Leadership is a Balancing Act

I’m observing, with interest, the shift in management practices that has occurred as good times have changed to bad times for business. Back when times were good, signing bonuses were a common practice, job-hopping was a legitimate way to advance a career, job benefits were plentiful and even considered an entitlement, and companies were obsessed with measuring and enhancing employee loyalty. Similarly to the entire marketplace, the situation was a little out of balance. But who’s going to complain when there’s plenty of money to go around? Then the recession hit hard. With the major downturn in the economy came widespread restructuring, layoffs, and struggles to stay solvent until business levels recover. Suddenly, instead of courting employee loyalty, corporate management demanded that their people accomplish more with less. Said or unsaid, the message has been, “Be happy you still have a job.” People have responded, but are driven by fear and uncertainty more often than they are inspired by a common purpose. Once again, a lack of balance is evident. The pendulum will swing back to better times. Lessons can and should be learned to help strike a healthy balance between common practices in good times versus bad. We should always be grateful to have good job opportunities. Corporate management should always appreciate employees who contribute effectively to corporate goals. There will always be ups and downs in the cycle of economy and business. Successful companies with strong leadership don’t blow wildly in the wind. They consistently apply good business practices and adjust them with consideration and care when the environment changes, and they keep their team members informed. Internal corporate communications can make a valuable contribution toward achieving a balance between good times and bad. Leaders who communicate corporate philosophies, strategies, and values build trust and gain buy-in from their employees. Fear and uncertainty is fed by a lack of information. Open and honest interaction nurtures uplifting loyalty and cooperation through tough times. Unity and strength of purpose come from successfully overcoming a challenge together. It’s a balancing act in which every leader should be fully engaged.

Expectations Upfront

Many misunderstandings and disappointments with new employees can be proactively avoided by clearly setting expectations upfront. This is Management 101, but over the years I have been stunned by my observations of issues that could have easily been avoided by following a few simple procedures as part of the orientation of a new hire. REVIEW THE POSITION DESCRIPTION TOGETHER Hopefully the employee saw the Position Description as part of the interview and hiring process. I recommend you go over it again, and include a verbal elaboration of the responsibilities. This document should be a touchstone for the employee and for management when evaluating performance. EXPLAIN YOUR MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY Tell the employee how you operate as a manager. This might include statements like, “I’m very hands on”, “I’ll provide the goals, but you have leeway in how to accomplish them”, “I’m always available when you need help or advice”, or “Part of my job is to clear the path for you”. BE CLEAR ABOUT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS This is the time to explain how you want to be kept informed of what’s going on. You may require a weekly or monthly status report in writing. The employee might need to be prepared to provide a verbal update in a weekly team meeting. If there is an accepted format or methodology for reporting, provide it now. CLARIFY POLICIES In a corporate environment, official policies are documented, and team members read them and acknowledge their receipt. Some require additional emphasis. Discuss work hours, harassment policies, travel and expense accounts – whatever you think warrants discussion. CONFESS PET PEEVES The first thing on my personal list was to communicate my ‘zero tolerance’ policy for gum chewing in the workplace. If you have a peeve that sets you off, don’t wait for the poor unsuspecting newbie to make the mistake and be embarrassed – lay it on the line. GETTING STARTED Finally, be clear about how the new hire will get up to speed, what their priorities are, and how they will be incorporated into the existing team. Talk about what’s going on in the department, and time frames for goals. The first few weeks of a team member’s employment are a key to healthy long-term relationships. As management, you need to make the effort to set clear expectations upfront.

Uncommon Courtesy

Studies show that difficult relationships have more negative impact on work morale than anything else. Conversely, people who work well together and enjoy being part of a professional team find more job satisfaction. A major contributing factor to a pleasant work environment is common courtesy. In today’s workplace, courtesy is not always the norm! I bet you’ve had to deal with some of these issues on a regular basis: People who don’t return phone calls…The bum that takes the last cup of coffee and doesn’t make more…Petty gossip mongers…The manager that never offers a word of thanks…The peer who tries to take credit for your idea or work…Rude or confrontational email…Unrealistic demands…Team members who don’t do their share of the work…That person that’s always late for meetings… Hey, I was in the corporate world for almost 30 years – I could go on with real life examples of rude and thoughtless behavior. The lack of common courtesy is annoying in itself, but there are insidious side effects. Employees who experience uncivil treatment report lower job satisfaction. They start avoiding their jobs through repeated tardiness, unnecessary sick days, and reduced productivity. The office battlefield takes its toll. A culture of courtesy can be established by laying simple groundwork. Senior management must establish policies. Management should be role models and consistently set a good example. Performance evaluations should address a worker’s ability to operate effectively and courteously in the workplace. Unfortunately, many managers today don’t know how (or are afraid to) confront an employee exhibiting bad behavior. Without coaching there will be no improvement. Years ago, I worked on a senior-level team fraught with behavior problems. We finally had a come-to-Jesus meeting with our boss (a former Army sergeant) who confronted us as a group, “You don’t have to be friends or even like each other. But you will respect each other as human beings and behave accordingly, or you will no longer be part of this team.” It wasn’t pretty, but it had to be said. What’s interesting is that things actually got worse and, within months, two of the executives resigned and moved on. Then things got better! My advice to you is to do your part to create pleasant surroundings as part of the norm in your office. Politics can get ugly – you can rise above it. People deserve recognition when they do good work – be sure they get it. When faced with rudeness – respond with grace. The more people yell – the more softly you can reply. We can all strive to set the proper example. For those of us with naturally aggressive spirits, it can be a challenge not to respond in kind to offenders. Consider this… The secret to the Japanese martial art Aikido is to blend with the motion of the attacker and redirect the force of the attack rather than facing it head on, allowing practitioners to defend themselves while protecting their attacker from injury. That seems a wonderfully wise form of uncommon courtesy.

An Acquisition Fable

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom among kingdoms that was ruled by a wise and benevolent Prince. The citizens of the kingdom worked hard, loving their industry and appreciating the higher purpose in their toils. Their days were filled with effort and laughter. They called many they worked among, “Friend”, and often raised a tankard in fellowship at the end of the day or when they traveled together on behalf of the kingdom. In return for their loyalty, the Prince and his father the King provided for their people well – with fair wages, medical care, and the opportunity to celebrate holidays and victories together. All the family members of the kingdom were welcome, everyone wore their finest clothing, and gifts were plentiful. The kingdom expanded and thrived. Then dark days descended and the kingdom faced a terrible time of uncertainty. The aging Prince and the old King knew they could not protect the kingdom and its people forever from changing times. They were swayed by the Counters of the Beans and those who had invested in the realm and were envious of the richness achieved by other kingdoms. A group of powerful Knights from the East banded together and conspired with the Counters of the Beans to convince the Royals to abdicate the kingdom to their care. They brought riches from past plunders, and sang soulful, sentimental songs honoring the past, accompanied by lyres. The Knights spoke beguilingly of their interest in the kingdom, its castles and history, and the people. They made many promises. The Prince and the King were convinced they had found the best answer for the future security of all they had built. Silver and gold changed hands and the deed was done. The Prince and the King retired into the sunset. The loyal people of the kingdom were stunned. They had loved their rulers, and what they knew of the practices of the Counters and the Knight’s past deeds provided little comfort. Soon their fears began to be realized as a plague of misfortune descended. Many loyal subjects were banished from the kingdom, never to return. Others were made to work longer hours without the benefit of gratitude or reward. In their panic, some turned on each other to protect themselves. Those who bowed to the Knights (known in truth to be nothing more than cunning commoners), were rewarded with plum assignments that made them petty Lords over people with whom they used to happily share fate. An Earl and his associates were exposed as dastardly liars and cheats, disgracing the kingdom. People were disgruntled, but remained grimly silent, afraid of being banished themselves; left without a way to care for their families. Some boldly escaped with their modest bags of silver, to start new lives far away from the ruin of their old happiness. They were the lucky ones. The seat of the once happy and beloved kingdom has since been moved to a land far away. New citizens have been recruited to replace those callously left behind. The proud flourish of the royal seal has been replaced with a paler symbol reflecting a curt nod to the past. The Counters of the Beans have a stranglehold on the purse strings, and no longer allow the people leeway to enjoy the sweet fruits of their labors. The Knights speak oh so cleverly – but the people now understand the truth comes from deeds more than words. There is no moral to this fable…the end is yet to be. Will the Counters of the Beans and the Knights from the East realize that the secret to prosperity for all is in the hands of the people? Their loyalty cannot be re-won without care and consideration, and actions that build trust. Knights – you may never be Kings; but we hope you can be more than cunning commoners, for sake of the future of the kingdom and its people. Disclaimer: This fable is an original work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental.