Are You Listening? by Grace Andrews

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Retreating to Advance

For years now, our team has been going on an annual, weeklong retreat. We close our offices, power down our phones and blackberry's and head to a wonderful house on the ocean in Wareham, Massachusetts. There, we spend the week retreating. I used to hate that word, because I felt like it meant we were going backwards. For awhile, I even tried to get everyone to call it our annual advance so that we could envision the time as an opportunity to look to the future and move forward.

Well, that didn't stick and it took me all this time to realize that retreating is exactly what we need – to settle back, ponder, think, talk, listen, reflect, discuss, debate, learn. It occurs to me that we can only advance when we first retreat. I just returned from our adventure and this year was no exception. The post retreat week always finds me in serious reflection of what we learned and how we came together as a team. It is an intense time. Imagine a house full of facilitators, spending 24-7 together, not only thinking about the business, but cooking, eating, cleaning and living together! Come to think of it, it would make a great reality show.

I always come home exhausted, but in a good way, like when I just had a vigorous workout. I always come back with good ideas and lots of learning about how we should change, shift and reconfigure our business. Most importantly, although aside from the learning, we connect as a team. We recommit to our vision and each other. We take time to find out what we have missed in each others' lives while we were dashing from one client to another. We see how our lives have shifted and how we can bolster each others' wants, needs and dreams. We relieve fears and concerns – how we can accommodate a new mom, health issues, an elder parent. It is truly amazing what this does for all of us and how much more committed we come back as a team. Believe it or not, it strengthens our business. It grows our business. It reduces turnover. It energizes the team. And yes, all of that leads to better results, better profitability.

Some of you do not believe in retreats.

I know some of you are reading this with skepticism. I've had several CEO's tell me that retreats are a waste of time, not valuable, an opportunity for employees to complain or worse…team build! I had one such leader say to me, Why can't everyone just do their job and sing Kumbaya on their own time? Yes, I am sure there are some retreats that are poorly run and without focus and they are a waste of time. However, when done well, they provide great value and I am going to show you how.

Not all a group hug.

Despite my gushing words and glowing reports at the end of our retreat, it is certainly not all a bed of roses. We do battle. We argue about the direction of the company. We talk about financials and productivity, who needs to be doing more and how they are going to get there. We talk about growth, margins and expectations. We have rigorous conversations concerning performance. Most of the retreat is not for the faint of heart, but all of it leads to an outcome of strength. It requires balance, including conversations about everyone's accountability to the business and everyone's commitment to the business and each other. So if you are thinking it's all about yoga, chanting and levitation, you could not be more wrong!

Establish a focus:

The first step is to ask yourself, What do I want to walk away with that would create value for this team/organization? Does it concern customers, strategy, service, commitment, creativity, connections or sales? It can be anything you want, but remember that it's not a lecture or a seminar; it's a discussion and an opportunity for engagement. It's all in the balance. Ask your team what they want, even if they look at you funny, push for clarity on what would bring real value to your team.

Once you have a focus. Choose a timeframe and establish an agenda. Most companies do not do a weeklong retreat. If this is new to you, go for just two days and one night. Pick a location. Do something social as a team, as well as business discussions. Do something different, not just dinner, go white water rafting, do a community service project or go mountain hiking.

Create expectation and excitement:

Set the expectations for the your team. Tell them what you're doing and why you're doing it. Tell them what their piece of the retreat is. Create excitement around the event and be enthused. Be sure that you are really "showing up" both mentally and physically. Don't let outside distractions get in the way of your time with your team. Ask them to do the same. Think about hiring a facilitator at least for the first time so you can be in the retreat instead of running it. It also helps to get a model of how to run a successful one.

Leave with actionables and follow through:

Be sure you leave your retreat with commitments of what you will do differently when you go back to the mayhem of daily work-life. Don't commit to too many actions or none will be accomplished. Two or three would be great. Most importantly, whatever you say you will do in that retreat, do it and follow up. Nothing's more of a downer, than leaving a retreat, on a high, with expectations of changes or improvements and nothing happens and no one follows up.

One Last Thought:

Call it a retreat, an advance, an offsite-whatever gets you to do it. What is the worst that can happen, it doesn’t produce the value you were looking for? Okay then you don’t have to do it again. But imagine the possibilities if it does produce the value it so clearly can. Think about it and ADVANCE!

Grace Andrews • Executive Coach/Corporate Healer • President, Training By Design •www.training-by-design.com

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Leadership: The Boss and The Real Boss

I recently went to the far-away province of Ontario, Canada to a small island called Barrie Island. I have done this all of my life, as has my mother, as had her father. Now my sisters and I torture the fourth generation of our family, our children, with the same trek. It takes two days, three modes of transportation and 18 hours of driving, with the reward that once you get there, you will be in the middle of no-where, in a log cabin, with just each other, for eight days.

What is interesting about my family is that we have all been given the same "bossy" gene. It skipped no one and each one of us is just as confident about his or her "rightness" as the next one. This year, nine of us traveled, and as usual, we stopped in Niagara on the Lake for the first night. My 10-year old son and his 17 and 14-year-old cousins, already fed up with the grown-up's bickering over the best route to the cottage, went into town, "to walk down the street of the last civilization they will see for a week." They are very dramatic! When they returned, they brought us a gift. It was two hats - one said THE BOSS and the other said THE REAL BOSS. They explained that every night at dinner we would designate a Boss and a Real Boss for the next day. The Boss would make the plan and if any disagreement or dissent erupted, then the Real Boss would step in to have the final word. Interesting.

What we learned.

1. The Real Boss set the vision and context for everyone's day.
2. The Boss executed on the plan and got others to rally.
3. The Real Boss got most of the feedback for the success or failure of the day.
4. When the Real Boss was thinking clearly, he or she shared the feedback with the Boss and made sure that others knew that the credit should be shared with all involved in the successful execution of the day.

For example, one day, the Real Boss decided that we were going to take a family hike to the Cup and Saucer Trail. The Boss then got the directions, packed a back pack with waters, snacks and sun screen and off we went. Well, the Real Boss led the charge and the hike was beautiful, BUT it turned out to be seven miles long, with lots of rickety ladders and crawling on hands and knees through caves. Not all of us were prepared for this much adventure. It was also 90 degrees (in the shade) and we definitely did not have enough water.

When we gave our "Bosses" feedback at the end of the day, they were cool about it. The Real Boss took responsibility for not obtaining more information about length and degree of difficulty of the trail and the Boss shared responsibility for not bringing enough supplies. In the end we agreed, as difficult as the experience had been, it was also fabulous and well worth the effort. We then passed the hats to the two new Bosses. Ahhh… success!

Things did not always go so smoothly. On another day, we went on an adventure that was boring, hot, difficult and not fun. When we gave our Bosses the feedback, they became defensive and arrogant. In fact, before it was all said and done, they banded together and called us lightweights and uncultured. (Sound familiar?) Needless to say, we were anxious for the hats to pass and lose those Bosses.

So I am sure you are asking yourself, "What does this have to do with me?" Well, I realized during this experience that as leaders, we have similar dynamics happening in our organizations. In fact, it's almost always true that there are Real Bosses and Bosses; whether they are officially appointed or self-anointed, they exist. They can work in harmony with each other, creating a huge impact for the team or they can be divisive, creating upheaval.

Here is how it can play out.

The Good

Sometimes you have a leader in your organization that is The Boss. He or she smoothes the way for others in the organization, organizes work, lets people know when to go to the Real Boss with something and when that wouldn't be such a good idea. In the good scenario, the Boss is empowered to make decisions in the Real Boss's absence and puts the Real Boss in the loop, when the time is needed and right. The Boss makes the Real Boss's job much easier and creates an overall better work environment for everyone. I have one of these in my company and I do not know what I would do without her. I know the rest of my team feels the same way.

The Bad

There may also be a person, either by real appointment or self-anointment, who serves as The Boss in a way similar to the above scenario, but uses his/her power for self-fulfillment. He/she knows the Real Boss relies on him/her to manage things; however, he/she manages with the purpose of making him/herself look good and in the process, makes everyone else's job a living hell. These people self promote, take key assignments, give all the grunt work to others and then take the credit and compliments from the Real Boss. I worked for one of these, and I often wondered why the Real Boss didn't see that he was being snowed. I now know he wasn't close enough to the staff to know. He was being told what he wanted to hear, his life was peaceful, and he didn't stop to check if others on his team felt the same way.

The Ugly

I would like to say that it all ended well, but it didn't. The Boss got promoted to be the Real Boss in another division. He went on to use his same strategy as the Real Boss in his new job. Some who worked for him emulated his style and the dysfunction spread. During his tenure in our division, we lost many good team members. This self-fulfilling style may work for the individual, but eventually erodes the team.

What should you do?

What kind of Real Boss and Bosses do you have in your organization? How do they show up to the whole team? Do you know how your team feels about the senior people you have appointed? Do you often get the real skinny on what is going on in your company? Do you know if you are being fed a line that is self-serving to your formally or informally appointed Boss?

It’s no surprise that I am going to tell you to go find out, to be in touch, to be a careful and thoughtful leader. If you don't do this, even if you are the Real Boss, you will look like an idiot to the team you have taken so long to build, you will become ineffective and the turnover of your star staff will be inescapable.

One Last Thought.

I think the Boss and the Real Boss concept works. It gives the Real Boss freedom to be visionary, to focus on your internal and external customers and helps to develop other leaders in your organization. It only works, though, if you have selected the right people as the "Bosses" and keep in touch with all members of your organization. Finally, and maybe most importantly, you need to give the credit where the real credit is due – it's what Real Bosses do.

With that said, I want to thank Beth, for being a Boss on our team. I never give her enough recognition for that. Thank you!

Grace Andrews • Executive Coach/Corporate Healer • President, Training By Design •www.training-by-design.com

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Leadership: Leaders with Disabilites

Why is it that we do not see more CEO's and Presidents of companies with disabilities? Is it because they don't exist or are they not disclosing? Is it because, as a world, we are still un-accepting of disabilities and the ability of those who have them to lead? Is it because Boards and others, who make hiring decisions, don't want that "image" of their company projected to the public?

There has been a rapid increase of learning disabilities in our children. The rate of ADHD and ADD has skyrocketed in our society. The number of preschool children being treated with medication for ADHD tripled between 1990 and 1995. The number of children between the ages of 15 and 19 taking medication for ADHD has increased 311 percent over 15 years. Is it that we just did not have a name for it before, or is it truly that dramatic a progression in the number of people with ADHD and ADD? Parkinson's, Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, and many others are all on the rise, and have been for many years, yet we do not see or hear about it from our corporate leaders.

I see only two reasons that this could be: we are not hiring people with disabilities, either on purpose or unknowingly; and people with disabilities are not disclosing, either out of fear that others will brand them incapable or that they will experience actual rejection of a job opportunity. These possibilities send dangerous messages, as disabilities increase and new generations enter the workforce and leadership realm.

Case in point: Jordon Sigalet, a player on the Boston Bruins' farm team. In 2003, he announced that he has Multiple Sclerosis - a brave move. He got a lot of support from the Bruins. There has been talk of bringing him up to the Pro level and all kinds of sports analysts are questioning whether or not he can do it. They wonder if he can play the entire game.

It took Michael J. Fox quite some time to come out about his Parkinson's disease; yet he continues to be a force both in advocacy for Parkinson's and in his work as an actor. What kept him from disclosing, until symptoms started to become noticeable?

Whatever the reasons, we rarely see CEO's and Presidents of companies with disabilities. The solution, as with all types of prejudices, is education. People need to understand that many disabilities have no effect on an individual's ability to lead. Even diseases that are progressive should not limit a person's opportunity to lead in the present. Take Ronald Reagan as an example. Would he have been elected, if we had known he was going to have (or had) progressive Alzheimer's? Yet not knowing, he was elected to two terms and many people think he was a great President. If we could all look into a crystal ball and see our future, possibly none of us would be fit to lead 20 years from now.

So what do we do?

We need to start by not stigmatizing our children. We need to make education of disabilities a priority. We need to embrace and support those who have disabilities and have the willingness to share them with us. The disabilities are multiplying and managers and leaders will have them. It is quite possible that it will make them stronger, not weaker or less effective.

One last thought:

I have Multiple Sclerosis. I did not tell most of my clients until a month ago. I did not tell them out of fear that they would think I was not capable. I am happy to report that that has not been the case, even in one instance. There are more people like me out there and fear should not stand in the way of disclosure; but that will only happen when there are more models of great leaders with disabilities.

I can't wait to see Jordon play goalie for the Bruins this year.

Grace Andrews • Executive Coach/Corporate Healer • President, Training By Design • Boston, MA • gandrews@training-by-design.com • www.training-by-design.com

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Leadership: From the Office to the Operation

Michael Jacobs has been CFO for BR Guest Restaurants for the last 7 years. That is he was, up until 3 months ago where he assumed the COO role. In his role as CFO he was responsible for making massive decisions for the 2000 plus person organization…all from his office. In his new role he has immersed himself in the operations to get up to speed as fast as he can. He is spending 8 plus hours in the restaurants, on the front lines with his managers and his guests (in addition to all his other duties.) It has been eye opening for him and wonderful for his managers who are on the front lines everyday.

So what has the learning been?

Although he espouses many learning's Mr. Jacobs reports the following
as his top three:

"What has been huge for me is the impact of senior level support, the in person kind, not through e-mail or on the phone. The goals become real to them because we talk about them in real time one on one."

"It's easy to say we have these rules and policies and now I see that real life does not always equal policy. It is clear that sometimes you have to shift the policy to meet your bigger objective of service and quality."

"A day I the life in ops for me is like a bus ride I sometimes wish all the stops were the same, organized and in a neat pattern, but the truth is that never happens in the hospitality world, so the focus must be on the destination as opposed to the process."

His people are thrilled as he experiences first hand obstacles and then looks for ways to clear the barriers he did not know existed before.

I read with interest Joann Lublin's article in The Wall Street Journal this past Monday titled "The Brass Try Life in the Trenches" It spoke all about leaders who are typically removed from the day to day operations committing time to being in the trenches for a specific amount of time to learn what their human resource faces everyday and every hour. I say, what has taken so long. Every company should have such a program. It should be mandatory for senior leaders, how else will they ever understand how the decisions they make affect their employees and ultimately their customers. This mis-understanding is one of the primary complaints from line staff about their leaders, a common comment is "our managers have no idea what we do"

So what companies are doing this?

Ms. Lublin referenced seven companies currently participating in "trench programs":

Walt Disney, since 1990, two dozen senior executives take theme-park roles for one day per year.
Continental Airlines, since 1995, senior managers help airport workers serve passengers on a Friday before a holiday weekend.
Sysco, since 2000, certain executives spend or night twice a year alongside front-line staffers.
DaVita, since 2002, senior managers work three days as dialysis-clinic technicians.
Amazon.com, since 2003, top managers handle phone or email queries one day every two years.
Loews Hotels, since 2004, headquarters executives (except CEO) and middle managers do entry-level jobs one day per year.
Marriott International, effective this year, headquarters managers will do front-line jobs at D.C.-area hotels for one day this summer.

What has the learning been for the executives that have participated?

To be conscious of the power of the power of their words and how much impact they have deep into the organization.

Understanding that when employees miss a meeting to handle a customer that they are doing the right thing. Being short staffed is more then inconvenience, it is detrimental to both customers and greatly increases staff burn out. To shift from being angry to being grateful.

They are planning better so last minute deadlines do not distract the operation that can also throw their employees in chaos.

Lowering expectations from new hires until they are trained and supported. Understanding that just because someone was hired does not mean they will produce until they have the tools and training.

What Can You Do?

If you do not have this in place already do it now. You don't have to recreate the wheel, find out what is working for others who are doing this and make it happen in your organization. I guarantee you will get more information, garner more respect from your employees and see big impact in the way you are doing business.

One last thought:

If you want to see Mr. Michael Jacobs work in action I highly suggest you visit one of the BR Guest Restaurants, they really are fabulous. You can access their locations by viewing their web page at WWW.BRGUESTINC.com. You will not be disappointed.

Grace Andrews • Executive Coach/Corporate Healer • President, Training By Design • Boston, MA • gandrews@training-by-design.com • www.training-by-design.com

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Leadership: Ripples and Waves

"A myth, in its simplest definition, is a story with a meaning attached to it other than it seems to have at first; and the fact that it has such a meaning is generally marked by some of its circumstances being extraordinary, or, in the common use of the word, unnatural."

I believe there is a prevailing feeling that to be a great leader you need to have charisma, a larger then life persona, powerful connections and looking good in a suit doesn't hurt either. I have found over the years that while this may have some truth in perception, it is a myth. We all know some myths are seen as truths, but this one should not be; it allows us to miss recognizing great leaders that are right under our noses. I believe there are two types of leaders in general categories - those that are waves and those that are ripples.

Wave Leaders:

These are what might be considered traditional leaders. They come on to the scene in a rush, crashing into a room with unbridled energy and magnetism. They speak with passion and force. It is hard not to listen to them because of their persuasion, sometimes even manipulation. Think of JFK, Martin Luther King, Jack Welch or Bill Clinton. They tend to have big egos and a confidence not to be ignored. They can be extremely effective in moving people to action.

Ripple Leaders:

These leaders are sometimes harder to recognize, at least at first. They use subtle messaging and quiet persuasion. They enter the leadership arena with strategic thoughtfulness and care. They can sometimes frustrate the wave leaders, because it appears they are slow or not definitive enough. They are after the longer-term effect. It is like putting your toe in a pool of water and watching the ripples move out to the edges, touching all areas but without disturbing the serenity of the water. Think Ghandi, Bill Gates - they too can be very effective, but we sometimes miss them if we are not looking.

What does this mean for you?

The first message is: are you looking for leaders in your organization that may not fit what you believe defines leadership? I work with a CEO who constantly says to his employees, "each one of you has the opportunity to be a leader and a follower in this company". This expansive statement invites all styles to step into the leadership role, but he doesn't stop there. He then goes out and looks for leaders who do not fit his leadership paradigm, knowing that embracing the difference in leadership styles will encourage his people to take risks out of their comfort zone, that will expose their value in bigger ways, resulting in huge payoffs to his organization.

The second message is: don't drink your own kool-aid. Leaders get into the trap that if their style is successful, then all leaders should be like them, encouraging their successors to model their behavior. It is a dangerous proclamation. Just because your way works doesn't mean another way won't, and may be even better.

What to do?

Start by identifying what type of leader you are and then look for balance. Think about water again. There is something so appealing about watching the power of the surf on a turbulent ocean. It is exhilarating to be in those waves, but you can only last so long in that water, and then you are exhausted, torn up by the sand, and you need a break. You feel great-yes, but then you need a nap. That is where the ripple comes in. It is like having a place to go that is calm, and steady - more like a river that you can set your canoe in and pace yourself - still heading in a direction toward your destination, but in a planned and thoughtful way.

You should be looking for both in your organizations. If you don't, you will miss out on so much potential. I imagine you have some unfound leaders in your organization right now, because you are looking in the wrong place. Go find them.

One Last Thought:

Ripples and waves - both are good - and more importantly, they need each other. So if you are a wave, find a ripple and of course, the reverse is true, too.

09:26 am | 0 recommendations | 1 comment

Leadership: Executive Coaching -- Fuel or Folly?

So which is it? There seems to be a wide variety of opinions concerning the value of executive coaching. Some say it is the professional that people choose who gets tired of working and so becomes a consultant and that this person’s input is a waste of time. Others swear by executive coaching as a way that changed their lives and careers. As an executive coach myself, I engage in both sides of this conversation with sincere interest. So is it fuel for the leader to improve or folly?

I believe that the answer to this question comes down to who is selected as the coach and how the selection process is structured. Just like most things you search for, like a good doctor, dentist, hair stylist or mechanic, it generally comes down to how well you know what you want and how good you are at researching who is the real deal versus who is a quack. The first point of context that will help you successfully navigate the executive coaching course is understanding how it can serve an organization.

What is the value of outside coaching?

Paul Michelman wrote in an article for the Harvard Business Review the following, when assessing what coaching is: "The belief is that, under the right circumstances, one-on-one interaction with an objective third party can provide a focus that other forms of organizational support simply cannot."

Whereas coaching was once viewed by many as a tool to help correct underperformance, today it is becoming much more widely used in supporting top producers. In fact, in a 2004 survey by Right Management Consultants (Philadelphia), 86 percent of companies said they used coaching to sharpen skills.

At an even more basic level, many executives simply benefit from receiving any feedback at all. "As individuals advance to the executive level, development feedback becomes increasingly important, more infrequent, and more unreliable," notes Anna Maravelas, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based executive coach and founder of TheraRising. As a result, she says, "Many executives plateau in critical interpersonal and leadership skills."

If what Maravelas is saying is true, then why do some people believe executive coaching is hogwash? The answer: because there are a lot of bad coaches out there and they give the profession a bad name. This is why how you structure your selection process and whom you ultimately choose are so important. If you are thinking of heading down this road and want to get the most benefit from your selection process, here are a few tips to get you started.

How do you get started?

First things first:
Know that, without question, executive coaching is not therapy. If it is therapy you want, go find a therapist. This is business coaching and if it turns into therapy and the person is not a qualified therapist, he/she can do more harm than good.

Know what your goal is:
Have an idea of what you want to get out of this coaching engagement. You may not know exactly what your goals are, but you have to think, at least generally, about what you are striving for, so you can appropriately select a coach who can get you there.

Know what type of coach you want:
I categorize coaches into three general categories:
1) Coaching primarily for relationship skills. This type of coaching engagement will require a coach with a kinder, gentler approach and will include talking through many communication and relationship scenarios.
2) Coaching primarily for goal-achievement and growth. This type of coaching engagement will require a coach with a more directive and assertive style (i.e., someone who isn’t about the coachee’s comfort). Typically the coachee will be given assignments, reading and a specific process to follow.
3) Coaching that is psychological in nature. This approach utilizes testing, theories and proven models and focuses on "a what makes you tick" kind of process to get to the goal.

I am confident there are combinations of these three approaches, but you need to identify what type of coach will work best for you. All have value, if they match your goals and disposition.

Ask good questions:
I have found that most executives are poor at interviewing potential coaches and that they do not know what to ask. Here are a few sample questions that every reputable coach should be able to answer:
1. Tell me about your coaching process and philosophy? (Here, you are looking for a feel of what type of coach the person is and the length of the process, time commitment, and frequency of meetings. Also probe for some of the tools and resources the coach might use.)

2. Give me an example of a previous coaching experience that you would consider a success and what made it so?

3. How would you describe your coaching style?

4. How do you help identify what your coachee’s needs are? (Here you are looking to see if they utilize a 360 feedback process or another method to ascertain needs that the coachee may not see in him/herself)

5. How do you measure success?

I am sure many who are reading this can give us more examples of good questions to ask a coach. If you have some, please let me know.

The coaching process can be a fabulous and engaging experience for leaders to partake in, which ultimately leads to growth and enhancement. Following the basics that I’ve outlined here will ensure that you find a coach who is both reputable and skilled at aiding you in this executive coaching journey. Lastly, if in the selection process a particular coach has all the right answers, but you are uncomfortable with his/her style, don't choose that coach – it simply won’t work.

One last thought:
As the coachee, be prepared for some hard work and be open to hearing a lot of feedback that might feel painful. You must work on limiting your defensiveness and focus on being curious about the learning that can take place. Remember, this coaching process is for you; it may align around company goals, but it is for your growth and you will choose what to share, what to change and what to keep the same. Being dismissive or defensive about the feedback will greatly limit your growth and the value this process can bring. After all, you are hiring this person to be your "truth teller"…..embrace that gift.

Grace Andrews • Executive Coach/Corporate Healer • President, Training By Design • Boston, MA • gandrews@training-by-design.com • www.training-by-design.com

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Leadership: All On Board

As graduations wind down and a whole flock of new recruits hit the pavement, one of the most important things you should be thinking about is how you're bringing those new recruits into your organization. I am talking about how you orient, train, and motivate your newly hired staff. The newest term for this critical phenomenon is Onboarding, or the process we use to get employees in new roles up to speed to deliver rapid results and achieve long-term success. This focus is more critical than ever with a new generation of employees who are less interested in staying with one company for 10 plus years. What is foundational for this group of people is to feel valued, productive, and to be given lots of growth opportunities and to feel like an integral part of the organization they have joined. Long gone is the orientation of reams of paper work and an HR professional droning on and on about the rules and regs of their organization. In fact, according to one study, if your orientation is anything like this, 4% of your new recruits do not come back after day one!

So what should you include in your Onboarding process? Well, there are lots of options, some of which I will lay out for you as you read further, but the first step is to include the things that fit your organization best. The one I want to emphasize the most is your attention to the relationship you have with your employees. In this fast paced world, with more technology then ever, it appears that this is the thing that is most missing with our people - the reaching out and spending the kind of time that makes your employees feel valued and that you find their opinions meaningful. A 2005 Gallup poll found these statistics:

• If your leader primarily ignores you there is a 40% chance you are disengaged.
• If your leader primarily focuses on your weaknesses there is a 22% chance you are disengaged.
• If your leader primarily focuses on your strengths there is a 1% chance you are disengaged.

Great content in your orientation and training programs can never replace personal interaction. This means more than stopping in the hallway and saying, "How is it going?" Building relationships requires mentoring programs, face to face meetings and networking beyond the business; these actions all engage employees in new ways. Be keenly aware that this process is not from the HR role alone; it takes every leader, manager and supervisor to be involved for it to be a success.

So what can you do to create a successful onboarding process?

Preboarding:

Well actually before you onboard them you must look at your preboard process. Selecting your crew is huge and the best way to do that is through behavioral interviewing (past behavior predicts future performance.) As David Cohen writes, "Behavioral Interviewing is a competency-based approach that improves your chances of picking the right candidate two to five times over traditional processes, has tremendous impact on retention levels, and results in clarity within the organization around goals, values, and the nature of top performance." If you are not familiar with behavioral interviewing, go find out, trust me all the candidates who are interviewing with you know what it is.

Onboarding: Four Steps to a Powerful Boarding Process.

Step I: Orientation
Orientation. Exciting! Orientation. Passionate! Orientation. Interactive! If these are words that you cannot pair with your company's current orientation, it may be time for you to revamp your program. In the "onboarding" process, a meaningful and interactive orientation is the plank that allows your new hires to set sail with an enthusiastic awareness of their role on the team, a sense of belonging and knowing the direction that they're taking. Interaction is the key, lots of stimulation, full tours, meet people, take them out to lunch, share your values, show them what rocks about your culture.

Does this orientation still include the coverage of the handbook regulations and the requisite benefits discussion? Yes, it does; but these are paired with interactive activities, and a significant introduction to the core purpose, mission and values of the organization. It takes time but the payoff is huge. Some companies pick up their new hires in a limo on there first day, some ask for beverage preferences and on second day have that beverage waiting for them. So, how are your new hires feeling when they leave your company's orientation? If the answer is bored, overwhelmed or underwhelmed, think about getting "onboard." It will be rejuvenating for you and enlivening for your new team members!

Step II: Developing a Training Plan

Unfortunately, many managers do not take the time to prepare a training plan for their new hires or schedule the time to actually do some hands-on training with new employees. Having a written training plan and scheduling the time to conduct training are both important elements in the success of your new hire - shortcuts in these areas will create performance problems and dissatisfaction.

Countless studies have shown that two of the top reasons that an employee leaves an organization are:
1. Poor relationship with their direct manager or supervisor (i.e., my manager does not communicate with me, check in on me or provide me with enough support and direction).
2. Lack of confidence in or uncertainty of my job responsibilities (i.e., I don't know what is expected of me and no one has trained me how to do my job).

After orientation, it is important that a new employee be given enough direction and training to become competent in their core job responsibilities. As Ken Blanchard's Situational Leadership model teaches us, when a manager has a new hire, he/she should be utilizing his/her directing skills and display the following behaviors:

• Plan work in advance for the employee to accomplish


• Set and communicate priorities


• Set timelines for work to be done


• Show or tell the employee how to do specific tasks


• Closely observe, instruct and evaluate the employee's work


• Organize and provide resources needed for success

It definitely takes time to effectively direct and train a new hire; however, it is time well spent and averts the dangerous "sink or swim" approach to onboarding that sends a bad message to new hires that more often than not leads to disengagement and confusion. So, make it a point to spend some time directing and training your next new hire. You will ensure that your employee understands what is expected of him/her. Allowing that individual to gain the confidence needed to be successful, you will be setting a solid foundation for a relationship between you and your employee - and this sends employees the kind of message that leads to engagement, high levels of confidence and career success.

Step III: Mapping Out the Goals:

Successful onboarding requires an element all too often overlooked, the development of meaningful goals that can be evaluated at the end of the 90 days… and a plan for day 91 and beyond.

Setting clear goals with expectations around performance not only allows the new hire to participate in meaningful work and gain a more immediate sense of accomplishment, but it also allows the employer to take the new hire out for a "test drive" and evaluate his or her contribution against a desired set of performance indicators.

And studies reveal that employees involved in goal-oriented work integrate into their new work environments faster and with greater job satisfaction, while their employer's receive better results and a quicker return on their new hire investment.

To encourage accountability, goals should set clear expectations about the job requirements and what success looks like in the new position. Goals need to align the work, clearly showing the employee how their goals contribute to the direct success of their supervisor or manager and linking them to group, department, division and organizational goals. Goals must also establish results that can be evaluated either quantitatively or qualitatively against measurable standards. That means clearly differentiating standard performance from below standard performance and above standard or exceptional performance.

And while it may take many tasks to accomplish a goal, performance should be driven on just a handful of meaningful goals. No more than 4 to 6 goals are recommended in any performance cycle. Lastly, goals must be given weight or priority so an employee is clear about which goals to focus on first and most often. Knowing that one goal is 50% of what an employee was being evaluated on should never be a surprise at the review.

Sometimes new hires come with the competencies and skills we desire in the role, but often they are being asked to develop them on the job. Effective manager's know to also discuss and assign 2 to 3 developmental goals for new hires that they know they'll need to continue to develop in order to support their performance goals. Encouraging and supporting professional development, and aligning individual developmental goals with performance goals is what helps bring meaning to the work… and success in the first 90 days.

Step IV: Keeping on Course with the 90-day Review:

Since many companies find the most vulnerable period for new employees to voluntarily terminate their employment is between two and six months, the Introductory Review Process can be an important retention tool to keep your new hires on board.

The following are some tips to make the most of the process:

1. Set a time in advance of the review meeting and explain its purpose and importance. This allows employees to be prepared and get into a listening frame of mind.
2. Ask for and listen to the employee's evaluation of progress. This helps to reinforce a sense of participation and partnership. Oftentimes, employees are more critical of themselves than managers and this presents the opportunity for you to give positive reinforcement that builds confidence. If not, you have the opportunity to let the employee know what you expect.
3. Give specific examples on areas where progress has been made. This is particularly important for a new employee who is performing a new job. This shows your employee that you are watching and appreciative. The employee will be in a more receptive mood to tackle problem areas.
4. Focus on solving key problems and reviewing priorities. It has been demonstrated that real motivation comes from feedback that is specific, frequent, relevant and from a person in whom the employee believes. In addition, feedback is best accepted when it is aimed at the problem, not the person. Try to isolate one or two major problems whose solutions will produce results. By limiting the number of problems, both you and the employee can review alternative actions that will produce a solution and then agree on the best action to take.
5. End the review with an agreement about the present status of the work and set goals for the future. Often supervisors believe they have left such a discussion with a shared understanding, only to find later that the employee did not comprehend what was expected. It does not hurt at this point to create an action plan or a to-do list, with target dates for completion. Give one to the employee and keep one yourself.
6. Finally, follow-up on any agreements made during the review.

One Last Thought:

I want to add a word about your longer-term staff as well. "Reboarding" is also necessary. It reaffirms their value and reconfirms your culture. It keeps retention high and gains you fresh ideas and firmer commitment. So do not forget the ones who are with you. They deserve that attention too.

So I encourage you to look at your onboarding process with a critical eye to your organization. What should you be doing different, better? Remember, this is not about first impressions but something that will last. I remember reading a book once that said that the President of the United States has 100 days to prove himself; you, on the other hand, have only 90. Get busy!

Grace Andrews • Executive Coach/Corporate Healer • President, Training By Design • Boston, MA • gandrews@training-by-design.com • www.training-by-design.com

05:38 pm | 0 recommendations | 1 comment

Is Your Board Bored?

Does your company have a Board of Directors? An Advisory Board? Do you sit on a Board? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should ask, "How Bored is your Board?" I facilitate many Board retreats and advisory Boards on formation and strategy. This past year, we have been called repeatedly to help Boards revamp, and "rewire" how they are "being". A few of the questions that I get are: "How do we get our Board to be more engaged, do more, respond better?" "How do I attract great people to be on my Board?" "How do I get people off my Board?" Common complaints of Directors of Boards are low attendance, people not volunteering for projects, and members not coming to agreement. I am not surprised by these findings.

Historically, Boards in the early 1900's, were predominantly male; the meetings were long and often involved a social aspect. Time was made in an executive's day or evening to participate and it was often seen as a measure of status to be on a Board. We are not the same today.

Although there may be a measure of status belonging to certain Boards, people are taking stock of their lives and how they use their time. Every minute counts. Every second away from something that is "core" gets scrutinized. With the working day already extending to 10-12 hours, fitting time in to sit on a Board that does not add intrinsic value results in plummeting participation, particularly if there is no financial gain.

So, is your Board doomed? No, but you should be sure your Board is value-driven, for both your organization and for the members you are trying to attract.

Some questions to ask yourself are:

When was the last Board evaluation conducted?
Your Board should have an evaluation process at least once per year. Regular evaluation should be done for a number of reasons:
 To ensure that the vision and purpose of the Board is being met
 To continuously improve the organization's work
 To ensure programs and services meet the expectations and objectives set for them, and to make changes if needed
 To be accountable to the community and the people served by the organization
 To meet the requirements of the constituents they serve
 To provide feedback to the staff and volunteers doing the work of the organizations

Does your Board have a clear vision and strategy for its purpose?
Have you spent time designing and defining what your purpose is and can everyone clearly articulate that? Do all members understand what their role is and what commitment level is expected? Have you created this vision with your Board or with a subset and enrolled the rest? Engagement comes from ownership and something built around common belief and values. Create your purpose and strategy with your Board.

When was the last time you asked your members how you could engage them more?
How often do you meet with Board members individually or in small groups and ask them what the Board could be doing that would bring value and re-ignite their passion? A one-way relationship where Board members are asked to keep "doing" and get nothing back is on a path to divorce. Having this conversation alone will spark interest and commitment.

What value does your Board bring to your community, company and members?
Have you ever had a discussion with your Board about the value the group brings to each of these constituencies? Make a list of all the value your group creates. Let each member see the difference they are making in the lives of others. On the other hand, if you are not doing that, you may want to re-look at your purpose.

Try this:

Start with doing a Board evaluation. Don't just make it a typical evaluation centered on how much committee work got accomplished or how many by-laws were enacted. Make the evaluation centered on two specific areas:
1. Is the Board achieving its purpose?
2. Are the members of the Board satisfied?

One last thought:

Try making your meetings or yearly off-sites more interesting. Have a learning piece, an adventure piece, a speaker, author or magician. Do something more than sitting in a meeting room and then having dinner. For god's sake, no wonder they're bored.

People want to spend time on things they value. Once you establish value, you will see renewed energy and a Board that is no longer bored.

Grace Andrews • Executive Coach/Corporate Healer • President, Training By Design • Boston, MA • gandrews@training-by-design.com • www.training-by-design.com

12:00 pm | 0 recommendations | Be the first to comment

Leaders Pushing Limits

I have been reading with great interest, of late, the phenomenon of leaders taking physical risks and challenges to "keep the edge". It is an interesting concept.

In a recent USA Today article by Del Jones, he writes about CEOs and other high achievers testing what he calls their "freak-out point". As Jones describes, the freak-out point is the fear threshold you must push yourself past. CEOs say crossing it provides lessons useful in business and in life. There's great value in knowing what frightens you can be survived, as well as learning how to concentrate when concentration is all but impossible.

I am a pretty adventurous gal and our team at Training By Design has done some pretty edgy stuff, including skydiving and trapezing. We've done it in the spirit of teambuilding, and as I reflect, I suppose we like to test our limits. However, some of the stuff these leaders are doing seems radical: climbing Mount Everest, flying planes, bungee jumping, helicopter skiing, motorcycle racing and glacier climbing.

So what's this about?

Many leaders say that pushing the limits outside the office gives them the experience of being in the moment, especially in times of crisis and keeps them focused, ready to take action. They say it helps them become comfortable with pressure and embrace risk. These are certainly important skills for leaders to have, but what if you are not inclined to risk life and limb to gain this experience? Are there other ways to keep sharp without surfing the biggest wave in Maui? I say, "Yes."

How do I keep the edge without jumping off the edge?

Continue moving…inaction leads to stagnation.

Often crises and difficult decisions lead to paralysis. Movement is the key to both preventing and moving out of paralysis. Not to say that strategy and planning are not valuable, but only after you've started moving in some direction. To think too long, without movement, adds to people's confusion and can create lethargy.

Read…anything.

They say adults who read, do crossword puzzles and keep their mind sharp greatly reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. I believe that leaders can have "business Alzheimer's". If you are not constantly stimulating your mind and learning new thought processes and concepts, you will lose your edge. Not everything out there is good reading, but much is. Ask someone who knows you and someone you trust the best thing they've read lately. One new idea you bring to your team can create a shift, and even transform your organization.

Talk to people…constantly.

Basic, but true. Leaders who are visible, talking to their employees and constantly searching for knowledge of what is going on in their organizations, stay fresh, head off crisis and keep ahead of the game. Aim for talking, I mean really talking, to 2-3 employees and customers a day.

Ask for feedback and be open to what you hear.

Sun Microsystems' Scott McNealy, who excels in hockey and golf, and is one of the best athletes ever to rise to CEO, was replaced in 2006 by Jonathan Schwartz. While one look at Schwartz's ponytail tells you he won't be taking any body checks on the ice, he became one of the first CEOs with enough guts to write a blog that invites relentless online comments from critics known as "flamers". That may not rise to the level of freak-out point, but leaders dating back to Napoleon have been insecure about accepting criticism, and there remains few CEOs of major companies who blog. You have a responsibility, as a leader, to constantly ask for and accept feedback. How do you rate on this?

Try something that seems counterintuitive.

Be open to outcomes. At some point, as we grow in our business, we become "right" all the time. Once that happens, we deny ourselves the possibility that someone else has a better idea than we do. Trying things that may be counterintuitive for you shakes things up, gets people out of their comfort zone and often creates breakthrough ideas that you have not imagined possible.

Don't let others in your organization do all the dirty work.

Leaders that have others deliver the tough messages, make the difficult decisions and hide when the chips are down, fail. This might push your personal freak-out point; however, what you gain in respect, support and understanding is your reward.

Go work "on the line or in the trenches".

Whatever your "line or trenches" are in your organization, being out of touch with the front line associates is certain doom. How can you make the right decisions without being in their shoes? Relying on others to report what is going on only goes so far. YOU need to know what is going on, first hand. Making time for this always gives you new insight, new information and new ways of doing things.

Do a 360 on yourself.

This will make you sweat. Have someone else get anonymous, 360 feedback on you. Pick 10 key individuals in your organization that you know will tell you the truth. Next, create specific and thoughtful questions to ask each one and have the data compiled. Once you get the feedback, thank your participants, no matter how tough the feedback. Make an action plan and publish what you are going to do differently. It's not just about getting the feedback, but also actually doing something with the feedback that will make a difference.

Try This

Make a list of all the things that inspire you about other leaders. Compare them to your skill sets. What are you missing that they have? This is a great place to start understanding what you need to do to go to the next level. Then start learning those skills and practicing them. Start now, even if it's scary. You don't have to jump out of a plane to get your heart pumping; sometimes it is as simple as looking in the mirror and telling yourself the truth about something you should be doing and then taking the steps to do it.

One last thought

I think finding and pushing your freak-out point occasionally is a good thing. If you're the adventurous type, then go for the gusto and climb, jump, surf. If you are not, don't let that stop you. There are ways to keep your edge, but lying down is not one of them.

Grace Andrews • Executive Coach/Corporate Healer • President, Training By Design • Boston, MA • gandrews@training-by-design.com • www.training-by-design.com

11:33 am | 0 recommendations | Be the first to comment

Let's be Clear…..

I am very fond of the book The One Thing You Need to Know by Marcus Buckingham. There are a number of useful concepts in this book, but the one that I liked best was Buckingham's focus on clarity.

As leaders, we spend a lot of our time developing the skill of communication in our organizations. We speak to our teams and employees about how vital effective communication is and how we must practice this with everyone we engage in conversations. We insist that our managers master this skill and develop it in all of their people. When we think our managers are not listening to us about how importance effective communication, we holler at them to "wake up and smell the coffee" and see that the communication within their teams needs some attention and improvement. What I'm wondering is……are we clear in the messages we are sending?

In reading Mr. Buckingham's book, the one thing that resonated most with me is the absolute necessity that managers and leaders speak with clarity. Clarity – what does that mean exactly? And how do we establish it in everything we do?

Think about this for a moment: when you last addressed your team, or an audience, or the whole company, were you sure everyone was on the same page when you were done speaking? Were you confident that your message could be passed down to another layer of employees and that this group would receive the same message and there would be a shared understanding of the outcome? Have you thought every time you addressed a group that your message should be so clear, so simple, that it could be understood and translated to 4 or 40,000 people? Here's the rub: is our advanced communication getting in the way of our clarity?

What does clarity mean and how do you know if you have it?

The official definition is "free from obscurity and easy to understand; the comprehensibility of clear expression." There is nothing more likely to create chaos in an organization than confusion and unclear communication. So, how does one establish clarity? Mr. Marcus Buckingham suggests you focus on four powerful and defining questions: (1) Who do we serve?, (2) What is our core strength?, (3) What is our core score? and, finally, (4) What actions can we take today?

Question 1: Who do we serve?
When answering this question, you must tell your team clearly and vividly, who their main audience is. Tell them who they should empathize with most closely. Tell them who will be judging their success. When you do this with clarity, you give your people confidence - confidence in their judgment and confidence in their decisions. It frees them to better serve those you have identified are the one audience whom they serve. Please do not give them many masters - it only adds confusion; pick one and focus on it. This clear strategy makes it easy to follow you.

Question 2: What is our core strength?
Thirty years ago, Peter Drucker wrote, "the most effective organizations get their strengths together and make their weaknesses irrelevant". No statement could be truer today. Focusing on weaknesses brings down your team. Look at your core strength and go after the business and situations that play to this strength. Understanding and clearly communicating your core strength allows people to follow the vision you create.

Question 3: What is our core score?
Simply put, this means finding a way to measure success. This is the most important contribution you can give your organization or team. Once defined, your people know when they are achieving their objectives, when to work harder or faster, and when they are winning! Defining that measure is hard, but essential. If you want people to follow you and take initiative, tell them what the core score is, so they know what to use to measure their progress. This also gives an additional benefit of people being able to manage their progress, so you don't have to be the one that always does it!

Question 4: What actions can we take today?
Action is unambiguous. Actions are clear and they speak volumes. Actions let people know exactly what to do. As a leader, there are many actions that you can take each day. The question to ask is "what actions can I take today that will have the most meaningful impact on my people and those we serve, and will move us closer to achieving our goals?" Remember, choose your actions carefully, and choose just a few. Guided by the clarity of your actions, your team can move into the future easily and without the fear of the unknown. This will not only instill confidence in you, but also raise the confidence of your people.

What can you do?

I strongly suggest you begin by answering the four questions above. If you think they already exist in your organization, go out and test that assumption with a group of people from all levels. Do their answers match your own? Do they match each other's? This is one way to know if you are bringing clarity to your organization as a leader.

One last thought:

In the military, the general leading the charge must be clear or his people die. In sports, the coach, quarterback or captain must be clear or the team loses. The same can be said in your businesses. If, as a leader, you are not clear, then the company runs the risk of losing – losing clients, market share or potentially dying and closing your doors. I encourage you (not by hollering at you) to look at all the messages you are sending - verbally, by e-mail, and in meetings - are they clear? Because as leaders, it's okay to be wrong, but it isn't okay to be unclear; the risks are too high – what you must be is clear.

Grace Andrews • Executive Coach/Corporate Healer • President, Training By Design • Boston, MA • gandrews@training-by-design.com • www.training-by-design.com