Finding Your Extra Performance Gear
Filed under: Career, Current Affairs, Life and Business, Social Commentary, Your Professional Development "To Do" List
I know a great number of people working hard and digging deep to find that extra-something inside that will allow them to push through the almost overwhelming challenges on the path ahead.
I’ve polled a number of good colleagues that are either battling the very foreign experience of being unemployed for the first time in otherwise stellar careers or, those individuals that have given up on ever being employed (at least in the near future) and are striking out on their own.
Both groups admit that sleep is no longer something that they enjoy. The darkness and late hours are illuminated by the blinding lights of self-doubt, second guessing and just a tinge of fear. These emotions combine to create a nearly lethal cocktail that induces sleeplessness and feeds the stress monster.
While none of the people that I’ve spoken with in the situations described above are resting easily, to my observation, they share a stubborn commitment to persevering in spite of the fact that the road ahead seems to be unpaved, uphill and against the wind the entire way.
The survival strategies differ from person to person:
- Relentless hours of work interspersed with bouts of extreme physical activity. The body and mind seems to respond well to a balance of deep mental and tough physical workouts. The combination improves the odds of gaining access to the much needed fuel of sleep.
- Reaching out to other sharp people to compare notes, commiserate just a little bit and share ideas on getting back to success. Much of the passive networking of the past has been replaced by networking with a purpose.
- Bouts of extreme new learning fed by a hunger for content and context on what it means to forge a new life and career from the vestiges of many years of relative comfort in environments where there was some perception of security. They now know that the security blanket was not really there.
- Incredible discipline in pursuit of tasks fed by a hunger borne of the knowledge that if they stop, it might not start again.
The Bottom-Line for Now:
This no longer feels like the recessions that our parents knew. We’re into grandparent territory here, with a depression like aura surrounding this mess. Yet in spite of the challenges, I see many people digging deep to reinvent themselves and then pushing forward, uphill, against the wind, bent on success.
If you know someone that is struggling to find this extra performance gear, the right thing to do is reach out and help. Call, meet, listen and most of all encourage. In some cases, a bit of tough love might be just the nudge needed to help them get it into that next gear.
Enjoy Being Part of the Gang? Better Not Lead.
Filed under: Career, Leadership, Leadership Skills, Life and Business, Making Decisions, Management Education, Middle Management, Professional Growth, Your Professional Development "To Do" List
One of the rude awakenings for leaders promoted from within a team is the uncomfortable recognition that the easy camaraderie of the pre-promotion days immediately gives way to an awkward distancing of relationships.
Congratulations on your promotion. Oh, and you’re no longer part of the gang!
I’ve counseled early career leaders on this topic and one of the most difficult parts of their transition from team member to team leader is the sudden feeling of loneliness.
“I’m still the same person,” they tell me emphatically. “I can separate work from the social discussions at lunch or over a beer after work,” they add.
“Yes you are,” and “No you cannot,” I respond.
The bad news is that close “out of work” relationships (let’s stop at friendships and skip the Pandora’s box of workplace romances for now) will also change. Maybe not immediately, but at some point, you will make a decision that will upset your friend(s) and the reality of your position will become painfully visible to all parties.
The good news is that you’ll go to lunch again…with your team members and also with your new peers. However, it will never be the same. As a leader, you are no longer part of the gang. That is as it should be.
Here are a few reasons why:
- You now have a vote…in some cases a big vote in the fortunes of your colleagues. From simple decisions on assignments and projects to large decisions on promotions and even terminations, you now have influence over the lives of your colleagues.
- See the point above. Everyone knows it.
- Your new role has very explicit responsibilities and a degree of objectivity is required for successful execution of your role.
- You must be comfortable supporting and coaching your team members, and that includes conducting tough discussions. While some might argue that this is what friends are for, let’s face it, it is remarkably awkward to have to tell your friend that her behavior is impacting her career and the output of the team and here’s how it needs to change.
- You need to earn respect and grow your credibility as a leader. That’s not happening at the bar after work or as you sit around and join the group commiseration over the bad habits of the boss. Hey, you’re the boss!
- You’ve taken a step in your career. Like leaving the comfort of high school and home for the foreign experience of college, you’ve embarked on a new journey for destinations unknown. Change is part of the equation.
The Bottom-Line:
I will reiterate that you can still find fun and cultivate effective professional relationships as a leader, and of course, you should. However, if this role is right for you, it’s necessary to leave behind some of the vestiges of your early career. One is being part of the gang.
As a postscript, it’s not uncommon to run into more experienced managers that still try to play the “Hey, I’m just a person here, not your boss” card, and it always smells rotten to me. Don’t believe them. I’ve known more than a few people that ended up on the wrong side of their “buddy’s” decision and wondered what hit them.
Want to command respect as a leader. Start acting like one from day one.
18 Ideas to Avoid Becoming a Ghost While Between Jobs
Filed under: Career, Crisis Leadership, Current Affairs, Life and Business, Management Excellence Tips for Tough Times, Professional Growth, Social Commentary, Your Professional Development "To Do" List
My recent post, “Ghosts of the Economy-Casualties of this Silent War” offered a sobering look at both the personal and societal impact of the economic situation. The comments from the readers were fascinating and in some cases, even more haunting than the post itself.
While the crystal ball that I use for forecasting is horribly foggy, my gut tells me that even as the economy begins to turn the corner, job growth will range somewhere between non-existent to painfully low and slow. This bodes poorly for the millions of displaced professionals unaccustomed to being on the wrong side of the employment roll.
Real World Insights from Some Displaced Professionals:
I had a chance to chat with a number of recent and not so recent additions to the ranks of unemployed professionals, and to a person, they reported experiencing a range of emotions, most particularly, an uncomfortable feeling of helplessness, and in one case, an increasing sense of futility.
The individuals also agreed that the fight for economic and mental survival is a two-front war….taming the internal demons and turning what one described as creeping lethargy into action.
We discussed coping strategies, and here’s the list of very compelling suggestions offered up for anyone uncomfortably thrust into the role of formerly employed. If you or someone you know is dealing with this challenge, you might want to pass the ideas along. (Note: I’m not a job search advisor, so these strategies are above and beyond your nearly full-time work to find employment.)
Strategies to Avoid Becoming a Ghost
- Physical labor is good…but, you can only work on the house or yard for so long. Get it out of your system in the first few weeks …set a deadline and then get back to work on professional pursuits.
- What I Did on My Summer Vacation: sooner than later, establish a strategy that will allow you to comfortably explain what you accomplished/did/learned that showcases your capabilities. The suggestions were great.
- Write something and publish it: write an article, write a book, start a biz or proff’l blog, write guest blog posts.
- Exercise your brain…a lot: Take or teach a class
- Get current: update your credentials through courses and CEUs.
- Read everything you can get your hands on about the latest and greatest in your field.
- Be heard. Guest speak. Opportunities abound in classroom and association settings.
- Get current with technology. If you do not understand Twitter, blogging, LinkedIn and RSS, then it’s time to catch up.
- Volunteer. There are many that can use your help.
- Keep leading. Apply your management and leadership skills to a big project at a nonprofit, your church or one of the schools in your community.
- Stay goal driven: set goals for tangible output…i.e. two blog posts per week, one article etc.
- Investigate a life change. A number of people are so fed up with the risk of a corporate life that they are interested in taking their risk a different way…through franchising or by doing something entrepreneurial.
- Work out. Fitness supports mental health. Work out daily to burn stress and improve sleep.
- Coach or cheer. Take in your children’s events and feel great about being there!
- Thank your spouse/significant other often. Oh, and stay out of their way. No moping around the house.
- Network, but learn to recognize the difference between constructive and wasteful networking.
- Choose your coffee buddies carefully: don’t hang out too much with other unemployed professionals and when you do, keep the discussion positive and forward looking.
- Find a kindred spirit or two and hold each other accountable to moving forward.
The Bottom-Line
This one’s going to hurt. The days of hundreds or thousands of applicants for a typical opening are not going to end soon. A healthy frame of mind supports action and vice-versa. Remember, this too shall pass. Since none of us no how long however, waiting is not an option. Keep moving and stave off your metamorphosis into a ghost. You’ll come out of this a different, and perhaps new and improved professional.
Develop Culture Sensing Skills and Take the Blinders Off Of Your Career
Filed under: Career, Leadership, Leadership Skills, Management Education, Product Management, Professional Growth, Project Management, Sales, Your Professional Development "To Do" List
Note from Art: at least part of this post was prompted by some truly brilliant product managers interacting on twitter. The true-life career horror story is all my own!
One of my greatest career misfires was accepting a role in a firm where I had failed to properly assess the culture. I was blinded by the allure of this successful and global firm and by the sharp people that I met during the interview process.
Had I interviewed from the perspective of assessing the firm’s culture, I suspect that I would have realized that this was a highly political environment with a command and control leadership style that was counter to my own style and preference.
It took 18 months to unwind that mistake.
Fast forward a few years to where I am active as an educator, trainer, consultant and coach, and I rarely miss an opportunity in a program on leadership, product or project management to describe the importance of developing effective culture-sensing skills.
Top Sales Professionals Get Culture Sensing!
Interestingly, some of the best pros at sensing an organization’s culture are top sales performers and lateral leaders like product and project managers will be well-served to learn from their sales counterparts. Yeah, I know. product and project managers learning from salespeople?! It’s like cats and dogs living together. However, it can happen!
Think about it. Great salespeople are expert at quickly assessing a prospect’s business issues as well as understanding an organization’s approach to decision-making. A sales pro wants to know who makes the final decision, who owns the budget, who the stakeholders are and what the dynamics are that will allow an opportunity to move from interest to close. The faster that he/she can understand how things happen inside an organization, the easier it is to plot a strategy.
Pay Attention: Your Culture-Sensing Skills Will Serve You Well!
I can think of few skills more important for product and project managers and other lateral leaders to develop than culture sensing. All of the expertise in the world in the science of project management or in the understanding of a proper product management framework is for naught if the individual fails to take into account and leverage cultural idiosyncrasies to achieve results and drive improvements.
While the topic of organizational culture is big and broad, my emphasis is on the practical aspects of understanding a culture. From the perspective of someone new joining an organization, here’s just a few of the key cultural attributes or dimensions that they need to understand:
15 (or so) Powerful Culture-Sensing Questions You Need to Ask and Answer:
- What is the organization proud of? Who are the heroes and what are the heroic stories?
- How do people feel about the teams that they are part of?
- How does work get done?
- How are decisions made?
- Is individualism rewarded and encouraged or is the team, silo or unit at the top of the food chain?
- Am I working in a culture rich in values or bereft of any?
- How does innovation take place?
- How do people talk about the leadership?
- Is the spirit one of “can-do” or can’t do because”?
- What is the fighting style? Can people disagree vehemently on an issue and then go to lunch, or are grudges long and deep?
- Is there dissonance between stated goals and priorities and where the focus is placed?
- What’s the accountability culture like?
- What type of individuals prosper and what type struggle?
- What role do customers and what power does Voice of Customer play in the working environment?
- Can people talk about tough topics openly, up and down the ladder?
–
All of these and the many more that I could keep listing speak to various cultural dimensions that a lateral leader such as a product or project manager must understand to effectively execute on their roles.
Common misfires occur when individuals attempt to impose their own vocational dogma on a group that could care less what the PMBOK says or whether best practices in product management support the idea. The effective lateral leader doesn’t compromise his/her knowledge or best practices, but rather, learns to play and operate within the cultural dimensions to achieve the right outcomes.
As an executive, I never appreciated it when we were in project meltdown and I was confronted with a project manager highlighting how mucked up our processes were and how if only the team had listened to her guidance we would not be in this situation.
The same goes for Product Managers that I’ve known that would regale me with tales of tragedy and travesty at the hands of evil developers or manipulative salespeople as their excuses for why an offering had flopped or a customer had rejected the latest release.
While those examples underscore a number of shortcomings of the individuals, they also tell me that there was little understanding on their part of how to work within or to subtly and diligently help the culture evolve.
The Bottom-Line for Now:
My Product Manager friends have quite a bit more to say about what they are describing as the “anthropology of product management” and the importance of culture sensing. I’ve only scratched the surface of this topic, and suspect I’ll be back with more.
For now, my suggested take-away is for you to think consciously about understanding the environment you are working and operating in and leverage this knowledge to help drive performance improvement.
And for the large number of job seekers in the market, remember to apply these same questions to the firms that you are evaluating as part of your next step. A job is good, but 18 months was a long-time to reflect on my need to do a better job culture-sensing.
Leadership and the Young Professional
Filed under: Career, Current Affairs, Leadership, Leading the Generations
Every academic quarter for the past few years, a good colleague has invited me to be a guest speaker in her senior-level college management class and talk about leadership. I’m on the schedule tonight and I love this experience.
It’s great to have to stand in front of a group of early-career professionals and go through the humbling experience of recognizing that you are talking based on the road traveled and their view is on the uncharted horizons in front of them. Talk about different perspectives! You have to try and look backwards over their horizon to understand what they are looking at. Fail this and you will fail to relate.
You have to work hard to not come off like some dinosaur pontificating on your incredible body of experience. Remember, all that this audience cares about is “How can this ancient 40-something help me?”
The world that these young professionals are entering is very different than the world that many of us experienced. From technology to time and the nature of work (how, where and what), everything is different. It’s essential and a bit frightening to try and look through the eyes of a twenty-something at a world filled with an incredible array of technologies and opportunities, all cast against the backdrop of a world on watch for terror.
This college speaking experience always serves to remind me of how smart and worldly young professionals truly are. During the session, I provide them with a case that tends to befuddle most experienced managers. The crisp and correct answers that are communicated in this session showcase what its like for people to make decisions completely unbiased by corporate politics and all of the other barriers that we create for ourselves as we gain experience.
The Bottom-Line for Now:
As indicated, my principal topic tonight is leadership and while everything in our world is different than when we were starting out, some things are the same. The attributes and approaches that make a leader great still apply. Credibility, the ability to articulate a vision, ensuring that your words match your actions, delivering timely feedback and offering constant coaching are timeless practices of the best leaders of every generation.
Of course, we all know as well that you cannot teach people how to be leaders in a course or workshop or in a book. The best I can hope for is to plant some seeds on the commitment and hard work that it takes to be an effective leader and how all of us have to take responsibility for our own career and professional development. Come to think of it, these are good lessons for anyone of any age.
I look forward to feeling younger and smarter after my session tonight. I always do.
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