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the leadership challenge

The Leadership Challenge: Conducting Post-Mortem Reviews

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The Point: If you’re like most of the leaders we work with at Tip of the Spear, you’re moving forward. Sometimes you’re achieving your goals on-time/on-target, others you seem to be failing forward… Either way, you’re moving ahead! So this got us thinking… What if there was a way in which we could move forward faster after implementing a new initiative (i.e., change)? Our solution: The Post-Mortem Review. In this post we take a look at the post-mortem and how it can help you as a leader… Enjoy! 

The Leadership Challenge- Conducting Post-Mortem Reviews

The Post-Mortem Review

As a leader, you have a specific focus at your organization. Typically, we see that as identifying future direction, establishing alignment around the proper course, and insuring that you arrive on-time/on-target. But what if you don’t arrive on-time/on-target? Will you boldly establish new direction/alignment and head off again? Will anyone follow you?

Measure Twice, Cut Once

When we started with the Centered Executive Coaching initiative at Tip of the Spear, we knew that we were on to something different in the executive coaching/business consulting world. One of our executive coaching clients at the time asked why we were asking so many questions, and what the ‘metrics’ were to either support/determine baseline measurement. The reason was that we were measuring not only where we were at, but more importantly establishing goals for where we wanted to go during our initiative.

The Initiative Launch Sequence (ILS)
With the start of any new initiative, there typically is a flurry of excitement (and cause for pause if there is resistance to change). The typical Initiative Launch Sequence (ILS) consists of the following steps: Conception, Projection, Development Planning, Production. In our leadership development programs we typically set the tone that while there is much preparation needed for such launches, you not only need to establish a goal time period for when results will be achieved, but most importantly when you will begin/start the initiative! We’ve seen way too many leaders waste time prepping/planning/preparing only to never start (or start way too late!)

Centered Executive Coaching Questions

However, with all this in mind the real learning moment comes not only upfront, but at the end of the initiative. Something we like to call a ‘Post-Mortem Review’. This review, similar to an autopsy, attempts to identify the following:

  • In reviewing unsuccessful ILS events, what went wrong?
  • In reviewing unsuccessful ILS events, what went right?
  • Was there a single ILS stage that caused potential not to be realized?
  • Were there multiple ILS stages that caused potential not to be achieved?
  • Keep people out of your post-mortem identification process!
  • Focus on processes in your post-mortem identification process!
  • Do you move from initiative to initiative, without proper post-mortem review?
  • What areas do you explore in your post-mortem review?
  • Do you consolidate lessons learned in post-mortem reviews?
  • Who participates in post-mortem reviews?
  • Are you too exceptional to conduct post-mortem reviews?
  • Is your leadership ego in the way of post-mortem reviews?
  • Is everyone speaking the truth (open/honest) in post-mortem reviews?

The Results

The results from conducting Post-Mortem Reviews have allowed leadership who actively conduct such meetings is that future results are achieved faster. There is less waste (time/money), greater production, increased alignment of personnel, and better results. The leadership challenge of conducting post-mortem reviews can be greatly relieved (and that’s a relief, right!)

If you’d like to learn more about Post-Mortem Reviews, or any of the Business Advisory Services at Tip of the Spear including Centered Executive Coaching, Leadership Development, and our Communication Skills Training for Leaders offerings use the CONTACT US page of this website.

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

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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!

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

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!

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

 

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

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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!

Leadership_Challenge_Do_as_I_Say_NOT_as_I_Do

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

The Leadership Challenge: Finding More Hours in the Day (Time Management)

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The Point: This is 3rd installment in The Leadership Challenge series, and perhaps the most important. Time management is a grave leadership challenge… meaning that it can be very serious if not attended to, or cause you to crawl into one! So much has been written and spoken about Time Management that you need to spend a lot of time studying it! But since Time Management is crucial to leadership development, here are five (5) essential tips on making more of your 24-hour days… Enjoy!
The Leadership Challenge: Finding More Hours in the Day (Time Management)

Tip #5: Defining Terms

To use time to your advantage, you first have to clarify what time really is. If you read books and download apps on managing clock time, then you are not going to achieve anything. All time is relative. Time for a leader is any duration where they get work done. Everything else stems from this definition.

Tip #4: Analyze your Time

Take a sample duration of how you currently spend your time, let’s say a week. For seven (7) days, monitor your schedule and track all your conversations and activities. This will enable you to see how much time in a work-week you actually spend doing things that produce results and justify your position in the organization. Step-by-step, you have to maximize the instances where you are productive, and vice versa.

Tip #3: (Don’t) Test your Limits

Let’s face it; you are not Superman. There is only so much you can excel at with a human mind and body. So instead of pulling yourself in all directions (like handling marketing, HR, and customer relations on your own), focus on what you do best and leave the rest for others on your team according to their expertise. Leaders are not good at everything, they just work with the best people and delegate/hold accountable for results.

Tip #2: Plan your Time Off Work

It has often been seen that people in leadership roles take too much work on themselves and only take off when their bodies give up. That is no way to live. You should be proactive and manage your breaks. This doesn’t only mean your annual vacations. You should take brief (yet focused) breaks throughout the day to give your muscles and brain cells time to rejuvenate.

Tip #1: Plan for Interruptions

Even the best managers cannot control changes in government policies, adverse weather conditions, changing economic climate, and personal problems (Remember that Open Door Policy you enacted?) Just like you get yourself insured for emergency situations, leave some space in your schedule for these interruptions. Otherwise, you will be caught unaware/unable to fulfill commitments made.

Summary

To sum up, time is a luxury for a leader. In order to keep yourself productive without burning out, follow these five (5) tips to manage it efficiently. And keep following the Tip of the Spear blog to learn how to be a better leader!

For more information about 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.