Why Followership is Essential to Great Leadership

Wars are won by great leaders. These great leaders are valiant, strong, mentally capable and physically durable. Their victories inspire nations and their failures teach lessons for generations. Either way, great leaders are remembered and revered.

 Blah. Blah. Blah.

This idea- that leaders win the battles, that leaders are the sole reasons for wins or loses- is rubbish. How can anyone, powerful, courageous, rich or even bullet-proof, win a war without an army?

They can’t, and they don’t. Make no mistake; the mark of a GREAT leader is their Followership.

One Sharp Edge

We have all seen articles, videos, and hundreds of books on what make great leaders. If looked at closely, most of these resources provide leaders with a vague idea of what tools they should use to accomplish great things. Their advice essentially hands the reader a sword with one sharp edge. While they may be able to defeat many foes, their blunted sword will eventually meet a sharper, double-edged sword, only to find they aren’t the great leader they thought they were.

 The leader with the double-edged sword has something invaluable and crucial to being a successful leader- followers.

Sharpen the Other Side

Strong followers are often underestimated and disregarded- this is a HUGE mistake. Think of it this way; if a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, the strongest chain would have the strongest links. The same applies to great leaders. In fact, the best leaders surround themselves with the smartest, most capable followers they can find.

Just as leaders require certain attributes, so do followers. A great follower knows how to choose their leader, and will only choose the cream of the crop. Once a great follower has chosen you as a leader, it’s only a matter of time before other strong followers join your team, creating a force to be reckoned with. You would be able to trade your blunt sword in for a sharp and lethal one.

Attracting a Strong Followership

As a leader, you should always consider the things you’d look for in a leader. You most likely have high standards, and you should expect your followership to have similar expectations.

Ask yourself

• What would I look for in a leader? (Accountability, good communication skills, follow through etc.)
  • Do I possess those attributes?
  • Do my actions line up with my words ALL of the time?
  • Do I transcend my title? In other words, do I rely on my position to attract followers, or do I lead with conviction despite my title?
  • As a follower, would I trust me?
    • Do I show concern for my team and their success?
    • Do I communicate with my team in a clear and concise way that inspires productivity and encourages success?
      • Do I take charge in times of crisis, or do I panic?
      • Am I consistent in my dealings with my team, or do I change my policies with the direction of the wind?
      • Ultimately, would I be willing to wear a blindfold and follow myself anywhere without hesitation?

If you answered no, you can’t expect anyone else to do the same. A great follower, when matched with a truly great leader, will follow their leader anywhere at any time without question. This is because a GREAT leader realizes they need more than an inherent sense of leadership- they need to attract and maintain a strong Followership.

So, remember, the next time you go into battle, your armor isn’t just your skills as a leader, but the people you’ve surrounded yourself with. Smart leaders are not the smartest people in the room, their followers are.

If you’re the smartest, most talented person in the room, what does that say about your company? If anything, it should tell you to find another room and better company.

Sharpening your sword as you read, Lex.

Wrapping up the first quarter

It’s 4^th down at the 10, 30 seconds left on the clock in the first quarter. You’re not relying on a miracle for this play- this all boils down to how hard you worked in practice, scrimmages, and the first fourteen minutes and thirty seconds of the game. When the quarter is over, when it’s all said and done, did you make the touchdown? Not only does this provide tangible success for your team, coaches, and the franchise, it sets you up for the three quarters left in the game.

How are you trending to meet your yearly goals?

Though the first quarter of any year can be slow, it’s a good indicator of team performance. To wrap up the first quarter, review your performance:

• What were the goals and expectations of the team for the first quarter?
• Did the team meet those goals and expectations? Did they get a touchdown?
  • If not, how close is the team to achieving them?
  • If not, why wasn’t the goal met? Is it something the team can adjust for next quarter? Does the goal need to be redefined to be more realistic?
  • If yes, what made the team successful? How can that be replicated next quarter?
  • Look at any other measures- what are the trends? Are any of them warning signs for future performance issues?

How to Win the Whole Game

Even if you had a less than stellar quarter, or missed the touchdown altogether, looking back at the trends of the quarter can set you up for the last three. This is a great time to fix the errors that tripped you and/or your team up. Develop a strategy, keeping your eye on the prize for the rest of the year. Evaluate

• The goals
  • Are they appropriate? Do they help the team achieve success? Are they clear and easily understood? Should any of them be redefined or reinforced?
  • The measures
    • Do you have appropriate measures in place? Do they reflect the success of your team as they relate to the team’s goals? Can anything be added or deleted to better define the team’s goals?
    • The strategy
      • Do you have your best players in key positions? Are you playing to your team members’ strengths? Do any of the players need to be switched to be more effective? Is your team constantly playing offense (being proactive) or defense (being reactive)? How can you change your strategy to lead your team to success?

Though every touchdown is crucial, the first quarter is more forgiving than the rest. There is value in assessing the performance of the first quarter whether you made the touchdown or not- either you were successful and need to know what you did in order to repeat your performance, or you fell short and need to tweak some things to win the game in the end.

Cheering for your touchdown, Lex

Onboarding a new employee

So, you’ve been struck by Cupid’s arrow and found the perfect employee to fill that ‘oh-so-crucial’ role, and, to your extreme delight, they’ve accepted your offer!

Now, you must ask yourself, how do I woo them?

Onboarding is crucial to the hiring process; if you don’t set appropriate expectations at the beginning of the relationship, it will probably come to an abrupt and costly end. Break-ups are difficult enough-don’t make it your fault things didn’t work out!Now, you must ask yourself, how do I woo them?

Great Onboarding Prevents Turnover

Sue Nador, author of the article “Successful Onboarding: From ‘I do’ to ‘happily ever after’”, uses marriage as an analogy to the hiring and onboarding process. According to her,

onboarding is the part of the process that nourishes the relationship. Without onboarding, the relationship is unable to grow and develop.

Seeing the lack of growth potential, the new hire will most likely leave you with little or no remorse. Do yourself a favor and prevent turnover before it’s even an option. In most relationships, retroactively fixing a problem or issue is too little too late-the damage has been done.

Components of Successful Onboarding

Sure, onboarding includes the cut and dry paperwork portion, account set-up, orientation, meet-and-greets etc. This is not enough, however, to consider your onboarding process successful. Great onboarding includes:

• Clearly and concisely communicating the organization’s purpose
  • Convey what the new employee should be gaining from the onboarding process
  • Set goals and “measureables” for success
  • Set the tone of the work environment immediately; if it’s a fast paced, competitive environment, present it as such
  • Make sure the current employees involved in the process are clear on their roles and your expectations
    • Your team, HR, the employee’s supervisor etc. all need to be aware that a) there is even a new hire, b)what the new hire’s role is in the team, and c) what their role is in onboarding their new team member
    • Actively include the new hire in the process
      • They should NOT have any questions or doubts about the onboarding process and how it works
      • They should be clear on what your expectations are for them before, during, and after the process
      • They MUST be able to explain to anyone what their role is in the team, the team’s goals, the organization’s mission, and their job responsibilities (if they can’t, this reflects poorly on you!)
      • Provide them with the tools they need to be successful
        • Any resource they need access to needs to be provided; this may include computer programs, training, manuals, perhaps even a stapler. Whatever they need to perform well should be identified and available to them

Be sure in the whirlwind excitement of the hiring process you are laying a solid foundation. This not only benefits the new hire, but you, your team, and the organization as a whole. Buying them flowers and chocolates after you’ve blown it just won’t cut it this time!

With love, Lex

Why reflections on the past can prevent mistakes in the future

Rat tails, shoulder pads, fanny packs, acid washed jeans-these are a few of my least favorite things.

This list of offensive trends, when reflected upon, can clearly be labeled hazardous. As we enter the New Year and reflect on 2012, there are, no doubt, several hazardous behaviors or actions that put us, our team, and perhaps our clients in a bind. Just like horrible fashion trends, old mistakes have a way of creeping back into our lives and repeating themselves. I’m sure we can all agree, sometimes things from the past don’t need to make a comeback (can you say velvet track suit!).

Why is it important to acknowledge mistakes?

Doesn’t that make me look bad?

It’s hard for people to admit they’re wrong. We live in a culture that rewards winning far more than effort, so, when we are wrong, we assume that means we lose.

WRONG!

You only lose when you fail to recognize, learn, acknowledge, and take ownership of your mistakes. No one ever won anything without tripping a few times along the way. In fact, they would probably argue it was those falls that got them to the podium at all. As you reflect on last year, be honest with yourself, and do some inventory:

• What can I improve on in my work performance?
• In situations where I make mistakes, do I acknowledge them? Have I learned?
• If I have a question or concern, do I consult others?
• Is there a specific mistake I repeat?

Preventing a Retro Comeback

If you answered yes, or even maybe, to any (and probably all) of the questions above, guess what? You’re human! You are not a robot programmed for 100% efficiency and accuracy. Though that may sound appealing, unlike a machine, you have the ability to evolve. You are an asset to your team as long as you are striving to improve your performance, and the team’s overall. This isn’t an easy task, but I promise it’s beneficial. Just remember that you are not alone, everyone makes mistakes, and next time you have an opportunity to not only correct yourself, but impress yourself and others. Though it’s rewarding to get something “right” the first time, it’s far more satisfying to accomplish something that seemed insurmountable.

Think about it- is it more impressive to easily walk over a hill, or to struggle, fall, and trip, but eventually claw your way to the top of a tall mountain?

I’m going to go with the mountain.

As a very smart man, Dale Carnegie, once said

“The successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way.”

So, use your powers of reflection to go forth and profit from your mistakes!

Humbly, Lex

Hello 2013

Welcome to the end of another year– a time to take inventory, clean up and to celebrate.  As all systems are being pushed to the maximum to end the month, quarter, and year with a big bang, remember the people that have made it all possible.  So many times as leaders, we are pushing so hard for the needed business results that we pass over some important conversations and celebrations.

I want to take a few minutes to offer you some keys tasks to set on your 2013 calendar that will ensure that this time next year, when you push for the results, your team will be able and willing to exceed expectations…and maybe even surprise you! It’s critical that you don’t allow the spectacle of the final performance blind you to the people and man hours that made the production possible–

from the stagehands to the supporting actors, each and every team member played an important role in your box office success, and deserves to be recognized for it.

Setting the Stage- January 2013

1. Schedule a lunch or offsite meeting with each team member and share the goals for the upcoming year.
2. Ask what role they see themselves playing on the team toward the goals you all have.
3. Share any ideas that you have for them as well, and align the tasks and outcomes to the team and company objectives.
4. Place some measures around them and schedule 30-day touch base communications, which can be adjusted as needed.

Casting Calls- March 2013

• Host a team meeting and start with a celebration of all the wins the team has experienced, highlight several particularly important ones and tie them back to the team and company targets. This helps each player recognize his or her contribution to the bigger picture.
• Prior to the meeting, have each team member identify another team mate for going above and beyond, as well as an area they see for the team to bridge a gap or adjustment needed to align results to the team goals.
• Rinse and repeat this exercise the first week of every quarter- Schedule it NOW!

Ongoing Auditions- the first week of each

month (or as needed)

• Create a culture of open door auditions for people to realign themselves or to identify when a team-mate may need to be leveraged differently.
• Keeping this conversation alive will go a long way toward the team remaining engaged.
• A team’s ability to hold each other accountable will assist in keeping the goals alive and attainable.

Tony Awards- September 2013

These awards are for the stars of the fourth quarter of 2012 through now.  You will need to identify the key factors that make a star shine on your team.  It is vital to make these factors measurable and a stretch for everyone to attain.  The celebration should be a big “to-do” and one that is communicated up and down the organization.

Benjamin Franklin said,

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

Take the time to set your team and company up to enjoy success by preparing for 2013.  Happy Holidays to all of you, and remember to express your thanks to those that you lead throughout the year.

With Holiday Cheer,  Lex

A Leader’s Thanksgiving

The value of gratitude to your team and company

November is an important month for several reasons (and no, one of those reasons is not “It’s the last month before Christmas!”). Not only do we celebrate Veteran’s Day, No Shave November, the recently added Movember (men grow mustaches only) to raise awarenessof prostate cancer, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we also celebrate one of the most important holidays of the year, Thanksgiving. Yes, all of the delicious, homemade food adds to the nostalgia of this day, but its true purpose of giving thanks is what truly makes November valuable.

Judith W. Umlas, author of the new book The Power of Acknowledgement, defines a Grateful Leader as someone who

“sees, recognizes, and expresses appreciation for their employees’ contributions and their passionate engagement, on an ongoing basis.”

Let’s explore what attributes prove these people are Grateful Leaders.

 Attributes of a Grateful Leader

1. They create personal connections with their employees
2. They are accessible to their employees as much as possible
3. They provide resources for their employees, including other leaders
4. They are verbal and open about their appreciation
5. They do ALL of the above ALL of the time

Can you imagine how you would feel if the person leading you treated you like this all the time? What would a workplace functioning under this kind of lead look like?

 The Benefits of Gratitude

1. This appreciation becomes a part of the fabric of the team and/or company
2. Everyone feels valued, therefore
3. Everyone is motivated to do their best, grow, and improve
4. This constant flow of gratitude becomes cyclical, consequently
5. The valuation, positive environment, motivation, and improvement are sustainable
6. The team and company constantly benefit, leading to success

So, leaders, the next time you see an employee do something worth praise, take the time this month (and hopefully in the future) to verbalize your appreciation. A little gratitude can go a long way.

Gratefully, Lex

10.11.12 – Todays unique date is a numerical order.

There is an order to most things in our lives and todays date seemed the perfect time to look at order and leadership.   When we think of order we think of things like 1,2,3,4, left then right, beginning-ending….so is there an order to leadership?

Indeed there is and it looks like this:

Communication: (many different ways, many different times)

1)  Clear communication in words, writing and pictures

2)  Consistently rinse and repeat the message so it sticks

3)  Clean communication, leaving no room for mischief

Develop Trust: (easier said than done)

1)  Through active listening

2)   Aligning what you do with what you say

3)  Creating a safe and growth focused culture

Respect: (through action for your organization, self and team)

1)  Value and reward the truth

2)  Demonstrate respect through language, both verbal and nonverbal

3)  Require respect so others knows what it looks like

Accountability: (although overused, never over demonstrated)

1)    Make expectations clear

2)    Impose consequences when expectations are not met

3)    Reward when expectations are exceeded

Celebrate: (the small stuff is the big stuff here)

1)  Honor milestones in peoples lives

2)  Celebrate wins small and big

3)  Catch people doing things right and say so

A leader who starts with strong communication and trust will find leadership becomes a by-product.  Master trust and respect moves in.  When people respect you they will rise to new levels of greatness making accountability commonplace.  Celebration will become a daily event. Celebrations that fill everyone up create a positive cash flow with your team. A full bank account will enable large withdrawals when you all  need to rise to a challenge without causing bankruptcy!

Enjoy your new order on 10.11.12 !

Respectfully, Lex

Do your walk and your talk line up?

So many of us have worked with or for a leader that did not choose to build trust amongst their team.  In fact, from where we sat it appeared they outright lied about things.  All too often a leader fosters an environment of mistrust without being fully aware it was happening or knowing what to do to change it.  Teams that share a safe and trusting environment have a very distinct look and feel, below are some clues.

A team that trusts each other has key traits that are worth noting.

1. They share a common language
2. They all know where they are going
3. They create a safe environment that fosters calculated risks
4. They are high energy
5. They trust their leader
6. They have fun along the way

The leader of a high trust team demonstrates clear, concise and consistent communication.  When presented with a change or challenge they share what they know AND what they don’t know.  They acknowledge the teams fears and DO NOT allow the team or themselves to marinate in them.  A plan of action is in place to remove or move through the fear.

This leader builds trust most importantly by being their word.  When they fall out of step (as we are all human) they correct and communicate the correction quickly.

Are you this leader?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself about who you are as a leader. If you wish to be a leader that people trust and follow, true up in these areas and you are well on your way.

1. Do you honor other people’s time?
2. Do you follow through 95% or more of the time on what you say you will do?
3. For the 5% you are not able to follow through do you communicate before they other party is let down?
4. Do you walk into or away from the “tough” conversations?
5. Do you hold those around you accountable? (the rest of your team is watching)
6. Do you keep confidences while encouraging teammates to work through issues that arise amongst themselves in a respectful and timely manner?

These questions are great reminders to revisit to ensure that you are growing yourself and your team in the area of truthfulness.  This will help create a safe environment, which fosters high performance.

Listen to Stephen Covey share what TRUST is and how it looks and the real cost and dividends tied to it!

In trust. Lexy

Mirror Mirror on the wall….. we all know how this story  goes and the distorted sense of self that the Wicked Witch seeks. Leading is not for the faint of heart or those that are seeking food for their ego.   Leadership requires a strong desire to know oneself as you really are and create action towards the version of YOU that you want to become.

This is often called Accountability, Responsibility or a Call to Duty.  In short it simply means stepping into your greatness, owning it and letting others see you doing it.  It will be messy as failure is a part of the process, it will be life altering and more importantly it will be honored when done with consistency, honesty and humility.  Your goal is to become a leader YOU would follow.

When we set the bar to improve on our own game we create space to learn humility. In that humility you see others and they see you, as you are and in those brief moments of authenticity great things happen.  Breakthroughs happen, innovation takes root, synergies are created and battles are won.

So be a leader that has a mirror in their office not just to check your teeth after lunch or fix your hair, but to look into when YOUR team faces a tough situation and you want to point at them.  Start with YOU!  Raise the call of duty flag and let everyone know their part only after you are clear of yours.

Leadership Accountability Resources

Some resources to start or continue the journey of self are listed to the right of this blog. Take a few minutes NOW to move into a NO EXCUSES Leadership space with the video below.

Congratulations on being an active part of the toughest journey any human takes, knowing self.

Humbly. Lexy

The short answer is NO ONE needs job descriptions!  What you do need is to understand what your team /organization needs when it comes to building your team.  The job description is meant to be a way of communicating that AND so few descriptions do that very thing.  So if you want to write a song, paint a picture or create a video go for it!  (Good luck getting it past Human Resources) Until then you can write job descriptions that are compelling and relevant.

The first key to a compelling Job Description is to understand what competencies will be needed by the successful future teammate.  The distinction between “skills” and “competencies” is important to understand. Here are some examples to help you see the difference.

Following are parts of a Buyer Job Description in the manufacturing environment to help you create and put together a job description that calls for action and knows and demonstrates what success looks like.

Job Descriptions with Competencies that define Success

Make your job opportunity compelling, fun and success focused and you will be able to attract people to you and leverage what you created to lead your team.  The best job descriptions are living documents and evolve into performance management tools for you and your team.