Over the past year, many leaders re-envisioned their organizations to overcome the downturn, serve their customers differently, and sometimes launch into new markets entirely. As organizations view a more optimistic future, what framework can they use to plan and solidify their “new normal.” Where to start? [Read more…]
I saw a Patagonia label on a friend’s jacket last fall, and it caused me to think about Patagonia and about corporate purpose. Patagonia is definitely an organization that reframed its corporate purpose effectively, with remarkable results–from more devoted customers and stakeholders to dedicated employees. Why has Patagonia become a brand so closely aligned with doing good? How did they do that?
Does kinder, gentler leadership abdicate accountability?
Our experiences in 2020 and 2021 have taught us that leading others has taken on added dimensions requiring the use of stronger soft skills while also managing remotely. Researchers and experts are telling us that a kinder, gentler leader is here to stay. In watching your inbox over the past year, you saw many articles about the need for compassionate and caring leadership and management through times of turmoil. If your career has seen a lot of forceful, dominant, invincible leaders (or if you are one), this new, more compassionate type of leadership may be unfamiliar territory. [Read more…]
The litmus test for leadership for 2021 and beyond
I received an email this week from McKinsey, and the first paragraph stated, “But while the global pandemic made last year a bleak descent into existential risk, loss, and grief, this year begins with at least the promise of an ascent to recovery and a more positive reality. Demonstrating sincere care for teams and employees will still be the leader’s test, as will having the soft skills required to lead well.” This litmus test for leadership was not just for 2020; it was not temporary. It’s a skill set we vitally need to develop as leaders.
Demonstrating sincere care for teams and individuals. Exactly how do we do this, especially if it’s not a natural part of your past management or leadership style? [Read more…]
As if COVID is not enough of a challenge for organizations to deal with, some organizations have been talking with us about a different challenge: keeping their highest performers during the pandemic. The issue being discovered by our clients and friends is that of motivating employees, not just by adding “fun” activities or a more energizing work environment. Employees want more. [Read more…]
Is it Time to Re-frame Your Organization’s Purpose?
Recent months have driven us to a new understanding of the word “disruption”— from the health crisis and tragedies of COVID, business downturn and failure, the Work from Anywhere (WFA) phenomenon, to pivoting our organizations to new ways of working and perhaps to new customers or markets entirely. This year has taught us more than we could have imagined and may have revealed more to us and to our customers and stakeholders about things that really matter.
If your organization has experienced change, it may be a good time to revisit and perhaps re-frame your Purpose Statement (not to be confused with Vision or Mission), or to develop one if your company does not have one. The pandemic likely changed your organization, your customers, and stakeholders in some way; now is the time for organizations to figure out how they’ve changed and rethink who they are, why they exist, where they’re going, and how they will help the world or their customers. [Read more…]
How the Best Leaders Cultivate Truth and Candor
Every day we are inundated in information, articles, and social media shares about leadership and its relationship to organizational performance and culture. One thing we don’t hear as much about is leadership and its role in creating a climate of truth in the organization. It caused me to think about organizations and leaders I have known who are or have been the best at cultivating honesty. The challenge is this: in some organizations, the higher you are in the hierarchy, the less you know about the real truth related to processes and performance. So, it is vitally important to have channels of information open, so that issues can be addressed and problems solved. With many of our organizations operating in the Work from Home (WFH) and Work from Anywhere (WFA) environment open channels of communication and candor are perhaps more important now in the than they have ever been.
The best leaders I know foster an atmosphere of truth-telling in many ways, demonstrating five key behaviors: [Read more…]
In light of current events illustrating the need for racial equity, along with the #metoo movement of the recent past, effective diversity strategies are more important than ever. In the “must read” Why Diversity Programs Fail, authors Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kalev discuss research related to common diversity programs in the workplace and the outcomes they have NOT achieved. Most companies work at applying diversity and inclusion techniques, but they are getting opposite results from what they want. [Read more…]
Many organizations have effectively adapted or “pivoted” in recent months, but CEOs and other leaders tell me, “We are working harder for every dollar than we ever have.” For many executives, there is a question in the back of their minds: “Can we sustain this?” In times like these, high performance and organizational improvement are more important than ever.
A recent client was improving processes in light of their recent “pivot” due to COVID. Earlier in the year, the firm had changed some processes to adapt to the new market and the “new normal.” Because of the pivot, the company was working harder for each dollar earned than in 2019, and it was not sustainable. To survive 2020 and plan for 2021, [Read more…]
During COVID, we have received a great deal of advice related to pivoting our businesses (or staying the course), adapting our processes, managing remote employees, or navigating the combination of some remote workers and some in-office workers. Many organizations are currently in that interesting state of balance with some working from home and others not. Several challenges arise: some employees working from home may perceive those still working from home as “favorites” who are not required to do as much work. Those who have returned to the workplace may be stressed over a higher risk of contracting COVID. Those working from home are juggling children at home and multigenerational households, all the while wondering what they are missing out on, including potential advancement opportunities. How can you reinforce stability and calm?
With continuing uncertainty, one of the best tools in the leader’s toolbox is accountability. Why does accountability matter more now than ever?
