Month: September 2020

Are You Listening to Me? How to Make Sure That Someone Does

WHY LISTENING IS SO HARD: Right now, there are at least three causes: 1) the way our brains work; 2) modern distractions; and 3) lack of education.

A WIRING PROBLEM: Hearing is our fastest sense. Once a sound wave reaches our ear, our brain can recognize it in just 0.05 seconds. (By contrast, it takes about 0.2 seconds for your brain to understand the light that reaches your eyes.) We speak at a rate of about 150 words per minute (wpm), but we can hear at a rate of about 1,000 wpm.

INSTEAD OF LISTENING, WE… Interrupt, try to finish the other person’s sentences, jump to conclusions, daydream, flip through papers, make up our mind before we have all the information, look at our phone, watch our computer screens, try to change the subject to something that relates to our own experiences, think more about our reply than about what the speaker is saying, or listen to win, instead of listening to learn.

WE DON’T PRIORITIZE LISTENING: When was the last time you took a listening class? Never, right? Yet, many of us have taken speaking classes or leadership workshops. These generally focus on rhetoric or persuasion skills but rarely on listening.

What Should You Do?

LEADERSHIP AND LISTENING: One of the most important things we can learn as leaders is how to listen, but we rarely do. Many times, all we really need to resolve a sticky conflict, calm down a staff member, or convince an important colleague to stay is to make the speaker feel really heard.

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR STAFF FEELS HEARD:

• Focus: don’t multitask when they are talking;
• Listen to learn not to win;
• Use active listening skills – summarize back to the speaker what you think they said;
• Use the phone or in-person conversations whenever possible; and
• Model good listening and teach your staff listening skills.

For more lessons on listening read: COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY DURING CONFLICT

What Do You Think?

Is politics an issue in your workplace? Call or write us: 303-216-1020 or email: Lynne@workplacesthatwork.com

Do You Know the One Sure Way to Change Behavior? The Power of Daily Questions

CHANGING BEHAVIOR: Many of us are frustrated with changing behavior: our own or that of those we lead. One of the most effective ways to make sure that a change sticks is that of daily questions. I have my colleague Marshall Goldsmith to thank for this simply yet powerful technique. He has encouraged those of us who have been his grateful students over the years to employ this tool.

WHY BEHAVIOR CHANGE MATTERS: We may focus on changing vague standards such as attitude or respect. These are useful ideals but they will not really move the needle unless we bring our concerns down to daily behavior: things we can actually do or say. In addition, unless we focus on those concerns on a daily basis, we are likely to lose track in the undertow of daily life.

ACCOUNTABILITY: We need to focus on accountability. It is far too easy to delude ourselves into thinking that we are making progress when we are not. Instead, if we (or those we manage) focus on letting at least one other person know about what we have actually done on a daily basis, change is much more likely. For more suggestions about changing behavior, go to www.workplacesthatwork.com.

What Should You Do?

FOCUS ON EFFORT DAILY: The daily questions focus on effort, not accomplishment nor a “to do” list. Use the format of: did I do my best today to …., and then grade yourself (or have your staff member grade themselves) on a scale of 1-10. Goldsmith sometimes uses as many as 17 daily questions. I find that too unwieldy for most of us; I recommend at least five, but not more than ten to the executives we coach.

FIND AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER: Most of us find it harder to lie to someone else than to mislead ourselves. Recruit someone – ideally, not someone you work with – to schedule a daily short call (ten minutes or less) – to listen to your progress. The emphasis here should be on listening: their job is not to give advice, feedback, or criticism.

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS: You can keep track of your progress over weeks or months by using an Excel spreadsheet or even the Goldsmith app. Go to Marshall Goldsmith’s website for more tools and explanations of the process.

CHEER ON THOSE YOU LEAD: You can encourage those you lead to use daily questions to change any behavior you (or they) believe needs to be improved. You can model the tool for them and help them track their growth as you give them feedback on various performance issues. Just be sure that you are actually focusing on observable behavior, what they are doing – or not doing – as opposed to attitudes or beliefs. We never really know what is in someone’s heart or mind (and for some people, it is way too scary in there!) but we do know what we observe by their words and actions.

What Do You Think?

Have you tried the tool of daily questions? Contact us at: 303-216-1020 or Lynne@workplacesthatwork.com

Do You Know How to Engage People Now?

Anger Management: Most of us are snappish these days: sick of zooming, tired of staying in and avoiding friends and family. We are burned out on politics, fires, remote learning, and just want to go back to the “before time.” We may be snarling and short with those we lead but we still need to find a way to keep them engaged.

Engagement: We live in an age when we need to involve those we lead to accomplish our goals. To gain their buy-in, we need to learn how to inquire instead of just informing them of what we are doing. Now more than ever, we need to try to create productivity from our entire team. Especially if your staff is working remotely, email, text or messaging can come across curt, rather than engaging.

What Should You Do?

Try Inquiry:
Instead of just ordering everyone around, here are some specific examples of things to try:

____________________________________________________________________________________________
Obviously, if the problem persists, your language might need to become more didactic, but first, try inquiry.

For more ideas about communicating effectively, read these articles: 

Communicating Effectively During Conflict
Difficult Conversations: How NOT to Get Them on Your Side
Leadership Communication: How Do You Rate?

What Do You Think?

Is politics an issue in your workplace? Call or write us: 303-216-1020 or email: Lynne@workplacesthatwork.com

Politics in the Workplace? What Should You Do?

POLITICS NOW:  Most of us are sick of politics right now with presidential campaigns, local elections, ballot initiatives and endless Covid-19 debates. The last thing we need is more political discussions in the workplace – whether we are in person or virtual – yet some of your colleagues will persist, no matter your preferences. If you are a leader, you may have specific responsibilities to monitor and respond to this chatter. If it is your co-workers who are driving you batty, you may want to know what you can do to create some peace and quiet.

DO FACTS MATTER?  In recent years, we have been led – thanks, in part, to social media – to harbor suspicions about what is real and what is not in some news reports. If you want a good source to sort out the facts, or to respond to an annoying co-worker, you might want to consider the book True or False: A CIA Analyst’s Guide to Spotting Fake News.

“Private employers can generally make rules about acceptable behavior in the workplace, including speech, and workers need to follow those rules…”

FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS?  We frequently receive questions from participants in our classes about First Amendment Rights when discussing politics. They are surprised to learn that in most private workplaces, they have none. Private employers can generally make rules about acceptable behavior in the workplace, including speech, and workers need to follow those rules, assuming they are consistent with the laws. There are a few exceptions to this rule if you are part of a group of workers who are organizing or complaining about working conditions, but generally, the First Amendment only applies to government actions. In addition, speech related to group union or “organizing” activity, or religious expression, may be protected. Even with regard to religion, however, you don’t have a right to harass or try to convert those who believe differently.

What Should You Do?

A LEADER’S RESPONSIBILITY:  If you are a leader, you have a right, and a responsibility, to stop speech that is political if it violates your policies against harassment, discrimination or safety, or if it simply disrupts the ability for people to get their work done. For example, we had a client in a state where there was a very contentious issue concerning abortion on the ballot. People started arguing about the issue, that escalated to shouting in the halls, posters on cubes and so on. After seeking our advice, the client sent out a new memo stating that there would be no more talk about abortion, period. Personally, I think that people in the workplace can be encouraged and educated to talk about politics with respect for others’ views and without making negative remarks about other workers’ ethnic, gender or religious background, but many of my clients disagree.

VIRTUAL “SPEECH” COUNTS TOO:  Because so many people are working virtually, they may assume that the rules about these issues no longer apply. Not true. The same policies about what is acceptable speech in the workplace remain, whether online or in person, assuming you are using your employer’s email, Zoom, Slack and so on. Even social media can create problems if you are holding yourself out as a representative of your employer.

BE CAUTIOUS WITH YOUR OWN SPEECH:  This is especially true if you are a leader. You do not have the right to insist that your employees support a specific political leader or point of view. In addition, if you express your views and then need to take disciplinary or other negative action against an employee with a different viewpoint, you may be accused of unlawful discrimination or retaliation.

For more information about this issue go to our Monday Memos.

What Do You Think?

Is politics an issue in your workplace? Call or write us: 303-216-1020 or email: Lynne@workplacesthatwork.com

Bias, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: How to Pick the Best Consultants?

WHY NOW? We have been receiving many requests recently for work on equity, diversity, and inclusion. We are not surprised, given the recent Black Lives Matter protests that highlight historic racism, renewed interested in #METoo subjects and other diversity issues. To ensure you receive the most for your investment in these endeavors, be sure that you understand how to pick the best consultants.

PAST MISTAKES: Many past efforts to address these issues have assumed that those causing problems were “bad” people: racist, sexist, homophobic and the like, who intentionally discriminated against or harassed others in the workplace. Work focused on “fixing” or disciplining these people. While, of course, there may have been some who fall into these categories, more current theories have emphasized both unconscious bias and microaggressions. These ideas help all of us understand that we each have biases, and that what works is not to deny that we have them but to keep uncovering these biases and making sure that we don’t act out on them – especially in the workplace.

UNDERSTAND THE LAW: When I ask new clients why they want to focus on these issues, they frequently cite examples that are not at all subtle but are clear violations of law or their organization’s policies. In other situations, we have been asked to undo harm created by previous consultants whose confrontive and unskillful work has created new legal problems for the organization.

What Should You Do?

USE A TEAM APPROACH: In order to select the best consultants, use a team to help you screen, interview, and select consultants. A diverse group will help you avoid your own blind spots and prevent biased choices.

In addition, we always use diverse training teams to conduct equity, inclusion and bias work so that we model the diversity we’re striving to help our clients achieve. Most groups appreciate hearing from the voices of diverse presenters.

DON’T FIGHT THE LAST WAR: Currently, many organizations are concerned about equity issues around black employees – rightfully so – and sensitive about sexual harassment. Both of these topics merit attention and yet current events may outrun your efforts to keep up with what is important. Make sure you cast a wide net when you consider diversity and inclusion issues, not just what is hot in the headlines.

CHOOSE CONSULTANTS WHO UNDERSTAND THE LAW: They do not have to be attorneys but they need to understand the law and the hidden minefields in this kind of work.

What Do You Think?

What has worked for your organization when you have selected equity, diversity and inclusion consultants? Call or write us at: 303-216-1020 or email Lynne@workplacesthatwork.com

Managing Remotely: The Latest Data

POPULAR? While some workers have wanted to work remotely for years, leaders cited many objections: they could not trust people to work independently, clients or customers wanted 24/7 access, and face-to-face meetings helped fuel creativity and build teams. Yet in the last few months, leaders have learned that change is possible and that things could have been transformed years ago. In a recent survey by the New York Times and Morning Consult, in a poll of 1,123 people from a wide range of jobs, demographics and incomes, who have been working from home since the start of the pandemic lockdown, 86% said they were satisfied with remote work. These workers were happy despite health fears, Zoom fatigue, and unexpected home school needs.

WHO’S LEFT OUT? Of course, most of those now working from home are white-collar and have higher incomes, and these surveys leave out the six in ten workers who cannot work remotely: some teachers, health care workers, restaurant staff and so on.

THE FUTURE? This winter, however, after workers have been stuck at home for months or are tired of supervising home school, the trend may turn. People may long for a return to the office for the company of adults, and a more predictable routine. As I have written in previous Monday Memos, some companies that have tried remote work before the pandemic ordered everyone back to the office after a variety of problems. Is Working from Home Working? A Mixed Bag

What Should You Do?

Manage the Work, Not Your People: Regardless of what the future holds, many leaders need to manage differently right now. A key strategy is to manage the work, not your people. Make sure that you set expectations for what needs to be done, by whom and by when, rather than judging people by whether their green Slack light is on or the time they log in. Managing remotely can make you a better manager by making sure that you quantify performance results, not face time.

Eliminate Needless Meetings: Your people will suffer from reduced efficiency if you stack up endless Zoom calls just to make sure that your people are engaged. Allow certain periods for focused individual work and let people speak on the phone with their cameras off if they wish.

Cut Your Staff Some Slack: For working parents, taking care of kids, work, school and their health have created a perfect storm. Let them Zoom in with the baby on their lap or take a break to grade a math test. Arranging unexpected childcare with daycare centers and schools closed has been a Herculean task. If they have been effective workers in the past, help them find creative ways to satisfy your needs to get work done.

Don’t Forget Recording Hours: While it’s important to let exempt workers choose when to complete their work if they satisfy your deadlines, you still need to make sure that non-exempt staff records their work hours accurately. Make sure that they understand that they cannot choose to work more hours without authorization and that meal and other breaks still apply.

What Do You Think?

What expectations do you have around conflict? Call or write: 303-216-1020 or Lynne@workplacesthatwork.com

Should You Test? The Dangers of Job Testing

THE HISTORY OF JOB TESTING: For a brilliant and entertaining peek into the history of various kinds of intelligence testing, listing to the Radiolab podcast, “Radiolab Presents: G“.

The podcast chronicles the controversial history of general intelligence – especially IQ – testing, and the racial and cultural biases of those tests. One of the more disturbing pieces of intelligence test history, is the way that the eugenics movement helped create such tests, and that the Nazis were so taken with the American tests that they modeled some of their exclusionary policies after them, as a part of their appalling efforts to create a more perfect race.

LEGAL JOB TESTING PROBLEMS: While most organizations today don’t use general IQ tests as a part of their interview process, many still use other kinds of intelligence and personality tests – most of which have not been validated. From a legal point of view, it is discriminatory to use tests unless you can show they have a real relationship to resulting job performance. In my experience, many organizations have not thought through the consequences of using some tests.

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES: Most modern cognition researchers have agreed with the concept of multiple intelligences. Someone may, for example, have an innate ability to solve math problems yet need an incredible amount of training and coaching to give an effective speech in front of a live audience. Conversely, I tend toward high verbal intelligence, yet flounder when I need spatial intelligence. Visualizing what a house would look like from a blueprint, for example, or remembering directions to some place I have been many times before, remain challenging tasks for me. I am eternally grateful to the technology wizards for creating MapQuest and other directional tools so that I don’t spend all my time driving in circles!

And now we have emotional intelligence, social intelligence and even relational intelligence. Many experts agree that these kinds of strengths may predict someone’s success much more accurately than sheer IQ.

What Should You Do?

MAKE SURE THAT ANY TESTS YOU USE ARE VALIDATED AND JOB RELATED: If you require any kind of tests as a part of the interview, promotion or other job advancement processes, make sure that you can prove or “validate” that such skills or abilities lead to job success.

QUESTION BIASES AND PREJUDICES: I once consulted with an oil company, for example, who was integrating women into the group of workers who drove their fuel tanker trucks. Previously, the positions had all been held by men. Many of the men grumbled that the organization was “lowering” its standards by accepting women, especially because the organization was considering a change in the requirement that job applicants be able to lift a certain number of pounds. The reason they wanted to know that applicants would be able to lift 75 pounds, the company argued, was that they wanted assurance that employees would be able to lift the heavy hoses used to fill the tanks on the trucks. Yet when someone bothered to weigh the hoses, none of them weighed more than forty pounds. Many children that the women had been hauling around for years weighed more than that.

CONSIDER SCENARIOS OR BEHAVIOR-BASED INTERVIEWS INSTEAD: Tech companies, some airlines and others now use real life scenarios to test how applicants would handle challenges on the job.

“Tell me about a time when”, for example, “you handled an angry customer. What did you do?”

Some tech companies who need to hire developers or coders give them real life problems they are trying to solve to see how applicants rise to the challenge. These kinds of job or promotion assessments are more likely to survive legal challenges, as well as leading to more successful hires.

For other suggestions about how to hire more successfully, read:
Do You Know What Hiring Technique Really Works? 

Do You Know Why You Should Hire Optimists? What the Research Shows

What Do You Think?

What expectations do you have around conflict? Call or write: 303-216-1020 or Lynne@workplacesthatwork.com