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Successful Hybrid Leadership

19/1/2023

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Successful Hybrid Leadership

If the last couple of years have taught us anything about leadership, it’s that the way we once led isn’t so fit for purpose in a hybrid or completely remote team environment.  Yes, we need to be flexible, adaptable and keeping up with change at rates like never before.  And then there are the fundamental things that, if we aren’t doing, will make it harder to adapt, lead through change and truly engage with our people.  The things that if we aren’t doing them at a basic level, will erode trust. The trust you have in your team and the trust that you have in yourself to be able to lead effectively.

Below I hit the high points for what you can be doing to get the basics right in a hybrid or remote team environment.

1. Ensure alignment with clear directional objectives

Ensure your team are pulling in the same direction, no matter where they are located, and that everyone in the team is on the same page regarding the:

  • Purpose of the team (what is the team’s reason for being?)
  • Shared team objectives and how they fit with the bigger strategic picture.
  • Individual objectives that everyone is working towards in achieving the team objectives.

When we are clear and transparent about these three directional levels, your people will know where and how they need to be investing their energy.  Importantly, our experience shows that it also creates a collaborative and connective team dynamic that is so essential for success in teams that are virtual or hybrid in nature.  Be brave enough to ask your team how they feel about sharing their individual objectives; introducing this level of transparency can help reduce the psychological distance and increase collaboration when we realise that our actions, no matter where we are located, may be able to contribute to the success of a colleague and therefore the team.  Track and discuss all team objectives openly and regularly – they are the binding factor of your team – so use them to your advantage.


2. Set Your Team Up for Success

When we don’t trust our people to get on with things in a remote or hybrid environment, this can often say more about us than our people.  We’ll talk more about us a bit further on, but when it comes to our team, we can remove doubt by applying a couple of simple strategies:

  • Equip your team with the skills and team systems to work remotely.  On one level, it’s helping the team learn how to be a hybrid team, and then there is understanding capability of individual team members to work remotely.  So focus on both levels.  Develop your team through simple but effective teaming activities that allow you to co-create the rules of engagement (like a Team Charter) and define the team governance for communication and collaboration – what does good look like for our team?  At the same time observe your team members individually.  Who is thriving, who is doing ok, who needs help.  Identify development opportunities, whether it be through buddying up, mentoring or formal courses.  
 
  • Don’t assume everyone is comfortable with working remotely.  Use your 1:1’s to dive into how your team members are really doing on the days you aren’t together in the office.  Or if your team has transitioned to being completely virtual, learning how this sits with individual team members.  You may need to become a ‘mentor manager’ to support them in their transition and their effectiveness.  


3. Set Yourself Up for Success

  • Understand your own mindset.  You were once leading a team that was co-located – so how are you with the fact that you are now leading in a hybrid or completely virtual environment?  Do you trust your team to do their job when no one is watching?  Even when they are capable, confident and have the right supporting structures in place?  If you haven’t done your own piece of reflection on this, you may be leading at only half your potential effectiveness, and this will be impacting your approach to how you get your own job done as well as how you lead, engage, and inspire your team.  
 
  • Adapt your approach.  Similar to the above; the skills, techniques and tactics we use as leaders in a co-located environment will need to be different for a team that is spread out.  Little things like consciously make time to connect with your team members will make a difference, as will using effective delegation.  Your ability to communicate well and consistently across more than one medium is also a must-have capability.


The final word…Reflect

Carve out time each week to reflect on the team and yourself.  This is a practice that is fast becoming a non-negotiable for leaders in a hybrid world that helps us stay in touch with reality, ourselves and our team.  Reflect on yourself and your team through the lens of the points in this article.  What’s working well? What could be better?  Then build this discipline into your week, because leading to get things done through others is the big part of your job…and how we do this is changing faster than ever.​
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The Engagement False Reality Trap – and how to avoid it!

18/8/2022

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How often do we see it that the results of an employee engagement survey come out, and one of the main messages is that your leaders aren’t engaging enough.  Whether this is due to poor communication, not managing performance or giving feedback, or knowing how to recognise or acknowledge their people.  The reasons are often varied, and sometimes the survey output isn’t granular enough to let you know where the focus for development needs to be.  But that’s not the purpose of this article. 
 
What we often overlook is that results like this create some of the most unnecessary, and unspoken, challenges felt by managers.   That is, the immediate pressure to become an engaging leader overnight. The idea that there needs to be immediate improvement is backed up by the rhetoric that comes with the results, the way they are shared (often without thought to framing, context or a supporting plan) and the fact that there will be another engagement survey next year and possibly some pulse surveys in between.

What is the Engagement False Reality Trap?

And in this moment we have created the ‘Engagement False Reality Trap’. 
And this is why it’s a false reality:

  • Under normal circumstances, for the average leader, it takes time to build engagement with their people and within their team.  How long depends on factors like personality, leadership skills, the desire of the team members to reciprocate on the trust building front, and the extent to which the organisational factors enable all of this with things like clear direction, clear roles and responsibilities, a good capability development strategy. But it takes time.  And at the same time we can’t put a timeframe on building trust.  That’s the reality.
 
  • Even the most experienced and inspiring of leaders will not build engagement with everyone. Yet, the implied expectation is that we need to build engagement – with everyone. 
 
  • Based on the above, we know from experience that if a team is starting from a dysfunctional place, it can easily take a year of concerted effort before healthy change is seen.  Maybe longer if there are no supporting organisational development strategies or structures in place. And longer again if the higher layers of leadership are dysfunctional themselves and role modelling poor leadership behaviours themselves.
 
If the above factors are even partly true, and the managers of the groups with the poor results are not great people leaders, then we tend to see the following scenarios play out:

  • Those leaders will try harder, for all the right reasons.  But sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know, and in these cases the effort to improve can be easily misguided.  Often what we see in this case is that the leader tries harder with the same style that led to those results in the first place, reinforcing the unhealthy levels of engagement.
 
  • They opt out and become fully disengaged themselves due to feeling helpless.  They may already know on some level that they aren’t great ‘people’ leaders, so rely on their skills as a very good ‘technical’ leader.  The risk is that if they choose to opt out, the technical side of their leadership can be impacted by the overwhelming sense of disengagement
 
  • A third scenario sometimes plays out, and that is when the manager seeks to find out who ‘nailed’ them in the survey.  This is not often seen, but it does exist, driven from a place of lower self-confidence and a lack of wanting to take any sort of ownership for how we arrived here.

How to avoid the ‘Engagement False Reality Trap’?

 The premise of the Engagement False Reality Trap is that we place an artificial, 12-month timeframe on how quickly we should be building engagement and trust. So, the choice is simple; either offer meaningful development and support for developing engagement, or manage the expectations around what can realistically be achieved in a 12-month period.  Don’t fall into the trap of thinking this can be solved with anything less than genuine intent to want to shift the engagement dial, and a medium to long-term outlook.
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The 3 Essential Leadership Capabilities for 2022

23/1/2022

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For the first time in recent history, thanks to the pandemic, leaders of the world over are sharing the same impacts on the way they lead.  Dealing with the volatility of change, feeling largely the same way (exhausted), and being forced to embrace different ways of leading to drive engagement and at the same time remain relevant.  The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) was probably the last time we came close to this, but even then, we could still maintain social and business norms, and know that (if you still had a job) you could still head into the office.  But not every country was impacted by the GFC in the same way that all countries have been impacted by Covid. 

This is what makes this such a unique time in the world of leadership development right now.
​

When I think of the soft skills that will be necessary for leaders to be effective this year as we transition to living and working alongside Covid, there are three that stand out for me. Depending on where you are reading this article you may need to make s​ome nuanced changes to what I’m sharing, but by and large, I do think these leadership skills should be making their way into the playbook of any corporate leadership development programs around the globe this year.
 

Have the Courage (and discipline) to Exercise Self-Empathy

We need to be in touch with what’s going on inside of us and understand how our mindset and emotions may be impacting our decision-making and behaviours.  

Why is this important?  
The last two years have not been easy, and right now we are heading into 2022 leading the fatigued, when we ourselves can be counted amongst the fatigued and battle-weary.  It’s common knowledge that we don’t make the best decisions when we are tired, stressed or just not in the right headspace.  It’s up to us as leaders to firstly acknowledge that it’s ok to be feeling a bit tired (even the most self-aware leaders would be coming into 2022 with some residual fatigue!).  By making this acknowledgment internally, we are also making room for the same acknowledgment to be made amongst our team.  This is a conversation that probably needs to be had sooner rather than later…is your team doing ok?
 
Being in touch with our mental and physical well-being also means we can do something about it so we can be setting ourselves up for success.  There’s nothing selfish about this.  How can we be fully present for our people if we are running low on fuel and barely making it to the end of the day or week?  We can get in our own way on this front and inhibit our efforts to look after ourselves.  Sometimes it’s pride, other times we can be unnecessarily self-sacrificing or just poor at delegating.  Perhaps we just put ourselves second, whether that’s due to lower self-esteem, self-confidence, or other factors.  Whatever the reason, own it and be brave; do something about it.  Otherwise, the other factors below won’t be so easy to address.
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Accept that Rituals are a Necessary Leadership Practice

The last two years could be considered practice for this capability; and this year could be considered ‘game day’!  Before we transitioned to virtual and then hybrid ways of working it was taken for granted that we could more easily connect with our peers and team members and build relationships spontaneously and organically.  That doesn’t mean we were consistently good at it, but that was our norm.  

Now, we need to think about how we build relationships in a virtual world, where it is still normal not to have met your own manager, peers, or direct reports in person after many months.  It would be nice to think that building relationships virtually has become easier, maybe even natural for some, but we can’t assume that we have nailed it.  Because I can guarantee you that we haven’t.  This year we need to get good at creating rituals with each of our individual team members that allow them to feel recognised despite the physical distance.  (Have you checked out our Lead2Remotely Engage program?)

Rituals tailored to your individual team members creates the opportunity for trust to be built, and the space for genuine conversations and sharing.  Equally important are rituals for the whole team; moments when you come together to connect and share.  Rituals have always been important for building engaging relationships however it was seen as a ‘nice to have’…getting the job done always tended to be more important, especially in Anglo or Germanic cultures.   We can’t afford to keep this mindset; not if we want a genuinely engaged workforce in a virtual or hybrid world.  Creating rituals allows your people to feel connected with and to feel acknowledged.  And when it becomes a ‘business as usual’ practice, it creates a natural momentum in your relationship that leads to trust and a reduction in the psychological distance that we are always aiming for. 
​
​

Get Comfortable with VUCA Leadership

It’s going to be some time before we can settle into a normal rhythm without disruption driven by the pandemic.  There are still factors we can’t be sure about, and even though we try to keep pace with and anticipate how things will be, the reality is (as we’ve all experienced) that we will get curveballs.  Our ability to remain balanced, resilient and adapt to shifting norms is now a critical skill and mindset for leaders.  In large complex organisations, this has always been the case and experienced leaders in global and matrix style organisations may already be well-versed in dealing with ambiguity. Now it’s time for leaders to make their peace with the V, U and C of VUCA, and not just the Ambiguity where the focus in leadership development has been for many years:
 
Volatility:  The Volatility and rate of change we’ve experienced these last two years isn’t something we should be looking back on and thinking ‘thank goodness that’s over with’.  This year effective leaders will be reflecting on that volatility and what they learned about themselves, and who they were as a leader, throughout that time.  The questions to ask include:
  • Was I able to maintain my resilience? 
  • Was I able to maintain my composure whilst adapting to spontaneous changes? And how would I do it differently next time around? (Because there is every chance there will be a next time – especially for Gen Z and Millennials.)

Uncertainty: Over the last couple of years, to what extent did we as leaders offer a version of certainty in the daily lives of our team when not a whole lot else seemed certain?  If we weren’t exercising much self-empathy, and were leading inconsistently, then we mightn’t have offered a whole lot of structure or certainty.  When we put ourselves in the shoes of our team, the one thing that isn’t changing daily are the people in my team and my manager.  And at a fundamental level, that is a form of structure and certainty that we often underestimate as leaders.  So; to what extent did you offer certainty in the lives of your team – and what can you be doing to improve it for 2022 (and beyond)?

Complexity: An essential skill always, and a little more necessary today than previously, is the ability to extract yourself from the day to day so you can see your whole landscape.  Sometimes referred to as taking the helicopter view, it’s also an opportunity to take a more rational view of your world.  It’s one of the simplest ways to make sense of the complexity that can sometimes seem overwhelming.  When our senses are being battered from all angles, our ability to rise above it and see things for how they really are is a life saver.  Whilst ever the pace and volatility of change remains moderate to high, this capability is often your best counter-measures.
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What missed the cut?

Of course, there are many other capabilities that will support you as a leader in the context of this year and some that fall just outside my top three include being able to have meaningful conversations, creating a healthy virtual/hybrid team culture, leading collaboratively and leading change.  However, even these capabilities rely on my top three to be effective.  
 
As the globe begins the transition to an endemic view of Covid, there will be a higher frequency uncertainty in our lives at home and at work.  No, they may not be as high impacting as the experiences of 2020 and 2021.  But they will require that leaders maintain forward momentum so that their teams can see how they need to be investing their energy each day, week, and month. 

The three capabilities shared here offer leaders the best opportunity to do this in 2022 and beyond.

Author: David Morley

David is a developer of global-minded leaders, teams and organisations.

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To Build Engagement Remove Time

9/3/2021

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One of the greatest challenges, and inhibitors, to building a high trust and engaging relationship with your team is time.  And this is for two key reasons:

1. Relationships Develop Naturally
When have you ever experienced a moment in your life when you've said to yourself, "I need to build trust with this person in one month"  - or something like that?  Probably never.  And for good reason too.  Relationships evolve over time; sure they follow a set of steps in the way they develop, but there is no timeframe attached. In fact if you have ever tried to force the development of trust, or have been on the receiving end of someone trying to force the development of trust, you've probably taken longer to get there, or not gotten there at all.  When we accept that leadership in a team commences in a place of Unconditional Leadership, a time in the relationship when we are responsible for building rapport and creating a deep sense of recognition in the hearts and minds of our people, we accept that each relationship will take a different course and require slightly different needs to help it develop.

2. Timeframes and Relationships Don't Mix
The minute we attach a timeframe to the idea of achieving an engaging and high trust relationship with someone is the minute we put artificial, and irrational expectations on our shoulders to achieve something that may actually be impossible to achieve.  Yet organisations do this with their 18 month employee engagement survey cycles...they are effectively saying that you need to have built an engaging relationship with your team by the time a survey period starts.  This can force leaders to push through the early stages of relationship development and leap straight into the high trust stage of the relationship where the expectation is that our team members will just open up and be vulnerable. But who's going to do that with someone they don't know?  We don't just do that unless there is a pre-existing relationship and we feel safe enough to do this.  

So, in short, if you want to develop healthy relationships with your team remove timeframes (they are really time barriers), and invest the time in establishing a rapport with each team member in ways that acknowledge who they and at what point they are starting the relationship.

Want to learn how to be an engaging leader?  Take our 12 week Lead2Engage Inner Circle course and start your journey toward more meaningful and authentic leadership. ​Click here for more information...L2E Inner Circle

Author: David Morley

David is a developer of global-minded leaders, teams and organisations.

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Gaining Cooperation and Buy-In...a little bit me, a little bit you

4/3/2021

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There are plenty of times at work (and in life) when we want to gain the cooperation, buy in or consensus of those around us; whether they be a manager, colleagues or an employee.  So what’s the easy answer?  Well, in my experience there is no easy or perfect answer; but I have encountered a couple of methods that tend to bear fruit

Is it me or is it you?

If you are continually struggling to build a relationship or gain the collaboration you are looking for, perhaps it’s time to take a step back and do a simple 'is it me or is it you' analysis that will provide you with enough information to decide a way forward.  

Is it Me?
The best way to see a different result in others is for you to change your behaviour, and possibly your way of thinking, first. Make this your first port of call when trying to get a different result in your relationships with others.  Look at what you can be doing differently.  Ask yourself “Is it my style, tone of voice, body language or the words I’m using?”.  And remember if you don’t believe what you are saying, your body language will be a dead give away!  At the same time, the old saying ‘do as I say and not as I do’ comes into play here as well.  Are you asking others to do something that you wouldn’t do yourself? This too becomes evident quite quickly...so choose your words and actions wisely!

Is it Them?
Once considering your behaviour, and if you are still not getting the buy-in you are looking for then perhaps it’s time to consider whether the people you are engaging have either the desire or the capability to do what you are asking.  Look for signs that let you know whether it is desire...or lack of desire! 

Do they look disinterested or  unmotivated at the thought of what you are asking them to do or buy-in to?  The easiest way to confirm your suspicions is to ask them.  Other signs are that they are late or don’t show up to meetings on the topic or say that they are interested, but when you delegate there is always a reason whey they can’t help out.  If it's lack of desire on the topic that's getting in the way then your strategy should be geared around ways to involve them, or empower them to take the lead on the subject.  When it's an attitude thing all you can really do is provide opportunities for them to see that what you are asking them to be involved with really isn't so bad.  However if what you are looking for cooperation for really is unexciting, then you may have to accept that you will have to step up in terms of engaging leadership and find ways to try and make it interesting...and be honest with them from the outset about the banality of the issue and not make it out to be something it's not.

On the other hand, if they insist that they are ok with what you are proposing then perhaps it’s an issue of capability...do they have the skills or experience to do what you’ve asked them to do? Are they out of their depth?  This can impact on desire as well.  Engage them in a conversation on the topic, ask technical questions and involve them so that you can determine the level of knowledge they have on the topic.  It’s easy to presume that others have the skills and knowledge required...and hard when everyone realises too late that they don’t. If it is skills then it's easy to organise opportunities for development or experience; whether it be training, coaching or shadowing on the job.

Channel not Change

If the person you are looking to get buy in or collaboration from is openly resistant that’s a great start...after all if they are passively aggressive you usually don’t know it until it’s too late that they aren’t happy or really don’t buy in to what you are promoting.  But if they are acting out with energy then you know what their position is, and you can do something about it.  With these people I find that a more effective strategy is to channel the energy...something you can’t do with more passive behaviours.  Involve them in the discussion regarding a solution, remembering that when questions are asked this doesn't mean they are against the idea or don't want to help. They may just be trying to make sense of what you've asked of them.  But even if there does seem to be an active resistance, at least you know it, and you can therefore work with it.  This is your chance to engage them and channel their energy toward a solution rather than do what everyone else does and push them away or disagree with their position (which reinforces, and in their mind justifies, their rebellious behaviour).
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The Empathy Factor

These are just a few ideas for increasing your chances of collaboration or buy-in that have worked for me over the years.  However the most important element that underpins all of these suggestions is very simple.  When looking to gain the support or cooperation of others, approach them in a way that you would like to be approached.  Don't just tell them what you want; give a why.  And allow the opportunity to save face if you are seeking cooperation to a change that impacts them personally. After all, sometimes it’s hard to change our way of thinking over night, and some behaviours are deeply ingrained and gained from years of being the accepted way of doing something. The more you allow the opportunity for buy-in to your message in a way that protects sense of self, the more you improve your chances of collaboration or buy-in.


Author: David Morley

David is a developer of global-minded leaders, teams and organisations.

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3 Key Traits of Successful Change Leaders

10/2/2021

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I am often asked what I believe are the key traits that underpin an effective change leader.  Having been involved in change in the capacities of a people leader, a leader of change and a contributor to change, I've come to believe that there are three key elements that underpin the success of a change leader.

Strategic and Tactical Ambidexterity. The ability to work simultaneously in a strategic and tactical capacity will bode you well in leading change, or as a leader in general.  The ability to keep an eye on the true north of the project whilst managing the day to day politics and project needs is a skill that not everyone possesses.  However the best leaders have this desirable ability and it's what underpins their performance.  Make time each day to reflect on the strategic elements of the project, whilst ensuring that factors like the administrative elements of the project are managed in the context of the project scope.  Don't be blind to the politics of the project, and at the same time don't engage in games to do with the politics.  In that one sentence you have a golden key to relationships success in the change project.

Don't Be a People Pleaser.  Things will go wrong.  You will make mistakes.  You will make people mad, and they will let you know it.  This is a reality of change management and leading people through times of transition, evolution and change.  If you have a drive to please others, then you have a choice.  The upside of this is that if you know you have a tendency toward being a people pleaser, you are probably able to tune in to the feel of the room, and connect with how people are feeling.  Leverage this strength as it is one of the best ways to ensure people feel heard and connected with throughout change.  But you need to regulate this desire and not slip into being a rescuer and spreading yourself so thin when it comes to making sure everyone is ok.  When we slip into rescuer mode we discount the ability of others to deal with change which is the opposite of what we need to be doing.  You won't be able to make sure everyone is ok, and in the end you will burn out.  If this is you, and you are unable to keep this in check, then either get out now, or look to strengthen this aspect of yourself.  

Rest and Reflect.  When I look at the leaders who have inspired me, and when I look back at my own approach, I see that the ability to rest and reflect is a key attribute of a leader, especially when driving change.  When leading change you need all the energy you can get, simply because you are investing a bit more energy into coordinating, directing, communicating and supporting your people. So find ways to take genuine time out reflect on the day that was, and to explore in your mind what tomorrow may be like.  Take time to chill. Take your mind away from the reality of the day.  We often forget that when leading people our primary tool is our brain. So give it some time out, rest it, and allow it to be at its best so that you can role model with ease and energy the new behaviours every day.

So there you have it, my key traits that underpin effective leaders of change. Of course there are many other traits as well however these are the qualities I see time and again in the more successful leaders of change.

Author: David Morley

David is a developer of global-minded leaders, teams and organisations.

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Using Dialogue to Build Trust & Engagement

2/2/2021

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Using Dialogue to Build Trust & Engagement


Dialogue. For many people, let alone leaders, this is a scary concept. However for a leader, dialogue is often the single most important activity that can establish your credibility, solve issues, pre-empt issues before they need solving, and bring a team closer together.  In a team that is already close, regular dialogue is a key contributor to maintaining high trust and engagement.


In the wider organisational context, dialogue can do all of the above and more, especially when deployed throughout significant change events. 

As a leader, consultant and facilitator I have been using the power of healthy dialogue as the key medium for helping:
  • teams learn how to succeed together,
  • countries and companies learn how to collaborate more effectively on multi-billion dollar projects, and
  • leaders become more effective in building engagement.

Outside of anything I've done, there are countless examples of really good leadership where dialogue has been the main tool. One example that comes to mind was that of a regional CEO of a global pharmaceutical company who turned his poor performing executive team and business around through the use of effective dialogue. He learned very early that his regional executive team were not connected; they were not a team.  Silo's were present in his team, and this was reflected down through the organisation with poor collaboration and communication. One of his first team leadership tasks was to have the executive team meet for one hour...everyday. The purpose of the meeting was simply to talk. Sometimes there were specific topics, but mostly it was about the connection that comes with mature dialogue. In a short space of time his team went from begrudging the daily hour, to looking forward to it. This was simply due to the natural sharing, personal and professional, that occurred...everyday. Soon the silo's started to disappear, collaboration increased and natural solutions to problems started to occur.  Best of all, the team started to build a rapport and momentum that was reflected down through the organisation.

So let's take a brief look at what I mean by dialogue, and some tips based on my own experiences for how you can use dialogue as an enabler of growth.

  • Dialogue is an unconditional conversation, a discourse that invites people to contribute without being judged or rescued.
 
  • Before the dialogue, set the boundaries for what needs to be covered, whether it is a specific topic, or you simply want the team to connect, as in the above example. This is easy to do for traditional meetings where there is an agenda; but more critical if you want to facilitate a conversation that is more open and not as fixed.

If you want to facilitate a conversation with your team that is more exploratory in nature, like solving an issue in the team, brainstorming, teaming etc... the following guidelines are critical.

  • .At the beginning of the conversation, confirm with participants that they understand the scope of the conversation. It's like an unwritten, psychological, contract. 
 
  • Let the conversation go where it needs to go. If you have set the boundaries this is easier to manage. 
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  • If there is no fixed agenda, and the meeting is for the purpose of building team trust and connection, then you will need to set the example for contributing. People naturally like structure, and are used to having a meeting agenda. When you think about it, an agenda is easy to hide behind. It gives a reason for people to contribute, but more importantly if your name is not listed, or you don't know the topic, it is easier to remain hidden. With no agenda there is no room to hide, and the room isn't so safe after all. In lieu of this, acknowledge that you will need to ensure each participant feels welcomed and acknowledged for being present, to make up for the perceived lack of structure and safety. 
 
  • As the facilitator, don't rescue, finish sentences or discount the contributions of others. Make these rules clear for the participants as well. It's not always easy to do these things; however any effort made in these areas will encourage more open contributions. Importantly, you are inviting all members of the conversation to transact in a mature way, and you stand a better chance of leaving the political and psychological games at the door. 
 
  • Use dialogue tactically...and sensibly. You don't have to go it alone as a leader. When you want a solution to a problem a quick focused team conversation can do the trick. When you sense there is an issue in the team, again, use the power of the team to contribute to the solution. When morale is down, or the team is stretched or tired during a busy time, a timely conversation can allow for constructive venting, as well as a chance to reflect, look forward and if needed, laugh! For many years now, in the teams I've lead, I have found that a simple weekly catch up, with no fixed agenda (unless there was something important to be addressed) is a great way to build trust amongst the team and maintain momentum in tough times. 

My final thought with regards to dialogue relates to you; the leader. To use dialogue constructively you have to trust yourself as much as your team. Why? Because the agenda is unknown, and driven by the group. This can be seen as giving up the 'power' that comes with being a leader. The only thing you are controlling is the flow of conversation, and working with the energy in the room. 

The risk with using this approach is potentially high, simply because it isn't what people are used to, and everyone is invited to be 'present' to the conversation in a largely non-traditional and non-structured way. And as mentioned above, the leader or facilitator, takes a slightly different approach to leading the meeting. 

Having said that, the risks may be high, but so are the rewards. 

Author: David Morley

David is a developer of global-minded leaders, teams and companies.

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Conduit Management - an essential matrix leadership skill

15/1/2021

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One of the single biggest contributors to successful matrix leadership is conduit management.  Yet, despite the positive impact of conduit management, it tends only to be a way of working that is taken for granted by those for whom it comes naturally.  For most matrix leaders, conduit management tends to be an afterthought or not thought of at all! 


So what is conduit management? ​​

In simple terms, it is being able to anticipate, collate and decode information from many sources (eg; their managers, key stakeholders etc…) and then pass a single message on to their team that is balanced, accurate, authentic and respects the integrity of all involved.
To understand the role of conduit management, lets consider a recent scenario we observed in a large manufacturing firm. The national head of Operations was preparing for an ERP roll out across the country, including four large manufacturing sites. The single biggest issue he faced was the conflicting opinions held by his two managers:

  • The country head, also his line manager, felt that it was the wrong product and also disagreed with the timing and approach proposed by the global project team. 
 
  • On the other hand his functional manager, the regional head of operations, agreed with the proposed ERP and the aggressive timetable proposed by the global project team. 

This is a big example; yet it is the sort of scenario we see played out on many levels.  The fact remained though, that irrespective of whether the two managers could find common ground, the roll out would still occur.  The other more difficult reality was that if his direct reports or the wider manufacturing workforce caught on that there was a difference of opinion at senior levels of the organisation, this could add greater complexity to an already arduous roll out that had involved internal politics and a long  tiresome process of ERP selection. 


How to provide a focused message to the workforce?

If we look at this type of situation through a conduit management lens, what sort of actions can help to  decongest the pipeline and assist the matrix leader with providing a single and focused message to the workforce?

The first step is to seek alignment, or a common position between your managers.  Ideally this is done face to face, or at worst, in a single conversation over the phone or online.  It allows for a dialogue on the topic and for your managers to hear your perspective.  Don’t be surprised if you find that there has been little to no dialogue between your managers on the topic!

If your managers can’t find common ground, then seek to establish an agreement for moving forward.  This is a simple facilitated meeting that results in a contract between you and your managers, that explicitly states the following:

  • That there is a shared understanding of the end game – irrespective of your individual perspectives on the situation
  • How your managers will support you in the process 
  • An agreed process for how you will communicate and share information with each other throughout the process - in other words setting each other up for success.

If you can achieve either of the above outcomes, you’ve gone a long way towards setting up an easier to manage conduit between those above you, and the people who look to you for key messages.  Importantly, it also reduces the impact and instances of gossip that tend to blossom in the chasm of differing opinions.

Conduit management is also about how you lead in a matrix on a daily basis.  Naturally it comes to the foreground in times of change, however effective conduit management can contribute to the development of your leadership tool kit in other ways:

It helps develop critical thinking and decision-making skills. You will receive many pieces of information from those above and around you – deciding what is important to pass on, and who should receive it isn’t always easy.  Sometimes it seems easier to push it to one side and hope that it takes care of itself!  However good conduit management is about learning how to synthesise information that may contain different opinions (sometimes from the same person!) and interpret what’s really being said when making a decision on what you will pass on, and how.

It creates opportunities for communication and strengthens relationships.  The beating heart of a matrix organisation is relationships.  Relationships with your team are equally as important as those in your network and those with your own manager/s.  An effective conduit manager is on the front foot with relationships, because they understand that there is greater clarity through dialogue and free-flowing communication.  

By leveraging your network, you can anticipate where conflicting messages come from and make your own evaluation on whether they are grounded in reality or just gossip.  This will inform the way you manage the expectations of your team;  the ability to nip something in the bud by debunking an issue as idle gossip can save a lot of time down the track when the gossip may take on a life of its own!

Maintaining regular one on one’s with each of your up line managers (and as often as practical - three way conversations), will also ensure you are in the best position to anticipate, interpret and explore issues and topics with your managers in a controlled and proactive way, rather than finding yourself in the same situation as the manufacturing head in the above example; trapped and reacting.


Final word

Finally, conduit management is an understated and often unknown, leadership essential in complex organisations.  In some respects it is the bundling of a range of leadership skills and attributes that we already know, and applying them in a specific context.  Conduit management can be learned, and the ability to apply conduit management principles is often the difference between surviving and succeeding as matrix leader.
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4 Steps for Nurturing Sustainable Change

1/12/2020

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You want to, or have to, lead a change initiative in your organisation.  It maybe because of a new software integration, a restructure or the implementation of a new process. Or it could be a plan for returning to the office and adopting your strategy for the 'new-normal'.

It doesn’t matter what the catalyst for change, our reality is that a system of work is only as effective as the people who use it; and a change plan is only as effective as the people leading it and responding to it.  The key to leading effective change is adopting a nurturing approach, one where you create an environment that supports the required change, and provides your people with the best opportunity to understand, buy in to, and adopt the required change.  So, do we want our people to feel as though they are being forced to change, or do we create the conditions where, as much as practical, people will feel like they want to change, or at the least, are open to the idea of change?  The answer is obvious, and there are four key steps that are critical for ensuring your change event has the best chance of immediate uptake by the majority, and sustainable success; Alignment, Exposure, Saving Face and Benefits.

Alignment

Ensure the relevance of your change event by aligning it against your strategy.  If it's a company-wide change, then it needs to align with the organisational strategy, down to a team change being aligned with your team or functional plan.  Ensure it adds value to the achievement of strategy and objectives.  Change for the sake of change is wasted energy and will kill personal and organisational credibility quickly.  The other axis of alignment is that of the leadership team.  As the leader you will be watched very closely; does your behaviour match what you are asking your team or workforce to do?  If not you are undermining the initiative from the outset.  Your thinking, feeling and behaviour in respect to the new way of being has to be absolutely aligned; as too your leadership group if it is a group wide change event.  Finally, the leadership team themselves have to find a place of alignment between each other.  Individual leader commitment in their own division, branch or team is good; however it is equally important for the leadership team to embody the change together, and know implicitly as well as explicitly what they each have to do to contribute to this new way of being.  If this isn't happening then you can think of the leadership team as being like an airliner with one out of the four engines facing the wrong way.  It will hamper your efforts.

So some questions to ask yourself…

  • Do I as the leader know where this change is headed and how I need to be leading the efforts?
  • Does the leadership team have a goal for how they need to ‘be’ collectively?
  • Is there an understanding of the roles in the leadership team for driving and sponsoring the different elements of the new initiative in a coordinated way?
  • Does the leadership group understand the influence and power they carry as leaders of change, and how to use this wisely?

Exposure

Think of anytime you’ve changed your mind in respect to something; whether you’ve quit smoking, switched brands of smart phone or decided to leave a company after a long time.  You get the idea.  The simple fact is that you had some help in making the switch…you were exposed to a new set of information.  This information may have come from formal learning, but as we all know, most learning in life comes from our experiences in day to day life.  So when thinking of change in an organisation, it is no different.  We can ask someone to do something new, and if we force them from a behavioural perspective, then we will likely get a short term win.  The new behaviour will be shown whilst the manager is around, however when left to their own devices chances are that the preferred behaviour will kick in.  That’s simply because the thinking didn’t shift to match the behaviour, and lip service was paid to the new to way of working.

Now let’s not create any false illusions here; I’m not suggesting that we can shift the thinking of all employees, and there will be times where a change is absolutely necessary for productive work to continue - and so there is no choice but for change to occur.  However the aim of any sustainable change event is to target the goal state of people 'wanting' to change.  So your change event needs to be structured to do this…in other words we want to give everyone the opportunity to decide that the new way of being is something that they ‘want’ to do…not something they feel they ‘have’ to do.

To help you think about this with regards to your own change event here are some tips:

  • Expand the frame of reference of your workforce by having a carefully designed change plan that allows new ‘experiences’ for your people…whether this is a series of poster sessions at lunch or online explaining what is coming and why, a pilot program, leaders or key influencers being the first to ‘do’ the new action.  In other words, it’s not just saying ‘do it’.  We are human, we like to know why and we like to know that it is safe to do it.
  • Let your messaging convey the benefits, and reinforce that they are gaining something and not losing anything.
  • Be consistent in how new messages are distributed; think of it like a marketing campaign.  Work out what messages will be distributed, to who and when. For example, do you start with a poster campaign, followed by messaging on the intranet, then some information sessions led by senior managers? Do you have some messaging targeting the needs of those who will be in denial, and other messaging for those who are more accepting and ready for the change?
  • Ensure consistency between the messaging in your communications and the actions of the leadership group.
  • When you start to see people adopt the new way of doing things give positive reinforcement immediately.  Recognise the new behaviours and tailor your recognition accordingly.
  • Ensure a tailored mix of learning opportunities; it’s not just about classroom or town hall meetings.  Can you create opportunities for mentoring, shadowing, visits to other organisations who have already done what you are doing, coaching etc…

Saving Face

We can’t force someone to change their way of thinking.  However we can create the opportunity, as we have started to explore in the above section on Exposure.  However for some people moving to the new way of operating this may be a really big deal; especially if they have been doing the ‘old’ way for a long time, or if there is a safety element at play - whether this is psychological or physical safety.  In today's climate of working out whether we should be transitioning back to the office environment, you can see how this would have both the psychological and physical safety aspects to be considered.

Allowing people to save face is more about the overall demeanour, or style, of the change initiative.  If the starting position is ‘change or else’ resistance will be the order of the day. If the starting position is ‘ let’s do this together’ then we are starting to get somewhere.  Remember that even if your intent is the latter, but you don't address the Exposure stage (no or poor communication or exposure to why etc) then you will be perceived as driving a 'change or else' mentality.

This is an unconditional approach, that is backed by a strong air of protection…the communication, and leadership actions supporting the change demonstrate that it is ok to try it, and to make mistakes, and to give it another go.  

At the same time though, this is tempered with the provision of boundaries; the rules attached to the change event.  As mentioned above, often change is not optional.  So our efforts need to be addressing more than the obvious levels of change, and the dynamics.  We also need to address the supporting factors, the frame that surrounds the change event.  Factors such as the amendment of job descriptions or adjusting the organisation design so that it reflects the new way of working.  Whilst taking an unconditional approach will get you results quicker, it is also important for employees to know clearly what is expected of them, and that performance management underpins the inability to move to the new way of operating.  Most importantly, for the most stubborn of employees, the new job description may create their opportunity to save face.  In other words, “I’m doing this because it’s in my job description, not because you want me to do this”.  Some people need to start their journey of change from this point - and that's ok too.  We are all different.  

The key points to consider for saving face are:
  • Is your leadership team conveying through words and actions that “we are doing this together”?
  • Is there a tolerance factor built in for failure or not getting the new way of working right first time?
  • Is your communication strategy reflecting the same?
  • Do you have a policy or agreed approach for how to deal with those who just can’t grasp the new way of being (don't let them fall through the cracks)?
  • Do company referential systems, job descriptions and the organisation structure reflect the new way of being?

Benefits

People want to know that there is something in this for them.  What are the benefits for the new way of being?  The simple fact is that some of your workforce will not believe there are benefits until they see them.  Therefore your actions in the Alignment and Exposure categories should reflect the benefits in a personal way and realistically.  

But as a leader of change, you do not have the luxury of having a 'wait and see' approach. Your job is to believe it before you see it!  Seek out other people or organisations who have already done what you are about to do; see the results for yourself, listen to their stories and create a picture in your mind as to what you can expect to achieve in your organisation.

At the outset, when creating your communications plan, clearly understand the benefits for the employees and not just the organisation.  Weave these benefits through your messaging and exposure strategy.

Always remember…we change our way of being the easiest when we perceive that there is a clear benefit. This is because we aren’t focusing so much on what we are losing, we are more focussed on the future gain.

The final word?

Which of these steps is more important is debatable; but one thing is certain - they are interdependent.  For example, thinking about the Exposure stage often takes care of the Save Face and Benefits aspects.  At the same time though, if your leadership team, or you as the leader, are not personally aligned with the changes then you have a great deal of work to do in the other stages to compensate for this.  There will be times when you don't agree with the change, but do agree with the need for change.  In these cases you will have to find a way to be authentic and honest, without compromising your integrity, the integrity of your people or the integrity of the change initiative.  

Change does not need to be difficult.  It certainly isn’t easy; but then where’s the growth for us personally and professionally if it was always easy?  These steps will help you lead a change event in a more efficient manner and can underpin, enhance or integrate with most corporate change strategies.  

So remember, Align, Expose, Save Face and Benefits.

Author: David Morley

David is a developer of global-minded leaders, teams and organisations.

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The Potent Leader

4/11/2020

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The Potent Leader

How often do we look at the most engaging and inspiring leaders of the world and ask ourselves, "why can’t I have a bit of that?"  

Let’s face it, there are leaders out there who are engaging, effective, and carry with them a potency that seems to almost create a class system in terms of leaders.  But what is it about their potency that places them at the top of the leadership pecking order (if such a thing existed!)?

There are three characteristics consistently seen in those I regard as potent leaders.  

1.      They are natural

2.      They can relate with ease

3.      They own the role of a leader

Let's explore these ideas in brief.

Potent Leaders are Natural

A potent leader comes across as natural; there is a higher degree of authenticity with what they do and how they do it.  This is because for them the debate on just how much we allow ‘who’ we are to influence our work isn’t a consideration.  I often hear leaders express concern over how they work hard to keep their personal and professional lives separate, or put effort into managing the balance. Little do they realise that people engage as much with who we are as much as they do the other factors such as remuneration, rewards and the aesthetics of the workplace. Years of global engagement surveys highlight this fact; but the chances are your people aren’t reading employee engagement surveys, but they are reading you every day. 

Being natural is about having a strong sense of self; being aware of your boundaries and being comfortable with what you are prepared to share, and the extent to which you are prepared to allow ‘who’ you are to colour your professional life and leadership style.  Accompanying this is a healthy level of self-esteem and knowing that a little bit of vulnerability and openness is demonstrating that you are human; you are real!  

So how can you be more natural in your leadership approach?  The easy answer is to have the confidence to be yourself.  If this isn’t a strong point, then question the self-talk that undermines and eats away at your confidence to allow more of yourself into the role.  Chances are the self-talk is based on messages we have picked up throughout life (many that we have brought from childhood into adult life) that are irrational and probably not relevant to who you are today.  So anything you can do to raise your levels of self-awareness and learn more about what makes you tick, will go a long way.  Working with a coach who can help you connect with your values, reading or working with a mentor who is acknowledged as a natural and effective leader are all ways to help develop your style.  ​

Potent Leaders Relate with Ease

The more natural we can be within our role, the more likely it is that we will be able to relate to others in an engaging style.  After all, people will know ‘who’ it is that they are interacting with, which makes it easier for the communication flow and for the other person to also relax and bring more of who they are into the dialogue.  When you are more relaxed with yourself, it also means you can increase your focus on the other person.  Because you aren’t so worried (consciously or unconsciously) about what the other person may be thinking of you, this means you have more energy to invest in them.  Observing their body language, looking for small cues that let you understand what they are really saying.  You are signalling that you are interested in them; in ‘who’ they are.  Leaders who relate with ease are really quite unconditional in their approach.  To relate with ease is almost always about putting who you are, and your needs, to one side and really listening.  

The impact for global leaders in this regard is significant.  The ability to read small cues and be awake to what is really being said is critical to bridging the cultural gap.  It is how we identify the cultural rituals and understand the differences that exist between us; allowing us to engage and relate with greater meaning.  More importantly though, building any relationship, intercultural or otherwise, is an extremely unconditional process, and one that requires an acknowledgement that no matter which nationalities we may be interacting with we all share the some process for how we develop relationships.  That is; we all need to go through a process of building rapport (seeking to understand ‘who’ the other person is, what their rituals are, and what is important to them), as a precursor to enjoying the natural momentum and engagement that comes with a  ell developed relationship.  ​
To improve the way you relate with ease, one of the most powerful things you can do is one of the simplest.  Invest time at the beginning of the relationship to understand who it is you are dealing with.  Ask questions and be inquisitive. Be interested, not interesting. ​
You will soon realise that the idea of relating with ease has less to do with you, but more to do with how you enable the other person to relate to you with ease. ​

Potent Leaders Own the Role of a Leader

Allowing more of yourself into the role, and relating with ease can help you grow into the role of a leader and evolve as a leader.  Underpinning this is your ability to acknowledge that you are a leader, in a leadership role.  Your decisions and behaviours impact the careers and lives of those in your team directly and indirectly and in obvious and not so obvious ways.  From decisions on performance review and pay increases and decisions to hire or fire, through to making off hand or throw away comments that may be in jest or only half thought through…but if taken out of context by an employee can impact their thinking and behaviours.  

If you don’t understand this, then it doesn’t matter how natural a leader you are, or the extent to which you can relate with ease.  You are missing the point that you have signed up for management and everything that comes with it.  This means making the difficult decisions and having the hard conversations as well as ensuring you celebrate the successes. 

The key message is that the potent leaders don’t shy away from the fact that they are a manager.  They understand that there is an inherent power that accompanies the authority of their role that can be used to inspire, motivate and help lift performance.  This inherent power is a natural accompaniment to leadership.  You can’t have one without the other; which means that those leaders who find it difficult to own the fact that they are a leader probably don’t realise that by doing nothing in their role, they are still influencing behaviour.  But not in the way they would like.  

The Final Word?

No matter who you are, your role, or level of leadership; you can start developing your potency whenever you want; it’s not something that requires permission from anyone else.  You own your potency.  

Be pragmatic and look for ways to practice and experiment with new ways of engaging and track the responses and results.  Read books on the subject, take tests that allow you to learn more about your values and what’s important to you, be coached or mentored, and above all value the integrity of your relationships.

Author: David Morley

David is a developer of global-minded and engaging leaders, teams and organisations.

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