Endings and Beginnings My daughter Robyn Hughes, is about to start her last day at Royal Roads University and I have been invited to watch the soon-to-graduate students' end of year presentations. On Wednesday her life will be different. No more classes, no more team meetings, no more assignments and no more late night crunches to get an important project in her profs hands by the deadline. Wednesday will be the beginning of a brand new chapter filled with cover letters, resume updates, interviews and hopefully a rewarding and satisfying new career will be started. As I ponder on my daughter's experience I am reminded of how we all have to cope with change in our lives. Some of those changes may have been self-initiated, leading us forward to new careers, new cities and new employers, while others may have been thrust upon us, caught us off guard, maybe even created a serious jolt to our well-ordered lives. But you've heard it before...change is the only real constant in our lives so I say, the sooner we all come to terms with it the better. Some people (me included) enjoy change. We thrive on absorbing something new, meeting new people, taking on new projects, saying goodbye to work that's no longer stimulating and drawing out our best skills. Change that's self-initiated is, to some extent under our control and we can chart the path we want to follow, even though there might be some nasty surprises we could not have anticipated. (read about that in my latest book "Living in Paradise".) But what about the change that's thrust upon us - the change that leaps out and grabs you by the ankles and threatens to roll you in the dust. That's the change that call for courage, tenacity and reserves stored from the past. Its the unanticipated shift from our well planned life that threatens and needs to be managed. I find that when I am faced with some change I find unpleasant and distasteful it's best to ponder on past changes I viewed in the same light and to reflect on whether in hindsight they were really as bad as I thought they were going to be. In most cases what I had anticipated as a negative soon became a positive - once I allowed myself time to adapt. That's when emotions surface and most often 'fear' kicks in to dominate our minds. Thoughts rush through our heads and the worries start to surface. "Will I be able to cope?" "Will the new boss appreciate my work?" "Will the new project show up my weaknesses?" "How can I get out of this?" Looking back helps. really. Trust me on this. Try this technique. I give myself a 'pep' talk when I step out of the shower in the morning. I look in the mirror and say to myself. "Hello champion of surviving and thriving on change. Look at what you have done so far. You are ready to take this on. Go get 'em gal!" When I look back at past challenges and reflect on who I am today I know that the skills and talents I bring to my clients now are because I learned much from the changes both planned and unanticipated, positive and negative, swift and long drawn out. Each change added to my character and helped me become the Management Consultant I am today - far better able to help organizations and their employees deal with changes they need to make in order to be successful. Want to read my book 'Living in Paradise'? Email me at heatherconsults@shaw.ca to get a signed copy.

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.

The silence is deafening!!

I was leading a workshop the other day on Performance Management and there were a number of participants lamenting how their boss didn’t give them feedback on how they were doing.

“I’d like to know if I’m on track,” one person said.
“I do hear but only when there’s a problem,” piped up another. “ I know most of the time I do a good job, but the minute something goes wrong, that’s when I hear something.”

These people had come to the workshop as they were moving into a supervisory role. Soon they would be held accountable for their employee's performance. They would be involved in planning for the future, setting goals, coaching and giving feedback, as this was now expected of them in their new position.

Clearly some of them knew what NOT to do; they knew from first-hand experience.

Their experiences caused me to reflect on this common problem. Managers know it’s important to give feedback, yet in spite of knowing they should, they don’t do it for a variety of reasons. When I asked some managers about this common lack of action, these are some of the things they said.

• I just don’t have the time, and it akes a lot of time to do it properly.
• I don’t see them very often so I can’t give feedback on what I don’t know.
• They know I will speak up if I have a problem.
• No-one likes getting feedback, so I save them the pain.
• They know what’s working and where there is a problems, they’re adults they can figure out what to do.

The interesting thing is that all of these managers thought the Performance Management activity was about telling someone how they were doing.

I like to present it in a different light.

I ask managers to look on it as a conversation where they can get insight into the employee’s job, and the challenges they face and overcome. I suggest they ask the employee to think about the past year and to identify the highs and lows, the successes and difficulties and where adjustment or modifications could change things for the better. By using this approach, the pressure is taken off the manager, AND it allows the employee to share their perspective, which is often different from what the boss sees.

I also suggest sitting down over coffee to talk about their views. There’s no need to make this a BIG formal deal. This relaxed conversational approach helps to build a working relationship that goes far beyond performance management. Once the two people are talking and sharing perspectives, then they can move on to look at places where adjustments could be made to improve results. Once again this should come from the employee. It’s about asking for ideas NOT telling them how to fix things.

“What could be done to speed up…?”
“Where could we …”
“If you… how would that build better customer service?”

If you’ve been thinking, ‘I’m the manager I have to come up with a solution’, it puts unnecessary pressure on your shoulders. On top of that, most employees will resent being told how to fix their problem, they want to solve it themselves. We’ve found that imposed solutions are often sabotaged. Then employees can say, “See I told you it wouldn’t work.” On the other hand, if the employee gives you their ideas and if you encourage them to try it out, most employees will want to make their solution a success and will strive hard to make it work out.

So before you buy in to those avoidance excuses you play in your head, take a few minutes to chat with your employees informally about the job. Listen carefully; you’ll be surprised what you learn.

In the process of casually discussing the work, your employees will know you have noticed them and their contributions, and that you believe in their ability to make a difference. That alone will make a huge difference to that employee, because, feedback avoidance often leads to employees feeling invisible, and wondering if anyone sees the difference they make. So ensure they know their contributions are crucial and that you appreciate the things they do day in day out.

Your steady, reliable, consistent employees, who may never be your star performers, are the people who especially need to hear how much you count on them. Star performers are great, and they often get lots of acknowledgement. Conversely, your difficult employees must be talked with to get them to perform and meet expectations, but far too often the quiet, dependable, consistent employees are overlooked and that’s a shame - they are keeping things going by providing your core services.

So please, think hard about how much you have been taking your employees for granted and how they might be craving some feedback and acknowledgement of their work; then take a moment to ask a few simple questions to show you’re interested. You’ll be surprised at what you learn.

If you have managed to help employees become high performers, who are happily giving their best, please share you story with us. We can all benefit from new approaches.

It's a risky business!

I'm amazed at how complacent many of my clients are about their ability to hang in there for a few more months until the recent recession finally fades away. So complacent in fact that they have missed another risk about to land squarely and solidly into their laps - one that will come regardless of financial outcomes.

Their eyes have been so firmly fixed on the financial impact of their decisions, scanning what is happening with their suppliers, their competition and the bank rates, that they have failed to look internally to where they might be vulnerable going forward. The myopic view they have been consumed with has not afforded them a view of other lingering problems that are completely within their grasp to address, and address with little need for huge budgets.

The risk I am referring to is the one that will come when their long term employees, their “go to” people finally decide it’s time to retire. The amount of specialized knowledge these people carry in their heads, means that most companies will suffer an immediate, and dramatic impact on their ability to provide service levels that they currently take for granted.

The baby boomers are planning to leave soon and to leave on mass from your company AND your supplier companies all across the globe!

One of my clients thought about 40% of his workforce were on the brink of retiring – our risk assessment found he was a little low it was actually 60% because he had failed to consider his very mobile middle managers who had career aspirations outside his company. Can you imagine the impact it could have if all of that specialized knowledge walked out the door?

But capturing the knowledge is not an easy problem to solve; it’s far more than getting people to write down their procedures. The tacit knowledge that is told in stories and given as examples, is much tougher to collect, transfer and apply.

Why do you call this person instead of send an email?
What is it about you that makes customer X always turn to you for his needs?
Who is the person to talk to at XYJ company when you want an answer to a problem? Why do we do the job in this way?
Where did that idea come from?

Can you see how tough it is to capture those details and it’s the details that bring context to the decisions that emerge from meetings and board rooms in corporate North America.

We recommend a structured process as the way to determine your company’s vulnerability
1. Conduct a risk assessment just how many of your Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) will exit in the next three years?
2. Who else could fill the void now (at the same level of expertise) if they were to suddenly decide to leave?
3. What is your competitive advantage and how is that knowledge, approach, etc. imbedded into your employee’s jobs?
4. How are ‘lessons learned’ from day to day work captured, shared and stored for future access?

The knowledge that rests in the minds of your employees is the highest vale you have. It exceed s anything you will find on desks, in files, drawers and on the hard-drive! Protect it now for your, long term benefit.

Yes, the loss of corporate knowledge is a very risky business.

Perceptions

I was reading a blog post last week and pondering the content and how it might have value for me - or not, when a colleague called and arranged to meet me for lunch. It turned out she had read the same blog and wanted to see what I thought.

"Did you agree with what he said?" she asked, close on the heels of "Hello and how are you," as she slipped into her seat.

Those opening remarks launched our animated conversation - enjoyed with good food and wine, I might add.

"I felt some points were on the mark," I replied. Not so my colleague. "I thought it was rubbish" she said.

We then proceeded to pull the blog apart and lightly tossed our points of view across the table, both of us quoting examples from our background, research and projects to justify our points of view.

When I got home I forgot about it until I was sitting down to write an article for a client. I realised, as my fingers flew across the keyboard, that I was about to launch into a point of view based on a narrow window - mine. This pothole in the road of writing jarred me to a halt as I recalled the lunchtime banter with my colleague.

Was that author wrong as my friend attested? Were just a view points valid, as I had suggested? Probably not. Clearly he was writing from his point of view, from his experiences, from the books he'd read, web-sites scanned and the people he had met and worked with. He was writing and sharing with the reader his viewpoint and simultaneously giving us a glimpse into his bacground.

I know the challenge of being open minded; it takes some effort to be curious about why a certain perspective is presented as fact. We have to set aside our easy rebuttal to seek insight, so we don't just discount the different slant.

Blog posts have opportunities for people to comment, so I asked a few questions and received further insight into the the points of view we had questioned and discounted to readily. It was enlightening.

When faced with information that normally I would have been quick to challenge, I now stop myself and seek more information.
I ask questions like:
"Tell me more about that."
"Where did you learn about that approach?"
"What leads you to think that might work in this situation?"
"Help me understand why that will make a difference?"
"I'm confused, can you give me an example?"

When I'm willing to suspend my judgement and ask for more information, it frequently puts the information into context so I can see it's valid and possibly even helpful now that I have a bigger picture. It's humbling. I wish I could do it consistently, but I'm human and flawed like everyone else, so I will ask my questions when I remember and not beat up on myself when I forget.