Why Persist?

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

How well do you manage failure, missed deliverables, obstacles, and even difficult people?

As leaders we can expect that not everything will go as planned, and despite possibly feeling dejected, we need to persist and persevere.

We need to manage our feelings and each situation that challenges us, and we need to persist, which we’ll define as “the quality of continuing steadily despite problems or difficulties”.

Expect and plan for obstacles; they’re going to happen! Be purposeful in your efforts and analyze what went awry, and have trust in yourself that you CAN make things better and get back on course. We hope you find these failures inspiring:

Abraham Lincoln – Experienced 12 major failures before being elected the 16th U.S. President

Albert Einstein – His teachers said “he wouldn’t amount to much”

Ludwig van Beethoven – His music teacher once said “as a composer, he is hopeless”

Thomas Edison – was said to have tried 9,999 times to perfect the light bulb. His response was “I didn’t fail; I just discovered another way not to invent the electric light bulb.”

Colonel Sanders – (founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken) As a military retiree, all he had was his mother’s chicken recipe. He tried selling her recipe and was turned down 1,007 times before he received his first yes

Steve Jobs – He felt he was a public failure when he was fired from Apple

Walt Disney – Was fired from a newspaper for his lack of imagination

The Beatles – In 1962 they were told they “had no future in show business” and that “groups with guitars are on the way out”.

Diana Nyad – In her fifth try (at the age of 64), became the 1st person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage.

Why persist? Because successful leaders are clear about what they want to achieve, and set clear strategies and direction to obtain the results they desire, regardless of any obstacles they encounter.

Positivity, confidence, and persistence are key in life, so never give up on yourself.–Khalid

Feedback Competencies

All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual.
–Albert Einstein

Do you have colleagues or direct reports that could be even stronger performers?  Have you given them feedback, but perhaps they don’t accept it as they’re only hearing it from you?

Conducting a formal 360 Feedback process may be the solution. You and the feedback recipient can jointly select who should provide the feedback.  It should minimally include:

  • Their immediate leader
  • All Direct Reports (if applicable)
  • Colleagues/co-workers

You can also include customers/clients and vendors and strategic partners (and any others with a working relationship).

We primarily use Wiley’s 360 feedback tool which focuses on 8 Competencies:

Pioneering
Finding Opportunities, Stretching The Boundaries, Promoting Bold Action

Energizing
Showing Enthusiasm, Building Professional Networks, Rallying People To Achieve Goals

Affirming
Being Approachable, Acknowledging Contributions, Creating A Positive Environment

Inclusive
Staying Open To Input, Showing Diplomacy, Facilitating Dialogue

Humble
Maintaining Composure, Showing Modesty, Being Fair Minded

Deliberate
Communicating With Clarity, Promoting Disciplined Analysis, Providing A Sense Of Stability

Resolute
Setting High Expectations, Speaking Up About Problems, Improving Methods

Commanding
Showing Confidence, Taking Charge, Focusing On Results

The recipient also rates themselves in these same areas, and part of the tool results includes showing how similar (or different) the self ratings are from those from others.

The results are debriefed by a coach in a non threatening way, with areas of strength as well as development opportunities discussed.

As a leader, this is a great way to help others grow – who do you think could benefit from hearing what others have to say?

I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better.
–Elon Musk

Trust and the Feedback Formula

GIVING FEEDBACK REQUIRES TRUST. NO TRUST. NO FEEDBACK.– Shari Harley

More about feedback. We’ve established that feedback is not only important but that it’s critical for individual and organizational success. Giving feedback and being heard is not easy,  but if your relationship includes trust, the feedback process becomes less stressful and more meaningful.

Author, trainer, and key note speaker Shari Harley created The Feedback Formula which includes the following 8 steps:

1. Introduce the conversation so feedback recipients know what to expect.
2. Empathize so both the feedback provider and the recipient feel as comfortable as possible.
3. Describe the observed behavior so the recipient can picture a specific, recent example of what you’re referring to. The more specific you are, the less defensive he will be, and the more likely he’ll be to hear you and take corrective action.
4. Sharing the impact or result describes the consequences of the behavior. It’s what happened as a result of the person’s actions.
5. Having some dialogue gives both people a chance to speak and ensures that the conversation is not one-sided. Many feedback conversations are not conversations at all; they’re monologues. One person talks and the other person pretends to listen, while thinking what an idiot you are. Good feedback conversations are dialogues during which the recipient can ask questions, share his point of view, and explore next steps.
6. Make a suggestion or request so the recipient has another way to approach the situation or task in the future. Most feedback conversations tell the person what he did wrong and the impact of the behavior; only rarely do they offer an alternative. Give people the benefit of the doubt. If people knew a better way to do something, they would do it another way.
7. Building an agreement on next steps ensures there is a plan for what the person will do going forward. Too many feedback conversations do not result in behavior change. Agreeing on next steps creates accountability.
8. Say “Thank you” to create closure and to express appreciation for the recipient’s willingness to have a difficult conversation.

Do these steps help? Does it make sense that a trusting relationship creates a “safe” relationship allowing feedback to be welcomed?

We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.
—Bill Gates

Is Feedback Important?

Top performing companies are not only good at accepting feedback, they deliberately ask for feedback. — Susan E. DeFranzo

Is Feedback Important?  We say it’s not only important but that it’s critical for organizational success and personal and professional growth. What do you think?

Don’t confuse giving feedback with annual performance reviews; while both serve a purpose, if you want to move the performance needle and improve behaviors and skill-sets, giving regular, honoring, and well intended feedback will do the trick.

officevibe published the following feedback statistics:

1.    14.9% lower turnover rates in companies that implement regular employee feedback.

2.    2X as likely to be actively disengaged if employees are ignored by their manager.

3.    4 out of 10 workers are actively disengaged when they get little or no feedback.

4.   82% of employees really appreciate receiving feedback, regardless if it’s positive or negative.

5.    43% of highly engaged employees receive feedback at least once a week compared to only 18% of employees with low engagement.

6.    65% of employees said they wanted more feedback

7.    58% of managers think they give enough.

So what can we as leaders do?

Make time
Regardless how busy you are, create a feedback calendar and take it seriously!
If you become aware of a “positive” or “negative” action, acknowledge it immediately

Make it honest and meaningful
Be prepared to provide specifics about both negative and positive feedback
Think in terms of praise and constructive criticism – both contribute to growth

Use goal tracking
If you don’t know how to get started, review how the individual has helped (or hindered) the achievement of organizational or team goals

Commit to supporting continual learning
Review what in house programs are available
Ensure your budget adequately includes development opportunities
Investigate external training that can address your focus areas

Feedback will make your top performers even stronger, and will help motivate and guide those that may be under-performing.

Are you committed to “improve and enhance” others?

Top performing companies know that feedback is helpful only when it highlights weaknesses as well as strengths.– Susan E. DeFranzo

Skill Gaps?

Managers in almost all major industries are currently sending themselves into a tizzy trying to solve the skills gap problem. A long-standing concern, “skills gap” is the term for the void of qualified talent that may be recognized when it comes to a company filling positions.—Andre Lavoie

Would you say skill gaps exist for key roles within your organization? If you said “yes”, you’re not alone. According to a LinkedIn survey of 2000 business leaders, 57% said that soft skill gaps existed, and felt the top four development areas were:

  • Leadership
  • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Time management

Adding to the dilemma, Melissa Mapes reports that yet another LinkedIn Survey found that:

  • 93% of managers feel they needed more training
  • 47% claimed they never received any leadership training at all

It sounds like both seasoned as well as new leaders are in need of (and want to) continue to develop their skills. Leadership roles have evolved; more time is now being devoted to coaching and mentoring teams and individuals, and this includes being a masterful communicator for successes, needs, changes, progress, and feedback.

There’s still an obligation to ensure goals and deliverables are achieved, but equally important is the need to have a work culture where colleagues are comfortable and engaged, and where they feel trust exists among team members and their leadership team.
Other interesting findings include:

Communication
80% of managers think they’re transparent with direct reports; but, only 55% of employees agree.

Access
75% of employees say approachability is the most important quality in an effective manager; and, 50% of employees say they have an approachable manager.

Leadership
71% of managers say they know how to motivate their team; but, only 44% of employees agree.

Training
45% of managers report they have never received formal management training.

What did you find most surprising, and is there anything you could do to help reduce the skills gaps in your organization?

Very few new leaders receive sufficient training before taking the reins.
–Melissa Mapes