Category Archives: Team

How Do You Hold People Accountable? Four Suggestions

Situation: A new CEO of a small company finds it difficult to hold people accountable. To her, delivering criticism feels like delivering “bad news.” This makes her feel uncomfortable, so she hesitates and often takes care of tasks herself. This cuts into her planning and strategy time. How do you hold people accountable?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • This may be a question of semantics and the view of the task.
    • From a big picture standpoint, real bad news is saying “you’re fired!” By comparison, providing input to correct behavior or results is minor. Consider it coaching instead of bad news.
    • Consider the other person. Constructive feedback is positive. It communicates care about them as a person and their future within the company. It expresses a desire that they do well, and that the CEO is willing to take the time to help them.
  • The CEO’s job is to captain the ship that the team serves. When the CEO “does it herself” instead of providing coaching to others, she has abandoned the wheel. It also suggests that others aren’t up to the job.
  • Step back and look at the CEO’s big picture.
    • Nobody expects immediate perfection. The CEO position was offered because others judged the person as ready for it. They know from experience that learning management takes time.
    • However, they also know that becoming CEO requires giving up past responsibilities. The job is to coach others to perform to company standards.
  • What immediate steps can be taken?
    • Prioritize management time over task time.
    • When a team member’s work needs correction, do this with them. Show them how to correct the work. Coach them to the proper standards. Assure that they are clear on why and how to complete the work.
    • This is a double win – getting the job done in less time (for the CEO) and helping the team member to complete the work correctly the next time.
    • The CEO’s position is not as a resource. The role is to develop resources. This is the new value to the firm, the justification for the CEO’s salary, and the key to future success.

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How Many Direct Reports is Too Many? Five Thoughts

Situation: A young company has been growing rapidly but hasn’t been growing its infrastructure to support its growth. The CEO now has fifteen direct reports. Things are getting hectic and the CEO wonders whether it’s time to make a change. How many direct reports is too many?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • It is generally accepted that the largest number of direct reports that an individual can successfully manage is ten. Beyond this and even at this number, if the reports require significant supervision it is difficult to meet the needs of the individuals and to effectively direct their multiple activities.
  • The maximum number of individuals that you can manage depends upon what you are managing.
    • If the individuals are very independent, then perhaps ten can be managed.
    • If the individuals require any significant levels of supervision and/or training, the number goes down rapidly.
  • This is both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is determining the right number of reports for the CEO to manage. The benefit is the opportunity to start building a management team.
  • The benefit will be that by adding managers reporting to the CEO, there is the opportunity to train individuals who can take on additional managerial responsibilities in the future. As the company continues to expand this will become critical to future growth.
  • Another benefit is the ability to divide responsibilities among the teams.
    • For example, one team becomes the sales team, a second the Client Services team, and a third becomes the back-office operations team.
    • As the company expands, there is the opportunity to add additional subgroups to the sales and client service teams. simultaneously serviced by the existing back-office operations team.

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How Do You Motivate the Team to Act Proactively? Four Thoughts

Situation: A company has developed a good team to support its projects. They work together well and demonstrate good work habits. However, the CEO wants to improve communications between team members, and also between herself and team members. When challenges arise, she wants to hear about them proactively, on a timely basis and with recommended solutions. How do you motivate the team to act proactively?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • Is this just a question of communication within the team, or is there also concern with communication beyond the team?
    • There are two long-term employees who consistently demonstrate a poor work ethic; however, due their seniority and relationships with the Foreman, this is tolerated.
  • What steps should be taken to deal with this situation?
    • The Foreman reports directly to the CEO. The proper way to deal with this is to develop a solution that serves the interests of the company.
    • The company lives and breathes on customer satisfaction. If any worker shows a pattern of substandard work, this negatively impacts both the image and the value of the company.
  • Clear and fair standards and expectations are critical:
    • Establish a policy that workers are responsible for assuring that work meets standards before completing a job.
    • Establish a list of specific standards for work, and job checklists to assure that work is complete and meets standards. Spot check to assure that the work and checklists meet standards.
    • If a supervisor finds work performed below standard this will result in a warning to the worker. If the worker continues to perform substandard work, this becomes grounds for termination.
    • If a worker misrepresents the quality of work performed on a final project checklist, this is grounds for immediate termination.
    • Ask key managers and supervisors for input on the policy. This is not a democratic process, but others should be given an opportunity for input.
    • Post the policy and provide all employees with a copy. Communicate the policy openly both verbally and in writing.
  • Meet informally and frequently with the team to deepen relationships with them and between each other.

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How Do You Restore a Strong Team? Five Points

Situation: A CEO is looking at his company following the pandemic slowdown. Employees have returned but much of the energy that was there before the pandemic has dissipated. Employees seem to be looking for guidance and inspiration. How do you restore a strong team?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • There are many options for team building activities. There have been some excellent TV shows like Monster Garage and American Chopper that address these. Though these series are no longer aired, episodes can be downloaded. These feature some very effective methods of building team camaraderie and energy.
  • One company regularly conducts team building activities:
    • Taking the crew to the new movie openings of epic movies that are best seen on the big screen.
    • Go-Cart racing.
    • This is done during working hours, and the employees appreciate both the effort of the company, and the fact that they are not asked to do this after hours.
  • While team building functions are an essential part of building and maintaining company culture, they are only part of the task of building a strong team. The group considered conditions that they had previously experienced that harmed morale and even prompted some employees to leave:
    • Lack of advancement or any clear path to advancement,
    • Ambiguity in roles and expectations,
    • Salary and advancement caps,
    • Poor managers, and
    • Lack of consistent or clear feedback on performance.
  • Looking at this list, the converse represent the things that are needed to build a strong retention culture and strong teams:
    • Clear expectations of employees in terms of performance,
    • Clear and public tracks for advancement in job and salary increases,
    • Frequent and consistent feedback on performance – both positive and as necessary corrective feedback – but always with considerate and constructive delivery,
    • Well-trained managers.
  • These factors parallel the findings of the Gallup Organization in their investigation of factors contributing to high levels of employee engagement and profitable growth.

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What are Appropriate Social Interactions at Work? Three Thoughts

Situation: A first-time CEO is curious about the experience of others regarding social or personal interactions with employees at work. At previous companies, outside of company picnics or similar events there was little interaction between top staff and employees. Do others observe similar practices? What are appropriate guidelines for social interactions at work?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • Consider the following cases:
    • Case 1 – even though individuals may be friends outside of work, they often do not engage as “friends” at work. There is a different role structure at work.
    • Case 2 – if, based on history, a CEO and employee have had a close relationship outside of work, the CEO should not show favoritism toward this individual at work. It is important to preserve a veil of trust with the other employees; apparent favoritism will disrupt this.
    • Case 3 – a CEO may have lunch with employees, to build relationships and keep tabs on the company atmosphere, but other social activity outside of work should be handled cautiously.
  • There is a natural distance between any employee and those individuals who evaluate or review them or decide on promotions. The individuals have a power over the employee that prevents them from approaching each other as true peers.
    • Because of this natural barrier, it is inappropriate to force social or personal interactions. The best option is to make sure that the employees know that the boss cares about them, has their interests in mind, and shows an interest in them and their families.
    • It is important to take advantage of opportunities to demonstrate to employees that the CEO is interested in them.
  • The situation is different between managers and their teams. Teams function on the basis of relationships and trust. If the CEO is invited, it is appropriate to attend team or department functions. Observe and learn from these interactions with the others. Most of all, listen actively, and patiently allow the interactions to mature. Don’t force things.

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How Do You Continually Raise the Bar on Personal Performance? Five Points

Situation: A CEO is continually focusing on company performance to improve results and efficiency. At the same time, she wants to assure that she is always raising the bar on her own performance as an example to both management and employees. What advice do you have for this CEO? How do you continually raise the bar on personal performance?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • Take a lesson from Marcus Buckingham’s book – Now Discover Your Strengths. The Gallup Organization is a leader in social science research on performance. Rule #1 is to focus on improving and sharpening strengths, not on overcoming or improving areas that are not so strong.
    • Look for ways that your strengths complement each other and build on these combinations. This will naturally raise performance and will also bring greater satisfaction.
  • Build personal objectives that will help to sharpen your strengths.
  • Conversely, develop work-arounds for those areas which are not as strong. Look for talent among the others in the organization that address areas where you are not as strong.
    • Have them assist you in work pertaining to these areas.
    • They will enjoy this work because it complements their strengths, and the company will gain the results that are needed. It also allows them to excel in areas where they are the strongest.
  • Take time to reflect and to recharge your batteries. Check your direction and make sure that you are heading in a direction that compliments your long-term goals.
    • Make sure that you are focusing on the right priorities for YOU.
  • Find a mentor – in or outside of your industry. Someone with experience who can provide you with guidance and clarity as you address both day-to-day and long-term challenges.

How Do You Address Employee Departures? Four Points

Situation: A CEO is concerned that three members of the R&D Team recently left the company. All were in their late 20s and were close. All three cited receiving better offers from another company. They have been replaced by what the company considers better talent. The CEO is concerned about the impact of this turnover on company morale and performance. How do you address employee departures?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • In working with Gen Y through Millennial employees, it may be necessary to adjust expectations in terms of employee loyalty, work ethic and longevity. Younger generations have a different perspective. Learn from this and adjust expectations accordingly.
  • Be frank with new employees up front. Plan their career progression out 36 to 48 months, and during this time give them great training. If they are interested in the company and career progression beyond this, discuss options with them.
  • Use outside resources to do a 2–3-month post-op on the three who left, as well as to help monitor employee attitudes on an ongoing basis.
    • The outside resource can conduct interviews by telephone, on a confidential basis, to assess the reasons why the employees left once emotions have died down. This resource should only provide summaries of the interviews without identifying which past employee said what. This will prompt them to be frank about their feedback. This can yield valuable lessons.
    • Similarly, use an outside resource to conduct confidential telephone interviews with random current employees on a periodic basis. Let employees know that they will be contacted by an outside agency on a random basis, and that their responses will be confidential. The purpose is to better respond to employee needs in the work environment. This will help to assess whether the departures were an extraordinary event or whether they are an early warning of more systemic challenges within the workforce.
  • The increased salary requests of those who left may be symptomatic of a “boom and bust” economy.
    • When things are heating up, and through an employment peak, there is increased pressure to raise wages, accompanies by increased turnover among employees who believe that they can make more elsewhere.
    • Most companies who are able to survive successive boom and bust cycles do not respond to the wage pressure, knowing that each boom is followed by a bust. Those who inflate their wages to keep up often end up dying during the bust.

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How Do you Position Yourself as the New Leader? Six Points

Situation: A new CEO has just taken over at a well-developed medium-sized company? He will be a first-time CEO. The principal concern is how to introduce himself to the staff and customers. He believes that first impressions are critical and wants to get off on the right foot. How so you position yourself as the new leader?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • Proactively engage both staff and customers in a dialogue about the direction and potential of the company. Focus comments on positive opportunities. Demonstrate a fresh sense of excitement and energy. Both staff and customers will be looking for a leader who shares their excitement. Demonstrate good listening skills.
  • There are a number of good books on leadership. Look for a title and theme that is appealing. An important point is the need to “market” yourself to both staff and customers.
    • Develop a list of hopes, desires and needs for the company. Add to this list based on what is heard from staff and customers.
    • Look for synergies between your and their hopes and desires. Create a “launch campaign” around these synergies.
    • This will position you as both an essential member of their team, and as a leader that others will want to follow.
  • Find a mentor. One who has deep experience with the role of “new Leader”. Seek their advice and counsel. Use them as a sounding board while developing a campaign for “Operation New Leader”.
  • Remember that both the company and the new vision are just plans and may require flexibility.
  • Ask others – particularly mentor and staff:
    • What is the model that they see? What are the key objectives that the company should accomplish during the first year?
    • What niche do they see the company aspiring to fill? From this may come insights into underdeveloped opportunities that the predecessor failed to leverage. Also, an opportunity to gain key allies within the company.
    • Focus discussions on what will bring increased value to the company.
  • While speaking to others, listen for their questions about the role of the Leader. This will present an opportunity to define the Leader role by addressing their needs as you transition into the new position.

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How Do You Align Vision Among Leadership? Three Approaches

Situation: The CEO of a software company finds that she and her #2 don’t have the same vision for the company concerning objectives and what is required to reach these objectives. In addition, key employees are reaching retirement age. The company needs to bring in new employees to learn the skills of those who will retire. How can these challenges be addressed? How do you align vision among leadership?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • Consider the following approach:
    • Add 1-2 people and bring them up to speed within the company so that they can step into the roles of the employees who are nearing retirement.
    • Focus the CEO’s role on creating the development outline and priorities, assisting in closing significant sales opportunities, participating in industry seminars to publicize the company’s capabilities, and guiding administration and finance.
    • Focus the #2’s role on assuming a greater role in new software development and customer support and have this person delegate and oversee internal technology development and code maintenance.
  • In pursuing this approach take the following steps:
    • Buttress the CEO’s skills with another developer who knows the key software, and who can maintain this for the company long-term.
    • Shift development from individual efforts to a collaborative atmosphere to ease and speed integration of new code into the company’s software.
    • Reduce the CEO’s day-to-day administrative role.
    • Increase the #2’s role in software development and reduce focus on maintenance and internal technology.
    • Add an additional resource in sales/marketing to boost company growth.
  • How to Get There?
    • Allow the #2 the latitude to start developing some of his own ideas for new tools or products.
    • Bring in a “marriage counselor” to assist the CEO and the #2 to define a common understanding.
    • One focus will be to establish that they clearly respect and value each other’s talents and contributions. The other focus will be to work through objectives and requirements where there has been difficulty reaching consensus.

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How Do You Reduce Interruptions in the Office? Three Points

Situation: A CEO of a small company finds it difficult to focus of company strategy and direction because on continuous interruptions to handle customer and company issues. Frequent phone calls and employees coming in to ask for guidance or to talk about issues make it difficult to focus on plans for the future. How do you reduce interruptions in the office?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • The company has grown to the point that it is time to build a management structure to facilitate decision-making. It’s time to delegate.
    • Identify promising individuals within the company who have the capacity to take on management responsibility. Provide them with the training to assume managerial roles and to handle direct reports.
    • If the talent is lacking in some areas, hire managers to oversee these areas.
  • The phone is the #1 problem – interruptions to deal with customer issues.
    • Hire an assistant to manage incoming calls and to transfer these calls to the appropriate department.
    • Learn to say no. For example, if an opportunity requires the CEO to be off-site to evaluate and estimate a project, that individual could not answer the phone in the office. Similarly, it is necessary to carve out concentrated time for strategic and critical tasks when in the office.
    • Explain to the team the challenge, and the benefits of spending uninterrupted time each day working on strategic direction. These benefits include additional growth and opportunity for both the company and employees.
    • Establish an official time – during regular hours – that the CEO is not available to respond to calls or other immediate needs. During these times, have an assistant direct these requests to the appropriate department or schedule time later in the day to handle an issue.
  • Any executive in a Fortune 500 company plans time for planning and other essential work when they cannot be interrupted. Working without interruptions is essential to efficient, high-quality work.

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