Watched a fascinating story about training dogs to work with disabled people.  The program included an indepth look at the process by which they transferred the dogs to the new people they would be serving (for the rest of their lives).  It appears dogs WANT to serve humans and love this work (the way most of us interact with dogs appears to be backwards).  But dogs, though they love their work once trained, need time (as do the humans) and a structured approach to successfully learn to work with someone and to build trust and loyalty.  Once completed, the process was beautifully elegant, graceful and provided enormous mutual benefits.  The process also included a plan b for the situations when a dog for one or another reason could not bond with a specific person.  

This long process, its careful pychological allowance for time and structure to make things right and mutually productive,  struck me as something missing from many workplaces.  People are thrown together or asked to work with folks they don’t know and expected to immediately perform—-teams stuck in a rut or new bosses are expected to change on a dime.  The processes by which humans bond, understand and work productively together take time, effort and appropriate processes.  Skill sets that need improving from learning to listen to setting norms to understanding different people are available, but do take time and effort.  And all of that effort is well worth it if the results needed are essential to your organization’s success.  Examples might be client relationships, a new cultural attititude or increased focus on quality.

As the economy strenghtens and begins to offer new opportunities, take care to understand processes of building new teams or re-building older ones, re-skilling or up-skilling workers, or developing new customer relationships.  If you haven’t been using the downturn times to build capacity—start as soon as you can.  These types of investments in people and important processes need structure and commitment to evolve and produce.  One of the most challenging judgements in the new workplace is being able to know and be clear about what can be done quickly and perhaps better with technology and what needs time and longer process to work well.

Some of the assumptions around what takes time and what doesn’t  needs re-evaluation.  Some pieces of coaching are now perfectly able to be handled on line—and don’t even need a good manager or executive coach, but some innovations and creative efforts require time and on-going support.  Some follow up can be more effective with a automatically generated message while some customer/client relationships require a deeper more challenging bonding process that pays off later on.   

Mike Allen whose” playbook” is read at dawn by the movers and shakers in DC works at warp speed—but he is known and respected and gets leads and access because at core he builds and maintains strong relationships (at a level most of us would love to emulate).  Both quick action and thoughtful long processes drive new business success.  Start thinking about how to adjust and re-adjust what you may have done quickly or slowly—new technology and a fresh changing culture can help provide clues to the changes.  Going forward we need to re-adjust to what can be done quickly and well and what, despite our hopes, still needs a thoughtful process and ongoing support to make happen.

A five day retreat or short emails and discussions?  A quick email or a long time over dinner?  Bonding over baseball or remembering someone’s birthday?  Priority management is still right—but the time management of that process may need a re-think and a re-wind.

I felt chastised when I read Alessandra Stanley’s (chief television for the New York Times) April 11th’s column about Undercover Boss—she thinks it is disengenuous.  She thought the bosses were really crummy not to address real substantial issues rather than hand out a few flakes of fairy dust to the minions.  I thought it was good TV and while perhaps not the answer to workplace injustice, something to smile about in these hopefully soon gone times.  Made me realize once again that I don’t necessarily think about things the way others do.

In that same vane, a funny thing happened this week.  A dear friend of mine—in the learning and leadership business as well—wrote a story about a recent shopping trip the two of us took together in Phoenix.  Cathy and I are playing with working together on a blog for working women aging.  This story was one we were considering using if that happens.  

Cathy sent me the story and I laughed outloud—-but it had to be a total exaggeration about me—-wasn’t it?  Well my dear readers, it appears that everyone who knows me well who has seen the story says the following—”Patty (name my close friends and family call me) this is YOU—to a tee!}

It dawned on me that sometimes people really do know us better than we know ourselves.  And at work that is often the case.  Am suggesting something here—let your team or teams write funny tales of work in the last year that include a variety of people—and watch for not just the laughs that will be inevitable—but the insights people will get into themselves.  This is not threatening, it is fun but a way to share truth.  I learned somethings about me in that story—and it was funny and good to know—and because it was NOT called that dreaded workplace phrase “constructive feedback” it was handled with calm and helped me understand some of why things happen in my life the way they do.  Up to me to use it constructively or not.

Maybe there is a way to laugh and learn at work that doesn’t insist on being serious but really seriously helps people address important issues that are preventing them from being as successful and productive as they wish to be.  Tell some stories—-you’ll be suprised at yourself.

Ever notice how some people are always commenting, blogging, sending you updates on facebook and twitter as well as responding to the company’s blogs and sites while the great huge majority simply never do?  Ever notice that beyond close friends and connections the vast majority of comments are negative and rather simplistic or ridiculous?  Just saw a string of comments bad mouthing President Obama for his poor performance throwing out the ball at a baseball game—yes my friends, people take time to rip the President for this simple gesture—not talking policy here—and the comments were not just unkind they were vicious.  It really made me sad—-have we come to a place in our world where the most innocent of actions by leaders of any kind are fair game for the malcontented?

At work this tone sounds like this—Our CEO is a first class idiot.  Who cares about the latest marketing plan?  We have done that before.  Your product doesn’t meet our needs at all—don’t even get back to us.  We don’t like that.  Sue is a loser.  Jason should take a hike—he is lucky he has a job.  Why try to gain a foothold—the economy is against us.  I am exhausted and just don’t care what Joe thinks.  And so on and so forth.

We now know that moods and feelings are catagious.  Simply put—we influence others by our tone, talk, comments and style.  This is especially true if we are in leadership positions.  Unfortuneately that means a new task has been added to all our workplace plates.  It is simply this—we HAVE to add more positive vibes to the workplace discussion, we have to make positive comments, respond to things in a half full way and we have to strive hard to push on with being upbeat, helpful, saying good things, giving praise and otherwise attempting to counter act the increased negativity all around us. 

While we don’t have time to respond to most things, and for most of us we have for good reason decided that politics, religion and finances are best left to private exchanges, we can begin to take part in workplace discussions and forums where the organization is attempting to move ahead.  I am not suggesting being a silly polyanna—I am suggesting being positive and straight forward.  Instead of criticizing, offering suggestions, offering direction and making it known that you want to be helpful and supportive.  Just because you cannot be helpful doesn’t mean you have to dismiss or hurt people.

It seems to be getting harder to do this—with all the nonsense talk and absurd opinions so many seem to believe it is their right to share, sensitive and sensible people want to hide not contribute—and that is going to make it even harder for instituations of any type to more ahead—yes, it is harder to be positive than it has ever been—but those of us concerned with productivity and progress for as many as possible need to do our part to keep things moving forward—-even though we would like to just say “shut up already” to the din of nonsense all around us. 

Now let me go share some good vibes with some business people I know—please do the same.    Or maybe just send me an email telling me how great something is—would love to hear it.

Of course no one wants to live in a religious state or have the workplace become a place where people urge conversion to one or the other faith or belief.  But let’s remember this week to say/wish folks a good holiday with sincerity and ask a few questions about their plans and activities.

In my research on the changing workplace one thing is clear—family trumps business in the 21st centure—every time—though they never should be in competition, there was a time not long ago when careerism seemed the norm. Ironically, while careerism is dead, people need and want work more than ever—they need what they have always needed—a way to be creative, contribute and to earn a living.  That has become even more clear as the recession has lingered and many have been unable to get back into the workplace or are overworked and guilt ridden doing the work of several.

This is a week to build relationships by pausing just moments with each person we contact to wish them well if we know they are of the Christian or Jewish faith.  May I just add—- for goodness sake, just make the gesture and skip the segway into business.

We have all become so overly connected and so under communicated with.  Just wish folks well—and move on—-and at a different moment get into the business at hand.

The first quarter of the year is nearly over—it is time to take a breath, celebrate or adjust goals and move forward—with the holidays and Spring here let’s also throw in some soft balls of connection so that as we move ahead we can feel good about ourselves and each other.  This connection builds bonds that keep us motivated as the year progresses.  Don’t lose this important opportunity to reach out and make the workplace more human and more calm.  Obama’s new tradition of a seder in the white house is an excellent example of a small event and time to share reaping big rewards and feelings of connection. 

Successful people take time when the time is right—and this week is a good time to start or continue connecting with others in a deeper way.

Business does not resemble Congress thank goodness.  Compromise is often used and with common goals often the norm, it seems relatively easier to come to a joint decision.

But there are times when compromise seems as tough as is Washington.  This happens when people differ on what is “good for the business” or “good for customers” .  And if there are repeated problems it well might be time to take the time to have a meeting to air assumptions and get back on a track with compromise and shared goals.

Understanding the other teams’ or person’s assumptions is the starting point to understanding the beliefs that guide action.  A discussion of these assumptions prior to getting involved in a specific decision helps team members/various internal partners and even customers to know why and how other’s think.  This airing of assumptions can create a fresh opportunity to explore a common road and create new shared goals.  This is a perfect way to avoid the Washington gridlock.

The most important part of making decisions and using appropriate compromise is having people involved who are honest and willing to live by their commitments.  This means negotiating, and talking with others with an open mind and a real willingness to consider other possibilities.  Unfortuneately, there is no way to improve decision making and increase the use of compromise without a sincere effort to look for and pursue common objectives.  From what I hear, it doesn’t appear that folks in DC really are sincere—-make sure your business is. No decisions are usually poor decisions.  No compromise means no progress—maybe acceptable in Washington but not in my business—or yours!

Despite your faith tradition, or none, the idea of reflecting upon your own behaviors is essential to being a mature  and maturing human being.  Allowing time for reflection on YOUR OWN behavior and then forgiving yourself and finding more effective strategies going forward is the heart and soul of every faith and the journey to being a good woman or a good man—–as well as a successful woman and a successful man.

We are in the Lenten season in the Christian Church—which is a time dedicated to self reflection and reminding our selves of the need to forgive and atone to others for what we have done to harm them or failed to do to help them (much more important).  But it dawned on me today while at church that this concept needs applying at work—and that when I was ‘pitching” business of performance improvement in organizations it is related to this same point.  If we all don’t self reflect and own our own part of the reasons for things going wrong, if we don’t share that responsibility by owning our mistakes, we can’t possibly be part of the effort to improve workplace performance.

One of my favorite stories of being a consultant happened in the pitch stage for a multi year consulting project aimed at improving the quality of workplace performance in a large insurance company.  The company had been spending time and money on a quality approach but just didn’t feel it was getting value and real performance improvement.  Someone from this company had seen me deliver a speech on quality and workplace improvement and gave my name to the senior leadership team—-I was asked if I could come for a day, talk to people, look at documents and the situation and then advise the senior leadership team what I thought needed to be done. 

At the end of the day, seated with the senior team in a small conference room I said essentially the following: ” I am not exactly sure what the problem is but I feel very certain—95% so—-that much of the problem is with you right in this room and something you are not doing right.”  There was silence—finally one VP said, “Pat, can I ask you something—-do you make any money?”.  It broke everyone up and I laughed along with them but said again—”hey what can I say?  It is true.”  Now this DOES NOT mean I don’t think everyone in companies need support and performance tools and more coaching—a lot more.  So don’t twist what I am saying.  But, what I am saying and meaning is that self reflection on your own actions or lack of actions, admitting them and modeling right from the top is essential to changes in performance. 

This is the message I was giving to that senior team (who I worked for many years after they decided if I had the courage to say what I did I had to be good!)—-that performance improvement starts with our own improvement.  Self reflection and self improvement sets the stage for all staff improvement—it models it.  The danger is of course stopping there—spending time and money to help the senior people reflect, “do penance” in the work sense of that word, and get support and training and coaching.  That support has to then be extended to the rest of the organization allowing people at every level to self reflect and self direct their own changes.  Performance improvement is for everyone.  In this season of lent I am reminded we need to apply this lesson to us all and find inexpensive and effective ways to make performance improvement through self reflection possible for everyone—-hey, we have a solution for that—it’s called coaching for everyone.

Like millions of others I couldn’t wait to watch Tiger Woods last Friday as he attempted to explain and apologize for his actions.  Nearly 15 minutes long, the presentation appeared to anyone familiar with 12 step programs or therapy a clear sign that Tiger had begun the long process of coming to grips with a new realistic insight into himself and his need to make deep and fundamental changes to achieve his goals of being a man of superior character and integrity as well as a brilliant golfer.  While some dismissed his statement as a cover for less virtuous aims, I say to the naysayers—get thee to therapy yourself.  Such a hard stance to such an enormous step shows a lack of empathy, lack of understanding of processes like therapy, and a lack of realism about how every day people really are coming to grips with new self revelations and moving forward with their lives. 

In today’s world of work it is hard to think of a similar deep admission of real genuine accountability.   

Tiger’s work will mean more work for his wife, family and friends.  Some may drift away or not stay the course with him.  Others will go with his new flow and will have to act differently if his journey is to be successful.  And so will be the case at Citibank or Toyota or in any workplace when and if individuals take real accountability.  Top executives  apologizing for mistakes or wrong turns means changing work patterns for all—both the culture at large which is often the cause of poor judgements and individual behaviors as well.  But how much easier it would be to get people to commit to these needed changes if those in positions of authority or someone at the lowest rung of the organization took full and unconditional responsibility as Tiger has.

Most of what pass for apologies are explanations of what and why somethting happened with the implication that really the person did the best they could given the circumstances and if you goofs out there understood the situation you would have done the same thing or worse.  Sometimes this is absolutely correct.  But in many cases, real mistakes in tactics, in strategy, in approaches to achieve one or another goals was misguided or plain wrong and led to consequences that impacted many people terribly.  When there is ownership of an outcome, when there is clarity that one failed her responsibilities or his job and no one else is to blame, progress can begin.  Accountability breeds a willingness in others to take their share of responsibility and move forward in new directions.  A half hearted or non apology or admission of responsibility does nothing but breed more cynicism and lack of energy to change. 

Who wants to go first?  Ok, here goes.  I, Pat Gill Webber, take complete responsibility for not writing a blog that is attracting hundreds of new readers.  It is not because people are too dumb to understand my blog, too busy, or disinterested in the workplace.  It is because they haven’t heard of my blog (my fault), haven’t taken the time to read it because it gives them new insights or perspective(if the workplace needs it they will come at some point).  Now, wouldn’t you like to help me fix that?  Bet that got someone interested in helping me—the flip side—-a defense of my fabulous blog wouldn’t have attracted a single new reader.

Now, what is going wrong at your workplace that is absolutely your fault?  Look at it, own it, take responsibility and accountability and say it.  Soon after watch others get involved in a new route forward.  Your accountability leverages other’s action.   Who wants to go next?

Watching movies is a wonderful way to study human nature, help clarify our assumptions about human nature, and analyze how these assumptions influence our work as people concerned with how to improve working people’s lives and help them be more successful.  They also help us specifically with workplace improvement strategy.

If we assume people can’t, won’t or don’t want to change/grow/transform/or simply be more productive then why bother with any efforts to offer tools from training to coaching to just providing better direction?  Of course most  executives or HR/HRD folks certainly believe SOME level of change is possible or there wouldn’t be a multi billion dollar performance improvement industry (or would there?  now that is another question for another blog entry).  But by fine tuning our understanding of what is possible and not possible, by deepening our understanding of human nature and what is involved in deep growth and change as well as just “simple” behavioral change, we will spend time and money more astutely to support efforts to sensibly and sensitively help our people develop capability, make mind shifts that matter and truly develop their skills and abilities to perform and engage in their work and innovate.

The Heiress won an Oscar in 1949 and tells the tale of how a “no good guy” seen clearly by the Dad and not at all by the sweet woman he seduces, doesn’t change, is found out by this woman  he devastates emotionally and is revenged by her in a plot twist that has you wondering—especially if you believe that people have to change and have to improve over time.  Crazy Heart,one of this year’s contenders for the oscar, tells a tale of redemption and change that is unforgettable.  It doesn’t take change and transformation lightly and doesn’t make the characters redeem themselves simply or simplistically—and the ending is anything but tidy.  But growth and transformation and learning happens with a combination of understanding the need to change—commitment to change—and then seeking out resources to make the change happen.  Crazy Heart also provides a clear lesson about the laws of natural consequences—can’t and won’t spoil it for you if you haven’t seen it yet.   Yes, we can choose our “sins” or “transgressions” (saw the wife of Governor Sanford make this point) but there are inevitable consequences to actions and strategies we take.  A profound lesson.

So what about work?  How much help and support and resources should we provide and how much change and growth and development should we expect?  Here’s are some insights based on what we now know about human nature and the changing nature of the workplace all based on the lessons from these movies:

Providing as much learning, coaching, direction, and support as financially makes sense  in ways that people most want to absorb it—that means using technology, AND using classrooms and in person one to one efforts—there is absolutely no research suggesting that going all one way or the other makes sense since there is a need and people who want and need different approaches to learning/coaching.  Looking at the new performance study at IBM/Columbia (see T&D Jan 2010) suggests what many of us have long thought—quick and easy assess to small amounts of information via smart phone is an important new addition to workplace development.  And notice in the films who was able or not to grow by the resources available or not as needed.

Most people want to change and grow–Change Ahead my mid decade multi organizational research study turned book clearly supports people’s commitment to change and growth when it benefits them—and they work in an organization that supports change and openness.  The most important thing any manager can do to improve performance is to create an environment that encourages risk, experimentation, new opinions and adaptation to changing conditions—and urges people to develop themselves in all ways.  This support/environment helps  people arrive at step one—understanding  the need to change—-and if coupled with enough resources available people will reach out and grab the opportunities to learn, get coaching and grow. 

The laws of consequences matter.  If you have not treated people well, if you have used the recession to abuse people by heaping too much work on the survivors—lots of data out on that now—expect that as soon as things improve many of your good people will leave.  Just the laws of the universe.  Go see Crazy Heart and see what happens when the newly expanded lead character tries to re connect with someone he did many bad things to.  Organizations like people DEFINITELY reap what they sow.  So listen up managers, executives and HRD people—-be especially aware of how you communicate with, treat and make people feel now in the lingering but what we hope will soon be over tough times.  

Bottom line? Treating people respectfully and well, combined with providing as many resources as possible as easily as possible,  and encouraging an enviroment that encourages risk and change and adaptation will make you and your organizationa  a leader now and post the recovery. 

And for you the executive?  The person concerned with performance in your organization—here is my executive coaching suggestion—go to the movies often and  keep learning about human nature.

I was one of the more or less 38 million people who not only watched the super bowl but also watched the debut of Undercover Boss.  As a workplace consultant who gives advice (sometimes high priced!) to workers and their bosses it sort of seemed essential viewing. 

It was rather odd to see the first boss Larry O”Donnell of Waste Management annouce to his leadership team that he was “going undercover”.  They seemed stunned and apprehensive—and not particularly committed to the idea—or what would come from it.  Rather than part of quality initiative or some other on-going HR initiative to understand the workforce and its issues in an ongoing and systematic way , this leadership team seemed rather unnerved but this idea which seemed to be a one of kind and unique attempt to “meet the troops” and be one of them—as if this were a new idea.  We consultants tend to like things more organized than this and part of a greater effort at organizational change.  We have also been preaching a version of this for more or less 30 or 40 years.  But being of the mind that any attempt to connect leadership and workers is a good thing that can bring better processes and fresher views, I went with the program and watched on.

Let it be known that both The Street.com and Entertainment Weekly ripped the show—but although it can be obviously a little lame to see someone on the bottom washing toilets who just yesterday was in the corner suite, I found the show not exactly must see TV, but at least decent TV .  One of the things that many people seem to be today is cynical or “hip”—-things that are “good” are tossed off as too “Hallmark Hall of Fame”  .  This show can easily be seen in that light as more than corny, but truly disengenuous.  Maybe.  But I found Larry O’Donnell to be a likeable, down to earth, kind, thoughtful person—-forget his leadership skills (which are good I would guess)—-he was a decent human being and acted as such in some pretty “crappy” situations.  He listened well and seemed genuinely moved by experiences of those on the front lines of Waste Management.  To me, he modeled behavior that is positive.  if we can just get leadership people to be more natural, and real and less packaged we are ahead of the game.

Although some might legitimately ask —what did he think the ever pressing productivity attempts he mandated meant for people? Didn’t he realize his dictates meant tough and exhausting standards that would lead to crazy things like female truck drivers using a coffee can since they had no time to find a ladies room?  Well sure he did at some intellectual level, but there is no replacement for experiencing things, being engaged in a real tangible way with things to make an impact on a person and give them insight into the effects of their decisions—sort of like President Obama going to view caskets from the war front.  Larry may not have solved all of the problems of WM or even a big part of various employee issues by mixing it up with the front line troops, but he went far in gaining a fresh perspective and taking his experiences and responding to them in a positive way.  He also acted like a gentleman and provided people otherwise ignored to have a sense of positive reinforcement and hope for their futures. 

Like Larry I was amazed by the people we met in this episode—they were more than solid, they were truly employees a company can be proud of.  Sure there were some errors of judgement—but with the exception of one middle manager who acted without much real reflection, it seemed most people had a balance of respect for themselves and respect for the company they worked for.

I guess I will never make it as a TV critic or a cynic—I LIKED Undercover Boss (and Larry O’Donnell)—because the gap between where most businesses are and where they need to be in terms of leadership and creating appropriate cultures that serve both individuals and organizations is so far from where they need to be.  Any effort  to make a dent in the system has to be a good thing.  Plus, maybe more than one person will learn from Larry and whoever is next on the show that we all put our pants on one leg at a time and we all are in the workplace together.  Maybe I am the odd ball, but I can’t wait to meet the next Undercover Boss.

Yesterday some fellow yoga participants and I took our yoga teacher out to lunch for her birthday.  It was enormous fun and light hearted—set me up for the perfect afternoon of work that followed.  That afternoon, deep in thought, the phone rang and it was Laura thanking me for the lunch and taking time to be with her on “her day”.  Absolutely not necessary but perfect.

Good coaches (and yoga teachers and every other kind of guide) have a way of doing these things all the time when you least expect it.  They don’t have to provide you with a given piece of support—but they do—they know what you need and when you need it.

When you are a manager, being a coach or trying to be is part of the deal.  Good colleagues know that acting as a coach to a fellow team member is important as well to getting projects done and done right and on time.  Remember to offer support at odd and unexpected times—people seriously appreciate it and want to prove you right to have called and encouraged them.  You will hear—”hey thanks—am on that and appreciate you reminding me—-was going to do it yesterday but will finalize it today.”

Laura made sure I was motivated to get my down-dog right next time.  In general, only doing what’s necessary is a poor strategy if your “end in mind” is great relationship and improved productivity.  Doing what is necessary is as productive as giving a sensible gift to the one you love on valentine’s day—a new wrench or an iron isn’t going to strengthen the relationship. 

Thinking of doing something not necessary but perfect?  Do it now.