http://mergespeaks.com/blog/">Turning Managers into Leaders

About sixty minutes into a recent ten-hour trans-Atlantic flight, our plane encountered an unexpected mechanical problem and the pilot announced that we were going to make an emergency landing at a nearby airport.  He went to some length to reassure us that it was not a crisis situation, but more a prudent precautionary measure given that the majority of our journey was over water.  We landed safely, the problem was fixed, and within another three hours we were on our way.  End of story.  What caught my attention though was what happened earlier in the plane, immediately after the captain’s announcement.  While passengers remained calm and composed, almost three-quarters of my fellow travelers leaned forward, pulled out the emergency procedures card from the seat pocket in front of them, and proceeded to carefully read the instructions.  It was interesting to me that merely an hour ago during the safety demonstration, the flight attendants had asked them to do exactly that, and almost nobody had complied.  But now, because of a potential crisis, everyone was concentrating closely on this very same information.

It got me thinking about the procedures manuals and check-lists that exist in the various departments in so many organizations.  Many managers and supervisors I work with advocate eliminating these documents.  They’re outdated most of the time, no one ever looks at them, it takes effort to keep them current – these are just some of the reasons I hear from those who would do away with them.  But the real worth in such documents comes during times of crisis.  It’s when things start to go wrong that people seek out the manuals and check-lists.  It’s when the unexpected happens that people turn to the security of what has been documented in writing.  All of which suggests that perhaps there IS value in job handbooks and process guides, even if it takes work to keep them current and even if they get outdated the moment they are completed.   What do you think?  Waste of time, or worthwhile effort?

So last month I took a short holiday in Hawaii and as we drove back to our hotel one evening I couldn’t help but notice the vehicle in front of me.  Two travellers had turned a regular pick-up truck into their own unique convertible.  By unfolding two everyday collapsible deck chairs in the bed of the pickup, they now had two seats on the back of an open-air vehicle … almost (but not quite) like driving in a sports car with the top down!

I’ll be honest … my first reaction was “Yikes, redneck!”  But a few moments later, I moved to “Hmm, rather resourceful!”  But it got me thinking about how people instinctively react to things that unusual or are outside the norm.  Often, my first reaction (as I think it is for many others) is to immediately make a judgment about the situation or person (sort of like I did with the home-made convertible ).  But once you look more closely, perhaps the different and unusual represents ingenuity, imagination and originality.  Perhaps, as leaders, instead of judging we should be encouraging our people to be inventive and innovative in the workplace.

As always, I want to know what you think?  Redneck or resourceful?  Safety hazard or inspired?  And what are you more likely to do – judge or encourage?

A couple of weeks ago I talked briefly about a leader’s role as an agent of change. And it’s a responsibility you should take seriously. The expectations that your clients and customers have of you are changing, rapidly, so you need to keep your ear to the ground to know what they’re thinking and what they demand of you. One of the best ways to stay ahead of the change curve is to find ways to think differently. Here’s one idea that I have observed many leaders use successfully. Bring people together who are not connected.

If you’re in a mid-sized or large organization, then in its simplest form that means creating cross-functional teams. If you’re working on a new initiative, put folks from engineering, operations, accounting, human resources and legal on the same team. Yeah, there will be some friction, but it will be for the good of the final result. Even if you’re not part of a large organization, you can still achieve the same outcome by deliberately choosing to interact with people who have different backgrounds or work with different target markets. One way to formalize this is to create a mastermind circle. If you don’t know what that is, or want to learn how to create and use one, then this short article titled Mastermind Circles: A powerful and easy way to create your own advisory panel that I wrote for CGA Magazine in November 2008 will be helpful.

What are you doing to bring together people who can offer you different perspectives and a variety of alternatives? Please share with the rest of us.

Why is it that doctors always seem to keep you waiting? No don’t answer, it’s a rhetorical question. But I think many of you will agree that this is a common frustration about visiting the doctor – he or she is “running late”. I was waiting at my doctor’s office a few days ago and I noticed a new sign just behind the receptionist’s desk:

I was impressed with their approach. Clearly, “running late” is a common occurrence in this office, but the staff here have found a way to turn this negative feature into something positive. It reminded me of something I read several years ago called “Feature the Flaw”. Blogger Scott Anthony explained how the eco-tourism hotel industry has turned a set of flaws — basic rooms with no air conditioning, no TV and no room service, but a plentiful supply of mosquitoes — into features that can command price premiums. They positioned something negative as a benefit. Clearly this doctor’s office has taken a similar tactic.

So what can you do to apply this principle in your workplace? You no doubt have flaws in your products and services; is there a way to position these flaws differently so that your stakeholders will see them as positive features? If your clients or employees tell you that there is a potential failing in one of your ideas, can you spin the problem around by looking for an external client or internal customer who would consider that very failing a feature? By changing your point of view (and helping others see it), you could very well turn a weakness into a competitive advantage.

Do you have any examples of how companies have turned flaws into features?  Do share!

One of the lesser-known of the famous Murphy’s Laws is the First Law of Expert Advice.  It states:

Don’t ask the barber whether you need a haircut.

Like all Murphy’s Laws, within the humour lies an essential kernel of valid and legitimate advice.  If you’re in a position of leadership, then you often have to solicit and rely on advice from others.  After all, you can’t know enough about everything to make sound decisions solely on the basis of your own knowledge and experience.  But always evaluate where you seek out your guidance.  Yes, you should go to an expert when you are seeking counsel on any subject, but continually ask yourself whether the advice may be biased.  Does your advisor have a vested interest in one decision over another?  Ideally, you want the person who guides you to be impartial and unprejudiced and not likely to gain an advantage from one alternative over another.  Independence from the outcome is always a good measure of the quality of the advice received.

Having said that, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should completely ignore any counsel that comes from someone who will benefit from your decision.  However, you must temper any advice you receive from such a source with a healthy dose of pragmatic skepticism.  Always remember, if you ask the barber whether you need a haircut, the answer will always be a resounding “yes”, even if it isn’t true!

A colleague commented: is is even possible to get an independent expert nowadays?  It just seems that everyone has a hidden agenda?  What do you think?

Recently I received an email from a new supervisor who is trying to establish the boundaries of his relationship with his manager.  “Often my boss invites me into his office to discuss different issues,” he said.  “I take that to mean that she wants my perspectives and input.  But sometimes I feel like my comments only seem to frustrate her.  Is she looking for a dialogue with me, or does she just want me to nod in agreement?”  The answer to this question lies in what problem-solving mode his manager is in.  Does she want to brainstorm ideas and solutions or is she seeking recommendations and action?

It might be easier to make this determination if you were to consider the decision-making continuum.  On this continuum, there are five distinct degrees that range from “I make the decision” at one end to “you make the decision” at the other.  Here they are:

1. Informational – I’ve made the decision; just want to let you know.
2. Reality-check – I’ve almost decided but I want to make sure that I haven’t missed any critical information.
3. Data-gathering – I need to gather information before I can make a decision; please give me your input and expertise and then I will make the final decision.
4. Collaborative – we need to make the decision together; consensus would be ideal.
5. It’s your decision – I’ll give you the framework; you ask clarifying questions.  Then you make the decision.

When working with your boss or your staff, it’s worthwhile to identify what outcome is being sought in terms of the decision-making discussion.  In the case of his boss, this young supervisor needs to ask some probing questions up front to establish what degree of involvement she wants from him.  Then he can offer the appropriate level of input.  When working with employees, it’s useful to be clear at the outset as to what degree of discussion you’d like them to engage in.  That way they can proceed with an understanding of what you expect.  Clarity at the start will avoid frustration on everyone’s part.

Have you experienced this type of aggravation as well?  How have you handled it?

Recently I had an experience with a local service provider that once again illustrated to me how some (so-called) business people simply can’t think beyond the short-term.  Back in March, I bought a gift certificate for a manicure/pedicure at the little nail studio in my neighbourhood here in Calgary.  I called a few weeks ago to book my appointment and was surprised when the person on the phone told me that she wouldn’t honour it.

“We’re no longer called Extreme Nails,” explained Emily.  “I bought the studio from the previous owner and it’s now called Excellent Nails.  Since this is a certificate you bought from the previous owner, it is no longer valid.”

[Note: the names of the studios and the new owner have been changed]

I suggested to Emily that since I was a repeat customer, it would be in her best interest to honour the certificate as the potential existed for me to become a regular customer at her shop, but to no avail.  As I hung up the phone, I mentally shrugged, putting it down to a poor purchase combined with some bad luck.  But then, a few days later, I walked past the store, and curious, I stopped in for just a minute.  Read the rest of this entry »

The best opportunities for growth in any organization are not only market-changing, but often a threat to your existing business.  Consider the story of the digital camera.

In 1975, Steve Sasson, an engineer at Kodak, invented the first digital camera which he cobbled together with pieces from a Super 8 movie camera and a digital voltmeter application, and assorted nickel cadmium batteries and circuit boards.  The prototype was then demonstrated to many internal Kodak audiences throughout 1976, and even though it elicited interest and curiosity, it never went any further, probably because of what it was called – “film-less photography”.  Even Sasson admits that this was an insensitive choice of demonstration title; remember, Kodak’s revenues came from selling film!  To its credit, Kodak recognized that it couldn’t ignore filmless photography forever and in the 1990’s invested substantial sums in development and eventually successfully brought digital photography to the market. But it sat on the idea for almost 20 years because it saw itself in the business of selling film.

So what are the threats to your existing business (or your department)?  Chances are that’s also where your greatest growth opportunities lie.  The odds are that someone inside your organization already has a great idea for how to grow your company, but are you listening to them?  As a leader, it’s up to you to figure out those opportunities before someone else does and one of the easiest ways to do just that – ask your people.  What are you doing to tap into the innovation that already exists in your business or your department?  Do tell.

This photo was forwarded to me by a friend and business colleague.  It was accompanied by the following caption:

These contractors are installing steel pillars in concrete to stop vehicles from parking on the pavement outside a Sports Bar downtown. They are now in the process of cleaning up at the end of the day and anxious to go home. How long do you think it’ll be before they realize where they parked their truck?

Funny, I know, but it also illustrates an important leadership concept – the importance of thinking through your decisions to the final result.  Clearly these gentlemen failed in this regard.  Unfortunately, during the course of my leadership development practice, I have seen more examples than I care to admit where leaders have taken actions without fully thinking through the implications and eventual outcomes.  What about you?  Have you observed situations where there is obvious lack of foresight?  Please share by clicking on the Comment link below.

PS. Unfortunately, I have been unable to determine the source of this photo and so have been unable to properly credit it, but if someone has some information in this regard, please drop me a quick email.

Last weekend I participated in a strategy discussion with several of my professional associates.  As we talked about the different initiatives that we have underway in our business, one colleague in particular expressed increasing frustration because of the challenges he has faced in achieving planned outcomes.  “I just seem to be getting it wrong,” he said.  Every time I take a step forward, it seems to be in the wrong direction.

At that moment, another person spoke up. “Don’t think of it as being wrong,” she said.  “Think of it as being increasingly right.  Every time you take a misstep, you gain valuable information about what not to do as you move forward.  Admit it,” she said, “you may not yet have achieved your objective, but you are getting closer.  Right?”

As he nodded his assent, I realized exactly how insightful my friend Shelle had been.  Our struggling colleague was looking at his situation as if he was balancing on a tightrope.  Instead, his journey was more akin to traveling in a concentric circle.  Making mistakes did not mean that he was falling into the abyss on either side; instead his errors were serving as small corrections as he moved towards his ultimate goal.  True, it might have been much easier (and faster) to get from A to B in a direct line, but traveling in a concentric circle towards the eventual target is also an acceptable and reasonable way to make the trip.

So what goal are you trying to achieve right now that is frustrating for you? Perhaps you need to change your perspective.  Look at it as an expedition that is a concentric circle rather than a balancing act on a tightrope. Does that paint a different picture?