“The most important thing about change is timing”

Change is one of the most popular topics in Leadership. We hear that stagnent organizations never change, and that the people in those organizations are totally against it. We hear that to be successful, we must change and adapt to the current and future environment, and we hear that it is us as leaders that are responsible for identifying and envoking change. All of this is true, but the act of “changing” something can be disasterous if it is done at the wrong time. The right change at the right time is a winner, whereas the right change and the wrong time is uneventful.

Change must be thought out. It must be planned. It must be sold, and it must be done in context with the environment and current/future demand. Change can be very frustrating because it feels like nothing happens fast enough. Our first thought is, here is what we have to do, lets go do it – no brainer. The reality is that change does take time, and how/when we roll it out determines the success of executing and achieving the organizations’ new goals.

The larger the organizaton, the more time it takes to make changes because bigger usually means less agility. Take politics for example. Each candidate is pushing for some sort of change(s). They start off by planning what changes they will push, and then spend most of their time selling those changes to the consituents. If they push the wrong change at the wrong time (an unpopular change) or via the wrong media, they will lose. It is obvious who the real candidates are once you hear what they are pushing and see how they are going about it. These candidates likely gain the buy-in by supporting the right issues at the right times. However, one bad thing about politics is that the changes do not happen until years after they are voted on, or maybe that is a good depending on the issue. At any rate, not trying to fix politics here, just giving an example.

Some large organizations are able to remain very agile, or at least they appear to be. They may use some sort of “change-management” methodology to help them streamline change, or they may be throwing so many people at things that they are more efficient than their competition. Take Apple for example, they seem like fast paced innovators to all of us, and rightly so. They likely have the culture and the processes to support change even though they are a large organization. And one thing they surely focus on is the timing of launching products. How long ago do you think they first had the vision to create the “iPad”? Is it conceiveable that they had the idea before the Amazon Kindle was released and they continued to develop and wait until the market became educated on these tabular devices? Knowing that the launch would be even more successful if they could offer value and features that are far superior at a similal cost? The public needed to be ready for it and Amazon may have just helped educate the market and prime the pump. Who knows, but it would not be surprising because Apple knows the power of timing.

Timing is everything. If we are unsuccessful in making a change that we are certain is needed, we must regroup and move forward executing. There is only a window of time and if it shuts on us, the opporutnity for a positive impact is lost. Be hungry, be thorough in getting buy-in, and then execute at the right time.

“We do not get today back"

I was working out this morning and one of the trainers was giving me a hard time. No matter what weight I pick up, or how fast I am doing something, they seem to always find something to pick on me about. This quote was derived from something said by one of them today. He walks behind me and says…. “Come on Donny, you should be doing 60lbs, not 30lbs. What kind of example are you setting for the new guys? Just remember you will not get this workout back, this one only counts for today”. Pretty harsh, but I do like the fact they push me and I need it when it comes to exercise. What really stuck with me was the last part – “this one only counts for today”. As leaders we must remember that we will not get today back and therefore we must make the most of it. This is not to say that every day is meant to be great. In fact, some will be absolutely horrible. What matters is how we how we handle people, how we focus/prioritize, the effort we put forth, and how we bounce back.

In the workplace, if we are in sales, is it possible to make 1 or 2 more prospecting calls into that new niche we are trying to conquer? Or how about getting to the next step with one of our strategic accounts? Are we emailing because it is easier and less intimidating than making a phone call to someone we do not know? If we go to a conference and decide not to go to the hospitality event because we are not feeling it, we will not get that networking opportunity back. If we are in the marketing/advertising department and do not send out the advertising or the press releases right when there needs to be hype, the moment is lost and cannot be gotten back. If we are in management and do not react to an employee that needs attention (good or bad), the moment is lost and so is the opportunity that came along with it. If we are in IT, is there more proactive things we can do today to prevent future work overload? The reality is that success requires action, and action at the right time. Is today the right time to make something happen? If so, don’t let it pass without doing so.

At home there is that common saying that you should not go to bed at night upset with one another. All of us can get somewhat moody with those we love, and the best we can do is remember that we will not get today or the current moment back. If this thought can be ingrained in us, each day will likely be more pleasant for us and those around us.

The past being the past means that we cannot reach into yesterday and change something about it. So until time machines are a reality (and even then), let’s remember that we will never get today back, and act accordingly. Make today count.

“We are defeating ourselves when we stop letting people know how much we care”

Employees, customers, and those we love in our personal lives can’t read our minds. It is a scary thought to consider having no one around. Some of us have been through it, or may be going through it now, and of course many of us started that way. One key proactive thing we can do is consistently let people know how important they are in our lives. When we fail to do so people tend to leave, and if/when it gets to that point it is very unfortunate because we do care, yet have failed to show it. Of course a pre-requisite is that we do care and that others do as well. We do not get far in a balanced life without being caring individuals.

How do we let others know we care? We must have a genuine interest in what is going on with them, ask questions, continuously learn more about them, and do whatever we can to help whenever help is needed. It is easy to neglect employees when there seems to be multiple issues the organization is facing, but don’t let it happen – when you need a break, go talk to someone or call them and see how they are doing. Take the time to learn of their interests outside of work, and potentially make a connection that is not just professional in nature. Likewise, it is easy to neglect existing customers if new business is the focus. Don’t let it happen because it is downright sinful (yet so many organizations make this mistake). Instead do more to network customers together, to communicate with them, to understand how they use our products/services, and to let them know what successes other customers are having, as well as issues they may be facing. Be a trusted advisor. Now, it is a different story when it comes to those in our personal lives. For example, I have been found “guilty” of asking my wife every day “What happened today”? So here is what she hears… All business - “What did you sell today? What did you figure out in Quick Books? etc.” I am sure plenty of you are smiling right now and saying “Man, he has a ton of learning to do”, and you are right. For those that do not know the history, Kristen started her own business (Vocelles – The Bridal Shoppe) in January of this year here in Tallahassee, and I could not be more proud of her and the accomplishments she has had this early. She is smart, motivated, and everyone she interacts with loves her. What I need to do is stop asking her that question since she hears it as just what happened in the business. If something good or bad happened, she is surely going to talk to me about it.

In addition we must to do all the little and proactive things that let others know we care. Let an employee know how proud we are of them for how they performed on a project, or for their leadership. Recognize multiple customers throughout the year by giving them awards for their achievements as well as recognition among their peers. Send your loved one some flowers today, or make them their favorite meal tonight, just because you want them to know you care and not because you have been messing up like me.

In summary, we must consistently put forth effort to let others know how much we care. We never want them to feel anonymous in our world.

“Don’t let minutiae kill the whale”

I had a hard time brainstorming on a leadership topic this morning. Here I am, already a day late in regards to the folks who expect to receive these leadership notes on Wednesday, there are approximately 10 high priority items on my plate today, 90 emails in my inbox all in need of a response, and my calendar has 24 items on my to-do list today. Sometimes I start the day with 20 things to do, get them all done, and then still end up with 20 more left at the end of the day. In addition, everyday ends with me performing the ritual of moving remaining items from my calendar to sometime in the future. But on any given day, there are usually only a handful of items that must be completed. It may be finishing a final bid response, a final meeting with a large prospect, addressing a personnel issue, acting like an attorney to review a contract/agreement, taking the next step in an acquisition, or maybe getting directly involved with a customer support issue. These are the items that we classify as time sensitive and important to the stability/growth of the organization. These are our “whales” (and they are different for each of us) and if we get too caught up in the everyday minutiae and fail to prioritize, the large opportunities go away, and problems mount.

Having a set of rules that help prioritize is essential. First thing is to get over it and understand that we are not allowed to feel sorry for ourselves. Leaders are expected to work hard, be depended upon, and to be the one that others look to when the organization no longer knows its direction. In fact, if there is not much going on, or if there are no complicated issues or decisions to be made, why does the organization need us? So first thing is to embrace it, and then focus on how to manage all the “stuff”. The truth is that some things are not as time sensitive and will get neglected. However, a hardened rule is that we must never neglect customers or employees. We can’t focus on our whales if we don’t have our house in order, and customers and our team make up the foundation. Also, if we have these two things right, much of the minutiae disappears. So if there is an item that pops up in my inbox and it has to do with a customer or employee, it has priority over everything else. It is also best to fix these issues at their root cause, so that they do not come up again.

Prioritizing our whales is a different deal. At any given time, we may have 10-20 or even 50. Some are just in the idea stage, some have grown some legs, and some are in the time sensitve stage of needing to be closed for good or bad. Prioritizing these depends on many factors, all of which are unique to each organization. For example, if growth is the top priority and acquisition is the way to go, then that is where most of the focus and priority should be placed. If stability and customer retention are the top priorities, then refining the customer support system is the top priority. If the culture of the organization is ill-defined and the people who make up the team are not happy, then that should take priority (because if the team is not happy, it also impacting customers).

In summary, the highest prority should be placed on customer/employee satisfaction. This is the best way to proactively avoid much of the minutiae that deflects our focus on big picture items. For our big picture items / “whales”, we must prioritze them to be in line with the goals of the organization. As for the times when we feel we are doing everything we can, but are so covered up in the minutiae that we cannot get to the bigger items, it is likely time to make changes. We may need new team members, existing team members to step up, or we may even need to change the direction of the organization. Regardless, it is our responsibility to not drown in the details, and to continue leading our teams forward.

“If we cannot envision greatness – it will not happen”

It is surreal when everything connects; when the organization has the kind of forward momentum that just cannot be stopped (or at least it feels that way); when everyone is happy, everyone is growing, and when we can maintain “greatness” for an extended period of time. When we are not feeling this way, we rummage through all ideas and strategies, and are run wide open attempting to capture greatness once again. Some of us have had many great moments in our leadership roles, while some are still searching for our first. Regardless if it is the first, or next moment of greatness, positive thinking is key.

The first step is to cultivate the imagination. If we cannot envision what it would be like to be great, how will we be able to start putting together the infrastructure to get there? What motivation will we have without having a vision of what being great would look and feel like? There are so many reasons to be pessimistic and to focus on the bad more than the good, but leaders simply cannot think this way. Others look to us for guidance, vision, and in many cases their future. We cannot let them down. Start with tomorrow and guess what – it can be a GREAT day, just all depends on how you are thinking about it today and when you wake up. Think about the overall organization. What are the current problems, goals, and opportunities? What would great look and feel like? What needs to happen to get there? Imagine, embrace, act.

The only constant to greatness is that it is not constant. An organization can experience greatness for an extended period of time and then lose it because of internal complacency and/or because of outside factors. And at the point in time when things do not feel so great, Leadership is needed most. We must envision what the next “Great” version of the orgnanization looks like, gather feedback and buy-in, and then move the organization forward. Just remember that perception is powerful and others are counting on us to have our own perception and vision in check.

“Good leaders know that if something goes wrong it is their fault, and if something goes right someone else should receive the credit”

“Good leaders know that if something goes wrong it is their fault, and if something goes right someone else should receive the credit”

Leaders lack the luxury of excuses. We find ourselves becoming very good at apologizing for the actions of others, but let’s not confuse leadership with protection. If we always take the blame for the actions of those we lead, will they learn anything? Are we leading them? Do they grow from the experience? The answer to these questions is yes, if the right framework is used.

First, accepting blame and coming in to save the person is noble and is the leadership thing to do – but only the first time for a given situation. It allows us to demonstrate that we are on their team and that they can count on us for help, and it is the ultimate opportunity for a coaching session; tell them they screwed up. Ask them what they could have done different and if they don’t know, tell them. Ask them what should be done about it, if they don’t know ask them more questions to try to get them to come up with the answer. When we take the blame, and handle an apology for someone or a group, we are only leading if we are teaching along the way. Asking questions makes people think, and when they come up with the answers themselves, they take ownership. In the end we work together with them to formulate an apology/solution to the situation, but deliver it ourselves, assigning no blame to the individual. While this shows them we are on their team and is probably one of our first powerful opportunities to act as their leader, we should never forget to communicate that the next time it happens, they will handle it on their own. Then, make sure we follow through on our word. The next time it happens, we are likely not to even hear about – it may just get handled by them, but if it does, try reversing the roles. Help them come up with the solution/apology, follow up action, and participate in the delivery, but have them take the lead. And most importantly, after they handle it themselves, tell them how proud you are.

Enough with taking the blame, let’s give some praise. This is the opposite of taking the blame and it is our job. It is good to give praise to someone else even if you or someone leading them had helped them and the success was not totally their own. A good example is a new Project Manager going on their first project, and being accompanied by a Senior Project Manager for guidance. That project manager, and not the Senior Project Manager, needs to be recognized for completing the project successfully. Taking this approach allows us to do two things. First we are building up the confidence in the young project leader by recognizing them in front of others as if they had handled the entire project, which allows us to demonstrate our excitement about the potential of the young project manager and all the great things we expect out of them. Second, it is an opportunity to develop the leaders around us, which in this case is the Senior Project Manager. Before giving the recognition to the new Project Manager, have a discussion with the senior person and let them know how proud you are of them being a mentor the younger person, and for them taking the initiative to lead by example. And if it works out, it is very powerful if you let the senior give the new person all the credit in front of you and their peers.

Whether the success was our own or another leader’s, always be humble, and always find someone else to recognize for the accomplishment.

“Want to increase the drama in your life? Try avoiding confrontation.”

Some people are blessed with a nagging feeling that will absolutely drive them crazy if they do not confront a situation. For these folks, confrontation is a daily task that may cause some stress, but they refuse to let it fester. For others, it is a huge hurdle to cross in their quest to become better leaders and the agony that confrontation creates frequently leads to sleepless nights, and in the worst case, no confrontation at all.

The personalities that have little issue with confrontation are usually less empathetic, less patient, highly driven, and assertive individuals. Those with opposite personalities (patient, empathetic, non-dominant, and less assertive) can be great and even more effective in handling confrontation, but it does require more work and a different way of thinking. Just like anything else related to change, it will not happen unless the individual is passionate about becoming a better leader and truly sees the ability to effectively handle confrontation as an area they have to improve in. The largest motivator to these folks is when they come to the realization that confrontation is absolutely necessary to growing those we lead. Confrontation should no longer be tied to negative connotations; it is the new way to help others grow. Try that thinking on for size.

Suppose you have a new employee and it is their first job ever. They are young, do not understand office etiquette, communication etiquette, and quickly upset your office/department’s culture. You avoid immediate confrontation in this situation because the young person is a go getter and job performance seems to be good. All the while, the other office staff starts to resent the new employee more and more every day, creating drama and the situation potentially becomes one that cannot be resolved. No one likes the new person no matter how good their work is. Confrontation is likely avoided because we do not want to upset them with negative feedback, when they are giving us their best. But we must step back from the situation and recognize that it is likely that they have never been taught not to walk in other people’s offices and interrupt them constantly – they may actually feel like they are doing their job by doing so. They have not been taught when to use an IM message vs. email vs. phone call, etc. It is tough to criticize others even if it is constructive, so people naturally avoid doing so, and the way to get over it is to stop thinking of it as “criticizing” others and embrace it as an easy opportunity to help others grow. Start thinking of people problems that require confrontation as that person screaming at you these words: “Here is my problem, help me improve and grow past it before it is too late”. As leaders, regardless of our personality type, how can any of us delay in reacting to a message like this?

How do we handle confrontation? This is the other part of becoming comfortable with it. As already mentioned, most folks associate negativity with the term when in fact confrontation should rarely be a negative experience if handled correctly. There are multiple styles and methods, but here are two that have been taught to me by my mentors, and that I have had success with over the years:

1. Questioning & Listening – This is the preferred method because through effective questioning you can help the person derive the answer (the problem) themselves, and then ask them what they think needs to be done to correct it. When they discover the issue and the solution, there is greater buy-in to resolve it, and it is self-reflection and awareness, rather than their leader/mentor criticizing them in a negative way.

2. Good, Bad, Good – In the event that the questioning method does not work, or that the personality type does not lend itself well to using that style, a more direct approach is preferred. The good, bad, good approach refers to a communication style that recognizes the other party for doing something well, then uncovers and area that needs improvement, and then follows up on a positive note. This method is good for those people that need to be told “hey, you are screwing up in this area and we need to fix it”, but in a professional motivating way. This method also requires more follow up because sometimes the “good” padding, does not do the job in getting the message across. One recommendation is to use the good ending of the conversation to tell them how excited you are to help them improve in the area and to lay out a plan and let them know that you will follow up with them – then do it.

Both of these styles of confrontation are meant to lead the individual to change and improve. It is up to us to determine if the person reacts better to one or the other, or a completely different style.