Onboarding, Immersion, and Leadership

 

To quote Matthew Kobach (@mkobach), "Twitter is a key that unlocks thousands of doors, some of which you never even knew existed." As a member of the Twitterverse for 13 years, I always enjoy meeting new people and learning from them. I recently connected with Steve McKee and invited him to appear here on my Blog in a Q&A format for a discussion about corporate culture and the employee experience. Highlights of our conversation follow a brief introduction.

Steve McKee is the co-founder of McKee Wallwork, a nationally recognized marketing advisory firm that has twice been recognized by Advertising Age as Southwest Small Agency of the Year. He is the author of When Growth Stalls: How it Happens, Why You're Stuck and What to Do About It, an award-winning business book now published in four languages; and Power Branding: Leveraging the Success of the World's Best Brands, which has been called “the definitive book on modern branding” that “should be mandatory reading in every business school in America.” He also writes a popular monthly column for SmartBrief on Leadership and has been published or quoted in The New York Times, USA Today, and Investor's Business Daily, among others, and has appeared on CNBC, ESPN2, CNNfn, Bloomberg, and network television affiliates across America. He is a sought-after speaker at corporate and industry events.

QUESTION: You wrote a very interesting article recently for SmartBrief entitled, "No More Onboarding." Can you provide a brief overview?

STEVE McKEE: Sure. We do an increasing amount of consulting in the corporate culture arena, and during one recent assignment, we kept falling back on the common term “onboarding” to describe deepening the connection between our client’s company and its employees. It felt too limiting, as if getting people “on board” was something that only has to happen ONCE, at the beginning of someone’s tenure. We all know that’s not true.

In searching for a better metaphor, we came up with “immersion,” which turns the concept on its head; instead of somebody stepping aboard a corporate vessel, the goal should be to get them to become the vessel over time. After all, what is a company other than its people?

The task is to move them from sticking a toe in the water (at their initial interview) to getting their feet wet, then becoming immersed up to their knees, hips, shoulders and, ultimately, their head. Every company will interpret those stages differently, which is as it should be. But it’s a better way of ensuring that an organization and its people are fully aligned.

TWEET THIS: Immersion, rather than onboarding, is a better way of ensuring that an org and its people are fully aligned. ~@SteveMcKee #DebbieLaskeysBlog

(Read the full article here:
https://corp.smartbrief.com/original/2022/05/no-more-onboarding)

QUESTION: How can all members of the C-Suite care more about onboarding (or "immersion"), which directly impacts corporate culture and employee engagement?

STEVE McKEE: I think it’s increasingly going to be a by-product of what’s happening in the economy, given the talent shortage we’re facing and the demographic seeds (births below replacement rate) we’ve sown. Good people are getting harder to find — and more profitable to poach — which puts a premium on retention as well as recruitment. We’ve all seen the research that indicates while compensation is important, compensation isn’t what keeps people at their jobs. Engagement does.

If you think about sticky corporate cultures like Southwest Airlines and Ritz-Carlton (and, I’m pleased to say, McKee Wallwork), the strength of their cultures makes them more like a club — not as sticky as the Marine Corps (Semper Fi for life) or rabid Texas A&M fans — but the same principles apply.

It’s imperative to cultivate a sense of belonging, which not only makes your staff more stable, but happier and more productive as well. The more enlightened companies increasingly pursue this thinking, the more all companies will come along.

TWEET THIS: Compensation isn't what keeps people at their jobs. Engagement does. ~@SteveMcKee #EmployeeEngagement #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: How do you recommend that employees who are forced to work in silos by their leadership teams overcome the silos and work together?

STEVE McKEE: Silos provide an interesting metaphor because just as grain is stored on a farm or coal near a railroad, corporate silos protect a company’s resources from the elements and ensure a ready and steady supply of energy. But silos are only as valuable as they are accessible, and the greater the inflow and output, the more valuable they become.

Rather than thinking in terms of tearing down silos, I think it would be beneficial to consider how to better activate and engage one with another. The combination of deep expertise and efficient exchange is a powerful mix. In other words, silos don’t need to be overcome but leveraged. Sometimes flipping a negative metaphor into something positive unleashes a wave of creative connections. It unlocks something in the brain.

QUESTION: Many years ago, I had a boss who told me to “lower (my) expectations” when it came to the employees who reported to me. How would you have responded in that situation?

STEVE McKEE: Well, in terms of my immediate response, I probably would have kept my mouth shut — I’ve learned that saying what immediately comes to mind usually does me more harm than good. But it would have frustrated me; I have lofty expectations for myself and that naturally translates to my expectations of others.

That said, I think I would try to flip the statement over in a way similar to the silos metaphor. Rather than lowering my expectations, I might try to view the challenge as bettering my understanding of how they’re more likely to thrive. Some people like to keep lists and a clean desk (me), while others have, ahem, a different relationship with time and space. It doesn’t mean they’re wrong, it just means they operate differently than I do.

One of the things that distinguishes a leader from a tyrant is the willingness to step outside of themselves and view things through unfamiliar lenses. That may sound altruistic, but I think it’s in the leader’s, and the company’s, economic interests to do so. Humility and a willingness to pause and consider what’s really going on in a situation can avert a great deal of pain.

TWEET THIS: One of the things that distinguishes a leader from a tyrant is the willingness to step outside of themselves and view things through unfamiliar lenses. ~@SteveMcKee #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

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?

STEVE McKEE: I am convinced that the best leaders don’t lord their authority over others but serve them. That doesn’t absolve them from making tough decisions, enforcing discipline when necessary, and calling the shots; it’s more of a mindset.

I’ve given a speech a couple of times called “The Perilous Pursuit” which postulates that the aspiration to leadership, and the process of becoming a leader, can itself be corrupting. Nietzsche said the most basic human motivation is to impose our will on other people. We don’t necessarily have to get that dark about it, but it is true that the reason we so often want to lead is that we see a better place and we want to take our people there. We see the way things ought to be. If we’re leading, we get to take things in the direction we want. That’s where the peril arises.

But what’s more satisfying: telling one of your employees what to do and seeing them do it, or seeing one of your employees doing something without having been told? Is it more satisfying to command someone, or not to have to? The key to good leadership is understanding the difference between power and influence. Power is about control. Influence is about self-control. Power is ephemeral. Influence is lasting. There’s an intoxication associated with power, but there’s a deep satisfaction associated with influence. And influence comes from humility and selflessness — blocking and tackling for others included.

My thanks to Steve for sharing his amazing insights and for appearing here on my Blog.

Check out some of Steve's links:
Twitter: @SteveMcKee
Website: https://www.mckeewallwork.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevemckee/
Smartbrief Column: https://corp.smartbrief.com/authors/steve-mckee

Image Credit: Pixabay.

Leaders Should Only Give Ideas After Asking Teams for Input

Over the last 12 years, thanks to social media, I have had the privilege to meet a variety of amazing marketing, leadership, and customer experience experts. One of these experts is Victoria Hepburn from New Jersey. We recently had a discussion about leadership, career development, productivity, and more, and highlights follow below Victoria’s bio.

Victoria Hepburn, ACC is a certified business transitions coach, Amazon bestselling author, and speaker based in Hackensack, New Jersey. Her company, Hepburn Coaching, specializes in helping professionals and business teams maximize business results and personal well being using science-based brain training and career acceleration tools. Her new book, Pressure Makes Diamonds: Simple Habits for Busy Professionals to Break the Burnout Cycle, is available on her website at www.victoriahepburn.com, as well as on Amazon and Audible.

QUESTION: What was the impetus in writing your book about burnout, and what is the single best take-away that you hope all readers have from the book?
VICTORIA HEPBURN: I wrote "Pressure Makes Diamonds: Simple Habits for Busy Professionals to Break the Burnout Cycle" after years of coaching values-driven professionals who felt frustrated or lost on their career journey. With this book, I want to offer simple actions that professionals can take to break out of the overwhelm and increase their confidence and clarity at work quickly.

Early in my career, after I was promoted to a senior chemical engineering role, I quickly realized that I wanted to make a career change. It was so hard to figure out what would make me happy and how to make a career pivot while working in an demanding role. Fast forward to today, after two amazing career pivots - engineering to corporate sales to author and certified business coach - I want to share what I've learned to help values-driven professionals make a positive impact on their lives, organizations, and ultimately, our planet.

QUESTION: One of your specialty areas is public speaking. What three recommendations can you share to help people who are fearful of public speaking?
VICTORIA HEPBURN: Public speaking is something I love because I get to share stories and techniques to help professionals increase their confidence and clarity in their lives.
    
Here are three key points to consider if/when people are fearful of public speaking, whether in front of a group or someone you don't know:
(1) Focus on your audience: You are sharing insights that can help someone else. Whether it's a business presentation or networking outreach to learn more about a dream company, you have unique experiences and training that may be helpful to your audience. Don't deprive them of your insight and positive energy.
(2) Don't allow your past to define who you are today: Just because you may have had a bad speaking experience in the past doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. It means you should practice. Even professionals at the top of their game mess up - pro athletes make errors that lose games, stand up comics have jokes that aren't funny. You have to keep going knowing you only fail if you stop trying to deliver your best.
(3) Use a centering practice: I've been speaking on stages since I was five years old, and my nervous system still shifts into fight or flight mode like everyone else. To manage the racing heart and shallow breathing, I have a centering practice to help me become calm quickly so I can connect with my audience. I use the Heartmath Quick Coherence technique because you can do it with your eyes open anywhere and feel the shift in your energy. Find what works for you - an affirmation, Box Breathing, a Body Scan mediation, a Power Pose. Practice often so you can rely on it when under stress. I'm a certified Heartmath Mentor/Coach and use the techniques personally and with coaching clients.

Here's a link to the Heartmath Quick Coherence Technique:
https://www.heartmath.com/quick-coherence-technique/

QUESTION: I once had a boss who told me to lower my expectations when it came to the employees who reported to me. How would you have responded in that situation?
VICTORIA HEPBURN: When I supervised a manufacturing team early in my career, I quickly learned that everyone has a different work ethic and capabilities. We work in organizations to leverage the collective strengths. It's the diverse talents and experiences that each person contributes to innovate and deliver results that leaders want. Leaders who are never satisfied or want things done precisely their way, inadvertently tell their team they don't trust them or value them. Studies show that teams that feel supported by leaders are more innovative and adapt quickly when crisis hits.

It's critical for leaders to communicate the mission and goals, define the minimum acceptable delivery, the timeline, and what’s at stake for the team. Then let them do the work. Trust the team to deliver as needed. Make yourself available to clear barriers and support problem solving efforts throughout the process. Just because people do things differently from how you do them doesn't make them wrong.

TWEET THIS: Studies show that teams that feel supported by leaders are more innovative and adapt quickly when crisis hits. -@v_hepburnauthor #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: You wrote a Blog post entitled, “How Leaders Can Improve Remote Employee Engagement In Uncertain Times.” Can you briefly talk about the five ways?
VICTORIA HEPBURN: I highlighted five proven ways that leaders can secure productivity and positive business outcomes with remote workers. We have to be a bit more intentional in our communication when working remotely, and leaders have to create time and space to check in with team members to ensure that they stay engaged.

Here are the five ways:
(1) Focus on employee output and not hours worked: You hired talented adults and trust them to drive results. Clear objectives, deadlines, and two-way communication along the way will help your team feel supported as they use the flexibility to maximize productivity.
(2) Remind managers to show employees that they are trusted and valued: Activity and time tracking apps, and expectations for being responsive to email, Slack, or text at all hours undermine your productivity goals and send a clear message that you don't trust your employees to prioritize business goals.
(3) Communicate like you never have before: Leaders can build trust by affirming their commitment to doing what’s right and making decisions, business strategies, and taking action that reflects that commitment.
(4) Leaders must frequently clarify the organization’s mission and direction: This helps managers establish priorities and teams organize priorities as the business landscape changes.
(5) Implement a plan to support your managers’ well-being and work/life balance: Humans are not machines. The well being data is clear that taking time to support managers yields powerful business returns as engaged managers motivate employees and accelerate business results.

(Post referenced:     
https://victoriahepburn.com/how-leaders-can-improve-remote-employee-engagement-in-uncertain-times/)

QUESTION: How can employees who work in silos (aka, different departments) come together to work collaboratively?
VICTORIA HEPBURN: As someone who has worked with cross-functional remote teams across multiple time zones, I know it can be a struggle. I offer simple tips that fall away when we get too busy and default to habitual behavior.It's easy for teams to get derailed by competing priorities and urgent tasks that reduce progress toward long term goals.

It's important for leaders and project managers to make time to build relationships beyond the transactional work check-ins. Whether you set up social meetings or build time for rapport builders in meetings like icebreakers or acknowledge incremental wins, case studies are useful to give other function areas insight into what another department is/does. In my sales career, more successful leaders had a habit of inviting other departments to present their updates so that the remote sales reps knew who did what inside the company and could ask direct questions.

QUESTION: You wrote about leading by example. Of the ten ways you mentioned, which three were your favorite, and why?
VICTORIA HEPBURN: My 3 favorite ways to lead by example are centered around personal growth actions that help strengthen the team:
    
#5 - Be persistent. Build up your resilience to stress and challenges by taking action. Go over, under, or around any hurdles to show that obstacles don’t define your company or team.
#6 - Create solutions. Don’t dwell on problems; instead, ask your team for solutions and give your ideas afterward.
#9 - Take care of yourself. Exercise, don’t overwork, take breaks throughout the day. A balanced team, mentally and physically, is a successful team. Model it, encourage it, and support it!

(Post referenced:
https://victoriahepburn-com.storychief.io/10-ways-to-lead-by-example/)

TWEET THIS: Leaders: Ask your team for solutions and give your ideas afterward. -@v_hepburnauthor #LeadershipTip #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: Since 2020, “Many organizations have ramped up their investments in diversity, equity, and inclusion - largely in the form of anti-bias training, employee resource groups, mentoring programs, and more. But gauging the effectiveness of these measures has been a challenge...Organizations must also assess employee experience.” How do you recommend organizations implement change in these very important areas?

(Quote referenced in this post: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/cultivating-an-inclusive-culture-through-personal-networks/)

VICTORIA HEPBURN: Culture change starts with leaders who make investments of time and money that align with the goals and ends when front-line employees are living the new reality. Since my background is not in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) work, I'm speaking from my experience navigating change as a former corporate professional and currently as a business owner. It's important to recognize that awareness training and changing policies is good, but what's critical is pull through at all levels and for all employees. Often the message at the top isn't reflected at middle and front-line management meetings. Also, we humans forget most of what we learn in training within days because we don't practice the new skills.

To fight this normal human tendency, there must be accountability for leaders to have tactical plans to address inequity and strengthen opportunity for all employees. That could include stronger new hire programs to get new people plugged into the corporate network quickly, have more opportunities for promotions, mentorship, sponsorship, and public recognition, all of which increase retention and engagement.

To read more about DEI, click here:
https://shegeeksout.com/revisiting-the-dei-acronym/

My thanks to Victoria for sharing her inspiring business insights and for appearing here on my Blog.


Where to find Victoria online:
All links on Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/victoriacoachme

Amazon book page:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PCQHBZ6/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=pressure+make+diamonds+Simple+Habits+for+Busy+Professionals+to+Break+the+Burnout+Cycle+victoria+hepburn&qid=1606824016&s=books&sr=1-1

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

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

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/v_hepburnauthor

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriahepburn/

Image Credit: Debbie Laskey.

Management, Leadership, and Consensus

Few of us recall our first Tweet, our first Facebook post, or what our initial LinkedIn profile looked like. However, I vividly recall the first few folks I met thanks to social media. 

Eleven years ago, Doug Dickerson, a leadership blogger, trainer, author, and speaker first appeared here on my Blog in 2010, after I read his inspiring book, Leaders Without Borders: 9 Essentials for Everyday Leaders. Doug has more than 30 years of experience in various leadership positions, and he strives to inspire others to become better equipped as leaders. He is a member of the John Maxwell Team and contributes to various newspapers, business journals, and websites around the world. Connect with Doug on Twitter at @DougDickersonSC, on Facebook at @CardinalPointLeadership, on Instagram at @DougDickerson1, and visit his site at www.DougDickerson.net.

With leadership always a hot topic - especially in the covid era and the accompanying changes to the workplace and leadership, it's a good time for another Q&A with Doug, and highlights follow below.

QUESTION: Since the Covid-19 pandemic began a year ago, how has it impacted the role of leadership?
DOUG DICKERSON: Covid impacted leadership in many ways. Most notably, the way in which we as leaders interact with others. One of the hallmarks of leadership is relationships, and the way in which we establish and maintain them is through personal interaction. Because of Covid, everyone had to pivot and learn how to keep personal connections strong even though it was done via Zoom or other platforms.

QUESTION: How can a President/CEO become an organization's number one brand ambassador?
DOUG DICKERSON: I believe that the best way for a President/CEO to be the number one brand ambassador is by always keeping the vision and mission at the forefront of everything they say and do. It’s easy to lose sight of what your organization is all about if it's not being regularly communicated. This person must be proactive about reminding his or her people of who they are, what they do, and why it matters.

QUESTION: How do you differentiate between a leader and a manager?
DOUG DICKERSON: Someone once said that you manage things, you lead people. Good management requires good leadership. Managers oversee the work/projects of the organization and that requires people skills. Sadly, many wait too long to begin leadership training, and thus, put the organization at a disadvantage. Good management coupled with sound leadership skills can be of tremendous benefit to any organization.

QUESTION: When President Obama introduced Janet Yellen as the new Federal Reserve Chair in October 2013, he said, "Janet Yellen is a proven leader who knows how to build consensus, the kind of person who makes everybody around her better." What three characteristics do you think are necessary to create a consensus builder?
DOUG DICKERSON:A strong consensus builder, I believe, possesses these three qualities:
(1) They are inclusive. They bring many voices to the table and seek out the input of others.
(2) Trust. Without trust, it will be hard to build or sustain consensus in an organization.
(3) Communication. Smart leaders regularly communicate with their team members to build consensus and keep morale strong.

TWEET THIS: A strong consensus builder brings many voices to the table and seeks out the input of others. -@DougDickersonSC #LeadershipTips #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: What’s your favorite leadership quote and why?
DOUG DICKERSON: My favorite leadership quote is by Lao Tzu: "A leader is best when people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves."

I like this quote so much because it speaks of a leader who empowers his people, puts them in the spotlight, and has them believe they did it all themselves - which is the primary aim of the leader. It speaks of a leader's humility, not seeking all the credit and glory for himself.

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?
DOUG DICKERSON: What this quote means to me is that we are all a part of something larger than ourselves, and it’s not about me. I want to add value to those around me, and the greatest way I can do that is by serving others.

TWEET THIS: We are all a part of something larger than ourselves, and it’s not about me. -@DougDickersonSC #LeadershipTips #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

My gratitude and appreciation to Doug for again appearing on my Blog and for sharing his inspiring leadership insights.


Check out Doug's previous appearances on this Blog:

A Review of “Leaders Without Borders: 9 Essentials for Everyday Leaders” (2010)
http://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2010/10/review-of-leaders-without-borders-9.html

What Yahoo's Recent Scandal Says About Leadership (2012)
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2012/05/what-yahoos-recent-scandal-says-about.html

Tips to Develop Your Leadership Legacy (2018)
http://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2018/07/tips-to-develop-your-leadership-legacy.html

Leadership Is a Marathon, Not a 100-Yard Dash (2019)
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2019/08/leadership-is-marathon-not-100-yard-dash.html


Image Credit: Debbie Laskey.

The Importance of Reputation Management

Over the last 12 years, thanks to social media, I have had the privilege of meeting a myriad of amazing marketing, branding, customer experience, leadership, and social media experts. One of these experts is Craig Badings from Australia. We recently discussed reputation management, corporate culture, and crisis management, and highlights follow Craig's bio.

Craig Badings has spent over 30 years advising major corporations and senior executives in Australia and South Africa on their reputation in good times and bad. Much of that time has been spent working in the trenches with boards, management teams, and in-house communication teams assisting them with issues and crisis preparation and management, media coaching and media relations, communication strategy, social media strategy, and thought leadership. Craig is also the author of two ebooks and two published books on thought leadership. Follow on Twitter at @ThoughtStrategy and connect on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigbadingsthoughtleader/.

QUESTION: How do you define "reputation management?"
CRAIG BADINGS: Reputation management revolves around three things: context, stakeholders, and culture. To protect and enhance a brand or a corporation’s reputation, that entity needs to have a strong handle on the context in which it is operating and specifically how it's key stakeholders view that context and how it impacts their lives, their decision making, and their perception of whether the brand is operating within or beyond its social license.

You can have the best reputation management practices in place, but if your culture does not align with your values nor your purpose, your organisation’s risk exposure is dramatically increased. Over three decades, almost all the crises in which I have been involved have stemmed from poor culture or a breakdown of what was done versus the values or purpose of that organisation.

(Read more on this topic by Craig in his post: Avoiding the post-pandemic culture chasm:
https://senateshj.com/insight/learning-from-disruption-3/)

TWEET THIS: If your culture does not align with your values nor your purpose, your org's risk exposure is dramatically increased. -@ThoughtStrategy #CorporateCulture #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: You recently wrote about three types of response to a crisis. Can you share brief highlights?
CRAIG BADINGS: There are three types:
(1) The Ostrich – they bury their heads in the sand hoping it will blow over or subside. Some companies purposefully employ this strategy, but it can be high risk on two fronts; 1) the news, social media and public sentiment can run away from you very quickly and grow increasingly negative and sometimes hostile; 2) the company can be accused of trying to hide things, ducking their responsibility and being irresponsible or intransigent in their response.
 
(2) The Pugilist – the company goes on the attack and comes out swinging punches, i.e., legal letters, statements and social media responses which are very defensive in nature and tone, reacting too quickly, denying things without really knowing the full facts, not showing empathy nor offering an apology, ignoring the context, saying or doing things (or not doing things) which can result in a secondary crisis, or which further inflame the situation.

(3) The cool, calm and collected – they have the plans, the necessary structures as well as crisis experienced people in place inside and outside the organisation. They’ve also tested them in some form of crisis simulation. They respond quickly but in a measured, empathetic way and always with a broader understanding for the context. They realise who their stakeholders are, how and when to communicate with them every step of the way, and they take control of the narrative. They balance advice from communication consultants and their lawyers – they don’t hide behind the law but realise that a well-placed, authentic apology, and the right empathetic tone can help enormously in managing how they are perceived to be handling the crisis.

QUESTION: Can you name three CEO’s who have stepped up following a crisis, and what did they do?
CRAIG BADINGS: Here are my three:
(1) The Whole Foods Co-CEOs Walter Robb and John Mackey when accused of overcharging customers sent out a video message in which they fully accepted responsibility. Said Robb: "Straight up, we made some mistakes. We want to own that and tell you what we’re doing about it."
(2) At the start of Covid-19, Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson said he would forfeit his salary for the year and that Marriott would donate hotel rooms to front-line workers to help fight the pandemic. He also asked executives to sacrifice half their salaries.
(3) In 2018, two African American men were arrested for trespassing at a Philadelphia Starbucks while waiting for a friend. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson travelled to Philadelphia to meet the arrested men and announced he would close all 8,000 US stores for half a day so that about 175,000 employees could attend racial bias education to address implicit bias and prevent discrimination. Johnson’s communication was also spot on: "I want to offer a personal apology to the two men who were arrested in our store. What happened in the way that incident escalated and the outcome, was nothing but reprehensible, and I am sorry...Now there’s been some calls for us to take action on the store manager. I believe that blame is misplaced. In fact, I think the focus of fixing this: I own it. This is a management issue, and I am accountable to ensure we address the policy and the practice and the training that led to this outcome."

QUESTION: In your book, Brand Stand, you described seven steps to thought leadership. Can you share highlights?
CRAIG BADINGS: When I wrote that book, I spent a year researching what had been written about thought leadership. I was amazed to find there was nothing outlining a process or methodology to arrive at a thought leadership position. Most of it was how to take your thought leadership to market, the content, the channels.

That prompted me to come up with a five-step process:
(1) Understand the challenge, i.e., the biggest issues facing your stakeholders and the objectives for your thought leadership.
(2) Develop the thought leadership strategy, i.e., do the research (you need empirical evidence), allocate internal resources including senior management buy-in.
(3) Content development and production, i.e., develop your collateral, coach your spokespeople, and launch internally first.
(4) Launch your thought leadership communications program, i.e., build a pervasive presence with your stakeholders (depending on who they are, this could include media, social media, events, etc., but it must be relevant to the way your stakeholder’s consume content).
(5) Measurement, evaluation, and recalibration, i.e., measure against your original objectives and then make the necessary changes - the best thought leadership is built over years and is not a one-off.

QUESTION: There is an important alignment between reputation management and public relations. In March 2021, Burger King experienced a PR crisis, and you commented with the directive, “Know your audience.” Can you elaborate?
CRAIG BADINGS: What I was saying is that you cannot afford to be tone deaf to the context in which you operate. You run a huge reputation risk to your brand if you aren’t tapped into monitoring environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. At its core, this means knowing what they are and understanding how your stakeholders feel about these things. Companies which sometimes hide behind the mantra of their legal right are often defensive or naïve.

Look where it got Rio Tinto, who was legally entitled to blow up the Juukan Caves, but it was a decision so out of kilter with stakeholder and societal expectations that it resulted in a huge crisis for the company and the loss of jobs for many senior executives. Read more about the Juukan Cave destruction in my article in PR Week: https://www.prweek.com/article/1706949/juukan-cave-destruction-red-light-pr-practitioners.

The role of PR practitioners has changed. It's no longer good enough to only think about content, media, and selling the benefits of your brand. Instead, PR is a lot more all-encompassing and should be focused on the entire gamut of reputation management.

In our experience at SenateSHJ, this revolves around three key areas: Promotion, Engagement, and Protection. Here is a bit more on each of those:
(1) Stakeholder engagement: executive visibility/profile-building program, thought leadership, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) communication, proactive media and government relations, social media and content marketing.
(2) Engagement: employee engagement and communication, culture change, leadership behaviour programs, behavioural programs, and change management.
(3) Protection: crisis preparedness, crisis management, issues tracking, stakeholder engagement, alignment with other corporate risk frameworks, e.g., BCP (Business Continuity Planning).

TWEET THIS: The role of PR practitioners has changed. It's no longer good enough to only think about content, media, and selling the benefits of your brand. -@ThoughtStrategy #PR #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: What are your three favorite brands, and why?
CRAIG BADINGS: Here are my three:
(1) Fenn surfskis: First, because I am a surfski nut and get out paddling on the water on Sydney’s beautiful harbour waterways as well as the ocean off Manly Beach. Second, because they are made in the country where I grew up, South Africa, and every ski purchased supports local employment in a country suffering from high unemployment.
(2) Apple iPhone: The only time I ever completely missed my train stop going home from the city was when I got my first iPhone. I was so engrossed in the incredible features, apps, and the user friendliness of it that I went a few stops past mine. It remains my favourite piece of tech in my life.
(3) Patagonia: I read founder, Yvon Chouinard’s book, Let My People Go Surfing, many years ago well before ESG (environmental, social, and governance) and sustainability was fashionable. I was struck by their strong sense of purpose and their values right from the outset.

My gratitude to Craig for appearing on my Blog and for sharing his inspiring marketing and reputation management insights.


Image Credit: Debbie Laskey.

Good Leaders Inspire Others

 

Over the last decade, 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 Lynn Scott, a leadership coach based in the UK and France. We recently had a discussion about leadership, and highlights follow Lynn's introduction.

Lynn works with entrepreneurs, leaders, and teams to help them beat overwhelm, build confidence, and cut out all the noise. She’s founder of the Effortless Leader Revolution – a lively and supportive Facebook community full of ideas, inspiration, resources, and answers. She’s known for her powerful insights, no-nonsense guidance, and her ability to cut through the  BS  ‘stories’ that keep wonderfully talented  people from doing their best work. Visit her website at https://www.lynnscottcoaching.co.uk/, her Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/effortlessleaders, and connect on Twitter at https://twitter.com/lynnthecoach.

QUESTION: Take a look at the featured quote for this post's Q&A. How do you coach leaders who may not embrace the quote? (Fun fact: the quote was in a frame that was prominently placed on President Ronald Reagan's desk in the Oval Office during his two terms in the White House.)
LYNN SCOTT: Leaders who are only interested in their own success/career progression can and do create a toxic work environment. Leaders need to understand the impact of this behaviour – it doesn’t empower people, it breaks trust and ultimately, it can be career limiting for them in the long run.

My role as a coach is to give honest feedback about their impact and help them understand the importance and power of winning hearts and minds. And show them what this looks like in practice on a daily basis. But as with most things, they must genuinely want to change and not just pay lip service. People can see through fakery very easily.

It’s important to note though, that some leaders (often women in my experience) are shy about recognizing or sharing their personal achievements. Whilst it’s right that they acknowledge the team effort, they also need to own their own success and the leadership they demonstrated that led to success.

QUESTION: How do you explain the difference between management and leadership?
LYNN SCOTT: I’m not in the ‘leadership is x and management is y’ camp. If we lead a team, however small and whatever our title, we need to demonstrate leadership. Very simply, a good leader inspires others to do their very best work. People often ask me ‘how do I know how to motivate people to do this?’ My answer? Ask them! And really listen to the answers.

Someone who spends all their time being ‘busy’ with emails – ‘doing,’ reacting and firefighting rather than leading – is not someone many of us want to work for. And yet too many leaders are slaves to the inbox or the immediate at the expense of the work that really moves the dial.

So, a question we need to be asking ourselves always is ‘How should I be spending my time so others can spend their time in the best way too?’

TWEET THIS: A good leader inspires others to do their very best work. ~@LynnTheCoach #LeadershipTip #EmployeeExperience #EmployerBranding

 
QUESTION: How can a President/CEO become an organization's number one brand ambassador?
LYNN SCOTT: Let people know HOW the brand contributes to the world – this can be at a community level or globally or both. If you have corporate values, live them every day – actions speak louder than words, and you’ll be judged by your actions not your fancy mission statement. When things go wrong, own it, and say what you are doing to make things better. And finally – ask your staff this question!

QUESTION: What book should every leader read, and why?
LYNN SCOTT: Time to Think by Nancy Kline. Busyness has become such a badge of honour that we’ve forgotten the importance of thinking well, listening well, and being ‘thinking partners’ for others. And yet, there is nothing more powerful than feeling heard. This is a book I go back to again and again.

QUESTION: Which two brands impress you as examples of inspiring employer brands, and why?
LYNN SCOTT: I’m going to choose two very different brands based on my personal experience.
 
The first one is Kajabi – constantly improving their service to customers, totally honest when they screw up (which they have done recently) and responsibility taken by the President to make the necessary changes and improvements in a very personal series of emails (no hiding behind lessons have been learned corporate BS).

The second one is my accountancy firm for the last 20 years. Russell Smith Accountancy – a real ‘can do’ attitude demonstrated by all staff particularly during COVID and Brexit. Clear guidelines around how they treat their customers, a totally ‘can-do’ attitude and a lot of opportunities for young, talented people to grow and develop within the business.
 
QUESTION: Your E-Book, The Effortless Leader Revolution, features two important questions that a leader must ask his/her/their team on a regular basis? Can you share the two questions and provide some explanation?
LYNN SCOTT: Question number one: “What can I do, starting today, to be a better boss/leader/manager”? When you get an answer to that question all you need to do is say “thank-you” and then: “If I started to do that, what would the impact be?” (On you, your team, our results, etc.)

Question number two: “When I’m operating at my very best, adding real value to you and the business, what specifically am I doing?”

There are a few reasons I chose these questions. Firstly, they’re simple. Secondly – people don’t see our good intentions, they ONLY see the impact they have. So, understanding others’ perspectives helps us see where we’re getting it right or missing the mark, and we can decide what, if anything, we want to change. Third – we should encourage open and honest feedback at every level because it helps everybody to grow and develop. Celebrating success does a lot for building morale and well-being.

If you are then very public about what, if anything, you are going to change and what help you need from those around you, this shows you are open, honest, transparent, and willing to learn.

By the way, if you’re reading this and you’re thinking ‘I don’t think people would tell me the truth if I asked those questions,’ you’ve got a problem with your culture, your leadership, or with trust and psychological safety. That should be a big red flag for you.

My thanks to Lynn for appearing here on my Blog and for sharing useful take-aways for all leaders and teams to improve their leadership skills.

Image Credit: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Why Leaders Must Understand the Importance of #EmployerBranding

Over the last 12 years, thanks to social media, I have had the privilege of meeting a myriad of amazing marketing, branding, customer experience, leadership, and social media experts. One of these experts is James Ellis from Chicago. We recently discussed employer branding and its impact on the overall brand experience, and highlights follow James' bio.

Before falling in love with the art and craft of employer branding, James Ellis was a digital marketer with 15 years experience learning how audiences think and behave online. He has taken those skills and become one of employer brand’s leading voices, developing and activating dozens of brands of every size, running The Talent Cast podcast for more than four years, writing the Employer Brand Headlines newsletter and writing for a number of industry publications. His mission is to evolve the conversation around recruiting and hiring, and to support that mission, he has recently published two books: The Employer Brand Handbook and Talent Chooses You. Follow on Twitter @thewarfortalent, connect on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/thewarfortalent, and visit James on his website at www.talentchoosesyou.com.

QUESTION: What do you believe are the seven things every marketing leader/CMO - and in reality, the entire C-Suite team - should know about employer branding?
JAMES ELLIS: It really boils down to the idea that most marketing is "product" and "brand" driven. Heck, it still feels semi-revolutionary to say "the man doesn't need a half-inch drill bit, he needs a half-inch hole in his wall." (Or more accurately, he wants the satisfaction of having completed a task.) A focus on product and brand take up all the oxygen in the room, and it usually isn't until something really bad happens (CEO is an obvious racist, company who made a name for itself by calling itself "not evil" is firing anyone internally who disagrees with leadership, branch managers are pressured to open fraudulent accounts, etc) that we realize that the product and brand aren't everything. We've forgotten the people.

Employer brand is the human face of your brand. It is the people who think up, make, and support the product. It is the voice on the phone, the delivery person, the salesperson, and the product manager. In the next, the product and brand are by-products of their collective ambitions, effort, and execution. The people aren't the "most important asset of a company," they are the company. No people, no company.

The good news is that the people side of things augment and support the product and brand. The people are the go-to step in crisis management. The people make a mediocre product feel more honest and valuable. But that only comes when you stop treating employer brand as something that lives exclusively in the recruiting ghetto but should have a seat at the brand table.

(For more details, here's James' full article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cmos-guide-employer-brand-james-ellis )

TWEET THIS: Employer brand is the human face of your brand. It is the people who think up, make, and support the product. -@thewarfortalent #EmployerBranding

QUESTION: What is an “employer value proposition,” and do you know of any employers that have them written down and/or framed on the entrance wall and/or included in an employer handbook?
JAMES ELLIS: There is so much writing about EVPs, but in the end, it boils down to a simple idea: What should an employee expect while working here? What motivation will the company serve and reward? What is the working culture here? How do you get things done? How do decisions get made? How much impact can one person expect to make? How much of someone's waking life will they spend in the office? Will they walk away smarter, richer, more satisfied or all three?

These ideas aren't always written down. In fact, until recently, they were just the culture you were entering, something a deft interviewee would try to suss out in the interview process, but it mostly resulted in a "reading tea leaves" process.

Today, the pendulum has swung the other way: companies are more than eager to tell the world how amazing their culture is, but they do it in a very "marketing" way: they focus on being attractive to the widest possible audience rather than to the core audience of people they would actually want to hire (hiring is a game of quality over quantity, where marketing is the reverse). They put big awards on their career sites saying "Amazing Place To Work!" but never define to whom they are an amazing place to work.

Strong employer brands are simple. They distill what they offer and promise into a few simple ideas, ideas that are not only true, but differentiated from other companies. The best employer brands draw lines to define the shape of those ideas so that rather than say "we have lots of opportunity!" they say, "For people who are willing to put in the work, who are willing to embrace the discomfort of the new, who are willing to collaborate and share with other teams to make something happen, amazing things can be done." Same idea, one described as a fortune cookie, the other as a promise.

And the employee handbook is a place where companies narrow the brand, defining what can't and shouldn't be done. The employee handbook is often where good employer brand ideas go to die the death of a thousand well-intentioned cuts.

QUESTION: What recommendations do you have for personnel/hiring/staffing departments to work in tandem with marketing departments to develop and implement an “employer branding” strategy?
JAMES ELLIS: In an ideal situation, a company has one brand, and that brand is shared. Each team uses that brand to talk to their audience (investors, consumers, marketplace, employees, candidates, etc.) about the things that that audience cares about. Each team is expected to strengthen their part of the brand to support all other aspects.

But in reality, marketing and recruiting fight because they don't understand the fundamental differences in their own perception of what a brand is. No one has to teach marketing that the goal of marketing is always "more" any more than you need to teach a fish what water is. But when employer brand shows up and attempts to apply the tools and ideas of consumer marketing to their own audience, things fall apart and the result is mistrust and finger-pointing. If employer brand is willing to accept that their burden is to teach about a VERY different way of branding and marketing is willing to listen in the expectation that both parties become stronger for the effort, amazing things can happen.

TWEET THIS: Marketing and recruiting fight because they don't understand the fundamental differences in their own perception of what a brand is. -@thewarfortalent #EmployerBranding

QUESTION: What employer branding metrics should every organization track, and why?
JAMES ELLIS: This is a trick question. In marketing, the metrics are easy (more = good). But in employer brand, more = more and that's all. If you sell donuts and sell a million donuts, you're getting a raise. If you're selling jobs and get a million applicants, you're getting fired. Employer metrics are a function of quality, not quantity, which as discussed, is a sea change in thinking for consumer marketing.

Thus, the metrics employer brand selects are a function of its own goals, a step marketing doesn't worry about because...more. So what do you want your employer brand to do? Become a household name? To be a top-of-mind employer for nurses around the US? To be seen as the only choice for electricians who want to grow their technical and business skills? To be the place where everyone has fun at work?

Until you know your goal, your metrics aren't actually useful.

QUESTION: How does an organization know when its employer branding efforts have evolved into enthusiastic brand ambassadors?
JAMES ELLIS: That's mostly a function of centralized effort: are you doing less and still seeing decent Glassdoor and Comparably reviews? How bad is your Blind space (Blind is a place for complaining almost exclusively so it's not about "are people saying nice things" so much as it's about taking the pulse and seeing where friction might still exist)? How hard is it to get people to share LinkedIn posts? Are people wearing the t-shirts and asking for the new sticker?

QUESTION: Who are your favorite employer brands, and why?
JAMES ELLIS: I have two, and I like them because they are so very different.

The first and most obvious is Spotify. They know their brand. They have woven it into a metaphor about being in a band that makes perfect sense. Every external communication connects to that metaphor. Rather than have brand pillars, they simply extend the band metaphor. They answer questions as a band might. It's cohesive, rather comprehensive, and connects so easily to the consumer brand. You get the sense that Spotify founders are real music fans (evidence that Spotify doesn't actually do a great job of rewarding musicians notwithstanding), and that their employer brand is an organic extension of that passion.

The second may not be as obvious. Delta Airlines is one of the rare brands that has integrated consumer marketing, employer branding, and investor relations into a single idea of its own brand. When you see an ad, whether it's a commercial on TV or a poster on the jetway as you walk onto a plane, it's very hard to say that the message is specifically a consumer message, an employer brand message, or even an internal communications message. There seems to be zero siloization of the branding teams. There is simply a shared sense of the brand.

Where Spotify is deeply and obviously creative, Delta is more conservative. They express their brands very differently, but they are each very much themselves. (The Thelonious Monk quote, "A genius is the one most like himself," is the best way to see when a brand is doing great work.)

My gratitude to James for appearing on my Blog and for sharing his inspiring employer branding, employee experience, and brand experience insights.

Image Credit: Debbie Laskey.

The Glue Between Culture and Leadership

Anyone who spends time in social media has one or two favorite platforms. Some may prefer using Twitter, some may prefer using Instagram or Facebook, and some may prefer an obscure site that fits a specific industry. Many of us who use social media as a marketing tool to build our employer's brand or our personal brand have also met an amazing array of people. One new acquaintance is Paul LaRue, who I met on Twitter, and we recently had a discussion about corporate culture, leadership, and the impact of COVID-19 on both. Highlights follow below Paul's bio.

Paul LaRue is a leadership consultant with over 30 years in the hospitality industry. Aligning a focus on culture and connection within the workplace, his work is guided toward creating leaders who do what is right by their people while challenging conventional norms. His writing is featured on his blog The UPwards Leader, as well as the leadership sites Connection Culture and Lead Change Group. Connect and follow Paul on Twitter @paul_larue.

QUESTION: From your experiences since March, how has the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the employee experience?

PAUL LARUE: The current Covid pandemic has shifted everything that most leaders thought they knew. Security among the workforce has been shaken, and employees are looking for leaders who are more understanding of what individuals are going through than in staying the normal course of business. Employees want more assurance of security, not just from the changed workplace dynamics that the pandemic presents, but also in the tectonic shifts in society, having leadership who value differing viewpoints. The leader who balances this with navigating his/her/their organization through the coming year will be effective in meeting these converging and colliding needs.

QUESTION: What are the three key elements that a leadership team can do to create and maintain a positive corporate culture?

PAUL LARUE: First, is to keep your cultural values in front of you and refer to them at all times. The more that people reinforce culture on a conscious level, the more it will start to permeate into the subconscious and into the DNA of the individuals on the team. Whether reading them weekly, focusing on a core culture trait, or having culture checks among team members, this is usually the best foundation on which to build culture from.

Secondly, is to infuse culture into every goal, project, and task to help align the culture you want to sustain. When all work, in all departments, is aligned to culture, this will build the organization's culture and brand both externally as well as internally.

The last component is to hold each other accountable for culture. Accountability is always seen as top down, but the company and leadership that allow top levels to also be held accountable will create an equality of coachability where only a positive culture can exist.

TWEET THIS: Infuse culture into every goal, project, and task - this will help align the culture you want to sustain. ~@paul_larue. #LeadershipTip #EmployeeExperience

 

QUESTION: What book should every leader read, and why?

PAUL LARUE: Without a doubt, it has to be Michael Lee Stallard's "Connection Culture -- The Competitive Advantage of Shared Identity, Empathy and Understanding at Work." I just read Mike's latest edition, and a few weeks ago, we discussed how the book has evolved. When it came out about seven years ago, it was a book needed for the time. I believe it's even more imperative that every leader reads it now if we're going to meet the needs of employees that are committed and connected – if any sustainable success is to be had. People are lonelier in the workforce now than ever before, especially since Covid appeared, and the principles in this book are what every leader needs to achieve.

QUESTION: You wrote a blog post entitled, “Start the Week by Reinvigorating Culture.” What are the three most important things that a leader should do to reinvigorate his/her/their culture, and why?

PAUL LARUE: I would say it's almost exactly the same as the previous question about maintaining and creating a positive culture, but with more emphasis on the leader allowing others to hold themselves accountable. I applied that principle in my last role and it took a year-and-a-half for people to understand there was true accountability and willingness to learn from it and not be defensive. 

So many times, I see organizations where leaders speak to culture, but don't embody it themselves. This creates a hypocrisy and distrust that leads to disengaged employees and other toxic behaviors. 

I read a book years ago by an entrepreneur who created a culture that if they didn't support the values their organization was built upon, there were actions the employees could take to remove him. And this was the owner who created a culture where he needed to be aligned or he would be removed from his own company! Having that type of commitment to culture over any individual, even yourself, is what is needed from leadership today. (Note: the book referenced was “Made in America” by John McCormick.)

QUESTION: Whitney Johnson’s (@JohnsonWhitney on Twitter) best teambuilding advice is to be a CEO, defined as a Chief Encouragement Officer, because “You don’t win unless your team does.” How would you apply that advice when different departments work in silos and don’t share project updates?

PAUL LARUE: I think that largely depends on the dynamic of the individuals in each department, but encouraging each team to be open to another person from a different department is a common step toward breaking down those walls. Every time I've coached leaders to create this, the awakening of understanding from the person outside the department to truly hear and understand what the other team is doing becomes a cornerstone for empathy and teamwork. 

It seems as if once someone understands the pressures you and your team face, and the nuances of the work and skills dependent on the team, there becomes a validation that opens up a team in silo. 

Sometimes it happens quickly, sometimes it takes much longer, but having the outside employee be a positive, and not threatening, force to understanding the team and how to work cross-functionally is the best recipe for opening up the organization.
 
My gratitude to Paul for sharing his insights.

Image Credit: CulturePros (CorporateCulturePros.com) / @LisaCulturePro on Instagram.

Blog post referenced in #4:
https://upwardsleader.com/2020/11/15/start-the-week-by-reinvigorating-culture/

Leadership Is ALWAYS About Those You Lead!

Thanks to Twitter, back in 2018, I met Katherine Spinney, a fellow advocate for effective leadership. We collaborated on a post here on my Blog in August 2018, and we also collaborated on a TweetChat on Twitter in April 2020 (both links appear at the end below). 

I invited Katherine to return to my Blog for a Q&A due to workplace and leadership changes resulting from the current COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights from our discussion follow Katherine’s bio.

Katherine Spinney has spent over a decade in executive leadership positions and now has the great privilege of supporting leaders to more effectively develop themselves and their teams. Through a trademarked model of leadership, Lead with Your MIND, Katherine goes beyond the traditional model of skill development and combines it with work around mindset, investment and desire. Katherine's vision is to help build leaders' confidence and impact to better serve their teams to ultimately better serve their clients. Work should provide a source of satisfaction, and she is confident that it can and should be possible for everyone. Visit her website at https://www.katherinespinney.com/ and connect and follow on Twitter and Instagram @CoachKat2017 and on Facebook /CoachKat2017.
 
QUESTION: Based on your experiences since March 2020, how has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted leadership?

KATHERINE SPINNEY:
COVID-19 has affected leadership in a number of ways. Generally, those who were strong leaders before the pandemic remained strong leaders throughout and adjusted where necessary. Those who were less effective leaders largely remained so. This year provided an opportunity for leaders to step up and adapt to what has been a dramatically different work environment for the majority of people.

Effective leaders responded with empathy, implementing effective health precautions, both physically and mentally and providing flexibility to people in challenging if not impossible situations. Additionally, effective leaders adjusted to their clients' needs and provided service in a responsive way.

It has been a time of great challenge, and those who have stepped up and supported their teams while continuing to serve their clients have provided a strong example of how it can be done.
 
QUESTION: In a post on your blog entitled, "When Poor Leadership Goes Unchecked: The Cautionary Tale of the Washington Redskins," you wrote: "Whether you run a team, a department or a Fortune 500 company, your responsibility as a leader is to serve your clients by supporting your employees. When you face challenges in your leadership, as you most certainly will, examine yourself first, and surround yourself with people who will help reveal your blind spots." What do you recommend an employee do if/when leaders do not welcome feedback about their blind spots?
 
KATHERINE SPINNEY:
It is important to always be open to new connections and opportunities. In the case that you have simply had enough of a job, you will be in a much better position to transition than if you wait until you reach that point.

If you find yourself in a position where your leadership does not welcome feedback regarding their blind spots, it's important to ask yourself, "Is there someone else I can talk to at the organization? Do I want to stay here but perhaps work for someone else? Am I fulfilled enough in the position that I am okay with leadership that will not change?"  

If you have exhausted your options of impacting change, you need to decide if you are okay living with it, or if it's time to go. If you decide to stay, accept the things you cannot change and do the best you can.
 
QUESTION: On your blog, you wrote "How to Build a Leader" by listing 17 ingredients. Which of those 17 do you consider the most important, and why? (The full list can be found on the link at the end below.)
 
KATHERINE SPINNEY:
It's so hard to choose just one because they are all important. And my caveat is that I think skill is just one of the components of effective leadership (in addition to mindset, investment and desire), but if I have to choose one, I will choose relationship-building.

The days of a disconnected boss in the corner office dictating orders are long gone (though too many organizations continue to operate this way). True leadership requires authentic relationships at all levels: with colleagues, with organizational leadership, with clients, with stakeholders, and, of course, with staff. At the core of effective leadership is the strength of these relationships.

TWEET THIS: The days of a disconnected boss in the corner office dictating orders are long gone. True leadership requires authentic relationships at all levels. –@CoachKat2017 #LeadershipTips #EmployeeExperience

 
QUESTION: When President Obama introduced Janet Yellen as the new Federal Reserve Chair in October 2013, he said, "Janet Yellen is a proven leader who knows how to build consensus, the kind of person who makes everybody around her better." What three characteristics do you think are necessary to create a consensus-builder?
 
KATHERINE SPINNEY:
I used to work at an organization that did consensus hiring. In an organization of nearly 40 staff, this was not easy. Ultimately, what I learned from that process and what research has reinforced, is that in order for consensus to work, there needs to be (1) a clear, shared understanding of what the desired outcome is, (2) a willingness to listen and be open to all the voices in the room and (3) an appreciation and respect for the person with the most knowledge and the person who will be most affected by the decision.

In the case of hiring, we strove to be upfront about who we were looking to hire, be open to all voices in the room, and if there were disagreement or challenge coming to consensus, ultimately defer to the department doing the hiring.

Consensus is hard and it will be rare for an entire staff to be in complete agreement on anything, so it's important to recognize the common moments when, not everyone will agree but they are comfortable deferring and getting on board with the decision.
 
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?

KATHERINE SPINNEY:
This quote is a great illustration of what leadership is all about, which is, the people you lead. It isn't about you and your needs but first and foremost, the needs of those you have the great privilege of serving. Be generous in recognizing others and humble in taking ownership of mistakes, even when they are not yours alone. When you try to deflect in an attempt to save face, it only serves to undermine your leadership. Act with integrity and show your staff that you put them first. When your staff know you have their best interests at heart, they will generally return that loyalty.  

TWEET THIS: Leadership isn't about a leader’s needs but first and foremost, the needs of those you have the great privilege of serving. –@CoachKat2017 #LeadershipTips #EmployeeExperience

My gratitude to Katherine for appearing here on my Blog and sharing her insights and perspective.

Image Credit: Katherine Spinney’s Blog.


Blog post referenced in #2
https://www.katherinespinney.com/poor-leadership-redskins/
 
Blog post referenced in #3
https://www.katherinespinney.com/build-a-leader/
 
Blog post referenced in #4
http://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2013/10/what-kind-of-leadership-legacy-are-you.html
 
Blog post Q&A in 2018
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2018/08/how-can-leaders-help-employees-exceed.html
 
TweetChat highlights in 2020
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2020/04/tweetchat-highlights-how-to-improve.html
and https://wakelet.com/wake/tqlW4MASG2XSO4B4WTJg6

Tips for Leaders to Inspire and Empower

One of the amazing things about social media is that we get to meet people all over the world. My social media activities have led me to meet people on all continents and in a variety of industries. One friend I made hails from the country of South Africa – half a world away from California. Chantaul Jordan and I connected thanks to Twitter, when her leadership account shared many of my leadership Tweets.

Recently, Chantaul Jordan and I had a discussion about international leadership, and highlights follow an introduction. Chantaul inspires personal development within individuals and for teams at seminars and at team-building retreats. Her mission as Principal of Expressions, a training consultancy, is to inspire, empower, and transform. She is dedicated to holistic wellness and passionate about philosophy, meditation, and yoga. Her other positions include: Facilitator of Mastermind for Speakers; Past Chairman of EXAS (Executive Association of South Africa); Honorary member of KZN Women in Business; Founder member of PSASA, KZN; and Immediate Past President of the PSASA (Professional Speakers Association of SA, KZN). Follow Chantaul on Twitter @ChantaulJordan, @LeaderRepeater, and @SpeakerRepeater; and check out her website at www.chantauljordan.com.

You lead a Twitter account @LeaderRepeater, whose description is: "For leaders, by leaders. We promote success and strive to add value to the lives and careers of others." How did this get started, and where do you find your inspiration for Tweets? On a side note, I've been honored when you've shared some of my Tweets – many thanks!
CHANTAUL JORDAN: A global communications platform, like Twitter, is astounding. I wanted an easy way to see what individuals all over the world were saying about enhancing emotional quotient in real time. So, I was inspired to create a Twitter account focused on EQ*, especially for leaders. After experimenting with Twitter's versatile search feature, adding my own search filters for quality control, and writing an app for my phone, @LeaderRepeater was born.

What are three things a President/CEO can do to establish a corporate culture that all employees will enthusiastically follow?
CHANTAUL JORDAN: Here are my three recommendations:
[1] To create a positive and uplifting working environment, where employees can learn, grow, and thrive.
[2] To encourage open and honest communication, especially in times of stress. The connection between staff can dissolve in a brief aggressive outburst. Although regrettable, these encounters stain relationships and leave waves of negativity in their wake.
[3] To inspire meaningful expression and contribution within an organization, by developing each individual's personal strengths and/or special talents. A company’s success relies on employees who enjoy their work and feel fulfilled.

TWEET THIS: A company’s success relies on employees who enjoy their work and feel fulfilled. –@ChantaulJordan #LeadershipTip #EmployeeExperience #EmployerBrand

How can a President/CEO become an organization's number one brand ambassador?
CHANTAUL JORDAN: I am of the opinion that a President/CEO should NOT be an organization’s number one brand ambassador, as it can be dangerous for the brand to be linked too closely to a fallible (and, indeed, mortal) human being. The CEO should adopt a lifestyle and morality that’s congruent with the values of the organization and should be seen as a competent and effective leader and manager – nothing more.

What are some traits to be a good leader, and why?
CHANTAUL JORDAN: The ongoing responsibility to do better and achieve more is hugely stressful, and the pressure is exhausting, and ironically leads to sub-standard work and ineffective relationships. A leader who practices self-mastery and demonstrates continued learning and personal well-being, is by far the better leader. If the leader’s mind is disturbed by worries and anxieties, not only is his efficiency and productivity affected, but the majority of his time is spent in crisis management, setting the tone throughout the business. So, it’s important that the CEO is a role model for equanimity, in good times and bad times. Also, effective communication of a clear vision and inspiration. How to achieve this? Deliberate engagement will result in better collaboration within teams, and therefore a more profitable business! (And a healthier option for all concerned.)

TWEET THIS: A leader who demonstrates continued learning is by far the better leader. –@ChantaulJordan #LeadershipTip #EmployeeExperience #EmployerBrand

One of your recent Tweets featured a quote from Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to summit Mt. Everest: "You don't have to be a hero to accomplish great things. You can just be an ordinary chap sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals." How does this apply to the office environment whereby one doesn't need a title to be a leader?
CHANTAUL JORDAN: People who are popular for their talent, their expertise, fashion sense, charisma, to name but a few, can be natural pacesetters and visionaries who others naturally want to follow. This is true, and let’s not forget that some of the greatest influencers aren’t in the office, but rather, at home. Family can be empowering catalysts! Why? We’re hugely inspired by love and care, and a sense of belonging – where there are mutual interests to work on and achieve together. Perhaps that’s what we need in the workplace, just a little more heart connection. A good healthy environment that’s conducive to thrive in!

My gratitude and appreciation to Chantaul for appearing on my Blog and for sharing her inspiring leadership insights!

Image Credit: Chantaul Jordan.

*Emotional Quotient is different from Intelligence Quotient because instead of measuring your general intelligence, it measures your emotional intelligence. Emotional Quotient is the ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions to facilitate high levels of collaboration and productivity. In the business environment, Emotional Quotient is important because it helps you leverage your awareness of emotions for effectiveness in the workplace.

Employee Engagement's Link to Leadership

It’s a fact that if one is active in social media, one can build an amazing and inspiring network. Recently, I “met” Shea Heaver through my activity on Instagram and Twitter because we share an interest in employee engagement, and I invited him to appear on my Blog. Highlights from our Q&A appear below Shea's introduction.

Shea Heaver grew up, was educated, and started his career in Northern Ireland before moving to South Florida in the mid-late 1990s. Drawing on his years of management experience in the global IT field, he became a passionate promoter of a people-centric culture to improve organizational performance. Through his work in the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, etc., he increasingly realized that individuals who feel valued lead to teams that are motivated, innovative, and highly productive. Shea founded Satisfaction At Work, with a focus on helping organizations achieve higher Employee Engagement, improve Leadership, increase Job Satisfaction, and become a Better Place to Work. Connect with Shea on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/sheaheaver), Instagram (@SheaHeaver), Twitter (@SheaHeaver), and on his websites (www.sheaheaver.com and www.satisfactionatwork.com).

QUESTION: Your pinned tweet on Twitter says "A person who feels appreciated will do more than is expected." Can you elaborate with some examples?
SHEA HEAVER: When significant people in our lives listen, value our contribution, and reward us appropriately, we feel valued. For example, we feel happy and smile when a family member or friend gives us a gift, invites us to dinner, sends us a greeting, or simply says something nice to us or about us. That feel good sensation is a result of our brains releasing four main chemicals - Endorphin, Dopamine, Oxytocin and Serotonin. When these chemicals are present, our trust is heightened, we have more energy, and we feel valued.

This directly impacts on our senses of self-worth and confidence, allowing us to work to our full potential. At work, when employees feel highly regarded by their peers and management, their self-esteem rises, and they become happier, motivated, and much more productive.

TWEET THIS: A person who feels appreciated will do more than is expected. ~@SheaHeaver #EmployeeEngagement #EmployeeExperience #EmployerBranding

QUESTION: How do you define onboarding? How do you define employee engagement? How can onboarding help with employee engagement?
SHEA HEAVER: Onboarding is a key element of introducing a new employee to their team and the overall organization – and should start prior to their first day on the job via ongoing communication soon after the employee has accepted a position.

Employee Engagement has a myriad of definitions and there’s a plethora of experts, authors, and consultants willing to bend your ear on the subject. My personal interpretation (that I’ve stuck to for a while) is that “Employee Engagement is the demonstrative passion, loyalty, and effort the workforce gives to their job, their team, and the organization.”

To assist with engagement, the onboarding process must go beyond HR forms and orientation by helping the new employee get to know the people they will be working with, encourage them to share expectations, and talk openly about the current culture (the good and not so good).

Their manager must take time to get to know the person beyond the resume and interviews they have already looked at. They need to make an early, personal connection with the individual and understand what is needed to get the best out of them.

QUESTION: What are a few ways to empower employees to build a culture that results in success?
SHEA HEAVER: First, we must take the burden of building a winning culture out of the hands of Human Resources and Management. A productive culture is built at the local level with the 3, 7, 9 or whatever smaller number of people we work with day in and day out. The idea of surveying employees once a year and then having others decide universally what to do is antiquated and irrelevant today.

A successful company culture is achieved when workplace relationships are strong, and to that end, the focus must be on items such as Openness, Motivation, and Feedback.

Openness is the ability to talk freely (yet respectively and constructively) about needs, feelings, and concerns. It is about a transparent dialogue with our peers where we neither hide nor sugar coat what we are thinking. It is also about being receptive to new ideas, questions, and feedback.

There is no universal source of Motivation, and financial reward may not be the big motivator that many think it is. Some people prefer the opportunity of bigger, newer tasks if they complete what they are currently working on while others don’t want change. It’s all about determining individual needs and wants.

Feedback is about sharing your reactions to another person’s ideas and/or behaviors. It is a way of letting them know to what extent he or she is furthering the objectives of the business. Feedback is not about assigning blame, criticism, or passing judgment. It is a conversation about your needs whilst respecting the needs of the other person. This leads to collaborative problem-solving on both sets of needs.

QUESTION: You share an Employee Engagement Calculator online. Can you explain it and why all leaders should take the time to use it? Here's the URL: http://www.eecalc.com.
SHEA HEAVER: The Employee Engagement calculator lets the user update a few parameters such as number of employees, average salary, turnover percentage, time lost to conflict, etc., and it immediately shows how much THEY may be losing due to employee dysfunction, poor workplace relationships, and misguided leadership. Reading that the overall economy is losing $450 Billion (1) annually makes a nice headline - but realizing YOUR 500-employee company may be (needlessly) losing almost $4,000,000 from its bottom line each year due to disengagement is much more important to the CFO, CIO and other leaders.

QUESTION: How can a President/CEO become an organization's number one brand ambassador?
SHEA HEAVER: While we look at Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos and others as Brand Ambassadors at huge multinational companies, that’s not the norm. I think the best way for most CEO’s to be brand ambassadors is to believe in, trust, and empower their workforce to help build employee engagement and develop a culture that everyone is excited to be a part of. This in turn will boost motivation, productivity, and loyalty to the company. And when employees are delivering quality services/products while also openly talking positively about the organization, you then have a holistic approach to promoting the brand.

TWEET THIS: The best way for most CEO’s to be brand ambassadors is to believe in, trust, and empower their workforce to help build employee engagement and develop a culture that everyone is excited to be a part of. ~@SheaHeaver #BrandAmbassadors

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 that mean to you?
SHEA HEAVER: I believe leadership generally has two functions in any organization: (1) Advance and nurture the business and (2) Advance and nurture the people in the business. Advancing the people in the business is the more complex and important of the two, and in this context, it is about getting the best from your people by helping them be the best they can be.

A good leader realizes that they must empower the employee to do the best they can by giving them direction and ongoing feedback - and then letting them get on with it. When needed, the leader acts as a facilitator or mentor to help get things done while assisting in the navigation around barriers or obstacles that may crop up.

TWEET THIS: A good leader realizes that they must empower the employee to do the best they can by giving them direction and ongoing feedback - and then letting them get on with it. ~@SheaHeaver #EmployeeEngagement #LeadershipTip

___________________

My gratitude and appreciation to Shea for appearing on my Blog and for sharing his insights about employee engagement and its link to leadership.


Image Credit: Shea Heaver.

Source from question 4: (1) https://www.theemployeeapp.com/gallup-2017-employee-engagement-report-results-nothing-changed/