Ask any number of truly successful leaders of today and they will tell you, their success does not come from marking time. They are always in motion – thinking, doing, and leading change for their organizations, their teams and themselves. At the forefront of a successful business leader’s efforts are their company’s vision and acute awareness of how their actions affect that vision.

If you are looking to improve your change leadership skills, perhaps it’s time to get your act together!

Begin by making a regular habit of assessing your own act(ions); take a close look at a day/week/month in the life of you!  Make a list of specific actions you have taken that support the vision. Then, bring it into focus – analyze your list to determine:

- What gaps are evident?

- What actions have I taken (will I take) to close those gaps?

- What areas warrant more focus?

- Who can I turn to?  – What actions do I perform/oversee regularly can be delegated and to whom can they be assigned?

-Which actions prove strongest in moving our vision forward?

-Where is the proof that these actions have impact?

-What benefits (or setbacks) have been (will be) realized as a result of these actions?

-How will I hold myself accountable?

Be agile, use this exercise to stay ahead of the flow – adapt the plans and strategies that keep you and your team moving toward the vision.

Lynda Fleming – Director of Learning & Development, Frontline Performance Group

Think about the last team you were on where you really felt like everybody was on the same page headed towards a common goal…Whether it be a sports related team, group project at school, or your everyday work environment there’s a reason why you felt like it was a team.  Most likely there was a leader of the group; a manager, coach, team lead; that identified what the expectations or goals were of the particular task at hand.  Although it sounds like a no brainer, many employees come to work day in and day out without a clear sense of direction.

So why do people follow their leaders?

Direction

If I’m going to follow anyone, I’m going to make certain that the person I am following knows where he/she is going. The easiest rule of management should be to know where you are going and to ensure your team members are aware of it as well. The most successful leaders have a vision and they are an inspiration to their team members. If your team doesn’t believe you know where you are headed can you blame them for not following?

Lead by Example/Walking the Walk

Most managers have gotten to where they are by having the ability to do the job or jobs they are managing.  The best coach doesn’t have to be the best player but they do need to lead by example when they are called upon. There’s nothing worse than having a manager tell you one thing then lose all credibility by doing something completely different. 

Trust/Support

Plain and simple, if I don’t trust the person I am supposed to be following I’ll be sure to be 10 steps behind the leader so I can proceed with caution. Managers/Leaders need to build a sense of trust and confidence with their team members over time. It’s not given…it’s earned…so prove it.  Being transparent and relying on your team member’s strengths will get you one step closer to earning it.

Think about your team…who’s on the roster? If you turn around is anyone there? If you don’t see your people following it’s not too late to change. Identify the reasons why and start over-communicating expectations and performance standards.  Remember that the 1^st step in serving your customers is serving your employees.

If you are leading others and you’re lonely, then you’re not doing it right.  Think about it. If you’re all alone, that means nobody is following you.  And if nobody is following you, then you’re not really leading. ~John Maxwell

Daniel Park – Director of Consulting Services, Frontline Performance Group

Remember last time we talked about kids playing football on a playground? Well now it’s time to put even more “explicit” detail to how those basic principles apply to organizational success. Sometimes with the fast pace of our modern business climate, it’s not always easy for managers to find time to do the things they really should be doing – getting results with and through the organizational team. Instead of always worrying about “fires” or seemingly endless “crisis” that occur, a focus on these things will create both more time and more productivity for company leaders. Here are five tips to take your organization to a new level of success…

1)    Define the playing field within your organization. What are people expected to do on a daily basis? Make sure you explicitly define –

Conditions of Employment (Things that people are expected to abide by like no stealing company property, having the ability to get to and from work, possibility of working overtime etc.) Conditions of Employment are those “no-brainer” kinds of things that many times get ignored because the assumption is that “intelligent people are just supposed to know that already.”

Minimum Standards of Performance (The exact expectation of productivity and results that must be consistently achieved in order to maintain employment)

Operational Boundaries (Not being late, getting reports done on time, being responsive to communication such as calls, e-mails and texts etc.)

2)    Define what high performance looks like for every specific job within the company. In order to create more buy-in from your team, do this as an exercise where you have everyone write their definition of high performance and then collaboratively put them together in order come up with a succinct statement. This creates lots of energy within the group and people are excited to be a part of defining their role and what the expectations are for them to succeed. This really defines what needs to be done and how it needs to be done every day. These definitions of high performance for every job need to be posted on the wall. Again, they should be clear statements that everyone understands – not amorphous “academic speak” that nobody gets or even cares about.

3)    Once the definition of high performance has been laid out, then accountability needs to be created AND communicated. Everyone needs to understand what the consequences will be for “exceeding the boundaries” or for poor performance. They also need to understand what the possible rewards and recognition will be for achieving high performance and/or going above and beyond the call of duty. Explicitly communicate both the consequences and the rewards so everyone knows exactly what to expect.

4)    Define the goals for the company as a whole and for each department and then communicate these goals with passion. Don’t imply what the goals are because that creates ambiguity. Be explicitly clear what the goals are and talk about them daily in short, five to ten minute “huddles” within each department. These “huddles” should talk about the company vision, mission, values and goals. Pick a value each day to discuss and talk about wins, misses and solutions on the road to achieving the goals.

5)    Make sure that, as a manager, you are consistent with your message. This consistency will make or break your “personal power” within the organization. Personal power is the level of respect and credibility that you earn from employees. Remember that when someone exceeds the boundaries or is performing poorly, they have to be accountable. The number one de-motivator for people in every industry is having to pick up the slack for a poor performer. Be consistent and passionate about communicating the goals, working on the playing field for success and making sure you are “explicit” and not just “implicit”.

So the next time you see some kids playing football in a park, think about the organizational lessons they already know at such a young age. Many times we learn things when we’re young and just forget the basic principles for success. The good news is, we can always re-learn what we’ve lost and, in many cases, the principles are still there. We just have to decide to slow down, think about what works and then actually do it.

Michael Stahl – Senior Performance Manager, Frontline Performance Group

Fortune Magazine recently released their annual list of the 100 Best Companies To Work For. Here are some of the well-known names that earned their way on to the list:

• Wegman’s Food Markets - #3
• Zappos - #6
• Mercedes Benz USA - #15
• Stew Leonard’s - #18
• Whole Foods Market - #24
• Four Seasons Hotels - #53
• Publix Super Markets - #67
• Nordstrom’s - #74
• Men’s Warehouse - #87
• Starbucks - #98

Do you see what I see?  Not only are these ten companies on the list of Best 100 Companies To Work For, but each of these organizations have a strong reputation for providing outstanding customer service as well as sustained financial success. Coincidence?   I don’t think so.

In the book “The Customer Comes Second“, authors Hal Rosenbluth and Diane Peters discuss the philosophy of putting your people first.

“This is a formula that has worked for more than two decades, and has transformed his company from a small family business into a global industry leader, grossing over $6  billion.  In this classic on counterintuitive management practice, the entrepreneurial genius and visionary leader of Rosenbluth International shows you how to use exceptional service to win in any industry.” - Tom Peters

As I wrote in an earlier post, companies that say they’re “focused” on customer service are a dime-a-dozen.  Sadly, some companies “focus” on customer service at the expense of their own associates.  These organizations beat the drum of customer service while reducing staffing levels, cutting commissions and benefits and piling on extra workload all the while telling their people “you count” – as the associates add, under their breath, “for nothing”.

Does “The Customer Comes Second” philosophy mean companies need to give their employees heaps of perks and benefits? Definitely not.  You can hold off on constructing the new gym with the indoor swimming pool and free daycare for your associate’s kids.  That’s not how you create a “customers come second” working environment.   The true foundation of an outstanding work environment is high employee engagement.

The folks at Gallup have done extensive research on employee engagement.

“The world’s top-performing organizations understand that employee engagement is a force that drives business outcomes. Research shows that engaged employees are more productive employees. They are more profitable, more customer-focused, safer, and more likely to withstand temptations to leave the organization. In the best organizations, employee engagement transcends a human resources initiative — it is the way they do business.”

Through their research, Gallup has identified 12 key statements that best predict employee and workgroup engagement:

1. I know what’s expected of me at work.
2. I have the materials and equipment to do my work right.
3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.
4. In the last seven days, I have received praise for doing good work.
5. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.
6. There is someone at work that encourages my development.
7. At work, my opinions seem to count.
8. The mission or purpose of my organization makes me feel my job is important.
9. My associates, or fellow employees, are committed to doing quality work.
10. I have a best friend at work.
11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress.
12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow.

What?  No game rooms or smoothy bars?  Nope!  Do some of the companies on the top 100 list have some of those perks?  Yes, they do, but that is in addition to creating a work environment with very high employee engagement.  So what is the “moral” to this story? It’s simple; create an environment with high employee engagement and you will be well on your way to a place on the Top 100 list.  The moral is simple.  Making it happen?  Not so much.

Lee Silverstein – Managing Partner, Frontline Performance Group 

Creating a cohesive team from a group of independent workers with diverse backgrounds, abilities and aspirations takes patience, persistence and clarity of vision. Will it be hard work? Undoubtedly. Will it be worth it? Absolutely.

The following four environmental elements have been proven to move incongruent groups into effective teams and have a dynamic impact on how organizations function.

Commitment Through Input

Dictated goals and mission statements do not inspire. If you want your team to be fired up about the company’s direction, let them help shape it. Soliciting and using organizational input to craft a vision everyone shares will tether employees together toward the company direction. Whereas before, employees had nothing to lose if the company did not achieve its vision, now each person has a personal investment in the goals set.

Personal Accountablity and Leadership

The most progressive companies have learned that only through universal accountability can they function at their highest level. Circular models in which employees are interdependent and self-policing are highly effective. If you want your team to hold itself accountable, give each team member something to lose for poor performance and the ability to do something about it.

Collaboration and Trust

If there is a potential landmine that can derail the best team building efforts, it is the inability to resolve conflict harmoniously. Therefore, you must keep lines of trust and communication open by valuing all contributions, regardless of employee position or topic. Encourage respectful diversity of opinion. Understand and communicate that team members ultimately have the same motives – to satisfy their customers, families, fellow employees, managers and owners. The team is simply trying to determine the best course of action to satisfy all of these parties simultaneously.

Synergy

Organizations that reach their peak potential have a unique ability to combine solutions, “leap” beyond the collective knowledge of the team, and spontaneously generate new solutions as ideas are shared. A high level of synergy stimulates innovations that force competitors to constantly play catch up. Opposing companies cannot duplicate the game plan of a synergistic organization because it is organic and only grows when the team comes together and combines their creative energies.

Focusing on these four environmental elements will not only enable you to build strong organizational teams, but give your employees the one thing outside a paycheck they desperately want, but will never speak of – a sense of belonging.