Helps on the ‘How-To’s In Developing Mind-Set Three

There was a ton of research that went into The Power of Professionalism.  Yet sometimes you miss or overlook a reference that you later wish you would have been able to incorporate into your book.  Carol Dweck’s Mindset is one such reference.

The premise of her book is that mindset has an enormous influence on achievement and success.  Mindset, she believes, trumps talent when it comes to achievement and success.  I couldn’t agree more and have made that very point in The Power of Professionalism.

Dweck believes that there are two primary mindsets—either growth oriented or fixed.   Those with a growth oriented mind-set, she explains, actually expand their intelligence and, of course, their capacity to take on ever-increasing challenges.  Those with a fixed mindset tend to believe that their intelligence is pre-determined –which thwarts them on any number of levels.

Praising children’s intelligence and ability, she argues, doesn’t foster self esteem and can be completely counter-productive in terms of buoying children up over the long term.  She writes that ‘praising effort has a far greater impact’.

To me, Dweck’s book Mindset compliments The Power of Professionalism (and vice versa).

What’s common between the teaching within the two books?

***the emphasis on mindset (especially over talent) as a driver of trust and success.

***the emphasis of one’s view of themselves as a driving determinant in their life.  (Note: In TPOP this is greatly emphasized, although less so in Dweck’s Mindset.)  

*** the commonality (especially) between mind-set three (e.g. professionals know things get better when they get better) and Dweck’s growth mindset.

Are there differences?

***Maybe.  I’m not sure if Dweck believes there are only two core mindsets or there are more than that.  Of course, in TPOP we identify seven.

***In TPOP we identified mindsets (plural) that produced trust. In Dweck’s book her growth-oriented mindset (singular) was focused almost exclusively on ‘success’.  That’s an important distinction…and thus a difference.

***In TPOP we strongly emphasize being something.  Doing something was more the emphasis in Dweck’s Mindset book.

What’s unique about Dweck’s book when contrasted with The Power of Professionalism?   

***the researched based arguments she gives to the ability to grow intelligence.

***the advice she gives to those wishing to instill a growth mindset (or for that matter mindset three) within others.  Especially important–praise effort, not innate ability.

Beefs worth mentioning:

***Just one.  For those that have a ‘success or achievement orientation’, Dweck’s book will be especially pertinent. A great many examples in the book were from people who certainly appear to have had that orientation. Yet there are many who don’t value ‘success’ as the be-all-end-all. For them I’m not convinced that all of what Dweck advances in this book holds true. For instance, Dweck advances the premise that those holding a fixed mind-set begrudge the success of others (page 245 in the paperback version). That’s not my experience at all.

For many ‘personal growth’ is simply not one of their top values. Many of these same people also hold what Dweck refers to as a fixed mind-set. I’ve met many such people in my lifetime. Yet the vast majority don’t begrudge the success of others.

I bring this up as an illustration that, to me, Dweck tends to generalize a bit in this book—the begrudging the success of others being one example.

Bottom line:

Despite some (manageable) differences, the two books complement one another nicely.  Given different circumstances, I would have referenced Dweck’s Mindset book in my first edition. Chapter seven alone (how parents can instill a growth mindset in their kids) is worth the price of the book.  For those achievement-oriented fans of TPOP that want complimentary ideas on how to develop a deeper, stronger mind-set three, this book will help you do that.

Identity–The Secret Sauce For Families

As I wrote about in The Power of Professionalism there is great power in this ‘thing’ we call identity.   Identity answers the question ‘who am I?’ or, in the case of the collective, ‘who are we?’  Knowing who we are (or wanting to become) is a powerful north arrow—especially when things get rocky.

The Power of Professionalism dealt with one’s identity as a professional; although identity is obviously just as powerful in other aspects of one’s life as well.

In a March 2013 New York Times article– The Stories That Bind Us—journalist Bruce Feiler shares how identity becomes the secret sauce for families.  Feiler refers extensively in the article about the importance of family narrative—which formed the basis for the article’s title.  As Feiler points out, family narrative is really important. I wholeheartedly concur.

Yet to me the family narrative is the outward manifestation of family’s all-important identity of themselves.  And that’s the key: when you know who you are a lot of things naturally take care of themselves–whether it’s in the workplace or within a family. Enjoy the article…it’s especially good.

I Really Can’t Put My Finger On It

I recently received an email from a colleague friend who owns and operates a very successful  executive search firm. She’s quite familiar with The Power of Professionalism.  At the very end of her note she added the following PS:  

“I was comparing two people yesterday. I said to myself, ‘Person A is highly professional. It’s not that Person B is unprofessional, but Person A is notably highly professional.’ I really couldn’t put my finger on some detail or example that brought me to this conclusion. Odd.”

Isn’t that the truth?  Often times it’s our intuition that whispers to us how professional someone is. And more-often-than-not the assessment this woman was making is an unconscious process for most of us. 

There’s just something about how the person conducts themselves—which often translates to a lot of little, yet terribly important, things.  Taken in aggregate, it reveals a tapestry that could only have been created by a professional.           

In organizational settings (particularly) we’re prone to compare—it’s the nature of the beast. We compare because we must.  Who do we hire—candidate A or B? Which service provider—A or B–gets the new maintenance contract?       

Differentiating oneself is tough. Yet, I’ve learned that professionalism can be a big differentiator. For trusted professionals the key is to get others to notice—even if the person really can’t put their finger on the ‘why’.       

Seven Signs An ‘Expert’ Is Slipping

1) they tend to be impatient with ‘mere mortals’

2) they tend to reinforce what they already believe or trust they know

3) they get overly defensive when others challenge them

4) their listening skills have tended to atrophy

5) new ideas are often seen as a threat or source of discomfort for them

6) frequently they tend to hang around with people of similar stature

7) they have become over-reliant on the approach that enabled them to become an expert in the first place

If these signs are prevalent, it portends an expert in decline.

The Ultimate Paradox— When A Leader Voluntarily Steps Down

President George Washington started a precedent, Pope Benedict XVI broke one—both stepped down.  Both did so on their own volition—neither was pushed (think: fired).

Relinquishing one’s responsibilities at the height of one’s power goes against the grain of human nature.   In fact, many may believe that stepping down is a sign of weakness in a leader. That’s not always the case.

I chose to believe that Washington and Pope Benedict did so for the greater good of the entities they led—Washington for the United States; Pope Benedict for the Catholic Church.

In Washington’s case he believed that over time the country would be best served by having a number of people serve as the country’s leader—rather than one person serve indefinitely (as a King would in a monarchy).  Washington was revered; he could have served far beyond his initial two terms. Yet he chose not to.

In Pope Benedict’s case the Catholic Church currently faces many substantive issues.  To effectively deal with those issues, the church’s leader must be both focused and energetic.  It’s no secret that Pope Benedict’s health has deteriorated—largely due to his elevated age (85) —at the time of his resignation.  Today Emeritus Pope Benedict turns 86 with some reporting that he is suffering repeated falls and is nearly blind in one eye. His energy is reportedly waning.  Is it any wonder he chose to step down?

Did these two leaders shirk their responsibilities in stepping down? Not from my perspective! Rather, they did what they felt was in the best interests of the entity they had been entrusted with.  Both were willing to withstand the inevitable second-guessing and criticism that came with their decision.  Isn’t that what we’d expect from someone who realized that “it wasn’t all about them”—consistent with mind-set two?

Southern Gentleman ‘Gifts’ Engineering Graduates

“Be on chapter two when everyone else is on chapter one.” That was the career advice Russ (an assumed name) got in his late-twenties as an up-and-coming engineer. By all accounts the advice served him well. Russ went on serve in several executive leadership positions in a prominent U.S. based manufacturing entity.

Today Russ is enjoying a well-deserved retirement.  Yet he’s committed to giving back.  He has established a number of engineering scholarships at his alma mater—a prestigious public university in the South. Russ provides each graduate with what we’ll call an ‘educational care package’.  The package contains an impressive leadership pamphlet—assembled wisdom from a lifetime of Russ’s collection of favorite business articles along with some of his own writings.  He also includes a number of classic business books.  This package goes to graduates of the very same engineering program Russ graduated from nearly fifty years earlier.  It’s a classy gesture from a classy guy.

He wants the newly-minted graduate to succeed and seeks to instill a love of learning within them.  He knows how easy it is for a young graduate to think they’ve ‘got it all figured out’ upon receiving their degree—especially when that degree comes from such a prestigious school.  Yet Russ is also convinced that many of the potential pitfalls faced by many graduates can be mitigated by them ‘showing up’ as a professional would.

So imagine how pleased I was when Russ contacted me about adding The Power of Professionalism to the elite list of business books he provides to graduates.  I was so honored.  Turns out, the graduates will receive their ‘educational care package’ tonight at a university-sponsored banquet.

The Power of Professionalism is a book that many have become passionate about.  Russ is one of those.  And whether you ‘gift’ the book to two people (a common occurrence) or nearly a hundred (an uncommon occurrence)…you do it because you believe it’s a ‘difference-maker’.   And you do it because you ‘aspire to reveal value in others’ (mind-set #7).  It’s just one of the ways this fine southern gentleman gives back.

 

 

The (Sometimes Maddening) Need For Precision

A manager is presenting in an important meeting.  He is in the process of making a critical point, yet goes blank as he has forgotten the date he last met with the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).  The CMO is someone who had played an integral role in the breakthrough the manager is reporting on.  “Let’s see I think I met with the CMO last Wednesday”.  Backpedaling, he painstakingly recants, “no it was Thursday”.   After confusion ensues amongst the group, he changes course once again.  “Wait, it was probably Tuesday”.

The manager has taken nearly a minute attempting to sort this out. That’s an eternity for someone who has been allocated only 15 minutes on the agenda—with five of those minutes committed to Q&A.  The manager seems oblivious to the side-show he has created.  Yet he’s especially pleased with himself when he finally figures out that it was indeed Wednesday when he met with the CMO.  He’s a man who has a high need for precision–someone who (among other things) prides themselves in getting the facts 100% right every time.  To him it’s a badge of honor.

Here’s the problem with people’s need for precision: too often in group settings (think: meetings, teachers instructing, etc) it detracts more than it helps.  This gentleman, for example, ultimately got his fact right but in the process lost his audience.  Plus, the group ultimately lost its momentum after the manager had trouble regaining his mojo.

The irony is that the meeting date with the CMO was inconsequential to the point the manager was attempting to make.  It simply didn’t matter.  Yet the manager seemingly had more invested energy in identifying that arcane fact than his all-important proposition.  The manager got lost in the weeds.  The culprit?  His own need for precision.

Precision, as important as it is, is essential only when it has direct bearing on a desired outcome you’re trying to achieve.  Otherwise, it’s noise.  There are exceptions, but not many.

The opposite also occurs.  How frequently do you see this happen?

A manager is attempting to share an inspiring story about Judy —the company’s promising new COO.  Early on in the manager’s comments to the assembled group of front-line supervisors the manager says,  “Judy was a supervising engineer for only two years before she was promoted to Director.”   Dan, a seasoned front-line supervisor, interrupts, “…actually, it was three years.”

Turns out, Dan was right—but his point added no value to the manager’s insightful perspective about Judy.

A human resources director is reporting on the results from the annual employee satisfaction survey to the company’s top officers.  She is pointing out the implications from the unmistakable downward trend in employee confidence across the entire enterprise.  Arthur, the company’s newest officer, unexpectedly chimes in.  “Yes, but look at the high level of confidence amongst the officer corps.”

Turns out, Arthur was right—but the high level of confidence amongst the officers was clearly an anomaly when contrasted against each and every other group in the company.  Arthur’s comment unfortunately distracted his fellow officer’s focus away from the all-important need for them to understand the dramatic decline in employee confidence.

Brett, a twenty nine year old chemist, makes a recommendation to his GM about how to remove the unwelcome deposits on the company’s boiler tubes. Betty, a twenty four year veteran of the steam generation department, asks Brett during an important group meeting: “what makes you think, after a short six months with this company, that you are in a position to recommend on such an important  issue?”

Turns out Betty was right—Brett was a short-timer, someone who was seemingly ill-equipped to make  such a recommendation.  But Brett had experience.  Turns out, he had helped solve a very similar problem with his last employer.

Each of these latter three examples are variations on people’s need for precision: the first is always representing the facts correctly, the second is never letting an exception go unnoticed, and the third is being unforgiving to those attempting to lead (i.e. expecting perfection).

All three of these are admirable and (usually) well-intended. Yet, it’s not helpful for the group when someone shares an arcane fact that adds no value.  It’s not helpful for the group when someone’s clever observation (think: exception) sidetracks the group from weightier matters.  And it’s especially not helpful for the group when those that attempt lead it come under constant cross-examination as a means of passing someone’s self-appointed credibility test.

Precision is a good thing—it enabled Man to send astronauts to the Moon and return them safely.  Yet, precision isn’t always our friend…no more so than when it becomes maddening to our colleagues!

 

Professionalism To The Rescue

Customers were frustrated by ‘it’, employees were embarrassed by ‘it’, the owners were uncomfortable by ‘it’. What, you ask, is ‘it’?

‘It’ was an archaic (think: 19th century) tracking system for repairs of customers’ mission-critical equipment.  This value-added service has been provided by a well-respected Walnut Creek, CA based company for years.  Trouble is, few people now were seeing the repair service as ‘value added’.  The company did a great job fixing the equipment; it was the process that was the problem.  It certainly was a good thing that the repair service wasn’t ‘core’ to the business.

Consider these ‘equipment repair’ experiences:

***A customer calls in to ask for an estimate (time and money) of getting their equipment repaired.

***A customer asks their representative for a status report on their equipment repair order.

***Employees (of all stripes) would ask the foreman of the repair facility for workload reports and backlog estimates.

In each and every case (regardless of who was asking) people consistently got untimely and inaccurate information from well-intended, but less-than-confident, employees. “Amateur hour” was how one person described it.   It was no wonder that representatives from the company cringed when having to give their customers updates on their repairs.

I first met the owner about six months ago after an address I had given on professional values to business leaders.  My core message that evening:  make professional values your north arrow.  After the address the owner reached out to thank me, indicating that the message had really resonated with him. My address had reinforced something in him that he had always believed….but he had never been taught before that evening.

Little did I know how much the message had resonated with him until I reconnected with him weeks later.  Since our first encounter, he had committed to making every aspect of his business as professional as possible.  He had made a laundry list of things he wanted to change: first and foremost was that antiquated tracking system for equipment repairs.

He smiled as he recounted with me how much fun it had been for him creating the new tracking system.  As a professional, he noted, the new tracking system was something that he always knew he should do. Having made the commitment to himself to center his company around professional values proved to be impetus he needed to get started right away.

Almost from the onset of implementing the new tracking system the company gained 30% additional business in equipment repairs.  And that 30% increase has held steady over these many months.  In other words, it wasn’t a fluke.  Interestingly, the owner says that handling 30% more volume with the new system ‘feels like’ their previous volume with the old system.  In other words, the greater work load hasn’t been a problem at all—even though it’s 30% higher than before. For the benefit of those who desire quantification, that’s a 30% increase in productivity!

His employees love the new system as it really helps their ability to satisfy customers.  And it avoids them looking stupid and feeling embarrassed as they had before with the old system.  It’s proven to be a winner in every way.  The owner can’t wait to make even more changes!  Said another way, he can’t wait to make his operation that much more professional.

Professional upgrades can take a lot of forms—this one happened to involve a system.   All this owner needed was to be reminded that he was a professional and how important that was for his company.  The experience has reignited his commitment to the high standards (e.g. mind-set # 4) he’s always believed in.  His business, his employees and his customers have all benefited.  I can’t wait to see what he’ll undertake next.

 

Two ‘Motivating’ Questions For Leaders

As a leader, which question do you think is more important 1) how do I motivate my staff? OR 2) how do I stop de-motivating my staff?

In my experience question number two has frequently proven to be more important.  If you find that surprising, keep in mind….

….motivation is largely intrinsic—it emanates from within.  There is only so much leaders can do when they press the ‘motivation lever’. People really motivate themselves.

…..there is seemingly an endless number of ‘de-motivators’.  Consider: knee-deep bureaucracy that slows decision-making to a stand-still, incessantly long and ineffective meetings, senseless time-consuming reports that no one pays attention to, regularly ‘carrying’ non-performers on the payroll,  wrong-headed resource allocations, inadequate  training, irregular or ineffective communication from leadership, unclear or ever-changing organization priorities.  I could go on, but won’t.  You get the idea.

Perhaps it’s obvious, but the de-motivators are poison to leaders attempting to create a truly professional environment for their organization. When these de-motivators are present, ‘professional‘ is not an adjective people would use in describing their organization.  When that occurs, you’ve in trouble!

Frequently the de-motivators are connected to the structural building blocks of the organization—policies, processes, and programs.  People are smart, they’ll find ways to motivate themselves.  But people can’t always change the environment of which they are a part. In those instances where the environment needs changing, leaders must do so.  That means removing obstacles, providing essential resources, and otherwise protecting their people from the debilitating aspects of the organization’s politics.

Few leaders knowingly set out to de-motivate their people.  Yet it happens far more frequently than we know.  That’s why it’s critical for leaders to know what’s bugging their people.  Left unattended, the dark cloud surrounding de-motivated employees will eclipse whatever motivational glow that would otherwise attempt to emerge.