March 2014: Beware of selective disclosure.

As a leader, your job is to help ensure your people are as productive as possible.  Many leaders forget that there is a direct link between communication and productivity, and that they are often the gatekeeper who decides whether to share, withhold or selectively disclose information.

Absent information, people try to fill in the blanks for themselves, which fuels the rumor mill and becomes counterproductive.  There will always be some form of speculation, but the more disclosive you are and the more trust you build, the less distracting that rumor mill will be.

Some leaders withhold or selectively disclose information to build or maintain power over others.  As long as this intent and behavior exist, you will have trust issues in your organization.  Resist the urge to withhold information because it makes you feel powerful. Remember that to go from good to great, you need your people to be empowered and armed with as much information as possible so they can carry out the tasks at hand.  You’re looking for that extra mile -- that discretionary effort -- and free-flowing information helps you achieve that goal.  

February 2014: Leverage the power of symbolic acts.

Pope Francis insisted on paying for his hotel room himself and took the bus home because he wants to remain a man of the people.  Gannett CEO Gracia Martore gave up her $1.5 million bonus and took a 1-week unpaid furlough along with all the company’s employees because earnings were down and she wanted them to know they were in it together.  Tom Brady, the famous New England Patriots quarterback, took a pay cut because he wanted the franchise to have more money to invest in incoming talent.

There’s no denying that actions like these are far more impactful than any words that could be spoken or written.  Symbolic acts are things that we do to communicate, very powerfully, our values, priorities and intentions. 

As leaders, we often overlook the power of symbolic acts to reinforce that which is most important and to build trust with our constituencies.  We focus more on saying and less on doing.  As the adage goes, actions speak louder than words. Today, think about something you can do to signal your commitment to something important to your troops, customers or colleagues.  

January 2014: Go slow to go fast.

Any of us would be hard-pressed to find an organization that isn't focused on speed -- getting the job done faster. We all feel the effects of 'institutional impatience' - a frenetic rush to show progress or completion. Even organizations undergoing major culture change want to make it happen right now. As leaders, if we want to be nimble and achieve sustainable speed, we need to understand the concept of going slow to go fast. 

Often, leaders will try to drive a major change effort without bringing people along the 'change curve' first. They might push an innovation out the door before it has been tested, expect teams to be high performing without first building a foundation of trust and open communication, or expect to get unvarnished feedback without building relationships that make it safe for that to happen.  This often results in stalled progress or even a backward slide. Remember that when you invest the time to lay the right groundwork, you can accelerate toward your goals! Today, think about something you might need to slow down in order to go fast

December 2013 : Busy? Beware of Unintended Consequences.

As a leader, your words, actions and body language are closely observed and scrutinized. With the intense pace and pressures of organizational life, it's easy to become impatient, irritable and exhausted. This often affects the way you communicate (verbally and nonverbally) and can have a range of unintended consequences.

Repeated postponement or cancellations of meetings, lack of response to e-mail, a barrage of staccato questions, or silence, are common symptoms of a stressed leader. These behaviors may transmit inaccurate messages, which can lead to misperceptions and misunderstandings. People will draw conclusions about where they stand with you, what you care about, and how well you're coping with your job.

During times of intense stress, it's vital to dial into your emotional intelligence and consider the impact of your behavior. If your busy schedule is putting the squeeze on other things, be sure to let people know what's happening and why you might be less responsive or available to them, and offer some reassurance. A little time invested in honest disclosure pays big dividends. 

July 2013 - Face Reality Head-On

How many times do you have “meetings after the meetings” when all the real issues get discussed? Unfortunately, this is the norm in many organizations as people avoid the “undiscussables” – the elephant in the room that everyone knows is there, but is too risky to openly acknowledge.  The truth is that thosereal issues, those elephants and undiscussables, are an essential part of your reality – whether it’s a non-performer who is considered untouchable, a credibility issue with the boss, or a disagreement about a strategy.  Maybe it’s the truth about your eroding market share, toxic culture or the fact that you’re losing good people.  Whatever the case, until you face reality head-on and are willing to put these delicate yet vital issues on the table, your leadership, team and business are at risk.

Today, resolve to step up and tackle these issues directly.  Remember, you are not out to win a popularity contest; you are there to serve your constituents in the most effective way possible. 

If you engage with humility, positive intent and a collaborative spirit, you can put the elephants out to pasture where they belong.