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November 1, 2005 16:37 - "People Join Organisations and Leave Managers"
Heard that before?
It came from a survey that MORI carried out to find out just why employees leave their jobs.
Have you ever left a job because the manager was great? No, I didn't think so. In fact experience tells me that a direct line manager can have a significant effect on how I've felt when I've had a boss.
The most 'toxic' boss I ever had, was a weak manager. He was nasty and unpleasant, couldn't provide evidence of my underperformance and was atrocious at communication. It wasn't wilful, he was just very poor at getting on with people.
I'm pretty good at working my end of a conversation (I generally ask questions, which get others talking, realising that I am interested in them as a person - which I am!), but I especially remember a 'toxic' moment with him where we sat and ate our sandwiches together in silence - complete silence.
In the end, I left (and he was fired!), but the damage to my confidence was immeasurable at that time.
So what was it that made him that way?
According to an article in this month's "Professional Manager", there are usually two main reasons for managers to behave badly towards their people.
Firstly, they may lack self-esteem, which significantly reduces their self-confidence, leading to the second main reason, and that's of having a fear of not achieving what is expected of them.
And these can make them bullies or abusers. In fact my experience caused me to feel that I was being bullied for the first time ever in my career.
As Susan Scott, author of a great book called 'Fierce Conversations' says, "Relationships are a leader's most valuable currency". The rest of his or her skills are important, but if they haven't got the skill to build wonderful and open relationships with their people, they are deeply in trouble.
And frankly, that's where much management is right now in the UK.
Oh, and by the way, the article goes on to mention that those suffering have no excuses for tolerating such bahaviour. They can, if brave enough, give feedback and work on the manager.
Or, ultimately leave.
Sometimes there is no solution you can get your head round, so for a better life, get out before it does you psychological harm.
And this is not a joke.
November 2, 2005 17:57 - Snippet of the Day - Have No Surprises
Manage the performance of your people more easily by having a good working relationship with them at all times, not just when their review is due...
When managing the performance of an individual, there is no value whatever in a Performance Management process being an ambush (ever been there? We all have!).
During the natural and informal, day to day interactions you have with your people, ensure minor issues are raised; small parts of bigger shortfalls are tackled, in the moment.
If the formal process is a big scary, rare and unpleasant event, it's more about the boss than the individual!
Remember, your role is to extract the very best value from each and every one of your people and so your best actions are to help them succeed more; much more.
And you do this by building an ongoing, informal relationship which builds over time.
Daily interactions (call them conversations even!) have many values, but nothing is any more valuable then being inquisitive about how they are doing themselves in their job.
Regularity of these conversations makes them much, much easier as you become less a boss and more a friend! There are other valuable spin-offs too.
Here are four things you can do right away:-
- Make it an everyday action to spend time with your employees. I know you might do that anyway, in meetings, goal-setting, coaching even. Get informal. Have easy and fun conversations.
- Notice more and share. In non-confrontational ways (I suggest you try asking questions, even if you know the answer), discover more about what your people are doing. Just getting to know them and what they are about is very rewarding - not just in the 'nice' way, but for the knowledge about them you will gain.
- Let them be who they are, share themselves, not just about their job, but about them, their interests and passions. Get to know them as people.
- Encourage them to reflect regularly on their performance - day to day even. This gives a regular upgrade in how they perform and avoids the dreaded once-a-year mammoth deflation.
If you want to read more on tips to help you with getting the very best performance from your people, checkout this link on the website.
November 3, 2005 23:35 - In Adversity - We Can Cope!
There's always lots of interesting stuff in Management Today, and this month's is no exception.
I always like an alternative view and one of my favourite columns is that of Howard Davies, director of the London School of Economics.
Not wishing to go over the top about airline food (a topic I mentioned only a few weeks ago), Davies talks about how it has been possible for passengers to cope with the BA shortfall on meals following the dispute with Gate Gourmet.
Almost with a Dunkirk-like spirit, in fact, as Davies reports on the sharing and swapping of goodies on a recent BA flight to Chicago.
I was involved a little in this at the start of October, when I felt a bit sheepish unwrapping a fragrant chinese delicacy on a flight to Helsinki. Fortunately the flight wasn't full, so I didn't have to unwrap it in full view of my fellow passengers.
It does go to show though how, with a little help from a £5.00 BA voucher and a host of options to choose from, that most of us can get by.
And, of course, if we are focused on a worst case scenario at the very start of it, most of us rise to the challenge, rather than moan about it!
And how can that be applied in the workplace or even at home?
November 4, 2005 22:05 - ...and There's More
Did you read last nights blog? If not, go back and take another look. It sets a scene I want to explore a bit further with you today.
You see, I had another example of making the best of things today.
Remember I talked about how your perspective changes how you respond to things (the voucher on a BA flight was more fun than the hassle of missing the usual airline dinner?).
Today I met with someone who was once a colleague. She has recently been dismissed for gross misconduct (she and a colleague had a falling out which led to blows - not much more than handbags, but blows were struck, so they were both out).
I'd avoided her a little at first, but then as she had been a lot of fun to be around, I felt she needed my support in this challenging time.
But no.
She was very strong indeed. She felt it was a good thing to have happened as she hadn't been happy for a while and that it would lead to other, better things in her life.
Not a bad person at all, what had happened was more a bad break (and, if I might say so, more a testament to dreadful management which put two capable people in such a frustrating spot that they took it out on each other - even a case for constructive dismissal - but I don't really want to go there right now).
The interesting thing was that she could have been really upset. She might have even lost the plot. But no, she saw it as fate and, actually, though she wouldn't really have liked it to happen this was, a blessing in disguise.
Two possible perspectives and, I suggest, two hugely different ways to take this upset.
It is a remarkably mature example of how we make out own 'weather'.
For her, even dismissal in such circumstances has turned out very sunny indeed.
November 7, 2005 18:35 - Nine Ideas for Sustainable Team Growth - with Ease!
You have worked hard at it, and you’re at last acheving successes. Yet, it’s still hard work and unless you keep your own foot on the gas, it keeps slipping away. So what do you do to make sure that high standards, great performance all equate to making it... (Read Article)
November 8, 2005 19:35 - Snippet of the Day - Going with the Flow
I walk a lot. It's a wonderful experience which I miss if I can't do it. Rain or shine.
Today it was wild out there. I dashed out between heavy rain showers, but caught a gale.
WOW!
It was fantastic out there. But something special caught my eye.
I saw a kestrel being chased by a crow. in fact I often see this, but today in a gale it was special.
The kestrel, being a hugely successful aviator, was having a ball!
He or she was truly being an artist of the sky and living in the moment for where the wind blew him or her.
To watch it was special.
We can all go with our instinct and go with our flow in all we do and have fun; live in the pure joy of where it takes us.
To fly in life, like a kestrel in a gale does.
November 9, 2005 20:04 - Notice the Small Stuff
I'm a great fan of Jan Allen at www.fieldcenter.org.
In her newsletter recently, she wrote the following words:-
'...we’re generally much better about gratitude and appreciation in the big moments and happenings of life than in what we may regard as the more ordinary ones.'
Whilst it's a bit of a cliche to remind ourselves that the things we hold closest in our focus, are often those material things which truly aren't that important, we sometimes need the grounding of realising that the little, daily, everyday sort of things are still very, very valuable.
Jan lists a set of menial things which we might truly be grateful for if they weren't so commonplace (like the ability to put one foot in front of the other, for one).
To go one further, when we have had that monster of a day when seemingly most things have not just gone to plan - it is refreshing to look at the positives we have in our lives (even those oh, so simple things as well).
And remind ourselves that, hey, it wasn't so bad after all in the 'big picture' of things.
November 10, 2005 22:32 - Ten Ways to Reintroduce Leadership Skills to your Management Style
Managers manage and leaders lead - so it has always been. But the problem for managers is that sometimes they need to use their leadership skills as well... (Read Article)
November 10, 2005 22:57 - Attitude Transplant
As you will know, I've been revisiting Susan Scott's tremendous book called 'Fierce Conversations'.
It is not a book for the faint-hearted.
However, it is a fantastic resource, whether you want to take a long hard look at your career, your business or yourself.
One interesting question that she suggests organisations (and the same can readily be used for teams, small businesses etc.), is as follows:-
'What attitudes will lead to success in our company?'
Together with some really deep down consideration of this, within the context of the group you are leading, follows a second question:-
'To what degree do our employees exhibit these qualities?'
Yet there is a proviso in these questions - and one which is the most challenging and telling issue for most businesses, organisations and teams.
How honest are you prepared to be?
If you are the lead of your group - how honest will you be about what needs to come out.
There's more.
It's about you, in fact. How willing (and able) are you going to be to let everyone, including yourself, get to the whole truth about the circumstances you find yourselves in.
How well do you, yourself, exhibit the required attitudes to make your business successful?
They are seriously challenging questions. Which John Tompkins, the example in the book, is able to work on - with surprising results.
November 11, 2005 22:28 - Employee (Dis) Satisfaction - Ten Ways to Really Upset Your People
Want some guidelines for how you can definitely get under the skin of your workers? Here are some simple things known to irritate the heck out of them, time after time... (Read Article)
November 11, 2005 22:38 - She's Leaving
In fact, she has potential to progress. But she's decided that after some rather subjective (and fact-light) feedback from her boss, she's off to try to develop her career somewhere else.
"You're too friendly with your colleagues to manage them", her boss said. 'But I know their strengths and weaknesses well and they know when I'm on shift that things need to be right. I have high standards.'
"It's too big a step up for you", came the next put-off. 'But I'd like a shot, even as a trial period',
So she was not given a chance and now sees that better opportunities lie elsewhere.
A sad loss? Maybe.
A loss of any capable and experienced member of a team is a serious blow, especially with recent reports of it costing around £15,000 in lost profit and recruitment and training costs to bring someone new in - even at the lowest employee level.
Sometimes it seems easier to get rid, than work on the people you have. But that is more a reflection of the manager than the people they lose.
And business suffers.
November 12, 2005 20:48 - Your Lasagne - Frozen of Homemade?
I've visited my mother and father today. It's quite a trek - a round trip of 322 miles in fact - but well worth the day out.
My mother is the old school and makes a lot of her own food. But she's not afraid to try new ideas.
Her lasagne is a wonderful metaphor for life and more especially, business & management, my favourites!
You see, my mother's lasagne takes the basic core idea and overlays it with her own, personal ingredients - giving it a style and flavour which is hers.
She has carrots in it and breadcrumbs on the top. We had it with ham and potatoes and salad too.
So, it's different to the wonderful food you can buy ready made in the supermarket - nothing at all wrong with that, in fact.
But making it her way, makes it special and gives something extra to the core idea of lasagne.
My daughter even said in the car going home - "I love grandma's lasagne"!
Following the herd, as you manage your people is OK - but only OK.
You can do better!
Bringing a flavour of who you are can often make a big difference to your capacity to manage well. So, let yourself out to play. Be the 'carrots and breadcrumbs' as the personal extras you can offer.
In fact, here's a little homework this weekend:-
What do you bring to with your personal management style that adds to the ordinary; the basic?
What have you held back of you that might make a positive difference?
Hey. And now that you know what it is - how about risking it and letting it out?
The ability to free those personal elements that are unique to you is a rare talent and it's time to have a go.
Like my mum did with her lasagne today...
November 13, 2005 10:20 - Employee Recruitment - Top Ten Ways to Get the Best Result
Recruiting the best people into your organisation is the easiest way to get the best performance.
Starting off well, is by far the quickest and simplest method of having the right employees in the right places. So here are a ten steps to getting it right... (Read Article)
November 13, 2005 21:09 - Snippet of the Day - Workaround Processes
Your organisation needs standards, procedures, processes, systems.
Absolutely.
But realise, that whilst these are really important, they are always but secondary to the needs of your customers.
Test every one of your systems to check whether they get in the way of giving extraordinary service to your customers.
Test again where they are used - the actual interface with your vital customers.
What gets in the way of making every customer/employee interaction only, but only, focused on a wonderful experience.
Whatever gets in the way - fix it fast. Or better, dump it.
Build extraordinary relationships with your customer facing people, to ensure that they will openly tell you what needs to change, to make this work for, rather than against you.
Psst! You have internal customers too!
There's more on this here on this website.
November 18, 2005 22:36 - Strengths Check - Courtesy of EasyJet's Stelios
Just back from a brilliant trip to Venice (and if you haven't been, and wondered - it is as wonderful as everyone says), I enjoyed timely, inexpensive flights with EasyJet.
Whilst on board airplanes, I like to, at least, check out the inflight magazine. This one was a special one for Easyjet, as they are celebrating their 10 years as an airline - ten years which revolutionised the cost and maybe even the opportunity to fly much more and to more places (222 destinations now!), than we have ever done before.
In the magazine, Stelios (Haji-Ioannou, in case you wondered), the founder, talks at length about how he came to be this revolutionary, this leader who has changed so many people lives for the better, by providing low-cost air travel.
In one section of the piece, he is asked about 'Five Things I Wish I'd Known when I Started'.
I'm not going to list them all today (I will come back to them over the next couple of weeks), but the very first one struck me as vital, if you want to make it in business.
"Find out what you're good at and delegate the rest"
Of course this makes sense - yet so many folks in management and business fail to make the most of this.
It has so many benefits, yet needs to used carefully.
Delegation is a wonderful tool to develop the skills of your people, in a safe place, enabling some mistakes to be made without it being life-threatening. It is safe as long as you make clear to them exactly what you mean by delegation.
There are four levels (descriptions of which are quite common to find - Susan Scott describes them really well in "Fierce Conversations" as leaf; branch; trunk and root):- here is the simplest version of the best delegation model, I've found:-
- You make every decision in this area and deliver it without reference to me (the boss) (leaf).
- You make every decision on this and inform me as you take action (branch).
- You make decisions and discuss with me before you take action (trunk).
- Decisions in this area are so vital that we take decisions together after debate, before any action is taken (root).
See the benefit of a boss explaining these levels of decision making? Benefits very much for both parties!
As a boss, you give permission for your people to take a load of minor decisions without you needing even to see them. As a boss, you set the levels of decision-making, such that your people can be tested before they elevate to the next level - which they earn through good decisions at the lower level. As a boss, you don't make decisions where you are not at your best (the Stelios issue), so you focus on where your strengths lie and other people make decisons where their best capabilities are. Ah, yes! And you benefit from having all the decisions made at the most appropriate level (and not, therefore, all made by YOU!)
Your people benefit hugely too - they gain confidence as they make decisions at the lowest level and know that these decisions are not going to be life threatening to the team, department, business, organisation or project (whatever). They can act quickly at their agreed authority level. They can progress with pride by proving themselves.
Delegation is a win-win. By making a few ground rules and, of course not dumping (delegation needs a little hand holding - or coaching (!) to start with), everyone gains.
We'll catch up with Stelios in a day or two (BTW, the fifth one is the most airline related of the lot, yet the most important thing I will share with you, so hang in there!).
There are more hints on delegation on the website here.
November 21, 2005 11:03 - Snippet of the Day - Love Your Customer Complaints!
Customer complaints can be very frustrating and annoying indeed.
The more aware of us see things very differently. Customers who take the time to let us know when things go wrong, are of value in helping us improve our performance by giving us this valuable information - and they are doing it for free!
Julian Richer at Richer Sounds gives his customers every opportunity to provide feedback, with a mini-questionnaire printed on the receipt they receive.
A quote from his book, 'The Richer Way':-
"We get a lot of complaints at Richer Sounds and sometimes people are shocked that we admit this. But if a company claims it has no complaints, it is by no means proven that they are giving good service."
The implication here is that if you get few complaints, all it proves is that few people tell you about the complaints they have.
Welcoming complaints and creating a culture in your business or organisation that the complaint is valuable and useful and for you and your team to do something to resolve.
You can't buy this sort of information. Getting over the pride and sensitivities of you and your team members is vital here.
It enables you to get to and resolve permanently the root cause of the matter will generate much more success than getting all defensive (at best) about it, or aggressive towards the customer (at worst).
Celebrate customer feedback, as I'd choose to call it. It will serve you well to do so.
More on this? There are more than 75 ideas and tips on Customer Service on the page on the website right here.
November 21, 2005 16:51 - Delegate Successfully - The Four Level Rule
Delegation is a subtle, yet vital art in business. It can work very effectively for you - but only if you use it well. And use it for the benefit of all involved. There is a vital 'ground rule' that you must accommodate. And that's around a clear 'level of authority' to act... (Read Article)
November 22, 2005 19:33 - I'm Having a Bad Day - OK?
I had a few days off last week. It coincided with my wife's week off work and we went away for a few days. Venice is nice - if cool, in November.
Getting back to business on Monday, has proven a bit depressing and gave up a sense of not feeling that great in myself.
So, I'm writing this because it makes it feel better expressing it; getting it off my chest. I also like to be honest too.
Us coaches don't live perfect lives, however much a goal that is and our expectations of ourselves are pretty darned high too.
At choice with the direction of my career a few years ago, I made the stance that I preferred a sine-wave of activities, giving highs and lows. Rather than a straight line graph, which I described as:-
'that straight red line you see on the machine in ER'
And for me, that means the same thing - my career was flat-lining and therefore, the whole of my life was in that phase..
The upsides are those times when fantastic experiences happen. The downsides are when those upswings aren't happening - because your expectations are so much higher!
- So, I'm taking more care of myself.
- Talking a little about my bad couple of days (and trying not to whinge too much!).
- Doing the things I love a little more.
- Asking for a little help too helps.
- And above all acknowledging myself for it being OK to have off days.
Phew, that feels a little better.
Thanks for listening...!
November 23, 2005 19:54 - Successful Management - 10 Simple People Skills
Getting the best from your people is vital if you are to make the best progress in your business or organisation. Much comes from the way you interact personally and here are just ten key actions to take to build great, fulfilling and productive relationships... (Read Article)
November 23, 2005 19:59 - Snippet of the Day - How to Build Relationships Big-Time!
This might be a bit of a no-brainer for you.
If you have any role at all in managing people, you need to ensure that you develop great people skills.
By building rapport, listening (bigger challenge is truly hearing - there is a difference!), supporting well, coaching their development, maintaining good discipline and more.
Great managers really understand people and work out ways to get the best out of every one of them.
Maximising value from the most valuable asset you have in your business.
Your people.
There's an extended version of this in the article below.
PS - One other thing I noticed from yesterday's whingy day - walk round with your chin up - it makes a big difference from letting it drag along the floor!
November 24, 2005 19:31 - The Times we Live In
On Radio Five Live this morning the phone in was all about how we are becoming a nation of liars, cheats and thieves.
That most of us (and I am no doubt guilty of it myself - not being perfect) cheat systems, organisations and each other for gain.
I have had experience of the downsides and impact of this myself recently, with a piece of furniture that I bought from a High Street retailer - they sell lots of different things, and at their large edge-of-town stores they sell things like beds too.
So I bought a bed back in May. It was delivered on June 1st, but we didn't unpack it until the middle of September, because we were decorating a bedroom and also had to wait for a delayed carpet too.
When we opened it, there was a split in the wood, so we reported it and an assessor arrived. It seems he believed that it had been caused by a 'hard upwards blow' - not that he told us when he inspected the bed.
We were then told that we weren't believed that we had recieved it that way, more likely was that we did it (especially because of the time since we received it (without checking it on receipt) - despite delivery notes for both carpet and mattress on the very day that we built the bed).
In desperation we contacted an organisation called Qualitas who act as a liaison between retailers and manufacturers and their customers.
At one point the very helpful lawyer who talked to me for almost half an hour, said that whatever our claim, we were the innocent victims of a 'compensation and claim culture'. Blanket dismissal, whenever possible was the policy of this retailer as well as many others nowadays.
It makes me very sad and disappointed that we are all being stirred into a mould that means we are all the same. All cheats and liars and thieves.
If you want to listen to the Radio Five Live programme again, you can. by clicking this link until next Wednesday, November30th.
Meanwhile, we will consider our next steps with the retailer and perhaps consider whether we will ever buy a turkey (either edible or a bed) there again.
November 25, 2005 22:34 - A Little Footnote of Interest
In an entry earlier on this month (and you'll need to click on the November button at the bottom of this entry to read it ("November 11, 2005 22:38 - She's Leaving), you will recall the disappointing case of someone who was not being given a chance to show what she could do and consequently was leaving the organisation she was currently delivering great value to.
I'm delighted to report that a manager in a nearby branch of the same organisation has, at the last minute, snapped her up to give her the opportunity she desired.
She is now on a six-month training programme for the role she originally wanted and is delighted to be doing so (and so is he for having an almost ready-to-roll key staff member!).
At the last moment an enlightend manager has spotted a possibility, shrugged off pre-conceived ideas about someone and seen what might be.
Everyone is a winner here.
Somedays you just get the hint that there are a few folks out ther who have the idea!
November 26, 2005 19:43 - "Is that really what my hair looks like from the back?"
It being a sort of Harry Potter week, albeit I'm still one behind in them, I recalled this quote by Hermione Granger in 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'.
We rarely see ourselves from another view point, unless it's in a mirror or a grainy and jerky video recording.
I don't know about you, but it's usually rather scary when I do see myself.
Yet sometimes, when working with a client, I find it helps a lot for them to sort out relationship issues, be it with a partner or at their place of work, if they zoom out and observe themsleves from a distance.
Not necessarily to get them to see themselves from another's view point, just some neutral place, a distance away.
I usually ask them what they see in themselves; in the others involved - encouraging my clients to delve a little deeper to find out what's really going on.
In coaching, this is often enough, this raising of awareness.
What happens then is that video rerun of how they were in that interaction, proves a useful non-intimidating experience of themselves.
One client found it truly difficult to face his ex-wife when she visited her children (who lived with him) - especially if her new partner was there as well. I asked my client to rerun incidents where he felt he'd really got angry or upset.
After a few efforts at this, he was able to see himself from a distance and adjust his behaviours so that it hurt him much less, and with practice, detach himself completely from the emotion of the matter.
In business too, it is a real eye opener for folks who seem fixed in a way of behaving and who don't seem to notice how they impact on others. They really do 'experience themselves' with this technique and often quite rapid changes for the better take place.
So what was a bad hair day for Hermione, provides a useful lesson to us all.
November 27, 2005 20:26 - Sometimes We Try Just too Hard...
I like to walk and I also love photgraphy.
I can't quite get so focused that I start to manipulate my images with something like Photoshop, but I do love the creativity around a special shot.
Digital means we can all be much less cautious about the number (and hence cost) of shots we take - so there's plenty of opportunity to take chances and have a go!
With the photography and the walking, I also love ornothology. In my earlier years that might have been another construction on a love of 'watching birds', but now I'm definitely in for the feathered kind only!
So on Saturday, I set off to capture a bird that has been fascinating me for the last few years and, in my opinion, has really made quite a recovery too - the buzzard.
Quite a few hang out near me and often can be spotted sitting with impunity on fence posts all along the A419 between Gloucester and Swindon - a road I drive pretty often.
So armed with new(ish) camera, I set off to capture one of these magnificent birds for my photographic collection.
But, as luck would have it, there were none. I drove abput 20+ miles in my search, but saw not one - until, that is, I got very close to home after having given up for the day.
There, almost laughing at me, were three, sitting around a half-mile apart watching me zoom by.
I was able to park my car up and catch these wonderful birds, albeit from a bit of a distance (and the shots aren't perfect, but are, at least, a start..).
It truly does go to show, that sometimes, trying too hard, going to far, maybe even avoiding the easy solution is more than we need to do. The solution is so close that we miss it through a sort of numbness to what's close by.
Familiarity breeds something - contempt I think. It certainly got me a lot colder than I needed to be at the weekend!
November 29, 2005 08:51 - Scrooged - A Dickens of a Way to Manage Change!
Managing change in our lives and in our businesses is vital in the modern environments in which we live. There is much to learn from that old and cantankerous Dickens character, Mr Ebenezer Scrooge himself... (Read Article)
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