Debbie Laskey's Blog

Welcome to Debbie Laskey's insights and commentary about BRANDING, MARKETING, LEADERSHIP, SOCIAL MEDIA, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, and CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES. Debbie has worked in high-tech, the Consumer Marketing Department at Disneyland Paris in France, nonprofits, and insurance. Expertise includes strategic planning, brand development, marketing plans and audits, competitive positioning, websites, communications, public relations, employee engagement, customer experiences, and social media marketing.

Showing posts with label onboarding. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

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.)

Monday, September 18, 2023

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.

Thursday, April 13, 2023

Secrets to Create Better Leaders and Productive Workplaces

Do you know what today marks? On this date in 1743, Thomas Jefferson was born. Known as a Founding Father of the United States, he was also a diplomat, a lawyer, an architect, and a philosopher. He was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and served as the third President of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He spoke six languages including English, French, Greek, Italian, Latin, and Spanish; and he graduated from the University of William and Mary two years after he enrolled. He was the designer of several buildings, and as a result, his influential style has become known as “Jeffersonian Architecture.”

So, today, as we celebrate leadership, I’d like to introduce you to Ros Cardinal from Australia. We recently discussed leadership and workplace culture, and highlights follow a brief introduction.

When she was growing up, Ros could not decide if she wanted to be an astronaut, a librarian, or the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup. She achieved none of those goals, but a fascination with human behaviour and neuroscience led her to a career in Organisational Development, specialising in improving business outcomes by developing individuals, teams, and organisations. After more than 20 years in corporate human resources and organisational development roles, a successful battle with cancer gave Ros the nudge to take her passion for transforming leaders and improving how individuals and organisations cope with change, in a new direction. Leaving her senior corporate role in 2012, Ros established her consulting business, Shaping Change, which allows her to be a solutions and results-oriented facilitator with expertise spanning strategic planning, leadership development, organisational culture, change management, emotional intelligence, and employee engagement.

QUESTION: You describe yourself as being "in the business of making a difference by creating better workplaces, great leaders, and inspired teams." Can you please elaborate?

ROS CARDINAL: Our work is creating great leaders: Leaders who are mindful, connected, emotionally intelligent, values-driven, and purposeful. The leaders who work with us want to create a better, sustainable world of work, both for our generation and for the future. They say to us, "There must be a better way to lead," and we help them find their authentic leadership voice. We create leaders who strive toward personal and organisational transformation, and as contributors to a more effective society.

As we support the growth of these leaders, we see their commitment to sustainable organisations become integrated as a personal value, and their leadership identity, rather than just "the right thing to do."

Leaders affect change in our world. When we equip individuals with the resources and tools that they need to reach their potential, they have a revolutionising impact on their organisations and within their sectors. We enable people and businesses to do the work they’ve been called to do and to bring more of it into the world.

QUESTION: We met when I read one of your articles, a post on the website of The People Development Magazine entitled, "Boss or A Leader - Which One Are You?" What are the key differences?

(Read the full post here:
https://peopledevelopmentmagazine.com/2022/11/07/boss-or-a-leader/)

ROS CARDINAL: I covered three points in that article: Goal setting, Support, and Influence. The key differences though are that a boss gets things done, they set goals, they manage performance, and they insist on respect. A true leader though achieves results (and usually much better results) through engaging and inspiring people.

Being a boss and being a leader are not the same thing, even though they may seem similar on paper. There are key differences between managing a team and truly leading a team. A leader involves the team in goal-setting and ensures everyone has a common goal. A boss may set unrealistic goals without involving the team. A leader supports their team and finds ways to improve them, while a boss may use fear and criticism to control the team. A leader inspires and encourages growth, while a boss may intimidate and be overly critical. A leader develops healthy relationships with their team, while a boss may have a negative impact on the workplace. By understanding these differences, you can become a better leader of your team.

There are two key reasons why someone may be a boss rather than a leader:
The first is about skills and ability. If you are not a good communicator, or if you haven’t learned how to delegate. If you've had a boss-type as a role model in your early career, it's really easy to follow that lead. If you don’t have natural emotional intelligence and empathy, it can be hard to connect and inspire people.

The second is about ego and fear. If you are insecure in your management position, it can show up as micromanaging and controlling people. If you tend to be egotistical, you might believe that nobody else has the ability to make good decisions, and you have to make them yourself. You might even enjoy the ego boost that being in control gives you.

And of course, being a leader is the converse of that. Not only the skills to lead effectively, but the lack of ego is key. If you are a leader, you are non-defensive, open to other's ideas. You love to brainstorm with people rather than tell them what to do. You empower people and support them to be successful and are not threatened by their successes.

Saturday, April 8, 2023

Leaders, Employees, and Spotlights

Today is Step in the Spotlight Day, which is the perfect segue to today’s Q&A. Step in the Spotlight Day was first celebrated in 2008, and its aim is to encourage people to sharpen their skills to attract attention and grow their businesses. Recently, I connected with James Schofield from Nova Scotia, Canada, and invited him to appear here on my Blog in a Q&A discussion about leadership, onboarding, and the employee experience. Highlights of our conversation follow a brief introduction.

James Schofield is an experienced business coach with a specialization in Human Resource Management, specifically in the areas of Talent Attraction and Retention. He is a Partner at Roman 3 Solutions, Inc., where he leads Roman 3’s implementation team, helping organizations identify and develop a productive, profitable, and inclusive workplace culture.

QUESTION: How do you explain the importance of creating a positive EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE to leaders who sit too high atop the C-Suite to understand?
JAMES SCHOFIELD: This is a common struggle in most workplaces, and we are asked this all the time. How do you connect organizational culture and the employee experience to business performance and outcomes?

One of the ways that we articulate that connection is something we call Productivity Insulation, which is the idea that organizational productivity and performance is only as efficient as how well you have insulated it. Like insulation in your home, if you do not invest in the things that will keep it well insulated, then your heat seeps out through your windows, doors, roof, and foundation. The key with poor insulation is that the expensive problems it causes do not show up as an item on your household budget. They are hidden expenses that make everything else so much more costly.

With productivity, the costs that come with poor insulation are things like slow and unreliable work, opportunity costs of not having the talent you need to take on new projects, customer loss when dissatisfied employees provide unsatisfactory customer service, replacement and on-boarding costs of high turnover, over budget and over deadline change management, etc. Just like the issues with home insulation, the problems caused by Productivity Insulation don’t show up on your balance sheet.

A business lives and dies by the people in it. Anything that requires people is dependent on the employee experience to be productive and efficient. This is something that the C-Suite knows, but sometimes they need to be reminded of how important the connections are.

TWEET THIS: A business lives and dies by the people in it. ~@JamesFromRoman3 #LeadershipTip #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: What elements do you think are critical to create a successful ONBOARDING program?
JAMES SCHOFIELD: Clear expectations and belonging.

One of the most important parts of starting a new job is to clearly know what is expected of you, and how success is measured. A common mistake that many workplaces make is expecting employees to figure out for themselves where the boundaries are, and how their coworkers and supervisors will measure their efforts. There is a lot of anxiety that comes with unknown expectations and a lack of transparency of how your efforts will be measured and assessed.

As for belonging, part of onboarding should be about the organization getting to know you, as much as your getting to know the organization. Encouraging people to share their thoughts and ideas, allowing for their unique perspectives, a chance to show their skills, and an authentic respect of someone’s true self. Too many organizations expect assimilation. The idea that “To ‘fit in,’ you need to look like us and sound like us. You can have different thoughts and perspectives, as long as you keep them to yourself.” This can be support thorough clear and transparent commitment, followed by authentic actions that actively encourage psychological safety.

QUESTION: How can a CEO/President be an effective brand ambassador?
JAMES SCHOFIELD: By demonstrating Authenticity, Integrity, and Transparency.

[1] When a CEO is authentic and sincere, it makes them more trustworthy and relatable.
[2] When a CEO is willing to not sacrifice what is right for what is easy or what is popular, it allows people to trust and respect the CEO. Consistently making the right choice, especially when it is the tough choice, builds respect and even those who may disagree on what constitutes the “right choice” can respect your ability to act with integrity.
[3] When a CEO is willing to be transparent and encourage others to do the same, it makes the general public more accepting of their organization, warts and all.
[4] When we see a CEO or brand ambassador who consistently acts with integrity, is being authentic, and is transparent, they naturally create a pull, a desire to be a part of what they’re doing. People are far more likely to give them the benefit of the doubt because we can trust that they are telling us the truth.

QUESTION: There is a new title in the C-Suite: Chief Happiness Officer. What do you make of this, and can it, or should it, become standard in all organizations? Or is this just marketing buzz?

(Here's the article:
https://www.fastcompany.com/40582655/employers-your-idea-about-employee-happiness-is-all-wrong)

JAMES SCHOFIELD: There is a lot of great research that links happiness to better productivity and work. The work by Shawn Achor comes to mind. But the mistake that companies often make is that happiness is the complete equal to motivation, enthusiasm, and productivity. When the harsh truth is, it’s not. Happiness is a natural by-product of workplaces where people feel included and engaged in their work. But happiness alone is not the same thing. You can be happy and complacent. Or happy and unmotivated. Happiness cannot be the final goal, but a milestone along the way.

So, my opinion is that the focus on Chief Happiness Officers is benign at best. My concern is that it is emblematic of how poorly we understand how a workplace culture is built. I will admit that it is a step in the right direction, showing the importance of the employee experience and that it is valued by senior leadership, but I’m concerned that it is style over substance.

QUESTION: Which leaders inspire you, from business or history, and why?
JAMES SCHOFIELD: If I’m being honest, I am not inspired by business leaders, celebrities, athletes, or personalities. I have been very fortunate to have many people in my life who have had a substantial impact on who I am, and living up to the faith they have placed in me is a source of inspiration.

I know that’s a bit of a non-answer, but actions, not people, inspire (me at least). That being said, there’s a great, recent example, of one person whose actions I admire, and that is author Brandon Sanderson. He is a fantasy author and recently had his popularity skyrocket after launching the most successful Kickstarter ever, when he raised something like $40 million.

Due to his immense success, he has been approached by many companies wanting to gain the rights to distribute his works (I believe it was specific to audio book format) and offered him 100% of the proceeds in order to draw more people to their platforms (where industry average would be around 40% or something ridiculous). He used his influence not to negotiate a good deal just for himself, but instead, he negotiated that all authors who used the platform would get a higher percentage, effectively increasing potential earnings for hundreds if not thousands of aspiring authors.

This I respect, and these types of actions do inspire me to operate my business in a way that does good for others.

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?
JAMES SCHOFIELD: To me, it means that you don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to pretend to be infallible. Your job is to empower others. A good leader does not demand the spotlight, they shine the spotlight on others.

TWEET THIS: A good leader does not demand the spotlight, they shine the spotlight on others. ~@JamesFromRoman3 #LeadershipTip #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

My thanks to James for sharing his employee experience and leadership insights and for appearing here on my Blog.

Connect with James at these links:
Podcast: https://www.roman3.ca/podcast
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCtyRRzf1P8woNWhpQmZFPQ
Company on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roman3
James on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JamesFromRoman3
James on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamespschofield/

Image Credit: Daniel van den Berg via Unsplash.

Friday, March 3, 2023

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.

Monday, October 17, 2022

Culture Starts at the Top - But All Employees Shape It

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 Shani Magosky from New York, and invited her to appear here on my Blog in a Q&A discussion about leadership, onboarding, corporate culture, and the employee experience. Highlights of our conversation follow a brief introduction.

After many years of diverse leadership experience across multiple industries, Shani Magosky started her leadership development consulting and executive coaching practice, The LeaderShift Project. Having worked for venerable institutions and unknown startups, in a range of economies from bubble to recession, and in revenue-producing, advisory, and senior leader roles, Shani's broad experience enables her to help executives and teams achieve "BHAGs" (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) at a wide range of Fortune 500 and private companies, startups, universities, trade groups, and nonprofits. In addition, Shani designs and facilitates breakthrough team coaching and other highly interactive workshops that are relevant, fun, and memorable so learning has the best chance of being retained and applied on the job. She is also the author of The Better Boss Blueprint and host of The LeaderShifter Show podcast. In her free time, Shani can be found rock climbing, mid-vinyasa at her favorite yoga studio, hurtling down black diamond slopes, riding her Harley, or watching college football.

QUESTION: You wrote an e-book about hiring in the post-pandemic era. Can you briefly explain what led you to write the e-book, and also share some of the highlights?

(Check out the e-book at this link: https://theleadershiftproject.com/free-resources/post-covid-hiring/)

SHANI MAGOSKY: I observed that many of my clients and other employers were having difficulty finding qualified candidates. According to a ManpowerGroup survey, 69% of U.S. employers are struggling to fill jobs. In 2010, it was only 14%. Of course, this dynamic relates to the "Great Resignation," but it’s broader than that. Company culture also plays a huge role in attracting and retaining top talent.

The e-book was created to help organizations take steps to make changes within. A few tips focus on nontraditional ways to find more candidates and how to identify "good clay" talent with transferable skills. But most of what I offered was advice on how to adjust internal hiring practices.

To clarify further, I envision "good clay" talent as individuals who share an organization's values and are passionate about an org's products and services. It is easy to "shape" these people into acquiring the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in their new roles. Some of their qualities might include: high emotional intelligence, innovative thinking and creativity, sincere motivation, the desire to learn continuously, and a growth mindset.

QUESTION: How can all members of the C-Suite care more about onboarding, which directly impacts corporate culture and employee engagement?
SHANI MAGOSKY: The employee experience (EX) doesn’t start with onboarding; rather, it starts the moment a candidate reads a job description because it is emblematic of the culture. Culture starts at the top, so the C-Suite is responsible for cultivating culture and brand, both internally and externally.

Executives should ensure that they hire the right Human Resources leaders who will carry out the mandates for an EX that aligns with a culture and brand. I have seen too many otherwise great companies with CHROs who do more harm than good for the culture, and that is ultimately the CEO who is responsible for tolerating that.

The onboarding process should not only feature relevant and high-quality training, but also pay equal attention to integrating new hires into the team to build meaningful connections with their colleagues from the start.

All employees, not just people leaders, should be held accountable for creating a positive corporate culture. The cost of turnover is high and almost always underestimated because people don’t consider the costs that are more difficult to quantify, such as, the opportunity cost associated with a vacant role and damage done to customer relationships.

A sense of belonging, authentic connections, trust, and alignment with the company's mission, values, and culture are the primary drivers of employee engagement and retention.

TWEET THIS: Culture starts at the top, so the C-Suite is responsible for cultivating culture and brand, both internally and externally. ~@leadershiftproj #DebbieLaskeysBlog

TWEET THIS: All employees, not just people leaders, should be held accountable for creating a positive corporate culture. ~@leadershiftproj #DebbieLaskeysBlog

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?
SHANI MAGOSKY: Leaders need to look in the mirror and ask themselves what role they play (or not) in setting their team members up for success. Leaders should coach their teams instead of simply teaching and directing. Coaching unlocks potential that no amount of knowledge ever will. Coaching empowers people to solve their own problems, make better decisions, shift their mindsets and habits, and contributes to ongoing career development. Coaching is what supports talent in important areas that can not be taught or demanded.

It's not always easy to be a coach, especially if one is trying to help someone who doesn't want to be helped. Effective leaders must ultimately recognize when a person may not be the right fit. Paraphrasing from Jim Collins’ book Good to Great, we must have the right people in the right seats on the right bus.

Besides, how does that reflect on a leader if they have low expectations? On top of that perception problem, a toxic environment is created for the high performing members of a team when consistently low performers aren’t managed out.

TWEET THIS: Leaders should coach their teams instead of simply teaching and directing. ~@leadershiftproj #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

TWEET THIS: We must have the right people in the right seats on the right bus. ~Jim Collins via @leadershiftproj #EmployerBranding #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: If you could have dinner with any five leaders from history or corporate America, who would you choose and why?
SHANI MAGOSKY: Here are my five:
(1) My grandfather Simon died before I was born, and I’m named for him. Everyone who knew him tells me what an incredible man he was. Smart, loving, funny, great son/father/friend/doctor. He served our country in WWII operating on soldiers in flight who might not make it to a military hospital alive. He was a badass, and I’m so sorry I never got to meet or get to know him.
(2) Elon Musk - no brainer; no explanation needed!
(3) Deputy Director of DARPA - I’m inspired and grateful for the innovative technologies they’ve developed not only for national security but also for organizations and the world. I use their acronym VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) with leaders all the time to describe the business climate in which they operate in today.
(4) Michelle Obama - I admire her so much not only for how she represented the role of First Lady but also how she put her family first while living in the White House when it was not easy to do. She describes in her book about telling the Secret Service they needed to figure out how the Obama girls could still do play dates at friends’ homes. And she wouldn’t take no for an answer.
(5) Ronald Regan - to learn first hand about the end of the Cold War.

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?
SHANI MAGOSKY: I have to admit that I both agree and disagree with this quote. Leaders should block and tackle for others. Their position in the organization allows them to mitigate or remove bottlenecks and/or barriers to success so individuals and teams can reach their goals.

However, sometimes, employees should navigate these situations for themselves in order to learn and grow. Rather than blocking, tackling, and giving all the answers, help people come up with their own solutions when such circumstances arise (this goes back to coaching). If part of the solution entails a leader stepping in to block/tackle, then do it. But don’t assume it’s necessary all the time because it could thwart their development and be disempowering.

My thanks to Shani for sharing her leadership insights and for appearing here on my Blog.

Image Credit: Debbie Laskey, MBA.

Connect with Shani on these links:
Company Website: https://theleadershiftproject.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theleadershiftproject
Twitter: https://twitter.com/leadershiftproj
Instagram: https://www.instagramcom/theleadershiftproject/
LinkedIn-Shani’s Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanimagosky/
LinkedIn-The LeaderShift Project Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-leadershift-project/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyMzJQndiH6AvvdWbb_cygw

Friday, October 14, 2022

Onboarding, Immersion, and Leadership

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.

Monday, May 16, 2022

Leadership, Silos and Onboarding

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 nearly 13 years, I always enjoy meeting new people and learning from them. I recently connected with Bruce Rosenstein and invited him to appear here on my Blog in a Q&A format. Highlights of our conversation follow a brief introduction.

Since 2011, Bruce Rosenstein has been Managing Editor of Leader to Leader, the award-winning quarterly journal co-published by Jossey-Bass/Wiley and the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Forum. For 21 years, he worked for USA TODAY as a librarian/researcher and writer about business and management books for the newspaper’s Money section. Based in Maryland, he is the author of Create Your Future the Peter Drucker Way, and Living in More Than One World: How Peter Drucker's Wisdom Can Inspire and Transform Your Life. His digital footprint includes the following links: www.brucerosenstein.com; https://brucerosenstein.com/blog; https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-rosenstein; and Twitter at @brucerosenstein.

QUESTION: How do you recommend that employees who are forced to work in silos by their leadership teams overcome the silos and work together?
BRUCE ROSENSTEIN: Depending on how literally people are being forced, there should always be a degree of personal/individual choice on the part of people who are working in silos. I’d recommend that they continually think of ways to work around the silos and outsmart the situation, including figuring out whether the company/organization is one big silo or a series of silos.

This would also mean finding like-minded people internally and developing ways to work together and share information, and learning more about informal norms and ways of getting things done. It also means that you stay connected, via social media and otherwise, to people outside your organization, within or related to your area of specialty or expertise, especially in case you ultimately decide to work elsewhere.

A great book to read on this subject is The Silo Effect: The Peril of Expertise and the Promise of Breaking Down Barriers by Gillian Tett, an editor and columnist at one of my favorite publications, the Financial Times, who has a PhD in social anthropology from Cambridge University.

QUESTION: If you could have dinner with any leader from history, who would it be and why?
BRUCE ROSENSTEIN: I would choose Socrates, as sort of the original/eternal thought leader. I’d like to fill him in on the whole thought leader construct, and how his ideas have lasted and remained relevant for more than 2500 years. I’d then ask how he thinks he reached that status, and probably brace myself for a Socratic dialogue with the originator of the concept, ideally over coffee.

I think he’d be intrigued by the concept of the Socrates Cafés that have sprung up around the world in recent years. I would bring him a copy of the book by Christopher Phillips, the founder of the movement: Socrates Café: A Fresh Taste of Philosophy.

He might be interested to learn that questioning, one of the main components of the Socratic Method, has become influential in the business/organizational world. If he could time travel to today and become a consultant, he could name his price!

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?
BRUCE ROSENSTEIN: You may not have to be the smartest person in the room, but you DO have to apply your mind, and think clearly and creatively in the moment so you can be effective. That would mean the supposedly “small things” and “unglamorous things” that can nevertheless be difficult to do well.

It can mean a leader protecting and looking out for people, clearing obstacles that can prevent them from doing their best work, and helping them work through problems. It reminds me of the important concept of servant leadership, which is less than 50 years old, and was originated by the late Robert K. Greenleaf. He was an HR executive at AT&T (and also a New Jersey neighbor and friend of Peter Drucker’s), whose work has been carried on and extended at the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.

QUESTION: How can all members of the C-Suite care more about onboarding, which directly impacts corporate culture and employee engagement?
BRUCE ROSENSTEIN: This would have to be part of the corporate/organizational culture itself; how involved upper management is in the process, what components of the process they take seriously and how that plays out internally.

If people really are your greatest asset (which so many organizations say is the case), shouldn’t helping people be successful starting from the beginning of the process, and be adequately supported by as many members of the C-Suite as possible? At the same time, it would be a serious commitment of time and energy, and should not be taken lightly. Done properly, it could even have positive effects related to your earlier question about silos, as it would be a way for people to learn about different departments and components of an organization, and to make contacts and develop lines of communication.

However, if some people, especially in the C-Suite, aren’t taking this seriously, it could be related to exactly what each organization means by the term onboarding, and what the process exactly entails. Is it seen as more bureaucratic and form-filling, rather than an area directly related to results? It could point to the fact that the term onboarding, if not the process, has become a buzzword with a nebulous meaning, and therefore possibly in need of new terminology or different branding. For more background on this, see Patti Waldmeir's "The Perils of Onboarding in a World of Hybrid Work," in the Financial Times, February 7, 2022; and "The Case Against Onboarding," February 27, 2017, by Merrill Perlman in the Columbia Journalism Review.

TWEET THIS: If people really are your greatest asset, shouldn’t helping people be successful starting from the beginning of the process? ~@brucerosenstein #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: One of my favorite quotes about leadership is from Arnold Glasow, an American businessman often cited in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and other pubs: “A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.” What does that quote mean to you?
BRUCE ROSENSTEIN: Realistic leaders know that a certain part of their success is due to luck, as well as due to the work and knowledge of other people, circumstances beyond their control, and so on. So it would also play out in reverse, knowing that “failures” are subject to the same invisible laws regarding luck, circumstance, fate, and the work and roles of colleagues, competitors, and so on.

In a broader sense, it means less of a show of ego, more humility, more realization that you will develop a better reputation internally and externally if you strive for this type of balance. It could also directly relate to servant leadership, in one of your earlier questions. Fairly or not, credit/blame in many cases must be shared with others, and allows you to display a sense of grace.

Two recent books come to mind, that I believe amplify this quote: Marilyn Gist’s The Extraordinary Power of Leader Humility: Thriving Organizations - Great Results; and John Baldoni’s Grace Notes: Leading in an Upside-Down World. I’ve edited articles by both Marilyn and John for Leader to Leader.

TWEET THIS: Fairly or not, credit/blame in many cases must be shared with others, and allows you to display a sense of grace. ~@brucerosenstein #DebbieLaskeysBlog

My thanks to Bruce for sharing his inspiring leadership and employee experience insights and for appearing here on my Blog.

Image Credit: Waldemar Brandt via Unsplash.

Note: John Baldoni (@JohnBaldoni on Twitter) has appeared on this blog numerous times (I'm honored to have also met him via Twitter), and I shared a review of his book GRACE NOTES on Business 2 Community.

Check it out here: https://www.business2community.com/books/leadership-tips-for-the-covid-era-02433516

Monday, September 20, 2021

Tips to Improve Your Brand's Employee Experience

Over the last decade, 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 Russel Lolacher from Canada. We recently discussed employee experiences and employer branding, and highlights follow Russel’s bio.

Russel Lolacher is an international speaker, podcaster and advocate on customer and employee experiences, and social media, and is based in British Columbia. He’s helped private and government organizations grow their relationships to improve their brand reputation and their bottom line. Sharing his thoughts through his blog Relationships at Work, Russel has been internationally recognized as a top customer service expert by Microsoft and Hootsuite and in Forbes and Huffington Post. He was recently named a Top 25 Thought Leader in 2021 by the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI). Read his Blog at www.relationshipsatwork.ca; follow on Twitter at @RussLol; follow on Instagram at @RelationshipsAtWork; and visit his Relationships at Work Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/113983628622544.

QUESTION: The employee onboarding process starts the moment a position is advertised. How can employers understand that having an exit strategy should be part of the onboarding process, and that employer branding is important?
RUSSEL LOLACHER: First impressions and last impressions are extremely important, and need to be treated as such. Even though an advertised position should be seen as a first step in the onboarding process, it’s also that impression from your branding that’s determining if a prospective employee wants to even work for you. For example, if an organization still hasn’t figured out the “social” part of social media when interacting with its customers, how do you think a future employee will perceive the organization? Spoiler: “If they can’t figure out Twitter, what else do they suck at?” What story is your brand telling? As for including an exit strategy into onboarding, with anything there is a beginning, middle, and an end. Careers are no different.

The idea that once you’re hired, you are with an organization forever is archaic. Each employee has their own hopes, goals, and dreams for their career, and every organization needs to understand their role in that, including from onboarding to exiting.

How can you set up this individual for success, to contribute to the health and success of your company while they work there and provide an amazing platform for them to grow (either in your organization, another, or in retirement)? Know that employees will speak about your organization to others - including your support of them - to future customers and future employees. They are some of your best brand ambassadors. All you have to do is demonstrate you have a plan for them, right from the beginning.

QUESTION: How can organizations measure employee experience success?
RUSSEL LOLACHER: A simple question with not an easy answer. Employee experience is as much, if not more so, qualitative than quantitative.

First, the organization needs to define success. It’s hard to measure against something if you have no idea what it looks like and feels like. What is the organization’s model for employee experience success? How do you know you’ve reached it?

Second, an organization needs to demonstrate that the employee experience is a priority. Effort, measurement, and follow up are imperative to success and can’t be done off the side of someone’s desk.

Lastly, once success is defined and resources are committed, you can effectively look at a variety of tactics. Note: not one tactic fits all, nor should only one be considered enough.

Here are a few ideas to incorporate:

Employee Promoter Score: same approach as NPS (Net Promoter Score) but would involve twisting the question to be more culture focused. “How likely is it that you would recommend this company to a friend or colleague as a place to work?” Rate with a scale of 1-10.
Seasonal Temperature Checks: use a team of internal champions to routinely check in candidly with random staff on their employee experience, and if the organization is meeting their needs.
Professional Development check in: growth and learning are a good sign of employee happiness and motivation. Set up a system to determine how employees are moving themselves forward in their development (sorry, mandatory training doesn’t count).

QUESTION: On a recent post on your Blog, you wrote about "7 Employee Engagement Superpowers for More Than Mere Mortals." Can you elaborate on this excellent post?

(Post referenced: https://www.russellolacher.com/7-employee-engagement-superpowers-for-more-than-mere-mortals/)

RUSSEL LOLACHER: Glad you enjoyed my Blog. When it comes to employee engagement, many organizations think they’re doing enough, while far too many studies show they aren’t. That’s an important gap. So, as a supervisor, manager, leader, coworker, employee, etc., it’s important we take responsibility and make the effort to improve that experience for others.

I’m now thinking of the famous Spider-man line, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” And it’s not far off. As a member of an organization, a part of a corporate culture, you have the power and responsibility to engage others...and hopefully, in the process, engage yourself. So, as I write in the post, don’t focus on the normal when you can be “super” by being self aware, show your active listening or demonstrate patience. If you won’t, who will? Step up, up and away. (See what I did there?)

TWEET THIS: As a part of a corporate culture, you have the power and responsibility to engage others. ~@RussLOL #EmployeeExperience #EmployerBranding #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: There is a lot of talk about organizations adding a new C-Suite position, the Chief Customer Officer. This demonstrates that orgs want employees to create an excellent customer experience. However, there should be another C-Suite position called the Employee Experience Officer. Some orgs use different titles, such as, Chief Personnel Officer, Chief Talent Officer, etc. What are your thoughts?
RUSSEL LOLACHER: If we look at the traditional titles of the C-Suite, CFO, COO, CIO, CMO, CEO...you’re telling your organization that you prioritize these functional areas (finances, operations, information, marketing and the executive respectfully). And you can go further to other titles that highlight risk, investments, and compliance. Words matter. So why not commit to standing up for employees? I understand the need for a Chief Customer Officer (CCO), but your most important customer is your employees. A CCO title without a EEO communicates that money is more important than staff.

Though every member of an organization has a role in the employee experience (same as for the customer experience), creating and truly empowering a position of authority to guide and nurture culture is important to bridge the gap between how well the organization thinks it’s doing versus its reality.

QUESTION: There is a relatively new title in the C-Suite: Chief Happiness Officer. What do you make of this, and can it, or should it, become standard in all organizations? Or is this just marketing buzz?

(Here's the article: https://www.fastcompany.com/40582655/employers-your-idea-about-employee-happiness-is-all-wrong)

RUSSEL LOLACHER: The role of CHO is crap. As referenced in the Fast Company article, the role seems far more about reinforcing the C-Suite/organization’s definition of “happy” rather than understanding its employees and their definitions. Happiness is personal. What fills my cup is not the same for another. I think the intention of a CHO is good (who doesn’t want to be happy?) because it’s putting resources into an employee advocate, but in this case the execution and focus is horrible. It feels like an attempt to look cute to customers/investors while highlighting internally that they are missing the mark in supporting and understanding the employee experience. Organizations should be more interested in putting in the work to understand and support their employees, rather than look for opportunities to put out a fun news release.

QUESTION: How can a President/CEO become an organization's number one brand ambassador?
RUSSEL LOLACHER: The problem with the role of presidents and CEOs is most people don’t know what they do or understand their value to the organization/industry/brand. That’s a problem externally and internally.

To become the number one brand ambassador for an organization, this role first needs to be defined in words, communicated (over and over), and backed up with action. This is a communications role, first and foremost, internally and externally to customers, employees, the board, stakeholders...everyone.

This position is the face and passion personified for the organization, demonstrating physical representation of the organization’s vision to inspire, connect, and motivate. (Which further cements that you better have a good vision, or your “brand ambassador” role won’t be as effective as you’d like.)

So what they can do is:

Define an amazing vision statement.
Become that vision statement.
Communicate, communicate, and communicate (and you better be a good communicator!).
Be open to candid feedback from everyone, listen to it, and stand firm to your vision by responding to it. Every opportunity.

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

Image Credit: Debbie Laskey.

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

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

Monday, September 18, 2023

Thursday, April 13, 2023

SHARE THIS: Being a boss and being a leader are not the same thing, even though they may seem similar on paper. ~@CardinalRos #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: There are key differences between managing a team and truly leading a team. ~@CardinalRos #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: If you are a leader, you empower people and support them to be successful and are not threatened by their successes. ~@CardinalRos #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: Some of the negative silo behaviour we see in organisations is simply caused by teams not understanding what the other teams do. ~@CardinalRos #DebbieLaskeysBlog