Phillip Van Hooser - Transformational Leadership

In this video post, I debunk the “leadership lie” that says leaders shouldn’t get close to their people. I also clarify the difference between “managing” vs. “leading” people and explain what “getting close to” followers should really mean for leaders.

The Leadership Lie: Leaders, Don’t Get Close to Your People

Phillip Van Hooser
Leadership Expert, Author & Keynote Speaker
phil@vanhooser.com

As I write this, the Thanksgiving holiday is fast approaching.  Soon Thanksgiving will have passed and our focus will shift to the traditional year-end holidays and related festivities.

But before we rush through the holiday, let’s remember that Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time when we stop to take inventory of the many things for which are thankful.  Our grateful spirit should extend past the obvious - roast turkey, pecan pie and football.  Instead, we should seriously consider the opportunities and blessings that we have received and then acknowledge them for what they truly are.

But do we really?  Past experience has taught that we can be “busy” (a good state for most of us) and then we can be “too busy.”  When we get too busy, often we thoughtlessly ignore the more important things (or people) that deserve recognition for what they are and for what they are worth to us.

Case in point. A few years ago I found myself in one of our western U.S. cities preparing to present a full day leadership program.  I arrived early for the session which was being held in that city’s convention center.  So early, in fact, the entire facility seemed to be deserted.

After familiarizing myself with the room in which I would be working, I took the opportunity to make a quick trip to the men’s room.  As I stepped through the restroom door, the smell hit me.  It was immediately noticeable.  But, it was not the type of smell that many of us have come to expect from public restrooms.  No, instead this aroma could be described as being remarkably “fresh and clean.”

I continued in, only to find that the smell was a positive indicator of more good things to come.  The room was spotless!  Now, don’t misunderstand.  It was not adorned with the expensive marble and tile floor and wall coverings that are often found in some of the showplace hotels.  No, this was a public facility.  Its basic construction was of concrete blocks covered with enamel paint.  Nevertheless, the sinks, counter tops, urinals, toilets, floors and walls were so clean it was impossible not to notice.

As I stood admiring this unexpected phenomenon, I sensed someone’s presence.  In a far corner of the room, I noticed a middle aged man with mop in hand.  Now, I am not the smartest guy around, but I quickly surmised that this gentleman might have something to do with this amazing restroom.  I decided to find out.

“Excuse me, but are you responsibility for cleaning this restroom?”

The man slowly raised his head, while continuing to lean forward on the mop handle.  He looked at me suspiciously.

“Yeah, why?” he responded, with an obvious note of defensiveness in his voice.

“I figured you were.  I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate the clean bathroom.”

The man stared at me in silence for a few seconds, obviously trying to determine my level of sincerity.

“For real?” he finally asked.

“For real” I responded.  “I travel several days a week and end up using other people’s restrooms more than my own.  Too often, they are simply disgusting.  I couldn’t help but notice what a great job you’ve done with this one.  I just wanted you to know that I appreciate it.”

By now, convinced of my sincerity, the man responded by saying something that I will not soon forget.  Looking directly into my eyes, he said, “Thanks, I really appreciate that you noticed.”  Then he added, “Nobody has ever told me that before.”

Once again, I was amazed, but this time for a different reason.  My immediate thought was, “Where is this man’s leader?”

Me, a total stranger, recognizing this man for a job well done was one thing.  But, can you imagine the impact that a similar sentiment would have coming from the lips of his leader?

I encourage you as leaders, during this time of the year when the words “thanks” and “giving” are so commonly heard, to not be so busy that you don’t make the time to publicly acknowledge those followers who, in your heart, you know you are thankful for.

Praise and recognition are two gifts that keep on giving.

Phillip Van Hooser
Leadership Expert, Author & Keynote Speaker
phil@vanhooser.com

Let’s get one thing straight. There are some very conscientious leaders out there who are working really hard to get this leadership thing right. But, as we know, it’s not always easy. And unfortunately, this leadership gig doesn’t come with a step-by-step manual.

Following a recent on-site client engagement, one of the program participants followed up with a very interesting question, wrapped around a less than enviable situation. It’s one that could be encountered by any leader at any time. It involved dealing with performance issues. Here is the question I received:

Q: Phil, have you ever had to address performance issues with an employee after they have just experienced a traumatic event, for example, a death in the family? In your program, one of the barriers to communication that you identified was the working environment. And you specifically mentioned timing. Where does compassion for the individual’s circumstances enter into the equation? Should I wait for some better time to address the performance issues?

Sooner or later, leaders are certain to experience situations with no clear cut answer. Unfortunately, not everything a leader must deal with presents itself as being black or white. The situation outlined in this question clearly falls into one of those dreaded gray areas.

First, I am quick to counsel leaders to be sensitive to the personal needs of their employees and followers. To do less can easily, and unnecessarily, create frustration and resentment that is harbored by the employee for months, possibly years, to come. Leaders should make every practical accommodation to help the individual in question work through their personal difficulties in order to quickly return to their expected level of performance.

That being said, we can not always pick the perfect time as it relates to addressing critical issues with our followers. Pressing performance issues can not, and should not, be ignored. To do so creates the possibility of putting the entire organization, its customers, employees and other stakeholders in a compromising position — a risk not of their own making. As a recognized leader of the organization, it is our responsibility to take the necessary steps to deal with unsatisfactory performance whenever and wherever we might find it.

In situations like the one described in this question, my suggestion is to directly approach the individual concerning the performance issue/s in question. Do not approach in an accusatory manner. Instead, be straightforward in identifying the problem at hand and then move the conversation as quickly as possible to the problem solving mode. While searching for problem resolutions, the employee’s current personal difficulties may or may not be factored into the equation. Each situation will have to be considered on its own merit. But there should be no question that the ultimate goal and expectation is to correct the performance issue that is being addressed. Working together to find a mutually acceptable solution should help the individual bear his/her emotional burden.

While to some the answer might seem to be “wait for the right time - a better time.” My answer calls us to remember this — bad news does not get better with time.

Phillip Van Hooser
Leadership Expert, Author & Keynote Speaker
phil@vanhooser.com

I was recently asked my one of my readers, “What advice are you giving to the unemployed or those about to be laid off?”

This is a great, and timely question. My advice to those currently experiencing some measure of professional upheaval in their lives is simple, yet it can be revolutionary. Take this opportunity to step back and reevaluate 1) who you are, 2) where you are, and 3) where you ultimately want to be.

First, who you are. Please don’t get sucked into the emotional abyss that tempts you to define yourself by your current professional woes. The economy, be it good or bad, should not define you. Your employer and the actions that it might be forced to take should not define you. You are the only one that can or should define who you are. Granted this is an unwelcome and somewhat stressful circumstance, but reframe it as an opportunity to take inventory of the unique talents, skills and experiences you possess. Be honest with yourself. What is it that makes you special? Make a list. I’ll bet it’s longer than you expected.

Second, where you are. Sometimes, unwanted and unplanned change can serve as a needed personal and professional jump start. Like it or not, when most of us become comfortable, we tend to relax and stop pushing purposefully toward the future. In other words, we coast. Unexpected change can be a rude awakening, but it also can awaken us to opportunities we would never have seen otherwise. Over the years, I have heard many people say to me that the “shake up at work” or “getting laid off” ended up being the “best thing that ever happened to me.” How can that be? I think the answer resides in my third point.

Third, where you ultimately want to be. Do I believe there is an absolutely perfect job out there for each of us? Call me a dreamer, a hopeless romantic, but, yes I do. In fact, there may be many perfect jobs just waiting for you. Your job is to take that list you made when you reviewing exactly who you are and overlay it with the opportunities that exist around us.

Okay, so what to do today? My advise is that you take the balance of today and feel sorry for yourself. Seriously. Go ahead and get it out of the way. Get a large bag of Cheetos (my vice of choice) and knock yourself out wallowing in your misery. Do it, but do it alone. Don’t drag others into your self-imposed misery. They don’t deserve that and you’re not going to be in this state very long anyway. Then the first thing tomorrow morning begin the process of reshaping the rest of your life, starting with the suggestions I have already offered. Moving purposefully forward trumps staring wistfully backwards every time.

I hope my thoughts on this are helpful.

Phillip Van Hooser
Leadership Expert, Author & Keynote Speaker
phil@vanhooser.com

Principle 5: Get Others Involved (This is the fifth in a six part series on becoming a great communicator.)

When Getting Others Involved…Ask Their Preference

One of the best ways to get others involved is by asking a fairly open-ended question such as, “What would you like to see happen from this point forward?” or “If you had your way what direction would you have us go and why?”

Not everyone will immediately embrace personal involvement. However, some will. And when they do choose to respond to the type of question offered above, it is very easy then to move to the next step. The next step involves extending a personal invitation to become more personally involved in the actions to be taken or decisions to be made.

How many people around you are waiting for this invitation? Probably more than you think. But, you’ll never know for sure unless you ask.

When Getting Others Involved…Be Specific

When offering the chance to get others involved, too often the tendency is to leave the activity open-ended. That’s a bad idea. Few people will reach blindly into a bag unless they have some idea what is in that bag already. Not knowing creates fear, anxiety and hesitancy.

It’s much better to tell people specifically what they are getting into and what is expected of them. As it relates to communication, specificity rules!

When Getting Others Involved…Recognize Success

Once you are successful in getting others more actively involved, there is one more key activity that should not be overlooked. Catch people doing things right and recognize their successes in every way possible.

It takes courage to step out on faith and to take on additional responsibility. Over time, the more involved people become, the more communicative they become. Fewer problems occur when people are talking to one another. So, we should be doing all that is within our power to keep people talking.

Show people what success looks like. Trumpet the successes that you are observing. Don’t wait for huge, “front page news” successes. Be just as quick to acknowledge and highlight the “look, we’ve made a little progress” successes, too.

The personal involvement of others is a skill not easily mastered, but one that can pay significant future dividends.

The last of the six principles next time - Do Your Job.

Phillip Van Hooser
Cultivating Great Leaders to Create Competitive Advantage
phil@vanhooser.com

Principle 2: Explain the Process (This is the second in a six part series on becoming a great communicator.)

“I didn’t actually tell her, but I’m sure she knows what I mean.”  How many times have you heard such a statement? More importantly, how many times have you said or thought the same? Unless the person you’re thinking of is a certified mind reader (I’ve never met one of those), choosing to believe that any person will know what you’re thiking without making the effort to tell them is the equivalent of actually believing you will win the lottery. It could happen — unfortunately, it seldom does.

Understanding how to explain the process begins with understanding your overall communication objectives. Knowing what your objectives are before you begin significantly lessens the chances that you will falter in your communication efforts. Is your objective to:

• convey
• request
• educate
• defend
• question
• or confirm?

When Explaining the Process, Know What Others Sense. Communication is not only a verbal experience, in a very real sense it is also sensory in nature. People pride themselves on their ability to “read” other people. People evaulate their “gut feel” regarding messages they receive from others. People are always on the lookout for “a connection,” “kindred spirits” and their “soul mate.” There are at least six universal things people can “sense” from our words and the manner in which we deliver them.

• People can sense how we feel.
• People can sense if we like them or not.
• People can sense if we’re glad to be there.
• People can sense if we’ve memorized our comments.
• People can sense if we’re lying.
• People can sense if we’re trying to sell them something.
• And people can sense if we’re sincere.

When Explaining the Process, Anticipate Key Questions. Let’s face it, many of us are suspicious by nature. When someone starts explaining the process to us, we start trying to read between the lines. We wonder about a number of things. And until we have acceptable answers to questions that concern us, we will not be able to fully accept the communication effort as being legitimate. However, satisfy us with answers to our most pressing questions and we will value you as being the great communicator you are.

Consider these common questions people have and be ready with an answer to their questions.

• Is this really going to do any good?
• Is it possible that I could be hurt as a result of what happens?
• Should I get involved personally or just watch and wait to see what happens?
• What is the real motivation behind what I am seeing and hearing?
• Will this have a negative effect on my relationship, position, etc?
• Will this cause more problems than it is worth?

We should never assume that others know what we are up to, even those closest to us. We may think that choosing to avoid these “unnecessary” explanations up front will save us time in the process. What we don’t consider is that sooner or later we are sure to end up explaining the process anyway — what we did, how it was done and why we did it. If the process is explained before action is taken, most people are still open to listening and learning. However, if explanations are offered after action has been taken, many people will already be dealing with the frustration brought on by what they see as your insufficient communication approach.

Principle 3 next time — Tell the Truth.

Phillip Van Hooser
Cultivating Great Leaders to Create Competitive Advantage
phil@vanhooser.com

Leader Transformation Tip 9: Respect is earned through consistent behavior. Your people will know what to expect. http://www.vanhooser.com

Phillip Van Hooser
Cultivating Great Leaders to Create Competitive Advantage
phil@vanhooser.com

Leader Transformation Tip 8: Recognize followers’ contributions constantly. Don’t let them feel taken for granted. Http://www.vanhooser.com

Phillip Van Hooser
Cultivating Great Leaders to Create Competitive Advantage
phil@vanhooser.com

Leader Transformation Tip 6: Know your followers’ service anniversary date and call attention to it every year. http://www.vanhooser.com

Phillip Van Hooser
Cultivating Great Leaders to Create Competitive Advantage
phil@vanhooser.com

Leader Transformation Tip 5: Know your followers. Start with knowing their name & how to pronounce it. http://alturl.com/74yf