YOUR SIGNPOSTS

The Power of Recharge

2010-06-17T09:12:00.002-05:00

by Scott Airitam,
President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

So, now I know how my cell phone must feel every time I plug it in and give it some juice. There is no use in having all of that new power if there isn't a phone call to be made, an email to retrieve and respond to, or directions to be mapped out. All I'm saying is that when you get recharged, you want to do something.

Well, it was not easy, but all of the people that touch our clients were certified in a new tool over the past two days. We all left there feeling like the wheels were spinning and we just needed to gain that small bit of traction to propel us forward at an intense velocity.

I imagine that phenomenon occurring with any team. Something new that helps them to be better at their jobs comes along and, when the boss feels compelled to make sure they get it, they receive both the new tool or skill set and new motivation.

Our new tool is a product called RightPath. While we love Myers-Briggs, DiSC, and Social Styles, it's always been a struggle for us to help clients turn that into sustainable action. They'd always leave with knowledge and awareness--which is important--but it was hard for people to see what they should be doing. RightPath is truly a "Hired to Retired" set of tools that has application for every stage of a person's career and every level of an organization. It was created specifically for business and it heavily draws upon Emotional Intelligence (how we deal with ourselves and others) which is important. It cannot be "gamed," meaning that a person cannot take this assessment and project what they'd like to be or what someone else wants them to be--it has a great "safety net" that prevents this type of manipulation. Best of all, it is a great tool for one-one-one executive coaching, teams, succession planning, promoting, hiring, conflict management, change management, assembling committees or teams, and a slew of other applications. It's not a magic bullet, but it is enough to get us all excited a fired up.

One thing I've learned from the past couple of days is that enhancing the team's ability to do their jobs affects confidence and competence. It affects both willingness and ability.

If you haven't tried it in a bit, you should. Get your employee or team that shiny new multi-tool to put into their toolkit and, if it really helps, watch the dynamics change.

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Employee Retention

2010-05-24T11:59:00.003-05:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

As I was reading Scott’s blog last week, it inspired my next topic. Scott did a great job of quantifying the cost to our organizations when we neglect to train and develop our employees. I’d like to add to that with a related topic. It occurred to me that an additional risk of not developing our teams is the risk of losing our best “players.” I’d like to devote this blog to the topic of employee retention.

The retention of human resources is very important, and turnover of employees occurs for a variety of reasons. Some types of turnover are easily explained as functional. For example:

• People retire
• Employees’ marital or family status may change
• Family relocates

Other types of turnover, however, are more preventable. These include those instances where people are dissatisfied with conditions of employment, or lack commitment to the organization. This is where the opportunity for turnover reduction exists.

Retaining employees can seem like a daunting challenge, particularly if high turnover rates have become acute, or the problem is centered on people whose talent, expertise and experience are critical to the organization’s delivery of products or services. There's a great book that can help you begin:

Research from the Gallup organization has validated key areas that are important to employees. This data was captured in the book, First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently, by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, Simon & Schuster, 1999. The book’s been around for awhile and has grown over the years in popularity. It provides focus in key areas of need for employees, including:

• Employees want to know what’s expected of them.

• Employees want the resources needed to do their job well.

• Employees want to opportunity to do their best and be recognized for doing so.

• Employees want to fit into the corporate culture. They want good relationships.

• Employees want their opinions to count.

• Employees want to be trained and developed. They want to learn and grow.

If retention is an issue for your organization, it could be important to do an analysis to identify the factors resulting in employee turnover, and then create strategies to minimize or eliminate the causes of the turnover.

A good strategy focuses on creating a place where people come to do good work, share in the rewards, and achieve satisfaction in the process.

This approach focuses attention on the combination of two critical things:

• What the business/organization needs
• What the employee/associate wants and needs

Understanding and success in both of these areas is critical to successfully retaining talent while increasing performance of the organization.

The Price of Not Developing Employees

2010-05-17T09:43:00.020-05:00

by Scott Airitam
Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

When I talk with people about the learning and development efforts of their organization, I always feel a little bit bad for those who say that "there is no budget for training." Employee development is the foundation for long-term viability in any industry. Conversely, largely undeveloped work groups are the ones that tend to fall behind, reinvent the wheel with each new project, and generally have a difficult time keeping the best employees.

The economy was bad in 2008. Not only that, but many budgets were tighter than usual due, in large part, to those budgets having been created during a time where two very distinctly different leaders were vying for the White House. With uncertain Leadership and a tumultuous fiscal situation, it was no wonder that organizations weren't spending as much. However, ASTD (The American Society for Training and Development) estimates that U.S. organizations spent approximately $134 billion on employee learning and development in 2008, in spite of all the logical reasons not to make this investment.

Imagine an author who refused to learn to use a computer. Picture an athlete that never worked to build endurance. Think of a doctor that didn't understand medical equipment. The hardships they would face are similar to what it is like for an organization that doesn't invest in employee learning and development. Can that author, athlete, doctor or organization be successful? Technically, you'd have to say yes, although, realistically, the statistical odds would be astronomically long. In today's world, it is too difficult to compete against others that make themselves better--especially with self-inflicted growth and development issues.

Every organization should be investing in learning and development for it's greatest asset--it's people. Every organization, based on the ASTD research shared above, should assume that the competition is making that investment. There is definitely a cost associated with that. With that kind of price associated with not doing it, doesn't it make it logical to use that same money to make the organization more competitive and effective?

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Soft Skills

2010-04-07T13:07:00.004-05:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

It’s interesting that some leaders seem to recognize the importance of soft skills but either can’t or won’t commit resources to developing them within their organizations. I think it’s because it can be challenging to measure the development of soft skills and really quantify the results of the training investment. You have to see the connection of the skills to the bottom line of the organization. For example, if a customer service representative can technically handle a customer complaint – document, answer questions, take the appropriate actions – that’s hugely important to the customer. But along with that, if the rep’s soft skills are lacking and they communicate in a negative or condescending way and display no empathy to the customer, it still might be a negative customer experience. An organization’s ability to retain that customer and gain other customers can be negatively impacted in this situation.

Another example: I’ve spoken to leaders with “problem” employees and this is what I’ve heard, “He (or she) is an awesome contributor, just brilliant. The problem is, no one can stand him (or her).” Even the most gifted employee can cost the organization by making the work environment so toxic that morale, productivity, team work, support, trust, etc. all suffer. When this happens, the contributions made by the “problem” employee are often outweighed by what is lost.

Another challenge is to really understand what soft skills are and how they can be developed. Soft skills are the interpersonal/relationship component of what we do. They are an important counterpart to the hard skills that are the occupational components of our work. It’s a broad range of skills we’re talking about. Examples include communication, attitude, teamwork, etc. If you are going to invest in the development of soft skills, it’s important to focus on the areas that really impact the work of your organization.

I’m excited that many of the organizations that I’ve recently been working with seem to understand the importance of soft skills. One of my favorite customers has been restructuring their hiring processes to find employees with a strong foundation in these skills. The managers have shared with me that even though the job will require a tremendous amount of hard skills/technical knowledge, it will be just as important to have skills like teamwork, communication, etc. In addition to the new hiring process, they are committed to creating a balanced training and development strategy that focuses on both hard and soft skills. This type of balanced training approach can be a critical enabler to any organization’s success.

Profits Versus Loyalty and Commitment

2010-03-29T10:41:00.012-05:00

by Scott Airitam

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

So, last night I had the chance to go to a friend's house for dinner. We had a wonderful dinner and after we ate, we got into one of those conversations that I just love. He is a small business owner, who, like the smart ones, does a lot of reading to help guide his ability to be a Leader. Being a business owner, like I am, he's concerned with the profit he's able to generate--that profit enables the growth of his business and his personal income. It breaks down that simply.

As we were talking, it quickly became clear to me that we were having two different conversations. His focus was on profit. Not just the idea of making a profit, but maximizing profitability. My focus was making profit as well, but not maximum profit. Instead, my perspective was one of balancing profit with loyalty and commitment.

This is where I began to really enjoy this conversation. These opportunities to have two approaches or ideas trying to share the same space at the same time are learning moments for me. My friends perspective was based on books by Dan Kennedy. He writes the "No B.S." books about management, sales, and other topics. Mr. Kennedy is an author whose books I will be picking up because he does cut out the "B.S." and gets straight at the reason businesses exist: to make profit. This last point is what my friend brought up. His business exists to make profit. It is definitely a point I appreciate. I started a number of classroom conversations at Southwest Airlines by asking the group, "Why do we exist?" The answer is profit. SWA doesn't exist to provide great customer service, to have parties for employees, to sing the PA's on the flights, or to transport bags for free. All of those things are tools it uses, very shrewdly I might add, to make profit. So, Mr. Kennedy is onto something and my buddy has caught that wave.

Admittedly, I haven't read Mr. Kennedy's books. Based on the description from my friend and info from his website, though, it seems as though most of the motives for decision making and actions are based solely on profit. My friend's description was pretty specific in detailing how the books say that employees are adversaries to the goal. Workers don't care about profit, they care only about their own lives. It is here that I tend to disagree. I believe that description does have some validity in the real world, in other words we can find examples of that being true. I see it, however, as those being manufactured conditions-they aren't the normal state. I believe we get to that place when Leadership allows it to happen. I also believe that Mr. Kennedy is about making profit, and that he realizes that a high percentage of people are not well prepared to be Leaders, so by describing their "pain" as a natural state, he sells books. Lots of books. If that is accurate, Mr. Kennedy is walking his own talk and he is, himself, as shrewd a businessman as I give him credit for.

What I am understanding Mr. Kennedy to say, however, at least based on the words of my friend and what I can glean from the website, would cause any Leader to have to work much harder to get to their goals (for an explanation of this, click here) and sustain them for the long-term.

So, I am committed to ready a Dan Kennedy book or two. Hopefully, I'll learn some valuable lessons. If nothing else, I'll have a good grasp on what some of my clients' perspectives (who might also be Kennedy readers) might be and can meet them where they are and help walk them to where they need to be or desire to be in my consulting and training practice.

For me though, profit is only one part of any business--even though it is the reason for the business to exist. In saying this I am not diminishing its importance. Nobody starts a business simply to make a stranger smile when they walk in the door. No, when people start businesses, they say, "I know how we can make some money!" So, let's be clear, I'm not against a business being profitable--I'm all for it. Nevertheless, there is the entire people-side of the business that successful companies have both risen and fallen with. We ignore it at our own peril. To invest in a great, enthusiastic employee and to ultimately have to let that employee go when their enthusiasm wains is a waste on many levels. Yet, that is exactly what happens when we believe our employees to be at odds with our goals. We lose the knowledge they've built and have to bring someone else in and tolerate their learning curve. That costs money.

We have choices, as Leaders, that create conditions where people want to do what we need them to do. We can create conditions, as Leaders, where employees are willing to sacrifice for their Leader. When we are attentive to this side of the business, we create a condition where employees are proud of where they work and who they work for and they want the organization and their Leader to succeed. This is what loyalty and commitment are all about. Loyal and committed employees believe in the goals and they want to stay with the organization. When we have more people than the person (or a select few people) at the top caring about attaining goals, maintaining a great organizational culture, and being profitable...well, the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts in these cases. When only one person (or a select few at the top) cares about those things, the level of success is always limited to how far that individual can carry the organization.

Profitability is an end-goal. There are many ways to get there. Short-term thinking is simply about maximizing profitability today. Long-term thinking dictates that we identify ways of making much more over time, in a sustainable way, instead of recreating the short-term wheel over and over. Loyalty and commitment are two of the the long-term, sustainable means to the profitability end.

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Negativity and Leadership

2010-03-15T08:01:00.004-05:00

by Scott Airitam

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

So, today, I'm going to challenge you to recall a specific pattern to your everyday speech to test your own communication effectiveness. Are you a "positive talker" or a "negative talker?" This not about positive or negative thinking, although there is a correlation. It is about how we talk.

A negative talker, for example, might say, "Stop slamming that door." A positive talker may say, "Close the door more lightly."

There is a huge difference here. There are two key thoughts about the human brain at play here. First, our brains think in pictures, not words. This is important because as we receive one of the previous instructions from either the positive or negative, our brain tries to create a picture of it. Second, our brains have a difficult time creating a picture of a negative statement. In fact, our brains often make "positive" pictures out of negative statements.

I'll give you an example. If a parent says, "Stop throwing the ball in the house," what picture would you think comes to the child's mind? In fact, the above statement is very likely to create a picture of throwing a ball in the house. The brain gets rid of the negative, keeping the positive, and then makes the picture. So, by phrasing it in the negative, we often reinforce the very thing we are trying to eliminate. Instead, if the parent says, "Hold the ball in the house," the picture created in the mind is one of holding the ball in the house.

Now, think about how many Leaders in organizations use negative speech to communicate their message. Sometimes, how we choose to communicate sabotages our own efforts. Moving forward, let's be specific in creating positive pictures in the minds of those we Lead and let's watch our effectiveness continue to increase!

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Virtual Learning

2010-03-02T16:17:00.004-06:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

Many of my customers have reported a recent budget cut in their training dollars. In tough economic times, training is often one of the first areas to be impacted. Despite this, the need for training still exists. Training (or lack of training) does have an impact on the bottom line. To assist with this dynamic, many of us in the training world have ramped up our development and delivery of virtual training.

Today I’m writing specifically about Virtual Facilitator-led Training. This web-based training has the advantage of live instructors to guide and facilitate the learning. The use of a “virtual classroom” eliminates the huge costs of travel to bring both learners and instructors to a central location for the classes.

Web-based training can cross all geographic barriers. If you are part of a global organization, you can leverage this advantage to bring needed communication and training to your team on a global scale.

Some points to consider when planning your virtual training:

Use a trainer who is experienced with virtual training. If they don’t have experience, make sure they participate in a “training-for-trainers” on the topic of virtual learning.

Choose the right learning platform. There are many virtual “classrooms” to choose from. Look for one that has features that will help you achieve your learning objectives.

Don’t be tempted to upload your PowerPoint presentation and conduct an existing in-class curriculum virtually. The virtual classroom has needs that are unique from the traditional classroom.

Many of us have had exposure to virtual meetings or training. If you’re like me, you’ve seen both good and bad. There’s nothing worse than a boring presentation that makes you sleepy and more than a little tempted to check your email during the session. But when skillfully developed and delivered, a webinar can provide an engaging and rich learning experience.

The key to success with virtual facilitator-led programs is the interactivity of the learning design. This is essential—the capacity to keep participants engaged and learning, not checking out or multi-tasking during key instruction processes. Additionally, the instructor’s ability to facilitate discussion and respond to questions can ensure that the learners are taking all they need from the training.

As I've become more experienced with this format, my excitment about the potential grows. I'm convinced that this can be a truly effective way to bridge the gaps of time, money and distance that prevent organizations from commiting to the training that they need.

Winter

2010-02-23T14:13:00.003-06:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

Many of us have arrived at the time of spring fever. We’ve celebrated the holiday season and enjoyed a snowy day or two, and now we crave the warmth and newness of spring. What a great analogy for business these days!

Business, like life, moves in seasons. There are times of growth, change, and yes, even dormancy. It’s not a stretch to feel that we’re in an extended “winter” season right now. The economy has and continues to be tough, and many organizations are feeling the consequences.

I’m a Dallas area resident, and for the last few weeks, we’ve been experiencing some extraordinary winter weather. Less than two weeks ago, we had over a foot of snow – the most ever to fall in one day. The forecast today predicts a few more inches. I think many of us are enjoying the novelty, but it’s also created some real challenges for the city, including collapsed roofs, power outages, and damaged roadways. Although we were ready for winter, we were NOT ready for a winter like this!

The weather has made me a little reflective this morning. I’ve been thinking about my customers and the challenges they are facing. So many are experiencing a tough “winter” in the form of customer loss, profit loss, budget cut-backs and layoffs. But in spite of the circumstances, some have managed to continue achieving some amazing organizational goals. Even in adversity, a strong team can survive and even thrive.

I’m reminded of an example from Jim Collins’ book, Good to Great (HarperCollins, © 2001), a fantastic research-based book that provides insight into companies that have achieved success and longevity. Collins wrote that every great organization he studied had faced adversity at some point. In the book, he introduces the Stockdale Paradox:

The paradox refers to Admiral Jim Stockdale, an eight year prisoner-of-war during the Vietnam War. Collins interviewed him in the book to glean lessons from his tale of survival. Stockdale referenced a key to survival – Faith combined with facing reality. The hopeless may not survive, but neither will those that are unrealistic and unable to confront the facts in a challenging situation. It seems that it was hope, tempered with reality that helped enable Stockdale’s return to home and family.

Collins says it perfectly on page 86 of his book:

“The Stockdale Paradox
Retain faith that you will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties.

AND at the same time

Confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

We can implement this paradox during any extended “winter” that we experience. What does this mean for you and your organization?

Encouraging Information

2010-02-04T10:08:00.004-06:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts

http://www.atctraining.com

The last blog that I shared encouraged you to share information within your organization. Taking time to give complete instructions, tell someone what your thoughts and opinions are or sharing detailed information can really enable a team in terms of both morale and performance.

Unfortunately, there are many times when this sharing of information doesn't occur. There could be a variety of reasons: work demands and time constraints, a lack of trust, an assumption that "everyone knows that," etc. Regardless of the reason, it can be helpful to make an attempt to get the information flow going.

So what can you do? Here are a few ideas.

Check your assumptions

Validate information

Build trust

Check your assumptions. In my last blog, I talked about the human tendency to fill in the blanks in terms of information. Our minds are very efficient at interpreting the information we are given. If that information is limited, we have a greater chance of making an incorrect interpretation or assumption. It's important that we check our assumptions and separate fact from fiction. An example: My manager asks me to delegate some of my current responsibilities to someone else. I might assume that this is a bad development. Am I not doing a good enough job? Am I being replaced? Don't react based on assumption alone. If you have concerns:

Validate information. Begin a dialogue. Ask questions. Make sure that what you think is true is actually true. Perhaps in further discussion with my manager, I might discover that she wants me to participate in a special project that will require a large amount of time. The request that I perceived as a threat or a negative might actually be an opportunity to grow my skills and career.

Build Trust. I've mentioned this in my blog before. It isn't only about how capable our team is at communication. Our team members might have skill, time and information, but if they don't trust who they are communicating with, they won't openly share information. Think about how you can build trust and make your team members feel safe when it comes to open dialogue and information sharing.

For one, always maintain confidentially as appropriate. If I am speaking with someone in the office with a reputation for gossiping, you can be sure I'll keep information to myself. Also, think about how you react to information. There have been a few times when I've shared my opinion or ideas with people and they've "beat me up" for it via criticism and disregard. In the future, I avoided sharing with those individuals.

Try to be a good listener and respectful of those that you communicate with. Remember that trust is the foundation for great information sharing.

Information-the Lifeblood of an Organization

2010-01-11T14:36:00.004-06:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

Picture this scenario: It’s been one of those hectic weeks at the office. People are busy, decisions are being made and changes are happening. There’s reorganization, renewed processes, and the resetting of expectations. “Buzz, buzz, buzz.” The rumors are flying and water cooler chat is at full throttle. It seems that something big is about to happen.

This is probably the time when we should be coordinating our efforts to meet the demands of a changing business climate, but instead, the place goes silent, at least in terms of information. We can still hear the “buzz”, of course. The stories and rumors are there – the sound that could mark a major decline in morale and productivity and a major increase in anxiety.

Let me tell you a little more about the “buzz” you’re hearing. It’s a bridge that our brains have built. It’s the way we humans fill in the blanks when we don’t have all of the facts or information. It’s the way we interpret reality.

Picture it this way:
___________________ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
The solid line is Information and the dashed line is Interpretation

I might take the limited information that I’ve been given and make up the rest. An example: Perhaps my manager wants me to delegate some of my weekly tasks to a team member. I might interpret that as a threat when in fact, my manager plans to assign me to an exciting new project.

Here’s a better scenario:
____________________________________________________ __ __ __ __
When we add Information, we reduce the amount of Interpretation and resulting “buzz” that takes place.

There’s an expression that’s been bouncing around my organization for years:

Information is the lifeblood of an organization.

If you want to have greater success in your work, business and life, try talking a bit more. Not by adding to the buzz, but by providing needed information. This doesn't mean that we should share everything. There will be times when information should and must remain confidential. But there are many times when we can and should provide more detail.

Here are some examples: Take the time to give complete instructions. Tell someone what your thoughts are about a project. Provide information around why changes are being made as well as what the changes are. There are many opportunities in a day to provide more and better information.

I'd love to hear some of your own examples. When has the presence or absence of information impacted your business?

The Lesson in New Year's Resolution Failures

2010-01-05T09:01:00.010-06:00

by Scott Airitam

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

First of all, let me start out by saying that I sincerely hope that all of your new year's resolution are successfully implemented. For real.

Now, let me add that the odds are not with you. Bummer, right?

Think about past new year's resolutions. How many of them have you seen all the way through? For me, these goals represent a way of verbalizing how I want to be better in some way. There are some problems with new year's resolutions though. This is a lesson I learned years ago, and it's helped me to take on self improvement in a more a success-oriented fashion. Maybe this could help you too.

So, the problems with the old NYR...

They are often proclaimed without any sort of deadline.
They aren't specific enough.
NYRs often feel obligatory. Nobody wants to be the one in a conversation that doesn't have one.
We don't create a serious support system.

Each of those is a trap and the bulk of new year's resolutions fall right into one or more of them. Because of this, most of them never stand a chance from the very beginning. Without a deadline, it is easy to procrastinate or give into what's always been done instead of fighting through the discomfort of change. Unspecific goals don't describe what the "finish line" looks like. We need to know what we are working toward, right? When it feels obligatory or contrived, we don't fully own it. When we don't take it on as our own, it is easy to discard and throw away. Because most people have seen NYRs fail, they don't take them seriously anyway. So when one is proclaimed (at the same time as many other people) most let you to make the statement, but assume you are not serious about it. They do not push you through the tough times or encourage you to take that one extra step today. Instead, they leave it for you to accomplish all alone and are, usually, surprised to see a NYR completed.

So, when I am looking to improve myself, here is what I do. I really do write it down, and, I write it in the form of a SMART goal. Most people have heard of this, but for those of you who haven't, to me it means: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Framed. If I have those in place, I've covered the first two failings of NYRs and then some. I am adamant, though, about the last two of them. If it isn't relevant to where I am in my life, and doesn't seem necessary, it won't get done. I also make sure it is time-framed with a deadline and any intermediate goals I can slice up my big goal into. With it being relevant, I have covered most of the number 3 failing of NYRs, but I have to make sure I own it. In order to truly make sure it feels like my own, I never do this type of thing around New Year's Day. I don't do it then because everyone else is doing it at that same time. If I mix my serious goal setting in with many other people's throwaway goals, how will my support system know that mine is legit? I want to do this because I believe in it and want to see it done. So, I'm the guy who doesn't have a new year's resolution. But I have several improvement goals throughout each year, so I never feel bad about that. So, when I separate myself from the "everybody's doing it" timeframe, it is easier for me to generate a support system around me. When I am the only one declaring that I want to work on some aspect of me, people actually listen. Then I tell them that I want them to help me when I'm feeling weak or want to give in to old habits. People take it seriously and they do help.

There is a big difference between saying, "I want to run more to get in shape," on New Year's Day and saying, "I want to run a mile every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at lunch to improve my cardio-vascular system because I'm seeing friends/family that are having heart problems that I don't want to have," on January 24th.

At least it works for me.

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Telling Your Story

2009-10-26T14:29:00.004-05:00

by Angela Gallogly

Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts

http://www.atctraining.com

My friend and I got together over coffee last week, and he was detailing the challenges and rewards he's been experiencing with the start of a new professional endeavor. He's currently looking for financing and had the opportunity to do some important networking at a recent community function. He admitted that when a potential backer asked for details about his interests and efforts, he fell short on sharing a compelling and complete story.

This happens to many of us and has definitely happened to me. We have hopes, successes, needs and ambitions that we aren't able to articulate. When this occurs, we find ourselves surprised that what's in our head and our heart isn't communicated as easily as we thought it would be. It's not that we haven't got the ideas, the passion and the drive. We just haven't prepared our story. We fall short in the communication, and the result is often a missed opportunity.

Examples might include:

Representing your business. Being able to verbalize your products and services, and why they're the best.

Supporting a personal interest. Maybe you're passionate about a nonprofit or ministry effort and need to be able to educate and engage others.

Looking for a job. When you're networking and interviewing, you've got to confidently and concisely communicate what you're interested in and why you'd be the best choice.

Making a pitch at work. When you want to communicate a plan or idea, getting buy-in might depend on you telling the story well.

These are just a couple of examples, and of course I could list many more. But regardless of the situation, my experience has taught me the importance of preparation.

When I have an important story to tell, I start by writing it down. This allows me to add the appropriate details and edit any potential rambling or off-subject information. I like the idea of an elevator pitch - I imagine riding on an elevator with a key contact. In that amount of time, what would I want this person to know? I also imagine who this person might be so I'm writing to the correct audience. I usually create bullets, rather than a script, so I won't sound stilted and disingenuous. The last thing I want to do is deliver a rehearsed sales pitch. I want my story to be natural and real.

Then I practice. When you read your story out loud, you might find that it sounds different than you intended. This step often leads me to some additional editing. Once I'm comfortable with content, I practice until I can communicate each bullet smoothly, without relying on my notes. Then I know I'm ready to tell my story.

It might be a potential job or promotion, a sales opportunity, a fundraiser, or a new business process for your work team. Everyone has a story to tell. Think of your own. What do you care about, and where do you need support? Who will your audience be, and what will you say? Are you prepared? Don't miss your opportunity!

Virtual Teams

2009-10-20T08:13:00.004-05:00

by Angela Gallogly

Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts

http://www.atctraining.com/

I've been spending a lot of time in the world of virtual team building. Lately, my team is spread out, my customers are busy and travel budgets are tight. This has resulted in a serious reduction in face time.

This isn't a bad circumstance. It just means that we have to work a little differently to stay connected. As I look around my office, I have to smile to myself as I examine the evidence of my own approach. There are three humming computers, phones, speakers, microphones and webcams, all leaving a trail of wires and power cords. This is great equipment. I just need to make sure it doesn't trip me up, both literally and figuratively.

For me, it's important to remember:

To communicate differently in a virtual environment. Unless I'm on a video conference, my team can't see my body language, a huge piece of the conversation puzzle. I've got to ramp up the use of words and tone to communicate well.

To keep information and projects visible. Text-only communication can be limiting so I try to keep team calendars and project timelines available. Graphics can also compliment the message.

To use these tools wisely. For example, hosting a webinar is a fantastic way to train, whiteboard ideas, and share documents, but you need to feel comfortable with the tools you're using. I work hard to understand tool functionality, and I practice with it until I'm comfortable.

To never forget the need for personal connection. If I have the ability to meet a team member or customer in person, I try to do it. If it isn't possible, I have to find other ways to build the relationship. Photos and video conferencing can help, but I have to be prepared to work harder and longer to build trust and relationship in the virtual world.

Trust and Respect

2009-10-15T16:19:00.006-05:00

by Scott Airitam

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

I really want you to think about this one.

If you have ever been in a session (speech, workshop, or class) of ours where the concept of either Trust or Respect have come up, then you know that we consider both a choice. If you are the Leader of a team, you have to choose to trust the team members, even if they burn you, because to do anything else leaves you with an inability to be a "capital L" Leader. A person cannot Lead if they do not trust those who are following, and they cannot be a Leader if the people following do not trust them. Same with respect.

So, in my world, over the past couple of weeks, I have been burned. It doesn't happen very often with me, because Trust and Respect are two conditions I work very hard to create. Nevertheless, like those I help in my profession, I am called to be a Leader the right way.

Suffice it to say, that a small percentage of people I Lead have decided to pursue an agenda different than the rest of the team and have targeted me with accusations and such. It's been tough, but it is always a good lesson to be in this position. It is time to learn.

In this situation I was faced with one of the early questions of Leadership. In order to maintain a high performance team, I have choices: a) either I choose to trust and try to turn the situation around if I believe it to be salvageable, or b) I decide trust is not an option and I move to get rid of them. In making that evaluation, I promise you it would be easier to get rid of those in question and proceed with my agenda. However, I have seen the value that these people bring to the equation and I know it would be in the team's best interest if I worked on the situation a bit more. That means talking to those involved and figuring out why they've chosen the path they did. It might shed some light showing me what I may have done intentionally or unintentionally to create the conditions that allowed this situation to arise.

This is the type of insight a great Leader brings to the table. I will admit, that there is a time in any organization where there is a bad fit--and when that becomes the determination, it is in the team's interest for the Leader to step up and do the tough work--letting people go.

I thought I'd post this because it's a good example of how we walk the talk around here, but it is a better example of a real-world situation and the options we actually have if we stop and identify them.

Networking

2009-09-30T08:09:00.006-05:00

by Scott Airitam

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

Big company or small business--it doesn't matter. We all do it.

We all engage in networking.

Only, because I'm doing it so often in the midst of others trying to do it as well, I see how difficult it is for so many people. The other day, I was at a luncheon--I'm attending more of those lately--and people were networking. A woman approached a man and started talking. Five minutes later, he is backed up against the wall and she is still talking. I wondered if he even said anything. His eyes were darting back and forth as he looked for an out. She had him cornered pretty good. Finally, I went over and introduced myself to them both and soon he was able to extract himself from her time killing attachment. (And, since I knew what was going on, I was able to move along pretty smoothly as well.)

It's like she went in for the kill when it was much more appropriate to simply create awareness, familiarity, and credibility. All of that can be done in a few seconds.

So, for people wanting to be good at networking, here are a few very solid tips:

Networking isn't selling. These are two different things. In a networking scenario, you want people to walk away knowing who you are and having a good feeling about you and what you have to offer. You can talk briefly about the problems you solve, but you not necessarily trying to solve a particular person's problems right there and then. Usually, you want to save that for a time where you can truly put together a "knock 'em dead" sales call. The key is timing. As my friend Cliff Hand, a true expert in this arena and owner of the marketing firm, Marketing Specific, says, "It is being in front of someone when they have a need that you can provide."
Because networking isn't selling, address the other person's agenda. People like to be listened to. Prepare for the networking opportunity by practicing questions like, "What do you do?" and, "Tell me more about your company." Most people are so worried about talking about what they do instead of listening for how their business offerings can address a need. The more impressive person asks much more than tells. Ask questions and keep the other person talking. Actively listen with eye contact and interest. If there is some common ground, or if the other person asks, briefly tell them what you do and how much you like it. You will be remembered much more easily for being a good listener than you will for telling about your stuff. Also, how else will you know what they truly need if all you talk about is what you have to offer?
Have a business card and make it memorable. Having a memorable business card could mean special paper or shape, or raised ink, or double sided or multi-colored. But it doesn't have to mean any of that. Simply have a meaningful conversation with someone and offer them one of your cards. But, before you hand it over, write on it where you were, the date, and the topic of your conversation. If they offer you a card, make it memorable in the same way.

Hopefully, these tips will help. I'd hate to be out and see you being the one that has someone trapped, looking for a way out. If you are, I'll be the one that comes over to rescue them from you.

If you enjoyed this post, check out Leadership Systems' Facebook Page here.

Interviewing

2009-09-24T09:38:00.007-05:00

by Scott Airitam

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

First, let me start off by apologizing to all of the loyal readers. I've heard from a few of you that were not happy to be without a post for so long. It's unconscionable-rediculous. There's no excuse for it. Well, really there is, but, you're not into excuses. You are? Ok, here it goes. September has been a good month for Leadership Systems. Companies and organizations are really seeing results from engagements with us and that means more and more business. On top of that, as chair of the board of the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce, I've been intimately involved in the normal business of the Chamber coupled with the business of doing an executive search for the new president. So, yada-yada-yada...excuse, excuse. Done.

Now that you've forgiven me, let's talk about the blog.

Both Angela and I are experts on the selection process. We know it from the employer's standpoint and we know it from the interviewee's perspective. We've both created and delivered classes on it. I created a career center for employees of Morris Air, in Salt Lake City, when Southwest Airlines acquired that airline and couldn't take on all of their employees in positions at every level. This week, I interviewed two executives and taught an interviewing class.

To me, the mistakes people make in interviews are unbelievable. I walk out of too many interviews with people who are competent on paper, but hugely dissapointing in person because of the mistakes they make. A huge percentage of those mistakes would dissapear with proper preparation. So, I am inspired to help out people that are looking for a job, or may be interviewing for a promotion in the future.

Below is a list of preparation tips for interviewing. Pass them on to your friends, save this onto your computer, do what it takes to make sure it is helping the right person at the right time. Here it goes:

Know that preparing for an interview should take you between an hour and a half and three hours. Just mentally rehearsing what you want to say in your mind for 15 mintues does not make you prepared. It just makes you walk out of the interview saying to yourself, "why did I say that?"

Have 5 things you want to convey to the interviewer about yourself. Work these things into your answers to questions in the form of stories.

Create a list of stories that highlight your skills and attributes. These stories should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Don't tell an incomplete story. Practice telling your stories to a live person or into a webcam or camcorder. (Behavioral Interviews ask you to relate very specific stories from your past about an characteristic they are looking for. The premise is that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, so the only way for them to have an idea of what you'll do in the future is to have you choose a story to tell them about your past in a similar situation.)

Don't address your agenda at the expense of the interviewer's. Stay on topic with your answers. If the question is, "describe a time where you had to deal with a difficult change," it is one thing to take one of your stories and tweak it to highlight the aspect of dealing with chage. It is quite another thing to begin answering that question and then switch over to something completely different. You've got to practice using your stories in different ways--your story on managing time might also apply to leading a project, multi-tasking, or doing what it takes to get the job done.

Prepare 5 questions for the interviewer. You don't have to ask all of them, but if you only prepare two questions, chances are you'll get those questions answered during the interview. It is important to ask insightful questions that don't seem self-centered (how much vacation time will I get?) Look on the website. Ask about the culture, clarify the scope of the job duties, find out expectations or characteristics of your boss, or understand why the person that was in the position before left it.

These tips should help you to add a little polish and sheen to your interview. Interviewees should stand out and be memorable. It is the way you'll get the job you want. Good luck!

If you enjoy my posts, feel free to enjoy a more conversational and fluid relationship with Leadership Systems by visiting the Leadership Systems Facebook Page.

Resistance Is...

2009-08-25T07:55:00.006-05:00

by Scott Airitam

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

As I was coming in from taking my youngest to the bus stop this morning, a friend tells me that she has to go to the dentist. I actually cringed. Then, the measure of self-awareness I've been blessed with kicked in and I started asking why I was having that reaction to the dentist. Sure, I've had unpleasant and uncomfortable visits to the dentist's chair, but my life would be so much worse if I hadn't gone through those experiences. Stopping to think about it rationally, the short-term pain or discomfort of visiting the dentist (let's label it 1% of my time) makes the rest of my life (let's call it 99% of my time) much higher in quality.

With that being said, another side of me kicked in after all of that and I started making the reasonable parallel that many adults react to training in that way. Of course, I had to ask why. So, now you have a blog to read.

So, in my experience, there is a healthy percentage of people who do not want to be there in most of the classes I facilitate. This generally has nothing to do with me or my company, it would exist regardless of who created or delivered the session. They resist the very improvement opportunity that would make them better. Now, if they stopped and thought about it rationally, they might change their approach, but, I'm not mad at them for their resistance. Their reluctance to learn, grow, develop, and to better themselves isn't always born of a lack of desire for those outcomes, instead, it is often much more deeply rooted.

You see, many people resist because they want control. As adults, they have a lot of responsibility, and, the surface level excuse for their lack of enthusiasm is that they don't have time for the training class. They've got important stuff to do. I try very hard not to take that one as an insult. Anyway, that's often all surface talk. I know it is because I've honed my craft to a point that most people who spend any time at all in a Leadership Systems class forget that they didn't want to be there within the first hour. What it really boils down to is control.

Most kids don't like to go to school for the same reason. Other people, who claim to know what's best (parents, teachers, school administrators, even politicians and police) FORCE children to go to school, regardless of what they want to do. I'm not questioning whether kids should go to school or not, of course they should. But, for every action there is a reaction, right? In this case, by forcing someone to do something for so many years, when they are an adult and can choose, they often choose to go against that which was forced upon them. Regardless of how good it is for them.

So, we meet adults who can certainly benefit from the sessions we offer, but, have a compulsion not to...because they can.

Organizations are only as good as the talent they bring in and the synergy they can create among the people. When organizations foster an attitude that self-improvement and team-improvement are not priorities, those organizations are weakening their position in their market space.

For this reason, we purposefully develop all of our sessions based on an adult learning model that engages people--that's why I can say that people forget that they were forced to be there inside of an hour. People let down their guard in our sessions, mainly because our sessions don't feel like school at all, even though we are conscious of the learning milestones that are being reached. We look to actually create behavior change. It has to be this way, or those who resist continue to throw up passive or active roadblocks to their own learning in the classroom. For this reason, I can't fathom how training organizations that aren't proficient in experiential learning, accellerated learning, and adult learning continue to thrive. They do mainly because they find clients who just want to document that training hours have been made available. I guess there are some companies out there that just want to check the box.

For me, though, helping people to learn, grow, and develop is important. Helping organizations to come together and take the next step is a passion. I would love a world where people were conscious about getting better, being better employees and better people, and where everyone's self-awareness kicked in and made them inquire of themselves, "why?"

Building (and Rebuilding) Your Team

2009-08-05T09:06:00.004-05:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

In my last blog, I promised to dedicate some time to the topic of building an effective team. I stressed the importance of giving team relationship adequate attention and outlined a couple of risks if the relationship is neglected.

In my work as a facilitator, there is one question that I get a lot. So what should you do if your team isn’t in sync? The answer depends on several factors, which include: the team, the problem (or pain, as I call it), and the cause of the pain.

It’s often best to start by unearthing the potential contributing factors to the problem. Have there been changes in the work environment? What are the demands that the team is being challenged with? Has there been a change in personnel? Has the personnel change impacted the group dynamic? There are endless scenarios that I could highlight here, but the important thing to remember is this – try to get to the root cause so you’re not just treating the symptoms, but you also understand the disease. You may or may not be able to change the cause, but understanding where the team’s pain is coming from can be important as you begin to work through the challenges.

I recently facilitated a customer’s staff retreat that provides a great example. In this customer’s scenario, there had been staff changes that had taken place at an executive level. This had resulted in a great deal of upheaval. The trickle down effects were additional personnel changes and a new methodology for running the business. New processes were put into place, and old, long-ignored processes were reinstated. No longer could an employee do something because “that’s the way we did it before.”

These changes created some interesting team dynamics. Some of the team members were excited by the new challenges and the potential for growth and success. Others resisted the change and were fearful of what was going to happen next.

When we designed and then delivered the retreat, we kept all of the above factors in mind. We spent two days focusing on the rebuilding of this team. Part of the process involved sharing information. This alleviated some of the fears of the unknown that the team members were experiencing. We also provided new tools in communication and leadership to equip the team to meet the business standards being set by the new director. Lastly, we combined social events and facilitated discussions to allow people to dialogue and solidify their relationships. At the conclusion of the event, definite progress had been made. The participants were open in their sharing, and the atmosphere was positive.

It’s important to point out that this team’s work was not done. They will need to continue their dialogue and follow up on commitments made at the retreat. The building and sustaining of a healthy team is an ongoing process.

This is just one example of how a team decided to navigate a major transition. The solution for another team scenario could be completely different. I’d recommend beginning by taking the “pulse” of your team. How’s the team’s morale? How’s communication going? What are the challenges that the team is facing? Are any of these factors impacting the effectiveness of team? When you’ve drilled down into the cause of the issues, you’ll be much more likely to create an on-target team building effort.

A Look at Office Politics

2009-07-30T10:09:00.003-05:00

by Scott Airitam,

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

Most people desire to get ahead in their career, and, a vast majority of people would prefer to be considered a success by others. There are many factors that go into how much a person can attain in their career and numerous difficult decisions affect the level of success a person realizes. People that do not have personal aspirations and a sense of aggression about their career will often get left out in the cold, stepped on by others, and left waiting a promotion time. As we move forward in our careers, though, it is as important to know how much carnage we’ve piled up behind us as it is to see how far we’ve gotten. It isn’t just accomplishments that are considered whenever someone looks at the sum total of a career; there are other aspects to consider as well.

Because humans are political beings, many of the difficult decisions a person has to make in the navigation of a career involve office politics. The more successful we consider ourselves, generally, the more politics we have to deal with. This type of politics often carries negative results. There are those who recognize these negative politics and try to do the right thing in spite of pressure to the contrary. There are those who recognize the politics and don’t make a particularly courageous effort to do the right thing because of perceived personal gain, because they choose to avoid or can’t handle conflict, or because of fear or manipulation. There are also those who simply don’t understand the politics around them—thus they sometimes luck into the right thing and other times fall into doing the wrong thing.

How can we determine the right thing and the wrong thing when it comes to office interactions and our ability to get what we want or need done? Just like any ethical dilemma, it will depend on personal values. Obviously, the laws of our land are a guide and the policies of the company are a guide, but there is so much more to it than that. Which is more right, for you to receive personal benefit or for your organization to benefit? When these things are at conflict, it is a difficult question to answer for most, and it should be. After all, we are in a society and a time where if you don’t look out for yourself, you will be hard pressed to find anyone else that will. The tenured and loyal employees get laid off just like anyone else. Companies with all the “success” in the world are failing overnight due to ethical blunders. So, it is difficult to say that a person should give 100 percent, all the time, to the company they work for, but it is true. Without that company, there would be no paycheck and no opportunities to reach the individual goals ambitious people set for themselves. It becomes a risk that every employee should be willing to make as long as they choose to be with an organization.

The bottom line is that if you’ve chosen a life within an organization with people, you will experience politics, and the rule of thumb is that while we are employed by an organization, what is good for the organization is good for us. Therefore, if we make decisions based on negative politics and personal gain (or personal avoidance of conflict) instead of making the decision based on doing the right thing, we are creating carnage in our wake. We may get in good with the right people or garner the right person’s attention at a timely moment, but the damage we leave behind stands as a testament of how we operate. Certain people may believe that the negative results of our actions go unnoticed, but they do not. In most cases there is someone who sees it and there are definitely people that care.

Here are a couple of examples of scenarios that help put all of this into perspective.

1) Policy Violations/Discipline:
Frank is the assistant to a vice president with whom you feel you need to have a good relationship in order to be successful in your job. The VP has said on many occasions that Frank is one-of-a-kind and invaluable to him. A female employee in your department has come to you, hesitantly, to report that Frank has been sexually harassing her over the past couple of weeks. She is uncomfortable with the situation, but “doesn’t want to cause any waves.” As a manager, you know that the VP might not favor you as much if you pursue this, but you have an obligation to your employee, right?

In this case, there is clear benefit for you, the manager of the department, to play the political angle. The ease in which you are able to get things done, to succeed with this VP, is at stake. If this were a real-life scenario for any of us, it would be a difficult position to be in. Playing out the example though, not taking formal action in this situation may enable you to avoid being in the political doghouse with this particular VP, but it can have devastating effects on the company and you. Because, in this example, you are a member of management, you are a representative of the company and can be held responsible for your actions, or inaction, in a court of law along side your company. Going with the political decision here can cost the company hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars as well as possible court ordered company policies detrimental to the long-term success of the organization. Clearly, the carnage left in the wake of a decision made on political criteria is detrimental to the organization, is seen by others, and can have a negative affect on the ability for you to achieve your personal goals in the future. Nobody wins.

2) Promotions/Hiring/Firing
You are a supervisor in your company’s customer relations department. You are good at both leading other people and at taking care of the company’s valued customers—especially when they are upset. Over the past year you have been asking to hire another employee because your department, working hard the entire time, has fallen two months behind on answering correspondence, averages a hold time on the telephones of over three minutes, and works almost eight hours of overtime per person a week. You know you really need two or three new employees, but you’ve finally been given the budget and go-ahead to hire one new person. You have been interviewing and believe that you have found a person with that hard-to-find mix of talent and attitude to be a long-term success in the company and on your team. Before you can make an offer to that person, the CEO, inserts a new candidate into the equation. This new candidate is someone that is the daughter of a friend of the CEO and she went to the same college as the CEO. She clearly lacks the work experience of the candidate you’d like to hire and her degree is in a completely different field. She could possibly get the job done, but you are sure the leading candidate can do the job better. If you do not hire her, you may have to answer to the CEO and if you do hire her, the CEO should be very happy with you. What is the right thing to do?

Here too, there is a benefit to be considered by hiring the person the CEO recommended. By hiring the person the CEO put into the process, you could win some favor for you and your department and avoid tough questions and scrutiny in the future. The negative aspect of making that decision, however, has to do with what is best for the department and the company. By not hiring the best available person for the job, attitude and skills, you are risking losing the employees on the team that have gone above and beyond for a year. If the new hire doesn’t alleviate some of the workload on them, they will either leave for a different job or they will physically stay and mentally depart. When that happens, you will likely face some tough questions anyway. Nobody wins.

Without a doubt, there are many more scenarios that could be brought up. Situations with vendors, circumstances of gender, race, or sexual orientation, and decisions on how we spend our time are all examples of this. Playing office politics has repercussions that affect more than just the people involved. By being about the right thing, being honest, having a clear understanding of our own personal ethics and values, and developing the skills to handle conflict productively win-win situations are created for the company and for ourselves. Most of all, in the end, we will be respected, not just liked. There is a huge difference.

The Fatal Flaw of Planning

2009-07-20T16:18:00.008-05:00

by Scott Airitam
President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

So, check this out. I'm sitting here, doing my work and minding my own business when people I admire very much, my county commissioner and his assistant, ask me to represent them on a pretty important board of directors. Now, I don't have any ambition at all to serve in public office. I'm very thankful to those that do serve because it's important to be represented, and, because we need options in order to get the right people in office.

But, I digress...

Anyway, I have a plan for my life. It's not rigid and it's not all written down, but it is a legitimate plan. Then comes this opportunity, and, whoa, I'm considering it. Not only am I considering it, but I've all but said yes, barring any potential conflicts of interest with my work. No doubt, this, and the recent appointment to a Dallas Area Rapid Transit Quarterly Incentive Committee for their Blue Line extension from Garland to Rowlett will throw some kinks into my plan. I mean, I didn't even know about these things when I created the plan.

And, I'm finding that to be the fatal flaw in small business planning. I get to work with companies of every size and industry in so many different cultures and communities. Life has truly dealt me a special hand when it comes to my career. Just over the course of the summer, I've gone from working with the Air Traffic Controller's Association (a union), to juveniles, to hospital directors, to bank officials--just to name a few. Also, I've chatted with more than one small business owner about improving their business. These conversations generally come down to knowing their business plan. The sad, but realistic, thing about this is that small business owners are so busy keeping the business going that they do not reappraise their plans. Years and years after creating the business plan, they are still relying on it to guide their decision making. Of course, they've made adjustments, but they are in their mind, nothing concrete, and thus are subject to how powerful the influences pulling in different directions that day happen to be.

The real tragedy though, isn't that they don't "officially" adjust the plans they've created. No, the real issue here has much more impact on the big picture. What happens, by maintaining an old plan, the organization keeps hard-charging in the direction that it had originally set. Opportunities are missed. Opportunity spurs opportunity in this life and if a true opportunity is overlooked, so is the path that could have been by seeing it.

Like I said, I have no doubt that by being a part of the DART committee and the board of directors that the commissioner would like to name me to is going to open up new doors I could never have seen before. People I wouldn't have ever spoken to will become familiar and their influence will affect me and vice-versa. The same things happen for organization (of all size, by the way.)

I tell the kids I coach in basketball that their defensive effort isn't completed until we have the ball. In this case planning isn't finished until an the plan is changed to take into account opportunities that might not have ever fit into your plan in the first place.

A Day In The Life

2009-07-08T09:09:00.006-05:00

by Scott AiritamPresident, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

Picture yourself as the head of a tech firm. You've got your MBA and you've put some skins on the wall. Your accomplishments are well recorded. And you see many more in front of you. You are a hard driver, rarely stopping along the way to celebrate, to rest, or to enjoy the ride. Your life is about accomplishing things.

Now, picture one of your VP's saying that you should talk to this guy, Scott Airitam. Evidently, he has some really good training that let's companies accomplish more together and leaves people with a true sense of loyalty and commitment to the organization.

Your first question is what? "How much does this cost?" The VP says he's not sure, but let's bring Scott in and talk to him--at least that part is free. So, as not to be a complete jerk, you say, "sure."

This Scott guy comes in asks a bunch of questions. Some of them make you mad because his questions come with the assumption that there is something that could improve about the company. He's doing a needs assessment right here in front of you. The nerve of that guy! He leaves with the promise to put a few options for what he could do for the company in a proposal and have this to you tomorrow. Tomorrow? What, does this guy not have anything else to do?

Later that day, you are thinking about some of the things Scott said. Some of it was surprisingly insightful for someone that hasn't worked here. Too bad he owns a company and isn't looking for a job. Nevertheless, his services are probably going to be expensive, and, you have to save all of your training and development budget for technical training for your people. After all, it's the sales force and production work that really pay the bills around here. Not some psychobabble training about the "people-side" of business. So, you put Scott out of your mind and work until 9pm that night, and, in spite of yourself, you do peek at who leaves at five and who stays late. A couple of your managers stay later than you. You remind yourself to mention to their VP what a great job they are doing. See, you have people skills!

You arrive back at work at 7am. You were tired before your eyes completely opened, but that is what coffee is for. The company depends on you to survive. Yes, you make a mental note of what time certain people arrive for work. We'll see how many hours they put in today. By 9:30am, you have an email from Scott. A proposal. You go to open it, but before you are able to do so, your assistant tells you that Scott is on the line. What, did he send the thing by mistake and now, unable to recall it, he's calling you?

You get him on the line and he wants to walk through the proposal with you--like you cannot read. Wow, this thing is pretty comprehensive both as a potential contract and as an action plan! Unexpected.

Ugh. All three options require you to take part in the training sessions. Is he nuts? Why would he blatantly offend you by saying that you need work. He must really NOT want to work with you. Wait, he's saying that you should take the sessions as a way to model how important you think they are to the organization. You do not have time for this. This Scott guy doesn't know how many hours you already put in. He's suggesting courses that teach better leadership skills, how to handle conflict effectively, hiring right the first time, the value of diversity, performance management, and some stuff about culture like internal customer service, cooperation and collaboration, and the use of power. Interesting stuff...and according to him, the company would be more efficient. You wouldn't have thought about a bunch of this stuff for your organization because, you are already doing it, right? But, there are definitely some poor conflict management skills around here. Not sure about the hiring session, though, your management is doing a good job with HR's help, right? Performance management could be helpful--you remember some of that stuff from college, but you really have just been winging it. Hmmm. And this culture stuff is pretty cool. And he's claiming it will make our culture and our people a competitive advantage over the competition.

But, let's see what he's charging. Whoa. Didn't expect that. That's a large chunk out of our training budget to do what he's suggesting, and we still need the tech training. You could move some stuff around in the budget and do this, but do you?

Building an Effective Team

2009-07-08T09:04:00.002-05:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

I want to spend the next couple of blogs focusing on building an effective team. It’s a key principle and priority in my business, and it’s certainly important to the customers that I serve. In past blogs, I’ve circled the topic with the discussion of effective communication and building trust. Now I want to expand the discussion to include the challenges, the rewards, and a few keys to success for building a GREAT team.

Teamwork is all about people. It’s about creating a place where the talents and energies of individuals can combine to create something great. It’s also a tremendous challenge. It takes ongoing work and focused effort. A common misconception that I encounter in the business world is the idea that you can “team build” once every year or two and then check it off the list and get to the “real work.”

Imagine a family that only has “family time” once or twice a year, maybe at a gathering for a major holiday or family reunion. The rest of the year, the family is busy – work, chores, school, bills….I’ve seen my own family get into this mode – we call it the frantic family syndrome. There isn’t time for quality time, family dinners or fireside chats. Have you ever noticed that this is when the family fighting starts? It’s the same with a work team. If you don’t take the time to communicate, connect, and build relationships, eventually you’re going to see some dysfunction.

When a team isn’t cohesive, you can see the signs. Is there an absence of trust? Does the team avoid conflict or handle it badly? Are the individuals in the team more interested in their own self-preservation and advancement as opposed to the success of the team?

If you’ve noticed signs that your team isn’t syncing well, that’s a start. Awareness is the first critical step, but it must be combined with a commitment for improvement.

To start you off, I’d like to recommend a great read that my friend and colleague, Scott Airitam, shared with me. Patrick Lencioni’s, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. It’s a simple fable that simplifies and defines the importance of a healthy and effective team.

In future blogs, I’ll discuss some practical tips that can strengthen a team from both a leadership and a contributing team member’s perspective. If you have any team stories or tips, please add your comments. I’d love to hear them.

To Tear Down? Really?

2009-06-29T13:36:00.004-05:00

by Scott AiritamPresident, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

It's really interesting to me that after my last post, I've had four outside conversations with people that want to get me to say that we should leave the door open to use The Last Man Standing Approach.

One of those conversations was pretty brief because there was a misunderstanding--the person was trying to apply it to hiring. So that one doesn't count.

Nevertheless, I cannot say that there is prudence in leaving yourself an out to use a destructive practice.

In each of the conversations, the common denominator was that the person I was talking to had a true need behind the desire to "have permission" to use The Last Man Standing Approach. That need was that they felt they would be setting themselves up to be weakened by not being able to be direct.

What they weren't able to see at the beginning of those conversations was that Leadership allows for directness. It calls for directness when it is appropriate and needed. Sometimes that comes in course correcting someone, other times it is needed when there is no time to allow for "learning by trying" and instead the Leader has to step in and make the decision.

The other side of the discussions revealed another need. In two of the people, the habit of venting anger and frustration on employees is so ingrained that they were having a hard time imaging not being able to do that. The success of the last blogpost is that it made these people think, and, to some degree, question what they have been doing.

The Leader will shield his people from as much of the junk that obscures productivity and development as possible. This includes the Leader's moods as well as high level politics, dysfunction in other groups, lack of tools necessary to do the job, and quality co-workers. In short, the Leader is going on the offensive against anything that might tear down productivity and development of his or her people.

I've worked with too many groups where the head person brings me in to "fix" the group, and, after analysis, it's either the obstacles that person is throwing in the way of their people or the lack of removing obstacles that is the real problem with the group.

Holding onto that crutch is not a way to build up--it is a recipe for tearing down.

The recipe for building resides in developing more capable Leaders. I've worked with groups such as National Air Traffic Controllers Associations, Southwest Airlines, and Lake Pointe Medical Center because they are interested in building up their Leaders. All have seen significant success from the process because it is holistic and it doesn't bring any negative side effects other than hard work and discipline.

If those were my organizations, that is the "negative" side effect I'd sign up for as well.

To Build Up or To Tear Down - That is the Question

2009-06-23T09:02:00.009-05:00

by Scott AiritamPresident, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

Before I get into the heart of this blog, let me apologize to any loyal readers out there. I have been absent from here while I tried to help my city, Rowlett, Texas, win the All American City Award from the National Civic League. It was a grueling process for the past three weeks, and, in the end we did not win, but it was an amazing thing in which I was a part. You'll probably hear more than one story from that experience in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, back to the show.

In earlier blog posts I've established that managing people is not an easy task. Ask anyone that's had to create a work schedule for their employees and maintain that schedule in spite of absences, apathy, and disloyalty. Ask any manager that has had to fire someone they liked personally, but who wasn't performing on the job. Ask any manager that has had to ensure the job got done in spite of difficult personality conflicts.

If you break down the art/science of managing people, there are two distinct schools of thought that create the outer extremes regarding how we go about this. On one end, we have the school of thought that says that you place as much adversity in front of those you lead and the superstars will shine and rise to the top. This Darwinian approach is typified publicly in television shows such as The Celebrity Apprentice and is probably demonstrated somewhere in view of you in your workplace. It is very popular and it works. It wouldn't be popular if it didn't work. On the other end of our continuum, we have the approach that if you provide those you lead with everything they need to do the job, then they will provide extraordinary results. This is not as popular as the previously mentioned approach, but it has followers nonetheless. When it works, it works in a huge, dramatic way. When it fails, the failure can be just as huge and dramatic. All managers' approaches to managing the people they lead fall somewhere on this continuum.

If we explore each approach independent of comparison for a moment, we will see that each has merit. It is where this merit falls that should influence your decision making about which approach is right for you.

The first approach, which I like to call The Last Man Standing Approach, works because the participants in it learn to work the system to get as much out of it as possible. This is good news because the system doesn't give up all it can naturally, and those that can massage and manipulate it will have the opportunity for better results. It also produces thick skin for the participants, creating a better chance of them performing under extreme circumstances, pressure, and criticism. Managers that employ this strategy get results, if for no other reason than the fear the employees have of failure and the consequences of that failure. The Last Man Standing Approach certainly claims a very high constituency among those in management. Simply look around and observe--it is not hard to find. Unfortunately, there is a downside to this strategy. The positive effects of this approach are short term in duration--because they are born of fear and compliance. When a person complies because they are scared of something, they will only comply when the thing they fear is present. If they fear the manager, then when that person goes to a meeting, leaves town, or is ill, the fear is removed and compliance ceases.

Also, by using this approach, another lesson is taught and learned. People learn that nobody watches their back and they develop self-preservation skills very quickly. Self-preservation skills often are lacking in loyalty and commitment (to the manager and/or to the organization.) the people learning this lesson are focused on one thing, themselves. This breeds unhealthy competition where one person in the organization is, at best, hoping for the failure of another so that they come out looking better. At worst, people sabotage one another. It is here that we can see how managers can be the architects of their own suffering in the long run.

Another downside of The Last Man Standing Approach is that it produces frauds. Because under this strategy what really counts is looking good, a person focuses on how they appear in a situation, not what they actually produce or do. This is the basis for a great deal of subterfuge and underhandedness. When the primary measure is the "surface" appearance, then that gets all of an individuals attention and energy. Remember that if others look bad, and I look good by comparison, then I am fine--regardless of how much better I could be doing. So, in this situation it would be in my best interest to make others look bad. The long-term prospects for this approach are meager.

So, if there is so much baggage associated with The Last Man Standing Approach then what is the alternative? The other side of the spectrum provides the next option. I call this choice Leadership. Some may argue that Leadership is simply getting people to do what you want them to do--and there is an element of truth to that. The reason The Last Man Standing Approach doesn't fall under the Leadership umbrella is that it doesn't get people to want to do what the Leader wants them to do. It's a subtle difference, but that difference has long-term implications.

Leadership is not as popular as The Last Man Standing Approach. This is because Leadership has downsides as well. The first downside is that it is not easy. Indeed, difficulty lies down this path. Getting people to follow you out of loyalty, commitment, and respect takes much more skill than getting them to follow out of fear. This method takes time as well. A person can instill fear into an employee in a matter of seconds or minutes and maintaining that level of fear doesn't require too much effort. Using Leadership skills to accomplish the same thing could take hours, day, weeks or longer. It requires much more mental and physical energy to use Leadership, at least at the beginning. But, there is an upside to this as well. Leadership enables people to follow, even when the leader is not there. Because it builds loyalty, true Leaders have proven an investment in their followers well-being. After this is established, followers often do not want to let their Leaders down. Followers often adopts a "whatever it takes" attitude toward getting their jobs done with quality, speed, and caring. As you can see, then, the emphasis is not on looking good, but doing and being good. Because true Leaders come across as selfless, caring more about the mission and the people than themselves, followers will often adopt a similar approach. No longer is self-preservation the ultimate goal, but, instead the mission and the team become the primary focus. This creates is long term commitment to the organization and to the Leaders--aiding organizational stability and forward momentum. Leadership is difficult, but the reward is worth it.

Each behavior executed from the perspective of either The Last Man Standing Approach or Leadership causes a ripple in the surface. Can a person using a Leadership strategy survive in the midst of an organization that primarily rewards The Last Man Standing Approach? The answer is not only can it survive, but it can produce real results that cannot be denied. It is true, that in that situation there is a political price to pay for being different, but, one must break through the surface in order to begin creating the ripples of change.

Creating a Career Vision

2009-06-15T13:27:00.003-05:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

Last week I had the opportunity to work with a group of young adults in a summer work program. If they successfully complete the program they’re given a summer job opportunity and a variety of training sessions for their career preparation. One of their prerequisites requires that they participate in a 2-day Work Readiness workshop with me. The class includes a variety of job related topics: interviewing, resume writing, job retention, professional conduct, communication, etc.

The section that resonated with me was at the beginning of day 1. The participants went through a variety of goal setting steps, including creating a career vision for themselves. It was exciting to see the goals that these young adults had. There was no limit to their hopes for the future. I encouraged them to identify the barriers in the way of their goals, and the actions it would take to remove them.

I decided to revisit my own career vision and give it some thought. Is my vision the same as it was 5 years ago? What’s changed? Are there new barriers? Should there be new actions? It was a very worthwhile experience for me. Often, we get so busy doing the work that we don’t think about how we’re doing it, why we’re doing it or even if we want to do it.

Organizations invest millions of dollars to map out their team’s vision. I have personally facilitated many strategic planning or vision planning sessions to meet this end. Most people in the business world have participated in this process in one way or another.

Why not take the time to do this as an individual? Think about your own career vision. A vision is not necessarily a “position.” It is more a statement of the quality and results you desire from your future work experience.

An example:
The ideal position will give me opportunity to expand my computer skills, surround me with great people at work, and give me the flexibility and income to enjoy more quality time with my family.

Why bother?
Vision, or purpose, is a strong force to help us move forward. We tend to deal with challenges and change better when we have a compelling purpose, or vision. Your vision should be creative and expanding. It should not be inhibited by your current assumptions about how things are, or how they have always been. A personal vision provokes you to think about a preferred future, and more importantly, the work that will be necessary to move toward that ideal.

When you create your vision, you can’t skip the last step that the young adult group went through. You’ve got to create actions that will move you toward the vision. Otherwise, the vision is just a dream, with no real substance. Last week, I encouraged the class to create a couple of actions each week, with deadlines, that would move them in the direction of their vision. As the journey unfolds, they’ll identify new challenges, opportunities and actions. The point is to keep the vision in front of you, and to keep working on it all of the time.

Careful! Sometimes Instincts Stink

2009-06-02T14:23:00.006-05:00

by Scott AiritamPresident, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

I wonder how many of you ever got hurt trying to learn to catch a baseball or softball. Really think back. I can remember taking more than one baseball to the face and head learning to catch a fly ball. Now, watching little kids learn, I watch coaches get exasperated with those kids whose instincts tell them to turn their back on the ball. Or, sometimes, run and get the heck out of there!

How many times have we heard that a wild animal (be it dog, bear, or otherwise wild) can smell our fear and the worst thing we can do when confronted by them is run. But, isn't that exactly what our instincts tell us to do? I mean, crazed dog or giant bear--my brain is saying, "don't walk, RUN!"

Some people can overcome their instincts when the situation calls for it. Others cannot. The problem is that our instincts are not always correct. Yet, our brain is sending signals to our body, in exactly the same way it does when our instincts are correct. And, our body is conditioned to get a message from the brain and go with it. The difficult part, then, is to keep the logical, rational part of our brain going during these times of perceived "danger." People old and young, have kept their brain from making them run from softballs and baseballs. Instead, they raise their hand and catch the ball. There have been many people who, when confronted with animals, don't run, in spite of the fear. Instead, they calmly execute techniques that save their lives.

So, I'll give you some insight into how this works and how to apply it to your world of work.

Now, it's amazing to me how we can see, in the above examples, that instinct clearly isn't always right. Nevertheless, we defer to instinct in our Leadership roles at work all the time. One clear example is in my line of work. My company is used to seeing organizations that are going through tough times cut back or eliminate training.

This is instinctual, and bad instincts to be precise. Think about it. This represents the type of insticts that will make an organization extinct.

If we just consider clear need, and answer a few questions, we can see the logic behind what I'm saying here. First of all, when is it that organizations have the higher need to increase productivity...when they are doing well or when they are having troubles? When is it that organizations have a greater need to improve communication...when they are doing well or when they are in trouble? When is it that organizations have more of a need to elevate their Leadership abilities...when they are doing well or when they are in trouble? Arguably, you could answer that the need is there in both cases, but, the questions posed are clearly looking for an answer that talks about a higher need. With that being said, here's one final question. When is an organization more likely to cut back on training its people...when they are doing well or when they are in trouble?

Instincts will tell us that we need to stop training people and just increase results when things are in trouble. Unfortunately, these instincts are wrong. If it were that easy to turn the faucet on, why wasn't it done sooner? Specifically, raising the level of ability, increasing knowledge, and providing additional tools for people can only help a struggling workplace.

When circumstances pin you into the corner, don't turn your back on the ball and don't try to run and hide from your problems, instead, take them head on and make the situation into what you want it to be. This means anticipating this problem and preparing for how you want to react to it.

From my perspective, it's frustrating to watch organizations that I've developed a relationship with decide that their investment in their people is not a priority when things become challenging for the organization. It is difficult to argue against the "we'll just push 'em harder and faster" mentality that organization leaders sometimes move toward during the tough times. The fact is, that approach doesn't work. Building up the people-side of business does work.

To be clear, I'm not saying that an organization shouldn't weigh its decisions carefully. Investing in people when times are good is very smart. When times turn, though, what I'm saying here is that many organizations pull the people-side development down to nothing. I am saying that although that is what instinct tells us to do, it is not the smartest thing to do.

So, in our example, the counter-instinctual response would be to increase the level of training and development in an effort to counter some of the negative effects of the troubles the organization is dealing with. During difficult times you have the opportunity to increase the efficiency, productivity, morale, and commitment of your people. By strengthening your position instead of weakening your position during these tough times, it stands to reason you can improve your chances of coming out of those times in a better position.

Communication Key #5: Build a Foundation of Trust

2009-05-28T15:55:00.003-05:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

I recently facilitated a two-day retreat for a group of customer service representatives (CSRs) in the Dallas area. The focus topics included teambuilding, communication and dealing with difficult customers. I really enjoyed working with the group, particularly through the teambuilding module. It was obvious that the participants were attentive, engaged and open during our work together.

As I was driving home from the retreat, I remembered another group that I worked with a couple of years ago. This group was comprised of IT professionals. Although their roles and industry were different, they had similar goals for the retreat. The hope was that the experience would help them communicate and work more effectively together. Wow! This retreat was a completely different experience.

I remember the pre-consultation with the IT group. They wanted the training to contain models for better understanding roles and responsibilities and models for better communicating. According to the team’s leadership, they just weren’t communicating as well as they could. He felt that they needed some new tools for their toolkit.

As I progressed through the material that morning, I recall the feeling of the group. Rather than engaging in the process and talking candidly together, they hung back, used silence and obviously kept their true feelings guarded. In a short period of time, I made an important discovery about this group. They already knew how to communicate, but they chose not to. No one seemed to trust anyone else.

At that point, I abandoned my carefully designed curriculum and changed tactics. We spent time in the afternoon focused on breaking through barriers and rebuilding the team. I was pleased that we made some progress, and the team opened up a little more as the day progressed.

Unfortunately, with the time that was left, I didn’t get to the core of this team’s issues. I wish I would have had more time with them, because there was so much potential in the group. These individuals were skilled, educated, and engaging when I spoke to them one to one. They just didn’t feel that it was safe to share in the group. I encouraged the team’s leadership to revisit teambuilding in the future. I shared my belief that their lack of trust was getting in the way of their success, not a lack of communication skills.

Communication Key #5: Build a Foundation of Trust.
The tools introduced at the CSR retreat worked because the participants made this connection. They talked about differences, worked through them and agreed to solutions. They set team goals. They communicated.

You can spend all of the time, training and money in the world on communication, but it the team doesn’t have a foundation of trust, it’s going to be a waste.

How do you build trust in an organization?

It’s not a one-time effort, like flipping a switch. It takes time. Make teambuilding a priority. Help the team get to know each other. Create operating rules for the team that shouldn’t be broken. Examples might include:

-Fostering mutual respect
-Encouraging listening
-Making it safe for the team to share
-Keeping feedback constructive

There are endless possibilities. The key is to understand that building trust in a team is an important priority. It takes ongoing work, but the results will undoubtedly contribute to the success of the organization.

Professionalism

2009-05-26T09:05:00.008-05:00

by Scott Airitam
President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

Whenever I bring up the word "professionalism" to people, many take it differently than I intend. A lot of people associate it with "image." I guess it is true that if a person is unprofessional, a certain image will be connected to that person. Others associate it with clothes--with dress. Again, how we dress can come across as unprofessional, but that's not what I'm talking about either.

I suppose the peripheral issues of image and dress are to be expected, so it generally doesn't bother me or even require me to correct someone. But, I have a blog, so it's a good chance for me to clear this one up. With all of the focus, over the years, on "Dressing for Success," or "Dress Like the Person You Want to Be, Not the Person You Are" it's no wonder we get these things confused. And what is this about dress as the person you want to be? If I did that, I'd constantly be dressed in a swimsuit, with a straw hat and a koozy as accessories.

No, what I'm talking about with the word professionalism is different. Professionalism, to me, includes only behaviors that support the mission--the ultimate goal. That's it. Plain and simple. There is no need to make it all convoluted, but people do, and will. Think of it this way, "unprofessional" is the opposite. Is gossip professional or unprofessional? That's easy, it's unprofessional. It sabotages the mission instead of furthering progress toward it. It is divisive and it is petty and small. Is harassment or retailiation of any kind professional? Again, easy. It is not. Harassment places the focus squarely on the harassing behaviors and the environment created in its wake. It does not put the focus on the mission. Is how you dress professional? This one isn't as cut and dried. Dress can be so unprofessional that it takes attention away from the mission and puts it onto itself. That's one extreme. Where there is one extreme, one must only look far enough in the right direction to find the other. With that being said, then, dress can impress and create credibility. If impressing specific people and creating credibility furthers the mission, then, yes, it is professionalism at it's best! However, I'd squarely put most clothing in the category of irrelevant as far as professinalism goes. (Some of you are feeling the impulse to talk about how badly I dress right now, right?) That is to say, that even though someone selected the blue tie or the beige skirt this morning, if they'd decided to go with the red tie or the black skirt, it wouldn't have made a difference as to whether their focus was directed toward their mission or not.

I guess my rant for today is that professionalism is much more about the work, the goals, and the mission than it is about much more arbitrary and subjective measurements. Professionalism, thus, becomes the overlay for all work-related concepts such as Leadership, customer service, collaboration, sales, or communication.

Give this some thought next time you are wondering if someone is being professional or not.

Communication - Listen Up!

2009-05-15T08:22:00.003-05:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

For a couple of weeks, I’ve been focusing on the value of effectively communicating with those we work with. Whether face-to-face, on the phone, or via email, there are tools available that can help you compose and deliver your message in a clear and professional way. Today, I want to focus on what I consider one of the toughest aspects of communication.

Communication Key #4:

Listening. For many of us, this is a challenge. It certainly is for me. I’ve got a huge toolkit and lots of experience when it comes to sending the message. It comes naturally to me. That’s probably why I love training – I get to speak to an audience! But even when I’m facilitating, my ability to listen to the group is critical. I’ve got to hear my participants’ questions, concerns, and thoughts around the material that I’m presenting. Without their contribution, the learning experience is diminished. It’s the sharing of those in the class that really brings the learning to life.

That’s why I like the title of facilitator instead of trainer. To facilitate means to make easy. I want it to be easy for my participants to learn. We should all try to be facilitators when it comes to communicating. If we want communication to go well, we need to make it easy for the other person to share their story.

When we listen well, there are tangible outcomes that are very positive. We can probe into problems and get to the correct solutions. We can air concerns and solidify relationships. We can offer assistance that’s needed and get results. I’ve also noticed that if I listen to someone else, they’re a lot more likely to listen to me.

Sometimes our emotions get in the way. It might be a sense of urgency, enthusiasm, or even anger that propels us into cutting the other person off. Or, we don’t cut them off, but we don’t really listen. While the other person is talking, we’re creating our next message in our head.

When I do a poor job of listening, I lose the other person’s perspective, ideas, opinions and needs. This loss isn’t acceptable to me, so I’ve had to put some habits into place that encourage me to be a better listener. Sometimes I write myself a note to “BE SILENT” when I’m communicating with others. This visual cue reminds me to be the listener once in awhile. I also make an effort to ask questions. This encourages the other person to share.

Regardless of how you do it, find a way to listen. You’re probably familiar with Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Habit #5 encourages the reader to Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I love this, and personally commit to it. I know that if I miss this, and forget to listen, I’m not communicating successfully, no matter how polished the delivery of my own message. But if I truly attempt to understand the other person first, chances are I’m really listening and communicating well.

Petty and Small

2009-05-13T13:45:00.007-05:00

by Scott Airitam
President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

I know that for three posts in a row, I've talked about Leadership. It's a topic that is close to my heart. However, there are a few pet peeves out there that fight for some attention every time I get ready to write up a post. I think I'll let one of them out now just so that it will leave me alone. Who knew writing a blog could be so cathartic?

In the course of working with other people, regardless of title or position, we have to reconcile ourselves to certain realities and understand when the reality we think we see is really something we just made up.

The prime example of all of this that comes to my mind is one from a client firm. This company provides a professional service and had a few hundred employees in the Dallas area. One employee, in particular, comes to mind. This person is a manager of a department and she offices next to her boss, the Vice President. She consistently finds ways to produce little work herself, but regularly takes the credit for the work her employees produce. She is not very knowledgeable in her field, but is smart enough to have people on her staff that were very knowledgeable. That does little to earn her respect among her employees, but it does allow her to seem competent to her boss and her peers. I bring all of this up to illustrate that she has reason to be insecure in her position and that she fights very hard to make it look like she deserves to be there. Insecurity happens. It doesn't have to happen, but it does.

Anyway, the manager has been caught several times listening in to her bosses conversations. You see, there is an air vent behind the door to her office and it is connected to her boss' office. So, anytime the boss closes her door for a private conversation, this manager tends to listen to the conversation. She has been caught at this several times because she does not close her door. Instead, she stands behind her open door, just below the vent, to catch snippets of the conversation. It's like she can't help herself. She doesn't usually get to overhear whole conversations, so she draws conclusions about what is being said or decided. She starts rumors. The thing that gets me the most, though, is that she has been known to take action against her own employees based on what she thought she overheard her boss talking about behind closed doors. She has taken action against employees that she has thought the boss had given praise to and she's taken action against employees she thought her VP was irritated with. It's amazing how she could take a small piece of a conversation and make up all the rest. It's more amazing that after making up the rest, she felt justified in acting on that made up info.

When did we become so petty and small, as a workforce, that this type of behavior can be found in almost every workplace? I'm sure it's not ususally as blatant as standing behind an open office door to snoop, but, I'm sure most of you reading this can think of someone that is a bit like the manager I described. (It would be interesting to hear her comments if she were to read this...she has been confronted about her behavior in the past.) I mean, this particular woman easily became jealous of her own employees. So jealous, in fact, that she would make life difficult for them if their hard work yielded them attention instead of her.

Another way we've become petty and small is when we see or hear of someone getting something we didn't get. People get so irate sometimes when they think someone else got some benefit or something extra that they didn't get. Why do we take this so personally? The manager in the story took it personally. When this happens on the job, we tend to cal it favoritism. In my job as a consultant, I can site many cases of one department in a company believing that another department didn't have to work as hard. On the strength of the belief alone, no proof, the first department would become passive-agressive toward the other department sometimes to the point of actually sabotaging the work.

It's these types of things that slowly poison otherwise good places to work. Leaders need to stand up and address these issues in a positive, professional way. That's exactly how I teach Leaders to deal with these situations in my course Leadership First! More effective, though, is when the culture has been cultivated and developed to the point where Leaders do not have to step in to deal with these types of situations, peers do it first. It might seem like your culture can't get there from here, but I promise you, it can.

For me, petty and small has no place in the measurement of the quality of work life that I lead. I don't need that type of drama around me and I'm not afraid to address it. It's unfortunate that many people do deal with this type of stress on the job every single day. Because I know how interconnected things are, I also know that the stress that we download on the job often comes out at home.

Effective Email Communication

2009-05-08T08:17:00.004-05:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com

It’s probably no surprise that the number of organizations that are requesting “Email” classes has grown significantly over the last several years. We use email all day, every day. For many of us, it’s a central component of our communication.

Unfortunately, through misuse, this tool that is designed to enable communication can actually impair our ability to communicate effectively.

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m a big believer in email. It’s a great tool for connecting us and allowing us to communicate with one another quickly. Our organizations often operate on a global scale, and email allows us to cross the boundaries of distance in seconds. It’s cheap, it’s fast, and it’s easy. So why do we encounter email problems?

You’ve all been in a scenario where email wasn’t used effectively:

- The thirty emails generated around a lunch meeting
- The emotional email that escalates a conflict
- The email that is really directed to one person, but is “copied” to everyone
- The email that’s so full of abbreviations and acronyms that it’s indecipherable

These are a few examples of the email misuse that takes place in our work environments every day. In my training classes, I often hear complaints about emails like these.

Communication Key #3:

Use email appropriately. My boss shared a great story about email. He observed two team members that were interacting in a hallway. They ran into each other on the way to their cubicles and stopped to share a brief greeting. One of the individuals shared, with some enthusiasm, “Hey, I need to talk to you about this new project. I’ll email you.” They each headed off to the safety of their cubicles, where I assume they started a lengthy brainstorming session via email. I can understand this type of exchange if you’re in Iowa and you teammate is in China, but when you’re cube neighbors?

It seems to me that we’ve begun to use email as our “default” communication choice, even when it’s not the best choice. We also use email in ways that aren’t effective. We create email overload with our habits of copying everyone and forwarding long email chains. I think we know better. But we do it because it seems that everyone else does, and that creates some contagious negative practices in our work culture.

Some organizations are creating “best practices” around the use of email. I think that’s a great idea.

Here are a couple of simple examples:

- Do use email to provide short bits of information.
- Do use email to end telephone tag.
- Do use email for administrative tasks.

- Don’t use email for time-sensitive messages.
- Don’t copy all unless it’s appropriate
- Don’t disclose confidential information without authorization.
- Don’t use email for discussions requiring dialogue.
- Don’t say anything in email that you wouldn’t want everyone to see.

These are easy steps that can make a real impact on your teams and organizations. The culture will change when individuals commit to emailing appropriately, or using proper “netiquette.”

Debunking Leadership Myths - Myth #3

2009-05-05T09:08:00.005-05:00

by Scott Airitam
President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

You'd probably be amazed at where I learn my best organizational Leadership lessons. Most people learn strictly by reading books. For some, because it is in print means it's valid. I know there are a lot of books out there where the author has scientifically validated their theories. I try to read as many of the books as possible because that language is the only language that some of my clients really want to hear.

But, out of all of the conflicting information that has been validated, I choose to only integrate some of it into the Leadership dogma that I'll put my consulting and training company's name on. How do I choose?

I select the Leadership lessons from data that's collected in books and backed up as I observe real life. You see, I have the unique perspective of being able to integrate my personal experiences and the experiences of the many Leaders I talk to and observe in the many client organizations and volunteer organizations that I serve. I get to see the Leadership myths in action and talk to people about them. I also get to see how it plays out when those myths are debunked in real life.

Of all of the myths that I see repeated and repeated, there is one myth that is insidious. Truly, it sneaks into the mindset of a Leader, and with that, the mentality of the group being led. Once it is in, it appears to represent a complete view of all the Leadership options available, but it's really only an illusion. In fact, following where this myth takes a Leader only serves to slowly place increasingly restrictive limits on that Leader's ability to influence, and, it increases the group's dependence upon being led at every single step.

Leadership Myth #3 is: The Leader must step in and correct every mistep, small or large, that is made within his or her group.

Before I give an example of this, let me explain the problems with this approach.

When a Leader takes this course, they go into "firefighter" mode. Being the one to come up with the solution and pull the group out of the fire can be addicting. At the very least it can be a great ego boost. This is fine and good for the Leader's self-esteem and sense of self-importance, but like anything addicting, too much can be a bad thing. Every time the Leader does this, it focuses the Leader in the short-term at the expense of the long-term. The Leader is not growing future Leaders and, instead, creates, over time, a group that refuses to take ownership or accountability. Instead, every time things go wrong or unfamiliar territory is to be covered, the group looks to the Leader for instruction. What was once an ego boost erodes into an overwhelming and redundant pattern of behavior for everyone involved.
Using this technique creates another issue. Lack of creativity in the group. Or, better stated, a lack of risk taking. Over time, fewer and fewer in the group will go out on a limb to suggest a better way, they will simply take the direction they know is coming from the Leader. It's tough, because the group loses the diversity of thought that it posesses and instead becomes dependent upon the limited ideas and vision of a single person. This causes stagnation.
The most important thing that this mindset causes is a draining of passion from the entire group, including the Leader. Passion is one of the elements that puts many miles between good team results and great team results. Passion is an intangible who's effect cannot be measured. It is easy to recognize how much harder a person will work and how much more discretionary effort a person will apply to the cause when passion is present. A passionless team might get along with one another, but there is no way that it can match the output of a team passionate about its work, its goals, and its purpose.

So, I'm going to share one of those real world experiences with you.

I was asked once to step in as a consultant in a company where this was the predominate Leadership approach. This organization had little passion. The only identifiable passion to be found resided in top leadership. There was no creativity or risk taking in the group. Almost to an individual in the group, there was a feeling of powerlessness. Whenever something went wrong, the leader's stepped in and "fixed" it--usually in a blame assigning move.

The company, based in the St. Louis area, blamed the quality of employees it had to choose from for its woes and accepted that as just the way it was. The cultural mess it found itself in was accepted as "the way it is" and, the leadership couldn't see that there were better alternatives at its disposal. It could not see the doors within its reach, and, when these doors were described to them, they didn't believe that they were real. Add to this the real threat of obsolescence in a declining market and the pressures of this organization were real and difficult.

The leaders would step in to solve every problem, from the largest strategic issues to the smallest details, and the group felt powerless. Soon, I got a phone call from the organization asking for help.

The problem was cultural. Culture forms paradigms. Paradigms form habits. Each of these areas was corrupted due to a short-term leadership approach being applied over a long-term period.

Fortunately, the problem wasn't strictly ego. Leadership wasn't unwilling to change, they simply didn't know what other options were available to them. They didn't know another way to Lead. I knew how to help with that and so a journey began that lasted a little over a year.

We worked with them in a three-pronged approach. We had to fix the cultural aspect, the paradigms, and the habits at the same time. If we worked on any one exclusively, the other two would stunt the potential growth of the one we worked on. So, we used a product that Leadership Systems developed, the Cultural Assessment Tool (CAT) to gather data on the culture and to share both the great strengths the organization had and the hard to swallow weakenesses that it possessed. Simultaneously, we produced a very targeted, company (and issue) specific 3-day course for top Leadership to reveal to them some of the opportunities they couldn't see, re-equip them with appropriate tools, and recondition them to create an environment that allowed for enhanced communication, risk taking, and creativity. We set out to change paradigms. Finally, we spent time with them--coaching. We confronted the Leadership on behaviors that were both great and poor and we worked with and talked to the group--all in an effort to change habits. We guided, but we didn't do for anyone. This allowed them to have their own successes and not attribute them to us.

Today, this organization has grown tremendously and has found such a high degree of success in how it handles its people that it's become a high-performing work group. The company is TEC (Television Engineering Corporation) and it has grown its revenue tremendously with creative new offerings and solid and stable original products. To a person, the people that work there are proud to work there and have a passion about what they do. Leadership actually Leads instead of pushing people out of the way and trying to do all of the work for them. The turnaround in this organization is astounding and it allows TEC to be more competitive, more agile, and, ultimately more successful. Jack Vines, Jr., the Leader this organization, who always acts with wisdom and passion gave me permission to talk about the journey this company traveled. It is still on the journey, he'd tell you, only the road is a lot easier to navigate now.

Communication - Checking for Understanding

2009-05-01T09:40:00.004-05:00

by Angela Gallogly

Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts

http://www.atctraining.com/

The value of effective communication hit me again this week, this time in a more personal way. I had to have a couple of important customer conversations, and I needed to put the tools that I teach to use. One of the companies that I work with is experiencing some policy changes that directly impact their training requirements. Another customer experienced changes in their team and was feeling concern about how this would impact the training goals that have been set.

Both customers had a message for me, and I had to make sure that I understood what that message was. It turns out that my initial assumptions weren’t correct. It took a little more dialogue to get the right information, with enough detail, to allow me to provide for my clients what was really needed.

Communication Key #2:

Check for understanding. How many times have you left a conversation having heard what was said to you, but misunderstanding what was meant? Last week I wrote about slowing down our communication, and that applies here. The best communicators slow down, watch out for assumptions, and confirm understanding.

There are many techniques that you can use to check for understanding. Some of the simplest and most effective:

- Ask questions
Make sure you have all of the details needed. Don’t fill in the blanks yourself.
- Paraphrase
Rephrase what you think you’ve heard to reduce misunderstandings
- Summarize
Still paraphrasing, but also reviewing progress or pulling ideas, facts and feelings together

These techniques helped me with both of my customers. With customer #1 and the policy changes, I used probing questions and summarizing. I discovered that the real impact on the training was around measurement and accountability. My first workshop for the client under the policy changes was earlier this week, and I was equipped with a new pre and post-assessment that met the new requirements.

With customer #2, I used paraphrasing. I thought I heard that a new training approach was required to accommodate the team changes. When I paraphrased this, the customer corrected me. All he was asking for was some additional detail. This was enough to reassure him that we were on course.

Use the same techniques when you’re the one sending the message. If you’re worried that it will seem patronizing to ask the other person to paraphrase or summarize, put the responsibility on yourself. “I don’t always give enough detail or make the message clear. Tell me what you heard.”

These techniques aren’t new. In fact, you’ve probably heard them before. It’s really about getting into good habits and using the tools that you have. You don’t have to do this every time you communicate, but if the message is important enough, take the time to get it right.

Debunking Leadership Myths--Myth #2

2009-04-29T13:35:00.006-05:00

by Scott Airitam
President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC
www.leadeshipsystemsonline.com

Ok, so somewhere along the line I was asked to be Chair-Elect of the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce. And, logic tells me that somewhere along the line, in a moment I can't quite recall with any certainty, I said, "Yes." Now, don't get me wrong. I really feel like it's an honor to have been asked, and, just as much an honor to serve, but with my work schedule, my volunteer activites outside of the Chamber, and my commitment to my family and social life (big believer in balance here) I don't know how I was thinking I was going to do this.

The Chamber's situation is challenging because of the growth the city is going through and the need to change how things are done at the chamber to keep up. It reminds me of a job I had. I started with a company, AMX Corp., as the Director of Business Capabilities. My job was to create a business savvy core of Leaders within the organization as it grew from a $40 million dollar company to a $100 million dollar company. To do this, I was to create a training process, an internal consulting organization, and an on-the-job training process under the umbrella of a department called Business Capabilities. It was a challenging job, but a great job and I had immediate success. The real challenge came when I was asked to take over the AMX University, which was responsible for the technical training of customers, product distributors, dealers, and AMX staff. Being a technical firm, this was a critical position because it affected the ability and desire of people to both sell and buy our product. The problem was that the AMX University had a number of deeply rooted cultural challenges when I took over--much like the Chamber.

Now, at AMX, taking over AMX University meant taking the Leadership reigns of a group of people who's skill sets were quite different from my own and who's ideas about work were vastly different than mine. I knew the world of training and I knew how a training organization should be run, but I didn't understand the technical aspects of the programming language or the hardware, which were the very things we were training. Because I didn't understand all of those technical aspects I also did not really get the AMX University employees or customers who lived in that world every day. And, here I was expected to Lead them.

This brings us to a very common Leadership Myth. Leadership Myth #2 is: To be a great Leader, one must be competent in every aspect of the work the followers are asked to do. I will admit, that it helps to have that competence. It is not a requirement, though.

In truth, great leaders understand the mission and how to influence their people. Great leaders command respect. I gained the respect of my high-tech staff at AMX University because I was willing to go the extra mile to ensure the mission was accomplished. When I demanded the same of them, it was difficult for that group to avoid accountability for working to the standards I set. An example of this is when a trainer quit on a Friday and we had a programming class starting on a Monday. All Friday I worked in vain to find someone qualified to teach the session. I tried rearranging schedules and I tried borrowing people from other departments. When none of it worked out, what do you think I spent all day Saturday and all day Sunday doing? Making myself qualified to lead the session. The session was three days long and people flew in from all over the world to take it. I led the session. It wasn't perfect, but it was successful and my team recognized that I was willing to do whatever it took to make sure we achieved our goals--even when the situation seemed impossible. Within a year of me taking over the AMX University, it was a department that people wanted to transfer to, not the other way around.

So, now I look to Lead the Chamber of Commerce for my home city, Rowlett. I do not have all of the skills the 18-person board of directors will bring to the table for us to meet our goals. I can't claim all of those competencies. I can be a great Leader to them, though, allowing them to do work they can be proud of and work that is meaningful. I can lean on them, creating value in what each brings to the table. This creates commitment. This creates the want to do in followers and it allows me to completely refrain from trying to be a dictator telling them what they have to do. With that, I look forward to Leading a Chamber of Commerce that achieves great things.

Communication-Bridging the Gaps

2009-04-24T10:12:00.010-05:00

by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com/

Communication is a monster topic. In the training world, I find that regardless of whom I’m working with and what we’re trying to accomplish, communication always comes up as a critical area of focus. It can be the biggest enabler or the biggest stumbling block for organizations.

It doesn’t matter what role we play at work. Effective communication is critical to success. This is logical when you think about how much time we spend doing it. For most of us, we are in some type of communication for the majority of our workday. It might be spoken, written, or only body language, but we’re doing it – giving and receiving. You’d think that with all of this practice, we’d have no communication challenges at all.

Nobel Prize winner George Bernard Shaw said,
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

Yes, we communicate all of the time, but are we doing a good job? Is it effective? Is the message being received as intended?

When we fail at getting the message across, a communication gap has occurred. Imagine a baseball game. The pitcher has thrown the pitch, but the catcher didn’t catch it. Could have been either player’s fault, but it sure isn’t going to help the game. It happens to all of us.

So what’s really at stake? Do miscommunications have a direct impact on our success? Absolutely. Think about the potential consequences if communication fails. Work isn’t done or it’s done wrong. Sometimes it’s done in duplicate, resulting in wasted time and resources. We can fail our clients or our team, impacting the image and credibility of ourselves and our organization. It can hurt morale and deteriorate the culture of the organization. All of this can have a real impact on a team’s bottom-line results.

If we agree that this is an important topic, and we agree that there’s room for improvement in most of our organizations, what can we do to eliminate or minimize our communication gaps?

Communication Key #1:

Slow down! We are in such a hurry in the workplace these days that we don’t take the time to communicate well. I’m all for concise communication, but we’ve become so brief and rushed that we’re creating more gaps than ever. This is true in our spoken communication and definitely true in our business writing. I can think of endless email examples.

Think of complete communication as an investment that will give you a return. If you take just a little longer to communicate, you might get it right the first time. We all know how much time it can take to undo a miscommunication. Doing it right the first time is actually the shorter (and smarter) path. It never hurts to self-evaluate now and then. On a scale of 1-5, how effective are you in workplace communication? Where are the gaps, and how can you bridge them?

Debunking the Leadership Myths - Myth #1

2009-04-22T15:06:00.005-05:00

by Scott Airitam

President, Scott Airitam's Leadership Systems, LLC

www.leadeshipsystemsonline.com

So, I get to talk about Leadership for a living. It is a topic that never ceases to amaze me because Leadership has to be flexible enough to adapt to the many variables affecting it. Just because one Leadership response worked well one time, does not mean it will work well the next--even if the situation is identical. The variable there is timing, right? I mean, if something worked well once, the next time you're in that situation any number of things could be different in the environment, about you, about perceptions... Then there is always the variable of the person or people being led. Moods, attitudes, emotions, all figure in.

In spite of all this, consistency in results is a mark of great Leadership.

Now, it must be said that the capital "L" that I always throw in front of the word Leadership is there for a reason. Capital L Leaders generate the results they are looking for because they Lead in a way that makes others want to do what needs to be done.

With that being said, let's deal with the Leadership myth for this week.

Myth: A Leader must be willing to yell and "get in people's faces"--even as a last resort--in order to be true to the goals of the organization.

Believe it or not, I have had arguments with people over this one. Recently. You see, the argument supporting this myth is that if you're not willing to be "tough" then you are really weak. In other words, you automatically weaken your position if you don't have the will to be a bully.

I understand the argument, but I simply can't agree. You see, I've been a Leader through the toughest situations without "getting in people's faces" and I've seen others do it. People have a hard time with this because when you throw out that option, you throw out many people's "easy button."

By clearly setting goals and expectations, by being flexible and listening, by truly having the back of those you lead, and by giving people the ability to choose consequences based upon their actions, you certainly can Lead others without ever taking out the bully-stick.

In fact, the minute you pull out the bully-stick and try to force others to do your will, you change the game. No longer are you Leading with a capital L, you are intimidating. Intimidating is indeed effective for getting people to do what you'd like them to do, but only short term. The variable here becomes YOU. You must be there to present the threat of intimidation. When you are away, nobody wants to sacrifice for you. If they do sacrifice, it's only because there is some personal gain in it for them.

Remember, a Leader can get people to want to do what needs to be done. Can you do that?