Month: November 2023

leadership dot #4110: good work

November 20, 2023November 19, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A client was discussing the challenges she was having with an employee. “She does good work,” she said, “but there are issues with her not showing up for work, being late for meetings, or not functioning well as a member of the team.”

Ummm…that’s not doing good work.

I urged her to reframe her perspective and, more importantly, her language. The employee may be good at X tasks, but “work” needs to be more broadly defined to encompass operating effectively within the norms and expectations of the organization. “Good work” includes being present, engaged, a team player, etc. — not just performing XYZ tasks.

If the employee hears that they are doing “good work, but…” it’s a mixed message. They may wonder: “Am I doing good work or not?”

While the employee may be good at certain things, if the supervisor is talking to me about it in a coaching session, something else is going on besides “good work.” Feedback needs to be specific, clear, and direct if you hope to affect behavior change. “Good work” is far too broad.

leadership dot #4109: earlier

November 19, 2023November 18, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

You can’t enter a store without being bombarded with Early Black Friday sales. It’s one more tradition that has morphed into an extended money grab and gotten away from its original focus. Christmas decorations have been out for weeks — or at Hallmark, since July — and soon valentines will be filling the shelves.

Now, everything is available for extended periods. All these “early” promotions dilute the intensity that occurs when there is actual anticipation — as used to occur when waiting for Thanksgiving so Santa could arrive, the window decorations could appear, and Christmas shopping could begin.

To replicate the enjoyment that comes from condensed activities, resist the temptation to do things “early.” Save the holiday decorating until Thanksgiving or December. Wait until the day after Thanksgiving to shop for those bargains. Hold off on the valentines until the calendar has turned. Don’t fall for the manufactured lure of “early.”

leadership dot #4108: robot

November 18, 2023November 16, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I was surprised at the restaurant when a robot scooted up to my table to deliver my order. The waitress accompanied it and was the one to remove the plates from the robot to the table, but the machine did all the heavy lifting. No more waiters balancing a host of plates on their arms. No more dropped food. No more multiple trays requiring multiple servers to bring out the food. Just one robotic assistant on the staff.

We often think of technology in terms of software or computers but there are many more ways that it can add to the efficiency of operations. Is it time for you to consider adding Mr. Roboto to your team?

leadership dot #4107: domino

November 17, 2023November 16, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I required the students in my class to watch Luvvie Ajayi Jones’ TED Talk: Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable. Nearly all of them commented in their reflection papers that she inspired them to think about speaking up and using their voices, even when they were hesitant to do so.

Luvvie says that someone has to “be the first domino” who speaks up and causes others to follow behind them. It’s tough being that initial voice, even if you know it’s the right thing to do. Her talk provides some of the encouragement and motivation required to be first.

What resonated most with me was her comment that others see the person who speaks up as fearless. “We’re not fearless,” she said. “We feel like we have to.” In other words, it’s an unrealistic expectation to wait until it feels comfortable to have the hard conversations. Even Luvvie, who refers to herself as a “professional troublemaker” gets uncomfortable.

Luvvie reminded me of Shonda Rhimes and her book The Year of Yes. Both women intentionally agreed to do things that scared them as a way to lean into risk-taking and embrace what was uncomfortable for them. The lessons learned from their adventures motivated them to gain the confidence required to use their voice and become a force in other venues.

Spend ten minutes with Luvvie’s TED Talk and gain some inspiration to shake things up a bit. Comfort is overrated.

leadership dot #4106: random

November 16, 2023November 15, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

In my classes and workshops, I frequently sort people into groups. The key principle I use is to do random sorting. It helps to have a transparent system that makes it clear that the teams were determined strictly by chance. It prevents anyone from feeling left out, and it eliminates any suspicion of favoritism or manipulation of the groups. It also lands unusual combinations of people together — which is precisely the point.

To do this, I try to avoid the generic and overused “count off 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.” Instead, I used plastic silverware in multiple colors and had people sort by forks, knives, and spoons or by their color. I used playing cards and sorted by black/red, by suit, or by number. I’ve used coins — and groups are determined by which coin they received in a sealed envelope that they chose. I’ve used different kinds of fun-sized candies, and different stickers on the nametags that they chose to write their names.

When I need a last-minute sorting, I count off using categories (the Great Lakes, TV characters, Presidents, or food groups). You can also tie this impromptu sorting to a theme (e.g. we had mummies, monsters, black cats, and skeletons for a group on Halloween).

How you put people together matters. Don’t let people self-select and end up with those they already know. Foster connections and contributions by intentionally mixing people up in unexpected ways.

leadership dot #4105: getting feedback

November 15, 2023November 14, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I know someone whose boss is reluctant to give her any feedback about where she can improve. No one is perfect at their job and it’s a lost opportunity that he doesn’t provide insights to help uncover her inevitable blind spots. So, she asked a trusted colleague for feedback and received two bits of candid observations that would allow her to tweak her behavior and improve. She was grateful for the commentary.

Hopefully, you don’t face such hesitation in receiving feedback about your performance. Some strategies to help you gain the information only others can provide:

Ask for feedback regularly. Don’t make it a big deal or a one-time thing; instead, seek evaluative comments after every major presentation, proposal, or project.
Keep it simple. At the end of each class or workshop, I ask for 1 Praise (thing that went well), 1 Wish (wish we would have/wouldn’t have/could…), and 1 Thing they Learned. Participants can do it in a few minutes and it’s structured to give me instant feedback on both the good and areas that need attention.
Ask for 1 thing. By asking for one thing you could do differently, you may be more likely to get a response. It removes the pressure for the respondent to think of everything or even the most important thing, but you at least get some feedback in the process.
The 1-10 method. Author Adam Grant asks people to give feedback from 1-10. He says no one ever gives a 10, so he asks: “How can I get closer to a 10.” It’s an invitation for people to start coaching.
Ask for advice instead of feedback. Feedback can have a negative connotation, whereas “advice” feels helpful. People may be more willing to share.
Frame your inquiry as “If only….” Your presentation would have been great “if only…” or You would be a better supervisor “if only…”

The more you normalize feedback, the more likely you are to receive it. Asking for insights is a good start to make truth-telling and continuous improvement part of your culture.

leadership dot #4104: building trust

November 14, 2023November 13, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

When working with teams, especially virtual ones, it’s tempting to jump right into the business to address the tasks at hand. But as every book on culture highlights, you need to have a foundation of trust before real work can be accomplished.

If the agenda is too packed, spending time on relationships is the first thing to be truncated. There may be hello pleasantries, but time is not dedicated to developing trust and safety which ultimately delays or derails the business aspects.

Some task-oriented leaders (and I am at times guilty of this myself) want to move ahead with “the work.” Remember that building trust is the work — the first work, the most important work, and the difference of whether other “work” can be done.

leadership dot #4103: managing up

November 13, 2023November 12, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

During my coaching sessions, I’m often asked for strategies for dealing with a supervisor, commonly known as “managing up.” Here are some suggestions that I share:

Provide them with soundbites. A full report is nice and often necessary, but sharing the positive or interesting soundbite that they can use in other settings may prove to be more helpful.
Give them time to think before you expect an answer. I’m a big fan of putting things in writing (an email or 1-page proposal) to help you clarify your thinking and make it easier for your boss to reflect and share.
Serve as a thoughtful sounding board, not a “yes person.” Hopefully, you have developed the type of relationship with your supervisor where you can provide respectful but candid feedback to their ideas. They need you to share your insights and perspective more than they need total agreement.
Take things off their plate. This can be accomplished by completing tasks and preparing work that is in final form. The less they have to re-do or edit what you submit, the more helpful you are to them Clarify expectations and deliverables up front so you can do things as they would have them done.
Solve problems as best you can before involving them. Come with researched solutions, rather than just outlining the issue.

The most successful employees are those who make their bosses look good. The more you can save them time and help them look good to their boss, the happier everyone will be.

leadership dot #4102: shabby

November 12, 2023November 11, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I’m all for efficiencies and cost reductions, but at some point, the negative impact of the miserliness outweighs the good it is doing for the organization.

As an example, this mailbox has long past its prime. Yes, the Postal Service saves funds by not replacing it, but having their equipment in such disrepair reflects poorly on them.

Look at your interior and exterior space. Do you have things that need painting, repairing, or replacing? Shabby may be chic in a young person’s fashion world, but in organizations, shabby is not a term you want associated with your brand.

leadership dot #4101: banner

November 11, 2023November 10, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

There are many plaques and memorials honoring veterans but one of the more visible ways I have seen was in Three Oaks, Michigan where servicemembers are featured on banners lining the city’s downtown. It brings to life faces and helps people realize — every day, not just on holidays — the men and women who sacrificed for our country.

Two takeaways — One, give recognition to veterans today — it’s a holiday to celebrate anyone who is serving or who has served. Two, consider how you can find ways to honor those important to your organization or community in visible, public ways that showcase the humanity of those you are recognizing, beyond just a name on a plaque.