While there is no single definition of leadership, every organization, and senior leader is looking for ways to increase revenue and avoid costly mistakes to stay competitive. There are two very costly mistakes that leaders frequently commit. Unfortunately, it is the unintended consequences of these mistakes that are so costly. What makes these mistakes so challenging is that they are rooted in the leader's culture. These cultural "blind-spots" influence leaders to feel that they are forced to make unavoidable choices between opposite ends on a continuum. One mistake is the view of having to choose between leading and serving , and the other is the view of having to choose between rules and exceptions. When leaders decide between leading and serving, it is a failure to recognize that the leader becomes stronger when empowering and providing space for others to grow. The mistake of choosing between rules and exceptions is a failure to realize that good rules allow for exceptions, and both work together toward the organization's continuous improvement. Solving for these dilemmas requires the leader to make a fundamental shift in thinking. What is at risk? One-dimensional and linear thinking within organizations increases costs. Most leaders recognize and will openly espouse that employees are the organization's greatest assets. However, these same leaders also know that employees are a significant hard cost to the business . Labor accounts for up to 50% of budgets within some retail organizations. Failing to empower and grow employees and failing to improve an organization continuously is proven to result in the lack of employee loyalty, increased turnover, increased absenteeism, and ultimately an organization becoming obsolete. One IBM study found that employees were 12 times more likely to leave a company when they feel they cannot grow their careers. "If you believe that training is expensive, it is because you do not know what ignorance costs." (Leboeuf, 1985) Turnover costs for hourly employees are, on average, $1500 and up to two times of annual salary for senior-level employees. Absenteeism-related direct costs, such as paid days off, accounted for 8.1% of payroll costs in 2013 ( SHRM ), not including indirect costs associated with unpaid days off, such as the Family Medical Leave Act. Then there are the unintended opportunity costs when leaders inappropriately choose to use power in relationships to solve for these perceived opposing points of view. Inappropriately using power in the leader-follower relationship decreases intrinsic motivation and discretionary effort. Discretionary effort is the level of performance employees could give if they wanted to above and beyond the formal job requirements. Consider two employees are walking down a hall, both seeing a piece of paper on the floor. Only one employee stops to pick it up even though it is neither employees' job responsibility. Intrinsic motivation and discretionary effort involve unlocking the full human potential of an organization's employees. Cyclical and holistic thinking increases intrinsic motivation and discretionary effort. Case Study: A leader in an international company responsible for a corporate and companywide functional department faced a decision involving selecting a new information management system that would require organization-wide alignment of process. The influences of the different cultures, historical company decisions, regulations, and the use of a standard system amplified the rules versus exceptions dilemma. Unfortunately, the lack of alignment created a conflict that was eventually resolved by a costly mistake of using power (linear and one-dimensional thinking rather than cyclical and holistic thinking). The decision, while resolving the system issue, furthered the competition between parts of the same organization . Also, it contributed to feelings of unfairness and inequality and not being valued because it was turned into a win or lose situation. What can leaders do? Adopting and applying a servant leadership approach facilitates the necessary shift in thinking to solve common organizational dilemmas. Research has identified seven everyday leadership dilemmas that are amplified in a culturally diverse workforce: (1) leading-serving, (2) rules-expectations, (3) parts-the whole, (4) control-passion, (5) specific-diffuse, (6) short term-long term, and (7) push-pull. Table 1 reflects the foundational thinking shifts leaders make when adopting a servant leadership approach. Servant leadership involves: (1) listening to self and others, (2) empathy, (3) healing self and others, (4) awareness, (5) persuasion, (6) conceptual thinking, (7) foresight, (8) stewardship of other’s needs, (9) commitment to people development, and (10) building community. Servant leadership is proven to minimize the leader’s "cultural blind-spots" by shifting the thinking and focus on serving others, listening to employee’s needs, and developing strategies that consider cultural differences. It is through serving, the servant leader obtains a greater authority with followers. To learn more about servant leadership and three other emerging 21st-century leadership styles check out 4 Emerging Leadership Styles and Why You Should Care. References : Greenleaf, R. K., & Spears, L. C. (2002). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness (25th-anniversary ed.). Paulist Press. Leboeuf, M. (1985). The greatest management principle in the world. Putnam Pub Group. Spears, L. C. (1998). Servant-leadership. Executive Excellence, 15 (7), 11. Trompenaars, A., & Voerman, E. (2010). Servant-leadership across cultures: Harnessing the strength of the world's most powerful management philosophy . McGraw-Hill. Are you interested in better understanding your own leadership style? Contact Organizational Talent Consulting to learn more about a leadership style inventory assessment you can use to measure your preferred leadership style and receive individualized executive coaching. Register for an upcoming FREE webinar on servant leadership. Here is what you can expect: • What is servant leadership ? • Contemporary Leadership Theory Comparisons • Servant Leadership Value • The 5 Best Resources on Servant Leadership Use this site to find registration links for upcoming leadership development webinars

Results-driven leaders have a bad habit of working harder and longer hours. Hard work isn't bad, but isolation is hazardous. If achievement-oriented leaders are not careful, their drive can limit career opportunities, professional success, and the joy of living. In an increasingly uncertain world, executives need high-quality relationships with followers, but also peers, and others outside the workplace. Relationships impact the leader's effectiveness and ability to get help and information necessary to innovate and solve complex issues. Here is what the evidence suggests about networking and whether it is a distraction or an essential leadership capability. Why Networking Matters Networking is a life skill, and it involves building personal and professional contacts and relationships with others inside and outside of the workplace. Networking relationships can span the continuum of collaboration from cooperation to integrated relationships. Shared identity theory suggests that leaders share identity with individuals with whom they associate. And as a result, leaders are more likely to trust and influence those individuals than individuals and groups with whom they do not associate. The documented workplace benefits of networking include: Increased job opportunities Increased knowledge opportunities Enhanced innovation capacity Career growth Enhanced executive presence Increased influence In one study, high-performing leaders were found to establish high-quality networks and use those connections to establish better priorities and obtain necessary resources, support, and approvals for their team. The study also revealed that leader networking effectiveness of low-performing leaders was attributed to a lack of awareness associated with a lack of relationships. However, not all studies reveal a consistent positive association between networking and effective leadership. A recent study found the relationship between networking, business results, and leadership effectiveness more involved. The impact of networking appears to be moderated by the leader's ability to apply two different leadership behaviors: Representing - the ability to promote the group's interests and coordinate activities. Monitoring – scanning the environment for information and locating other people or groups that can help or potentially hinder team goals. In other words, if the networking is primarily self-oriented toward building friendships or advancing your career, the benefits on leadership effectiveness are less likely. How to Grow Your Professional Network A good starting point is to look internally at your organization. As you advance your career, your external network will become increasingly important, and you will want to make the most of your professional associations and conferences. Examples of potential network contacts include: Peers and co-workers from prior employers Past vendors, suppliers, and clients Professional connections from conferences Alumni from universities you attended Friends, neighbors, spiritual community members Professional organization members Professional service providers such as your accountant or insurance provider Using LinkedIn is a great networking hack for finding new connections and staying connected as time passes and people change jobs. Next, you need to get organized. You will be most effective with networking when you are prepared. I suggest you follow these steps to get started and remember that networking is a skill to be developed. Step1: Check your Motivation Evidence suggests that you will achieve more success if your focus is on growth and advancement instead of avoiding the negative consequences of not networking. Create a positive vision in your mind that will result from your networking. You are ready to start when your motivation and vision are primarily positive, and your paradigm is that networking is a critical leadership skill. Step 2: Be deliberate Remember, networking is more than exchanging business cards. You want to be interesting and interested in the other person. Think through the aspects of your current position and where you could use some support. Then create three questions in advance of your meetings based on your needs. Step 3: Schedule a networking meeting Using a short 20-minute meeting is a great way to be respectful of your contact's time. Keep your conversations focused. Spend the first couple of minutes connecting over a high-level topic. Shift and provide a short one-minute update on what you are doing now. Then use the bulk of your time to discuss your three prepared in advance questions. You may want to ask if they know anyone else you should connect with to help you learn more about your questions. End with asking if there is anything you could discuss that would help support them and wrap up your meeting. Step 4: Follow-up After the meeting, following up with a short thank you note for their time and help never hurts. Also, you will want to stay connected since you have invested in this relationship. Setting reminders at a frequency that makes sense can help you not lose track of this network relationship. Conclusion: Is Networking a Distraction or Important Leadership Skill? Growing and cultivating high-quality networks takes an investment of time and energy. Effective leaders understand the value of their network relationships. Being curious and deliberate is the best way to prevent your networking investment from being a distraction and maximize the return on your investment. Who do you need to get in your network? What information or experiences do you need to leverage? References Ballinger, M., & Perez, N. (2012). The 20-minute networking meeting - Executive edition: Learn to get a job. Career Innovations Press. Druskat, V.U. and Wheeler, J.V. (2003). Managing from the boundary: The effective leadership of self-managing work-teams. Academy of Management Journal. 46 (4), pp. 435-457. Hassan, S., Prussia, G., Mahsud, R., & Yukl, G. (2018). How leader networking, external monitoring, and representing are relevant for effective leadership. Leadership & Organization Development Journal . Johansen, M. and LeRoux, K. (2013). Managerial networking in nonprofit organizations: The impact of networking on organizational and advocacy effectiveness. Public Administration Review . 73 (2). pp. 355-363. O'Leary, R., & Bingham, L. (2009) The collaborative public manager . Georgetown University Press. Pollack, J., Forster, W., Johnson, P., Coy, A., & Molden, D. (2015). Promotion and prevention-focused networking and its consequences for entrepreneurial success. Social and Psychological Personality Science. 6(1) pp. 3-12.

Getting leadership transitions right is rare. Alarming evidence shows that more than half of executives fail within eighteen months of starting a new position. Organizations operate more like organisms than machines, and leadership changes increase workplace anxiety. When a leader struggles, the entire business underperforms. A recent pulse survey by PwC reveals that a staggering 65% of employees are considering a new career opportunity. In the new normal, leadership transitions are more common and more important than ever to get right. Investing in leadership and career development are great ways to drive business growth. So, how do you know which is a better investment for you to make, executive coaching or mentoring? Why You Need to Invest in Leadership Transitions Leadership transitions, whether successful or not, are costly. On average direct reports spend 10-20% of their time helping a new leader transition. Also, a study revealed that two-thirds of leaders in transition report they do not receive the support they need from their team. Evidence suggests that successful leadership transitions increase company revenue, have 13% lower attrition rates, and are 90% more likely to achieve long-term performance goals. Unsuccessful leadership transitions lead to 20% less employee engagement and 15% lower performance. Direct expenses for recruiting and hiring senior leadership positions are estimated at two times the job's annual salary. Also, businesses experience increased hidden costs from the loss of potential gains associated with not having the leader in place. Leadership transitions increase anxiety and stress in the workplace . Most leaders in transition wonder if they will get along with their new direct reports. And team members wonder how the change will impact their performance and future with the company. According to DDI, 35% of all executives promoted internally, and 47% of hired externally are considered failures. Leaders need feedback and support to make a successful transition. "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." Derek Bok What Is The Difference Between Executive Coaching and Mentoring? Executive coaching and mentoring are excellent strategies to support leadership and career development. Both approaches have been growing in popularity in successful organizations. However, as a certified executive coach and organizational consultant with over 25 years of talent management experience, I have seen firsthand how they are distinctly different and often confused. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching "as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential." Executive coaching focuses on moving toward the leader's future, assessing where they are currently, their goals for the future, and exploring and discovering the steps to get to their desired future. The ultimate goal is a change (e.g., behavioral, attitudinal, or motivational). Executive coaching is a purposeful process that helps executives develop and experience a positive transformation in life and leadership. The executive coach-client relationship is grounded in trust, transparency, and confidentiality. While the coach and client are the primary stakeholders, the executive's sponsoring organization is often an additional formal or informal stakeholder. Current evidence-based research supports various psychological approaches to executive coaching, such as cognitive-behavioral, solution-focused, strength-based, and GROW. While each approach is similar, the GROW model is a popular executive coaching approach. Mentoring, like coaching, can be approached in vastly different ways from business to business. The most effective mentoring is mentee-driven and mentor-guided. Mentoring is a dynamically reciprocal, active learning process. A mentor asks questions and shares personal past successes and failures. A coach uses questions but focuses on the leader, not the coach's experience. The Association for Talent Development (ATD) defines mentoring as "an informal association focused on building a two-way, mutually beneficial relationship for long-term career movement." Although many people believe that a mentor needs to be senior to the mentee, it is not critical to success. Like executive coaching, mentoring is a trust-based partnership. It is most effective with clearly defined roles, driven by the mentee, voluntary, and confidential. When Executive Coaching is Your Best Choice Executive coaching , instead of mentoring, can be the best choice for leaders preparing to make a leadership transition, are just getting started with a new career opportunity, or have hit a wall in their development. Many companies use executive coaching as a leadership transition acceleration tool. Executive coaching helps leaders who need a plan get focused. An executive coach increases blind spot awareness. Also, the coach keeps the leader feeling challenged versus being worried about what is next. Living life to the fullest can be at risk during a leadership transition. A coach can help the leader see different interrelated factors that impact them and be a true champion in a supportive way. Executive coaching encourages experimentation and self-discovery through the application of what is discussed. A skillful coach helps the leader dance in the present moment and take the necessary actions for their future. During leadership transitions, leaders need to shift their mindset to allow for new perspectives and take advantage of new opportunities. An executive coach challenges assumptions and encourages and stretches the leader to reach new heights in life and work. The benefits of investing in executive coaching are many; 80% of people who receive coaching report increased self-confidence. Over 70% benefit from improved work performance , relationships, and more effective communication skills. 86% of companies report that they recouped their investment in coaching and more. A limitation of executive coaching is that it focuses on the future and doesn't deal with the past. Executive Coaching Transition Example: A leader from one part of the world was assigned to take on operations in another in one organization. They hired an executive coach as part of the leadership transition support and cultural agility development. The virtual executive coaching relationship had three specific goals: improve the cultural awareness and agility of the leader in a new culture, keep the executive focused on their 90-day plan, and creative thought partner about decisions in a new culture. It is crucial to find a skilled and qualified executive coach. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is a globally recognized association with evidence-based competency and code of ethics certification requirements. Look for a coach that: Demonstrates Ethical Practice Embodies a Coaching Mindset Establishes and Maintains Agreements Cultivates Trust and Safety Maintains Presence Listens Actively Evokes Awareness Facilitates Client Growth I challenge you to invest in an executive coach for your leadership transition and see your business results improve. When Mentoring is Your Best Choice Mentoring can be the best choice for an organization looking to increase talent mobility and internal visibility to talent across the organization. Mentoring creates purposeful relationships providing access and mutually beneficial interactions between employees that may not typically connect. Mentoring provides leaders with a development-oriented relationship and can expose leaders to different business areas and encourage new careers. Both the mentee and the mentor benefit from increased exposure in the business. Mentoring is effective for encouraging ethical behavior and virtues. Where past experiences can help leaders understand decisions between right and right. The benefits of mentoring include increased job satisfaction , expanded perspectives, strengthened technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills. A limitation of mentoring is that the learning is grounded in the past experiences of the mentor. While that approach can be helpful, we are all created with different strengths and backgrounds. Also, contemporary leadership challenges can be vastly different. Mentoring Transition Example: In one successful mentoring relationship, the mentee was the VP of HR for a nonprofit. The mentor was the managing director of finance. The leaders from different parts of the organization arranged in-person and virtual face-to-face meetings once a month. The mentee described that the relationship helped them grow as a leader. Specific technical advice was provided on the use of financial dashboards. The connection enabled the mentee to approach the challenge from a big picture business finance lens. The mentor described that the relationship improved their awareness of the role of organizational talent and how to navigate difficult conversations with senior leaders. The right mentor is critical to the outcomes of the relationship. To find the right mentor: Get clear about what you want to accomplish personally and professionally. Know yourself and the characteristics you admire in others. Consider what career opportunity you would like to have Know the difference between a sponsor and a mentor Develop a pitch and a few questions to use with a potential mentor. Include your goals, how often you want to meet, agendas, and clarify it is OK to say no. Conclusion: Getting Leadership Transitions Right Leadership and career development are two of the best and most important steps companies can take to drive lasting success in the new normal. Supporting and investing in leadership transitions unlocks tremendous business value. Both executive coaching and mentoring provide massive leader and company benefits. However, this does not mean there isn't a best choice to make for you, given your situation and unique context. Let's talk about how we can help you achieve your goals with transformational executive coaching and organizational solutions that work. References Bharucha, K. (2013). Corporate finance: The cost of poor leadership transitions. Corporate Executive Board. Boushey, H., & Glynn, J. (2012). There are significant business costs to replacing employees , Center for American Progress. Eskandanian-Yee, C. (2020). A mentor versus an executive coach: Which one is best for your business? Forbes. Ettore, M. (2020). Why most executives fail: And four things companies can do about it. Forbes. Keller, S. (2018). Successfully transitioning to new leadership roles. Mckinsey & Company. Krbechek, A., & Tagle, A. (2020). The right mentor can change your career. Here's how to find one. NPR. Next in Work. (2021). PwC pulse survey: Next in work. PwC. Pease, M. (2021). Private struggle: Why executive transitions continue to fail. DDI. Syed, A., Miller, S., Safferstone, T., Selinger, R., Schmidt, C., & Freire, P. (2005). Succeeding with your new manager: Strategies for getting your relationship right. Corporate Executive Board. Tyler, K. (2014). Executive coaches ease leadership transitions. SHRM.

More than a few things have recently changed, and experts can agree that the world and workplace will remain turbulent into the future. We all likely need to make some changes now or will soon. Like rapids in a river, change is a natural and healthy part of growing your business. As the world changes, leaders and companies must change too. No CEO brags about the status quo. But, change imposed is often opposed. Making change work in a way that brings out the best in your organization is a leadership skill that is more important now than ever. Here is a simple four-step positive, strength-based framework to leading change that can breathe new life into your team. 70% of all organizational change initiatives fail. Really? A widely held perception is that most workplace changes fail. McKinsey and Company surveyed over 1,500 executives on their perceptions of change. They concluded that most changes fail because only a third of the executives in the study indicated that changes were entirely or, for the most part, successful. No matter your perception of change, the reality of a fast-moving economy and complex business environment makes the "change problem" increasingly difficult to execute well. Change is complex, whether broad or incremental. Like running a successful race, the work begins well before the first steps of the race and before the visible aspects of a change take place. In his book Leading Change, Kotter suggested that these initial steps are required to set the stage and loosen up the system. If organizations move too quickly or out of order, they get into trouble, leading to faulty decisions and wasted efforts. A positive strengths-based approach to change Too often, change processes begin with what is wrong. While it is imperative to fix problems, if you never spend time talking with others about what is possible, you miss the opportunity to engage in inspiring work that connects to purpose. A constant focus on what is wrong not only diverts attention from the best of what can be, but it's draining. Consider a scenario where one employee always asks what is wrong and complains about needed fixes. Another asks about the best of what is possible. Both conversations can lead to improvements, but focusing on what is wrong misses capturing the potential of what is possible. What if the leader reframes a need for change? From a negative to a positive? Instead of  reducing employee turnover, to  retaining your best employees Instead of  improving customer satisfaction, to  creating loyal brand advocates Instead of  improving quality, to  delivering exceptional customer experiences From problem to opportunity? Instead of  addressing a declining market share, to  identifying new growth opportunities and expanding into new markets Instead of  resolving conflicts within the team, to  building a cohesive and high-performing team culture Instead of  overcoming a skills gap, to  investing in employee development and upskilling From a challenge to a transformation? Instead of  dealing with a leadership crisis, to  embarking on a journey of organizational transformation Instead of  facing a major setback, to  learning from the experience and emerging stronger Instead of  dealing with resistance to change, to  engaging employees in the change process and building buy-in Appreciative Inquiry is an approach to change management that fosters positive transformation. It can be used in one-to-one coaching sessions, with teams to create strategic plans , or in companywide large-scale change initiatives. The fundamental assumptions of the Appreciate Inquiry process are that: People are more confident to make changes building on the best of the past Individuals, teams, and organizations move in the direction discussed In every person, team, or organization, something is good and works Questions create influence Words shape worlds Like other change management processes, this process starts with identifying the right team of core stakeholders to identify the focal point. The Appreciative Inquiry change management approach is a four "D" change management process. Use this link to download a one-page overview of Appreciative Inquiry. Appreciative Inquiry Step # 1: Discovery Once the focal point for the change initiative is identified, it begins with finding the best of what is already within the business. Traditional change management processes often begin by asking people to think about and discuss gaps and weaknesses. While this approach has been used successfully, it is not without risks. Asking what is wrong can put people on the defensive, create resistance and a lack of buy-in, and sometimes hinder rather than encourage change. One of my favorite appreciative questions to use at this step is: What would you wish for if you had three wishes to improve your organization's health and vitality dramatically? (and no, you cannot wish for more wishes) Appreciative Inquiry Step # 2: Dream After interviews are conducted, and the feedback is analyzed from the discovery step, the team phrases the vision and images of the dream into aspiration statements. The dream (or vision) step is about collaborating on the best of what can be. The outcomes from the discovery step are shared, and members of the change team co-create aspirational statements about the ideal future. Note: Some organizations dislike the idea of dreaming. In these organizations, I will substitute the word vision, which conveys a similar meaning and keeps people from getting hung up on the word. Appreciative Inquiry Step # 3: Design The design step is about establishing creative strategies to move from what is to what can be. Actionable organizational design elements are identified, critical internal ad external relationships are identified, and action-oriented design statements are created. Design statement example: Our customers expect and deserve timely service and expertise. Our organization has a state-of-the-art, world-recognized knowledge management and customer care system to support our capability to make on-the-spot, informed decisions necessary to meet all of our customers' individual needs. Appreciative Inquiry Step # 4: Destiny The Destiny Phase is the final stage in Appreciative Inquiry, where the organization takes action to implement the vision and goals created in the previous phases. It's a time of execution, celebration, and ongoing learning. In this phase, organizations review their goals and action steps to ensure they remain aligned with the vision and values. They then execute the strategies and initiatives developed in the Design phase with a focus on excellence and continuous improvement. The Destiny Phase emphasizes adaptability and flexibility. Organizations should be open to revising strategies and plans as circumstances change or new opportunities arise. This phase aims to establish an appreciative culture that supports the ongoing implementation of the vision. The Destiny Phase is not merely the end of the Appreciative Inquiry process; it is the beginning of a new era for the organization, characterized by a positive and appreciative culture that drives continuous improvement and innovation. How is Appreciative Inquiry different from other popular change management approaches? Traditional organizational transformation or problem-solving techniques often ask people to consider and discuss gaps, weaknesses, and problems in the current system or organization. While these approaches have been used successfully in many settings, they are not without risks. Problem-solving techniques can put people on the defensive, create resistance and a lack of buy-in, and sometimes hinder rather than encourage change. In contrast, AI focuses on the positive and builds on strengths to shape the future. Like other organizational transformation approaches, AI begins by framing the issue(s) and collecting data. However, unlike most other methods, AI provides a mechanism for framing problems and collecting data in an appreciative rather than a critical manner. While it is helpful to learn from mistakes, it is equally beneficial to learn from and carry forward victories and best practices. References: Cooperrider, D. & Whitney, D. (1999). Appreciative inquiry: Collaborating for change . Berrett-Kohler Publishing. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 Proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Rosenzweig, J. & Van Tiem, D. (2007) An appreciative view of human performance technology. Performance Improvement . Tasler, N. (2017). Stop using the excuse “organizational change is hard” . Harvard Business Review .

Have you ever sat in a meeting and wondered where the discussion was going or what was happening? Maybe the point being made seemed questionable, or the actions of others were divisive. It's frustrating and confusing when values are just words for marketing campaigns and corporate communications. A recent study found that only one in four employees strongly agree that they can apply their company's values daily. You've probably experienced this to some extent before, and maybe now you're in a leadership position. I'll tell you a secret: company values don't have to feel aspirational. Thriving cultures where employees can live out the organization's values are possible. They require an actionable understanding of company culture and the ability of leaders to transform values into daily actions. Here is what you need to know and do to set your company up with a thriving culture. Why a positive company culture makes a big difference Your company culture is the one thing that influences every aspect of your business. It directly impacts the overall success of your organization, employees, customers, and communities where you do business. An organization's underlying values influence employees' behaviors and decisions. Company culture is a shared pattern or system of beliefs, values, and behavioral norms. Stated simply, it's how things get done when no one is watching. Much has been written on the competitive advantage of a positive company culture. Research has directly linked the effects on financial performance, customer satisfaction, employee teamwork, team cohesion, employee motivation, employee retention, and employee engagement. Your company culture creates an internal and external brand identity that influences people's thoughts about your organization. A recent human capital trends study by Deloitte suggested that 95% of candidates believe culture is more important than compensation—also, companies with a positive culture experience 8x higher profitability than S&P 400 firms. No company is looking to stay the same year. As the world changes, people and businesses must change. Organizational culture is critical to innovation . Just as some organizational culture characteristics can support innovation, others can also inhibit innovation. An actionable measure of company culture Organizational culture is complex. But, defining the culture in measurable and actionable terms is essential for a thriving company culture. The concept of culture is often considered too abstract to address and is not well understood. A recent study found that only 12% of companies claim to have a program in place to define and improve culture. The organizational culture assessment instrument ( OCAI ) based on the Competing Values Framework is an actionable measure of company culture. The survey was adapted from work by Dr. Kim Cameron and Dr. Robert Quinn as part of their Competing Values Framework research at the University of Michigan. The study empirically concluded that a company's focus and flexibility moderate effectiveness. The Competing Values Framework identifies four fundamentally different cultures. Clan Culture creates a collaborative atmosphere like a family. This culture emphasizes the value of teamwork, participation, and a consensus decision-making style. Adhocracy Culture creates an energetic and entrepreneurial atmosphere. This culture stresses the importance of research and continuous improvement. Market Culture creates a competitive, fast-paced, results-oriented environment. This culture highlights coming in first. Hierarchy Culture is a top-down, formal, rule-based atmosphere. This culture emphasizes efficient, reliable, and cost-effective performance. Note: Adapted from Cameron and Quinn (2011). The framework enhances cultural understanding by simplifying the cultural description to only two fundamental dimensions: flexibility or stability and internal or external focus. The OCAI survey measures six aspects of the current and preferred organizational culture: Dominant characteristics describe the overall organization. Leadership style and how leadership competencies align to culture. Management of employees and the work situation. Organizational glue that holds everything together. Strategic emphases are the aspects of culture that guide strategy. Criteria for success determine the outcomes of an organization's culture. Instead of requiring companies to choose one ideal culture type, the survey and framework enable leaders to identify a preferred culture that uniquely aligns with current market trends and company strategic objectives. The survey highlights cultural congruence across teams. Evidence suggests that while cultural congruence is not a determinant of company success, incongruent organizations are much less effective. Congruence is the degree of alignment between current and preferred cultures along the six aspects of culture assessed. How to transform company values into company culture Individual change leads to organizational culture change. Different cultures have different needs for leadership competencies. Leaders should reflect on their leadership style before looking for ways to change the company. Consider how leadership habits align with your company values and the preferred culture. If you are looking for actionable and individualized feedback to enhance self-awareness of cultural strengths and opportunities, you will love using a 360-degree assessment customized to your needs. "Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out." Robert Collier After leadership has increased self-awareness, apply the following six culture levers to change how employees behave and perceive the company culture. Cutlure Lever # 1: What leaders pay attention to regularly. One of the most potent tools for leaders to shape culture is what they pay attention to regularly. What leaders choose to measure, reward, and control matters, and the opposite is also true. For example, suppose an organization wants to build an analytical orientation within the culture. In that case, a great starting point is to ask leaders what data they use to make decisions. By asking the question, you reinforce the importance of data-driven decision-making. Culture Lever # 2: How leaders react to critical incidents. Much can be revealed when a business or a leader faces a significant challenge. Mike Tyson said, "Everyone has a plan 'til they get punched in the face." These crucible moments in business are like a refining fire. It is the heightened emotional intensity that increases individual and organizational learning. For example, the recent global pandemic revealed much more about an organization's values than any about page on a website or company orientation ever would. Sodexo is one positive example of an organization that has demonstrated its commitment to employees even during a pandemic . Culture Lever # 3: How leaders allocate resources and control costs. Budgets reveal a lot about the organization's assumptions and beliefs. Resources include physical assets such as equipment, tools, and human resources. What gets resourced gets reinforced. Going back to the example of creating an analytical orientation, leaders should consider what tools and resources employees have available for data analytics. Culture Lever # 4: Deliberate role modeling and training. How leaders act and behave outside of training is more significant than what is said or demonstrated within leadership development events . Leaders looking to build an analytical cultural orientation would benefit by explaining to and showing the organization how they use data to make decisions on a routine basis. Culture Lever # 5: How leaders allocate rewards. Rewards and recognition come in many different forms. Also, what is considered a reward varies from person to person. What gets rewarded, how it gets rewarded, and what does not reinforce organizational culture. There are tangible rewards and social rewards. Simply saying thank you for presenting a decision using data analytics is a social reward. Culture Lever # 6: How leaders recruit, promote, and excommunicate. Who gets hired, promoted, and fired , and for what creates and reinforces organizational culture. Talent management decisions can be viewed as a more subtle nuance to culture change because decisions are influenced by explicitly stated criteria and unstated value priorities. A leader looking to influence an analytical cultural orientation would benefit from assessing the skill sets needed within the organization and then hiring based on those skills. Architecting a thriving company culture is time-consuming, but there is too much riding on it not to do something about it. As you get started, remember that organizations are likely to deny the need for change and become defensive at the suggestion of change. Organizational change creates anxiety for valid reasons. To overcome the barriers to change, the change leader needs to create a desire to survive and reduce learning anxiety by creating psychological safety . Leaders build psychological safety by demonstrating humility, selfless love, performance-based accountability, and vulnerability and consistently helping followers comprehend and accept the challenge. A plan on the front end will ensure desired results during execution. Sell the change within the company with a few concrete short stories, representing the best of the new culture and the necessity for change. Ensure a quick win is visible across the company. Be the change and turn your company values into action: Act! What is the real challenge ahead of you for a thriving company culture? References Bersin, J. (2015). Culture: Why it's the hottest topic in business today. Forbes. Bremer, M. (2019). How culture boosts performance. OCAI online. Cameron, K. S., & Quinn, R. E. (2011). Diagnosing and changing organizational culture: Based on the competing Cameron, K., Quinn, R., Degraff, J., & Thakor, A. (2006). Competing values leadership: Creating value in organizations. Clark. (2020). The 4 stages of psychological safety : defining the path to inclusion and innovation (First edition.). Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Incorporated. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Dvorak, N., & Nelson, B. (2016). Few employees believe in their company's values. Gallup Business Journal. Flamholtz, E. (2001). Corporate culture and the bottom line. European Management Journal. Vol. 19 (3). 268-275. Schein, E. H., & Schein, P. (2016). Organizational culture and leadership, 5th edition (5th ed.)

We all have experienced a lack of motivation at work. It's not that something is too difficult, but we procrastinate. How do some employees seem to develop the motivation to change while others struggle to start or persevere? Intentions without actions are only aspirations. You can't be successful in life or work without motivation, yet finding it is a struggle in some situations. So, can you motivate yourself to do something you don't want to get a result you really do want? A significant amount of behavioral psychology evidence suggests that the Premack Principle provides the key to unlocking motivation. Psychology is the same whether starting a more challenging workout, an advanced leadership certificate, or an undesired task at home or work. Here are four steps you can take to develop more motivation when you find yourself or those you lead procrastinating. Why work motivation matters Developing motivation is crucial because it allows us to change, grow, innovate, achieve big goals, make plans, and enhance our engagement. As a leader, motivation is a catalyst for business growth and organizational effectiveness. "Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action." William James Procrastination comes at a cost, and in this short video by Tim Urban, he explains the mind of a master procrastinator. Work motivation is the force within (intrinsic) and beyond (extrinsic) an employee to initiate work-related behaviors. The degree of an employee's motivation influences the intensity and duration of work behaviors. Evidence from numerous studies suggests that increased work motivation leads to the following: Improved performance Increased productivity Enhanced innovation and creativity Decreased absenteeism Decreased employee turnover Understanding motivation One of the earliest and most discussed models of motivation is Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory. Maslow suggested that physiological needs motivate employees. The requirements for food and water are at the most basic level, and self-actualization is at the highest level. Another early model from Herzberg suggested that work motivation is mainly influenced by challenge and reward reinforcement. Motivators increase job satisfaction, such as performance achievement, recognition, job status, and development. Hygiene Factors decrease job dissatisfaction, such as salary, working conditions, physical workspace, and supervisor quality. More recent studies have led to the categorization of work motivation into four categories: Positive-Negative. Positive motives include things perceived as pleasurable. Negative motives are those things perceived as punishment or fear. Intrinsic-Extrinsic. Intrinsic is doing something because it is inherently interesting or enjoyable, and extrinsic refers to doing something because it leads to a reward. Cognitive-Affective. Cognitive includes doing something for knowledge and mental or intellectual development, whereas affective is doing something for feelings or emotions. Economic-Moral. Economic motives are to achieve a goal associated with a fundamental need or support a desired standard of living. Moral motivation is to do something right or avoid doing something wrong. Evidence suggests that intrinsic motivation is more effective in the long term than extrinsic motivation. The Premack Principle is based on intrinsic motivation. What is the Premack Principle? The Premack Principle states that you will perform a less preferred (low probability) behavior to gain access to a more preferred (high probability) behavior. This might sound vaguely familiar if you are like me. I remember hearing my parents say that if you eat your vegetables, then you can have dessert. This principle explains how you can arrange contingencies to motivate yourself and others. However, the most significant leadership challenge often comes from accurately identifying the high-probability behavior. For example, you may enjoy reading versus watching a movie in your free time. But if you just finished reading a lengthy book, you may choose to go for a walk. Intrinsic motivation can change depending on the situation, how we feel, or what we have been doing. Here is a short video from leadership and behavior management expert Dr. Daniels on productivity and the Premack Principle. 4 Steps to develop more motivation at work Here are four steps to help you accurately implement the Premack Principle for yourself or others to develop more motivation in the workplace. Motivation Step 1: Make a list of what needs to get done. Start by creating a list of what needs to get done . Take about five minutes and write down everything you need to accomplish that is on your mind. When working with others, have them complete this task rather than attempting to guess. If implementing this principle with a new employee, it may help to have them use their job description. Motivation Step 2: Pinpoint the low-probability and high-probability behaviors. The more precisely you pinpoint a behavior leads to a more accurate and reliable behavior ranking. Rank the list from what you most like doing to what you least like doing. Get curious about what is motivating. When working with those you lead, you may find it helpful to create a structured reinforcement survey to learn about how employees spend their free time outside work. Although motivators are not always good reinforcers, they help enhance understanding. Motivation Step 3: Effectively communicate the contingency. Effective communication moderates implementation effectiveness and typically involves more than sending an email. The contingency refers to what follows a low-probability behavior to increase the probability of that behavior. Don't expect this to be obvious, and check for understanding. Motivation Step 4: Start at the bottom. Start with the item at the bottom of the list (low probability behavior) from step 2. When working up the list, each task becomes more desirable. Working down the list of tasks becomes more punishing. Studies have shown you will get two to three times more done by starting at the bottom of your list. One caveat is that if the bottom of your inventory is full of extreme drudgery, you will benefit by making the desired behavior the immediate following action for every third or fourth drudgery task. Motivation matters, especially for achieving big goals in life and work. As a leader, when you leverage the Premack Principle using the steps listed above, developing more motivation in others becomes easier. But let's be honest; we don't always get these steps right in the real world. It is essential to maintain a mindset of experimentation rather than simply success or failure. What is your real challenge with implementing the Premack Principle at work? References Daniels, A. C. (2000). Bringing out the best in people: How to apply the astonishing power of positive reinforcement (New & updated.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Dalphonse, A. (2022). Premack principle: A guide to using the first/then rule. Master ABA. Fishbach, A. (2018). How to keep working when you're not feeling it. Harvard Business Review. Klatt, K. & Morris, E. (2001). The Premack principle, response deprivation, and establishing operations. The Behavior Analyst, 24(2), 173-180. Reed, C. (2022). The truth about motivating employees to be more productive. National Business Research Institute. Vo, T., Tuliao, K., & Chen, C. (2022). Work Motivation: The Roles of Individual Needs and Social Conditions. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 12(2), 49.

When it comes to what a comfortable indoor temperature is, I am frequently in a different hemisphere than my family. On visits, debates are almost guaranteed. The surprising thing is that although spirited and sometimes a little animated, they are actually civil. And we enjoy our time together even if it means sometimes, some of us are covered in blankets. Differences are increasingly common. Distrust breeds polarization. Evidence suggests that, on average, leaders  spend more than four hours a week dealing with conflict. But healthy, productive disagreement is rare. So, how can we learn to work with people with values or opinions different from ours? Here are four evidence-based strategies for staying civil on topics more sensitive and vital to your organization's success than the temperature. The cost of unproductive conflict The distinction between productive and unproductive conflict lies in the importance of the issue and the amount of energy you put into it. Productive conflict is the open exchange of conflicting or differing ideas. Both parties feel equally heard, respected, and unafraid to voice dissenting opinions to reach a mutually comfortable resolution. Even though conflict may be uncomfortable, it is productive to have ideas challenged so we can learn and grow. Non-productive conflict is an exchange of conflicting or differing ideas. People do not feel equally heard or respected and are afraid to voice dissenting opinions. It arises when the real issues are not discussed and attention is placed on trivial matters, resulting in the conflict escalating. According to a survey of 5,000 full-time employees in nine countries, 85% of employees deal with conflict regularly at work. The estimated impact of non-productive strife in America is well over $1.5 billion annually, not to mention the emotional and psychological costs on the workforce. Beyond employee productivity and well-being, a study of 2195 employees found that one in ten cases of conflict results in employee turnover. Of course, it is natural to want to minimize workplace conflict. 4 Strategies for staying civil Silence is expensive, and there is value in opposing opinions. Some of your best advice will likely come from those who see things differently. Don’t miss out on that because you must be correct or desire to avoid conflict. Here are four strategies for staying civil. Strategy #1: Listen and Suspend Judgement Becoming curious and listening without judgment allows you to discover mutual benefits. Listening leaves the other person feeling valued, affirmed, and emotionally connected to you. Being heard creates safety in the relationship and is foundational to trust. Listening eases tensions and makes productive conflict work where resentment exists. Although being listened to is not commonly experienced in the workforce, listening is a leadership habit that can be developed with practice. One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say. Bryant McGill Leaders are under pressure, and listening without judgment is not likely to happen in a rushed environment. The key is not to try and force a conversation into an arbitrarily scheduled time frame or the five minutes on your way to your next meeting. Allow the option to reschedule additional time as appropriate. It is easy to not be aware that you are sending unintended signals. Put your technology on mute. Get curious about what they are saying and their emotions. This is not the time to multitask. Be natural and use verbal and nonverbal cues, such as nodding your head or saying yes, to let them know you are engaged. Before sharing your thoughts and ideas, paraphrase critical points, like when playing catch with a ball. When the conversation is tossed to you, that is the time to put what you heard into your own words and use that to make sure you hear the key points correctly before taking the conversation in a different direction. Just toss the ball back. Strategy #2: Be Authentic and Vulnerable Being open and candid demonstrates caring and respect, creating safety within the relationship for uncomfortable conversations. Regardless of leadership level or amount of experience, all leaders struggle with the tension of being vulnerable or not. Others want to know you care in difficult conversations. However, concerns about managing perceptions often derail leaders from  showing vulnerability in the workplace . Guarding in difficult conversations promotes distrust. “People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care” Theodore Roosevelt Although leaders are expected to convey an image of competence, confidence, and power, followers already know you are not perfect. Being vulnerable as a leader under challenging conversations requires courage. Vulnerability involves the willingness to take risks that might end in failure or create the best of what might be in the organization. The following short video from Simon Sinek expands on the tension leaders face and how to show vulnerability in the workplace as a leader. Keep the conversation genuine, especially if it involves your mistakes. This does not mean sharing personal secrets. Being authentic pertains to both the logical rationale aspects of the conversation and your feelings about the other person and the conversation. This does not mean sharing deep personal secrets. It means metaphorically inviting the other person inside your house rather than making them stand outside talking from behind your screen door of image management. Strategy #3: Promote Trust-Based Relationships Trust unlocks the full potential of any relationship and business. When conflicts occur, it is essential to demonstrate a concern for integrating others' interests. Trust is built when everyone involved leaves a disagreement without negative feelings. Establishing trustworthiness in relationships requires demonstrating a high degree of credibility, reliability, intimacy, and humility. Credibility is the most frequently achieved attribute of trustworthiness. It has rational and emotional aspects related to an individual's expertise and personal presence. Reliability is based on the frequency of interactions with someone and the consistency of expected behavior. Intimacy requires a personal willingness to have a courageous conversation. This is one of the key differentiating attributes of trustworthiness. Humility relates to the amount of focus placed on oneself versus the emphasis placed on the other person. A high degree of self-orientation creates significant distrust from others. The following acrostic, created provides a helpful way to remember how to build and restore trust: T – Transparency R – Relationship U – Understanding S – Shared Success T – Testing Assumptions Strategy #4: Have a Plan Creating productive conflict requires psychological safety in the relationship and a healthy workplace culture dedicated to the workforce. Have a plan for how you will approach conflict in your workplace. Your plan should include answers to what, when, where, how, and why specific to the situation and those involved. Encourage everyone to take ownership in resolving non-productive workplace conflicts . Create a culture of accountability for productive conflict that starts with your leadership. As Gandhi said, "be the change you wish to see in the world." Provide training for your leaders and employees on how to deal with workplace conflict. Training on creating productive conflict and communication should go beyond initial onboarding training for new employees. The next time you start feeling the temperature of the conversation rising, remember a voiding conflict takes time and energy. Avoiding conflict will only make matters worse for you, those involved, and the impact on your company. Commit and act on these four strategies. I might be wrong, but I think you will like the results. References: Behfar, K. J., Peterson, R. S., Mannix, E. A., & Trochim, W. M. K. (2008). The critical role of conflict resolution in teams: A close look at the links between conflict type, conflict management strategies, and team outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93 (1), 170-188. Cabrera, A., & Unruh, G. (2012). Being global: How to think, act, and lead in a transformed world. H arvard Business Review Press. Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development. (2015). Getting under the skin of workplace conflict: Tracing the experiences of employees. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits:10 proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Fukuyama, F. (1995). Trust: The social virtues and the creation of prosperity. Free Press. Glaser, J. (2014). Conversational Intelligence: How great leaders build trust and get extraordinary results . New York: Bibliomotion, Inc. Hayes, J. (2008). Workplace conflict and how businesses can harness it to thrive. CPP Global Human Capital Report. ICF. (2020). 2020 ICF global coaching study: Executive summary. International Coaching Federation. Maister, D. H., Green, C. H., & Galford, R. M. (2000). The trusted advisor . New York: Free Press. SHRM. (2021). Managing workplace conflict. Toolkits. The Myers-Briggs Company. (2022). Conflict at work: A research report.

It is easy for a leader to kill motivation and respect within a team. A lack of attention or emotional connection and you are perceived as being aloof. Too much attention in the day-to-day, and the team feels a loss of autonomy and control. Research suggests that mismatched management reduces morale, trust, and productivity and increases employee turnover. Partnering for performance is one way to develop self-reliant achievers and avoid micro-managing your team. It is a high ROI investment into your success and business growth. Here are three keys to effectively partnering for performance. What is mismatched management? Mismatched management occurs when leaders micro-manage and take away decision-making from capable and committed followers or macro-manage and fail to provide enough direction. Micro-management is a hard habit to break. It is described as an overly hands-on approach when leaders don't delegate, overcommunicate, or manage with excessive control and attention to detail. This leadership style often stems from believing that the leader knows best and the stakes are high. Leaders who trust their follower's competence and commitment are less likely to micromanage. Self-determination theory (SDT) suggests that intrinsic work motivation stems from the psychological needs of employees to possess autonomy, mastery, and purpose. When leaders micro-manage, it demotivates followers by increasing feelings of loss of control. Here is a humorous example of micro-management from the movie Office Space. Macro-management is a hands-off approach when leaders don't get involved and provide too little coaching and support for their team. This style of leadership is described as laissez-faire. Which loosely translated from French, means "let it be." Macro-management often stems from misreading the needs of followers and placing trust in followers based on assumptions rather than mutual understanding. When leaders abandon followers, team members experience feelings of confusion and frustration. What is partnering for performance? In today's complex and ambiguous workplace, leaders must excel in managing and leading to achieve success and significance. Excelling in management does not happen without intentional focus and striving for something greater. "Your role as a leader is even more important than you might imagine. You have the power to help people become winners." — Ken Blanchard⁠ A saying made famous by American football coach Vince Lombardi is that excellence is achieved in the pursuit of perfection. To excel at management requires a clear vision of the ideal and hard work toward performing at the highest level possible. Partnering is about agreeing on what you and your team need from each other as you work together toward shared goals. It focuses on doing things right and managing routine complexity in day-to-day activities. A leader's ability to engage and retain their team is essential for excelling in management. When leaders appropriately partner for performance, it leads to an improved discretionary effort, trust, and intent to stay outcomes. Key #1: High-Quality Relationships Partnering with followers begins with developing high-quality relationships. These relationships unlock the potential to understand better the stated and unstated needs of followers and the given situation. Leaders with high-quality relationships are more likely to match their management approach with the follower's needs and give their people the space they need to succeed and learn. A common theme in the research on building or restoring trust in a relationship is to be transparent in your discussions. Ironically, the most robust trust occurs when we can disagree and leave the conversation without negative feelings. The goal is to create safety by being open and candid to demonstrate caring and respect. This intimacy requires being personal and the willingness to have an uncomfortable conversation. Next, focus on building the relationship. As a leader, this requires you to step back and discuss what works for others and you. Creating a shared idea of success is the goal. The "your way or the highway" leadership style does not work to build or restore trust in relationships. It is essential to understand both the context and perspectives of others and emphasize the other person. Lastly, do not judge too quickly. Learn to test assumptions about a follower's commitment and capability and try to see the world from their point of view. Key #2: Diagnosis Figuring out the follower's task competence level and commitment requires communication and trust-based relationships. Without a complete picture of the needs of followers, it is difficult to get the correct level of attention, leading to followers' feelings of micro- or macro-management. High-quality trust-based relationships create the opportunity for feedback to understand if a leader's understanding is accurate and, as needed, how to align their leadership style. There are four attributes to diagnose competence and commitment. What is the specific goal or task in question? How strong are the follower's demonstrated or transferable task knowledge and skills? How motivated is the follower toward the task? How confident is the follower about the task? Key #3: Agility Once leaders appropriately understand the follower's needs, they must be agile with their approach to the proper level of support, motivation, and direction needed. Followers with less task maturity need guidance; followers with more significant experience and commitment need more supporting behaviors. A common fallacy is that followers need the level of direction and support the leader required when they were doing the task or that a one-size fits all approach works. The best practice is to apply the Platinum Rule. Do for others as they would want to have done for them. Partnering for performance is one way to get the performance you need. What is your real partnering for performance challenge? References: Blanchard, K. (2007). Heart of a Leader: Insights on the Art of Influence. David C. Cook Publishing Company. Glaser, J. (2014). Conversational Intelligence: How great leaders build trust and get extraordinary results. New York: Bibliomotion, Inc. Leavy, B. (2020). The dynamics of empowering leader/follower relationships. Strategy & Leadership, 48(6), 27-33. Zigarmi, D., & Roberts, T. P. (2017). A test of three basic assumptions of situational leadership® II model and their implications for HRD practitioners. European Journal of Training and Development, 41(3), 241-260.

What makes certain leaders excel in the workplace while others struggle? Have you ever wondered if you were capable of getting more out of life and work? In the Netflix series Medal of Honor, inspiring stories of impossible bravery are recreated from sworn accounts and battlefield forensics. You quickly learn combat is not something great, and recipients of the nation's highest recognition don't set it as a goal. But these heroic lessons from the worst day of life reveal an unexpected leadership lesson. It's a leadership mindset and skillset for how to become a better leader than you thought possible. Selfless love changes everyone and everything The contemporary workplace needs a different kind of leader. Rates of stress, anxiety, sadness, and anger are trending up. In a recent survey, Gallup found that 57% of US employees feel stressed daily. In speaking with frontline to c-suite leaders across various industries, one common theme is that the new normal is crisis-driven. In the series trailer, Medal of Honor recipient Army Capt. Florent Groberg says , "One thing you will learn a lot about in combat is love." The stories in the series remind us of what has been done for our country and what is possible when leaders embrace selfless love . Selflessness means being more concerned with the needs and desires of others than with your needs. And one of the best definitions I have come across for love in the workplace context comes from St. Thomas Aquinas. "To love is to will the good of the other." St. Thomas Aquinas Selfless love is a radically different paradigm from a transactional worldview of the workplace. Without selfless love in the workplace, the best of what might be is impossible Selfless love creates remarkable courage that overcomes the fear of failure. Selfless love unlocks the leader's and their team's potential to deliver amazing results. Overcoming the fear of failure No organization is looking to stay the same year over year. Fostering innovation within an organization is an increasingly important leadership behavior for every business. Innovation and failure are interconnected, where one produces the other. Failure is not always bad, but an unhealthy fear of failure puts results at risk. Fear minimizes experimentation and risk-taking, which impact innovation and change. The greater the fear of failure, the more likely an individual or organization will avoid taking necessary risks. "On his very worst day, he managed to summon his very best. That's the nature of courage — not being unafraid but confronting fear and danger and performing in a selfless fashion. He showed his guts, he showed his training; how he would put it all on the line for his teammates." President Obama speaking of Medal of Honor recipient Captain Groberg Selfless love creates remarkable courage that overcomes fear. When leaders practice selfless love, it creates safety where followers are more willing to take risks and be open to failures. Selfless love does not imply that leaders ignore the fear of failure. Instead, they recognize the negative influence of fear and use it as an advantage. Delivering Results and Maximizing Performance Potential Too often, employees are treated like light bulbs, considered disposable. When they aren't working well, leaders look to replace them. Disposable employees aren't committed to the business, and a failure to maximize employee performance is a costly mistake. Selfless love unlocks potential in the leader and their team, delivering amazing results and business growth. Selfless love makes a better workplace and improves outcomes. It increases leader and follower commitment, increasing intrinsic motivation that amplifies workforce alignment and business strategy benefits. Evidence suggests that increased employee intrinsic motivation causes people to achieve better business results. In addition to increased productivity of expected behavior, selfless love impacts an employee's discretionary effort , also known as organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Discretionary effort is considered the penultimate type of performance in organizations. OCB is when employees contribute to an organization beyond their formal job requirements. There's nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer. "— General James Doolittle, Medal of Honor Recipient An emerging leadership style for the new normal Evidence suggests that only 43% of employees indicate a positive team climate at work, only 30% see a reason to say something when they see something is wrong, and only 30% believe their opinion counts. This distrust breeds polarization in society and the workplace. There are many red flags that the workplace is in trouble. Gallups Global Workplace report found evidence suggesting that 2 in 10 employees consider their mental health fair or poor, 3 in 10 are engaged at work, and 5 in 10 are only doing the minimum required at work. Effective leadership makes a difference in the results you achieve and the life you live. The costs of poor leadership often show up in the workplace disguised as low employee engagement, a lack of team cohesion and collaboration, high employee turnover, and failed execution. Leaders must continually transform and adapt or fall behind. Striving for better habits is a competitive advantage available to any leader looking for a powerful point of differentiation. Servant Leadership is a distinctly different emerging leadership style described by the attribute of selfless love. A servant leader serves others first. The benefits of servant leadership extend beyond reducing costs and improving performance to include employee retention, intrinsic motivation, and discretionary effort. The following short video from leadership expert Ken Blanchard provides some thoughts on the power of servant leadership in today's workplace. Robert Greenleaf is attributed by most as the founder of servant leadership, described a servant leader as a servant first and used the following test to answer the question, what's servant leadership? The best test, and difficult to administer, is: do those served grow as persons; do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society; will they benefit, or, at least, will they not be further deprived. ~Greenleaf & Spears Are you a Servant Leader? Take this free quiz to learn if your leadership style aligns with servant leadership. If you’re like most leaders, you’re running from meeting to meeting and working at a breakneck pace to manage your business and help those around you be successful. You’ve probably neglected to invest in your development more than once and wish you had a meaningful development plan to help you and your business grow and lead at a higher level. I invite you to check out our Servant Leadership Development Program . I challenge you to apply selfless love as a leader in the workplace and see your business results improve. W hat about your leadership style needs to change to get more out of life and work? Key Summary Points Selfless love changes everyone and everything Selfless love creates courage and overcomes the fear of failure Selfless love unlocks potential in the leader and the organization Selfless love delivers amazing business results The world needs a different kind of leader. Selfless love is rare. References Becchetti, L., Castriota, S., & Tortia, E. C. (2013). Productivity, wages, and intrinsic motivations. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 Proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose . Organizational Talent Consulting. Gallup Workplace. (2021). State of the global workforce. Gallup. Greenleaf, R. K., & Spears, L. C. (2002). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness (25th-anniversary ed.). Mulinge, P. (2018). ALTRUISM AND ALTRUISTIC LOVE: Intrinsic motivation for servant-leadership. The International Journal of Servant-Leadership, 12(1), 337-370. Patterson, K. (2003, October 16). Servant leadership: A theoretical model [PDF]. Shu, C. (2015). The impact of intrinsic motivation on the effectiveness of leadership style towards work engagement.

One of the greatest leadership challenges during organizational change is making the invisible visible. Many leaders underestimate this. They focus on flawless execution. To remain competitive, companies must avoid costly mistakes. But emphasizing implementation without creating a sense of urgency can create change resistance and confusion, causing people to give up before they start. These leaders underestimate the organizational inertia needed to achieve big results. Any organization can move forward with small incremental changes, but building for the future in today's rapidly evolving environment means making bold changes. Here is one practical tool busy leaders can use to keep their pulse on what matters most during major organizational change. Why you need an organizational change framework Benjamin Franklin suggested that the only certainty in life is death and taxes. I would add change. As the world changes, leaders and businesses must change, too. Too often, organizational change management is simply a series of communications in which executives or project managers inform the business that change is coming. Leading change is more than communicating its features, advantages, and benefits. Adopting an organizational change framework helps you and others manage the people side of change and create organizational inertia. Culture is one thing that influences everything in your organization. An organization's culture is composed of norms of behavior and shared values. Employees and leaders do not reinforce behaviors they do not value. A leader alone can create the organizational inertia needed to change without followers, not even the CEO. In my experience, the critical success factors are finding a framework structure simple enough to be understood by others and staying flexible in your approach. I have two organizational change frameworks I frequently use when working with leaders to implement bold change . And I like that you don't have to be an organizational development expert to understand and apply these two frameworks. Kotter's eight-step change management model provides an easy-to-follow roadmap for change managers. The eight steps are sequential, and Kotter suggests that skipping steps leads to failure. Create a sense of urgency Assemble the guiding team Develop a compelling vision Create a communication plan Develop and implement the plan Evaluate results and impact Generate and celebrate early wins Don't let up! I recommend reading Leading Change by Kotter for a more technical understanding of these steps . If  you prefer a more fabled approach, consider reading Our Iceberg is Melting by Kotter. ProSci's ADKAR model is a go-to change framework. It is short and to the point. A – awareness of the change D – a desire to participate and support the change K – knowledge of how to change A – ability to implement the desired skills and behaviors R – reinforcement to sustain the change To learn more about the ADKAR model, I recommend reading ADKAR: A model for change in business, government, and our community by Hiatt. Keeping your pulse on what matters most during organizational change Busy leaders can miss subtle signs of confusion, resistance, anxiety, frustration, or retreat during change. A pulse check helps change leaders make the invisible visible. Collecting structured feedback aligned with a change framework helps leaders stay connected with those impacted by the change. A pulse check can help identify potential barriers to change so leaders can bring out the best in their followers throughout the change. Pulse checks can collect this feedback in many different ways. Asking questions in one-to-one or team meetings is a great way to create a conversation. Also, an anonymous organizational survey can help awareness of concerns without fear of consequences. 10 Question organizational change pulse check The added benefit of using a structured survey is the ability to monitor trends and assess the effectiveness of interventions to help remove barriers. The following 10 statements align with the Kotter and ADKAR change frameworks. When administering these in a survey format, I suggest asking participants to respond by ranking each statement on a scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree. I understand why I need to change and the impact on my job. I know the business case for change. The right people are in the correct positions to support the change. I am aligned with the change vision. My peers are on board with the change. The organization has shared goals aligned with the change vision. I have the knowledge, skills, and ability to successfully perform in new ways aligned with the change. I understand how to achieve quick wins and have the support needed. Leadership is committed to the change. I receive rewards and recognition for behaviors aligned with supporting the change. The goal of a pulse survey is not to achieve a perfect score but to identify hidden strengths or blind spots so you can best lead the change. You should repeat and adjust the questions over time. When consistently receiving strongly agreed-upon responses, you know it's time to change the questions. A key to success with survey feedback is listening to understand the why behind the responses by engaging in a two-way conversation and acting on what you learn. What is the real change management challenge for you? References Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Hiatt, J. (2006). ADKAR: A model for change in business, government, and our community. Prosci Research. Kotter, J. (2018). Leading Change. Harvard Business Review Press

What does it take to foster organizational commitment in an uncertain world? Marginal commitment might be the new normal, but that doesn’t mean it has to be your reality. As industries worldwide face increasing instability, businesses justify layoffs and downsizing with, “It’s not personal, it’s business.” In response, employees in a stable, low-unemployment economy say, “It’s not personal. I have to make difficult decisions for my family and career.” This dynamic exposes a critical truth for leaders: a committed team is no longer just a competitive advantage—it’s the foundation for navigating uncertainty and thriving. Weak leaders may deflect blame onto employees for their lack of commitment, but exceptional leaders take ownership and know that building loyalty is their responsibility. Here are three powerful accelerators to foster organizational commitment, maximize business value, and position your company as uber-attractive to employees. Why Organizational Commitment Matters Organizational commitment benefits employees, teams, and their companies. Evidence links higher levels of organizational commitment with: Increased employee productivity Increased revenue Increased employee retention Decreased operating costs Decreased absenteeism In addition to increasing expected behavior, organizational commitment unlocks discretionary effort. Evidence suggests that committed employees are more likely to contribute in unexpected ways. Discretionary effort or organizational citizenship behavior is considered the ultimate type of performance. For example, two employees walking down a hall see a piece of paper on the floor, but only one employee stops to pick it up. Even though it is neither an employee's job nor responsibility. When an employee goes beyond what is expected for the benefit of your organization without being asked, that is discretionary effort. What is Organizational Commitment? Organizational commitment is employee dedication, which results in their intent to stay with their current organization. The Three-Component Model is one of the most popular ways to describe organizational commitment. This framework suggests there are three distinct types of organizational commitment: Affective commitment: An employee's emotional attachment toward the organization. Continuance commitment: An employee's belief that leaving the organization would be too costly (golden handcuffs). Normative commitment: An employee's feeling of obligation to stay because it is the right thing to do. Recognizing that the degree of commitment depends on multiple factors the individual defines is essential. For example, consider an employee working for a family-run business with a strong culture and attractive long-term incentives. In this situation, the employee would likely have affective commitment, being happy about staying in the company, but also continuance commitment because they don't want to give up the long-term benefits that the job provides. Finally, given the nature of the job, the individual would feel an obligation to the family, which would lead to normative commitment. What influences organizational commitment? Research has identified various factors that affect the direction and strength of organizational commitment, such as: Job satisfaction Have you ever wondered if your job is right for you? Job satisfaction is your positive or negative feelings and emotions toward your work. When employees commit more to their organization, they are more likely to experience a greater sense of job satisfaction. Studies have demonstrated that satisfied employees are more productive, have higher retention rates, increase company revenue, and lower costs. Employee Empowerment Many leaders can achieve their goals and even increase company revenue. But, in a world of constant change, organizations and leaders need employees who proactively engage in problem-solving, change, innovation, and challenging the status quo. Senior leaders need followers who take charge to create a competitive advantage. Evidence suggests a positive correlation between employee emotional and psychological empowerment , job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Workplace Stress Role ambiguity and conflict are two typical workplace stressors linked to employee burnout. Role ambiguity refers to unclear roles and responsibilities, while role conflict means starting your day feeling you cannot win. Research suggests that organizational commitment moderates workplace stressors. When leaders build organizational commitment within the workforce, workplace stressors have a lesser effect on employee stress levels and burnout. Organizational Commitment Accelerators Here are a few practical steps leaders can take today to accelerate organizational commitment within their team without breaking the bank. Accelerator 1: Leadership style How you lead matters. Compelling evidence indicates that how you lead moderates organizational commitment and results. For example, Laissez-faire leadership has a negative correlation with organizational commitment. Laissez-faire leadership is where leaders let employees do as they wish. I also call these country club leaders. They want everyone to like them, so they avoid difficult conversations. Servant leadership is an example of a leadership style that increases leader and follower commitment, yielding increased intrinsic motivation that amplifies workforce alignment and business strategy benefits. Servant leaders serve others. When employees feel supported by leadership, it significantly enhances organizational commitment. Humility is a core characteristic of a servant leader. You can show humility and vulnerability in challenging conversations by: Being transparent: Keep the conversation genuine, especially when it involves your mistakes. This does not mean sharing personal secrets. Asking for feedback and being willing to learn: Vulnerability is about being weak to defend your point of view and desiring to listen and learn something new. Putting followers first: It is not about winning or having the best answer but caring so much about followers and the desired outcome of the conversation that you are willing to risk failing. Demonstrating selfless love: Selfless love is to will the good of another. As a leader, being vulnerable in a difficult conversation requires showing self-awareness, empathy, and compassion rather than speaking from positional power. Taking action. Difficult conversations are costly when neglected. After you check your motivation, vision, and paradigm for effect, you will want to consider the conversation's what, where, how, and when. Take this free leadership style quiz to identify your tendency to be a servant leader. Accelerator 2: Organizational Culture A recent study suggests organizational culture is the most potent driver behind the Great Resignation. No leader strives to create a toxic culture . However, when a gap exists between perceived and stated values, the employee's organizational commitment suffers. Especially when the disconnect involves values that are people-oriented or ethical behavior, you can architect a positive company culture that accelerates organizational commitment by: Being the change: Demonstrate good behavior and ask for feedback from followers about what you do that bothers them. Evaluate the ethical consequences of your decisions and create an open-door policy allowing employees to provide input where their voices and concerns can be heard. Architecting a positive culture: Hire and fire employees to create and reinforce the desired company culture. Share stories about how followers should respond in different situations and the costs when they don't. Reinforce and communicate the importance of trust and teamwork—reward employees who live the desired culture. Accelerator 3: Development Opportunities Opportunities to participate in training improve skills, job performance, feelings of self-worth, and affective commitment to the organization. Development doesn't have to take the form of sending an employee to an expensive conference to accelerate organizational commitment. Simply letting employees practice and try new tasks or take reasonable risks and make decisions positively affects organizational commitment. Here are a few additional lower-cost, high-impact development opportunities : Coaching : Use existing coaching relationships to provide employee development feedback. Coaching with a development focus leads to improved morale and overall productivity. Social media: Integrating social media and networking into ongoing development is an inexpensive means of supporting employee development. Employee Networks: These networks create an inclusive environment, allowing people from diverse backgrounds to collaborate toward mastery. Mentoring: Mentoring creates a reciprocal and collaborative relationship that improves employee performance, sense of value, retention, and internal career progression. Depending on your situation, these organizational commitment accelerators may be the most important, or you may need to work on others. Building organizational commitment takes time, but taking steps in this direction is good for everyone—you, your employees, and your customers. What is your real organizational commitment challenge? References Ahmad, & Oranye, N. (2010). Empowerment, job satisfaction and organizational commitment: a comparative analysis of nurses working in Malaysia and England. Journal of Nursing Management , 18 (5), 582–591. Bulut, C., & Culha, O. (2010). The effects of organizational training on organizational commitment. International journal of training and development , 14 (4), 309-322. Caillier, J. G. (2013). Satisfaction With Work-Life Benefits and Organizational Commitment/Job Involvement: Is There a Connection? Review of Public Personnel Administration , 33 (4), 340–364. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-Changing Leadership Habits: 10 Proven Principles That Will Elevate People, Profit, and Purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. King, R., Sethi, V. The moderating effect of organizational commitment on burnout in information systems professionals. Eur J Inf Syst 6, 86–96 (1997). Meyer, J.P., & Allen, N.J. (1997). Commitment in the workplace: Theory, research and application. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Ortega-Parra, & Ángel Sastre-Castillo, M. (2013). Impact of perceived corporate culture on organizational commitment. Management Decision , 51 (5), 1071–1083. Ramdani Bayu Putra, & Hasmaynelis Fitri. (2021). The Effects of Mediating Job Satisfaction on Organizational Citizenship Behaviors with Servant Leadership and Human Relations as Antecedent Variables. Andalas Management Review , 5 (1). Walumbwa, F., Hartnell, C., & Oke, A. (2010). Servant-leadership, procedural justice climate, service climate, employee attitudes, and organizational citizenship behavior: A cross-level investigation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95 (3).

The advances in technology within the workplace are revolutionizing Human Resources (HR) and creating many exciting new opportunities. Technology is collecting massive amounts of data with the potential to create a competitive advantage. As the world changes, people and businesses must change too. There is a growing need to focus on using analytics within human resources (HR) to hire top talent and achieve diversity , equity, and inclusion (DE&I). CEOs and boards recognize they need to have the right people with the right skills in the right jobs to gain a competitive advantage and are championing these changes. Data analytics is changing the HR game and improving organizational talent decision making. "It is logical to expect that the better we manage our talent, the better an organization will be at achieving its mission" (Mayo, 2018). Changing the Game Leading HR organizations are using descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive people analytics. Unfortunately, many organizations have inequities in their hiring and compensation processes. HR is using analytics to understand pay-equity attributes such as tenure, location, experiences, and skills so organizations can make better compensation decisions. Additionally, studies support that when HR applies people analytics to identify low and high performers' skills and attributes, leaders tend to make unbiased decisions in talent acquisition processes. Blockchain is a disruptive technology trend with promising new opportunities for HR functions. The secure decentralized network verification created through blockchain simplifies hiring, performance management, and total rewards. For example, blockchain is being used to: verify applicants' backgrounds in the hiring process streamline verification of external credentials for performance management simplify international compensation in local currencies eliminating the use of a go-between improve workforce competency through learning and development. In the constrained resource reality within Human Resources departments, the apparent benefits of improved efficiency and reduced costs attract many leaders to consider the use of technology for automation. However, before investing in automation, HR leaders need to consider if perceived or real diminished service levels will offset the value of automation for employees, key stakeholders, and customers. Sometimes in the excitement of looking ahead to future possibilities associated with innovation, it is easy to underestimate and forget to consider the full range of potential reactions. In Olaf's words from the movie Frozen, advancing technology can be both our savior and our doom without proper change management. Cultural Considerations It takes more than selecting the right technology investment to realize a positive return on investment from analytics. Investments in people analytics have underperformed primarily due to HR organizations' failure to change their operating model, data architecture, and user experience. Organizations need to consider company culture , processes, and people's role to maximize an organization's investment into data analytics. We can partner with you to develop a customized solution to transform your organizational culture and build a more change resilient organization. Walk with us and build increased organizational resilience and a culture that fits the future of the business you need. Contact us to get started today. References: Bartlett, R. (2013). A practitioners guide to data analytics : Using data analysis to improve your organizations decision-making and strategy . McGraw-Hill. New York. Fachrunnisa, O., & Hussain, F. K. (2020). Blockchain-based human resource management practices for mitigating skills and competencies gap in workforce. International Journal of Engineering Business Management, 12 doi:10.1177/1847979020966400 Intelligent HQ. (2018). Using blockchain in human resources . London: Newstex. Kaji, J., Hurley, B., Gangopadhyay, N., Bhat, R., & Khan, A. (2019). Leading the social enterprise: Reinvent with a human focus [PDF]. Deloitte Development, LLC. Marler, J. H., & Fisher, S. L. (2017). Making HR technology decisions: A strategic perspective (First ed.). New York, New York (222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017): Business Expert Press. Mayo, A. (2018). Applying HR analytics to talent management. Strategic HR Review, 17 (5), 247-254. doi:10.1108/SHR-08-2018-0072 Noack, B. (2019). Big data analytics in human resource management: Automated decision-making processes, predictive hiring algorithms, and cutting-edge workplace surveillance technologies. Psychosociological Issues in Human Resource Management, 7 (2), 37-42. doi:10.22381/PIHRM7120196 Oster, G. (2009). Listening to Luddites: Innovation antibodies and corporate success. Review of International Comparative Management. vol. 10(4), pages 647-667, October. Upadhyay, P., & Kumar, A. (2020). The intermediating role of organizational culture and internal analytical knowledge between the capability of big data analytics and a firm’s performance. International Journal of Information Management, 52 , 102100. doi:10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102100 Zielinski, D. (2019). People analytics software is changing the HR game . SHRM HR Magazine. Upcoming Webinar Series We know you are going to love these complementary leadership and professional development events! Organizational Talent Consulting’s webinar content is developed to help leaders meet today's complex workforce and digital challenges. Our free live webinars deliver superior leadership development based on the latest research with no travel costs. Participants interact directly in question and answer discussions with subject matter experts and authors on crucial topics to enhance expertise. Webinars are recorded and shared with participants for convenient on-demand access after the live event. Topics include leadership, strategic planning, coaching, change management, and more ( register and learn more ). About the Author: Jeff's knowledge and expertise include leadership development, coaching, and workforce strategies to achieve influence and grow organizations. Jeff Doolittle is the founder of Organizational Talent Consulting in Grand Rapids, MI. He can be reached at info@organizationaltalent.com or by calling (616) 803-9020. 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