Recently, a business associate asked me what universals exist for leading diverse personalities. My colleague mentioned how so many professional training programs incorporate "personality profiles" into the mix for professional skills. We have also read in business literature for more than a decade now about talent retention and management, human capital, social networking, social intelligence, and emotional intelligence. These terms refer to making and maintaining personal connections to ensure the health of our leaders, employees, and organizations.
Psychologists define "personality traits" as those preferred or typical behavior and thinking patterns an individual is most likely to demonstrate. Options for profiles include Myers-Briggs, DiSC, Interact, Strengthfinder, Gregorc's Type Delineator, SELF--among others. Without referring to a profile, however, can we identify some safe, simple, and effective guidelines for interacting with the diversity of people in the workplace?
In answer to this question, consider four competencies integral to creating personal connections: communication, negotiation, management, and teamwork. Leaders and coworkers can increase their human awareness, regardless of specific personality traits and profiles. But, beware: connecting with one another means risking vulerability, so only the courageous need continue reading.
Let's briefly consider communication first. Our communication skills and strategies are foundational to our success. We all want others to talk with us, to be direct with us, and to value our input. Three behaviors we appreciate from our leaders and coworkers are (1) listening without interrupting, (2) asking permission regarding our time and space, and (3) expressing empathy for our emotional and physical well-being.
Second, negotiation skills create a respectful work atmosphere. These skills are extensions of basic communication skills. We all appreciate it when leaders and coworkers are committed to finding commonalities and similarities, honoring fairness through consistent and dignified treatment, and giving forgiveness in the face of unintentional frailty (weakness), flaw (deficiency), or fault (error).
Third, management skills provide a necessary framework in which leaders and coworkers can offer encouragement, accept responsibility, and nurture accountability. When leaders and coworkers are convinced of one another's competence, even when our personal confidence waivers, we can rise to the task at hand. Performance and productivity improve when we have the support and resources from others around us.
Finally, teamwork evolves through sharing credit, showing recognition, and developing trust. Team leaders and team members bond over time and through stressful conditions by carrying the load, jumping the hurdles, and earning the trophies together. If not with all, then always for all of the team!
We hunger for personal connection within the automated and technical workplace. Being treated as a valued and valuable person within the organization, or doing business with the organization, encourages each of us to be a loyal employee, customer, or partner. Begin today to connect with the people around you where you work. It is worth the time and effort!
Showing posts with label management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label management. Show all posts
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Change: New, Now, and Next
Change is blowing through the economic fabric of our country as we air dirty laundry in the credit and banking industries. External change billows and engulfs us like exploding airbags through the steering wheel. I remember a former student who walked into class with half of her face and neck bloodied and bruised in an auto accident in which her tires hit the curb at 25 miles per hour. She could have starred in a horror film and the make-up artists would have been nominated for an Academy Award. Change can smack us in the face and shock us into examining our own contributing behavior that can lead to internal change for individuals and organizations. As we each deal with what we could have done and steel ourselves for the future, we can pause to consider the characteristics of change--and our grief over losing the way of the past--to anticipate what's new, what's now, and what's next.
In studying the ultimate life change, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross wrote On Death and Dying decades ago. In it, she describes the stages of grief: (1) shock and denial, (2) anger, (3) depression and detachment, (4) dialogue and bargaining, and (5) acceptance of the inevitable. Since then, researchers have superimposed this list of stages into other life-changing events besides death and dying. Loss of job and divorce are two such events. Many people are experiencing these situations now. Usually these are changes people did not ask for and they feel pretty battered, blindsided, and betrayed. Getting on with one's life and healing can take a while, a long while.
Some changes may be more welcome, however. What about making a change to lift ourselves out of a rut, or making a change to avoid ditching our entire operation? In Donald L. Kirkpatrick's How to Manage Change Effectively, he identifies the steps for establishing change: (1) Assess the need or desire for change; (2) Make a tentative plan; (3) Consider alternatives and likely consequences; (4) Decide on a plan of action; (5) Set a timetable; (6) Communicate the change; (7) Implement and evaluate the change. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recommends this change model. In most circumstances, I would suggest that leaders begin communicating the change and their commitment to it before gossip and rumors fly.
Trust in leaders is damaged severely when employees hear about change on the nightly news, through a social Internet site, or in the local newspaper. This is the same in families, too. The parents should communicate buying and living changes to the children who are old enough to ask for items during a shopping trip. Changes make the rules shift, so making sure everyone understands--even if they do not agree--is essential for successfully surviving the change together. To know how difficult it is to achieve change individually, just think about the New Year's resolutions that met with disappointment and excuse last month.
I remember a useful bit of advice regarding positive change. In July 2004, I read an article by Rhonda Abrams entitled "Successful Business Strategies" in The Costco Connection. She says to contemplate the situation first,then reframe it into a positive outcome, and plan realistic action steps. Then commit by expecting and visualizing a successful result. Next, follow through with the plan, and recommit when needed and as many times as needed. Finally, habituate the change by integrating new behaviors. These seven steps reflect my experience when I choose to embrace successful change.
When a external change hits you in the face, I invite you to reflect on how these steps can help you survive a successful internal change in your life, lifestyle, family, or career. Bottom line: change will happen, so determine what you will learn from living through it. Take a deep breath and begin blowing--and moving forward through now, to what's new and what's next.
In studying the ultimate life change, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross wrote On Death and Dying decades ago. In it, she describes the stages of grief: (1) shock and denial, (2) anger, (3) depression and detachment, (4) dialogue and bargaining, and (5) acceptance of the inevitable. Since then, researchers have superimposed this list of stages into other life-changing events besides death and dying. Loss of job and divorce are two such events. Many people are experiencing these situations now. Usually these are changes people did not ask for and they feel pretty battered, blindsided, and betrayed. Getting on with one's life and healing can take a while, a long while.
Some changes may be more welcome, however. What about making a change to lift ourselves out of a rut, or making a change to avoid ditching our entire operation? In Donald L. Kirkpatrick's How to Manage Change Effectively, he identifies the steps for establishing change: (1) Assess the need or desire for change; (2) Make a tentative plan; (3) Consider alternatives and likely consequences; (4) Decide on a plan of action; (5) Set a timetable; (6) Communicate the change; (7) Implement and evaluate the change. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recommends this change model. In most circumstances, I would suggest that leaders begin communicating the change and their commitment to it before gossip and rumors fly.
Trust in leaders is damaged severely when employees hear about change on the nightly news, through a social Internet site, or in the local newspaper. This is the same in families, too. The parents should communicate buying and living changes to the children who are old enough to ask for items during a shopping trip. Changes make the rules shift, so making sure everyone understands--even if they do not agree--is essential for successfully surviving the change together. To know how difficult it is to achieve change individually, just think about the New Year's resolutions that met with disappointment and excuse last month.
I remember a useful bit of advice regarding positive change. In July 2004, I read an article by Rhonda Abrams entitled "Successful Business Strategies" in The Costco Connection. She says to contemplate the situation first,then reframe it into a positive outcome, and plan realistic action steps. Then commit by expecting and visualizing a successful result. Next, follow through with the plan, and recommit when needed and as many times as needed. Finally, habituate the change by integrating new behaviors. These seven steps reflect my experience when I choose to embrace successful change.
When a external change hits you in the face, I invite you to reflect on how these steps can help you survive a successful internal change in your life, lifestyle, family, or career. Bottom line: change will happen, so determine what you will learn from living through it. Take a deep breath and begin blowing--and moving forward through now, to what's new and what's next.
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