Helping Your People Deal with Change
Leaders play a critical role when it comes to change. Whether your team is facing large organizational transitions or smaller (yet still painful) procedural adjustments, you need to help everyone cope with and successfully implement different ways of doing things.
Here are a few ideas to remember and use:
Don’t plant seeds in untilled soil! Just as in nature, the seeds of organizational change need to be planted in soil that has been prepared to accept the germinating ideas. So, involve others in the planning and cultivating of change initiatives. And remember that the ground has to be fertilized with rich additives, so supply information outlining the good business reasons for the change.
Prioritize for change. You will not have enough time to take care of everything that comes along during transitional periods. Therefore, make sure you help team members prioritize and take care of the things that matter most. Start a priority list and arrange it in High, Medium, and Low order. Complete the High priorities before progressing to the Medium ... and then the Low.
Monitor your team’s temperature. Once a week, have a short, informal “how are things going” chat with each person who reports to you. And pay attention to how team members behave and interact with one another – especially when working on tasks and projects that involve significant change with specified deadlines. If you sense that things aren’t right, investigate each potential problem and take whatever action is appropriate to “nip it in the bud.”
When you’re finished changing, you’re finished!~ Benjamin Franklin
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Learning from mistakes
Letting Employees Learn from Their Mistakes
Do you view unintentional employee errors as learning opportunities – rather than things to criticize, attack, and punish? If not, you should! Here’s an employee perspective – a letter to you – to think about and remember:
Believe it or not, I didn’t wake up this morning thinking that my main goal for the day was to go to work and make mistakes. I really don’t like making mistakes. No one I know does. However, I believe that trying new things requires both experimentation and learning. Whether we like it or not, along with learning comes the proverbial “learning curve.” And along with that comes occasional errors. Therefore, I really need you to treat my mistakes (as long as they’re unintentional and low in negative impact) as learning opportunities instead of MAJOR performance problems.
I know that you want me to be open to change – to be willing to try new ways of doing things. And I do understand that getting behind change is truly important to the success of our business. But sometimes I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. If I don’t change or seem willing to step out of my status-quo comfort zone, you’re unhappy. If I do change or try something new, but don’t get it just right the first time, you’re unhappy again ... and I feel like a failure.
Can you see the tough spot I sometimes find myself in? No action can result in trouble. Less-than-perfect action often produces the same thing: trouble. In those situations, it’s generally safer to choose the lesser of two evils – to do nothing rather than risk making a mistake.Here are a few things that you can do to help me deal with this dilemma:
Assume that my mistakes are unintentional unless you have evidence to the contrary.
Don’t punish me if I’ve done the best I can.
Treat me the way you would like to be treated if you tried your best but unfortunately erred.
Constructively help me identify what I can do to avoid repeating any mistake I make.
Give me a chance to fix the problem.
If you do these, I’ll be even more willing to try new things, embrace change, and improve my overall performance. And as a result, I’ll feel good about myself ... and about you. I will feel like I’m learning and growing, and that your goal is to support me – rather than punish me.
So, if I do make a mistake, I wish you would just remember that I did so with the best
intentions. Your support will help me learn from it rather than run from it.
Do you view unintentional employee errors as learning opportunities – rather than things to criticize, attack, and punish? If not, you should! Here’s an employee perspective – a letter to you – to think about and remember:
Believe it or not, I didn’t wake up this morning thinking that my main goal for the day was to go to work and make mistakes. I really don’t like making mistakes. No one I know does. However, I believe that trying new things requires both experimentation and learning. Whether we like it or not, along with learning comes the proverbial “learning curve.” And along with that comes occasional errors. Therefore, I really need you to treat my mistakes (as long as they’re unintentional and low in negative impact) as learning opportunities instead of MAJOR performance problems.
I know that you want me to be open to change – to be willing to try new ways of doing things. And I do understand that getting behind change is truly important to the success of our business. But sometimes I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. If I don’t change or seem willing to step out of my status-quo comfort zone, you’re unhappy. If I do change or try something new, but don’t get it just right the first time, you’re unhappy again ... and I feel like a failure.
Can you see the tough spot I sometimes find myself in? No action can result in trouble. Less-than-perfect action often produces the same thing: trouble. In those situations, it’s generally safer to choose the lesser of two evils – to do nothing rather than risk making a mistake.Here are a few things that you can do to help me deal with this dilemma:
Assume that my mistakes are unintentional unless you have evidence to the contrary.
Don’t punish me if I’ve done the best I can.
Treat me the way you would like to be treated if you tried your best but unfortunately erred.
Constructively help me identify what I can do to avoid repeating any mistake I make.
Give me a chance to fix the problem.
If you do these, I’ll be even more willing to try new things, embrace change, and improve my overall performance. And as a result, I’ll feel good about myself ... and about you. I will feel like I’m learning and growing, and that your goal is to support me – rather than punish me.
So, if I do make a mistake, I wish you would just remember that I did so with the best
intentions. Your support will help me learn from it rather than run from it.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Handling Conflicts
Interpersonal Conflicts … When There’s No Time for Planning
It’s bound to happen. Sooner or later you’ll be caught off guard – finding yourself smack dab in the middle of an unexpected conflict with someone on your team. You’re in it before you know it, and there’s no time for formulating a well-thought-out resolution strategy. You’ve got to respond in some way, and you have to do it NOW! What do you do? How can you keep the situation from escalating and ending up some-where you DON’T want to be? Here are a few suggestions:
Stop, breath, and think. Stop whatever you’re doing, take a couple of deep breaths to control your tension, and then immediately (and quickly) think about exactly what you need to do and say next.
Acknowledge the conflict by saying something like: Michael, I’m sensing that there are some issues between the two of us that we need to talk through, or, Kim, I’m feeling that I might have done something to upset you. Can we talk about it?
Buy some time.
Suggest that you meet at a later time that day (or the following day) so that you both have an opportunity to relax a little and gather your thoughts. If the other person agrees, use the time to prepare for the meeting. If the person doesn’t agree on a time delay …
Take it somewhere else (if other coworkers are present).
That way, you’ll avoid disrupting the rest of the group – and you’ll eliminate any temptations you and the other person might have to “showboat” or maintain some bogus image in front of your teammates. Suggest a different venue with words such as: It’s best for everyone if we keep this just between us. Where else would you feel comfortable talking?
Keep it respectful.
Do your absolute best to conduct yourself in a calm and respectful manner – regardless of how the other person responds. Will it be easy? Of course not! But that doesn’t change the fact that although you can’t control what others do, you certainly can (and do) control your own behavior.
It’s bound to happen. Sooner or later you’ll be caught off guard – finding yourself smack dab in the middle of an unexpected conflict with someone on your team. You’re in it before you know it, and there’s no time for formulating a well-thought-out resolution strategy. You’ve got to respond in some way, and you have to do it NOW! What do you do? How can you keep the situation from escalating and ending up some-where you DON’T want to be? Here are a few suggestions:
Stop, breath, and think. Stop whatever you’re doing, take a couple of deep breaths to control your tension, and then immediately (and quickly) think about exactly what you need to do and say next.
Acknowledge the conflict by saying something like: Michael, I’m sensing that there are some issues between the two of us that we need to talk through, or, Kim, I’m feeling that I might have done something to upset you. Can we talk about it?
Buy some time.
Suggest that you meet at a later time that day (or the following day) so that you both have an opportunity to relax a little and gather your thoughts. If the other person agrees, use the time to prepare for the meeting. If the person doesn’t agree on a time delay …
Take it somewhere else (if other coworkers are present).
That way, you’ll avoid disrupting the rest of the group – and you’ll eliminate any temptations you and the other person might have to “showboat” or maintain some bogus image in front of your teammates. Suggest a different venue with words such as: It’s best for everyone if we keep this just between us. Where else would you feel comfortable talking?
Keep it respectful.
Do your absolute best to conduct yourself in a calm and respectful manner – regardless of how the other person responds. Will it be easy? Of course not! But that doesn’t change the fact that although you can’t control what others do, you certainly can (and do) control your own behavior.
Friday, July 3, 2009
W W P D
Applying “The Pareto Principle” to Your Goals
Vilfredo Pareto was a 19th-century Italian social scientist and critic. He observed that 80% of the wealth in Italy, at the time, was concentrated in 20% of the population – something he felt that was not good for society. While the genesis of his work is very seldom discussed, his name lives on in what is known as The Pareto Principle, or “the 80/20 rule” – a concept that is a relevant today as it was when it was first developed.
Talk to contemporary entrepreneurs and most will tell you that 80% of their business comes from 20% of their customers. Human resources executives will typically suggest that 80% of the employee relations problems and issues they have to deal with come from just 20% of the employees. And most business managers would agree that it’s a minority of their team members who are responsible for a majority of the innovation, creativity, and superior work their organizations enjoy. In all of these examples, the Pareto Principle suggests that we should pay attention to, and focus our efforts on, the critical few (the 20%) rather than the trivial or average many (the 80%).
So what does all this have to do with you and your goals? A lot! There’s a myriad of things you can do in pursuit of your professional and personal objectives. A large number of them fall into the 80% – the “trivial many.” A much smaller number fall in the “critical few” category – the important 20%.
Take a look at your goals and the action plans you’ve developed for meeting them. What are you doing? How are you investing your precious time? What do your past experiences – and the experiences of others – tell you? Are you focusing on “need to do,” high payback activities – or on less important, “like to do” tasks? Remember it’s that “critical few” that will propel you furthest and give you the most bang for your time an energy buck. When in doubt, think W-W-P-D (What Would Pareto Do?).
Vilfredo Pareto was a 19th-century Italian social scientist and critic. He observed that 80% of the wealth in Italy, at the time, was concentrated in 20% of the population – something he felt that was not good for society. While the genesis of his work is very seldom discussed, his name lives on in what is known as The Pareto Principle, or “the 80/20 rule” – a concept that is a relevant today as it was when it was first developed.
Talk to contemporary entrepreneurs and most will tell you that 80% of their business comes from 20% of their customers. Human resources executives will typically suggest that 80% of the employee relations problems and issues they have to deal with come from just 20% of the employees. And most business managers would agree that it’s a minority of their team members who are responsible for a majority of the innovation, creativity, and superior work their organizations enjoy. In all of these examples, the Pareto Principle suggests that we should pay attention to, and focus our efforts on, the critical few (the 20%) rather than the trivial or average many (the 80%).
So what does all this have to do with you and your goals? A lot! There’s a myriad of things you can do in pursuit of your professional and personal objectives. A large number of them fall into the 80% – the “trivial many.” A much smaller number fall in the “critical few” category – the important 20%.
Take a look at your goals and the action plans you’ve developed for meeting them. What are you doing? How are you investing your precious time? What do your past experiences – and the experiences of others – tell you? Are you focusing on “need to do,” high payback activities – or on less important, “like to do” tasks? Remember it’s that “critical few” that will propel you furthest and give you the most bang for your time an energy buck. When in doubt, think W-W-P-D (What Would Pareto Do?).
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Growing distant
Meaning of Love and Hate
A saint asked his disciples, 'Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?'Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.''But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?' asked the saint. 'Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice?
Why do you shout at a person when you're angry?'Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.Finally he explained, 'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.
'Then the saint asked, 'What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small...'The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.
'MORAL : When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.
A saint asked his disciples, 'Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?'Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.''But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?' asked the saint. 'Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice?
Why do you shout at a person when you're angry?'Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.Finally he explained, 'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.
'Then the saint asked, 'What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small...'The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.
'MORAL : When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.
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