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

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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

The Who, What, Why, and How of Personality Assessments

I am a big fan of personality assessments used in the workplace or for any type of teambuilding.  We use this tool often in our work. Besides being plain ol’ fun, it provides individuals, teammates, and supervisors insight they would not otherwise have.

 

Who?

The assessment can be used for individual employees, teams, boards, groups or even families.

 

What?

A personality profile describes who you are as a unique person. The assessment we have chosen to use is the Workplace Big Five. It provides general information (see two sample assessments below) about each person who completes the assessment questionnaire based on 5 essential personality characteristics.  Each individual will get scores in the following categories:

• Need for Stability
• Extraversion
• Originality
• Accommodation
• Consolidation

The assessment only takes 15 minutes, but, if the individual doesn’t overthink their responses and goes with their first response, reveals much. We learn, among many other things:

• How they respond to stress.
• Whether they are stimulated by people and activity or not.
• Whether they are open to change or prefer the status quo.
• How they respond to authority.
• How much they plan.
• How each of these characteristics interacts with the other.

 

Why?

The purpose of completing the assessment can be multi-fold or for one aim:

• Selection
• Promotion
• Validation
• Development
• Conflict resolution
• Collaboration

It is always helpful for each individual who participates to become more self-aware of his/her personality, individuality, competencies and motivations. There are no good or bad scores. The results help the individual explore their unique personality styles, how their personality exhibits itself in the workplace, and how it helps them relate to team members.

In a group setting, it is so freeing to see how you are alike and different from your teammates. If someone discovers she has a low ‘warmth’ score, she might become more conscious of how this effects her encounters with others. Conversely, there are ah-ha moments such as “Oh, ______ is not acting like that to get under my skin, that is just who she is.”

The estimate is that 60% of your personality is based on who you were at birth (nature), while 40% is based on what has occurred since then (nurture). The old adage, “A tiger can’t change its stripes” comes to mind. Did you know that under the tiger’s fur, the skin is also striped? The interpretation is that we can’t change our essential nature. We are who we are down to the skin. Nonetheless, being self-aware can make all the difference in the world.

 

How?

If you would like to learn more about assessments and how they can be used with coaching or teaching, we would love to hear from you anytime!

BRH

 

Powers & Associates is certified to assess the The WorkPlace Big Five by:

WorkPlace Big Five Assessment Samples

See a sample trait report here:  Trait Report

See a sample narrator report here:   Narrator Report

 

The Good and the Bad in Leadership

I often listen to NPR radio. On one such occasion, there was a series of soliloquies about the 7 Deadly Sins. The purpose of the program was for presenters to talk about one Deadly Sin and how it comes to bear in less obvious ways. This led me to thinking about these sins as they apply to leadership.

Let’s explore them one at a time but let’s also look at the flip side of each sin.

Greed. Greed can quickly get you derailed. The leader who becomes greedy may make short-term decisions rather than long term ones. They may choose to pay key people less so that their year-end bonus will be more. Greed could create a positive influence if it yields giving generously or creating goodwill. This type of greed could have a leader  greedy for acknowledgement or being unselfish in making decisions about other people rather than selfish, e.g. taking a risk on promoting someone who is not quite ready, because the leader sees the potential rather than the immediate gain.

Sloth. Sloth in a leader can lead to many downsides. I have had the unfortunate experience of working for a boss who was slothful. I am sure you have had similar experiences with a boss or co-worker. This individual does just enough to get by. They pawn off work to anyone who is ready, willing, and able. When you follow-up with this slothful leader on tasks you thought they were going to do, somehow it has bounced back to you. On the positive side, a leader who holds back and lets others lead the way, allowing them to demonstrate their talents, gifts, and skills, knows that letting others shine doesn’t take away from their own competence.  What might look like sloth, could very well be good leadership, so be careful that you are not quick to judge.

Pride. You’ve heard the old adage, “Pride cometh before a fall.” Unbridled pride in a leader can create a huge narcissistic impediment. This is the leader who takes the credit for anything and everything, whether he accomplished it or not. Also, this is the leader who is potentially to prideful to own up to mistakes or short comings.  On the winning side, pride can help a person stay afloat when getting through a difficult time. The leader who takes great pride in the work is motivated to do his/her best. The operative phrase is ‘in the work’. Great leaders are typically pretty humble people.  The leader who holds out critical self-judgement and believes in themselves, can often see the pay off.

Lust. Lusting after anything – another person at work, your boss’ job, the corner office, the next wrung on the corporate ladder, the competition’s market position – creates more negatives than positives. It focuses the leader away from his/her own priorities, planning, and deployment AND leads to the next sin, Envy. A positive form of lust could be passion. Passionate leaders are those who help make things happen. They are on a quest for the next steppingstone and tend to take others with them in advancement.

Envy. Green (with envy) is not an attractive color in a leader. Envy creates resentment. The envious leader is sitting in a meeting thinking about why someone else gets away with not accomplishing a task or goal when s/he is held accountable. The thought, “Gosh, I wish I had it as easy as __________.” is one that often plays across the envious leader’s mental screen. Envy can also create a leader who is jealous of others’ abilities, especially when they are better at something that is a weakness for the leader. In this situation, the leader may sabotage an action of those s/he is envious of. On the positive side of envy, it may help that someone pays attention to what the others have that they want. So a leader who observes someone who is getting ahead because they care about other people may begin to ask themselves deeper questions about how they could begin to care more.

Gluttony. Gluttony can be similar to greed. It means excessive indulgence. So a leader who is gluttonous may do everything in excess – take on huge projects for a team that is under resourced, underestimate the time that is needed to complete a project when assigning it, becoming a workaholic, and creating stress by his/her unrealistic expectations. Gluttony creates MORE and MORE and MORE. It is not much fun to work for a gluttonous leader. The only positive of this type of leader is that s/he will also use excessiveness in the recognition of team members and the celebration of team accomplishments. Expect wonderful parties!

Wrath. The angry leader is indignant, wanting to deliver punishment rather than information.  Little injustices can create an instant trigger of anger. I have personally witnessed the angry leader who throws things, jumps up with waving arms to make a point, who explodes and lets you know they are angry by facial expressions, body language, and pointed words. There is no question in your mind when they are hot under the collar. It is very difficult to know when to approach them about anything. They are NOT very approachable. You typically have to work around the angry leader. The positive characteristics of someone who is intense is that they are willing to fight the battles for the budget, the team, and the company. Bring it on! Of course, it is better to have them on your side. This type of leader would be a formidable enemy.

Summary. As a leader in any situation, explore your motivations, especially when you react strongly to what is happening. Is your reaction driven by one of these sins? If so, rethink your viewpoint. Drop those preconceived ideas about people and about yourself. Often the line between the positive and negative side of these sins is thin.  You may spin it one way, but take cues from those around you in evaluating where on the spectrum you may stand.  Stand back, humble yourself, and start over. Apologize, if appropriate. Be as honest with yourself as possible.  Exercise self-control. Use positive words and deeds in your role. It is easier to abstain from the sins than clean up after them.  It is not an easy task to break the bad habits caused by any of the seven deadly sins, but self-reflection and honesty will go a long way to righting the past wrongs of a leader.

Going Beyond the List: The Whys of a Great Workplace

We see the articles and lists all of the time.  16 Companies to Work for in 2016. Best Places to Work and Why.  Top Ten Companies for Employees.  Being a professional who works to help companies and their cultures every day, I know that the impact of these types of articles is not really about the companies in the list. Unless you happen to be one of the ten companies mentioned, WHO is mentioned is not important at all.  What’s key is WHY they are listed?

I recently came across an article in FastCompany Magazine by Lydia Dishman titled “These Were The Best Places to Work in the U.S. This Year.”  When I took the time to reflect on the best places I have worked or been associated with, the companies are all very similar to the litany of high-profile companies in the article.  The message can easily be adapted into a small to medium-sized business, a fast-growing or established one, as long as you are willing to open your mind and listen to your employees.  I made a list of 11 points that are a part of every successful and dynamic company I have worked with, then compared it to the FastCompany article.  Surprise!  They were very similar.

Words in the Workplace: Delegation

Delegation / noun : The act or process of delegating or being delegated : prioritizing tasks for delegation., delegated power, ‘send on a commission’

Delegate / verb : To Entrust (a task or responsibility) to another person, typically one who is less senior than oneself : He delegates routine tasks | The power delegated to him must never be misused., To send or authorize (someone) to do something as a representative : Edward was delegated to meet new arrivals.

 

Delegation: What Leaders Need to Know

“You’re on the spot every day. Ultimately, you are accountable. Your success is measured in terms of the way your employees perform. You have to make sure that the work gets done, costs are controlled, employees work as a team, and upper management is satisfied. Clearly, you have a tough job. Delegation is a powerful tool to ensure that all of this is possible.

Be a supportive coach. Tune into your employees’ talents. Delegate projects based on their strengths and weaknesses.

Redirect those who perform below standards. Correct negative behavior gently for long-term change. Learn the psychology of motivating people through the art of delegation.  Finding the right combination of responsibilities can be a great motivator for success.

Bring out the best in your team members. Help them grow so they’ll contribute more and feel better about themselves. You’ll all enjoy your workplace more — and find greater satisfaction in working together.”

“Go Team!  Take Your Team to the Next Level” by Ken Blanchard

I would add, these top three things you need to know about delegating:

1. Let go.  You will not succeed as a manager and leader until you learn to delegate well.  Letting go of some of the details will allow you to step up to the next level of performance.  Delegating is as much about your own growth as it is about the growth of your team members.
2. Be creative.  Delegating requires creativity.  You have to answer the questions, “What details can I give up? What small projects or tasks can I carve out of my day?  How can I break down large projects into smaller milestones that can be delegated to others?”
3. Set standards and boundaries.  You cannot begin to delegate a task until you have defined the boundaries of decision-making, trained the individual or individuals well, and tested them in the process.

To get great results:

• Move key decisions closer to the front line.
• Create teams that release the power of team members – power that comes from their knowledge, experience, and internal motivation.
• Use the abilities of people in performing tasks that do not make the best use of your experience and skills as a supervisor.

BRH