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Innovation: A Path To Talent Development?

Tanveer Naseer — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:30:02 +0000

The following is a guest post by Lewisa Anciano and Amanda Fenton.

Companies everywhere are facing increased competition and diminishing returns. We’re told “Innovate or die”. Almost every company I know would say they are trying to innovate their products, services, customer experience or even their business model.

But where is innovation happening in your organization? Is it relegated to secret suites and high-level handshakes? What is the ratio of innovators to employees? There is an untapped opportunity to embrace an innovation culture and move innovation out of the tower to the front line.

Peter Skarzynski, in his book Innovation to the Core, describes how new voices are essential for new thinking, and to give disproportionate share of voice to three constituencies typically underrepresented:

1. Young people (or those with a youthful perspective).

2. Newcomers to the company (preferably those from other industries).

3. People from the geographic periphery of the organization (further away from head office).

Putting innovation aside for a moment, these three groups also hold tremendous potential for your talent development pipeline. Coast Capital Savings decided to take exactly this approach, recognizing that we could engage people of all levels of the organization, building their individual leadership capability while creating innovative ideas for our corporate strategy and for our employee experience.

In our presentation at the Canadian Talent Management Summit conference in Toronto we’ll share our story of how we used an orthodoxy busting approach with diverse employee groups from all around our organization. The sessions produced more than just ideas – budding leaders were also identified for our talent development programs.

In one particular session, a front line employee was presenting his group’s work, and was challenged by a senior leader on his description of lack of empowerment in their day-to-day work. He took a deep breath and respectfully told the story of situations he frequently faced and was required to escalate instead of being able to address it himself.

It was a leadership moment for him: telling his truth in a room that included several Directors and senior leaders, creating space for continued dialogue and exploration. His courageous story created incredible support around one of our five new employee revolutions “It’s Your Call”.

We are doing everything we can to create a culture of innovation by having a bold employee experience that encourages innovation. We’ve defined our bold employee experience through five themes; tenants that provide us with the foundation to build an innovation culture:

1. Build Your Brand

2. Room to Grow

3. It’s Your Call

4. Cool Place and Space

5. Leaders Who Inspire

I once read an article about three tips for tapping employee innovation at all levels and am proud to say that at Coast Capital Savings, we embody all three. The first is to publicize the importance of creative thought in the organization. We use every opportunity to emphasize that we are a disrupter in the market and that we are going to do things different. This is championed by our executive team and particularly when we win innovation awards, we celebrate the heck out of it.

The second is to introduce organization-wide programs and processes that encourage creative thought and decision making and we have programs such as our Orthodoxy Innovation Sessions to engage our staff. We also build leadership development programs with a focus on innovation and creativity.

Finally, it is critical to create incentives to promote innovation. We have many examples of infusing innovation into our recognition programs including our High-five Hub, which is our Facebook-style recognition platform where over 2,300 employee high-five recognitions are given each month. We also have an annual employee recognition night with the converted category “Innovator of the Year” awarded by our CEO.

Our journey towards creating innovation through our talent is still a work in progress but we are well on our way!

So what other measures and opportunities do you think leaders can implement to foster innovation and develop the talent found in your organization?

Lewisa Anciano is the Vice-President, People responsible for innovative people programs and practices at Coast Capital Savings. Lewisa will be presenting her talk “Elevating Leadership Through Innovation” at the Canadian Talent Management Summit conference, which I’m collaborating with as one of their media partners.

Amanda Fenton is the Manager of Leadership Practices at Coast Capital Savings, where she stewards the management and leadership development program. She is also a facilitator and host of conversations that matter, using participatory leadership processes that invite diverse groups together to co-create new solutions.

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Do You Dare Your Employees To Dream?

Tanveer Naseer — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:30:33 +0000

I’ve written a number of times about the importance empathy, passion, and fostering a sense of shared purpose plays in our ability to succeed through our collective efforts, ideas that are normally considered too touchy-feely or soft to be of any practical benefit in the business world. Then again, in light of the rising tide of employee disengagement, the ability to empathize and communicate a shared sense of purpose is becoming ever more critical to an organization’s long-term health and viability.

But what about dreams? Could our dreams also help to push the boundaries of what’s known and familiar in order to ensure our collective success and growth? It’s an thought that came to mind after talking with my friend Whitney Johnson about her new book “Dare, Dream, Do”.

In most cases, any thoughts or discussions about the role dreams play in today’s business world tend to focus more on innovation and creativity; of how dreams of making a better product/service or learning to see the world differently has lead to so many of the breakthrough innovations that have changed and shaped the world we live in today.

Outside of inventing the next big thing, most of us tend to relegate dreaming as a skill needed only by the creative types, while the rest of us focus more on viewing the world through a pragmatic and practical lens.

But I would submit that our collective ability to dream shouldn’t be viewed as the exclusive domain of the creative and visionary types amongst us; that we shouldn’t limit our understanding of dreams to simply being about such quaint notions as winning the lottery or travelling around the world.

Rather, just like our passions, it’s important that we recognize that our dreams serve as both our inspiration and our drive to continue despite the long odds. Why else, after all, would so many people buy lottery tickets despite knowing the slim chances they have to win? It’s not simply the win they’re after, but what that win would mean for their lives in terms of giving them the opportunities they might not otherwise have.

We’ve all read time and again the mountains of research demonstrating that our ability to be motivated by financial rewards is finite, and how our ability to tap into that inner drive to persevere and succeed relies more on connecting our actions to something which provides a sense of purpose and meaning.

But if we don’t dream of what if – of what truly matters to us – how can we possibly reach this renewable source of determination and drive?

And if organizations and their leaders don’t create an environment or culture where the dreams of those they lead are recognized and understood, how can we create that necessary shift from focusing on what we do to why we do it in order to foster that sense of inner purpose which can fuel our employees to press ahead despite the challenges before them?

Again, let’s be clear not to confuse wishful thinking with the ability to use our imagination and passion to discover new approaches, understandings or realities about the changes going on around us.

Our ability to dream is the key to shifting from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance because we see potential where others see risk or even loss. After all, none of us dream within boundaries or limitations; but rather of what it would be like to move beyond these perceived restrictions.

Granted, sometimes these dreams can simply be flights of fancy. Then again, if we consider some of humanity’s most respected and admired achievements – the building of the Giza Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, sending a man to the moon – so many of them were dismissed as being unattainable, beyond our abilities and even absurd to consider.

And yet, the leaders who were behind these dreams didn’t concern themselves with the dismissive remarks of their contemporaries because they not only believed in their dreams, but because they understood the importance of transferring their dreams into the collective consciousness of those they lead.

In so doing, it was no longer merely the dream of one person, but of a group that shared a common goal and shared purpose. These leaders understood the power of dreams to not only bring people on board, but to getting them to make that leap of faith in the pursuit of taking that long-shot.

Don’t wait if you have a dream and say you’ll do it one day. Attack it immediately.”
- Explorer and environmental leader Robert Swan, the first person to walk to the North and South Poles.

The simple truth is that the world is changing and it’s becoming clear with each passing day that aiming for ‘good enough’ is no longer enough to succeed and thrive in today’s global market. It’s no longer enough to help create products or services that people want to use or continue to use. It’s no longer enough to ensure you attract and retain the key talent your organization needs to grow and evolve. And it’s no longer enough to ensure your organization’s survival in the years ahead.

Today’s world demands that leaders not only instill creativity and innovation, but that they reach out to tap into the dreams of those they lead to discover that common thread with which to connect their collective efforts around a common purpose that doesn’t simply engage their employees, but empowers them to feel like what they do matters.

Passion, empathy, and dreams are no longer words we should look upon as being the ideals of wishful thinking and what ifs, but as the necessary tools we’ll need to not only help our organization move forward towards reaching our shared goals, but to demonstrating to those we serve why it is we do what we do.

Post-script: to learn more about the value dreams create in today’s business world, check out the new book from my friend Whitney Johnson, “Dare, Dream, Do – Remarkable Things Happen When You Dare To Dream” which has its official release this week.

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Are You Waiting For Permission to Grow?

Tanveer Naseer — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:30:41 +0000

The following is a guest post by Darcy Eikenberg.

“We’ve cut back on our training—nothing I can do about that.”

“Our conference budgets have been cut, so it’ll be hard for me to stay current.”

“My manager doesn’t know any more than I do—how am I going to grow?”

Heard those comments in your workplace lately? If so, you’re not alone. One of the biggest laments uncovered in survey after survey is that the current lack of learning and development programs is a strong contributor to disengagement.

Makes sense, right? After all, you’re human. You want to learn, grow, and increase your professional contribution—not sit there like a lump. You want to feel you’re making a difference, using all of your abilities and talents. You want to be prepared for the future world of work—whatever that will be.

So why are you waiting for permission to grow?

It’s a losing game to wait for your boss/your CEO/your organization to change in order to accelerate your own learning and development. Sure, it would be great if all leaders recognized that coaching, teaching and training are investments, not expenses, but until then, it’s time for you to take control.

Here are three simple actions you can take right now. Try one and create dramatic changes in your career and your overall growth.

1. Learn from Your Colleagues
The richest source of fresh information and insights is often the one most overlooked—your coworkers.

What does someone else know or do well that you want to do, too? An expertise exchange is an easy way to put that person’s knowledge into your toolbox—and build working relationships, too.

Think about what you’re ready to learn. Then pay attention to who comes to mind as a great example of that talent, and invite them to connect:

“Amy, I’d like to strengthen my negotiation skills, and you do this really well. Would you be open to having lunch with me and letting me pick your brain about your thought processes and preparation steps?

“Greg, your presentations are always impressive, and I’d love to improve my own. Could we schedule a call and talk more about what you do behind the scenes to make these work so well?”

In addition, you might notice broader topics just ripe for group learning. Do yourself and others a favor—organize a lunch, Google video hangout, or conference call on the subject.

“Here in marketing, we keep wondering about the real, everyday challenges of our colleagues in the customer service department. Let’s have lunch with a couple CS people and hear their perspectives. I’ll invite Sarah—who do you want to include?”

“Looks like we’re not having the all-hands meeting this year. Let’s do a mini-version with a few of us over a brown bag lunch and hear what’s hot in each group.”

Remember, people are typically flattered to be asked to offer their expertise or ideas. A specific invitation makes it easy for them to share and for you to learn. Your colleagues have loads to share with each other—and you may learn something, too.

2. Learn from the Freebies
When budgets are tight, the tight get creative. We live in a unique time when there are millions of ways to accelerate our knowledge, all for free.

Books. Remember them? It’s a myth to say that no one reads books anymore. Smart people still do. One undervalued resource is your public library. Many libraries today have online catalogues where you search for the book you want, request it online, and have it delivered to your local branch or download the ebook directly to your reader. It’s a free way to access different ideas—without the financial investment and the bedside clutter.

Trade magazines. What periodicals cover your industry or profession? Many offer free subscriptions just for signing up and providing your demographic information. This helps the magazine show higher value to advertisers, and gets you access to the publication at no charge.

Online tools. iTunesU has university-level courses on almost any topic, and YouTube continues to be a broad source for learning how to do almost anything (just consider the source carefully as you evaluate its advice.)

Finally, don’t overlook the free resources within your own company. What online learning tools are hanging out in a learning management system (LMS), database, or corporate intranet? What tuition reimbursement or corporate memberships to professional groups are already in place? Self-driven learning tools may already exist but often lack promotion to let you know they’re out there. Ask your HR resource to point you to the right place. (And if you discover something great, tell others!)

3. Learn to Invest in Yourself
Not getting enough growth from these sources? Need to make a giant leap? It’s time to invest in the hottest asset around—you.

Now is the time to invest in your own knowledge, your confidence, your talents, and your character. Now is the time to change your expectations about who is responsible for your growth and learning (and psst—it’s not your boss, your department, or your company.)

It’s no longer smart to be penny-wise and pound-foolish when it comes to building your own professional assets. Do you spend $80 a month on cable TV; yet balk at paying $37 to attend professional luncheon that yields valuable contacts and up-to-date insights? Maybe you work with a personal trainer at the gym to strengthen your muscles—why not work with a personal coach to strengthen your career?

Avoid the mindset that your career development should happen organically and that you can figure out all the answers yourself. Your house or car needs experts to keep them running smoothly; your professional self demands the same.

Those that invest in themselves will find it pay off not only now, but throughout their life. No matter what lies ahead for our economy and our world, no one can take your growth away from you. The investments you make in yourself create returns much larger than any spreadsheet can ever hold.

Darcy Eikenberg, ACC, is a leadership and workplace coach. She is also the author of Bring Your Superpowers to Work: Your Guide to More Clarity, Confidence & Control. To learn more about Darcy and her book, visit her website RedCapeRevolution.com.

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Changing The Way We Work For Today’s World

Tanveer Naseer — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:00:16 +0000

If there’s one thing business leaders and thinkers can agree on, it’s that the way we work is changing. Thanks to a combination of technological advances, emerging global markets and demographic shifts, both the kind of work we’ll do – and how we’ll do it – is undergoing a radical transformation to better mirror the needs and demands of today’s global economy.

In a previous piece, I wrote about how the rise in employee disengagement in today’s workplaces is in part due to a disconnect between what we do and what we’re passionate about. Another key factor for the current decline in employee morale and motivation stems from the growing reality that the way we work is no longer in sync with the realities of today’s world.

Certainly, there can be little doubt that we now live in a information-driven economy that not only runs 24/7, but which sees us having to anticipate, grapple and adjust to changes that happen half a world away. And yet, so many organizations continue to lean on Industrial Age approaches – where desks are congregated like a modern day assembly line and work hours are measured to determine productivity and compensation levels.

Most organizations and their leaders do this because it’s the way we expect organizations to run, without taking into consideration whether it’s still relevant or effective in terms of how to best meet the needs of those we serve, or even if it’s what we want to collectively accomplish through our shared efforts.

Of course, any discussion of competing in a global economy understandably introduces the importance and value of encouraging diversity within the workplace to tap into new ways and approaches to address a particular situation.

But why do we have to limit this notion of diversity to visible or cultural differences? Why don’t we also recognize the diversity in how we approach work? After all, some of us do our best work in the morning while others find inspiration and productivity taking hold in the later hours of the day.

If we want to improve our creativity, our ability to innovate and be productive, shouldn’t our focus be more on what leaders can do to facilitate work getting done, as opposed to where it’s done and restricting it within a time frame which is increasingly falling out of step with how people communicate, share and collaborate?

Perhaps one of the clearest signs of this growing need to change the way we work has been the rise in popularity and usage of telecommuting in today’s workforce over the last few years.

Although initially offered by some employers as a perk to retain key talent who needed time at home to raise kids or tend to elderly parents, many employers have realized that allowing their employees to telecommute offers tangible benefits for their organization as well.

Indeed, studies have shown that employees who work from home are 10-20% more productive than their counterparts at the office. In this light, it comes as little surprise that the number of US employers that offer work-at-home options has risen from 30% in 2007 to 42% a year later.

While implementing any kind of organizational change can be challenging, how do we go about changing the way we work? In the article, “When to Let Employees Work from Home”, there are a number of points addressed which – while pertinent to creating an effective and efficient team of virtual employees – provide some valuable insights about what organizations and their leaders need to consider in terms of how to bring their organization forward to meet the demands of today’s economy and workforce.

It’s important to note that these cultural changes are not meant to address some distant future that some might try to glean by looking into their version of a modern-day crystal ball. Instead, these changes are key to operating within the realities of our present day – where information and ideas can be freely shared across the world, and where collaborations are no longer limited by geographical boundaries, but by institutional ones.

By adapting their approach and attitudes to work, organizations will also be able to attract and retain the key talent they’ll need to be both successful and nimble in today’s evolving global market.

Granted, some organizations have already heeded the call and are beginning to appreciate and understand the value and necessity of embracing the changes that define this ‘new reality’. The question that now remains is how many other organizations will soon join them, as opposed to stumbling along the fate several iconic brands are now grappling with – of riding off into the sunset of obscurity and irrelevance.

Disclaimer: My blog is a part of an online influencer network for Business on Main. I receive monthly incentives to share my views on content I find noteworthy and relevant for my audience.

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Bringing Your Passion Back To Work

Tanveer Naseer — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:15:21 +0000

When you head off to work, do you feel passionate about the challenges and opportunities you’re about to face? Looking at the numerous studies that have shown the rise in employee disengagement found in today’s workplaces, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see most of you responding in the negative.

Of course, just to be clear, when I’m talking about being passionate about work, I’m not referring to those sentimentally-driven aspirations we had as children; of those feelings that had us dreaming about being an astronaut, a firefighter, a doctor or a teacher when we grew up.

Rather, I’m talking about that sense of passion that exists in all of us which fuels our drive to be a part of something bigger than our personal aspirations. That part of us which we use to gauge whether our lives matter because we’re making a difference in the world by doing work that has a purpose and meaning

Unfortunately for most of us, it’s this sense of passion that becomes the greatest casualty from the pressures of ‘growing up’ and entering the workforce. If there’s one thing most of us have experienced in those formative years early on in our careers, it’s being told by those more experienced than us that there’s no place for passion and its associated emotions in business or work.

And yet, in light of the evolving nature of today’s workplace, we’re beginning to appreciate just how vital that sense of passion is to our creativity and consequently, our ability to dream up new approaches and innovations to fuel our organization’s growth. Indeed, many of the most celebrated and admired organizations today achieved their successes not through pragmatism, but because their leaders threw open the doors to embracing this sense of passion within their employees.

In so doing, these organizations availed themselves of this internal drive to ponder and consider various possibilities, if not also the self-propelled motivation to press ahead even in the face of various challenges or obstacles that stand in the way of our reaching our shared goals.

Regrettably, most of us are not only dispassionate about the work we do, but we often find ourselves shifting from that internal voice that challenges us to consider a world of endless possibilities to one of negative self-talk and doubt.

By not tapping into what we’re passionate about, we inevitably allow others to define what we do or influence the course we take. And not surprisingly, the end result is our working on something we lack any connection or sense of purpose to and with it, lingering doubts about the value we create.

In light of today’s challenges, we have to remember that it’s our passion that encourages us to not simply check in at work or limit ourselves to only doing what’s on our job description, but to do whatever we can to reach our shared goals, as well as being open to pursuing new opportunities.

So, if passion can fuel the kind of drive and motivation we need to be more successful – and fulfilled – at work, how do we connect with it or even rediscover what we’re truly passionate about?

In the article, “5 Creativity Exercises to Find Your Passion”, you’ll find a number of easy-to-implement strategies that will not only help you to understand what your real passions are, but which will help to inform you of what opportunities and tasks you should be pursuing at work in order to rekindle a sense of meaning and purpose in the contributions you make.

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
- Philosopher and civil rights leader Howard Thurman

The growing reality is that organizations can no longer rely only on the analytical side of their employees, but need to incorporate a more whole-person approach if they are to be competitive and effective in today’s evolving global market.

We need to develop a greater understanding about what we’re passionate about so that we can tap into that internal drive in order to ensure that the contributions we make are not only effective, but meaningful both in terms of our organization’s goals and ourselves.

Disclaimer: My blog is a part of an online influencer network for Business on Main. I receive monthly incentives to share my views on content I find noteworthy and relevant for my audience.

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How Are You Helping Your Employees To Be Your Organization’s Heroes?

Tanveer Naseer — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:30:09 +0000

When it comes to movies, TV shows, and novels, it’s usually pretty obvious who the hero of the story is. But what about in your organization’s story? Do you recognize who plays the role of the hero for your organization? That was the focus of my previous piece, which I’m grateful to see received a lot of attention and enthusiasm from the readers of this blog.

As I read the comments and responses to this piece, I began to wonder about something. If we understand that our employees are the heroes of our organization’s story, why then do so many employees feel disengaged at work? Why is there a persisting lack of meaning or purpose connected to the efforts and contributions made by those we lead?

Of course, the easy answer to such a question is to simply cast blame on an aloof or uncaring leadership; of organizations being run simply to cater to the whims and self-interests of those on top at the expense of those on the lower rungs. Certainly, the public revelations made about how Goldman Sachs has devolved from a focus of serving their clients to a more self-serving one would seem to support this.

And yet, a more realistic view of today’s organizations reveals that such leadership and cultural attitudes tend to be more the exception than the norm. When it comes to demonstrating that your employees are the heroes in your organization’s story, the disconnect we’re seeing here stems more from how we communicate that message than our lack of understanding of this concept.

That amid the sea of distractions and increasing demands for their attention, leaders are not ensuring that their message and actions communicate in a meaningful fashion their role as the guide/mentor in their organization’s story who will help their employees overcome the challenges before them in order to achieve their shared goals.

After all, most leaders understand soon after taking on this role that it’s their employees who have the real power of deciding whether their idea remains just that – an idea – or whether it becomes something more because they embrace it and help to transform it into your collective new reality.

With this in mind, here are three questions to help you assess how effective you are in reinforcing the key role your employees play towards your organization’s success:

1. How familiar are you with the challenges your employees will face?
As I described in my piece “Identifying The Real Hero In Your Organization’s Story”, the role guides/mentors play in helping the story’s protagonist succeed in their quest is to use both their understanding of the bigger picture as well as their awareness of how the journey’s challenges will impact the hero to help them arrive at their destination.

While most leaders are rather adept at communicating their strategies or vision to their team, what they tend to overlook or not make more time in their day for is understanding what concerns, doubts and even challenges their employees will face going from where they are to where they’re expected to be.

Granted, some of these will be more an expression of fear than a genuine challenge, but even fear of change is an obstacle that needs to be overcome and something you need to show your employees you will help them to accomplish in order to reach their shared goals.

2. What are you doing to help facilitate this change/execution of your new plans?
Most times, the reason why people roll their eyes when they hear their leaders talking about some new strategy or vision is because often times that’s all it seems to be – talk.

Remember, that regardless of the size or scope of your plans, it’s your employees who will not only end up doing the heavy lifting, but who will also undergo the greatest change as a result of the story you’ve communicated of where you want your organization to go.

As such, it’s critical that – in keeping with your role as the guide/mentor in your organization’s story – you provide your team with the necessary resources and support to fulfill the objectives of your plan.

3. Are you setting the stage for your employees to feel triumphant at the end?
No matter what type of story it is, the ones that are the most uplifting and inspiring are those where we get to see the hero overcoming the obstacles they faced and celebrating how the journey not only made them stronger, but made them who they were meant to be.

Following through in this analogy, it’s equally important that as the leader, you ensure that there are specific milestones or guide posts where you can gather your employees to celebrate their accomplishments. Of course, these celebrations should not simply be about what the organization has gained. Rather, they should also serve as a revelation of how your employees have benefited from their collective efforts.

Certainly, there’s been much written and discussed about how the best leaders are those who celebrate the accomplishments of their team and not just their own personal achievements. When looked through the lens of this story structure, it becomes even more apparent why this gesture is so important and valued by those you’re meant to serve.

In their book “Encouraging the Heart: A Leader’s Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing Others”, James Kouzes and Barry Posner write:

Stories put a human face on success. They put the behavior in a real context and make standards more than statistics.”

In looking at the stories leaders create to communicate not only what they’d like their employees to accomplish, but where they’d like their organization to go, we can also appreciate how the act of creating these stories can serve to remind us about our roles as the heroes and guides/mentors of our organization’s story, and the interdependence we have with one another to ensure a successful outcome from our collective endeavours.

Some other posts you may enjoy:

Identifying The Real Hero In Your Organization’s Story

Tanveer Naseer — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:00:32 +0000

When it comes to storytelling in business, the most commonly used story archetype is that of the hero and their quest. Essentially, these stories involve a protagonist whose normal life is disrupted by some external change and subsequently goes on a journey in an attempt to resolve or improve the situation.

As the story progresses, the hero seeks the help of a guide or mentor to help them overcome the various obstacles in their path while keeping them on track to reaching their destination. By the end of their quest, the hero not only attains an outcome which serves to improve things, but they also realize that they’ve been transformed as a result of their adventure, having gained a greater understanding of themselves and the nature of their journey.

It’s not too surprising that this particular story archetype is often used in business to communicate ideas or a new vision as it serves to reinforce our perception of leadership. Namely, how leaders address the challenges that stand in the way of their organization’s success by taking their team on a journey defined by their vision or plans for change.

Also, given the fact that it’s the decisions and choices made by those in leadership positions which ultimately determines whether an organization will be successful or not, it’s only natural that we view leaders as playing the role of the hero in an organization’s story. And yet, a closer examination of the hero’s story described above reveals that the real hero of your organization’s story are not those who man the helm.

The real hero in your organization’s story are the people you lead – your employees.

After all, it’s your employees who are affected the most by your vision or plans for change as these new measures disrupt their ‘normal’ work life. As a result, they are naturally motivated to resist the changes being put forth in order to preserve their sense of normalcy regarding ‘the way things are done around here’.

That’s why leaders have to be the champions of their cause because at this point in the story, your employees only see it as a challenge to what’s familiar and known, and not an opportunity to achieve one of their shared goals or a chance to gain new insights.

And it’s also your employees who are transformed by your vision because in the process of implementing your plans for change, they gain a new understanding of their shared purpose and the meaning derived from these new efforts. That’s why it’s critical that your idea or vision resonate with those you lead. It has to matter by creating value and meaning in others besides yourself because the journey and end result will impact them more than it will you.

Of course, that’s not to say that leaders don’t play an integral role in your organization’s story. Indeed, looking at this story archetype from this new vantage point, it becomes clear that the role leaders play in their organization’s narrative is that of the guide or mentor.

That as a leader, your function is to take advantage of your ability to see the big picture to help keep your employees on track and to provide assistance and guidance on how they can address the challenges they’ll inevitably face along the way.

And as this journey is one that you’ve laid out for your team to undertake, it’s only natural that you’d be invested in making sure that they’re successful in their endeavour, by providing them with whatever insights and guidance you can provide while still leaving it up to them to choose which path they need to take to reach their objectives.

It’s why I’ve written on numerous occasions that the goal of a true leader is not to increase their stature or power, but to empower and guide those under their care to be successful in achieving their shared goals. It’s also why those organizations which are the most successful in today’s competitive market are often directed by leaders who are more interested in understanding how they can help their employees succeed than they are in self-promotion and increasing their power base.

By recognizing that it’s your employees who are the heroes of your organization’s story, we can better appreciate how important it is for them to become the champions of your cause as it will be up to them to embark on the journey to transform your ideas into reality. It also makes it easier for us to understand how critical their collective success will be to determining whether your organization’s story will have a happy ending or not.

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Are You Employing This Tool To Fuel Your Organization’s Growth?

Tanveer Naseer — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:00:52 +0000

As more organizations continue to shift their approach from recovery to growth, there’s naturally a growing concern developing about the potential risk of losing their key talent to competitors, as well as how to attract the talent they need to help their organization strengthen their competitive edge.

In most cases, these discussions tend to focus either on discovering key talent within your organization or how to attract the talent you need to join your team. Unfortunately, these strategies tend to be limited in scope and can cause leaders to overlook the advantages of developing their employees to meet the evolving needs of their organization.

One of the most effective ways to do this – with the added bonus of increasing employee retention – is by offering training programs. By offering such programs, employees are given the opportunity to not only refine and develop their skills in order to be more effective in their roles, but it also encourages them to take the time to evaluate their career goals and come up with ideas of how their organization can help them to achieve them.

Granted, one of the reasons why most employers are reluctant to provide employee training is because they fear that they will lose the investment made through such efforts if their employees leave the organization to work elsewhere. However, such fears don’t counter the value your organization will gain by providing training to your employees.

After all, your training programs shouldn’t be designed simply to help your employees with their professional development. Rather, your employee training programs should serve to communicate and guide your employees on how they can use their skills and resources to help your organization reach its shared goals.

This is something Aaron Herrington, co-founder of the digital advertising agency Modea, discovered when he began to provide training programs to his employees in order to address the changing needs of his growing firm. Thanks to their training programs, Herrington has found that his employees “are much more aligned and understand the direction and expectation of what everyone else does. That has made what we do and how we do it more efficient.”

So we if recognize the value and necessity of providing training programs to our employees, how do we address the other point of resistance organizations face in offering such programs – namely, the ability to allocate financial resources to such efforts?

In the article, “Can’t Afford Employee Training Programs? Think Again”, there are a number of strategies and approaches provided that any organization – regardless of size or the amount of available resources – can implement to either begin offering employee training programs or to help bolster and develop ones they currently offer to their employees.

In the end, the simple truth is that organizations can no longer treat employee training as a perk or a luxury that can be afforded only in upbeat economic times. The harsh realities of navigating a competitive and rapidly changing global market means that only those organizations that are willing to invest in developing their employees will be able to ride the waves and remain on target to achieving their shared goals.

Disclaimer: My blog is a part of an online influencer network for Business on Main. I receive monthly incentives to share my views on content I find noteworthy and relevant for my audience.

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Leadership Biz Cafe Podcast #7 – Joel Garfinkle On How To Get Ahead In Your Career

Tanveer Naseer — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Regardless of whether the economy is going well or not, one thing that’s remained consistent in the workplace over the last few decades is the reality that each of us is responsible for managing our careers and with it, the opportunities we obtain for professional growth and development. But how exactly do we obtain these opportunities to get ahead in our career? That’s the focus of my conversation with executive coach and writer Joel Garfinkle in this episode of “Leadership Biz Cafe”.

Joel has been recognized as one of the Top 50 leadership coaches in the US, having worked with executives from many leading companies including Oracle, Google, Amazon, Ritz-Carlton, and Gap. He has also been featured in a number of respected media outlets such as ABC News, The New York Times, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal.

Joel has written seven books including his latest “Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level” in which he discusses the three key steps you should take to ensure you get those opportunities and promotions you need to move ahead in your career.

Over the course of our conversation, Joel and I discuss:

How to get over our fear of increasing our visibility at work so we can ensure those in charge are aware of the value of our contributions.
Why we need to speak up more and share our thoughts and ideas at meetings and the benefits we’ll gain from doing so.
How we can find out how others perceive us and what we can do to ensure we’re creating the perceptions we need to get ahead.
The importance and value of getting feedback to help you increase your visibility and influence in your organization.
What it means to be influential and how it’s not dependent on what title/position you have.

As I mentioned at the end of the show, I’d love to hear what you think about this episode, as well as what other topics you’d be interested in hearing more about in upcoming episodes of my show. You can share your thoughts/ideas by leaving a comment below or by filling out the contact form on my website.

Click on the player below to listen to the podcast:

[Visit my website to listen to this podcast]

Noteworthy links:

Buy Joel Garfinkle’s book “Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level” on Amazon.com (or Amazon.ca for Canadian readers)

Check out Joel’s blog at CareerAdvancementBlog.com to learn more about his insights on leadership, team building, executive presence, and getting ahead at work.

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A Springtime Leadership Lesson From The Birds

Tanveer Naseer — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:00:47 +0000

As this week marks the official start of Spring for most northern countries, I wanted to take the opportunity to revisit an idea I wrote about sometime ago about a seasonal event in these parts and the lessons we can glean from it on leadership and organizational success.

In addition to the appearance of the first seedlings in our gardens, one of the most emblematic symbols of the arrival in Spring in this area is the return of Canada geese flying in V-formation across the sky. Although I’ve discussed the lessons on teamwork and collaboration that we can learn from this seasonal migration, seeing these birds in flight over the weekend brought to mind some additional lessons we can apply in how we serve those we have the responsibility to lead.

1. Encourage your employees to develop their skills
One of the reasons why Canada geese fly in V-formation is in order to help reduce air drag, where the birds at the front essentially reduce the air resistance so that the birds at the back of the flock have an easier time flying.

Naturally, this means that the birds in the front expend the most energy flying and consequently, experience fatigue before the other birds do. This is the reason why this particular bird formation shifts so much as the other birds move up to take the lead, giving the birds who were flying at the front a chance to rest and recuperate.

It’s a smart strategy as it not only allows the birds to share the workload, but it also ensures that the flock is not dependent on a few strong birds to help them fly over the great distances of their migratory path.

When it comes to managing your team or organization, it’s easy to fall into the trap of relying on those ‘star’ players in your organization to help your team achieve its objectives. However, as employees begin to look for ‘greener pastures’ and competition begins to increase for the limited talent pool that will become available in the years to come, it’s important that you provide all of your employees with opportunities to stretch themselves, developing not only their current skill base, but learning new ones as well.

Like the Canada geese, this will help your team to become more fluid and capable of responding to whatever challenges or opportunities they might come across in their pursuit of their shared goals.

2. Communicate your vision so that everyone understands where they need to go
One of the most interesting things about watching the Canada geese flying in their signature V-formation is the effortless nature with which they shift lead positions while still managing to stay on course and in formation. Obviously, one reason for this is how much they communicate with one another – something that can be easily heard from the ground even from far away – about their position and when they need someone else to take over the front position.

Of course, the geese don’t just communicate while they’re in flight to make sure all the birds in the flock stay on course. Even before they take flight, there’s clearly some communication going on within the flock in terms of deciding when to leave and where they’ll land in between flights. This way, whether a few birds get lost or wounded before they reach their destination, the rest of the flock won’t be adversely impacted because most of them know where they need to go.

In most organizations, there’s still a tendency to lean on organizational goals/direction as being something that’s shared on a ‘need to know’ basis. However, as we continue to move towards a more global competitive market where industry shifts/changes are happening with greater speed and immediacy, leaders would be better served by making sure everyone on their team is not only aware of the organization’s vision, but of how their efforts contribute or are tied to the organization’s plans.

Providing your employees with consistent and timely communications will not only help them to understand what course they need to take, but of when and why course changes will be needed as a means of ensuring that they stay on target.

3. True leaders put those they lead ahead of themselves
There are very few migratory animals which seem to evoke as clear an image of how we perceive leadership than the Canada geese. After all, when they’re flying in V-formation, it’s not hard to recognize whose the leader at that moment – it’s the bird flying out in front and center of the group.

This bird’s physical position certainly reflects our own assumptions of what leadership is about – of that solitary figure who stands in front of us, serving to guide us towards a common goal or destination. And yet, if we look at the reason why the Canada geese fly in this particular fashion, we can truly understand the real goal and value of leadership.

Remember, the reason why Canada geese fly in V-formation is to help reduce air drag, in essence working together to help make the process of migrating less strenuous. And as I pointed out above, the geese at the front of the formation are the ones who take on most of this burden, giving those birds that fly behind them an easier time flying to their destination.

Similarly, what’s needed in today’s organizations are not leaders who are simply interested in directing those they lead to some predetermined goal. Rather, what’s required are leaders who are willing to roll their sleeves to help clear the way so that their employees might be successful in their collective efforts to reach their shared goals.

The arrival of Spring is often associated with a sense of renewal, of shedding off the layers of protection that staved off the harsh conditions of Winter in preparation for new growth and opportunities for forward-moving change. As the sight of the Canada geese flying overhead reminds us, Spring is also a great time to reassess how we approach our leadership and what measures we can take to better serve those under our care.

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