 minutes that would be a big help. Can we do that?" Any of these 'scripts' or approach allows you to manage upward; to take a leadership role from your present position, to show you are able to speak out for the things you want and need to be successful. You have to delvier your message in a calm, clear professional manner. Try it... it may not make the boss from hell into an angel but you will feel better from having made the effort to bring about a change. It might even work!!!

Familiar Patterns

Do you have policies and procedures in your company? If you are like many companies, you do. Have you ever thought of those policies as a ball and chain hampering your creative ideas? Then ponder this...I am going to suggest something radical - consider doing away with one or two in favour of an exploration into life without them or make significant changes to give them a new twist!

When employees tell me they can't do something that they believe will be beneficial for both their company and the employees, because of a policy that prevents them, I remind them that the polices and procedures they are following were conceived and crafted to suit the business at that point in time.

Many policies and procedure that are steadfastly followed in organizations are seldom re-visited or challenged. People assume they are cast in stone and not open to revision. I wonder where that idea stemmed from.

I remind people time and again that they are always available for review. They should be read with fresh eyes every year or two and with two overarching questions in mind
Does this serve us as we do our business today? and
Does it reflect the culture we wish to create?

If not, then revise them and post the changes so employees know the leaders are looking at everything that guides the way their business is run, how their people are supported as they work and that staying current is important for success.