Gratitude

As we begin the Holiday season, it is a time for reflection, introspection and gratitude for the year coming to a close. We reflect on our famiiy, friends and the myriad of good fortune we experienced throughout the year. However, how often do we practice gratitude at work? How often do we spend time expressing our appreciation to the co-worker who helped with the project? Or the boss that supported us? It is a simple concept, yet seldom practiced in our work environment.

Eileen Caddy once said, "Gratitude helps you to grow and expand, gratitude brings joy and laughter in to your life and into the lives of all those around you." Today as you think about the individuals and teams that have supported you, take a moment to express your gratitude and appreciation. It will go a long way towards creating a more harmonious and joyful work environment.

Today, who will be the recipient of your gratitude at work?

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are taking a break this week for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Remeber to count your blessings!

The Leadership Challenge

One of my favorite books is The Leadership Challenge by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner. It was written over 30 years ago and was updated in 2007. The book is a culmination of their ongoing research and demonstrates the five exemplary leadership practices. It is a must read for leaders at all levels of an organization. I highly recommend keeping a copy on your bookshelf.

The five practices are as follows:

1. Model the Way: Leaders create standards of excellence and then set an example for others to follow. They establish principles relating to the way people should be treated and goals pursued. Interim goals are set so people can achieve small wins on the way to larger objectives.
2. Inspire a Shared Vision: Leaders envision the future, creating an ideal of what the organization can become. They enlist others in their dreams, and get employees to see exciting possibilities.
3. Challenge the Process: Leaders look for ways to change the status quo. They experiment and take risks, and look for innovative ways to improve the organization. Leaders understand that risk taking involves mistakes and failures and are willing to use them as learning opportunities.
4. Enable Others to Act: Leaders build teams and foster collaboration. They understand the importance of mutual respect to achieve goals, and create an atmosphere of trust. Leaders involve and strengthen others.
5. Encourage the Heart: Leaders recognize and celebrate individual and team contributions. They make people feel like heroes.

Leadership is everyone's business. Practicing these five principles will lead to stronger more resilient organizations.

As you think about your situation, how well are these five practices demonstrated in your organization?

Change Management for Success

We currently are in a time of great change. How we perceive that change makes all the difference. Do we see it as an opportunity for greater growth and development moving us toward what we want, or is it something we repeatedly resist? The saying, "what I resist, persists" is so very true. In any given situation we have a choice.

Leaders in organizations are also faced with this choice. How she/he thinks about change sets the tone for the rest of the organization. Change management begins with mindset, and then the changes must be implemented in a smart, thoughtful way. Manning and Curtis in their book, The Art of Leadership provide seven guidelines (pp.306-307) for implementing change. They are as follows:

1. Have a good reason for making the change. Will it support the organization's vision, values, missions, goals and objectives?
2. Personalize the change. Explain your commitment to the change, and let people know where you stand.
3. Implement change thoughtfully. Involve the people who are affected, allow people time to adjust (when possible), communicate regularly, and be available to discuss it.
4. Put a respected person in charge of the change. Let that individual tap the collective wisdom of the group or team to plan, coordinate and implement the change.
5. Tell the truth. Give the facts and rationale, not sugar coated pep talks.
6. Wait patiently for results (this is probably the most challenging part).
7. Acknowledge and reward people. Take the time to recognize and appreciate.

As you focus on what you want, and clearly see and communicate the change, you will move forward in ways that will increase the organization's success!

Are You Listening?

Recently while sitting in a meeting I observed the cross talk, side conversations and individual's reading their email. It dawned on me, do we really listen to one another any more? My contention is that if leaders would REALLY listen to their employees and ask powerful questions, we could dramatically improve organizational effectiveness.

There are three levels at which we listen as follows (Madelyn Burley-Allen, 14):

Level I: Empathetic Listening- At this level the listener attempts to see things from the other's point of view. It is both listening for content and context.

Level II: At this level the listener is hearing words and unable to hear the deeper meaning of what is being said. The listener is more concerned about content than feeling.

Level III: The listener is tuning in and out. Have you ever been in conversation with someone and realized you did not hear what he/she just said? I certainly have. The listener is more interested in talking than listening.

So, how do we become a better listener? Here are some helpful tips

1.Make a commitment to become a better listener. Throughout our lives we take alot of communication courses. Have you ever taken a listening course?
2. Stay present! It is easy to let the mind wander and think about the multiple projects and tasks at hand. Level I listening requires being present in the here and now.
3. Keep an open mind. Avoid listening from judgement, biases and preconceived notions.
4. Resist external distractions. Stay focused on the conversation.
5.When appropriate take notes. Particularly with clients, it is imperative I take notes during the conversation to insure uderstanding.
6. Ask open-ended questions for clarification. These include what, how, when and where, or statements such as "tell me more". I avoid using "why" as it tends to put the speaker on the defensive.
7. Use the communication skills of paraphrasing, summarizing, and reflecting (repeat what was said using the listener's words). It takes practice to become a Level I listener. However, the benefits well outweigh the effort. What can you do to improve your listening skills?

Conflict Resolution: Part IV

Sitting in Starbucks waiting for an appointment, I observed a mother and her three year old son. The little boy was exploring all aspects of the coffee shop. At one point, he stopped and yelled to his mother, "I see you" over and over and over again. He then moved to different parts of the room and continued his chorus of "I see you". After watching this for five minutes, I realized all he wanted was for his mother to say, "I see you!" She never did. In that moment the greater realization came that conflict resolution is really about seeing and hearing others' perspectives. It is saying, "I see you!"

As we conclude the four week series on conflict resolution, we are left with the question, "How do we resolve conflict?" The following steps will address this issue. Although these steps provide a foundation for resolution, it is the constant practice which brings great results.

These steps will provide a basis for dealing with conflict as follows:

1. Prepare
2. Set up a time to meet in a neutral environment. It prevents both individuals from feeling he/she has an advantage.
3. Establish some operating principles. These can include guidelines such as being respectful, listening and being open and honest.
4. Each participant shares her/his perspective.
5. Summarize after each participant has shared to ensure understanding.
6. Talk until a breakthrough occurs. This is evidenced by conciliatory gestures (Conflict Resolution by Dan Dana). Conciliatory gestures include apologizing, owning responsibility, conceding, self-disclosure, expressing positive feelings and initiating both gain (Dana, 71).
7. Utilize communication skills: listening, reflecting, paraphrasing, summarizing and asking open-ended questions.
8. Create a behaviorally specific agreement. It answers the question, "How will our behavior be different going forward?"
9. Schedule a follow up meeting.

It takes practice and a willingness to resolve conflict. The greatest benefits are more innovative, and creative solutions occur when conflict is dealt with and resolved.

How do you deal with conflict now? How will you deal with it going forward?

Conflict Resolution: Part III

During my graduate work in conflict management and dispute resolution I took a class called Workplace Mediation with Judy Mares-Dixon of Mares-Dixon and Associates. It was a fabulous class and she was one of the best professors I had. She talked about the dynamics of conflict or as I like to call them, the sources of conflict. There are five: relationship problems, data problems, value differences, structural problems and interests. As we continue our discussion on conflict resolution, examining these five areas can help in identifying the root causes of current issues facing your organization.

Beginning with relationship problems let's explore these dynamics. There are times that a lack of trust and respect, style or communication differences can ignite or feed conflict. For example, in one organization in which I mediated, the two parties distrusted each other enormously. Until the parties could find some level of trust through communication, it would be difficult for them to move forward.

Data problems exist when there is inaccurate, incorrect or missing information. When employees do not receive the necessary data, they tend to interpret information through their own filters.

Conflict can also be caused by value differences. We know by observing behavior what people value. At one point in my career, I worked for an organization where there were huge value difference. My value of integrity was very different from how the owners conducted business. I was very conflicted inside. Over time my position was eliminated and I left the organization. I later realized the end result was inevitable due to those differences.

Structural problems exist within organizations. Have you ever worked for two bosses? Have you ever experienced a lack of clarity in your position? Have you ever lacked the necessary resources to do your job well? If you answered yes to any of these questions you are dealing with structural problems.

Last but not least are interests. In conflict resolution, part of the goal is to find common interests. Interests are the underlying reasons for what we want. For example, if Bill and Sue are working on a project together, they want it to be successful. However, their interests may be very different. Bill wants the project to be a success because he will look good and it will advance his career. Sue wants the project to be successful so that there will be repeat business and the company's reputation in the market place will grow.

When examining conflict, explore the dynamics of relationship problems, data problems, value differences, structural problems and interests. Often time, there may be more than one of these factors in play.

Which of these factor(s) do you most often see in your organization?