Skip to main content

Tag: strengths

Tiles on a Scrabble board that are connected together and spell the words Lead, Team, and Succeed

Facilitate Engagement

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Character, Culture, Organization. No Comments on Facilitate Engagement

In my book, Chess Not Checkers, I wrote about the most misunderstood and overlooked facet of creating a High Performance Organization: Win the Heart. Leaders mistakenly believe the “soft stuff” will derail their efforts to achieve the organization’s goals – nothing could be further from the truth!

It is only a fully-engaged workforce that allows an organization to begin to approach its full potential. The path to superior, sustained performance always goes through the heart of every employee (or volunteer, if you are leading a non-profit).

In High Performance Organizations, leaders consistently capture the hearts of team members, leading to greater engagement and deeper fulfillment. In such an environment, outstanding results become much easier to achieve.

One of the best ways to Win the Heart is to encourage people to be themselves. Every person in your organization has unique strengths, talents, interests, capabilities, personalities, and experiences. The more those differences are leveraged, the greater the impact your organization can make.

Unless you can Win the Hearts of your people, there will eventually be a lack of engagement, and in the end you will never reach your potential. We have all witnessed scores of talented groups who never accomplish anything great.

In his book, Crossing the Unknown Sea, corporate poet David Whyte tells of a conversation he had while seeking guidance from a counselor. The counselor made the following statement: “The antidote to exhaustion is not necessarily rest.” Whyte inquired, “What is it then?” The counselor replied,

“The antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness.”

He went on to explain how one grows weary because he or she fails to be fully engaged in life.

As you think about your organization, would you describe your employees as fully engaged, or are they halfheartedly going through the motions? Do you sense there is fatigue coupled with a malaise about the mission? If so, the answer is to Win their Hearts.

In addition to encouraging people to be themselves, great leaders seek to win hearts as they Build Community. They recognize people want to be part of a group that genuinely cares for one another. Secondly, they Share Ownership, understanding people desire real responsibility and an opportunity to contribute. Finally, these leaders Foster Dreams. They know people have aspirations both inside and outside of work and are genuinely interested in helping make those dreams come true.

Never underestimate the power of a group of united hearts. Throughout history, they have won championships, built companies, and even conquered nations. Is it possible greater things could happen in your world? Why not go after the hearts of your people and find out.

 

A businesswoman and businessman discussing something from a stack of papers they hold in front of them. A businesswoman and businessman discussing something from a stack of papers they hold in front of them.

Delegation without Guilt

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Personal Effectiveness, Teams, Vision. No Comments on Delegation without Guilt

A question I believe many leaders have struggled with is: How do I delegate without guilt?

Let’s first look at what delegation is. Is it dumping work on someone you manage? Is it strategically getting work assigned to the best possible person? Is it a convenient way to avoid unpleasant tasks? Is it a way to help people grow? The truth is, it can be any of the above.

Before I go any further, you’ll have to decide what YOU believe about delegation. However, I’m going to assume you are a servant leader – or are striving to become one. Therefore, I would suggest you can minimize or even eliminate any angst you may have about delegating if you clarify your point of view. Here’s how I try to think about delegation.

Delegation helps people grow – if done properly. Delegation should never be a dump-and-run proposition. The outcomes need to be clearly stated, the boundaries established, and milestones identified. Most of what you and I know about leadership, we learned when someone delegated real responsibility and we grew in the process.

Next, if done thoughtfully, delegation can leverage a person’s talents, strengths, and passions. There are clearly things you and I don’t like to do. However, there are men and women who LOVE to do those same activities. I know it seems strange on the surface, but it’s true. So, when I find myself faced with something I really don’t enjoy doing, one of my questions is, “Who would love to do this?” Thankfully, we’re not all the same.

Another reason we should be able to delegate guilt-free is the space it creates for us to do what we’re uniquely qualified, gifted, and compensated to do. Assuming we use our time wisely, appropriate delegation multiplies our time and our effectiveness. We will have more time to do what we are supposed to do.

Finally, assigning work to the most appropriate individual or team is a stewardship issue. Generally, you are paid more than the people you lead. Therefore, if work can be done by someone at a lower hourly wage, that is good stewardship.

I’ll close by saying that effective delegation is a HUGE hurdle for many leaders. More than that, failure to delegate well will derail your career. You must figure out how to delegate before you can move to the highest form of getting work done – when you see your role not as a delegator but a developer. If you’re interested in learning more, I wrote about this transition in a post entitled Is Your Leadership Career Stalled?

For now, clarify what you believe about delegation and do it well. It is an essential stepping stone to becoming a great leader!

Two coworkers, one seated and one standing, looking at a computer monitor together in a large open office area. Two coworkers, one seated and one standing, looking at a computer monitor together in a large open office area.

People Don’t Care

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Culture, Engagement, Organization. No Comments on People Don’t Care

Here’s a specific question I get asked often: How do you create a workplace where people care deeply about their work?

The level of disengagement in the American workforce is staggering. This is not an indictment on the American workforce; it is leadership malpractice. Imagine the lost revenue and untapped potential in an organization, and a nation, where the majority of workers don’t care.

You and I create the context in which people work. We own that, or we should. What can we do to create a place where people care? The actual list of tactics would be endless. However, here are a few strategies that can help.

Establish a compelling purpose. Help people see the why behind the work. This not only motivates a workforce, it can be a powerful incentive for customers to support your business.

Practice servant leadership. If you create a culture in which leaders understand they are servants first, engagement will go up. Are you a serving leader or a self-serving leader?

Set high expectations. I’ve met very few people over the years who want to be mediocre. I believe there’s something in all of us that responds when we’re called upon to deliver our best.

Create meaning in the work. Does the work matter? If not, why is it being done? If the work does matter, help people see the value in their work. Create linkage directly to the customer whenever possible.

Staff to leverage strengths. Do you have the right people in the right roles? Do your people have the chance to do what they do best everyday? People working out of their weakness are much less likely to be fully engaged.

Ensure everyone knows the score. People love to keep score. Does everyone know the score? Do they know the overall score, and do they have their own individual scorecard? Measurement drives engagement, and the absence fuels drudgery.

Prune as needed. Not everyone will be successful in your organization. That’s okay. As Henry Cloud says, “Nothing that is alive will thrive without pruning.” Hard decisions about people who can’t, or won’t, make the journey will pay huge dividends for your leadership and the culture.

Creating a culture in which people care is hard work. Each and every one of the strategies above will require courage and discipline to execute. The dividends are huge. Just imagine a 100% or even a 200% increase in engagement. What would that be worth to your organization?