I like to think of myself as a “good” employee, as ambiguous a term as that may be. I am bright and dedicated. My work ethic is strong. I am honest and committed and willing to happily tow the company line. I haven’t called in sick to a job, any job, for over five years. I always meet my deadlines. I seek out new things to learn. I am loyal to a fault. I need very little in terms of supervision, because I believe that the work I produce is a direct reflection on my character, and I work very hard to make sure that reflection is an accurate one.

My demands are meager, and they are few. But what I do require, now and then, is a little pat on the head. An occasional “good job” or a “we’re glad you’re here” or a “you really went the extra mile on that one.” I’ll take feedback, good or bad, thin or robust, over a silent, perfunctory pay raise any day. Although at my previous employer, I couldn’t even rely on that. Of the twelve years I worked in my job, I received one major promotion and no increases in pay, as I happened to be unlucky enough to work for someone who believed neither in annual raises nor in merit-based ones. There was literally zero external incentive to do anything more than a passable job. And yet I kept showing up.

I worked for a business that had experienced unprecedented growth and jaw-dropping success almost since its inception. Because it was so successful early on, the management team became complacent, arrogant about the approach they felt was the right one to take in running the business. The industry environment began to change, slowly eroding the company’s share of the market year by year. It was almost imperceptible—a long, slow death. Because I had been with this company from the very beginning, watching this slow, internal rot was like watching a dear old friend die of bone cancer. And as the company’s illness spread, people who do poorly with power were given positions in which they held it, and the longstanding employees among us, those who felt the grief most strongly, bore the brunt of management’s fury.

The general manager, my friend, had inherited a sickly giant, which was not entirely his fault. But what was his fault was digging himself in; betting his life, his livelihood, and the safety and stability and overall wellbeing of his family on the success of this business. And when he began to realize that he had made a bad choice as a person, he lashed out as a manager. The atmosphere inside the building grew more and more oppressive as the months, and then years, passed. The staff rarely smiled. Every person in every division, except for the very new among us, began to tread lightly around management, knowing that the slightest misstep would result in, at best, public humiliation. The business held on, but barely, in the same way that a person who has fallen off a cliff grasps desperately at the face of the sheer rock wall.

I loved my job, and so I worked under these conditions for seven years. For the last two, just the thought of going to work made me feel kind of sick. But I was afraid to leave. I had given so much of myself to that company. I feared that the tempestuous job market wouldn’t sustain the change I wanted to make, and I was terrified that I might never find work that I truly loved ever again. Silly and pessimistic, I know, but the pull of an abusive relationship is equally as seductive as it is poisonous. I finally resigned myself to the facts of the situation: I loved my job, but I simply couldn’t continue to work under the conditions that my manager had created. I couldn’t suffer a culture that would allow these abuses to take place. I couldn’t bear the idea of sacrificing what remained of my respect for my friend in the interest of supporting his actions as a manager. So I left.

Before I went, I tried to muster up the courage to explain, in detail, why I had decided to leave. Instead of being honest about my feelings—my hurt, my disappointment, and my disgust—I made vague statements about how it was “just time to move on.” Maybe that makes me a coward. Maybe it makes me an enabler. But if my experience had taught me anything, it was that even the most benevolent of criticisms would be met with excuses, and defensiveness, and cruelty, and I decided that it just wasn’t worth my breath.
I said it was time to move on, and it was. But the push I needed was working for a really awful manager and finally getting fed up. I moved on, and none of the things I’d feared so tangibly came to pass. I suppose that this individual ultimately did me a favor, but these aren’t the stories that you want your employees—either current or former—to tell about you when you’re not around. Failing to provide others with appropriate, useful, and timely feedback is a leadership failure, but it is also a personal one. Knowing of the deficit and refusing to do anything about it is simply irresponsible. These failings can be overcome. These skills can be learned. Don’t underestimate the power that feedback, or lack thereof, has over your effectiveness as a leader, the morale of your employees, the culture of your business, and your organization’s ultimate success. If you see yourself in my words, let me give you some well-worn advice: take matters into your own capable hands and do something about it.

This past week, there was an article in the Wall Street Journal by Joe Light titled: Leadership Training Gains Urgency Amid Stronger Economy. In the article, Mr. Light discusses how many organizations have cut spending on leadership development initiatives over the past two years during the economic downturn.  Now that the economy is starting to recover, these organizations are worried they will experience the exodus of baby boomers and retirees as their investment portfolios start to recover.  Many organizations are finding they simply don’t have the leadership pipeline within the organization to fill these leadership roles as companies shift towards a growth focus.  This scenario leaves any organization vulnerable to the competition.  Add to that the severity of the economic downfall and it only compounds the challenges further.

For individuals who work in the learning and development industry, this news and information is nothing new.  For many other individuals this may be a shocking surprise.  Organizations need to spend more money to develop talent to drive the business.  Remember, half of your assets do not show up on the balance sheet – your people.  Organizations spend thousands of dollars on computers, specialized software, mobile phones, and office space.  Why not spend a few hundred dollars developing your people to maximize performance and drive bottom line results.  If you have not already done so, think plan, and act to develop your high-potential leaders.

Research has shown that individuals who set goals generally accomplish five to ten times more than those who have equal or better education and ability.  In his research, Damon Burton, professor at the University of Idaho, found something even more striking about people who set goals.

• Have less stress and anxiety.
• Concentrate better.
• Are more self-confident.
• Perform better.
• Are happier and more satisfied.

Ironically, goals (and the power they wield) can quickly become problematic unless we diligently use caution and our common sense.  Like an invisible magnetic force, an errant or misleading goal can actually push people to act in inappropriate or unethical ways, sometimes engaging in risky behavior that isn’t beneficial for them or their organizations.  Someone who pursues a reckless goal creates undue anxiety for others, encourages self-serving ambitions, and amplifies silo behaviors within an organization. 

On the other hand, the most admirable and benevolent goal can be a miserable failure if isn’t developed carefully.  A budding goal may have a focus that is too broad, too vague, too narrow, too aggressive, or without motivation.  It is possible to have a goal that conflicts with other goals or you can simply have too many to complete.  Sometimes, a seemingly very good goal can be perceived as threatening by other people; make certain that it is beneficial to all concerned.  It has been said that the hardest task you will face is making the “right” goal.  Many organizations use a goal-setting method defined as S.M.A.R.T –Specific, Measurable, Aligned, Realistic, and Time-bound.

Too often, goals fail because people don’t believe this type of results driven leadership can be realized.  It won’t matter how “good” the goal is if you can’t see it, feel it, or define it.  You must believe in and then be ready to act on your goal. 

Goals can be a potent force and are necessary to keep up with the constant change in our world.  Use good judgment as you develop your goals and take the time you need to set goals that are well-defined.  By keeping the five S.M.A.R.T. concepts in mind as you set your goals, you will increase your chance of success by five to ten times over those who don’t.  As someone once said, “All good performance starts with “smart” goals.”

While the title of this book intrigued me (only four hours of work a week), I just didn’t get around to reading the best seller until a couple of weeks ago. It’s a fast read and well articulated. I really liked Mr. Ferriss’ first concept that “Time is Money.” For me this view is right on. Too often, we are so busy trying to make a better income, we forget just how much it really costs us. Three main elements in the book caught my attention. I feel they are well worth considering if not incorporating into your life: Elimination, Selective Ignorance, and Outsourcing.

Elimination
As we age, we naturally reach a point where we begin an elimination process in our lives. We not only cut back on material possessions, we also begin to eliminate unfulfilling activities. Mr. Ferris is simply moving this process from the autumn years to the spring years of life.

Selective Ignorance
One person cannot know everything about everything, and yet we all know people who will not, maybe cannot, say, “I don’t know.” Selective Ignorance, according to Ferriss, is the process of deliberately ignoring topics that may not be relevant or will take too much time to explore. I agree that it is important to limit our focus to what we can handle realistically, but it may not always be to our best interest in doing only those things we enjoy. Think about the first time you were on a bicycle; can you honestly say you enjoyed falling off that two wheeled contraption? Yet, today you may be an avid bicyclist.

Outsourcing
Asking others to do jobs that are outside our expertise is a no-brainer. However, I have two main concerns about giving our tasks we consider time wasters, to others. First, outsourcing will not guarantee that what you get will be what you wanted or needed. Simply put, no one sees the world like you do. Second, by giving your time wasters to someone else, are you adding more hours to their work week. You must ask yourself, “What’s the cost? Is your time more valuable than theirs?” Rather than outsourcing time wasters, let’s go back to the concept of Elimination. Get rid of them and make everyone more efficient.

Summary
What concerns me most about Mr. Ferriss’ book is the impression he gives that you should simply stretch the rules of the game to fit your needs so that you can win the prize. Example, early in the book he talks about using loop holes in rules to win an international sports competition. He drastically reduced his water weight to weigh in at a lower weight so later he would outweigh his opponent. And because he didn’t have the skills, he used another loop hole in the rules to win by pushing his opponents off the mat. So, okay, he won the prize. Strategy and tactics aside, what about ethics! What about to the personal satisfaction in acquiring the skill to compete? While winning is important, the pride in developing the skill is often more satisfying.

I’ve come to the conclusion, that for most of us, time management is not the problem. There is little doubt that each of us couldn’t get better in some aspect of time management. I’ve taught time management classes for more than 20 years. And while far from perfect, time management is not my biggest challenge either. So what is the biggest challenge to getting more done and creating more value where it matters most? I believe the answer is a lack of well thought out and clearly defined “strategic targets” which will have a significant impact on your future. Let me explain.

A “strategic target” represents an innovative, strategic idea or initiative you want to pursue. It describes where you want to be or what you want to accomplish at some point in the future. These targets could be personal or professional; they could be linked to your family life or relationships, your career or some aspect of your current job. A target could be as simple as “What are the expected outcomes of a meeting you’re facilitating this afternoon?”, or as complex as “What will the organization look like after the merger?”

Without specific targets to focus our limited time and energy, we spend a lot of time spinning our wheels on things of little strategic value, things that keep us running in frantic, meaningless circles. We’re very busy trying to do everything for everyone, and in the process, getting very little done that really matters or adds value to our lives or the lives of others. It is ironic that very few of us would get in our cars and drive frantically without a clear destination in mind. And yet, most of us have a tendency to go through our projects, jobs, careers and lives in just such a fashion… no clear destination or target in mind. No wonder we find ourselves so tired and so stressed out and yet no farther down our desired path.

Time management is not the problem… a lack of strategic targets is. What targets, if obtained, would make a difference in your life? Where are you going today? Do you know?

While many educated people can discuss the economic and social impacts on countries of the movement of goods and services around the globe, I would like to address some principles of building and operating a company that spans multiple continents.

Let’s begin by getting some of our vocabulary aligned. There is a difference between being an International” company versus a “Global” company. A lot of companies have out-of-country activities that may include sales and procurement – this is an international company, even if it includes a few regional offices. A global company truly operates in various countries providing goods/services both in the native country as well as moving goods/services between countries. A fully functioning global company has a culture and perspective that transcends the locale where it is registered or where its stock is listed.

For those companies desiring to be truly global, the development of an appropriate company culture cannot be left to chance – building the desired culture is a full-time job. A global company is not just a series of regional companies strung together under common ownership. Quickly one can see the need for tailored products/services and the delivery of these to satisfy the local or regional market expectations. But here is the bigger question: How do you build a team of people who recognize the need to serve the local market and effectively operate their assigned area while also being part of the bigger team where they can exchange ideas, get inspiration, and contribute to the advancement of the entire company?

Commitment
Building an effective global culture is not inexpensive, nor is it a one-shot deal. It is a concept to which all senior leadership must commit and make a part of their daily actions. Human Resources can help with well planned global talent assessments, succession planning, and leadership skills development, including expatriate assignments. Cultural sensitivity training and facilitated mixed culture forums can start the process.

Vision
There has to be a Global Vision/Mission statement that is an anchor point for your leaders, irrespective of their home country. It must have longevity, addressing the business purpose and corporate values.

Acceptance
Perhaps the most powerful force in building a global company is the basic human trait to accept and bond with those we have come to know on a more personal basis. Audio/video conferencing is a nice tool once a relationship is established, but it is ineffective for establishing the relationship. To establish the bonds between people and break down inherent nationalistic, cultural and personal biases, people need to travel and partake in the cultures of their colleagues.

Share
Forming a global team to implement a global or regional project (contrasted to a local team doing a global project) brings the best ideas forward and builds strong bonds that benefit the company well beyond the specific project. Functional leadership forums and best-practice sharing sessions break down barriers and drive the best ideas forward. Promoting those individuals that best demonstrate the desired culture will send powerful messages throughout the organization.

Diversity
There is a large WATCH OUT. In the drive for a corporate global culture it is easy to inadvertently paint a picture that the “desired culture” is, for example, American or German or Chinese. To be most effective, a company’s global corporate culture must reflect a mix of the best qualities its participants have to offer.

One way to measure your success in building an effective global company culture is to monitor your recruitment results.  Are you able to equally attract and retain talented people from all the countries you serve?

While I have served on several committees, I have not served on this particular committee before.  I was surprised at the different way this cleric had to handle this group compared to other groups.  While both groups are comprised of volunteers, this committee seemed to be more volatile.

Group Dynamics
Let me give you a list of characters from this group (aliases).  Rich is a fast mover; a “change it now” type of person, while Frank is a traditionalist and feels the tried and proven ways are good enough.  Dave is the resident expert; well-read, but young and inexperienced.  He has a ready answer to any question.  Ryan is ultra -liberal and controversial.  More importantly, he enjoys being out there.  Joanne is the “when I was at… we did it…”  Leslie is quick to pass judgment even before all the facts are on the table.  Joe appears to be a stoic, but actually is very interested.  The problem is he only voices his opinion only to those he trusts and not necessarily in the meeting.  Cindy is very knowledgeable but quiet.  She often feels others don’t respect her opinions and therefore frequently has her feeling hurt.  Karen is willing to bring her agendas to the table, even when the group is talking about other issues.  Do any of these people resemble members of your team?

Tips to Getting Started
You, like our leader, probably see many opportunities that would make the organization more effective in satisfying the needs of those involved.  Unfortunately, you need to get all these personalities to effectively function together in order to seize opportunities.

The following tips will help you maintain sanity in working with your group.

• First and foremost, don’t take the group’s behavior personally. It isn’t you, but the topic that may be frustrating.
• Set the agenda and stick to it. Let the participants know what topics will be discussed and how long you expect the meeting to last. Members will appreciate this courtesy. Also, it alleviates unexpected departures. If someone becomes long-winded, remind them of the group’s time limits.
• Set ground rules. This may seem unnecessary, but you would be surprised how a simple set of rules can set the tone for discussion. For example; CMOE’s meeting rules include:
  • No side conversations
  • Actively participate
  • Avoid becoming defensive
  • Be positive
  • Focus on the topic
  • Avoid stories

• Finally, don’t get discouraged, stay up-beat and confident that the group will come to a consensus resolution, one that each member can commit to.Notice that these tips center on the situation or topics, not personalities or abstract agendas.  It demands that respect for each other is maintained.  Remember though, these tips are no means a guarantee of perfection.  They serve only as a great starting point.

Notice that these tips center on the situation or topics, not personalities or abstract agendas.  It demands that respect for each other is maintained.  Remember though, these tips are no means a guarantee of perfection.  They serve only as a great starting point.

Each one of us gets the same 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, 86,400 seconds in a day. You can’t save up time from today to be used tomorrow or borrow from next week for today. Time is external to us – we have no control over it. It ticks away, a second at a time, and when it is past, can never be reclaimed.

How we choose to use that time, however, is very much within our control. Time is a precious resource and one we must use wisely. While we can’t manage time, we can manage ourselves in how we use our time. Time management is a misnomer – it is actually self management we seek.

Time Management Best Practices
There are many books and articles on the art of time management. However, those desperately seeking better time management skills usually don’t have the time to read them! The Cliff Notes version, the absolute best of best practices I know, are contained in just three deceptively simple steps:

1. Recognize the difference between urgent and important.
We often respond first to the people or tasks that make the most noise, those things that are urgent because they are most proximate (in our face). The phone rings – we answer it. Someone approaches our desk – we leave the task at hand to respond to their request, regardless of its importance.

I once saw a small sign posted next to the librarian’s desk at a university which said, “Lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.” Don’t you wish your cube came with a sign like this?!!

Too often we allow urgent things to take such precedence that we have little time, if any, left to focus on truly important things. Things like coaching a high performing employee, spending time creating a strategic map of your career, or even ensuring all your files are in order so information is easily accessible.

Know the difference between urgent and important – and choose important whenever possible.

2. Recognize the difference between good and best.
Choosing between good and bad is easy. None of us have to think very long to decide to spend our day either a) robbing a bank or b) going to work. It’s choosing between good and best that is often difficult. Whether to get the project adequately out before the deadline or taking a little extra time in perfecting details to present a really great product.

“Don’t get caught up in the thick of thin things,” is solid advice from one time management expert.

3. Act accordingly.
Take the time to make deliberate choices as to how you will spend your time. Choose important over urgent and choose the best over the good. Once your choice is made, follow through and do what you’ve planned.

Make changes in your approach to work, if necessary. Turn off the tone that notifies you each time an email arrives; instead, plan to check email periodically during the day. Let the coworker who interrupts you to discuss the implications of the stock market know that you’d enjoy meeting over lunch.

Time management is not really about minutes and seconds. It is all about self management, the self discipline of choosing to distribute your time in ways that the most important, the best, receive your focus.

A strategy, on the other hand, is a blueprint, layout, design, or idea used to accomplish a specific goal. A strategy is very flexible and open for adaptation and change when needed.

I recently heard a great example of the difference between a plan and a strategy, using sports. This example serves to illustrate the difference between a soccer team’s plan or strategy to score a goal.

A soccer team with a plan to score a goal might begin with a throw-in to another specific player. The ball would then be passed to a designated offensive player who would then be responsible for shooting the ball into the goal. The succession of moves would be deliberate and would not be adjusted when risks or obstacles to the plan were presented.

A soccer team with a strategy to score a goal might also begin a play with a throw-in one of a few different teammates. The main idea would then be to move the ball forward and pass to open offensive players who would then shoot the ball at the goal. The succession of moves would be open for adaptation and change if the ball were intercepted or if other players were open for receiving the ball.

When planning for the future, which is undeniably unknown, it helps to strategize and consider the various scenarios you might be faced with and be prepared to modify your strategy so you can keep moving forward, rather than starting over at the beginning.