I am sitting in Melbourne airport, have been for quite some time. Boarded a un-otherwise-unnamed Australian airline and sat on a tarmac for an hour, only to be ushered off sometime later due to a mechanical fault where hydraulic fluid was leaking into the tarmac from the plane. Knowing how little I actually do know about all things mechanical, I kind of knew that hydraulic fluid was important... for braking I think!
I had a quite chuckle to myself and prepared my belongings to leave the plane and head for some refreshments. These things happen and I would much rather be late and on a plane that could brake and stop at the other end, than something quite the opposite. What amazed me though was the reaction of some of the other passengers. Sure, people may have connecting flights and this may spoil the first day of a holiday for others; but can they do anything about it or control it? No.
With this thought in mind, I asked the guy in front on me lining up for a coffee once we disembarked if he was on the same flight. His response was a grunt, a few expletives, a laugh and a resounding “yes I am on that damn flight, wish I wasn’t though. Damn pilots. Damn airline”
Hmmm. Really? The pilots are to blame? The airline is to blame. Sure, OK, the airline may take some of the brunt, but surely doing the right thing by keeping people safe was much more important? There are people in this world who are always in a hurry to get somewhere and who always seem to have an issue with those who aren’t. I started to wonder where this comes from. Is it because they simply can’t control the other person or the situation, therefore resulting in a rant and rave about what they otherwise wished? Is it because they are so unhappy with the present that they can’t wait to move out of it and into the future? Or is it because they haven’t stopped lately to really take in the NOW and be totally present with what they have in life? Possible option could be D, all of the above.
I myself used to be someone who was always in a rush to get somewhere. It landed me with nothing more than a really nice dose of anxiety topped off with a side serve of panic. These days, I am still very focussed and know what I want and I have goals.... to those on the outside looking in, I may seem rushed at times. The difference is it is now balanced with purpose and an ability to stop and take in the moment.
As a leader, I am conscious of how this is at work. I may have a ton of things on, but if someone needs me, I have the ability to stop what I am doing, be present in the moment for them and make them feel as if they are the most important thing in the world right now. And quite frankly, they are. Without people in our teams and businesses that feel supported and nurtured, what do we have left?
The next time your employees need you, stop in that moment and really be there for them. Cast aside the external distractions if you are able to and just be present. Without saying that you are doing it, they will feel the difference. That’s intention and genuineness speaking to you. If you have a true intention to be present and it is done with the best interest of the other person (genuinely) then what I often find is that it’s not what we do, but how we do it and how we are being perceived in that moment that counts.
Have you ever received service from someone, maybe a cafe or shop assistant? On the outside, they WERE ALL SMILES AND ‘CAN I HELP YOU?” moments but really what you felt was boredom, frustration, resentment or something similar? Wonder if you’ll ever go back to them next time you need the same item?
Your employees are your best asset for your business. Treat them with the same respect and loyalty that you would a near and dear family member and you will get the same in return.....always.
Love to hear your thoughts on this one.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Ahhh, The Luck Of The Irish!
Ahem, well, not really.... but it’s St Patricks day and as my post is about different cultures in the workplace, I wanted to have a title that got your attention!!
As some of my friends and family would know, I am having renovations done to my place. I’m calling them renovations for lack of a better word for some maintenance issues! Anyway, this afternoon I have had a lovely chap in my place working on the reno and we got talking about where his heritage comes from. He had an accent I couldn’t place and was talking about travel he had done. Turns out, he came to Melbourne from New Zealand and was born in Italy. His Father is Italian-Hungarian and his Mother is German-Maori which has led him to being very culturally aware and open to others, something he is obviously very proud of.
However, he has been working in Melbourne for 2 years now and has found quite the opposite of the people around him in the workplace. Interestingly enough, his colleagues find him ‘a nice enough guy’ but he really hasn’t fitted in and is looking for somewhere new to work. For some reason, he opened up to me about how the other guys all share a joke but exclude him, how the others catch up socially with people that are like them, and he is left out. He also mentioned how his manager jokes around with him and pokes fun at him because of where he comes from. Always in ‘good fun’ but is there not a hint of truth behind sarcasm?
This guys’ customer service was amazing – he checked and rechecked everything and was clearly proud that he could do, and was doing, a good job. So why was it that he was feeling excluded and not ‘part of the in-crowd’? Why was it that he found it hard to be accepted by his workmates?
Interestingly enough, modern day Australian businesses still vary greatly on the acceptance of true diversity in the workplace. Some corporations have a diversity agenda which promotes that if we harness the difference in others, we harness the strength of our organisaiton which inturn provides opportunities for our customers. I once worked with an organisation that every Friday morning tea was put on by a staff member who brought something in from their cultural background – everyone downed tools for 20 minutes, ate, had a cuppa and chatted. Amazing how food can bring people together!!
Other organisations, however, seem to be still stuck in the dark ages where different can mean wrong, incompetent or fearful. How is it that people can still be fearful of something or someone who is not like them? I often say that the communication we get from others is equal to the communication we give – unconsciously or consciously. Therefore, if we fear that something different in others, what are we actually fearing about ourselves?
I will leave you with some questions to ask yourself about you and your team or business:
• How can you harness the fabulous differentiating factors of your team that will open up a wealth of history, information and opportunity?
• How can you look at diversity as more than male/female ratio or age?
• How can you lead by example with your workforce so that others who look to you for guidance can learn as well?
• When you bring in people from different backgrounds and cultures, how do you onboard them with the rest of the team to set the right communication model?
• And finally..... If other saw you as different, how would you want them to treat you?
Would love to hear your feedback!
As some of my friends and family would know, I am having renovations done to my place. I’m calling them renovations for lack of a better word for some maintenance issues! Anyway, this afternoon I have had a lovely chap in my place working on the reno and we got talking about where his heritage comes from. He had an accent I couldn’t place and was talking about travel he had done. Turns out, he came to Melbourne from New Zealand and was born in Italy. His Father is Italian-Hungarian and his Mother is German-Maori which has led him to being very culturally aware and open to others, something he is obviously very proud of.
However, he has been working in Melbourne for 2 years now and has found quite the opposite of the people around him in the workplace. Interestingly enough, his colleagues find him ‘a nice enough guy’ but he really hasn’t fitted in and is looking for somewhere new to work. For some reason, he opened up to me about how the other guys all share a joke but exclude him, how the others catch up socially with people that are like them, and he is left out. He also mentioned how his manager jokes around with him and pokes fun at him because of where he comes from. Always in ‘good fun’ but is there not a hint of truth behind sarcasm?
This guys’ customer service was amazing – he checked and rechecked everything and was clearly proud that he could do, and was doing, a good job. So why was it that he was feeling excluded and not ‘part of the in-crowd’? Why was it that he found it hard to be accepted by his workmates?
Interestingly enough, modern day Australian businesses still vary greatly on the acceptance of true diversity in the workplace. Some corporations have a diversity agenda which promotes that if we harness the difference in others, we harness the strength of our organisaiton which inturn provides opportunities for our customers. I once worked with an organisation that every Friday morning tea was put on by a staff member who brought something in from their cultural background – everyone downed tools for 20 minutes, ate, had a cuppa and chatted. Amazing how food can bring people together!!
Other organisations, however, seem to be still stuck in the dark ages where different can mean wrong, incompetent or fearful. How is it that people can still be fearful of something or someone who is not like them? I often say that the communication we get from others is equal to the communication we give – unconsciously or consciously. Therefore, if we fear that something different in others, what are we actually fearing about ourselves?
I will leave you with some questions to ask yourself about you and your team or business:
• How can you harness the fabulous differentiating factors of your team that will open up a wealth of history, information and opportunity?
• How can you look at diversity as more than male/female ratio or age?
• How can you lead by example with your workforce so that others who look to you for guidance can learn as well?
• When you bring in people from different backgrounds and cultures, how do you onboard them with the rest of the team to set the right communication model?
• And finally..... If other saw you as different, how would you want them to treat you?
Would love to hear your feedback!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Managing The Performance Or The Person?
We are who we are.... Or are we? People change.... Don’t they?
Have you ever noticed that when your thoughts change about someone, they change the way they are with you? It has been said that ‘the communication we get is equal to the communication we give’ so if you are thinking and acting with someone through a lens of anger or mistrust, it is likely that you will get some attitude and mistrust coming right back at you!
This is when managing performance of others can provide us with some challenges as leaders:
• If we don’t act on the feeling we have, it can build and change the way we are or what we perceive to be true
• If we get feedback about someone and don’t act on it, the feedback can be the lens we see them through
• If we see someone not doing the right thing and leave it, our trust in them declines as does our feeling towards them
• If we have work delivered to us but not to the standard we asked for, we perceive that the person isn’t up to scratch and is a poor performer which again, muddies the waters of how we are with them
So, do we manage the person or the performance? Both.
When giving feedback, there are some vital mistakes that leaders make:
• They don’t stick to the facts
• They don’t give the feedback at an appropriate time. Giving feedback about something weeks after the event is not helpful to the person receiving the feedback
• They bring in other pieces of evidence that are different or old news, which can be confusing for the recipient
• They aren’t honest and may blur the lines ‘to be nice’ or through fear or not being liked
• Or they go too far the other way and take the bullish approach
• I’m sure you can list other mistakes here that you have seen or experienced... I know there are more out there!
So, what does constitute and effective performance conversation or feedback conversation?
It’s easy.
Really. It is! Just like when you first learnt to do something difficult or challenging like riding a bike or driving a car, before you know it, it becomes part of you and something you can do well to the betterment of your team, your business and your leadership.
Let’s start with the first aspect – Giving Constructive Feedback. To give constructive feedback effectively, you should:
• Ensure it is given in an appropriate setting with privacy and room for confidential discussion
• Ensure it is an appropriate time and not in the middle of when they have a key task due for example
• Let them know that you would like to have a chat with them about feedback before the discussion, say that morning, so it’s not a surprise. In doing so, ensure its given in a friendly and open tone to promote trust and respect
• Structure the feedback:
o Tom, I really admire the project that you completed the other day because... and reinforce the good elements of behaviour or output
o Tom, on another note, I’d like to discuss a situation (be specific) with you
o What I noticed/had feedback on in this situation was... specifics again!
o What I’d like to see more of is... OR... if this comes up again Tom, I’d like to see you perform the task this way or behave according to our professional standards etc. State the what you want and how you want it
o To wrap up Tom, I really value your contribution to the team and I look forward to seeing some improved results that make you shine even brighter.
You get the picture.... words to that effect. State the positive, the constructive and then the positive again. To close out the process, check in with Tom to see if there are reasons behind the behaviour or feedback. These reasons can often explain quite a few things. Some common reasons for poor performance, mistakes and behavioural issues can be:
• Health and wellbeing including mental health
• Skill level or training requirements
• Relationship issues both internal with workmates or external that is being brought to work
• Relationship with you, the manager
• Square peg, round hole syndrome
• Confidence in their own abilities
• And again, I’m sure there are others things we could list here but you get it!
For me, the behaviour or poor performance is ALWAYS a symptom of something else that is going on. Find and support the something else, you help to improve performance and behaviours.
In my next blog, I’ll be talking more about handling some of these symptoms more closely as it relates to managing performance. For more information, you can sign up to receive some free resources on http://www.profitsthrupeople.com/
Have a Great Day!
Have you ever noticed that when your thoughts change about someone, they change the way they are with you? It has been said that ‘the communication we get is equal to the communication we give’ so if you are thinking and acting with someone through a lens of anger or mistrust, it is likely that you will get some attitude and mistrust coming right back at you!
This is when managing performance of others can provide us with some challenges as leaders:
• If we don’t act on the feeling we have, it can build and change the way we are or what we perceive to be true
• If we get feedback about someone and don’t act on it, the feedback can be the lens we see them through
• If we see someone not doing the right thing and leave it, our trust in them declines as does our feeling towards them
• If we have work delivered to us but not to the standard we asked for, we perceive that the person isn’t up to scratch and is a poor performer which again, muddies the waters of how we are with them
So, do we manage the person or the performance? Both.
When giving feedback, there are some vital mistakes that leaders make:
• They don’t stick to the facts
• They don’t give the feedback at an appropriate time. Giving feedback about something weeks after the event is not helpful to the person receiving the feedback
• They bring in other pieces of evidence that are different or old news, which can be confusing for the recipient
• They aren’t honest and may blur the lines ‘to be nice’ or through fear or not being liked
• Or they go too far the other way and take the bullish approach
• I’m sure you can list other mistakes here that you have seen or experienced... I know there are more out there!
So, what does constitute and effective performance conversation or feedback conversation?
It’s easy.
Really. It is! Just like when you first learnt to do something difficult or challenging like riding a bike or driving a car, before you know it, it becomes part of you and something you can do well to the betterment of your team, your business and your leadership.
Let’s start with the first aspect – Giving Constructive Feedback. To give constructive feedback effectively, you should:
• Ensure it is given in an appropriate setting with privacy and room for confidential discussion
• Ensure it is an appropriate time and not in the middle of when they have a key task due for example
• Let them know that you would like to have a chat with them about feedback before the discussion, say that morning, so it’s not a surprise. In doing so, ensure its given in a friendly and open tone to promote trust and respect
• Structure the feedback:
o Tom, I really admire the project that you completed the other day because... and reinforce the good elements of behaviour or output
o Tom, on another note, I’d like to discuss a situation (be specific) with you
o What I noticed/had feedback on in this situation was... specifics again!
o What I’d like to see more of is... OR... if this comes up again Tom, I’d like to see you perform the task this way or behave according to our professional standards etc. State the what you want and how you want it
o To wrap up Tom, I really value your contribution to the team and I look forward to seeing some improved results that make you shine even brighter.
You get the picture.... words to that effect. State the positive, the constructive and then the positive again. To close out the process, check in with Tom to see if there are reasons behind the behaviour or feedback. These reasons can often explain quite a few things. Some common reasons for poor performance, mistakes and behavioural issues can be:
• Health and wellbeing including mental health
• Skill level or training requirements
• Relationship issues both internal with workmates or external that is being brought to work
• Relationship with you, the manager
• Square peg, round hole syndrome
• Confidence in their own abilities
• And again, I’m sure there are others things we could list here but you get it!
For me, the behaviour or poor performance is ALWAYS a symptom of something else that is going on. Find and support the something else, you help to improve performance and behaviours.
In my next blog, I’ll be talking more about handling some of these symptoms more closely as it relates to managing performance. For more information, you can sign up to receive some free resources on http://www.profitsthrupeople.com/
Have a Great Day!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Duck For Cover!
It always amazes me just how much we follow others. Some of us always want (or think we need) the latest gadget, the latest clothing or sometimes, we follow in other ways like lining up in a queue because others are lining up ahead of us.
It’s rare to find someone who stands out from the pack and is not afraid of doing so. They are not afraid of people judging, looking, leering even.... they just know the direction they want to head and they go there. Amusing to watch when others take a moment to think twice, and then follow that person too!
I had this very experience today. It was a sunny start to a fine Saturday in Melbourne, Australia. The weather people had forecast rain and storms but in the morning, it all seemed fine. I was at a friends’ cricket match and knew I had a distance to travel home and that’s when I saw the black cloud approach....
As I hopped in my car to beat the oncoming weather home (Melbourne can come to a grinding halt when bad weather hits!) the sky grew black and at 2.30pm, every car had lights on to see through the midnight darkness.
Then it started. The light rain turned to heavy rain which turned to small hail in a matter of moments. Stuck in my car, holding onto my windshield in case it cracked under the increasingly large hail, looking at the people next to me with a bewildered “What do we do now?” on our face, I had to laugh out loud. Mother nature sure was putting on a show and she wasn’t holding back!
I had a moment of thinking that I’m about to do something that people are going to either (a) laugh at me or (b) follow me and in that moment, I decided to be the leader and take a risk. As the hail got harder, I politely drove my car up under a shop awning to get some cover. By this stage, I think my paint job had a few dimples, and with the risk of breaking windows, I did something no one else was doing.
At that moment of ‘curbing’ my car (new term I have invented as a result of this!) a few people did laugh at me and kept on driving by. Then, one car pulled up behind me under the shelter. They tooted their horn and waved at me in appreciation for thinking outside the box. One by one, people saw what we had done and followed suit. Before I knew it, an inner city shopping strip was not only a torrent of rising water, but a sheltered car park of people all following each other for safety.
So I ask you... when was the last time you did something as a leader that had a risk of ridicule? When was the last time you did something that the rest of the pack wasn’t doing and what kind of difference did that make?
If doing something out of the ordinary can save my car (and me!) from a storm, then what is the next thing you can do that will improve how you lead yourself? If by leading yourself, how will this make a difference to those who look to you for leadership?
It’s rare to find someone who stands out from the pack and is not afraid of doing so. They are not afraid of people judging, looking, leering even.... they just know the direction they want to head and they go there. Amusing to watch when others take a moment to think twice, and then follow that person too!
I had this very experience today. It was a sunny start to a fine Saturday in Melbourne, Australia. The weather people had forecast rain and storms but in the morning, it all seemed fine. I was at a friends’ cricket match and knew I had a distance to travel home and that’s when I saw the black cloud approach....
As I hopped in my car to beat the oncoming weather home (Melbourne can come to a grinding halt when bad weather hits!) the sky grew black and at 2.30pm, every car had lights on to see through the midnight darkness.
Then it started. The light rain turned to heavy rain which turned to small hail in a matter of moments. Stuck in my car, holding onto my windshield in case it cracked under the increasingly large hail, looking at the people next to me with a bewildered “What do we do now?” on our face, I had to laugh out loud. Mother nature sure was putting on a show and she wasn’t holding back!
I had a moment of thinking that I’m about to do something that people are going to either (a) laugh at me or (b) follow me and in that moment, I decided to be the leader and take a risk. As the hail got harder, I politely drove my car up under a shop awning to get some cover. By this stage, I think my paint job had a few dimples, and with the risk of breaking windows, I did something no one else was doing.
At that moment of ‘curbing’ my car (new term I have invented as a result of this!) a few people did laugh at me and kept on driving by. Then, one car pulled up behind me under the shelter. They tooted their horn and waved at me in appreciation for thinking outside the box. One by one, people saw what we had done and followed suit. Before I knew it, an inner city shopping strip was not only a torrent of rising water, but a sheltered car park of people all following each other for safety.
So I ask you... when was the last time you did something as a leader that had a risk of ridicule? When was the last time you did something that the rest of the pack wasn’t doing and what kind of difference did that make?
If doing something out of the ordinary can save my car (and me!) from a storm, then what is the next thing you can do that will improve how you lead yourself? If by leading yourself, how will this make a difference to those who look to you for leadership?
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