I.C.E.D.A.R.T.S Session 4: Development and Trust

Development

A stagnant pond breeds nothing but mosquitos and discourages people from visiting or staying.

George Dawson was an Afro-American man born in 1898 and who died in 2001. He learnt to read and write at the grand old age of 98. He inspired others simply by his demeanour and attendance at night school. He was motivated to learn and develop. You can read more about George in the book, ‘Life is so Good.’

What development path are you providing for your team? Who has stagnated and seems resistant to learning? What will it take to get them moving – to learn or to leave? What is their impact on your business if they stay and remain stagnant?

One of the most significant threats to workplace health are middle managers who have plateaued in their careers and spend more time considering their superannuation than innovations at work.

Sit down with each of your team and discuss their respective development needs. It is a joint responsibility and a great opportunity for you to engage with each member and apply your coaching skills.

Warning: If you do not have a healthy turn-over of staff at various levels, your whole pond will start to stagnate and you will end up with a mosquito infestation…

Trust

If you have ever had your trust broken by a friend, workmate, partner, relative or boss (and most of us have!), you will know the devastating effect it can have.  Most of us are also probably familiar with the difficult task of attempting to rebuild trust. It takes considerable time and often the same level cannot be restored despite our best attempts.

There are essentially two key ways to build trust. The first is by acting consistently over a significant period of time. DWYSYWD – doing what you say you will do when engaging with your team and other stakeholders. The second is acting in a noble way in a crisis situation.

Most of us have experience with the first and can probably think of one or more leaders whom they would follow because the trust has been built. Ask yourself what is it about their behaviour that makes you trust them? By applying the ICEDARTS principles, you can build a strong level of trust with your team and achieve outstanding outcomes. On the other hand, if trust is low, your outcomes will be limited.

A key question you may reflect on is, ‘Do I do what I say I am going to do?’ Are there times that I don’t? What is the likely impact if/when I don’t? Have I failed to follow through on something that was important for my team?

If you have lost the trust of your team, consider how you can rebuild it (apologise and start to DWYSYWD) or consider changing teams and learning from your mistake. Trust is a tricky beast.

This is the last module in the series of ICEDARTS. Each element of this model is inter-dependent on the other elements. You need to consider them holistically to get a full appreciation of the model’s power and application. Scoring yourself out of 10 against each element is a good start. This presentation is brought to you by Leadership Matters.

For further inquiries please visit:

www.leadershipmatters.net.au

I.C.E.D.A.R.T.S Session 3: Accountability and Reward

Accountability - how do I make myself and my team accountable?

The word ‘accountability’ often scares staff and management alike! Staff face uncertainty and managers struggle to set clear expectations.

And yet, if done well, accountability is something we crave! Why? Our two basic responses to others are attraction and repulsion. If we receive genuine praise, we experience a feeling of attraction – it is a positive experience! If we are unjustly criticised, we want to run! We generally avoid confrontation and conflict – especially with authority figures. They may adversely affect our income and financial wellbeing (and our psychological wellbeing)!

One of your most important responsibilities as a manager is to make yourself and others accountable. The behaviours you walk past are the ones you accept. You set the standard and are expected to ensure others adhere to it. People will be influenced more by your behaviours than what you say.

Once you identify suitable goals for your team, ensure you set regular times when you can objectively discuss progress. If there is a variation to the expected performance, inquire about it promptly, obtain factual information and discuss the true reason for the variation and the steps needed to regain the required level of performance.

Reward – what are the appropriate rewards for teams and team members?

Perhaps the most significant reason to make people accountable is to enable you to genuinely reward them for excellent performance.

The field of “appropriate rewards” is rich with theories and opinions. “The best way to reward the team is….”, often generates endless ideas. What is generally acknowledged is that monetary rewards are classified as satisfiers and not motivators. Once we have sufficient remuneration for our desired lifestyle, we start to value other forms of reward. This is where leadership steps in. Many rewards cost nothing but an investment of time.

In life and work, there are 2 essential requirements for us all - to be valued and to be cared for. To know we provide value to the team and to know the team will take care of us. This is true at home and at work. Without either of these, we are likely to rebel, lose interest or simply leave.

I am often reminded of the truism that people leave their boss – not their organisation. If you follow the ICEDARTS principles and provide a healthy workplace for your staff, you are much more likely to retain them or have them return at a higher/more experienced level after a stint elsewhere.

Consider: How healthy is the workplace/area you have created? What would others say? How can you appropriately reward team members? It is a critical piece of the leadership puzzle.

This presentation is brought to you by Leadership Matters. For further inquiries please visit:

www.leadershipmatters.net.au

I.C.E.D.A.R.T.S Session 2: Engagement & Support

Engagement

Think of the best leader/Manager you have ever worked for. What was it about them that made you want to come to work? Did you give more time and effort than was required to that manager? Why?

There may still be some instances where you do not have to know any background to your team members but, in most cases, it pays to know and understand them. We all have one thing in common – we are each unique! There is no one size fits all for managing/leading staff. If you can build a strong and trusting relationship with the team, you are much more likely to achieve better outcomes for all. Consider details such as your teams’ marital status, any children, interests, motivations, aspirations, fears, concerns etc. Consider also sharing more of your background to increase engagement.

Note: Consider you still have a business contract with each employee that underpins your relationship. That should never be forgotten. You do, however, have a choice how you enact that contract. You can be businesslike but still engage on a very high level with your team if you also provide the clarity.

Support

In session 1 we looked at the CPQQRT model of delegation (Context, Purpose, Quality, Quantity, Resources and Time). Set your team up for success by ensuring they have sufficient resources in the following areas:

·        Financial – provide the necessary funds

·        Physical – fit for purpose equipment to achieve the desired outcomes

·        People – the right people are our most important asset!

·        Training – ensure the necessary skills and developed to the required standard for the job

·        Psychological – establish CLEAR guidelines and mentor and coach the team to build their capability and ensure success.

When considering these 2 areas, there is a wonderful quote I often refer to as a reflective exercise:

“Am I building capability or creating dependencies?”

Thank you for listening. This is a presentation brought to you by Leadership Matters. For further inquiries please visit:

www.leadershipmatters.net.au

I.C.E.D.A.R.T.S Session 1: ‘I’ and Clarity

‘I’ - how fit am I to lead others?

We probably all know a leader who looks in the mirror when his team has performed well and looks out the window when it has not. We reflect on our amazing leadership ability when a plan works and look for somebody or something to blame for our misfortune when things do not!

Understanding your own state of wellbeing, your strengths, weaknesses, motivation, and areas for development are critical to being a successful leader. This is ideally done BEFORE we attempt to lead others.

Know where you are at and take responsibility for outcomes you lead.

Whilst working with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) some years ago, I trained a young Constable, Luke, to be a facilitator. By chance, the executive team was holding their annual strategic planning session and asked for Luke to facilitate the session. It was an opportunity but a daunting one for a young constable.

Luke facilitated the first day and listened whilst the executive blamed everyone else for their lack of performance. He then did something very brave. He stopped the discussion, held out his hand with the index finger pointed outward and the other three fingers curled into a ball and said in a slow and deliberate voice, “Just remember, every time you point the finger at somebody else, there are three fingers pointing back at you.”

After a long pause, the Executive resumed their discussion. This time however, the focus of the discussion was on what they had done to contribute to organisational successes and failures. After a none-too-subtle prompt, they were forced to look in the mirror and… they took responsibility!

Ask yourself the following questions.

·        To what degree am I taking responsibility for my leadership actions and outcomes?

·        Why would anyone want to be led by me?

·        How would I rate my level of positive influence on others with whom I interact?

·        What can I do to improve the above responses to be a better leader for others and myself?

There are many tools you can access to build your understanding of your strengths (which you can leverage) and the areas where you could improve your leadership skills. These include:

·         Assessing your physical, psychological and spiritual fitness[1]

·         Engaging a coach or mentor

·         Conducting 360-degree feedback

·         Undertaking psychological profiling

·         Attending specific development courses

·         Reading and viewing leadership material

·         Practicing reflection

·         Journaling

Clarity - do people following me know what is expected of them (within ethical boundaries)?

Have you ever been given a task at work where you struggled to understand what was required? When you ask for clarity you get excuses such as: “I don’t have time to explain; I have enough on my own plate; you’ll figure it out; just do something! or; that’s what I employ you for!”

How did you proceed? How did you feel? What was the outcome?

On reflection, have you ever been the leader who failed to give others sufficient clarity of purpose? Did you get the outcome you were after? How did you feel? Were there any additional costs as a result of the lack of clarity (people, materials, financial, contractual)? What could you have done differently?

As effective leaders, we need to provide the team with clear expectations so they can achieve at or above the level we expect. Practice giving better instructions to set your team up for success.

A simple yet effective model for giving instructions is the CPQQRT model. Explain to the receiver the following:

Context:              Why this task/project/campaign is being given to the person/s. What is the background? Who is involved etc.?

Purpose:             The reason this task/project/campaign is being carried out. What is the desired outcome? What are we seeking to achieve?

Quality:               The quality standard expected. What is the benchmark?

Quantity:            The expected relevant numerical outcomes required.   

Resources:         The resources required to SUCCESSFULLY complete the task. These include physical, financial, and personnel/intellectual. Where are they to be sourced from? Who is responsible for this? Who will fund the purchase etc.

Time:                   When the task is expected to be completed. What are the key milestone dates? Etc.

The model can be used to delegate a task. It can also be used by the person to whom the task is delegated, to obtain the necessary information to successfully complete the task (via a feedback loop). Try using this tool.

Another critical (and often overlooked) aspect of achieving clarity, is gaining a shared understanding of the ethical boundaries that team members cannot cross, in the course of business. The boundaries that, if they were crossed, would cause your leadership/organisational reputation immeasurable damage.

There is one short but incredibly powerful question that initiates this team discussion:

What is it that we will NEVER do in our business?

Consider this discussion next time you meet with your team. The daily news is littered with stories of leaders and organisations that never asked this question and suffered the dire consequences.

For further assistance to explore any of these concepts, please contact Leadership Matters.

www.leadershipmatters.net.au

[1] This is the first element (Fitness) of the 7 Elements model and can be explored in follow up discussions.

I.C.E.D.A.R.T.S. Leadership Framework.

Ever struggled in your leadership role? Wondered why your team members were becoming frustrated or demotivated whilst you were in charge?  Failed to achieve promised results?

Has there been a time when you would have benefitted from an easy to understand and follow leadership framework to guide your decision making?

I can honestly answer yes to all the above! That is why I developed the ‘I.C.E.D.A.R.T.S.’ leadership model and have decided to release it for your benefit. The framework is not a panacea and you will benefit from pushing yourself and employing coaching and mentoring. Ideally though, it will provide some clarity and direction regarding your strengths and areas where development is required.

There is no cost associated with the use of the framework. It is just hoped that it will improve your leadership, your wellbeing, and that of the people you lead. It is one of those resources I wish I had access to when I was first asked to lead others.

The ‘I.C.E.D.A.R.T.S.’ acronym stands for: I - me and where I am at; Clarity of purpose; Engagement with the team; Development of self and team; Accountability for outcomes; Reward for goal achievement; Trust and building it effectively and; Support – providing team members with the necessary tools and moral support to perform their best.

Details of framework elements will be released over four weeks in the following order:

Week 1: ‘I’ and Clarity and a bonus work re-engagement strategy

Week 2: Engagement and Support

Week 3: Accountability and Reward and;

Week 4: Trust and Development

Good luck with the application of the framework. We would appreciate any feedback on its adequacy and any suggested improvements.

If you would like additional assistance/coaching in your leadership journey or to enhance your team effectiveness, Leadership Matters would be pleased to assist.

Paul's Podcasts

Paul’s accomplishments transcend the success of his business, recent book and affiliate associations, as he has also partaken in some podcasts. His rich life experience translates to invaluable advice and lively conversation that is well worth a listen.

One of the podcasts covers Paul’s journey from childhood, most significant challenges, leadership management and his first book, Pedals, Paddles and Potholes. It additionally discusses the 7 Elements model, how he has assisted elite athletes with mental health issues, cycling as a way of life, as well as other thought-provoking questions and inspiring stories. Visit the link below to listen to the full podcast: https://bodytorque.cc/blogs/podcasts/episode-39-paul-obrien

Another podcast is Passion, Purpose and Path, where Paul lays it all out of the table: from insecurities, self-doubt to depression. With experience as a cancer survivor, leadership coach, endurance cyclist, author and former police inspector, Paul has had an eventful life that allows him to advise how to navigate life and manage our ‘operating system’, which encompasses our mind, emotions, self-beliefs, choices and behaviours. Visit the link below to listen to the full podcast: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-you-project/60-passion-purpose-and-path-kVR03e1orEC/

If you want a podcast that extends from the previous, this one projects a deep and philosophical tone that explores the human experience in its peaks and troughs, simplicities and complexities, and light and shade. Visit the link below to listen to the full podcast: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-you-project/75-passion-purpose-and-path-fbFrwRamS5I/

Hard work is its own reward

I sidled up to the bunch of cyclists stopped at the lights on Beach Road and started a conversation with the young guy at the front. Turns out he was training for an ironman but had been a national level hockey player and a Victorian Institute of Sport scholarship holder. Mal had recently taken over the coaching role for the Powerhouse Hockey Club Premier League men’s team.

He had also been searching for the policeman who had facilitated a VIS leadership program he had been a participant in some 10 year earlier. He thought the leadership insights this policeman had shared and the discussion he generated were valuable and would benefit the hockey team. He had googled and searched the web to no avail. 

I quietly informed Mal that I had been that person and could I assist him in any way now. Mal advised he wanted to share some of the leadership insights he had gained with his team. I suggested we catch up for coffee to discuss how I could support him in that quest.

We decided to catch up in a café in Black Rock as we both lived in the suburb – in the same street -  five doors away…

I now have a wonderful engagement with Mal and the rest of the team at Powerhouse – they are keen, motivated, curious and wanting to achieve holistic success for the club this year. Who would have thought?

Reflection

Never underestimate the impact (positive or negative) you can have on others’ lives 

How important are positive relationships to you?

What impact do you have on others?

What level of authenticity do you want to display when undertaking your business?

What are the core values that drive your business ethos?

Compassion – A Rare Leadership Trait

The dust has settled, the media have departed to focus on the next crisis, the guilty have been
removed from the arena and the majority are thankful it was not them in the glare of the media
frenzy, the public prosecution and eternal judgement.

I am talking of the Australian players who were made to be unsalvageable villains in the South
African ball tampering incident in South Africa recently.

There is no excusing their behaviour but there is perhaps value in understanding why 3 Australian
international representatives behaved uncharacteristically and brought shame on themselves, team
mates, family and friends and apparently the whole country.

Our expectations are that our international representatives will never soil the reputation of Australia
as a fair go country where honesty and fair play are paramount. And yet it happens with predictable
regularity as night follows day. Think London Olympics swim team, AFL, ARL, business, finance – the
list is endless.

So, what went wrong in this instance? What so significantly affected the decision making of these
reputable young men that they would blatantly and so obviously, cheat?

Is there room in this Shakespearean tragedy for more players – those that operated above and
beyond the scenes and apparently did nothing to effectively alter the script? Perhaps this is an
opportunity to reflect later.

The crucible of battle can melt the most hardened steely combatants if there is even a hint of a
fracture in the armour forged of constant battle. And the truth is, we are all flawed merely because
we fall into that exclusive domain of being human. We will make mistakes under pressure and
sometimes even without the pressure – life happens.

And yet, we can draw on Roosevelt’s speech from more than 100 years ago and which is just as
pertinent today:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where
the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the
arena…”

Compassion is a rare and highly valuable commodity these days and yet its sharing has wondrous
effects.

Perhaps we can remove our collective feet from the throats of these young men and bring them
back into the mainstream as worthwhile citizens – the self-recrimination alone will provide indelible
learnings for those involved and the future returns of forgiveness will be undoubtedly rich.

Reflection

What are the pressures you and your team face today?

How do you guard against ‘fatal’ breaches of your standards and values?

What are the critical conversations you need to have with your teams?

What is it that your team would never do to jeopardise your business?

What appreciative inquiries have you made?