The leader’s lament goes something like this: Why don’t more people step up and take ownership — real ownership? Why don’t they show more initiative and follow-up more carefully? Why do I always have to be the one to make things happen? Now let me tell you about Leo and the answer will become obvious.
Most leaders understand the importance of getting buy-in. Few understand how to achieve it. As a result, their efforts frequently cross the line to manipulation. Are you one of them? If you have ever said, “We want people to feel they’ve been heard,” then you are probably one of them. Especially if your next steps are to attempt to create that feeling of being heard by asking for input on a decision that has already been made. That is pure manipulation.
I asked a freshly minted VP at a Fortune 50 company who has steadily risen through the ranks what he believed led to this and previous promotions. His answer echoed one I have heard from other executives as well: I am proactive Follow up Get stuff done Am helpful He takes for granted his technical expertise. But then again. he is surrounded by technical expertise. He wishes he were surrounded by more people who are proactive, follow up, and get stuff done! And he isn’t the only one. Many executives and managers share that wish. What can you do?
The year is half over. If that is bad news for you, I am sorry to be the one to break it! In our not too distant past, weather, daylight hours, changing seasons, and the calendar year ruled all. These days – not so much! Nonetheless, old habits die hard and that calendar controls far too much in the business world. While you reflect on progress to date at this half-year mark, reflect also on all the things that should NOT be controlled by the calendar year. Here are a few just for starters: Strategic planning Budgeting Performance reviews Goal setting Something to ponder while at the beach this summer. Have a great July!
The government of the United States is unique in that it has provided stable governance and peaceful power transfers for over 200 years. Why? Because people generally trust the democratic process and the checks and balances established by our founders. The system is built on the tenets of fair process: 1. We have the ability to track what is being decided and why. 2. We know that we can participate by voting, caucusing, petitioning, demonstrating, calling our elected officials, running for office, and more. 3. We generally believe that our elected officials are fair and motivated to act in the best interests of the country. 4. We generally believe that those making the decisions represent the people who voted them into office. 5. And we know that there is always another election to throw out those who don’t measure up and there are processes that can be used to modify the system.
Making change stick is one of my specialties. It would be easier to pop in, teach a few skills, make a few recommendations, and move on. But I’m not satisfied until I believe real results are underway or in sight. What I really enjoy is returning a year or so later to enthusiastic reports from client and staff that they are all still doing as we’d agreed and seeing obvious benefits. Change fails far more often than not. The reason is that most efforts are comprised of much talk, a couple of decisions, a new rule or two, inevitably some kind of form, and a generous dose of fanfare. None of which guarantee anything actually changes. Change occurs only when people change their behaviors. So let’s look at the essential ingredients for making change stick:
OK, so sometimes what the boss says is gospel and unavoidable. No doubt about it. But other times, that is not the case and even the boss would agree. As a matter of fact, in many cases the boss really wants employees to push back! This lack of clarity creates big problems! Employees are afraid to speak up. Morale suffers. Talent is handcuffed. Trust and honesty are squashed. Meanwhile, the boss can’t find the middle ground between rule by decree and everything by consensus. So what’s to be done?
My husband and I were interested in purchasing a condo when we found out there was a lawsuit against the condo association. We really liked the condo, so we hired an attorney to help us understand the risk. After asking a multitude of questions over the course of several days, our attorney suggested we look elsewhere. “You just won’t be comfortable no matter what,” was his rationale. He was wrong.
When I graduated from college, I was not even sort of ready for a full-time job. I saw “real jobs” as a prison sentence that would end my flexibility and steal my chances to travel. Friends proved me right by getting hired and then promptly saying no to every opportunity while they just worked every day and awaited that first week of vacation six months down the pike. So I latched on to seasonal and temporary employment for a year or so instead. I worked at a resort, drove school buses, pumped gas, sold minnows, substituted at the local high school, and tutored the truant officer’s son who refused to go to school. Between times, I moved around, mostly by bicycle. I always made enough to get by.