April found many of us staring at the sky watching the full solar eclipse here in Texas. It was a breathtaking sight and not one we will experience again for quite a long time.
Of course, I always make time for family when possible and this month allowed me some time with Palmer. She is six months old and the apple of my eye.
Stargazing and baby gazing are not the only things we have been up to. Workshops and coaching have taken a lot of our time, but I have recently carved out some time to consult with the iLead team. Our focus this calendar year is on three words: Anticipating, Polishing, and Deepening. In a series of one-on-one conversations, I have been asking how we can do a better job of Anticipating what our colleagues need and want, Polishing our slide decks and our operations, and Deepening our experience by asking how each member will deepen their knowledge as a facilitator and as a coach this year. In short, we have been reviewing why, and how, we do what we do with an eye toward Challenging the Process. It has been a great experience so far.
Following the theme of Challenge the Process, this month’s newsletter explores some great items:
• A new way of using a familiar tool, the About You worksheet.
• Three quick tips on employee retention
• What we are reading in the event you are looking for a great summertime read.
As always, we continue to be committed to developing better teams by growing leaders at every level of your organization. Please let us know how we can help.
Tom
Establishing Effective Relationships
If you’ve been in leadership for a while, you’ve probably come across the “About You” survey – a tool supervisors use to learn about their team members. They often send it to new hires, hoping to quickly gather information on preferences such as favorite color, hobby, and preferred recognition methods. The intention behind this survey is commendable – a desire to efficiently learn about one’s team.
However, efficiency doesn’t always align with effective leadership. As stated in The Leadership Challenge, “Leadership is about relationships.” Building trust demands time, care, and observation. Being effective with people takes precedence over mere efficiency. In fact, “The concern you show for others is one of the clearest and most unambiguous signals of your trustworthiness.” (The Leadership Challenge® 7th Edition, pg. 201)
A memorable leader I served under prioritized personal connections through keen observation. For instance, he would notice someone enjoying a Dr. Pepper and inquire about their favorite drink. Remarkably, the next encounter would find him with that favorite drink in hand. He took the time to learn about individuals, knowing their children’s names, understanding their lives, and showing genuine interest in their hobbies.
When I transitioned into a leadership role, I asked him how he managed to keep track of so much information about everyone in the organization. He revealed his secret – a notebook filled not with project notes, as I had assumed, but with details about people’s hobbies, spouses’ names, favorite candy bars, and more. He had taken the “About You” survey and used the questions as conversation starters. He had taken time to develop relationships instead of just gathering information.
Effective leaders recognize that their most valuable asset is their team, and that genuine care fosters followership. I appreciated the personalized approach he took, opting for conversations and notes rather than a generic survey. Feeling cared for, I was motivated to follow him without hesitation.
So, consider using the “About You” survey as a guide for conversation instead of a mere information collection tool. Use it not only to gather data but also as a starting place to better understand people – their dreams, goals, and even their favorite soft drink.
How about you? Do you have a tool that might help new leaders engage with their people? Feel free to share it in the comments below.
Quick Tip – Employee Retention
In a recent classroom challenge to brainstorm 10 ideas for employee retention through online research, I encountered a few concepts that challenged my conventional thinking.
Here are three actionable ideas you can implement today to better enable, empower, and retain your employees:
- Hold Stay Meetings: Instead of conducting traditional exit interviews, consider holding stay interviews. Engage employees in conversations about why they choose to remain with the organization, their aspirations, and how the organization can support them in achieving their personal and professional goals. For more insights, you can explore the full article on monster.com: Stay Interviews.
- Seek Coaching from a Junior Team Member: Offer resources for coaching to a junior team member and request them to coach you regularly over six months. This arrangement allows them to develop their coaching and communication skills while providing you with fresh insights from a different perspective. You can facilitate these sessions by providing a meal, fostering a mutually beneficial exchange.
- Offer Extra Experience Opportunities: Invite one of your promising team members to collaborate with you on a community project. This could involve volunteering at a local food bank or serving the homeless at a shelter. Such experiences provide your team member with diverse skills and perspectives, while also giving you the chance to observe their abilities in a different context.
Ideas on employee engagement and fulfillment abound on the internet. As you work towards enabling others to act, these ideas are only one internet search away.
Spring Reading 2024
Kim Gibbons – Questions About Me
Random Question – #2014 – Do you excel in what you do currently? Or on a lighter note, #2011 – Do you own inflatable furniture?? (Does a pool float count??? Come on summer!!! )
Tawnya Mitchell – The Abundance Decision by Malorie Nicole.
This book focuses on steps we can take to thrive in business AND live a deeply fulfilling life. It includes inner work on alignment vs. misalignment of values and vision.
For pleasure, I am about ¾ of the way through an excellent historical piece called – The Curious Life of Elizabeth Blackwell by Pamela Holmes. It tells the story of a rare woman in 18th-century England who pulled herself out of terrible conditions by daring to educate herself and learn a then-male-only skill. This, and the relationships she was brave enough to pursue, allowed her to illustrate, write, and sell a book that became a textbook on herbal medicine for doctors for almost a century. Based on a true story.
Dennis McDonald – QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life by John Miller
This book explores how the lack of personal accountability has undermined goal achievement, marketplace competition, vision fulfillment, and even team development. Then it focuses on how I can make a difference, contribute, and improve the situation.
Currently, for pleasure, I am reading Lessons in Chemistry. This book is about a woman who, in the scientific world of the 1960s, lacks respect from an all-male team at a research institute. I am reading it after I watched the series on Apple TV!
Michael Curtis – Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
Possibly the most depressing and impactful book I have ever read (I know, way to sell it, Michael). Dr. Gawande, a practicing surgeon, explores how advances in modern medicine have overcome many of the dangers we face as humans, and how it has negatively impacted the issue common to all mankind, aging and dying. Through amazing stories about his patients and his family, he explores how our ultimate goal should not be a good death, but a good life, until its end. It is particularly relevant to Patty and me during this chapter of our lives as we care for aging parents and desire that they age, and live, well.
Tom Pearce – Hidden Potential by Adam Grant
An insightful exploration about how far you go in life may not be about how hard you work, but how well you learn. It is not about how smart you are, but how well you have developed your character.
For Pleasure, I am currently enjoying The Little Liar by Mitch Albom.
Kevin Johnson – The Leadership Challenge 7th Edition by Koozes and Posner
As a participant in Advanced Facilitator Training, I am reading the 7th Edition as part of the coursework. With three kids involved in sports and drama, I do not have time for much else.