To Mentor or Not to Mentor, That is the Question

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Denis G. McLaughlin

Mentoring

Albert Einstein once said, “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.” If one agrees with Einstein, then there is no question IF mentoring is important, it’s only IF YOU should be a mentor. 

So if you want to be a  mentor, here is how you do it…

What is a Mentor?

The definition of a mentor is “a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.”

The word mentor actually originates as a character in the Greek classic The Odyssey. Mentor was a close companion of the king and was entrusted to keep the king’s son safe until he returned.

Since we now use the name Mentor to describe “a wise and trusted counselor or teacher” you might assume that Mentor did a tremendous job in protecting and guiding the young son.  However, in the classic we find that Mentor’s efforts on his own were of no use in protecting or counseling or teaching the son.

It was not until Mentor obtained wisdom from the gods that he was able to give sage advice and encouragement to the son.

A mentor is simply one who passes on the wisdom they have obtained during their life.

Why Should You Mentor?

The universe is built on self-sustaining cycles. Each cycle must give to the next to receive back in return.

There is a cycle to energy. It can’t be created or destroyed; it simply changes forms. Potential energy can be converted to kinetic energy, which can be converted to thermal energy, and then return to potential energy. The original energy remains.

There is a cycle to water. The limited amount of water that exists, continuously cycles through its various forms: evaporation from the earth, condensation in the clouds, and precipitation back to the earth. Water is never created or destroyed.

There is also a cycle to wisdom. In the book of Ecclesiastes we read, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Like energy and water, wisdom is not created nor is it destroyed, it is simply cycled.

You must give that which you have received to open the pathway to receive even more.

Who Can Be a Mentor?

This story helps answer that question:

“Once, a man was so busy building his house that he didn’t have any time to plant trees. When he finished the house, he became occupied with his job and couldn’t take time away to plant trees. He met a woman at work; they married and had a daughter. His life became so busy with his family that he didn’t have time to plant any trees.

One summer day he was outside playing in his backyard with his daughter; the bright sun was making them both very hot.

‘Daddy,’ she said, looking up with her hand on her forehead to shade her eyes. ‘Why don’t we have any trees in our yard?’

He thought about what his daughter asked and replied, ‘I guess I was always too busy to plant any trees. I’m sorry I didn’t plant any when I built the house. It’s too late now. Even the fastest-growing trees would take at least five years to reach a height that would give us shade.’

To which his daughter replied, ‘Daddy, in five years I will only be eleven years old. I’ll still want to play in the backyard with you then, and I’ll still want shade from the trees then. So you’re right, the best time to plant trees would have been when you built the house; but the second best time to plant those trees is right now.’”

In this story, the mentor is the five-year old daughter who teaches her father that it’s never too late to make the right choice.

Anyone can be a mentor if they are willing to pass on what they have learned.

When Should You Mentor?

I once had the opportunity to take batting practice in Boston’s Fenway Park and to talk with Hall of Fame Red Sox great Jim Rice.

Jim talked about how he was mentored as a ball player throughout his life.

  • He honed his athletic ability in his neighborhood growing up with older kids where he learned how to work hard to be better every day.
  • Rice learned the art of catching a fly ball off the Green Monster from Carl Yastrzemski when he was just a rookie.
  • Ted Williams showed him how to hit out of a slump before he was ever in a slump.

Rice then demonstrated how to swing the bat to get a hit every time. Wow, batting lessons from a hall-of-famer – it doesn’t get better than that. Well, they only way it could have been better is if I had those batting lessons before I got up to take batting practice.

Teaching others what you know is best done before they need to use your knowledge.

Back to the original question: “To mentor or not to mentor?” The answer is “YES you should!”

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———————–
Denis McLaughlin
Denis McLaughlin is President of Leadership GPS, Inc.
He is a Leadership Development Expert, Coach, Teacher, Speaker and Writer
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Leadership Perspective: To Ride the Wave, or Lead the Wave

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Alexsys Thompson

Chameleon Leadership

Let’s venture into a world where plans constantly change. In this place, nothing goes the way it should. Every potential obstacle becomes a reality, and almost every decision must be made in the moment.

Okay, so, maybe this world isn’t so different from the one you’re in now; however, your reaction to this chaos might be.

A New Attitude

Amidst the constant mania of this world, and in the face of every plan change or obstacle, instead of becoming upset or overwhelmed, you respond with a nonchalant attitude that exudes this mindset:

“We’ll figure it out. No big deal…”

If that reaction confuses or even mystifies you, you probably don’t have the strength theme of Adaptability in your top 5, or even top 10. However, if this makes perfect sense to you and mirrors your attitude in everyday life, you probably have Adaptability in your wheelhouse.

 Just Like the Infamous Chameleon

Being adaptable as you are, you see no issue with plan changes. You respond well to the stresses of the moment despite any interruption they may have caused. Not only do you handle unforeseen modifications adeptly, you consider them inevitable and in some cases embrace them.

Like the chameleon, you can change your colors as you wish without a second thought.

Others should not mistake your Adaptability for carelessness or a lack of planning, you most likely did plan; however, unlike someone strong in Intellection or Deliberative who does not also possess Adaptability may find difficulty going with the flow the way you do.

 Leading Without Blending In

There are obvious perks to being adaptable, and as a leader it’s important to understand how to use this strength in a sophisticated manner.

Obviously, an important mark of a leader is maintaining composure in the face of adversity you do this extremely well!

However, it’s also important that you have a clear and concise opinion, draw a line in the sand, and remain goal oriented. Since you have an inclination to go where the wind takes you, it wouldn’t be hard for team members high in Command or Belief to consider you weak or perceive that you never plan for anything.

It’s critical for people with strong presence themes like these that you aren’t too easily swayed because you can’t blend into the carpet or they will run you over.Team members with Consistency as a theme will also look to you to be fair and consistent across processes and with team members. You can leverage team members with these strengths for feedback, especially when it comes to bumps in the road for projects.

Adaptability can be one of the best attributes a leader possesses when used with sophistication because you act as a bridge among team members. Use this to your advantage and leverage your teams strengths, which can help you recognize when blending in is appropriate, and when it’s dangerous.

Adapting to Leadership

Adaptability as an employee could be exactly what got you to your leadership role, which should come as no surprise. You were willing to tackle any project, and were able to keep your head on straight when the storms came through.

As a leader, know that it’s okay to go against the grain sometimes- the flow doesn’t always get you were you need to go.

Learning to adapt to leadership may be your biggest challenge yet, but one you will surely succeed at!

As a leader with Adaptability, how do you maintain self-awareness concerning just how flexible you are? Have you ever been led by someone strong in Adaptability? What were the pros and cons? I would love to hear your thoughts!

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Alexsys "Lexy" Thompson HCS, SWP
Alexsys “Lexy” Thompson is Managing Partner at Fokal Fusion
She helps building Strong Leaders through Strong People Strategy
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Leaders: How to Dig Deep and Treasure Your Trials

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Lee Ellis

Treasure Your Trials

As a leader, are you going (or have you been) through tough times? If so, it may be time to reflect on some who have been down that road before you.

For the POWs in the Vietnam War, facing serious trials became a way of life.

Ask a Prisoner of War

In that bleak existence locked up and isolated in a communist prison camp for five, six, seven and even eight years, every day had its challenges.  The POWs had to depend on their enemy for the meager food that kept them alive. The same sinister enemy used isolation, beatings, and torture in their attempts to exploit them and make them into propaganda pawns for the communist party.

The diet was pitiful and medical care was virtually non-existent.

Yet the POWs emerged stronger, becoming successful military leaders, congressmen, teachers, lawyers, doctors, counselors, businessmen, and even a Senator and Presidential candidate.  They learned to treasure the trials of their hardship.

“Not many will have to contend with the tribulations of POW life, but everyone faces hardships and disappointments.”

Ask Anybody

For some it’s a work or career crisis. Layoffs and home foreclosures of recent years have cut deep, leaving many in a severe financial crisis that may worsen, with some experts saying that home prices will go down further before we see a slow recovery. For others it’s a health crisis or perhaps a struggling teen, or a relationship that has gone sour from betrayal.

At some point, we all face the pain of trials.

When you’re in dark times or caught up in the chaos of a battle, it isn’t easy to see the treasure in your trials.  Here are some tips to help you refocus toward not only your goals but the true gold found in trials.

Go Deep—Find Meaning and Make Changes

Adversity builds character by forcing us to face our deepest beliefs and values.  In the crucibles of life, when all the pretend stuff melts away it’s much easier to clarify what is really important and what is not. We have the opportunity to find meaning in our suffering and meaning is a treasure worth finding.

The transformation that we most need isn’t very inviting in good times, but in difficult times our pain can give us the energy and motivation to change our attitudes and behaviors.   As Victor Frankl put it, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”  The painful struggles that we would never choose often afford the greatest opportunity for personal growth, and personal growth is the only path to genuine leadership development.

Go Long—Gain Wisdom and Experience

Leadership research confirms that the experience of overcoming difficulties is not only transformational; making us stronger, but it also makes us wiser and better suited for the challenges of leadership.  Wisdom gained through the experience of hard times helps us better navigate future minefields.

Persevering through tough times also increases our confidence, preparing us for future challenges that will surely come.  On the other hand, leaders devoid of crucible experiences are likely to be overly confident about their ideas, and surprisingly more susceptible to fears.

Courageously facing our fears in the difficult times gives us both humility and real confidence.

The wisdom garnered in hard times about ourselves and life becomes the wisdom that guides us into a better future.  Additionally, the difficult trials generate strong emotional memories that stay with us longer and are more easily accessed—gold that we don’t have to search so hard to find.

Don’t Go It Alone 

When you are in a battle, you don’t want to be alone—you need supporters in your corner—people who care about you and have your back.  They can provide encouragement when your spirit is down and your hope is sagging.

Encouragement can provide vital energy for bouncing back and continuing to persevere.

Sometimes a shared idea or a new perspective on a problem can make all the difference.  Just knowing someone is near—that you are not standing alone—can provide the needed inspiration, courage, and energy to persevere, even when everything in you is saying it’s too tough to keep going.

Every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine knows it’s not good to fight alone. The same is true for all of us.

We must stay connected to be resilient and bounce back from trials. The lingering treasure is that when you have gone through the fire with someone, usually a bond is formed that brings a special relationship for a lifetime.

More than likely, you have already passed through some tough times in your life.  It may be helpful to look back and see the treasure that you gained from those past challenges.  What was the meaning you gained through those trials?  What did you learn about yourself that may be helpful now?  What changes did you make then?  Who walked with you?

You have a choice. You can let your trials bury you or you can dig for the treasure in them.  If you want to discover the gold in your current pit, then answer these questions:

  • How can you find meaning in your current trial? 
  • What are you learning about yourself? 
  • What changes do you need to make now—in your attitude, mindset or behaviors?
  • What wisdom points are you learning in your current situation that will help you in the future? 
  • Who is walking with you through this fire to provide support?  

If you follow these tips, someday, looking back, you will see enormous value in your trials. We’d love to hear your thoughts–please share them in this forum.

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Lee Ellis
——————–
Lee Ellis is Founder & President of Leadership Freedom LLC & FreedomStar Media.
He is a leadership consultant and expert in teambuilding, executive development & assessments
Email | LinkedIn | Web | Blog | Book | Facebook | Twitter

His latest book is called Leading with Honor: Leadership Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton.

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35 Fun and Affordable Team Appreciation Ideas

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Sean Glaze

Team Appreciation

As an effective leader, you are likely always looking for fun and affordable ideas to show appreciation to your team.  Everyone enjoys recognition, and one of the most impactful ways to motivate your team is to reward behaviors that you want repeated.

As a basketball coach, our program had a “hard hat” award that was given each week to the player that had the most charges and deflections.  And just like in sports, whatever industry you work in, there will be important statistics that you can choose to measure and celebrate.

And no matter what field you work in, it is important to remember this quote by VCU Basketball Coach Shaka Smart:

“Appreciation is the currency of success.”

35 Fun and Affordable Team Appreciation Ideas

The following list of 35 ideas will hopefully inspire you to begin celebrating small victories along the way, instead of waiting until the end of your project or season.

Every team performs better when they feel appreciated for their efforts.

Consider adopting some of these fun ideas to show appreciation to people on your team:

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1. Publish a “praise” column in your newsletter. Ask employees to submit suggestions for the honor to recognize their peers.

2. Bring in soft drinks and juices to stock the staff refrigerator for the week.

3. Use a dry erase marker to write a message to your employees on the window at the entrance of the building or office.

4. Purchase and inscribe a favorite book as a gift.

5. Create a “traveling trophy” that could represent excellence in your organization and be given to a team member to display it for a week

6. Begin meetings by recognizing accomplishments and highlighting employee successes.

7. Give a personalized coffee cup mug filled with candy.

L2L Reader Survey 2013 Ad

8. Start a peer-nominated employee of the month award, and print a certificate to honor the teammate who is voted for and why they were selected

9. Publicize the praise. If you hear a positive remark about a person, repeat it to that person as soon as possible—perhaps via email, and copy managers as an especially powerful way to help employees feel appreciated.

10. Send a hand-written thank you note to the team member’s family, such as: “Please accept our sincere thanks for the support you have given to _________ as she (or he) has dedicated so much effort to our company. We are fortunate to have her (him) on the team and want you to know that she (he) is a great asset to our family as well…”

11. Photoshop a million-dollar bill with the employee’s face on it, and post it around the office with a note saying, “Thanks a Million.”

12. Post a birthdays and anniversaries Celebration Calendar in your office. Celebrate employees’ birthdays and employment anniversaries.

13. Give “honored” employees an extra-long lunch break.

14.  Complete a simple daily task for the employee – whether by surprise or as his/her choice, they will appreciate you “lightening their load.”

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15.  Give the person a membership or subscription that relates to their work

16. Post a large “celebration calendar” in your work area. Tack on notes of recognition to specific dates.

17. Surprise the team with doughnuts or a breakfast buffet as they near completion of an important or difficult project.

18. Fill their office or workspace with brightly colored balloons and a card.

19.  Give a framed poem as a thank you.

20.  Send a gift card to the employee’s home, signed by a manager.

21.  Bring a baked gift basket (cookies, etc.) for an afternoon team surprise.

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22.   Allow the team to flex their schedule or work adjusted hours if possible, to allow for more family time or errands.

23.  Award the teammate a coveted parking spot, set aside for the “most driven” employee of the month.

24. Give them a chance to connect with new people or learn new skills by sending high performing people to conferences or other networking events.

25. Loosen up the dress code for a day (teachers love jeans!)

26. As a manager or supervisor, have fun putting on an apron and serving THEM coffee one morning – taking orders as a “servant” leader.

27. Ask for their input and involve them in meetings that may impact them in the future to show you trust their perspectives and ideas.

28. Let them eat cake – for birthdays, or new hires, or met quotas, etc.

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29. Get other employees to share a “what I appreciate about _______” sentence, and then frame and sign it as a gift.

30.  Call a meeting and have everyone give a 30 second standing ovation to the person whose efforts or accomplishments you want to recognize.

31.  Contribute to THEIR cause, and make a donation or participate in a worthwhile charity that they care about.

32. Send flowers to them at their desk, compliments of the company.

33. Put together a scrapbook that clients can see as an “album of all-stars,” and publish one new page for each all-star employee behavior, including a picture and description of the achievement.

34. Play their favorite music at the office during lunch (or an entire day!)

35. Send a very formal summons to meet with a manager – then surprise them with your praise for their efforts and a picture to be included in a company-wide email.

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Doing it Right

While planning which of these 35 team appreciation ideas to use, keep in mind that if you think you provide enough recognition, remember that you can always do more.

It is nearly impossible to say “thank you” enough or be specific enough about what the employee did to earn your recognition. Great leaders outlaw saying “good job,” and are always specific with their praise – so teammates both feel appreciated and are motivated to repeat that particular behavior again.

If you are looking for an even more fun and impactful event to thank your large office staff or to help prepare them for a challenging upcoming project, consider the impact that a day of laughter and lessons from a team building speaker could provide.

Team development is an ongoing process, and the toasts and rewards you choose to share will have a tremendous influence on your organization’s morale and motivation.

What other creative ideas would you suggest for team appreciation? I would love to hear your ideas!

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Sean Glaze
Sean Glaze of Great Results Teambuilding
He Delivers Engaging Events that Transform Laughter into Lessons
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Leaders: Treat Them Like Adults and Watch What Happens

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Anil Saxena

Babies at Work

What is it about management that turns some good managers into nannies? Sometimes the role of a manager or team leader has morphed into something resembling a hall monitor.

The problem is this: The more the restriction, the greater the tendency to rebel.

A Chemical Reaction

Just like in history, any dictator is often undermined by a coordinated resistance. Therefore, tightly controlling your employees and putting restrictions on them may very well lead to employees that are looking to get around the system. Why?

Oftentimes human nature follows the laws of physics,

“To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction” – Sir Isaac Newton

Are there employees that will try to take advantage of the system were other people comply? Of course there will be. There are some people who simply want to get away with doing the least amount of work possible.

But this is not the norm, unless that’s the type of environment created. Yes, that type of distrustful environment doesn’t just happen, it’s created.

Rules Glorious Rules

Recently, I worked with a team that was challenged with its performance. The manager was certain that her employees needed to be to highly controlled because they could not be trusted. She told me about an employee that she monitored the start and end times of his day very closely.

“Why do you do that?” I asked.

She said, “Because he sometimes comes in late and leaves early. So now, I have demanded that he comes in no later than nine and leaves no earlier than five.“

“Has that made him or the team more effective?” I asked.

“I’m not sure,” she responded.

After interviewing the employee, I learned that he would often stay very late and sometimes come in very early to get projects done. He thought that it was really important to make sure that he met deadlines and milestones to make sure that projects were completed on time.

However, every time he left early his manager would question why he was not working a “full-day.”

No matter how many times he showed her that he had come in early or worked over the weekend or worked very late the day before, she would tell him that leaving early wasn’t fair to everyone else who was working on “full day” schedule.

She kept demanding that he was at his desk at nine and stay at least until five o’clock. He finally stopped coming in early or staying late, concluding, “If she wants me to work eight hours every day that I will, no more and no less.“

Creating an Environment of Trust

Like any healthy relationship, leaders and teams have to work in an environment where trust is high. This only happens if the relationship is an adult one.  Adults look for a few key elements in relationships:

Consistency

This is not about treating everyone exactly the same. Instead, consistency is about reacting to situations in a similar way regardless of who’s involved. It is important to adults that they don’t have to guess how the person they’re talking to is going to react.

Without consistency people tend to act in a way that is the least likely to “get them in trouble”, which often has people be guarded and defensive. There is little trust without consistency.

“Trust is built with consistency.” ~ Lincoln Chafee

Transparency

Nothing is worse than feeling like you don’t know what is going on in your workplace.  When employees are surprised about issues, problems or concerns there is little room for trust. It is imperative to make sure that employees know as much as possible.

“The principles of radical transparency improve business performance in terms of focus, engagement, and growing and recruiting talent.” ~ Ryan Smith and Golnaz Tabibnia

Autonomy

Giving an employee the latitude, authority and responsibility to complete the responsibilities of a job is not only a great way to treat an adult, it is good for business.

“Autonomous motivation has proven to generate higher productivity, less burnout, and greater levels of psychological well-being.” ~ Chad Renado

Everyone is Accountable

There is a caveat though with this approach.  There has to be accountability from top to bottom.  The team members, managers and leaders all have to be held accountable for their actions, successes and failures.  It has to be known and acceptable to

  • Reward well when goals are met and teams are successful.
  • Give nothing or take action when they are not.

It is not about firing people, but making sure that each person makes their very best effort to reach and exceed personal, team and organizational goals.

“Greater accountability eliminates the time and energy spent in unproductive behavior that produces wasted effort and confusing distractions.  Everyone is clear about what they are responsible to accomplish and take action to make that happen.” ~ The Oz Principle

Treating employees like adults frees them up to do great things and create results not thought possible.

“Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results. ~ George S. Patton

Are you surprised by your team’s awesome results and accomplishments?  What kind of environment are you creating?

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Anil Saxena
Anil Saxena is a Senior Consultant and Business Partner with Coffman Organization
He helps organizations create environments that generate repeatable superior results
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On Leaders and Accountability (Part 4): How Mentoring and Coaching Builds Trust

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Lee Ellis

Trust

In part 3 on accountability, we talked about the importance of clarity. This is about making sure that people are clear about expectations and gaining alignment in everything.

This includes their mission, vision, values, standards, your peculiar worldview, and the specific goals to be accomplished.

Mentoring and Coaching

In surveying more than 300 leaders from Fortune 500 companies, I learned that two of the attributes they valued most from their leaders were this:

  • “They supported me.”
  • “They helped me develop.”

Thus, some of the most important aspects of leading people toward success–the ultimate goal of accountability–are mentoring and coaching.

Mentor by Example

It’s more important than you can imagine to lead by setting a good example of the behaviors you want to see in others. Leaders actions speak much louder than their words, and those that demonstrate the following characteristics set the standard without having to say a word –

  • Respect
  • Collaboration
  • Teamwork
  • Commitment to Precise Execution

Likewise, you have noticed that the habits of bad leaders (and bad parents) are often replicated by those who come behind them.

As is often the case with children, the rule of “monkey see, monkey do” plays out in the workplace. It’s hard to be good role model, and it’s one of the greatest challenges of leadership.

Being Rude and Bullying

Recently while sitting in with a group of senior HR managers in a Fortune 500 company, I listened to a discussion about a particular manager in the company whose behaviors were routinely rude and bullying.

Surprisingly, the senior VP spoke up and shared the shocking comment, “I used to behave like that routinely.”

Heads snapped around with looks of disbelief and even some comments like, “No way.”

But the courageous VP came back, “Oh yes I did. That’s how my first boss operated, and so I thought that’s the way leaders behaved.  Eventually, another boss saw what I was doing, got my attention, and then mentored me on the power of respecting others. I learned that I could be kind and firm to get much better results.”

Your example as a leader sets the context and boundaries for accountability. You’re modeling what you want to see in others, and you’ll reap what you sow. Click to Tweet

Coach from Your Experience

Typically, leaders have accrued knowledge and honed skills that need to be passed along. It’s the most effective way to increase productivity and build confidence in others. It takes time and patience, but this kind of support of a leader is powerful. The best athletes in the world have coaches, so it makes sense that coaching in the workplace is also crucial to high productivity.

“The best athletes in the world have coaches, so it makes sense that coaching in the workplace is also crucial to high productivity.”

Many years ago as a young Air Force officer, I was assigned to a major command headquarters in my first staff job. To put it mildly, this flyboy was inexperienced and still ignorant about staff work. It was a workplace highly populated with colonels and generals, so the margin for error was slim.

Unfortunately, my immediate boss seemed quite disengaged from work of any kind.

He was either clueless or scared of messing up, because he seemed to always be hiding and not helping at all. Fortunately, a seasoned veteran took the time to coach me as I faced new challenges.

The skills he taught me about staff coordination and collaboration kept me ahead of the curve and really laid the foundation for much of the work I’ve done in my career ever since.

Learning By Trial and Error

Sure, we need to learn some things by trial and error, but in a demanding, fast paced workplace, accelerated learning means success for both the individual and the organization.

I could have learned by trial and error, and I did some of that; but mostly I was mentored and coached by a very busy person who cared enough to spend a few minutes here and there to show me the ropes in my first staff rodeo.

Now you may be thinking, “I thought this blog series was about accountability, but it seems like you’ve turned it into a focus on development.

Let me share a couple of thoughts on this:

  • Always remember that every person is unique.  Some people will need more of your time and support and some will need less.  Figuring that out is part of your job.
  • You should always be developing and positioning your people toward success. Sometimes that means supporting them with mentoring and coaching and sometimes it may mean standing back and watching them explore on their own. It’s easy to stand back; it takes more commitment and initiative to get involved and own your part of this accountability equation.

Accountability as a Journey

Look at the entire process of accountability as a journey–we’re moving down a path that gives the best results for you–the leader, your followers, and the organization.

For the next article in this series, we’ll dig in on the good, the bad and the ugly of accountability.  And most of the time it gets ugly, because we as leaders have all stumbled somewhere in the journey before it gets to a bitter end. Let’s get it right the first time.

Consider your mentoring in light of the example you set. Are you modeling the behaviors you expect in others?  Do you walk the talk of your values? Regarding coaching, do you focus on the assignments and capabilities of each person uniquely? How are you bringing them along to be as skilled as or even more so than you?

*Past Articles in the Series:

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Learn, Grow & Develop Other Leaders™

——————–
Lee Ellis

Lee Ellis is Founder & President of Leadership Freedom LLC & FreedomStar Media.
He is a leadership consultant and expert in teambuilding, executive development & assessments
Email | LinkedIn | Web | Blog | Book | Facebook | Twitter

His latest book is called Leading with Honor: Leadership Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton.

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10 Steps to Create a Killer Succession Plan

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Wayne Kehl

Retirement Watch

As a matter of age and evolution, every 10 to 20 years or so almost every business is forced to find new leaders to carry it into the future. As older leaders retire, replacements must be brought in to carry on their work.

In some cases leaders quit, die, are promoted, or transfer elsewhere.

Staying in Business

In all of those cases, they must be replaced if the business is to survive. Despite that inescapable truth, many businesses and organizations I work with are not properly prepared to replace their outgoing talent.

Often there seems to be a “head-in-the-sand” mind-set wherein, decision makers choose to leave well enough alone and hope that their current personnel structure will last forever or that a new, exciting leader will fall out of the woodwork on cue, when necessary.

Unfortunately, woodwork is often populated by termites, ants and beetles…none of which offer any great organizational leadership potential.

In order to build a valuable and effective succession plan, decision makers must firstly, “always” be on the lookout for future leaders. They must be thinking at all times about perpetuation of their organization and what will happen when their current good or bad leaders move on.

Succession should not be an emergency decision.

It should be like a cougar on the hunt…ready, alert and waiting to pounce when the opportunity arises.

10 Steps to Create a Killer Succession Plan

Here are some things to think about when planning for the perpetuation of your organization:

1) Be a savvy shopper.

In order to identify your future leaders you must accept that it is not always a good idea to buy your talent at the head-hunter store. In many cases, people who register with head-hunters have issues that have prevented them from finding work through other channels. You might want to consider them your last resort as they may be your potential undoing.

2)  Always try to promote from within.

This is a commonly accepted business principle that is often avoided or overlooked. It takes much less time to bring an existing employee up to speed than it does an outsider. Current staff members know your business, your culture and your brand…and you already know them.

3) Select from values-ready candidates.

Always promote or hire leaders who already possess your corporate values rather than trying to teach them your values after the employment contract is signed. Perform some professional skills and talent testing and use solid investigative interviewing techniques before you give them an office and an email address.

4) Never promote people out of obligation.

Organizations of all types tend to offer promotions to people who have hung-in-there the longest regardless of skills, talents or value. Tenure is NOT necessarily an indication of leadership ability and it should not be rewarded with a leadership position unless the person is actually a good leader.

5) Always be on the lookout for “keeners.” 

Keeners are people who love their jobs and quite naturally encourage others to excel in theirs. These people often offer advice and counsel to other even when not in a formal leadership role. There are many of them in many organizations and they often go unnoticed by the decision makers. They may or may not thrive in an elevated leadership position but if they are ignored or passed-over they will never realize their full capacity for leadership. Be a talent-scout within your own organization.

6) Once you have identified a potential leader, talk to them.

Let them know that you appreciate their work and that you see a bright future for them. Human beings of all personality types and skill levels love to be encouraged and they appreciate knowing that they have a future.

7) Put your future leaders on a “career path.”

Most people of the current younger generation want to know where they are going and how long it will take them to get there. Work with them to create milestones and expectations so that when the time comes, they can easily slip into a new leadership position.

Really good future leaders want advancement and if you don’t provide it, someone else will.

8) Provide leadership training to future leaders.

Although some people possess almost “natural” leadership skills, there is a lot to be learned about leading that cannot be gleaned through osmosis or exposure to ones immediate supervisor or manager. Formalize your leadership training and offer it to anyone who wants an opportunity to learn.

9) If you hire a new leader from outside of your own firm, never hire based on your “gut instincts.”

Your guts might help you in a fight–or-flight situation or when you are selecting an item on a restaurant menu, but they don’t work well for talent selection. Always utilize good talent assessment tools and have a panel of your peers and/or employees participate in the interview process so that your decision is not tainted by your guts.

Job applicants almost always adapt their behaviour to the interview process and what you saw is seldom what you get a month or two after they have settled into a new job.

10) Never hire in your own image or enforce your own leadership style.

Most of us tend to feel comfortable with people who are most like us. However, it takes many types of personalities to make a great team and one leadership style is not the “best” or the “only” way to lead. Take your personal feelings out of how a new leader should lead and allow them to deal with people in the way that works best for them.

Give them an array of leadership tools and then stand back and watch them fly.

A Brighter Future

In an increasingly competitive world you must have the best-of-the-best leaders if you want to have a commanding presence in the new millennium. If you have not started to build a leadership plan for the future, now is the time.

What have you done to ensure a successful succession process in your organization? If you have not yet started a succession plan, what’s stopping you? What would be an easy next-step in this direction to get you started? I would love to hear your thoughts!

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——————–
Wayne Kehl

Wayne Kehl is President and CCO at Dynamic Leadership Inc
He is author and behavioral analyst who lectures on leadership and motivation
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Filed under: Organizational Health, Professional Development, Servant Leadership, Team Building Leadership | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

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