Making Friends with Change

"Tis impossible to be sure of anything but death and taxes!' This is a quote misattributed to Mark Twain, but actual was written by Christopher Bullock in his 'Cobbler of Preston' (1716), but in my opinion, Mr. Bullock (bless his heart) left out one thing, change. As inevitable as death and taxes, we humans will face change regularly. It happens at home, at work, in neighborhoods and communities. Sometimes change is desired, but in many cases it's feared and avoided at all cost!

I don't know if I was born with a kernel of love for change or what, but I also haven't always found it easy to face changes. Change is both exciting and fearful at the same time because it opens us up to the dark world of the unknown. My love of change is tied mainly to the excitement of something new and different; something that makes me think and see life in a new way, but oh that fear! That lingering feeling that if I embrace the dark unknown cloud of change popping up, it will surely spew rain, thunder and lighting all over my world! Early on in life, I made friends with the idea of change. Here is a list of highlights about what I did and still do today to help me remain an agent of change.

Choose
When change is looming large on the horizon, I always remind myself that I choose. That's right, I choose to either think of the change as the dark unknown or as the exciting opportunity to do something familiar in a fresh, new way. To be okay with change, change your thinking and choose excitement over fear.

Question
Be sure to ask all the questions you can think of, without beating a dead horse at the same time. Ask a question once. If the answer received isn't exactly what was desired you can rephrase once for clarity, but if the answer still isn't what is desired, leave it alone. Change sometimes requires experience to fully understand the need and importance of the change.

Build Experience
When faced with changes, remember that those who are making you aware of the coming change, probably don't have the authority to make the changes stop. They will depend on you to embrace the new ways and make a successful transition. If a great attitude has been chosen and all of the questions have been asked it's time to jump in and start building experience. The nice thing about changes in the workplace is they level the playing field. Everyone else is in the same boat and has to work through the newness.

This is a very basic list, but one that can easily be remembered. The attitude is a personal choice, questions unasked will go unanswered and nothing beats experience to make a change feel like a comfortable place you love. So, next time the office manager wants to change some process try these tips and let me know how it goes. Until then, stay cheerful!!

Effective Disciplinary Sessions

Difficult conversations are never fun, but when it comes to disciplinary sessions with subordinates there can be additional stress. One of my favorite sayings is, "Don't be scared. Be prepared!" I don't know who said it first, but it fits this situation completely. When it comes to disciplining associates, preparation is key and will save lots of stress and heartache.

Let's get to the heart of this!  Here is a short list of things I've learned about how to prepare for effective disciplinary sessions and I hope you will find these useful on your leadership path.

Leg Work

It's not enough to just have a few details about a situation. Be sure to do the research to prove that discipline is actually necessary. The stress of holding a disciplinary discussion can be completely avoided by searching out all of the facts, first. Once it's clear that discipline is in order, then proceed.

Goals

Be sure to set clear goals for the discussion. The poor performer needs to understand what has occurred and the expectations for making it right. Writing a plan of action is helpful here, not only for yourself, but for the employee. Make sure the plan contains all of the supporting research for the discipline, what the associate must do to improve, the actions expected or methods and due dates.

Forum

The discussion should be held in confidence. Maintaining respect for the poor performer is extremely important. The discipline may be severe, but the level of privacy should be maintained.

Be Calm

Check personal emotions at the door. If the situation is very personal to you, it may be wise to invite another manager into the discussion for support or to remove your personal emotions out of the conversation and to help with keeping things calm. Good preparations should make it easier to control your personal emotions.

Timing

Be careful about the timing of the discussion. Depending on the expected outcome, close to the end of a work day might be a good time, should the associate need to leave to do some personal soul searching of their own. Based on the situation, there may be a necessity to move quickly and in that case, be prepared to limit the disruption to other associates and their productivity.

Opening

Prepare solid opening remarks and always start with documentation hidden out of site. Unless I witnessed a situation and have all of the facts, I remember that the associate has their side to the story. In this case, opening remarks should always be something like, "Tell me about [the situation] that occurred [date] involving [people/processes]?" If the associate plays the "I don't know what you're taking about" game, then there is no choice but to pull out the disciplinary documentation you've prepared and start reviewing the situation.

No Bushes!

Avoid 'beating around the bush' with the employee. Review the facts that have been documented in a straightforward way, calmly and without emotion.

Talk and Listen

Make certain to ensure two-way communication. Allow the associate to answer questions and ask questions of their own. Be diligent about making sure the associate has answers they need and knows they have plenty of opportunity to make their own case. On this point, it is also important that you're prepared to change the discipline based on the conversation. If the employee makes a very solid case with previously unknown facts, it's good to stop the session and let the associate know you'll take these new facts into consideration and do some further research and follow-up with them at a specified date.  Good 'Leg Work' in the beginning will reduce the need for this type of action and limit the stress of having more than one conversation!

Action Plan

There should be a firm plan of action and follow-up. Beyond that it will be extremely important that you, as the manager, live up to your side of the plan. The associate should have a specific action plan that the two of you have developed and they will be watching closely for you to do your part in the follow-ups.

End

Common sense tells us to end on a positive note. Depending on the situation, this isn't always easy. If the discipline results in termination of the associate be sure to thank them for their time and give them any information they may need concerning their ability to appeal the decision. If the employee is not being terminated, it's an opportunity to offer to be a resource as they work to turn performance around.

The job of a manager isn't an easy one. Discipline and other types of difficult conversations are always on the horizon. Just remember, there is nothing that says you have to move to take action before you have all of the facts. Be diligent about the details, respecting the people you lead and be prepared! As always give your best and until next week, be cheerful!!

The Great World of Possibilities

There is never a single way to get things done. Frequently there are 'best' ways or 'ideal' solutions, but never a single or 'only' way. Yes, I know there is always some wise guy who will tell you that his way is the only way, but he's wrong. Or at least in my experience, he's usually wrong. What there is, however, is a 'right' solution. Find that and now you've really got something.

The ability to solve problems is one of those abilities that creates value in the person who has developed the skill. In a word, people who can solve problems are useful. If problem solving isn't one of your great manager skills and you'd like to develop that in yourself, here are a few ways to begin the great work to become a valuable resource in this area.

1. Ask.  That's right, it's as simples as that. Ask for the opportunity to solve a problem within your organization. Start small, but by taking on a small problem and working to come up with the right solution, the spotlight will be on your efforts and the outcome will be great regardless of how well your solution works. Others will see your effort, thought processes and work ethic. You'll be seen as action oriented and positive and that in and of itself, is great!
2. Ask.  That's right, ask lots of questions and the most important of these is, "What is it we expect to see when this problem is solved?" There has to be a clear vision of what should be happening.  For instance, if the problem is too many errors are being made within a specific work process, then the question is, "What is the acceptable error rate?" Once that is known, the next question might be, "What is the exact workflow for the offending process?" Asking questions will lead to knowledge and knowledge is powerful. Remember, keep asking questions until there is enough information to support the solution ideas that are now popping into your head!
3. Document.  As you work through the questions, solutions will indeed present themselves, but how practical are they? At this point, it's more important to capture the raw ideas than it is to question their viability. Yes, it will be important to test viability, but for now, simply document with as much detail as necessary for you to remember the important parts of each solution.
4. Question.  Next, question each of the possibilities. Remember, the path of least resistance is desired. What makes sense to the organization, saves money, time, effort or resources? Although an easy solution my present itself as a great possibility, it may fail the test of common sense.
5. Document.  That's right, document some more! Documentation is your friend!! Capture all of the information about the tests so that proof of the right solution is supported.
6. Present. Prepare a great presentation of the work and the solution, gaining acceptance and then, pilot that solution with a small group to further establish that it is the right one. Document the results of the pilot and there should either be full acceptance of the superior solution or an opportunity to go back to the list of possibilities (you've created a well of them, you know) to try again.

The point here is to develop the ability to see all of the possibilities that a problem presents. Solving problems can be fun! It just takes a little work to find the prize. What's the prize, you ask? It's that great sense of accomplishment you'll have when the real solution is found and you were the one who made it happen! Best wishes and remember, stay cheerful!

Being a Cheerful Manager

Cheerfulness aside, all managers are tested. Managers are people who experience high-stress, long hours and lots of changes. Getting your manager head on the right side of all that can really make a difference in your ability to love the work you do.

Here are a few tips for remaining cheerful in the face of manager misery!

Deal With Negative Stress

Nothing is more dangerous than a tested manager who does nothing to create life balance. There are positive and negative stresses in life. For example, as a manager I'm frequently put under the microscope about the performance of my team, the approaching outcome of projects and a general desire to make results happen. This scrutiny causes high-stress levels that in me, result in things like grinding my teeth at night when I sleep, headaches and excessive fatigue. However, with just one little action, each day, I balance my negative stress and lower the effects of it. What action, I hear you asking? Exercise! Just a little exercise each day (i.e. a walk, some calisthenics or playing catch with your child) will bring the stress levels down and reduce their effect.

Pay It Forward

In the way of Benjamin Franklin, repay the nice things that other managers might do for you, by doing the same with other managers. There is so much competition between leaders to 'get ahead' that it can easily be forgotten that you yourself, got ahead because someone paid a good deed forward to you, giving you some advantage and ultimately success. No one ever manages a successful life and business in a vacuum! So, work for the good of those around you and reap the benefits of making other people look good. There are two ways of making yourself look good. You can make either make people around you look bad or you can do everything in your power to boost those around you higher. I guarantee, the latter of these two will always make you look great in the end! All of these positive investments come back to your life in multiples.

Leave on Time

Managers sometimes feel that they aren't really doing a good job unless they are working more than a 40 hours per week. It's old-school thinking at work here! Certainly a manager can produce more in more hours, but they will not be well rested nor will they be living a balanced life. There is plenty out there about the effects on personal life of the long work week. Work to make your job fit into a reasonable number of hours. The 40 hour work week might not be ideal for you, but start there anyway. Manage interruptions and do some daily planning for better focus and use of time. This will make whatever your hours are at work more productive and lead you to leave the office on time!

Work to Live

You can live to work or work to live. The choice is yours. Having outside interests makes you personally more interesting. You'll learn new skills and heighten your own spirits just by living to do other things than work. There are well worn phrases about how Jack was a dull boy working so much and so hard, so make sure to love your work, but work to live, always!

Make Friends with Change

It is easier to face changes when they don't start their lives as scary things from the planet "NO!" Develop a regular way of facing changes so that you are looking for positive benefits and effects rather than waiting for the horrible disasters you've made up will happen. Nothing is ever as bad as what we dream up for ourselves. When you catch yourself dabbling in the pool of negativity when faced with a change, stop and reposition yourself making it a point to find the benefits. Then focus on those positive benefits for the best experience possible.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to designing a better manager experience for yourself. Remember, the power and choices are all yours. Ultimately, you make it as easy or as hard on yourself as you like. So, make it easy and always choose cheerful!