#reviewandreflect: Building High Performance Teams

#reviewandreflect: Building High Performance Teams

by | Mar 24, 2019 | #review&reflect, Learning to Lead, Teamwork

High Performance Teams

Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships. ~ Michael Jordan

This is TheSchoolHouse302’s monthly #review&reflect, wrapping up our focus on how to Build a Winning Team: Learning to Lead from Giants.

Our review and reflect series offers readers the opportunity to take a deep dive into our leadership content by taking time to reflect and identify the skills you need, to explore how you can learn those skills, and to connect with industry leaders to follow to gain greater expertise.

Skills I need…

Building a winning team is no easy task. It requires assembling the right players, creating a culture focused on productive outcomes, and ultimately achieving our predetermined goals.

Review: To stay in line with March, and the madness of the NCAA basketball tournament, we dove into the leadership qualities that attract and develop winning players and chose three coaches from the present and past who epitomize the ability to recruit and build phenomenal teams. By analyzing some of the key characteristics of Pat Summit, Mike Krzyzewski, and John Wooden, we landed on three recognizable qualities that are necessary to build the team you desire. From Coach K, we gleaned that everyone has doubts, the goal is to silence them and harness the energy for increased effectiveness. John Wooden’s service to others, particularly his players, demonstrates that it truly is the little things that make all the difference. Lastly, Pat Summitt’s standards, and relentless pursuit to master them, are undeniable.

Below is our Winning Team Model to serve as a visual representation of the key qualities necessary to create the team you desire.

Winning Team Model

Reflect: The beauty of this model is that it serves as a simple yet effective reminder for leaders. By serving others, we honor their thoughts and ideas, which help contribute to our success. By silencing our own doubts, we manifest the ability to really listen to those on our team by putting our own ego or agenda aside for the betterment of the organization. And, by establishing a culture of excellence, everyone shares in the responsibility of achieving success. The challenge lies in our ability to do all three at a high level.

Take 3 Minutes to reflect on your ability to mind your mental map.

  • If your staff or colleagues were surveyed today, how well would they rate your ability to serve them for the betterment of the organization?
  • Each of us have the ability to feel on top of the world one minute and a failure the next. How well do you silence your doubts and stay truly committed to achieving your goals?
  • Excellence by definition simply means to be outstanding. Do you create a culture that demands excellence coupled with the supports and specific feedback that is necessary to get there?

How do I learn those skills…

What should I read to strengthen my ability to create the team I desire?

Review: In our #readthisseries we featured the work of authors who clearly articulate the power of Teamwork.

Permission to screw up: How I learned to lead by doing by Kristen Hadeed

The gold standard: Building a world-class team by Coach Krzyzewski

Your oxygen mask first: 17 habits to help high achievers survive & thrive in leadership & life by Kevin Lawrence

You can’t miss our #readthisseries on 3 books you need to read for a stronger mental map.

Self Assessment:

Leadership is difficult. The path is always obstructed by issues, mistakes, fear, doubt, and, at times, a lot of critics. Great leaders realize, though, that the goal is much bigger than themselves. For this reason, they remember to serve others first, to remain humble yet confident, and to take comfort in knowing that today’s mistakes are tomorrow’s lessons. Based on the 3-part assessment, and using a 5-point scale, 1 being ineffective and 5 being highly effective, rate yourself:

Winning_Team_Assessment

Based on the questions above, which aspect of Building a Winning Team do you need to develop further?

Who should I follow…

What does an expert have to say about teamwork and assembling a group of A-players?

Review: For our #onethingseries, we interviewed Kevin Lawrence.

Action: Kevin relays how we often accept that our team members’ performance will be much like a bell curve. We tend to believe that we will have some exceptional players on the team, but the vast majority will be good, not great. We often accept that our team will consist of a handful of players who are not that good at all. He describes how we don’t have to buy into the notion of a mediocre team, and he explains how “top talent wants to be around top talent.” The question is, are you attracting top talent to your team?

Let us know!

Listen to the entire podcast on iTunes, One Thing Series, and please rate and like (it helps).

That’s our #review&reflect for Building a Winning Team: Learning to Lead from Giants. Take a look back to take a step forward.

TheSchoolHouse302 is about getting to simple and maximizing effective research-based strategies that empower individuals to lead better and grow faster.

Please let us know how our leadership posts are working for you, what you are reading to improve yourself, and your thoughts on leadership and growth here on our blog and Twitter. Follow our #onethingseries podcast on iTunes and our #readthisseries on YouTube.

Joe & T.J.

 

#reviewandreflect: Tribal Forces–3 Vital Elements in the Creation of Your Tribe

#reviewandreflect: Tribal Forces–3 Vital Elements in the Creation of Your Tribe

by | Jan 27, 2019 | #review&reflect, Learning to Lead, Tribes

i love my tribe

This is TheSchoolHouse302’s monthly #review&reflect, wrapping up our focus on Tribal Forces–3 Vital Elements in the Creation of Your Tribe. Our review and reflect offers readers the opportunity to take a deep dive into our leadership content by taking time to reflect and identify the skills you need, to explore how you can learn those skills, and to connect with industry leaders to follow to gain greater expertise.

Skills I need…

Everyone needs to be a part of a strong, reliable, and productive community. Not only do we need to be a part of one, but we have a deep desire to belong to something terrific that can make a difference and fill us with purpose and meaning. The question is, does your tribe, those you associate with both personally and professionally, make you a better and more effective individual?

Review: There are three vital elements associated with harnessing people and leveraging the power of what we call Tribal Forces.

tribal forces

Each part of the model represents a key aspect of a productive and powerful tribe. The first, The Power of Ideas, recognizes that we live in an age of excessive information; however, filtering and gleaning key ideas from multiple sources can generate momentum and lead to growth. The second, The Power of Connection, identifies our need for socialization and community. Leveraged correctly, strong relationships lead to a high degree of synergy and reinforces our overall purpose. The third, The Power of Ideals, is our guiding light, which ensures that our work stays on course and that we are directed by our core values. Together, all three create a powerful trifecta that can mobilize any team by creating powerful relationships that yield tremendous results.

We also acknowledged, though, that there are tribal traps that can thwart any leaders best intentions. These traps, or leadership flaws, can surface at any time and are the exact opposite characteristics and qualities that create a powerful tribe:

Tribal Forces versus Leadership Flaws:

  • Ideas and open-communication versus isolation and lack of transparency.
  • Connection and relationships versus rules and over-bearing policies.
  • Values and beliefs versus rationality and a bottom line.

Reflect: The beauty of the Tribal Forces Model is that it leverages what is most important to people and the qualities that are advantageous for organizations. People don’t work well together when they feel disconnected. And, no one can move forward when the guideposts aren’t clear on the road ahead. The good news is that leaders can decide today to embrace them and make a difference in themselves and the community they create.

Take 3 Minutes to reflect on your ability to create a strong tribe.

  • How does your team currently share ideas and problem solve?
  • What actions do you need to take to create a stronger connection among your team members?
  • What distinguishes your team and your organization from others?

 

How do I learn those skills…

What should I read to create stronger Tribal Forces in life?

Review: In our #readthisseries we featured the work of authors who clearly articulate the power of tribes through practical strategies and tools that anyone can adopt:

SmartTribes: How teams become brilliant together  by Christine Comaford

Fish: A proven way to boost morale and improve results by Stephen Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christensen

Born to run: A hidden tribe, superathletes, and the greatest race the world has never seen by Christopher McDougall

You can’t miss our #readthisseries on 3 books you need to read for a stronger tribe.

Self Assessment:

Effective and productive leaders recognize the power of ideas, connection, and ideals. Based on the 3-part assessment, and using a 5-point scale, 1 being ineffective and 5 being highly effective, rate yourself:

tribal_forces_self-assessment

Based on the questions above, which aspect of the Tribal Forces Model do you need to develop further?

Who should I follow…

What does an expert have to say about tribes, optimal performance, and compassionate leadership?

Review: For our #onethingseries, we interviewed Christine Comaford. Christine is the author of three bestselling business books: Power Your Tribe: Create Resilient Teams in Turbulent Times, SmartTribes: How Teams Become Brilliant Together, and Rules for Renegades.

Action: Christine identifies three critical areas that we are constantly craving as humans–Safety, Belonging, and Mattering. She breaks down these areas, including the 10 powerful questions you can ask to assess your own environment so that people are functioning at an optimal level. The question is, what can you do to ensure that your team feels safe, has a sense of belonging, and know that they matter?

Let us know!

Listen to the entire podcast on iTunes, One Thing Series, and please rate and like (it helps).

That’s our #review&reflect for Tribal Forces–3 Vital Elements in the Creation of Your Tribe. Take a look back to take a step forward.

TheSchoolHouse302 is about getting to simple and maximizing effective research-based strategies that empower individuals to lead better and grow faster.

Please let us know how our leadership posts are working for you, what you are reading to improve yourself, and your thoughts on leadership and growth here on our blog and Twitter. Follow our #onethingseries podcast on iTunes and our #readthisseries on YouTube.

Joe & T.J.

 

#reviewandreflect: Fulfillment–Satisfaction Beyond the Surface

#reviewandreflect: Fulfillment–Satisfaction Beyond the Surface

by | Dec 23, 2018 | #review&reflect, Fulfillment, Learning to Lead

Fulfillment Image 2

This is TheSchoolHouse302’s monthly #review&reflect, wrapping up our focus on Fulfillment–Satisfaction Beyond the Surface. Our review and reflect offers readers the opportunity to take a deep dive into our leadership content by taking time to reflect and identify the skills you need, to explore how you can learn those skills, and to connect with industry leaders to follow to gain greater expertise.

Skills I need…

Everyone definitely has moments of satisfaction and happiness, but what does it mean to be truly fulfilled, to live a life that feels complete regardless of circumstance? The tough question is, do you know what fulfillment is in your own life?

Review: Our lives are really a series of moments with some far more meaningful than others. Some cultures embrace significant moments as rites of passage that delineate key times in one’s life to indicate true significance for that moment and the future. This month we introduced you to Solon, our dear friend, who discovered how to thread all of life’s moments, the significant and the meaningless, into experiences that fulfill his greatest desire in life, which is to live a value-driven existence.

We introduced our readers to the core aspects of fulfillment–value-driven days, value-driven hobbies, and value-driven relationships. All three of these areas require you to take time to identify what truly matters to you, the things that offer significance in your life. By living each day within your values, you set yourself up for success.

Solon discovered his deepest desires while working at the pinnacle of his career. As he achieved one of his greatest life’s pursuits, he realized that there was more to life than his busy career. However, he didn’t abandon his work or look back with regret. He simply decided that the same work ethic, desire, and skills that catapulted him to the top of his firm could serve him in any of life’s endeavors. His gift to us is a model for a sure-fire way to live a life of fulfillment.

Fulfillment Model

Reflect: The beauty of this model is that it captures action-oriented aspects of our lives, and it hones in on our daily existence by requiring us to take time to identify the elements in our life that create a true sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. The key to living value-driven days is in making sure that our daily actions and activities are aligned to our core values. The second feature is at times overlooked because we all have ways of occupying our time. But, purposeful hobbies offer us a way to give back to our communities and relax our minds. The key with a value-driven hobby is that it creates an even deeper passion and purpose in life. The third thing you must do is to develop deep relationships with a few people who you truly trust and can be yourself around. Value-driven relationships require us to develop close and meaningful relationships as a critical aspect of life. Studies reveal that the impact of these three areas is clear on our health and fulfillment, allowing us to live longer and more substantial lives.

Living each day purposefully by staying true to your values is critical to gaining the levels of fulfillment we seek and desire in our daily interactions with one another and ourselves.

Take time to reflect on your daily life to see how aligned your daily actions are to your values.

How do I learn those skills…

What should I read to create stronger fulfillment in life?

Review: In our #readthisseries we featured the work of authors who clearly articulate the power of fulfillment through practical strategies and tools that anyone can adopt:

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Alive at work: The neuroscience of helping your people love what they do by Dan Cable

H3 leadership: Be humble, stay hungry, always hustle by Brad Lomenick

You can’t miss our #readthisseries on Increased Fulfillment In Life and Work.

Reflect: Are your days aligned to your values? Do you feel like your work and personal endeavors offer you fulfillment? What changes would you need to make to be more aligned?

Effective and productive leaders recognize the power of value-driven days, ensuring that those who they lead have the opportunity to align their work with their own values and the values of the organization. How well do you create a value-based culture in your organization?  Based on the 3-part assessment, and using a 5-point scale, 1 being ineffective and 5 being highly effective, rate yourself:

Fulfillment_Assessment

Based on the questions above, which aspect of the fulfillment model do you need to develop further?

Who should I follow…

What does an expert have to say about fulfillment, humility, and staying hungry in life and work?

Review: For our #onethingseries, we interviewed Brad Lomenick. Brad is the author of The Catalyst Leader and his latest book H3 Leadership is available at bookstores around the world. Brad has had the privilege of leading and directing a movement of young leaders called Catalyst for the last 12 years. This role empowers him to equip, inspire, and release the next generation of young Christian leaders, and do this through events, resources, consulting, content, and connecting a community of like-minded Catalysts all over the world.

He recently moved into a strategic advisor role with Catalyst, along with other organizations. He is a leadership consultant, speaker, and founder of the strategic advising company called BLINC.

Reflect: Throughout the interview, Brad emphasized the need for us to be humble, stay hungry, and always hustle. He emphasized that each work together as a three-legged stool and how you can’t sit well when one of the legs is much longer than the others. He talks about self-awareness, servant leadership, and satisfaction.

Listen to the entire podcast on iTunes, One Thing Series, and please rate and like (it helps).

Does your daily work align to your values? Why or why not? What could you change right now that would make a strategic difference in your ability to be more fulfilled?

That’s our #review&reflect for Fulfillment–Satisfaction Beyond the Surface. Take a look back to take a step forward.

TheSchoolHouse302 is about getting to simple and maximizing effective research-based strategies that empower individuals to lead better and grow faster.

Please let us know how our leadership posts are working for you, what you are reading to improve yourself, and your thoughts on leadership and growth here on our blog and Twitter. Follow our #onethingseries podcast on iTunes and our #readthisseries on YouTube.

Joe & T.J.

#review&reflect: Staying Focused to Avoid the Performance Trap

#review&reflect: Staying Focused to Avoid the Performance Trap

by | Nov 25, 2018 | #review&reflect, Focus, Learning to Lead

Staying Focused

This is TheSchoolHouse302’s monthly #review&reflect, wrapping up our focus on Avoiding the Performance Trap: Staying Focused to Improve Time, Energy, and Efficiency. Our review and reflect offers readers the opportunity to take a deep dive into our leadership content by taking time to reflect and identify the skills you need, how you can learn those skills, and industry leaders to follow to gain greater expertise.

Skills I need…

Everyone seems to be moving at the speed of light, busier than ever. This reality makes learning how to work efficiently, effectively, and productively a key to anyone’s success. The challenge is not falling into the Performance Trap, a place where we are achieving at high levels, but in many respects, our life is out of control. The question is, how well do you manage yourself and your obligations, so that your work is intentionally focused on the most important responsibilities each day?

Review: This month we focused on the Performance Trap and how you can stay focused on the things that are most important throughout your day. We introduced our readers to Jonathan, a highly successful business executive who is just finding way too much work at the end of the week. Despite his best efforts, he is often derailed by incoming emails, text messages from colleagues, unplanned phone calls, and what seems to be an endless run of meetings. He has his own work to accomplish, but the uncontrollable amount of “emergency” questions and additional problems find their way to his office on a regular basis, leading to longer days and nights.

Jonathan needs to manage what he has within his direct and indirect control, and he needs to release the items that he cannot control. But like many leaders who are caught in this trap, he doesn’t see how things ended up like this, let alone how to begin making his way out of it.

The remedy we propose is to T.E.E. Up Your Day:

T.E.E. Model for Managing Your Day Effectively

T.E.E. Up Your Day

Reflect: The beauty of this model is that it includes the areas over which we have control. T.E.E. Up Your Day is a focusing-strategy that enables leaders to gain clarity around what matters, staying crystal clear with time, energy, and efficiency so that you can lead better and grow faster intentionally.

Teeing it up is not only about staying focused, it’s about being a better leader for yourself and others by taking control of the areas of your life that you can always manage, which is a strength-based approach to leading.

The first step is a focus on Time–Block Fill Your Calendar. Every position has recurring tasks, so identify all them in your current role, estimate the time the task takes, and then add it to your calendar. This seems simple enough, but many leaders do not take the time to schedule repetitive events, meetings, and tasks that eat up a lot of time if not accounted for within the day. This simple strategy helps create a realistic picture of the available time you actually have throughout your day and week. The second step focuses on Energy–Have a Bucket. This is a simple tool, whether a notecard, notepad, or electronic device to record all the random thoughts and ideas that pop into your head throughout the day. Putting these ideas, reminders, and thoughts in a “bucket” simply frees up space in your mind for other thoughts and ideas to live and develop. The third strategy is a focus on Efficiency–Don’t Do the Same Work Twice. Just think about how many times you have looked at the same email or memo not knowing what to do with it. This can be a major time crusher; the key is to decide, today, to develop a system for how to handle incoming information, especially those items that you are unsure of that sit in your inbox for days on end.

T.E.E.-ing up your day is not a silver bullet, rather it provides proven simple strategies that are effective in creating a realistic picture of your workload and avoiding unnecessary but common time crushers.

Take time to reflect on your daily work and productivity and decide where exactly you can T.E.E. up your day.

How do I learn those skills…

What should I read to become more focused, intentional, and effective?

Review: In our #readthisseries we featured the work of authors who clearly articulate the power of staying focused through practical strategies and tools that anyone can adopt:

Presence: Bringing your boldest self to your biggest challenges by Amy Cuddy

Time management from the inside out: The foolproof system for taking control of your schedule by Julie Morgenstern

Attention pays: How to drive profitability, productivity, and accountability by Neen James

You can’t miss our #readthisseries on Staying Focused, Paying Attention, and Being Present in the Moment.

Reflect: Do you have control over your work day? Do you feel like each day you don’t accomplish what you need to? Are you frustrated with your productivity due to interruptions?

Effective and productive leaders recognize how precious time is and quickly learn effective strategies to maximize their day.  How well do you control and manage your time and your productivity? Based on the 3-part assessment, and using a 5-point scale, 1 being ineffective and 5 being highly effective, rate yourself:

Assess_Your_Focus

Based on the questions above, which aspect of three-part model for how to T.E.E. up your day do you need to focus on immediately?

Who should I follow…

What does an expert have to say about staying focused?

Review: For our #onethingseries, we interviewed Neen James. Neen is the author of Folding Time™ and her latest book Attention Pays™ is available at bookstores around the world. Over the past two decades, Neen has been advising some of the coolest companies in the world, including Viacom, Comcast, Paramount Pictures, and even the FBI, on how to improve their strategic planning, communication, and leadership development.

Reflect: Throughout the interview, Neen emphasized the need to prioritize our priorities and how 15 minutes a day can truly make all the difference in the world. She talks about the common mistakes that we tend to make regarding time management, and she reminds us that it’s our attention that we manage, not our time.

Listen to the entire podcast on iTunes, One Thing Series, and please rate and like (it helps).

Do your daily habits set you up for success? Why or why not? What could you change right now that would make a strategic difference in your ability to stay focused?

That’s our #review&reflect for Avoiding the Performance Trap: Staying Focused to Improve Time, Energy, and Efficiency. Take a look back to take a step forward.

TheSchoolHouse302 is about getting to simple and maximizing effective research-based strategies that empower individuals to lead better and grow faster.

Please let us know how our leadership posts are working for you, what you are reading to improve yourself, and your thoughts on leadership and growth here on our blog and Twitter. Follow our #onethingseries podcast on iTunes and our #readthisseries on YouTube.

Joe & T.J.

 

#review&reflect: Learning to Promote Productive Disruption in Your Organization

#review&reflect: Learning to Promote Productive Disruption in Your Organization

by | Oct 28, 2018 | #review&reflect, Disruption, Learning to Lead

Productive Disruption2

This is TheSchoolHouse302’s monthly #review&reflect, wrapping up our focus on Productive Disruption: Cultivating Organizational Growth through Solution-Driven Ideals. Our review and reflect offers readers the opportunity to take a deep dive into our leadership content by taking time to reflect and identify the skills you need, how you can learn those skills, and industry leaders to follow to gain greater expertise.

Skills I need…

Moving forward in a productive, efficient, and effective way is the goal of every organization. Targets are set and efforts are employed. The reality is that the path toward the goals we work to achieve is riddled with obstacles and challenges that require unique and different insights if we want to arrive at new possibilities and impressive results. The question is, how well do you create an environment that embraces ideas with the intent to birth innovation?

Review: This month we focused on productive disruption. Who better to feature than the controversial but undeniably master disruptor himself, Steve Jobs? Jobs was driven, profound in his thinking, possessed an uncanny ability to say no, and cared deeply about the collaborative process. We feature him not only because of his leadership prowess and incredible impact on Apple and Pixar, two companies where he was CEO, but mainly because of his contribution to our society. Job reminds us that the potential to disrupt is available to everyone and every organization. It is not limited to a select few, but rather to those who decide to skillfully leverage problems as opportunities by creating a culture that demands people to willingly identify and fix areas that need to be improved. This fosters an environment where innovation and ideation are the norm rather than the exception.

With a desire to understand this process, TheSchoolHouse302 synthesized the research, collected the evidence, and developed a three step process to embrace innovation and create a path toward success that everyone can follow.

Productive Disruption Model

Steps to Innovation

Reflect: The beauty of this model is that it combines proven approaches to solving issues but adds additional processes because we recognizes how those efforts are limited in solving more systemic issues throughout an organization. The first step is to Problem Solve. We promote the “yes, and” approach to collaborative problem solving because it accepts the common or typical solution and takes it a step further by asking for more. This deliberate style of collaboration requires participants to add more: more thinking + more ideas = more solutions. The second step is a little more challenging because it requires Constructive Dissonance. This is challenging because we live in a world that is very afraid to offend others, and unfortunately, we are more apt to ignore an issue than solve it if it means inciting potential conflict and inflicting emotional pain. Until we work in an environment where we can respectfully share our ideas, thoughts, perceptions, and critiques, we will limit our ability to innovate due to the invisible ceiling our behavior creates. We recognize dissonance is difficult, but it is a servant-based leadership quality; at its core lives humility, transparency, and vulnerability. If this type of work culture can be created, then the the third step of our disruption model can flourish, which is Break It. This step embraces the fact that things may be going great, but improvement and breakthroughs are achieved through risk and the desire to confront challenges as unprecedented opportunities. Incorporating Step Three into your organization requires extreme focus on three areas:

  1. How we support people.
  2. How we establish culture.
  3. How we create space for productive disruption to occur.

The following ideals are critical to building an organization that values innovation as a central purpose. These three ideals are each grounded in evidence and research, and they represent true leadership.

“Break It” Ideals Model

Three Solution-Driven Ideals

As a leader, are you willing to live by these three ideals to do what it takes to build a culture of innovation?

How do I learn those skills…

What should I read to enhance my ability to disrupt and to foster an environment where others are willing to speak out against the status quo?

Review: In our #readthisseries we featured the work of authors who clearly articulate the power of productive disruption through practical strategies and tools that anyone can adopt:

Rebel Talent: Why it Pays to Break the Rules at Work and in Life by Francesca Gino

Linchpin: Are You Indispensable by Seth Godin

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell

You can’t miss our #readthisseries on Learning to Disrupt and Break Rules Productively.

Reflect: Do you have a good pulse on your work environment? Do you and others feel comfortable sharing ideas? Do you and others have the opportunity to problem solve and offer different ideas?  Of the three part model for how to create an innovative environment, which area will you start focusing on today?

Great leaders recognize that ideas can emerge from anywhere and that employee voice is powerful. How well do you create an environment that creates productive disruption for the betterment of the organization?  Based on the 3-part Break It model, and using a 5-point scale, 1 being ineffective and 5 being highly effective, rate yourself:

Personal_Productive_Disruption_Assessment

Who should I follow…

What does an expert have to say about productive disruption?

Review: For our #onethingseries, we interviewed Francesca Gino who is the Tandon Family Professor of Business Administration in the Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit at Harvard Business School and the author of Sidetracked: Why Our Decisions Get Derailed and How We Can Stick to the Plan and Rebel Talent: Why It Pays To Break The Rules At Work And In Life.

Reflect: Throughout the interview, Dr. Gino emphasized the need to rethink and reframe our understanding of “rebels” in the workplace. She shares the 5 key talents that rebels possess and how leaders can encourage rebelliousness by creating an environment that inspires people to push boundaries in a positive and healthy way. Listen to the entire podcast on iTunes, onethingseries, and please rate and like (it helps).

Does your organizational culture and leadership style promote rebel behavior? Why or why not?

That’s our #review&reflect for Productive Disruption. Take a look back to take a step forward.

TheSchoolHouse302 is about getting to simple and maximizing effective research-based strategies that empower individuals to lead better and grow faster.

Please let us know how our leadership posts are working for you, what you are reading to improve yourself, and your thoughts on leadership and growth here on our blog and Twitter. Follow our #onethingseries podcast on iTunes and our #readthisseries on YouTube.

Joe & T.J.

 

#review&reflect: The Power of Communication & Professional Dialogue

#review&reflect: The Power of Communication & Professional Dialogue

by | Sep 23, 2018 | #review&reflect, Communication, Learning to Lead

Communication

This is TheSchoolHouse302 monthly #review&reflect, wrapping up our focus on professional dialogue, taking the fear out of giving feedback.

Skills I need…

Communication is at the heart of everything we do. We are constantly sending messages, both verbally and non-verbally, communicating to others, sharing our thoughts, ideas, expectations, and more.  In our professional circles, if we want individuals to perform at their best and organizations to function optimally, clear communication must govern all aspects of our work. The question is, how well do you communicate as a leader?

Review: This month we focused on common issues leaders face when communicating, particularly on how to provide constructive feedback to an employee who is doing well, but certainly can grow in other areas. We featured an all too common scenario in many organizations. Dan, the manager in our story, struggles with giving Samantha, one of his direct reports, feedback for a variety of reasons. Primarily, despite her personal productivity, her tremendous energy, and charisma, unfortunately, her efforts, at times, are misplaced and detract from the focus of the team. So, to help Dan, we offer our 5Cs of Professional Dialogue, which not only concentrates on the power of communication, but also the critical importance of relationships.

The 5Cs of Professional Dialogue is a model for ongoing professional conversations. It’s meant to demonstrate the need for clear and ongoing communication with an overarching emphasis on providing feedback to people within your organization for growth and development to reach goals.

  • Openly Communicate throughout the organization to create transparency and productive discourse. Does your communication style create dialogue to open up avenues for you to easily approach others and for them to approach you?
  • Always communicate Clearly so that everyone is on the same page. Are your organization’s goals clear enough to use in a conversation regarding performance?
  • Use Candor to reduce confusion, add clarity, and achieve success. Is your feedback specific, candid, two-way, and ongoing?
  • Be in their Corner to help them grow and develop. Does your feedback communicate that you’re in the person’s corner no matter what you’re saying?
  • Demonstrate Care so that everyone is working in an environment of support and growth with high expectations. Do your words and actions demonstrate care for the people in your organization?

5Cs of Communication

Reflect: Each C, whether it focuses on clarity or being in someone’s corner, contributes to effective communication. Communication is complex and individuals possess strengths and weaknesses under this large leadership umbrella. To grow in your ability to communicate effectively, review each of the Cs and determine which one you need to focus on to improve your communication effectiveness. To grow systematically, we encourage you to adopt the same strategy Benjamin Franklin used to live a virtuous life. Franklin identified 13 virtues that he wanted to live by; each week, he focused on only one with the goal of developing that particular virtue. So, for the 5Cs, simply start with one of them and focus on that area throughout the week; then, each week thereafter, identify another one of the Cs and make it your focus. Over time, you will develop your skills to learn to do each effortlessly.

As a leader, are you willing to do what it takes to be a great communicator, to build relationships, to hear what others need to say, and to provide critical feedback to achieve the desired results of your organization?

How do I learn those skills…

What should I read to enhance my ability to communicate effectively and provide specific ongoing feedback to those I lead?

Review: In our #readthisseries we featured the work of authors who clearly articulate the power of effective communication through practical strategies and tools that anyone can adopt:

Conversational intelligence: how great leaders build trust and get extraordinary results by Judith Glaser

Crucial conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high by Patterson, K., Grenny, J. McMillan, R. & Switzler, A.

Fierce leadership: A bold alternative to the worst “best” practice of business today by Susan Scott

You can’t miss our #readthisseries on the Art of Communication and Feedback. Watch it again here.

Reflect: Do you have a clear understanding of how well you communicate? Have you asked someone you can trust to give you candid feedback on your skill level? How well do you create an environment of vulnerability where open communication is demanded? Of the five-part model, which area will you start focusing on today?

Great leaders understand that poor communication cripples organizational effectiveness.They also realize that open communication is a cultural norm that is reinforced and modeled by their actions and behaviors. The question is how well do you communicate?  Based on the 5-part model, and using a 5-point scale, 1 being ineffective and 5 being highly effective, rate yourself:

Assess_Your_Communication

Who should I follow…

What does an expert have to say about effective communication?

Review: For our #onethingseries, we interviewed Judith Glaser, who is the world’s leading authority on Conversational Intelligence®, WE-centric Leadership, and Neuro-Innovation.

Throughout the interview, Judith emphasized how we can move into richer, deeper conversations when we are truly invested in the people we lead. She spoke about how conversations can be powerful when we suspend judgment, when we desire to really hear what the person is saying, and when we adopt a co-creational approach to communication.

Reflect: Judith shared that she realized as a child that her thoughts and ideas were different. As a result, she made sure to develop her thoughts and gain a greater understanding about herself and the ways in which we communicate as humans. As a leader, we can adopt the same approach by allowing ourselves and others to think and share as freely as possible. The goal is to develop an organization where ideas and innovation are the result of clarity and safety.

Does your organizational culture allow for information and ideas to flow freely?

John Maxwell’s (2007) law of the lid describes how an organization can only rise to the level of the leader. Essentially the leader will place a “lid” on the organization and those she leads. Mastering the art of communication immediately establishes a higher lid, or ceiling, for the organization to expand and reach new heights. We must willingly learn to master communication to take ourselves and others to a whole new level of performance.

That’s our #review&reflect for Professional Dialogue. Take a look back to take a step forward.

TheSchoolHouse302 is about getting to simple and maximizing effective research-based strategies that empower individuals to lead better and grow faster.

Please let us know how our leadership posts are working for you, what you are reading to improve yourself, and your thoughts on leadership and growth here on our blog and Twitter. Follow our #onethingseries podcast on iTunes and our #readthisseries on YouTube.

Joe & T.J.

Maxwell, J. C. (2007). The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership: Follow them and people will follow you. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.