It’s been a while since my words graced this blog. And now… I am compelled to write.
Recently, I took a new job. You can say it is a consultant position within a fortune 500 company. My role is to help one particular organization meet their future production goals by improving processes, leading workshops, and coaching leaders to act with urgency. It feels a lot like juggling, so I am juggling and learning quick.
This is my latest learning.
Out of one side of leadership mouth is the message: we are family, so treat everyone like family. And out of the other side comes: write em’ up if they don’t do it. Hmmm. Interesting dynamic I am witnessing.
One of my favorite leadership teachers is Ed Oakley of ENLeadership.com. He is a master at turning the tables on bad behavior or misplaced starting points in the area of change. I subscribe to his theories. I have written about some of his theories in a past blog post. You can read it here.
Oakley suggests that the answers are in the room. He also asks those in the room to start at a different point in the conversation. Most of us are programed to focus on the negatives. We do it because we have been programmed by the media to laser in on the negative in life. Start by asking, “What is right with this situation?” It is much like the movie Apollo 13 when the command center leader asks his engineers, “What’s good on the spaceship?” I believe this is the right course of action for real leaders.
Now, back to my learning.
If we motivate by fear we will certainly get results… and at what cost? What we lose is morale, the willingness to act in the future, and shattered trust. Those are things that may never heal or will take a long time to mend.
I think when we focus on what we want we get more that. This is my learning in this situation. Now it is my turn to begin transforming this old school management habit.
How can you apply this learning to your business, life, or family?
