Practice the Five (5) A's of Leadership

  

APPROACHABLE—Listen to what others have to say.  Make yourself accessible to others, inviting them to discuss what’s on their mind..

ACCEPTING---Keep an open mind.  Good ideas can come from everyone, at all levels of an organization. Oftentimes, the best ideas come from day-to-day workers, as they’re usually closest to the delivery or execution of projects.

ACKNOWLEDGING---Recognize the contributions of others. Acknowledge someone each day and let them know they’re contributions matter.

ACCOUNTABLE---Be responsible for your actions and all under your charge.

ADAPTABLE---Change isn’t an aspect of business, it IS business itself.  Think about where your organization and your team need to be in the future, more than where you need to be today—make the adjustments necessary to get there.

Do You Know the 20-50-30 Rule?

Though we may anticipate resistance when a major change program is underway, how much resistance is ‘reasonable’?

If you have a reliable frame of reference, you can put things into perspective.  Knowing what’s considered ‘normal’, will better prepare you for the particular situation you may encounter.  

Let’s look at a typical scenario:

In general, twenty (20%) percent of people (or team members) are ‘change friendly’.  They’re open to change, advocates, and will help drive the program you’re looking to implement.  Another fifty (50%) percent of people/team members are ‘on the fence’.  They assume a so-called practical position, trying to figure out which way to lean. Not necessarily hostile to change, but not assisting in a way that they could. The remaining thirty (30%) percent are change-averse.  They are resistors—those that are antagonistic and preventing any movement forward with change programs.

Resistance is very seductive and difficult to ignore—but this group takes up the most time and energy of anyone else. They’ll provide the least return on all of your investment and time.

Spend your time wooing those that are on the ‘fence’—you have a far better chance of winning them over.  Also—devote the largest amount of attention and time to the 20 percent that are already supportive, these are the stars who will drive the change program.   Often they are taken for granted.

You must be willing to let squeaky wheels squeak. Save your grease for the quieter wheels who are already carrying the load…

EXPECT Resistance When Looking to Employ Changes

Resistance is the most common side effect an organization encounters when looking to bring about Change.  If you don’t encounter it, you have to wonder if you’ve really changed the status quo very much.

Similar to your body’s immune system employing a variety of ways to fight an infection, an organization, team, or individual’s response to change manifests in different ways as well—an immediate, pointed response; or a set of emotions; or a collective response designed to refuse cooperation.  Each of these may be stressful to all involved but they’re actually a useful tool.

When looking to execute a change, the specific response(s) that one receives to the proposed change acts as a  barometer or gauge that helps to understand quickly, how the organization and to what degree, the proposed changes may be accepted.

Please Note—the reactions/responses that are received are a gauge, and should not be used to determine whether the proposed change is appropriate to implement.  Oftentimes it is appropriate, but feels too ‘strange’ at the time..

Initiate change with the idea that more than likely it will stir up resistance of some sort or fashion.  Anticipate this and you’re better positioned to address the reactions that come.

“Twenty percent (20%) of people will be against anything..”—Robert Kennedy, former Atty Gen

Weigh Your Reliance on Resistors to Change

Many organizations are struggling to speed up, scrambling to adapt, trying to innovate and embrace new technologies, and respond to a rapidly changing workplace.  As many have experienced this can also be very painful too… Despite the apparent ‘gloom’ of current times we’re also in a time of exciting change.

 Nearly half of all major change initiatives that organizations undertake prove to be a disappointment or possibly a failure.

Why does that happen?

All too often, precious resources are being squandered on organizational ‘civil wars’. Those who are fighting change, instead of collaboratively pushing it forward.  They’re pulling in different directions rather than aligning with the change efforts.

These are the ‘resistors’ or ‘insiders’ within an organization.  You may be paying top dollar for these team members. Yet they represent one of the major threats to your organization’s future.

Resistance is the biggest barrier to ‘Change’.  Resistors will oftentimes employ a variety of tactics to attempt to keep the status quo intact, by keeping their collective feet on the brakes of an organization.   But an organization can keep their forward movement and speed going if they weigh the importance of continuing their future with existing ‘resistors’ in place….

Leadership Requires the Ability to CHANGE

What does it take to be successful in today’s environment of “hyper change”?

It takes Speed, Adaptability, Innovativeness, and a laser-quick Responsiveness to the rapidly changing marketplace around us.

Teams need to be aligned, moving in the same direction.  Energy needs to be focused on moving Forward, instead of protecting the past, if only to defend the status quo…

Impactful change and improvement requires teams to stop resisting and start Driving Change.

There is a great energy, a precious resource that exists right now, that’s might be wasted on ‘resistance’.  Free up this valuable resource and you can position your team and organization for a meaningful breakthrough.

Importance of Recognizing ACHIEVEMENT

Do you want to see a team member’s face light up?  Tell them what a great job they’re doing—even better, show your recognition in front of, or amongst the team itself.

Think about how recognition for achievement makes a person feel

—One of the reasons people choose to work or even volunteer for others, is the recognition for their efforts and achievements. 

Recognition is a huge motivator.  It drives continued motivation and desire for accomplishment, from all around you.

Saying Thank YOU—This demonstrates the value you place on another’s efforts, and shows that you appreciate the time and energy they’ve invested in their work.  This frequently helps create a culture of recognition, in which people go out of their way to appreciate the entire team’s efforts.

Good ideas need to be noticed—Let your team know their ideas, words, and actions are noticed.  Their input is being valued..

Why Should I Empower Others To LEAD?

You’ve likely heard—The role of a leader is to create vision, set expectations, and lead by example.  But leaders also determine the course of action for others to follow.  That involves allowing others to participate in the vision by setting their own expectations and determining their own example by which to lead.  We call this “Empowerment”.

When teams feel they have empowerment, they’re more likely to take ownership for their roles and the larger goals of the organization.  They become more accountable for their actions, and they care about the results they achieve.

It’s these teams that create an organization which is nimble and responsive to the needs of customers/clients.  They manage themselves under the direction of a leader who trusts them to do what is right for their role, and right for the organization.

Continue To Practice The 5 A’s Of Leadership

Approachable- Listen to what others have to say.  Make yourself accessible to others.

Accepting- Keep an open mind.  Great ideas can come from anyone, at any experience level or background.

Acknowledging- Recognize the contributions of others.  Let someone know each day that you appreciate their efforts.

Accountable- Be responsible for yourself and the actions of others under your charge.

Adaptable- Think about where your organization needs to be in the future, not where they are Today.  Make the adjustments necessary to reach that future state.