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Leadership

Establish Values for an Organization
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If the organization does not have a clear set of values, collaborate with your team leaders to create one.

 

Here is an example of a department’s set of values created by my direct reports and me:

  • Put family first.
  • Deliver high-quality services.
  • Foster customer partnerships.
  • Establish understanding, trust, and accountability.
  • Make data-driven, innovative, customer-focused decisions.
  • Facilitate collaboration, cooperation, and communication.

These values were prominently displayed on the organization’s website and reinforced to all staff via quarterly meetings and weekly blog posts. Orientation sessions for all new employees were scheduled every month so they could learn about these organizational values, ask questions, and meet the management team leaders.

The benefits of these changes were to build a disciplined, service-oriented culture where there was none; to establish understanding and accountability for services delivered; to increase efficiencies in the organization to fund capital and operating needs; to demonstrate the ability to collaborate, communicate, and follow through on service commitments; and to establish trust with customers leading to increased adoption of cost-effective services. We encouraged staff at all levels to build strong working relationships with their customer counterparts.

Actively listen to your staff and customers, and then set the expectations for the future of the organization. Reinforce these values in frequent communications, the organization’s website, weekly blog updates, quarterly all-staff meetings, job postings, and orientations. It’s crucial if you want to create a culture of customer service and discipline. Do not depend on vital communications to be passed down through the ranks; it just doesn’t happen.

Model the Behaviors You Want to See
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I was part of a new management team at the firm tasked to turn around a $100 million troubled project that was months behind schedule and over budget. Staff was working extremely long hours with no end in sight. They would drag themselves into the office  around nine a.m. and work until dinner. After a two-hour dinner break, they trudged back and worked until ten or eleven p.m. This was not sustainable, and the entire team was demoralized. It was a death march.

 

Though extremely difficult, we stopped the project for two weeks and asked all the staff to take a well-deserved vacation. The management team re-estimated the remaining work to create more realistic budgets, schedules, and contingencies. A new tool was put in place to accurately track project budget and schedule. We nicknamed the project tracking tool “The Rudder,” because we finally knew how to guide the project. In fact, someone found an old white and blue sailboat rudder, and we hung it on the main conference room wall to remind us that we were no longer rudderless. Some of the allegedly good managers turned out to be bad managers who could not adapt and soon left the project. After the project reset, morale dramatically improved as the team began to make real progress and was ultimately successful.

 

Model the behaviors you want to see. Do not respond to emails at all hours of the night. Do not expect your direct reports to respond to emails at all hours of the night. Do not work excessive hours. Do not expect your team leaders to work excessive hours. Stay home when you are sick, and ask them to do the same. Take vacations, and teach them how to do the same. Establish a family-first prime directive, so when team leaders and their staff are faced with decisions about whether to help a family member, attend a school play, or work, they feel safe to always choose family. I would always say, “Take care of your family and yourself. We have 330 people in our department who will gladly back you up.”

Deal Swiftly with Dishonesty
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You need to give your direct reports opportunities to be great; however, you also need to act if they are not honest. I learned later in my career to act sooner than later in these situations. Six months into a new role leading a large organization, one of my team leaders was withholding critical budgetary information on a $32 million construction project. I assigned Maggie, an experienced project manager, to help this team leader organize the financial data. When I confronted him, he admitted to concealing the data from me. Worse, he was not a team player. His team would randomly make changes without notice, which would negatively impact the work of customers, my other team leads, and my peer colleagues in other departments. On multiple occasions, I directed him to act, and he did not follow through. I then asked him to tell me beforehand if he did not understand what I was asking him to do, but he never did. Finally, I said, “You need to tell me if you are not going to do what is asked, so I can get someone else to do it.”

 

This was the first and only time I fired someone right before the winter holidays. Afterward, several startling gaffes emerged from his lack of oversight of the construction project and his team’s operations. The replacement team leader was light years more capable and always a straight shooter.

 

Be open and honest with your team leads, and encourage two-way communication. Establishing values, setting expectations, and instituting mutual accountability can be achieved by articulating the values of the organization, making sure your direct reports understand what is expected of them, providing timely feedback, and letting them know this relationship is a two-way street. When encountering dishonesty, take swift action. These are the steps to become an effective leader, and your direct reports will appreciate it.

Setting and Managing Expectations — Part 2
 1024 536 Brad Englert Advisory

The firm once asked to lead a massive administrative reengineering program at a top public research university. The program was behind schedule and over budget. However, based on an independent consultant’s review and assessment, we had all the elements for success. I was asked to lead the program restart, which would begin in October and take at least a year.

 

When I had lunch at the faculty club with the provost and the chief financial officer, I said, “This role is a wonderful opportunity, and I’m certain we will be successful. However, I promised my wife and two boys that we would take a three-week vacation in June to Australia, where I was an exchange student in high school. I cancelled the trip last year because of work obligations and missed my 25th class reunion. Now passports are in hand, plane tickets have been purchased, and I cannot cancel again or risk another disappointment at home.” The CFO and provost said they understood and agreed.

 

By April the following year, the team had successfully achieved another major milestone, and the program was on budget and on schedule. During the monthly status meeting in May with the president, the CFO, and the provost, I reported that the program was on track and going well, reminding the president that I would be out of the country in June and that Debbie, one of my direct reports, would be in charge.

 

The president’s face blanched, and his hands started shaking. As I opened my mouth in slow motion to cancel my vacation, the CFO interrupted me and said, “Hold on, Brad. Mr. President, when Brad joined us, the provost and I agreed that he would be able to take this long-planned vacation. It is very important to him and his family. He says this is the best time to be away from the program, and we trust him. We should honor our commitment.”

 

The president agreed, and Debbie did a great job. Nine years later, at dinner with the CFO and our spouses, we recounted that story. He shared, “The provost and I were scared to death while you were away!”

 

In order to meet the expectations of executive leaders, you need to agree on the objectives, scope, timing, staffing, and budget at the beginning of an initiative. Use your words to set expectations to establish work–life balance.

To meet the expectations of leaders, you need to agree on the objectives, scope, timing, staffing, and budget at the beginning of an initiative to establish work–life balance.

Setting and Managing Expectations
 1024 536 Brad Englert Advisory

One of my new supervisors had a direct report peer of mine, Frank, who was the boss’s close and trusted confidant. They had worked together for 13 years, and I was new. Early on, my boss would clearly seek and often take the advice from Frank on many aspects of my department: budget, personnel, and policies. Frank would give advice that he didn’t have the expertise to give, and he started to create conflict where there wasn’t any.

 

Some of my boss’s emails giving me direction were clearly ghostwritten by Frank. Emails actually written by my supervisor, often via his smart phone, were short, all caps, with no subject line. Frank’s ghostly emails were confusing clouds of words, sent by my supervisor minutes after the two of them had met. (I would check Frank’s calendar to confirm the timing.) One email from my manager actually said, “I am not sending you this note because someone has whispered this in my ear.” This dysfunctional work dynamic was both hilarious and sad. I always wondered if I would have an opportunity to ghostwrite email orders from the boss to Frank, but that never happened.

 

In a one-on-one meeting with my boss, I drew on a sheet of paper three heads with headsets all connected with coiled wires. Below the first head, I wrote, “offensive coordinator.” Below the middle head, I wrote, “head coach.” And below the third head, I wrote, “defensive coordinator.” Then I said, “You are the head coach. Frank is your long-time, trusted offensive coordinator, and I am the new defensive coordinator. Your job is to hold Frank accountable for the offense (his department) and to hold me accountable for the defense (my department). When I get Frank’s orders through your headset, you no longer need me. So, I expect that from now on you will hold Frank accountable for his domain and me accountable for my domain.” My supervisor understood and thanked me for the “open and honest feedback.” I set expectations for what I was comfortable with, and my boss embraced the feedback.

 

You are responsible for setting clear expectations with your supervisor from the outset, especially if you find yourself in a dysfunctional relationship. You must stand up for yourself in a professional and respectful way.

The Internal Sphere of Influence: Boss, Executive Leaders, Direct Reports, and All Your Staff
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The internal sphere of influence focuses on those people you can have the most direct impact with: your boss, executive leaders, direct reports, and all your staff.

 

It is your responsibility to understand the goals and aspirations of your boss. First, you need to clarify when you don’t fully understand a directive. Then you need to determine your boss’s goals and how you align with them. Finally, figure out what you have to offer—and offer it.

 

The best way to align yourself with executive leadership is to understand the organization’s strategy and culture. Understanding your organization’s strategy and culture helps you better fit into the organization and work with leadership.

 

When you are the boss, you need to be a mentor, coach, visionary, cheerleader, confidant, guide, sage, trusted partner, and perspective keeper. It also helps to have a sense of humor.

 

When you lead an organization, it is crucial to articulate the organization’s values, set expectations, and establish mutual accountability. Then you can focus on creating a safe work ecosystem. You need to let your team leaders know you care about their success and growth and the success of their teams.

 

Seek to create a safe work ecosystem, especially if you inherit a wounded workgroup. Build a work environment where honesty and trust thrives. Let all your staff know you care about their success and the well-being of the organization.

 

You’ll begin to change the culture by establishing the values of the organization. This is a crucial step to ensure that everyone is on the same page and working toward the same goals.

10 Things Bad Consultants Do
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Unfortunately I experienced some bad consultants. Here are 10 things bad consultants do: 

  1. Wastes the client’s money—doesn’t treat it like it is their money.
  2. Unresponsive to client requests 
  3. Provides boilerplate proposals and solutions
  4. Exudes an outsized sense of self importance
  5. Takes the client executive, or her staff, for granted 
  6. Uses jargon
  7. Inappropriate email communications
  8. Never says “thank you” or “I’m sorry”
  9. Never gives credit where credit is due
  10. Misses deadlines and goes over budget.

The bottom line? Do not hesitate to fire a bad consultant. 

10 Things Great Consultants Do
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In an undergraduate class at a business school, one student asked, “Just what exactly do consultants do?” My answer was simple: “We solve problems.” 

And over the years, I learned 10 things great consultants do: 

  1. Exceeds client expectations: goes the extra mile and more
  2. Builds long-term business relationships—becomes the trusted advisor
  3. Passionate desire to learn about the client’s business and objectives
  4. Identifies patterns and recommends tailored solutions
  5. Personal integrity, initiative, empathy, and competence 
  6. Patience and respect: a humble practitioner
  7. Willingness to tactfully take a stand
  8. Thrives under pressure and delivers on time and on budget
  9. Asks for help and apologizes when necessary
  10. Asks good questions and actively listens

The bottom line? Seek to understand and solve your client’s problems. 

Authentic Business Relationships: 5 Tips For Working With Executive Leaders
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Building authentic business relationships with executive leaders is a critical skill. Where do you start? Here are five tips:

 

  1. Understand Your Organization

The best way to align yourself with executive leadership is to understand the organization’s strategy. In the private sector, strategies are often presented in a company’s annual report, quarterly earnings statements, and company websites. In the public sector, reviewing legislation related to an agency is the best place to start to understand the organization’s purpose. Agency websites often convey mission and strategy.  

 

  1. Align with Those Goals

Step back and reflect on how you can best support the achievement of the organization’s goals. Ask yourself what ideas, skills, knowledge, and abilities can you bring to the table? It is shocking how many organizations do not have a strategy. If your organization does not have a strategy, offer to help create one.

 

  1. Set and Manage Expectations

Set expectations from the outset. Seek to understand what is being asked by executive leaders. Ask lots of questions to determine the scope, timing, and resources. At times, you may not be able to align or have the skills or knowledge. Be honest if you cannot help.

 

  1. Bring options to resolve problems

Find solutions to problems and ask for support when you need it. Be open and honest. If you need others to do what they are supposed to do, ask. There are times when you need executive leadership to make decisions, so ask. 

 

  1. Genuinely Care 

The most important tip is to genuinely care about the success of your executive leaders. Demonstrate grit and the will to help them succeed. Be sensitive to the chemistry, timing, and leadership voids. Apologize when you screw up.  

Earning the trust and confidence of executive leaders is fulfilling. 

True Confessions
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Hello and welcome to my new blog where I will curate content on leadership development and thoughts on where information technology is heading–the good, the bad, and (of course) the ugly. Here is where you will find interesting and fun leadership lessons learned and fresh perspectives regarding the future of information technologies relevant to a diverse range of industries, organizations, and backgrounds.

 

My blog is designed for professionals who recognize themselves as emerging leaders, those of you who want to better understand the impacts of information technology in our world, and anyone else curious to know how to become a fearless leader. Stay tuned because my next post will introduce The Ideosphere.

 

Please bookmark this blog, email to a friend/colleague,  and find me on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram. And of course, we would love getting your feedback and hear about the topics you want to see discussed.

 

Cheers,
 

Brad