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The Longer You Take…

November 10, 2011 in Leadership, Life, Productivity, Teamwork, time management, Vision with 0 Comments

It is generally accepted wisdom not to rush into anything. It is also important take time to understand the options and implications before committing to any course of action. I actually encourage people not to rush into anything because it seems a great idea at first glance. Then there are the instances where the longer you take to act, the more you lose or the worse things get.

act now

 illustration - kkalyan, flickr (cc)

Once you’ve established that there is a niche, or great opportunity, the longer you can the more it gets out of reach. Innovation and ideas have a life span. The longer you take to ‘attack’ an available share of the market, the harder it will be to fight competition later. If you’ve assessed and realized the opportunity, act now!

In relationships, it is the longer you take to apologize and own up for your part in a stalemate, the harder it will get. In fact, this perpetuates more conflict and complications. Things tend to escalate and you knock heads. You deal with things but fail to get to the bottom of them all because you took too long to address the initial seed. The longer you take, to address issues the unhealthier the relationship will be. The longer you take, the more vulnerable your relationship will be and the more toxic the smallest of issues can be. Act now.

The longer you take to address the slack employee or teammate, the longer the vision suffers. The more the people you ought to be serving suffer. Leaving the slackers to be may be the sure guarantee of the death of your purpose. Leader, there will be a time you will have to guard your vision from your team. When the team threatens the vision by being slack or otherwise do not wait any longer.

The longer the leader takes to address his own slackness and complacency, the longer the organization or team will faces its demise. The longer you maintain the status quo the higher the chances are you will be irrelevant very soon. Constant innovation and challenging yourself as an individual and team is a must if you are to stay relevant. Maintaining where you are is not progress and may be the start of your demise.

The longer it takes you to start on the new project while you’re still motivated, the harder it will be for you to build momentum later…

There are instances it is prudent to tread carefully. Then there are instances you have to act swiftly. Consider some of the things highlighted… Don’t live in ‘I will do’ but ‘I am doing!’

I’d love you hear your thoughts!

More Than 5 Reasons Your Team Is Frustrated With Your Leadership

November 8, 2011 in Leadership, Teamwork, Vision with 0 Comments

A leader often has to deal with numerous dynamics in managing her team. It could be apathy, which I’ve written about in the past here. Another challenge a leader may have to deal with is a frustrated team. Here are some of the reasons why teams get frustrated:

Undermined: your team is frustrated because of being undermined. One of the ways to undermine your team is entrusting them with tasks that aren’t challenging enough. Undermining can be blatant or subtle. Are you constantly telling your team they cannot measure up? In word or deed?
Huh?: Your team doesn’t understand where they are going or supposed to be going. As leader you (should) see the vision more vividly than anyone on your team. It may be that your vision is only that clear to you. Does your team get the vision and how they fit in as clearly as you do? If your team doesn’t see the vision clearly as you do they are not going to be as passionate about it as you are!

Goal posts: Your team is frustrated because you keep moving the goal posts without giving any reasons. Also, teams will be frustrated when they do not have any participation in setting goals whatsoever. Allowing your team to be part of setting goals in one way or another will help them own them. Also the team doesn’t know when they have scored. To help combat frustration and other challenges with the team, help them know what scoring is for them.
Model: in another post I stated that leadership development programs are sometimes overrated at the expense of leaders being the epitome of leadership for the teams and other leaders they lead. Your team is frustrated because you have higher standards for them than you have for yourself! Nothing is as upsetting for followers than a leader whom fundamental rules do not apply. One of the best ways to teach the leaders on your team to lead is by being the example
Ka Ching!: as leader you haven’t followed through with past promises & are making more. Never make new promises before fulfilling your old ones! This is often a foundation of distrust. Do not make promises that you cannot keep. When you are going to fail in keeping your promises communicating this with your team will guard trust.
They Really Cannot: your team is frustrated because they’ve been given responsibilities that are really out of their league. It is the leader’s responsibility to understand what his team can handle. Challenge your team in a way that will stretch them for growth, not discourage them.
Droids?: in all the goal chasing you do never forget you’re working with people. In another post I wrote about the relationship between people & programs. You can read it here. Your team. Could be frustrated because you have pursued goals / vision at their expense. Instances where the whole team or part if the team needs to put in extra will always arise. However, the leader must not just care about the welfare of the vision but if the work force that makes it happen! Team maintenance is a must! The best leaders know how to love & care for their people. Team leader, there must be a balance between work & care for the workers! Your team is the most valuable resource you have.
Standards: It is always prudent to embrace the importance of context. However, there cases where the same context and events will reoccur. For such it will be of great advantage for the leader to have standards set. Another reason why your team is frustrated is differential treatment. This can be in how you handle disciplinary measures to them being rewarded or scolded for the exact thing under the same circumstance. Do you reward the same action and under the exact circumstance punish it tomorrow? Be very clear about what you reward and how you handle the aforementioned occurrences. You team is frustrated because you are not consistent! Say what you mean and mean what you say!
Hammer, No Nails: your team is frustrated because they have hammers & no nails. Giving your team an assignment without the adequate means to make it happen is guaranteed to frustrate them. Always ensure that you have aptly equipped your team to fulfil the tasks handed to them. It is irresponsible leadership to give tasks & not means to fulfil them! Empower your team!

What have you observed as frustration for teams?

 illustration: David Chartier, flickr (cc)

People NOT Programs

November 5, 2011 in Chrstianity, Church, Leadership, Ministry, Vision with 1 Comment

I read Fellowship One‘s ‘slogan’ a couple of weeks ago. I totally agree with them! This got me thinking about some of the things that get in the way the Church reaches and serves people.

You were called to serve people not software

The primary existence of the Church (this encompasses her arms) is to reach people. (Feel free to substitute “Church” with your specific ministry, team, organization etc) It’s been said that the Church is an organization that exists for the people not yet in it… That’s not entirely true. The Church exists for both people in it AND those not (yet) in. Over the hundreds of years, the way in which the Church has fulfilled her mandate, has changed. Sometimes the changes have been rapid and extreme, some subtle and slow. Despite all these changes one thing remains. The Church was instituted by God. Her purpose for His glory – reaching mankind (bottom line).

For the Church to be effective, though, she has no choice but to be relevant. However, in the quest for relevance, she cannot afford to overlook her purpose, as that purpose relates to people. With that said, it means that every undertaking of the Church must be a means to glorify God as it reaches and grows people into His purpose for their lives. This means whatever means or program used is a mere tool. Tools exist to serve purpose not the other way round. When your programs start running at the expense of people you’re missing the mark.

This occurs when:

Programs can be run at the expense of people by being more focused on having the program run or its mechanics instead of what it is supposed to accomplish i.e. serving them. I am not saying programs cannot or should not be tweaked so they are better able to serve people. But, what I am saying is that they should not take precedence over the people. Thus, we have to be careful that people are not being driven to fulfill programs needs but the program is driven to meeting people’s needs but not at their expense or detriment.
When those responsible for the program or the means of doing things, get so protective of the program from changes that could help the program better serve people. Before shooting down suggestions to change your program or methodologies, it is imperative that you examine whether you are just defending the program or protecting the people and the interests of the people to better serve them.
Programs also run at the expense of the people when those entrusted to run them are constantly being run down. I mean they are serving people through programs but not in a way that is healthy for them. This may include where programs take up so much time from those that are serving such that they do not get adequate time to rest, or spend with their families. When the Church gets to that point we step into the counterproductive zone. We cannot save others by “destroying” others. Sometimes this happens in environments where volunteers may not be sufficient. It is possible that the same program that should serve people can actually end up destroying them! You’re not going to win battles by destroying your army!

Though we need a systematic way to disciple, serve, reach etc people we must keep in perspective that it is people NOT programs that must be at the forethought of all our activities or planning.

How else do you think programs tend to come at the expense or instead of people?

Creativity Killers & Dealing With Them

October 24, 2011 in Ideas, Leadership, Life, Productivity, Vision with 0 Comments

Everyone goes through this every now and then. There are times you’re just a creativity bank and everyone gets ideas from you. Then there are those other times we all hate – when it seems we don’t even have an ounce of creativity. These are some of the things that I’ve seen kill my creativity… (Share some of your creativity killers and how you dealt with them in the comments)

illustration - laff4k
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Same Ol’: One of the things that I used to fight is getting bored easily. Now I rest in the wisdom that routine is just not my thing! My creativity tends to suffer when repeating the same thing over again. This is different from the A.D.D. that leaders have. I thrive when I can constantly create new things. To overcome monotony and guard my creativity, I juggle tasks. I also engage in activities that are not related. Every now and then I find it beneficial to go work in a restaurant, tea garden etc. (See also “Why Work Doesn’t Happen At Work”)
Aarggghhh!!: Stress is a big one! Unfortunately, there is only one way I’ve learned to address this one. The only way I know how to deal with this one is to address the cause. This may entail completely dropping something that was on my plate, requesting extensions on deadlines, delegating and simply dealing with the biggest issue first. I’ve also discovered that dealing with the bigger giants first tends to release great pressure off me. You may want to read “5 Reasons You Get Overwhelmed“
Interruptions: Sometimes I lose my flow when I’m constantly interrupted. One of the most critical stages for innovation is ideation. Failure to guard the ideation process by getting rid of distractions can be the nail in the coffin for innovation. Switch off your phone, notifications and put a do not disturb sign on your door. Over time, I’ve taken note of some of the interruptions that have stolen ideas and momentum. Now I anticipate them and deal with them before they’re interruption. Interruptions are best dealt with before they become interruptions. Take note of the things that steal from you and stop them before they stop you.
Tired!: I’m not the go to guy for ideas when I’m tired. At my worst, I slur when I’m extremely tired. My brain just doesn’t seem to want to work. What should be a two minute conversation can end up a ten minute one as it takes me longer to collect and articulate my thoughts. The remedy for this one is rather obvious – rest! However, I would add that you need at least one good break during your work day, a day in your week and one month in a year. Working with a rundown body is not how you will be more productive. You’ll be practicing self, team and vision destruction. And, subsequently you won’t be any good to your team or yourself! Rest! Guarding your times of rest is part of guarding your well being and vision.
People: All of us have ‘those people’ in our lives. You know the people that cannot have”blue sky” days with. These are people that cannot disconnect with circumstance and just dream “possibilities” with you. I’ve encountered people who do not hear, “let’s say everything was perfect & we had no restrictions”. Creativity feeds off creativity. One of the best ways to help creativity is getting around creative or “ideas people” as I call them. You also have the people that will give you a million ideas at your command. Get around them to help your creativity. The kind of people you cannot do without!

What kills your creativity? Have you found ways to deal with it? Additions?

Rules, Policies & Culture

October 13, 2011 in Leadership, Productivity, Teamwork, Vision with 0 Comments

Rules, policies and organizational culture define organizations. They determine the environment within and the subsequent product or service delivery from them. Rules policies are often the result of efforts to govern people’s actions and systems. They are necessary. Organizational culture is developed over time. Not everything that ends up a part of an organization’s culture is intentional. At the same time, there are unwritten rules.

illustration by lumaxart, flickr (cc)

Rules and policies are used as means to get people in the organization to act a certain way. When you introduce a new rule or policy in your organization or team there is an important question you should ask: Are we introducing new rules and policy because we’ve failed to shape the culture? You know when parents have failed to instil values and try to get their children to behave how they want by use of rules? It works, only for a while. Because of rules, people on your team may act how you want them to but with negative attitudes. Rules and policies are generally regarded as the ‘fun police’ hence the tendency to treat them with contempt.

When an organization starts relying heavily on rules and policy to control people’s actions, it has failed to set a positive organizational culture. Constantly churning rules and policies results in drones and not a particularly motivated or passionate team. Instead of governing people why not inspire them by encouraging a positive culture. A positive organizational culture is core to purpose and innovation.

Culture embodies philosophy and principles while rules control the known. The former will help navigate the unknown while the latter is high maintenance and has to be constantly changed with circumstance. Rules and policies are necessary. But, ensure that you are not using them to accomplish what a positive organizational culture should be doing.