Leadership
Feedforward Video
Marshall Goldsmith is one of my favorite authors and leadership gurus. I’ve shared his “feedforward” concept with leaders for years and recently wrote about the idea in this article.
Feedfoward means giving people suggestions in advance about how to behave rather than waiting for them to fail and beating them up afterwards. Anyone can give feedforward when they have an idea that may help someone else succeed. For example, years ago my husband was about to present to his company’s executive leadership team for the first time. His boss gave him great feed-forward about how to dress, when to speak, how much detail to go into, etc.
While I usually talk about giving feedforward, Goldsmith also makes the great point that we can and should ask for feedforward. If you have a behavior you want to change, try asking others for ideas and suggestions about how to succeed. Most people who try this technique find that it is fun and they get great ideas.
Are You An Overly Optimistic Leader?
I often write about the importance of optimism when leading in turbulent times and when leading change. Researchers such as John Hopkins’ Kay Redfield Jamison, Stanford’s Robert Sutton, and Harvard’s John Kotter have all found that positive feelings such as hope and optimism are critical for rallying the troops and moving forward.
At the same time, optimism can be overdone – especially when optimism turns into overconfidence or turning a blind eye to problems and challenges.
Eric Klein recently blogged about this phenomenon, calling it “the problem with being positive.” He wrote about leaders who shut down conversation and shy away from conflict by overdoing an emphasis on the positive.
The balance of realism and optimism is critically important for change leaders. Leaders who squash any expressions of concern or who react negatively to problems run the risk of missing major issues that will ultimately impact performance. For this reason, some researchers have started to use the term “realistic optimism”. Michael J. Hurd, Ph.D. writes that realistic optimism consists of two parts:
Slow Down to Speed Up
Last week I posted about how important it is for change leaders to build a sense of urgency and act with speed, while at the same time avoiding the dangers of overdrive. The delicate balance between urgency and overdrive has given rise to a phrase that I often use when teaching leaders how to lead and communicate change, “You’ve got to slow down in order to speed up.” (Watch a video clip of me talking about this here.)
Interestingly, there are several new books and articles on this topic that are hitting the market right now. In May 2010 Forum corporation released their new book, Strategic Speed. The book addresses these critical concerns for leaders:
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What role does speed, or lack thereof, play in the high failure rate of strategic initiatives?
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What are the barriers, or traps, to execution?
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Do faster companies financially out-perform slower companies?
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How can I engage people in accelerating our strategy?
Avoid Overdrive: Two New Articles about the Danger of Going Too Fast
In Myers-Briggs terms I am an EJ. In the DISC, I am an I/D. What this boils down to is that I get things done. I work fast. My personality style is often an asset because people can count on me to deliver. On the other hand, I know that my personality can also get in the way of my own effectiveness. I admit that I can be bossy. I sometimes plow ahead too quickly, neglect to get others opinions and ideas, and look past potential problems in the interest of quick wins and accomplishments.
I use the term “Overdrive” to describe this tendency. Overdrive is basically the overuse of the “get it done” style. Many business leaders I work with move into overdrive without even realizing it and recognizing its consequences.
It so happens that two premier business publications (HBR and the MIT Sloan Management Review) addressed the issue of overdrive this month, using different terms.
Is Your Team Psyched Up and In Sync?
You need an adaptable team. One that is clear on its goals and direction, yet able top flex quickly to the market. A team that doesn’t need to wait for direction, but rather initiates and implements great ideas on their own.
I use the term Energized Alignment TM to describe the state of being both “psyched up and in sync.” The model below shows a simple matrix that can help you visualize the concept.
Think about your own team, department, or entire workforce. A team with high alignment is united by a common goal and agrees on what success will look like. In the two decades that I have partnered with leaders on change initiatives, I’ve discovered that many leaders focused only on getting people “on board” with change. In other words, they tried to use the old command and control mentality to get people aligned.
But alignment isn’t enough. Taken to extreme, clear goals and expectations alone may equate to working on an assembly line. Sure, I know what is expected of me, but do I really care? Do I come up with innovative suggestions? Am I able to react to a sudden change that throws the whole plan off course?
Want to Encourage Risk-Taking? Start with Laughter.
Have you had a good laugh at work lately?
Joseph Grenny, co-author of Crucial Conversations and several other bestselling books recently wrote, “If people in your organization don’t frequently cackle out loud with each other, you’ve got serious trouble.” According to Grenny, a lack of laughter can signal a lack of trust. In addition, a lack of laughter may be impeding a group’s ability to connect and bond.
It so happens that I came across Grenny’s article at the same time that I was reading Kay Redfield Jamison’s book, Exuberance. Jamison makes scores of references to the importance of play and laughter at work. Jamison states that laughter would have been vital to the early development of humans because it would have helped to disarm tension and relieve stress. It would also have been a sign of trust that would then allow and encourage people to come together and take risks as a group.
Engaging and Aligning Employees is Crucial in Tough Times
Right Management recently conducted a survey of more than 650 senior leaders and human resource professionals to identify the most important leadership practice fundamental to achieving business goals during tough times. More than half (51%) of respondents cited “engaging employees to ensure organizational alignment and commitment” as being the most important leadership practice.
So how do you engage employees, or re-engage them? Lessons from the field of positive psychology indicate the importance of paying attention to how people feel before you focus on what you want them to do. In her book, Exuberance, John Hopkins psychiatry professor Kay Redfield Jamison writes, “In times of adversity, inspired leadership offers energy and hope where little or none exist.”
Leadership Lessons from Bruce Springsteen
A few months ago, I wrote about the lessons that speakers could learn from Bruce Springsteen. So I was pleasantly surprised to come across an HBR blog post from Stewart D. Friedman about leadership lessons we can learn from Springsteen. Check out Friedman’s post: Why Bruce Is the Best Boss.
Go Ahead, Make Their Day
Are you taking time to genuinely connect with your employees?
A few weeks ago I attended a panel discussion about the impact of executive actions on employee engagement. One of the executive panelists, Steve Bigari spoke about the importance of really caring about employees as individual people. By dressing as waiter and serving coffee before the meeting, he illustrated the point that leaders often don’t see the “invisible” people in their own organizations.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Bigari’s demonstration lately because I am preparing to teach a class on motivating and retaining employees. While there are many aspects of motivation to be explored, I think the most fundamental point is that every employee needs to be seen and know that he/she is respected and valued as a person.
Patrick Lencioni, author of The Three Signs of a Miserable Job, asserts that anonymity is a driving force in what makes people miserable at work. He writes: “People cannot be fulfilled in their work if they are not known.”
Commitment and Morale Worsen Post-Layoffs
Has your company held layoffs this year? If so, chances are high that the layoffs are taking a toll on the morale of your employees.
A survey released last month by Watson Wyatt found that:
- Employee engagement for workers at all levels dropped 9 percent last year and close to 25 percent for top performers.
- Compared to last year, top performers are 20 percent less likely to recommend their organization to job seekers and 14 percent less likely to remain with their company.
For more results from the Watson Wyatt 2009/2010 U.S. Strategic Rewards Survey, click here.
To learn how to re-engage and re-energize your workforce post-layoffs, check out our e-book: Leading after Layoffs.
