How do effective leaders do goal setting and execution? - part #4

When executing a goal, I love Marcus Aurelius’s mindset as described in Ryan Holiday’s book, The Obstacle Is The Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph, Penguin, 2014. “Our actions may be impeded . . . but there can be no impeding our intentions or dispositions. Because we can accommodate and adapt. The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” 

As we move from goal setting to the execution stage, we need to discuss two items with all involved. First, we need to define what is the difference between a goal and a priority. As we all know, priorities will surface. We also know that most people don’t know how to determine if something should be more important than executing their goals.

Second, we need to discuss how to prioritize all of one’s different goals. With three to five goals as the norm for peak performance, which one should I focus on first? Remember people will always prioritize day to day work over a goal.

Furthermore, every one needs time to work on their goals. As Greg McKeown, in his excellent book called Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Crown Business, 2014, writes: “What we can’t do is concentrate on two things at the same time…. Multitasking itself is not the enemy of Essentialism; pretending we can “multifocus” is.” In short, the execution of goals comes down to time and attention

Next, we as leaders need to understand that effective execution involves an accountability system. As Ken Blanchard in his book,  Leading At a Higher Level: Blanchard on Leadership and Creating High Performing Organizations, Prentice Hall, 2006, wrote: “To obtain desired performance from its people, an organization must first have a well-defined accountability system.” He also pointed out that “People must also know what a good performance looks like.”

When we keep the above in mind, we recognize that people need regular feedback about their work. And supervisors need people who are working on goals to send progress reports about how they are doing on their goals. As Gary  Keller with Jay Papasan in his book, The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, Bard Press, 2012, notes, “Individuals who wrote their goals and send progress reports to friends were 76.7 percent more likely to achieve them.”

This week, remember to help people make meaningful progress on their goals. The outcomes will be spectacular.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

How do leaders help themselves and others to learn better? - Part #1

When we zoom out and look at the big picture right now, we are confronted with some uncomfortable information. First, work today is more about reacting and responding to e-mail than actually doing professional activities which create new value. According to Cal Newport in his thought-provoking book, Deep Work: Rules For Focused Success In A Distracted World (Grand Central Publishing, 2016), a 2012 McKinsey study found that the average knowledge worker now spends more than 60 percent of the work week engaged in electronic communication and Internet searching, with close to 30 percent of their time dedicated to reading and answering e-mail alone.

Second, in the normal, day to day, highly distracted work place, we expect everyone to continually get better at their jobs. However, we rarely give people feedback or tools which can help them do this. We also rarely give them regular time or space to learn or improve.

Third, we expect employees to move through the normal group development stages rapidly, namely forming, storming, norming and performing. However, from my perspective, we want improving which takes place after the performing stage, but we do not understand fully how it actually happens.

In short, given the above, we know that leaders can shape understanding or destroy it through their actions. Leaders can create clarity or confusion, especially if they are giving mixed messages. And finally, leaders can create work environments which are based on learning and respect or on distrust and silo protectionism.

The first step to helping people learn is to a build learning ecosystem within the organization. My definition of an ecosystem at work revolves around the notion of a group of people interacting and functioning well as a community. This happens when all involved create and execute their quarterly personal development plans. Recognizing that every 3 year strategic plan needs to be broken down into a 1 year organizational plan, and that all 1 year organizational plans need to be broken down into 1 year division/department plans, the goal each year is to have a 1 year personal plan which is made up of 4, 90 day plans. If this happens, then most 90 day plans are in alignment with the company’s strategic goals. These 90 day plans are focused on performance based goals.

But the big question for us here today is the following: What are the learning goals to help someone improve their performance? Most organizations have performance based goals but rarely set learning goals to improve performance. If they do set performance and learning based goals, then it is vitally important that they get the time and support to execute these goals.

This week, check out whether or not your key people have performance goals and performance improvement based goals. Next, make sure they are getting the time, support, and space to do this level of learning. Our overall goal from this action is to build a shared mindset around continually wanting to get better.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

How Successful Managers Help People Achieve Their Goals

In the beginning, let us remember the following:

- business is personal.

- people commit to people first, not just plans, goals or objectives.

- on-line communication and collaboration works better once there has been extensive face-to-face communications.

- small leadership actions send big signals, especially when they relate to core principles and values.

One problem I see routinely now is that too many people are forgetting the above fundamentals when it comes to helping people achieve their goals. We must remember that successful managers recognize that real achievements require real effort. They also understand where this effort comes from. 

First, we all know we can not change people. Instead, we can only change the environment around people, and then they change themselves. The key from my vantage point is that the best and most successful managers help people achieve their goals by creating psychological safety. Then real effort follows.

Psychological safety begins when managers ensure “that no one is penalized if they ask for help or admit a mistake,” notes Amy C. Edmondson in her article called “The Competitive Imperative of Learning,”July-August 2008, Harvard Business Review. As she continues, “Psychological safety is crucial, especially in organizations where knowledge constantly changes, where workers need to collaborate, and where those workers must make wise decisions without management intervention.... It is built on the premise that no one can perform perfectly in every situation when knowledge and best practice are moving targets.”

She further explains that “Psychological safety is not about being nice - or about lowering performance standards. Quite the opposite: It’s about recognizing that high performance requires the openness, flexibility, and interdependence that can only develop in a psychologically safe environment, especially when the situation is changing or complex.... Psychological safety makes it possible to give tough feedback and have difficult conversations - which demand trust and respect - without the need to tiptoe around the truth.”

Yet many managers wonder how to actually create this level of safety. As Edmondson explains successful managers do two specific things. First, they “explicitly acknowledge the lack of answers to the tough problems groups face.” Second, they “ask questions - real questions, not leading or rhetorical ones.”

Remember: be more aware of the importance of psychological safety and create work environments where safety and trust are the foundation for all we do.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Leadership and Strategic Change

From my experience, organizations that move most effectively through strategic change cycles have the following characteristics:

First, they have extremely focused goals and a powerful vision which does not allow for business as usual. They can answer the questions, "Where are we going?"; "How are we going to get there?"; and "What's it going to look like?”. They also can answer the question: “Why do we need to work so hard to make these changes at this time period?” Using clear, concise, realistic language that is directly connected to the mission and the vision of the organization, the organizations and their leaders move forward based on clarity.

Second, they are clear about what type of change cycle is being initiated. They are able to determine whether they are looking for incremental evolution or a radical revolution. They are able to make these choices because they have sat down together and reviewed their problems and challenges, understanding which are technical and which are adaptive. Then, based on this information, they are able to discern what are the right paths of action accordingly.

Third, they understand what levels of control and initiative should be taken by all involved. They can explain the risks of not changing, and have prepared for the resistance which is a normal part of any change cycle. They also recognize the importance of accountability and the value of role clarity.

For many organizations right now, the accomplishment of major goals is within sight. Long-standing problems can be solved. True master plans can be created through participation, trust and respect for creativity and diversity. 

However, with such looming potential, each person in a leadership position must be willing to learn and grow. This will require personal discipline, commitment, and persistence. In short, what we bring each day to work has the amazing potential to create profound and powerful future experiences. 

This week, begin with yourself so you can role model clarity in your professional actions. The energy created by a clear personal perspective, effective communication, teamwork, shared vision, and appropriate autonomy for employees at all levels can result in a new level of strategic action, generating inspiration, fresh commitment and effective performance.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Thinking About The Past; Planning For The Future

The first quarter of 2015 is nearly in the history books and a new round of planning has started. In small and large group meetings, people are coming together to discuss summer goals and how they can position the organization for a strong finish in 2015 and a good beginning in 2016. Goals and objectives are being written and rewritten. People are studying metrics and talking about alignment. Supervision and coaching are kicking into high gear.

As one who is well aware of all this effort, I am continually reminded of the following quote by Jon Madonna, retired Chairman and CEO of KPMG International: “Nothing stops an organization faster than people who believe that the way they worked yesterday is the best way to work tomorrow. To succeed, not only do your people have to change the way they act, they’ve got to change the way they think about the past.” 

Our challenge as leaders is to create a sense of urgency and clarity that maintaining status quo is more dangerous than moving forward to a whole new level of performance. When all involved comprehend that what got us to here, may not get us to the new desired outcome we seek in the future, then there will become a new level of focus and determination.

This week I encourage you to do a better job of selling the problems and clarifying the vision for the future. The combination of the two will create a solid forward momentum.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Managing Clarity & Performance

During a recent in-depth workshop on coaching, I asked everyone to bring me a copy of the form they used to record their coaching notes. During the break, I reviewed all the forms and found that everyone was using a different sheet. Furthermore, there was no coaching framework to improve performance. Mostly these forms were a way to record that an individual did something at work.

Over a dinner meeting that night, the CEO and I looked over all the different forms and discussed what was happening. Then in the middle of the night, I woke up and realized there were no goals on any of the sheets! I remembered the wonderful line form Alice and Wonderland where the books states, “if you don’t know where you are going, then you can get any where.”

I think our challenge as leaders this summer is to recognize that when people are managing performance, we should not consider goal setting as a known skill. Next, we should not consider working with goals as a known skill. Furthermore, we should not consider holding people accountable as a known skill. 

In the aforementioned organization, the whole focus of performance management was to just get stuff done and then get more stuff done. There were no individual goals connected to department goals connected to annual company goals etc. No wonder coaching was not working!

Upon reflection, I learned that when there is no framework for making sure there is on-going clarity, there will be no reason for coaching other than to acknowledge that people have gotten things done. 

Now when it comes to managing clarity and performance, every one these days just loves creating competencies models, implementing 360 degree feedback models, and having people fill out numerous strengths finder surveys. But my question is where do they cultivate an inside outside approach rather than an outside inside approach?

Now as a side bar, I have observed that 360 evaluations often create defensive reactions and result in little personal growth or change in behavior that lasts. Furthermore, they encourage people to simply deliver desired behaviors without giving them the personal insight and innovation to grow. In short, I agree with Kevin Cashman in his book, Leadership From The Inside Out: Becoming a Leader for Life, Berrett-Koehler, 2008, that 360 degree valuations create a formula destined to limit authentic influence by creating actors vs. leaders.

First, when successfully managing clarity and performance, let us remember that all change will depend on the willingness of the follower to do the work, and the ability of the follower to do the work. Regardless of what the leader does, the productivity and results depends on the actions and attitudes of the followers. Therefore, great leaders do not create followers. They create partners and colleagues.

Second, this whole process begins when we institute regular, quarterly performance management reviews. Here, we ask the following questions:

- How did you do on this quarter’s goals?

- Where can you improve your performance next quarter?

- What did you learn this quarter?

- What are your goals for next quarter?

- How did you role model our vision, mission and core values?

Next, we activate a talent development process. As Bill Conaty and Ram Charan point out in their book,  The Talent Masters: Why Smart Leaders Put People Before Numbers, Crown Business, 2010, “The first thing to understand about talent masters is that they can identify a person’s talent more precisely than most people because they excel at observing and listening.”

The goal of this work, from my vantage point, is to increase cognitive bandwidth. This begins by always having key people reading something because this expands their perspective and understanding of “world-class performance,” and gives them new language. People who are “talent masters” discuss this reading with them, ask how they are applying this reading, help them discover or improve their talents, and help them to figure out how to measure their progress

As the same time, the above authors share an important insight. “Making talent development a goal that is measured and rewarded helps, but much of the work is done through role modeling. Leaders establish the code of conduct through their own actions, questions, and openness to differing opinions in the struggle to pin down each leader’s unique blend of traits, skills, judgement, relationships, and experience.”  

In sum, I agree with Kevin Cashman when he noted that “all significant change begins with self-change.” This week become the leader you need to be so others can become the people they hope to be.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

How Successful Managers Help People Achieve Their Goals - part #1

In the beginning, let us remember the following:

- business is personal.

- people commit to people first, not just plans, goals or objectives.

- on-line communication and collaboration works better once there has been extensive face-to-face communications.

- small leadership actions send big signals, especially when they relate to core principles and values.

One problem I see right now is that too many people are forgetting the above fundamentals when it comes to helping people achieve their goals. We must remember that successful managers recognize that real achievements require real effort. The question for many this fall is the following: Where does this effort come from? 

First, we all know we can not change people. Instead, we can only change the environment around people, and then they change themselves. The key from my vantage point is that the best and most successful managers help people achieve their goals by creating safety. In specific, successful managers create psychological safety. Then real effort follows.

Psychological safety begins when managers ensure “that no one is penalized if they ask for help or admit a mistake,” notes Amy C. Edmondson in her article called “The Competitive Imperative of Learning,”July-August 2008, Harvard Business Review. As she continues, “Psychological safety is crucial, especially in organizations where knowledge constantly changes, where workers need to collaborate, and where those workers must make wise decisions without management intervention.... It is built on the premise that no one can perform perfectly in every situation when knowledge and best practice are moving targets.”

She further explains that “Psychological safety is not about being nice - or about lowering performance standards. Quite the opposite: It’s about recognizing that high performance requires the openness, flexibility, and interdependence that can only develop in a psychologically safe environment, especially when the situation is changing or complex.... Psychological safety makes it possible to give tough feedback and have difficult conversations - which demand trust and respect - without the need to tiptoe around the truth.”

Yet many managers wonder how to actually create this level of safety. As Edmondson explains successful managers do two specific things. First, they “explicitly acknowledge the lack of answers to the tough problems groups face.” Second, they “ask questions - real questions, not leading or rhetorical ones.”

For us here today, the key is to be more aware of the importance of psychological safety and to create work environments where safety and trust are the foundation for all we do.

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Planning for 2012

It is hard to believe, but we are nearly halfway through December. The entire fall just zipped right by. Now winter is moving at the same pace. Blink twice today and the holidays will be gone. Do it again and we will be waking up in mid-February 2012, wondering what happened to most of the first quarter.

Unfortunately, some people are just becoming aware that they need to plan for 2012. With fifteen working days until the New Year, they are stumped by the magnitude of this task. Like deer-in-the-headlights, they are overwhelmed and all they can see is that 2012 is barreling down upon them.

For those of you who are in this predicament or working with people who just realized that they need to map out some goals for the first quarter of 2012, I always remember the advice of Peter Drucker who counseled executives to practice “planned abandonment.” As he wrote, “Make a list of all the things you are doing today that, if you were not already doing, you would not start doing. These are your candidates for abandonment.”

While making a list is not the end of planning, this marvelous exercise can be very helpful whether you are working at the personal, team, or organizational levels. It can be the foundation for great reflection and inquiry. I encourage all of us this week to start thinking about the future and using this simple exercise as the start for a great strategic dialogue.

If you need further help planning for the future, please do not hesitate to call me.

Geery Howe, M.A.Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer inLeadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational ChangeMorning Star Associates319 - 643 - 2257

Thoughts on Resistance

Every month, a number of different people ask me the same question: “How do you overcome resistance from direct reports?” Over time, my answers have gotten shorter and shorter.

First, resistance is a form of feedback. Listen carefully to what they are saying. Their perceptions and feelings may not be correct in your eyes or from your perspective, but it is what they are experiencing. Learn from this information.

Second, boast their awareness about the context for change. Most people focus on the changes and the losses that will come with it. Most leaders under communicate the problems that are causing the organization to change. By selling the problems (think William Bridges and his book, Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change, Da Capo Press, 2003), we need to present a compelling picture of the risks of not changing or of not meeting expectations, i.e. shareholders, etc.

Third, while clearly restating the purpose for change, we also need to define the levels of control and initiative those involved can exert. Too often resistance comes from not being involved in solving the aforementioned problems. As I always point out, no participation = no engagement.

Fourth, define the goals and the priorities. Make sure they are SMART goals and not just random flip chart paper goals.

Resistance happens. It is normal. Do not be afraid to lead them through this stage of organizational change.

But a least privately, someone each month asks a follow-up question to the subject of dealing with resistance from direct reports. “What do I do if my boss is the problem? What if they are resistant to change?”

Every year since 1998, we have been discussing this question in the From Vision to Action Leadership Training, http://www.chartyourpath.com/VTA-Leadership-Training.html. It is a common problem and right now quite a few people are experiencing it.

First, understand what kind of change cycle you are going through at this time period. Is it evolution or revolution? Radical or incremental? Often, those who are the boss frame up the changes differently than those who are doing daily operations. Understand their perception, not just your own.

Second, sit down with your boss and dialogue about performance expectations. Try and figure out what your boss is trying to accomplish and what are their goals. From experience, these may be different. Often, they are trying to lower the chaos around them to a manageable level while still focusing on their goals.

Third, clarify your role in the organization and the changes that are taking place. Many times your perception of your role and your boss’s perception may be completely different. Get clear about this sooner than later.

Finally, clarify your level of control. Most of the time when encountering a boss who is resistant to change, the problem is that you think you have lots of control and they do not want you to have that much control.

After discussing this subject for over 13 years, here are some of the best answers from a diversity of leaders and managers who have dealt with this issue:

- Speak truth to power. Know what you are talking about with facts and figures.

- Ask yourself “why did they pick your boss for the job?”. This information will help you maintain perspective.

- Face your fear.

- Do not give away your ability to choose.

- Deal with your addictions.

For those of you who want to explore this subject in greater detail and from a bigger picture perspective, here is a recently published article by Margaret Wheatley called “Leadership in the Age of Complexity: From Hero to Host.” http://www.margaretwheatley.com/articles/Leadership-in-Age-of-Complexity.pdf While the article is not completely focused on resistance, it does offer some excellent insights into why leaders struggle in the world of change and organizational transformation. Years ago, we read her book, Finding Our Way: Leadership for an Uncertain Time, Berrett-Koehler, 2005, for a Spring From Vision to Action Executive Roundtable. It was excellent and so is this article. Happy reading!

Geery Howe, M.A.Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer inLeadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational ChangeMorning Star Associates319 - 643 - 2257

Creating Time

It all started at my annual physical last month.

As an executive coach, I routinely ask a client when was their last physical. This one question often startles people at first. But, I explain to them that if we strive to be authentic leaders, then we need to regularly care for ourselves as well as our organizations.

The result of asking this question has been interesting. Time and time again, I have had a client call me back and share about how during their annual physical the doctor solved a recurring health problem or discovered a problem before it got worse. For example, I remember asking a macho executive when was the last time he had a physical. “High school sports” was his reply. I recommended he have one given he was working extra hard, married with children and in his upper 30’s. Weeks later, he called me back with his blood work results. They were very poor and if he had continued with no treatment, the doctor told him he was in line to have a major heart attack. He told me that he knew he should have gotten around to it but was just too busy. Nevertheless when he did, he realized he should have been going to the doctor regularly for years. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

With this in mind, I realized in late November that I had been asking people about their annual physicals and did not remember when I had gone in for my last one. So, I quickly called up the local clinic, made an appointment,t and went in early for my blood work.

On the appointed day, I had my blood pressure checked, height measured, weight checked, etc. Then, in walked my doctor with his usual grin and my paperwork. We have known each other for years, and given we are nearly the same age, we always spend time catching up on children, work, life and, of course, my health.

When we went through my blood work, he told me my cholesterol had gone up eight points. He was not pleased with this and told me I needed to exercise more. It was a kind but pointed speech, “Exercise more, watch your diet and come back in four months. I want your cholesterol to be going down, not up.”

At that point, I knew I was at a crossroads. I am an avid gardener and three seasons out of four I can garden with the best of them. Six hours of yard and garden work is common on weekends. After work in the spring, summer and fall, a half an hour of pruning, clipping and weeding are not uncommon. I like it and find it relaxing. But while this is nice, it is not exercise.

“How much?”, I asked.

“Thirty-five minutes, five days a week,” was his reply.

“Consider it done,” I said.

And just like that I started walking thirty-five minutes every day. No excuses get in the way now. If my doctor said I needed to exercise and walking could fill the bill, then I was going to do it. Period.

From my vantage point as an executive coach, it is common for me to hear that time management is a major issue. “I am swamped,” “Every day is packed,” “I am way to to busy to (fill in the blank),” are phrases I hear on a regular basis. I have even said them myself during certain times.

But I know from experience that good health is a gift. It comes from regular stewardship and attention. I also know that good health takes time and energy. So, with my doctor’s words in my ears, I have walked every day since my physical, only missing four days due to family based travel.

Which leads me back to time. We do not really manage time. We create it. As the only beast on the planet who wears a watch and checks it regularly, and the only beast on the planet who differentiates between 8:59 am and 9:00 am (FYI: a doctor at a seminar years ago told me that 9:00 am on a Monday morning is the most common time for people to have a heart attack), we can try to manage time all we want and most days time wins.

Nevertheless, with a clear set of priorities and goals, e.g drop my cholesterol through regular exercise and a good diet, we can create the time to get something done. If I can create time to garden, bake all our bread by hand, read books on a regular basis and keep up with office work, then I can create time for regular exercise. The choice begins with me.

So here is a question for you: What are your goals and priorities?

Know these and you, too, can create time. It sounds simple and in reality it is once you have clear goals and priorities.

Geery Howe, M.A.Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer inLeadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational ChangeMorning Star Associates319 - 643 - 2257

Improving Mid-level Management - part #2

THEME: Spring 2010 From Vision to Action Roundtable Report

FOCUS: Improving Mid-level Management - part #2

Monday morning: May 24, 2010

Dear friends,

Every week, someone in mid-level management wants to improve day-to-day operations, maximize efficiency, and get a lot things done in an orderly manner. When they struggle doing this, their organization often hires a consultant. This individual will arrive on-site, interview a variety of people to find out what is the problem, and, nine times out of ten, they will deliver the following solution: “In order to be more successful, the organization needs to empower more people, listen to more people, include more people, and support more people.” If the consultant is someone who reads the latest management best sellers, then they also state that “senior executives need to show that they care, and work hard to create a "no-spin" zone characterized by candid, frequent communication about strategic issues.” While I have tremendous respect for consultants and I know they can make a big difference, at times, I am frustrated by the quality of their answers.

When we seek to improve mid-level management, we have to realize that we often hire smart people and insert them into really dumb situations driven by even dumber systems. The solution is not to change the person, but to examine the systems that cause them immense frustration and poor performance. The first step is to review and more likely upgrade the current performance management systems.

Mid-level managers live in a world of goals, metrics and expectations. Some are realistic and some are so far out in left field and unrealistic that they are comical. Some goals are just not clear and never communicated well. Therefore, in the beginning, analyze how goals, expectations and metrics are developed, communicated, measured and utilized. Routinely, this is the source of many problems.

Second, mid-level managers need and deserve effective coaching. When I encounter problems in the performance of mid-level management and the goals, expectations and metrics have been clearly communicated, then recently I have discovered that many mid-level managers are receiving situational coaching instead of proactive coaching. As a mid-level manager passes a senior executive in the hallway, they ask a question or share a problem. Standing side by side, the issue is resolved. However, the learning and performance of those involved may not have been improved. In proactive coaching, time and space is reserved so a senior executive and a mid-level manager can focus on improving both skill set and strategic mindset rather than simply revolving the majority of their working relationship on emergency problem solving.

Third, we need to reframe execution by all managers. Earlier this spring (see Monday Thoughts Weekly E-mail for 4/5/10 at my blog link: http://chartyourpath.blogspot.com/), I advocated for a more holistic training and development model where we recognized that once an employee is hired, national statistics indicate there is a 33% chance of turnover in the first six months. Therefore, rather than thinking of on-boarding as filling out of paperwork and attending mandatory HR/Risk Management training, it is time to comprehend that this on-boarding process is where people learn about how to work effectively.

However, “... flawless execution cannot guarantee enduring success in a knowledge economy,” notes Amy C. Edmondson in her article “The Competitive Imperative of Learning”, July-August 2008, Harvard Business Review. As she explains, “great execution is difficult to sustain, not because people get tired of working hard but because the managerial mind-set that enables efficient execution inhibits employee’s ability to learn and innovate.”

There are two choices when it comes execution, namely to focus on execution-as-efficiency or to focus on execution-as-learning. In the former, execution-as-efficiency focuses on discipline, respect for systems, and an attention to detail. To make this happen, managers need to motivate employees using “carrots”, i.e. pay more for work completed, or “sticks”, i.e. reprimand or threaten job loss. The result of these choices is simple, controllable production and controllable employees. The major problem is an undercurrent of fear. To remove the fear, we need to not penalize any one who asks for help or admits a mistake. Otherwise, employees will go out of their way to pick easy tasks to show competence and avoid all challenges. Next, we need to acknowledge the lack of answers to the tough problems that employees face. Instead, we need to help mid-level managers learn to ask better questions which generate clarity and perspective.

This week, do not put smart people to work within dumb systems, improve your proactive coaching, and rethink execution.

Have a great week,

Geery

Geery Howe, M.A.Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer inLeadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational ChangeMorning Star Associates319 - 643 - 2257