Through the Knothole

WE'VE MOVED!! VISIT US AT http://uncommoncontributions.wordpress.com/

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 18:28:00 +0000

SEE YOU THERE FOR MORE UNCOMMON CONTRIBUTIONS!

Uncommonly Yours,
Julie Lynch, Principal
Uncommon Consulting
www.uncommonconsulting.com

The Toughest Weed of Them All

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:33:00 +0000

The Fallen Star Weed: This one is tough. Several organizations I’ve worked with have struggled with this one and in each case, the organizations were undergoing significant industry change. Entire business models were shifting.

Unfortunately, the revenue wasn’t shifting as fast as the models which required the organizations to preserve the existing streams as well as they could while they reshaped for the new environment.

The J.M. Torrels quote applies perfectly here. An employee who, in the “old” business, was an out and out star performer, was now, in this new environment and through no fault of his or her own, a weed. These long time, high performing, well-connected, revenue producing employees were now becoming obsolete. So of course the plan was to promote them.

What??

Well, yes. To preserve the revenue and retain the employee during a tumultuous time of change, each of these organizations planned to (or did) promote these individuals into a “special” role. A win/win for everyone, no? The organization secures the revenue through the transition, the employee is recognized and rewarded and the organization…well, that’s why it’s not a win/win/win.

The problem with the preservation/promotion approach is that the organization gets a mixed message. The “old” business model and all it represents is the lucky recipient of the political, cultural and HR capital that is desperately required by the organization toward the new direction.

In the best case, the employee sees the move for what it is, understands and accepts the transition role, and is expressly supportive of the new direction whether or not he or she is part of it long term. Worst case is the employee uses the promotion as “proof” that the old business is still intact and will prevail.

A Note on Good Weeds

Weeds do have their good side. Under controlled circumstances, many of them can greatly benefit our gardens and organizations. They hold top-soil (market position), pull up water and nutrients (revenue/clients), help control insects (competitors) and more. If your Fallen Star Weed is one of these – by all means preserve them for the transition.

Gardening Lesson: Remember: “A weed is a plant that interferes with management objectives for a given area of land at a given point in time.” Be honest with yourself, with your star employees and in your commitment to organizational objectives. That’s why you get paid the big bucks.

How to Grow a Flourishing Garden/Organization

1. Good soil / Fertile market and clear business objectives

2. Landscape plan / Strong culture, talent and management practices

3. Ruthless weed management / Strict adherence to cultural and performance standards

4. Respect for all plant life / We’re talking about people here folks. Transform or transplant when possible and treat everyone with dignity.

The Weeds in Your Employ

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:31:00 +0000

Here are a few examples from organizations I’ve worked with that have been plagued by weeds:

The Mourner Weed: After a particularly traumatic downsizing of a company, one department had a particularly difficult time accepting the change and supporting the new direction. The entire department including the manager expressed their dissatisfaction by securing and retaining the nameplates of all the former employees and displaying them on the outside of the department area.

Understandable grieving? Absolutely. But when it went unchecked for months, the culture of discontent took on a life of its own and disrupted the team’s ability to succeed.

Gardening Lesson: Conduct a downsizing with respect for the dignity of all affected individuals including both the departing and the remaining employees. Extra attention to those remaining – in the form of communication, resources, and articulating their connection to the future of the organization – is essential. If counterproductive attitudes and activities persist, deal with it early on.

The Loyalty Weed: One organization struggled mightily with a division whose leader was focused more on division success than on organizational success. Employees were instructed not to share information with other departments, to agree with but not to follow through on organizational initiatives and to report positively on employee satisfaction surveys (else be sought out and punished for their transgression). The problem was that the leader was considered critical to the success of the organization in terms of client and industry relationships.

When employees are employed and rewarded based on loyalty to the leader rather then on the meeting of shared and transparent organizational performance metrics the garden can get ugly.

Gardening Lesson: Weeds can have deceivingly beautiful flowers, making it easy to believe that they are adding value. Out of sight, however, under the soil, their roots are spreading and choking out those of other “good” plants. You have two choices: get rid of the behavior or get rid of the weed.

But the really tough weeds take an honest and committed gardener.

Killer Weeds in the Organization

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:28:00 +0000

“Would someone be able to help me identify this weed? I first noticed it in my garden about two years ago. It is spreading and I have found it infesting more soil. When I go to pull it, it launches seeds as soon as the plant is touched. It is the perfect organism that sows its seed when its life is endangered. The roots are relatively shallow so it is easy to pull, especially if I catch it early.”

Exactly.

This quote was taken from a gardening site but could well be used by managers in organizations everywhere. Simply replace the words “garden” and “soil” with the word “organization”. The “weed” in the organization’s case is that employee who compromises your organization’s health, wellbeing, and capacity for change. There are many varieties found in this environment often going by the names “Toxic Employee”, “Resistor to Change”, “Rumor monger”, “Backbiter”, or – often the most wily of them all – “The High Performing Underminer”

Characteristics of Weeds

Weeds grow and reproduce quickly, they crowd out or restrict light to more desirable plants and use up the limited nutrients in the soil. They often have similar characteristics to the plant they are crowding out – making it difficult to distinguish from the “good” ones. And they tend to proliferate in land that has been “disturbed” by outside environmental effects.

Interestingly, by definition, a weed is only a weed if it is growing where it is not wanted. The same growth in a different environment just might be welcome. The agriculturist and author J.M. Torrell defined weeds as: a plant that interferes with management objectives for a given area of land at a given point in time.

Hmmm.

Commitments Count! (Guest Post)

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:48:00 +0000

This week's post is contributed by friend and business partner Carole Sacino of Turning Point Institute. Carole's "Get it Done" approach was the wind beneath her wings as a successful sales executive and serves her now as a business leader and Motivation Factor® Alliance Partner. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Carole!

Commitments Count!
Carole Sacino, Principal, Turning Point Institute

Have you ever stopped to really listen to what people say? More importantly, have you listened for what they don’t say?

The other day I was sitting at Starbucks and was overhearing a conversation that brought back memories for me. It seemed to be a conversation between a client and his coach and it went something like this:

Client: “….yes, it was great to spend time together discussing the possibilities for my new business ventures…”

Coach: “great when can you get me the follow-up documentation?”

Client: “Geez, you know, it is the last week of summer and there’s a lot going on. I will get it to you after Labor Day”.

Coach: “Okay, let me know and I’ll talk to you soon. Enjoy the week”.

Were you listening? What do you think is going to happen after Labor Day? Though we can’t say for sure, there is a pretty good chance that the follow-up documentation won’t be sent.

“Commitment Language” separates the leaders from the followers. It is a language that moves people into a special category: the category that gets the biggest promotions, most recognition and the best return on their efforts.

As a sales champion for myself and others, I was clearly differentiated from my peers and other “competition” in my field because I said what I would do and did what I would say. Every time. I under-promised and over-delivered early and often. And, as I learned the power of Commitment Language, I shared this concept with others (those who worked with me would say I drilled it!): That how we show up in the world matters!

Take the coach/client conversation above. With Commitment Language it would go something like this:

Coach: “Great conversation today, we covered a lot and I really look forward to getting the business outline including the ideas we agreed with today. When can I expect to see it?”

Client: “I agree and thank you for helping me today. I will get you a draft document by Thursday at 10am. Will that work for you?”

The chances are good to great that it would be delivered on or before Thursday at 10.

People notice when someone makes a commitment and follows through on what they promised. Clients will definitely notice how you always come through and can be counted on for delivering. Management will model your actions as a “teaching” opportunity for others to follow in business and, for sure, the chances are very good that you will feel satisfied, accomplished and rewarded for saying what you will do and doing what you say.

The more specific you get with

the deliverable, the date and the time

the stronger your commitment is to making it happen.

It takes 21 days to change a habit and I would challenge you to begin today using commitment language with your family, friends, colleagues and clients and see what changes for you. At the end of the 21 days, reflect on what has changed and pay it forward to others.

"When you get down to the root of the meaning of the word success, you'll find that is simply means to follow through"… F.W. Nichols

"The achievement of your goal is assured the moment you commit yourself to it."…Mack R Douglas

Carole Sacino, Executive Business Leader who drives results from the inside out and Principal of Turning Point Institute, a consulting company that creates custom solutions when the goal is to Engage, Commit and Motivate individuals and teams toward a common purpose with results. She spent 20 plus years in the publishing/media industry in multiple sales, marketing and executive level positions driving business and change in the market with a passion for mentoring, coaching and developing the high potential "athletes" in our industry. Carole is a certified Professional Coach, Master Practitioner in Energy Leadership, Certified Emotional Intelligence provider and Alliance Partner for Motivation Factor®. Her motto is: keep it simple, engaging, efficient and highly effective! and you can reach her at carole@turningpointinstitute.com

Anyone Up for a Cup of Organize? (Guest Blog!)

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:22:00 +0000

Dear KNOTHOLE readers...
I recently had the pleasure of meeting and working with LaNette Parker at a recent Motivation Factor certification program. An accomplished change agent, LaNette is both inspiring and grounded - a rare combination indeed! She is this month's guest blogger. Enjoy!

Anyone Up for A Cup of Organize?
LaNette Parker, ACC, CEC

My 4-year old arrived at my bedside one recent morning, put a toy cup to my lips and declared, "Mom, you need to drink a cup of organize." Then, he ran from the room, off to get me more ‘organize.’

Who couldn’t use a little more ‘organize’? Ask anyone about their lives and you’ll hear a common thread: pulled in so many directions, we rarely spend our time doing what we love to do. This leads to a feeling that we’re lacking something – respect, money, material belongings, control, etc. – at home and/or at the office. The elements of our circumstances crisscross into a tangled web until we scarcely recognize how we got where we are or even who we are.

And, when we do have the occasional moment to raise our heads above the fray and realize we’re suffering, we resolve to "organize." We pull out our Franklin planners and unweave the web into a nice, tidy plan - fitting each day’s debris into the neatly printed rows of hours.

Stack one day against the next and the next…to what end?

A cup of organize contains three powerful ingredients: Purpose, Energy and Intention. Once you know your purpose, you can focus your energy toward your intentions.

If this sounds lofty, it’s actually quite straightforward:
• Get clear: Know your value and what you value
• Get clearer: Assess where you are right now against the answers that came to you
• Get moving: Rid yourself of what’s holding you back
• Get ‘a cup of organize’: Put your day together intentionally, so that you are energized, grounded and fully satisfied that you're making the difference you’re here to make.

And, when you’re in the thick of changing your life, remember that others care, that you can ask for support, that you matter.

Above all, drink up and expect the best.

Contact LaNette at lanette@lanetteparker.com and 415.317.3371.

LaNette Parker, ACC, CEC, is an easy-to-talk-to coach and Motivation Factor® certified partner, specializing in helping individuals and teams get clear and act boldly once they do. In addition to lots of “character building” life experiences, she has nearly two decades of human resources and communication consulting experience bringing clarity to employees at some of the world's most renowned companies. LaNette is one of just 4,000 coaches worldwide who has earned the International Coach Federation's credential and one of 6,000 global Collaborators on The Difference Project, an international movement aimed at opening humanity's heart.

We're Built Wrong!

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:45:00 +0000

I just read an excellent article: The False Theory of Meritocracy. The entire article is a great read and one point really resonated with me: "Native American tribes often had different chiefs for peace and war... We all have unique capabilities that must be constantly reassessed in a world of shifting priorities."

This concept is more critical to successfully navigating business today and the economy we now work in than I think we realize. In fact, WE ARE CURRENTLY BUILT WRONG to support the economy we are living in today and which we will be working in for the foreseeable future.

The industrial era may have been well supported by the vertical ladder of hierarchical meritocracy and by producing students/employees trained to climb it but these are outdated concepts today.

Our current school system was designed to staff a budding industrial economy. As we moved from agrarian to industrial work, it became an urgent imperative to learn up the farmers' children in readn' writn' and 'rithmatic. Jobs were to be had, money was to be made, an industrial revolution was to be led and we didn't have a population equipped to run the equipment. Enter K - 12.

Then came management. First it was the folks who worked their way up from the assembly line. Showing aptitude for the numbers and the metrics, understanding the workings of the plant and eventually becoming leader. This scratch and scrabble path often produced the been-there-done-that, I'll-tell-you-how-it's-done, you-can-succeed-me-when-I-die method of career progression.

To bypass this long, involved, dues-paying process we encouraged our children to get-good-grades, get-into-a-good college so you can get-a-good-job-with-benefits. Enter the 4 year degree. This of course often produced the I-went-to-Harvard-so-step-off method of progression.

Unfortunately, our current economy cannot accommodate such a plan any longer. In an information/services economy new qualities like flexibility, comfort with ambiguity, creativity, resilience, application of individual talent and the like are more valuable than ever. The concept of different chiefs for peace and war is spot on. Understanding what our skills, resiliencies (or lack of them), and talents are and being able to articulate and apply them appropriately should be something organizations demand and individuals expect to deliver on.

But where are we asking students or employees to identify, develop, practice and articulate these qualities in themselves? Unless specifically sought out as an elective, most students can sail (or struggle) through school and their first job search never having explored what their skills are, where are they more or less resilient?, what are their unique talents and can they articulate them? What jobs require those talents?
And I'm not talking about life-purpose jobs - any job. There's a guy who makes a boat load of money designing labels for wine bottles. That's it! There's the woman who opens her own sandwich shop. There's my friend who cleans houses - LOVES to CLEAN HOUSES. Look, when you have a talent, it feels good to use it (our brian is actually wired this way). If we use our talents at work, we'll feel better at work and the work will be better.

This is so important to figure out. The current school system was designed specifically to support the budding industrial economy. We need to build something new. Current organizational effectiveness efforts need to focus more on individual accountability and purposeful engagement - demanding it and/or training people to develop it. What we want to engender is more: I'm-good-at-this-and-you're-good-at-that-right-now-so-let's-make-this-thing-sing kind of career. Of course we may end up with the I've-got-a bigger-portfolio-career-than-you-so-step-off kind of career progression - but I think that might not be so bad.

Of course this concept upsets a number of foundational elements in the academic and working worlds: how do we teach kids to develop these new qualities?, How do we compensate employees for applying their skills and talents appropriately and moving to new work when the circumstances change? How can we better equip ourselves to match jobs with the right people and vice versa? Hmm...where to start....

Manager's Magic Potion BLOG DISCUSSION HAS MOVED! CLICK HERE

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Fri, 21 May 2010 19:07:00 +0000

Tell us what you think at the new Magic Potion Blog Post!

All over the place

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:35:00 +0000

I've been writing. Just not here!

I've been busy working on my own journey "through the knothole" as I structure and craft a path for Uncommon Consulting. I'm meeting so many incredibly rich people: rich in insight, caring, business acumen, encouragement...it's been tremendously gratifying.

As I work to refine my business plans I have received terrifically valuable advice from friends, family and colleagues. Mike B provides grounded business sense, Kathy Esper prods me to bring my authentic self to light, Dee asks incredulously whether I know what I'm doing (this in response to my leaving my "secure" part time job with benefits in order to devote 100% of myself to UC).

The whole experience is helping me to bring even more impactful guidance to my clients as I more fully understand the wrenching decisions regarding where to spend time, money and energy; how to say no to people you care about; and when to close some doors and open others. Much easier said than done, as they say, but definitely well worth the effort.

While I continue to work my plan through, here are some recent pieces I've done for eMediaVitals.com and HRMToday.com where I'm privileged to be writing monthly articles. And here are some opportunities to see Uncommon Live as I introduce the new framework I'm using to drive change, boost productivity and engage employees.

Next up - figuring out how to optimize my blog! :-)

Running into Poles: Lessons Learned

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:42:00 +0000

I have run into a pole three times in my life. (No, not someone of Polish decent - I'm talking about an actual streetlight pole - and, yes, only three times. Smart alecks!).

The first time, I was walking home from school, busy making a point to a boy across the street. I believe it had something to do with my insisting that he was of absolutely no concern to me anymore. BANG! Walked into a pole. Lesson: Don't get so carried away with the competition that you lose sight of where you're going. It is VERY embarrassing.

The second time, I was deep in thought - brooding even - as I planted one foot in front of the other trying not to step on the cracks in the sidewalk. BANG! Walked into a pole. Lesson: You can brood and walk. You can walk and see what's coming. But you cannot brood and walk and see what's coming. Brood first. Then walk. Much more effective.

The third (and, so far, last) time, I was in bumper to bumper traffic and looked up to see brake lights close up in front of me. Panicking, I slammed my foot on the brake. Actually, I wish it was the brake. It was actually the gas. BANG! Hit the pole. This time, the pole came up off its footings, bounced off both my roof and trunk and came to rest perpendicularly across the busy street. Lesson: Don't freak out. Take a minute to assess the situation before reacting. (And if you do freak out, try not to giggle hysterically when the cops arrive on the scene).

All this to say...we're in the midst of a busy few months, the new year is in full swing and it's all good! Just remember to balance your time between watching the cracks in the sidewalk and keeping an eye on the horizon. Take that step back on a regular basis to be sure you're headed down the right and relatively obstacle-free path.

Uncommonly yours,
J

Tall Ships and Speedboats

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:10:00 +0000

My brother-in-law, Jim, was a deck hand on the "HMS" Rose. The guy in this picture is not Jim but it does give you a look at what Jim did when he was "aloft in the rigging".

Anyone who has experienced a parade of the tall ships can see how strikingly beautiful these vessels are. Not just for the gorgeous complexity of the rigging, shrouds and gaskets or the plethora of sails in their salty antiqued hue, but also for the elegance of the crew - harkening back to the focused and elaborately coordinated performance to set and stay a course, outwit the sea and make it back alive when tasked with defending our coasts in the 18th century.

Here's what the coast guard uses today to defend our waters.

Organizations today are facing a similar transformation except of course we don't have a century or two. We've got like a week. Indeed, we're remodeling tall ships into speedboats while coursing at high velocity over choppy seas and some will do it much much better than others.

Things to avoid:
1. Hanging on to the tall ship.
2. Not telling (all of) your crew that the tall ship is going away
3. Incorporating nostalgic tall ship characteristics into the speedboat
4. Assuming your tall ship crew cannot drive a speedboat
5. Assuming your tall ship crew can drive a speedboat

Half the battle is avoiding these things. The other half is about your organization (aka: people) getting used to the speedboat, learning how to handle it and understanding how to maneuver it through the new business environment. So let's assume you avoided our five items up above and you: let go of the tall ship, communicated thoroughly from top to bottom about the new direction and vessel, were brave and resisted the temptation to incorporate the familiar for the sake of the familiar, and objectively evaluated your staff for speedboat readiness.

Now comes the hard(er) part. In order to engage your organization in the achievement of these new goals they must literally get out of their own way. According to recent brain research, neuropsychologically, human beings cannot change, grow or learn if they are in a state of alert. And what greater state of alert could there be for an employee than the perceived threat to their livelihood (will I get laid off?), their employability (do I have the skills for this new role?), their self-esteem (I expected to lead my department).

Every company undergoing significant change would reach their goals faster, get the right people on board more quickly and avoid unnecessary expense if they explicitly addressed this "human" issue up front so they could move on to the implementation of all that good strategic work that went into deciding to build the speedboat in the first place.

My next post will give you some ideas for tackling that part.
www.uncommonconsulting.com

Motivate Shmotivate

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:22:00 +0000

I am all fired up about the concept of motivation this month. What drives us to make the choices we do? What jazzes some people up about work while for others that same thing is a drag? Why do we do or say things we're not ultimately proud of, or just didn't mean to do or say? How can we get more out of our lives, our jobs, our relationships?

Do this exercise with me:
1. Think about all the goals, challenges, and priorities in your life right now.
(Hey! Don't skip ahead to the next question just to move this along. Really think about it.)

2. Which one of those things, if achieved, solved or addressed, would make the biggest positive difference to you?
(Hang on. Sit with this for a minute. What's that ONE thing?)

3. Okay, now just brainstorm all the things that are in your way of making that happen.
(Anything goes - just write it down and see what you get)

4. Now. If you could wave a magic wand and make all those obstacles disappear and you made that one thing happen. What would be different for you? What do you gain? Time? Energy? Money? More?

What's this all about you ask? Well, this is the beginning of a new method I've just become certified in to help individuals and organizations reach their goals faster than they would otherwise be able to on their own. Even more, it provides crystal clear insight into the things that motivate you, your employees, our colleagues. How cool is that?

If you're interested in knowing more, shoot me an email or call me up.

Uncommonly yours,
Julie

Purposeful Engagement

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:49:00 +0000

Speakin’ my language once again, Laurie!

I’d expand Laurie's assertion to say MOST advisors of any kind (Career Advisors, Guidance counselors, HR folks) don’t take the time to define and explore those facets with their charges but neither do the individuals themselves. Having done some soul searching on this myself recently, I boiled down my purpose in life to “inspire purposeful engagement in work and life” which incorporates my passions and my skills (yay, me!).

I’m messing around with these concepts as part of my new business and would love people’s feedback if they have it. You can see a work in progress in my not-yet-live site Uncommon Contributions.

Deep thoughts on purpose by Julie:

Students deserve to learn what they personally have to give in terms of skills, talents, and passions and have competent guidance in matching those with opportunities in the big wide world. Starting early – 5th grade even – and definitely by junior high.

And for you employees: what are your skills, talents, and passions and how can you put them into play towards the business goals of your employer? If you don’t know what yours are, you need to find out. If you know what they are and can’t put them into play where you work – then you’re wasting both your own and your employer’s time and you should be somewhere else.

I have a really neat (read practical and effective) new methodology that I'm really excited about that is applicable to any situation where the goal is to engage, commit and motivate the individuals and teams towards a common purpose. It can be customized to any situation, it's simple and it is deeply effective at each the individual, team and organizational levels. I'll leave more on that for another post.

Purposeful Engagement

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:09:00 +0000

Question: What does it take to be purposefully engaged in one's work?

Brutal Friendship

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:12:00 +0000

This month I had an opportunity to speak to 80 or so business people at the Chamber of Commerce Breakfast in the Blackstone Valley area of Massachusetts. (Thank you to the Chamber and to the audience for a very pleasant morning!) My talk was on "The Business of Social Media" and we covered why a business person might want to use social media as part of their marketing mix and, if one was so inclined, how they might go about getting started.

I like to start that talk by asking where people are at in terms of their comfort with and interest in using social media and it's typical to find that there are a few avid users, a majority of "dabblers" and a few who think Alexander Graham Bell was a fine fine man and we should have left well enough alone with the telephone.

No matter where one is on the continuum, though, it's important for each of us to ask ourselves "Why?". Why are we there? Why are we not there? What is it getting us as a business? Is it helping us to reach our organizational goals?

Business-focus is the hallmark of my work mostly because it so quickly helps things to fall into place. When I'm working with a team, I am the objective third-party who can often see more clearly whether organizational activity is aligned with (stated) organizational goals. Like an acupuncturist can sense unbalanced "chi", I can sense organizational misalignment. Like a mechanic can sense an incorrect gear ratio, I can identify a communication breakdown. Like the mighty hunter who can.... Okay, you get the picture.

Interestingly, this doesn't translate as well when I'm dealing with my own "stuff". Staying focused on goals and choosing the activities that will MOST EFFECTIVELY help me reach my goals is HARD. There are things I know I SHOULD do and there are things I know I WANT to do and there are things I know that OTHER PEOPLE want me to do. So what to do?

I've found it immeasurably invaluable to have a few object third parties around that I like to refer to as "friends". Now these particular "friends" have a very special job. Their job is not necessarily to be nice to me and it's definitely not to tell me what I want to hear. In fact their job - if they do it right - is to make me question myself, to debunk my theories, to hold me accountable to my own goals. They don't care about what I WANT to do. They care about what I SAID I was going to do and what I'm doing to GET THERE. Sometimes this can be a pain in the neck. Sometimes I don't like what they have to say. Sometimes I swear at them. (most times they'll swear back so it's even but even so, I still apologize).

Organizations could use more friends like this. Don't you think?

Yours in brutal friendship,
Julie

PS: Here's a heart-pounding, eye-opening (short) video on Social Media. I'd recommend you take a peek. http://www.flixxy.com/social-media-revolution.htm

Mission Statements Part Deux

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:47:00 +0000

So I did a little thinking about my "mission" in life. And I came to the conclusion that I really dislike the term "mission". Especially when paired with the word "vision". And then if you throw "goals" in there and toss a few "objectives" around....well don't get me started. So the thing is that personally I think I've hit on something that is truly meaningful to me as a focus. (Yeah, "focus" - much better than "mission").

Here it is:
I want to foster organizational effectiveness; inspire personal goal setting and the achievement of meaningful work; and develop Human Resources teams that support the first two ideals. All this to make a positive difference in society by inspiring and supporting purposeful engagement in work and life.

There. I said it.

Mission Statements

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:59:00 +0000

I've been thinking about mission statements. Mostly because I'm in start-up mode with my own business and I need to be clear with myself about what I'm going for. I am one of those people with lots of ideas and opinions but who finds the nuts and bolts of stuff kind of boring. Don't get me wrong - I know nuts and bolts are necessary - no, critical!. Nothing happens without them being paired and fastened appropriately. I actually am quite proud of my management of nuts and bolts - the identification, pairing, securing, tightening and maintaining of them. It just takes more WORK than the idea generation and general opining that comes so naturally to me.

Anyhoo. I've been thinking about mission statements. The company that raised me has a great mission statement. It is: To Be The World's Leading Provider of Information Services on Information Technology... (get a load of this next part) ...In Order to Improve The Quality of Human Life.

Jeepers. Whodathunk that little ole me, showing up to work everyday in the Training and Development and HR departments of IDG, was participating - contributing even! - to the Quality of Human Life???

Well you know what? We were. Our products and all that it took to create them (even the efforts of the training and development and HR teams) informed the world of developments in technology. Kept them apprised of new products, trends, applications and innovations. That information technology specialists around the world read and acted upon to create new types of defibrillators or online learning systems or security systems or any number of technological advancements that have indeed improved the quality of human life. (Luddites - give me a minute here ok?)

The thing is, it's important to ask yourself why you're doing something. And it's even more important to be honest in your answer.

As I think about mission statements and my reasons for going into business for myself, it's been an education in values. Am I in it for the money? If not, then why am I concerned about having to downsize our house and "stuff"? I guess maybe I'm in it for the money a bit. Am I in it for the ego, fame and accolades? If not, then why am I so quick to announce to family and friends the latest "win" or impressive connection? I guess maybe I do need my ego fed a bit. Am I in it for the humanitarianism? If not, then why is the idealist in me so excited about changing the world - even if it is in my little corner of the universe?

What I'm saying is - it's REAL to acknowledge and honor the reasons you do something. It's REAL to consider how they play into what you're doing and why. It is UNREALISTIC to think that you can achieve your dreams - your potential - without reconciling, incorporating, accommodating your values. Your true values. Your true motivation.

An education indeed.

Education, Experience and Empathy

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:08:00 +0000

Last night I had the opportunity to speak to a group of grad students at Clark University about change management. It was a great group and we had a good time delving into the real life challenges of change. About a third were there because the course was a requirement for their MIS degree program, a few because it happened to fit into their schedule and a few for some very specific reasons (one - notably - was there to learn about how he could help influence the political and societal change his native country is undergoing. How cool is that?).

The class was about half way through the course, had covered the major change models and was set to cover one approach in depth for the remainder of their time. I've always found change models to be super helpful in organizing your approach, preparation, timing and roll out of change efforts - the skeleton say - but I've also found they leave you needing help putting flesh on the bones. That's kind of what we covered together in the class last night - maybe the heart and soul of change.

We talked about the central figure in any change effort: the employee. And not just "employee" in general but the specific human being - EVERY specific human being - party to the change. We came to the conclusion that humans are messy. They bring a whole host of characteristics to the workplace (we brainstormed a bunch: gender, race, ethnicity, geographic location, salary level, experience, family, performance level, commitment, satisfaction, technology savvy, and more and more and more). Each and every employee impacts and is impacted by change depending on their particular set of characteristics. As Professor Hinkle has been known to say: "Messy, messy, messy". Multiply this mess times the number of people in your organization and then times the economy, industry evolution, technology, and management (to the nth degree) and you've got...what class?...Organizational Ch....? Right! Organizational Chaos!

We all know change is constant, and it's unrealistic to think there is a beginning, middle, and end to a change effort. In fact, if there is one thing we regularly do too soon in change efforts - it's end (More on that later). But we (the class) talked about how to keep an important goal in mind to navigate the chaos that is the constantly changing organization. The guiding light? The business goals. We talked about how important it is to carefully and clearly define and articulate the business goals in order to make change that supports those goals, is fair and is lasting.

One student told a story of his company laying off one of his co-workers as a result of a mandate that every department had to lose one headcount. Three weeks later the employee was back. Turns out the work he and the department was doing was critical to the business goal. These kinds of unproductive, embarassing, and potentially risky decisions can be avoided if your change efforts are constantly tested against the goals. Keeping the business goal front and center also helps to ensure fair decisions are made and that employees are being evaluated against a defendable constant.

Your deep knowledge of the business goal is key and a change manager - whether an external consultant, internal manager or human resources professional - needs three things as a strong foundation for effecting change:

Education: Know the business, know the business, know the business. This means have a grasp of economic factors, industry trends, business performance, client expectations and the like. It's also handy to have some knowledge of change models, tools and techniques. Excellent communication skills should be a given - either inherent to the change manager or in the form of a communication expert.

Experience: We've all experienced change. Whether it's moving into the college dorm for the first time or getting a new job or breaking a habit - we've experienced nervous butterflies, the challenge of setting expectations, the frustration of not being heard and more. Experiencing and observing your own reaction to change, learning about others' reactions, and seeing through the ramifications of change efforts give you important insight into how to manage change successfully in the future. The value of the "post-mortem" is widely acknowledged yet seldom practiced.

Empathy: Remember our messy employee? The thing is, the employee doesn't feel messy. It's their life and it informs their world. We need to respect that as change agents and do what we can communicate in ways people can hear and understand and react and provide input. Keeping this in mind - the very front of our minds - will create good will, smoother change and faster more effective progress toward the goal.

The fact of the matter is, business is not touchy feely. The heart and soul of change management is empathy for the employee and dedication to the business goal respectively. Thoughts?

I want to thank the Clark grad students for their participation last night. We had a good time comparing stories and I definitely learned a few things myself!

What Constitutes Quality? Good Question!

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:21:00 +0000

As we talk about values in the workplace - identifying them and living them - I suggest that a good manager can't spend too much time defining them. It may be clear as a bell to you as a manager that the goal is to get from Point A to Point B. You might articulate this goal, confirm that everyone understands and buys into that goal and sleep like a baby at night knowing that your crack team is making quality progress toward that goal.

And then it's time to measure the results. You smile benevolently as your team reports that they indeed achieved the goal of getting from point A to point B. But -GASP- to your horrified surprise you find that:

Employee A took the most scenic route
Employee B took the most efficient route
Employee C was creative and out of the box as she could be and
Employee D was as thrifty as possible and so took a rather spartan approach

Well? What did you want?

Values Schmalues Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:35:00 +0000

In an earlier post, I asked why some CEOs make strategic and tactical decisions and behave in ways that go against their (or the organization's) stated values.

My Hypothesis: BECAUSE THOSE VALUES DON'T WORK

Hmm...They don't work? I don't know, Julie, how can quality editorial as a value not work for a publication? How can "not being an a$$" as a value not work for a company culture?

Look, here's my thinking: In order for a CEO to meet the herculean goals of remaining profitable they need to respond quickly and decisively to the problems at hand. If there seems to be something in the way (time and cost to produce content / namby pamby diplomacy) of meeting the new immediate economic challenges (speed and breadth of online competitors / getting a result NOW), the CEO should remove the offending obstacle (adherence to cumbersome quality standards / adherence to cumbersome respect for others) and move on.

Rebuttal: BUT ISN'T THAT TERRIBLY SHORT SIGHTED?

Yes! Tossing one's organizational values aside to make way for short term results will negatively impact your company's market value in the long run. It may even take you out entirely.

So what does a CEO do when the stated company values are perceived to conflict with the task at hand? Questions to ask:

1. Are they the right values for the organization?

Be certain that values are expressed in deeds not words. Value statements that emerge from a half day team building offsite after swinging from trees and doing trust falls are not likely to be based in long term reality.
Consider observing and cataloging what's actually working in the organization. Things that you'd like to see continue or even have more of. Chances are, these are values already at work and they are the ones more likely to be recognized and adopted by incumbents. (Remember: Values that "work" are those that contribute to characterstics that positively impact market value).
Has the internal or external environment changed such that the values you've had may have fallen out of alignment? Be brave. Look closely.

2. Are you disciplined enough as an organization to live your values?

What's the motivation to abide by the value set?
Do people get away with not living them? (And if so, do they happen to be "indispensable, key revenue producers" to whom you just gave a healthy salary increase?) Be brave. Look closely.

3. What tools do managers have at the ready to resolve value conflicts (quality v. speed, integrity v. revenue)?

Are managers and employees aware of the value set?
Do they know what it looks like to uphold them? Are definitions clear (ie: what constitutes "quality")?
What happens when the value (being diplomatic and respectful) isn't getting the job done?

Theory: CEOs (and therefore company cultures) will not walk the talk if the talk isn't getting them what they need. However, the wise CEO will:

HAVE VALUES THAT WORK IN THE FIRST PLACE
BE DISCIPLINED TO WORK WITHIN A VALUE SET
RECAST VALUES IF THEY DETRACT FROM INCREASING MARKET VALUE

And the wise HR strategist will:

Coach (or help hire) a wise CEO and help determine and communicate the right value set.
Provide structure by aligning HR and Organizational systems to living those values
Produce HR strategy and deliverables that drive market value.

Big Ones and Little Ones

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:30:00 +0000

I know you're not supposed to compare. I mean...some people have long ones, others barely even there. Some are big, others are little. Some are kind of funny and others nothing but serious.

Can't help it. In comparison to other people's blog posts....mine are really long. Gonna try for some shorter ones, lest I tax your attention span, dear readers.

Values Schmalues Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:20:00 +0000

I just read and commented on a great post by one of my fav bloggers about corporate culture. Specifically: living one's organizational values. It's a nice follow on to my last post so I thought I'd incorporate it here.

CEO Lars Dalgaard of Success Factors knew that a positive, "be nice to each other" culture was a good thing. He knew it enough to espouse it publicly and go so far as to write them down in a list of rules. Likewise, our Esteemed CEO mentioned in my last post knows that editorial quality is a good thing, that it is a competitive advantage, that it has earned the company awards in recognition of it.

So why does Mr. Dalgaard (allegedly) act like the a$$ that he purports to abhor? Why does our CEO make both strategic and tactical decisions that go against these stated commitments to quality?

POP QUIZ:
First Question: What needs to be present in an organization to set organizational values and live by them? Here's a top of mind list. Would love to hear from others on this:

1. A CEO who knows what a value is, that one should have a few and that they require maintenance.
2. VALUES THAT ACTUALLY WORK.*
3. A management team that knows what those values are and knows how they are to be upheld.
4. An employee population that knows what those values are and knows how they are to be upheld.
5. Organizational systems that support value maintenance including: recruitment, selection, assimilation, compensation, benefits, culture, communication, performance management, training, termination.

*Having values that actually work is key. Obvious? You'd think. But that's a great subject for the next post.

Second Question: What makes an organizational value "good"? Some thoughts:
1. It contributes positively to the company's market value.
2. Well, that about wraps it up....no?

So in order to have good values and live them:

Hopefully our CEO has a handle on what organizational characteristics contributes to market value (profitability, quality products; good customer service and relations; strong investor relations; the in-house competence and capability to be nimble and responsive...)

And hopefully our CEO has a sense of what contributes to the strength of those characteristics (fiscal responsibility, thrift, service-mindedness, talented employees, etc.).

And hopefully our CEO has chosen a strong senior management team who are held accountable for positively impacting those value levers.

And hopefully our CEO has in place a solid mechanism for fueling and maintaining the resulting organizational ecosystem that achieves that positive market value.

CASE STUDY FOR MEDIA COMPANIES
What to do about our CEO shunning quality in favor of speed, integrity in favor of money, cray talk/evolution over tradition/death by legacy? Well, in THIS case, market value has been redefined in this CEO's industry. What used to be assets (print publications) are now liabilities, what used to be part and parcel of the business (print subscribers) are now a dwindling resource (yet critical to database growth). So much has changed in terms of the business model, that so much must change in the business.

So, in THIS case, our CEO might be right. In THIS case, perhaps we need to COMPLETELY rethink how we do business. No. Perhaps we need to COMPLETELY rethink what business we're in. Yes. Even if we decide to be in the same business, it requires some thought, some reorganization, some vision. And some values.

In THAT case, how can we help CEO recast our values - while preserving our strengths - in support of not only increased market value but, indeed, long term viability?

Values Schmalues

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:37:00 +0000

There is a conversation happening but not happening in our publishing and media organizations. It's not happening because no one's actually putting it on the table for all to see and argue about and decide on. It is happening in the pregnant silence that follows a exchange like this one:

"Hey, Revered EIC"
"Yeah, Esteemed CEO?"
"What do you think about your team doing three stories a day instead of three a month?"
"Ummm, well there's kind of a reason it takes us a month to do three"
"Well, couldn't ya just do smaller ones?"
"Well, see it's not so much the length or number as the QUALITY."
"Of course! Quality is what we stand for! It's our competitive advantage! You guys are the best! I mean just look at all the awards we've won! But with the SPEED of the internet and all, we need more. Thanks, EIC, I know you'll do the right thing!"

And I don't mean the pregnant silence of a second or so. It seems this particular little thread of "unsaid-ness" lingers, floating like a faintly noxious smell through the hallowed halls of editorial

First Perceived Value Conflict: QUALITY v SPEED

And it's happening in the vague nauseous feeling one gets after an exchange like this one:

Dedicated Marketing Guy: "And here's a new ad unit that we're putting in place (interstitial ad blocks site content and shows puppy wanting to play fetch) Check it out! If you mouse over the ball you can throw it for the puppy to fetch. And he barks until you do!"
Dedicated journalist: "Ummm, what do the readers think of that?
Dedicated Marketing Guy: "Who cares? It works!"

Second Perceived Value Conflict: INTEGRITY v MONEY

And the amused incredulity one might enjoy upon witnessing this one:

(setting: Training room filled with 25 or so edit folks listening to an expert in online journalism)
Online Editorial Instructor: "So, the state of our business is changing so quickly we really will be pushed to consider doing business and doing journalism in very different ways. For instance...there are sites that are linking externally to other information sources - even to their competitors if that serves the reader."
Dedicated (talk about Incredulous) Journalist: "What? Linking to competitors? (Stands up and slams hand on desk, yelling) THAT'S INSANE!!!!!!"

Third Perceived Value Conflict: Sanctity of Tradition v Crazy Talk
OR
Third Perceived Value Conflict: Death by Legacy v Evolution of Media

Quality and Speed, Church and State, Editorial Integrity and the Health - nay, the SAVING - of the Business. These are real. good. difficult. questions. And even in companies that have made great leaps forward into the new landscape of media, these questions have not been openly and thoroughly discussed.

Business: beware that church and state existed to protect the business from itself. Take the best of it and adhere to it. In the long run, we can't afford not to.

Journalists: be inquisitive about your readers' information habits and your business' health lest you - and journalism - gets lost, left behind or trampled. We can't afford it now or ever.

There's a lot to be done here and it better be quick.

More on this next time....

You owe it to YOURSELF to bring your best self to work

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:35:00 +0000

Call me an idealist. Call me naive. Call me a puppet for "the man". Well...don't call me that last one unless you're prepared for a litany of examples of how I'm not.

Seriously, I realize that there are some bad companies out there that take advantage of employees, that don't appreciate their contributions, that don't pay well or that have mind-blowingly horrible management styles. But for the companies that are just going along running a business and generally maintaining a reasonable (read: compliant, non-discriminatory, with maybe a couple of decent benefits) employment practice I ask you....WHAT is the problem???

Spit it out! Shout it from the mountaintops! What in heaven's name is so torturous about showing up for work on time, every day, with an interest in the work, a bit of energy and a pleasant attitude???

Is it your incompetent manager? Is your pay lousy? Is senior management a bunch of thieves? Is your HR department a bunch of tattletale ninnies? Then, like St. Patrick, let's run the snakes of discouraging employment situations out! Of course that takes time and, depending on the situation, may or may not be possible. Hmm...what to do?

A great reference guide for times like these is this highly transferable employee handbook by Laurie Ruettimann at Punk Rock HR. Love that.

Let's take a more in depth look at what you can do to make things better for yourself and your fellow employee. You can start by answering these questions:

Who are you?
What do you want?
What does the company you work for do?
Do you care?

Who are you?
What are you bringing to the employment table? Why should your company want you around? Does anyone know you bring these valuable things? How are you offering them?

Companies have goals to meet and a job to do. They hired you to help them do that. They owe you nothing more than adherence to FLSA, wage and hour and other regulations designed to protect employees. That is the deal. If you are holding up your end of the bargain, help them to see what you need in return (see question number 2).

Bottomline: Be true to your word and to yourself by being the best you can be at work. You owe YOURSELF that much. Forget about whether the company benefits from the "best you".

What do you want?
Do you love your work? Is it what you were born to do? Is it just for the money?

Consider what you need from your job. If it's love and affection, a social life and a little understanding, then you're barking up the wrong tree. If you want to have fun, get a hobby.

Bottomline: Work is work. That doesn't mean it's a bad thing. It means it's challenging, purposeful, gratifying and rewarding. If you are doing what you love, it will be as fun as it is hard. If you are doing it just to do it it will be more hard than anything. Just keep in mind, that that is not the job or the company's fault.

Note: If you genuinely feel that the company is not holding up its end of the bargain, consider your options. Can you speak with your manager? Is HR equipped to receive a professional inquiry about changes in pay or work environment. Does your company offer an EAP to field confidential questions about employment concerns? If there's no reasonable outlet, consider a change.

What does your company do?
Do you know the short and long term goals of the organization you work for? Do you understand what challenges or opportunities are facing the organization?

If these question sound boring and irrelevant, you are likely not doing what you love. Which means... (Quick! Open book quiz: check out #2 above) ...your job will more hard than anything, certainly more hard than it will be fun. And, again, this is not the job or the company's fault.

Bottomline: If you are interested in the answers to these questions, ask. Or read. Search the web, look up your own company or companies like it. Read your organization's press releases, ask your manager or your president. It is not management's job to spark your interest in your own job. It's yours.

Do you care?
You might have picked up on a theme here. One of accountability? Responsibility? I'll add integrity and personality as well. Let me elaborate on these.

Accountability:
You are accountable for your employment performance and for whether you are gratified, statisfied and justly rewarded for your effort. If you are not, and you've tried a number of professional methods of getting it fixed, then consider a change. It'll do you good. Do you care enough about the time you invest in work to be accountable?

Responsibility:
If you have entered into an employment situation with an organization they (presumably) are paying you in return for you helping them meet their goals. As an employee, you are responsible for doing your job well and supporting the company goals. It is not okay to burden your co-workers with work you are supposed to be doing nor is it okay to undermine company progress. Do you care enough about your organization to be responsible to it?

Integrity:
You owe it to yourself to be doing the best you can for something you can believe in. If you are a manager of people, you have even great responsibility here since - quite literally - livelihoods depend on you and your management practices. Do you care enough?

Personality:
Style and personality are very difficult to quantify and more difficult to judge as "good' or "bad". Organizations should welcome strong personalities of all types - idealists, realists, contrarians, cynics and everything in between. However, in my experience organizations and the managers and teams within them are much happer when people are "on board", everyone is "on the same page", and things are "running smoothly". If you find yourself frequently being admonished for not being on board or on the same page with everyone else, I'd encourage some self help such as either of these two fantastic books on interpersonal communication: Crucial Conversations or People Skills. Do you care enough to hear and be heard at work?

Today's moral of the story: You owe it to yourself to be the best you can be in whatever you choose to do.

Turning over that @#$@% leaf!

noreply@blogger.com (Uncommon Consulting) — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:44:00 +0000

So today I am moved to make a comparison. Behold the personal stretch goal. Everyone should have one, lest they be relegated to a lifetime of perfect contentedness. I'm talking about that goal that we desperately want to achieve, the one that eludes us time and time again. That goal that requires us to make a wholesale change in our HABITS and, thusly, is just really HARD.

Quit smoking, lose weight, lower the blood pressure, learn French...all laudable goals which we would feel SO fantastic about achieving. We'd smell better, feel better, look better and sound better! Our life would be complete. Simply hide the cigs, eat smaller portions, exercise daily, put the darn "Learn French While you Drive" DVD in the car. Easy Peasy, right?

Then why is this poor motivated soul still hacking, smelly, fat, and unilingual? (Not me of course - I don't smoke and my blood pressure is really low) What stops us from putting those new habits in place, avoiding the old traps, and staying the course?

In transformational organizations - and by transformational, I mean organizations undergoing major change to literally transform themselves into something new - these same kinds of goals exist. Goals that will change and extend the organization's life. Except that instead of one poor motivated soul battling up hill to change his habit, it is now hundreds. And of course that assumes the hundreds of poor souls mentioned here actually know there's a goal, that we aren't there yet, and that it's actually quite the heck different from where we are. Oh, and of course we'll assume that they actually care. Oh, and that they want to achieve that goal too.

When it comes to individual personal change here are ten steps that have been used successfully to help individuals achieve their goals:
1. Define your goal in specific, measurable terms.
2. List all the reasons you want to achieve that goal - what will be different? Why will it be good?
3. Visually depict your goal somewhere you can see it regularly (a picture of when you were healthy, a postcard of the Eiffel Tower, a collage of items that represent how you will feel).
4. List all the obstacles you think may disrupt your progress toward your goal and answer for each one - in writing - how you will minimize or eliminate each one.
5. List the people - friends, colleagues, family - who can help keep you motivated. Tell them what you plan to achieve and explain the kind of help you'll need from them.
6. Pick a realistic date by which you will achieve your goal.
7. Pick a date to start toward your goal and identify milestones you'll achieve along the way.
8. Decide how you'll reward yourself for achieving each milestone including your actual goal.
9. Take one day at a time, beginning each day with a commitment to achieving your goal.
10. Remember that on the path to the goal, you may take a wrong turn. But just as in life, if we take a wrong exit we don't just keep going. We turn around and get back on the highway. (Unless of course the scenery is really cool or you run into an old friend, but I'm talking in general...)

With these 10 steps, many many people have seen success. Still takes hard work of course but when you fully prepare for the journey, you are much more likely to make it.

Back to our transformational organization: We have an important - even critical - goal. We have hundreds of employees, each of whom is going to impact - one way or another - our ability to achieve our goal. Question: Have we done anything like the 10 step preparation above to position our employees to be as successful as possible in achieving the organization's and their own professional goals? Perhaps at the organizational level. But what about the department level? How about for each individual? How much more likely is your organization to achieve its transformational goal if every single employee went through an exercise like the one above? To determine and commit to how they personally can and will impact the change effort? Rock on.

Uncommonly yours,
- J