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The Leadership Challenge: It’s All About Your People! Employee Engagement Tips

October 4, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: At Tip of the Spear, we know a Leadership Challenge when we see it… You’ve got the leadership challenge on hand if you have the wrong people in the wrong positions. In other words, your business is in trouble. Worse yet, having the wrong people in the right positions can also be detrimental to your business! So with such a focus on business processes or technology that can “revolutionize” the marketplace, why do so many leaders focus on everything but the people they employ to actively participate in their business? In this post, we’ll investigate exactly what’s at stake for you/your business and several tips on how to leverage them fully. Think of it as insuring that the right people are in the right positions at the right time (each and every time)… Enjoy!

Employee Engagement (Shouldn’t It be Disengagement?)

I just saw Josh Bersin (formerly of his own fame, now of Deloitte) and a host of other “thought” leaders at the Glassdoor Employment Brand Summit for leadership development present on their take on the concept of “employment branding” or why is it that an employee should be so compelled to want to come and work at your place of employment. Think of it as a new spin on the employee engagement we’ve all heard so much of lately (If you haven’t heard of employee engagement, you’ve got bigger leadership challenge and leadership development issues). Here’s what’s at stake:

Gallup reports that roughly 13% of all employees are highly engaged
Glassdoor (of conference sponsor) reports that roughly 55% of employees would recommend their organizations to others to work at.
Many more employees from various employee engagement surveys report in “off the record” fashion that they would not say they were “happy” with their employers (However they wouldn’t say so “on the record” for official employee engagement stats.

Employment Branding – Bringing Sexy Back to Employee Engagement

There is also a growing trend of recruiters crying of “talent shortages” that are scaring the human resources world. Worse yet (and back to our new “employment branding” terminology) if your people are not happy and engaged, you’re going to have a hard time selling your company to potential applicants/recruits.

Applicants that ultimately do go to work for organizations after sometimes unnecessary and lengthy interview processes, report that they have automobile purchase analogous “buyers remorse” 51% of the time and leave the organization within the first year 81% of the time… STAGGERING! How many times have you heard “I wanted to come to work here, but the recruiting process was like buying a used car” from your newly hired team members.

I remember a time when the leader I worked with wanted me to “sell the dream” to recruits. If they could see it, smell it, and almost taste it they’d want in was his perspective. He couldn’t have been more accurate… We were able to “close” or recruit nearly 90% of the applicants we came in contact with. Unfortunately, employee turnover hovered near 300% annually!

Authenticity, Honesty, Clarity are Employee Engagement Keys

So what’s the answer to this employment branding and employee engagement issues? There’s got to be a logical explanation to resolve such a leadership challenge. Fortunately, as complicated as these issues may be, their solutions are rather straight forward and uncomplicated. It appears as though a return to authentic leadership, which characteristics of honesty, trust, communication clarity, and an action/feedback/pivot process are all that’s needed (Note: While simple to say in one breath, each is in and of itself a surmountable task).

Of course, this authenticity, honesty, and clarity all starts with the recruiting process. If recruiters can’t state these as well as share examples of each with potential candidates, the organization is going to miss out on talent.

SUMMARY

While employment branding and employee engagement should be front/present on every leader’s mind, the ability to take action on the characteristics of authenticity, honesty, and clarity are key to making dramatic improvements in each category. Whether you are looking for entry-level associates, or senior leadership in your organization, the ability to have everyone on the same page and executing the instructions from that page will show candidates exactly what type of organization you are.

The Leadership Challenge: How the Ebola Virus Can Cost You Your Business!

October 2, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: The front-line customer facing members of your team are just that… Your front-line! The leadership challenge you face is as follows: How often are these team members put into positions of utmost importance, only to be the least trained, least communicated, and least paid members of your organization? If you answered yes to all (or any) you and your business future may be in jeopardy… Enjoy?

The recent case of a man in Texas returning to the United States with the Ebola Virus should cause you as a leader to sit back and take notice. While the case continues to unfold in front of us, here is what is being reported today (Here’s a video from the Wall Street Journal: http://youtu.be/TGV5oCwXV4E):

Instead of the 6,400 reported cases of ebola in Africa, the number is now estimated to be north of 1.4 Million.
The man returning from Liberia was showing no signs of ebola prior to his departure. However, reports that he cared for a dying neighbor suffering from the disease.
The man upon experiencing sickness went to a Dallas area hospital. The hospital dismissed him with a prescription for antibiotics after he informed them that he had recently returned from Africa.
The man came into contact with no less than six students of elementary school age.
The man returned to the same Dallas area hospital, this time in an ambulance to receive treatment. He remains in the hospital under care and is quarantined.

So what went wrong at the hospital? Many things, and the press conference yesterday (Here’s a recap of the event from USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/10/01/hospital-ebola-patient/16527143/) left little doubt that the hospital administration had a reasonable process for dealing with ebola (as well as any/all disease control). Unfortunately, the best laid plans in this instance went unfulfilled due to what can only be surmised as a front-line employee not following the process, leadership not inspecting the process, and no one being held accountable.

Here’s what I imagine taking place:

A man walks into the Emergency Room of the hospital complaining of flu-like symptoms (Fever, upset stomach, etc.)
The Emergency Room check-in clerk takes his information (The all too important insurance, personal, etc.)
The man enters into the facility and is given a quick (2-minute or less) assessment/diagnosis.
The man receives a prescription for an antibiotic.
The man goes home and the rest is history… Or as yet to be determined.

The bottom line here is that the organization had a process in place, and the Emergency Room technicians (many of whom aren’t doctors, get treated poorly by said doctors, and receive compensation under $20 per hour) didn’t follow it. The result is almost cataclysmic… Stock markets plunge, panic sets in as we grip for the unknown (Anyone remember the Center for Disease Control reporting that the Ebola Antivirus was all but used up after Case #2 was reported/brought back to the United States?), and all because one of the least trained, least communicated to, and least paid members of an organization couldn’t be held accountable to do their job. So the leadership challenge of this whole ebola virus mess can cost you your business in the forseeable end!

If you’re a leader that’s tired of laying the best-designed plans and not having your stakeholders implement/execute accordingly, or experiencing difficulties holding others accountable please use the Contact Us section of this website to inquire about our Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, and Communication Skills Training for Leader programs.

The Leadership Challenge: Do as I Say, NOT as I Do – 4 Tips

September 30, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Sometimes being a leader is easy, but in those easy moments sometimes you lead others astray! For example, you can share with others how they can properly lead themselves and their teams. However, the leadership challenge is your words will be without merit if you don’t back them up with significant action. If you want people to do the “right” things as leaders in your organization, you should look to lead them in words and action… Enjoy!

At Tip of the Spear, we get to see all different types of leadership moments at play in a variety of different organizations. One such moment is when a leader encourages others to “Do as I Say, NOT as I Do.” Leaders talk a great game, yet when push comes to shove and the rubber meets the road, it’s easy to forget to practice what they preach.

Let’s Break Do vs. Say Down

Here’s an example of the leadership challenge. I was having a conversation with a senior executive who was giving advice to a new manager. He shared some insights of managing and leading that he himself doesn’t employ. It was your classic case of “Do as I say, NOT as I do!” Here is our example in a “Say” versus “Do” structure:

Say – Our leader shared how to motivate the team (or stakeholders) through moments of recognition and inspiration.
Do – Our leader’s style was to intimidate and haze others in communication (verbal and electronic).

As you can imagine, as a result, others are mirroring his style and negatively impacting the workplace. Here’s the ironic part… Our leader never recognizes nor holds others accountable for their actions (let alone himself!) Is there any reason employee engagement is one of the lowest we’ve ever seen?

What Would the Kardashian’s Do?

As a leader, all eyes are constantly on you. You’re like a celebrity with the paparazzi waiting to see your next move. Unfortunately, your PR Agent (think Chris Jenner-Kardashian) has not scripted your every move and staged the entire affair for you in front of perfectly positioned paparazzi. Whether you believe this “all eyes on you all the time” moment is fair or not, this is the life of a leader. People are more likely to try to emulate you, versus listen to what you say and adapt those words of wisdom into their own style.

How to Say What Your Going to Do, and Do It! 4 Tips

So, what can you do to improve and help others grow? Here are 4 Tips to help you in your “Do as I say, Say what I do” moments:

Recognize Your Opportunities – Identify those incongruent words and actions and what needs to change. Seek input from stakeholders (Your peers, superiors and subordinates). Once you identify the “gaps” create actions to shrink them.
Create a Plan for Change – How can you create habits so that the alignment of your words and actions comes naturally, and supports not only who you are but who you ideally want to be.
Seek Help from a Coach – Seek guidance and perspective from an impartial third party by hiring an executive coach. We’ve worked with thousands of leaders that had a difficult time following their own advice (Of course, this was pointed out typically by someone on their staff or in their private lives). At Tip of the Spear, we developed our Centered Executive Coaching process around you, the leader.
Take One Day/Conversation at a Time – Take this process in small chunks and make a conscious effort every day to make one change at a time. Biting off more than you can “chew” could lead to frustration, and that’s not a good thing for anyone involved.

Summary – Let Me Clear My Throat!

Change is not easy and you will have your ups and downs. Know this much as well: Change is not impossible! Set realistic expectations for your perfections. You’re never going to be perfect anyway! By being better yourself, you’ll get the desired results for yourself and your team. Remember, they will continue to watch what you do and do likewise. At the end of every day take time to reflect on what you did well and what you want to improve upon tomorrow. Each morning, commit to improving and work throughout the day to “talk the talk” and “walk the walk” on your leadership development journey!

If you’d like more information on Tip of the Spear’s Business Advisory Services, including Executive Coaching, Leadership Development, and Communication Skills Training for Leaders, use the CONTACT US page of this website.

Leadership Development: Are You a SIMPLE Leader?

September 19, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: With all the latest-greatest innovations in leadership development, have you positioned yourself as a leader to fully capitalize on those offerings? If you’re like most of the leaders that we engage with at Tip of the Spear, the answer is a disappointing “No.” Even with so many “bells” and “whistles” available, there also seems to be an avoidance of returning to “simple” leadership moments (You know, the ones that reflect 2+2=4 in management decision making – and basic math!) In this post, we’ll point out three (3) ways in which you can become “simpler” (and that’s a good thing)… Enjoy!

At Tip of the Spear, we view Leadership development is a “continuous improvement” process. One where even leaders performing at the peak of their “game” realize that there is no finish line. However, along those lines there seems to be missing the “simple” moments. Therefore, here is a list of three Simple Leader Rules to aid you in adding “simpler” to your routine as a leader:

Simple Leader Rule #1 – Be Prepared

We believe that a prepared mind encounters no new obstacles (and as Louis Pasteur stated in the 1800’s “Fortune Favors the Prepared Mind.”) So what should you prepare for as a leader? Here is a list of our favorite learning moments from the past week that a leader stated in one of our Centered Executive Coaching sessions:

Know where you’ve been? – What happened yesterday, and knowing what you know now versus then what would you do the same/different?
What are your short-term goals? – These are most pressing to accomplish within the three month to one year timeline. As such, keep them front/present in your vantage point and allow those activities/decisions to be forefront in your leadership moments.
What are your long-term goals? – While the timeline for these is typically greater than one year (or twelve months out), these “larger” items should also be reflected/considered in the short-term decisions you make.
Delegate, Delegate, Delegate! – Yes, you will be called on throughout each day to put out the occasional (hopefully!) fire. Know that this is the opportunity to delegate to your senior leadership the responsibility to put out such fires. Keep in mind that you will have to “buckle-back” and hold these leaders and subordinates accountable for their decision making/actions taken.

Simple Leader Rule #2 – Plan Your Day

If you don’t plan your day, your day will plan you! Here is a list that you should include in the final thirty minutes of every workday (copy/paste into your electronic calendar, and set it to repeat Monday through Friday, or whatever your work-week looks like):

Things to do
People to see
Places to go
People to contact
Things to discuss with others
Things to delegate to others

During the this planning activity, ensure that you:

Recap the day (check off as complete or reschedule items on your To Do list)
File all new items, information, commitments
Plan the next day using the list above
Arrive home on time with next day planning preparedness

Simple Leader Rule #3 – Keep It Simple!

Back to the example that we provided in The Tip overview for this post, that being 2+2=4. If you know this to be true (and if you don’t we might have even larger problems), then why would you believe anything else to be the case? We typically see leaders that even in knowing that 2+2=4 accept from their senior leadership results/effort/energy that is typically short (2+2=3?) and rarely long (2+2=5?). If the basics of math hold true repeatedly (don’t even get us started on the laws of physics and an object in motion!), then why would you accept moments that are deviant of anything but?

There’s something to be said about the leader with prepared mind that plans their day. More times than not, they are more successful. Now there have been those that in spite of their best planning efforts have come up shy, we see this as a short-term occurrence (in other words it’s not permanent). As such, we hope that as a leader you simplify your day/week/month/year(s) in order to succeed.

If you’d like more information on Tip of the Spear Business Advisory Services, including Leadership Development, Centered Executive Coaching, and Communication Skills Training for Leaders please use the Contact Us page of this website.

“Mighty Midsized Companies – How Leaders Overcome 7 Silent Growth Killers” by Robert Sher

September 6, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Every once in awhile, there is a book that comes along that should be considered “must reading” for every leader. Robert Sher’s latest work (“Mighty Midsized Companies”) is just such reading. Loaded with tips, techniques, and even a few tricks that every leader (regardless of organization size/position therein) could benefit from reading. I challenge you to read just one of the “7 Silent Growth Killers” Sher relates and identify three (3) actions to implement in your organization ASAP… You’ll thank me (and Robert of course!)… Enjoy!

The Seven Deadly Sins that Will Kill Your Company!

I just read cover-to-cover Robert Sher’s latest work, appropriately titled “Mighty Midsized Companies.” While the target audience is squarely in the C-Suite of midsized companies ($10 million to $1 billion annual revenue), the lessons are equally applicable to leaders everywhere regardless of their organization’s size. In the work, Sher describes seven leadership “silent growth killers” (SGKs) that often “slip in and set up shop” leading to organizational direction questioning, action plan second guessing, and limited/reverse revenue growth.

The 7 Silent Growth Killers

In my work with leaders in the INC 500 space and beyond, I’ve unfortunately seen each of the following SGKs that prohibit organizations (and leaders for that matter) from achieving their full potential:

SGK #1: Letting Time Slip-Slide Away
SGK #2: Strategy Tinkering at the Top
SGK #3: Reckless Attempts at Growth
SGK#4: Fumbling Strategic Acquisitions
SGK #5: Operational Meltdowns
SGK #6: Liquidity Crashes
SGK #7: Tolerating Dysfunctional Leaders

A Leadership Development Opportunity?

With my focus primarily on leadership development and executive coaching with the organizations I serve, I was particularly interested in Silent Growth Killer #7 (Tolerating Dysfunctional Leaders). I’ve seen far too often the “dysfunctional” moment Robert describes in excruciating detail occur in the organizations I work with. Moments of tolerance for those that previously achieved long ago“hero” status in the organization, the brash new leader that disrupts/disorganizes/devastates the existing culture and morale, a lack of timeliness to current market directions, disregard for customer/client understanding/desires/demands, and the preference to “dance” with the devil/leader you know (opposed to the devil you don’t!)

Why Tolerate the Dysfunctional Leader?

At the heart of this SGK on leadership, Robert does a nice job of outlining the primary flaws of dysfunctional leadership, and provides solid/straight-forward recommendations for future direction. The focal aspect my mentor Dr. Marshall Goldsmith would recommend when it comes to personnel (i.e., “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There”). Also outlined is an accountability plan for leaders that should be reviewed weekly/monthly/quarterly to ensure this killer remains a non-threat.

It’s in this “accountability” piece that I often see leaders not holding others feet to the fire! Similar to Richard Tedlow’s work in “Denial: Why Business Leaders Fail to Look Facts in the Face – and What to Do About It” there more times than not exists a level of unfounded/unjust loyalty to those that have gotten you to current business levels than is required even when the facts are staring you squarly in the face. As such, Sher outlines not only how you should evaluate whether it’s time to “develop or discard” as well as if you must/should discard how you can go about replacing key leadership positions with efficiency.

An Instant Classic for Leaders!

“Mighty Midsized Companies” will become cornerstone reading for my client base. The lessons are far too valuable in recognition and simply put what you should do about it if you find yourself as a leader in such an organization.

For more information on Robert Sher’s “Mighty Midsized Companies” CLICK HERE to head to Amazon.com. If you’d like more information on Tip of the Spear’s Business Advisory Services, consisting of Centered Executive Coaching and Leadership Development offerings, use the CONTACT US page on this website.

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