A Guide to Resolve Conflicts at Workplace
“Don’t fear conflict; embrace it- it’s your job.”
Here is the thing- conflict and workplace go hand in hand. A workplace is an amalgamation of a variety of people, coming from different backgrounds with a different outlook, all with an aim to achieve success. With an environment so diverse, conflict is part and parcel. While you can try and avoid conflict, which in itself is a bad idea, you just cannot escape it.
Conflict as a sharp disagreement or opposition of interest or ideas. However, the base for a conflict can be subjective. The fact of the matter is conflict in the workplace is inevitable. It is like the air; it is everywhere, one needs to know how to purify it, filter it and work towards making it healthier. A conflict avoided is like instigating a volcano, which will erupt and cause a rift in the organization. The ability to recognize the conflict, understand where it comes from and able to form a joint- ground to resolve it, eases the workplace scenario and contributes to a healthier and positive office culture.
How many times have you witnessed situations where otherwise savvy professionals lead the path of self-destructing because they wouldn’t engage out of fear of conflict? By having rational views or burying one’s head in the sand with the hope that the conflict will pass you by is a dangerous method for problem-solving. A conflict aggravates if not proactively tackled with. To completely resolve a conflict, the essential approach is to go its roots- the causes.
Causes of Conflict
#1 Communication Gap
Poor communication at workplace leads to misunderstandings which creates conflict. For example, if a boss is unable to express openly his expectation and delegate work, many times that can lead to mistakes, misunderstanding and finally conflicts. More often than not, employees, in such situations, may choose to bury the matter due to fear of losing their job or position, which causes even more frustration.
#2 Different Value Systems
Different people see the world differently. This gives rise to various values and opinions. Conflict occurs when there is a lack of acceptance of these values and understanding the differences in personalities. This also causes personality clashes between employees. A challenge being faced in most organizations, as an example of differences between the various generations.
# 3 Competitive Behavior
What worsens the matter is using emotional deceit as a weapon of destruction. Every workplace is plagued with manipulative employees who use emotional tirades like blame-shifting, small lies, etc., to create conflict to cover-up for their lack of substance. If not tackled the right way, this leads to an overall downfall of the organization.
#4 Overpowering Emotions
Emotion is both a blessing and a curse. This language of the soul can destroy if you let it harness the chariot of decisions. At the workplace, you will often witness that people tend to succumb to conflict situations due to intense emotions. Employees throw a fit of rage and conclude only to realize the damage caused by the heat of the moment. Emotions are controlling and therefore should be used at the right time and place.
Having said this, the human nature is unpredictable akin to changing weather; therefore no matter how much you avoid a situation, conflicts are bound to happen. So the next question that arises is how to deal with conflict in an unbiased manner and build a work environment that accepts and addresses it.
Addressing and Managing Conflict
Some amount of conflict is desirable. Without conflicting ideas, allowing people to express their diverse opinions, we would not get the best ideas to surface. I once worked for an organization, where they needed to reach the market quickly, and created two independent teams to work on the same product, and eventually took the best parts for the final version.
But we should avoid unnecessary conflict, and take steps by expressing the behavior expected of employees. Mention what is accepted by him/her, the chain of work delivery. Also, stress on sound practices, policies and what is allowed and what is not.
Create an innovative culture where people understand that expressing diverse views is encouraged for the purpose of greater end outcome; communication means dialog, where there is equal parts of speaking and listening; where everyone has a voice and are able to express without fear of chain of command; the process of discussion is constructive and not to find faults; and finally drive a collaborative outcome which once decided, everyone adheres to and not to create unhealthy competition.
Organizational Support
Employees too need a guide to help them on this journey, especially when they experience bumps. Ensure that your HR or team leader is always available in stressful work matters. If a team leader can figure out something unusual, they need to confront the concerned employees.
Another useful measure will be conducting frequent training programmes for employees which highlight the above process. This will enhance their problem-solving skills and also understand their workmates better.
Resolution is not rocket science; no matter how grave the conflict is, it can be resolved. It may not be an easy task to confront, but when there is a sincere desire to solve something, it can be done.
Perfect the Art of Retaining Employees
Today, millennials make up more than 15% of the working population. However, they are expected to constitute three-fourths of the workforce by the year 2025. With such a drastically evolving workforce, it is essential to understand how you can retain and manage your millennial employees.
As a workforce demographics, millennials significantly differ from other groups. A key differentiating factor is their work mindset which looks to garner as much experience as possible, in a short time-frame. They prefer to be on the move and enjoy a frequent change of scenery. This can be seen in the way they skip songs half-way through and subconsciously switch between apps and browser tabs. Their short attention span has transferred to the workplace. It is commonplace for them to have worked for different employers in a short time frame. It takes continuous interest and a series of challenges to keep the millennial engaged.
Competitive Package and Perks
While the paycheck is undoubtedly essential for millennials, it is the benefits or the perks that make all the difference, when they are choosing whether to stay at a job or leave it. Traditional benefits like health insurance, a pension fund, and investment options are still considered relevant. However, it is perks like flexible working hours, transportation compensation, work-from-home, bonus paid leave and employee recognition, which draws millennials to a company while selecting a job.
Rather than finding a work-life balance, millennials seek a work-life blend. Building a culture that is open and caring towards every employee, is a crucial factor in retaining your employees. Go that extra mile and mold a company with culture, which shows employees that they matter. While perks like food benefits may seem insignificant to your organization, it helps employees preserve interest and enthusiasms towards the company.
Foster Employee Development
A key point to retain employees is to prepare them to work and perform better. This could be via education workshops to learn a new job skill, or providing tuition reimbursement to help further the employee’s education. Instead of hiring a new bunch of employees for a specific job skill, you can conduct training for the same for the existing ones. This not only hones their skills but also makes them feel worthy of doing more than they can. This also gives them a sense of importance which inspires them to be loyal towards the company.
Teaching Managers to Deal With Different Mindsets
A company is an amalgamation of different people with different mindsets. As a manager, it can get tricky to understand and handle a variety of personalities. That is why it is crucial for a company to train their managers to be empathetic towards their team. Recruit managers not purely based on their skills, but more importantly on their ability to handle and work with other employees. Ensure that your managers hold regular meetings in which other employees can offer ideas and ask questions. Having an open-door policy encourages employees to speak frankly with their managers without the fear of repercussion.
Think Entrepreneurial!
Millennials have an affinity for digital tools, a desire for independence and a thirst for recognition. These traits, coupled with the low-cost of technology today, makes digital entrepreneurship a highly attractive option for them. As a result, companies must cultivate the right environment and convert the organization into a land of innovation. Organisations can retain employees by training and nurture the existing talent. Additionally, an important step is to reward employees and promote an open culture where ideas can be expressed. Show the employees to take risks and bear failures. Treat the employees as a part of the organization, based on whose decisions the company’s revenue can alter. Give them the stance of an entrepreneur.
Motivation Today, Employees Forever
To retain employees, it is necessary to motivate them from time to time. The first way to motivate your employees is to demonstrate that you have faith in their abilities to get the job done. Assign responsibilities and give them time to rise to the challenge. When excelling at work, appreciate and reward them. Positive reinforcement, after all, is one of the oldest psychological principles which holds true even today. Include your employees in big decisions. It can be discouraging for the employees when they see big decisions being made without letting them know. It makes them feel unimportant.
In today’s world of a highly competitive workplace, where people switch jobs within the blink of an eye, employee turnover is a big concern. You can stem the tide by putting light on employee engagement and training. Make the employees feel validated, take their opinions, listen to their concerns and create opportunities for them to grow. Doing so builds a solid foundation for employee management, stimulates growth and motivates them to provide their service for a long period.
Emotional Quotient: The Key Ingredient in Recruitment
"If you can hire people whose passion intersects with their job, they won't require any supervision at all. They will manage themselves better than anyone could ever manage them. Their fire comes from within, not from without. Their motivation is internal, not external."- Steven Covey
How often have you come across someone who performs phenomenally well at the professional front irrespective of their above-average IQ? Conversely, how often have you come across people who despite having excellent educational qualifications have fallen short of being successful leaders? Burning out due to excessive stress, low productivity and moodiness are in fact, visible characteristics when it comes to these individuals. Clearly then, not only does EQ play an essential role in defining success, it's a but a balance of IQ and Emotional Quotient which is what professionals need. People with a high EQ are known to be better at working with teams, adapt better to changes and can work well under pressure. As modern workplaces continue to evolve, with new technologies and changing culture, having a team which balances IQ and EQ well is imperative.
Impact of EQ at Workplace
Emotional Quotient is the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions. There are certain traits of EQ which not only enhance work productivity but also makes the environment a happier place to work in. Starting with self-awareness, if a person is aware of their strengths and weakness and how their actions can affect others, they are better adapted to constructive criticism and can reinforce the same for improved work productivity.
A person with higher EQ is self-regulated. Which means she/he has better control over her emotions and knows when to and when not to reveal them. Along with this, being empathetic and compassionate can help an individual connect with her peers on an emotional level. This helps in building rapport and trust with your colleagues. Inculcating these traits not only works in favor of the team but helps you as an individual to stay motivated at work. It also reduces the chances of misunderstandings and conflicts with colleagues.
Boosting Your EQ
There are several ways you can consciously improve your EQ. It starts with learning how to listen to yourself. Though you might find it difficult initially but develop the ability to understand your emotions is the first and perhaps the most important step. That said, as individuals, sometimes you may find a certain feeling uncomfortable. Is your first instinct to avoid them? Instead, take a moment and ask yourself "How am I feeling?" Take this space for yourself at least twice a day for a couple of minutes and get in touch with your emotions. These emotions often rise, reach a peak and fade naturally. To enhance your EQ, try not to dismiss your feelings before you have a chance to think them thoroughly. Furthermore, your body plays a crucial role in understanding your feelings. For example, feeling heavy-hearted while driving to your workplace indicates that your work is a source of stress for you. However, following these signals and the feelings associated with it helps you reason with your behavior and exercise your emotions consciously. Yet, there comes a time where you need to stop looking inwards and shift focus on what's happening outside. Studies have shown that people who dwell on their negative feelings for too long tend to amplify it further. EQ involves not only the ability to look within but being receptive to the environment around you.
Emotional quotient is about self-awareness, social awareness, self-management and relationship management. So, what role does it play in recruiting a candidate?
Emotional Quotient and Recruitment
To enhance the productivity of your workforce, Emotional Quotient and recruitment needs to go hand in hand. Often while hiring candidates, Hiring Managers to experience an internal battle of whether Intelligence Quotient should be placed above Emotional Quotient or vice versa. To achieve the best for your organization, it is necessary to marry both.
While recruiting a candidate, EQ helps identify individuals who possess the ability to understand, empathize and blend with the people around. But how do you determine the EQ capacity of a candidate during an interview? Emotionally quotient people are intelligent, self-aware, self-confident and are thick-skinned that allows them to utilize critical feedback positively. They take onus for their mistakes and can effortlessly align their thoughts. You can use questions like these in your interview-
"Who inspires you and why?"
"Did you build lasting friendships at your previous job?"
"What skills do you feel like you're still missing?"
"Could you tell me about a time you made a mistake at work/ received tough feedback from your boss?"
Listen to what your candidates have to say. Do they rush into answering or take time to accumulate their thoughts and how comfortable are they in that silence? Everyone experiences emotions. But not everyone can articulate them when they occur. Also, people with high EQ possess a well-developed emotional vocabulary. Take insight on whether your candidates say they felt "bad" or "good" or if they use more explicit words like "anxious" "frustrated" or "excited" to express their feelings. A candidate's EQ is defined by their choice of words to describe their feelings, understanding of how others felt, what caused a situation and what actions they took based on their knowledge.
EQ is like the icing on the cake; it sets a great player apart from the average ones. IQ, on the other hand, takes care of the basics and shows the level of competence one might have.
Organizations need to make empathy and expressive behavior a part of their culture. Today's young generation doesn't necessarily comply with the traditional office norms. Studies show that most millennials don't see work as 'just a job. It Is more than a paycheque. The workforce today requires emotional needs as a part of their culture. Paying attention to these needs means a happier workforce with enhanced productivity, ultimately enhancing company bottom-line. A wise move is to invest in metrics that measure the EQ of a candidate so that you produce better outcomes, for the business and the people running it.
10 Effective Ways to Manage Millennials
Generation Me. Generation We. The Net Generation. Echo Boomers. Global Generation. Generation Next.
Millennials, who?
Comprising of the largest workforces, millennials are the youngest generation at work who have brought in a spectrum of culture with their eccentric enthusiasm and a thirst for knowledge and have managed challenge the concrete foundation of Boom Generation (born between 1946 and 1964) and Generation X (born between 1954 and 1980). Often questioning the ‘how’, ‘why’, ‘where’, and ‘what’ of everything, millennials often appear as a set of individuals who are lethargic, entitled, narcissistic, fallible, immature and carefree.
It is often concluded that they are to be entrusted with less responsibility and be excluded from important discussions or perhaps given lesser training. Conversely, the above actions lead to lower motivation and job satisfaction which is the bait for millennials. As much as they influence the world around them, millennials are in turn influenced by multiple factors in their life, their work environment, relationships with their managers (some of which may belong to an older generation), peers, external market trends, technology and so on. Therefore, if millennials are driven and managed in the right direction, it brings out the much-needed fruitful results of an organization.
Combining Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
“Put some ants in their pants.”
Millennials today are inclined towards non-rudimentary, creative tasks because of which incentives prove detrimental. The idea is to keep intrinsic motivation at the core of the motivation agenda and keep extrinsic motivation like adequate pay, increments, bonuses and other prerequisites at the periphery. The reason being that, the carrot-stick approach might prove inadequate as the stick becomes the primary tool for engagement, and as a result, a manager might lose control of command-and-control style of management. A workplace driven to maximize autonomy and purpose sets the right precedent to encourage intrinsic motivation. Remember, autonomy and accountability go hand in hand and meaningful goals create the fire for greater performance.
Creating an Authentic Culture
“In a volatile and ever-changing world, values lead the way.”
Millennials are digital natives and have grown up in an era pertaining to transparency powered by social networking. An apparent trait of the millennials is that they look up to the internet as an open platform where there is a seamless and transparent exchange of ideas and information. Taking clues from this pattern, organizations can aspire to be more open in their culture in terms of giving the millennial workforce a greater voice and let the bottom-up culture to emerge over time. A culture which is highly engaging enables quick and efficient decision-making, encourages innovation creates a domino-effect of a great workplace culture whose bedrock is strong beliefs and value systems which does not start and end with the CEO but has a ripple effect throughout. When values continuously turn into actions across all levels of a company, it creates the precedent of an authentic workplace experience which attracts millennials cohort, who in turn become its custodians.
Be Mentors, Not Bosses
“Mentoring is a two-way street; you get out what you put in.”
Millennials do not respond well to rigid protocols or display of supremacy. They, by default, renounce the traditional structure of authority. This resides in the roots of their upbringing, being of a permissive and negligent demeanor. For the same reason, millennials need their leaders to be approachable, encouraging and guiding them through their rights and wrongs. Managers should cautiously withdraw their authority power and take on a role of a mentor.
A Sense of Belonging
Millennials are observant of their seniors. For this, managers are required to earn the respect and trust of millennials through their professional prestige and consistency of their actions. To incorporate this horizontal workforce, a more collaborative culture is required. An intricately crafted, open and collaborative system breaks down the vertical organizational silos. Incorporating co-working spaces and incubators showcases a sense of community and prosocial culture which gives millennials a sense of oneness, belonging, and a purpose to achieve a unified goal.
Money- No Bait
Though watchful, today’s generation does not treat money alone as an incentive to work at an organization. They rather prefer mobility, geographically and between assignments, opportunity to meet new people, a relaxed atmosphere, and the scope to try out their ideas. Millennials seek to interact with new people, mentors, and teams and have a knack for learning more. For them, the vertical promotion does not alone suffice as they seek for jobs which offer a variety of enriching experiences too. Further, baits like flexible work hours, discounts, telecommuting, cafeteria coupons and additional days off often work are often loved and favored by millennials.
Associate and Benefit from Their Quirkiness
“Life is what happens to you while you are looking at your cell-phone.”
This generation is a natural at promoting themselves publicly and building images and stories from their personal and professional experiences (Instagram, for example). This has made them a powerful medium for marketing and communication, be it for the better or worse. What you can do is convert the social leaders amongst the millennial employees to brand ambassadors. How? By making them an integral part of employer branding activities, making them a spokesperson for the company on social media or taking them to job fairs. It is all about using their attributes to the company’s benefit effectively.
A Need to Be Recognized
Social media platform is one such place where millennials blatantly share their experiences and project themselves in a certain way. This need for recognition does not limit to social media but extends to the workplace; not only from their bosses but also and especially from their peers. To leverage this feature, a company can organize quarterly awards to recognise the hard work put in by the millennial employees and drive them to deliver better and more.
Don’t Disconnect with Technology
“Opening up to digital space is acknowledging the coming of a new order.”
While millennials come from the hometown of technology, instead of shying away from it, companies should play the game ball of tech and social media. For example, inverse mentoring programs could helper the older employees to learn from millennials’ technological skills. Evaluating new purchases and technological developments can be a benefit to the others, from the tech-savvy generation.
Work-Life Balance
Millennials are all about maintaining a work-life balance because this enables them to feel a greater sense of control over their life which allows them to have better relationships with management. Things like attending to work post office hours, working on weekends, giving up their social life, etc., does not gel well with millennials. When employees adapt to a balanced work-life, they are not only motivated but are less stressed out at work but and engage in lesser conflicts amongst co-workers or management.
Constant Feedback
“I don’t divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the successes and the failures, those who make it or those who don’t. I divide the world into learners and non-learners. “
- Benjamin. R. Barber
Millennials are goal setters and highly driven individuals. Instead of the age-old annual review, they resonate with constant feedback. Does this mean you are required to be incessantly transparent with them? Yes. They appreciate continuous and honest feedbacks which helps them learn, understand and formulate their work process better. After all, they too are all about succeeding and winning.
The arrival of Millennials in the workforce arena can be a challenge, but it is also an opportunity in disguise. Managers from the preceding generation can learn more about the current world we live in and implementation of on-going trends and polish their decision-making skills. Millennials are here to stay; it’s all about how to invest in them accurately to make the most of it.
The Art of Holding People Accountable
“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable”- Moliere
Have you ever encountered a situation where your employees or team members have missed a certain deadline and then proceeded to reason it out without any real reason? As a leader, this situation can put you in a difficult place with respect to how far you must hold your people accountable.
You may be a leader who acquires great A-players, however, there will be moments when you are left with the feeling that your team can work more or perform better. That said, accountability does not mean taking the onus only when something goes wrong, it means much more than that. When someone takes the accountability for something, they make the commitment of delivery long before the task is performed. They then go onto fulfilling this commitment by executing the task with absolute precision. This involves taking initiative with a strategic way forward.
Taking accountability for actions or results is applicable to all levels of the hierarchy. Before censuring employees, great leaders first introspect on how they approach their responsibilities and how they transfer a sense of ownership effectively to their employees in turn. However, accountability cannot be achieved unless both parties communicate clearly enough to understand the other’s perspective and driving force. This can be a frustrating process, where empathy, guidance and assertion must all be blended in perfection. An important aspect to remember in such trying times is that resorting to anger when the team falls short on productivity, is a vicious cycle. It only leads to demotivation and a dip in performance which further frustrates and disillusions a leader. There are, however, long term solutions, to instil accountability at the workplace.
Explicit Communication and an Open Conversation
More often than not, the reason for sub-par team performance is a lack of crystal-clear communication. The agenda could be clear in your mind, but it needs to be explicitly communicated to the team and even followed up with an email so that it is on record and can be referred to whenever required. Further to this, having a two-way conversation where you lay out your agenda and ask others to summarise it in a discussion, helps prevent any miscommunication and gets everyone on the same page. Clear and two-way communication results in building clarity on timelines and definitions of deliverables, prioritizing tasks in order of importance and setting dates for first drafts and final versions. This lucidity ultimately helps inculcate a sense of ownership – something that is absolutely key to building accountability. It is only when employees are invested enough in a job and can take the onus of planning and decision-making, that they will allow themselves to be accountable as well.
Regular Follow-up and Streamlined Processes
While this is a set task for any leader, it is rather surprising how often this is overlooked because of the daily fire-fighting that one gets involved in. It is therefore crucial to get the team together every month or fortnight with all reports and updates and then discuss the progress so far by assessing early drafts and giving requisite inputs and feedback. Such meetings are also essential to know if tasks underway are still on track, whether some sort of damage control is required, or whether realignment of resources to roles is needed. Catch-up sessions can additionally help identify previously unthought of risks and obstacles and ways to avoid or counter them.
Finally, the route for the near future should be charted out, and the goal for the next follow-up session should be set. This will hugely enhance work quality, one of the factors that is hardest hit by lack of accountability. When employees pursue completion of a task only to placate a superior or to mechanically fulfil a deadline, but not because of their own sense of ownership, the outcome may be sloppy. However, with true ownership and accountability, comes definite and noticeable excellence at work.
The Strategic Play Between Honest Feedback and Mentorship
With a balance between constructive criticism and guidance, you enable the team to approach you whenever required and also create a culture of honest, productive feedback. As a mentor, your goal should be neither to berate employees nor to hand-hold them, but to help them, help themselves. Be it with resources, new knowledge, contacts and of course perspective, well mentored employees will finally be able to streamline their projects and make them a success, all while knowing that there is a leader to direct them if they are in the dark. Not only this, it is also important to make employees aware of the importance of certain tasks. If the job matters more to you as a leader and less to your employees, then accountability will never be achieved. The answer is to communicate the significance of a task, and drive home all the details so that this significance makes sense to each and every employee. Mentorship is not about telling people what to do, but inculcating in them a sense of ownership, such that they know what to do. After all, it’s not a one-man show but a whole orchestra.
The cherry on the cake of accountability is consistency. This is where the actual job begins. Results don’t show overnight, they take practice and consistency. Once committed, don't let ownership and accountability initiatives slip away like another new year resolution. Relentlessly pursue this practice of clear communication, regular follow-ups, feedback and mentoring for at least a year, after which the frequency and rigour can be modified according to results. These practises not only enhance the accountability of your team but also develop you into a more refined and reliable leader.
Making the Workplace Your Happy Place
“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable”- Moliere
Have you ever encountered a situation where your employees or team members have missed a certain deadline and then proceeded to reason it out without any real reason? As a leader, this situation can put you in a difficult place with respect to how far you must hold your people accountable.
You may be a leader who acquires great A-players, however, there will be moments when you are left with the feeling that your team can work more or perform better. That said, accountability does not mean taking the onus only when something goes wrong, it means much more than that. When someone takes the accountability for something, they make the commitment of delivery long before the task is performed. They then go onto fulfilling this commitment by executing the task with absolute precision. This involves taking initiative with a strategic way forward.
Taking accountability for actions or results is applicable to all levels of the hierarchy. Before censuring employees, great leaders first introspect on how they approach their responsibilities and how they transfer a sense of ownership effectively to their employees in turn. However, accountability cannot be achieved unless both parties communicate clearly enough to understand the other’s perspective and driving force. This can be a frustrating process, where empathy, guidance and assertion must all be blended in perfection. An important aspect to remember in such trying times is that resorting to anger when the team falls short on productivity, is a vicious cycle. It only leads to demotivation and a dip in performance which further frustrates and disillusions a leader. There are, however, long term solutions, to instil accountability at the workplace.
Explicit Communication and an Open Conversation
More often than not, the reason for sub-par team performance is a lack of crystal-clear communication. The agenda could be clear in your mind, but it needs to be explicitly communicated to the team and even followed up with an email so that it is on record and can be referred to whenever required. Further to this, having a two-way conversation where you lay out your agenda and ask others to summarise it in a discussion, helps prevent any miscommunication and gets everyone on the same page. Clear and two-way communication results in building clarity on timelines and definitions of deliverables, prioritizing tasks in order of importance and setting dates for first drafts and final versions. This lucidity ultimately helps inculcate a sense of ownership – something that is absolutely key to building accountability. It is only when employees are invested enough in a job and can take the onus of planning and decision-making, that they will allow themselves to be accountable as well.
Regular Follow-Up and Streamlined Processes
While this is a set task for any leader, it is rather surprising how often this is overlooked because of the daily fire-fighting that one gets involved in. It is therefore crucial to get the team together every month or fortnight with all reports and updates and then discuss the progress so far by assessing early drafts and giving requisite inputs and feedback. Such meetings are also essential to know if tasks underway are still on track, whether some sort of damage control is required, or whether realignment of resources to roles is needed. Catch-up sessions can additionally help identify previously unthought of risks and obstacles and ways to avoid or counter them.
Finally, the route for the near future should be charted out, and the goal for the next follow-up session should be set. This will hugely enhance work quality, one of the factors that is hardest hit by lack of accountability. When employees pursue completion of a task only to placate a superior or to mechanically fulfil a deadline, but not because of their own sense of ownership, the outcome may be sloppy. However, with true ownership and accountability, comes definite and noticeable excellence at work.
The Strategic Play Between Honest Feedback and Mentorship
With a balance between constructive criticism and guidance, you enable the team to approach you whenever required and also create a culture of honest, productive feedback. As a mentor, your goal should be neither to berate employees nor to hand-hold them, but to help them, help themselves. Be it with resources, new knowledge, contacts and of course perspective, well mentored employees will finally be able to streamline their projects and make them a success, all while knowing that there is a leader to direct them if they are in the dark. Not only this, it is also important to make employees aware of the importance of certain tasks. If the job matters more to you as a leader and less to your employees, then accountability will never be achieved. The answer is to communicate the significance of a task, and drive home all the details so that this significance makes sense to each and every employee. Mentorship is not about telling people what to do, but inculcating in them a sense of ownership, such that they know what to do. After all, it’s not a one-man show but a whole orchestra.
The cherry on the cake of accountability is consistency. This is where the actual job begins. Results don’t show overnight, they take practice and consistency. Once committed, don't let ownership and accountability initiatives slip away like another new year resolution. Relentlessly pursue this practice of clear communication, regular follow-ups, feedback and mentoring for at least a year, after which the frequency and rigour can be modified according to results. These practises not only enhance the accountability of your team but also develop you into a more refined and reliable leader.
Team Cohesion with Differences
Teams are an amalgamation of various types of people. Everyone has a different outlook, yes, but how can we bring all these schools of thought together and channel the differences in a positive manner?
Here’s Why Companies Need to Focus on the Needs of Their Employees
It is the age where human resources and technology have joined hands and talent management, from recruitment to retention is fast-paced, efficient and technologically heavy. In fact, it is not just senior leaders and human resource professionals who look out for technologically based options for talent acquisition and management, but the talent itself thrives on the digital culture. The question that now arises is how have Millennials changed the game and how do we adapt to this change to find and keep the right talent? These questions plague every organization and the answer to this problem is a people-first approach.
Experiences over qualifications
The time for a strictly job-based approach has passed, wherein an employee used to come into work, carry out a pre-assigned set of duties and then leaves the job after completing set tasks. Millennials have travelled the world, whether it is to study, or simply to explore new places and people. Global cultural experiences are more valued than grades and scores. Worldly wisdom is respected over the traditional textbook approach. Today’s average employee seeks constant career growth, intellectual development and the opportunity for new challenges. Employees become dissatisfied, restless, and look for other job opportunities when these needs are not met.
Managing Your People During a Merger Today
A KPMG study shows, 83% of the mergers fail. Some organisations embrace mergers almost effortlessly, and then others fail because of softer, but key aspects like ineffective methods of people and culture management. A merger between two organizations can be a rocky path to tread, but if handled well, it can lead to a wonderful road down the line. It is observed often that employees report lower overall satisfaction and engagement with management, post a merger and acquisition.
This is usually due to various factors such as a mismatch in culture, lack of common vision, poor communication, poor governance and weak leadership.
The answers to avoiding these problems are right in front of us, but we just dismiss such solutions as trivial and get deeper into money matters and official training.
In the Company of Authors
When it’s Friday evening, and the week is done, a few employees of furniture-retailer Urban Ladder step into the weekend, a book in hand.
They meet at the cafeteria of the company’s Bengaluru office to pick a book and discuss it threadbare. Recently, they discussed All the Lives We Never Lived by Anuradha Roy.
A book is chosen on the basis of voting. Sometimes, the book discussion is followed by a get-together outside the office. Recently, members of Urban Ladder Book Club went together to watch Fantastic Beasts 2. All of them are Harry Potter lovers — that explains the choice of the film. Probably, everything, even films, has to have something to do with books.
Enhance the X-Factor of Your Workplace
Merely celebrating ‘Employee Day or Family Day’ doesn’t make the cut anymore. Organisations, especially start-ups need to think and do something out of the box to keep their workforce motivated. There is a need to interact, engage, and build a robust employer brand.
Does it involve a grand gesture? Maybe, maybe not. But relooking and analysing how your workforce functions can give you the answers. Here are a few tips that start-ups can use to bring out the company’s X-factor.
Ask meaningful questions
Have you ever questioned yourself, “What makes my workforce happy?” Diving straight into the emotions of your employees can trigger an idea. Take an approach that is more introspective and solution oriented. Bring in the empathy factor and put yourself in your employees’ shoes for a day. Take a while to figure what’s lacking or how you can simply improve their daily work experience. By asking yourself and others these questions that are casual, yet thought-provoking, one can gain an understanding and get a pulse of what is happening in other's lives.
Dealing with Politics at Work
About a year ago, in an organisation comprising 100 employees, a high-performing employee who had spent seven years in the company was wrongly fired. The IT team detected a security breach in the system that traced back to his computer. Only after an investigation was it determined that he was framed, and the breach was a ‘planned conspiracy’ in the greed for promotion.
Be it a start-up, SME or an MNC, politics has become an inseparable part of organisational structures. Here's how to deal with the mind games.
Admit to the problem
About a week ago I came across an interesting article that spoke about the relationship between an empath and a narcissist. The former believes in peace-making while the latter has become habituated to winning. You need an intervention when you realise that the team is falling apart or even worse, when you get a sense of groupism at the workplace.
It’s time to wise up and dismantle your opposition’s plans. Take a step back. Think of all the times your gut has told you that something was amiss, and you overlooked it assuming it is a minor hiccup.
Testing EQ Before Hiring Talent
‘In the next few years, the Indian staffing market is said to evolve into world’s largest’. If this is true, why do we often hear recruiters complaining of being unable to find the ‘right fit’? Because no professional degree or academic qualification will prepare you to handle a real-time crisis. When pushed off a cliff (read as made to handle a prime client in the first month of joining) or placed amidst a tricky situation, we are left with no theory to implement and prove.
Workplace Revolution 2020 According to a recent World Economic Forum report, EQ aka ‘Emotional Quotient’ has been predicted as one of the top ten skills for employees by 2020. Not the kind of EQ that can be gauged through a Myers-Briggs psychometric test, but the experiential-based learning that will keep them afloat when the going gets tough.
As an employer, we often lay a lot of emphasis on soft skills. Why? Because a people’s person will be attuned with empathy and more prone toward making emotionally sound decisions as a future emerging leader. In fact, nurturing our emotional intelligence becomes even more crucial for managers as today’s world of uncertainty and changing work dynamics require individuals who can be rational even during the most difficult times.
When Learning is a Priority, There's Always Time
Being a Consistent Learner Helps Ace Mentorship Skills
The hierarchical ladder may end, but the learning never stops
A crucial part of human development is working to improve oneself throughout life. A long-term process that needs to be sustained over time, self-development gradually builds confidence to tackle new tasks, set higher benchmarks, learn new skills and ultimately touch new heights. When moving up the hierarchical ladder, many executives become absorbed in their set roles, and in problem-solving and damage control tasks. In such a context one often forgets that every task, role and designation – right from an intern’s to a leader’s – needs continuous sharpening.
From making major organization-level decisions and acting as the single point of communication between the board of directors and corporate operations, to managing overall operations and essentially being the brand ambassador of the company – leaders have various complex tasks at hand on a daily basis. This is when learning takes a back seat. The key here is to incorporate learning into the daily or weekly routine. The options are numerous. One could listen to audio books while driving to and from work, catch up on some reading during lunch, incorporate a short training video into the schedule every day, or even arrange a small discussion with the team to present a new idea or concept each week or month. There are many top executives who take out a few hours on the weekend to catch up with other senior leaders from the industry and have an insightful discussion on trends and new developments. Often trying to learn individually can become challenging especially when it involves putting aside time. With a group of people, all encouraging, uplifting and teaching each other, there is higher motivation to ensure that learning takes place.
For a leader to be successful and ace mentorship skills, a culture of learning needs to be instilled within the organization as well as in the personal life. One should constantly be aware of the signs of complacency. The driving forces to avoid stagnant leadership are to set new benchmarks every step of the way. Every time an executive begins to feel that work is going into auto-pilot, she or he should expand the role, learn a new skill, or even mentor another apprentice. One important aspect to consider here is that each person learns differently from another. Some read, some listen, and some absorb from others, while some learn in short spurts and others prefer long-term learning programmes. When stuck in a rut, it is best for leaders to opt for a concept of subject they are most interested in. There may be certain skills or concepts that one needs to learn simply to set a base and create awareness. However, these may not trigger enough interest to help a person out of the void of complacency. On the other hand, a topic of absolute interest and passion to the person will draw them out of the rut and enable them to start on the learning path, so they can eventually learn anything from what they are passionate about to what they only have to learn as part of the industry.
Whether it is picking up new languages, keeping up to date with the newest of softwares and tools, or undergoing periodic leadership training and executive coaching, there is a plethora of learning options for those at the top.
The importance of learning is not restricted to those starting their careers. It is a process that every individual must embrace. Perhaps understandably, as long as there is a higher role or designation to reach, professionals are motivated to continue learning. However, on reaching the top, a common misconception is that the learning is complete and no longer necessary. Leading a team is as much of a skill as carrying out operational functions or administrative functions, and just like these processes, leadership needs consistent sharpening and honing. Education is ultimately the means to human development, and the culture of continuous learning when embraced by leaders will have a wonderfully impactful trickle-down effect on the rest of the organization.
This article first appeared on Entrepreneur India.
Channeling Procrastination into Productivity
Highlight the importance of little details of the brief, and pinpoint the fact that without questions ordinarily, such finer details would not be clear.
Monday Blues – a buzzword, a phenomenon, an integral part of the workweek. Considering that the dull start of a week and the overwhelming procrastination it leads to are becoming such widespread concerns for professionals, the solution is long overdue. Everyone has their own little ways of coping with a period where all you really want to do is postpone work and worry about it in the process, thereby effectively getting no respite whatsoever. As a leader, it can often become a challenge to help employees fight such a phase efficaciously and empathetically.
Once we actually acknowledge how often this can happen to us, we can find ways to help others combat procrastination and channel their energies in the direction of productivity. Every working individual faces days, weeks and sometimes even months of such phases, but they do not have to last so long or happen so frequently if we only narrow down the problem to the root cause and attempt to eliminate it.
Firstly, it is imperative to start planning Monday from Sunday evening onwards. This way, Sunday evening passes smoothly and without a sense of dread for the next day because you and your team already have it mapped out. Additionally, planning ahead will ensure that Monday starts off on a note that is organized and well sorted out, thereby setting the tone for the rest of the week.
The next step is to identify what is causing the procrastination in a certain case, and then to solve that very problem. While Mondays come along every week, procrastination can occur repeatedly for several different reasons. To understand why procrastination is affecting your team, observation is the first step. If you do see signs of postponement and lethargy in the team, you can then approach individual team members and talk to them about their role, their every-day work, and even the task for that particular day or week. Dive deep and discuss the problems they are facing, and then proceed to understand the underlying cause.
There are a few common factors that cause all of us to experience this phenomenon. Procrastination could happen because of an individual from your team:
Doesn’t like the task at hand
Doesn’t understand the task
Doesn’t possess the requisite skill set to fulfil the task
Finds the task dauntingly complex, and cannot figure out where to start
Doesn’t Like the Task at Hand
While delegating work, along with assessing someone’s experience, qualifications and skill set, it is also essential to determine whether they actually enjoy the work or not. Apart from the required abilities, nothing gets a task done more effectively and efficiently than genuine enjoyment. Someone who feels enough interest in the task will invest all their efforts and carry it out with conviction, rather than only running mechanical actions and doing an average job of it. Assigning tasks according to interest and liking, at least most of the time, also keep employee motivation and enthusiasm consistently high, sidesteps boredom and stagnation, and of course, keeps procrastination habits at bay.
Doesn’t Understand the Task
When assigning a task, the brief should be detailed, yet precise. Encourage your team to ask questions at every point, and do not express annoyance or trivialise their doubts. This will only lead them to stop asking questions which in turn will result in half-baked understanding and clueless execution. Instilling the habit of questioning is a long-term practice and will not result in a fully receptive team overnight. So, at the outset, it is a good idea to provide clarifications and explanations even if there isn’t too much questioning. Highlight the importance of little details of the brief, and pinpoint the fact that without questions ordinarily, such finer details would not be clear. After explaining the task, ask the person to paraphrase the brief to get a better idea of their understanding, and only then proceed to get the task accomplished.
Doesn’t Possess the Requisite Skillset
As mentioned before, leaders should ideally delegate tasks according to individual interest and ability. However, sometimes there is no choice because tasks just have to be finished. In such cases, go into details not just about the brief itself but about the processes required to complete the task. One can provide pointers, user tutorials and even a demonstration of the processes require the use of certain technologies and software. For the long run, however, it is crucial to ensure that the entire team is up to speed with work tools, technological procedures and equipment usage. A learning and development program with regular workshops and training sessions should be put in place at the outset so that the eventuality of last-minute teaching becomes rare. The more the team understands and knows, the more ownership they have over their roles and the higher their accountability to the organization. All of this together reduces the chances of frequent procrastination and a mechanical approach to work.
Finds the Task too Complex
This is one of the most common root causes of procrastination. There is a degree of slowness that takes over when one has to begin a task that one cannot understand or isn’t equipped to handle. Often, even if employees are well-versed in the skills themselves, the task is many-layered and a mixture of various processes or involves coordination with several other teams. Here the important step to take is to break the task down into smaller instalments for the team. These segregated, sequential problems become easier to handle and overcome before moving onto the next one, and ultimately completing the larger assignment systematically.
Monday blues happen to everyone, and every one of us, from intern to CEO, has at some point been frustrated with our tendency to put off work and accomplish nothing. However, instead of accepting these phenomena as they are and assuming that this is just how it is if we wake up to combative methods, then Mondays would feel as enjoyable as Fridays and productivity would peak. When leaders themselves start implementing these practices, they can truly lead from the front and gradually eliminate the culture of frequent procrastination.
This article first appeared on Entrepreneur India.
Can Transformational Coaches Really Make a Difference in Workplaces?
Most organisations would place the gap in their leadership skills as their biggest challenge.
In conversation with Rajeev Shroff, Fractional CEO of Cupela and Transformational coach and consultant to understand corporate concepts such as leadership consulting, work-life coaches and succession planning
Leadership coaching to business professionals! Are Indian corporates ready to embrace organisational and attitudinal change through such leadership coaching? Or do we still lag behind in terms of investing in attitudes and work vibes and not just on targets and results?
Most organisations would place the gap in their leadership skills as their biggest challenge. When companies interview candidates for the role of a leader, they evaluate the past records and achievements. But simultaneously, the heads of Human Resources as well as Learning and Development functions also insist on measurable results. Because the ultimate apprehension is whether the ROI will add value to the organization or not.
Leaders today understand the value of investing in cultivating the right workplace attitude. Organisations like NASSCOM, iSpirit, HYSEA are encouraging their industry leaders and entrepreneurs to volunteer and contribute to the next generation, by mentoring. In fact, we have more than 10,000 coaches in our country – industry veterans willing to share their professional experiences, that will massively boost the momentum towards building leadership capabilities.
Just as the demand for quality has driven us into integration with the digital world, the trends currently show that investing in inculcating as well as nurturing emotional intelligence, will ultimately lead to a positive work environment.
What are the three points that leadership consulting or work-life coaches touch upon for employees or CEO or leaders to bring out a change?
Harnessing curiosity towards continuous learning and self-improvement – The change should be in an individual’s perspective of looking at a situation while being just and at the same time, evolving as a professional.
Self-introspection that enhances decision making – The ability to take an honest deep-dive into one’s conscience, tap into the hidden potential, and develop one’s instinctive acumen.
Mindfulness toward the work environment – Going beyond oneself, to cater to the people, their emotions and needs. Thus, propagating transparent communication and building empathetic work relationships.
Are there any case studies or data that can drive home the point that transformational coaches can indeed bring in a difference to the workplace and procedures followed?
Yes. There is often a constant need for measurable goals in most of the coaching programmes. I would like to cite a case study of a scenario where I have been personally involved. To make it easier, let’s divide this case study into three portions:
The Beginning: A top-level executive lacked confidence in his leadership abilities. He felt inadequate at times, began second-guessing his decisions, and was unsure whether his reports respected or feared him. This made him reluctant to assert his authority. Our core objective was to enhance his leadership qualities, increase his self-confidence and improve upon his communication skills.
The Journey: We initiated a process of 360 feedback – Acquiring candid feedback from his peers and direct reports. This enabled us to devise a strategy for his self-improvement by engaging in the method of ‘Exploring the story behind the story.’ We traced our steps backward to understand the root cause of the issues he faced. It turned out that Arun’s rural upbringing had instilled a poor sense of confidence. Especially, when it came to communicating in the English language.
The Solution: We began by inculcating a sense of self-awareness. Made him understand as well as accept the challenges, head-on. The ultimate test was encouraging him to fall back on his strengths instead of focusing on his weaknesses. We gained that he was a much sought-after mentor and a respected advisor for managing difficult customer situations. This helped us establish a strong foundation to begin with. All we did was address the core issue that kept affecting his success subconsciously. We employed the usual process of reviewing his past and current work experiences, requesting feedback, followed by analyzing and consolidating the feedback for goal planning. The outcome of this effort, combined with his commitment and dedication, was a transformed and effective leader, ready to take on new challenges.
What can firms like Cupela can do to companies, more importantly to the startup culture as catching them young could always be a good strategy?
By combining coaching and consulting, Cupela offers a holistic approach to individuals as well as organisations; empowering them to tackle challenges at a professional as well as personal level. We believe that leaders at all levels can reach their true potential if they engage in a coaching relationship with a professional who has the relevant experience, expertise, and exposure. A dedicated coach committed to the cause of their development, our leadership coaching offers business professionals an intensive personal development for a higher-level role. This, along with the guidance to think through a critical career situation, a chance to identify long-term strategy and self-direction, how to become an experienced and confidential sounding board, and even how to address issues that are stalling their career progress. Cupela also supports companies in the retention and development of their executives and high potentials.
When leaders are faced with momentous tasks like dramatic growth and change management, succession planning, and transition, we are there to fill into these potential skill gaps and equip the leadership team to successfully tackle imminent challenges. We do this by supporting companies in developing organizational skills, building global alliances, conflict management, and executive presence, amongst others. Start-ups too need mentoring. Entrepreneurs need support in building a qualified team & advisory board, managing relationship/conflict between co-founders, getting alignment with investors, scaling operations, business plan validation, and guidance. For all of these, we need coaches who have a mix of coaching and entrepreneurial experience.
Engaging the Senior Management for Effective Results
It is a widely known fact that as you move up the corporate ladder, things tend to get lonely. Managers and the C-level of every organization are consistently instilled with the importance of employee engagement, more so today than ever before. But these leaders themselves often go unacknowledged in the process of making sure that employees are happy. Being a leader is tough and what many organizations do not fully understand is that effective engagement needs to start at the top to achieve maximum results. So, how can an organization ensure that the senior management stays engaged?
Motivate Your Leaders too!
Everyone gets stuck in a rut, feels like giving up on problems, or simply gets saturated with work. It is the team’s job to uplift leaders to rise out of the funk. Employees and the HR team together can initiate such processes by first identifying both the triggers that motivate leaders, and those that cause excessive stress. You know your leader best, you know what makes them tick and what ticks them off. Getting together with the entire team and pro-actively finding solutions to problems that are exhausting your leader’s patience and time, can be a massive show of support to someone who already has a lot on their plate.
Additionally, just as all employees rightfully expect appreciation and credit where it is due, this must be carried over to leaders, no matter how senior. Appreciate what they do for you and the organization in a committed and sincere manner. This does not always have to be through a grand ceremony or gesture – it can also be in the seemingly small yet meaningful ways. For instance, after the completion of a big project where you know your leader has worked tirelessly, the HR team can prescribe a day off, or even employ someone to do a professional spa treatment or a meditation session – anything that could help to unwind, while also filling your leader with a sense of acknowledgement and motivation.
Humanize Them
Perhaps the most straightforward approach, and one where the HR team’s involvement is imperative, is to include members of the senior management in various engagement activities that are conducted in the organization. Leaders are often reluctant to participate in such events because they either do not have the time or because they are hesitant to intrude upon what is perceived as “employee time”. This can be changed in gradual steps. You could organize a leaders’ retreat or offsite where for once the C-level members of the organization do not have to think of managing others or of giving presentations and making decisions.
Apart from such gestures, the HR team can also practice more long-term approaches, like putting in place a system for periodic days off, occasional days to spend with the family or even alone time spent in the individual’s choice of recreation or relaxation. Such strategies will help your leaders achieve a work-life balance, thereby creating a healthy work culture in the entire organization.
Focus on Intrinsic Motivation
Leaders are so bogged down by the bigger picture and growth of the company that they often don’t get recognized as people – For who they are, what they bring to the table, and how they contribute to building up the company every day. Also, what motivates them might be different from what motivates managers. For instance, exclusivity is a priority for a C-Suite member while for a manager, engagement is of topmost priority. Often the senior management channels their personal missions through the activities of the organization. This could be through inclusive hiring policies, CSR initiatives, and even sensitisation programmes and workshops for the company. Here it is important for employees to understand and thus align with the ideology of the senior leadership to better support them in their endeavours.
Ask your senior leaders what their mission is, and possibly how you can as a team help to achieve it. Once you know this, it is possible to create a plan tailor made to the mission and execute it, thereby helping your leader move one step closer to the goal. Just like every other individual in the organization, members of the senior leadership want to experience personal growth and require encouragement to achieve the same.
Executives attempt to lead the way in every aspect, from ownership and accountability to time management and commitment. In the process, their understanding of their own needs in terms of personal development, work enhancement and continuous learning can take a back seat. C-level employees need to introspect on where they stand in such aspects, and prioritize their own growth just as much as their employees’ growth. In this, the HR team has a huge role to play – for they are the ones who can bring these elements to the attention of the leaders.
This article first appeared on Entrepreneur India.
Tackling Toxicity as a Leader
Successful leaders dedicate a significant amount of time, resources, and thought to creating a unique work culture that aligns with the company’s goals and vision. Maintaining this work culture requires consistent effort, frequent evaluation, and reinforcement. Yet, it is becoming more and more of a priority. Books have been written on the subject (Joy, Inc.)1, major consultancies have coined their own terms to describe how important it is to include a healthy culture in the list of top priorities (‘Organizational Health’ McKinsey)2. Especially in the knowledge economy, where our employees’ skills and expertise are our greatest assets, we cannot afford to loose employees because the work environment has become toxic.
Fortunately, there are many things that can be done. Some quick fixes may be helpful in the short term, but it pays to invest in long-term solutions to avoid the re-occurrence of toxicity and to create a lasting change in the work culture.
Choose EQ Over IQ
If you have been observing that your top performers and managers are dissatisfied with their teams or are perpetually in conflict with each other, creating tension at work, it is essential to re-evaluate your hiring practices. Check that culture fit is assessed during the hiring process and make changes to the process to recruit qualified candidates with higher EQ. Employees with this quality deal with negative emotions - including conflict - in a healthier manner. They are cognizant of their own and their team’s emotions, and are equipped with essential people skills to address them in a mature manner. They display empathy in situations of uncertainty, offer reassurance in times of external turbulence, and heighten the team spirit through understanding.
Interventions Based on Communication
Enlist all senior managers and leadership to increase open and transparent communication with their teams. Toxicity breeds on the basis of misinformation, rumors and gossip. Clear, open and humane dialogue with the employees will not only clear their doubts, it will also help build a rapport with them. Conversations that acknowledge and address the psychological and emotional aspect of an uncertain time, let employees know that the company understands them. If done successfully, a positive side effect of these efforts is that employees will also adopt a similar tone while conversing with each other, thereby reducing the toxic atmosphere.
Introduce the Positive
As you deal with the negativity in an organization, it is equally important to introduce initiatives that bring positivity to the workforce. As office politics are also a leading cause for toxicity, focus on team building efforts and training the managers in leadership skills. This is one of those situations where being a leader matters more than being a manager. Ensure that your organization’s managers give the right people credit and recognition whenever it is due; rewarding the efforts of hard-working and talented employees doesn’t just boost their morale, it encourages others as well. As you introduce team building initiatives and interventions, employees will be motivated to work with each other towards team and organizational goals.
Facilitate Mutual Feedback
There is no escaping the effect of individual differences, stiff competition, and rivalries within a workplace. This is also a reason for toxicity in the workplace. To deal with this in a mature and professional way, introduce and encourage open communication and mutual feedback sessions between the managers and their teams. As the managers are the ones who work most closely with the employees and influence them the most, this may help the teams clear the air and resolve interpersonal issues. As a leader of the organization, keep your doors open for those who would like to approach you directly. Fear, hesitancy, and uncertainty only create more challenges; encourage constructive feedback to prevent them from spreading.
Above all, this is the time when the leadership team of the organization has to step up and make their presence felt by leading by example. Practice what you preach to create change. Remember, reintroduce and reinforce the organization’s values to bring all stakeholders onto the same page and refocus on the vision of your company. Let the company vision and goals be your constant focus as they will help you design solutions to every problem.
This article first appeared on HR.com.
Does Coaching Help Leaders Tackle Loneliness in the Workplace?
Climbing the hierarchical ladder and reaching a leadership position, while being a gratifying career achievement and a chance to effect change and assume a decision-making capacity, can also be a journey that gets lonelier at every juncture. There are several reasons for this. From the fact that a leadership position involves access to confidential information, to the responsibility that a leader holds in terms of putting on a brave face against all odds, you as a leader will face pressures. Being new to the role can often lead to tackling previously unknown obstacles which can be challenging. Not just this, but as a leader you will also find certain things which cannot be discussed with the team. Where earlier you may have been able to confide in your colleagues about certain organizational or leadership level pain points, now you are expected to handle the same with diplomacy. Additionally, while being on top means that there’s a constant need to assess, evaluate and give feedback to your team, there are fewer people you can turn to for feedback on your problem areas.
This is where leadership coaches come into the picture. A coach can help leaders in several ways, including in aiding them to tackle loneliness at the top. Let’s look at a few ways in which coaching can be beneficial in this aspect.
Feedback and Ideation
Often, leaders do not have anyone to bounce their ideas off. While you might discuss plans and execution ideas with your team, there are times when you either cannot divulge all the relevant information, or when you feel that the team is not equipped to give you feedback on a certain idea, plan, or even a decision to be made. Here, coaches can provide much needed support and insight that can guide you to come to a conclusion. While coaches may not be subject matter experts, they are trained and experienced in asking the most pertinent and relevant questions – something your team may be unable to do. These questions help to determine whether you have thought through every aspect and every possible pitfall before making a decision, thereby giving you the confidence that you are doing the right thing. It is this sort of an approach that also helps with performance feedback. Coaches can not only provide their objective feedback to you as a senior leader but can also gather and collate 360-degree feedback which is imperative for professionals to excel in the manifold aspects of leadership.
Balancing Confidence with Introspection
Especially for professionals who have newly assumed a leadership position, there is a degree of self-doubt in the decision-making process. Have you chosen the right candidate? Have you given the appropriate advice? Who are your actions going to affect? What if you are wrong? These are all questions that arise when you are responsible for an entire department or the organization as a whole. Coaches can help in building confidence so that you are not left with a see-saw of emotions and apprehensions. This usually begins with getting to know you and the decision making process you follow, and then suggesting modifications so that you find the right balance between data and intuition based decision making. By helping leaders develop a process flow for making decisions, coaches can strengthen confidence. While constant self-doubt can be crippling, coaches understand the importance of introspection. Your leadership functions require timely assessment and self-evaluation, as well as a trustworthy reviewer. Coaches provide this time and space, as well as showing you the path and instilling the discipline required for effective and productive introspection.
Bridge over Troubled Waters
It is often the case that when you work closely with someone on a daily basis, not only does understanding grow, but so does the ability to combat inputs of theirs that you do not agree with. Coaches can step into such a scenario and be the much needed bridge between members of the senior leadership and the board. Sometimes, when you as a leader do not see eye to eye with others in positions of power, an objective, outside voice that is trained and seasoned, needs to step in and mediate to help reach a consensus. In the best of cases, the mediation yields utmost productivity. However, there will be times when despite holding authority, responsibility and decision-making capability, you will face frustrations at the workplace. It could be that your leadership method isn’t working, that a problem seems insurmountable, or that a crisis has occurred despite your best efforts to avert it. No journey is without its hurdles, and often leaders need to hold in all their frustrations due to confidentiality or a conflict of interest. Your coach will prove to be the best listener in such cases. While a coach is technically outside of the organization, she/he is aware of your roles and responsibilities, as well as the challenges you face every day. This makes for the perfect combination of objectivity, trust and insight.
For the C-suite, there is an endless list of do’s and don’ts and an ever-growing list of responsibilities. And so, as a leader, it is important to recognize and acknowledge that the more authority you have, the more pressure you feel, and the less are your options of someone to lean on. Coaches provide this very sense of security – that will empower you to not only be successful in your role, but also to enjoy it!
This article first appeared in The Smart Manager (Vol 18 | Issue 5) magazine.
Coaching Leaders to Become Role Models
An able leadership is a key factor in the success of any organization. Leaders play a crucial role in uplifting teams and serve as a role model to employees, who then are motivated to perform better, writes Rajeev Shroff, Senior Executive Coach, Cupela.
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other”. These words by John F. Kennedy ring truer than ever now. Hence, it’s important to focus on how to train the leaders to makes a difference and impact the performance of their teams.
Custom Programs
It’s important to keep in mind that leadership styles are unique to every individual, mainly because each person comes with their own set of life experiences and brings with them different skills and strengths. There’s a growing need to understand what a leader requires to reach their potential. Often times, leaders are trained via a common program that expects all to be on the same level in terms of leadership skills. Tailored programs catering to specific individuals often are more effective in imparting relevant skills. For argument’s sake, let’s say that this would prove too expensive and something more cost-effective like a generic program should do the task. But, today, it’s possible to chalk out a customized program by sourcing topics from a plethora of options available online. In the long run, it’s often better to invest in a few people who have high potential and high interest, rather than spreading our resources thin on a lot of people and hoping a few of them turn out to be gems.
Understanding ‘Learning’
When it comes to ways of learning, it’s a rather complex process. Humans learn in a combination of ways. It’s individual specific and different people learn in different ways. It can be through peers, via specialized coaching, workshops and mentoring as well as through reading management books and skill training online/offline. But in practice, people are restrained by the organization’s decisions and end up taking up what’s being provided to them even if it is less than effective and does not meet their style of learning. Someone with more experience would benefit more from coaching and may not need the intensiveness of a class while learning on the job and progressing with timely trainings is better suited for an individual with lesser experience.
How to Decide Who to Train?
How does one decide which leaders to send for training? All? The topmost ones? Often times, people are signed up for trainings due to their availability and not based on their ‘need’ or their interest. How then can we expect people to gain out of a training, when one doesn’t know whether they have any motivation or requirement? A way of gauging it is by the Skill Will Matrix. It is a tool to assess the skill level of individuals against their will to learn. The ones with a higher need for learning as well as higher interest are arguably more likely to retain the teachings and benefit the most from any training provided to them. They can even go as far as inspiring others to develop an interest for learning.
Ironically, the most impactful role, that is, of a leader doesn’t have a formal course or a structured training program for people to learn to be a leader. Courses like MBA merely brush upon it through guest lectures, workshops, and retreats. Leadership is said to be too complex a skill to be taught in schools. But on closer examination, the building blocks of leaderships can be incorporated in institutes of learning like schools and colleges. The fundamentals of communication, structured thinking and problem-solving are not difficult to include in the curriculum. Opportunities should be provided through projects that build on their decision making and problem-solving.
Changes can begin in the grassroots, where education systems set the foundation stone for the leaders of tomorrow. Having started early on to build those values, they’ll be better equipped to lead when they finally step out in the world.
This article first appeared on HR Technologist under the title "Training Leaders to Improve Employee, Team and Organizational Performance.”