Archive for the ‘Current Affairs’ Category

A recent article in Talent Management Magazine reports that the number of people quitting their jobs rose to 2.1 million in April. Skilled professionals are one of the fastest growing  segments of the workforce who are quiting.

According to the article, the level of effective leadership perceived by employees can impact whether an employee would consider leaving a job or not.

http://talentmgt.com/talent.php?pt=a&aid=1280

So what are you doing to become more effective in your leadership and how is your company developing leadership talent? If you don’t have answers to these questions, you may start losing key employees. Don’t wait, have a plan.

As we prepare for children to show up at our front doors yelling “trick or treat”, I can’t help but think how this tradition has permeated our society. As a child, I don’t remember my parents going to Halloween parties, it was a child’s only holiday. No longer is Halloween just for children, it is for adults as well. What is it about Halloween that makes adults want to dress up as an alter ego, super hero or politician? And more importantly, does the costume a person choose give us clues about their personality and preferences in life that may help us to understand each other better?

Or am I just being over analytical? Should I just forget about trying to figure out this change in the importance of Halloween to adults and find my next costume? Or should I be worried about the costume I choose for fear that there are others like me who will try analyze my choice of costumes?

I don’t know about you but I am so weary of the acrimony in congress about the healthcare bill. Up until recently I felt like both sides were acting like children, neither party wanted to “play nice”. Then I started to think more about how our government is organized and how bills actually become law which makes me wonder if our government system is flawed.

Now I know I just angered some of you but before you start sending me hate email, please let me explain what has lead me to this thought. It all stems from the difference between compromise and collaboration. I recently read a post about the differences between compromise and collaboration http://bit.ly/4zYmWd .

After reading this, it became clear to me that our government system of having two legislative groups, the house and the senate, and the process of two different bills going through resolution is basically a form of compromise. Our laws are all about compromise and not collaboration. Compromise is when people or groups of people are working from their own set of perspectives and beliefs which leads to a solution that is less than optimal, often watered down and in some cases worse than no solution.

What would it take for congress to move to a more collaborative law making process? And is it possible with the way that our government is currently governed? I think our system gets in the way of optimal laws being passed.

It really makes me wonder how much stronger our country could be if ALL of our politicians could set aside their individual long standing beliefs by becoming aware of their filters that mold these beliefs. What would a collaborative solution to healthcare look like if each politician could step into the shoes of the opposing side and take into account multiple perspectives versus only theirs? How can they do this within the current governmental framework?

I have to believe that the solution would be a much stronger one that would solve the real problem-rising healthcare costs. None of the “solutions” on the table right now address this issue.

As a child, Labor Day always meant the end of summer and a return to school. Since moving to the south over 25 years ago, where children return to school much earlier than in New England

Where I grew up, Labor Day has become just another long weekend. Summer doesn’t end and children are already back in school.

This got me thinking about how this holiday started. Below is a link to the history of the holiday and the importance it had many years ago.

http://www.dol.gov/OPA/ABOUTDOL/LABORDAY.HTM

How important is it to you compared to the individuals and groups responsible for creating the holiday? Is it just another holiday? What traditions do you have for this holiday? Do you think that it should be revitalized so the citizens of this country fully understand its history and meaning?

As the H1N1, Swine Flu, gains momentum, the government recently launched guidelines for businesses on how to prepare as we move closer to the winter months.

http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/workplaceplanning/guidance.html

As a business leader, how will you communicate your plan that will provide employees with the necessary and appropriate information? And as the flu spreads, what plans do you have to adjust and adapt your communications to maintain calm within the workforce?

How will you be perceived as a leader during the crisis and the ensuing months afterwards? Employees will be looking and listening intently to you, make sure you have a plan and be ready to adjust based on changes in the flu pandemic.

As the protests unfold in Iran, my thoughts go to the companies I have worked with over the years who have created a similar environment. Yes, you read it correctly. There are some companies who are like Iran who have penalized those who have spoken out with opinions not aligned with leadership. Now of course, no one has lost their life speaking out in a company here in the US. But they have been penalized and while they have been penalized the company penalizing them has often received payback. What kind of payback?… lack of innovation and loss of great employees

Are you leading or employed by one of these companies? And if so what was the impact on you and the organization?

What I’ve observed is companies who have not made it safe for employees to share their views, opinions, and ideas that oppose the company’s views generally lack creativity and loose many A players over time to competitors. Why? Because A players want their opinions to be heard and considered in planning and decision making and without A players’ team creativity is limited.

How not to be Iran

So if you’re experiencing Iran syndrome, what should you do? Start with open communication and admitting to your team that you want to make some changes to encourage open dialogue AND you need to be sincere and genuine in your delivery. If your employees sense a false desire in change, there will be a huge backfire. Employees need to understand that the rules have really changed Without this their open communication won’t happen.

And of course actions are stronger than words. So what you say needs to be demonstrated by actions supporting the words The next step is to ask questions and listen to employees opinions during meetings. If you should start defending your position, employees will shut down. You will have demonstrated that there no change has occurred. Also, be aware of using the “yes, but” technique which many leaders often use because, you know, they’re always right!. As Marshall Goldsmith identified in his book “What got you here, Won’t get you there” using this technique will create resentment by those receiving the response and will stifle open discussions. And without open discussions an organization will slowly die because original thought is not valued by leadership. Make sure everyone has an opportunity to speak and give their ideas. And don’t let one person dominate the conversation. Introverts need to be invited into the conversation and often provide a perspective that hasn’t been heard.

What if you think the conclusion is heading in the wrong direction? Before jumping in and sharing your opinion, and thus shutting the conversation down, ask yourself how important is the decision? Is it critical to the success of your company or the project? If the answer is yes, then start asking open ended questions to get participants to think of alternative solutions, remember that their solution may not be your solution and that another solution is okay if it provides a similar not exact result.

Continue to open your mind to alternative solutions during the process. And here is the key part of the process, when you hear an idea you like, bite your tongue and let the conversation continue. Let the team continue on to their own consensus. If they come to their own solution, they will own the solution and be more committed to making the solution a success.

In Summary

So if you want to be competitive and retain your high potential employees, create a safe environment for employee to share their own opinions, ask questions, listen, ask more questions until they come to their own solution that they will own and be committed to successfully completing.

As I watch the US Open this weekend and listen to the commentators talk about those players who have had an advantage or disadvantage due to the weather I can’t help stop thinking about how inclement weather to golfers is like the global economy is to business leaders.

The economy can play favorites and create advantages for certain industries and businesses in specific geographies. As I have been watching the US Open, in between the rain showers and delays, I’ve been reminded of some of the business leaders who because of their industry or location their businesses are in have had a much harder time surviving and thriving in this economy.

So which businesses with the disadvantages will survive? They are those whose have leadership that:

• accept the constraints they don’t have control over
• focus on being creative and thinking outside the box,
• are persistent and won’t give up
• look for the small wins to stay motivated
• have a high degree of emotional intelligence, and
• manage their energy

So who do you think is going to come out on top during the 2009 US Open? And with all the rain, when will it finish?

As we gather around our grills and barbecues with friends and families, I challenge each of us to take time to think about the true meaning of Memorial Day.

For me and many others, Memorial Day is much more than the last Monday in May that is a day away from work. Memorial Day is a time to think about our country and the freedom we have as people because of the many thousands of men and women who have died defending our freedom AND those today who continue to defend our freedom.

The men and women who sacrificed their lives for us deserve a moment of remembrance and those who are still with us continuing to defend us deserve thanks. So as you sit on your porches or around your table today share with each other what Memorial Day means to you and thank those you know who have served our country.