Leadership Development Archive

Getting Promoted

By
TomChampoux
Published: September 8, 2011Posted in: Leadership Development, People Skills, The Effectiveness InstituteTags: , , , , ,
Getting Promoted

Tom Champoux, president of Effectiveness Institute, explores the key characteristics of people who are often promoted. 

The reality is very clear – those who are capable, competent and likeable are the first to be promoted.  They are the men and women who have technical knowledge and expertise balanced with the appropriate people skills; the ability to have others willingly follow their lead.

Likeable is such a misunderstood word.  It is not being nice-nice or great at socializing or meeting the right people.  It doesn’t mean I can’t get frustrated or have a bad day.  Likeable means respectful treatment, honoring the dignity of others, not embarrassing them.  It means listening, taking time and giving credit.  It means avoiding the use of position power at almost all costs.  It requires vulnerability and the willingness to admit mistakes.  It means people are appreciative or happy when you walk into the room, not when you walk out of it.  I would like to work for that person….wouldn’t you?

The next group of “promote-ables” are those with technical expertise alone…and it is the promoting of these folks where the trouble begins.  Their two strengths are knowledge/expertise and position power…and it is the over-use of power that creates the problem.  I don’t think it is their intent to over-use position power.  It is the only way they know how to get others to act.  Respectful treatment and dignity are sacrificed to produce results and meet deadlines.  Producing results (so I can shine/be promoted), telling, being right and getting credit are primary drivers.  I don’t think I would like to work for this person….would you? I would be happy when they walked out of the room.

So here is the key:  make sure the word “likeable” is used by others to describe you.   Have you said these words: “that’s not what I meant.”  Those words signal that your intent and your impact do not align.  Trust and respect are now compromised, uncertainty and doubt emerge and your credibility suffers.  Intent and impact must align.  Listen, involve, ask, share, and appreciate those around you.

Effectiveness Institute offers training and professional development workshops and webinars in Seattle, WA.

Preparing for organizational change

By
TomChampoux
Published: September 6, 2011Posted in: Ask Tom, Leadership Development, Team DevelopmentTags: , ,

Tom, how does a manager prepare him or herself for organizational change and manage that same change in others?

When dealing with organizational change, it is important to consider change management, organizational management and employee morale.

Three issues are key:

1. A CONNECTION TO SOMETHING LARGER THAN SELF. Why would you change anything when what you are doing is working? The first and primary role of the manager is to continually educate and reinforce to his or her staff how what the team is doing is part of something larger. The world of finance is not a world unto itself. It is an integral part of a seamless organization. Finance works with operations, sales and systems support to make it all work.  If an individual is to collaboratively and successfully integrate change, first he or she must be committed to a larger team goal, a goal larger than one’s own function or responsibility

2. CREATING A SENSE OF URGENCY. Individuals change when they see or experience urgency. The question then becomes, “how do you create urgency?” Simply telling an individual that this is urgent will not achieve the desired response. I believe the answer to creating urgency is tied into two things: 1) the “why” is understood, and 2) the consequence of not making the change is clear. This cannot be a one way conversation. It must include dialogue where an individual can surface concerns and address the frustrations that the change will cause.

3. LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE. The third issue in change is addressing the fear issue as the individual is asked to leave his or her comfort zone. In a competitive marketplace where quality is the norm and mistakes are not tolerated, individuals creatively work to stay in their comfort zone where their strengths are. If they do this, change will never happen. Managing the personal side of the professional relationship is critical to the success of any manager if they expect their people to risk and grow. Support, reassurance and guidance are key.

Change is not difficult. It is just as natural process as not changing. Individuals want to do good and they want to make a difference. They want to be part of something larger than themselves. If leaders and managers talk about and continuously clarify the organizational goals, that dialogue surfaces the why’s and the what’s for team members. As they pursue HOW to make it happen, the urgency created in the why/what discussions enable risking and leaving the comfort zone and change happens. By first understanding change management and organizational management, leaders are better equipped to prepare employees for change.

Male and Female Brains: Behavioral Differences at Work

By
TomChampoux
Published: July 11, 2011Posted in: Conflict Resolution, Leadership Development, People Skills, Team DevelopmentTags:
Male and Female Brains: Behavioral Differences at Work

“There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.”  ~ Soren Kierkegaard

One of the great things about advancing technology is that it helps us answer the WHY questions.  Without these answers, speculation that reinforces one’s beliefs abounds…whether the speculation is right or wrong isn’t the point – historically, a position of power or a person’s social class provided credibility.  Not anymore.

For the last three years, I have been impressed with the work of Dr. John Medina, (BrainRules, 2008) the brain researcher who gained worldwide credibility for his work and research in the field of neuroscience. Early on in our relationship, I would ask Dr. Medina questions and sometimes get a response of “I don’t know.”  The quizzical look on my face was answered with, “Oh, I can tell you the commonly held belief, but unless I can prove it in the lab, my answer is ‘I don’t know’.”  A scientist to the very core.

Proudly, we at Effectiveness Institute  have collaborated with Dr. Medina to produce a webinar highlighting the differences between male and female brains and the implications it has for organizations and leadership. Click here for a preview.  As you watch and listen, I wonder if the question in the opening quote is true: “Will you continue to believe what is not true or will you refuse to believe what is true?” Or, will you find new thinking that allows you to maximize the strengths of male and female brains, particularly in the world of business.  Enjoy the journey.

Team Dynamics (or its Poison) – Part II

By
TomChampoux
Published: June 8, 2011Posted in: Leadership Development, Team Development, The Effectiveness InstituteTags:
Team Dynamics (or its Poison) – Part II

Meet President Tom Champoux and Senior Partner George Myers, at our complimentary workshop, Leveraging Team Dynamics, on June 16, 2011.  Click here for more information.

A few days ago I wrote about why “doubt” is so destructive to team synergy and why clarity is absolutely essential to a high performing team.  In that text, I referenced the “unintentional” doubt that is so destructive to team dynamics.  I want to explore that a little deeper.

We all have patterns of behavior that are comfortable to us as we accomplish tasks and interact with people.  Each of us, through life experiences, has developed combinations of patterns that help us achieve our goals.  Doubt or uncertainty unintentionally develops when we experience a pattern that is different than our own or behaviors that we were not expecting to see.  The primal concern of safety is alerted and hesitancy appears.  The typical response is fight or flight – neither are productive. 

Team dynamics not only encourages, but embraces, those same differences…but in a positive fashion.  The theory of opposites provides a beginning point.  How would we appreciate sun light if there was no darkness; joy if there were no sadness; warmth if there were no cold?

But opposites alone do not create the synergy.  There must also be commonness or principles that bring us together so our differences have power.  The athletic example is easy:  how can you win if you have great offense and no defense.  Or a great defense but you can’t score…both are needed.  How can one be so results-oriented that people are destroyed?  Or so people-oriented that little is accomplished?  Both are needed…task accomplishment and respectful treatment of people.  The power of differences is the leverage point.  Differences combined with principles create the synergy that accomplishes the goal and drives the purpose…and that is what team dynamics is all about. 

Join Effectiveness Institute for a complimentary workshop, Leveraging Team Dynamics, on June 16, 2011, Seattle WA.  Featuring Senior Consultant and Partner, George Myers and Effectiveness Institute President, Tom Champoux.

What Do We Want From Leaders?

By
TomChampoux
Published: April 29, 2011Posted in: Leadership DevelopmentTags: , ,

The role of leadership is shifting. Not because leaders want it to shift – it is shifting because people who are being led want different things from their leaders. We look to our leaders and expect they have proper leadership development, and have gone through organizational leadership.

There are two different scenarios:

In a time or crises or significant change, there is a clear, simple need that we want from our leaders. When leaders themselves are asked the question about what that is, most leaders miss the mark with their response…however their answers are predictable – direction, quick action, taking control, responding, decision making. It is my belief that this is what leaders do in crises or change, it is not what is most desired. What people want from their leaders is for them to be grounded…to be in balance…to know they are doing the aforementioned activities from a proactive place, not a reactive one. This exudes the confidence that all followers desire before they are willing and able to put their heart and soul into the actions that are being requested of them.

This begets the question of how does one become grounded? It is a lifetime work. The alignment of spoken values and day to day behaviors is key. We want to be confident in our leader. We want him/her to be connected to the center of the earth, to be credible. This credibility is directly tied to worthy values and demonstrated behavior. (Values are defined as closely held beliefs to which a person will commit their actions. If I say “fairness:” is a value and then do not act when I see unfair behavior, then “fairness” is not really a value. It is a desired behavior.) This alignment of values and behavior creates a confidence in the leader that acts a multiplier to their power. Energy is not wasted sorting anything out because the belief is that the leader is once again actively proactively.

The second reason that leadership is changing is that with the rise of technology and the information age, the leader has no choice but to surround themselves with people who know more than they do. It is virtually impossible to stay current in every aspect of doing business. If a leader is not grounded, how can they do that? (The only way is to micromanage…and thus chase away the very talent that is needed.) The traditional models of leadership suggest that the leader is primarily a problem solver and answer person. How can that be when the goal is to surround yourself with people who know more than you do. The role of leader has shifted to someone who is a learner and teacher. They must learn faster than everyone else and then teach what they know to everyone around them. This further demonstrates groundedness and reinforces confidence in the leader. Leadership Development and organizational leadership are foundational programs in management training.

Which Styles Make the Best Leaders?

By
TomChampoux
Published: June 8, 2010Posted in: Ask Tom, Leadership DevelopmentTags: , , , ,

Leadership Development and Behavior Styles Programs are taught by Effectiveness Institute and Tom Champoux.
Tom:  Which styles make the best leaders?  It seems like most CEO’s would be a Controller; is that true?

Whenever I am asked this question, I always ask, “Why do you think Controllers would make good leaders?” The answer invariably comes back …“because they make fast decisions, they are results oriented, they can be tough when they need to be, they are not afraid of conflict”…all great traits that any leader should have access to in my opinion. But my thought is that any person can do these things with the simple choice of “rotating the iceberg.” This is the very definition of emotional intelligence – the ability to demonstrate the appropriate behavior at the appropriate time to meet the appropriate needs of the environment and the people in the environment.

Controllers do have natural, intuitive access to these behaviors but that can be a huge blind spot as well. We teach that when under pressure the initial tendency is to overuse our greatest strengths. Under stress, Controllers will push through the task to such an extreme they may not bring people along. Stabilizers and Persuaders, on the other hand, will go to great lengths to bring the people along but task achievement may lag.

So, which Style makes the best leader? How about the person who can wear all four “hats” and demonstrate – both people and task wise – the needed behavior, in the moment, without losing stride. It is true that some behaviors are easier for a given Style, but effective leadership demands the use of all four Style strengths – generating, promoting, fulfilling and quality/perfection.

A shorter answer to this question of which Style makes the best leader goes like this: “I don’t know. What is the leader going to be doing? Focusing on the future and setting goals to get there – a Controller. Generating excitement about where we are going and the things we need to do to get us there – a Persuader. Building a collaborative team approach where each team member buys in – a Stabilizer. Bringing efficiencies to the status quo and creating an infra-structure that carries the mission forward – an Analyzer.”

Clearly then, a high level of emotional intelligence is a better prognosticator of successful leadership than an individual’s Behavior Style. A secondary consideration is Behavior Style – What leadership behaviors are needed at this time? High emotional intelligence combined with the appropriate Behavior Style makes for the best leader.

Behavior Style workshops are available and facilitated by Effectiveness Institute consultants in the greater Seattle area.

Thoughts on Being a Leader

By
TomChampoux
Published: February 11, 2010Posted in: Leadership Development, The Effectiveness InstituteTags: , , , ,
Thoughts on Being a Leader

Leadership development and organizational leadership is key for 21st century leaders.  In today’s world, depending upon the leader to be the answer person or the problem solver is a sure pathway to mediocrity, frustration and the avoidance of responsibility. How can a leader be every place and know everything? Clearly the role of leadership is changing and well it should. Leadership must move away from power and control established by an organizational chart to a practical, in the trenches recognition and utilization of talents and skills. The leader needs to become the fastest learner and the best teacher so those responsible for results have the knowledge and parameters to make things happen. Keeping control close is the exact opposite of what needs to happen. Imagine how counter-intuitive it must be to a leader who is responsible and accountable to yield control. But this very act empowers and extends a leader’s control to an empowered, talented skill base where the joining of cause and effect leads to increased efficiencies.

The challenge that I see is where are leaders to learn these counter-intuitive skills? Most of us continue using the talents and skills that brought us this far….and now I am supposed to let go of those skills and depend upon new skills that are not developed? Yes, that is exactly right. It is not an accident that courage is the primary trait of leaders of change. The 21st century leader must move from an answer person and problem solver to a learner and teacher, and then, to a coach and mentor. Where are you on your journey? If your people continually come to you for answers, you are most likely are at the end of the scale that will lock you into past successes and hamper the creativity and intuition needed for future success. Is that where you want to be?