Developing a Good New Habit

Developing a Good New Habit

Every new year, resolutions are thought about, discussed, begun, accomplished, abandoned, etc.  I heard one psychologist talk about new year’s resolutions and thought by renaming them, they would seem less daunting, e.g., aspirations, intentions.  Let’s not label them, we will just talk about developing a good new habit this year.

Maybe you want to exercise more, lose weight, spend more intentional time with family, read more, attend church more regularly,  get up earlier to start each day, watch only inspirational shows or movies, get together for fun with friends more often, volunteer more, travel more, sign up for a class you are interested in, or something that would add positivity into your  life.  Whatever it is , there are certain things you can do to get started and stay on track.

1.   Decide what good new habit you want to develop this year.
2.   Write it down and tell someone about it. Maybe even get someone to do it with you or hold you accountable.
3.   Think about how you will feel about yourself if you accomplish your goal.  How will this change your self-esteem?
4.   Determine what you have to risk or invest to achieve your goal. 
5.   Put it on your calendar.
6.   Look back every 30 days to see how you are doing.  Give yourself a rating on a scale of 1 to 5, 1=poor, 2=fair, 3=good, 4=very good, 5=excellent.
7.   Empower yourself to keep going, don’t make excuses.
8.   If you get off track, tomorrow is a new day, begin again.
9.   Celebrate your success!

For example, if you decide to read more – self-help books, business books, spiritual books, leadership books, inspirational stories – Libby is a free app that attaches your library card to books that are available to download.  You can listen to them via audio, read them via Kindle, or read them on the app.  You borrow books just like you would from the library. Put them on your shelf for 14 days and return them or renew them, as needed.  It is a great inexpensive and quick way to access the library and it is digital.  Reading more is a great new habit to begin in 2024!

“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters.  Excellence is not an exception; it is a prevailing attitude.” -Collin Powell

“Rest when you are weary.  Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind,your spirit.  Then get back to work.” – Ralph Marston

Are you at a crossroads?

There are many reasons you could be at a crossroads in your career:

1. Recently laid off or fired
2. Unhappy in your current position
3. Uncertain of your organization’s future
4. Want to be more challenged
5. Want to be less challenged
6. Spouse or partner is considering relocating and you want to be supportive

Your own reason may be complex, just a feeling that it is time for a change.  This is not unusual, especially if you are deep into your career, you have family demands, and/or other stressors such as health issues or family health issues.

Here are some steps you can take to help you make good decisions at this critical juncture.

1. Assess.  What is really driving this need for change?  Is the need urgent or can you feel good about taking a wait and see approach.

• Plan. Once you make a decision about what you need and why and when, you can begin to plan how you will make it happen.

• Input. Get others who you have a trust relationship with to give you feedback.  Bounce ideas and options off of them.

• Step Forward. Take one step toward your goal. How does it feel? Are the barriers too great? How determined are you to break through these barriers?

• Vision. As you progress forward, you should be able to see your way clear to your goal.  Think about how it will feel to be in a better place, even if you make a change within the same organization or decide to stick it out in the same job with some minor adjustments.

• Renew.  Make a commitment that you will be content where you land.  Get up every day and be thankful for what you have. Be alert to subtle cues that you are given about how you are doing and stay on track.

• Celebrate. Take pride in your accomplishments while recognizing that you are a continuous learner. Take time to reflect on you and your career every six months.  Ask yourself what is going well and what is not going well. Try to change the things you can change.

We all must have a purpose to get up every day and give it our all.  Make your purpose one that calls you to action with joy and perseverance!

“Every day is a renewal, every morning the daily miracle. This joy you feel is life.”

– Gertrude Stein.

Balanced Decision Making

What does fairness mean in the workplace?  It can be a little confusing.  Fairness does not mean treating team members equally, it means treating them equitably depending on the individual team member and the individual situation.  It does mean being consistent.

My Webster’s dictionary defines “fair” as open, frank, honest, just, equitable, impartial, unprejudiced.  Other words we can add to update this definition are engaged, safe, productive, appreciated.

Here are some options you need to think about when you are making decisions and judgements about people.

1. Spend the necessary time with them to find out if they are in alignment with what you are trying to accomplish.  Take some time to think through your vision for the work area/team, then share it with everyone.  Let everyone know what is going on in the organization.  Hold yourself accountable for your contributions toward achieving the vision.

• Give feedback often – positive and developmental.  Make giving feedback a valuable process for both of you.  Communicate your thoughts and ask questions.  Don’t surprise the team member by bringing up something you did not discuss when it happened.

• Be quick to praise.  Praise immediately.  Being as specific as possible with examples, observations, and documentation will help the team member visualize the good.  Give positive feedback about both performance and behaviors. 

• Respect other’s input.  It is a good idea to get input from others – the team members.  Receive everyone’s input, recognizing that there will be differences of opinions.  Everyone is different.  Respect that.

• Don’t play favorites, except based on performance.  Ensure you are looking at the person’s performance and behavior objectively.  Let the team member know that you are aware of what they do, how they do it, and why they are an integral part of the organization.  Don’t talk to the same people when you are in the mix.

• Exercise timeliness.  Being timely in following up with team members when they have requested something from you or asked a question will let the team member know that he/she is valued.

• Prepare for discussions with individuals about their performance.  Don’t just reflect on what they have done or not done for you lately.  Be prepared for monthly team meetings.  This means preparing an agenda, outlining the points and thoughts you want to share, and what you want to accomplish at the meeting.  Make it an open forum.  Invite others to lead discussions about certain topics.

• Talk about goals, rewards, and consequences.  Create a healthy competitive environment.  Have contests about everything you want to accomplish – focusing on one goal at a time.

• Empathize.  When someone is going through a tough period in their life, it is okay to give them some grace, especially if they have delivered for you in the past.

When you are considering whether to give someone another chance or not, consider all the options.  Have you come to the end of your rope, but you have never told them there is a problem?  Have you given them written and verbal thank you’s but not told the other side of the story?

Here are several options to consider when making this decision about someone’s livelihood and career.

1. Continue as is. – Is it just easier for everyone to let this issue ride until something bigger happens?  Will the aftermath be worse than any positives you accomplish with constructive feedback?  Do you have the backbone to tell it like it is and to follow-through?  If not, don’t start down a path you are not willing to go to the end.

2. Ask the person if they are aware that there are some difficulties with their performance or behavior. – If they are self-aware, they may let you off the hook by owning up to friction that they have created.  If they are not self-aware then this gives you an opening to make them more aware of the issues, they are creating for you and the team.

3. Ask them if this is a job or career that they think they are a good fit for.  Are they enjoying their work?  Do they look forward to coming to work every day?  Their answers will give you some insight as to next steps.  If they are out of sync with their strengths, possibly you can guide them into another position or career that meets their needs and matches their talents.  If they feel they are a good match and you don’t think they are, this will give you a chance to coach them in their areas of weaknesses.  Set specific benchmarks and milestones they will need to meet in order to prove their worthiness.

4. Redesign the job to match their strengths.  Work around their weaknesses by delegating the mismatched duties to someone else or buddying them up with someone who can help them shore up these weaknesses.  Again, give a timeline for checking back in.

5. If you feel it is appropriate, offer to let them go part-time. Carve out the things they do well to fit the hours agreed upon, part-time work or contract work is something they are interested in.

6. Discharge the individual with support during the transition period – days, weeks or months based on the level of the position.  When discharging someone, your conversation with them will be different based on what has led up to the discharge.  You do not have to give a lot of details.  You can simply say “This is not working out for the organization, for me, and probably for you.  I think it is time to end our working relationship and allow you to move on to something that is a better fit, a job that meets your needs.”

“Let us keep our mouths shut and our pens dry until we know the facts.” – A.J. Carlson

“It is not fair to ask of others what you are unwilling to do yourself.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

BRH

Being a Leader is Not for Everyone

I have seen leaders succeed and I have seen leaders fail.  When I look at both situations, it makes me want to reflect on the reason why?  The ingredients for a successful leader are both simple and complex.  I believe the central leadership characteristics for success are drive, selflessness, and curiosity.

Drive.  If a leader is not self-motivated, it is all for naught.  There must be an inner passion and determination to achieve goals that are bigger than just one person, goals that have a positive impact on people in the immediate sphere of influence and maybe the world.  Drive causes the leader to rise in the morning with a new energy and vision for what he wants to accomplish today with the help of others.  This leader is generally optimistic about the future.

Selflessness.  A leader who thinks of others first is a servant leader.  The leader is more worried about how to put others in the limelight than him or herself.  This giving and caring leader wants to achieve success for the customer, the team member, the company, and the community.  This leader is generally involved in ways above and beyond the everyday to do list.  The selfless leader is humble.  It does not mean that the individual does not want recognition, it just means that he or she wants the recognition to envelope the whole team.  This leader is asking the question, “how can I remove barriers for my team so that they can take care of the customer (internal or external) in the best way possible?”

Curiosity.  An often-overlooked trait in an effective leader is curiosity.  In a leadership role curiosity means that the person is interested in others as human beings – What makes them tick? Who are they when I am not looking? What can I do differently and creatively to reach them and teach them?  Curiosity is not sticking one’s head in the sand but looking around and observing keenly.  This leader is fascinated by people and how things work together to achieve positive results.

I also believe the characteristics in leaders who often fail are anger, narcissism, and lack of trustworthiness.  Sometimes, these traits are called derailers.  The leader has a lot going for them – intelligent, gets things done, and stands out from the crowd.  Nonetheless , even one of these traits can get in the way of longevity in a job.

Anger – You have seen leaders who come unhinged when someone makes a mistake.  It is not a pretty sight.  Everyone who is around is embarrassed for the leader and for the individual who is the brunt of that anger.  The reaction is typically way out of proportion to the crime.  The team member or small group who are the victims will either leave the organization or become so cowered that they do just enough to keep from getting fired.  No one is motivated to go the extra mile by anger and the fear that comes with it.  What a mess anger leaves in its trail!

Narcissism – There are many papers and articles written about narcissism.  One that I read some time ago talked about the 16 different types of narcissism.  Another word I have heard to describe this trait in its extreme is “gaslighting”. Gaslighting is a tactic for manipulating someone in a way that makes them question their own reality.  A narcissistic leader needs to have his or her ego stroked whether it is deserved or not.  This is someone who has been falsely nurtured to believe they can do no wrong.  This is  a leader who will probably never say “I am sorry” or “I messed up”.  This leader likes to be front and center.  This type of leader lacks sympathy or empathy.  He or she comes across as arrogant but can be charming too.  Enough about that nastiness!

Lack of Trustworthiness – I have worked for leaders who I did not trust for various reasons – they did not remember having agreement about next steps, they flip-flopped on decisions sometimes without communicating the new decision, they talked about me and others behind the back, they discussed confidential matters openly, they did not stand up for me when questioned by a higher up leader, etc.  Not much fun to work for this type of leader.  These non-trustworthy leaders may have hidden agendas or lack values and purpose or are just unpredictable.  We want the leaders who we follow to have integrity.  We want them to be transparent about who they are and what they are trying to accomplish.  Trust and respect are huge in developing teamwork and a workplace where team members want to stay and be productive.

These thoughts lead us to ask, “Can a leader change?”.  The answer is “It depends.”.  Is the person willing to work towards being a leader who has more drive, selflessness, and curiosity?  Is the person willing to do the really hard work to become more in control of their emotions, less self-centered, and more trustworthy.  I do believe that some leadership skills, knowledge, and behaviors can be learned and practiced and will over time help them to evolve into a good manager and leader.  It is just much easier if the person who wants to be a great leader has some of the inherent traits to begin this life-long learning journey.

To sum this up, here is an entertaining video about bad leaders vs. good leaders.  Hope you enjoy!  Now, go out there and be a great leader, one who others what to work with and emulate!!!

BRH

In the scheme of things….

It is 2023 and I am not sure I believe that things have changed as much as we think they have.  You hear people talk about the good old days or ask, “What’s this generation coming to?”.   We just don’t seem to accept that some things just never change or change very little.  I still believe that today and yesterday there were good people and not so good people, that some people were thoughtful about the future legacy they are leaving and some people don’t think about it at all. 

This was confirmed (that things don’t change as much as we think they do) when I found Tom’s grandfather’s employee handbook from 1934.  Here are some comparisons in content excerpted from it to a sample employee handbook of today.  How interesting!!!

Leave of Absence

1934

Employees will not be granted leave of absence for a longer period than six months, except in the cases of sickness of himself or family or when agreed to between the employee and management.

Today

An extended leave of absence can be available as a reasonable accommodation.  An employee who desires such an accommodation should communicate this to the Human Resources Manager.  The Human Resources Manager will engage in an interactive process with the employee by which the possibility of a personal leave of absence can be fully explored.  See FMLA for more information.

Hearing/Appeal

1934

An employee disciplined or who feels unjustly treated, shall upon making written request to the immediate superior officer within ten days from the date of advice or occurrence, be given a fair and impartial hearing within ten days thereafter and a decision will be rendered within twenty days after completion of the hearing.  The right to appeal to the Manager of Personnel is conceded.

Today

The Company seeks to deal openly and directly with its employees and believes that communication between employees and management is critical to solving problems.

Employees that may have an issue or problem that needs to be resolved should work with the supervisor, first, to attempt to agree upon a resolution.

If a resolution cannot be agreed upon, the employee should present his or her issue, in writing, to the next level manager.  The issue can be raised through the chain of command including:

• Administrator
• Vice President
• President

The decision of the President is final.

A Day’s Work/Hours of Work

1934

For eight hours pay eight hours work shall be performed.  Eight consecutive hours, exclusive of the meal period, shall constitute a day.  Regular assigned daily working hours shall not be reduced below eight except by mutual agreement between employees and supervising officer. When less than eight hours are worked for convenience of employees or when due to inclement weather interruptions occur to regular established work period preventing eight hours work, only actual time worked or held on duty will be paid.

Today

The standard workweek for full-time employees is typically five days, eight hours per day.  Schedules (beginning and ending times, meal periods, etc.) may vary based on the Company’s and customer’s needs.  Employees may not deviate from the Company’s hours of work unless the supervisor approves a modification.  It is understood that employees may be required to work additional hours to accommodate certain deadlines.

If the employee chooses not to work when the work area, work site, or location is designated as open, and there are severe weather conditions, the employee will be required to use PTO, if available. If PTO is not available, the employee will not be paid.

Supervising Employees/Exempt Employees

1934

Employees whose responsibilities and or supervisory duties require service in excess of the working hours or days assigned for the general force will be compensated on a monthly rate to cover all service rendered.

Today

Exempt Salaried Employees typically work more than 40 hours per week and are exempt from overtime pay requirements under federal and state law and therefore are not entitled to receive payment for overtime regardless of how many hours they work per week.

Wow!  Hope you find this as fascinating as I do.  People and times have not changed much.  For more information about change/not change, see the article “It’s Time to Stop Talking About Generations” by Louis Menand published in the New Yorker last year.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/10/18/its-time-to-stop-talking-about-generations

Self-Awareness

Every leader goes through many stages of development, which typically begins with taking a fresh look at yourself as a leader.  During the first stage, you listen and learn from everyone and every situation.  The second stage involves beginning to prove yourself as a leader, especially in your decision-making and problem-solving skills.  By the third stage you begin to have successes and deliver results based on the potential others saw in you. The fourth stage is when you start to question your abilities, especially when something has set you back a bit.

After a few iterations of the other stages, you enter the 5th stage – the one where you exhibit a little more maturity as a leader.  You discover a sense of humility and humor – the stage where you realize that those you surround yourself with are just as important, if not more so, than you are.  If you are a leader that takes yourself too seriously, you may find work life more difficult than it needs to be. 

In a Forbes article by Chinwe Esimai titled “Great Leadership Starts with Self-Awareness” she states that self-awareness has been cited as the most important capability for leaders to develop.  Successful leaders know where their natural inclinations lie and use this knowledge to boost those inclinations or to compensate for them.

Key points to self-awareness:

1. Know yourself.  How self-aware are you?  How keen is your emotional intelligence, that ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others?  How are you effectively using that awareness to manage your behavior and relationships?  Are you honest with yourself about areas in which you need to grow?

• Identify external factors that trigger both negative and positive behaviors.  How can you control your negative reaction to triggers?

• Gather trusted feedback to help you understand the impact of your actions on others.  Are you unaware of your blind spots that may limit your effectiveness as a leader?

• Consider the circumstances by thinking about when to utilize a personality trait to your advantage and when it’s best to leave it on the sidelines.  Most self-aware leaders have learned to identify their natural tendencies and have adjusted their behavior in some way, in order to change how they are perceived.  They did not change their personality, but they did learn how to change their behavior, when needed, in both business and personal situations.

• Assess behaviors in light of your values and priorities by being honest about what tendencies you would like to change and which ones you would like to build upon.  The best outcome of self-awareness is to figure out what makes you amazing and be more of the excellent you.

• Stay curious about yourself and others.  Curiosity will help you continually learn, grow, and develop as an effective leader.  Remember, you can learn from each person you interact with throughout the day.

If you want to go a little deeper regarding self-awareness, listen to this TED talk. (18:09) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9qVa4LoJx8  The Power of Self-Awareness by William L. Sparks

“People will do anything, no matter how absurd, to avoid facing their own souls.” – Carl Jung

“What transformational leader is lying silent in you, encompassing all of the talents and gifts that can enable you to become the next-generation you?” – Robert McMillan

“If you are under the impression you have already perfected yourself, you will never rise to the heights you are no doubt capable of.” – Kazuo Ishiguro

Creating Your Vision

Creating Your Vision

Vision

• The act or power of seeing with the eye or in your imagination
• The ability to perceive something not actually visible
• Something seen that is a force or power of the imagination

Empower

• Give someone the authority or power to do something.
• Enable someone to do something.
• Make someone stronger and more confident.

When you take a step back, whether it is at a new job or a job you have been at awhile, what is your vision for your area of responsibility?  It is yours to shape.  What are your priorities and goals?  What is your plan for the next two to three weeks?  How is your team doing?  What do the stats say about your performance?  What are the immediate things that you should be focusing on?  How are you going to get better as a leader?  What could your location accomplish if you removed some of the barriers to success?

1. Vision.  What do you see as the next big steps?  How could the environment, resources, the employees, the team, the customer service be at its best?  What would it take to make that leap?

• Challenge. Help your team members believe ‘we can do anything’.  Use every means of communicating your compelling vision.  Enlist management to help you tell the whole story and talk about the goals.

• Open Up.  Don’t hold anything back.  What is known about empowerment and engagement is that the more employees know about where you are, where you are going, and are involved in how to get there, the more they will help you carry out the plan.

• Question. Ask questions. Talk to your team members, your customers, your peers, and your boss.  Make your own observations as objectively as you can.  Put the information all together and see what picture it is painting.  What do you need to hold on to?  What do you need to act on?

• Defend.  Once you have decided upon a plan of action, the image you will project, rules for behavior, hold on to your reputation and high levels of expectation.  Involve everyone in holding each other accountable for the standards agreed upon.

• Empower.  Freedom creates discipline.  Create an atmosphere that allows people to use their brains, their strengths, and their personalities to engage with customers, to solve problems, and to get the job done in an excellent way.  You will be surprised that the more freedom you give, the more involved your team will be.  There will occasionally be an exception and you will coach and redirect to get them on track.  If not, you will invite that person to find their place elsewhere.

• Learn.  Continue to be open to learning and revisioning.  Take time for reflection periodically. Respect the journey.  Understand that the concept is continuous improvement but remember to celebrate the milestones.

• Decide.  Take some time to think about what kind of leader you want to be.  What style of leadership is most natural to you?  What style of leadership fits the different scenarios you find yourself in.

Quotes from, author of “It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy” -D. Michael Abrashoff,

“Previously, people were fighting to get off the ship.  Now they were fighting to stay aboard.  That kind of desire translates to performance.”

“The winning leader’s first principle is ‘Optimism rules.  And the corollary is ‘Opportunities never cease’.  The bottom line: It’s your ship.  Make it the best.”

“Decide your ship will be the best.  Repeat it to yourself and the team often. Eventually you both will believe it.  Sure, it is corny, but it works.  Confidence is infectious.”

“Confidence makes the difference.  Give someone a very special gift.  Build up their confidence, the confidence to succeed, by believing in them and their ability.”

Watch this video: “Most Leaders Don’t Even Know the Game They’re In” by Simon Sinek

A Blank Piece of Paper

A Blank Piece of Paper

When you have a new project to delve into, you start with a blank piece of paper and a plan or idea that is nestled in your brain just waiting for action.  This could be a home project, a work project, or a very personal project.

So…what do you need to start?

1.  Begin with the goal in mind.  What is it you are wanting to accomplish?  How complex is it?
2. What time frame do want to accomplish it in?  Is it something that will just take a day or two or will it take weeks or months?
3. Who else needs to be involved?  Do you need to gather information or input from other people?  Are their individuals who may be better at parts of the project than you who you can involve as helpers or advisors?
4. Begin to write down the steps in the plan for your project or you can just jump in and then begin to formulate a more specific plan.
5. What barriers will you run into?  Are you prepared to muscle through to the end goal?  What will you do to concentrate and stay focused on what needs to be accomplished?
6. Who can you ask to keep you accountable or encourage you along the way? 
7. How will you celebrate when it is done and the bow has been tied on the package?

Let’s begin with an example.  Suppose you need to analyze if you have stayed on your personal budget or not for the last quarter.  Here may be the steps that would work for that project.

1.  The goal is to determine if you have stayed on budget or not.  Also, you want to know where there were deviations, if any, and how you can prevent them in the future.
2. You would like to accomplish this task within a week’s time, 7 days.
3. You may need to involve the keepers of the information you need – your spouse or partner, bank, credit card company, and other institutions.
4. Some steps in the process may be:
   1. Gather spending information.
   1. Enter it into a spreadsheet.
   1. Compare it to your budget spreadsheet.
   1. Note where there are significant negative differences, e.g. 10% or more.
   1. Discuss with your partner.
   1. Determine an action plan.
   1. Implement action plan.
   1. Follow-through by checking back sooner, e.g. a month, instead of a quarter.
5. You may have difficulty gathering some of the data if you haven’t kept good records.  You will need to think about how you can keep better records going forward.  If you have difficulty concentrating on the task at hand for long periods of time, block it out into 50-minute or 1-hour segments.
6. If you are the spendthrift in your family, maybe you can ask a friend to talk to you about how you can pull back on your spending.  If your partner is the spendthrift, ask them to do the same thing.  It is probably not best to discuss this issue with your partner because they may be too critical.
7. Celebrate by doing something for yourself that does not cost any money or is inexpensive – a day off to do nothing or whatever you want, a time alone with a book, a walk in a beautiful place, listening to music while driving with the top down, taking your child to the park, taking your family for that walk with you, exploring a destination place near you – a museum, a botanical garden, a downtown, etc.

Now, that you have this project under your belt, you can take out a blank piece of paper and begin your next one.  Enjoy the journey!

Self Awareness

Leadership Skill:  Self-Awareness

Every leader goes through many stages of development, which typically begins with taking a fresh look at yourself as a leader.  During the first stage, you listen and learn from everyone and every situation.  The second stage involves beginning to prove yourself as a leader, especially in your decision-making and problem-solving skills.  By the third stage you begin to have successes and deliver results based on the potential others saw in you. The fourth stage is when you start to question your abilities, especially when something has set you back a bit.

After a few iterations of the other stages, you enter the 5th stage – the one where you exhibit a little more maturity as a leader.  You discover a sense of humility and humor – the stage where you realize that those you surround yourself with are just as important, if not more so, than you are.

In a Forbes article by Chinwe Esimai titled “Great Leadership Starts with Self-Awareness” she states that self-awareness has been cited as the most important capability for leaders to develop.  Successful leaders know where their natural inclinations lie and use this knowledge to boost those inclinations or to compensate for them.

Key points:

1. Know yourself.  How self-aware are you?  How keen is your emotional intelligence, that ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others?  How are you effectively using that awareness to manage your behavior and relationships?

• Identify external factors that trigger both negative and positive behaviors by you and toward you.  What is the impact of culture on your and others’ perceptions?

• Gather trusted feedback to help you understand the impact of your actions on others.  Are you unaware of your blind spots that may limit your effectiveness as a leader?

• Consider the circumstances by thinking about when to utilize a personality trait to your advantage and when it’s best to leave it on the sidelines.  Most self-aware leaders have learned to identify their natural tendencies and have adjusted their behavior in some way, in order to change how they are perceived.  They did not change their personality, but they did learn how to change their behavior, when needed, in both business and personal situations.

• Assess behaviors in light of your values and priorities by being honest about what tendencies you would like to change and which ones you would like to build upon.  The best outcome of self-awareness is to figure out what makes you great and be more of the excellent you.

• Stay curious about yourself and others.  Curiosity will help you continually learn, grow, and develop as an effective leader.

“If your emotional abilities aren’t in hand, if you don’t have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can’t have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far.” – Daniel Goleman

What transformational leader is lying silent in you, encompassing all of the talents and gifts that can enable you to become the next-generation you? – Robert McMillan

“If you are under the impression you have already perfected yourself, you will never rise to the heights you are no doubt capable of.” – Kazuo Ishiguro

Workplace Big Five Overview

Autobell has selected to utilize the Workplace Big Five Personality Assessment tool to help you be more self-aware as a leader.  It can also be used as a coaching tool by your boss or mentor.

Q1   What is the Workplace Big Five?

A1   The Five Factor Model was developed by research psychologists during the 1980’s.  What set it apart from other personality assessments was that it was done in the modern age utilizing high-powered computer analytics.  Other assessments utilized in the business world were typically developed before WWII.  The psychologists were from across the U.S. and concluded through extensive lexical factor analysis that five concepts embrace the nearly 18,000 words which describe personality traits found in the English language. These over-arching terms are need for stability (response to stress), extraversion (response to stimuli), openness (to change and new experiences), agreeableness (accommodation), and conscientiousness (consolidation and planning).

Q2   What is the purpose?

A2   The results can be used for multiple purposes – hiring, promotion, career development, and leadership coaching, among a few.  The reports describe who the individual as a unique personality.  Each person is complex and exhibits various dimensions of personality within the five super traits and the twenty-three sub-traits.   It is important to note that the reports are just ONE piece of information used in assessing an individual’s strengths and weaknesses.

Q3   What if I feel that some of my scores are ‘bad’?

A3   There are no good and bad scores.  Everyone is a star – a five-point star.  Your strengths allow you to do at least one thing better than almost anyone else.  Working from your strengths in approaching work, relationships, and challenges will allow you to succeed.   Reference:   “First, Break All the Rules” and “The One Thing You Need to Know” by Marcus Buckingham.

Q4   How does my personality impact my team?

A4   The results help the you explore your unique personality styles.  It gives you a basis to observe others and how their personalities are exhibited in the workplace. Some of the sub-traits which impact teamwork are intensity, interpretation, warmth, sociability, and others’ needs.

Q5   What if I disagree with my results?

A5   One possibility is that you may not be as self-aware as you think you are.  Ask others close to you if your results describe who you are.  If you still question your super-trait scores, it may be because one of your sub-factor scores is higher or lower.  There is also the possibility that you were not honest in your responses to the questions or that your answers were polarized (extremely different for the same type of situation).  Further exploration and explanation may be needed.

Q6  What if I don’t like my results?

A6   We all have areas we want to improve and develop.  That is natural, just like someone with a stockier build wishes to be thinner and someone who is wiry wishes to have more bulk or strength.  It is probably not worth an extreme amount of effort to try to change who they are (60% nature, 40% nurture).  How can you work around what you consider a weakness or area for development?

Q7   For example, I know that I have to be detail-oriented every day, yet my score shows I have high scope (not detail-oriented).  Why?

A7   These scores represent who they are most of the time.  Mid-range scores may mean that your responses are situational.  In the example above, you are capable of doing details well.  We can all do things out of our comfort zone for a short period.  Nonetheless, it is probably not a good idea to have a job that requires you to perform well in that area all day.

Q8   What if my scores are very different from my boss or my managers?

A8   As a rule of thumb, if there is a 10-point or more difference in your score and someone else’s score for a factor or sub-factor, there is a potential for conflict.  That does not mean it is negative conflict.  It just means you will have a difference of opinion about some things.  That is okay.  In fact, challenging each other and bringing different skills and abilities and personalities to the table will help the team overall.  It is good for a team to have diversity in personality and personality factors.  Less than optimum decisions are made when everyone thinks alike.  

Q9  Will my scores change over time?

A9   Scores will not change significantly unless many years have passed since the last report or if you have experienced a significant life event.  As we get older, typically our scores have slight changes – N score increases (less impervious to stress), E score decreases (less extraverted), O score decreases (less open to change), A score increases (more accommodating), and C score increases (more conscientious).

Q10  What if one or more of my scores is extremely low or high?

A10  If a score is in the lowest 7% or the highest 7%, you need to be aware that 93% of other team members will not be like you.  For example, if you are an extreme perfectionist, it may be difficult for you to delegate to others because you don’t believe they will be able to perform the task correctly.

BRH January 3, 2022

When you think you don’t have the time…

When you think you are just too busy to even think about down time, that is the time you need to do something about it. Do it anyway.

The little things matter. Here is a list of things you can do with little bits of moments – things that will make your day better.

1. Try to make someone smile.
2. Write a thank you note – you know the old-fashioned, hand-written one.
3. Plan a mini-vacation. Something to look forward to can be powerful medicine.
4. Medidate – try the app MNDFL.
5. Look out the window.
6. Roll down the windows while driving in your vehicle.
7. Go to a favorite place nearby.
8. Sit by the pool or a body of water.
9. Watch a sunrise or sunset.
10. Take a walk in the park.
11. Walk in the rain.
12. Call a friend you haven’t spoken with in a long time.
13. Pet your dog or cat.
14. Do something therapeutic – sing, dance, paint, create something.
15. Play with a young child.
16. Kiss your sweetheart.
17. Read an uplifting book, magazine, or article.
18. Listen to uplifting music.
19. Go for a bike ride.
20. Listen to outdoor life.

Try a few items on this list or create your own list. You will be amazed at the new energy and focus you have! Don’t take my word for it. Try it! Now!