June 2013: Stop Corporate Cancer from Spreading

"Corporate Cancer" can be defined as interpersonal dysfunction and group friction that reduces the effectiveness of individuals, departments and entire organizations. It manifests as office politics where individuals say things based on the affect on their or others’ careers instead of speaking the truth. Other symptoms include intense and inefficient competition for resources, an abundance of internal “CYA” emails, increased levels of stress, ambiguous direction, conflicting departmental goals, shifting priorities and lack of managerial cohesion.

This dysfunction is rooted in individuals’ behaviors that cascade to others, spreading the dysfunction.

As a leader, it is critical that you recognize whether or not your organization suffers from Corporate Cancer. Remember that the more senior you are, the harder it will be to see the real dynamics playing out in your organization. Start asking questions and listening with your eyes and ears. Then, take bold and decisive action to address the source of the cancer before it takes its toll on your business. Remember, you are responsible for the health of your organization!

May 2013: Nip Conflict in the Bud

Business is nothing but a mass of relationships: people working with people.  And whenever that happens, conflict naturally arises.  Sometimes it’s based on a tangible disagreement about a strategy or approach.  Other times, it comes from a simple unresolved misunderstanding.

Working in an increasingly flat and diverse environment means that there are infinite opportunities for stylistic and cultural misunderstandings. A direct, cut-to-the chase communication style might be interpreted as attacking; a less direct style might be considered sneaky. One might assume that because a person behaves a certain way, it means they’re being intentionally difficult or that their intentions are less than honorable.

Left unaddressed, these types of assumptions can turn into full-blown conflicts that can erode trust, teamwork, and performance.  As a leader, it is crucial that you step up to these situations and expect your people to do the same.  Demonstrate courageous conversations about the behavior you’re observing – and its impact. Seek to understand where the other person is coming from.  By having the right real conversation, you can turn the misunderstanding into a moment of enlightenment that strengthens the relationship and enhances teamwork.

April 2013: Be Visible

As a leader, it’s important that you are visible to the people you’re leading.

Visibility takes many forms. For some, it’s about being in the public eye -- being on CNBC or the speaker circuit. But strong leaders understand the most important form of visibility comes from enabling important stakeholders (beginning on the inside of their organizations) to connect with them on a personal level and get a feel for who they are and what they care about. 

Many leaders are ‘time bankrupt’ these days, often sacrificing their visibility to the pressing issues du jour.  And, the prevalence of electronic communication makes it easy to fall into the habit of transmitting messages to people without ever seeing them – or letting them see you.  As a leader, your job is to galvanize others to achieve a goal. The more personally connected people feel to you, the easier it is for them to passionately embrace the mission. 

Today, consider how you can be more visible – how you can interact more meaningfully and personally with the people who matter most to the achievement of organizational goals.

March 2013: Make communication a priority.

This month’s insight might sound blindingly obvious, but it's astonishing how many leaders contend that they don't have time to communicate -- especially with their people.  Sometimes this is a symptom that they are spending too much time in the weeds -- doing versus leading.  Other times, it’s a troublesome indication that they don’t view this as a necessary task.  They believe that good employees will find a way to get the information they need.

Successful leaders put their people first, and they understand that communication is fundamental to keeping their teams productive, engaged, connected and headed in the right direction. You simply cannot rally people around a vision or strategy, keep them motivated and delivering strong results if you aren't communicating with them. This is a non-negotiable leadership responsibility.

Communication doesn’t have to be a complex or overwhelming task. Today, pause and consider whether you've made communication a priority. At you next staff meeting, ask: how can I do a better job communicating with you? What would you like to see more of, or less of?

February 2013: Go ugly early.

Let's face it: no one likes to be the bearer of bad news. Exposing mistakes and negative developments can be uncomfortable and make us feel vulnerable as leaders. That's why so many of us avoid disclosing issues early and instead wait until they become full-blown problems or even crises.

Whether in your professional or personal life, going ugly early is one of the best things you can do to strengthen relationships and protect your credibility. In fact, openly communicating unexpected changes and emerging issues actually builds trust, giving people a sense of comfort and confidence because they know that nothing is being hidden.  No one likes to be blindsided by a negative surprise, and by surfacing issues early, you enable those around you to think calmly and rationally (versus in panic mode) and manage through the issues more effectively, minimizing the downside risk or damage.  Further, you can build teamwork and esprit-du-corps by engaging others to work through the issue.

Today, think about how transparent you are in your communication, especially when it comes to the tough stuff.  Do you go ugly early?