The Art of Confronting for Change

“…Warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”     (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15)

          After a year on the job, Jarod and his boss did not see eye to eye on everything. In fact, they probably saw most things differently. Even so, Jarod made a conscious effort not to speak negatively in public or with other workers when referring to his work situation. He was surprised that he had never had a performance evaluation, especially since he knew the company policy clearly stipulated that reviews should take place at six and twelve months after a new employee began work. Although he wasn’t completely happy in his new job, as far as Jarod could tell, he was adequately fulfilling his responsibilities.

          That’s why it caught him completely by surprise on Friday morning when Alex stepped into his office and announced, “You know, this really is not working out well, so today is your last day here. Clean out your desk and turn in all your pending files by this afternoon.”

           Unfortunately, Jarod’s story is not very unusual among many businesses. Some organizations act as if they believe leadership is a natural, innate ability that is automatically endued to anyone named to any management position. One of the first items to be cut during difficult financial times is training for leaders. Small businesses and non-profit organizations are often notorious for providing less than adequate training and skills upgrade for leaders. Cutting leadership training from the budget might appear to provide short-term budget savings, but the longer term results will be very costly.

1. Reduced productivity.

          How much productivity is lost by people talking about the problems caused by a weak or a dominating leader? People will always spend time talking around the actual or virtual “water cooler” (social networking sites). Poor leadership is likely to ensure that the conversation is negative and counterproductive. Much time and energy can be lost agonizing over the poor decisions and poor interpersonal skills of leaders.

2. Decline in Morale
          Who wants to work in a place where you don’t know what’s expected and you never know when the axe might fall? Poor morale grows like mold in the darkness and is not easily turned around.

3. Erasure of loyalty
          Loyalty has become a thing of the past. Employees do not demonstrate loyalty to the company because they do not feel loyalty from the company to its employees. Managers seem to forget that the organization cannot reach its objectives without the productive participation of its personnel. Loyalty is built on trust and trust is built on trustworthiness. Employees who do not trust their leader/supervisors will tend to adhere strictly to the rules, regulations and policies out of fear. One union worker once told me that the way to shut a company down is for the workers to apply the letter of the law and follow every policy to the letter.

4. Increased personnel costs
          Often leaders draw the bottom line too soon when “counting the cost.” Consider the high cost of not confronting or dealing with the problem. Consider the cost of severance packages, searching for and hiring new personnel to fill vacancies and the cost of collateral losses when other people quit or become less productive because they can’t seem to get along with the individual who is causing problems.

Remember the Reason

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  (Hebrews 12:11)

           Confrontational meetings are always best done through personal and direct forms of communication, and followed up in writing. At every point along the way, remember that as a leader, you already have authority and a certain power that can easily be misused. You do not have to be mean as you exercise leadership to help someone become a more effective worker within the bounds of the organization’s vision, mission, objectives, and policies. You do not have to be “bossy” or use command language to get the person to change this specific behavior. It is important that the person confronted sense that their leader wants them to succeed and believes they can. The goal is to communicate clearly that this person is of value and can be a productive and effective team member by changing this specific behavior. If the other person can see your face and hear your voice of compassion as you communicate the difficult words, there is a better chance of achieving the goal of change.


So, What Can You Do?

          Years ago, Tom Peters suggested in Thriving on Chaos that policies should express positive expectations. Try to make policies that enable, empower and motivate people to respond with service. Limit negative policies to the absolute minimum. Avoid writing policies based on one or two negative experiences.

          Most organizations or companies have written policies and procedures for how to carry out administrative actions with personnel who are not performing to management’s expectations. The mere publication of a policy and procedure, however, does not guarantee that managers know how to effectively administer personnel issues to the best benefit of the organization. Training is needed to help leaders learn how to administer policies in such a way that the productivity of their personnel actually improves.

          Whether or not Jarod was performing his duties satisfactorily to Alex’s expectations, there are a few simple steps that Alex could have followed that could have resulted in a much happier ending to Jarod’s story for all concerned. The steps are simple, but they do require some effort.

Hints to the Leader:

1. Clarify expectations.
           If a worker is not meeting your expectations, confront early and make your expectations clear. Let them know what a good job should look like.

2. Offer assistance for improvement.
          If the individual is not performing to the level of your expectations, assume the first responsibility and make sure they receive adequate instruction and training. Assign a mentor or coach. Make sure they have an accountability partner for progress. Ask questions and LISTEN CAREFULLY to be sure you understand what the problem is.

3. Give a warning—then offer more assistance
          Many leaders want to skip this step and just go straight to the corrective administrative action—also known as “You’re fired!” Unless the failure is clearly a terminal offense, give a clear warning that this behavior is unacceptable and must be changed or there will be consequences. Ask if there is anything keeping the individual from being able to meet the expectation. Offer to provide additional help. KEEP LISTENING.

4. Outline consequences of failure to meet expectations.
          All too often leaders wait until the problem becomes so unbearable that they suddenly turn into the Incredible Hulk and go ballistic without warning. They hold their complaints until they scream out like Popeye in the cartoons, “That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more!” You might think you are demonstrating patience by holding your comments, but you are really doing the person a disservice by not letting them know clearly what the consequences will be if your expectations are not met.

5. Get help for yourself, too.
          Everyone needs a mentor, coach, advisor, counselor, accountability partner or friend who can offer a listening ear, ask questions, give an opinion or offer suggestions. Ask if you are being reasonable or if there might be an alternative that could possibly get better results. Consult up line with your own leader to be sure you are standing on solid ground and will have the support of your leader if corrective action is required. Your supervisor should always be given a “heads up” that a problem could be brewing.

6. Set a specific date for review.
          Be sure the individual knows not only what is expected, but also when it is expected and when they will give you an accounting of progress.

7. Reward baby steps.
          The reward can be very simple and very small. As in horse training, often the most effective reward is a very small positive stimulus to a very small movement in the right direction. The reward can be as simple as releasing the tension on the reins when the horse first makes even a slight nudge of the head in the right direction. In the beginning, reward or praise even the intent to correct the unacceptable behavior. Be careful, however, not to over-praise small steps of progress.

8. Redirect a thought.
          Cowboys know that a cornered steer will cut its eyes in the direction of a perceived escape. An experienced rider will move to block that thought and make the escape route seem uninviting by waving a hand with a hat or a lasso or pulling the horse in the path of visibility to make the space seem smaller and less secure. As soon as you see an unacceptable behavior, find a way to redirect the person’s thinking to something positive and acceptable.

9. Follow up.
          Even if the unacceptable behavior or performance is corrected, follow up to let them know you remember and truly expect a change to take place. Ask about progress along the way. Be sure they know you want them to succeed. (You do want them to succeed, don’t you?) Follow up a face-to-face meeting with an email confirming in writing what you talked about. Remind them of what you agreed upon and what your specific expectations.

10. Follow through.
           Never give a warning unless you are fully prepared to follow through with action. Don’t be like the father who warned his son who was misbehaving: “I’m only going to warn you about this seventeen more times and then I’m really going to do something! (maybe).” Threats do not produce better results or more productive behavior. Be a person of integrity whose actions align with your words. Don’t threaten to do anything. Instead, let it be known what the consequences will be and then act exactly as you say you will.

11. Document, Document, Document
          Be sure to keep accurate records.


Hints to the Follower:
          What if my boss is not following these steps? How do I deal with an inconsiderate or incompetent boss?

1. Go the extra mile.
          Show that you really are trying to do the best job possible with what you have been given.

2. Make suggestions instead of demands.
          Let your boss know you really do want to help make things better, not just for yourself, but also for the benefit of the company.

3. Be careful not to develop an attitude of disdain or arrogance
          Be respectful, even if you think your boss is not doing a good job, he or she is still the boss and deserves respect.

4. Model the behavior you want your boss to demonstrate toward you.
          Be courteous. If you want more communication, communicate more. If you want more openness, be more open.

5. Recognize that not all personalities are created the same.
          Some people are more people oriented, some are more task oriented. Some prefer more direct communication, while others prefer more indirect ways of communicating. Try to adapt to your boss’ way of doing things while also asking him or her to recognize your personality differences.

6. Ask for training. Ask for help.
          Recognize your need for development. You might need to find your own mentor, coach and accountability partner. Don’t just use them to vent your frustrations. Ask them to help you set goals for real improvement and growth.

7. Ultimately, you are responsible for seeing that your needs are met.
          Don’t expect someone else to be responsible for your personal development and growth. Take responsibility for your own career.


(Click here to download a free copy of a more detailed document Confronting for Change: It’s the Loving Thing to Do, outlining step by step how to administer positive corrective action.)

© Copyright Dr. Larry N. Gay, June 20, 2010

Lesson No. 2 on Sticking it Out - Finishing Well

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.”

(Apostle Paul, Second Epistle to Timothy 4:7)

    

          As I mentioned earlier, long-lasting marriages and long-lasting careers seem to have a lot in common. I was privileged to have two sets of grandparents who had long marriages. I started to say long and happy marriages. I would not pretend to suggest that they were always happy, but I think I could safely say that on the average both couples were happily married. Both lived through the Great Depression of the 1930’s and saw some pretty difficult times. I often wondered how they managed to stick it out and stay together for so long—the Coffeys for over 60 years and the Coxes for over 70 years! Some of the gems of wisdom they shared with me have also influenced my views on leadership and followership.

1. Adapt and grow because change is inevitable.

          I was fifteen years old when Grandmother and Granddaddy Coffey celebrated their fiftieth anniversary. As we stood near the table with the anniversary cake all decorated, I reflected with Granddaddy on some of the changes fifty years had brought: radio, television, jet aviation and space travel to name a few. They had been through some tough times, literally losing the farm once and yet they had stuck it out together for all those years. They had married when she was 15 and he was 21. By the few pictures I had seen of their youth, she was a thin and pretty blonde weighing in at perhaps 110 pounds—quite a catch!

          By now, Grandmother Coffey was (how do I say this delicately?)… let’s just say there was a lot more of her to love than there had been at age 15. So I asked Granddaddy Coffey how a man could stay married to the same woman for fifty years. He put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close then gave me the same answer I read somewhere in a Reader’s Digest magazine:  “Son, after fifty years she ain’t the same woman!”  In fact, he had said on at least one occasion, “I ain’t legally married to two-thirds of that woman!”  They had stuck it out through thick and thin, literally!

          Ten years later, at their 60^th wedding anniversary, my wife and I stood across the table as they were about to cut the cake again. By this time Granddaddy Coffey had lost both legs to diabetes and had to be pushed in a wheelchair. He had two different bags hanging on the side to collect fluids from his body. It had been so long since he had hair on his head that he couldn’t remember when he had actually gone to the barbershop for something other than to visit with friends. And he had glasses so thick he could barely hold his head up.  Grandmother Coffey pushed his wheelchair close to the table, took his feeble hand and held the knife to cut the cake together. She paused for a moment then laid the knife on the table. Looking across at me she said, “Young man, I recall that ten years ago to this day you asked your grandfather how a man could stay married to the same woman for fifty years and something was said about  her not being the same woman after that long. Well, for ten years I have held my peace, but today I want to tell you—after sixty years he ain’t the same man either!”  

          There is something to be said for sticking it out through all the changes. During one of his lucid moments, I asked Granddaddy Coffey if he didn’t agree that the first year of marriage is the toughest, with all the adjustments you have to go through learning to live with each other, putting up with each other’s personal habits and adjusting some of your own personal preferences.  “Hmph!” he snorted, “The next fifty ain’t nothing easy either!” If it were easy, it wouldn’t be worth nearly as much as it is with the extra effort staying together requires.  I have to work at getting to know the person my wife is becoming over time as she also learns to live with the new me that I am becoming every day.

2. Commitment—let your yes be yes and your no be no.

         Granddaddy Cox loved to read the newspaper. One afternoon he read about a man who had killed his wife 25 years earlier and had just been released from prison, his sentence having been reduced for good behavior. “I could be a free man today!” he teased. “I wonder if I could get out early for good behavior too.” Although he joked about “freedom” and being released from the bondage of marriage, after Grandmother Cox suffered her first stroke in 1980, he pushed her wheelchair, lifted her in and out of bed and helped her bathe for at least 19 years before she finally had to go to the nursing home.  He would tease her that he had been pushing her around for so long, wasn’t it time for her to get up and push him for a change?

          So after they had been married almost 70 years I asked him what’s the secret to such a long and faithful marriage? He thought for a few seconds. “Well,” he said, “when I said ‘I do’ I meant it.”  Being a man of his word was important to Granddaddy Cox. Granddaddy Coffey would have agreed. The word “commitment” was not a dirty word to them. When they promised to love till death parted them, that’s exactly what they meant to do. When they said “in sickness or in health,” they fully intended to stick it out through the good times or the bad times.

          My wife and I looked at my grandparents as examples of how we wanted our marriage to be. We also joke about the commitment we made in our own wedding vows: “…till death separates us.” Sometimes she asks me if I want to be separated right now! 

          We signed a long-term contract that we fully intend to complete. We have had to learn to adjust to many changes and we are not the same persons we were when we started out on this journey together over 36 years ago. Instead of looking for a better deal to come along and chasing after some illusive dream, we have learned to appreciate the gift we have and determine to keep on loving each other in spite of anything that might work against us.

          Your attitude toward commitment reveals a lot about your integrity, trustworthiness, team-building abilities and effectiveness. Some people think their personal lives and professional lives are two totally different things. I disagree. I would be much more interested in an individual’s character than their resume. Character is who you are when no one is watching, in marriage and at work.

3. Learn to listen more and talk less.

          Once, when I was in elementary school, I brought home a report card with all A’s and B’s. My mother suggested I show it to Granddaddy Cox for him to praise me. The very first grade at the top of the report was “Conduct” which was a “B.” I don’t think he even saw the other grades. “It seems to me that one thing anyone could learn to do is be quiet when they are supposed to be and behave themselves in class,” he commented. Even if I couldn’t make A’s in anything else, I could surely make an A in Conduct. 

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
(James 1:19)

          That lesson applies to marriage and leadership—learning to listen more and talk less, seeking to understand before seeking to be understood. All too often words are thrown around with careless abandon when it would have been prudent and wise to wait and hear the other person out before making a judgment. Both of my grandmothers certainly seemed to practice that. Grandmother Coffey waited ten years to respond to that comment about not being the same woman. (OK, maybe she waited ten years to get even! I don’t know.)  I never once heard Grandmother Cox make a sarcastic comment and she never spoke a word of retort in haste. She held to that old saying, “If you can’t say something good about someone, don’t say anything at all.” Come to think of it, I noticed there were some people she simply did not talk about at all.

          What do you suppose life would be like in the workplace if we all took that advice?

Leadership Hints

• Leaders need to keep growing and adapting. What are you doing to grow yourself and the people you lead?
• Do people see you as a person of integrity, whose “yes” means yes and “no” means no? What do you need to do to improve in this area?
• How are you doing in the area of listening to those you lead?  Are you quicker to speak or to listen? 

Followership Hints

• What initiatives can you take to keep growing and improving?
• To what or to whom are you committed? 
• Leaders are people too. Do you need to change the way you talk about yours? 

© Dr. Larry N. Gay, May 2010

http://mylead360.blogspot.com “Lessons on Leadership and Followership”

Lessons on Sticking it Out

"Tell me what it takes to make you leave
and I'll tell you how committed you are."

(Doug Sager)

“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

(Hebrews 12:1)

          Comedian Mrs. Hughes, says people ask her what's the secret to a long and happy marriage. "Well, I can tell you how to have a long one," she replies. "Children. Neither of us wanted custody."

          What about the happy part? Years ago I helped organize family life conferences where our main presenter would ask participants, "How many of you got married because you wanted to be unhappy?" Of course, no one raised their hands.

          Long marriages and long careers have a lot in common. So what makes the difference between a long and happy relationship or career and a short or dissatisfying one?

          Over the last 30 years I have interviewed at least 100 retiring personnel who have completed 30, 40 or 45 years of service with the same organization. I always ask two questions:
          1) How did you stay so long? and
          2) If you had it all to do over again, what would you do exactly the same?"
NOT what would you do differently. I wanted to learn what worked. What made for a long and successful career?


1. How did you stay so long?

          Every long-term retiring person I have interviewed has mentioned the words "commitment" and "calling." They all expressed a strong sense of calling to their profession and recalled having made a commitment to follow that calling. Commitment seems to be a dirty word to many people today. When someone says, "I will," they really mean, "...if a better offer doesn't come along." In the case of these people, however, a commitment was something to be honored and fulfilled. For these people the old expression "My word is my bond" is not just an expression. It is a matter of integrity.

         All of the people I interviewed talked about moments when they felt like throwing in the towel. Many of them mentioned having to deal with difficult people, difficult changes, difficult supervisors, difficult circumstances, crises, discouragement, or even threats of danger. In such moments when doubt set in, they returned to their original sense of call and commitment and, having "stuck it out" through the difficult times, found fulfillment in realizing a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

2. If you had it all to do over again, what would you do exactly the same?

          On this question I have heard a variety of answers, but everyone I have interviewed who went the distance mentioned something about the relationships they built with the people with whom they worked. Sometimes they talk about pouring their lives into the next generation. Sometimes it has to do with friends they made along the way. Often they mention life-long relationships that began because of a shared crisis, or lives that were changed because they had stayed. One thing they all agree on: if they had it to do all over again, they would build relationships with the same people in the same places.

          Methods and programs come and go, but the relationships we build are what make a lasting difference in the world.


How Committed Are You?

          Lieutenant Norman A. Stapp was scheduled to retire from the Irondale(Alabama) Police Department in May 2010 after more than 40 years of service in law enforcement. When asked the best advice he had ever heard and from whom, he responded: "An older police officer told me, 'Don't ever let one man cause you to quit your job.' I ran into that one man many times, but I remembered what that older officer told me." (quoted by Victoria L. Coman in The Birmingham News)

           Whenever major organizational changes have come or whenever I have met "that one man" (or woman) who seemed to make my life miserable at work, I try to remember this: I never joined an organization because of the way it was organized and I never joined because of one person. So, why would l quit just because the organizational structure is changing or because I disagree with one person in the organization? Am I really willing to let them have that much power over me?

Leadership Hints
     • What are you doing to build up the next generation of leaders?
     • What legacy will you leave behind in your relationships?

     • What kind of example are you setting in the way you honor your commitments?

Followership Hints

If you are thinking about quitting, put things in the balance: 

     • Do the changes outweigh your commitment
     • Does one difficult relationship outweigh all the good ones?

     • If you leave, are you running toward a new challenge or away from a current one?

(c) Dr. Larry N. Gay, May 2010

http://mylead360.blogspot.com/ "Lessons on Leadership and Followership"

The Stewardship Factor

 (Fifth in a series on Aligning for Productivity)

"It is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy."

(The Apostle Paul, First Epistle to the Corinthians 4:2)

"Leaders may start by pursuing their own vision, but they begin to see that their own personal vision is part of something larger."

 (Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline, p.352)

During major organizational changes, we spend a lot of time and energy trying to "bring people along," help them to "get on board," or "buy into the vision." We might even talk about wanting everyone to "own" the vision. While such efforts might be well-intentioned, they might also be expending unnecessary energy toward an unreachable goal. In fact, no one really "owns" the organization's vision. We are not owners of the vision; we are merely stewards.

Stew·ard (noun)  [stoo´ ərd]

2. property manager – somebody who manages somebody else's property, finances, or household.

(Encarta Dictionary)

For the organizational vision to be realized, leaders must recognize their stewardship responsibilities. The most effective leaders are good stewards of both the vision and the people they lead. Leaders who exhibit an attitude of stewardship can make a significant difference in the general attitude or morale of the people they lead.

Consider the difference between two types of leaders. At least twice in my career I have worked with a supervisor/leader who personalized everything: "my team, my staff, my people, my project—my, my, my!" Each of these leaders was insecure and felt threatened by anyone who took any personal initiative beyond the bounds of their specific written job descriptions. When any subordinate received any word of praise from a constituent, they would take such a compliment to be a threat to them as if someone were going to take away their position of authority. Each of these supervisors eventually had some serious crises in their leadership because of their insecurities and inability to let go of things that really were not theirs to hold on to.

I also have had the privilege of working with some very excellent and effective leaders in my career. These men did not feel threatened when they heard someone compliment a subordinate. In fact, they expressed joy and appreciation for such comments. On one occasion, early in my career, my supervisor called me into his office and asked me to close the door. I could not imagine what I had done to deserve a reprimand and I could think of no other reason for him to call me in. "I just received a phone call about you," he said. "It was a constituent telling me what a good job they thought you were doing." He went on to say he considered a compliment to anyone on his team to be a compliment to the whole team. So he felt complimented too!  "And by the way," he ended, "keep up the good work!"

Now, which of these do you think inspired me to contribute more effectively to the organization for which I worked?

In my experience, effective leaders who are good stewards learn to talk more in the first person plural and less in the first personal singular. They use a lot more "we, our and ours" and lot less "I, my and mine."  Such a stewardship attitude builds loyalty and commitment. It inspires people to more effective followership. And effective followership is a requirement for effective leadership.

Effective stewards also avoid talking about "they, their or them" when communicating vision, direction, policies or principles. Even though stewards are not owners, they do have an obligation to represent the interests of the owner.  Stewards are regarded as trustworthy to act on behalf of the owner with all the authority of the owner. Regardless of whether the steward has actively participated in the formulation of policy, procedure or direction, they will communicate with confidence what we must do to reach our goals in pursuit of our vision. (I suppose that starts to sound like taking ownership, doesn't it?)

The organization can realize its vision only to the extent that individuals connect and contribute to the corporate vision with their personal visions. Rather than spending time and energy trying to make people feel ownership for the organization's vision, leaders should help the people they lead find greater affinity and alignment of their individual sense of calling and personal values with the belief system of the organization as defined by its vision, purpose and values. If we can see that our personal sense of purpose, calling and vision are being realized by contributing to the corporate vision and purpose, then we will begin to feel that the corporate vision is, indeed, our own.  The closer the alignment between individuals' personal sense of calling, purpose and vision with the belief system of the organization, the more they will believe in what the organization is striving for. The more they believe in it, the harder they will work to make it succeed. 

The truth of the matter is, your organization cannot reach its maximum potential without every member's participation.  Being honest with personnel to say, "we need your support to reach this vision," can go a long way toward gaining followership once the leaders have demonstrated their own personal trustworthiness as good stewards.

Leadership Hints

• It is appropriate to use the first person singular when you are taking responsibility for an action (e.g., "I made that decision.") Otherwise, and especially when giving credit, use the plural (e.g., "Our team did a great job!")
• Evaluate how you use inclusive language and how your form of communication conveys your underlying values.
• Help your followers evaluate how their personal vision and values are realized through meeting the organizational vision and values. This can be done as a part of regular performance evaluations.

Followership Hints

• Followers are stewards, too. While you might not feel you have influence over the entire organization, you have been given some measure of responsibility for a portion of the organization's success. Treat that portion as if it were your own, because it is!

© Dr. Larry N. Gay, April 2010

http://mylead360.blogspot.com/ "Lessons on Leadership and Followership"

When Enough is Enough

(Fourth in a series on Aligning for Productivity)

"Failure to deal with the problems people and organizations face can be the most unloving action of all."

(Leith Anderson, Dying for Change)

"Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is… self‑condemned."

(Titus 3:10-11)

For many supervisors the most difficult part of leadership is confronting someone whose behavior or performance is unacceptable. Remember, the purpose of corrective action is not to punish the individual for poor behavior or poor performance. Instead, your goal as a leader should be to help the person find the best place where their personal sense of calling, vision and life goals are aligned with and contributing to the organization's vision and mission. It is your responsibility as a leader to help people understand the vision and adjust their behaviors to align with it to the degree that they can. .

A noncompliant person should be made aware of the consequences of continued failure to meet expectations. Even if the individual becomes grudgingly compliant, there comes a point where such passive-aggressive behavior becomes destructive and unacceptable. I have found the two-warning rule to be very helpful in such cases. It's one thing for a person to use their influence to effect change that can help the organization fulfill its mission. It's something else entirely, however, when the complaints become destruction and contrary to the direction established by the organization's leadership.

Outplacement is often seen as a heartless action. The real heartless action, however, is when an unacceptable behavior is allowed to go unchecked until things have gotten unbearable for others working close to the offending individual. It's like a father I overheard "correcting" his young child who was misbehaving: "I'm only going to warn you about this 17 more times and then I'm really going to do something about it!" Of course, the child went on being obnoxious and unruly, disturbing everyone else within sight or sound.

Supervisors should recognize that failure to take administrative action hurts both the offending individual and the whole organization. Sometimes, the most loving action a leader can take is to help dissatisfied individuals to discover another place where their personal sense of calling can align with and contribute positively to the vision of that organization.

Grudgingly compliant people can be like a cancer growing in the organization. The longer you delay taking definitive action, the more you allow the cancer to grow. Long-growing cancers require more extensive surgery and more serious post-operative treatment. In the same way, if corrective actions have not helped the individual to make the necessary attitudinal change in a reasonable (and clearly stated) time frame, then the longer you postpone taking action, the more difficult it will be.

The most loving action for all concerned might be to help the individual find another place of service where he or she can find satisfaction and fulfillment. If that is within your organization, that's great... as long as you are not just transferring your problems to another department! If it is in another place, that's great too. Either way, you have the opportunity to help someone reach their maximum potentiality and productivity while also maximizing your organization's resources to realize its vision.

Leadership Hints

• Don't make the mistake of ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away on its own.
• Also, don't make the mistake of jumping to the conclusion that just firing someone will make everything all better.
• Talk with people about the source of their dissatisfaction. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Make every effort to help them grow to an acceptable level of compliance.
• Describe for yourself what the change in behavior will look like, when the change must be made, and how you will know steps are being taken toward the change. Then communicate these very clearly and positively to the individual.
• Don't make threats, but do keep your word--follow through on corrective actions.

Followership Hints

• You really do have a choice.
• Take responsibility for your own attitude and actions.
• Recognize that negative attitudes and actions usually do not produce positive reactions.
• If you have tried to offer positive suggestions of ways to make things better and they have been rejected or ignored, remember—you still have choices.

© Dr. Larry N. Gay, April 2010

http://mylead360.blogspot.com "Lessons on Leadership and Followership"

The Hardest (and Most Important) Lesson on Followership

Dear Reader, Last week about the time I usually would be putting the finishing touches on a weekly blog post, I received one of those phone calls you dread and never want to receive. Rather than dwelling on it here, I'll direct you to the blog page entitled "What For?" (See the page link at the top of the home page of this blog also.) I do not know if the insights on that page will be of any help to you on the subject of Leadership and Followership, but I think it does have relevance. I'll try to return to the series on alignment next week. Larry

Stress and Job Dissatisfaction

(Third in a series on Aligning for Productivity)

One ship sails East, And another West, By the self-same winds that blow, 'Tis the set of the sails And not the gales, That tells the way we go.

(Ella Wheeler Wilcox)

Alex and Kim both work for the same organization, in the same job, with the same title, the same boss, and they receive exactly the same pay. Alex loves this job and has very few complaints about the way things are going. Kim, on the other hand, is growing increasingly dissatisfied with the direction the organization is taking and seems to complain about everything. Kim is so stressed by it all that burnout is just around the corner.

After talking with Alex and Kim you might ask, “Are these two really working at the same job in the same place with the same boss?” How can one person love what the organization is doing and be thrilled with the job, while the other person is convinced the whole organization is going down the drain? What makes the difference?

You Always Have Choices

When we are faced with the stress of organizational change, we basically have three choices: 1) stay and be satisfied, 2) stay and be a problem or 3) leave. The option we choose is largely determined by our sense of satisfaction and fulfillment in the job. Like adding weights in a balance, the decision to stay is based on the weight of positive influences contributing to job satisfaction as opposed to the negative stressors that cause dissatisfaction.

Factors Contributing to Job Satisfaction	Stressors Contributing to Dissatisfaction
( + ) Alignment between personal and organizational vision, purpose, values ( + ) Sense of fulfillment of calling ( + ) Good Relationships ( + ) Appreciation ( + ) Benefits ( + ) “Zapps!” (Encouraging words that build up) [1] ( + ) Helpful Policies ( + ) Empowerment	( - ) Misalignment between personal and organizational vision, purpose, values ( - ) Working outside one’s giftedness or strengths ( - ) Strained relationships ( - ) Rules and regulations that restrict ( - ) Busy work ( - ) Devaluation ( - ) “Saps!” (Discouraging words, criticism that tears down) [2] ( - ) Micro-management
Outcome = Stay and be satisfied	Outcome = Stay and be dissatisfied, unproductive, become a problem, or leave

When the balance tilts to the dissatisfaction side, stress mounts up and can cloud or color the decision-making processes. The longer a person stays in a state of dissatisfaction, the more stress will grow and the more difficult it will be for them to reset their sails—either to realign themselves with the new direction of the organization, or to find a place in another organization that is going their way.

We would like to believe that everyone in the organization is genuinely seeking to be true to their personal vision or sense of calling. For some people, that factor will carry so much weight that it counterbalances all the negative stressors. Other people, however, will come to the point that the only positive factor contributing to their job satisfaction is the personal benefits they receive (including, but not limited to monetary benefits).

‘Tis the Set of the Sails

Grudgingly compliant, noncompliant and apathetic members will exhibit greater levels of stress and job dissatisfaction than will their colleagues who are formally compliant, genuinely compliant, enrolled or committed to the vision. Because their sails are set for a different direction, these individuals will feel their sense of purpose or personal calling is being limited by the organization’s belief system (vision, purpose and values). They will be in a perpetual state of distress that will manifest itself in behaviors that work against the organization’s objectives. In the end, they will be unlikely to reach their personal goals as well.

Leadership Hints:

• What is your assessment of the general morale among the people you lead?
• Look back over the list of factors contributing to job dissatisfaction. If a number of people seem dissatisfied, what common factors can you identify that contribute to the dissatisfaction and stress?
• As you look at the list of factors, what positive actions come to mind that you could take to help people better align with your organization’s vision, purpose and values?
• Are you willing to take action?

Followership Hints:

• How is your sail set?
• As you look back over the list of factors contributing to job satisfaction or dissatisfaction, which way is your balance tilting?
• What steps can you take to improve your own job satisfaction?
• Is there anything you can do to help a co-worker feel more satisfied and fulfilled in their job?
• So, what do you intend to do?

© Dr. Larry N. Gay, April 2010

http://mylead360.blogspot.com/ “Lessons on Leadership and Followership”

---

[1] [2] William C. Byham, Zapp! The Lightning of Empowerment: How to Improve Productivity, Quality, and Employee Satisfaction (Ballantine Books, 1997). In easy-to-read fable form, this book centers on the concepts of “zapping” people with empowerment or “sapping” them with negative comments. Bynam details what managers and organizations must do to create and maintain an empowered work force that will, in turn, be dedicated to constantly improving the organization.

Attitude: The Life or Death of a Vision

(Second in a series on Aligning for Productivity)

“So we rebuilt the wall…for the people worked with all their heart.”

(Nehemiah 4:6)

          The organizational vision can only be realized by the individuals working within the organization. Regardless of all the organizational changes that might be made, if you want happy, productive workers, you must help them to see what they will gain from helping the company to reach its objectives.

          A plethora of books, essays and articles have addressed the need for any organization to have clearly stated vision, purpose and values. Of all these, Peter Senge’s book The Fifth Discipline (Doubleday, 1990) is still a seminal work for understanding systems thinking and how the pillars of vision, purpose and values work together within an organization. Senge describes five general responses or attitudes toward the organization’s vision: commitment, enrollment, compliance, noncompliance, or apathy. Compliance, however, can take one of three distinct forms, making a total of seven attitudes that individuals within the organization can demonstrate.

          While Senge accurately described the seven attitudes, he did not expand on why people react in these specific ways. This can best be understood by two areas of personal need we seek to satisfy in our employment: 1) personal benefit which includes salary, insurance, pension plans, position, recognition, or other non-tangible benefits; and 2) a personal sense of fulfillment of a life purpose, vision, or calling. The degree to which both areas are aligned with, supported by, and fulfilled by working within the company’s vision, purpose and values will affect each individual’s attitude and the degree to which each member contributes effectively toward the company’s goals or objectives. On the negative side, the degree to which an individual’s need for personal benefit and/or personal sense of fulfillment are not met will also determine the degree to which the individual will become unproductive or even counterproductive to the organization’s goals and objectives. Personal benefit and a personal sense of fulfillment will, in large part, determine the individual’s attitude toward the company in general and his or her work specifically.

          The following paragraphs and illustrations describe the seven attitudes identified by Senge and how these are affected by the individual’s need for personal benefit and personal sense of fulfillment. In a future article, we will examine more in depth how different personalities place different values on these two needs.

1. Committed

          The first group is made up of the few people who are truly committed to the vision. These few want it and are consumed with a desire to see it become reality. They will do whatever they possibly can to make it happen. Only a few people are truly committed to the organizational vision. These might include the founder or originator of the vision and a few people who join in because they recognize in it something that they have already been longing to see before.

2. Enrolled
          Another few people will be enrolled. They also want it and will work to make it happen, but they might not feel the same level of ownership as those who are committed. Enrolled individuals find their personal vision can easily fit within the organization’s vision with very little or no adaptation. These might be the “early adopters” of a new paradigm. They do not “live, eat, sleep and breathe” the vision as the committed do. They do, however, truly desire to see the vision realized and will give above and beyond the call of duty to make it happen.


          While it would be wonderful to have everyone in the organization fully committed or enrolled and in perfect alignment with the vision, that is very unlikely to happen, except, perhaps, in a very small company where everyone is a full partner. The large majority of people in any organization most likely have an attitude of compliance, which is defined by three distinct categories.

3. Genuinely Compliant

          Genuine compliance might look like enrollment or commitment in that the genuinely compliant person sees the benefits of the vision and does everything expected and more. All or almost all of the genuinely compliant’s personal vision can be realized in the context of the organization’s vision without having to make major adjustments. These “good soldiers” follow the letter of the law and are often tapped for leadership based on their above average performance. The genuinely compliant person often can quote the vision to the letter and might even support the vision energetically. This, however, is not because they have tremendous personal desires to see the vision fulfilled as the committed or enrolled do. Genuinely compliant people accept the vision, though they do not truly own it.

4. Formally Compliant

          Another group demonstrates formal compliance. These are what Senge calls “pretty good soldiers.” They do what is expected and no more. They might support the vision to some degree, but they are primarily “going along” and not making waves. On the whole, they see the benefits of the vision, but they do not take initiative to push the vision into reality. They can adapt to realize their personal vision, some of which may have to be achieved outside the organization, or at a later time.




5. Grudgingly Compliant

          Some people will display a grudging compliance. The grudgingly compliant person’s personal vision overlaps very little, if at all, with the organizational vision. In fact, this person probably sees the organization’s vision as opposed to his or her personal vision. They will do what is expected because they feel obligated, but they do not see the value of the direction in which the organization is moving and are still opposed to changes that have already taken place. Perhaps only to “keep their jobs” or because they see some other benefit outside the real vision, they do whatever is required of them, but nothing more. At best, such compliance is really more accurately described as passive-aggressive behavior. They stay on and do enough to get by while letting it be known that they really are not on board. While they may not lead an open rebellion, they are, in effect, hoping that the vision will not become reality.

          Grudgingly compliant people can be the most destructive force in the organization. Such people only remain with the organization because of the tangible benefits they receive (medical, retirement benefits, inability to find other employment, etc.). Grudgingly compliant people will tend to blame the organizational changes for their lack of productivity and inability to fulfill their own personal vision. (See more on this below.)

6. Noncompliant

          Apart from the committed, the enrolled and the compliant people, there are also two other groups that must be dealt with concerning the organization’s vision. A certain number of people will be noncompliant. Their attitude toward the vision is negative to the point of “I won’t do it and you can’t make me.” Since they see no benefit in the vision, they may actively seek to undermine it or change it to a completely different direction.
          Even after they leave the organization, the noncompliant people often have a lasting influence on some of those who are grudgingly compliant, many of whom might remain with the organization for quite long tenures as they continue to express their passive-resistance to the forward motion toward the vision.

7. Apathetic

          People in the last group demonstrate apathy for the vision. They are neither for it nor against it. They are simply along for the ride and waiting for the end of their shift or term. Like the noncompliant people, apathetic people are outside the circle of the organizational vision. While they are not actively pulling against the direction of the vision, they are simply dead weight being dragged along without contributing significantly to the advancement of the organization to meet its objectives.

 
Leadership Hints:

• Are you a committed, enrolled or compliant leader?

• How does this affect your servant/leadership?

• As you look at the people you lead, what attitudes do you think each of them demonstrates?


Followership Hints: 
• Time for another attitude check! Review the seven attitudes and try to identify which best describes your attitude toward your present organization and your current job assignment within it.

• If you continue in this attitude, will you contribute to the successful accomplishment of your personal life goals and also help the organization to reach its objectives?


Note: In next week’s article I’ll talk more about leading people to the next levels of compliance, enrollment or commitment.

© Dr. Larry N. Gay, March 2010
http://mylead360.blogspot.com/  “Lessons in Leadership and Followership”

Organizational Change Stress Syndrome and "Future Shock"

 (First in a series on Aligning for Productivity)

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.

(Victor Frankl)

The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.

(Harold Wilson)

Will all your worries add a single moment to your life?

(Jesus, Matthew 6:27)

Whenever any organization makes a major change, many of its workers will experience symptoms of what I call “Organizational Change Stress Syndrome” (OCSS).  Don’t bother looking it up in a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).[1]  The certainty of its existence, nonetheless, is supported by the evidence of increased stress in the lives of people within the organization, from top level management to part-time volunteers and everyone in between.  

Long after the changes are instituted, a number of people within the organization will still seem to be struggling with prevailing questions that are asked in a number of different ways.

                               

• How do we get more people on board with the needed changes?
• If this change was so great, then why are we still floundering in many areas?
• If we all really believe in the vision, why don’t we see significant increases in our effectiveness and productivity?
• Why does it take so long to complete the change?
• Why can’t we go back to the way things were?
• Why do some people have to leave the organization to follow their dreams or calling?
• What are we really here for anyway?
• What will it take to make the vision reality?

Alvin Toffler was the first to describe what he called “future shock” in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Too much change in too short a time produces a shock to the individual’s ability to absorb, assimilate and adapt. As the speed of change increases, individuals experience high levels of stress and the inability to adapt quickly enough. This results in reduced productivity and quality of work. Toffler observed that an extremely high degree of future shock can eventually lead to such symptoms as malicious compliance, overt blocking of the organization’s tasks, covet undermining of organizational leadership, or promotion of negativity among other workers. Toffler also coined the term “information overload,” [2] which can compound OCSS.

OCSS affects people at every level in the organization--even those who initiate the changes. Once the changes begin, there are always unforeseen adjustments that must be made. It can be like remodeling a house: once you start ripping out drywall, floors, and ceilings you never know what you may find underneath. And the cost is always more than you anticipated!

I started tracking the number of changes in personnel that were set in motion once when a mid-level manager was asked to fill a new position. That simple change in structure resulted in a total of at least fourteen individuals changing job assignments or having to move over the course of the next two years before the ripple effect finally subsided. And that’s not counting the number of people the manager moved or reassigned once he started his new position. Scores of people felt some direct effect from that simple change in personnel. Some of them had only been in their positions for as little as six weeks before being asked to make still another change in job assignment or location. When an administrative assistant asked me when all the changes would stop, I answered as honestly as I could, “Never. In fact, expect more changes to come even more rapidly in the future. So get ready.”

Change has both a domino and a ripple effect. A specific change might solve one problem, but then the solution often becomes the new problem, or reveals several new problems. The problem is not just the fact that the rate of change is gaining speed. The problem is in our attitude toward the changes we cannot control.

Your organization must learn to become resilient to change and adapt to its changing environment or it will be doomed to ineffectiveness, irrelevance and (ultimately) extinction. Just telling people to “buck up and get over it” is not enough. The most effective leaders are those who understand and use the principles of basic human patterns in response to change as they help the people they lead become more resilient and less resistant to change.[3]  Building resilience to change will decrease the effects of OCSS and increase the effectiveness and productivity of the entire organization.

The American Psychological Association suggests the following ways to help build resilience:

10 Ways to build resilience

Make connections. Good relationships with close family members, friends, or others are important. Accepting help and support from those who care about you and will listen to you strengthens resilience. Some people find that being active in civic groups, faith-based organizations, or other local groups provides social support and can help with reclaiming hope. Assisting others in their time of need also can benefit the helper.

Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems. You can't change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events. Try looking beyond the present to how future circumstances may be a little better. Note any subtle ways in which you might already feel somewhat better as you deal with difficult situations.

Accept that change is a part of living. Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations. Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can alter.

Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals. Do something regularly -- even if it seems like a small accomplishment -- that enables you to move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself, "What's one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?"

Take decisive actions. Act on adverse situations as much as you can. Take decisive actions, rather than detaching completely from problems and stresses and wishing they would just go away.

Look for opportunities for self-discovery. People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some respect as a result of their struggle with loss. Many people who have experienced tragedies and hardship have reported better relationships, greater sense of strength even while feeling vulnerable, increased sense of self-worth, a more developed spirituality, and heightened appreciation for life.

Nurture a positive view of yourself. Developing confidence in your ability to solve problems and trusting your instincts helps build resilience.

Keep things in perspective. Even when facing very painful events, try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing the event out of proportion.

Maintain a hopeful outlook. An optimistic outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen in your life. Try visualizing what you want, rather than worrying about what you fear.

Take care of yourself. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly. Taking care of yourself helps to keep your mind and body primed to deal with situations that require resilience.

Additional ways of strengthening resilience may be helpful. For example, some people write about their deepest thoughts and feelings related to trauma or other stressful events in their life. Meditation and spiritual practices help some people build connections and restore hope.

The key is to identify ways that are likely to work well for you as part of your own personal strategy for fostering resilience. [4]

Leadership Hints:
            Gather resources you can share with the people you lead to help them build resilience to change (books, pamphlets, websites, or videos).[5]  Schedule times for discussion and dialogue to hear how people are feeling and processing change. Don’t fall into the trap of defending the change, just let people process it.

Followership Hints:

            One solitary life can make a difference.  

• Take an attitude check. Is your negative response to the change related to your self-confidence, self-esteem or self-concept?

• Decide to take a positive step toward being part of the solution and not part of the problem.

(Note: The next articles in this series will describe seven distinct attitudes toward the change and how individuals who demonstrate these attitudes contribute positively or negatively to the effectiveness or productivity of the organization.)

© Dr. Larry N. Gay, March 2010

http://mylead360.blogspot.com/

---

[1]  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) is a manual published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) that includes all currently recognized mental health disorders.

[2] Alvin Toffler, Future Shock (Random House, 1970).

[3] Daryl R. Conner, Managing at the Speed of Change: How Resilient Managers Succeed and Prosper Where Others Fail (Villard Books, 1993).

[4] American Psychological Association,  http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.aspx accessed March 17, 2010.

[5] Additional resources on building resilience:

http://www.resiliencycenter.com/  -  Several good resources at this site. Be sure to take Dr. Albert Siebert’s Resiliency Quiz.

            Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson (Putnam, 1998). This classic allegory reveals profound truths about how individuals and organizations deal with change and our search for “Cheese,” the things we want in life.

Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions, by John P. Kotter, Holger Rathgeber, and Peter Mueller (St. Martin's Press, 2006). Another allegory, this fable describes how a colony of penguins faces a threat of survival, teaching business organizations how they can face similar dangers in an eight-step process of change.