February 26th, 2009 by ksullivan
“You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star.” – Nietzsche
Each day is a dance between chaos and routine. Seemingly uncontrollable events create a chain reaction of if/then scenarios that can repeat until mayhem ensues. Yet chaos, in and of itself, is not random.
Certain situations will predicate chaos. For example, an urgent phone call from a difficult customer sets a series of events in motion. While we cannot predict when that customer will call, what day or time, we can predict that when they do, all hell will break loose. That is chaos. And you can actually see it coming.
Yet, our workdays are so jam-packed that we can’t escape the onslaught. We’re still caught up in yesterday’s pandemonium, which happened because someone was sick, the manager’s mobile device wasn’t working, and no one ever thought to share new staffing needs. Or something like that.
The number of predictable daily actions, when coupled with the unforeseen, offers the opportunity for chaos to explode exponentially. Particularly in today’s online-all-the-time global business environment. Think about it long enough and you’ll marvel at the fact that anything gets done on time, on target or on budget.
But let’s not lose sight of the fact that chaos can be good for us. Nietzsche and other intellectuals recognized its creative power. Scientists, mathematicians and quantum physicists also give credence to chaos as a transformative event. Change is integral to life. The alternative is the routine stagnation of repetition, or worse, complete inertia.
Of course, you already understand chaos theory. You just happen to know it as the “butterfly effect.” The butterfly flaps its wings in Malaysia and the residual effect, as that flutter travels the world, is a windstorm in the Arizona desert. Mother Nature is full of chain-reaction examples like this. And they are not a whole lot different than what happens on our desks, in our in-box, on the phone, and with that pile of clutter that always ends up on the kitchen counter. Yes … even the kitchen counter is affected.
Theoretically, a clean kitchen counter can be considered an “attractor.” Its vast expanse of emptiness pulls items towards it. It’s not that your family is messy. It’s just a natural phenomenon taking place. Sure, you can help contain the clutter with a basket, but that only attracts a smaller number of objects into a more finite space. Chaos is still underway. It’s just a little neater.
And maybe that should be our ultimate goal in dealing with the chaos of daily work/life? Keep it a little neater. Fill the empty, free-for-all areas with some structure and process. Some of us do a great job here. We keep neat desks, make lists, have orderly files, maintain focus and conduct ourselves within smart, sensible parameters.
Others of us, often under the guise of a visionary (or entrepreneurial) spirit, are in the constant flux of haphazard energy flow. Floundering in a sea of competing priorities, thriving on uncertainty and flexible in dealing with unforeseen events.
For some people, a stable home life provides a structured balance that offsets their daily business dramas. For others, the only good chaos is more chaos. As with anything else, we each have our own individual level of tolerance.
If you’re too rigid, you’re going to miss out on opportunities to grab golden moments and shine. Too chaotic, and you’re wasting energy that could probably be put to better use elsewhere. Most of us are somewhere in between these two extremes.
But there is no doubt that the current economic havoc and its domino-like results have seriously tipped our collective balance. The speed at which we must constantly respond in an unstoppable society feels to our minds (and our bodies) like continuous stress. But it’s not stress any more. We’ve gone beyond that. We’ve clearly elevated to chaos … and it’s perfectly natural.
In a healthy organism (or organization) chaos will arrange itself into a state of equilibrium that allows for adjustments to changing conditions. This tends to be best experienced as an intangible adjustment – a change of attitude, new idea, expanded knowledge, feeling of hope and such.
More now than ever before, we must truly embrace the chaos of living, working and being. Because we can’t create, transform, grow, change, improve or generally exist without it.
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February 10th, 2009 by cbarber
If you’re a manager or supervisor right now, your life is probably making big sucking sounds. You’ve been told to reduce staff, which if you’re like me, is about as easy as figuring out which of your children you’d hand over to a kidnapper. It’s the pits, no other way to say it. However, you’ve been put in a leadership position to help your organization navigate through good times and bad – and this is a time that definitely falls into the latter.
So, how do you decide who to keep and who to lose? Aside from standard measures, such as performance ratings and results metrics, here’s what makes up my list of Keepers:
Dinkers
I’ve known great thinkers, and I’ve known great doers. But when you have both in one person, a Dinker, you’re way ahead of the game. A Dinker has the ability to create opportunities and solutions and execute on them. Dinkers are rarely in their offices. They’re either on their units or pressing their peers to think and do. You gotta love ‘em.
SweeTarts
These people can take anything that’s sour and turn it into a sweet spot. Give them your worst problem, and they’ll find a solution. Put them on your most demanding patient or staff member, and they’ll make a friend for life. SweeTarts are resourceful beyond measure and a source of positive energy for everyone. Their glasses are always half full, and I think we should all order what they’re drinking.
Preachers
I’m not talking religion here, but the Preachers in my life come darn close to it. They believe so deeply in what their employers stand for, they’ll take any opportunity to “bear witness.” Insert them into a dysfunctional team, and they’ll find a way to get everyone singing out of the same hymnal. Preachers make great coaches, mentors and trainers and can convert the toughest characters into apostles.
Shepherds
Never self-appointed, but universally sought out for guidance, Shepherds are usually part of the rank and file. They have proven their abilities, avoid politics, and are trusted by one and all. They “get” your mission and goals, and with total respect among their peers, can help you drive results. Since Shepherds rarely toot their own horns, you need to ferret them out and reward their quiet but powerful ability to influence performance and outcomes.
Tightwads
Most people can’t stand stinginess, but in business, it’s an admirable quality. Tightwads surround me at work, and they’re always bringing up ways to save money. One recently discovered that we could save $600 a month by eliminating unused telephone jacks! If you take a Tightwad to lunch, you always end up with the bill, but that’s a small price to pay for what he/she can save you.
Cheerleaders
Cheerleaders are similar to Preachers with one distinct difference. They would say, “Way to go!” instead of “Follow me toward enlightenment.” These people are upbeat, team-oriented and energizing. They could perk up the most forlorn, but they do it in a way that’s not phony or gushy. Since they sincerely love to see others succeed, Cheerleaders make great supervisors and mentors. Simply put, they bring the best out in others, a trait that’s priceless.
Eclipsers
The difference between Eclipsers and other workers is their inherent need to go the extra mile. For instance, one of my colleagues, if given an assignment, always beautifully delivers the core work as expected — and some surprises. She recently presented a project to a client that included a competitive analysis, not part of the original scope. She further connected her analysis to business implications, and the client was completely blown away. Best part? Her “extra mile” added $8,000 in new assignments!
Eclipsers are worth their weight in gold (or whatever precious metal that’s not in the tank right now.).
Clairvoyants
While it might seem that these folks can see the future, it’s really their interest in news and trends that enables them to predict what’s ahead. Clairvoyants read wildly diverse books, trade journals, blogs and consumer publications, and use those divergent sources to connect the dots. They’re independent learners and happy to share their educated opinions, which can help everyone see through the fog. Warning on Clairvoyants: they will constantly be sending you heady reading material and following to get your take on it. To keep up with them, you’ll have to forego sleeping.
In Conclusion
As you’ve probably noticed, my list of Keepers has more to do with characteristics than skills. If skills are lacking, there’s no question about who goes. But, if skill-sets are essentially equal, a positive mindset and unselfish caring about the greater good get my vote. I doubt my list will reduce the pain of making decisions about your team’s lives, but I do hope it helps you determine which ones you absolutely must keep.
May the force be with you.
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February 2nd, 2009 by cbarber
Some people are natural communicators. They’re articulate and at ease no matter the circumstances. They exude confidence and positive energy, and very often, they’re found at the highest levels of health care, business, government, or even family pecking orders. They possess the rare (and powerful) combination of compassion and candor. As my friend and colleague Kate would say, “They could tell you to go to hell and convince you that you’ll love the trip!” Right now, those natural communicators/leaders probably have sore ears and throats because their time has come!
As companies deal with bad news topped with bad news, they are faced with what to tell their employees and how to deal with their questions. Based on best practices in employee communications, saying nothing is not an option because it fires up the rumor mill. If there’s no word, people will create their own stories, based on what they think is their ability to translate innuendo and read body language, e.g., “I just saw Aggie come out of Percy’s office and did she look ticked!” The water cooler, whether it’s down the hall or over email, is contaminated with morale-killing, fear-inducing bacteria.
Sweets Cause Cavities.
Best practice also does not involve sugarcoating the message or promoting false hope. The fact is, no one can predict what will happen next, and it’s okay to say that, but it’s helpful to base your answers on what you do know and what you believe your teams will understand and value. For example, to maintain a sense of positive engagement without coming off like Pollyanna, take time to acknowledge great performance and its effects. Such as, “Last week I received a note from Dr. Swift, complimenting Herman’s exceptional care and stating that he will refer all his patients to our hospital. Thanks, Herman, physician referrals are paramount to our success!” This accomplishes two things: 1) connects how outstanding work impacts results, and 2) encourages everyone to go above and beyond – and get some kudos of their own.
Sourness Tastes Yucky.
There’s a fine line between being forthcoming and demoralizing. Just as sugarcoating your messages isn’t wise, weighing your comments down with negativity and lack of hope won’t help you either. Being mindful of the power of your words and demeanor is critical during rough times. For instance, “We’re circling the tank and have no idea what to do about it.” would scare the pants off most people. However, “We’re in difficult times and will be making important adjustments to maximize potential and minimize losses.” sounds like the ship is being guided by calm, capable leaders.
The Fact Is, Facts Rock.
Starting with communication of business strategy, and the need to be nimble in times like these, your team will understand if you say, “Current conditions require that we focus on accelerated new business efforts, so we will be adding to our sales staff.” Or, “Due to economic pressures, we need to tighten our belts in the use of temp staff by 20%. Here’s how you can help us with that and still ensure great patient care.”
Furthermore by using actual results as your talking points, you can craft messages that are both honest and actionable, such as, “Our first quarter results indicate that we’re below last year by 10%, so we plan to correct that by taking the following steps. We’ll appreciate your support and continued diligence as we make these changes.”
Ask and You Shall Receive.
Going underground on asking for feedback in a time like this can feed suspicion and negativity. If your common practice is to conduct an annual employee satisfaction survey, keep doing it. I recently read about a CEO who was faced with reducing headcount by over 7,000 employees, an announcement he made personally in a company-wide meeting. His direct reports urged him not to conduct the annual employee survey, suggesting that the results would be dismal, but he insisted on going forward with it.
Even with the news they’d recently heard, more than 85% of employees were “very satisfied” with the company, and many cited the CEO’s honesty as a key factor in their satisfaction. Some commented that while they didn’t like the possibility of being laid off, they at least understood the reasons for why it could happen and the plans they might need to make.
The thing is, American workers are aware of today’s conditions and realize that everyone is vulnerable. But more than that, they want to protect their jobs and companies. This is a great time to ask them for ideas and suggestions on how to streamline costs, reduce redundant tasks and drive better results. Why not install a good old-fashioned suggestion box and see what you get? I know of a hospital with an ongoing employee suggestion program, which saved the company over $500,000 in its first year. No wonder it’s become a mainstay in that hospital’s internal strategies!
I’ve gotten to think that the word “transparency” has become clichéd and useless. So I’ll leave you with this: if you feel the need to wrap up during this cold winter, use Saran Wrap. Let your people see you, talk with you and hear you. Right now, Reynolds Wrap isn’t what you need.
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