Responsibility – Do You Pass it On?

Each of us has responsibilities, to ourselves, to our families, to our jobs, and so on.  It’s one of those facts of adulthood.  With freedom comes responsibility.  The real question is how well we handle all of those responsibilities.  We also have choices on what we take on as a responsibility.  This is very true as leaders.

When we assume a leadership role we are being placed in a role with responsibilities.  We are accountable for our team’s performance as well as our own.  We become responsible for guiding, directing, and correcting the behavior of those around us.  How much we take on ourselves will often determine how well we perform as a leader.

The challenge of being responsible for the performance of others is how much of their success or failure do we really own?  When is their failure ours and when is it theirs?  What is our responsibility as a leader for those who are on our team?  Here are 6 questions to help determine when it’s your responsibility and when it’s not:

1. Have you given clear direction, and checked for understanding, on what is required?
2. Have you provided the training and coaching needed for success?
3. Have you given feedback on their performance, including corrective ideas?
4. Are you letting them act independently and not micro-managing?
5. Are you available to them for support and guidance?
6. Have you created an environment where people can innovate, act on ideas and questioning is welcomed?

If you answer yes to all of these questions then you are doing all that you can reasonably do to help your team succeed.  Some team members will flourish and grow in this kind of environment.  There will be some who aren’t well suited for the tasks at hand.  It could be that they just don’t have the abilities or capacity to meet the demands of the position.  They may not have the right attitude for the role they are in, or they may not want to grow in the direction needed. 

When someone can’t or won’t gain the skills needed to do the job assigned and you as their leader has worked with them to help them get there it becomes your responsibility to help them move to the right position.  This may mean leaving your organization or it may mean transferring to another area.  Your responsibility is to the entire team and the organization so you have to make sure the right people are in place to accomplish your goals and mission.

Responsibility is part of our lives, at home and at work.  When we take our responsibilities seriously and act on them with integrity and compassion we help our teams become the best they can be, together and individually.  Remember while we as leaders are responsible for the team’s results each person is also responsible for their performance and their results.  We must coach, train and guide them towards success but we have to let them succeed or fail on their own.  If they can’t succeed in the given role we must be responsible to the team and make a change.

You have to pass on the responsibility for personal performance to each person on your team.  Along with that you must share the responsibility for the overall team’s success with each member.  Build trust and collaboration by passing the baton of responsibility to your team.  Get them engaged in their individual and joint success.  Everyone wins then. 

Have you ever had issues related to passing responsibility to others?  Share your experiences below in the comments.

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like help defining your responsibilities or learning to build your team’s abilities contact us at carol@delta-group-llc.com

How Flexible are You?

Leaders need some flexibility so they can reach their goals.  Whether you are leading teams or projects you will have a vision of the results, a plan to get there and the ability to adjust to circumstances that arise along the way.  The secret to being successful is having the right amount of flexibility.  There is a spectrum from very rigid to very pliant and we all fall along it in different places on each aspect of our lives.

A week ago my college aged son had shoulder surgery and he cannot use his left arm at all for the near future.  Many people would sit around, feeling sorry and do nothing because of the limitations.  He takes a different approach to it, he is very careful of his injured should but he looks at each situation in terms of what can he do not what can’t he do.  This is a great mindset for striking the right balance in flexibility.

As leaders there are things we must hold firm to like our vision, our passion and our integrity.  However, we need to be adaptable to new opportunities, new ways to reach our goals, and new resources that can help us move forward.  When we create a plan there must be room for change and adjustments.  Too often a leader builds a plan and will not deviate from it even when it is doomed to fail.  This is blind allegiance and there is no room for that in a leader’s world.

When moving forward towards a dream or vision leaders must be willing to listen and change based on the input of their team.  Others will see opportunities or come up with ideas that will move us forward quicker or more efficiently.  Allowing that change to take place is critical.  What a leader must avoid is giving up all control over the vision.  If the leader becomes too pliant then the group can pull the team in a new and different direction which may not meet the original vision.  Turning everything over without staying in control of the vision can lead to disaster.

Flexibility allows you to accommodate the needs of your team and adjust for obstacles or challenges.  When you are able to adapt your plan to the needs of the team, the team will buy into it because they now have a piece of it.  Obstacles and challenges require a change in approach where flexibility will lead to more innovative solutions.  Flexibility in methods builds buy-in and creates an environment conducive to innovation.

Here are some questions to ask to maintain your flexibility balance:

• Is this idea/opportunity true to my vision for the results?
• Could this be a better way to get things done?
• Will this help us reach our goals while allowing the team to personalize their efforts?
• Can this meet the goals of the vision as well as meet the needs of the team?
• What would happen if this adjustment is made?
• How can we work around this obstacle or challenge?
• Will this make the end results even better?

Think of a slinky, like the one pictured here.  They hold their over all shape yet to move forward they bend, twist and adjust to get to the destination.  As a leader that kind of flexibility will help you succeed.  Hold true to your vision, passion and integrity while adapting to the needs and ideas of those on your team.  Stretch yourself to learn more, do more and go places you never thought possible.

How do you work on your flexibility?  Share your best practices in the comments below.  I would love to learn new techniques.

The Best of Lead With Giants January 2014

To start the new year off in a great way I am sharing with you the best blog posts from the Lead With Giants group.  There are many interesting articles with great insights into leadership topics.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Best of Lead With Giants January 2014

Top 5 Posts of 2013

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, commented and shared my posts this past year.  Here are the top 5 posts from the year:

1. 5 People Every Team Needs
2. Defining Personal Productivity
3. 10 Tips for Project Success
4. A Leadership Parable
5. Making Hard Choices

I’m looking forward to 2014 and sharing more thoughts with you as well as learning from your comments and feedback.

Let’s make 2014 the best year yet!  Have a great New Year!!

 

 

If you would like help developing your project management or leadership skills contact me at carol@delta-group-llc.com.  I can help you create clarity around your goals, develop a strategy to reach them and support your during your efforts.

Do You Want More From Your Team?

As the year winds down leaders and project managers review the performance and progress of their teams.  If you find that your team is falling short of where you would like or need them to be it’s time to take action to correct it.  By making those plans now you can set the stage for a more successful 2014.

What can you do to get things moving in the right direction?  Here are 4 steps you can take now to build a plan for success.

1. Assess & analyze:  Where is the root cause of the underperformance?  Is it lack of ability?  Lack of capacity?   Lack of commitment?  Look at the team overall, including yourself and look at each individual.  You may find that some members lack the needed skills while other lacks a commitment to the project/team which is leading to an overall lack of capacity to get everything done.
2. Develop:  Once you know the cause of the underperformance you can create development plans to address the gaps.  If a particular person doesn’t have the skills they need create a development plan to help them build those skills quickly.    Sometimes a team member needs to develop the ability to do more work by learning time management skills or working more efficiently.  Look at what can be developed in each person to benefit the team.
3. Trim the deadwood:  After you look at each person you may find that there is someone on the team who just is not the right fit.  They may not have the aptitude for the work to be done or they may not be able to develop the needed skills.  Cut them from the team to make room for someone who can help the team achieve more. 
4. Encourage:  It’s most likely the team knows they are not hitting their marks and that is very discouraging to people.  Help them see that they can reach the needed performance and that you believe in them.  Taking the first three steps will help them see your commitment to their success and will help them become committed to improving.  A positive outlook will create a positive environment where people want to do better.  Spell out the facts of the situation and build hope for a better tomorrow.

This will take some time to do well and yet it can yield amazing performance improvements that it’s worth the time.  Underperforming teams can be turned around with time and attention.  You need to figure out what can be done to meet your targets and how you can help the team get there.

While looking at the team’s performance you have to take a hard look at your performance relative to the team.  Are you being the leader they need to achieve the project or team goals?  Ask them how you can better support them and then listen to their feedback.  Some of it may be hard to hear so just absorb the information.  Take the time to reflect on what you are told and implement the changes that will help you grow and help your team succeed.  Your willingness to change will help set the stage for them to change as well.  If you want them to change their performance you need to go first, so model what you want from them.  They will like you for it and will respond well.

Learn to be a coach that helps their team achieve more and accomplish great things.  As you develop or refine your coaching skills you will grow as a leader and become capable of leading teams in any situation.  You can become a better coach by working with a coach to grow your skills and abilities.  Again, you will be modeling the behavior you want from your team and developing yourself at the same time.  Win-Win

To get more from your team you must be aware of the gaps and be willing to help close those gaps by developing the team’s skills or getting the right people on the team.  It’s up to you as a leader or project manager to make sure your team is set to deliver as required.

If you are curios on how a coach could help you click here for information on a special offer designed to help you get more out of your team in 2014.  We can help you do more personally and help you prepare your team for a fantastic year.

What is Your Mission? Leadership and Mission

What is you mission?  Do you know what is your purpose or calling?  Have you taken the time to determine what you are called to do and how you will measure your success?  As humans we have the opportunity to determine what we will do and how we will do it.  We can choose to live a life with a purpose, to pursue a mission.  If you are a leader knowing your mission is critical to the success of your team.  A vision alone will not create success for you or your team.

When you share your vision as a leader you are creating a picture of success for your team.  By taking it one step further and sharing a mission statement you give your team a framework that defines how they will help create that success.  The mission is task oriented and so is action oriented.  This gives your team the start of a road map to reach success.  The mission statement becomes a compass and helps determine direction for your activities and those of your team.

A mission statement clearly identifies your purpose and identifies measures of success.  It provides a simple and easy message of the primary objective for you and your team.  A well done mission statement sets the stage for setting goals throughout an organization.  Aligning individual, department, and corporate goals with the mission allows everyone to understand how they connect to the bigger picture of what is to be done.  That alignment helps with engagement because people know how they are contributing to the overall mission.

Missions are translated a series of tasks or activities to reach the goal specified in the mission statement.  This translation helps break down the mission into actionable steps people can take to reach the goal.  The goal is often tied to the vision which defines the purpose in terms of values.  The vision is often a statement of the experience people will have with an organization and may be directed to external customers or shareholders.  The mission defines how the internal team will bring the vision to life.

So as a leader you need to create a vision of the future for your team and to help guide them on their journey to success you need to give them a mission as well.  The mission statement can become the rallying point for team efforts which creates momentum and success.  Share your vision and mission often with your team so they know where they are going and how they will get there.   Keep your mission fresh and consistent with your current situation.  Make changes if needed to adapt to new opportunities.

As 2014 approaches take time to review your personal mission and your organization’s mission.  Is your purpose clearly defined and aligned with your current circumstances?  Start planning for how you will accomplish this mission in 2014 so you can hit the ground running as the new year begins.

To explore more about Leadership and Mission join me as I co-host the Lead With Giants TweetChat with Dan Forbes on Monday December 16^th at 7:00 pm (#leadwithgiants).  We would love have you share your ideas and thoughts around this topic.

 

Rising Above Adversity

As I read all the information about the life on Nelson Mandela one thing that struck me was his ability to forgive and move forward.  After spending years in prison he emerged and embraced his oppressors when he was elected to office.  He went out of his way to bring the two sides of South Africa together to create a new unified future for that country.  His legacy will live forever.

The lesson for us as leaders is that we can rise above adversity by being willing to let go of the hurt and bitterness.  There will be people who oppose our ideas and actions.  This leads to arguments and heated battles.  Often these workplace battles leave people hurt and bitter.  As leaders we must repair these rifts and heal the pain.  When we set aside our own pain we can move forward to create new opportunities.  By working with our opponents to find a new ways to work together we create a better and stronger future for our organizations.

The challenge is finding ways to build a bridge that will allow you to collaborate in the future.  Here are some ways to take those first steps forward:

• Let go of bitterness:  Hanging onto your anger, hatred or bitterness will keep you stuck in that ugly place of hostility.  Let it go to open the doors for a better tomorrow.
• Look for common ground:  There are things that you and people who oppose you have in common.  Find those items to start building a future that benefits both.
• Acknowledge their perspective:  You don’t have to agree with or even like other’s perspectives on issues; however they have a right to their feelings and opinions.  Be willing to acknowledge their thoughts without accepting them as yours.  A great phrase is “I can see you feel strongly about….”  That shows your willingness to listen to them.
• Extend the olive branch:  Be first to reach out to others to mend rifts and resolve disagreements.  Your willingness to find a way to move forward can help them open up to you.
• Be sincere:  Make sure that in all you do you are sincere in your efforts to build a better future.  Doing it just to look good will be obvious.  When you sincerely want to improve the situation it will ring true and people will be more willing to work with you.

The key to all of this is to be true to yourself and your ideals while honoring and accepting the ideals of others.  When you embrace your opponents you can create a new environment where everyone feels included and will work towards the same goals.  By consistently and sincerely reaching out to others you become someone everyone admires, even when they don’t agree with everything you say or do.  You show you are working towards the good of all, not just a few.  Nelson Mandela changed the world by doing just that quietly, consistently and sincerely.  He held firm to his beliefs and welcomed those who opposed and oppressed him resulting in a stronger and better society.

What could you accomplish if you rise above adversity and embrace your opponents?

As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison. ~ Nelson Mandela

The Best of Lead With Giants December 2013

Today I’m excited to bring to you the best blog posts from the Lead With Giants group.  This is a compilation of interesting articles exploring all aspects of leadership from writers within the Lead With Giants community.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Best of Lead With Giants December 2013

Give Directions not Directives

When working with your team do you give them direction or directives?  There is a marked difference between these two that will show up in the results of your team.  Understanding that difference and knowing how to move towards direction will help you be more successful as a leader.

If you are giving directives you have taken on the role of dictator.  This is where you tell people what they need to do to accomplish the team goals and objectives.  Dictators take away creativity and initiative from their followers.  People learn to blindly go where they are told to go.  They will do just what they are told and nothing more.  Engagement will drop to all-time lows, the team stagnates, and creativity stops.  This is a path to obsolescence.

When you give directions to your team you are enabling them to find the best way forward.  This creates an environment that fosters creativity, confidence and high engagement.  People are excited to work for a boss who believes they can reach the goals without being micro-managed.  In team meetings more and better ideas will be brought to the table resulting in new and more innovative solutions.  The team will be more collaborative and will work together to get things done because they all know where they are going.

A benefit of setting direction for the team and letting them achieve the goals independently is that you will have more time to get your own work done.  When you dictate every step each person takes, you are doing their job along with yours.  There will not be enough hours in the day to get it all done.  Free up your time by letting others solve their own problems.

To make this work you must:

• Set clear goals:  Let people know what they need to accomplish and where the team is headed.  Show how their goals align with the department and organization goals.  Make sure everyone is clear on what is needed.
• Invite ideas:  Be open to the ideas and solutions your team bring to the table.  Ask people what they would do to solve a problem or get around an obstacle. 
• Trust your team:  As the team shows you that they can come up with solutions to problems let them act on their own ideas.  Give them the freedom to make things happen without you when appropriate.  Show them you trust their abilities.
• Be a sounding board:  Make sure you are available to your team to work out their ideas and find the best solutions.  They will still need a sounding board to make sure they cover all the bases.  As they gain experience they will need less guidance.
• Have their backs:  Your team needs you to be a safety net for them.  Help them make good decisions and then have their backs if something goes wrong.  That demonstrates your trust in them more than anything else.

Moving towards a leadership style that focuses on setting direction for the team as opposed to dictating actions will create an environment of creativity and growth.  Your team will be more productive, more effective and they will grow beyond their current roles.  There may be some who never manage to act independently so they may need a different role or they may need to move elsewhere. As a leader part of your job is to nurture new leaders.  This is a great way to start identifying the future leaders.

Professional or Personal?

Recently I’ve been asked several times about building relationships with clients as a project manager.  I am a big believer that having a strong relationship with the client helps you manage the project more effectively.  The trick to this is the relationship needs to be professional not personal.  This is not about becoming best friends, it’s about business so be professional.  The idea also applies to internal customers, bosses, peers or co-workers not just clients.

The question I keep hearing is how do you keep it professional?  Too often people assume that building a relationship means something more personal than it needs to be.  Here are my top three suggestions for having a professional relationship:

1. Be kind and courteous:  This is about being civil and polite.  Ask how things are going.  Make small talk about weather, sports, holidays, family or whatever flows naturally.  If the person has been ill; wish them well.  Ask how the vacation went.  Be interested in them and their interests.
2. Keep problems professional:  When dealing with issues or problems keep the focus on solutions to issues not personal attacks.  Avoid judging actions or behaviors.  Strive for win-win solutions that work for both parties.
3. Focus on business needs:  Remember that you are working with them as a business person, so focus on the business at hand.  You are providing a service or product that will provide a benefit for them while providing revenue to you.  When you act in a way that advances their business goals along with your own the client will notice and respect it. 

The idea is to become a valued business asset to your client.  This means someone they can count on to help them reach their business goals.  When you are working towards their goals as well as your own, you gain respect and build a great working relationship.

If you are giving what they want while sacrificing your profits and goals you can be seen as weak.  Caving to every whim and request for them it raises the question of what you do for other clients.  Where else are you giving in and when will that interfere with the clients goals?  Also, sometimes the client’s requests are actually detrimental to their goals and they need you to tell them that is the case.

If you become too friendly it can get in the way of the tough decisions.  No one likes to point out a friend’s mistake or say no to a friend.  In business you must be able to say no and to keep people focused on the end goal.  This is much harder to do with friends than it is with colleagues.

Building a good, professional working relationship with a client (or boss or co-worker) makes it easier to have a conversation about what is working and what isn’t working.  When you know that you have the person’s respect you can safely point out concerns and get them addressed.  Using the three strategies above makes it simpler to look at issues as business and get them resolved without the drama personal relationships can bring to the table.  Once you have that professional relationship you can tackle tough problems in a mutually beneficial way.  It takes respect and trust to make it work.  Build both and you will be a better manager of projects and people.