At work or in your personal life, if you want something you’ve never had, you need to do something you’ve never done. That’s obvious, right? Conceptually, yes, but manifesting the change you want can feel complicated and daunting.

“You need to get your swagger back.” Those words came from a coaching client’s boss. My client was in a job that did not feed his professional mojo. He grew restless. His boss noticed. In their one-on-one meeting, his boss shared his observations of the lack of enthusiasm and its impact. The honest, caring feedback resonated with my client so powerfully that he recognized the job no longer was a good fit. He wanted to move through the workday with more purpose and confidence. He wanted his swagger back.

When we feel stressed, we tend to pull back and play small. We slip into what is familiar and comfortable. We may also attempt to exert more control. If we feel bored, uninspired, or burned out, we might surrender to going through the motions, a complacency that stifles our creative spark. If we stay in the struggle for too long, inertia sets in. We get stuck, and we lose our swagger.

If we want change, we need to break old patterns. The best place to start is by taking risks that embolden you. Those risks do not necessarily have to be big. If they challenge us to push against our internal resistance to take even the smallest of actions, it can lead to breakthroughs.

A simple example: asking for help. I recently reached out to a colleague to ask for assistance in promoting a client’s survey. He immediately tapped into his vast network and next thing you know, I’ve been introduced to some savvy professionals who wholeheartedly offered to support my endeavor.

When we channel our energy into a curious exploration of new ideas and experiences, we are in a better position to say yes to an inspired call to action. “Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it,” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe reportedly said.

Boldness as a way of being builds tremendous resiliency. When we step into bold action, we are inviting a nimbleness and fluidness that honors the dynamic world in which we live. It also is a testament to trusting that we can handle what we put in motion. When we choose to be bold rather than complacent, we create a sense of agency. This is a place of possibility. Boldness sparks an aliveness that catapults change.

Organizations have their own kind of vibe that either positions them to resiliently navigate change or become bastions of operating the way they always have. The longer an organization maintains the status quo, the harder it becomes to embrace doing things differently.

Organizational cultures are meant to be evolving ecosystems. Yet, when organizations grow, they often fail to change how they operate. Roles and responsibilities have not been revisited, workflows and tools have not been standardized, and execution is stymied.

When launching work with new clients, I often walk teams through an exercise that captures their “current state” and “future state.” When we name what is happening in the current state, we inevitably find patterns that highlight organizational struggles. The intent is to bring transparency and clarity to the current reality, and then juxtapose it against what is desired. The gap between the two defines the change you want to create. It shapes the goals you set, the initiatives you define, and the steps you need to take.

I recently read a LinkedIn post about conducting “random acts of boldness.” The idea is that the more you exercise that muscle, the more you grow your confidence. When you connect targeted acts of boldness to your vision, you begin actively seeking out opportunities that bring big payoffs.

We are held back by our fears of looking foolish or failing. As we let go of our concern of judgment, we are liberated to try new things. This makes us less resistant to change and more comfortable with the unknown.

Most of us have experienced the satisfaction from excelling at a challenging task. The reward feels inherently greater when we are required to dig a little deeper and risk a little more.

What is bold for you?

Boldness is subjective. What might be a stretch for one person is not for another. For example, this morning I was at the gym and saw a machine I didn’t know how to use. I was tempted to skip it and work out with the usual equipment. I caught myself in the “avoidance trap.” I decided to give it a try. Turns out, it’s a great machine for exactly what I needed!

Where to start? Notice where and when you are resistant. Pay attention to the patterns that keep you playing small. What kind of future state do you want for your professional trajectory? What kind of change do you wish to see in your organization? Move in the direction!

Take the K Challenge:

How will you be bold?

• Decide and do
• Try something new
• Talk to someone you don’t know
• Do something that you don’t know how to do
• Do something that might make you feel foolish
• Say what you mean
• Ask for what you want
• Model the behavior you want in others
• Be authentic
• Take the next small step

Being bold is not easy. But if you heed its call, you might find being bold brings just the right kind of swagger to stoke your professional mojo and be the change you want to see. (Thanks, Gandhi.) Being a change agent simply means you are willing to take steps in the direction of that which feels scary for the sake of what is on the other side. “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional. Choose wisely.”

What bold action will you take today?

Karen Natzel is a business therapist who helps leaders create healthy, vibrant and high-performing organizations. Contact her at 503-806-4361 or karen@natzel.net.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed in the preceding commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Daily Journal of Commerce or its editors. Neither the author nor the 91��Ƶ guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein.

The post Want change? Take risks (even small ones) that embolden | Opinion appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

“Karen, do you have a minute? I want to run something by you.”

Recently, someone I had coached in the past texted me, asking if we could talk. He was being actively recruited by one of my client’s competitors, and the offer was compelling. He was not seeking another opportunity, and yet he was tempted.

As his past coach, I had a good understanding of what mattered to him. We talked through the offer, his options and his career ambitions, and examined the significant differences in the organizations’ cultures – a meaningful factor in job satisfaction. The competitor offered an attractive base salary, the ability to work from anywhere, and an opportunity to work on a team that suggested career enhancement. This professional was hungry for a mentor. Ultimately, after a conversation with his supervisor, he decided to stay. A meeting that was almost an exit interview instead became a learning opportunity. Now my client is exploring a mentorship program so that talented professionals find more value in staying.

Another client recently lost an ambitious and talented employee because he did not receive the promotion he wanted. They had thoughtfully deliberated, and hoped to convince him of future opportunities, but his mind was set. He was ready for a new challenge and eager to advance his career. Had he had a mentor, perhaps his ambition could have been channeled earlier to affirm a suitable career path and a timeline for its attainment.

While people work at home, there is a loss of the informal mentoring that previously occurred naturally during team meetings, in hallways, and around workstations. Today, people are seeking guidance, connection and inspiration.

People who have had strong mentors express a deep appreciation for the personalized care and attention. They describe having clarity about how to develop professionally – from what skills were needed, to what steps to take, to reception of invaluable feedback identifying their strengths and blind spots. They often report improved problem-solving and decision-making, as well as more expansive thinking and increased confidence.

You will find the mentee is not the only benefactor. Mentors report feeling an increased sense of professional satisfaction and renewed energy from their ability to contribute to another’s career trajectory. The benefits go well beyond the two individuals in the relationship. Organizations with successful mentoring programs reap tremendous rewards. In addition to mentoring being a powerful recruitment and retention strategy, it can bring operational improvements around productivity, skill development, cross-organizational knowledge sharing, teamwork and leadership development.

My own experience in having mentors has been rather happenstance. In my 20s I was ambitious and ready for someone to show me the way. I was fortunate to have a demanding boss who saw potential and was willing to take me under her wing. She challenged me and we butted heads. I was the equivalent of a rebellious teenager on the career evolution pathway. In other instances, I had people in my life who have worn the hats of client, friend and mentor – simultaneously! They all have shaped my professional identity and direction.

Today, the combination of an impatient, smart and young workforce with a competitive market for top talent requires leaders to intentionally grow their talent.

How does one create a mentoring program?

An organization’s mentoring program can be established in a myriad of ways with various degrees of formality and structure. You can begin with a pilot project that identifies your top performers (and top potential performers) and your willing and capable mentors. If you have an abundance of interest from both roles, you can create an application process. Even with small teams, a process that helps identify motivation, readiness, expectations and commitment is valuable. Build in some training for the mentors and some accountability for the mentees, with ways to track and celebrate program successes.

What does it take to be a good mentor?

Mentors are dedicated to helping their mentees discover their passions and create a road map for their success. Mentors are not there to tell their mentee what to do. They listen. They do advise, but in the context of helping the mentee make informed decisions with the counsel of an experienced sounding board. Mentors bring subject matter expertise, relationships, an understanding of organizational dynamics, business acumen, people skills, and/or personal experiences to the relationship. (Storytelling is a profound way to share a life lesson!) Mentors generally are generous in nature, empathetic, and have a growth mindset. They also may be excited to leave a legacy by making a difference in others, the organization, and their industry.

It is important to get the right match. It is best to have a mentor that is not an employee’s direct supervisor. You want them to have the ability to be completely candid, so it needs to be someone with whom they can establish rapport and trust, and someone they hold in high regard.

Mentors don’t have to have all the answers. They do need a genuine desire to cultivate others’ potential – and to learn along the way too. Witnessing someone’s spark ignited is a beautiful, rewarding and enriching experience.

The capacity to mentor isn’t necessarily a product of years on the job. Younger employees who have a penchant for teaching and a knack for technology may guide more senior team members in the newest tools of the trade. It’s an important reminder that it is never too late to learn and we can always learn from others – even those with fewer miles on their career road trip!

Take the K Challenge:

Are you ready to be more intentional about keeping and growing your top performers? Teach them now, before they get the promotion. Teach them how to manage people before they have direct reports. Teach them how to manage themselves – their time, emotions and careers. Inspire them to take initiative, think creatively, and strategize solutions. Make your organization a culture of supportive learning. Invest in a mentorship program designed for building capacity. The results will serve you tenfold.

Karen Natzel is a business therapist who helps leaders create healthy, vibrant and high-performing organizations. Contact her at 503-806-4361 or karen@natzel.net.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed in the preceding commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Daily Journal of Commerce or its editors. Neither the author nor the 91��Ƶ guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein.

The post OP-ED: The importance of mentoring for employee growth and retention appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Business leaders make decisions every day, all day long. Some decisions are made in split seconds; others are agonized over for weeks or months. The act of decision-making is a cognitive process resulting in a selection of a belief or course of action among several possibilities (thanks Wikipedia).

Generally speaking, when making a decision you are trying to mitigate an issue or capitalize on an opportunity. It may be in response to what’s happening within the company – an employee performance issue or a process breakdown; or it may be in response to a trigger outside of the company – a new RFP on the streets or a change in health care laws.

For many people, this time of year is when next year’s road map is planned. Decisions are made as to how the business will grow and what priorities will be. Essentially, folks are problem-solving and strategizing.

A simple decision-making process:

1. Identify the issue or opportunity. What is the issue you are trying to resolve? Is it the root cause or just the symptom? Establish a framework for what you are trying to achieve. By visualizing and articulating what the ideal outcome would be, you gain clarity about what decision needs to be made.

2. Gather and analyze the facts. Capture the essence of the situation and determine what you need to know to make a decision. What’s relevant? Who can be of assistance in the process because of their expertise, experience, familiarity or objectivity?

3. Develop and evaluate alternatives. Take off the blinders of habitual responses and open up some creative thinking. Practice “what if” scenarios to build out ideas and possibilities. Examine the potential benefits and pitfalls of your options – consider the reverberation of unintended consequences.

4. Make your decision.

5. Act on it. Decisions need to be communicated to all parties impacted. How you do this will impact effectiveness of implementation. Be clear on what was decided and why, as well as who is responsible for what. This provides clarity and direction. It also builds credibility.

6. Mitigate risks and keep learning. Our work worlds are fast-paced, dynamic environments. We need to make the best decisions we can with the information we have. If we appropriately analyze the alternatives, we are in the best possible position to mitigate the anticipated risks. Not all things can be anticipated; we need to keep sharpening our skills – paying attention to what works and what doesn’t.

Independent or group decision-making?

Knowing when to make a decision unilaterally and when to include others in the process can be critical to its success. Not everything requires a group discussion! However, by involving other team members in the decision-making process, you increase their buy-in, sense of ownership and their connection and accountability for the results. It fuels the sense of team and camaraderie that is so vital to productivity. It also opens up the discussion for new perspectives and potentially better thought-out solutions and consequences. People want to contribute and often have great ideas to share.

The potential downside of group decision-making is that it can be time-consuming. In an attempt to please everyone, the solution may get watered down and be less effective or meaningful. There’s also the danger of “group think” – where momentum is created in the wrong direction or individual responsibility and creativity is inadvertently discouraged. The desire for cohesiveness and a quick decision may lead to a less-than-ideal decision. Finally, group decision-making may create a perception of ineffective leadership.

What hinders good, timely decision-making?

• Doubt; uncertainty about one’s capacity to make the decision.

• Fear of making the wrong decision; the belief that the perfect solution has to be made up front.

• Too many choices; with the plethora of options in our world, it’s easy to see how we can become overwhelmed and slip into the “analysis paralysis” trap.

• Overcomplicating it; making it harder than it needs to be.

• Accepting our assumptions as the “truth.”

• Overanalysis; exceedingly long phases of planning, information gathering with little to no added value.

• Uncertainty about our authority to make decisions.

• Too much emphasis on consensus building.

• Over-reliance on one’s own perspective and resistance to contributions from others.

• Rigid, formal or bureaucratic organizational culture that is overly reliant on process and does not value risk-taking.

• Lack of preparation; while it is good to be able to be agile, lack of thoughtful planning can sabotage good decision-making.

I asked a client who I see as a confident decision-maker on all things related to his business, “What makes an effective decision-maker?” His reply? “Someone who is willing to take the risk and make a decision. Once the decision is made, don’t look back but immediately go into risk mitigation mode.”

Ultimately, you are making a decision that you deem is good for the health of your company. How does your decision impact profitability, long-term resiliency and employee engagement? Is it aligned with your core values? Does your decision reflect these considerations?

Take the K Challenge: What decision are you avoiding making? Walk through the decision-making process. The cost of not making a decision can be more expensive than making an imperfect one.

Karen Natzel is a business therapist who helps leaders create healthy, vibrant and high-performing organizations. Contact her at 503-806-4361 or karen@natzel.net.

The post OP-ED: What drives your decision-making process? appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

When thinking of conflict in construction, one might consider contract disputes and change orders; or heated discussions on the jobsite; or frustrations between the office and the field. Jobsite conflict certainly has the potential to negatively impact a project’s schedule, budget and quality – but it also can wreak havoc with the safety culture.

As stated on Bing.com, “Conflict is a disagreement or clash between ideas, principles, agendas or people.” When two people hold opposing viewpoints, conflict often is a natural byproduct. If conflict is ignored or handled improperly, communication breakdowns and lower productivity can result; such situations also breed unhealthy relationships.

How conflict and safety are interrelated

Distractions. When unresolved conflict surrounds us, we tend to be unsettled and distracted. Our minds often process the issue repeatedly, attempting to unravel the story and work out the details. This is not only inefficient and ineffective, because you are having the conversation only with yourself, but it keeps you from paying attention to your surroundings.

Irritability. Conflict can stir up the emotions that make us irritable and impatient. In this state of mind, we can be careless and absentminded. These small moments can make the difference between executing safely, and executing haphazardly.

Deteriorating relationships. As indicated, when we allow conflict to go unaddressed, relationships suffer. Trust can deteriorate sometimes to the point that people lose a level of caring for the welfare of others. While it is unlikely anyone would intentionally create an unsafe environment, we can become negligent or inattentive. When we lose sight of each other as people who we want to see go home safely to their families, we fail to protect them at the highest standards.

Unattended emotions such as anger, frustration, hurt, and a feeling of being not being heard or respected can generate an apathetic culture. Not caring is dangerous to a safety culture. It can be a quick decline of tending to the details – those nuances that may trigger incidents.

Attitudes and approaches to conflict

There are two general camps of how we approach conflict – we either avoid it or tackle it head-on.

Avoidance only generates more layers of complexity – deepening misunderstandings and resentment. We create a litany of stories about what’s transpiring while stockpiling our ammunition about why that person is wrong and a jerk. Once we’ve built our well-constructed stories, it’s difficult to be open to a new perspective or reality.

Those people who claim to tackle conflict head-on often tend to bring ultimatums to the conversation, standing their ground on the issue rather than seeking resolution. They seem to care more about being right than understanding another’s perspective and creating buy-in or collaboration.

So, why do we avoid conflict? It can feel vulnerable, threatening and just plain uncomfortable. We don’t feel in control when we engage in it. We may perceive it as a threat to our position, as if someone is questioning our competence and decision-making. We get annoyed and impatient, particularly when we are certain we are right! Sometimes we avoid it because we don’t want to damage the relationship. Mostly, I suspect we avoid it because we don’t have the skills and experience to navigate conflict confidently and successfully.

Address conflict in a way that resolves issues and enriches relationships

Remembering that conflict is natural – and not inherently bad – is a workable starting point to address what most people resist. Conflict is also valuable. That’s where some of the best solutions come from because oftentimes critical issues are unearthed. It’s also where people develop a mutual, deeper understanding and appreciation for team members’ diverse experiences.

Identify what’s actually happening. Really understand the issue(s), assumptions, what’s at stake, the people impacted and your own emotions around it. Get clarity about the issue at hand and the impact.

Define common ground. What are you both committed to making happen? What shared business outcome can you agree on? Where are you aligned? When we remember the common goal, we can start a conversation on the same page.

Seek to understand the other’s perspective. Conflict frequently comes from misunderstandings. Become clear on each other’s perspectives, to the point that each person could articulate the other’s argument convincingly, to help create a more optimal solution. This approach helps incorporate a more comprehensive resolution and create buy-in – which will improve execution of any idea or decision.

Brainstorm possible solutions. This approach can be facilitated by asking open-ended questions. Both parties need to truly listen to the answers with the intent of resolving the issue – not just defending one’s position. Keep the end goal front and center.

Most construction companies genuinely want to foster a healthy and safe working environment. If addressing conflict isn’t already in safety toolbox talks, consider integrating it on a regular basis. It provides one more compelling reason to get to the root of what’s not working, produce better outcomes, improve relationships and prevent conflict from escalating into a safety issue.

Are you ready to address conflict in a new way? Join me and Jordan Ramis attorney Roger Lenneberg on Nov. 19, for a deeper dive into safety and conflict at SafeBuild Alliance‘s quarterly program at McMenamins’ Kennedy School. Learn more at www.safebuildalliance.com.

Karen Natzel is a business therapist who helps leaders create healthy, vibrant and high-performing organizations. Contact her at 503-806-4361 or karen@natzel.net. She is a member of SafeBuild Alliance – a nonprofit organization working to achieve incident-free construction projects through the transformation of workplace cultures. For more information or to join, visit www.safebuildalliance.com.

The post OP-ED: The unsuspecting impact of conflict appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

For Karen Natzel, the owner of K Communications, business growth and success are all about professionalism and communication. It’s a philosophy she has developed based on 18 years spent helping professionals excel in the construction industry. Early in her career, Natzel helped lead a strategic planning effort for the board of directors of the Oregon-Columbia chapter of the Association of General Contractors.  She was instrumental in launching what is now the chapter’s Construction Leadership Council, a group that attracts the next generation of AGC leaders, and played a role as an AGC representative in helping advance a mentor-protégé program at the Port of Portland.

During employment with Emerick Construction, she mentored project managers on communication and relationship-building skills as the company’s marketing director.
She formed K Communications 10 years ago. An aggressive and innovative leader, she has built a solid reputation as a “business therapist,” a market niche she created. With a special talent for leadership development, Natzel is adept at handling a range of situations, including reorganizations resulting from staff reductions and presentations to help professionals polish their skills, according to her clients.

Natzel has earned widespread respect in the building industry for regularly making herself available to help young professionals shape their careers. She also served as a mentor for the first students at ACE Academy in Portland.

As a member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services, Natzel served as an ambassador to the Professional Services Council Board of Directors and worked with the Portland Development Commission.

The post Karen Natzel, Owner/Business Therapist, K Communications appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Habits are regularly repeated behavioral patterns. They become our routines and our comfort zones. It’s estimated that 40-45 percent of our daily lives are habitual. These patterns of behavior are repeated so frequently and embedded so deeply that they define us.

This is equally true of organizations. A company’s culture is a collection of attitudes and behaviors – shared habits – that define how it functions together. Organizationally speaking, habits are a manifestation of a company’s brand.

Our habits form our identity

If you think of a brand as a reputation, an organization’s habits are the building blocks. Habits are what people come to expect as to how an organization will behave. This includes how leaders go about their business, how they treat their colleagues and customers, whether agreements are kept, whether meetings start on time, whether there is follow-through on initiatives and how issues are addressed, etc. Tackling a habit change is an opportunity to reinvent a company identity. This is not a simple rebranding exercise, but an in-depth look at how a business operates and where its leaders want to make shifts.

Healthy vs. unhealthy

Healthy habits generate the kind of life experience that is in alignment with who people want to be. They produce results that make people feel good and help propel momentum. Unhealthy habits are unproductive, unsatisfying (ultimately) and stagnating. It stands to reason then, that a healthy company is based on people employing healthy workplace habits that are aligned with the organization’s vision and core values.

Keystone habits

So, if you want to lead change in your organization, which habit should you tackle first? Identify a few priorities and leverage them. New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg, in his bestselling book “The Power of Habit,” emphasizes what he calls “keystone habits.” He explains, “The habits that matter most are the ones that, when they start to shift, dislodge and remake other patterns.” Focused attention on one habit can have ripple effects throughout an organization.

In our society, we often want quick wins. This is counterproductive because it perpetuates our frustrations about things not changing. Quick fixes and hopes of complete transformations actually keep us stuck in our patterns. Cultivating healthy habits requires us to reject immediate gratification in favor of long-term growth, health or integrity – and, ultimately, deeper satisfaction.

How long will this take? While pop culture contends a magical “21 days” to cultivate a habit, research indicates it can be more like two to eight months. The truth is that it depends on the behavior, the person/organization and the circumstances. It doesn’t really matter how long it takes – that time will still pass and you can either be on your way to a new pattern or stuck in the same old way of doing business.

Examine company habits

• Do you address issues directly and respectfully with each other?

• Do you provide clear and real-time feedback?

• Do you start and end meetings on time?

• Do you hold each other accountable for action items?

• How do you identify and manage priorities?

• Are you tackling what matters most, or only what’s urgent?

• Are you habitually in firefighting or reactionary mode?

• In your attempt to be in service to others, do you tend to overpromise?

• Do you have a habit of making agreements that you can’t keep – or can’t even remember you’ve made?

Start by understanding how habits emerge and what it takes to change them. (In “The Power of Habit” Duhigg defines the “habit loop” – cue, routine and reward. Working with the dynamic of this loop is key to transformation). Manage your expectations and commit to small, incremental improvements. We may not gain “quick wins” but we can create “small wins” – and those small wins can build momentum. Be sure to reward yourself and your team for new, positive behaviors.

Building habits is a journey and not a destination. You will make mistakes. Give yourself permission to do so. More importantly, encourage your team to do so – no worthy endeavor is ever pursued without missteps.

Develop strategies for getting back on track. Think of it as an experiment with the desired outcome of creating workable, productive and lasting ways of being a consummate professional and a vibrant, high-performing organization.

Take the K Challenge: Which unhealthy habit in your organization will you stop tolerating and start addressing in a new way?

Karen Natzel is a business therapist who helps leaders create healthy, vibrant and high-performing organizations. Contact her at 503-806-4361 or karen@natzel.net.

The post OP-ED: Identifying company-defining habits appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

An employee walks into your office with a problem. He outlines the challenges and obstacles he is facing on his project and asks for your advice. If you are like most managers, your first impulse is to offer a solution.

While that may be an appropriate response in some instances, and certainly the most expedient choice (assuming it’s feasible), it’s not always the most beneficial reaction for the employee, the problem or your business.

One of the most effective ways to approach any problem is with inquiry. Good questions trigger our imagination and our creative thinking. They invite us to explore more, dig deeper and be more resourceful. Good questions put people in the driver’s seat and generate optimal solutions.

What makes a question good?

It depends on the circumstances and desired outcomes. Certain types of questions help direct and focus our thinking for quick, practical and specific answers such as “What are the steps we need to take?” Open-ended or expanding questions are beneficial in eliciting new perspectives and opening possibilities that would otherwise be untapped. Consider these examples: “Based on your experience, what would you suggest here?” and “How do you think we should proceed?” or “What might be the consequences of going this direction?”

Develop your team

When you ask members of your team for their ideas, you are demonstrating respect, which builds their confidence and competence. You are also telling them that you expect them to contribute their intellectual capital to create solutions. Your questions can serve to create clarity about the situation, uncover assumptions, improve collaboration and enhance engagement.

You will also likely witness amplification in their sense of pride and ownership for the results. As you coach your team with open-ended questions, you are building their creative problem-solving muscles to resolve future similar issues independently.

Good questions can inspire people to see things in unpredictable ways and encourage breakthrough thinking. I had a coach who would never let me get away with the answer “I don’t know.” At one point he retorted, “What would it look like if you did know?” Now, as ridiculous as that sounds, it actually worked in getting me unstuck. He was reframing my self-imposed limited thinking. He was essentially demanding that I give up “not knowing” as an excuse to not go deeper for new insights.

Try it on for yourself. Try changing a problem statement into open-ended questions. For example, change “ways to improve internal communications” to “In what ways can we improve internal communications?” or “Where are the opportunities to improve internal communications?” See how differently it feels and what ideas are generated. You can also pose the questions at your next team meeting.

Are there “bad” questions?

The wrong question, asked in the wrong way and at the wrong time, will undermine results. A disempowering question can undercut trust and confidence as well as sabotage performance. If you use questions when you have a hidden agenda, people can generally sense it and defense mechanisms are triggered.

Questions that are focused on why someone didn’t succeed often are counterproductive. They shut people down and strip them of their power. Asking leading questions when you are trying to force agreement or push your agenda only serve to inhibit candid answers and stifle honest dialogue.

You don’t want to pummel your employees with a slew of questions as if you are interrogating them. The unintended consequence is often a feeling of one’s judgment being questioned or a feeling of being micromanaged. In these instances, if you truly are questioning their decisions or direction, tell them so directly. Do not hide it behind a series of probing questions because you will decrease the value of asking good questions.

“The idea is to purposefully use different kinds of questions at different times to consciously drive (one’s) thinking process towards the most productive direction,” Luciano Passuello wrote on Litemind.

Establish a culture of initiative-taking and problem-solving

Genuine, heartfelt questions are the foundation of empathetic communication. They energize and enliven conversations; they invite people to engage, connect and share opinions. When people feel included and listened to, they are much more likely to engage in productive conversations. Don’t be shy in asking; just remember to be present in listening.

To foster a culture in which value-added questions are the norm, start by demonstrating that you value your team’s queries. Be careful not to be dismissive of questions. Rather, see them as mutual learning opportunities.

One of the best ways to create a culture that values good questions is to model it. This approach also acknowledges progress and creates company standards of best practices. Consider the following questions:

• We’ve been working together for three hours today; what did we do best as a team?

• What enabled us to be successful in addressing our client’s concerns?

• How can we apply what we are learning on this project to other project teams?

By leading your team meetings with questions, you will also help eliminate ambiguity and create alignment around issues.

“Most groups are not aligned when they come together,” says Michael J. Marquardt, a George Washington University professor. “When a leader goes into a group and states a problem, everyone assumes that they understand the problem in the same way. In reality, that is false.” Without consensus on the problem, you can’t define a strategy to address it, according to Judith Ross, a Harvard Business Review contributor.

The solution, in the form of a question

There is an art in asking the right kinds of questions, in the right way and at the right time. It takes practice to integrate it into conversations, meetings and a company’s culture. As you develop this leadership style, you’ll find yourself segueing naturally into mentoring the kind of culture that fosters creative problem-solving and initiative-taking.

Take the K Challenge: How will you start using the power of good questions in your company? What kind of questions will you start asking?

Karen Natzel is a business therapist who helps leaders create healthy, vibrant and high-performing organizations. Contact her at 503-806-4361 or karen@natzel.net.

The post OP-ED: The power of asking a good question appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Business management principles have their trends. It may be a new take on leadership, how to manage your time, build collaborative teams or be more innovative. People tell us the latest and greatest concepts on how we could better manage our businesses.

Is “employee engagement” the new business buzzword? Is it another initiative that gets nicely packaged but poorly implemented, or a true paradigm shift for creating a healthy, vibrant and high-performing work environment?

It’s a complicated answer. By some accounts, employee engagement is just old school caring for your employees as people and not just resources. Ah, if business was that simple! With the pressures that businesses face on a daily basis and the natural complexity of human dynamics, fostering engagement is simply not a straightforward solution.

Demystifying employee engagement

At the most basic level, people want to enjoy coming to work, understand their role and know how their work contributes to the success of the organization. They want to get value from what they produce – and that value is not just a competitive salary. Top of the list of what employees have indicated they want from their work: a sense of accomplishment, acknowledgement, appreciation, being part of something bigger than themselves, camaraderie, respect, autonomy and opportunity for growth.

Understanding what is at stake

The beauty of a well-thought-out and integrated approach to employee engagement is that it is inherently win-win. In my opinion, it’s not so much an “initiative” or “program,” but a genuine way of cultivating a team’s potential. There’s no question that engaged employees are more productive. There are many other equally compelling reasons why employers should put some intentionality and energy behind how they engage their people, including:

• Improved quality of work

• Enhanced team collaboration

• Improved client relations and company reputation

• Powerful recruitment

• Increased efficiencies

• Greater conduciveness to change; improved adoption and implementation of new initiatives

• Reduction in turnover

• Safer work environments

• Less absenteeism

Jim Harter, a chief scientist at Gallup Research, writes, “Engaged employees are more attentive and vigilant. They look out for the needs of their co-workers and the overall enterprise, because they personally ‘own’ the result of their work and that of the organization.”

Why is it so challenging to foster engagement, and where should I start?

Harter writes, “Many organizations measure either the wrong things, or too many things, or don’t make the data intuitively actionable. Many don’t make engagement a part of their overall strategy, or clarify why employee engagement is important, or provide quality education to help managers know what to do with the results, and in what order.”

Instead of guessing, ask employees. It’s a basic human need to be acknowledged and feel appreciated. Find out specifically what this means to individual team members. Also, ask them how they can contribute and what they would like to learn. Really listen to their answers and demonstrate that you’ve heard them by following through with actions.

Set expectations. One of the most basic assumptions we make is thinking that employees have clarity about what is expected of them. This is a common communication mishap. Consider developing expectations together. This exercise ensures clarity and invites a stronger commitment.

Re-examine the manager-employee relationship. This relationship is the cornerstone of success. It’s the building block for growth. If you don’t believe that to be true, consider this: The number one reason employees quit their jobs is because of a poor relationship with their direct manager.

Good managers drive performance, stimulate learning, and play a key role in maximizing employees’ contribution to the firm. “Regardless of what else you expect from your managers, facilitating employee learning and development should be a non-negotiable competency,” said Monique Valcour, a management professor in the EDHEC Business School in France.

Not every supervisor is a natural at engaging employees. Managers may have earned their position because of their knowledge, skills and longevity with the company, but lack the relationship-building side of leadership. Provide managers with coaching on how to conduct regular, candid and constructive discussions with staff. Train them on giving real-time feedback and the art of active listening. Consider posing this question to your management team: “How can we harness employee strengths, interests and passions to create greater value for the firm?”

Create a transparent work environment. Nothing builds trust like transparency, and trust is foundational for engagement. Transparency shines a light on the context for company decisions. Armed with the knowledge of the company’s direction and challenges, people can connect and align their responsibilities to larger organizational objectives. Transparency is an everyday exercise of inclusion and attitude of respect.

Making it meaningful and effective

I know employee engagement is beginning to sound like the Holy Grail, right? It’s important to note that it’s not a “one size fits all” approach. You have to look at the specific needs of your people and your business. It cannot be this year’s trend or the next corporate initiative. It needs to be a wholehearted commitment to your people, for their benefit and for the health of your organization.

Open up meaningful, direct dialogue. Create trust through transparency. Give them real responsibilities and coach them on how to be successful. The enthusiasm, energy and initiative in which your employees engage in will be mutually rewarding.

Take the K Challenge: What will you start doing to foster an engaged and empowered team?

Karen Natzel is a business therapist who helps leaders create healthy, vibrant and high-performing organizations. Contact her at 503-806-4361 or karen@natzel.net.

The post OP-ED: Employee engagement is the new black appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Can I give you some feedback? It’s ironic how this well-intentioned question almost universally stirs up resistance. Anticipating a negative statement, we find our defense mechanisms triggered. And yet, to continue to grow and create the environment of a learning organization, we must be able to regularly give and receive constructive, real-time feedback.

This column is about how to engage in the kind of honest dialogue that fosters growth and relationships. Giving and receiving feedback is a strong method for that. And no, “feedback” is not a euphemism for chewing someone out. It’s also not softening a critical message that needs to be delivered unequivocally.

The most valuable feedback is clear, concise and candid. It’s delivered with respect and with the intention of getting in front of an issue together to improve performance and/or relationships. Feedback is meant to effect change. Initially, it may serve to ignite an increased awareness about the impact of one’s actions.

For example, I was asked by a general manager of a construction firm to facilitate its next team meeting. Five minutes into the meeting, he took over. Afterward, a project manager took me aside to explain that the GM has a history of usurping people’s responsibilities. When I spoke with the company owner, she agreed that this was a common occurrence, and it was negatively impacting people’s willingness to take initiative.

At the close of the day, I sat with the GM in his office and asked if I could give him some feedback. When I shared my experience and my concern about how his leadership style was affecting the culture of the organization, it was clear he had no idea the impact he was having!

His intentions were good – he was trying to move the company forward; but his methodologies were counterproductive. Without the feedback, he had blinders on. Armed with this new knowledge, he started practicing behaviors that served to empower his team.

Feedback can be positive, such as acknowledgment for what someone has accomplished. It’s powerful to affirm what’s working. People need to be recognized and appreciated. Helping teammates understand what they are doing well builds more positive contributions. It fuels motivation and traction for getting things accomplished.

The more challenging kind of feedback is that which requires a change in attitude and/or behavior. It can be difficult to not only receive such feedback, but also deliver it.

How to provide the kind of feedback that inspires positive change

• Mind your intent. By starting with the right intent, people are more likely to trust what you are about to say. When you articulate your concerns in the context of a common goal and in a nonthreatening, nonjudgmental and encouraging manner, you’ll find individual and organizational growth a natural byproduct.

• Catch them in the act, in real time. When you observe something working, or not working, address it. If it’s a positive attitude or behavior, acknowledge specifically what you appreciated. If it’s something you want to see changed, create time and space to privately speak to the person. The key here is to not let it build up. When things are left unsaid, poor habits form and frustrations breed. The timelier it is, the more rapidly everyone reaps the rewards.

• Avoid global feedback. Feedback is most effective when it is focused on specific attitudes and behaviors, with clear examples. For instance, rather than saying, “David, great job on the meeting,” you might say, “David, I appreciated how you ran today’s meeting. You kept the team focused, you gained participation from everyone and you captured our action items. That kind of facilitation is keeping this project on track. Thank you.” Now David knows what’s important to you and what to continue to do in the future.

• No sandwiches please. I often see managers provide constructive criticism “sandwiched” between compliments. Resist the temptation to do this. While it might feel gentler, it only serves to confuse the recipient by sending mixed messages. Also, anytime you provide positive feedback, people are expecting the other shoe to drop. The sandwich method doesn’t allow them to fully receive a compliment or fully comprehend the impact of the intended course correction. Tell it to them straight!

• Be direct, concise, candid, honest and respectful. In short, give feedback the way you might appreciate someone else giving it to you. Make sure it’s thoughtful and well considered, rather than impulsive. Initiating the conversation may feel daunting. Begin with a non-accusatory, objective phrase such as “Let’s discuss …” or “I have some thoughts about …”

• Speak to the desired change. If you are providing constructive criticism, be sure to articulate what you want instead. Don’t just tell them what they are doing wrong; help them understand the precise behaviors and results desired. Be sure to have the recipient paraphrase back to you what he or she heard. You’ll want to make sure the feedback you gave was what was actually intended and understood!

• Be a role model for receiving feedback. If someone asks, “Can I give you some feedback?” respond with an inquisitive mind and enthusiastic attitude. Listen and act on the feedback in a way that demonstrates a commitment to your own continual improvement.

Providing regular feedback establishes clear expectations, direction and support. It concomitantly reduces ambiguity and frustrations, and builds trust. When a company’s culture allows for regular provision of feedback, team members know where they stand at any point in time, and not just during the company’s annual review process. It creates a dynamic that says you will address issues promptly and not tolerate mediocrity – all while perpetuating growth.

Take the K Challenge

Start integrating feedback into daily conversations with team members. You’ll soon build a culture of growth, accountability and excellence!

Karen Natzel is a business therapist who helps leaders create healthy, vibrant and high-performing organizations. Contact her at 503-806-4361 or karen@natzel.net.

The post OP-ED: Effective feedback can foster business growth appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

There’s nothing like a new year to rally our hopes and energize us into action – until February comes and old habits win out.

Approximately 40 to 45 percent of Americans make one or more resolutions each year. We resolve to quit smoking, be healthier, get organized, become more financially responsible, spend more time with family, be a better person and generally live an improved life. By the end of the first week, 75 percent of those resolutions are maintained; after two weeks, 71 percent; after one month, 64 percent; and after six months, 46 percent, according to Proactive Change Co.

Whether resolutions are kept or not, people who explicitly make resolutions are more likely to be in pursuit – and attain – their goals than people who don’t. That’s because intentions do matter. But intentions alone are not enough.

Imagine your company as a resolution-making person: “I resolve to create a healthy and fit organization where people thrive and work is stellar. I will be more financially robust, my overhead will shrink and my profit margins will increase. I will be better structured to increase predictability and mitigate risks, while maintaining nimbleness.”

To keep this kind of resolution, you (as a company), would have to be clear about who you want to be and what your priorities are. You also would have to address the root of your ailments. You would need to examine your unhealthy habits – the politics, communication breakdowns, personality conflicts, silos, stalled initiatives, poorly defined standard operating procedures, etc. – that get in your way of achieving what you say you want.

Start by making it personal

As a leader, what will you resolve to do or be? Many of my clients have expressed a desire to delegate better, express expectations clearer, hold the team accountable better and listen better. Even something as simple as doing what you say you’re going to do can make a significant shift, because it demonstrates accountability in action, from the top.

Let’s start with vision and work backward

At the end of 2014, what would you like to look back on and feel good about? What will be different, improved, changed?

The clearer you can be about your vision, the more aligned your team will be. Integrate this vision repeatedly in a variety of communication channels. Continue to build excitement for it and belief in it.

There will inevitably be a gap between where you are now and where you want the company to be. You can start closing that gap by crafting your vision in words that claim that reality now, not in the future. Instead of “We will be…,” say “We are…”

Let’s get specific

Much has been written about how goals need to be “SMART.” This is true, yet there is still much confusion and resistance to defining goals. I believe they need to stretch you and your team, but be achievable.

We perform better when we are appropriately challenged. Goals need to be absolutely clear. Make sure they are unequivocally understood by the team members who will be responsible for executing them.

Goals should be compelling. A goal that inspires is much more likely to be achieved because there is excitement about making it come to fruition. Finally, find a way to measure goals. Some are easier than others, but all are worth knowing when you’ve accomplished the task at hand. Is it clear what is defined as success and completion?

I encourage goals to be established for the company as a whole, by departments and individually. A feasible formula: no more than three goals for the company, three for each department and one for each member of the leadership team. These goals may have different “owners,” but in reality, they are shared by all and feed into the larger vision.

Make it happen

Implementation of the goals is where the proverbial rubber hits the road. Start identifying anticipated obstacles. The better you define what’s in your way, the easier it will be tackle challenges head on and actually win the battles! Is the culture resistant to change? Do you have initiative burnout? Do you have limited resources to implement? Are there external issues that impose restrictions?

Next, be sure to create a clear, step-by-step action plan of how the goal will be achieved. Defining the incremental, logical and integrated path from “A to Z” (or even “A to C”) moves people from inertia to action. Each progressive step gets you closer to the end goal.

Define accountability

Any action plan needs to build in accountability to stay the course. When we hold each other accountable we are essentially reminding each other what we said we wanted.

When we make our goals public, we set forth our expectations and put our intentions into motion. (The more people you tell you’re going to do something, the harder it is to not do it). Create a strong support network among your team to help each other achieve stated goals. Be rigorous and be open to feedback. We can achieve more together than alone.

Make it date driven and track it

By when will the action steps and milestones be achieved? Be sure to track progress; it reinforces expectations and encourages growth. It also will nudge each other with a sense of healthy competition and heightened individual contribution. Establish ways you will report on progress and keep the conversation alive.

The pursuit of company goals should be a shared journey – one that demands the best of your team and moves you from inertia to momentum. Accomplishments must be acknowledged and celebrated; defeats should be examined and become lessons (as early in the process as possible to allow for course correction).

Make it fun. Inspire excellence. Savor the glory of achievements. Be in the upper percentile of those who make and keep resolutions and realize their goals!

Karen Natzel is a business therapist who helps leaders create healthy, vibrant and high-performing organizations. Contact her at 503-806-4361 or karen@natzel.net.

The post Ways to make those resolutions stick appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.