Leader's Digest #70 (December 2022)

ISSUE 70

DECEMBER 2022

DIGEST LEADERS

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Hitting Our RECHARGE Button

Self-reflection

As we hit the ground running to tackle challenges, let us pause and reflect. Regular reflection positions us to minimize the trouble or lack of learning we cause ourselves. But what should we focus on while we pause and think about the day or rather the year? How can we best hit the leadership recharge button?

For starters, focus on the positive. Martin Seligman, in his book, Flourish, suggests a key exercise to maximize the power of reflection called ‘Practicing What Went Right’. This exercise he says has three simple steps.

1. Start by writing 3 things that went right last year

2. Identify what habit or behaviour you did to cause those things to go right

3. Answer this: How can I make something like that happen again? What habit do I need to put in place or cultivate more of?

Focus on the positive

We are often very good at focusing on what is going wrong or what is missing in our life. Let us flip the perspective and catch ourselves and others doing something right! Our level of happiness will increase, and our level of gratitude will be contagious. Choose to reflect, choose to learn, and choose to lead better!

Five Tips to Help You Manage Deadlines and Wrap Up Your Year Successfull

It’s four weeks until Christmas and, for many, summer holidays.

Holidays are always something to look forward to, and we often derive much joy purely from the anticipation of the holiday.

Sadly, research suggests that the glow from a holiday only lasts a couple of weeks, so you want to ensure you make the most of your time away so that you come back rested and revitalised.

To do this, you need to manage two critical things.

Firstly, your energy levels. It’s often at this time of the year and in the lead-up to a long break that we can feel like we are running out of steam. Balancing the inevitable rush of work deadlines and juggling life and family commitments before the year wraps up can take its toll on your energy levels.

Consider – are you feeling like the tank is low or running on empty, or are you fully charged and ready to go? If it’s the former, you will want to pay specific attention to how you manage your energy.

ARE YOU COUNTING DOWN YET?

BY MICHELLE GIBBINGS

Secondly, you need to clear the decks so you can go on leave without feeling as though your brain is stuck in work mode. This approach requires discipline and prioritisation.

Here are five tips to help you wrap up your year successfully and prepare for your well-earned break.

Manage deadlines ruthlessly

Does it need to be completed before the year wraps up? This is a crucial question to ask because it is easy to fall into the trap of setting Christmas as an artificial deadline.

I see it happen all the time. There’s an urgency and imperative to get tasks completed, reports written and projects completed before the end of the year. It puts enormous pressure on all involved.

However, the key decision-makers often won’t look at the work until they are back from their summer holidays in late January. If that’s the case, why set a December deadline? It may feel good to know the work has been done, but consider if the request is reasonable and the impact on your colleagues and team members.

Be realistic about what needs to be done and by when, and be specific about priorities.

Get comfortable saying no

It can be easy to accept every social invitation or underestimate how long a piece of work may take and therefore set unrealistic deadlines for yourself.

You want to be deliberate about what you take on and prioritise ruthlessly. This starts with examining your professional and personal schedule between now and your holiday and determining what’s essential, optional or suboptimal (which is a nice word for something that is a waste of time).

For items in the last category, they are an easy ‘No’. The optional type is often a little harder to determine. Remember, everything in life is a trade-off. If you say ‘Yes’ to one thing, it may mean you have to say ‘No’ to something else. So, what matters the most to you?

If you struggle with the word ‘No’, you may want to check out William Ury’s book about the power of saying ‘No’ positively, with no regret and no ‘sorry’ attached to it.

Melody Wilding in HBR also suggests there is a right time to say no.

Pace yourself

After you’ve worked through your schedule at a macro level, next, you want to get micro. This step requires you to look at each day and plan it out the night before.

As you plan, you want to do the most energy-intensive tasks for your brain in the morning when you are most alert. This is because the thinking and reasoning part of your brain (pre-frontal cortex) gets depleted during the day. Do the tasks that are more routine and habitual later in the day.

As you are mapping out your schedule, include some time for yourself. When you are busy, it can be hard to prioritise yourself. However, your body needs time to rejuvenate so that you don’t fall over the finish line and spend the first week of your holiday in bed sleeping.

Plan your time away

How are you going to step away from work? Is there a delegated second in charge who will be looking after things?

It’s easy to tell people you are on holiday and then spend half your holiday period still working. To enjoy your break, you need to be specific about whom you are delegating to and what delegated authority they have. Talk with them about what issues you want to have escalated to you while you are away.

Decide before you go away if and when you will review your emails. There is an element of personal preference here. Some people find it less stressful to do a once-aday check. However, be cautious that you then don’t fall into the habit of checking your emails – constantly. That approach does two things. It suggests you don’t trust the person you have delegated the work to, making them feel uncertain. Secondly, you aren’t switching off from work

Decide if you are detoxing Planning your break isn’t just about switching off the email. It is also about switching off screens and the myriad of mobile devices that many of us have.

The benefit of taking time away from your screen is well known, so decide whether you are taking the digital detox route (or not) before you go away. If you are, set the boundaries and manage your device’s alert preferences accordingly.

Now that you have all this in hand, you can hopefully focus on the coming weeks being successful (however you define that), while basking in the knowledge that you have something delightful to look forward to.

Remember the wise words of the writer, Maya Angelou –“Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence. Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.”

MICHELLE GIBBINGS

Michelle Gibbings is a workplace expert and the award-winning author of three books. Her latest book is ‘Bad Boss: What to do if you work for one, manage one or are one’.

Source: freepik.com@storyset

IS YOUR ORGANISATION TAPPING THE POWER OF ‘NUDGES’ IN COMMUNICATION AT THE WORK PLACE AND BEYOND?

BY ANIISU K VERGHESE PH.D.

Effective Employee Communications: Investing in a Behavioural Science-led, Insights-Based Approach

Governments have used ‘nudge’ thinking to achieve some powerful interventions, so why haven’t more organisations established nudge units?

Have you often wondered how key communication decisions are made? Also, why some of them seem scatter-gun rather than a thoughtful and confident intervention? Consider these situations and reflect on potentially others you may have experienced.

The last word: Gratitude done right is an anxiety reliever and can be oxygen that fuels engagement for team membersespecially high achievers who can be gratitude sponges. What are some amazing ways you like to reward both individual and group contributions in your teams?

▶ Your team plans to hire a new member. The decision to add a new person is based on a ‘need’ perceived by the leader. Is the need worth investing in now, or can it be managed within the current team? Is the hiring process messaging created to avoid biases that prevent the best candidates from applying?

▶ The company rolls out a benefits program for staff, which to leadership sounds like a great offer. However, the response is lukewarm and leaders blame the timing, the ‘disengaged’ workforce and managers for not doing a good job of convincing staff. Did the firm check if the language used ‘talked with’ or ‘talked to’ staff? Was it framed as a loss aversion or a gain-oriented approach – which of them were most appealing to employees?

▶ Training initiatives are run by the dozens to seemingly ‘raise’ the capabilities and competencies of staff with a company investing huge funds. Leaders are puzzled why there are very few takers for the initiatives and are changing tactics from coaxes to threats to get staff to put ‘butts on seats’. Employees reluctantly attend to avoid ‘looking’ bad to their managers. What does it do for the company’s culture? How can staff be directed towards the goal of participating without it looking like coercion?

▶ A company decides to sponsor big industry events because a ‘consensus-led’ approach creates pressure to spend funds on external ‘visibility’ for attracting talent and becoming an employer of choice. Months later, no one is able to justify the ROI, nor are people stomping their way to get into the firm! A lot of fingerpointing happens and it isn’t helping business focus on performance.

▶ With a low turnout in the office, leaders in an organisation go with the ‘impression’ that people will show up if you serve ‘food and beverages’ gratis. It creates unintended consequences because staff begin to think that if the company can splurge on food and drinks, they must be doing really well. There are instead requests for salaries to be raised!

Key aspects at play

When we look at the above situations, there are key aspects at play.

The belief that leaders know it best and therefore, decisions made at the top may be ideal for most scenarios. Telling managers after a decision is made isn’t the best way to gain trust and take people along the journey.

Secondly, if we don’t get it right, there may be another chance – and yet another and thus continues the trialand-error approach to management by muddling around.

Third, the lack of application of behavioural science and in most cases, common sense, prevents organisations from taking this subject seriously and making good business decisions.

Unfortunately, forward looking businesses can’t afford such issues and get bogged down by egos, group-think and cultural chaos.

The value of nudges

No amount of engagement surveys can surface the need for insight-led decision making and behaviour science driven interventions. Globally, the ‘nudge’ movement has taken over governments with the United States, under former President Obama and Britain, under the leadership of David Cameron demonstrating the power of understanding human behaviour and driving long lasting positive change. From improving tax collections to enhancing citizen responsiveness; from reducing crime to educating people on health – the impact is visible and proven. The value of these interventions has been so influential that today not just governments but even corporations and not-for-profits are leveraging this art of the possible.

I remember watching a video of a shopping mall that designed their staircase into a musical instrument that allowed people to enjoy music and stay fit at the same time, instead of using the elevator. The fact that the video went viral also helped market the mall! That hit the right notes with human psyche, literally!

Why nudges are not popular yet

Why then haven’t organisations invested in ‘nudge’ units within their teams? What prevents firms from drawing from best practices and lessons conducted globally?

There are potentially a few reasons:

▶ Lack of awareness among communicators and leaders on why nudges help

▶ Lack of clarity on how and where the communications function can intervene and make a difference

▶ There is reluctance to experiment and test newer approaches

▶ The lack of time and limited resources to make changes at work hinder progress

▶ Inertia to make decisions due to a risk-averse culture

▶ Nudges are perceived as manipulative and quasiscientific

Nudges decoded

The use of nudges in communication as responsible practice is known to bring about substantial change and at minimal to zero cost. Situated at the intersection of behavioural economics, psychology and marketing, we have all been exposed to many such ‘nudges’ in our daily life – from the ‘one’ click option of ordering groceries online to the gentle reminders to pay taxes; from the way retail shops are designed for faster (or even touchless) checkouts to the traffic signs that moderate speeding. Understanding how we think, act and feel as humans can allow messages to be crafted to influence and enhance experiences and outcomes positively.

The key principles of influence as defined by Dr. Robert Cialdini are reciprocity (acts of kindness have a payback, even if the effort is minimal), consistency (allowing people to commit to act and making actions visible), social proof (we follow the crowd and need buy-in), liking (finding common ground and honestly recognising people), authority (belief in experts and their credibility), and scarcity (we value what is in short supply). In Inside the Nudge Unit, David Halpern shares a simplified approach to remembering key aspects of nudges – Easy (reducing or increasing friction), Attract (using multi-sensory options to engage), Social (following what others do) and Timely (when matters for interventions). Every intervention viewed through this lens can provide communicators a better shot at improving outcomes.

Nudges in practice

Firms have taken cues from marketing and other fields to bring in practices that enhance employee experience and engagement. One of the areas where organisations have invested is HR analytics with insights and interventions driving key decisions. From analysing sentiments to tailoring solutions for targeted audiences; from predicting attrition and driving manager engagement. While it looks at data, it this falls short in terms of truly understanding human behavior and leveraging the power of ‘nudges’.

Where can organisations and communicators apply these principles and put them into practice?

There are potentially numerous avenues to implement nudges at work and beyond in our current context and new world order. Here are some.

▶ Encouraging staff to return to work even as remote and hybrid work has become more attractive and prevalent. Delving deeper into the reasons for staff preferring to work from home rather than show up to office can help address the ‘frictions’ and get more buy-in.

▶

While the employee referral program is a popular way to attract talent and offer an attractive bonus, often staff feel their referrals enter a ‘black box’ and the reasons for rejections don’t seem to justify the profiles submitted. In turn creating distrust in the system and lower engagement. Can the messaging and the process be tweaked to bring in transparency and accountability to hiring?

▶ With employee wellbeing becoming central to engagement and business performance, can there be a way to encourage staff to invest more in their personal wellness and fitness by gamifying the ‘social proof’ aspect of human behaviour?

Get started

The challenges for communicators are to build a case, get leadership buy-in for using ‘nudges’ at work and find the mind space and collaborators to put ideas into practice. Begin small and invest in showing demonstrable proof of what you hope to achieve and with concrete research and value.

You can begin with the basics of auditing the kind of communication currently done within and where minor adjustments can make significant impact. Pick up the engagement survey, for example, and review if they need to be adjusted to the current environment at the workplace. Find out what prevents staff from hoarding or sharing information and ideas at work. Tacit knowledge lost when employees leave is a huge disadvantage to the organisation, an issue which can be addressed. Rather than wait for the exit interview, can the intervention be done earlier?

At a large, global retail firm, I offered to run a session on ‘influence’ using communications. It was pitched for power users of communications, especially, the human resources, the administration, business unit communicators and the information technology unit. There was interest in the session because many noticed that ‘more’ communication was not the solution to the issues of low turnout, disengagement, poor compliance to policies among others.

They came in with healthy skepticism about the subject because participants were already ‘used’ to communicating in a certain way and always believing that the ‘fault’ lay elsewhere! After introducing the group to the fundamentals of influencing, I shared examples of current communication practices and how tweaking the subject line, the copy, the tone of voice, the visual elements and the call to action switched how audiences would receive the message. The ‘aha’ moments were there to be seen and I noticed a shift in how these power users also perceived the communications team – not as ‘providers’ of material but as ‘change agents’ who could be trusted as partners.

The usage of nudges has been with us for ages. It is only recently that scholars and organisations have realized the clout of such interventions boosting business outcomes. Recognizing and learning the power of nudges for everyday communication, can give communicators another reason to get a seat at the table because decisions made are strategic and business aligned.

In case you wondered why I highlighted some parts of the text above in bold, it’s because I took cues from behavioural science. Apart from making it easy for you to scan this essay and understand some key elements, bolding text also makes readers perceive those words are important.

Give nudging a shot – it will always give your communication the high it deserves.

ANIISU K VERGHESE PH.D.

Aniisu K Verghese Ph.D. is an award-winning communications leader, personal branding coach, author, speaker and academician with over 22 years of experience. His mission is to organizations and individuals discover and develop their ‘sweet-spot’ through effective communications. Aniisu has spoken at international conferences on 4 continents and authored two books - Internal Communications - Insights, Practices and Models (2012) and Get Intentional (2021). More about his work can be read at www.intraskope.com and www. aniisu.com

BE YOU. BE TRUE. MAKE YOUR PERSONAL BRAND SHINE AMIDST ADVERSITY

BY ANIISU K VERGHESE PH.D.

Investing in Your Personal Brand Takes Time, Effort, Courage and Resilience

I had the opportunity to address women entrepreneurs, professionals and academicians at the 2022 Women’s Economic Forum held at Katowice on October 8 and 9 by WICCI Poland. In my address, I spoke about the merits of personal branding and why investing in it means being your best within and to the world around you.

personal brand gives us a competitive advantage. From getting noticed for assignments within a firm or being sought after for business that organisations need done, to rallying people for a cause that you want to further, the opprtunities are endless for a personal brand of repute.

Although counterintuitive, personal branding is an inside-out approach to help other around you succeed while presenting your authentic self to the world. Investing in your personal brand takes time, effort, courage and most importantly – resilience

To be ahead of the game with your personal brand, it is important to know the trends shaping our lives and how they influence what we do and how we can be portrayed. For example, the rise in individualism globally, the overlap of skills (a cashier and a customer service representative have a 70% skills match), consideration for brands that align with personal values is increasing and people trust experts the most.

Women face tougher challenges at work and beyond. By 2030, 40-160 million women globally may need to transition between occupations. They own fewer businesses – just 1 in 3 is owned by women. A third of women (from a survey by Deloitte) took time off due to mental health concerns, cited difficulty to switch off from work, worry about career progression and 50% plan to leave their current employer in the next two years. Also, the fear of failure is holding back women entrepreneurs –they are 10% less likely than men to undeterred by the fear of losing in business.

Personal branding isn’t about being someone else, being fake, just engaging on social media, focusing on increasing followers or boasting about your achievements.

Every day, as we go about our lives, although we may or may not be conscious of our personal brand, it works for or against us.

Knowing what it represents, how others perceive us and diligently pursuing a strategic approach to curating our

Your personal brand can be helped in a few ways – for example, getting testimonials can determine hiring success. Likewise, to gain sponsorship and move up the career ladder, your personal brand can be a decisive factor. Just popularity online isn’t sufficient – credibility matters. In a study among journalists, those with verified accounts saw bots engaging popular followers while unverified accounts witnessed increased activity to increase followership. Resilience is crucial with women entrepreneurs staying a step ahead of men, according to Mastercard’s Index that tracks progress in 65 economies globally.

There are downsides to personal branding as well and we need to be mindful of the gaps. Too much exposure can also attract criticism and knowing how to handle it helps. Often ‘packaging’ can lead to inauthentic engagement. Being honest and factual helps more. Those involved in public work also are exposed to threats and bullying –for example, journalists. Using social media is a doubleedged sword. Knowing that what you put out is important because content lives permanently, especially online.

Managing personal branding crises is crucial to avert long lasting damage to reputation. Recently, a leaked video of the Prime Minister (PM) of Finland partying privately with friends caused a ruckus about the fine line between personal life and professional work. While the PM was quick to get in front and address the questions, even taking a drug test to clear her name, the concern about what people do in their free time while holding visible public office came to the forefront. “I am also human. It has become difficult. But I want to believe that people look at the work we do, not what we do in our free time” she said.

Another example I thought worth highlighting is the recent announcement by Sebastian Vettel to retire and the message he shared in a video to his fans. What struck me most were these lines. Note the emphasis on identity, the ability to change gears and reinvent himself while staying true to his values. Also, that he acknowledged his human limitations and his responsibility as a family man - great traits of a personal brand.

“... Being a racing driver has never been my sole identity. I very much believe in identity by who we are and how we treat others, rather than what we do. Who am I? I am Sebastian, father of three children and husband to a wonderful woman. I am curious and easily fascinated by passionate or skilled people. I am obsessed with perfection. My goals have shifted from winning races and fighting for championships to seeing my children grow, passing on my values, helping them up when they fall, listening to them when they need me, not having to say goodbye, and most importantly being able to learn from them and let them inspire me.”

Also, I felt the enduring image of Federer and Nadal holding hands and weeping at the former’s farewell match showed how personal brands can demonstrate vulnerability and authenticity.

Finally, it boils down to character and lived experiences and that can’t be done without purpose, plan and passion

My 3C Model of Personal Branding available freely (discusses clarity, commitment and consistency. Also my book – Get Intentional highlights the importance of positioning, building expertise, adding value and reinventing yourself while communicating your journey continually with stakeholders. Irrespective of your role, age, occupation, identity or orientation, there is always a way to build, sustain and scale your personal brand.

Most importantly, you need to appreciate the world around you, think of the other, design your offering and focus on giving back in ways that matter.

ANIISU K VERGHESE PH.D.

Aniisu K Verghese Ph.D. is an award-winning communications leader, personal branding coach, author, speaker and academician with over 22 years of experience. His mission is to organizations and individuals discover and develop their ‘sweet-spot’ through effective communications. Aniisu has spoken at international conferences on 4 continents and authored two books - Internal Communications - Insights, Practices and Models (2012) and Get Intentional (2021). More about his work can be read at www.intraskope.com and www. aniisu.com

LEADERSHIP LEARNINGS FROM

MY 125-KILOMETER

SOLO-WALK IN SPAIN

BY DR. FRANCES PENAFORT

Having The Right Mindset Determines Success

Starting out as the founder of a brand-new coaching school –Frances’ Coaching School, I invested a significant amount of my time, energy, effort, brain power, to navigate the numerous challenges and demands of registering a global gold-standard program and then running the coach certification program. Before completing the execution of the first coaching program, I received a spiritually guided message to go on this Solo-Walk in Galicia region, North-West of Spain. This walk is the famed “Camino de Santiago” which has been around for more than 1000 years. The designated starting point of the walk was in Lugo, the UNESCO world heritage city and ending point was in Santiago de Compostela. The designated length of the walk was 100km. I was to complete this distance in a period of 6 days and receive a certificate upon accomplishment.

I went as a frightened person, so unsure, lacking clarity over many aspects of the walk.

I survived.

I returned as a transformed person with trust in myself, stronger faith in a higher power guiding me, patience with myself and others, more resilient to overcome the many challenges I faced, more courageous and empowered as I completed this arduous task, which turned out to be 125km.

So, what led to this transformation? These are my 3 key reflections and learnings.

#1:

I was open, humble, trusted myself

When I received the spiritually guided message, I resisted and rejected it. I felt drained, as it was after I had done a humungous task. I gave lots of excuses/reasons as to why I could not do it. This would be the biggest hurdle in my life. It would be an extremely big stretch out of my comfort zone. For each excuse/reason - I was inspired to put some action steps in place so I could be ready. I also felt that this adventure would enable me to rejuvenate my energy, get closer to the universe, build up my self-belief and self-confidence around my purpose, viz., I am doing the right thing, at the right time, with and for the right people. I was seeking clarity and the conviction. Hence, I accepted this adventure. I humbled myself, I trusted myself and created an open mindset to accept whatever may cross my path on this journey.

#2: Chunking down, staying in the present

All my preparation plans made with my tour agent in Malaysia, got debunked, starting with the change in weather, the harsh terrain, the lack of toilets, the lack of cafes, the lack of people, the lack of signage along the walk, and more. None of what he had told me happened on Day 1 and 2. Instead I faced the bleak truth of walking alone for a whole day, not knowing which path to take, the weather turned into a heatwave, my

Source: freepik.com@upklyk

shoes were unsuitable for the terrain, there were no toilets, there were no cafes to find food and I did not know where to find my accommodation. Towards the end of the day, a Spanish couple appeared out of nowhere. They approached me and asked if I knew the way. They decided to accompany me. They shared their food, they walked with me and led me to my accommodation for the night, as their agent had booked the exact same lodge for them.

The extent of my loneliness, hunger and exhaustion created massive doubts in myself, whether I had made the right decision and whether my body could continue and survive for the full 100km journey. I was seriously contemplating on throwing in the towel as the burden felt unbearable. I rested that night with these doubt-filled questions. In the morning, I experienced a surprising feeling. I was filled with some supernatural aid. I felt fresh. That one (and only) Panadol I consumed, magically removed all the pain that wrecked my body. I was inspired to do two things; firstly – to keep my focus on my original intention of seeking clarity and conviction and secondly; not to focus on the whole journey, rather to chunk it down to one day at a time, to be present to what that one day would unfold for me and find creative ways to navigate those challenges. That became my mantra for the remaining 5 days.

#3: Be open to receive Blessings

As I continued my walk, Day 3 to Day 5 turned out to be more pleasant. The scenery became greener, the trees provided lots of shade, numerous beautiful cafes were dotted along the path, tasty food was plenty and toilets were available. More people were walking along the path. Making friends with total strangers was a gift to be cherished. These strangers started treating me like family. They felt I was giving them a gift of love and taking care of them by showing them the way on the walk as well as accompanying them to their hotel. I felt comfort. I felt blessed. I did not give up despite the harshness I experienced in Day 1 and 2. I recalled my coaching clients and how I empowered them to not give up when they felt downtrodden. I continued to listen to the voice of my ‘inner guide’ who gave me inspiration and ideas on how to navigate totally new incidents that occurred to me. I was filled with courage and resilience. I felt empowered. I felt I could walk another 125km.

I continue to apply these three learnings in my day to day work. I do make a gentle plan of action. I observe closely to what extent I am able to fulfil the plan. If there are any incidents of hijacks to my plan, then I reflect and review that the learning around the hijacking is. Then I use my “inner guide” to support me to make the right decision to move forward.

I have given myself a gift. I know myself better. I have empowered myself. I have no fear of uncertainty. I am willing to let go of my plans. My body cooperates with me once I set my intention of doing an arduous task. I Believe in Myself. I have inspired myself. Have I inspired you?

Note: The struggles and challenges the author experienced in her 125 km solo-walk in North-West Spain will soon be available in a new book called “I’ll Never Walk Alone”. This book will help you and your team discover the purpose of difficult challenges, in addition to learning many strategies and perspectives shifting in overcoming challenges. It will be a highly resourceful tool for all. Look out for this book in the first quarter of 2023! For further information, kindly contact Dr. Frances Penafort at frances@francespenafort.com

DR. FRANCES PENAFORT

Dr. Frances Penafort is currently the Director of GPS for Professional PLT. Her coaching philosophy is to partner with leaders in their transformation journey so they can show-case their better-version! She specialises in being a catalyst of transformation to all her coaching clients and supports leaders to evoke the resourceful energy of their team to achieve their stretched targets. Click here for more information on Dr. Frances.

Are You Alert To The Change Cane Toads?

BY MICHELLE GIBBINGS

Organisational Change Doesn’t Occur in A Vacuum

It seemed like a good idea at the time. You’ve got a problem and identified a solution. Tested the solution, and now you’ve rolled it out.

The team and you sit back and celebrate your success… only to find unexpected impacts derail the change. Dependencies and connections you hadn’t identified have risen to the surface, and not in a good way.

This happens all the time and is perfectly illustrated by the cane toad.

The cane toad was introduced in the 1930s in Far North Queensland (Australia).

The plan was to help eradicate the native cane beetle that was destroying sugar cane crops. However, introducing a new player into the system had unintended consequences because there were no natural predators for the cane toad. So whilst the change solved one problem (the cane beetle), it also created a new problem (increasing and spreading

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populations of cane toads with resulting environmental damage across large parts of Australia).

In identifying a solution to the problem, the solution had only been looked at through one lens, and the downstream consequences hadn’t been considered. The way the ‘system’ operated hadn’t been thoroughly thought through.

This happens with organisational changes too.

I was working on a change project, and we were ready to release a significant process change. We’d gone through the design and tested the new process, and it worked (and worked well). A week before the launch, a part of the organisation I didn’t even know existed popped up and explained the negative impact of this process change on their work. We had to change the proposed change.

Organisations, just like the natural world, are systems. And systems are interconnected and interrelated. They are made up of many players with many roles. However, those relationships can sometimes be hard to spot; the dependencies and connections are unseen, so the impacts can be overlooked.

Systems today are characterised by:

▶ Ambiguity – there’s lots of information, ideas and changes, making it hard to grasp all the potential and possible impacts of a change

▶ Complexity – the pace, nature and volume of change are unrelenting, which means multiple changes are occurring at the same time within the same system

▶ Dependence – everything is connected, but often the connections are unknown, and so these impacts can go unseen and be unaccounted

▶ Variety – there are many different stakeholders (both internal and external to the organisation) with ideas, opinions, needs, and the desire to be heard

Organisational change doesn’t occur in a vacuum. To make changes in an organisation, it’s crucial to understand the system in which the change is taking place.

Think about it…

Change is driven by some form of pressure. In nature, water is turned into steam by the pressure of heat. New laws are often passed in societies due to the community’s pressure.

The same goes for organisations. Some form of pressure sparks the need for change, which can be either internally or externally generated. External forces may include competition, the environment, social landscape, regulations and technology. At the same time, internal forces can consist of new leadership teams, cost pressures, mergers, changes in the organisation’s life cycle, shifting employee demands and cultural needs.

For example, PWC recently highlighted what it sees as the four forces driving an organisation’s workforce strategy –specialisation, scarcity, rivalry and humanity. These forces don’t work alone. They connect, and when working through them, you must be cognizant of the organisation’s strategy, competitor frame, culture, operating environment, and technological landscape.

Forces don’t happen in isolation from each other, and often a change is driven by multiple forces operating simultaneously but with different impacts and intensities. However, while examining the impact of those forces and

working through the approach, it’s crucial to understand the totality of the effect on the organisation’s system.

Like much in life, this starts by getting curious and asking many questions. Here are a few I would be asking:

▶ Is the change incremental, transitional or transformational?

▶ Has it been driven by internal or external needs?

▶ Is the change proactively planned or reactive?

▶

Is the change taking you ahead of your competition, or are you playing catch up?

▶ Do you understand the disruptive forces in your markets, and are you looking at forces beyond your traditional competitors?

▶ Is this change an adaptive or technical challenge?

▶ Have the rules in your industry changed (or are they changing), and what does this mean for your organisation?

▶ Who will benefit from this change within the system?

▶ Who will be impacted (directly and indirectly) by the change within the system?

▶ Who supports the change – both internal and external to the organisation? Think beyond traditional networks and hierarchies

▶ What other changes are occurring in the system at the same time? Where are the connections, dependencies and potential overlaps?

▶ What don’t we know that we should know before we commit to this?

▶ What assumptions underpin our thinking?

Change is crucial, and you need to get it right. Flourishing organisations always have an eye on the external environment and seek to understand what is happening now and what is likely to be happening in the future. They know they can’t stand still because they’ll join the endangered or extinct company list if they do.

As Jack Welch said: “When the rate of change inside an institution becomes slower than the rate of change outside, the end is in sight….”

MICHELLE GIBBINGS

Michelle Gibbings is a workplace expert and the award-winning author of three books. Her latest book is ‘Bad Boss: What to do if you work for one, manage one or are one’.

LEADERSHIP IN 2023 AND BEYOND

BY BERNARD LEE

Everything rises and falls on leadership - John Maxwell. I first heard John quote that phrase when I was a young(er) person, captivated by it but didn’t quite fully understand what it meant. 20 years later, I was at the John Maxwell Leadership Centre in Atlanta - in the Boardroom was the exact same phrase. This time, I had a slightly better understanding and appreciation of what it meant.

While the world is still reeling from the effects of the pandemic, Prime Ministers and royalties have come and gone, corporations and nations have been at odds with one another, while others are still living under strict lockdown conditions. To add weight to the burden, economic analysts say nations (Malaysia is one of them) are heading into more challenging times in the days ahead. More recently, the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar received mixed responses from players and officials alike; and who can forget the time when inked fingers appeared on our social media feeds and the days ensuing.

The narrative is changing by the day. It is as if the script writer can’t make up his/her mind about where and how the story should go. With all the uncertainties and unknowns, one thing is certain - Everything rises and falls on leadership.

In 2020, I wrote about the Leadership PATCH (leaders who are purposeful, authentic, trustworthy, compassionate and humble) and in 2021, the Leadership FOCUS (leaders with fervency, being open-handed and committed, with undivided attention and a servant-heart). As we anticipate the 365 days of 2023 (I was going to say sail into 2023, but obviously not!), leaders must possess the Leadership GRIT (leaders must grow, be resilient, be intentional and build trust).

1. Leaders must grow Leaders must first grow. The sequence is important. Leaders must first grow themselves, before they can help others grow, and eventually help organisations grow.

In the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell explains how leaders are the lid to the people and the organisations they lead - he calls this, the Law of the Lid. If we were to arbitrarily measure leadership and say the leader

is at a level 5, the highest level the people or organisation they lead will be a level 4. But if the leader grows himself/ herself to say, a level 7, the people and organisations they lead can now potentialy move up to level 6.

Growth is a byproduct. A byproduct is a product / result of something. Cambridge dictionary defines it as something that is produced as a result of making something else, or something unexpected that happens as a result of something. In other words, you can’t just grow without doing anything.

For example, if you put in effort, time and attention to study, you should have decent grades (byproduct). If you eat healthy, live a healthy lifestyle, do some form of exercise, you should have a healthy body. Likewise, if a leader invests time, effort and energy in reading (relevant and helpful materials), it can broaden their leadership thinking and expand their perspective on leadership matters. In these examples, you can see a series of actions before the outcomes / results can be seen. This is called discipline - a series of continuous actions in and of itself means very little, but when you do it consistently over time, it becomes impactful. Here are 3 leadership disciplines every leader must have if they want to grow:

▶ Reading - reading (including watching and listening) is about broadening our horizon. Read varied topics across disciplines and industries. Why is this important? Because reading opens our mind. It introduces new possibilities and scenarios that we typically do not encounter. Reading brings us closer to issues and creates awareness. Reading allows us to connect with people and a true leader knows leadership is all about people.

▶ Reflecting - reflecting is about thinking. Thinking enables a growth mindset to see and explore possibilities. Reflecting draws our attention and turns our focus on careful observations. It separates the whitenoise and brings clarity to the subject. It causes us to think and be mindful. And a true leader knows being mindful is a key leadership skill in our VUCA world today.

▶ Responding - responding is about application. How can I apply what I have learned? You can have all the knowledge and experience in the world, but if you do not apply it, it is of little or no use to you as a leader.

A leader creates impact by moving into action after reading and reflecting. Afterall, a true leader knows all talk and no action leads to nothing.

2. Leaders must be resilient

To be resilient is to be able to not just withstand the challenges but also (and more importantly) learn (and grow) from it.

In ancient times, when the soldiers went to war, they put on armour. The armour would consist of different parts (e.g. breastplate, helmet, belt etc.), each with a specific focus area to protect. The armour allows the soldiers to withstand the attacks of their enemies thereby preserving their own lives and enabling them to continue engaging in battle. That armour has evolved over time. The modern day armour still serves the same purpose - it is now more nimble, new materials enable soldiers to be more agile and responsive, and most importantly, lighter and quicker in their reflex.

Leaders, like the soldier, require “armour” to be resilient. This “armour” protects the leader from the various challenges thrown at them. In the Leadership PATCH, we looked at how leaders must be purposeful (in their purpose, values and vision). When leaders are purposeful, it allows them to be resilient. This is because to be resilient, you need to depend on something - there must be an anchor that gives you firm footing and a foundation to withstand the challenges. Purposeful leaders are resilient because they are secure in who they are and their security is found in their purpose, values and vision.

Resilience is more than just being able to withstand adversity - it is also about learning and growing from it. Carol Dweck describes the growth mindset as someone who embraces challenges and persists in the face of setbacks. To do that, leaders must have humility. Humility enables leaders to grow from adversity. Without it, it is impossible for leaders to be resilient.

3. Leaders must be intentional

At the recent Purposeful Leadership Series that Invigorate ran for a banking client, I shared with participants three key principles at the start of the programme - one of them being, learning is not automatic, we have to be intentional about it.

Growth does not come automatically. Just because you worked a couple of years, went to school / university / attended an MBA programme does not mean you are growing.

On the other hand, growth can be automatic. When there is a series of intentional applied actions, growth can be automatic. A horticulturist who takes time to simulate the right temperatures and soil conditions, the plants will grow automatically. Or parents who nurture and feed nutritious meals, their kids will grow automatically.

When leaders are intentional about the ABC’s, things can automatically happen:

▶ Attitude - attitude is about the positive posture of the leader. Leaders must intentionally maintain a positive attitude. Especially during difficult and challenging times, the attitude of the leader can determine his/ her altitude - that is why some leaders strive in victory while others strife in failure. When a leader maintains a positive attitude, it automatically rubs off to the people they lead. If you want to know what kind of leader is in the organisation, just look at the people they lead.

▶ Behaviour - behaviour is about walking the talk. Leaders are role models. They may not have volunteered themselves or even think they are role models, but the reality is that people are looking at every move they make (or don’t make). Leaders must quickly realise this and be intentional about their behaviour. For example, when a leader makes a mistake - be quick to own up to it, apologise, make the effort to remedy the situation and commit to not repeating the same mistake again. When leaders are intentional about their behaviour, the people around them will automatically model the same behaviour.

▶ Coaching - coaching is about helping others become a better version of themselves. There is a time to direct / manage / instruct, and there is a time to coach. The former can rectify and produce quick fixes, but the latter has the potential to transform an average performer to an outstanding performer. When leaders are intentional about coaching, leadership bench strength grows automatically. That is why coaching is never about a certificate (programme) but a culture. I cringe when organisations rely on the number of certified coaches in their organisation as a reflection of a coaching (and development) culture. That does not preclude the value of coaching certification but the emphasis must be on creating a healthy environment where people are open to give and receive feedback, constantly looking for growth opportunities, knowledge and experience sharing platforms, including developmental assignments that stretch people’s potential.

4. Leaders must build trust

Leaders understand trust is the invisible currency that is tangible. In the Speed of Trust, Covey describes the economic benefits of trust. He introduces the concept of trust tax (when trust goes down, the speed of doing business goes down and the cost of doing business goes up) and trust dividend (when trust goes up, the speed of doing business goes up and the cost of doing business goes down). He goes on to say, everything a leader does, he/she can do better with trust. And lastly, trust is a function of credibility and behaviour - it is a skill you can learn and get better.

Trust as we all know, is earned and not demanded. It is given and not asked for. Leaders must be the first to extend trust. When a leader demonstrates trust, the team reciprocates. Using the model by Patrick Lencioni (5 Dysfunctions of a Team), when leaders build trust it creates an environment where healthy engagements can take place. With the high levels of engagement, people are willing to commit themselves and do not shy away from being accountable for the delivery. This all culminates in a focus on the collective results and outcomes.

Trust is an outcome. In our stakeholder relationship model, I share about the five steps needed to build effective stakeholder relationships. Beginning with knowing your stakeholders (and vice-versa), thereby allowing you to connect purpose, followed by demonstrating capabilities and building credibility and eventually establishing trust. Trust is the byproduct of a series of intentional actions. And when you have trust, you can now progress from coordinating and cooperating to collaborating (the intentional coming together of more than one party with the purpose of achieving a common outcome that they would have not been able to do on their own). Without trust, it is impossible for collaboration.

I believe the Leadership GRIT is what will carry us into and through 2023. Leaders who are growing, resilient, intentional and trusting - with that, we can have hope. Hope is something not yet seen, the evidence of what is to come. May we bring hope into 2023 as we sail through turbulent times. Remember - tough times never last, but tough people (leaders) do - Robert H. Schuller.

BERNARD LEE

Bernard is the Founder of Invigorate Consulting, a firm seeking to connect people and organisations to their purpose. He has over 20 years of management consulting and corporate experience with global organisations. He is also a seasoned facilitator. He enjoys travelling and is excited about the second half of life.