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The Leadership Challenge: Title Dilution – 3 Tips!

August 1, 2016 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: If you’re an achiever in your career, your title not only represents what you do BUT your accomplishments as well. So what happens if you’re at an organization that elects to water-down or dilute titles so that everyone appears to be harmonious/at the same level operating as an entire team? In this post we’ll examine the leadership challenge of title dilution and what you can do to elevate yourself from mediocrity as you escalate the org chart on your career path… Enjoy!

The Elevator to the Top!

Every once in a while I find myself in a situation that bears repeating. Case in point this past week in an elevator riding to the top floor to spend some time with a client. Enter onto the elevator two young women also traveling to the top floor. Their conversation could be captured as follows:

Woman #1

How are things going for you over at Company XYZ?

Woman #2

They’re going fine, but I’m so concerned about our policy of title dilution. While I’ve never been concerned for me, or my abilities to achieve, the fact that we dilute company titles makes me feel like I’m not being recognized for my achievements. I mean, I know I could go over to Company ABC and make more money, but I’m not certain they’d even give me an interview because it looks like I do the work of an entry-level employee. I’m concerned…

We’re All One Team, Right?

Title Dilution is the concept that all members of a team are provided with equivalent titles. Leaders and Team Leaders not only sit/work together with their teams, but they all have the same title to boot! So what if you work for an organization that chooses to similarly title dilute? How will you be recognized? What will you do to not only stand apart from the team crowd, but remain a valued member of the team?

While you may not have to worry about title dilution as you ride the career elevator in your current organization, I see a trend of more and more organizations wanting to equate equals as part of the team as opposed to different (or same as but different).

3 Tips for Title Dilution

So what is the career savvy achiever to do so as to avoid title dilution? I provide the following Three Tips to overcome title dilution regardless of where you are at on your career path journey:

Tip #3 – To Thine Own Self Be True

Shakespeare spoke of a clever conversation between a father and son regarding escalating the org chart (or as good as career advice could be provided back in his day). It all starts with knowing who you are and what’s important to you… Here’s the passage from Hamlet (Act 1, scene 3, 78–82):

Polonius:

This above all: to thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Farewell, my blessing season this in thee!

Laertes:

Most humbly do I take my leave, my lord.

Tip #2 – Fish Determination

Are you a BIG fish in a little pond, or a little fish in a BIG pond (or does pond size matter?) I meet with a lot of leaders that either struggle or excel depending on the situation that they find themselves. Know this much about yourself: You probably have greater comfort in one setting versus another. With that in mind, identify what your best setting is and look to maximize your impact.

Tip #1 – GOALS

If you don’t have goals, you’re either (A) dreaming or (B) letting someone else determine your fate/destiny/outcome. If titles are important to you (either for ego purposes, marketing your brand, or the perception of greater income – either real or imagined) then an organization that dilutes the titles of achievers may or may not be the right place for you.

SUMMARY

In this passage we’ve taken a look at the leadership challenge of title dilution and presented three tips. Important to note that while careers aren’t built/realized overnight, they can come unwound in a relatively short time period. Identifying who you are (and what’s important to you), where you are at, and a plan for success should assist you in overcoming dilution moments in your career regardless of whether you are just starting your journey, midway, or looking for a way to “ride off into the sunset” as you leave your legacy for others to marvel at.

Sam Palazzolo

The Leadership Challenge: Pollyannaish

May 9, 2016 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: You want to have a positive outlook… I want to have a positive outlook… I think we ALL want to have a positive outlook! But is that positive outlook actually doing more harm than good for you? In this post, we’ll take a look at The Leadership Challenge Pollyannaish to determine if it’s actually working for the good, or if it’s acting as evil in your leadership development… Enjoy!

Blinded by Optimism

I was introduced to the “Pity Parade” concept about a decade ago. This concept goes something like “it’s easier to be down in the dumps, as opposed to upbeat and optimistic.” If you ever notice, or took the time to count just how many people are down as opposed to up, you’d quickly surmise that the ratio is about 10:1 (Down:Up). That’s a pretty staggering quantity… So why are there so many people choosing (It is a choice after all to determine your attitude) to be down?

The reason so many people prefer to be down, or negative, is that it is simply far easier. If it takes less muscles in the human face to smile as opposed to frown (43 to frown while only 17 to smile – Check it out for yourself at http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/muscles-smile.htm), why put in the extra effort to be negative. The choice (again, it’s a choice!) is that while the initial effort/energy might be greater, the long-run follow-up effort/energy is, well, effortless. You will expend far fewer calories as a leader being negative. Being positive strains your leadership muscles and causes you in the initial moments to exert additional effort/energy as well as in the long-run. So this is why the “Pity Parade” has so many members in it… and it’s a long parade!

Menander vs. Marcus

Let’s go back in time to see if leadership “Pollyannaish” tendencies are dictated by human history… All the way back to around 150 AD. Picture a world very different from the one today (What, no iPhones? Tragedy!) A world ruled by the Roman Empire, stretching for nearly 75% of the known world. A world run by Roman Emperors and in this time period the great Marcus Aurelius. The backbone of this empire some could argue came from the philosophical lessons handed down from the Greeks. One such Greek was none other than Menander. Now Menander was a sort of Steven Spielberg meets Saturday Night Live of his time, and is the best known representative of Athenian New Comedy (He penned 108 comedies and took the prize at the Lenaia Festival 8 times – something akin to the Oscars I would imagine).

Menander was known for his quick wit, and captured many a stinging quote in his work. One such capture consisted of the quote “So surrounded by good things was he…” which allowed the audience member to fill in the blank regarding exactly what it was that our hero in the work had regarding choices to be made. It was in this Pollyannaish moment that we can realize that when everything is going right, perhaps there is some major wrong taking place! To the rescue comes our Emperor (Marcus Aurelius)! He quickly quips back regarding this line “So surrounded by good things was he… That he didn’t have a place to take a sh!t!” (Of course this is a relative translation and loose interpretation, but you get the point). This must have caused some sort of Pity Parade to form… Do you think there were those whispering ‘memento mori’ (remember you are mortal) to one another in the parade? Me thinketh not…

Pollyannaish for Good or Evil?

So the leadership challenge of being Pollyannaish is staring you right in the face… What are you going to do? How are you going to behave? Week in and week out I see leaders struggling to maintain composure and control of their operations. At the heart of this struggle is their attitude… The attitude that they have 100% control over! They choose whether or not to be positive or negative, and it’s often in these choice-trenches that they win or lose the business war for the day, the week, or their careers.

One of my favorite lines or questions in conducting a conversation, be it a consulting engagement, a coaching conversation, or just a mere acquaintance conversation to align around a topic is to ask “Are you up for an observation?” Surprisingly, I’ve never had anyone say “No” to my request! Perhaps because it is a level-reset opportunity, or the truth is staring both of us in the face, but my intentions are to share something for the good. My experience has shared with me that because just so many of us dwell in the negative that a good moment shared just might establish the trajectory of the day, week or career.

SUMMARY

In this post we’ve taken a look at the leadership challenge Pollyannaish. Remember, being negative is easy. Strive for the hard leadership moment of being positive, while not forgetting to simultaneously be cautiously optimistic and you will set a tone/pace in the much better positive direction for your organization, your stakeholders, and yourself!

Sam Palazzolo

The Leadership Challenge: Legacy Lessons from My Father – 5 Tips!

April 21, 2016 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Today marks the nine year anniversary of my Father’s passing. It seems like just yesterday… And in another sense, it seems like forever ago! My Father is responsible for making me the man I am today (Son to my Mother, Brother to my Sister, Husband to my Wife, and Father myself to my own Children). So in order to honor his legacy, I wanted to share with you five (5) legacy lessons that he espoused to me… Enjoy!
What’s a Legacy Anyway?
Why do you do what you do? How is what you’re doing today going to benefit others tomorrow? If you’re a deep-thinker or ever bumped your head against your own mortality, you’ve probably asked these questions of yourself. Depending upon your answers (and it’s a self-assessment, so honesty counts!), you’ve probably maintained or course corrected your personal/professional direction.
So the legacy you leave behind basically is what you want others to remember you for. What was it that you stood for? What will they remember you for when it’s all said and done and you’re no longer present? And perhaps most important, will anyone even notice if you’re gone? If you contemplate life’s legacy moments as such, then the following tips represent moments shared with me by my Father. While they may/may not be appropriate for you given your station in life, no doubt there is something that may resonate for all so that you are not only remembered after you have departed, but missed as well!

Tip #1 – It’s Up To You!
The great Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius said it, and my Father reinforced it in me. Whether you’re having a good day (Why are you settling for “good” when “great” is available? A topic for another day…) or a not-so-good day, it’s up to you to identify and either accept or change it. It’s up to you!

Tip #2 – What Are You Thinking?
Action without thought leads to disastrous outcomes regardless of age. My Father asked repeatedly (perhaps because of my pension for trouble) what exactly I was thinking that caused me to do what it was that I had done. While not coming from the perspective to gain understanding, so much as to teach me to NOT repeat similar choices. When my Father spoke, I listened… This thought-message was sent/received.

Tip #3 – Keep Your Eye On The Ball
My Father was also my Little League baseball coach. While the legacy lesson may appear to be focused solely on that sport, it actually applied to everything in life. From his perspective, detail and attention therein was perceived crucial for a successful outcome. So keep your eye on the “ball” could easily mean “business” or “relationship with your wife” or everything else as was intended. Think of it as limitless attention to detail and you’ve got it!

Tip #4 – Work is Sh!t
My Father was never big on believing that his work defined him as a person, and more importantly his significance in life. Instead, work was a means to an end for him. I remember telling him repeatedly that he was wrong, and that if you truly do what you love you never work a day in your life (I think Jim Rohn said that or something akin to?) My Father encouraged me to go in that “love” instead of “sh!t” direction then, but to buckle-back with him to tell how that worked out.

Tip #5 – It’s All Right
My Fathers final conversation came as he was in a nursing home after suffering a series of heart attack/stroke combinations (2, 3, 4… Who knows? The doctors could never give us definitive quantity). Throw on top of that deadly series of heart attacks/strokes a severe case of dementia and you’ve got nothing… No comprehension… No reaction to pain… No Father that I grew up knowing and loving. He was simply a shell of a man, hollow inside and an exterior that was far from who I knew/loved/idolized. However, it was in just this state that while eating breakfast one morning he extended his hand, placed it on top of mine, told me “It’s all right” and tapped my hand three times as he had done a thousand times before. He passed within 12 hours of that limited conversation, so it was the last time I ever heard his voice.

SUMMARY
I have cried a thousand tears for my Father since his passing (I’m crying now as I write this!) My hope is in sharing these five legacy lessons learned from him that you are able to live the life you deserve and leave behind a legacy worthy of you/your efforts.

Sam Palazzolo

The Leadership Challenge: Nature versus Nurture?

March 23, 2016 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Perhaps it’s a “haves” versus a “have nots” moment. Better yet, what if the Jones’s in their perpetual conquest to stay ahead of us all, are just plain better at attaining levels that the far majority of us will never “sniff” as a leader? If such rarified air and leadership levels leave you frustrated beyond all contempt, then this post is for you. Here, we’ll take a look at leadership from a nature versus nurture perspective, and if you were hoping that legacy-leadership moments could be yours “just because” you may have another thing coming… Enjoy!

Leadership Legacy Study

The US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health report that if you have predisposal to leadership (i.e., a member of the family is a leader in an organization), you have approximately a 24% chance of likewise attaining such leadership capacity in your own career endeavors. They furthermore drill-down to share that the leadership association is with rs4950, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) which resides on a neuronal acetylcholine receptor gene (CHRNB3 if you’re keeping score at home). While the results are predominantly found in twins, there may be the likelihood (however unlikely) that singletons may have such predisposition as well. Score one for nurture!

Huh? The Leadership Challenge is What?

So with all the leadership challenges surrounding the leader of today, pile one more on top which represents the age old debate whether one is born into a leadership role or one can be shaped/prepared for them. While I’ve spent time working with many a leader over the years, some who had formal education and others that had nothing more than emotional intelligence to run on, one thing has proven consistent… It’s not who you were born from, it’s what you’re born of that matters!

Leadership: It’s Not What You Think

While certain leaders have the fortunate situation of being born into the role, the vast majority earn their stripes (or title in this instance). As such, there is little doubt in my mind that leadership is a dish best served with fresh ingredients (Score one for nurture!) In other words, leaders who have no legacy to uphold typically are afforded greater leeway and latitude, whereby those seeking to uphold such legacy are often weighted down by the burden of upholding what those family predecessors have paved (Score another for nurture!)

Regardless of what the US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health purported to learn about leadership, the simple fact is that leaders typically come from a wide range of geography. As such, they have varied backgrounds and often times escalate the career ladder at their own pace. Without knowing what is, or can be, accomplished typically is up to the individual to pursue. While certain organizations provide for an enhanced leadership learning atmosphere, most leaders lead as a result of being given an opportunity and therefore learning “on the fly” or with the help of those around them.

SUMMARY

If the leadership challenge at hand is nature versus nurture, nurture prevails. In experience after experience I’ve seen leaders that are made, not born into the role succeed.

Sam Palazzolo

The Leadership Challenge: Complacency – 4 Tips!

February 17, 2016 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: We’ve all been there before… Things are going well and perhaps the last thing we should entertain is a moment of change. After all, what could we possibly gain (and only risk loss) by changing? However the go/no go decision regarding change is rarely within a leader’s control, and as such change becomes a necessary contingency planning skill. So how can you, as a leader, offset the comfortable confines of complacency effectively? In this post we’ll take a look at complacency from a change perspective and provide four (4) tips to offset its lethargic state… Enjoy!

The J Curve of Change Management

It’s been nearly a dozen years (Yikes!) since I sat with Dr. Jerry Jellison of the University of Southern California (USC) about dealing effectively as a leader with change. His book, “Managing the Dynamics of Change” provided the backdrop for our conversation during a leadership development program I was participating in. The “J” Curve of Change represents five (5) stages of change that can be mapped out from a performance/productivity stance over a series of time (See image). The J Curve of Change Management consists of a series of troughs and peaks, but oddly enough begins with a relatively morose and non-descript path of performance. While this “complacency” phase can best be described as one where action is taking place, there is relatively no performance/productivity change (for better or for worse).

So Why Exactly Change?

With tears in her eyes a participant in a cross-functional (multi-departmental) change team cried out “Why are you making us do this?” It wasn’t me, her leadership team, or my consulting firm (at the time) that was making this organization change possible to create the water works show. What was causing the change-moment (as I liked to call it) occur was the evolving market conditions.

If you can identify the source of the change moment (i.e., the real answer to “Why are you making us do this?”) you have the opportunity to not only overcome the many change obstacles that are presented to you, but also shorten the associated change timeline (and therefore create positive productivity/performance). So what are the possible causes of change? Here is an abbreviated list of what I see most commonly causing change in business today for leaders:

Technology
Education (Personnel/Consumer)
Personnel Skills
Competition
Product/Service Pricing
Product/Service Offering(s)
The Customer (Darn them!)
Regulations/Laws
Leadership ADD/Leadership ADHD
Finance/Accounting
Leadership Ego/Pride
The News/Press

4 Tips to Overcome The Leadership Challenge Complacency

While the list of potential causes of change has been abbreviated above, you hopefully get the impression that there can be an overwhelming variety/scope/scale of change inducing moments. So should you as a leader attempt to get ahead of the change curve and always be refining (or attempting to move in a positive change direction?) I’ve compiled the following 4 tips to overcome the leadership challenge of complacency to help you, as a leader, be successful in your complacency change initiatives:

Tip #1 – Manage by Measuring

It’s important to know not only where you are going (in alignment with corporate mission/vision/values of course), but perhaps even more important to know where you are at (and don’t forget where you came from, but that’s a post for another time!) Capturing consistent metrics will allow you to identify this current state, and establish a game plan for how you will get to where you want to go.

Tip #2 – Contingency Plan

If you are in a complacent state, some would argue that this in and of itself is a problem (after all, you are not getting better or worse). Therefore it’s important to identify current/future problems that could/should/might occur as well as their appropriate solutions.

Tip #3 – Recruit Support (Before You Need It!)

Let’s face it… Change is difficult for a variety of reasons. In the thick of change initiatives it’s important to have support from key stakeholders in the organization (Those that are organization chart superior, equal, and subordinate in location). These support personnel could also alert you to change before your metrics identify them.

Tip #4 – Focus

Keeping your “eyes on the prize” is a great analogy for overcoming complacency in the workplace. Where you want to head will allow you to insure that you keep pointed in that direction, as well as provide you with insight into how to get there.

SUMMARY

In this post we’ve taken a look at complacency from a change perspective and provide four (4) tips to offset its lethargic state. If the overriding goal of change management is to provide a “better” alternative in regards to where you started from, overcoming complacency is a crucial first step.

Sam Palazzolo

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