Formium Development

Author: Formium

  • How to overcome the 4 obstacles to giving quality feedback to your hybrid team

    How to overcome the 4 obstacles to giving quality feedback to your hybrid team

    Providing motivational and developmental feedback to enhance performance is one of the most important leadership and management skills.

    But for managers who lead hybrid teams – flexible in their working hours or location – there are four new challenges that you need to overcome, which are generated by one big difference:

    The key difference for a hybrid team is less consistent contact

    Where teams use a hybrid working model, or a form of flexible hours working such as compressed hours, the in-person contact between a manager and their team members is less frequent and less regular.

    I’ll explain how this impacts on the ability to give effective feedback, and suggest ways you can overcome this.

    1. Managers have less direct observation of people’s performance

    The traditional co-located team, working 9-5(ish), 5 days a week, gave managers a lot of chances to see and hear their team in action. Managers could gain knowledge passively, almost by osmosis – picking up on when team members were doing things right, or spotting where performance could be improved.

    However, hybrid working reduces these opportunities for happenstance observations – so managers will need to be more purposeful and tactical in how they identify issues requiring feedback, and how they deliver that feedback, using the methods below:

    • Observed practice. When I am training people to be coaches, one of the most impactful methods is observing them deliver a coaching session. The coach can easily record their session (with the client’s consent), so I gain huge amounts of information about their skills in practice and can provide rich motivational and developmental feedback. Recent AI developments make this even easier for managers – transcribing the audio, or even summarising the main points. Choose the right interaction to observe and see how your team members use their people skills.
    • Self-observation and upward reporting. Modern ways of working require greater autonomy, which you can foster by encouraging your team members to be reflective, to identify aspects of their practice they were proud of or unsure about, and to bring these issues to you so you can discuss, analyse, motivate and help them to develop.
    • Third-party observations. Without creating an atmosphere of spying, approach other managers – or team members if appropriate – to pass on their observations to you so you can craft appropriate feedback. It’s not a formal 360-degree assessment, just an opportunity for some different perspectives.
    • Embed reflection and feedback into the working practice. Make ‘lessons learned’ part of every project review, and analyse successes as well as problems. Following training, encourage people to identify what they learned and to commit to what they will do differently. Agree team ground rules and encourage everyone to give each other open and honest motivational and developmental feedback.
    • Feedforward, not feedback. I always champion Kluger and Nin’s Feedforward Interview approach – where managers spend time with their team members before undertaking a demanding task. They clarify expectations and – most importantly – tap into the team member’s past successes and experiences, which they can leverage to enhance their performance this time round. You can sum up the approach as “prepare, not repair”. It doesn’t stop you from providing quality feedback after the event – it just makes it more likely that you’ll be delivering a positive message.

    2. Managers find it harder to deliver feedback in a timely manner

    The best feedback is given shortly after the event – while everyone still remembers what happened. And traditionally, feedback was something that was given in person, face-to-face. But hybrid and flexible working means a lower chance of being able to do this.

    One way round this is to prioritise speed – using digital communication methods such as email, messaging and video conferencing to get the initial points over – and then follow up with a more considered feedback session at a later date, recording the details for future reference.

    Obviously, there is a danger if you are providing developmental feedback that a gap between raising it and resolving it fully might cause distress or confusion, so make sure you get the balance right.

    3. It is harder for managers to appreciate the context

    When working together more consistently, managers are more attuned to how their team are getting on – their levels of work pressure, non-work problems, etc. So if they see potentially problematic performance, they can take account of the immediate context and build that into their feedback.

    Without this knowledge, when managers and leaders provide developmental feedback they need to make space for a two-way conversation. Invite your team member to provide their perspective and context, ask them reflective questions to uncover their perceptions, and once you have established the context you can provide your considered feedback.

    4. Managers find it more difficult to support the team member afterwards

    Less consistent contact means it is harder for managers to monitor their team member’s progress on enacting developmental feedback.

    Again, the solution is to be more purposeful where you can no longer rely on happenstance:

    • Set up opportunities for the team member to practice their revised behaviour, with you or someone else observing.
    • Arrange creative learning interventions such as task-based shadowing.
    • Use Kluger and Nin’s Feedforward technique to help your team member prepare.
  • 4 approaches to prepare for the challenges of a multigenerational workforce

    4 approaches to prepare for the challenges of a multigenerational workforce

    One of the big challenges of the future workplace will be the widening age range of the workforce.

    Either from desire (supported by longer life expectancy and better health), necessity (the increasing retirement age), or demand (the skills shortage) people will be working longer. In a reversal of recent trends, increasing university costs may lead to some young people exploring alternatives such as apprenticeships or entering the labour force earlier.

    This multigenerational trend has been developing over recent years, and is set to continue into the future.

    By 2031, a quarter of the workforce in the G7 states will be aged 55 or older

    And that 25% figure is up nearly 10 percentage points from 2011 (1).

    This brings a range of challenges that most leaders are unprepared for:

    Only 6% of respondents strongly agree their leaders are equipped to lead a multi-generational workforce effectively. (2)
    Only around 10% of companies include multigenerational workforce challenges in their leadership development. (3)

    So what are the challenges for a leader?

    The key issues break into two categories:

    • Friction. Exacerbated by perceptions and stereotypes between people of different ages,
    • Responsiveness. Does the leader and the organisation provide the opportunities and support that people need.
    1. Friction in how we work

    Much has been written about the differences between the four generations (Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, Gen-Z) – the majority of which is stereotypical and not backed up by research.

    But there are likely to be some broad age-based differences, based on the technology, work practices and life events that people will have experienced, and the probable pressures of their stage of life and career. And these generate the potential for friction.

    For example, the tendency of older workers to prefer to converse by speaking, whereas younger people are more likely to opt for text-based communication. There may be a contrast between younger people’s desire to innovate and change as opposed to older workers’ preference for status quo.

    While the ‘snowflake vs. boomer’ stereotypes are questionable from an academic perspective, they are important: because people may perceive them to be true, this influences them to interpret any differences as rooted in generation or age, and not a result of individual, personal characteristics.

    2. Different priorities according to stage of life and career

    Attitudes to work will be shaped by external life events and factors such as childcare, caring for relatives, personal health – and by internal factors such as ambition and desire for advancement.

    These issues complicate resource planning by impacting on staff retention, on levels of discretionary effort, and satisfaction with the Employee Value Proposition.

    It is reasonable to assume that there will be age-based difference in how people respond to financial incentives, and what they value from an organisation in terms of bonuses, rewards, pensions, leave arrangements. This will require a more thoughtful and dynamic offering, otherwise you may not get the performance or retention results that you think you are incentivising.

    3. Friction in social relations

    As a general rule, younger people tend to be more radical in their politics and social attitudes. This has led to today’s stereotype of ‘woke social justice warriors’ at odds with older colleagues fearful of using the wrong terminology or not keeping up with current expectations.

    And at the same time, workforces are becoming more atomised – teams that include hybrid working or are spread throughout different offices have reduced opportunities for social bonding. A recent news story about the death of the ‘after work pint’ identifies this atomisation, coupled with the trend of lower alcohol use among younger people.

    Within a team with lower social bonds, it is more likely that people will form in-groups, and age is often a significant feature in how these are formed.

    4. Friction in promotion and development

    There are two common perceptions that can arise:

    • Older workers prevent younger workers from taking on more advanced roles.
    • Development opportunities are geared towards younger people.

    The rise of the older workforce does pose challenges for Learning and Development teams:

    A 2020 global survey found that fewer than 4% of organisations had integrated older workers into their talent systems. (4)

    In both perceptions – of ‘blocking promotion’ and ‘not upskilling older staff’ – there are common problematic outcomes: individual frustration, unfulfilled potential (both personal and corporate) and reduced staff retention.

    5. risk of discrimination

    As age is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act, leaders and managers need to be conscious of how they are considering the age of their team members, and ensuring they do not inadvertently discriminate.

    Approaches for leading a multigenerational workforce


    Many – but not all – of these challenges can be addressed through good management practices:

    1. Think of people as individuals

    We are more than just our age – influences on our behaviour and attitudes are many and varied, including our socio-economic background, our personal values and beliefs, our specific life events and work history.

    The important step is to avoid assumptions and explore people’s preferences through empathetic questions.

    It may also help to consider that the language that was stereotypically used to describe the Millennial generation (entitled, poor communicators, difficult to work with) was also used to describe Generation Xers and Baby Boomers when they entered the work force (5) – indeed it has also been used to describe Gen Z.

    2. Flexible working for all

    Flexibility around hours worked, where possible, ensures that whatever their age, your people are able to work in a way that suits them – whether they are caring for a child, partner or parent, have healthcare needs, are studying part-time or have side projects and outside interests.

    3. Focus on similarities

    Rather than differences, bear in mind the similarities that cut across age profiles:

    • We all want to be respected.
    • We want leaders who are credible and trustworthy
    • We all find change can be challenging. (6)

    Adopting a person-centred, adaptive leadership approach is key to meeting these universal needs.

    4. Make this part of your future planning

    A multigenerational workforce is going to become ever more prevalent in the future, and leaders can take action now by adding this into their planning for the future.

    Numerous pressure groups have identified specific attitudes and structures that need to be challenged for organisations to support their older workers – these reports can inform your planning. Try start with these questions:

    • Imagine a scenario where 25% of your team are over 50. What will you need to do to ensure performance, productivity and professionalism across your team?
    • What will you do to make sure that no workers are left behind by the future?

    Make sure you are ready for the future workplace

    It’s not just the multigenerational workforce that is coming. Leaders will have to face the challenges of new technology, disruptive change, and new ways of working.

    Don’t get left behind by the future – explore our guide to take action now

    Get the guide

    References

    Photo: Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels
    (1) Bain and company (undated) Better with age
    (2) Deloitte (2020) Global Human Capital Trends
    (3) Lowe, Joshua & Barry, Erin & Grunberg, Neil. (2020). Improving Leader Effectiveness Across Multi-Generational Workforces. Journal of Leadership Studies.
    (3) Deal, J. J., Altman, D. G., & Rogelberg, S. G. (2010). Millennials at work: What we know and what we need to do (if anything). Journal of Business and Psychology,
    (4) World Economic Forum (2023) 3 ways organizations can empower older workers amid an ageing global workforce
    (5) Deal, J. J., Altman, D. G., & Rogelberg, S. G. (2010). Millennials at work: What we know and what we need to do (if anything). Journal of Business and Psychology.
    (6) Deal, J. J. (2007). Generational differences. Leadership Excellence

  • Embed generative AI in your organisation: 7 helpful tips

    Embed generative AI in your organisation: 7 helpful tips

    I recently attended the fascinating CIPD Festival of Work, and I’d like to share with you my summary and insights of the “AI is transforming work – how do we support people and enhance work?” panel event. I’ll be synthesising the ideas and experience of: Andy Headworth of HMRC (the UK’s tax body), DN Prashad from Govtech Singapore, and Jenny Kalenderidis from Microsoft.

    AI means a new way of working. You can’t fight it, you need to get onboard with it and make it work for you. 

    Here are seven practical approaches to introducing generative AI into your team or organisation.

    1. Create space and structure for your people to play 

    You can tackle initial hesitance to use generative AI by demystifying it, making it fun and empowering people to try it. Andy Headworth provided the example of a weekly lunchhour drop-in to try out the tools – with fun competitions to get people used to writing prompts creatively. You can move from light-hearted picture challenges (of increasing complexity) through to more serious work-related scenarios and formal ‘promptathons’.

    The skill to prompt is a key skill, but years of using search engines need to be undone, and replaced with the natural speech of AI. After all, the computer now speaks our language, we don’t need to code or use search parameters in the same way. Getting people to experiment in a safe space is the best way to do this.

    2. Promote sharing of ideas and prompts 

    Create opportunities for people to share their experiences using generative AI. Some organisations set up WhatsApp groups to share prompts, or establish a prompt hub for people to post their ideas and problems. Crowdsourcing ideas and feedback in this way helps people learn and improve, but it also enables people to spot good ideas and adopt or adapt them for their own specific use.

    3. Look for opportunities for AI to perform more complex tasks 

    Many people are using generative AI for lower-level work such as summarising meetings and proposing minutes or creating document outlines.

    But there is real value in looking for a deeper use. Andy Headworth explained their process of working together to analyse the recruitment process, then break it into constituent tasks and examine if AI could help them create efficiency.

    4. Make sure you have guardrails in place 

    For experimentation to be safe, there needs to be clear guidance from the top of the organisation. Focus on your organisation’s principles and values, and ensure the AI policy reflects these. AI has the potential to change all ways of working, so you need to build in safety and standards.

    Interestingly, it was suggested that organisations who need an AI policy might want to start by looking at their social media policy, which will contain the core ideas of ethics and organisational acceptability.

    5. Tackle bias head on 

    Yes, AI is subject to bias, influenced by its dataset. But you can take specific steps to try and rule out bias. Whether it is writing prompts or training it to take account of bias in the dataset, it is possible to actively manage this bias.

    And it is important to remember that we already have numerous steps and activities that we have designed to try and overcome human bias – both overt and unconscious. Think about steps like anonymising recruitment applications so that there is no reference to gender or age, or putting together a diverse selection panel so differing views are heard and bias can be challenged.

    6. Focus on the people 

    Reactions to AI often involve fear of potential job losses, or discomfort using a new tool effectively.
    Employers have a role in bringing all their people along, openly challenging myths and ensuring that – like any other workplace tool – people only use AI when they are sufficiently skilled and confident.

    One of the key insights from Jenny Kalenderidis was the need for HR to be in the room from the start. This isn’t a standard IT project where the people issue is just a question of training. AI has the potential to completely disrupt our ways of working, and so there needs to be HR professionals in the room, exploring what this means for the workforce, how to manage the change, the fear an the opportunity.

    7. “Think big, start small, act fast” 

    Neatly summarising the panel was DN Prashad, who articulated the importance of small-scale tests, pilots and experimentation – in order to find out use case scenarios that actually help the organisation, to generate experience and ideas that can be shared and developed. The focus is on pushing this experimentation down to the people who do the work, not the senior managers or external consultants, as they can see where true advantage can be developed.

    Picture credit: Mart production on Pexels

  • Are you ready for the workforce of the future?

    Are you ready for the workforce of the future?

    The future of work isn’t just about technology – it means a different workforce too.

    So often, articles about the future of work focus on the technology. That’s not surprising bearing in mind the transformative role that generative AI will have. But there’s an equally important transformation that will occur in the next few years – the end of the ‘single dimensional’ workforce.

    At the CIPD’s Festival of Work, I heard a great panel discussing the future workforce, so I’d like to share some of the key ideas raised by the participants: Dr Sarosh Khan of HSM Advisory, Simon Reichwald of Bright Futures Resourcing, Mel Forbes from APSCO, and Roger Clements from Matrix.

    Roger Clements presented his 3 key factors for the future of work:

    Fundamental demographic and social shifts in the workforce.A change in the model of work – the end of the ‘single dimensional workforce’ where people complete their education in their early twenties, work for 40 years and retire in their mid-60s.The rapid growth of AI and intelligent automation.

    The panel suggested the following tips for addressing the first two points:

    1. Think about the challenges of an older workforce

    With longer lives, it is accepted that we will need to work longer – into our 70s or even 80s.

    With such a long time in the workforce, it is highly unlikely that someone will remain I the same sector or type of role for their entire working life. We have already seen an erosion in the traditional model of long service for an organisation – this will no doubt continue to decline.

    Thus we will need to provide opportunities for people to reskill and to return to learning, in order to take on new roles and tasks.
    There also needs to be better accommodation of the needs for older workers. Very few employers are thinking about the needs and desires of a 60plus worker – such as their external interests and roles.

    2. Personalisation is king

    The idea of a personalised job role is essential for younger people as well. Indeed, we have seen the end of the old model of the employer as the custodian of the worker’s career and the rise of the autonomous worker, crafting their own jobs and careers. Using flexibility to maintain their interests and side projects. vs autonomy, flexibility.

    Interestingly, one panel member suggested we should be talking of ‘work-life balance’ anymore. Instead we need to consider ‘work-life integration‘.

    3. Adapt your workforce models for flexibility and efficiency

    Organisations can harness these changes in workforce desires and technology change to create a more efficient operating model. Companies in the pharmaceuticals and technology sectors are moving ahead with contingent workforces – bringing in people as you need them for specific tasks or project phases.

    4. Promote belonging and connection

    One of the side-effects of workers exercising their autonomy and flexibility may well be a loss of the belonging and connection that many people gain from their work. Indeed, we saw in the pandemic how important work was in terms of the social role, in providing purpose and identity.

    Can organisations respond by making sure that people who work for them – no matter how long – feel at home and part of the bigger picture?

    5. Make the most of your multigenerational workforce

    A multigenerational workforce can add value and create benefits – but it is often portrayed more as a challenge.

    Individual conversations are vital in understanding specific needs and desires, rather than making assumptions based on large-scale surveys.

    Have programmes focused on skills development, available to all, not just a graduate development programme.

    Use reverse mentoring or reciprocal mentoring to bridge the generational divide and ensure skills, knowledge, understanding and experience are shared.

    Photo credit: Olly on Pexels

  • How does an ant kill a buffalo? Leadership lessons on the future of work

    How does an ant kill a buffalo? Leadership lessons on the future of work


    Forward-thinking leaders and managers are looking for ways to prepare themselves and their organisations for the future of work. One of the biggest challenges I see for them is how to address a change that is generated by a chain reaction of interacting factors.

    In case you’re wondering about the ant and the buffalo, here’s what’s happening:

    1. An invasion of big-headed ants drives out acacia ants from their residence in whistling-thorn trees.
    2. While they had been resident there, the acacia ants’ sharp jaws had deterred elephants from damaging the trees.
    3. Having lost the acacia ants’ protection, the trees are destroyed by the elephants.
    4. So the lions can no longer use them as a hiding place from which they can attack fast-moving zebras.
    5. Instead, the lions switch to hunting more of the slower-moving buffalo.

    So, what does this have to do with future changes in the ecosystem of work?

    We can look ahead and anticipate some big changes coming, such as increasing digitisation, the growth of AI or an increasingly diverse and global workforce.

    But it’s harder to spot the big changes that occur because trends coincide, or when disparate factors reinforce each other.

    Think about the Covid pandemic – while scientists had predicted a pandemic was due for many years, did anyone expect an end result of it might be struggling dry cleaners or city centre sandwich bars? These impacts were the result of chain reactions caused by the coincidence of the pandemic with:

    • Technological change. Innovations such as video conferencing and highspeed broadband meant there was an increased ability for office workers to work from home.
    • Social change. Over time, and partly due to the internet, people’s interconnections and relationships had become less dependent on attending the workplace.
    • Infrastructure change. For many people commuting had become ever more time-consuming and expensive.

    This fuelled an enduring desire to work at home, even once the pandemic was over. Since then we’ve seen lower footfall in town centres and people no longer needing to wear office clothing that requires regular dry cleaning.

    And these chain reactions aren’t just about levels of business – the increase in working from home and adoption of hybrid working also means that managers need to learn new approaches to communication, performance management and team dynamics.

    So, like the ant and the buffalo, one change within the work ecosystem can have far-reaching and unforeseen consequences. As Professor Todd Palmer states in the article about the ants: “it’s the interactions which are the glue that holds the entire system together.”

    For leaders looking ahead to the future of work, there is one key lesson.

    It’s impossible for leaders to imagine every feedback loop and plan for every possible chain reaction that might take place in the future world of work – but it is possible to build up capacity and capability.

    You could:

    • generate a learning culture so your team members are change-ready
    • develop your interpersonal skills so you can manage and support your people through the pressures and opportunities of change
    • build an empowered team who are forward-looking and able to take initiative.

    All leaders and managers can take a range of steps now so that if unexpected change occurs, you’re in a better place to adapt.

    Just like the lion.

    Image credit: Keyur Nandaniya on Unsplash

  • A new approach for future-planning: look out for aggressive polar bears

    A new approach for future-planning: look out for aggressive polar bears

    Forecasters and future-planners have used the analogies of black swans and grey rhinos for some years now. I suggest we need to introduce the ‘aggressive polar bear’ to reflect the complexity of upcoming change.


    The start of the year sees a multitude of posts and papers which set out “2024’s expected workplace trends”. And after the upheavals of recent years, there’s plenty of interesting ideas about making the best use of Artificial Intelligence, the continued tensions over remote and hybrid working, the potential for political change and fears for international relations.

    But what if you want to prepare yourself for the medium and longer-term future?

    One of the key ideas in forecasting and future-planning is the Black Swan. Introduced by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, these are highly rare and unpredictable events – but which have massive impacts. Most people won’t have prepared adequately for these uncommon catastrophic events – such as financial crises, pandemics, or paradigm-shifting innovations.

    Shortly after this, Michele Wucker introduced the idea of Gray Rhinos. These are not rare, and can be seen from afar. We roughly know their shape, size and how they might act. But because of this familiarity we don’t pay them enough attention – until they are charging towards us.

    But if recent years have taught us anything, it is that the trickiest situations are those generated by multiple interacting factors or chain reactions.

    So we’d like to introduce the Aggressive Polar Bear.

    Why polar bears you may ask, and specifically, why an ‘aggressive’ one?

    In recent years scientists have been reporting a rise of polar bears being aggressive towards humans.

    One of the reasons is that increased tourism means that polar bears are less scared of humans than before – so less likely to avoid settlements or be deterred by noise.

    And then there’s climate change, which impacts in two ways.

    Warmer oceans means fewer fish – affecting the entire food chain and meaning the apex predator – the polar bear – goes hungry.

    Shrinking ice floes mean polar bears have to spend more time on land.

    These interacting and cumulative factors lead to increased numbers of polar bears coming into contact with humans, with hunger-driven aggression.

    What lessons can we take from this when it comes to future planning?

    An aggressive polar bear event is one caused by the interaction of a number of factors, so they are difficult to identify. We recommend a number of structured questioning approaches:

    • Think about scenarios, not predictions. We’re looking at what might happen, and how you could react to it. By working with multiple scenarios, you can identify which actions have cross-cutting value.
    • Use Five What Ifs? You’ll probably be familiar with drilling down into root causes using Five Whys – so widen your thinking instead by asking Five What Ifs.
    • Think big picture. What are the global and regional trends, and how could they impact on your business model? For instance, wide-ranging economic, social and ecological factors could affect your customers, your suppliers and your stakeholders in ways that creates a chain reaction that affects you.

     

  • Hybrid working: three gurus tell us how to thrive.

    Hybrid working: three gurus tell us how to thrive.

    The shift to hybrid working raises a wide variety of challenges and opportunities. Read on for some great ideas from business leaders that you can apply, and some questions for you to reflect on.

    “Working from home makes it much harder to delineate work time from personal time. I encourage all of our employees to have a disciplined schedule for when you will work, and when you will not, and to stick to that schedule.”

    Dan Springer, CEO of DocuSign to Fast Company, 2021.

    The discipline required for working from home is a new skill for many of us:

    • Would schedules help you combat the always-on culture?
    • What can you do to role model this best practice?
    • What else can you do to maintain this work / homelife balance?

    “The most important keys to remote work at a startup have been weekly stand-ups. At Hive, we all get on Zoom once a week to chat and give shoutouts to the team.”

    John Furneaux, CEO of Hive, in the Hive.com blog, 2022.

    Communication has been a key area of challenge for leaders:

    • How can you structure your stand-ups so that they are productive? The key is in the name ‘stand-up’ – keep it quick!
    • Would a weekly meeting suit your team, or do you need it more frequently? Many places have really short daily check-ins.

    “Success in a hybrid work environment requires employers to move beyond viewing remote or hybrid environments as a temporary or short-term strategy and to treat it as an opportunity.”

    George Penn, VP at Gartner, in HRExecutive.com, 2020.

    So many organisations are enduring hybrid working, hoping it will go back to how it was – or they are relying on the short-term fixes that got them through to now:

    • What’s your attitude to hybrid working – do you see it as an opportunity, a short-lived innovation or the long-term future? What impact does your thinking have for you and your team?
    • What about your team and your managers – what is their position?
    • Are there any opportunities that you are not yet realising?
    • What temporary fixes are you still relying on, that you could replace with better long-term solutions?
    Photo credit: Thirdman on Pexels
  • “Being a leader is not about you.” How leaders can achieve performance success

    “Being a leader is not about you.” How leaders can achieve performance success

    You’re a leader with a great organisational business strategy, operational plan and team objectives. So now the big question is – how do you get your team to perform and deliver success?

    One approach I encounter is focused on command and control. Some industries, companies, leaders and team members seem to favour a directive model of leadership. While a preference for instruction over facilitation may be appropriate in some circumstances, there is a risk it leads to a vicious cycle of micro-management and disempowered staff.

    But there is another way.

    “Being a leader is not about you. It’s about the people that are on your team and how you can help them to be successful.”

    Susan Vobejda

    Everything we know about performance shows that the greatest success is achieved by those people who are empowered and trusted, who are given both the tools and the autonomy.

    For me the key element in Susan Vobejda’s excellent advice is “how you can help” – the leader’s role is not to provide ‘one size fits all’ support. The challenge is to find out what each person needs to deliver the performance the leader needs.

    How can leaders do this? When I’m working with leaders and managers I recommend they develop individualised support for their team members by asking the following questions:

    1. What are your motivations and aspirations?

    Purpose prompts performance. Where leaders select or align tasks with people’s aspirations, this energises and encourages people to deliver.

    2. What do you need from me to meet your targets?

    The model of Servant Leadership emphasises the value in the leader helping employees to develop and deliver. By asking them what they want, the leader avoids top-down assumptions and empowers team members to identify their own support needs.

    3. What are your unique strengths and how can you use them best?

    Performance is enhanced by identifying strengths and generating opportunities to leverage them through alignment, selection or re-framing. A strengths focus means doing more of what you are best at and which energises you.

     

    Providing leaders listen and enable, they can achieve business success by helping their team members be successful.

     

    Photo credit: Fauxels on Pexels
  • 5 proven tools for leaders to break through the barriers of hybrid working

    5 proven tools for leaders to break through the barriers of hybrid working

    I’m going to show you how leaders can start to break barriers between teams with proactive methods.

    To be successful, we need our teams to work across our organisation: collaborating for innovation, communicating for efficiency and understanding different perspectives and roles.

    Problems had been identified well before the pandemic hit; I was regularly asked by clients to provide strategies and tools for addressing the internal obstacles.

    Unfortunately the rapid increase in remote and hybrid working has exacerbated the problem, and rebuilt the barriers that many organisations had begun to tackle. Survey after survey shows isolated teams, not appreciating the big picture, competing with each other.

    Some companies have responded by mandating a ‘return to office’ which have often been unpopular. Others assume that the approach they are taking for maintaining contact within a single team will also work between multiple teams and across divisions.

    In my experience, leaders can take action to break through barriers and build working effective relationships between teams. Here are just five:

    1. Coffee roulette

    Create a virtual water-cooler. There are loads of apps or technology solutions that will randomly pair up colleagues for a breaktime chat to recreate those happenstance conversations. Or just have an open in video conference call running at break times so people can drop in when they want.

    2. Touchpoint mapping

    Get teams to work together to review their interactions: explain the processes and revisit the information transfers from both sides. In just one short meeting, they’ll understand why George in Finance isn’t “just being difficult” and maybe they’ll find efficiencies and improvements.

    3. Point of contact

    In many offices you used to wander over to a team’s desks and ask questions of anyone who was around. For remote and hybrid teams, you could designate a contact point for general internal inquiries.

    This could be a specific person, or a duty system, but either way, publicise this internally so other teams know how to reach your team.

    4. Create a sense of purpose

    People, especially new starters, need to see the big picture and understand their contribution. Can you revamp your induction so this is clear? Can people shadow other teams? Undertake virtual site visits? Can teams provide video introductions to explain their role and interactions?

    Can you reiterate the organisation’s purpose and vision through one-to-one and team meetings – and explain how the success of an individual team is tied into the success of other teams.

    5. Charity activities, sports teams, interest networks

    When they are started from grassroots interest, these all have a great track record in breaking down barriers between teams.

    I’ve worked in places which had a wine club (!), netball team, table tennis competitions and regular charity cake sales. Organisations can help by promoting the activities internally, providing sponsorship / equipment or just giving a little time and a space.

     

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  • Get it right first time: setting up for success, not debriefing disappointment

    Get it right first time: setting up for success, not debriefing disappointment

    I think the traditional approach to setting objectives for team members is back to front. Most managers set out the what when of the task. They monitor progress and provide feedback at the end.

    But this doesn’t mean that the job will be done right, let alone right first time.

    So, rather than waiting to spend time afterwards debriefing what happened and exploring how to improve next time, surely it is better to spend time beforehand setting up the team member so they succeed?

    Managers who prepare, don’t need to repair.

    This doesn’t have to be complex or time-consuming. I’ve trained many managers to use a quick and effective technique, based on Kluger and Nir’s Feed Forward approach, that creates a win-win:

    • Team members gain confidence that they can achieve the objective set.
    • Team members know what to do to deliver right first time.
    • Managers can relax, as through the conversation they understand the colleague’s approach, can agree or improve it before the work starts.
    • Remote and hybrid-working teams benefit the most, as this structure enables high quality autonomous working.

    Follow these steps for effective task management in just 10 minutes

    Start with these questions and be prepared to ask some follow-up open, non-directive, questions to make sure the team member is thinking analytically.

    1. Could you think of the last time you did a similar task successfully?
    2. What were the conditions that made this possible? First think about what you did, your capabilities and strengths.
    3. What did other people do to help you?
    4. What was the organisational context that led to the success?
    5. What can you replicate from that past success so that you can deliver this time?

    Finally, offer to put in place the management and organisational success factors that the individual has just identified, where possible and appropriate.

     

     

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  • How to overcome the three key challenges of hybrid working

    How to overcome the three key challenges of hybrid working

    Of the many leaders I’ve worked with who are adopting remote/hybrid working, the vast majority wanted to explore the same things.

    • Logistics, space and technology
    • Delivery and performance management
    • Communication challenges

    Now these are of course central points which do need to be addressed. But working without being together every day has much wider implications for organisations, leaders and their teams.

    Here are three issues that I think many organisations should be considering, and some suggestions.

    1. Proximity bias: out of sight, out of mind?

    We have a natural tendency to like the people we spend more time with – but in a hybrid workplace it can be a big problem.

    There’s a risk that decisions on development opportunities, high profile projects or promotion chances are affected by the frequency/intensity of in-office contact with managers. This leads to poor decision making and damages morale.

    Also, if there is an overlap between team members who primarily work from home and those who are disabled, carers or anyone who doesn’t already feel included, then there is a significant organisational risk around equity and inclusion.

    Solutions: Avoid proximity bias by keeping everyone in mind.

    • When making decisions about allocation of work and development opportunities, don’t fall for the bias of ‘most in sight, first in mind’
    • Focus on individual strengths. What is the unique combination of strengths that each person has? Who is best placed to meet the task requirements?
    • Communicate opportunities fairly. Give everyone an equal chance by telling them by email/messaging and giving a deadline.

    2. Isolation: home working or lonely working?

    Plenty of people love remote working and cherish the self-determination and flexibility. For others however, the lack of consistent social contact can be isolating and impact on their wellbeing.

    Solutions: Tackle isolation proactively

    • Ask questions. Don’t end at ‘How are you?’ ‘Oh, I’m fine’ – be prepared to go deeper. Each person’s circumstances are unique and ever-changing, so don’t assume everything is always okay.
    • Use work activities to build and maintain links. Develop sub-teams, special projects and assignments, inter-team challenges, build mentorship pairs and triads. Align activities with people’s strengths for maximum effectiveness.

    3. Loyalty: are your staff connected and motivated?

    As teams are no longer consistently all together in the office, many staff – and the younger or newer ones in particular – report a lack of connection to the organisation. This disconnection can damage motivation, loyalty and staff retention.

    Solutions: Take steps to encourage engagement

    • Make people feel part of the organisation to increase motivation, empowerment and staff retention.
    • Communicate the purpose. Tell people how they fit into the big picture, what role they play in meeting goals – for the team, department and organisation.
    • Explore positive meaning. The organisation is not the building, it is the people who work there or benefit from it, or use its products and services. Actively talk to your team about the collective and individual contribution they are making and the difference their work makes.
    Photo credit: RF Studio on Pexels
  • Use your doubt productively: a new approach

    Use your doubt productively: a new approach

    Conventional wisdom says we want our leaders to be decisive, confident and certain. Whether politician or business leader, we’re reassured by their communication of a clear vision and how it will be achieved.

    But our desire for certainty has drawbacks.

    “We mistake charisma and confidence for competence” says Tomas Chamorro-Premuzi in Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? (And How to Fix It).

    I’m pretty sure you can think of someone whose popularity exceeds their performance, whose presentation outweighs their contribution, and whose over-optimistic confidence leaves no room for nuance and reason.

    So if the opposite of certainty is doubt, can we use it productively?

    This is an area explored by Nicola Reindorp in her blogposts and BBC Four Thought podcast. She argues that doubt has valuable place and should not be seen as the enemy:

    Doubt is at the heart of self-awareness

    Reflecting on how others might see your behaviour and questioning yourself on how can you be better is fundamental to emotional intelligence. This openness to change and other perspectives is driven by accepting self-doubt.

    Doubt is the bedrock of critical thinking

    Daniel Kahnemann’s book Thinking Fast and Slow exposed how the brain takes shortcuts, bamboozled by emotion and looking for easy answers. It takes doubt to question your thinking, to test the evidence and look for alternatives.

    Doubt drives a collaborative approach

    If you think you may not have all the answers, then you’re more likely to be collaborative. If you know your perspective is just one of many, then you’re opening the door to a more diverse and inclusive thinking process.

    Make doubt work for you

    Reindorp stresses that the key is to use a cycle of analysis to work through your doubts and not to get overwhelmed by them. Avoid the negative aspects of doubt by setting a limited time and space for rational exploration of the issues using thought exercises and models.

    This approach of focusing on rational processes can be seen in the following diagram, which I have adapted from The CEO Report – Embracing the paradoxes of leadership and the power of doubt from Said Business School. Avoid the negative factors – Hubris, Myopia, Angst and Paralysis – by focusing on four structured rational processes: Preparation, Challenge, Validation, and Awareness.

     

     

    “Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is an absurd one.” Voltaire

     

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