Driving Superior Performance the Easy Way

THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN HAVING A TALENTED TEAM!  While I’m not an expert on sports, it’s hard not to notice that great coaches usually have excellent players. Sure, the coach can help individual and team play but ultimately, the more talented team on the field will win the vast majority of games. What the truly great coaches do first and foremost is consistently select and hire great talent.

Among other things, executives need to consider a number of factors when evaluating candidates including; their communication style, behavior while under stress, leadership skills, strategic thinking ability, etc. Past performance can help, but past performance can also give you a “false positive” as well. The solution to successful hiring is actually quite simple and readily available; objective assessments. These insights allow executives to take assertive and positive steps to improved leadership and performance within the company.

2012 Olympics: Leaders from Practice to Podium

I admit I am hooked on the Olympics, in part because I am by nature competitive and get really energized by watching athletes go for that gold.  But these 2012 contests are also drawing me in because they are an excellent example of both individual and team achievement.  And, I really get a sense of how well the coaches are aligned with the team culture and strategy.  Everyone plays a role.  Everyone is on the same page.  Everyone supports the mission. There is a culture of excellence. Win or lose, gold, silver or bronze, from practice to podium, it really does come down to strategy and the leaders and coaches at all levels.

A recent article in Forbes suggests that Leadership Strategy should not necessarily be solely the responsibility of the CEO, i.e., “Long term business performance comes from leadership culture and careful and continuous development of leadership at all levels. It’s not all about the CEO.”  It goes on to make the point that leadership development should be offered throughout the organization; that high performing companies “develop leaders from the bottom up.”

In the most effective companies with which I work, the managers and supervisors that work on a day-to-day basis with employees lead with a consistent message and style, and one that is aligned with the culture. Culture is defined and communicated by all the leaders of the organization.  Maybe we need to start thinking less about developing leaders based only on title, and more about developing a leadership culture from the top desk to the desk top. 

 

Do I Have the Tools to Effectively Evaluate My Current Management Team?

There are dozens of qualities that make for a high performing team; how individuals communicate with each other and as a team, individual behavioral tendencies, domain expertise, technical ability, ability to execute on a plan, competency in strategic thinking, etc.

As experienced as executives may be, and as closely as their team is managed, their observations cannot adequately evaluate all human elements that make us who we are. To get robust and rich analysis, executives need to utilize specialized assessment tools designed specifically for these areas.

CANDOR has researched dozens of tools and have evaluated hundreds of individuals. The insights we provide can help you better know your team and help individuals better know themselves, resulting in improved performance and overall team effectiveness.

Self Confidence – Assurance from the Top Down

Recently I watched a news report about an unusually severe turbulence event on a plane.  A shaky flyer at best, this led me to think about how I react when I am flying and when something unexpected occurs.  Whether it be a loud noise, a bump, a sudden turn or the illumination of the “fasten seat belt” sign, the first thing I do is look at the flight attendants.  If their facial expression stays serene and unaffected, i.e. “business as usual”, I immediately relax and try to go with the flow. 

I recognize that as the managers of the flight, they are well-versed in emergency situations and unusual incidences that may occur, and I am solaced when they project confidence. It’s not that they don’t care about what is happening, but that they don’t scare their charges. If a quick decision has to be made regarding safety, I feel reassured they can do so.

It’s much like that in business.  Leaders who are able to build and project confidence during turbulent times do much to allay fears and keep people focused.  Confident leaders don’t panic and become immobile. They act rather than react, and do not constantly question their decisions. It is important they don’t become emotional and it is critical they appear sure of what is the next thing to do.    Many leaders today, in a business world that is constantly changing and evolving, would serve their teams better if they could control their emotional expressions and appear confident and assured.  

And, much like shaky flyers, this can go far to keep an organization reassured, moving forward, and not imagining the worst.

CEOs: On Spring Cleaning, Priorities and Tupperware

 We are in the middle of Q2, spring fever is in the air, the thought of a corporate spring cleaning and refreshing of ideas feels right.   Like households, businesses need to go through a similar process of spring cleaning.  We spent the end of last year hustling to finish things out and line things up for Q1. We spent Q1 trying to gain footing and perspective on planning and strategy.  Now it’s time to de-clutter, remove and prioritize on where to keep our focus for the remainder of the year.

 Where do you begin?  With so many critical issues to manage and so many great ideas to consider, how do you prioritize and target your next steps?   For me, it’s quite easy…I remember something a very wise business woman once said to me as I was juggling too many balls in the air, and needed to focus on my top, top priorities.

Categorize all that you are juggling as either CHINA or TUPPERWARE, and the distinction is twofold. If Tupperware falls, it doesn’t break.   It may require some reshaping, but it doesn’t shatter to pieces.  China, on the other hand, shatters when it falls and is gone forever.  

 So as you are rummaging through your corporate spring cleaning, run things by the CHINA or TUPPERWARE test.  CEOs should mainly be focused on the CHINA; if they are not, it could be gone and lost forever.

Side Effects or Reactions – Why Business Leaders Need to Read the Warning Signs!

With allergy season arriving extra early this year, I found myself once again trying to self-diagnose what medication would work best to fend off sneezes, itchy eyes and various other annoying symptoms.  In doing my research, I consistently read about allergy medication side effects and/or reactions, which I mistakenly thought were more or less the same thing. They are not.  Here is what I learned in between sneezes:

Side effects, though unwanted, are generally minor, and anticipated.  Typically, medication and drugs will list possible side effects so as not to cause undue concern, e.g., drowsiness, upset stomach, etc, which will most likely subside over time.

Reactions, on the other hand, are problems caused by a drug or medication that you or your doctor do NOT expect, causing sudden, more adverse changes and therefore, can be more serious in nature, e.g., sudden drop in blood pressure.

It strikes me that this is often the case with making business decisions, and is an important distinction, especially with regard to organizational change.  Sometimes, even when we think we have anticipated every possible response, we still get hit with side effects and reactions of decisions we make.  The important thing is to know which is which: is it a side effect that will cause some upset for a short period of time, but will eventually subside as people get used to the idea; or is it a reaction that was not anticipated, unintended and will cause more serious harm than good?

My takeaway: When making major business decisions, leaders should always include a “potential reaction” box in their flowchart, and have a plan for recognizing, monitoring and treating the reaction before it becomes toxic to the organization.

Rooting for the Home Team: Spring Training as a Business Term

People I know who are avid baseball fans had a great week…..between spring-like temperatures and the start of spring training, there was an air of anticipation of a great season, no matter which teams they support. Baseball is starting! I became curious enough myself to do a little research….

As history tells it, the first teams to schedule  “spring training”  were the Cincinnati Red“Stockings” and the Chicago White “Stockings” who  practiced at baseball camps in New Orleans in 1870. There is some who might argue that but it is generally accepted that by 1900, spring training became part of baseball’s ritual.

Basically, spring training allows new players to try out for positions and a place on the roster, and gives existing team players time to practice prior to competing “for real”.  It also allows for teams to get a feel for what they are up against as they play each other in exhibition games.

I think business can learn something from this.  We are deep into and approaching the end of Q1: trying to build business, assessing whether our plans are on the right track, or thinking about making some moves/changes before we spend too much time on a path that may be going wrong.

When it comes to spring training, I see similarities between what baseball coaches/managers and business owner/CEOs/managers are trying to determine:

• Did we make the right hires?
• Who can we count on?
• Who is going to need further development?
• How is this team going to come together?
• Are we setting the right tone?

Maybe we should think of spring training in terms of business and corporate development….there may be some value in carving out a specific time to:

• Emphasize the fundamentals
• Talk about goals….are they still relevant/what’s being met/what needs to be re-evaluated?
• Assess whether people in certain roles have the skills needed for their “position”….what needs to be tweaked, practiced, refreshed
• Think about what needs to be added/removed/re-positioned

AND….let’s swing for the fences!

A Recipe for Building EFFECTIVE Teams

The complexity of any organization is comprised of the dynamics between teams and the leadership that drives performance and progress.   In the spirit of the Holiday Season, I’ve provided recommendations on a Recipe for Building Effective Teams.    

Ingredient 1

Define an effective team.   The ability of a team to work well together.   There is a subtle difference between being able to “work together” and getting along.   People who work together may not necessarily get along or like one another and that’s OK.  What is important is that they keep the focus on the goal, and not the ego.   And, that they will hold one another accountable not avoid the hard conversations.

Ingredient 2

Recognize the stage of your organization.   At what stage is your organization?  It’s important to know as that often dictates how you hire and/or form teams.  Is it early stage, typically high intensity, with lots of risk and moving at a rapid pace, where everyone needs to row in the same direction and at the same speed?   Or, is it post-entrepreneurial stage where structure, sustainability and building diversity in your teams is more appropriate? Diversity, with regard to approach, style and behaviors, will help to meet the challenges of getting things done and provide a healthy approach to conflict.  It’s diversity that helps scale your business and creates maturity.

Ingredient 3

Get the Right Mix of People   The skills and behavioral tendencies for your team must meet your organization’s needs and align with its values.   Think about hiring for ‘how the person fits in with the team’ first and for skill set/competencies, second.  Structure your interviews to include questions and scenarios that uncover specific behaviors: who can direct, who can influence, who is visionary, who can handle the details? Re-define BASIC hiring requirements:

• Behaviors – how they interact and their approach to others
• Ability to Empathize – do they actively listen to others, allowing for their voice to be heard?
• Skills –  the appropriate level and experience
• Integrity – do they support the organization’s values…will they do the right thing, even though it may not be the popular thing (and do they know the difference)?
• Capacity for Conflict – how they can handle conflict and effectively work through it

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success”.

Exit Strategy and the Management Team Effect

I was working with a business owner recently on writing an exit strategy into his business plan.  Although that timing may seem odd, your exit plan needs to be clear for yourself as well as for potential investors.  The goal for an exit strategy is two-fold:

–        Ensuring that your executive management team is on board with the exit strategy and will actively participate in the process.

–        Ensuring that the team will continue to keep their hearts and minds engaged during the transaction.

If and when the event does happen, you need to Prepare, Pitch and Proceed:

Prepare by having a specific, thoughtful plan in place as well as an idea of how you will communicate the exit strategy to your management team. 

Pitch by encouraging and influencing a mindset that has your team willing to support you to closing a successful deal. Think about the WAM factor: (What About Me?).  Whether stated or not, this question will be on the minds of your team. The impact on others is an important consideration, and it is vital to show them you’ve taken each of their personal interests into account.

Proceed by overcoming resistance: (Yes But/What If):  Full speed ahead without hitting a WALL:

• Write down every question you think your team will possibly ask, i.e., who, what, why, when and how
• Answer each question in a confident, reassuring manner
• List any and all objections that come to mind
• List your talking points for overcoming each objection

Trick or Treat….It’s All About the Mask

I noticed crowds at the seasonal Halloween store last week-end, and it reminds me of how many people (children and adults) look forward to dressing in a costume or behind a mask to become someone or something else for a time, and get a kick out of having people guess their real identity. 

Halloween aside, I think about how often we do this in the workplace….hide behind a mask of sorts to give the impression that we either have abilities that we don’t, or that we are not capable of meeting challenges when we are. I’m not talking here about crafting a workplace persona as much as I am about revealing and taking advantage (or not) of your strengths, attributes and capabilities. Do we wear a mask to try to become something else, or to protect us when we try to reach for more.

It’s a scary thought for some….

• Are we afraid that if we raise expectations once; we will be expected to consistently perform above the bar?
• Do we not have enough self-confidence to believe we can sustain our progress?
• If we demonstrate that we have met all our goals will we alienate others?

And, since Halloween and wearing the mask for fun only comes once a year, let’s make sure that we’re not keeping that mask on all the time to keep people guessing about how capable we are.