Results producing ideas

Hate delivering dreaded news?

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Delivering bad news to your boss, team, customers or co-workers can be difficult. How do you frame this information and deliver it in a manner that instills confidence, loyalty and commitment to make the necessary changes?

Facts.  What are they?
Describe a general overview of the problem. Explain the impact factually. Include how it may affect not only the organization but also individuals, personally. Be sure to address issues that make a difference to your boss, which may be different than the message you provide to your team and co-workers.

Solution. What do you propose as the solution?
Why would this solution work? What is required, and of whom, to make it work? What is the financial impact? First, prior to meeting with your boss for his/her approval, share the issue and listen to ideas from a select few co-workers and team members.  This selective process will save you from having too many ideas, which causes an inability to move forward – inertia! Next, provide a full and timely picture to your boss, including proposed solutions along with pros and cons and other implications. Finally, share this precise plan with the entire impacted group, asap.

Act ethically.  Stick to the facts.
Too often when communicating bad news, there is a tendency to either sugar-coat it, or make it sound worse than it may be. It is critical at this juncture not to undermine others’ confidence in your ability to resolve this bad news. Develop a centered approach; balance facts and the feelings the situation stirs up. Accept responsibility. Let your boss and others know you are committed to follow through to a successful resolution. Most importantly, do exactly that. Follow it through. Do not quit until you achieve the proposed resolution. Keep others appropriately apprised of the progress.

How have you handled delivering bad news?  Leave your comment below.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2011

Pro-Activate Your Inner Rebel

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Companies often do not want to keep employees who do not conform. Just look at the myriad of policies, procedures and the many unwritten rules on how to conform to get along. Yet … there are books and movies about wildly successful entrepreneurs. They were once employees themselves. Employees who challenged the status quo within corporate America in order to create a big win, either for themselves or for the company.

How do you offer a challenging voice? What if you see a way to avoid strategic and tactical maneuvers that will not work? How do you push innovation when the company is fearful of operating outside the norm? How do you manage your boss who believes nothing will surpass him/her? The good news is that leaders – every one of them – has a rebel inside. The challenge is, how far you can let your rebel loose without triggering career derailment?

Poke Holes in Strategies. Play devil’s advocate by asking business questions that may not have been considered. Remember, nothing is perfect! However, be careful not to criticize people, their values or their apparent inability to think outside the box! Acknowledge their contribution, regardless of the flaws in their logic. With some development, these flaws could bring about an out-of-the box solution! Or, at a minimum, become stepping stones on which to build a solution and get everyone on the same page.

Know when to step back. Going too far can result in a backlash, even if you’re right. Know the issues, who is pushing them and why. Have one-on-one conversations to determine win-win resolutions or at least, options everyone could live with. Sometimes your inner rebel sees too big of a picture. You need to be willing to take smaller steps to get everyone in sync! Reduce fear of change with communication and reinforcement; it can be impossible for others to see where you are going without showing them your map.

Celebrate! Have a celebration for everyone on the team. Acknowledge what worked. Write down objective reasons on what didn’t word for future modifications. Remember, it’s a team effort that provided the results. They will acknowledge you as their leader if you take the time to appreciate their contributions.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2011

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Waiting for the leadership fast track?

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You may be waiting in vain. If you’re expecting formal authority, a title, compensation, perk or some other official designation, you probably have a VERY long wait. Tomorrow’s leaders step up and make positive differences today. They bypass others because they do not wait until they’ve gathered the credentials, experience, education, etc. They prove their ability first, and then are awarded by promotions and financial compensation.

Perception is reality. Up and coming leaders take the initiative. They make suggestions and act upon them, regardless of their position. They make it easy for others to work with them by creating win-win outcomes. If they don’t have the experience, they go get it now by learning from others (e.g., working with a mentor, or hiring a coach). They use scientifically validated assessments to clarify their strengths and operate accordingly. They are seen by others as the person to count on to get projects completed or issues resolved.

Network for success. What’s the fastest way to be recognized as someone with leadership potential within your own company? Join outside community, trade or industry associations. Get involved with committees or take a position on the board of directors. Show up at meetings. Learn how to influence others by using a balance of factual and people skills. Don’t rely solely upon your passion as the selling point for your ideas. This shows management and workers you know how to work effectively with others.

Professional savvy. Adopt the motto: Listen and learn! Use appropriate manners. “Please” and “Thank You” help in any situation. Be open to building upon others’ ideas to create sustainable results. Respect others and their experiences to help you gain credibility quickly. Learn to work with and through others to achieve an outcome everyone can live with, even if there is not 100% agreement. But beware of bypassing your boss or team members when you don’t agree – that’s the fastest express to career derailment! Leadership success is achieved more upon your people savvy than your technical expertise.

(c)Jeannette Seibly, 2011

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What do you do when someone reneges on a promise?

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Have you ever worked with someone (e.g., boss, co-worker, customer or vendor) who promised to deliver by a certain time and date, and failed to do so? And, kept failing over and over to keep their word? Some may not even remember making the promise, relying upon a false memory. Worse? They may use their position (e.g., being the boss, government official, etc.) to exonerate their lie. You may even have the agreement in writing. Yet, that doesn’t help you achieve the results you need for your company or meet a critical project deadline. How do you handle this bad behavior (if ongoing)? How can you minimize or prevent future miscommunications?

Take notes. Too often we believe we’ll remember what someone else has said. The problem?  Most human beings are very poor listeners, including you! They’ll even excuse any written agreements or emails by saying, “I was too busy and simply skimmed it.” Or, “I was simply agreeing with you!” HUH? When we are negotiating and setting up any type of agreement with another person, we need to stop(!) multi-tasking and focus 100% on what is being said. Clearly establish the “By-When” date and time the product or project will be completed and delivered. Set up checkpoints to monitor progress at the beginning and make any necessary adjustments as you go along, together. Include any additional specifications or verbal agreements outside the original agreement. Review immediately with the other person before moving on to other topics or concluding the meeting. 

Talk it out. Too often when something is not working out as expected, there is apt to be a barrage of emails back and forth. This will rarely resolve an issue since most can be easily misinterpreted. Is there a concern that your client doesn’t feel comfortable expressing? Is there a consequence to them if they admit to a mistake? Is there an unreasonable expectation that simply cannot be fulfilled? You’ll never know unless you ask. Don’t be afraid to discuss and see what win-win outcome(s) can be created. After the project completed, meet face-to-face with the person to resolve any residual concerns. Simply blowing it off will rarely prevent it from happening again, with this person or another!

Our critical ego. Too often we label the other person when problems occur. We tell others the person(s) doesn’t have a high level of integrity, a value. Others may or may not agree with your assessment; however, if they act upon it, it can create a liability for your career or your company. Be careful using words like “integrity,” “ethics,” “need to forgive,” etc.  These are hot buttons today. If you push any one of them, there will probably be an explosion. Instead of playing this no-win game of finger pointing (remember every time you point a finger, there are three fingers pointed back at you), focus on the needs of the project. Work through the issues or concerns to resolve them in a win-win manner.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2011

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Why doesn’t your Winning Formula always work?

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We all love to win. We get upset with any set back and perceive it as failure. We fail to realize that some failure is inevitable. It is simply part of the process to achieve results! Instead, we take these perceived failures personally and blame ourselves, bosses, co-workers and clients. We fail to listen to others, falsely listening to our own ego at the expense of the company. So instead of learning from others and moving through the “issue,” we halt new ideas, projects or long overdue resolutions. (Think: slamming shut an iron door!) Many times, we keep failing over and over, yet hope for different results. It’s time to move out of this quagmire.

Get others on the same page. Allowing others to cause you frustration is not being responsible for your own inadequate interpersonal or project management skills. It means you need to help others get on the same page with you. Enable them to be part of the solution. At times you will sound like a parrot, saying the same thing over and over! It’s your job to include team members, even if they don’t behave in an ideal fashion. If your boss or co-worker(s) has a tendency to thwart your progress, keep him/her apprised of your plans and the actions taken to-date. Unfortunately, if you have a boss who is fearful of failure, he will listen more closely to the nay-sayers. If it’s a co-worker with an “ax to grind,” you may need to reconfigure his/her input with the team. Regardless, you are responsible for selling the project‘s intended outcomes, financial results and impact on the company. The key? Be clear. Be consistent.

Step outside your comfort zone. We falsely believe working beyond our usual comfort zones might give others power or the ability to win over us. We hold on dearly to attitudes, behaviors and other destructive patterns that ultimately limit our winning effectiveness. The truth is, in order to gain and retain a competitive edge in the marketplace, we must repeatedly achieve results outside the norm. The key is to simply acknowledge discomfort, and be accountable for your role in achieving the results. If you focus on the end results, yet still keep your eyes on the current situation, you will find the answer. Communicate often with your team members. Then they are more likely to join in and help create a winning outcome.

Have you reached your Peter Principle? “Every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” (Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull, The Peter Principle, 1969.)  Unfortunately, if we lack the depth and bandwidth to effectively do our job, we will blame others for our lack of skills and lack of results. The key is to hire a coach. Use a validated 360-degree tool to help clarify inherent strengths and weaknesses from others’ perspectives. A good tool will also provide additional training and coaching information to develop key leadership skills. Develop three-month goals and Focused Action Plans. Do the work; there are no short-cuts! If a project’s results are less than expected, take it in stride; you will plan differently next time. Remember, failure is a great opportunity to learn successful skills we otherwise would have ignored!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2011

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Ah-ha’s can be used successfully

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Many of us experience ah-ha’s. As a result, we may develop a more positive attitude towards our jobs or clients. We might undertake an uncharacteristic, proactive role in resolving an issue or we may simply see a former blind spot that was getting in our way of being an effective leader. Too often, we realize we sincerely want to change and utilize our new insights. We say we’re going to do something. But unfortunately, we never do.

What’s an ah-ha or insight? Usually it’s an intuitive moment that has no real objective basis. It can be fleeting if we’re unaware. For example: You attend a seminar and suddenly realize you have poor listening skills. The challenge is follow-through. Even though you might write it down, it is forgotten come next week. Or you might remember it but don’t take any actions in a timely way to reinforce it (Think: maybe on Monday I’ll start to use my new listening skills. But by Monday nothing is farther from your mind.). These insights can disappear quickly if we don’t take concerted action. Paradoxically, it does no good to take action too quickly, without the reality of a focused action plan (e.g., decide your boss is the wrong one and quit).

It’s a three-step process. Too often we believe our ah-ha’s are the event! The end of all our current problems. We become “navel gazers” and simply wish to revel in the good feelings. Then, we get upset when that ah-ha disappears, or stops providing the difference it did when we first recognized it. First, understand an ah-ha is simply the start of a new journey. We don’t know where it will eventually lead. Second, put together a focused action plan. It’s not recommended that you submit a letter of resignation without having planned for the reality of being unemployed. Don’t restructure your department at work believing it will end all of your problems without taking into account all the ramifications a restructuring brings. Third, take action on your plan, step-by-step, after talking with your coach or boss to assess the details.

Share appropriately. We’re so excited by our new revelations. We tell everyone and insist they do the same! Unfortunately, it’s a great way to lose credibility at work, particularly if you’re the boss. Respect the fact that others may have a different view of your ah-ha, and it might not necessarily be a positive one. When sharing, share what actions you’ve taken and the difference it made for you. Do not insist others should have the same experience or perspective. They rarely do.

Balance human insights along with the more objective factual ones. The secret is to ‘try on’ your ah-ha immediately. When you buy a new coat or hat, you ‘try it on’ first. For example: ‘Try on’ the idea of being self-employed or living somewhere else. Talk with others first. Find out the realities (e.g., no steady paychecks, must be able to sell your product or service via human interaction, no friends or family close by, subtle cultural differences, etc.). There is no magic bullet in any new venture. It will take work. For more personal attributes, realize your old habits can be difficult to break, no matter how destructive they may have been. Consciously work with your new insight for 21 days. If that seems too confronting, take 20 minutes per day. Be open to fine-tuning with your coach or boss. Together, develop plans to build for future successes (e.g., join a community Board, be a team lead on a project, learn a new skill in accounting or human relations, etc.).

Putting your ah-ha’s into action can make a long-term difference!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2011

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Creating Excuses vs. Creating Results

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Have you ever noticed? People are a lot better at creating excuses than they are at creating results!

They know if they don’t create a great story or rationale for not achieving results, they’ll look bad. Unfortunately, they fail to understand that failing to achieve required results hinders their company’s success in the marketplace. It hinders their own ability to transform their company, customer relationships and projects. Worse yet, this type of failure can derail their career irretrievably. 

It’s contagious. The biggest issue with allowing excuses to plague the board room is that excuses are merely rationalized reasons for failure. Some are very well rehearsed and we automatically buy into them, at the expense of ourselves and/or the company. We buy into them for various reasons (e.g., we like the person, we’re glad it’s them and not us on the hot seat, we have no idea how to get the results, we have no interest in the project or fear getting involved, etc.). Even the best of us can fall into using the “it’s not my responsibility” defense. Sadly, when this mindset spreads and permeates the company – as often happens – everyone has an excuse to give up. Set aside failure as fate accompli. Ask business questions that are on point and not just talking to talk. The answer is there! Brainstorm and listen for the gold.

Check all the boxes. Simply checking all the boxes isn’t going to move you ahead if you don’t include the human element in your checklist. Too often we focus solely on the material side of a project and forget the people involved. Or, we get so focused on the “feel good” of the project, we neglect making the hard decisions required (e.g., positive ROI). When we bypass setting up a tracking system to hold everyone accountable and manage poor attitudes, we derail progress. Use a business mentor to ensure that the milestones and focused action plans support the declared goal (think, impact on bottom line). Many times it may only require a slight change to get back on track. Other times an entire re-design may be necessary. Either way, do what you must to ensure forward progress.

Close the loop. As a boss or team leader, we fail to follow-up on the progress needed to achieve the results required. Our excuses: We’re too busy! We allow limited thinking or territorial issues to get in the way of doing the right thing the right way. Many times we make the process harder than it needs to be and buy into false accomplishment. Learn to truly listen to others. This is particularly important when you don’t want to listen or if they don’t seem to be making sense right away. There is an answer. To move progress forward during a meeting, write-up an agenda and follow it! Create a sense of immediacy and encourage engagement by distributing minutes (with assignments determined during the meeting!) within 48 hours.

How do you design a plan that works? How do you create unprecedented results? Learn how. 5D ResultsTM to be released soon!

(c)Jeannette Seibly, 2011

Are your best employees difficult to work with?

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Difficult employees can be very competent, technically. Or, they might have great people-savvy but limited technical abilities. Due to this global market we operate within, they may have entirely different definitions of integrity, ethics, and other core values. They provide challenges to you as the boss.  Either they do not have a well-balanced approach to issue resolution, or worse, they refuse to develop these abilities. Although they may lack the interest to acquire these skills, they end up blaming you when problems arise! As the leader, you must be proactive. It may save your job.

Use scientifically validated assessments. Using an assessment tool will facilitate a better understanding of each person’s thinking style, core behaviors and occupational interests.  It will provide a bigger picture of their personality traits in comparison to the rest of the working population, which provides them with a better understanding of why they may have trouble working with different types of people. To receive the biggest ROI, have all your employees together when debriefing the results.

Require appropriate training.  Investing in areas where these employees require a stronger skill set may make all the difference. Enable highly technical people to develop the appropriate people skills. Develop project management skills for employees who have great people skills but show little interest or ability to manage processes and details. Remember to include training for setting goals and achieving results on-time and within budget. Ethics training for all employees is a great tool to get everyone on the same page.

Exploit strengths. If your employees are good either with the details or the bigger picture, have them review a current project with you and together determine why it is stalled or not working well. Listen for the gold; ask questions. See if these individuals can uncover the issue(s) themselves. Even if they have been the biggest nay-sayer, this process will bolster their own buy-in to the project.

Keep attitude positive. Too often we place blame on difficult employees and hold them responsible for our own negative attitude towards them. Unfortunately, you foster dissension that may spread to other employees when you do. Instead of creating this hostile working environment, teach your employees how to value others’ contributions, regardless of how they share their ideas  Be a better boss by conveying how to do this through your example. Your ROI will be evident as you watch your employees develop stronger interpersonal skills and build a cohesive team.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2011

Leadership Maturity

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Honestly ask yourself:

Are you able to discuss others’ opinions without being defensive?

Do you know how to take an idea or concept and make it profitable?

Do you laugh at appropriate jokes without taking it personally, even if it’s about you?

Do you have the ability to see the bigger picture and patience to rephrase it into bite-size pieces so that others can get on the same page?

Can you make decisions that balance both the facts and the human interests?

If you answered yes to these questions, good for you! You are on the right track as a leader. The higher up the corporate ladder we climb the more our effective leadership relies upon interpersonal skills such as these and less about technical expertise.

But often as leaders, we take ourselves too seriously. We are unable to build upon ideas or create a consensus that works. We openly disparage others when they disagree with us. We exclude people with broader experience instead of learning from them, and defend our limited experience in an attempt to feel better about ourselves. This is career limiting behavior for any leader!

Persuasive Listening. To truly listen, we must silence our internal chatterbox and refrain from thinking about our response when others are talking. We will hear similarity in arguments even when it appears we are on a different side of the issue. Good leadership skills – like active listening – provide new solutions that might not be readily apparent.

Be open to differing opinions. We can make better decisions for our companies and organizations when we openly hear what others have to say. But if we become defensive or belittle differing perspectives, we make less than adequate decisions, fail to address the bigger picture or miss details for implementation entirely.  We create a negative reputation for ourselves and our organizations. Disparaging others reflects more negatively upon the speaker than the person being belittled!

Be a team player. Many leaders don’t make good team players. They may play at being part of the group; however, they are more interested in how it applies or affects them personally.  Team has evolved into a broader definition this decade: It’s getting everyone on the same page and moving forward together. It’s not about everyone thinking the same thing or using the same signals or jargon!  It’s about learning to appreciate others and elicit the best in them, as they are. Learn this masterful skill and be seen as a leader to follow!

(c)Jeannette Seibly, 2011

Ninety-nine percent of the world’s information is in people’s heads

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Too often we believe that we know it all. This is compounded by easy access to the internet, social media sites, on-line libraries, and other material resources. We fail to realize that our effectiveness as leaders relies upon our ability to converse, listen and learn from other human beings! When we allow our egos to get in the way, we limit issue resolutions, fail to recognize our current thinking has created issues, or we assume we’ll get to the answer ourselves if we simply think longer. A mental monologue does not provide new information or perspectives! It simply regurgitates what’s already in one’s brain.

Draw a circle the size of a pie. Let’s say in this illustration that the circle/pie represents all the information and knowledge in the world. Now cut a very tiny sliver of it.  Yes, that’s what we know that we know. Take another tiny sliver and that’s the equivalent of what we know that we don’t know!  What’s left?  Almost a whole circle/pie!

Learn how to ask questions.  If you sound like an interrogator, you will leave others feeling defensive and you’ll usually get flippant responses. If you don’t listen and keep asking the same questions, people will stop sharing possible solutions. Remember, we never learn everything in one conversation! Learning is a lifelong process. That’s why there are other people in the world! Lighten up and learn to have real conversations.

Set aside ego.  Admit you don’t know the answer. Learn to brainstorm ideas, particularly out-of-the-box concepts. Interestingly, many times it’s the idea that appears to be off-the-wall that provides the best solution. Also, if you have difficulty taking risks or making mistakes, you’ll never learn how to improve yourself, a project or the financial well-being of your company. You learn the most from your best teacher – experience. However, piling up too many failed experiences will not bode well for your psyche.  Healthy leaders build on strengths, not weaknesses. Hire a business mentor to guide you through an operational, people or financial challenge. Mentors enable you to take calculated risks as you design and implement a strategic plan.

Listen for the gold mine. When you are truly listening, you will find a wealth of insight that you had never considered. Don’t grab the first couple of ideas and retreat, believing you now have the answers! Ask questions of others to see how you can segue these ideas into focused action plans with attainable results! Sometimes your perception of who may be the most unlikely people to talk with will surprise you; they may have the solutions that work or contacts to answer the questions!

(c)Jeannette L. Seibly, 2011