When I entered the workforce in the last century, I was considered a “feminist” because I hyphenated my name and then because I preferred “Ms.”  I was told that  women couldn’t or wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure, make difficult decisions or understand complex issues.  I was told that women couldn’t be effective leaders because we were too emotional.  Women cry.

Fast forward three decades to the 21^st century:  Want to make a woman (or smart man…) cry?  Consider this:

“Big Shots Just Scoffed At Women’s Warnings”

This headline and story, (links at end of blog), outlined how three women could have saved the nation from the subprime crisis …. if only men had listened.

These were powerful women in powerful positions.  They knew what they were talking about. They understood the complex economic implications of the Wall Street securities backed by risky mortgages.

Three women could have prevented or significantly minimized the biggest recession this country has ever experienced.

Instead, it could be said that the Washington decision makers were driven by “testosterone,” which, according to research by graduate students at Columbia University, can reduce activity in the brain leading to “decisions that are risky, costly and show little empathy, but achieve a desire outcome.”   Their desired outcome was to ignore the advice from these women, shut them up and prevailed upon Congress to exclude them from discussions about the sub-prime fiasco.

Corporate Bullies

My term for this is “corporate bullying.”  And we all know that this phenomenon isn’t just in Washington. It happens throughout organizations in America, including not-for-profits and associations.

Most people have witnessed some form of it, maybe some of you have been on the receiving end of it, and some of the people reading this article are corporate bullies.

Here’s a snapshot of how it can happen:

Simply put, women generally demonstrate leadership in very different ways than men. Research shows women tend to be more collaborative, inclusive, responsive listeners and prefer an interactive management style.  Men, on the other hand, tend to seek power and prefer a “command and control” style of management.  Men over 50, in particular, are often uncomfortable with women in leadership positions, especially women who question their comments, actions or decisions.

The combination of these leadership dynamics can create a very threatening environment for everyone. Whether a person is intent on sharing relevant information and seeking collaboration or intent on having power and control, the opposite behavior threatens the status quo and capacity for resolution.  Typically, control, humiliation or discrediting and exclusion will win out, unless there are sufficient numbers of people in power and influence who are willing to appear “soft” and willing to collaborate.  In a male dominated environment the chances of this happening are pretty slim.

Gen X and Gen Y Pressured Too

I fear that this behavior is not just about leadership differences between the genders, though.  I’m thinking that we’ll see more of this corporate bullying between the Boomers and the Gen X and Ys in the workplace.  These younger generations grew up in teams, groups and collective and collaborative thinking.  They’re also inclined to question authority and can have difficulty accepting the status quo of: “because we’ve always done it this way.”  This approach can be very threatening to the traditional leader.

Recent conversations with some Gen X and Y managers indicated they are challenged and disillusioned by having to adapt and tolerate philosophical differences about operational processes and business decisions.  Many workplaces are not open to hearing their ideas or suggestions or even their questions about why things are the way they are.  While the Gen X and Y managers conceded to some of the decisions that “just didn’t seem right,” they said they felt pressured to conform because times are tough and they needed to keep their jobs.

The frequency of this type of situation is probably pretty great.  And if one considers the short and long term impact of this type of management and leadership, the consequences could be appalling.

Can We Put Egos Aside?

Whether it’s on a local, organizational, national or international level, when are we going to learn that we need a balance of power; a balance of estrogen and testosterone and a willingness to look out for the good of the whole? This means being willing to put egos aside and forgo temporary “wins.”

It makes me wonder what would have happened if someone had really listened to the  three women who forewarned the mortgage collapse.  It could have changed our world.  But instead the men in power refused to listen.  Interestingly, in the last couple years, each one has acknowledged they made a mistake.

It’s enough to make a country cry.

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/23/3387779/big-shots-just-scoffed-at-womens.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/warning/view

“We got it done, but it was ugly,” the manager said, shaking his head in disbelief.   Miscommunications, lack of communication, an inexperienced team leader and management on vacation resulted in cost over-runs exceeding $50,000, delayed implementation and loss of customer respect and confidence.  The manager lamented that this was not an unusual experience. It happened more often than he wanted to admit.

We’ve all experienced these “ugly” scenarios at one time or another. But it seems that there’s a breeding ground for ugly outcomes in many organizations. People are going a hundred miles an hour, multi-tasking and taking on more as a result of reduced staffs.  People are trying to cope with downsized environments and a sluggish economy.  The demands and expectations are high and resources and clear communication are often scarce.  A lot of things can slip through the cracks in this kind of culture.

Being in B.E.D. is the Breeding Ground

An environment like this can become toxic and counter productive.  When a workplace is in B.E.D. (Blame, Excuses and Denial), people often react impulsively with each misstep, and more mistakes happen.  Mistakes are like rabbits… they multiply!  No wonder things turn out “ugly.”

As the mistakes multiply, people spend their time fighting fires.  Some people complain about how thing are a mess and ask “when will ‘they’ ever learn?”  Others wish they had the tools and information so they could do a good job the first time.  Still others pat themselves on the back for being a good fire fighter.

When asked what happened and what could have been done differently, people will say they don’t have time – or they think don’t have time – or won’t take the time…to step back and assess so it won’t happen again.  That’s just more Blame, Excuses and Denial.

Taking Your O.A.R. Will Alter Your Outcomes

 The flip side of Blame, Excuses and Denial is when there is an environment of Ownership, Accountability and Responsibility.

The first thing is to have a person who is responsible for the overall process or project to assure successful completion.  In addition, each person on the team must take full ownership for their role in the project or process implementation.  In the opening scenario, when things became “ugly,” each person thought someone else would handle it or they “didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes” or overstep their bounds.  In a culture where people are in B.E.D., there’s a “not my job” mentality. There’s no ownership for the results produced.

So next thing that is needed is to have clear accountabilities.   In this era of doing more with less and matrix reporting structures, clear accountabilities are essential.  There needs to be a hand-off process so people know who is responsible for doing what and by when.

The choice of an inexperienced team leader in the first example wasn’t necessarily a bad decision, but in this scenario, accountabilities were unclear. He lacked ownership of both the process and the results and there was no one overseeing the rookie.  Now that’s a bad combination.

In a healthy and successful work environment, there is clear and on-going communication about project goals, accountabilities expectations and outcomes. There are established benchmarks for monitoring the people and project, as well as a defined communication process.  If something is missing or unclear, members of the team are expected to be responsible for asking for clarification.

It’s been said that for every hour spent in planning, you will save three hours in implementation.  When leaders and teams take ownership, accountability and responsibility for planning a project or implementation of a new process, it will save time, money and employee morale.

The elliptical was on a steep incline and I was immersed in the importance of “Intentions” for the impending New Year.  My initial inquiry was “what ingenious intentions can I incorporate into my life in 2012?”

Allow me to introduce you to the power of creating intentions.

Resolutions are inevitably broken and goals are often lofty and unattainable. But an intention can be inspiring.

What do you intend for your life next year?  What do you intend to do at work? With your family? For your health?

You see, an intention is “an aim that guides action.”  So, an intention to improve your health would result in having guidelines that help you make better choices, such as intending to eat fewer processed foods, take the stairs more frequently or have the recommended medical and dental checkups.

By having guided actions that are consistent with your aims and intentions, you are more likely to succeed.  Indeed.

7 Ideas for Intentions for 2012

1. Initiate – game night or  pot luck dinners to stay in touch and have fun.
2. Identify – a new skill or hobby that you would like to try.  Parlez vous Francais? Or maybe a cooking class.
3. Impromptu –Be more spontaneous; break your routine and do something that  brings you joy.
4. Illuminate – your life – literally, by adding light to the dark days of winter  or figuratively, by practicing your faith or spirituality
5. Invest – in your future. Save some money each month. By skipping Starbucks or take-out food a couple times a month, you can fatten your wallet and not your waistline.
6. Ingratiate – yourself with others. Play nice. Practice random acts of kindness.
7. Integrity – Live in integrity.  This could be the best intention of all.

 What are your intentions for the New Year?

You’re not alone if you’re frustrated by all the hype to hop on the “follow your bliss” band wagon.

Baby Boomers are approaching retirement age and are clearly not ready to hang up their tie dyed tee-shirts. Instead, many are being urged to follow their passion for the next stage of their life. But the reality is that many adults have spent decades being a good employee or provider of income, a good spouse or partner, father, mother, daughter or son and now they’re confronted with the expectation that they should know what they’re passionate about.   Maybe the last 35 years demanded that their “bliss” was paying the light bills, going to PTA meetings and soccer games.

So it’s no surprise that many adults find this next stage of life a little unnerving and intimidating.

Then there’s always the question: Why does someone have to find “one” source of passion or purpose?

Take, for example, Bob, who has endless interests and he’s always finding the next best thing.  For a while it was all about photography – all the equipment, all the classes, all the landscapes and portraits.  Next up: raw food and juicing. Same thing – all the equipment. All the classes. All the recipes.  A couple years later: astronomy.  You guessed it…. He was hitched on a magical star and his universe opened up.

So what?  It may seem a little odd but he’s happy and he’s learning new things. Who says a hobby or interest has to be forever?

Consider that Baby Boomers may need to take baby steps into finding their bliss and how to find joy in defining their new normal for retirement.

Start by thinking about what you like to do.  You don’t have to be “passionate” or even clear about what you like.  One way to look at it is: where do you like to spend your time or money? That may lead you in the direction of your greatest interests.

For more a more structured approach to planning your future, Temple University has created a program called Coming of Age for people age 50+.  For more information go to www.comingofage.org for a location near you.

What happened when managers didn’t communicate?

•     Productivity dropped 75% from 4.8 hours/day to 1.2 hours/day

•      Social chat and gossip increased more than 100% from 1.5 hours/day to 3.2 hours/day

Shocking, isn’t it?

 But hold on to your hat…

Those are stats from a 1997 study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The study showed there was a direct consequence on workplace behavior due to organizational change, whether it was

• A changing market
• Downsizing
• Change in leadership
• Or – drum roll, please: a series of bad decisions.

Now remember, this was long before Twitter, before Facebook, before instant messaging and texting.  Now, news of pending downsizings or changes in leadership hit the rumor mill faster than you can say “Twitter!”  It only takes 140 characters to start the virtual water-cooler humming and productivity and morale plummeting.

The prevailing uncertainty, skepticism and cynicism in workplaces today means that  concentrated productive time is probably about 10 – 15 minutes before the next tweet or Facebook message.

So what’s a manager to do?

Leadership teams need to help managers be proactive informing employees of changes.  One way is to have prepared message points about organizational news that will help managers communicate information consistently and on a timely basis.  For smaller organizations, an all-employee meeting may be a good choice.

Next time you think that information only needs to be communicated on a “need-to-know” basis, think again.  That decision could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost productivity.

What are some other ways to communicate important information to employees before it goes viral?  Please write your comments on this blog for others to learn some other successful practices.

63% of your employees plan to leave their jobs when the economy improves.

Under 40 and Out

According to a recent survey, the majority of Gen X and Gen Y employees plan to jump ship and are actively looking to change jobs.

Question 1: Do you care?

Question 2: What are you doing to retain them?

Over 50 and Outdated

Let’s face it, people over 50 have different expectations about work than Gen X and Gen Y employees.  So if you believe: “Young people have to put in their time,” or “they’re not willing to work hard,” you better start looking for their replacement now because they’re part of the 63% who want to leave their job.

Here’s why you should care: Outdated viewpoints about generational differences can cost your company hundreds of thousands of dollars in recruitment, temporary workers and training costs, plus lost productivity due to open positions and increased stress on co-workers.  Don’t forget the cost of benefits.  Do the math.

3 Tips to Retaining Talent

1) Gen X and Gen Y employees want work/life balance.  A 28 year old said she’d rather have more time with her husband and family than make more money.  As long as a person is fulfilling the job duties as expected, quit complaining that they don’t care about more face-time at work.

2)  Be flexible.  Can the work be done virtually?  Gen X and Y want flexibility and freedom.  Again, if the work is done according to expectations, don’t sweat it if you can’t see them working.

3) Coaching and feedback.  Remember, many employees under 40 grew up in an era where they got a trophy for showing up. You can’t change that – but you can provide timely training, coaching and feedback.  Don’t be so stingy with your praise.

These 3 tips don’t cost a dime and will save you big bucks.

Years ago an executive announced: It’s time for the annual Austerity Program!

Could anything be more uninspiring than an austerity program when trying to rally the troops?  Most people don’t jump out of bed and ask: How can I be more austere today?  Just pull the covers over my head and tell me when it’s over.

Yet in this topsy turvy economy that we’ve experienced for the past couple years, we have had to cut costs and be mindful of expenses.

While that’s the present reality for most organizations, there’s a more empowering way to get the similar results.  What would happen if organizations focused on a Profit Maximization Program?

Wouldn’t that be more fun and interesting?

There’s a school of thought that says that to attain the results that you want,  thoughts words and actions need to be focused, aligned and consistent with what you want, not what you don’t want.

So, if you don’t want more “costs and expenses” chances are, what you do want are more profits…  hence a profit maximization program!

What are some of the ways that you could maximize profits?  While some of the actions taken might well result in cutting costs, the focus, or your intention is to increase profitability.

Remember – what you focus on is what you get.  Focus on costs… guess what – you’ll get more costs.  Focus on profits… and see what happens!

What are some of the ways you have maximized profits? If you have ideas that could benefit others, please share your ideas and suggestions on this blog!

Let’s radically collaborate!

Think about it.  How would this change in attitude and behavior make a difference?

What would you be doing differently if you were performing “at the top of your game”  every day?  Think of the phone calls you’d be making, the conversations you’d be having with clients, potential customers, employees and suppliers.

How would your results change if you brought you’re A-Game to work every day … even if it was for a week?  More clients?  Happier with yourself?   Better attitude?  More money?

What would you have more of? And what would you have less of?

Make a list…

Then try it!  What’s stopping you?

Feeling a little stuck about how to bring your A-Game to work every day?

Here are a few suggestions to power-up that help me jump start my day and alter my outcomes:

• Start the day with a 30 – 45 minute morning workout or walk. Clear your head so you can focus the rest of the day.
• Drink a healthy energy drink and eat proteins for breakfast.  Save the pancakes and carbs for the weekend when you can take a nap!
• Tackle a few tasks that can be accomplished in 30 minutes – answering emails doesn’t count!
• Have a time limit for Facebook, Linked-In and Twitter.

Post your results on this blog after trying it – even for a couple days!

Let’s inspire each other with the changes we make by bringing our A-Game to work every day!

There’s the story of the husband and wife who are both gourmet cooks. The husband is planning a meal for dinner guests and the wife says, “Oh! That sounds good! And if you add XYZ, and make this sauce and prepare the vegetables this way… it will be fabulous!”  She even put all the ingredients on the counter to make it easier for him to prepare his meal.

When the meal was served, the guests raved.  But the wife was confused and upset with her husband because none of her suggestions were included.

Instead he said, “That was your meal.  This is my meal – this is what I wanted to make.”

How often do we want to change other people’s plans and ideas so they can do it our way?

Even if our way is better…more efficient, less costly, faster, more attractive, healthier …whatever!

Remember, there’s a fine line between collaborating and controlling; between adding value and getting in the way; between fixing things and depriving someone of learning a valuable lesson.

Next time you’re tempted to intervene, take over or make improvements…

Stop!  And ask yourself:  Whose “meal” is it?

Have you ever had the feeling that you’re taking one step forward and two steps back? No matter what you do – or don’t do – things stay pretty much the same.

So what’s the difference between being stuck and being on a plateau?

Plenty!

Being stuck is like finding gum on the bottom of our shoe.  We’re focused on the ground, looking down, disgusted, blaming others for the mess we’re in. We try to pry off the dirty goo but it sticks to everything around us.  We track it everywhere, we can’t get away from it and no one wants us near them, for fear they’ll get stuck in the goo, too.

A plateau, on the other hand, is dramatically different.

The good thing about a plateau is that it sits high above the ground. And because it’s relatively level, one can look out to the horizon or the plains.  When facing this vast expanse, there can be a sense of freedom. A limitlessness that allows one to think of possibilities and new futures. Only the mountains in the distance serve as markers and provide a backdrop for envisioning new horizons.

Aaahhh – what a difference!

So the next time you’re looking for changes – remember that when you change your outlook, you alter your outcomes.