Tips to Deal with Toxic Leaders!

If you're a fan of the film "The Devil Wears Prada" from 2006, then your wait for a sequel is over. Today, after 20 years, "The Devil Wears Prada 2" arrives in theaters.

The original film starred Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci in memorable roles about an aspiring journalist (Hathaway's character Andy) who got a job at a fashion magazine and worked for an extremely demanding boss (Streep's character Miranda). All will reprise their roles in the sequel.

Here are some iconic Miranda Priestly quotes:

"Details of your incompetence do not interest me."

"Truth is, there's no one who can do what I do."

"Please bore someone else with your questions."

But Miranda was much more than a demanding boss - she was a toxic boss.

According to a post by Gregg Vanourek, a leadership expert, "Toxic leaders inflict great damage on our organizations, communities, and nations. They draw us in with bold promises and then turn around and wreak havoc. It's important to understand the phenomenon of toxic leaders, especially why people fall for them."

Dr. Jean Lipman-Blumen, a prominent scholar of toxic leadership, defined toxic leaders as "individuals who, by virtue of their destructive behaviors and their dysfunctional personal qualities or characteristics, inflict serious and enduring harm on the individuals, groups, organizations, communities, and even the nations that they lead." In her book on the subject, she addressed the critical question of why people follow leaders who ultimately cause harm: "Toxic leaders may display confidence, charisma, and power, but their leadership is ultimately manipulative, self-serving, and detrimental to the well-being of their followers."

According to Professor Lipman-Blumen, here are some dysfunctional personal qualities of toxic leaders:

* Inability to determine right from wrong

* Enormous egos that blind them to their own shortcomings

* Arrogance that prevents them from admitting mistakes

* Ignoring others

* Reckless disregard for the impacts of their actions on others

* Harming the weakest people in the group or society

* Blaming others for their decisions and actions

* Using others to do their dirty work and throwing people under the bus

And as Gregg Vanourek wrote, "By understanding the allure of toxic leaders, we can build defenses against them. This requires critical thinking (including short-circuiting our cognitive biases), choosing better leaders, moral courage (including speaking truth to power), and cultures that value shared leadership and accountability."

Hey, Miranda...this time around, we're prepared and ready for you! See you at the movies!

SHARE THIS: We may grouse about toxic leaders, but frequently we tolerate them, and for surprisingly long periods of time. ~Jean Lipman-Blumen via @gvanourek #ToxicLeaders #TheDevilWearsPrada2 #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: People don't quit jobs, they quit bosses. #ToxicLeaders #TheDevilWearsPrada2 #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: We can find leadership lessons in movies. I call it the concept of reel leadership, looking at movies while intending to pull out leadership lessons. ~@JosephLalonde #ToxicLeaders #TheDevilWearsPrada2 #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credit: The Walt Disney Company.

Read Gregg Vanourek's full article, "Why People Fall for Toxic Leaders" here:

https://triplecrownleadership.com/why-people-fall-for-toxic-leaders/

Check out the book, "The Allure of Toxic Leaders" by Jean Lipman-Blumen here:

https://www.amazon.com/Allure-Toxic-Leaders-Destructive-Politicians/dp/0195312007/

Check out the book, "Reel Leadership" by Joseph Lalonde here:

https://jmlalonde.com/product/reelleadershipbook/ 

Who did you recognize with a HIGH FIVE today?

High Fives are seen regularly in both professional and amateur sports, but do you share them in the workplace? Since today is National High Five Day, celebrated annually on the third Thursday in April, it's appropriate to ask, "Who did you recognize with a High Five today?

According to Punchbowl, "While the first National High Five Day can be traced back to a group of University of Virginia students in 2002, no one knows who invented the High Five itself."

According to Maki Performance Training, "The High Five is a key part of North American sports culture and beyond. The High Five is often seen and used as a gesture of greeting, elation, celebration, or congratulation in our society. However, once you look at it more closely, the High Five has a deeper meaning and a wider effect.

Have you ever noticed what happens in a basketball game after a player makes a free throw? Regardless of whether they make the shot or miss it, the players around the teammate who's made the shot, give him/her a fist bump or High Five. Why is that?

A study was conducted on professional basketball players (NBA) which recorded the number of times they touched one another in a game (fist bump, high five, or a pat on the backside). In 50 minutes of play, they saw a total of a minute-and-a-half of touches made between teammates. Now, given the fact that each touch was maybe a hundredth of a second, you can see that this adds up to a lot of touches overall. What researchers found was astonishing. They looked at the teams with the largest number of touches and saw that these teams actually placed higher overall in the standings. Not only that, but teams with the largest number of touches also had better stats on passing. In other words, their team-interaction had improved their performance."

So, for those of us outside of the professional basketball arena, why should we give each other High Fives? Here are five important reasons why:

(1) It's a great way to communicate and display positive feedback.

(2) Similar to a handshake, the action of slapping your hand on someone else's signifies a physical connection.

(3) Athletes who High Five others are known to perform better.

(4) A High Five is an instantaneous way of telling a person that they are important.

(5) As illustrated by the NBA study, tactile communication increases cooperation.

SHARE THIS: You have to create a culture where everybody has an opportunity to be recognized. ~John Mackey #NationalHighFiveDay #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credit: Maki Performance Training.

If you didn't give someone a High Five today, send one with an e-greeting. Here's the link:

https://www.punchbowl.com/ecards/d/national-high-five-day/design/front

Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day by Sharing a Book!

Since today is Employee Appreciation Day, I have a tip for all personnel, human resources, and staffing departments: I'd like to propose that you share a book with your employees to demonstrate how much you value them. And I have a suggestion for which book, but before we get to the specifics, first, a little background about today's significance.

Observed annually on the first Friday in March, Employee Appreciation Day was started in 1995 by Dr. Bob Nelson, to celebrate the publication of his book, "1001 Ways to Reward Employees." Together with his publishing company, he made sure that the holiday appeared prominently on workplace calendars. This was a successful strategy because the book sold over two million copies and was translated into over 25 languages.

Now back to the book that I propose sharing with your employees: GOOD LUCK, ICE CREAM TRUCK by Sorche Fairbank and illustrated by Terry Runyan. The book celebrates friendship and community - two important elements that should be celebrated every day in the workplace, but especially today on Employee Appreciation Day. 

According to Harper CollinsPublishers' description, "The sweet anticipation of waiting for the ice cream truck is tempered by the arrival of eight other trucks — a dump truck, a mail truck, a fire truck, a news truck, a utility truck, an excavator, a garbage truck, and a cement truck — in this picture book celebration of vehicles, professions, community, friendship, and delicious ice cream."

This book features a group of friends including a giraffe, cats, dogs, birds, frog, turtle, alligator, and more as they eagerly await the ice cream truck. However, as the book progresses, eight other trucks travel by the group. However, the group doesn't get upset, they don't yell at each other, they don't go home...they simply appreciate all the trucks that go by and calmly look forward to the ice cream truck. And they are happy when the ice cream truck appears.

Why do I suggest reading, sharing, and discussing a children's book for Employee Appreciation Day? The answer is simple. According to Katherine Rundell, author of WHY YOU SHOULD READ CHILDREN'S BOOKS, EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE SO OLD AND WISE, "Ignore those who would call it mindless escapism; it's not escapism; it is findism. Children's books are not a hiding place, they are a seeking place."

The Guardian explained Rundell's argument, "There's something particular about children's fiction that can open up new perspectives for adults. The best children's fiction helps us refind things we may not even know we have lost, taking us back to a time when new discoveries came daily and when the world was colossal, before the imagination was trimmed and neatened. There's also something instructive in reading books that are specifically written to be read by a section of society without political or economic power."

So, while you enjoy GOOD LUCK, ICE CREAM TRUCK, I will end by sharing three quotes from authors and their referenced books:

"If you give a person a book, you give him the world." ~Kristin Harmel, author of THE PARIS DAUGHTER

"For you unlock magic that is hidden within, and opening the cover is how you begin. Oh, all the worlds and the places you'll see; when you hold a book, you hold the key." ~Caroline Derlatka, author of WHEN YOU OPEN A BOOK

"If you can, always be yourself, unless you can be Batman — then always be Batman." ~Jenn McKinlay, author of PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA

Image Credits: HarperCollinsPublishers and Amazon.

Check out some reading tips from September 2024 here on my blog:

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2024/09/five-readingtips-to-fall-back-to-reading.html

Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day with Gregg Vanourek

Since today is Employee Appreciation Day, I'd like to welcome Gregg Vanourek back to my blog. I recently read a post that Gregg wrote nearly two years ago entitled, "The Four Types of People in Any Organization (Beware the Fourth)," and it's especially fitting that we re-visit that post today.

First, a little background about Employee Appreciation Day and then a brief bio about Gregg. Observed annually on the first Friday in March, Employee Appreciation Day was started in 1995 by Dr. Bob Nelson, initially to celebrate the publication of his book, "1001 Ways to Reward Employees." Together with his publishing company, he made sure that the holiday appeared prominently on workplace calendars. This was a successful strategy because the book sold over two million copies and was translated into over 25 languages. So, as your organization considers how to best appreciate, recognize, and value your employees, read on for some amazing insights.

Gregg Vanourek is a writer, teacher, and TEDx speaker on personal development and leadership. He is also co-author of three books, including LIFE Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives (a manifesto for integrating life and work with purpose, passion, and contribution) and Triple Crown Leadership: Building Excellent, Ethical, and Enduring Organizations (a winner of the International Book Award). He teaches at the Stockholm Business School; served as a senior executive at a tech startup, now a market leader with $1 billion in sales; and has given talks/workshops in eight countries.

Now, what are the four types of people in any organization? Well, according to Gregg and his important post, they are as follows:

(1) LEADERS: According to Gregg, "We may disagree about what good leadership entails, but there's little doubt that we need leaders."

(2) FOLLOWERS: According to Gregg, "All organizations also need followers. How effective would leaders be without good followers? Followers are often neglected in discussions about organizational effectiveness, but that's a big mistake. Followers make a big difference in many ways: getting the work done, upholding the organization's values, supporting leaders in times of difficulty, contributing to the culture, and more."

(3) OBJECTORS: According to Gregg, "Objectors express disagreement or opposition. They challenge leaders when they go astray. Sometimes it comes in the form of tough questions. Other times in the form of outright objections. Though often overlooked, objectors play a critical role in accountability, culture, ethics, and more."

(4) MUTTERERS: According to Gregg, "Mutterers are the ones who sit quietly in the meeting, nodding their heads and going along, and then mutter complaints, insults, and frustrations under their breath after the meeting. The other dynamic often missed here is that people want to be around people who take initiative, not complainers."

In his post, Gregg used a soccer scenario as an example of these types of people. He wrote, "But was it the job of the coach to be the best in all areas all the time? Ideally, we'd have a coach who's brilliant at everything: scouting, recruiting, positioning, practice and drill design, match strategy, mid-game competitive adjustments, halftime chats, post-game reviews, player psychology, group dynamics, goalkeeper training, crisis management, humor, fun, and more. (Even TED LASSO doesn't rise to that mantle.)"

However, Gregg shared in a previous appearance on my blog, "The TED LASSO series is brilliant on many fronts, including the way it showed the human aspects of leadership and the complex dynamics of being part of a team and community. For leaders (and others), it has powerful lessons about heart, humanity, dignity, love, hope, belief in people, and the transformation of pain and hardship."

So, today, on Employee Appreciation Day, how can your organization help steer employees toward being leaders, followers, and productive objectors and help steer them away from being unproductive mutterers?

I asked Gregg to provide an update to include here today:

"Muttering can be toxic in an organization. It puts our attention on what's wrong instead of what's right or what we can do. It wastes time. It makes us passive and makes bad situations worse. Perhaps, worse of all, it's contagious. Leaders are wise to nip muttering in the bud."

My gratitude to Gregg for inspiring today's post, sharing an update to his post, and for being a valued member of my blog community!

SHARE THIS: People want to be around people who take initiative, not complainers. ~@gvanourek #EmployeeAppreciationDay #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: Complaining does not work as a strategy...Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. ~Randy Pausch via @gvanourek #EmployeeAppreciationDay #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credit: Adobe.

Read Gregg's post that inspired today's post:

https://triplecrownleadership.com/four-types-of-people/

Connect with Gregg at these links:

Website: https://www.greggvanourek.com

Blog: https://greggvanourek.com/blog/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregg-vanourek-5347b11

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TripleCrownLeadership/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/gvanourek

Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/gvanourek

Check out Gregg’s previous appearances here on my blog:

SPRING LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Gregg Vanourek  (April 2024)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2024/04/spring-leadership-series-featuring_01233877214.html

Does Your Organization Have Culture Champions and Cultural Stewards? (January 2022)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/01/does-your-organization-have-culture.html

"Top 10" New Year's Resolutions for Leaders for 2025

Last January, after I read an inspiring post by the esteemed leadership expert Eric Jacobson entitled, "70 New Year's Resolutions for Leaders," I chose ten from those 70 and featured them in a post.

Since Eric's list included 70 resolutions, and New Year's resolutions are on many people's minds this month, I thought I would revisit Eric's post and choose my "Top 10" for 2025.

With much gratitude to Eric for his comprehensive list and inspiration for this post, here are my "Top 10" New Year's Resolutions for Leaders for 2025:

[1] View every problem as an opportunity to grow.

[2] Praise when compliments are earned.

[3] Assess your company's strengths and weaknesses at all times.

[4] Listen carefully and don't multi-task while listening.

[5] Teach something new to your team.

[6] Explain how a change will impact employees' feelings before, during, and after a change is implemented.

[7] Give feedback promptly and make it individualized and specific.

[8] Promote excellent customer service both internally and externally.

[9] Be willing to change your decisions.

[10] End every meeting with a follow-up To-do list.

And because I've been a passionate reader my entire life, I will repeat (and always include) this annual resolution: "Read leadership books to continue your leadership journey." Don't forget to read works of fiction because they ALSO contain important leadership lessons.

Lastly, here's one of Eric's favorite quotes from a previous appearance on my blog: 

SHARE THIS: Leaders are measured by the caliber of leaders they develop, not the caliber of their own leadership. ~John C. Maxell via @EricJacobsonKC #DebbieLaskeysBlog

What are your New Year's resolutions to improve your leadership skills during 2025? Chime in and share.

Image Credit: VistaCreate.

Here's the link to Eric's original post - print it and tape it to a wall!

https://ericjacobsononmanagement.blogspot.com/2023/12/70-new-years-resolutions-for-leaders.html

Here's the link to my post from last year:

"Top 10" New Year's Resolutions for Leaders (January 2024)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2024/01/top-10-new-years-resolutions-for-leaders.html

Connect with Eric at these links:

Blog: https://ericjacobsononmanagement.blogspot.com  

Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/ericjacobsonkc 

Check out Eric's previous appearances here on my blog:

HOLIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Eric Jacobson (November 2024)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2024/11/holiday-leadership-series-featuring_0821075952.html

OLYMPICS LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Eric Jacobson (July 2024)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2024/07/olympics-leadership-series-featuring.html

FALL BACK TO READING SERIES – Featuring Eric Jacobson (September 2023)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/09/fall-back-to-reading-series-featuring.html

Let's Celebrate #NationalLeadershipDay! (February 2023)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/02/lets-celebrate-nationalleadershipday.html

How Leadership Crafts the #EmployeeExperience (May 2018)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/05/how-leadership-crafts-employeeexperience.html

Leadership Doesn't Have to Be Hard (March 2016)

http://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2016/05/leadership-doesnt-have-to-be-hard.html

The Importance of Mentorships (March 2013)

http://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2013/03/the-importance-of-mentorships.html

The Importance of Training, Customer Connections & Leadership (March 2011)

http://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2011/03/importance-of-training-customer.html

Let’s Celebrate Boss’s Day!

Are you fortunate to have a good boss? Does your supervisor ask you for feedback and recognize your contributions in public? Well, today’s the day to celebrate awesome bosses!

First, a little history: National Boss’s Day was started by Patricia Bays Haroski, who was an employee at State Farm Insurance. Her boss was also her father, and to honor him, she registered the date of his birthday with the United States Chamber of Commerce in 1958 as a national holiday. By 1979, the holiday became popular across the United States and also spread internationally. Today, it’s celebrated in Australia, India, Ireland, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

Here are some ideas as to how to celebrate:

* Send your boss a card with a meaningful message, perhaps, sharing details about something you learned from him/her/they

* Post a note about your boss on social media

* Bring some doughnuts or other sweet treat into the office to share with your boss and colleagues

* Bring some flowers into the office

* Make a donation to your favorite charity in honor of your boss

Of course, if your boss is not the greatest boss in the world, you can stick with a simple “Happy Boss’s Day” greeting when you enter the office first thing in the morning. They’ll get the message!

Image Credit: Mountaineer eNews.

Serving in a New Role Today on Global Company Culture Day

What would you do if your title were "Director of People and Culture?" While that may sound like a bunch of words, what would you do in that role?

Since today is Global Company Culture Day, I thought it might be fun to try out the title and pretend I served in that capacity, if only for one day.

But first, a little about Global Culture Day. Created by the Global Company Culture Association in 2019 and observed every year on September 18th, it's a day for companies and leaders to focus on ensuring that their corporate culture functions in a way that, above all, maximizes the happiness of employees.

According to Tercon Partners, "Culture is a company's personality. Culture defines the environment in which people work – the values, beliefs, behaviors, and underlying assumptions that drive every aspect of the organization's activities. Culture exists in all organizations, whether it is created through careful design or it evolves organically over time."

According to Wharton management professor Sigal Barsade, "Culture, within a company or organization, is like an iceberg. Just as we can see only the tip of the iceberg, most of what constitutes a company's culture is below the surface. The part that's visible includes things like physical office space, ways the employees dress, and behavioral norms. But they are not the whole picture...you need to understand what's below the surface. The values and assumptions that rarely get questioned are the ones that most organizations take for granted."

And now, if I served as "Director of People and Culture" for an organization, I would focus on the following five areas:

[1] Employee Experience: Employee Engagement and Culture Development

Employees must be happy and productive to create positive customer experiences, which leads to repeat business and increased profits. So, organizations must focus on engaging their employees and developing amazing cultures. Department supervisors must understand the benefits of collaboration and learn how to be culture carriers. And the org's employee manual must be regularly reviewed and updated. The concept of "Management by Walking Around" should be the mantra of this role so that employees see the person in charge and can talk to that person on a regular basis - the key HR person should never be seen as always sitting in an office with a closed door.

[2] DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)

This initiative would be more than just words. There should be a mosaic of people at every level from the C-Suite on down through all management levels. If someone within the organization wants to climb the corporate ladder, it is the org's responsibility to mentor and educate the person, rather than stop him/her/they due to gender, background, etc. All opportunities are open to all. Period. 

[3] Leadership Development

It's important for members of the C-Suite and department supervisors to keep abreast of leadership trends and attend leadership workshops and conferences in their specialty areas. It's also important to develop leaders from within the organization, and also promote from within.

[4] Continuing Education

Continuing education should not be for members of the C-Suite or top managers only. Courses should be available and offered for all members of an organization to help them learn on an on-going basis. Training sessions can be on-site, off-site, or online.

[5] Talent Acquisition: Onboarding and Offboarding

It's important to understand that the concept of employer branding is a real thing, and as a result, job applicants begin their relationship with an organization from the moment they read a job description. The relationship with the employer brand continues through a first conversation, a virtual or in-person interview (or more than one), and doesn't end there. The relationship continues through the job offer or SHOULD continue with a "no thank you letter or email" (which, too often, doesn't happen). In any event, the onboarding process should be courteous and professional and once a job offer is accepted, the new employee should receive a detailed employee manual (that reflects the org's policies and expectations of staff) and job-related materials to be successful at his/her/their job as well as a mentor within the organization. Lastly, it/when the time comes, the offboarding process should also be courteous and professional, and an exit interview should be handled in the same manner as the pre-employment process. Always remember, in today's social media era, everyone is a brand ambassador, and that also includes former employees. 

According to Wharton management professor Sigal Barsade, "Your culture can help you execute your strategy, but your structures need to support it. And if your strategy doesn't take into account your structures and culture, the execution will run into problems. For results, make sure all three complement and support one another."

What about you? Do you ever dream of working in the human resources or personnel area of your organization? If yes, what would you do to improve your corporate culture, especially today on Global Company Culture Day?

Image Credit: Tercon Partners.

My 2023 post: Let's Celebrate Global Company Culture Day:

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/09/lets-celebrate-global-company-culture.html

Culture Matters: Shaping a Culture That Works (Wharton @ Work - July 2015):

https://executiveeducation.wharton.upenn.edu/thought-leadership/wharton-at-work/2015/07/culture-matters/

Review of JUMPSTART YOUR WORKPLACE CULTURE

How would you describe your workplace culture? Do all the employees get together after work and talk shop at a local bar or restaurant? Or is it stifling, hard to breathe - and you can only breathe at 5pm when you leave the office? Do all the employees know the brand promise - and is everyone a happy brand ambassador?

These are all important questions to ask when creating and maintaining a positive corporate culture and why so many employers have high turnover and lose talented employees. Here's an easy solution for all leaders: Add an important book to your must-read list: Jumpstart Your Workplace Culture by Eric D. Stone.

Eric explains, "Every company should be built around founding values, and those values must be the heart and soul of your culture." And, "If your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room, culture equals the behaviors that happen when leaders aren't around to enforce the organization's behavioral code."

How often do you check in with your employees? Do you have one-on-one meetings with all employees? Eric proposes that you regularly meet with employees and ask a myriad of questions. These were my favorites from Eric's book:

(1) What's your employee experience been like so far?

(2) Do you know and understand the company values?

(3) What management style do you find most motivating?

(4) What's an opportunity the team might be overlooking right now?

(5) Do you feel challenged and encouraged to grow?

(6) Where could you use more coaching and training?

(7) Who's been your biggest influence here?

(8) Is there anything you think the senior leaders don't understand?

According to Eric, a strong culture "keeps your people engaged and wanting to stay with your company, focused on doing great work and meeting higher and higher expectations, all while staying in alignment with the company values and mission. A positive culture keeps revenues, profits, and market share growing. It's an energy source, and it's contagious...It feels great to come to work, and you and your team feel like a finely-tuned machine."

But a weak culture "is just as obvious, and the symptoms are everywhere. Employees are confused, angry, or apathetic. Expectations are unclear, training and development are lacking, follow-through and accountability are nonexistent...Instead of being united by a single clear 'this is who we are and what we stand for' idea, they're fragmented. It's every employee for themself."

Perhaps, it's time for your organization to re-think your culture. As Eric writes at the end, "Yes, you can check under the hood and quantitatively measure the health of your culture...You can repair your culture with some surprisingly simple initiatives." Remember, "a strong culture is obvious to onlookers," and will attract awesome employees and repeat customers!

SHARE THIS: Every company should be built around founding values, and those values must be the heart and soul of your culture. ~Eric D. Stone #CorporateCulture #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: Leadership, at its core, is about making other people better as a result of your presence - and making sure the impact lasts in your absence. ~@FrancesFrei #CorporateCulture #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Connect with Eric at these links:

Website: https://www.ericdstone.com/

Website: https://clearpathventures.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-stone-clear-path

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearpathventures_/

Image Credit: Amazon.

What's Your Favorite Job Interview Question?

If you are a job seeker, do you go into interviews with a list of prepared questions for the interviewer, or rather, do you wing it?

With the hope that you have a list of questions to ask about the position, the training, the position's success metrics, the company, and more, I would like to share my all-time favorite question for interviewers.

When I was in job-seeker mode, I would always ask - whether one person interviewed me or several people interviewed me:

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE COMPANY CULTURE?

The answer for this question told many things. First, if the interviewer or interviewers took too long to answer, it looked as if they were hiding something. If responses from different people were vastly different, there was cause for concern. If there were examples within the responses that highlighted how mistakes were handled - for example, employees were treated fairly - those responses spoke volumes.

According to Chris Donnelly, "Understanding the company culture can help you determine whether you would be a good fit for an organization. It also allows you to assess whether the company's values and culture align with your own, ensuring a better cultural fit."

And to quote Richard Gallagher, "Building a successful corporate culture goes beyond business processes and into being a way of life. It gives meaning and purpose to the place where most of us spend over half of our waking lives. More important, it reduces the vast complexities of the business world into a clear sense of who you are and where you are headed. It is truly the soul of your organization."

So, what is your fave interview question? Chime in and share.

Image Credit: Daniel van den Berg via Unsplash.

Celebrating #NationalUnicornDay with Caroline Stokes

Do you know what today is? Celebrated each year on April 9th, National Unicorn Day celebrates the mythical horse-like creature with a single, pointed horn growing from the center of its forehead.

According to National Day Calendar, "Unicorns have been a popular mythical creature since Ancient Greek times...Many now see them as a symbol of love, purity, enchantment, and magic. They also continue to find their way into fantasy novels alongside other mythical creatures."

Over the last 15 years, thanks to social media, I have had the privilege of meeting inspiring marketing, branding, customer experience, leadership, and social media experts. One of these experts is Caroline Stokes, a leadership expert based in Vancouver, Canada. Due to the alignment between the title of Caroline's book and today's holiday, she is an excellent choice to appear on my blog today. Highlights from our conversation about leadership follow a brief introduction.

But first, here's a quick description of Caroline's book, ELEPHANTS BEFORE UNICORNS: "Learn how to identify your elephants, the obstacles getting in the way of your success, before focusing on your unicorns, the key employees who will help move your business forward."

Caroline Stokes is an executive coach who helps leaders to stay a step ahead in an uncertain future. She helps leaders understand how their team or organization needs to adapt to remain creative and competitive across business innovation, talent attraction, retention, and growth to meet evolving employee, customer and stakeholder expectations.

Caroline spent more than 20 years working for corporations, such as, PlayStation, Virgin, and Nokia in Europe and Australia, and went on to run two public relations agencies in England and Canada. Since 2008, Caroline has led global executive search and talent development strategies for Real Networks, Autodesk, Microsoft, Amazon, Electronic Arts, and Disney; and spurred on by her international experiences, in 2014, she launched FORWARD with a vision to create a constantly-evolving human capital solutions company with an ethical and humanist foundation. She is regularly called upon to share her expertise in the Harvard Business Review, Newsweek, Fast Company and more.

QUESTION: My favorite quote from your book ELEPHANTS BEFORE UNICORNS was, "I define people leaders as anyone who manages people in any capacity. If you have even one direct report, you're a people leader!...Whether or not you realize it, you have a tremendous impact on the direction and success of your organization." What are three take-aways you hope all readers will have upon reading your book?

CAROLINE STOKES: Three takeaways I hope readers will learn:

(1) That leaders are not born, they're made.

(2) To create an environment where people can trust each other, which enables everyone to do the work they signed up for in the first place. You've got to constantly work on the frameworks in the book or work with a coach to get there. It's not a one and done box-ticking situation. Like a diet or an exercise regimen, put the program in place and stick to it, evolve with it, stretch yourself. See all the growth in your mind, with your team, and with the results.

(3) Always work on your EQ. It's not easy to be wrong. It's not easy to make mistakes. What we do with EQ is by having awareness that we have done what we have done and to adjust. It's a life-long journey, and the book helps. (Note: Emotional intelligence (or EQ) is the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict.)

SHARE THIS: I define people leaders as anyone who manages people in any capacity. ~@ocarolinestokes #NationalUnicornDay #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: How can members of the C-Suite and HR teams learn the importance of "Employer Branding?"

CAROLINE STOKES: I wrote ELEPHANTS BEFORE UNICORNS primarily for the C-Suite to wake up and see that their organizations were not  operating according to their mission statements - that future employees and customers had bought into. Since the book was published in 2019, we are acutely aware of many organizations that continue to say that their employer brand is one thing, but the exit interviews and Glassdoor reviews say another. 

Culture takes time to adapt. Start now with the human first methodologies and start to see the needle shift on employer brand sentiment, which comes from an engaged workforce and lower rates of attrition.

QUESTION: What three things should be part of every organization's onboarding process?

CAROLINE STOKES: Here are three:

Goal #1: The first 100-days coaching program that every hiring manager uses with new hires, which includes goals, vision, what good looks like on a quarter-by-quarter basis. Then do all of that again at the 100-days mark because economic, societal, environmental, and personnel factors will have changed, which means that the goals will have shifted.

Goal #2: OKRs relate to everyone. (Note: Generally attributed to Andy Grove, who introduced the approach to Intel in the 1970's, OBJECTIVES AND KEY RESULTS, or OKRs, is a goal-setting framework used by individuals, teams, and organizations to define measurable goals and track their outcomes.)

Goal #3: Agreement that 1:1s should happen every week to focus on growth to reach Goal #1.

QUESTION: What's your favorite interview question, and why?

CAROLINE STOKES: I don't have a favourite interview question, as it comes off as a trap. The person being interviewed instinctively knows deep inside that it's planted to see how they will behave. I wrote for HBR that interviewing is a two-way street. The power dynamics are all wrong in an interview, and it's unattractive. (Link to article at end of Q&A.) 

I prefer an environment where the hiring manager and the hiring team huddle in realistic environments - like a 1:1 - to discuss the challenges, opportunities, areas for development, goals, and how to get through them collectively to innovate and problem-solve.

QUESTION: A well-known quote is, "People don't quit companies, they quit managers." What are some actions that employees can take, and what are some actions that leaders/managers/ supervisors/bosses can take to reverse this from happening?

CAROLINE STOKES: Everyone needs to do the self-work and the team-work. Expecting offsites or individual training isn't enough. The collective need to get together, people need leadership coaches, team coaches, strategic workshops. 

Marriage is hard where it requires constant communication, clarification, and calibration to reach goals. It comes to the power dynamic again - without collaboration, insight, everyone going down the road as a collective, people quit and people fire those people that go off track. It's a cycle that can shift at the blink of an eye with some economic disturbance or power imbalance. Nurture it, or expect some style of professional divorce.

QUESTION: Despite the findings detailed in an article published by Harvard Business Review entitled, "Research: Women Score Higher Than Men in Most Leadership Skills," the percentage of women in senior leadership roles is declining. (Link to article at end of Q&A.) How can we change this?

CAROLINE STOKES: We all know why. This is the elephant in the room. I outline it in an interview with a CEO for an article published in Business in Vancouver (link at end of Q&A), where even men knew how important women were, yet patriarchal models weren't evolving fast enough to bring in diversity of thought and processes to achieve the results many people were looking for. Systems require assessment and BRAVE leaders to change the status quo.

QUESTION: If you could dine with five leaders from history or modern corporate America, who would you choose, and why?

CAROLINE STOKES: Here are my five: Robin Williams (leader in comedy), Barack Obama (leader of the people), Elon Musk (leader of moonshot ideas), Oprah Winfey (leader of empowerment), and Nicolas Thompson (leader of The Atlantic). Imagine the enthralling, enthusiastic, and boundary-less energy they would bring and the deep pockets of reality they would share!

My gratitude to Caroline for appearing on my blog and sharing her inspiring thoughts about leadership and the employee experience!

Image Credit: Meritt Thomas via WordSwag.

Connect with Caroline at these links:

Website: https://www.theforward.co

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ocarolinestokes

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/ocarolinestokes

Blog: https://www.theforward.co/blog

Book: https://www.theforward.co/elephants-before-unicorns

TEDx: Why an emotionally intelligent company impacts growth: 

https://youtu.be/cPmoC506_cM?si=KfXLIB3FQA40lulW

Here are the links to referenced articles from this Q&A:

National Unicorn Day

https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-unicorn-day-april-9

How to Tactfully Disagree in a Job Interview

https://hbr.org/2019/11/how-to-tactfully-disagree-in-a-job-interview

Opinion: Why Boards and C-Suite Leaders Must Cultivate a Sustainability Culture

https://www.biv.com/news/commentary/opinion-why-boards-c-suite-leaders-must-cultivate-a-sustainability-culture-8383445

Research: Women Score Higher Than Men in Most Leadership Skills

https://hbr.org/2019/06/research-women-score-higher-than-men-in-most-leadership-skills

Inspiration for final question: Debbie's Amazing Dinner Party of 15

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/06/my-amazing-dinner-party-of-15.html

"Top 10" New Year's Resolutions for Leaders

During December, I read an inspiring post entitled, "70 New Year's Resolutions for Leaders" by my friend and leadership expert (and advocate) Eric Jacobson. I wondered how many leaders make a list of leadership resolutions every January. Upon further reflection, I wondered if leaders make such a list, do they actually follow the resolutions?

There is no doubt that if a leader adhered to all of Eric's 70 resolutions, he/she/they would become an exceptional leader. But the reality is, that would be nearly impossible to find such a leader. I think sticking to ten resolutions might be hard, but much more likely. So I decided to pull out my favorite ten resolutions. 

With big applause to Eric, here are my "Top 10" New Year's Resolutions for Leaders:

1. Don't micromanage.
2. Don't be a bottleneck.
3. Focus on outcomes, not minutiae.
4. Celebrate your employees' successes, not your own.
5. Communicate clearly and often.
6. Admit your mistakes.
7. Encourage individualism and welcome input.
8. Encourage personal growth and promote training, mentoring, and external education.
9. Volunteer within your community and allow/support your employees to volunteer also.
10. Read leadership books to continue your leadership journey.

Again, much gratitude to Eric for creating his list and for inspiring me to pick ten. 

The goal of this post was to inspire you to create your own list of New Year's Leadership Resolutions with the hope that you stick to it during 2024.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Here's the link to Eric's original post - I highly recommend you hang it in a prominent place so that you can refer to it on a regular basis:
https://ericjacobsononmanagement.blogspot.com/2023/12/70-new-years-resolutions-for-leaders.html

Connect with Eric at these links:
Blog: https://ericjacobsononmanagement.blogspot.com  
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ericjacobsonkc

Check out Eric’s previous appearances here on my blog:

[1] FALL BACK TO READING SERIES – Featuring Eric Jacobson
September 25, 2023
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/09/fall-back-to-reading-series-featuring.html

[2] Let's Celebrate #NationalLeadershipDay!
February 20, 2023
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/02/lets-celebrate-nationalleadershipday.html

[3] How Leadership Crafts the #EmployeeExperience
May 1, 2018
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/05/how-leadership-crafts-employeeexperience.html

[4] Leadership Doesn't Have to Be Hard
May 3, 2016
http://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2016/05/leadership-doesnt-have-to-be-hard.html

[5] The Importance of Mentorships
March 11, 2013
http://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2013/03/the-importance-of-mentorships.html

[6] The Importance of Training, Customer Connections, and Leadership
March 21, 2011
http://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2011/03/importance-of-training-customer.html

Let’s Celebrate Global Company Culture Day!

Do you know what today is? It’s Global Company Culture Day, observed every year on September 18, it is a day for companies and organizational leaders to focus on ensuring that their corporate culture functions in a way that maximizes productivity, profitability, and the happiness of employees.

This day offers an opportunity to reflect on the importance of the onboarding process to integrate new employees into the corporate culture and to explain an organization’s culture. Does your org have a detailed and consistent onboarding practice? Are there specific employees (representing different departments) that participate in new employee onboarding? What elements do you include?

I’d like to propose a book that should be part of the onboarding program for all organizations: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. While the book was first published in 1964 for children, it has been translated into numerous languages. While I read the book first as a child, the story has remained with me for decades. If you have not read it, I highly recommend it.

According to Wikipedia:

“The book follows the lives of an apple tree and a boy, who develop a relationship with one another. The tree is very "giving," and the boy evolves into a "taking" teenager, a middle-aged man, and finally an elderly man. Despite the fact that the boy ages in the story, the tree addresses the boy as "Boy" his entire life.

In his childhood, the boy enjoys playing with the tree, climbing its trunk, swinging from its branches, carving "Me + T (Tree)" into the bark, and eating its apples. However, as the boy grows older, he spends less time with the tree and tends to visit it only when he wants material items at various stages of his life, or not coming to the tree alone (such as bringing a lady friend to the tree and carving "Me +Y.L." (her initials, often assumed to be an acronym for "young love") into the tree). In an effort to make the boy happy at each of these stages, the tree gives him parts of itself, which he can transform into material items, such as money (from its apples), a house (from its branches), and a boat (from its trunk). With every stage of giving, "the Tree was happy."

In the final pages, both the tree and the boy feel the sting of their respective "giving" and "taking" nature. When only a stump remains for the tree (including the carving "Me + T"), it is not happy, at least at that moment. The boy returns as a tired elderly man to meet the tree once more. It tells him it is sad because it cannot provide him shade, apples, or any materials like in the past. He ignores this (because his teeth are too weak for apples, and he is too old to swing on branches and too tired to climb her trunk) and states that all he wants is "a quiet place to sit and rest," which the tree, who is weak being just a stump, could provide. With this final stage of giving, "the Tree was happy."

As you can see, the moral of the story is to be a giver rather than a taker, and this is an important lesson to include in an onboarding overview. If you want a positive corporate culture with long-term positive, happy, and talented employees, consider adding this book to your must-read list for all employees!


Image Credit: Amazon.

Is LOVE Part of Leadership? You Bet!

Do you know what today is? It’s GLOBAL LOVE DAY, and according to The Love Foundation, “We honor each May First as a symbolic day of unconditional love and call upon all people and nations to come together in the wisdom of peace and love.”

With this theme in mind, I recalled an incredible post by my friend and leadership/employee experience colleague Julie Winkle Giulioni and wanted to share highlights.

In January 2023, Julie wrote a post entitled, “All You Need Is Love,” as an early Valentine’s Day gift for leaders. She wrote, “Leaders who want to make a positive impact on their employees and their organizations will benefit from showing their love through these four strategies.”

L = LOOP OTHERS IN.
Julie wrote: “Information is the lifeblood of productivity and achievement. And connections with others nourish employees, contributing to qualitative outcomes like happiness, and quantitative outcomes like loyalty, retention, and customer satisfaction.”

O = OFFER THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS.
Julie wrote: “Ensure that people have the equipment and materials they need to succeed. Make training available so they have the necessary skills and knowledge. Remove the roadblocks – systems, processes, rules, and limitations – that undermine employees’ ability to do their best work. Then step back and see results follow.”

V = VARY RESPONSIBILITIES.
Julie wrote: “Allow people to explore different tasks, learn different skills, play in different sandboxes. The expanded perspective that becomes available as a result of these opportunities enriches one’s current role, opens doors to possible new roles, and keeps everyone fresh, engaged, and growing.”

E = EARN RESPECT.
Julie wrote: “Employees crave inspirational leadership. Be the leader your people need and want. Earn trust and respect through your day-to-day behavior, interactions, and decisions.”

So, today, on Global Love Day, how will you show love to your employees? Remember, for your employees to love your customers, you must love your employees first.

My gratitude and applause to Julie for inspiring me to share her post on this most appropriate day!

 

Check out Julie's Q&A appearances on my Blog:

Feedback and Talent in the Post-Covid Era
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/01/feedback-and-talent-in-post-covid-era.html

How Can Leaders Become Architects of Unbeatable Brands?
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2021/04/how-can-leaders-become-architects-of.html

Connect with Julie at these links:
Website: www.juliewinklegiulioni.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewinklegiulioni
Twitter: @Julie_WG
Facebook: /JulieWinkleGiulioni.Author

Image Credit: Debbie Laskey.

Tips to Improve Your Organization’s Employee Experience

Today is Employee Appreciation Day, and to celebrate, I’d like to welcome Marli Rusen to my blog in a Q&A about the employee experience, corporate culture, workplace diversity, and the role of human resources.

First, a little background about Employee Appreciation Day – and then a brief bio about Marli Rusen from British Columbia, Canada. Observed on the first Friday in March, Employee Appreciation Day was started in 1995 by Dr. Bob Nelson, initially to celebrate the publication of his book, “1001 Ways to Reward Employees,” which has expanded into “1501 Ways to Reward Employees.” The purpose was to remind employers to thank their employees when they do good work. So, as your organization considers how to best appreciate, recognize, and value your employees, read on for some amazing insights.

Marli Rusen brings many years of experience as a labor, employment, and human rights lawyer to her current work as a labor arbitrator, mediator, expert in workplace conflict resolution, and memorable keynote speaker. After working as a lawyer for 15 years, Marli made the decision that she wanted to make a positive difference in a proactive role when conflicts arose. For the last 15 years, she has served in a problem-solving, mediator role, working closely with all parties to help them arrive at a consensual resolution. She designs each mediation in a way that best meets the unique dynamics and issues with which the parties are faced to maximize the likelihood of success. Over the years, Marli has developed proactive and practical tools to help leaders resolve complex team dynamics that affect productivity, retention, and engagement. This has culminated in her creation of the MIRROR Method, a practical six-step program for leaders to follow in the face of team disruption and dysfunction. The MIRROR Method has been adopted with resounding success by numerous organizations.

QUESTION: You launched your new book entitled, "Walking on Eggshells? A Practical Guide to Resolving Stressful Conflict at Work and Home.” What are some key take-aways?
MARLI RUSEN: Here are some:

Conflict is inevitable and not necessarily a bad thing. Often, we incorrectly equate disagreement with disrespect. In fact, the mantra of “We all think the same here” is dysfunctional. Allowing for respectful discussions around difference and diversity will lead to progress. Forced consensus, however, will paralyze progress. We should not be freaked out by having or allowing differences of opinion in our workplaces.

Having said that, disagreements may become disrespectful, and conflict may become dysfunctional if accompanied by disrespectful or disruptive behavior/communication. In these situations, it is not the disagreement/conflict that causes the disrespect, it is the manner in which individuals speak to, speak about, or treat those around them, particularly those with whom they disagree.

When disagreements, disrespect, and disruption arise, it is critical to resolve them, where possible, in an early, informal, and respectful manner, using a clearly established set of ground rules. Examples of these are outlined in “Walking on Eggshells.” It is so important to understand and agree upon etiquette for having these types of conversations. This includes agreement on where and when to have these discussions and expectations on how to speak and listen to each other during them. These “rules of engagement” should be applied consistently and fairly to all, regardless of who is having the conversation.

SHARE THIS: We should not be freaked out by having or allowing differences of opinion in our workplaces. ~@MarliRusen #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: Your “MIRROR Method” book provides leaders with a six-step framework to diagnose and remedy workplace dysfunction, restore trust and communication, and build powerfully dynamic teams. Please provide an overview.
MARLI RUSEN: Many leaders are promoted without having the necessary training on how to lead effectively. They want to lead but don’t have the tools to show up as a leader (versus as an employee). They often learn through trial and error, at their expense and at the expense of those who report to them.

Through my MIRROR Method, the moment an issue happens on their team, I walk them through a 6-step process toward defensible and respectful resolution. The process will be FAIR, EQUITABLE, and BALANCED. The decision may not “feel” fair by the employee – but, objectively speaking, the process leading up to that decision will be.

QUESTION: Since the overall employee experience begins with onboarding, how would you create a memorable and positive onboarding experience?
MARLI RUSEN: There are three C’s of onboarding. They are:

Clarity: When roles, responsibilities, and work-related expectations are clarified at the outset, there is no wasted time on scavenging, that is, searching for basic answers on how to get things done. Employees need to be told, for example, who on each team is responsible for what; how their work intersects with and impacts others; and who they can go to with questions and concerns; etc.

Communication: Ongoing communication is critical. Since everyone communicates differently, it is preferable for leaders to engage in customized messaging and support for their staff. Some may prefer feedback in writing (such as email); whereas others may prefer verbal and hands-on direction. Also, people learn differently. When it comes to communication, coaching, and otherwise, remember that “No one size fits all.” This is especially important in the context of cultural diversity and neurodiversity. Meet your team members where they are and help them learn in a manner that best works for them. Be responsive and fluid as a leader.

Connection: From day one, employees want to feel valued, so leaders must make the time to value them in a demonstrable manner. New employees should also be paired with a longer-term employee, someone who enjoys and thrives in this role. This will help avoid the unwelcome wagon: where a disinterested team member assigned to mentor a new employee speaks poorly about the workplace and pays “lip service” to their role as mentor.
 

SHARE THIS: From day one, employees want to feel valued. ~@MarliRusen #EmployeeExperience #EmployerBranding #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: There is a lot of buzz that there should be a HR position/expert at the C-Suite table. What are your thoughts?
MARLI RUSEN: Absolutely.

Human Resources is an area of expertise that requires education and experience. Consider these specialty areas: labor relations, retention and recruitment, onboarding and training, occupational health and safety, bullying and harassment, discrimination in hiring/firing, and many others.

Companies need someone from HR to handle these matters correctly for the benefit of the organization as well as from a legal standpoint. It would not be appropriate for me to review and opine on financial documents given my lack of expertise and training in finance. Similarly, I would not expect a member of the C-Suite to exclusively decide on HR-related processes and decisions when they lack related education and expertise.
 
QUESTION: There are many new titles for the head of personnel, aka Human Resources, including: Chief Happiness Officer, Chief People Officer, Chief Talent Officer, Chief Encouragement Officer, to name a few. What are your thoughts to change the title in order to improve the position’s value to all employees?
MARLI RUSEN: That’s a good question.

The title of Human Resources covers the myriad of responsibilities performed by the HR department. The other titles you mention are too limited in scope and fail to recognize the many roles and responsibilities assigned to those who work in this field.

For me, what’s more important than the title is that employees and leaders clearly understand the mandate of the HR department in their organization.
 
Organizations use their HR Departments differently. Some are neutral advisors for everyone in the workplace. In others, such as, certain unionized organizations, HR attends meetings as the “management-representative.” In certain workplaces, the same HR employee who meets with an employee in confidence about their personal struggles is later questioning them in a workplace investigation.

The confusion and lack of communication around the mandate of HR has created internal tensions and mistrust. We need to be honest and clear with employees and managers as to what HR may reasonably offer – and what it cannot.

Finally, regardless of the specific mandate attached to an HR department, it is the role model for an entire organization. Its treatment of others, including its processes around decision-making and conflict-resolution, sets the tone for the culture of the organization. For this reason, HR leaders and staff need to be mindful of how they communicate, how they treat all employees and leaders, how they handle conflict resolution, and much, much more.

SHARE THIS: Human Resources is the role model for an entire organization. ~@MarliRusen #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: What are the three key elements that a leadership team can do to create and maintain a positive corporate culture?
MARLI RUSEN: One of my favorite quotes regarding this topic is, “Employees don’t want the annual BBQ, they want day-to-day respect.” 

There are three R’s to answer this question:
Respectful conduct: Leaders need to walk the talk to show employees that they mean what they say. They cannot say one thing and do the opposite. The world of double standards is no more.

Respectful decision-making: Leaders must not show favoritism in their decision-making. Their decisions must be rooted in objective, work-related information, based on the best interests of the organization. Those decisions should be communicated in a respectful, consistent, and transparent manner.

Respectful accountability: Leaders need to effectively and respectfully manage disruptive behavior and poor performance that arises on their team. They cannot “disappear” in the face of conflict and controversy. They must actively engage with and manage conflict to ensure it is resolved in a timely manner.

A leader’s portfolio must contain expectations and tools for conflict resolution. In order build and maintain respectful and productive workplace cultures, conflict management must be treated as a necessary and fundamental leadership competency.
 

SHARE THIS: Employees don’t want the annual BBQ, they want day-to-day respect. ~@MarliRusen #EmployeeExperience #WorkplaceCulture #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: Conflict management must be treated as a necessary and fundamental leadership competency. ~@MarliRusen #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: Lastly, one of my favorite quotes about leadership is from Arnold Glasow, an American businessman often cited in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and other publications, “A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.” What does this quote mean to you?
MARLI RUSEN: I agree but would go further. For organizations to thrive and advance, you need to create space and opportunity for innovation and growth. Employees need to feel confident to respectfully challenge themselves, raise concerns and ideas with their leaders, and question the status quo. They cannot do so when they operate in fear of making mistakes.

Leaders who “take a little more than their share of blame” don’t point fingers or shame their team. They celebrate the wins and find solutions to the losses. This does not mean that mistakes are not addressed. It simply means that they are resolved in a fair, confidential and respectful manner. If a leader shows consistent integrity and kindness, in good times and bad, the result will be loyal, committed, and engaged employees. Respectful and inclusive leadership does not cost a cent – and its benefits are priceless.

My profound thanks to Marli for sharing her workplace insights and for appearing here on my Blog.

Image Credit: Harry Adhi via Vecteezy.

Connect with Marli at these links:
Twitter: @MarliRusen
Facebook: /marlifrusen
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marli-rusen
Website: https://themirrormethod.ca
Book: Walking on Eggshells: https://themirrormethod.ca/product/walking-on-eggshells-guide-to-resolving-stressful-conflict/
Book: The Mirror Method: https://themirrormethod.ca/product/the-mirror-method-book/

Feedback and Talent in the Post-Covid Era

Do you know what today is? If you answered, “National Compliment Day,” then you are correct. In 1650, the Italian noun “complimento” determined the spelling, and its definition is “an expression of respect and civility.” Do you compliment your team, co-workers, and other employees? It’s amazing what a few positive words can do to improve employee morale. To celebrate today, I’ve invited Julie Winkle Giulioni to return to my blog for a discussion about employee feedback, leadership, and the overall employee experience. Highlights follow Julie’s introduction.

Julie Winkle Giulioni has championed workplace growth and development throughout her career. She operates with the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to reach their potential – and she works with organizations and leaders who want to make that happen. She is the co-author of the international bestseller, Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Organizations Need and Employees Want, which has been translated into seven languages; and recently launched her second book, Promotions Are So Yesterday: Redefine Career Development. Help Employees Thrive. Julie is a sought-after keynote presenter and contributes articles on leadership, career development, and workplace trends to numerous publications.

QUESTION: There are many new titles for the head of personnel, aka Human Resources, including: Chief Happiness Officer, Chief People Officer, Chief Talent Officer, Chief Encouragement Officer, to name a few.

One of our leadership/employee engagement/workforce culture colleagues, Marli Rusen from Canada, has said, “The title of Human Resources covers the myriad of responsibilities performed by the HR department. The other titles you mention are too limited in scope and fail to recognize the many roles and responsibilities assigned to those who work in this field. For me, what’s more important than the title is that employees and leaders clearly understand the mandate of the HR department in their organization.”

What are your thoughts to change the title in order to improve the position’s value to all employees?

JULIE WINKLE GIULIONI: Human resources was a popular improvement over personnel, the term commonly used in the past. It was intended to elevate the role and acknowledge that people were as valuable and important as machines, materials, and other resources required to meet an organization’s mission. In recent years, I sense that many feel that the resources part of the title has been emphasized over the human part.

While I personally like to see terms like ‘people’ and ‘talent’ in the new and evolving titles, what matters more to employees than what it’s called, is what it does. Is the function ensuring fairness in treatment, compensation, and the like? Is it promoting equity? Is it keeping them safe and secure? Is it facilitating meaningful work and enabling the growth and development that people crave? If the answer is ‘yes’, then those in this role will be called heroes regardless of formal titles.

QUESTION: You appeared on my blog in April 2021, in an inspiring Q&A about employee engagement and leadership. During our convo, you said, “The most effective leaders are the ones that enable excellence.” What are some ways that effective leaders accomplish this?

JULIE WINKLE GIULIONI: Enabling excellence isn’t a “one size fits all” exercise. Leaders who do this do it one person at a time, getting to know individual motivations, needs, talents, and aspirations. They can then create an environment uniquely suited to allowing individuals to shine.

Some practices that leaders may want to consider when putting together their custom cocktail include:
•    Setting a clear vision, laying out the big picture, and painting individuals into it.
•    Cultivating a culture of collaboration because, given the complexity of today’s workplace, excellence is rarely a solo endeavor.
•    Model authenticity, transparency, and respect.
•    Build and extend trust.
•    Listen hard and nurture generous feedback loops.
•    Engaging people in the decisions that affect them.
•    Offer the resources and support people need to thrive.

SHARE THIS: Enabling excellence isn’t a “one size fits all” exercise. ~@julie_wg #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: During this challenging time of “quiet quitting” and the “great resignation,” what are some ways that leaders can support their employees who work from home?

JULIE WINKLE GIULIONI: During the covid pandemic, and since things have begun to return to normal, remote and hybrid work raised the stakes for leaders everywhere. And when we add the current dynamics around engagement and retention, it’s only elevated the importance of the manager’s role in organizational success.

The good news is that the practices required to capture the hearts and minds of employees haven’t changed. We just need to practice them with greater discipline, care, and intention.

We can support those who may be working remotely by:
•    Getting to know them on a human level – understanding their broader lives, priorities, and motivations.
•    Understanding how they’re really doing – monitoring for stress, burnout, and the need for greater support.
•    Appreciating that many people want and/or need a different relationship with work – and offering the flexibility, sense of purpose, or whatever else is required to make that relationship work.
•    Demonstrating appreciation – because without those organic opportunities in the office, ‘thank you’ may not be agendized the way it should.
•    Ensure humane workloads (and stress-loads) and the resources required to enable them.

QUESTION: During this challenging time of “quiet quitting” and the “great resignation,” what are some ways that leaders can provide feedback to their employees who work from home in a constructive and non-combative manner?

JULIE WINKLE GIULIONI: Offering the helpful information people need to remain aligned and on track (which is essentially what feedback is) has only become more vital in remote and hybrid workplaces. The lack of environmental cues and organic opportunities means that managers must apply the same skills and sensibilities they’ve developed working with co-located employees to those who work at a distance – but doing so even more proactively, frequently, and intentionally.

This means:
•    Initiating the conversation as promptly as possible after an event worthy of feedback.
•    Stating your positive intent for sharing the information.
•    Succinctly (in 60 seconds or less) offering specific observations and the impact of the employee’s behavior or performance.
•    Making it a dialogue by quickly engaging the employee with questions like, “How do you see it?” or “What was your experience of that?”
•    Collaborating on a plan as necessary and offering the support required for success.

It’s also important to remember that feedback doesn’t come in just one flavor. We tend to default to associating feedback with problems, issues, and performance shortfalls. But, if feedback is simply the information people need to remain aligned and on track, then generously calling out what’s going well and working for the employee is helpful – regardless of where people might be working.

SHARE THIS: Feedback doesn’t come in just one flavor. ~@julie_wg #EmployeeExperience #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: As you explain on Twitter, “For decades, promotions have been the default definition of career development, setting unattainable and unsustainable expectations for employees.” Can you please explain other ways to grow from your book #PromotionsAreSoYesterday?

JULIE WINKLE GIULIONI: Research I conducted for my latest book, Promotions Are So Yesterday, suggests that there are seven other development dimensions that offer more interesting ways for employees to grow than the classic climb up the corporate ladder.

They include:
•    Contribution: Making a difference, being of service, or aligning with purpose.
•    Competence: Building critical capabilities, skills, abilities, and expertise.
•    Connection: Cultivating relationships, deepening networks, elevating visibility.
•    Confidence: Enhancing confidence, certainty, and trust in one’s talents and abilities.
•    Challenge: Stretching beyond what’s known and comfortable.
•    Contentment: Finding satisfaction, ease, balance, and joy in one’s work.
•    Choice: Exercising control, autonomy, flexibility, and decision-making authority.

These seven dimensions offer leaders who are committed to ensuring that everyone grows the tools they need to facilitate meaningful development – even with those who have little interest in promotions. For instance, a new role is not required to introduce interesting and meaningful challenges into someone’s work life. People don’t need a different title to expand their network and learn from and through different people. A position change isn’t a prerequisite for changing up one’s work to offer greater value or contribution. Employees don’t have to go anywhere to experience the powerful learning that comes along with making greater or more complex decisions.

And the good news is that these seven dimensions – unlike promotions – are completely within a manager’s and employee’s control and offer development opportunities that are available right within their current role.

SHARE THIS: A new role is not required to introduce meaningful challenges into someone’s work life. ~@julie_wg #PromotionsAreSoYesterday #DebbieLaskeysBlog

My gratitude and appreciation to Julie for sharing her inspiring perspective about feedback and the employee experience.

Image Credit: Sheri Silver via Unsplash.

Check out the previous Q&A featuring Julie here on my Blog:
How Can Leaders Become Architects of Unbeatable Brands?
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2021/04/how-can-leaders-become-architects-of.html

Connect with Julie at these links:
Website: www.juliewinklegiulioni.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliewinklegiulioni
Twitter: @Julie_WG
Facebook: /JulieWinkleGiulioni.Author

Leaders Don't Have to Be the Star of the Show!

 

Today, in honor of the final game day of the 2022 football season, I welcome Ron Oltmanns to my Blog for a Q&A discussion about leadership with a final question that relates to football. As a member of the Twitterverse for more than 13 years, I always enjoy meeting new people and learning from them. To quote Matthew Kobach (@mkobach), "Twitter is a key that unlocks thousands of doors, some of which you never even knew existed." Highlights of my conversation with Ron follow a brief introduction.

Ron Oltmanns is the founder of Leadskill, a consultancy specializing in developing leaders and teams for business impact. He has more than 25 years of experience in consulting and education with much of that time spent coaching and training business people. Based on his work in the corporate arena, small businesses, and startups in the United States and Asia, he has developed deep perspective on what makes people successful and what gets in their way. Leadskill has conducted workforce assessments, psychometric testing, and leadership development programs in multiple countries. Born in Venezuela, Ron grew up in the United States, and also lived in Asia for eight years. Now a Texan, he lives in Houston, with his wife Angela, and they have two grown sons.

QUESTION: You use your Twitter introductory space to say, "The best investment a leader can make is their self awareness and their team's emotional intelligence." Can you please elaborate?
RON OLTMANNS: Self awareness is a tricky thing. Most people would say they have it, and way more than half of the leaders that I talk to think they have above average self-awareness, which is impossible. How could 80-90% of leaders be above average?!

I have found that ALL leaders (myself included) could benefit from greater self-awareness. When leaders admit that they aren’t as self-aware as they’d like to be, but they’re working on it, something interesting occurs. I’ve noticed that it almost always results in their team's paying more attention to their own emotional intelligence. Greater emotional intelligence (EQ) pays a big dividend. People take better care of customers, and they work better together when they grow their EQ.

[Note: According to Wikipedia, Emotional intelligence is most often defined as the ability to perceive, use, understand, manage, and handle emotions.]

QUESTION: You feature something called a FEELINGS WHEEL on your website. Can you please explain?
RON OLTMANNS: A key part of emotional intelligence is being aware of what you’re feeling. Research at UCLA several years ago proved that when you can name what you’re feeling, you’re much better able to manage your emotions.

Most of us have a pretty limited working vocabulary for what we’re feeling. A feelings wheel has an expanded set of feeling words arranged in a logical way so that you can find the right word to express what you’re feeling. Just doing that can increase your self-awareness, and when you are able to share specifically what you’re feeling with others, it creates a more empathetic and supportive environment at work. The feelings wheel is a great tool for making emotions more discussable.

[Readers can learn more at this link: https://leadskill.com/feelings-wheel/; and there are also several different versions of the wheel for beginners to advanced users in the online shop.]

QUESTION: On a post on your blog entitled "The Myths of Leadership," you wrote, "Leaders are only as strong as the people who follow them." Can you please share highlights from that inspiring post?

[Read the full post here: https://leadskill.com/myths-of-leadership]

RON OLTMANNS: As I grew in my career and interacted with more leaders, I found that the usual stereotypes of leaders that I carried in my head were just wrong. Myths, like leaders, are just born that way, or “leaders” are loud and powerful people are two misconceptions. I shared a couple more in that post.

We tend to think of leaders as powerful and charismatic people that can move a group of people. That’s sometimes true. But I’ve noticed it’s much more common to find leaders who are pretty ordinary people who are surrounded by bright and talented people.

When people are willing to follow or yield to a leader, that gives them power. When people become unwilling to follow or trust a leader, they lose their power. I encourage leaders to work hard to be worthy of the trust that people are placing in their hands.

SHARE THIS: When people are willing to follow or yield to a leader, that gives them power. ~@ronoltmanns #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: If you could have dinner with any three leaders from history or the current era, who would you choose, and why?
RON OLTMANNS: This is a fun question! Of course there are many I’d like to have dinner with, but here are three that come to mind.

[1] Socrates. He was famous for asking questions and guiding people to examine the flaws in their beliefs. According to his students, he was a great dinner guest and maybe he was the first real executive coach.

[2] Confucius. I got to live and work in China for several years, and they have the oldest living civilization on the planet. There are many myths about Confucius, and I’d like to really meet the man himself and see what he would say about China today as well as his views on modern society and how we could make it work better for everyone.

[3] Margaret Thatcher. Besides being the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, she had a great influence in the 1980’s when I was growing up. The UK was not the most powerful nation on earth, and I’d like to talk with her about how to lead with influence when you can’t command people and just flex your power.

QUESTION: One of my favorite leadership quotes is from author and consultant Mark Herbert (@NewParadigmer on Twitter): "Leadership doesn't require you to be the smartest person in the room. It requires you to block and tackle for others." What does this quote mean to you?
RON OLTMANNS: In American football, blocking and tackling are fundamental skills you have to learn and drill. Blocking is how you run plays, whether it's rushing or passing the ball. Tackling is fundamental defense; unless you tackle the guy with the ball, they’re going to score on you.

So, the quote says you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room, meaning the leader doesn’t have to be the star of the show. If they block for others or tackle the opponent, they’re creating a team. Leaders realize that a good team can run circles around a lone superstar. Without blocking and tackling, you don’t have a functional team — just 11 individuals on the field. Leaders with a good functioning team will mow down individual stars every day.

SHARE THIS: The leader doesn’t have to be the star of the show. ~@ronoltmanns #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

My thanks to Ron for sharing his leadership insights and for appearing here on my Blog...who else is looking forward to the Super Bowl and the ads? Check back following the Super Bowl game for my annual review of the ads.


Image Credit: Barry Weatherall via Unsplash.

Connect with Ron at these links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronoltmanns
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ronoltmanns
Website: https://leadskill.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadskill_com