It is time to look for opportunities to motivate that don’t add to a business’ fixed costs. Economic downturns are the perfect time to listen closely to our employees, to thoughtfully consider their input and take action. Your employees know where efficiencies can be obtained and money can be saved.

When was the last time your employees brought suggestions to you about cutting costs?  You can’t remember? Hmmm. That tends to happen when we:

1)      Listen from a context of “whiner” or “complainer”. Most cost savings are couched in employee “complaints” about conditions or circumstances that hinder their ability to perform to their best ability. These complaints are really expressing a commitment to you but you hear a “whiner” talking. Change the context from which you listen from “whiner” to that of an employee committed to your success.

2)      Prepare our “We can’t do that because” list while they are talking to us. Be focused on what they are saying, not how you are going to respond. You job is not to say “No”, but “How can I help.”

3)      Fail to act on their suggestions. Why should they be committed to you (help you drive down costs) when you are not committed to them (fail to act)? After a few failures to act on your part, they simply quit bringing the ideas. Be committed!

You can reduce costs and improve morale if you will follow this simple process:

1)      Ask your employees:  “How can we become more cost efficient?” or “How can we reduce the cost of ____________________?”

2)      Provide “constraints” for their solutions (e.g. We have to use existing equipment. The total cost can’t be more than $x”. Whatever is appropriate to your circumstances.)

3)      Commit to implementing their solution if it meets the constraints.

4)      Get out of their way and let them be creative in designing the solution.

5)      Implement the solution.

6)      Celebrate their success.

In this way, you have acknowledged them by expressing Trust (in their judgment), Respect (for their expertise), Appreciation (for their contributions), Interest (in their thoughts) and Listened with an intent to act.

Best wishes for your success!

Leslie

_________________________

TRAIL (Trust, Respect, Appreciation, Interest, Listening) is a concept developed by Scott Degraffenreid in Blazing a TRAIL to Success – The New Art & Science of Acknowledgment which is available through www.NecessaryMeasures.com.

Leslie Knight is a trusted advisor to small businesses. She has over 20 years of experience in Corporate America which she applies to smaller entrepreneurial enterprises. She is also the author of Navigating the I.T. Minefield – Straight Talk for the Small Enterprise. To purchase your copy, please visit http://bit.ly/SNL4W.

Does trust have to be earned? I don’t think so. Any time a leader works with a new team he has two choices: 1) Trust them without proof. 2) Wait for proof. The one who waits for proof will run himself ragged doing all of those tasks he is unwilling to entrust to others.

Authentic trust is a choice. It is an action, a verb, and not a feeling. It requires creativity, courage, commitment and communication.  Therefore, it can only be conveyed by an authentic leader.

-          Creativity because you are inventing something new in a relationship.

-          Only courage will allow you to declare to the team that you are willing to put yourself in their hands, knowing full well that you may be disappointed. Only courage will allow you to express your disappointment, “I am disappointed that ___________ did not happen. What can we do to make it work next time?”

-          Commitment. Conveying trust is not a drive by experience where you sprinkle fairy dust, wave your wand and say “I trust you” and the next day you take it back.  You are committing to the team and the individuals to stay the course and continue to convey trust when times get difficult and failures and disappointments occur.

-          Communication. The recipient of your trust must be willing to accept your trust, able to perform in the way you are expecting and in agreement with the results and accountability. You can’t get there without effective communication.

As I lead various teams, my appreciation of the value of authentic trust continues to grow. As one who has been a recipient, I know it lifted me to new heights in my early 20’s. As one who tries to always convey authentic trust, I see its results in teams, friends and family.  It builds up the recipient. It empowers them to explore their potential. It frees them from a fear of failure, knowing you will still continue to trust.

Best wishes for you and your teams!

_____________________

Though I have experienced and conveyed authentic trust for many years, the concept did not originate with me. These concepts were expressed 4 years ago by a dear friend, Scott Degraffenreid. For more information, you can purchase a copy of The New Art & Science of Acknowledgment by Scott Degraffenreid from www.necessarymeasures.com.

Take the time to ask each member of your team, “What do you want me to notice more about your contributions to team?” Then be on the lookout for an opportunity to express appreciation. You always get more of what you acknowledge. People are thrilled when you acknowledge something for which they want to be known and will produce more of the same behavior. You must express interest and really listen for appreciation to work. The only way you can fail is to ignore what they told you.

If you want to do something that will surprise your team, call a team meeting. Then ask each person to express to the team what they want the team to appreciate about them.  You’d be amazed at the shift that occurs in each person as they reveal how they wish to be known to each other. The relationships within the team begin to change almost immediately as they begin to express their need for acknowledgment. Once the need is expressed it can be met.

I’ve done this a couple of times with teams that were stuck in storming. They moved quickly out of storming and into norming (http://bit.ly/3iQlcg) as their awareness of each other and respect for each other grew. This simple exercise jump-started the process.

Don’t be surprised when the team asks you, “What do you want us to appreciate about you?” It is a humbling experience. Be prepared to give them an answer.

Best wishes for your success!

Leslie

Unfortunately, there are times when the team simply does not respond well to a member and refuses to accept their leadership.  In fact, the team will often ignore the person which leads to more storming. Sometimes the problem is that this person isn’t really an expert in their area…and the team knows it.  Sometimes the one desiring to be recognized as a leader self-sabotages. They lack the skills (or are unaware of the skills needed) to create the environment where members give their permission to lead.

How do you help these members and move your team through storming?

-          Remind the team of basic leadership principles.

• The privilege of leading others stems from the permission of those you would have follow you. Your ability to influence is more important than seniority, position or authority.
• Permission to lead is granted only after others perceive you as:
  • Authentic.
  • Genuinely interested in them.
  • Willing to follow, serve or share power.
  • One with integrity to lead.

-          Respect their expertise and defer to it when possible. I’m not suggesting that you placate anyone, but that you model respect.  It isn’t necessary for teammates to always like each other, but they do need to treat each other professionally and with respect.

-          Remember that leadership is a set of skills that can be developed. As the leader, you may need to guide the team member to an appropriate leadership development program or commit to mentoring the member.

Unfortunately, there are times when you simply must remove the team member, particularly if they are not willing to accept responsibility for their own development for the good of the team. When that happens, ask yourself, “What about my hiring practices caused me to place the wrong person in the team?”  That’s a subject for several future posts. Include your own thoughts in the comments.

Have a great day!

___________________

Leslie Knight is a trusted advisor to small businesses. She has over 20 years of experience in Corporate America which she applies to smaller entrepreneurial enterprises. She is also the author of Navigating the I.T. Minefield – Straight Talk for the Small Enterprise. To purchase your copy, please visit http://bit.ly/SNL4W.

First, if this is a new team, make them aware that storming is a natural part of the growth process for a new team. They will work through this stage if they are aware of it and you provide appropriate guidance.  For an overview on the stages of team development, http://bit.ly/3iQlcg.

Next, if this is an established team, look at recent changes. Was a new member recently added to the team? That new member might even be you, the leader. Changes in team composition can cause a team to temporarily regress into storming. Once the new member is accepted and the relationships established, the team will quickly move out of storming and into “performing”.

If the problem isn’t a new team or a change in membership, then look at the conditions that must be present for a High Performance Team to develop. You should:

-          Review and clearly define the team’s mission.

-          Review and clearly define member roles and responsibilities (including the chain of command).

-          Model respect for the team by acknowledging and deferring to another’s expertise, promptly responding to correspondence or turning off your cell phone in meetings.

-          Give authentic trust to each member (http://bit.ly/aPvCB).

Assuming the problem isn’t the leadership (look closely at yourself first), it may be time to examine personnel. Some personnel may need to develop leadership skills. Others may need to be moved into more appropriate positions within the team or off the team.

How long will storming last? As long as the leader allows it to continue. Doing nothing will demoralize and eventually destroy the team. The quicker they move through “storming”, the sooner they emerge as a High Performance Team.

Leslie Knight is the founder of Knight Performance Management (www.KnightPM.com) and author of Navigating the I.T. Minefield (www.ITMinefield.com). Leslie has over 20 years of experience with Fortune companies in various leadership positions and Information Technology. She applies her corporate experience to small to mid-sized businesses, saving them time and money.

Leslie is also the Executive Director of Staff for CEO Space, producing the CEO Space Forum, a conference for entrepreneurs (www.CEOSpace.biz www.IBIGlobal.com).

What conditions must be present for a High Performance Team to emerge?

-          Clarity of Purpose. As the leader, you set the direction for the team. What result are we producing? What is the path to the result? The clearer the team is on their purpose and the path, the greater their focus and determination.

-          Performance Standards. What defines excellent service or excellence within the team? You and your client determine performance standards. Communicate them and then gain the team’s commitment to them.

-          Accountability. How do you deal with a breach of team agreements or performance standards? The process should not be punitive or personal. It should focus on the breach and allow the team (or individual members) to express their disappointment. Then it allows the member(s) to recommit to the team. A High Performance Team is able to hold each other accountable for meeting the standards.

-          Clearly Defined Roles.  The term “Keystone Kops” often refers to a team that expends a great deal of energy unproductively or displays an amazing lack of co-ordination in their effort. It conjures a picture of people running into each other in pursuit of something.  Clearly defined roles and responsibilities encourage smooth team operation.

-          Respect. Each member on the team needs to know they are valued for their skills and contributions.  Respect must be shown by the leadership to the members as well as among the members.

-          Trust. Trust must exist between the leadership and the members and among the members themselves. Authentic trust creates the space for team members to discover their potential and grow and take on more responsibility.

How quickly the High Performance Team emerges depends as much on you, the leader, as it does on the team members.  If your team is struggling, upon which of these areas do you need to focus?

_____________________

Leslie Knight is the founder of Knight Performance Management (www.KnightPM.com) and author of Navigating the I.T. Minefield (www.ITMinefield.com). Leslie has over 20 years of experience with Fortune companies in various leadership positions and Information Technology. She applies her corporate experience to small to mid-sized businesses, saving them time and money.

Leslie is also the Executive Director of Staff for CEO Space, producing the CEO Space Forum, a conference for entrepreneurs (www.CEOSpace.biz www.IBIGlobal.com).

As a leader, knowing that a team will pass through these stages allows you to better manage team interactions: when to be directive, when to intervene and when to get out of the way. In my experience, the real power is in sharing these stages with the team.  When they are aware of them, they tend to automatically correct their behavior.

- Forming occurs when the team is first brought together.  They share personal and professional information and begin forming bonds. As the leader, you share with them the team’s purpose, performance standards and processes. Everyone plays nicely for a while.

- Storming occurs as members search for their place on the team in relationship to the leader and each other. This is a painful phase the team needs to expect and understand.  Each member possesses a natural desire to be valued and respected for their expertise and contributions. You need to emphasize patience and a respect for diversity among the members.

- Norming. The team has moved out of storming and now begins to adjust to each other’s work patterns.  They accept each other’s role on the team, compensate for weaknesses and capitalize on strengths. They are working together almost seamlessly.  As a leader, your role changes as you give the team greater responsibility for execution and decisions. They need to understand they may experience some anxiety with the increased responsibility…but you are expressing confidence in their ability.

- Performing is the phase we all dream about as leaders.  They don’t require constant oversight. The team has matured. They are confident in their ability and themselves. Differences in approach or opinion are not viewed as a threat but as an opportunity. The team brings solutions to the table rather than problems. You have complete confidence in their ability to execute.

I enjoy watching teams move through these stages.  It pains me when they get stuck in storming and the final solution is to remove a team member. It fills me with pride when they reach performing and their bonds transcend the immediate project. How long a team spends in each stage of development depends on you, the leader.  Where is your team?

Leslie Knight is the Executive Director of Staff for CEO Space, producing the CEO Space Forum, a conference for entrepreneurs (www.CEOSpace.biz www.IBIGlobal.com). She is also founder of Knight Performance Management (www.KnightPM.com) and author of Navigating the I.T. Minefield (www.ITMinefield.com). Leslie has over 20 years of experience with Fortune companies in various leadership positions and Information Technology. She applies her corporate experience to small to mid-sized businesses, saving them time and money.