Almost every senior leader I talk to now tells me the same thing, “There’s too much going on. We don’t know what’s happening. It’s chaos.” These are in quotation marks for a reason; they’re quotes. My response is always the same; I ask a question, “If you’re anxious in this business environment, what must it be like for your people a few levels down?”
Some have taken the time to find out; most haven’t. And because they don’t, they often impose new rules or announce a decision that makes sense at their level and makes their lives easier (they think) without carefully considering the impact in the field.
In times like these, keeping your workforce engaged and performing is a more difficult task. The news, the pace, the rumors, and the emotional realities of every individual member of your organization are working against you at almost every turn.
When things get complex, I like to find a way to make them simple again. If a person or team is not as engaged as I would like or performing at the level I know they could, there is a barrier in the way. Three questions help me identify the barrier and take steps to increase engagement and raise performance:
- What does this person or team need clarity about in order to engage and perform at a high level (vision, strategy, game plan, role, responsibility, success measures, accountabilities)?
- What about the atmosphere needs to start, stop, change (structure, systems, resources, communications, trust)?
- What can we start, stop, change to better develop the talent (aptitude & attitude) of this person or team?
To see how your team would score you on what kind of clarity you provide, atmosphere you shape, and talent you have and develop, have them take our free Leadership CAT Scan today (www.ecstasis.com). It’s a simple solution for fighting the chaos and complexity. It’s the best 360 feedback you’ll get because it gives you direct information about how you can address the realities your team is facing and create the conditions for success right now.