Competition versus Collaboration

Want to add a good book to your non-fiction to-be-read pile? I recently read "UNCOMPETE: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success" by Ruchika T. Malhotra and highly recommend it.

Ruchika Malhotra, an award-winning inclusion strategist and speaker, is CEO and Founder of Candour, which works with organizations to create diverse teams and inclusive cultures. A former business journalist, she has reported from four countries and writes regularly on inclusive leadership for the Harvard Business Review. She was named to the Thinkers50 list, a global ranking described by the Financial Times as the "Oscars of Management Thinking." And she wrote two books prior to UNCOMPETE: "Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work" and "The Diversity Advantage." Back in 2025, Ruchika graciously appeared here on my blog in a Q&A.

Here were some stand-out concepts from the book:

Ruchika explained that when we UNCOMPETE, we intentionally:

(1) CHOOSE what's best for the group and environment NOT INSTEAD OF the individual;

(2) ACT in the spirit of collaboration, curiosity, and consideration; and

(3) RESIST cultural norms that are rooted in the domination and exploitation of others, especially marginalized communities.

Ruchika further explained that "When you uncompete, you live up to the promise of a world where everyone wins. And not just you, but your community, your society, and the world...To uncompete offers an alternative where we are empowered, grounded, and forward-looking. We move from believing we have no agency to knowing we can make choices to change our lives and the lives around us. To uncompete is to invest in building a beautiful, thriving future for all."

A memorable example from the book was the reference to the medal podium at the 2024 Paris Olympics from the individual gymnastics competition. You may recall the inspiring photo of the three winners: Gold Medalist Rebecca Andrade from Brazil, Silver Medalist American Simone Biles, and Bronze Medalist American Jordan Chiles. The two Americans bowed to Andrade. This was the perfect example of the theory behind UNCOMPETE because the two Americans were "finding joy in others' joy" - they were applauding Andrade's accomplishment with tremendous respect.

SHARE THIS: When we uncompete, we thrive. Each and every one of us. ~Ruchika T. Malhotra in UNCOMPETE #bookreview #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else. ~Toni Morrison shared by Ruchika T. Malhotra in UNCOMPETE #bookreview #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credit: Amazon.

Read: Inclusion Is an Opportunity! Q&A and Review of "Inclusion on Purpose" (February 2025):

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2025/02/inclusion-is-opportunity.html

Inspiration for Global Company Culture Month - And Day!

Truer words were never spoken that corporate culture is important. That may be one reason why the entire month of September is dedicated to creating better workplace cultures - as well as on September 18.

According to NationalToday.com, "Global Company Culture Month happens every year during the month of September. The entire month is dedicated to creating a global dialogue about how we can make the world of work better through culture building. Thriving company culture is not something that happens overnight. This month of awareness was created to help companies celebrate great company cultures and explore how to improve broken company cultures...Employees are more engaged in companies with positive workplace cultures, where they feel supported and empowered to do their best work. It is important to focus on improving employee engagement, satisfaction, and happiness to achieve this. This will lead to increased productivity and improved results from all employees."

And, did you know, created by the Global Company Culture Association in 2019 and observed every year on September 18th, GLOBAL COMPANY CULTURE DAY is a day for companies and leaders to focus on ensuring that their corporate culture functions in a way that, above all, maximizes the happiness of employees?

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

I recently gained some inspiration from Justin Wright and wanted to share his commentary:

"Leaders are like Wi-Fi.

Good ones connect and empower you.

Bad ones leave you frustrated and unproductive.

Think about the best leader you ever had.

You felt seen. Supported. Unstoppable.

Now think about the worst.

The anxiety. The micromanaging.

The slow erosion of your confidence.

The difference is night and day.

Great leaders:

Have your back when things go wrong.

Push you to grow, not to break.

Listen more than they talk.

Celebrate your wins.

They're the ones who:

Help you see your potential.

Make you believe in yourself.

Create a team that feels like home.

Understand and manage their own emotions.

Toxic leaders? They do the opposite:

They take credit for your work.

They micromanage every little thing.

They play favorites and create drama.

They blame you when things go south.

Working for them feels like:

Losing your passion for what you do.

Feeling emotionally drained.

Never being good enough.

Walking on eggshells.

So, leaders, remember:

Your TEAM'S SUCCESS is YOUR LEGACY."

SHARE THIS: Your team's success is your legacy. ~Justin Wright #GlobalCompanyCultureDay #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credit: Justin Wright via LinkedIn.

Read previous posts celebrating Global Company Culture Day here on my blog:

Serving in a New Role Today on Global Company Culture Day (September 18, 2024)

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2024/09/serving-in-new-role-today-on-global.html

Let's Celebrate Global Company Culture Day! (September 18, 2023)

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

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

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

Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day with Gregg Vanourek

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Image Credit: Adobe.

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

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

Connect with Gregg at these links:

Website: https://www.greggvanourek.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

SPRING LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Gregg Vanourek  (April 2024)

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

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

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

Inclusion Is an Opportunity!

While Twitter/X may be off some people's radar due to its ownership change in 2023, I continue to meet and be inspired by interesting thought leaders on that platform. I recently met Ruchika Malhotra, read her book about inclusion, and invited her to participate in a Q&A here on my blog. Highlights of our discussion follow a brief introduction, but first, today is an appropriate day to feature Ruchika.

That's because today is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. According to Wikipedia, "The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is an annual observance adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to promote the full and equal access and participation of women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 70/212 on 22 December 2015, which proclaimed the 11th day of February as the annual commemoration of the observance. A theme is selected annually to highlight a particular focus and area of discussion around a focus point for gender equality in science."

Ruchika Malhotra, an award-winning inclusion strategist and speaker, is CEO and Founder of Candour, which works with organizations to create diverse teams and inclusive cultures. A former business journalist, she has reported from four countries and writes regularly on inclusive leadership for the Harvard Business Review. She was named to the Thinkers50 list, a global ranking described by the Financial Times as the "Oscars of management thinking."

QUESTION: What are three take-aways you hope all readers will have after reading your book? ("Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work")

RUCHIKA MALHOTRA: Here are my three take-aways:

1. I really hope that managers, leaders, and employees at all levels take time to reflect on, learn, build awareness, get uncomfortable and only then take action towards creating a more inclusive workplace. Good intentions don't always lead to good outcomes.

2. I'd love for a key takeaway to be that we all have a role to play in creating an inclusive environment; it's not just HR or a CEO's job.

3. When I think about the biggest opportunity for meaningful change from an intersectional lens, it is to ensure that Black, Indigenous and other people of color are at the forefront of any major effort around creating culture and belonging.

QUESTION: Please briefly explain your "BRIDGE Framework."

RUCHIKA MALHOTRA: I believe inclusion is a mindset, it's not just hardwired in us, and it requires ongoing, intentional work.

To cultivate an inclusion mindset, you have to ground yourself in a growth mindset. Carol Dweck, author of "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success," has shown that success hinges on believing that you can learn and grow in the face of challenges. By contrast, a fixed mindset keeps us stuck and shying away from challenges, believing our talents are innate rather than developed through practice and perseverance.

Cultivating an inclusion mindset requires us to BRIDGE the gap between our good intentions and true impact. To do this, we must:

~Be ok with being uncomfortable.

~Reflect on what you don't know.

~Invite feedback.

~Don't get defensive.

~Grow from your mistakes.

~Expect that change takes time.

QUESTION: I will never forget one extreme example of online harassment detailed in your book. What actions can women take to stop these types of situations from happening?

(The example was this: The online social media platform Pinterest promoted slave plantations as wedding and event venues, and when an employee discovered that fact and told her manager, she was harassed, her performance was dinged, her pay was affected, and her personal info was posted online.)

RUCHIKA MALHOTRA: I believe that an ally is a verb, not a noun. It's not who you are, it's what you do. To practice allyship means asking: How do I plan to intervene when I see someone being harmed because of their identities? How does my privilege allow me to stand up for them?

In the example of Pinterest in my book, it would be going up to leaders at the organization and standing in solidarity with the woman of color who was harmed, demanding change, and especially, ensuring her pay and position were restored. Too many of us passively stand by thinking that just because we believe in justice in theory, we don't take action in practice to stand up for justice. That's precisely how we perpetuate injustice and harm.

SHARE THIS: To practice allyship means asking: How do I plan to intervene when I see someone being harmed because of their identities? How does my privilege allow me to stand up for them? ~@rtulshyan #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: When I was in graduate school in the mid-1990's in San Francisco, one of my tenured professors said to the class, "Women don't belong in grad school. They belong at home in the kitchen." How would you have responded if you had been in my shoes?

RUCHIKA MALHOTRA: I would have walked out and reported them. I don't believe in getting into arguments with people who hold these views. Only when people are willing to listen and learn with an open mind do I get into these discussions – women should not have to prove our humanity or worth to anyone.

QUESTION: In your book, you wrote, "Reading fiction or watching a film that portrays a life very different from ours can help build empathy. When we can temporarily step out of what's familiar and immerse ourselves in the shoes of someone different from us, it can have a strong impact on how empathetic we feel toward others. Research also suggests that we can be better attuned to the social and emotional lives of others by consuming fiction." Therefore, what are some of your favorite works of fiction, and why - and what was the last novel you read?

RUCHIKA MALHOTRA: These are fiction works I come back to really often:

1. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, on how the intergenerational effects of slavery and trauma impact the characters in her book for generations and how that has such a material impact on their present.

2. Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue. In general, I've been trying to read more novels from authors from the African continent and diaspora, as I am aware how much our culture lacks accurate representation and portrayals of people from that continent.

3. Anything by Jasmine Guillory. People might be surprised to know that I thoroughly enjoy romance novels featuring a diversity of characters – by race, age, body size, ability, sexual orientation, etc. One of the long-standing impacts of racial inequality in stories is that growing up, romance books, romcom movies, etc., never featured people who looked like me – so it became impossible to imagine a protagonist who could live a funny, messy, complicated life. I love imagining us in "normal" everyday ways as much as extraordinary stories, all that's available to our cis, straight, white counterparts.

SHARE THIS: When we can immerse ourselves in the shoes of someone different from us, it can have a strong impact on how empathetic we feel toward others. ~@rtulshyan #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

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

RUCHIKA MALHOTRA: Here are my five:

1. Audre Lorde would be at the top of the list. Her foresight to capture what we’re navigating in the world right now is absolutely remarkable, and although she was not considered a CEO or leadership expert in her time, I'd say she really exemplifies what it means to be a leader.

2. Oprah Winfrey is the GOAT in my eyes. Her ability to bring people together through stories inspired me from a young age and still does.

3. From corporate America (sort of), it would be Chanel's CEO Leena Nair, who is extraordinary in becoming the first non-French CEO of a French luxury brand and very candid about all that has entailed.

4. Thasunda Brown Duckett's leadership in her interviews has been really inspiring - she has especially talked about a strong character as key to leadership.

5. Indra Nooyi's memoir was energizing for me – I am also impressed with how she's made caregiving and supporting employees who caregive her platform after her retirement from PepsiCo.

My gratitude to Ruchika for sharing her insights and for inspiring all of us to be more inclusive in our workplace cultures and in our perspectives.

Image Credit: Amazon.

Read an important article by Ruchika entitled, "Like Kamala Harris, my name has been mispronounced my whole life. Here's how I reclaimed it."

https://www.msnbc.com/know-your-value/career-growth/kamala-harris-name-mispronounced-whole-life-s-reclaimed-rcna165347

Connect with Ruchika at these links:

Website: https://www.ruchika.co/

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

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

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCU2QMNy-nMzOtNSCPBhIGg

Learn more about International Day of Women and Girls in Science:

https://sustainability-speakers.com/news/general-news/international-day-of-women-and-girls-in-science

What's Your Favorite Job Interview Question?

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

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

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

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE COMPANY CULTURE?

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

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

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

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

Image Credit: Daniel van den Berg via Unsplash.

Start Listening to Women = Removal of Barriers for Women Leaders

Michelle Redfern appeared here on my blog in a Q&A to celebrate International Women’s Day back in March 2022, and recently, we re-connected to revisit gender equality and leadership issues. Our convo follows a brief bio.

Michelle Redfern is a globally recognised gender equality, diversity, and inclusion strategist based in Australia. She advises organisations in the business and sporting sectors on DEI strategy development and implementation and works directly with women leaders to advance their careers. She has been recognised as one of Australia’s Top 100 Women of Influence and has won awards for her contribution to women’s advancement. She is passionate about what sets her soul on fire, closing the global leadership gender gap, and enabling women to have a career that soars!

QUESTION: A report entitled, "The Great Renegotiation: Report Rings Alarm that Nearly Half of Women Executives in Revenue Roles are Considering Leaving their Company," was published by Women in Revenue. According to Deanna Ransom, Executive Director of Women in Revenue, “When 50 percent of your female leadership isn’t happy, you need to take a close look internally. Marketing, sales, and customer success are the lifeblood of companies. We’re bringing customers in the door and closing the deals. Women aren’t being paid what they’re worth. They need equal pay, pay transparency, and mentorship to trust that they’re valued, heard, and have a clear career path. Otherwise, in this market they’re going to walk, take another offer, or possibly strike out on their own.” What are your thoughts?

(Read the full report here: https://21178334.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/21178334/WIR22-02_Survey-Report_Rebrand_Final.pdf?utm_source=WIR+2022+Ebook)

MICHELLE REDFERN: There is a lot going on in that question Debbie! I want to break it down into the key issues as I see them.
 
[1] HIGH RISK OF TURNOVER OF WOMEN AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL: The zeitgeist of the Great “R” whether it’s resignation, rethink, reset, or renegotiation, has reached a fever pitch since the Covid global pandemic. It seems like every place I look, there is another report telling us how bad things are for women. Women's workplace issues have always been there, but the conditions created by the pandemic shone a much-needed light on them. Ms. Ransom is spot on with her commentary, because a trend of 50% disengagement of executive women is a significant risk. And, like any other risk, it cannot be ignored and must be managed or mitigated.

[2] THE GENDER PAY GAP: The gender pay gap means that, on average, men earn a higher income than women. There are many driving factors, including male-dominated industries having higher pay rates (e.g., mining, manufacturing, and construction) with feminised industries (e.g., caregiving, teaching, and healthcare) earning much lower pay rates.

Also, women’s workforce participation must be addressed to close the gender gaps in the paid workforce. Women still perform 75% of the world’s unpaid labour, including caring.

Another factor is the leadership gender gap. Men still dominate the most senior and well-paid roles in society. Addressing the role of men in society is key – men must be taught from the outset of their lives that they are equally responsible for what I call the 3 C’s: Cooking, cleaning, and caring! Every one of us must challenge rigid gender stereotypes – and that begins at home.

[3] PAY TRANSPARENCY: A very bright light must be shone on the gender pay gap; one way is through greater transparency. There are two levels to this: the organisational level and the job level.

Organisational Level: Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has been reporting on Australia’s gender pay gap for over a decade, and from 2024 onwards, private-sector employer pay gaps will be published. This legislated reform will accelerate change for workplace gender equality.

Job Level: The State of New York mandated that employers disclose the compensation or range of compensation in any advertisement for a job, promotion, or transfer opportunity. Here’s the link to take a look: https://www.nyc.gov/site/cchr/media/pay-transparency.page.

[4] MENTORSHIP: I have been very vocal that women are over-mentored and under-promoted. If 50% of the women in your organisation are about to walk, for goodness’ sake, don’t assign them a mentor!  The better thing to do is to listen to the women in your organisation at every level to understand their lived experiences at work.

This means asking women three key questions:
First, “What is it like for you to work here?”
Second, “What should I do more of to support you?”
Third, “What should I do less of to support you?”

Use my discussion guide, How to Listen to Women, to help with this critical conversation. Here’s the link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/j657194lcmc27pr/Leaders%20Guide%20to%20Listening%20%28to%20women%29_2023.pdf?dl=0.

Executive and other women will vote with their feet when conditions in their workplace do not meet their needs. Leaders who are serious about sustainable high performance of their organisation who ignore this fact, and the factors leading to women's unhappiness and disengagement about their workplace, do so at the peril of being on the wrong side of the success/failure ledger.

SHARE THIS: Women will vote with their feet when conditions in their workplace do not meet their needs. ~@RedfernMichelle #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: Fast Company published an article entitled, "New Report Finds 60 Percent of Women in Leadership Feel Lonelier As Their Careers Progress." How can we reverse this trend?

(Read the full article here: https://www.fastcompany.com/90863592/women-leadership-feel-lonely-isolated)

MICHELLE REDFERN: Climbing up the leadership ladder, particularly as a CEO, can be a daunting experience with limited peers. That's why it's essential for women, regardless of their career stage, to actively seek out support groups. Women's networks offer a fantastic opportunity to connect with others in similar situations, exchange achievements and challenges, acquire new skills, and strategically expand networks.

QUESTION: In an article published by Harvard Business Review entitled "Where Women's Leadership Development Programs Fall Short," the theme was that these programs "can signal that women are deficient and need fixing, or that the under-representation of women in senior leadership positions is a result of their inability to compete with men." Wow! How can we turn around this inaccurate interpretation?

(Read the full article here: https://hbr.org/2023/03/where-womens-leadership-development-programs-fall-short)

MICHELLE REDFERN: One of my mantras is that women do not need fixing. The system does. The system (aka, patriarchal and misogynist attitudes) places barriers in the pathway of women who want to advance into leadership.

They manifest, typically, in three ways.

First: Policies and practices in organisations aren’t women-friendly.

Second: Unexamined mindsets of managers who make decisions about women (gender discrimination and bias).

Third: The skills that women are advised to develop most often (in fact, 97% of the time) fail to address how critical it is for women to develop and demonstrate business, strategic, and financial acumen.

QUESTION: According to an article published by the BBC entitled, "Why We Use Women’s Professional Titles Less Than Men’s," "Across many fields, women who have earned formal titles report that others neglect or dismiss these titles, or even condemn women’s claims to them." To see proof, we can look to the American First Lady to see how many people dismiss Dr. Jill Biden's title. So, how can we get gender parity when it comes to professional titles?

(Read the full article here: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210216-why-do-professional-titles-actually-matter?ocid=global_worklife_rss)

MICHELLE REDFERN: To properly introduce women, we should use titles that reflect their accomplishments. For instance, I introduce a woman with a PhD as "Doctor," even if she has not been using the title. It's important to encourage women to take pride in their achievements and address them accordingly.

QUESTION: You feature the words of the 27th Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, on your website: "I’m offended by the lack of women in positions of leadership and the way those that do make it are treated." Therefore, based on your experience, what three actions can all male leaders take to improve the workplace for women who aspire to become leaders?

MICHELLE REDFERN: Men who are in leadership positions must do the following:

First: Not assume they understand the lived experience of women in the workplace. THEY DO NOT.

Second: START LISTENING TO WOMEN. Ask women what works and what doesn’t work in the workplace for them. Ask women what must be done more of and what must be done less of to make the workplace a better place for women and to help them advance.

Third: Take action on the insights they have gained.

SHARE THIS: Men who are in leadership positions must not assume they understand the lived experience of women in the workplace. They do not. ~@RedfernMichelle #DebbieLaskeysBlog

My gratitude to Michelle for sharing her insights about leadership and gender equality.

Image Credit: Debbie Laskey.

Check out Michelle’s previous appearance here on my Blog:
Tips to Create Gender Equality in Your Workplace
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/03/tips-to-create-gender-equality-in-your.html

Connect with Michelle at these links:
About: https://www.advancingwomeninbusinessandsport.com/advance-with-michelle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdvancingWomeninBizandSport/
LinkedIn https://au.linkedin.com/in/michelleredfern
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RedfernMichelle
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelleredferndotcom/

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.

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

QUESTION: You wrote a post on your blog entitled, "Navigating the Challenges of Leading Remote or Hybrid Teams: 14 Leadership Strategies." What are some of the key strategies?

(Read the full post here:
https://www.shapingchange.com.au/navigating-the-challenges-of-remote-or-hybrid-teams-14-leadership-strategies/)

ROS CARDINAL: Leading a remote or hybrid team comes with its own set of challenges, such as, maintaining effective communication, fostering a sense of teamwork, managing remote workers, ensuring productivity, providing support and resources, dealing with time zone differences, and managing work-life balance. However, with the right strategies and support, these challenges can be overcome and lead to a successful team.

Some of the key strategies are:

Ensure that everyone is really clear about the goals and outcomes expected of them. When you are not co-located with other people, it can be hard to stay on track and motivated. Having clear expectations is important to keep everyone on track.

Have regular check-ins with the team. Along with regularly-scheduled team catchups on Zoom or Teams, make time to call team members for a chat regularly. Working remotely can be isolating. In addition to creating connection, it's an opportunity for your team member to ask questions, get your thoughts, and to share their ideas. This problem-solving chit chat happens easily when people are in the same room but isn't available to remote workers.

Encourage work/life balance. One of the things that research shows about remote workers is that they feel the pressure to be more productive than when they were in the office, almost trying to prove that they are working just as hard. This can lead to long hours. For workers at home, with a laptop and phone close by all the time, it can be tempting to work on weekends, or after hours. Make sure that your conversations with your remote workers include encouraging them to switch off.

Create connection and teamwork. When workers are remote, they can feel disconnected and isolated. Create time for not just work-related team meetings, but opportunities to connect as humans. You might organise a team games night or a team lunch, where everyone joins a Zoom or Teams session just to hang out together.

QUESTION: The onboarding experience is essential for long-term employees. In a post on your blog entitled, "10 Easy HR Video Ideas to Engage With Employees," you shared a wonderful list of video ideas. What are some of your favorites, and why?

(Read the full post here:
https://www.shapingchange.com.au/10-easy-hr-video-ideas-to-engage-with-employees/)

ROS CARDINAL: Video is a great way to connect with people if you can't meet with them face to face. As we get more accustomed to technology at home and in the workplace, everyone is more comfortable with watching videos.

My favourite uses for video in the workplace are:

Employee training: We run a number of our programs as blended learning. The participants get a video training per week, to watch or listen at a time that suits them, and we catch up as a group at the end of the week for questions, deeper dives, and case studies.

Onboarding: When I was the Organisational Development Manager in my last job before starting my business, onboarding was in my portfolio. We had a large and geographically dispersed business, with very diverse roles. I commissioned a "day in the life of" video where we had a film crew follow people around at work and get an introduction to what they did during the day. This video gave new employees an overview of what all the different functions did and also put a real employee face to the different parts of the business.

Employee and Team Introduction: These are a great way for people to get to know a new hire, and for teams to get to know each other. Some of the negative silo behaviour we see in organisations is simply caused by teams not understanding what the other teams do. In the past, I've suggested that teams invite members of other teams to visit and explain what they do, but a video can do the job too.

Workplace Guidelines and Policies: Particularly for those dry, but important policies that everyone needs to understand. Some people are not inclined to read lengthy documents, so an engaging video that explains the policy can be a great way to go.

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

QUESTION: What are some key take-aways you hope all readers have upon finishing your book entitled, THE RESILIENT EMPLOYEE?

ROS CARDINAL: The key takeaways would be these:

Change is a normal part of life, and our emotional reactions to change are normal too. Whenever I run my program that the book is based on, one of the most common pieces of feedback I get from participants is the relief of knowing that how they feel is normal and expected. They are also pleasantly surprised to find that most people in the room feel the same emotions, anger, grief, disappointment, excitement, and so on. The feeling of not being the only one is a great help.

Resilience is something you can build. Some people are naturally more resilient, but we can all exercise our resilience muscles and get better at it. Having a sense of purpose, having a good social support network, having a growth mindset, and learning from experiences, are things we can all do.

If you are a leader in the workplace, leading change is hard. Planning for change, thinking about how people will respond, creating a vision for the change, and supporting people through it are things that you need to do in addition to your normal day job. Where it goes wrong is when leaders ignore those things because they are too busy doing the day job. Sometimes leaders disappear during change, because they are struggling too, or they are worried that people will ask questions they can't answer, or people might be angry or upset and they don’t know how to handle it. It is better to be visible and imperfect than invisible.

QUESTION: If you could have dinner with three leaders from history or the modern era, who would you choose and why?

ROS CARDINAL: My three would be Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington, and Winston Churchill.

Richard Branson: I'd love to talk business with him. He's got such an interesting story and has disrupted industries. He's had a lot of failures as well, so he's a great role model for resilience.

Arianna Huffington: I've seen her speak at a conference and really admire how she completely changed her life after a health scare. Selling the Huffington Post, starting Thrive Global, and resetting everything, is such an inspiration.

Winston Churchill: My grandfather worked with him, and he was very funny and entertaining. He also had some epic inspirational speeches, and I'd really like to understand what it was like to lead a country at war.

My gratitude and appreciation to Ros for sharing her inspiring perspective about leadership, corporate culture, and the employee experience.

Image Credit: Swati B via Unsplash.

Connect with Ros at these links:
Twitter: @CardinalRos
https://www.shapingchange.com.au
https://rosalindcardinal.com

The Intersection of Employer Branding, Workplace Culture, and Leadership

 

As a member of the Twitterverse for more than 13 years, I always enjoy meeting new people and learning from them. To quote Matthew Kobach (@mkobach), "Twitter is a key that unlocks thousands of doors, some of which you never even knew existed." Recently, I connected with Michael Kerr from Canada, and invited him to appear here on my Blog in a Q&A discussion about employer branding, workplace culture, and leadership. Highlights of our conversation follow a brief introduction.

Michael Kerr is a Canadian Hall of Fame speaker who speaks on inspiring workplace cultures and businesses that leverage their humor resources to create outrageous results. He is the author of 8 books, including, “The Humor Advantage: Why Some Businesses Are Laughing All the Way to the Bank,” “Hire, Inspire, and Fuel Their Fire,” and “The Jerk-Free Workplace: How You Can Take the Lead to Create a Happier, More Inspiring Workplace.”

QUESTION: The employee onboarding process starts the moment an open position is advertised and reflects the employer brand. How can C-Suite and other top leadership teams understand the importance of employer branding?

MICHAEL KERR: 90% of the job of getting your culture right is making sure you invest in your recruitment, hiring, and onboarding. Leadership teams need to embrace the idea that if you are truly looking for the best possible candidates for any position, then in theory, if they really are the best, they can work anywhere they choose!  

So, you need to champion your distinct cultural advantage and brand and sell the benefits of why employees should work with you. And by bringing your cultural norms to life on your website and everywhere you recruit candidates from, you can start the process of teaching your cultural values and norms before employees have even begun working for you.

Finally, leaders need to embrace the chicken and egg relationship when it comes to having a strong culture brand – you need to hire top talent to help you strengthen your brand, but having a strong brand also helps you become the hunted – in tight labor markets you do not need to sweat as much to find employees because employees will be tripping over themselves to come and work for you!
   
QUESTION: There are many new titles for the head of personnel, aka Human Resources, including: Chief Happiness Officer, Chief People Officer, Chief Talent Officer, Chief Encouragement Officer, to name a few.

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

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

MICHAEL KERR: I also know of a Human Resources Manager whose alternative job title is “The Queen of Fun and Laughter,” so yes, there are an increasing number of alternative job titles popping up.

I’ve never been a fan of the phrase “human resources.” I actually find it somewhat dehumanizing and impersonal, so jazzing up the titles to make them more fun or to help redefine what the actual role is, or can be, is a good thing. Words matter. Labels matter. So, how we define roles at work is important. The crux of this, though, is making sure that this isn’t merely gimmicky window dressing. Actions speak louder than words and talk is cheap, so if you change job titles but nothing else changes, or those new names don’t reflect the reality of what the label conveys, then you are going to do nothing more than raise the level of cynicism amongst your employees!

TWEET THIS: Words matter. Labels matter. So, how we define roles at work is important. ~@HumorAtWork #WorkplaceCulture #DebbieLaskeysBlog

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

MICHAEL KERR: I think offering feedback is essentially the same whether employees are working at home or in the office. With remote employees, however, leaders need to be far more intentional about how often and how they communicate and connect with their employees. Leaders need to understand as well, that there’s a difference between checking UP ON remote employees versus checking IN with remote employees (anyone with teenagers at home understands this important distinction).  

When it comes to giving constructive feedback, leaders need to be more aware than ever before about how different forms of communication might not work as effectively. One study found, for example, that 50% of email messages have a “tonal issue.” Half the time respondents aren’t sure how to interpret the tone of the sender. So, leaders need to be extra careful about how they phrase feedback via email or even over the phone, where the employee doesn’t have the benefit of reading body language clues. Ideally, reserve any feedback conversations with remote employees for video meetings, or, even better, for longer conversations, make it a priority to meet face-to-face whenever possible.  

QUESTION: Which three leaders, from history or business, inspire you, and why?

MICHAEL KERR: That’s a tough question, there are so many options to choose from, and most of the ones that come to mind are leaders I’ve interviewed over the years from around the world for my work. Here are three that aren’t going to be household names!

One that comes to mind is Bill Strickland, author of Make the Impossible Possible. I met him and heard him speak over 10 years ago, and his talk was one of the most powerful talks I’ve ever heard, where he described how he, as the principal, turned around a poor, inner city school in Pittsburgh. It’s such an inspiring story of how leaders with a powerful vision can inspire massive change.

Another leader that inspires me is Mike Easton, the President and CEO of Argus Industries. Easton embodies so much of what I speak about regarding workplace culture: treating employees with respect and dignity, valuing the family members of employees, and embracing a workplace culture that values fun. In fact, one of his mantras that I love is, “Work is hard enough as it is without making it any harder, so let’s have fun while we’re working hard to achieve our goals!”

And finally, I’d name Kim Axelson, CEO of AFA JCDecaux, who I had the pleasure of interviewing in Copenhagen, Denmark. Axelson was a leader who, well into his 60’s, rather than retiring, decided to revitalize his company with a re-imagined workplace culture that launched their business into a new level of success, again, by embracing fun and humanity in the workplace. He had a child-like enthusiasm when he spoke about his employees and clearly was having the time of his life leading a re-invigorated company.   

QUESTION: According to Chelsea Castle on Twitter, “The number one way you can be a great boss? It has nothing to do with being in charge. It’s being a great teammate.” What are your thoughts about this concept?

MICHAEL KERR: I agree…but with a caveat. We’ve heard the phrase “servant leader,” and I think most people understand the importance of adopting a service mindset as a leader – that the job of a leader is to serve their employees and create more leaders, not more followers.

The danger, I suppose, in distilling it down to being a “great teammate” is that leaders still have a responsibility to well, lead, to make tough decisions, and to hold employees accountable for their work. Those duties can become challenging if everyone considers you one of the gang.

The notion of a boss as being a great teammate makes me think of one of the world’s worst fictional bosses, Michael Scott from The Office, who so desperately wanted to be liked by his employees that it constantly got in the way of his ability to lead them.

Now, I do agree with the notion that being a great leader has nothing to do with being in charge. There is a difference between being “the boss” and being a true leader. Your position as a boss or manager comes with your job title – it’s your business card label. But true leadership has nothing to do with your job title or what’s on your business card – true leadership is earned. It’s about your character and who you are as a person, not what’s written on your business card.

TWEET THIS: True leadership has nothing to do with your job title or what’s on your business card – true leadership is earned. ~@HumorAtWork #DebbieLaskeysBlog

My thanks to Michael for sharing his workplace and leadership insights and for appearing here on my Blog.

Image Credit: Eugene Golovesov via Unsplash.

Connect with Michael at these links:
Website: www.MikeKerr.com
Inspiring Workplaces YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UCeaRB1AE5C_RWBjK87wwRYg  
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkerr3
Twitter: @HumorAtWork
Facebook: /HumorAtWork