We are a team, but you know what they say about team; there’s no I in team!
If we are a team, and Sam Slacker is not doing his job, why do I have to do my job?
What do they have in common? Statement one partially created statement two in the workplace. From time to time business grabs hold of an idea they believe has great value and only later discovers that the idea was flawed and created things never intended. “We are a team” did that.
Unintended effect: Use the word we in place of I and you. Revision: Use the words I, you and we appropriately to reinforce team and personal responsibility—i.e., “We are a team. I am here to help you. What are you going to do to assist your teammates and perform up to your potential?”
Unintended effect: It’s not necessary to look at your performance separate from the performance of your teammates. Revision: While it’s productive to compare the performance of teammates, expect employees to measure themselves against their potential – separate from others’ performance.
Unintended effect: It’s OK to stop short of doing your best if less than your best positions you as the highest performer on the team. Revision: Doing less than your best is never – and has never been – acceptable. Expect excellence in the workplace from everyone.
Communicate to the team your expectation that they get up in the morning, look at themselves in the mirror and say, “I will compete with myself to be the very best person I can be in the workplace today. I won’t even think about commenting on another person’s performance or comparing myself to them until I know I’m giving my best. My best is defined as both my personal best and my team best.”
Unintended effect: Competition among teammates is discouraged. Revision: Encourage competition among employees, as the world of sports does. They understand that Competition and Teamwork are Compatible and that when teammates compete, all grow and improve. Encourage your people to:
first compete with themselves to be their best,
compete with teammates to make each other better, and
cooperate with each other to raise overall team performance.
The manager’s job is to communicate when it’s time for them to compete with themselves and others, and when it’s time to put their competitive selves aside and bring forth their cooperative selves. Manage this well and watch the performance of each individual and the team improve!
You see, I subscribe to the Michael Jordan School of Teamwork. Michael, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, after hearing “We are a team, but you know what they say about team; there’s no I in team” responded, “There is no “i” in team but there is in win.”
Competition and Teamwork ARE Compatible. First believe it is possible, then create it.
Leading teams through change was a daily activity for managers in the heyday of corporate downsizing and restructuring. Leaders became change hardy – accustomed to dealing with change. Those same skills are needed today, as change is back with a vengeance. Let’s review important change principles and terminology.
Change is something that happens in an instant, with a decision
Processing the change is called a transition and takes time
There are two transitions – personal and organizational
The two transitions occur simultaneously but are not always equally successful
While being the guiding light to support your team through their personal transitions, you also need to manage the team transition and your transition. It’s a tough position to be in, but that’s why you are in the leadership role.
Now is your time to display the strength and character the company saw in you to select you for leadership. Having co-written the Change Management Workshop for a worldwide career consulting company, I have several helpful tips.
Contrary to popular belief, employees don’t always resist change and struggle to accept it. Beyond understanding the transition curve and continually assessing where your team is on the curve, you need to know the two factors that help teams accept change and successfully transition.
Employees tend to accept change more when they choose it (or have input into the change) OR when they benefit by it. How do you involve the team to take advantage of these?
Upper management requires that something change – have the team choose what changes
Upper management specifies what changes – have the team choose how to implement it
You share with the team how you believe they benefit by the change
Ask or task the team to identify how they believe they benefit by the change
Realize that even the smallest amount of input or benefit goes a long way. Do your best to find ways to give the team input where you can, and help them see the benefit(s); even the frequently overlooked and downplayed benefits.
One additional tip – during major change a common leader reaction is to withdraw. In his book Managing Transitions William Bridges suggests just the opposite is needed.
Be more visible,
more accessible,
more supportive,
give them more direction,
provide them with more structure,
communicate more, and listen more!
The small things you do for them will be appreciated now more than ever.
One last point – please take care of yourself – you are needed at the front!
That’s my perspective, what’s yours? Leave us a comment or question below this post and don’t miss the video on this topic on YouTube!
Dear Leader, are your difficult folks driving you crazy? Do you have any bad apples that are wearing you out? You remember what they say about bad apples; one bad apple spoils the bunch. What they also say is that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
So, how do you turn your bad apples into lemonade?
If you find yourself tasked with managing a challenging person, you’re not alone; it’s very common. It’s also natural to wish you had a team of top performers, and to hope your bad apple magically improves or decides they would be happier somewhere else.
I get it; high performers are great to work with for a multitude of reasons. They come to work every day demanding their best. They are self-driven and self-motivated. So I completely understand the perspective of wanting to manage only high performers.
Yet, is there a perspective that reveals a value to managing marginal performers?
There is that perspective, and it suggests that high performers typically require you to use a limited number of leadership skills. They are so capable, they don’t force you to learn skills like crisis intervention or conflict management the way marginal performers do. They don’t test your patience the way bad apples do, or your persistence, or ability to stay calm while being attacked and challenged.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not wishing on you a whole team of marginal performers throughout your leadership tenure. I am suggesting you are missing opportunities to become a better, more complete leader if you shy away from helping marginal performers improve.
It’s key to remember, when stressed, that these people not only blatantly reveal your current leadership ability, but also present you with rare growth opportunities. It’s also important to remember that… before you pull your hair out!
When stressed, say to yourself, “OK self, here’s an opportunity to learn and develop myself in ways that will benefit me as a leader. I accept rather than resist that.”
My belief is it’s both. They report to you, yet I believe your responsibility is to provide them with everything they need to be successful. It’s your job to provide the resources, the guidance, the direction, the support, and the information they need to be successful. Then and only then are you justified in holding them accountable for being successful.
This means, with marginal performers, you are working harder. The obvious payoff is that when your folks are successful, you as a leader will be successful. It’s a definite win-win!
So whenever you’re troubled by a challenging employee and you’re ready to say, “I wish I didn’t have this situation in my life,” pause a minute, and choose to adopt the leadership perspective of using every situation you are presented with to learn, grow and become a better leader.
As you do that, you also give that employee an opportunity to learn, grow, and become a better employee and better team member.”
That is how we turn bad apples into lemonade!
Oh, one last question; who hired that bad apple? If it was you, we might need to review your hiring practices – but that’s a topic for another week!
That’s my perspective, what’s yours? Leave us a comment or question below this post and don’t miss the video on this topic on YouTube!
