Basics Archives — Leadership Q&A

Basics

Why is my manager so focused on quick wins?

November 19, 2018 by Brian Goodman No Comments

Man with jet pack ready to sprint to a "quick win"

READING TIME: 4 MIN

Q: Why is my manager so focused on quick wins?

A:

Establish possibilities.
Build momentum.
Encourage people.

Quick wins are a common recipe for managers leading change. They establish evidence that something new is possible. When quick wins align with a longer-term strategy, they build a chain of momentum. They are both continued evidence that the change is at hand and they encourage people to keep going and join in. If your manager is focused on quick wins, they are likely navigating the team through innovative programs, projects, process, technology or organization.

Now, as with anything new, not everyone is going to want to be the early adopter. That means you might not be part of the team making the change and that might feel a little awkward. After all, we all want recognition for what we do, and a shiny new object might get all the visibility.

3 Ways Inexperienced Leaders Misuse Quick Wins

Feigning Progress

One of the behaviors immature leaders will exhibit is using quick wins to feign progress when the real work is missing expectations. You can tell this is what’s happening when the quick win does not actually align meaningfully with the more strategic work. It often feels like duplicative work or throw away.

Creating First Mover Advantage

Another reason less effective leaders push for quick wins is for internal “first mover advantage” where showing existing work is evidence of ownership. So, the idea here is that if they can show they are already engaged then they should either own the mission or at least have a seat at the table. You can tell this is the case when they are producing slideware far in advance of any real work. Another indicator is if the work being executed is awkwardly including only slightly related past deliverables as if to show a longer history.

Building The Brand of a Change Agent

Finally, quick wins can become the favorite strategy of opportunistic and tactical leaders. They champion speed of execution to take on the brand of a change agent, but never actually deliver on anything strategic. They run from win to win with superficial connection to strategic priorities or initiatives. You can tell this is happening when the team’s work has high churn in topic and priority. Another indicator is that the volume of accomplishment list is long but is shallower on impact and value.

These last three uses of quick wins are not all bad, even if they nod to icky company politics. There is something to be said for effectively managing expectations using frequent deliverables, proving expertise where the leadership and team are passionate and erring on the side of progress and not perfection. Avoid the less virtuous behavior aspects and quick wins offer these advantages.

Next steps: Actions that change everything

Link quick win activity to strategic themes, programs, projects or initiatives. Avoid gratuitous delivery.
Use quick wins to demonstrate what is possible, create momentum and encourage. This is about creating clarity, support and permission.
Use quick wins to show interest in new work in a minimal risk and high impact way. Think prototype vs. product. Think value vs. variety.
If you are great at innovation and not as interested in production, get good at building process and teams to transition the initiative from fast mover to steady state. This all about ensuring your work burns brightly vs. flash in the pan.
If you are the type that is less excited by the quick win drum beat, consider managing the work using an agile method. Agile methodologies are all about reducing work to actionable steps to show progress, reduce failures to delivery and increase delivering something of value. Suddenly, the quick win is simply the outcome of a sprint from a strategic body of work vs. a special project.

Three tools for all leaders

READ

The Crossing the Chasm, 3rd Edition: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers

by Geoffrey A. Moore

READ

Agility Shift: Creating Agile and Effective Leaders, Teams, and Organizations

by Pamela Meyer

READ

The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter, Updated and Expanded

by Michael D. Watkins

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Basics, Communication

How do I get better at delegating effectively?

October 9, 2018 by Brian Goodman No Comments

Climbing up the stairs together through delegation

READING TIME: 4 MIN

Q: How do I get better at delegating effectively?

A:

Delegation is about developing trust within an organization so that the responsibilities and commitments of the team are shared.

Delegation is about developing trust within an organization so that the responsibilities and commitments of the team are shared. Most people think of delegation as task dispatching, almost like a project manager might do with a list of activities on a project plan. While this is a form of delegation, it introduces overhead and as a result is incredibly slow. On the other side of the spectrum the ultimate delegation outcome is stewardship wherein complete trust is committed to an individual or team—responsibility, design, planning and decision-making power are driven as low in the organization as possible creating autonomy. In a stewardship, the up-line leader is at the service of the delegate. If you are familiar with Stephen Covey you will see his influence here.

Five ingredients to successfully delegate

1. Clarity of purpose

Get clear and then help someone else stay clear.

Knowing the objective or result creates clarity of purpose for someone taking on additional responsibility. Even if that clarity means there is no clarity, there should be no ambiguity for what the desired result should be. Get clear and then help someone else stay clear.

2. Collaborate as equals and let the delegate lead

Once there is clarity of purpose engage the delegate in designing the approach and establishing the plan. Sharing this responsibility builds confidence in the delegate and establishes ownership. Allowing the delegate to lead the collaboration results in an execution plan they are committing first to themselves and then to you.

3. Calibrate current level of trust

Calibration creates comfort.

Just because the ideal is stewardship doesn’t mean the trust exists to comfortably begin there. As a leader, you need to assess how individuals work, establishing a baseline. Calibration creates comfort.

How to calibrate

Delegate a desired outcome and witness their response. If they are asking for very specific execution orders they are likely use to micromanagement. If they engage you with clarifying questions, can verbally structure next steps and checkpoint to ensure alignment, then you have someone that will quickly become a steward.

Calibrating is important since people need the opportunity to grow without feeling inadequate. Once you have delegated the objective you must let it play out even if it results in missed expectations.

Managing expectations

To manage the impact of missing expectations, start off small and short. Try an create proof points that allow both you and the delegate to assess the efficacy. It is so much easier to explain the issues when the delegate sees them for themselves.

Remember, delegation is about creating trust within an organization, so assess your decisions based on that objective.

4. Create stewards

Your goal is to create as many steward relationships as possible. This takes time even with senior or high-performance teams. Part of what can make this slow is the speed at which new relationships develop. If you are new to the team then you may be introducing significant culture change if prior leadership operated differently. Allow for people to adjust to a different way of doing and demonstrate good will by not prejudging or hording work.

be replaceable and nothing but good can come of it

Often, leaders find themselves feeling possessive of specific work. Set the objective to be replaceable and nothing but good can come of it. If your only value was a specific piece of work then you have a different problem.

5. Coach for the highest quality communication

Delegation requires a variety of checkpoints from frequent (micromanaged) to regular and scheduled (stewardship). Many organizations are dysfunctional when it comes to communicating. This appears in part to be because people are simply repeating what has always been done instead of understanding what is most useful and tailoring to that objective. Yet other organizations are “wild wild west” allowing for anything and everything to pass for communication.

Taking pride in the quality of work is contagious and creates unmatched loyalty, conviction and clarity.

Your way does not need to be the only way. If your organization is not yet delivering a consistent quality of work product, take pride in and coach a better iteration. If anyone diminishes the work product as “busy work,” then they do not fully understand and respect the energy required to effectively communicate. Taking pride in the quality of work is contagious and creates unmatched loyalty, conviction and clarity. By coaching what great work looks like, everyone level-ups their communication.

Next steps: Actions that change everything

Get hardcore on clarity. Leaders that are able to effectively capture clarity in purpose, strategy and plan are the only ones that get things that matter done. When faced with ambiguity, either push for clarity, or create it.
Identify someone that could be your next steward and practice. Not sure who this might be? Begin by calibrating.
Critically review what your current work products say about you, your team and the work you do. Ask a colleague for constructive feedback. Not sure who you ask? Pick the person most critical of the work, people or company. This is an uncomfortable activity, the last thing you want is to ask for feedback from fans that are eager to applaud.

Three tools for all leaders

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Basics

What is a reluctant leader?

October 1, 2018 by Brian Goodman 1 Comment

Reluctant leader seeing their reflection

READING TIME: 5 MIN

Q: What is a reluctant leader?

A:

We have a leadership problem. It is easy to write that, because I know you have run into at least one leader or manager that you didn’t like. One of the things that gets drummed into you from all the books and classes is that all the good and bad in an organization is a result of the leadership. What is always amazing is how many ineffective leaders exist and worse yet, that they are tolerated.

all the good and bad in an organization is a result of the leadership

The reluctant leader

Let me introduce to you the reluctant leader. This is the person who is passionate about what the organization is doing and what he or she can do to achieve more. People seek them out because of their experience and expertise and because they are part of the team are easily approachable. There is a level of humility that comes from a genuine desire to serve the greater good and that conscience is a critical part of what makes the reluctant leader a potentially great leader.

Why are they reluctant?

Reluctant leaders do not identify themselves as leaders and certainly not managers. They are deliberately choosing to forgo a power position because they are happy with the way things are. We all have had experiences with bad leaders and reluctant ones don’t want to become one of those! Reluctant leaders have many of the qualities, readily established relationships and subject matter expertise that set them up for success. If only they saw themselves as others do.

Reluctant leaders are hesitant because they have yet to recognize that what they have to offer is actually better…

Reluctant leaders are hesitant because they have yet to recognize that what they have to offer is actually better than the alternatives. With the right support, they can transition to a leadership role with authority and make a huge difference to all the people and things about which they already care.

What makes reluctant leaders different?

It is not uncommon the hear people talk about “natural born leaders” as if leadership is not a skill, even though it is! Reluctant leaders need to be shown how they are already a leader in the organization and that a formal role does not have to significantly change all the great things they are doing. Certainly, there are new things they will need to do and fulfilling that responsibility, while potentially challenging is actually executed with more humanity than overly eager leaders. The reason some of the “HR” type tasks are seemingly more difficult to a reluctant leader is because they are highly motivated by their conscience; the team has always come first; they have deep relationships with their people. This is not to say that eager leaders don’t have these things, it is more that these conditions are generally more common for reluctant leaders.

An example of how reluctant leaders often find themselves conflicted

Jan is a recent reluctant leader of a high performing team. She knows all of her team members well and thinks highly of them. They have been in the trenches together and she supports them eagerly. After all, this is one of the reasons Jan decided a management role would be okay.

Jan’s manager gives her the news that the company is going through a resource action and people would need to be selected to be laid off. Jan starts by speaking truth to power and making the case that none of her people are under-performing, performing redundant tasks or in a job family that is no longer valued. Jan’s manager repeats the directive. Jan is left to identify and then communicate that this person, someone she considers a friend, has only weeks left to their employment.

Jan is conflicted because she is compelled to execute on behalf of the company against her better judgment and so, while she would rather not, she understands this is part of running a business.

Motivated by conscience, people and passion

Reluctant leaders are often identified by their position within the group and are selected to fill vacancies where a different motivation would be a less optimal choice. Leadership teams have additional homework to coach reluctant leaders through new and challenging experiences. Left to their own devices, reluctant leaders would step down from the formal organization, remember they didn’t choose it, it was chosen for them.

Next steps: Actions that change everything

If you are a manager of a reluctant leader, listen and acknowledge their concerns so that those topics can become open for ongoing discussion. Find ways to meet them where they are and how they are experiencing their work and roles. Remember those new management conversations are going to be difficult. Don’t dump the hard work on them. Instead, share in the challenge and help them execute confidently.
If you are a reluctant leader, seek out the support you need to be effective. Ideally, seek out your manager. In the absence of formal support, seek out blogs, podcasts and videos that can help. There isn’t a universal recipe on leadership. The whole point is to develop the leader you are.
Identify your up-and-coming leaders early. Leaders that have been coached into a management role often find greater success than ones that get opportunistically promoted without the time to think about what it means.

Three tools for all leaders

WATCH

Leadership Guide for the Reluctant Leader
David Neal at NDC

READ

Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t
by Simon Sinek

WATCH

How to Be a Linchpin
Seth Godin on Impact Theory

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Basics, Communication

What does it mean to speak truth to power?

September 24, 2018 by Brian Goodman No Comments

READING TIME: 4 MIN

Q: What does it mean to "speak truth to power"?

A:

We have all been there. The senior leader is receiving an update on a key initiative. The language on the slides presents all the great progress the team has made. It highlights the people involved and how herculean their effort has been. There is even one slide highlighting the current issues and risks. The meeting is over, and the management team gets away with murder—the project is extremely fragile because those risks are reality and mitigation is a gamble.

Great executives know a geisha dance when they see one. The problem is that senior leaders are busy and must trust that the leaders below them are acting in their interest. That if there were a problem, instead of hiding it, their people would address it or ask for help.

Side note

Large companies have made it an art to shrink a proper update down to a single slide overview in an argument to minimize work and increase efficiency; all the while, missing the points that inspire questions.

Why do people hide the truth?

Fear. People are worried that failure is unacceptable. Depending on the Company’s culture and more importantly the climate created by the local leadership team, the consequences may be harsh. Failure often means the Company is impacted and if the Company is impacted then the organization’s bonus pool is impacted, which means the leaders and the team are taking home less money. Moreover, if you are someone that is always around trouble, you make a great candidate to dismiss. The stakes are high and because of that, corporate types learn how to effectively message the good, bad and ugly. They are almost never lying. Instead, the facts are editorialized for effective consumption.

Speaking truth to power

The ancient Greeks had a figure of speech, parrhesia, which means “to speak candidly or to ask forgiveness for so speaking”.

Parrhesia is a figure of speech described as “to speak candidly or to ask forgiveness for so speaking”Wikipedia

When we hear advice like, “don’t be afraid to speak truth to power” we learn that there can be grave consequences. Consider Martin Luther King Jr., who is by all accounts one of the most formative and eloquent truth speakers in the civil rights movement, leading massive culture change for the good of all people and he died for it. Speaking truth to power takes courage, conviction and it saves companies and changes lives every day (#MeToo movement).

Leaders speak truth to power

If there is a measure of character, it can be found in a leader’s attraction or avoidance in speaking truth to power.

If there is a measure of character, it can be found in a leader’s attraction or avoidance in speaking truth to power. Remember, leaders tend to have a strong grasp on communication, they are well versed in positioning and pivoting. The challenge isn’t typically elegance of delivery. Instead, it is being able to act in alignment with their constitution in the face of fear.

Sh*t happens… The question is, what are you going to do about it?

Great leaders know that it is not failure that is a problem, it is how people react and what they do about it that matters. As my grandfather once told me as I damaged my first car, “sh*t happens.” Everyone knows it. The question is, what are you going to do about it? If you don’t tell anyone, the problem sites squarely with you.

Next steps: Actions that change everything

Speak up the next time you disagree with your leadership team. This doesn’t mean be argumentative (something newer insecure leaders do). Instead, consider your leadership team’s point of view and present an alternative that addresses the concerns from your perspective. At the very least, you will begin to create a relationship with them they can count on.
Witness your peers speaking truth to power and support them. Remember, the act of speaking a truth despite the fear of potential ramifications is hard. When you witness your peer, you do not have to agree, but you need to support what they are trying to do. This establishes a safe context from which real conversations can happen. You never know, witnessing alone may have you consider an alternative point of view.

Three tools for all leaders

WATCH

Speaking Truth To Power at MIT (2018)
by Dr. Cornel West

READ

Presentation Zen Design: Simple Design Principles and Techniques to Enhance Your Presentations
by Garr Reynolds

READ

The Secret Handshake: Mastering the Politics of the Business Inner Circle
by Kathleen Reardon

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Basics

What are the key leadership behaviors for non-managers?

September 17, 2018 by Brian Goodman 1 Comment

Crossing the chasm with a manager and leader

READING TIME: 3 MIN

Q: What are the key leadership behaviors for non-managers?

A:

This is an interesting question because the answer is the same for managers as it is for non-managers. The notable difference is that managers have additional responsibilities representing the Company, formally developing people and ensuring commitments are met.

Top three leadership behaviors for non-managers

1: Ignore organizational boundaries and be a collector of people

…being limited by the formal structure ensures missed opportunities…

Leaders influence people regardless of organizational structure. In fact, great leaders actively cross team boundaries to bring the right people together—being limited by the formal structure ensures missed opportunities. It is not just about match making. Great leaders are constantly growing other people.

2: Refine your point of view so that it speaks up, down and sideways

Leadership is not hierarchical!

Message a strong point of view that shows a deep understanding of the organization’s goals, what you know specifically and a future state that feels just out of reach but worthy of everyone’s time. Leaders are able to speak “truth to power.” They influence upwards and sideways, not just downwards. Leadership is not hierarchical.

3: Consistently deliver remarkable outcomes

…too many derailments and people get confused about what is broken…

While it is possible to be a leader and misstep, if you have too many derailments, people get confused about what is broken. Leaders breakdown their vision into valuable, actionable and achievable steps that ensure strong outcomes by design. They repeat this practice and build a reputation for getting things done despite all of the challenges.

For better or worse, leaders model behaviors that become the foundation for other leaders. If the behaviors are desirable, this can quickly develop strong organizations. Unfortunately, bad behaviors create leaders with bad habits wreaking havoc on Company culture and execution.

When we experience dysfunctional leadership, you have to see it as a gift for how not to be. Remember, some leaders are followed because of their authority and not because of their ability. It is important to differentiate the people that are leading you from their position, verses those you follow because of their leadership.

Differentiate the people that are leading you from their position, verses those you follow because of their leadership

Next steps: Actions that change everything

1: Develop a strong point of view

Acquire knowledge from inside and outside the workplace
Incorporate your unique take on the topic
Practice positioning those ideas to different audiences
Find like minds; listen and learn from them

2: Remain open to new opportunities

Self-assess your current reach
Commit to connecting with people across functions, organizations and geographies
Mentor people who have something to teach you

3: Develop remarkable outcomes

Ensure your projects are being led vs executed
Find projects that are fragile or on fire and find a way to support success
Make sure you are not over-celebrating successes

Three tools for all leaders

READ

Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers
by Dave Gray

USE

Leuchtturm1917
Medium Size
Hardcover A5 Notebook
Dotted Pages
The best journal made

READ

Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently
by Gregory Berns

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Basics

Can I still be a leader if I don’t want to go into management?

September 10, 2018 by Brian Goodman 1 Comment

READING TIME: 2 MIN

Q: Can I still be a leader if I don’t go into management?

A:

The simple answer is yes.

The challenge with this question is that we don’t know what being a leader means to you. And, yes, it matters!

What does being a leader mean to you?

There is a difference between being a leader and a manager, which is often at the root of this question. Organizations have structure and the larger they get the more they seem to have. Often people demonstrating leadership are offered management positions and this creates the impression that strong leaders end up managing people. In its own way, the organization is simply optimizing the effectiveness of those leaders, giving them people oversight to align the execution with the vision.

Leading without a formal team

There are two key aspects for leading without a formal team: influence and scope. Influence is the ability for the leader to move others with their vision. Scope is the breadth of their vision and in turn the number of people influenced. Managers enjoy “built in” scope and influence of their team, and leading managers broaden that scope just like non-managing leaders. The more senior the role, the more you find the need to be a manager.

Do I have to be a manager?

If you want to be an executive, you really can’t avoid management. If you are having trouble influencing or setting scope, then becoming a manager could answer those two questions. If you are an individual contributor, a senior leader without a team, but followed by like minds take stock in your current scope of influence and consider the scope you aspire to – either way, you are leading without being a manager.

So, a next logical question is, what does a leader that does not manage people directly look like? What behaviors make the stand out?

Three tools for all leaders

READ

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
by Charles Duhigg

USE

Leuchtturm1917
Medium Size
Hardcover A5 Notebook
Dotted Pages
The best journal made

READ

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
by David Allen

We use affiliate links on this site. We make a bit of money when you click on those links. It costs you nothing and helps us spread the word.

Basics

What is the difference between a leader and a manager?

September 3, 2018 by Brian Goodman 1 Comment

Managers represent the organizational structure, while leaders transcend the organization.

READING TIME: 3 MIN

Q: What is the difference between a leader and a manager

A:

Leaders

Leaders influence people by creating and communicating a compelling vision contrasting how it is with how it could be. Some leaders do this without “power” which is to say they do not have people working for them directly like a manager. Instead, leaders need to influence people into believing a shared vision of what could be and then help point the direction on how to realize it.

Managers

Managers are a special kind of leader. Managers are often seen as an extension of human resources and this is a limiting view. Managers should be leaders first and HR process second.

Why the confusion

Articles like this one in Forbes does a disservice to leaders and managers as it perpetuates stereotypes that they exist on a continuum. Even the Harvard Business Review published similar content, mostly I presume because they are advocating that you ought to aspire to be a leader, as if the c-suite isn’t filled with leaders that are also managers? If you Google leadership vs. manager, you will find more of this kind of polarization. The takeaway should be that it is possible to be a manager and not be a leader and we can point at those examples and fault them, while leaders are always great, which is obviously not true.

What we can agree on is that anyone can be a leader and develop their leadership capabilities. Managers should be leaders, or it is a missed opportunity for everyone involved—the leader, their people, their peers, their management team. You see, managers get the privilege of representing the Company to their people, particularly first line managers. That face of the Company makes more difference to that individual than the CEO will ever. The responsibility is actually considerable in this light. When a manager leads their team, the HR aspects greatly simplify, because you are never making people do work, you are not punching the clock, checking the lists or processing email and meetings.

Actions that change everything

If you are a leader

Don’t shy away from management because pop culture paints it as something different
Find managers that are leading and amplify their contribution
Find managers that are not leading and coach them differently—things won’t change and one of the best things leaders do is multiply and grow people

If you are a manager

Make sure you are leading first and HR processing second
When you find yourself HR processing, consider how to execute from a leadership mindset—nothing has to be cold and robotic, even if lawyers disagree
Find managers that are not leading and coach them differently—leaders without people can coach, but managers coaching managers is incredibly powerful

Three great books for all leaders

READ

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
by Stephen R. Covey

READ

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
by Simon Sinek

READ

To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others
by Daniel H. Pink

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Q: Why is my manager so focused on quick wins?

A:

3 Ways Inexperienced Leaders Misuse Quick Wins

Feigning Progress

Creating First Mover Advantage

Building The Brand of a Change Agent

Next steps: Actions that change everything

Three tools for all leaders

READ

READ

READ

Q: How do I get better at delegating effectively?

A:

Five ingredients to successfully delegate

1. Clarity of purpose

2. Collaborate as equals and let the delegate lead

3. Calibrate current level of trust

How to calibrate

Managing expectations

4. Create stewards

5. Coach for the highest quality communication

Next steps: Actions that change everything

Three tools for all leaders

READ

READ

READ

Q: What is a reluctant leader?

A:

The reluctant leader

Why are they reluctant?

What makes reluctant leaders different?

Motivated by conscience, people and passion

Next steps: Actions that change everything

Three tools for all leaders

WATCH

READ

WATCH

Q: What does it mean to "speak truth to power"?

A:

Why do people hide the truth?

Speaking truth to power

Leaders speak truth to power

Next steps: Actions that change everything

Three tools for all leaders

WATCH

READ

READ

Q: What are the key leadership behaviors for non-managers?

A:

Top three leadership behaviors for non-managers

1: Ignore organizational boundaries and be a collector of people

2: Refine your point of view so that it speaks up, down and sideways

3: Consistently deliver remarkable outcomes

Next steps: Actions that change everything

1: Develop a strong point of view

2: Remain open to new opportunities

3: Develop remarkable outcomes

Three tools for all leaders

READ

USE

READ

Q: Can I still be a leader if I don’t go into management?

A:

The simple answer is yes.

What does being a leader mean to you?

Leading without a formal team

Do I have to be a manager?

Three tools for all leaders

READ

USE

READ

Q: What is the difference between a leader and a manager

A:

Leaders

Managers

Why the confusion

Actions that change everything

If you are a leader

If you are a manager

Three great books for all leaders