Monthly Archives: February 2015

Leadership, Your Career

When Your Leader Needs Leadership

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Forest Sunrise

There are times when your leader may need a fresh perspective, guidance, or the truth.

They may seek your counsel, or you may decide to engage them if they are . . .

  • Under Fire – managing a crisis under immense pressure to make tough decisions quickly
  • Near the Brim – demanding above and beyond the organization’s capacity without recognizing the level of resources and effort required
  • All Over the Place – creating confusion and inefficiency due to a lack of focus and clear priorities
  • Out of Tune – exhibiting a pattern of behavior, decisions, and/or communications that’s disconnected them from the heart and soul of the people in their organization

When They Seek Your Counsel:

  • Listen carefully and playback for clarity
  • Confirm their intentions and goals
  • Offer options they have not considered – don’t hesitate to ask for time to develop a point of view
  • Recognize there are broader considerations & implications that may determine the path forward

When You Engage Them:

  • Engage face to face to observe their reaction and adjust your strategy (no email!)
  • Consider when you will have their attention and focus – timing is everything!
  • Connect it to what they value (their performance, team results, etc).
  • Organize the facts and collect enough data points to support your position
  • Develop possible solutions and offer to be directly involved (be more than just the messenger!)
  • Keep your delivery concise (with supporting information should you need it)
  • Be realistic about the outcome – and open to how and when your leader chooses to respond

©Bloom in Every Garden 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Your Career

The Power of Grace in the Workplace

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BIEG - Courtyard with Trees

Most organizations are lean, driving reductions in costs with high expectations for productivity.  Teams may be operating with a fraction of the staff they’ve had in past years.  Many times there is not a corresponding reduction in the volume of work and projects.  As a result, employees are performing multiple roles, working long hours, and juggling competing priorities to bridge the gap.

Even the most conscientious, productive, organized person may not respond promptly, miss a deadline, make an error, or express frustration under pressure.  How Can We Help Each Other – Extend Grace!

How Do We Do It?

  • Give the benefit of the doubt – operate from a place that it was not intentional (vs. how could this happen and there’s no excuse)
  • Cover them – don’t expose them – reach out one-on-one to reach a solution vs. broadcasting the issue (using “reply all” to an email or sharing the issue with other colleagues)
  • Act like a partner – not a demanding customer who gives no room for error when working with support teams or suppliers
  • Keep it in perspective – there is always a solution and often it’s not an earth shattering scenario!
  • Don’t respond in-kind if grace is not extended to you – your response can change the tone and outcome of the situation

Taking this approach can build a mutual respect and a loyalty which drives “discretionary” effort – that’s the effort that’s above and beyond what they are obligated to do.  It’s a game changer in today’s environment.

©Bloom in Every Garden 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.