Tag Archive for 'Managing'

How to Deliver Bad News to a Group

Published
by
Anthony
on October 28, 2009
in Employee Engagement and Managing
. 1 Comment

shock How to Deliver Bad News to a GroupDelivering bad news to a group is never an enjoyable experience for any leader. Yet unfortunately in today’s environment, it’s a task that falls on our shoulders all too often.  While established techniques for delivering bad news exist, it’s often difficult to find training on disseminating negative information in the group setting. Personally, in the various management training and leadership programs I’ve been involved with over the years; it’s an area that has barely been touched upon!

Difficult conversations and delivering a negative message remain a challenge for many new leaders and this one is no exception. To this day, my previous post on managing conflict remains one of the most viewed posts on this site. Clearly the disconnect in training and execution is evident, but it doesn’t alleviate the fact that managers are continually seeking guidance in this area.

Thanks to a tip from a friend (@JonBuehner) and the insight of author/executive coach Kevin Daley, the following is an abbreviated version of a four-part plan on how to deliver bad news to a group.  Kevin is clearly spot on in stating,

“No matter how skillfully you announce bad news, it’s likely to cause anxiety, result in at least a temporary drop in productivity, and prompt some of your valued employees to look for work elsewhere.”

So, how can you deliver bad news in a way that minimizes the damage?

1. Do it as soon as possible. Bad news travels faster than a space shuttle. Until an official announcement is made, there will be wild speculation by your employees. Head off the rumors quickly. Speaking up asap will let you define exactly what’s happening and accurately describe its implications. At the same time, you’ll earn points by showing that you’re in charge and are being forthright.

2. Speak candidly. Tell the employees everything that can be told. If you don’t yet know the full extent of the impending change, say so. If time goes by and there’s nothing new to announce, say there isn’t any new news, so you avoid creating an anxiety-feeding information vacuum.

3. Give them the big picture. Begin the presentation by giving context — but do it quickly. Too much background up front can make you look insecure about getting to the bad news itself. If you played a part in what went wrong, or took part in a decision that will be painful for the employees to hear, admit it.

4. Plan for questions. An otherwise excellent presentation can be undermined with an awkward handling of the Q&A. Anticipate the questions you’re likely to be asked and be ready for them with concise and credible answers. Adapt them for the particular audience you’re addressing.

For the complete background of his plan, visit Kevin’s column on the Harvard Business Blog.

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The Foundation of Management - Free eBook!

Published
by
Anthony
on June 28, 2009
in Education and Managing
. 1 Comment

foundation2 The Foundation of Management Free eBook!No One is Born Knowing How to Manage

There was a time when the term “manager” suggested someone who controlled. Today the manager must facilitate. In the past, the manager kept people in line. Today the manager must lift people up. In our rapidly changing world the manager’s most vital role is to make sure every employee is performing at the highest possible level. And today, how well you perform this vital role determines your success.

“Today’s manager must emphasize vision, not supervision.” - Jack Welch

Jack Hayhow is back at it again, this time with his latest installment entitled The Foundation of Management. Since interviewing Jack back in February, I’ve followed much of his work both imprint and video briefs. His book, The Wisdom of the Flying Pig, has become a staple in guidance and inspiration for aspiring leaders.

In this most recent eBook, Jack explains fundamental principles and practical techniques that great managers use to propel employee performance.

Key topics include:

  • The Role of the Manager
  • What Great Managers Know About Motivation
  • The Four Key Activities of All Great Managers
    1. How to Communicate Explicit Expectations
    2. How to Provide the Information and Resources to Do the Job Right
    3. How to Measure, Recognize and Celebrate
    4. How to Show You Care by Encouraging Growth

Once again, Jack and his team at Opus have been generous enough to offer a free copy of this eBook for those looking to expand their management skill set.foundationebook1 The Foundation of Management Free eBook!

To download your free copy:
1. Click this eBook order page.
2. Enter coupon: JH-FOUNDATION
3. Click the “redeem coupon” button.
4. Fill out the fields and download your free eBook.

__________________________________________________________________________

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How Much Recognition Do Employees Need?

Published
by
Anthony
on March 25, 2009
in Employee Engagement and Motivation
. 0 Comments

employee recognition How Much Recognition Do Employees Need?

If you’ve asked yourself this one, you’re certainly not alone. When it comes to praise and recognition, managers and employees often have two very different opinions on the subject. Managers feel that they provide ample recognition while employees generally feel that praise is glaringly absent in the workplace. Because of this disconnect, it’s not uncommon for managers to unknowingly run the risk of  demotivating employees, simply on the fact that they don’t provide enough praise.  So the question still begs, “How much recognition is appropriate?”

According to Gallup data, the key to effective recognition is that it be honest and based on outcomes that are measurable. They suggest that the correct answer to our question is once every seven days.

“Once every seven days, all employees should be individually recognized or at least told that they have done a good job or that they have set a record. And you can never give too much recognition if it is honest and deserved.” - Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, 12: The Elements of Great Managing

Think of the last time you were praised for providing your best efforts or the time you put into a particular project. How did you feel? Recognition doesn’t always have to be a grandiose event. Even simple recognition of routine efforts can be the difference between an employee increasing productivity and silently looking for other jobs over their lunch hour.

In the research for their book, 12: Elements for Great Managing, Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter found that less than 1 in 3 employees can give a strong positive answer to the statement, “In the last seven days, I have received recognition for doing good work.”

How does that compare to your situation? If providing praise at least once every seven days sounds like a lot, it may be time for a gut check. There should always be something that you can find positive about someones efforts within that time span. Without a doubt there is a direct correlation between recognition and level of employee engagement.

Rodd Wagner and James Harter may have said it best, “With its power, ridiculously low cost and rarity, (praise) is one of the greatest lost opportunities in the business world today.” Perhaps we should rethink our question, asking ourselves instead -“When was the last time I praised someone for good work?”

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The Wisdom of the Flying Pig - Free eBook!

Published
by
Anthony
on November 11, 2008
in Book Reviews and Managing
. 2 Comments

flyingpig The Wisdom of the Flying Pig Free eBook!Earlier today, I was reccomended this quick yet powerful read by consultant/trainer Jack Hayhow. In The Wisdom of the Flying Pig, Hayhow translates his years of experience into simple, yet practical ways to increase the effectiveness of your management and leadership skills.  Without a doubt, some great advice and well worth the price. As stated on his site,

“…we intend for this little book to be the most productive business reading you’ve ever done. Stashed between these whimsical covers, you’ll discover principles and practices that can propel your company and your career. We offer no panacea – but we do promise realistic approaches and plausible solutions. And a good deal of fun and inspiration along the way.”

To download your free copy:
1. Visit the eBook website.
2. Click “Add to Cart” button at the top of the page
3. Enter Discount Code: L8N1B
4. Fill out a short form and the link to download will be emailed to you.

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How to Build a Successful Team

Published
by
Anthony
on September 4, 2008
in Leadership, Managing and Teamwork
. 0 Comments

people in hand How to Build a Successful Team

As a future leader, you will (if not already) be responsible for creating and sustaining a winning team. In sales, many leaders will live or die by the individuals they hire and the team that the build - Reinforcing that it’s critical to get off on the right foot.

We’ve all been a part of teams that have failed, either because of individuals not pulling their weight or personality clashes that inhibit productivity. The question is: How do you avoid this when you are the architect? Several schools of thought exist, most notably the importance of diversity. Diversity of thought, age, sex, experience and so on… all excellent starting points. One catch is that hiring managers often overlook the intricate working dynamics of their group, instead selecting the person that appears to be the obvious choice on the surface.

Nikos Mourkogiannis, author of Purpose: The Starting Point of Great Companies, and senior executive adviser to Booz Allen Hamilton, believes that:

“The personal style of team members has the greatest influence on a group’s success. More important than any technical skill a team member brings is the ability to work closely together, free of backbiting and political maneuvering.”

To take this a step further, Mourkogiannis also believes that there are four archetypes of people in companies: magicians, lovers, sovereigns, and warriors. The key being, having the right mix on your team.

  • Magicians - They are the rational yet imaginative souls in your organization. They think a new idea or insight is the only thing that can move the world. In truth, they’re obsessed by ideas. Their answer to feeding the troops is to pull a rabbit out of a hat. These types of people think a mere argument over an idea equals action.
  • Lovers - For them, everything comes down to human relations. They’re pragmatic but emotional. They focus on building the winning coalition. They are obsessed not by ideas but by feelings. They consider agreement an action.
  • Sovereigns - They are the emotional and imaginative types. They focus on the big picture and judge everything on whether it leads to where they want to go. They redefine what people consider is possible. They are obsessed by beliefs. And they consider direction a form of action.
  • Warriors - They are rational and pragmatic. They’re focused on the next battle and can only see clearly what’s directly in front of them. They hold people accountable to systems and the fairness of those systems. They’re obsessed by facts. For them, action is finding the critical factor to get something immediately accomplished.

When building your team, it’s also natural to gravitate towards people whom have similar personality and experiences as yourself.  Fight that urge.  The most effective teams maintain a balance by having a variety of the above types in key roles. Each type is good at doing different things; a mix of magicians, lovers, sovereigns, and warriors will give you the best chance for success. On your next hire, challenge yourself to think differently and analyze your team in this fashion. The results may surprise you…

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Employee Motivation

Published
by
Anthony
on August 24, 2008
in Leadership, Managing and Motivation
. 1 Comment

motivation Employee MotivationNo matter the size of your organization, having a team of motivated, hard-working employees is crucial to your business success. When people lose their motivation they become less focused, less productive, and less creative, all having a negative impact on the bottom line. The challenge today is that motivation is changing. A previous post entitled “The New World of Work” examined the dynamic changes that are upon us in the workplace and with regard to motivation, managers and leaders need to adapt as well.

Finding out everyone’s individual motivators and catering to them can be a constructive approach in the short term. Yet on the flipside, creating and fostering an environment that is conducive to people motivating themselves, may yield much larger returns in the long run.

Examining this issue further, the Harvard Business Review published an article this month, discussing a new motivational model targeting every person’s innate emotional drives. These four drives underlie the every action that we take.

  1. The drive to acquire (obtain scarce goods, including intangibles: social status, etc.)
  2. The drive to bond (form connections with individuals and groups)
  3. The drive to comprehend (satisfy our curiosity and master the world around us)
  4. The drive to defend (protect against external threats and promote justice)

The theory (backed by evidence) is that since these drives are ingrained into our minds, the degree to which they are satisfied conversely affects our emotions and behavior. The authors suggest that as a managers and leaders, we need to attend to all four of the drives to truly impact employee motivation.

How do we do that you ask? The article suggests that for each drive there is a primary lever that we need to use in order to maximize fulfillment. The following table matches each drive with its corresponding lever, and suggestions of actions to be considered.

hbrmotivation Employee Motivation© 2008 Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation

When each lever is properly executed, the model motivates because the actions taken on all fronts reinforce one another - a holistic approach, setting the stage for intrinsic motivation.

Instead of asking yourself: How can I motivate my employees? Ask: How can I create an environment that is conducive to my employees motivating themselves? Chances are if you address all four drives above, you are off to a good start…

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90 Days to Prove Yourself…

Published
by
Anthony
on August 3, 2008
in Book Reviews, Leadership and Managing
. 0 Comments

Or else… At first glance I thought this book had been given to me being that the author, Michael Watkins, had based it on his work with J&J. I soon came to find out that there was a much bigger reason. Anyone who has recently been promoted or is expecting to be in the near future, should add this to the must read list. The First 90 Days is geared towards new leaders (or soon to be leaders) at all levels and is easily identifiable to anyone making a transition up the ladder.first90days 90 Days to Prove Yourself...

In the author’s words, “The actions you take during you first three months in a new job will largely determine if you succeed or fail.” Anyone experiencing this will attest to this period being a time of great opportunity, yet also extreme vulnerability. Watkins’ concept revolves around the “breakeven point,” essentially the point at which you begin contributing as much value to your organization as you have consumed from it. The faster you reach that point, the faster you will build your business. 

To do this, he outlines ten strategies that are critical when making the transition into your new role… 

1. PROMOTE YOURSELF - Make a mental break from your old job and prepare to take charge in the new one. Never assume that what has made you successful in thus far in your career will continue to do so. The dangers of sticking with what you know, working hard at doing it, and failing miserably are very real.

2. ACCELERATE YOUR LEARNING - Climb the learning curve as fast as you can in your new organization. Understand the markets, products, technologies, systems, and structures, as well as its culture and politics. It feels like drinking from a fire hose. So you have to be systematic and focused about deciding what you need to learn.

3. MATCH STRATEGY TO SITUATION - There are no universal rules for success in transitions. You need to diagnose the business situation accurately and clarify its challenges and opportunities. Watkins identifies four very different situations that you could walk into: launching a start-up, leading a turnaround, devising a realignment, or sustaining a high-performing unit. It is critical to know what your situation looks like before you develop your action plan.

4. SECURE EARLY WINS – Each win builds your credibility and create momentum. They create virtuous cycles that leverage organizational energy. In the first few weeks, you need to identify opportunities to build personal credibility. In the first 90 days, you need to identify ways to create value and improve business results.

5. NEGOTIATE SUCCESS - You need to figure out how to build a productive working relationship with your new boss and manage his or her expectations. No other relationship is more important. This means carefully planning a series of critical talks about the situation, expectations, style, resources, and your personal development. Crucially, it means developing and gaining consensus on your 90-day plan.

6. ACHIEVE ALIGNMENT - The higher you rise in an organization, the more you have to play the role of organizational architect. This means figuring out whether the organization’s strategy is sound, bringing its structure into alignment with its strategy, and developing the systems and skills bases necessary to realize you strategy.

7. BUILD YOUR TEAM - If you are inheriting a team, you will need to evaluate its members. Perhaps you need to restructure it to better meet demands of the situation. Your willingness to make tough early personnel calls and your capacity to select the right people for the right positions are among the most important drivers of success during your transition.

8. CREATE COALITIONS - Your success will depend on your ability to influence people outside your direct line of control. Supportive alliances, both internal and external, will be necessary to achieve your goals. Start immediately.

9. KEEP YOUR BALANCE - The risks of losing perspective, getting isolated, and making bad calls are ever present during transitions. The right advice-and-counsel network is an indispensable resource.

10. EXPEDITE EVERYONE - Finally, you need to help everyone in your organization - direct reports, bosses, and peers - accelerate their own transitions. The quicker you can get your new direct reports up to speed, the more you will help your own performance.

Overall, I would highly encourage any aspiring new leader to pick up a copy of this book. It’s a short read that can have lasting impact on your future success. Besides, who wants to really be part of that “or else” anyway? That was motivation enough for me…

 

 

 

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