Yet all too often employees are promoted internally to leadership roles without the benefit of the leadership training to help them succeed. This is critical. Especially for those employees who transition from coworker to team leader. Not only do they have to learn their new responsibilities as a people leader, they may have to deal with resentment from their former teammates who didn’t get the job.

Sound familiar? If this is something you’re experiencing, here are some tips.

Start by building trust. You may be following in the footsteps of someone everyone loved, in which case the expectation will be that things remain the same. Or you may be following someone who wasn’t popular (or got fired) and the expectation will be that things will change immediately. Give yourself some time to assess the team and get established in your new role before making any changes (or not!)

Meet one-on-one with each direct report. Spend the majority of your time listening – to their updates, their concerns, their ideas. Ask about specific areas where they need your support. Summarize what they’ve said so they know you were really listening. Keep it positive. Express a particular contribution that that individual makes to the team. Share how you want to lead. Ask about their career aspirations. Help them see you in a new light – as a leader, coach, visionary.

Hold an initial team meeting. Reintroduce yourself in your new role. Share your values, how you like to operate, and the best way to communicate with you. Convey confidence. Address ideas that came up in the one-on-one meetings (again, demonstrating that you were really listening). Enlist the team’s support in collaboratively creating guiding principles for how you will work together effectively.

Address any resentment – swiftly and privately. If you sense resentment from a team member, meet with them privately to discuss the issue. Acknowledge their feelings, and…be clear that you are counting on them to continue to be a contributor to the team effort. Mutually define the best way to work together effectively going forward.

Be prepared not to be liked by everyone. Your relationships have shifted. You are now in a position of writing a review for someone who may be a personal friend. Their lax attitude toward work may not have mattered when you were “buddies,” but it will definitely matter when you are responsible for the team. Just sayin’.

Be a leader more than a manager. It’s tempting to go overboard in “managing” at the beginning to differentiate yourself from the team. Don’t. You have the advantage of, having worked with them, knowing their strengths. Empower them to use those strengths. Let them know you are there to help when they need it. Coach them. Make sure every team member feels valued, connected, challenged and recognized.

And most of all, communicate, communicate, communicate!

Till next time,

Karen

The post Transitioning from Peer to Leader appeared first on PeopleThink.

They establish and adhere to Rules of Engagement.

Think back, for a minute, to when you were in school. No, not college. Think waaay back to kindergarten or elementary school. Most likely on the first day of class your teacher shared with you “the rules.” No talking in class. Raise you hand to go to the bathroom. No fighting. Turn your homework in on time. You knew what the expectations were upfront, and you knew (and, yes, perhaps even experienced) what the consequences were if you didn’t meet those expectations. The goal of the rules was to create a harmonious and productive environment for learning. Without establishing and enforcing those rules, the classroom could have been chaos.

And so it goes with teams. In fact, we’ve seen (or at least read about) that chaos on a nearly daily basis with one very, very visible team. Don’t let that happen to your team.

Allocate some time – as a team – to establish your team Rules of Engagement. These should align with your company values and culture. As you think about what to include, consider things that have been an issue for the team in the past – what guideline can you put in place that will prevent that issue in the future? Here are some topics your rules can address:

Communication. What is the preferred method – email, phone, in person – for sharing information vs. decision making vs. resolving conflict?

Meetings. Is there a limit on length? How will you handle chronic late-comers? How will you ensure that everyone is heard (at the meeting rather than post-meeting in a hallway discussion)?

Decisions. How will you make them? A vote? Who’s the tie breaker?

Conflict. What’s your process for managing it? What will you do when it escalates?

Other potential topics are prioritization, accountability, coordinating task hand off, reviewing each other’s work. And certainly don’t forget to include a general rule about good behavior – kindness, respect, integrity.

Diversity of ideas, opinions, skill sets, experience and background enhances a team’s ability to innovate, and to provide the full complement of capabilities to achieve desired results. The best way to leverage those capabilities and to increase your team’s performance is by defining and maintaining your Rules of Engagement.

Till next time,

Karen

The post Ignite Team Performance with Rules of Engagement appeared first on PeopleThink.

Am I really going to have to balance six feet in the air and trust that my partner will ‘have my back?’ What if they’re as freaked out by the exercise as I am?

Really? Another must-attend dinner? On a Friday night when I’d much rather be at home with my family, relaxing and watching a movie?

Sound familiar? I thought so. With the holidays approaching and planning for 2015 on the horizon, you can almost hear the calendars crunching with team lunches, team dinners, team outings, team challenges and of course, team work. While there may be some value in these activities and get-togethers, they often feel forced and may even be counterproductive.

Why not let team relationships develop more naturally, in a way that is meaningful and supported by the team? Here are some ideas.

Let the team decide. Instead of HR or an events person selecting an activity or scheduling a lunch, put the task to the team. Give them a budget and a timeframe and let them exercise their creativity and collaborative skills. You may be amazed at what they come up with.

Embrace diversity. Recognize that while some on the team may jump (literally) at the opportunity to compete in something physical, others may prefer a more low-key approach to bonding. Consider allowing mini team activities or finding a multi-purpose venue and letting team members gravitate naturally toward their preferred activity.

Consider focusing on others. Most people like to “give back” to the community, but many don’t have time on the weekends because of family and household activities. Take an afternoon off and volunteer as a team at a food bank or some other local charity. Not only will it give the team a shared experience to bring them closer together, it will increase their positive feelings about the company. Research shows that companies who give back to their communities have better brand visibility, more highly-engaged employees and stronger relationships with customers.

Most of all, be sure you are consistently modeling the behaviors that create a cohesive, high-performing team: clear expectations; open and honest communication; constructive feedback; mutual respect; and opportunities to share in and celebrate successes.

Till next time,

Karen

The post Forget Ropes Courses and Mandatory Dinners – Let Teams Develop Naturally appeared first on PeopleThink.

Previous generations might argue that they are too confident, that they expect to achieve a higher level without “paying their dues.” But a recent New York Times article suggests that because of Millennials’ confidence, quick learning ability and “nonstop exchange of information and opinions,” they are primed to drive a new wave of innovation.

If you are looking to attract, retain or collaborate effectively with Millennials, here are some tips:

Care about their personal and career goals. Millennials are motivated by managers who help connect their work to their personal and career goals. Understand what those goals are and give them assignments and opportunities that are directly related to them.
Coach and support them. Millennials value achievement. Identify both their strengths and development areas and provide one-on-one coaching and stretch opportunities to enhance their performance. Match Millennial new hires with a Baby Boomer or Gen X mentor or “buddy” to help them learn to navigate the system and develop business relationships. Provide structure – goals, deadlines, well-defined assignments and success factors.
Leverage their technical savvy. Millennials don’t like Managers who are threatened by their knowledge of and comfort with technology. Capitalize on their ability to quickly gather information and input via their social networking capabilities. Have them mentor less technically savvy employees to promote cross-generational collaboration and understanding.
Give them opportunities to volunteer in the community. Millennials are interested in contributing to their communities both in giving and in volunteering. According to the 2013 Millennial Impact Report, 83% of respondents made a gift to an organization in 2012. The report also showed that the top three reasons Millennials get involved are: 1) passion about the cause; 2) opportunity to meet people; 3) ability to apply their expertise.
Build their credibility. Don’t treat Millennials as if they are too young to be valuable. Use their capability to access and share information quickly. Give them opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills to a visible project or assignment. Give them frequent and productive feedback.

The NYT article quotes Mike Marasco, leader of a cross-generational mentoring program at Northwestern University: “Millennials work more closely together, leverage right- and left-brain skills, ask the right questions, learn faster and take risks previous generations resisted. They truly want to change the world and will use technology to do so.”

Till next time,

Karen

The post Recognizing the Value Millennials Bring to the Workplace appeared first on PeopleThink.

Generation X refers to people born between 1965 and 1979. They grew up in the disco/pop/MTV era and witnessed the integration of the personal computer into our everyday lives. They are self-reliant (think “latch-key kids”), tribal and technologically literate. They work hard, but are more assertive in their quest for work/life balance than their Baby Boomer parents were.  They are adaptable, creative and willing to go against the system if necessary. They prefer not to have a lot of rules.

Here are some tips for managing and working effectively with Generation Xers.

Don’t require a face-to-face for information exchange. If you call and they’re not there, leave a detailed voicemail rather than just “please call me back.” Or write them an email.  It’s more efficient, and that’s what technology is for. And speaking of technology, you can attract, retain and motivate them by providing them with the latest technology and adequate resources.

Give them a task or project and let them fly. Gen Xers are motivated by the freedom to get the job done on their own schedule. They don’t do well with micromanagement.

Develop them. Gen Xers prefer managers who support their training and growth, and provide ample development opportunities. Give them stretch projects or put them in charge of something highly visible to spotlight their abilities. Provide them with frequent, specific and timely feedback to help them build their skills and position them for future career opportunities.

Value diversity and think globally. As this generation was growing up, the world was shrinking (in terms of perceived distance) due to the reach of new technologies and the influx of new cultures and nationalities into our communities. Generation Xers embrace diversity and want to work in environments that are not limited in scope.

Be genuine and direct. Generation Xers tend not to like managers who don’t “walk the talk.”  Demonstrate your competence and show that you trust them by allowing them to work autonomously. Make your interactions with them purposeful, rather than just “schmoozing.”

And, whatever you do, don’t forget to make time for FUN!

Next time we’ll talk about how to work effectively with Millennials.

Till then,

Karen

The post Managing Generation Xers in the Multi-Generation Workplace appeared first on PeopleThink.

As a team leader, it’s easy to fall into like = harmony thinking.  Avoid conflict. Get to the performing stage quicker. Shorten the decision cycle. And yet, without giving air to those different notes – different ideas, strengths, approaches, views – you miss the opportunity to create something innovative and new. Same ol’, same ol’ produces the same ol’, same ol’. Every time.

Consider this scenario.

Mike is about to meet for the first time with a temporary project team he’ll be heading up for the next several months. The members were assigned to him, so he had no input into their selection.  He’s disappointed that he wasn’t asked to pull together a team from “his” people, who think just like him. Life would be so much easier. He hasn’t met any of the team yet, but he’s spoken with four of their managers and has made some notes.

Robert. Quick-thinking. Direct. Not afraid of conflict or challenging the status quo. Confident and decisive. Track record of meeting deadlines and staying within budget. Competitive. Task-focused.

Yolanda. Lots of ideas. Good at creating a vision and inspiring others to follow. Outgoing and friendly.  Likes variety and flexibility. Tends to change topics quickly during discussions. Relationship-focused.

Gary. Quiet and reserved. Great listener. Works to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to be heard. Good at coordinating efforts and maintaining strong relationships. Strong focus on values.

Barb. Analytical and detail-oriented. Excellent at ensuring all bases are covered. Processes information by asking questions. Lots of questions. Takes a systematic approach to decision-making.

Mike wonders how he will ever be able to meld these diverse styles together to complete the project.  He worries that Robert will compete with his leadership, and that Barbara will get too caught up in the details to get anything done.  And how will Yolanda and Gary work with the other two?

Mike decides that the only way forward is to embrace the differences instead of fearing them. And a magical thing happens. Yes, there are some conflicts at the start – as there are on all teams – but those conflicts, and the different approaches, perspectives, talents, ideas, and strengths harmonize into a final product that is far superior to anything Mike in his monotone world had ever seen.  Because…

Yolanda created a vision.

Robert kept them on track.

Gary ensured they were heard.

Barb let nothing fall through the cracks.

Want to learn more about individual styles and the value each can add to your team? Contact PeopleThink: 415.440.7944 or kcolligan@peoplethink.biz.

Till next time,

Karen

The post Individual Styles and High Performing Teams appeared first on PeopleThink.

A few years ago SMITH Magazine published Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure. The book, inspired by a six-word story said to be written by Ernest Hemingway (“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”) was a compilation of six-word memoirs submitted by SMITH readers. Since then, SMITH has come out with additional six-word books on a variety of life topics, including love, Dads and work.

So it’s gotten me thinking. What if we look a bit deeper into the work topic and talk, say, about your leadership style? Or how you communicate? Or your learning style? Or the value you bring to the organization. What would that six-word elevator pitch be? I’d love to hear it.

To give you some inspiration, here are a few examples from the original book:

Mistook streetlight for the moon. Climbed. – Zack Wentz

It was worth it, I think. – Annette Laitinen

Still lost on road less traveled. – Joe Quesada

Former band nerd dreams big dreams. – Jesse Poe

And here are a few we’ve come up with on our topics:

Leadership style:

I set the vision. They execute.

Inspire. Support. Let them surprise you.

Communication style:

Two ears. One mouth. Use proportionally.

Learning style:

I learn something new every day.

Value:

Turned team around. Now profits soaring.

OK. Now it’s your turn. Let’s hear YOUR six words on leadership, communication, learning or the value you bring.

Please share…

Till next time,

Karen

The post How Would YOU Say It in Only Six Words? appeared first on PeopleThink.

As we grow in our leadership role, we need to be very clear about our leadership competencies – both strengths and weaknesses. There are a gazillion leadership models out there. But what does leadership mean to you? Do you lead with vision? Do you lead with drive? Do you lead to deliver? Or do you lead through people? You probably tend toward one or two over the others, but you should have capability in all four competencies. The key is learning to flex them appropriately based on the situation.

Think of the best leader you’ve ever had. What do you think their leadership preference was – Vision, Drive, Deliver, or People? Now think…how well did they adapt to accommodate all four leadership competencies to be the best leader? Each person must flex at certain times to get the desired outcome. If a leader becomes too rigid in doing things their way, they may have people who are only following because they’re afraid of the consequences of doing otherwise. You and I both know that we don’t get the best out of our employees in a fear-based environment.

Our great leaders are clear about who they are as leaders, are capable of flexing when it makes sense, and are willing to hold their ground when it is right for the business. They have a backbone, and will make what they believe is the RIGHT decision, even if it’s not the POPULAR decision.

As a leader, you want people to follow you because they trust you, and because you are stretching them by providing opportunities they would not have without you. You want them to follow you because you have created a vision and they can see the connection between the organization’s goals and their own goals. People will stay…or leave…because of you. We’ve all heard about the Gallup Poll that found people don’t leave organizations, they leave their managers. If you are not willing to adapt your style, you will have a large exodus of employees. There are endless formulas for turnover costs. Let’s just use the one that says turnover costs for a mid-level employee equal 150% of that employee’s annual salary. That isn’t pretty for the bottom line, and won’t reflect very favorably on the leader.

So think about your people. How do you need to adapt these four competencies – Vision, Drive, Deliver, People – to ensure that you create and maintain an environment of trust and productivity for sustainable business results?

Want to learn more about leadership and communication styles? Check out our assessments at PeopleThink.biz.

Till next time,

Karen

The post Adapting Your Leadership Style for Improved Results appeared first on PeopleThink.

As you consider the following, think about how you approach your team, individual employees and expected results.

Managers seek stability and continuity and achieve power based on their position of authority. They work toward an outcome of employee compliance. Leaders, on the other hand, seek change and uncertainty. They focus on innovation and base their power on personal influence. Leaders work toward an outcome of employee commitment.

Management skills focus on planning and organizing, and controlling through standard operating procedures. Leadership skills include developing a shared vision, creating strategy and providing motivation. The management approach to performance evaluations comprises rewards and discipline. The leadership approach includes support and development. The management communication style is transactional with an exchange of facts and data. The leadership communication style is persuasive and transformational, focused on committing people to action.

Managers define success as efficiency and maintenance of quality. Leaders define success as effectiveness and mutual trust. Managers strive to avoid anarchy, employee disorientation and surprise. Leaders want to avoid inertia, lack of motivation or boredom.

So are you managing or leading?

“If there is a clear distinction between the processes of managing and the process of leading it is between getting others to do – managing – and getting others to want to do – leading.”

– James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, The Leadership Challenge.

Till next time,

Karen

The post Management vs. Leadership – What’s the Difference? appeared first on PeopleThink.

We all know that any given project, or product development effort, requires a variety of skills sets and experience – behold the cross functional team. But beyond that, our inclination is to put people together who have similar personalities; who seem to “click.” We think that their natural alignment will provide harmony and accelerate productivity. But harmony doesn’t always guarantee the best results. In fact, recent studies have shown that teams made up of diverse personalities are more innovative, better at solving complex problems, and are higher performing overall.
Diverse teams perform better because they bring multiple perspectives, experiences and approaches to the table. These varying approaches and thought processes create a dynamic that is better equipped to deal with complex problems and challenges. Additionally, diverse personality traits within a team offset one another and build on each other for synergy and innovation. A diverse team is much less likely to fall into “groupthink” which can actually impede performance.

Every team goes through a four-stage development process – forming, storming, norming and performing (Bruce W. Tuckman). As part of the forming process, leaders should become aware of their own work and communication style, and strive to identify and understand the styles of those on the team. Create some discussion around individual work style preferences, communication styles and perceptions of the team goal. Communicate the value that each style can bring to the achievement of that goal. Set up standards that provide for clear communication and sensitivity to the different styles. Establish a process for dealing with conflict.

Learn from those whose style is different from yours. They can teach you to improve in your weak areas, and you can coach them to improve their skills in areas where you’re strong. As the team continues to move through the development stages, continue to recognize and value their diversity.

Let them know, loud and clear, that ALL of them are necessary.

Until next time,

Karen

The post Valuing Diversity to Improve Team Performance appeared first on PeopleThink.

Before we begin our journey through The Get Real Guide to Your Career, let’s get something clear up front. As I coach people who are looking for new work, I often hear them say, “I want to find my passion,” or, “I want to absolutely love my work,” or, “I want to wake up in the morning and jump out of bed because I can’t wait to get to my work.” Now, this may come as a surprise to most; however, my response is, Why? Don’t get me wrong…if people can find their passion like Bruce Springsteen and others have, I am all for it. That’s a gift, and very difficult to get. Only a very small segment of the population can claim absolute love and devotion to their work. So why set yourself up for failure right from the beginning?

What’s wrong with truly liking your work AND liking your entire, full life? If Oprah heard me say this I am sure she would not be very happy with me. She has been very fortunate to find her passion and to create her entire life around that passion, and to do wonderful things along the way. Good for her!!! With that said… I get tired of hearing: find your passion and the money will come or, once you find your passion, your life will be complete or, live your passion and success will follow. Are ya kidding me?

How about finding work that is very satisfying, and uses the skills and natural talents you have and want to use? I am proposing that you can actually look at your work as only one aspect of your life. Don’t forget about the other parts – your relationship with family and friends – your health and fitness – your fun time – your spiritual self – your ‘you’ time – your volunteer time – your hobby time – your whatever-you-want time. Let’s face it, there are more things in life than our work. My guess is that when you are ready for the final roundup, you won’t be wishing you’d spent more time at work. My hope is that you can allow yourself to have a full life with a rewarding career that enhances your life and doesn’t detract from it.

Let the journey begin…

As we begin our walk through The Get Real Guide, keep in mind that we want you to do these exercises from the perspective of where you are today. Think of it as starting from a fresh place. Many of you will have done some of this work in the past and may think, why should I do it again? The reason is…because you are at a different point in your life now. As you go through these exercises, think about your future, and the possibilities that lie ahead. Don’t get stuck in what you’ve done, or what has happened in the past. Look at this as a new adventure – one that will provide you something new in your life. Have some fun with it, and please don’t stop reading…

Okey…dokey…first things first…your values. Feeling fulfilled and happy in your work has a lot to do with whether that work aligns with your values. What are values? Your core beliefs. The things you must have in order to be your best. Some examples – trust, harmony, excellence, innovation, fun, risk-taking, collaboration, connection. Take a moment and list your top five values.

What are those things about which you will absolutely not compromise? Yes, it is hard. And yes, it is worth it. If it is tough to list just five, list as many as you can and then review and evaluate them. Then narrow your list down to your five core values.
Why is it so important to define your values when looking for new work? As you meet with new people and consider new organizations, it is imperative that you are able to determine whether your values are in sync. Think about it, have you ever worked for an organization where your values and the values of that organization were no longer aligned? What happened for you? Eventually, the realization is so clear that it is difficult to come to work and do your job in the best way possible. This is exactly what happened to me, and why I hold so strongly to this belief of mapping values.

I worked for a large organization for 13 years and probably stayed 2 years too long. When I joined, my values and the organization’s values were completely aligned. It was about doing whatever it takes to get the job done. It was about feeling connected with my colleagues and challenged to always do the best possible job. People truly were the number one asset for this company and they were treated as such. It wasn’t just a cliché. As the organization grew, the values became diluted. It was still a good organization, I just kept wondering, why am I not as excited to come to work each day? I couldn’t figure it out. I couldn’t imagine what was going on for me. Of course, I attempted to ignore it, thinking it might go away and that I was reading something into the situation. Isn’t it fun to do that? Well…eventually it was obvious. I was so sad, too. I left an organization where I thought I would spend my entire career. I didn’t want to believe it. And, as I said, I probably stayed 2 years too long. So, pay attention to your values.

Be certain that your values are a key factor in your decision to accept an opportunity and join an organization. Or you can do what I did…and just start your own business. Now if my values don’t map to the values of PeopleThink, I am in deep trouble!! Tee-hee…tee-hee…

I’d say this is enough for one sitting. I’ll see you soon, when we look at the skills you want to use…and the natural talents you must use.

By the way, I would love to hear from you on the passion topic. Do you believe people have to find their passion in their work to have a successful life?

Till the next time…Don’t Stop Believing!

Karen

The post Your Journey Begins appeared first on PeopleThink.