Remote Leader Life

There is a lot of content out there about remote worker life. Lots of questions too...

...how do you stay connected to your employees?
...how do you ensure productivity remains high?
...how do you extend your on-site corporate culture to your distributed team?

The list could go on and on, right? 

Wait, What?
One of the groups that I rarely see mentioned, and to which I belong, is remote leadership. 

For more than twenty years I drove to a specific location for my "work." It was familiar, routine, comfortable, and was what I thought "work" was supposed to look like.

Until it didn't look that way any longer.

Suddenly I didn't have a place to go to; but instead, was 100% virtual. Whoa. What just happened here? 

Where are all of the conference rooms? 
Where are all of the wasted moments spent walking between meetings?
Where are all of the people interrupting me?

Hidden Opportunities
Staying connected to colleagues, team members, and clients is a real challenge. Keeping an open mind relative to video technology, for me, has been crucial. Seeing people...not just hearing them on a conference call...is so powerful. Get over your hang-ups and embrace it.

Consider the dramatic drop in interruptions as a gift to you from your coworkers. Take full advantage of the time you have and go for it. Attack your to do list, and feel how satisfying it can be when you own your day vs. your day owning you.

Lastly, use the flexibility you have in your schedule to stay connected to humanity. 

When I know I have a few hours where I won't need to be on the phone, I head for a local coffee shop. I'm still head down with my work, but I'm around other humans. That energizes me and helps me feel much less isolated.

How About You
Perhaps the lesson in all of this if finding the proper balance. Remote life isn't for everyone; nor should everyone be stuck commuting to and from an office that does not support a healthy work environment.

I feel incredibly blessed to have successfully made the transition from office only...to a healthy mix of virtual, corporate office, and the great big off-site world. Is remote work part of your world?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

Meetings Are Excuses To Fail

I've attended a lot of meetings in my life. Actually, I've attended several life times worth. As a human resources leader, work is filled with "important" meetings and "critical" meetings and "high impact" meetings and just about every other cliche label for a meeting that you can think of.

And they're all lies.

Meetings Are Excuses to Avoid Work
Almost every meeting I've ever been to has been a complete waste of time.

Let me say that again...almost, every meeting I've ever been to has been a complete waste of time.

Harsh? Out of touch? Sour grapes?
Not at all. I'm not angry. I just don't want to waste so many hours of my life listening to drivel that should be shared in an email. Most meetings are "updates" or "report outs." 

Why in the world are we paying everyone to walk to a conference room, sit and chit chat, listen while every one takes turns giving updates, and then more chit chat, and finally a long walk to another conference room to do it all over again?

What in the world has happened to the modern world of work that we have convinced ourselves that report outs = work? Seriously?

It's All New to Me
I didn't always feel this way. I used to average between 25-30 meetings every week of the year. I thought I was "super busy" and "going hard" each day. What I was actually doing was wasting 20 or so hours each week doing nothing.

Nothing.

NOTHING.

It comes as no surprise to me now as I help organizations take their performance to unimagined levels of success, that the meeting trap always gets in the way. The leaders constantly have to "run to a meeting" that adds zero value to their revenue, expense management, or furthering their culture.

How About You
When was the last time you completely eliminated a long-standing meeting that no longer added value? When was the last time you ensured only one member of your team attended meetings (versus the "key" people who really "should be there"?) When was the last time you said no to a request to attend a meeting? 

Or, is it simply safer to go to meetings and use your busy schedule as an excuse to be a failure?

It's 2018...we're better than that.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Winning at Project Management....um, or not

...an almost completely 'true-ish' team meeting story...sort of...
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"Wow. This is quite a project! We need to pull a task force together to get into the weeds on this one."

"Yes, a good multi-disciplinary team will be great. I'll have my assistant set up recurring monthly meetings so we can stay on top of things."

"I'm in. Of course I'll have to reprioritize the research I'm doing into that other leadership initiative that takes a hard look at where we'll need to be by 2025, but I can probably make it work."

"Me, too. But I think we'll need to push back a bit before we get too far along. I mean, c'mon, do they expect us to turn this around in 12 months?"

"I agree. 12 months is going to go by in a snap. I don't mind taking the lead on the initial project plan, but it'll be 60 days before I can realistically get something in front of the group."

"Whoa! Are you sure you can turn it around that quickly? Aren't you also on one other project?"

"I'll have my group take a serious look at the plan once you've wrapped up the first draft. Maybe we should have our next meeting at the 90 day mark, just to make sure we're not getting ahead of ourselves?"

Every. 
Head. 
Nods.

How About You
Have you been in a meeting like this one? Was your head nodding too?

Leadership is about action. Cut the BS and get moving.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Still Echoes

I'm willing to bet you spend so much time dealing with the pressure of your job and feeding the ravenous executive corporate culture machine, that you don't spend much time with the front line staff.

You remember them, right? They're the ones you pass in the hall while your hustling to your next meeting to join the same group of leaders who were in your last meeting. 

People First
A year before I left my last organization I decided to try a different approach to connecting with the front line team. I scheduled an hour each month (not a lot of time) to shadow someone. I didn't want the department manager in tow, and I didn't want to sit in a conference room hearing a presentation about the work that was done. 

I've worked in hospitals for twenty years, I'm very comfortable on the units, being around patients, and certainly connecting with the staff.

At first the employees were a little skeptical. I think they either thought I was on some sort of secret monitoring mission; or I was about to pull out a powerpoint presentation and help them understand what they should think, feel, say and do.

You Second
It was new...I was the only non-clinical leader doing any sort of rounding like this...and it was spectacular. Once the concept sunk in that I was simply there to learn, the change in the employee's demeanor was obvious. Now they had the power. They could 'show off' what they knew, and I was full of questions. Genuine questions.

Suddenly the lens I saw the organization through did not include me. It didn't include my meetings, my email, task list, or the political minefields that plague every company.

I only had to do two things: listen and learn.

How About You
Do these phrases sound familiar: open door policy, management by walking around, employee engagement, blah, blah, blah. Words matter...if you back them up with action. If they're just tossed out into the universe they quickly become a distant echo.

When was the last time you turned words into action?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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What's Important Now

I have a long list of priorities in my life right now. You probably do too. When I think about the expectations of me to deliver...it feels...well...like a lot.

Whether that means coming through consistently for my company and our clients...to making sure I am "there" for everyone in my personal life...to finding time to do something for myself (ha!)...it has become a long list.

So which of these things is most important now?

Blessing
So before I get too deep into this topic I need to clarify an important point: I love the rush of a hectic lifestyle. I get fired up when there's pressure. I like being the one who has to make something happen when everything looks bleak. 

No, I don't have a hero complex. But candidly, I've seen enough leaders over the years who either analyze every situation so thoroughly that they make decisions once it is absolutely safe (and far too late to be effective); or other leaders who talk a good game but don't do anything...ever.

I'm not that guy. I'm the one who's willing to jump in and push a little too hard...before everything is just right...because forward momentum to me is far more important than perfection.

When was the last time you experienced perfection? I thought so....I never have either.

Curse
The impact of loving a hectic lifestyle however, is that the pressure can sometimes be too much. Always being "on" and delivering for everyone all the time (except yourself) can occasionally knock us off our game.

I hate when that happens to me. And yes, it feels like a curse sometimes.

How About You
What approach do you take to identify what is most important in your world? For as much as I work hard to keep it all moving forward...the reality is I'm human too. (Don't tell anyone...I don't want to ruin my reputation.)

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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A Dangerous Meeting

"Sorry I'm late..."
"How was your weekend..."
"Did you hear what happened last week..."
"I have so many examples of this problem that I need to share with you..."

I've spent my professional life in meetings. That may sound a bit disheartening, or even sad. But the reality is meetings are vitally important if led well. I used to believe meetings needed to be managed well. That approach turned out to be misguided.

Meetings need to be led. If someone is trying to manage a meeting you can collect your things and leave, because they are failing miserably and no one wants to watch that happen.

Why
It may sound simple, but when you attend a meeting do you know why you're there? Regardless of whether or not there is a printed agenda and a resource person with a stopwatch to frenetically scold you if you run over your allotted time by 30 seconds, good meetings need to be led differently.

Why are you sitting in the room when you could be executing on your company's strategy? 

Understanding how you will specifically contribute to the meeting, either by sharing data, giving a status update, or to simply receive information you need to do your job, you must understand why you are there before you join the session.

Focus
All too often meetings are filled with noise and excess information that detracts from the pace of work that is necessary in high-performing organizations. 

Several approaches that help keep meetings moving as rapidly as possible include:

1. Never be late. If you can not arrive on time text the leader and then be absolutely quiet when you join the group. If you are late on a consistent basis you clearly are not committed.

2. One example. Time and again I've heard example after example of a problem or a solution (and I've done this myself for years) - but it is a time killer. One example is enough.

3. Make decisions. The ultimate frustration about meetings is that decisions are not made at the end. Effective leaders make decisions and keep things moving. Sometimes those decisions will not be popular. So what? You're not getting paid to win a popularity contest, you're being paid to execute confidently and quickly. 


How About You
When you step into your next meeting today, think about who's leading the session. Are they focused on executing corporate strategy? Are they making sure everyone has an opportunity to share five versions of the same problem before proclaiming "I'll take a look at that."

It's time to lead meetings differently. Stop trying to manage them, and do your job.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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The Power of Unexamined Thoughts

Meetings are a double-edged sword. They are a powerful tool to bring team members together to think, plan, and ultimately execute on organizational strategy. Yes, meetings are supposed to do that.

But sometimes meetings hit a wall. It could be that the team is losing momentum, it could be they are not able to see the larger vision, or it could be that some members are simply not up to the task at hand.

Whatever the reason, meetings require two important elements to be successful...

Leadership and momentum.

Presence

One of the hallmarks of effective leadership is presence. It's much more than a job title or physical presence in the room. In the meeting context, it is taking charge and driving things forward. Sometimes that requires pushing ideas out to the group that are new.

These 'unexamined thoughts' are not brainstorming; rather, they are an example of the leader keeping the reality of where the team needs to be front and center. The best leaders use this approach in a way that reconnects the group to a global vision aligned with where the organization is headed, not just to the task-at-hand-focus of the people in the room.

That is leadership presence.

 

Results

The true power of unexamined thoughts comes in the output of the work. Driving change through a stalled meeting is one thing, developing great work product as a result is entirely different. 

Without leadership intervention to maintain the momentum of the group...sometimes moving past where the group is able to go as a team...is necessary to achieve the ultimate goal of great work.

Just so we're clear, the best leaders know that the only thing that ultimately matters is great work product.

How About You

Do you use unexamined thoughts when the teams you're leading start to fade? Or, do you pack it up for the day and ask everyone to "come back with good ideas next time?" I think it's time to step up...push through...and lead the way.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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The Best Meeting I Ever Attended

Yes, there was only one...and it really was the best meeting I ever attended. It was well organized, had a clear agenda, stayed within each topic's timelines, engaged every attendee (all 75 of them!), and delivered a high quality work product at the end.

It was the best meeting I ever attended. And now I lament the fact that my master list of "best" meetings  is so short that even thinking about mentioning a "couple of best meetings" feels like I'm lying through my teeth.

Shouldn't All Meeting Be That Good

No, they shouldn't. The meeting I'm talking about was special, with a diverse group of attendees. It had strategy, emotional stories, clearly defined objectives, and passion. A boat load of passion. Most meetings are not intended to change the (organization's) world. Most meetings are meant to keep organizations on track...moving forward...reporting out results...sharing ideas...communicating information...right?

Oh yes, and then there's the other 75% of meetings that suck.

Hating On Meetings

Okay, I'm a meeting-hater who spends the overwhelming majority of every business day in meetings. I'm a pretty organized guy, but that doesn't mean I'm always perfectly prepared. I'm guilty as sin of  not holding others accountable when meetings drift and meander, but that doesn't mean I don't actively participate in every meeting.

What's a meeting-hater to do? Stop going? Stop scheduling? Stop participating?

Hating on the Meeting-Hater

When I think about that special meeting one key point seems to keep coming back to me. No matter how I try to twist the truth, or write my own revisionist meeting history, I can't avoid the reality. I was fired up going in to that session. I felt like the outcome of that meeting depended on me...personally...doing a good job.

I was one of the meeting organizers, I had an important role to play before, during and after. This meeting meant something to me. 

Hmm. I wonder if I took that same approach with every meeting I attend if they might go better? Maybe my energy, enthusiasm, preparedness, and commitment could change the outcome of the meetings that I so easily feel comfortable hating? I wonder if my colleagues and team members would notice?

How About You

Have you ever been to a meeting? If you have, and particularly if you've attended more than one, you may have noticed that not all meetings are the same. Maybe if you and I commit to making each one effective we might just change the world? Or, at least our organizations.

I'd love to hear from you

No Excuses.

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The Meeting Fool

Meetings are a hot topic in my world lately. My company has a new performance improvement team examining how meetings are conducted, how to make them more meaningful, and whether or not we need as many meetings as we do. I've even written about meetings recently and described how some personality types dominate meetings over others.

Something seems to be missing in all of the energy, analysis and gnashing of teeth that is being directed at the meetings "burden" in my world.

Learning From Real Estate

Any real estate agent worth a darn will tell you the age old mantra about their industry: location, location, location. For anyone who has ever purchased property you know that no matter how good something looks online, you have to go to see the property before buying. Imagine how stupid you would look if you actually made a buying decision without even going to fully understand the property?

What a fool!

I spend a lot of time in conference rooms, meeting rooms, and offices where decisions are made that impact work that isn't done in any of those conference rooms, meetings rooms or offices.

In order to understand the impact of our decisions, doesn't it make sense to go to where the issues are actually happening? Do you think our employees would appreciate the image of a team of leaders coming directly to their units or departments to better understand the issues?

Who's the fool now? Oh, that's right. I am.

Meetings Rock

Can you say that about the meetings in your organization? Are they places where people come together and openly discuss difficult issues in order to improve operations, culture, earnings, satisfaction or clinical care? They're supposed to do this.

They're not supposed to be a burden that ends up being a double 'time suck' because we not only complain about them, but we don't use our time effectively either.

Fool. Fools. Fools.

How About You

What approach do you take when you see a full day of meetings on your calendar. Is it time to add to the noise all around you? Or, do you make a change? Imagine how many salary dollars are spent in meetings each year in your company. Now do you think it's worth making a change?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Supply Lines and Change Management

The world is moving faster than ever. Sometimes I struggle to keep up with it all. Whether I'm chasing the unattainable goal of an empty Inbox, managing multiple organization-wide changes, or trying to maintain a reasonable meetings load each day, I continue to wonder how I'm ever going to keep it all under control. 

Fast Is Good
Don't misinterpret my opening comments. I like changing things up to improve, and I certainly love courageous leaders who aren't afraid to push organizations forward. So many companies are mired in analysis-paralysis that I wonder if any decisions are made. I've worked in some of those places, and it can be downright frustrating to feel trapped in that corporate culture.

"Breakthroughs happen when leaders are brave enough to push their organizations forward."

Too Fast Is Dangerous
The world of work is filled with military references: the war for talent, negotiations being framed as a battle, and so on. One important lesson from the military that I believe is noticeably absent from the discourse at work has to do with supply lines.

In times of rapid changes (read here --> advancement in war) the front lines are never extended beyond the reach of the supply lines. If that connection is lost, important resources, supplies and expertise are compromised and the effort is put at extreme risk for failure.

The same concept holds true in the workplace. If changes are happening so quickly that leaders and staff are not able to maintain an appropriate supply of information, tools, and resources, the change effort is also at risk to fail.

How About You
What approaches do you use to ensure the change efforts in your organization don't outstretch your corporate supply lines? Are you able to keep your leadership team properly refueled and supported; or, have you simply focused on the speed of change and inadvertently put the effort at unnecessary risk?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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I Win Every Meeting

Meetings are slanted to go in my favor. In most cases they are predestined to go my way even before I walk into the room. It's not that I manipulate the process ahead of time so I can be more effective than the person sitting next to me. The reality is that the odds are in my favor so that I'm going to come out on top...and there's precious little the introvert next to me can do about it.

Real Time Thinkers

I spend a large part of my day in meetings. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Meetings are how team members communicate, bounce ideas off one another, strategize options, and support one another during stressful times. Meetings, for the most part, are good.

My mind moves fast in meetings. Just to clarify, 'fast' does not always equal 'effectively.' But for one reason or another my uber-extroverted personality combined with my brain that seems to be racing along like Fernando Alonso on a Formula1 circuit automatically positions me well for the outcomes I'm hoping for in meetings. 

How is that possible?

Am I a loud mouth that forces my position on my colleagues? Do I bully others into accepting my position? Maybe I'm such a talented salesman that I missed my calling and should have been running a used car empire instead of spending the last twenty years in healthcare?

The truth is that our world of non-stop meetings favors real time thinkers.

Introverted Thinkers

The opposite of my behavior in meetings is what is displayed by those that need time to process through what is being said. They aren't willing to jump in to the conversation in the blink of an eye, nor do they typically feel comfortable speaking out in group settings. This group sometimes prefers to offer an opinion once the meeting has been completed, and typically only to the meeting leader. That's okay...but not if the goal is to have their insights become part of the group's awareness.

Introverted or reflective thinkers are not necessarily prepared to respond in the moment, which can do a disservice not only to them, but to the group as well.

The Meeting Leader's Job

The challenge for the person leading the meetings we all attend (which in some cases means we are the ones leading) is to ensure a proper balance of managing the real time thinkers while simultaneously drawing out the introverted thinkers. Not an easy task.

Each person should participate, otherwise they shouldn't be there. It simply doesn't cut it to say that due to being an introvert they are allowed to offer their perspective after the meeting has ended and they've had a chance to cycle through an analysis-paralysis session away from the group. 

Each person should also not over participate, otherwise they shouldn't be there either. It simply doesn't cut it to say that due to being an extroverted real time thinker that their ideas have to be the ones that the group is forced to accept. 

Meeting leaders need to ensure everyone participates. Period.

How About You

I bet you go to a bunch of meetings each week. Do you notice who seems to be a more effective person in those settings? Is it the quiet, thoughtful one; or, is it the one who seems to be "have it all together?" Which one are you?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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It's The Relationship...Duh

I know, I know...our days are packed with stuff...meetings, email, drama, and well..whatever the heck else comes up. That's how we roll in HR. We seem to be in jobs that have a steady stream of issues, pressure and sometimes crises that come at the most inconvenient of times. When those issues pop up, we need to ask if we've invested the time necessary beforehand to make sure we are ready to react.

What do I mean by 'ready to react?'

More Meetings
One of the strategies I've adopted in my HR practice is to meet regularly with other key leaders in the organization. These are on the calendar, scheduled for an hour, and are a priority whether or not I have anything to discuss. Some may say this is simply not possible due to their hectic schedules, and they just can not squeeze any more time into their day. Fair enough...but tell me about how much time you spend when a problem arises? Do you have time in your day for that?

I didn't think so.

Now Is The Best Time

I have found that the relationships I have with my key colleagues are much stronger using this approach than they ever were in the past. Think about it...now I have the luxury of knowing the leadership team outside of the normal meetings and occasional organizational conflict that arises. We trust each other, and understand what each of us is going through in our respective roles because we've talked about it during our one-on-one meetings. If that isn't worth your time, I don't think you quite understand what HR is really all about.

How About You
How do you spend your time at work? Do you think it's worth connecting with your key organizational leaders? If so, I'd like to know how it's working out. For me, it's changed everything.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Failure Is Not An Option

I spend a lot of time discussing leadership behavior. For me, it far exceeds the other challenges organizations face each day. Now you may be saying "wait a minute, what about the economic turmoil, persistent unemployment, and industry-specific pressures that could create havoc?" You're not wrong. But if leadership fails, you have no chance.

"If leadership fails, your organization does not have a chance to survive...and by the way, you are part of that leadership team. I am too."

Making Time
I work in an industry that appears to value meetings in an almost cult-like manner. We proclaim our full day of meetings ahead with an odd sense of self-importance. Really? The more I think about it, the more it sounds like I am not in control of my work life. If I'm allowing my calendar to fill up whose fault is that? You may work in one of those industries too. When the endless stream of "emails-copied-to-everyone" are added to the long list of meetings each day, it's no wonder that time spent focusing on leadership behavior is pushed to the back burner.

I believe we need to change the order of these priorities if we are going to make work better. Isnt' that what leadership is really all about anyway...to make work better?

How About You

When do you find time to focus on your leadership behaviors? Does this question even register with you; or have you finally achieved that long sought after title and have convinced yourself that since your calendar is so full you must be doing everything right? For me, I'm going to make time today to do some critical introspection.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Meetings Ruin My Day

I go to a lot of meetings.  Many weeks I attend more than thirty of them.  Thirty meetings in one week.  They're all important; some are even mission critical (remember that term?).  But what actually gets done in those endless hours behind closed doors?  Sometimes I'm not sure.  Yes, face-to-face communication is simply the best way to share information, but is it always necessary?  I don't think so, and I now recognize that I need to take action instead of continuing to talk about it.

Fresh Perspective
I've decided to try something new over the next few weeks.  I'm going to attempt to cut my weekly meeting count in half, on average, going forward.  This may take some doing, some delegating, and some hard decision-making on my part to simply turn down meeting requests.  The difficult part of this plan is that I'm not willing to sacrifice the perception of good service to my customers.  Hmm...I hope they're as open to using technology as I am.


Why Such A Big Deal?
As my organization grows, I seem to find myself connecting with more people, in more locations than ever before.  In order to provide the best service possible, I can't be unavailable.


"Simply because someone doesn't work on the same campus as me, does not mean they don't deserve the same level of attention and support.  I need to be available in person, via phone, and electronically in equal parts."


How About You
How have you balanced the crush of requests for meetings with the need to support your other clients across the entire organization?  What worked?  What didn't?

I'd love to hear from you.


No Excuses.






pic courtesy of The Big Link