3 Likely Situations When Change May Not Be Wise

“Change or die.”

The presupposition in business these days is that change is constant and constantly necessary to be successful. Agility is certainly critical to maintaining a competitive edge. But don’t be so persuaded by the concept of change that you value it above all else.

Here, according to action learning for leadership development experts, is when you should be wary of launching a change initiative:

1. When the risks are too great. Be sure that when you plan a major change that the rewards will be worth the effort, the re-education, the struggle and the likely temporary performance shortfall. For example, Hershey's inability to successfully implement new ERP and supply chain systems prevented it from delivering $100 million worth of products for Halloween and caused an 8% dip in market cap.
   

2. When your customers or employees value consistency (or the status quo) over change. You should first determine that your customers and employees are ready and looking for change whether it’s in a simple logo, your product offerings or organizational structure. For example, when Netflix announced a massive price increase and the separation of its DVD mailing and streaming services it lost thousands of irate subscribers and more than 50% of its market cap.
   

3. When you will face new and powerful competition as a result of the change. Be sure you have fully assessed how to meet and overcome the challenges of potential new competitors in your new market. For example, Apple’s new smartwatch will create both competition and partnership opportunities in the healthcare industry.
   

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/action-learning-leadership-development/

You Cannot Do It All – How to Delegate More Effectively

Good leaders know how to delegate effectively. They have to because they have long since realized that they cannot do it all. They need to relinquish control for some of their responsibilities in order to manage the overall enterprise.

So what does it mean to delegate effectively?

• Assign projects according to skills.
  Find the best possible person to take on the task or project. If they can handle it more skillfully than you, so much the better. Your employees will be more engaged doing jobs they can handle and enjoy.
  
  
• Make expectations clear.
  When you delegate a task, be clear about how and when you need the job done. Set check-in times so you can be sure the project is on track and encourage your employee to come to you with any questions as they proceed.
  
  
• Share the credit.
  Be sure to appreciate good work and, if appropriate, publicly salute your employee for a job well done.
  

Consider the delegation process an exercise in action learning for leadership development…yours as leader and your employees as they learn and grow. 

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/action-learning-leadership-development/

Share More to Lead Better

When we advocate sharing leadership in our action learning for leadership development programs, we don’t mean that you step aside and avoid responsibility. Instead, we talk about what can happen when you pull back the curtains, let the light in and share information with your employees.

Many leaders don’t trust their workers with the kind of information leaders need to make sound decisions. What we have found, however, when leaders share information is that employees respect the confidence their boss has shown in them, feel a stronger sense of commitment to the organization, and perform at a higher level.

Employees are more engaged when they understand how they connect to the company and how their contribution is part of the company’s success. For example, when the company makes changes, people want to know why and how they fit in.  Effective leaders take the time to make it clear to employees at all levels how their work impacts their team, their department, and ultimately the company as a whole. This is what we mean by “shared leadership” and it works.

You will know you are on the right path when employees are satisfied with the information they receive about what is going on and believe that they have enough information to confidently succeed in their job.

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/action-learning-leadership-development/

Experience-Driven Leadership

Want to learn how to lead? Yes, you can read about leadership, model your behavior after leaders you admire, and attend programs that focus on leadership skills. But the most effective way to become a capable leader is to learn by doing…try on-the-job action learning for leadership development.

If you are really serious about stretching yourself and learning all you can about what it takes to lead well, you cannot wait for others to notice you and feed your goal. It is up to you to take the first steps on the path to leadership. Set up your own development plan this way:

1. Identify what leadership skills you need to build or strengthen. Perhaps you need to learn how to fix problems created by others or to communicate a new strategic direction for the team.
2. Figure out what specific opportunities there may be to enhance these skills while continuing to fulfill your current job responsibilities.
3. Spell out a plan and persuade your boss that you are willing and able to take on this new challenge.

Great Leaders Know How to Manage Energy

So many definitions of leadership yet so few make sense in the real, day-to-day world.  But those who subscribe to the concept of action learning for leadership development make the point that leaders do not work in a vacuum. They need to manage the energy of others and they need to realize their vision, not in theory but in practice.

True leaders know exactly what they want. The desired end is always in sight. And they know how to communicate that vision to others in a way that inspires committed followers. Great leaders’ passion is contagious. Their energy is focused on their goal and they are able to marshal the energy of others toward the same end.

Communicate your goal clearly and simply. It is the specific purpose that ignites fire in others. They will not be inspired by a general hope to expand the organization but will be positively influenced by a direct goal of, for example, ensuring that every young student in the country has their own computer. This is a goal that every employee can support and work toward.

Build Strong Teams by Minimizing the Storming Stage

First developed in 1965, the 4 stages of the Tuckman model of team development are well known:

1.  Forming: behavior is driven by a desire to be accepted and get along
2.  Storming: behavior is driven by a desire to succeed as an individual
3.  Norming: behavior is driven by a desire for mutual success
4.  Performing: behavior is driven by a desire for high performance

Perhaps the most challenging stage is the second…Storming. It is the stage when individuals begin to express their opinions, take sides, experience conflict and still see themselves as individuals rather than members of a team. Though it can feel confusing and confrontational, the storming stage actually reflects a healthy sign that the group needs to behave as a team to succeed.  Teams outperform individuals when performance requires multiple skills, judgments and experiences.  Groups that meet infrequently or do not need to truly collaborate to achieve common goals rarely get past the forming stage.

Once upon a time, it would be up to the team leader to dictate a “fix” for storming teams.  Nowadays, smart leaders ensure that their teams take on much more of the responsibility for their success or failure.

Action learning for leadership development pros recommend that, whenever possible, the team should figure out its own team charter for goals, roles, responsibilities, processes, behavior and conflict resolution during Stage 1, the Norming stage, when everyone is getting along. The team sets the rules. All agree. Then when disagreements arise in Stage 2, there is a clear protocol for how to deal with any problems. 

This approach allows the team to “go slow to go fast.”  Done right, it will significantly decrease the time teams spend Storming and increase the speed to Performing.

Do Your Managers Have What It Takes?

As a new manager, you understand that to succeed you need to build a team that functions well together. Team members must support each another collectively and perform as individuals. If you suspect that you have a team member who is not performing up to par, do you have what it takes to take care of the problem?

First you need to evaluate the situation. Give your apparently poor performer a test assignment. Experts in action learning for leadership development say this is a good way to quickly and accurately assess their capabilities and willingness to do the job. Buttress your observations by checking in with their team mates, subordinates and former supervisors.

If you decide that there is little hope that the team member can measure up to the level of performance you need, it is time to help them find another position. It is never easy to let someone go. But your responsibilities now as a manager is to your team and ultimately to the organization.