Posted: September 13, 2022 | Categories: Customer service, Leadership, Team Building

Yes,  you read it right!  I said “eliminate”.

A few years ago I was working with a manufacturing team that wanted to be more productive.  The first step was to have each participant do a self-assessment to help identify their personality and communication style.  One of the team members was classified in the “Mediator” category.  People in this group tend to be strong on harmony.  “Let’s get along” is their motto.  Richard, the business owner commented that he wished he had a whole team of “mediators”.  “No, you don’t”, I replied.  Why?

A Mediator wants to see everyone work together and get along.  What’s the “flipside”?  Mediators are usually very uncomfortable with conflict.  There are times when we feel betrayed or simply disagree.  If we don’t speak up, we can become frustrated and internalize our feelings.  Unfortunately, doing this usually leads to us talking to someone else about our concern rather the person we should be talking to.  This often leads to gossip, and gossip is not good for teamwork.

We all know the signs:  When lunch break comes, certain clusters go off to another room.  You know when your name is discussed because everyone gets quiet when you approach.

What do we do?  Break the pattern.  If someone has done or said something that has made it more difficult for you to do your job, speak up!  Approach the person in a friendly way.  Focus on the problem not the personality.  Refrain from being judgmental.  Relate the incident and how it affects your work.  Seek common ground.  In doing so, you will take an action step in creating a more positive working environment.

Posted: August 17, 2022 | Categories: Leadership, Team Building

As an executive coach, I help companies and organizations to further improve teamwork and overall performance.  As we know, good communication is at the heart of a winning team.  One of the toughest parts can be getting our message out in a conflict situation.  So often, we just end up talking past each other, and not solving the problem.  A few weeks ago I came across this situation with one of my clients:

Jane is a team leader.  One day her boss came in with a bad mood.  He began talking to Jane’s team members in a harsh way.  Even though the boss was pointing out important things, the way he said it was not well received.

In the past such an incident would have caused Jane much stress and frustration.  Jane had been working on her communication skills, and this time she decided to confront her boss at a time when they could have a private conversation. Here is how she approached her boss:

• She began in a friendly way, and asked her boss how he thought it went the day before.
• She listened, and he talked for a few minutes recounting the scene, and making comments along the way. When he was through talking, Jane affirmed what she heard, and asked him a follow up question.

It wasn’t long before the problem was solved.  The boss admitted he was out of line, and pledged to improve his “re-direction” in a more nurturing way.  He did just that.  He was happy, Jane was feeling less stressed, and all the team enjoyed their improved working environment.

Here is what Jane learned:  If someone does something that we believe is a threat to teamwork, find a time to talk to them one-on-one.  Begin in a friendly way.  Gently ask questions. Listen and find common ground.  You will have a more positive and engaged team.

Posted: July 20, 2022 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Team Building

Have you ever seen a situation where a company hires a new team member, things go well for a couple weeks, and then the new hire suddenly quits?  What happened?  You thought they were happy and doing fine.

Well, you may want to look at your onboarding process.  Studies have shown that for the first six weeks of employment we need to be intentional in making sure that we work with the new person in building trust and helping them keep engaged in their work.  This can make a big difference.

In 1977 I joined a local Rotary Club.  I wanted to be more involved in the community and enjoy some good fellowship.  At 28, I was the youngest person in that club.

As soon as I was inducted, I was paired with a mentor.  His name was Art, and he was genuinely interested in me and what skills I brought to the table.  We set up weekly conversations, and I was soon given the job of bulletin editor.  Art knew I liked to write, and he tapped in to a hot button.  After six weeks my mentoring ended, and the program had succeeded.  I was an active member of the club and felt very much at home – even though I was the youngest member of the club – by far!  I was a member for 10 years before I moved away, and during that time served in every office…including president!

One of the most persistent challenges my clients encounter today is hiring and keeping good employees.  To reduce this threat, I recommend you have a step-by-step onboarding process guided by a competent mentor who will manage the process.  Keem’em smiling!

Posted: April 13, 2022 | Categories: Leadership, Self-Improvement, Team Building

“The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing”  

-Henry Ford

I work with teams and organizations that want to be the best and stay that way. The first quality I look for in a team is the level of trust and respect they have among each other. The next quality is ownership. This quality is also critically important.

Have you ever been on a team that didn’t take ownership? If so, you probably had your fill of blame and excuses. Whether it is justified or not, there is a fear of making mistakes…and owning them!

At the risk of sounding trite, let’s acknowledge that we all make mistakes. There is no perfection this side of heaven. Since everyone on any team will make a mistake once in a while, we need to change our attitude about mistakes.

When we make an error that has created more work or has been costly in other ways, let’s admit it, quickly and emphatically. We do not blame or make excuses. Next, we decide on our corrective action using input from our team as a resource.  As it is often said, “two heads are better than one.” Finally we implement the plan. As a result, we will improve ourselves and help make the team stronger.

When we admit our mistakes and are eager to learn from them, we help do our part in building a strong team that trusts and respects each other.

Posted: March 17, 2022 | Categories: Self-Improvement, Team Building

About 20 years ago I was brought on as a consultant by the president of a moderate-sized manufacturing business. His name was Roger, and he wanted me to help him with his retirement plans. Before Roger set his exact retirement date he wanted to be sure that his son and the rest of his team could implement a smooth transition.

I asked Roger what he wanted help with. He replied, “I take a few weeks off every year to stay at my cabin up north. When I return to work, everything is in a crisis mode. As I am scrambling to get things back in control again, I begin to question the benefit of ever going away again. What I want is to come back to my plant with confidence that all will be in order. I want my return to be a pleasant experience that I look forward to.”

With that picture clearly in mind we got to work on building into the team all the skills and discipline needed to make the self-reliant team Roger was looking for. As you might guess, these areas included skills in emotional intelligence and clear communication wrapped in a blanket of trust and accountability.

About three years after we began, Roger and I were talking about the effectiveness of the training. He had just come back after a several week stay at his cabin and returned to a working environment that was relaxed and in control. No one came to Roger with a crisis. I was happy to hear this, but then I noticed Roger’s facial expression. He looked a little down. I asked him if something was wrong.

He said, “I know this is what I wanted, but I don’t feel as much a part of the group, and I am not as important.” We all love to feel important, don’t we? Roger lost some of that. I asked, “So even though this is what you wanted, you are going through a “grieving process?”

“Yes!” he said,  “You hit the nail the head!”

What Roger and I both learned: If you want something that involves a change, consider what you are leaving behind, and let your mind prepare.