Are You A Resourceful Leader?

If you follow my work you are aware of my commitment to supporting managers. You may also be aware of my interest in assessing how leaders function under unprecedented stress (as demonstrated in my book about the COVID-19 pandemic). 

The research I conducted in 2020 pointed to the essentiality of leaders being versatile… And yet, so few leaders are identified as such. 

Seeing as we are fast approaching the three-year anniversary of when the WHO classified COVID-19 as a global pandemic, it seems timely to raise the topic of resourceful leaders.  Whether amidst a pandemic or not, being a well-balanced, fully agile, and level-headed leader will help you in all walks of life. 

Being resourceful speaks to a person’s capability to “read the room” and respond appropriately. Seems pretty intuitive, but it’s actually quite hard. People tend to sway in a specific direction – either too enabling in their management practice, too authoritative, too tactical, or even overly thoughtful. A combination of these traits can be incredibly powerful, but a concentrated version of just one primary attribute can prohibit a manager’s ability to see the necessity for a shift in behavior.

But how do you gather information to assess whether or not you have blind spots? Well, first, recognize that you do! Second, consider taking a personality assessment – I personally like the Predictive Index as it ties personality to management tendencies and layers in the types of personalities you may struggle with managing and why (and how to overcome that). Or, work with a coach (a plug for yours truly) to learn about the behavioral approach to management. Understanding what kind of leader you are takes both self-reflection and peer input. From there, intention setting for the type of leader you want to be will set the foundation for getting you there. 

Understanding both what comes naturally to you and what is painstaking, will promote the idea of well-roundedness. I encourage you to think of yourself through the lens of aiming to be a resourceful leader; what would that look like? 

Management Musts (To Manage Yourself!)

In order to manage others well, it’s no wonder you must know how to manage yourself. 

As managers climb the corporate ladder, feedback can become sparse. This concept of leaders losing their way is an HBS favorite of mine. Why? It shows us that no one, no matter how well-intentioned, is completely insusceptible to losing our way. 

While having a confidant is advised, it is also advised to look inward for the answers. Just as you regularly audit your team’s output, regularly ask yourself questions that provoke introspection. 

• How do I behave under pressure? 

• Am I modeling the behaviors I want my team to exude?

• Do I give team members actionable, timely, and direct feedback?  (Remember, feedback should not be kept for yearly reviews alone. Feedback should be a constant, with team members knowing exactly where they excel and where they can improve.) 

Perhaps in the self-assessment, you realize that you’ve demonstrated characteristics of frustration, stress, and short-tempered during times of being under pressure. What can you do about that? First, realize that during challenging times – whether company-specific or team specific – team members will observe your behavior and replicate it almost immediately. If you find you are quick to blame, or quick to become frenzied, you have the power to better manage these behaviors. The goal here should be to answer your questions honestly, and seek feedback when you simply feel unsure. (Word to the wise: The people who typically think they need the least self-reflection, need it the most! If you think you have it all figured out, give this exercise a try. You might even elicit responses from your team members rather than answer the questions independently.)

An integral part of being an effective manager is not only focusing on the professional development of your workgroup, but it must include self-regulation practices, introspection, and a will to change.

Are We Back to "Normal" Yet?

Photo by Andrew Thornebrooke on Unsplash

No, We Are Not Quite Yet Back to “Normal.” 

It’s been a while since I’ve written an article and posted on my blog. In part because of life responsibilities, in part because of my own conation, and in part because of exciting work commitments. But, it has been too long and thus I will be back on a quarterly basis to share my two cents about how we can observe current events or life circumstances and extract a valuable leadership and/or management lesson. 

Back to the topic at hand. We are *all* excited to get back to “normal.” What normal means differs from person to person, though, and upon reflection, my perception of normal may have evolved over the past two years. I think we can all agree that normalcy includes a decreased need for masking and an increase in social activities. Normal might even mean some time in an office space, on mass transit, less shopping online, and dining out. 

And while we dabble in the removal of social distancing and masking and aim to enjoy our lives again, we are met with an onslaught of disengagement, burnout, disregard (for fellow humans), and dwindling customer service. I know that if I easily know five people who are experiencing or who have experienced these feelings/encounters, I have no doubt that you have a list handy, too. In fact, you might be experiencing feelings of shoddy customer service or utter fatigue and burnout *right now.* What’s my point? Well, the pandemic may be ending, and things may be returning to normal, but there are lasting effects that we must become aware of and work to improve – NOW. 

Notably, the APA is incredibly concerned for the mental health of our youth – so much so that it has defined the deterioration of mental health in children as a crisis. And, as already alluded to adults aren’t all that with it either. From (the many) altercations on airlines to the hissy fits I see almost daily on the street, I fear we have forgotten how to co-exist. Turns out, there’s some truth to this assertion. 

The number one reason for people behaving in rude or uncivil ways is stress. And we all have undoubtedly experienced at least some stress throughout this pandemic. I need not go into the laundry list of just why people may have experienced stress of late, but it is worth reflecting upon how you, as an individual, feel you deal with stress. Are you more reactive? Less compassionate? Impatient? Quick to madden? Is it any wonder that conflict is stirring around us? I think not. 

What’s more, rudeness (a derivative of poor emotional regulation, caused by frequent and compounded stress), can be contagious. Say you get a delivery that was tossed around in the truck that it came to you on, and then it is used as a soccer ball in the street (you imagine). You now need to not only submit a claim with the company from which you purchased the item and hope for a replacement, but you must determine how to return the product in its botched packaging. Then, moments later, you are taking a call with a colleague who made a mistake on a project and you are noticeably short with them, striking an attack on their competency. You have passed on the angst you’ve just endured. According to Porath, people are three times less likely to help someone else if they feel they have been treated poorly. This means that we might go out of our way to be unkind, rather than kind, and that will consequently motivate the next person to pass on the snub. 

In the context of the work environment – whether onsite or at home – our actions definitionally affect others. This means that as a manager or as a colleague, we must be aware that our resiliency against rudeness has waned; we are at risk of infection! There is little chance for constructive feedback or conflict resolution in this state if we let the rude contagion win. The saying “kindness, pass it on” might need to be our new mantra, especially as we aim to get back to “normal.” A profound finding? Perhaps not, but I am taking note that in the days ahead I will put kindness at the forefront of my actions and communication. Try it with me. 

Until next time,

Brielle

First published on LinkedIn

Is There Validity to 360° Reviews?

Photo by Ben Sweet on Unsplash

Research shows that leaders can use feedback from 360° review methods to understand and improve behavioral tendencies. Feedback is, after all, a powerful way to capture the scope of perspective about an individual (which may or may not be favorable). However, the opportunity lies in what people -- or better yet, the organization -- chooses to do with that feedback. 

There is a surprising set of data that shows underlying flaws with how these 360° reviews are being utilized and facilitated. Regrettably, most companies are missing the mark. Corporations that opt to forego regular performance discourse throughout the year, and instead rely solely on the annual review for an overarching picture of one person, can be misleading. The absence of consistent discussion about behavior and performance creates a black box; what will people say about me this year? Over time, employees and managers alike start to begrudge the process and disregard the results. What was meant to be used as an educational tool has instead turned into a villain.

Thus, it is not necessarily the tools corporations use for employee feedback and performance assessments, but rather the foundational expectations that are set. 

If you use a 360° tool, evaluate the internal perception of its worth. Are people afraid of it? Dread it? Think it’s the best thing since sliced bread? Regardless, you must consider the below in order for the process to be effective. 

It is imperative to: 

1) Have a plan in place for post-review feedback in order for said feedback to be acted upon and used. Without a plan (a coach, journal installments, 1:1 meetings, etc.) information is likely to only be received and never acted upon. Without effort, there will be no behavioral change.

2) Have a standard practice in place to ensure a) response confidentiality and b) standards of conduct. At times, feedback may not be authentically provided if staff believe their responses will come back to "haunt them" later on. Further, a review of another person is not the time to hash out personal conflict. All team members must understand this distinction or results will be skewed.

3) Make sure top leadership does not downplay its validity or importance. Without leadership backing the process, it's a waste of time. Not only is it time-consuming and costly, but it's also necessary to have a trained individual assessing the information, helping extract positive feedback (not just negative feedback that could possibly overwhelm and alienate the recipient). 

It’s also essential to be clear about the purpose of the 360-degree review while also coaching the staff on what to expect from the process. It's been found that the best 360 assessments focus on talents and capabilities first, prior to delving into areas that need improving. These are all components that assist in making the review process more beneficial and allow leaders to learn, as well as fine-tune their behaviors and attitudes. 

Unsure of where to begin with how to effectively get and give feedback? It may be time for a cultural climate temperature!