Category: leadership

Two myths

FabrizioLeave a comment

There are two myths that new managers often fall for, and that have the potential to create immense damage to their teams and themselves.

Myth #1 – The manager knows everything. Of course, it is false. The easier it is for a manager to say that they do not know, even large chunks of what is considered their responsibility, the more their team will thrive (looking for answers) and the more they will enrich their experience (being exposed to things they had not done in the past). It is a myth that can be dispelled by asking and listening.

Myth #2 – The manager needs to protect the team from everything. Change, challenges, and crisis will be upon your team in no time. It is only by putting them on the front line that they will be able to learn (also to be a manager in the future) and that you will have the time to dedicate to what matters most (supporting them as they are out there). It is a myth that can be dispelled by opening doors and letting people roll.

The road to change

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People might do what you ask them to do for a number of reasons. It might be your charisma, or the position you hold, or fear, or compliance, or perhaps a new rule you just came up with. It is possible to get people to do things they don’t want to do. In fact, it is not even that difficult. But that is not change.

For change to happen, for it to bring a positive impact on the people around you and your environment, there needs to be a conversation. To build rapport, to draft a common way to view the world, to list a series of actions that might make sense in that world, and to eventually agree on which ones we will pursue that will make that world better.

It is extremely difficult, and that’s why many take the shortcut and jump right into the actions that will make the world better – essentially a list of tasks that they think might be the right thing to do.

It never has a lasting impact.

Influencing others

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There is no behavior that you can promote without embracing it fully.

Telling your team that they should not work the weekends while you are working all weekends is not going to be effective.

Telling friends that they should call you more often while you never call is not going to be effective.

Telling your kids that they should not lie while they see you lying every day is not going to be effective.

We have a lot of power to influence others’ actions, we are just not confident enough to acknowledge that.

Misstep

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Reconsider your decision, particularly if you have taken it under emotional stress – I was mad when I said that.

Acknowledge the relationship – I do care about you.

Say that you are sorry and ask for help to move forward – I am sorry and I would like to hear how you think we can get past this impasse.

Nobody said it was easy.

A culture that matters

Fabrizio5 Comments

People do not seek transactions.

Or better, if what they seek is a transaction – for example, I give you my time and energy and you give me money in return -, they can find it pretty much everywhere.

Of the three sources motivating people, the only one that is independent from the context is the work they do. And yet employers focus most of their engagement and retention strategy on that very same source, therefore failing to differentiate from any other employer in the world.

If you work in HR or if you are an entrepreneur, there is a clear opportunity for your company to stand out. Make space for employees to build meaningful relationships, give them opportunities to get to know each other when not talking about work, build a culture from the ground up – the only type of culture that employees can perceive and buy into every single day. Have your managers and leaders show them that they care.

It is not what used to matter a few years back.

It is the only way forward now.

Along the way, many senior executives will be challenged to reimagine how they lead. The skills that made leaders effective before the COVID-19 pandemic—strong coaching, mentoring, creating strong teams—are just table stakes for the challenge of the months and years ahead.

McKinsey, “Great attrition” or “Great attraction”? The choice is yours.