Trust and Respect

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.

Building (and Rebuilding) Your Team

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.

Communication - Listen Up!

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.