Successful Leadership – COMPASS #8

Successful leaders manage conflict; they don’t shy away from it or suppress it but see it as an engine of creativity and innovation…
–Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky

Our COMPASS series continues; this week we’ll talk about Appropriately Managing Conflict.

When many people hear the word “conflict” they think of negative situations. It may be, or in its simplest form, it could be a disagreement or difference of opinion which can be inspirational and lend itself to creativity and growth.

When conflict is not appropriately managed, problems arise; ill feelings surface, morale diminishes, and productivity suffers.

How well do you manage conflict? Do you face it head-on? Do you hope it will go away?

Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilman identified 5 modes of conflict. Some styles sound like they may be “better” than others but in reality, there is no right or wrong style; all five modes are useful when used in the appropriate situation.

The 5 Conflict Modes

Competing

  • This is a power-oriented mode and is assertive and uncooperative; the individual pursues his or her own interest at the expense of the other person.

Accommodating

  • This is the opposite of competing and is unassertive and cooperative. The accommodating person neglects their own concerns to satisfy the concerns of others.

Avoiding

  • Avoiding is unassertive and uncooperative. The individual does not pursue their own concern or those of another person.

Collaborating

  • This is the opposite of avoiding where the individual is both assertive and cooperative and works to satisfy all of the concerns of everyone.

Compromising

  • This falls between competing and accommodating and is both assertive and cooperative, a mutually acceptable solution is reached, and both parties make concessions to resolve the issue.

When to Leverage Each Style

The COMPETING mode is most effective when quick, decisive action is required and for important issues that may be unpopular or are vital to the organization. Examples include discipline, cost cutting, legal requirements, and enforcing company rules and policies.

ACCOMMODATING is useful when preserving harmony is essential, for allowing others to learn from their mistakes (where the risk is minimal), when you realize you can learn from others and that their position is likely a better solution or that the issue is much more important to the other person than it is to you.

AVOIDING is useful when there are more pressing issues,  when others are addressing the situation and don’t require your intervention, when gathering more information is more important than having an immediate response, when you have no chance of satisfying your own concerns,  and to let people cool down and reduce tension and then readdress the concern at a later time.

COLLABORATING is useful when there are important issues on both sides which can not be compromised, must be integrated into a solution,  and when there is a need to work through hard feelings that are impacting interpersonal relationships.

COMPROMISING is useful when there are time constraints and solutions must be obtained quickly when your issue is moderately important, when two opponents of equal power are strongly committed to differing goals but must reach a solution (example: labor contracts), and as a back-up when collaboration or competition fails.

Effective leaders understand the value of all conflict styles. They readily adapt to the style most appropriate for the situation, and they intervene only when necessary.

Recommended Reading

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick Lencioni

Conflict Management: A Practical Guide to Developing Negotiation Strategies– Barbara A. Budjac Corvette Ph. D.

What are your strengths and opportunities for managing conflict?

Do you know your preferred conflict style? Do you overuse it?

Can you recognize the conflict styles of others and do you manage the conflict if styles are being inappropriately utilized?

We’d love to hear your success stories!

QwikCoach summary and link:

Planning activities need to be done at both tactical and strategic levels.  For planning efforts to be successful, leaders must be attentive to both.

Do you appropriately handle conflict?

Use the COMPASS and rate yourself objectively.

Now rate your team.

Do you see opportunities for improvement?

Plan For Success – COMPASS Series #7

Planning is this week’s topic from our COMPASS model (you can use the PeopleTek COMPASS throughout your career!). As a reminder, our COMPASS components are: Communicate Effectively, Optimize Differences, Manage Change, Plan/Persist/Organize, Appropriately Handle Conflict, Sustain/Enhance Relationships, and Skillfully Influence Others.

Action without planning is the cause of all failure. Action with planning is the cause of all success.
–Brian Tracy

Plan For Success: #7 COMPASS Series

Without a plan, the ability to achieve your goals, dreams, and desired results is highly unlikely.

We all have differing strengths, styles, and preferences, and for some of us planning requires a lot of effort, whereas for others it seems to occur so naturally. Planning requires persistence, details, a timeline, and a commitment.

Have you ever worked for someone that had a great vision, was innovative, and had great ideas for growth opportunities yet couldn’t seem to make things happen? This is more common than you think.

A written plan lets you plan for success! Effective plans include documenting your goals and strategies, reviewing what skill-sets are in place, and identifying developmental needs in order for your plan to be executed.

If you feel discomfort with your plan, dig deep to understand what’s causing the discomfort; feel it, process it, and move on. Be aware that fear can also contribute to uneasiness and derail us from executing our plan.  If you need to deviate from your plan, don’t beat yourself up; instead, determine alternate courses of action that may work better for you.

If planning is an issue we recommend using the One Page Strategic Plan. It’s a great planning and problem-solving tool that is extremely useful in taking anything from where it is today, to where you want it to be in the future.  If you’d like to receive the template click here and request the One Page Strategic Plan. (Note: This is useful to solve problems and drive improvements, but is not intended for full project planning).

QwikCoach

Planning activities need to be done at both tactical and strategic levels. For planning efforts to be successful, leaders must be attentive to both.

Recommended Reading

  • The Game Plan For Success – Lou Holtz
  • The One Page Business Plan – Jim Horan

Be an owner, be a leader, and be successful. Plan!

Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.
–Paul J. Meyer

Persistence and Success – COMPASS Series #6

This week we’re discussing the P in our COMPASS model: Persistence. Let’s first define it: persistence is the quality of continuing steadily despite problems or difficulties. Synonyms for persistence include perseverance, determination, doggedness, diligence.

It takes the hammer of persistence to drive the nail of success.
–John Mason

Would you consider persistence to be one of the qualities you exhibit? Would those you work with agree with your answer? Why do you think persistence leads to success?

Use the PeopleTek COMPASS throughout your career!

#6 in PeopleTek’s COMPASS Series: Persistence

Persistence is a behavior exhibited by owners and effective and successful leaders!

How often have you worked on a project, task force, or making a goal a reality, where all objectives were achieved with absolutely no difficulties or problems?

Even the simplest objective may encounter problems and barriers. Expect and plan for obstacles and don’t give up at the first sign of difficulty. It’s important to maintain your focus and be purposeful in your efforts. Accept that not everything goes as planned!

Abraham Lincoln is the ultimate example of being persistent before achieving success:

YEAR FAILURES or SETBACKS
1832 Lost job
Defeated for state legislature
1833 Failed in business
1835 Sweetheart died
1836 Had nervous breakdown
1838 Defeated for Speaker
1843 Defeated for nomination for Congress
1848 Lost re-nomination
1849 Rejected for land officer
1854 Defeated for U.S. Senate
1856 Defeated for nomination for Vice President
1858 Again defeated for U.S. Senate
1860 ELECTED U.S. PRESIDENT!

That’s quite a timeline! Lincoln could have easily given up and not pursued his dreams and goals. Instead, he relentlessly overcame obstacles, objections, and the disdain of many peers. Bottom line: he never gave up and to this day is one of the most respected leaders in the world.

The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.
–Sven Goran Eriksson

When a problem, obstacle, or difficulty is encountered, brainstorm possible alternatives; ask “what could have been done differently?” How accepting are you of input provided by others? Are you willing to help others identify possible solutions when they encounter roadblocks?

QwikCoach

Effective leaders need to demonstrate competence in a number of key areas. Developing these abilities — and acting in accordance with them – requires focus, tenacity, and persistence! That’s why effective leaders never give up or give in when the going gets tough — as it often does. Click here to read more.

Recommended reading:

  • The Power Of Persistence, Justin Sachs
  • Nelson Mandela: A Life Of Persistence, Jennifer Boothroyd

Successful leaders are clear about what they want to achieve and persist until desired results are attained. Are you persistent about obtaining your goals and dreams?

Managing Change – COMPASS Series #5

Managing Change is this week’s topic in our COMPASS series. Do you agree that change is both a challenge and an opportunity? That it’s a source of stress and excitement? That change is an ongoing process rather than a single event?

People underestimate their capacity for change. There is never a right time to do a difficult thing. A leader’s job is to help people have vision of their potential.
–John Porter

Use the PeopleTek COMPASS throughout your career!

MANAGING CHANGE

The rate of change continues at a rapid pace with the familiar becoming blurred. As an individual how are you adapting? What about as a leader? What do you need to know about the change before you can support and communicate it? What’s your comfort level with sharing it? Do you need to obtain input from others? Are you in the position to openly share the change, and are you willing to do so?

UNDERSTANDING THE NEED FOR CHANGE HELPS MANAGE IT!

In a recent survey we conducted, only 11% of the responders felt they managed change effectively.

Given the times, we need to expect that change will continue to occur at a rapid pace, and we should anticipate and prepare for discomfort and uncertainty. Change impacts us differently; while some may be energized and flourish, others may become almost immobilized.

Change is continual and communication is key. As leaders we need to communicate more than ever; it’s critical we provide information and impacts, and it’s equally important that we listen and sense how others are feeling.

Replacing uncertainty and ambiguity with clarity will create a climate of trust and reduce levels of anxiety. Make it a priority to understand and clearly communicate all changes and associated impacts!

QwikCoach summary and link:

The most important thing any organization can do to accomplish change successfully is to make sure that people at every level – especially managers and leaders – know and use an effective change process and sound change management activities that help people to understand how to support and/or create sustainable change.

Recommended reading:|

Who Moved My Cheese?-Spencer Johnson,M.D.
Change The Culture, Change The Game-Roger Connors and Tom Smith

Help change inspire creativity and be motivating rather than debilitating!