employees Archives - Dennis E. Gilbert

07
Sep 21
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Voluntary Leadership Is What Everyone Faces

Tags : authority boss employees leadership manager

Are you familiar with voluntary leadership? You may be, and you don’t even realize it.

Do you recognize that all leadership is voluntary?

Sure, some people are in positions of authority. Some of those positions are paid jobs.

There is a sharp contrast between the authority that a job or position grants you, and the leadership (or lack of) that is present with others.

Is there a difference between supervising, managing, and leading?

Being a supervisor or manager may provide you with some level of authority. Authority to make decisions, insist on quality, or even plan a work schedule for employees.

Is that leading?

While there may be shades of gray, in most cases the act of supervising or managing isn’t really leadership.

The reason is, leadership is a voluntary act.

Voluntary Leadership

Employees may decide to do what you say. They may even decide that commands are the method of how they receive their next job task or duty.

An employee may consider that they are paid for doing what the boss tells them to do. All of this is fine, and perhaps a cultural aspect of work for at least a few hundred years.

It is leadership?

When someone chooses to follow is there a leader? Likely, yes, of course.

When someone chooses to lead are there followers? Sometimes.

At the root of the matter, leadership is largely voluntary. People choose to lead and people choose to follow.

Receiving money for doing an instructed task is known as compensation.

It doesn’t guarantee leadership.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

12
Mar 21
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Workplace Orchestra and the Sounds You Make

Tags : employees harmony job search orchestra

What is the sound that your workplace makes? Do you have a workplace orchestra or is it more like kicking a can down an old dirt road?

Once upon a time, in what seems like another lifetime, I sang in a small country church choir. There were only about five, six, or maybe eight of us at the most. We had a hymnal and we sang. We even had practice once in a while.

We were all different. We sounded different, looked different, and what we did was, well, probably a little different.

That is exactly what made it special.

I imagine if we all looked exactly the same, if we all sang with exactly the same pitch and the same tone, that our performance would not have had so much character.

Workplace Orchestra

Many hiring managers set out to hire for the best fit. They want to hire people with exactly the same values, the same beliefs and the same style.

One of the most common reasons people don’t get the job is not specifically about something they said, how they dressed or their age. It is because the hiring manager imagined a future with the person in it and they didn’t seem to fit.

What happens in your workplace is about a harmonious effort. At the same time, it is not about everyone being exactly the same.

Many things seem to work in life because they fit.

Fitting in doesn’t mean identical. It means being a part of the puzzle.

The orchestra would be pretty boring without the cello, the clarinet, and a bass drum.

Is there a cello in your workplace? A clarinet, and a bass drum?

Differences are what make the orchestra work.

What sound does your workplace make?

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

09
Dec 20
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Burned Trust and What It Might Be Costing You

Tags : advantage employees psychology of work trust workplace

Have you burned trust through your workplace actions? Trust may even be burned by inaction. What does this cost the organization?

Trust is a tricky part of any business endeavor. Everything from negotiations to getting work done. Unfortunately, many workplace leaders and frontline employees fail to recognize or have poor awareness about the implications of trust.

Imagine the busy manager. Struggling to prioritize and get things done that result in positive momentum for the team. What should she do?

Delegate, right?

Burned Trust

What if she doesn’t trust anyone on the team to handle the project?

What if she only trusts one key team member?

This form of limited trust that has long-term consequences.

In the short-run things get accomplished. In the long-run, the key team member begins to feel used and wants to back off of the high-output he normally delivers.

Why? Because he has arrived at the conclusion that he only needs to work as hard as the lowest-performing employee.

Why do more while others goof off?

5 Tips to Restore Team Trust

The manager, with an unwillingness to work towards building more trust, simply moves around the issue. Blame for this inaction is often placed on a very precious resource, time.

It seems easy to place the blame on time. In addition, many busy executives easily buy-in to this story. Shipping the order now is better than a delay. It’s a (long-term undesirable) short-run game.

Trust can be burned in many ways from many different angles.

Have you unknowingly burned trust?

More Than Just Team Members

Shortcomings on trust with customers and vendors are costly too.

Advertise a product or service but deliver something less and it burns trust.

Negotiate so hard with vendors that it threatens their view of your value as a customer and they’ll fail to be there, perhaps exactly when you need them the most.

Burning trust is often easy to do and hard to recognize.

The most successful organizations, the ones that stay on top, value trust as a part of their competitive advantage.

It doesn’t mean they get everything right, all of the time. It means that they work hard to keep the scale on the heavy side of trust.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

26
Oct 20
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The Best Products Are Not Always Most Popular

Tags : belief best employees prodcuts workforce

Do you choose the best products available? Are those products also the most popular? Is it true for the people in your workplace too?

Some products have all the rage. It’s true for household appliances, technology, and automobiles. You see it in fashion, hair styles, and vacation spots.

It’s also true with people. Performer’s, actresses, and sports stars. Even in your workplace there seems to be favorites.

Are any of these things or people the best? If so, compared to what?

What is the measurement criterion?

Popularity

Many people are sold on Apple products. Telephone’s, watches, and computing devices. Many will suggest they are the best.

Are they really the best or are they just wildly popular?

Cellular phones are popular, but which platform, Android or Apple?

You can discuss your reasons for either direction. However, much like a presidential election, choices and reasons get blurred by emotions, popularity, and opinions.

And similar to an election, if you going to discuss this, you’ll probably find argument from many that the most popular is also the best.

Is it true?

Best Products

When it comes to the best products, the best workplaces, or the best employee’s you often cannot have both the best performers and the most popular.

Most popular is a choice, the best performer is also often a choice.

Either of the two extremes seldom intersect.

Competition is a factor. How hard one product development team, an individual, or entire organization will work to beat the competition is always a factor.

You may want to reconsider the best versus most the most sought after.

With everything there is always a best kept secret.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

01
Jul 20
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Confident Employees Can’t Wait To Get Started

Tags : career confident employees learn more

Being over-confident may be as bad is being under-confident. Are confident employees better skilled, or simply better starters?

Analysis paralysis is sometimes feared in decision making and problem solving. The idea is, you over-analyze the situation. You review more and more data, so much so, that you fail to take any action.

Some might suggest that you lack confidence. Others might suggest that you don’t realize what will happen and that you lack appropriate knowledge or experience.

Confidence impacts what happens next. It also impacts how the story is told, if buy-in is created, and the level of resistance.

It has often been said that practice makes perfect.

Confident Employees

In the workplace, taking initiative and springing to action will typically be more accepted, even when there is a mistake, rather than no action at all.

Some people claim that they can’t do math. So, they do the opposite, they avoid math.

Some don’t like to make decisions, start on big projects, or approach the boss with a recommendation for change.

Still others don’t want their picture taken, their memo read, or to get feedback from the boss.

Sometimes the best way to improve is to jump in and get started.

If you struggle with math, do more. When you don’t like projects or discussions with the boss maybe it would help to get more involved, not less.

Waiting will often allow for one thing.

A chance for someone else to improve and for you to get left behind.

Get started.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

19
Jun 20
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Recognizing Workplace Culture is the First Step

Tags : culture employees fit hiring

Every group who has assembled has an element of culture. Recognizing workplace culture can be tricky. It’s tricky because you are inside of it, living it, breathing it, and surviving it.

When you’re on the outside looking in, or else you’ve already taken a step inside, it may look quite different than what you consider normal.

It’s no secret that culture is driven by leadership. Sub-cultures may be driven by sub-groups, cliques, and special interests. Yet, someone is still leading those efforts. Even when they may not realize or consciously identify the leaders.

Can Anyone Fit?

Many businesses suggest that they hire for fit. Fit in some cases may mean unique skills for the job, but in many cases, it means that the candidate will fit the organizational culture.

Some might suggest that culture is about systems. Systems for work flow, systems for measurement, and systems that protect the secret formula.

Employees are frequently reminded of their need to operate within the system. Do as we say, never do this, always do that.

In a general sense, this is probably all okay. It is however, a baseline for the culture. It is also directly connected to the brand.

Recognizing Workplace Culture

When there is attraction or lust for the culture, it’s easy to find members to join.

Run an employment ad, and lots of people apply.

And yes, absolutely, the current unemployment has a cause and effect.

Setting aside the aspects connected to the unemployment rate, are people interested to work with your organization?

Are people jumping at the chance?

What is the chatter on the street? Is the appearance of the physical facilities attractive, neat, and organized? Is it historical, modern, or hi-tech? What are the working conditions, hours, and rate of pay?

Organizations have two struggles with culture.

What should it look like and what does it look like?

What happens within the culture explains the ease of success or the struggles of failure.

A really good culture may be one where anyone can fit.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

03
Jun 20
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Workplace Fairness Should Be Abundant

Tags : employees fairness management positive change shift

Life isn’t always fair, at least, that is what we’re often told. Yet people want to be granted the opportunity for fairness. Can you impact workplace fairness?

Have you ever heard someone suggest that things are too fair?

It seems that the scarce resources are much more noteworthy.

What’s Fair

Fairness becomes an issue when we see differences. In the workplace it is true for gender, race, the generations, and so much more.

People often reference the golden rule. “Treat others the way you would like to be treated.” And, in generational talks I often reference that there may be a shift in the golden rule. Perhaps a different view is, treat others the way they would like to be treated.

Despite all of the efforts of many, people still form cliques. They desire to cling to people who are just like themselves or who have exactly the same values and beliefs.

Fairness is problematic for job status, promotions, and perks.

The management team is treated differently than the front-line crew.

Awareness is often the first step in making a positive change.

Workplace Fairness

It is surprising sometimes the number of people who fail to recognize their own ability to be fair. Fairness to you may not look like fairness to someone else.

This is exactly why the golden rule may need some deeper examination.

What is the right thing to do? Do people do the right thing?

Now more than ever it is important for everyone to dig deep and make it better.

Often the first step in making things fairer is dependent upon your own actions. If you feel like it is the right thing to do then there really shouldn’t be a reason why you are not.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

30
Nov 18
-

Scaling Side Effects and Cultural Impact

Tags : culture employees organizational scaling side effects

Scaling works both ways. Organizations scale up, or they can scale down. It happens with leadership changes too. Sometimes they are mutually inclusive. Are you aware of the scaling side effects?

Changing Organizations

Recently, I spoke with a middle management employee of a rather large software firm. He was in touch with me because he was looking to make a career move.

When I asked why, his short version answer was connected to problems arising from a recent merger. His firm was bought by a larger firm and now scaling was threatening his otherwise long-term position.

I’m not sure if this gentleman is a star, or below par extra weight, either way his time is being spent on an exit strategy.

In another case, I’ve had communication with an organization that has been forced to scale down. Prior leadership is gone. Temporary leadership is installed, and many employees have, as we often say, “jumped ship.”

This organization prepared to make some cuts, but they didn’t appropriately prepare for the attrition that would result from a mismanaged scale up that then resulted in a mismanaged scale down.

Scaling Side Effects

One scaling side effect is losing people. Sometimes good people.

Boards of directors and organizational leadership often like to believe that in times of turmoil, the worst will go. Unfortunately, this depends largely on the leadership.

My experiences across several decades leads me to believe that often good employees go while the weaker and less effective employees stay. Leadership sells this as a culture of loyalty. In reality, it is often a sign of the side effects of mismanaged scaling down.

In contrast, when scaling up, if the leadership assumes that all the good and well needed talent is external, then they too have a problem.

Bad scaling up choices lead to bad scaling down consequences.

Your best employees have the most choices. They have more options and are very marketable. Certainly, some will hang on for a long time because they are committed, others will hang on because they lack choice.

On either side of the scale, up or down, culture will play a significant role.

The Other Premise

There is one other premise. The organization that is stable, not scaling.

I’ve met a few of these self-proclaimed stable organizations. Often the culture felt in the trenches is different from the culture described by leadership. The trenches culture is more representative of employees who have given up trying to make things better.

Scaling may be a plan, but how will you manage the side effects?

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

07
Nov 18
-

Scowl Face Won’t Create The Change You Seek

Tags : change employees pivot scowl face workplace

People unconsciously become convinced that moods get results. Act out, act up, be unwilling to compromise or meet halfway, these are the tactics of children. Are you wearing a scowl face in an attempt to create change?

Sometimes children get their way with the scowl, arms crossed, and foot stomping. In the workplace, this still brings people to action, sometimes. If it is the boss, there may be a good chance.

Scowl face sometimes feels appropriate, but it likely never is. The impression created from childhood that this is the way for change is not so realistic in the grown-up world.

Change Adverse

Largely, people are change adverse by nature. Change makes them feel uneasy, nervous, and afraid.

It isn’t the way it was always done, it’s not the tried and true method. Change has failed before, the thought is, it will continue.

When we understand that people don’t like change, we can also understand that the change being sought may not be personal.

Changing the process, doesn’t mean it is a personal attack. A change to better connect with customers, it isn’t personal. Rearranging teams, employees, and altering policies, it probably isn’t personal.

Scowl Face

If we are leading change, or are a part of the change, or both, we’re not going to get very far with a scowl face. It may send a message, but it is the wrong message. It may create short-term action, but the long-term consequences are undesirable.

In the workplace, for the employees, for the groups, departments, and teams, don’t try scowl face.

If you’re going to create the kind of change you need, you’re going to need everyone on board.

Creating action is sometimes the biggest illusion that you are creating the change you need.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

23
Dec 17
-

Employees That Care Change The Customer Experience

Tags : caring customer experience employees policies rules

Rules, policies, and procedures are often in place to ensure the customer experience is delivered consistent with the brand promise. Have you considered that having employees that care is really what changes the customer experience?

Organizations can set policy and have rules, but often the values and beliefs of the employee will be the biggest factor for outcomes. Demonstrating caring starts with the employees believing that the organization they work for values both the employees and customers.

Bounds of Rules and Policies

Employees will make decisions both within the bounds of rules and policies and outside of those parameters too. What they decide will really depend on what they value. Culture, driven by leadership often shapes value perceptions.

A gallon of milk has a drip, but put it on the shelf anyway. I hope that someone grabs it soon.

There is an empty coach seat on the unfilled airplane but the three biggest people on the plane are required to sit in the same row.

The roofer drops some nails in your yard, but oh well, perhaps no one will notice.

At the automobile repair shop, the mechanic steps in grease, gets it on your floor mats, but ignores what he sees because it isn’t his problem.

Food for table four sits and grows cold since the waiter is more preoccupied with his friends seated at table eight.

Chances are great that all of these circumstances, as well as thousands of others are against the rules. They break the fundamental policies, procedures, and what the organization leadership claims as the brand promise.

Caring Starts Inside

Caring starts on the inside. It starts with the organization philosophy that is carried out every day. Not the rule in written in the manual, the one that the employee feels based on the cultural environment.

The dairy department manager is measured in part by loss due to spoilage or out of date merchandise.

Airline personnel aren’t sure that comfort is one of their problems. Security is what really matters. Stay in your ticketed seat. Passengers should be more weight conscious.

The boss wants the roofer on the next job, they already lost a day because of rain. Picking up a few nails is a waste of time.

Grease, what grease? I work in grease every day and I can’t afford that car. Deal with it, it didn’t come from my boot.

Why do people eat burgers and fries anyway? They should be vegans. Who cares if their food sits. Reminiscing about high school is much more fun.

Employees That Care

Chances are great that rules, policies, and procedures won’t matter that much. It is the integrity and ethics of the employees that will make the difference. They’ll decide. They likely make those decisions hundreds of times per day.

However, they aren’t the only ones to blame. Guiding their choices are the behaviors of the leadership agenda.

Time is money and waste is problematic are two leadership punishments that employees divert to the customer. They’ve learned it from the inside and they’re sharing it on the outside.

Do you want to change the customer experience? Employees that care are important. Leadership measurement should consider metrics of caring. Caring is never cheap, but not caring is the most expensive of all.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

Tag Archives: employees

Sep 21

-

Voluntary Leadership

Mar 21

-

Workplace Orchestra

Dec 20

-

Burned Trust

More Than Just Team Members

Oct 20

-

Popularity

Best Products

Jul 20

-

Confident Employees

Jun 20

-

Can Anyone Fit?

Recognizing Workplace Culture

Jun 20

-

What’s Fair

Workplace Fairness

Nov 18

-

Changing Organizations

Scaling Side Effects

The Other Premise

Nov 18

-

Change Adverse

Scowl Face

Dec 17

-

Bounds of Rules and Policies

Caring Starts Inside

Employees That Care

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