Get Out of Your Own Way at Work

Mastery in work and life comes through a series of two steps forward and one step back. When you find encouragement to take the next two steps forward, mastery and success follow. When instead, you feel confused, surprised, defeated, perhaps even victimized, you take three steps back and build self-defeating habits.

Mark Goulston, M.D., published Get Out of Your Own Way at Work in 2005 to capture 40 self-defeating work place behaviors that he most commonly encountered in his consulting and coaching work. For such behaviors as "Not Learning from Your Mistakes" and "Quitting Too Soon", he gives examples, symptoms, consequences and Action Steps.

If you have a good sense of what might holding you back, have received sound feedback on your challenges or are looking for ways to support others in the workplace, Get Out of Your Own Way at Work provides concise analysis and suggestions on how to proceed.

In Appendix 3, Goulston offers a Twelve Step plan for getting out of your own way. Users of the book would be well advised to start with these last few pages. The twelve steps outline a plan of identifying and changing self-defeating behaviors.

See Jane Lead

In a break from her earlier books, Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office and Nice Girls Don't Get Rich, Lois P. Frankel focuses her new book, See Jane Lead on strategies to take charge.

Between the two earlier books, Dr. Frankel outlined 176 mistakes women make in pursuing their professional and financial goals. The coaching tips in both these books are quite informative, and no doubt that Dr. Frankel's clients have greatly benefited from her coaching and books. Yet a focus on mistakes is counter to the latest understanding of how change occurs. A focus on what is wrong tends to reinforce the wiring in our brain (the neural connections) that is established around that habitual behavior.

The new book, See Jane Lead, begins each section with a reinforcement of where the skill area is already being used. Dr. Frankel goes on to point out the similarities among these behaviors that demonstrate an established and useful skill set. The bulk of the chapter looks at how to build on the existing skill sets through examples of theory and practice. Each chapter ends with detailed coaching tips. As with all her books, Dr. Frankel provides plenty of anecdotes demonstrating how women have made successful changes.

The book is focused around the following skill areas:

• Balancing strategy and tactics
• Taking calculated risks
• Influencing with and without authority
• Coaching others to achieve their best
• Leading teams
• Developing Emotional Intelligence and Likability
• Leading your own Enterprise

Dr. Frankel ends the book with a chapter aimed at both men and women on raising daughters to lead. Some of the areas she cites are honoring your daughter's unique gifts, instilling a competitive spirit, encouraging financial independence, and model the way.

Understanding where you currently stand on a behavior, how you will benefit from modifying the behavior, and the consequences of not doing so, are key steps to bringing about successful change. See Jane Lead starts with a self-assessment to establish both strengths and the most significant area for improvement. The book would be strengthened with a chapter, or section at the end of each chapter, which led the reader through an action planning process around change.

All of us can benefit from enhancing our skills in the seven areas listed above. Whether you are a professional woman, or a father seeking ways to support his wife or daughter, this book contains excellent coaching tips on taking charge at work.

Silos, Politics and Turf Wars

Fighting for your department at the budget meeting. Never getting help from another department. Being surprised by changes in plans. Seeing customers caught in a morass of bureaucracy.

These are symptoms of silos, politics and turf wars found in organizations as diverse as charities, hospitals, manufacturing plants, Fortune 500 companies, hotels and restaurants.

In his new book, Silos, Politics and Turf Wars: A Leadership Fable About Destroying the Barriers That Turn Colleagues Into Competitors, Patrick Lencioni spins a fable about a consultant learning to challenge and destroy the barriers in organizations.

The consultant learns through firsthand experience and observation that organizations frequently come together at time of crisis. His key selling point is "Why wait for a crisis?"

The leadership fable is a quick read, followed by a few brief chapters summarizing the key points.

• It all starts with the leadership team.
• Each member of the leadership team needs to remove their functional hat at leadership meetings, and assume the role of "executive" of the company.
  
• The team/CEO needs to identify a key rallying point for the next 6 to 12 months.
• The team needs to define the specific initiatives that will deliver the desired results.
• These initiatives need to be supported by, but not confused with, the ongoing operational objectives.

The book focuses on setting the stage of the needed changes for breaking down the barriers. Organizations needing support in execution will need to pick up other resources.

A quick read. Great points. And a fantastic starting point - "Why wait for a crisis" - to make a change in your department or business.

Contextual Intelligence

Leaders beware - in addition to the criteria you will be held to on business results, stock performance, predictability, lasting value, etc., more and more measures are being posited for the softer side of what makes you a successful leader.

We started with normal IQ type intelligence. To that, we added Emotional Intelligence. And then, Social Intelligence. In a recent article Why Do Some Leaders Have More Influence than Others? in HBR, Tony Mayo's research with Nitin Nohria shows strong evidence that successful leaders demonstrate Contextual Intelligence. This is described as,

Not only do these leaders understand the implications of the contextual forces that surround them, they also have the ability to adapt and change their leadership style and approach as environmental conditions evolve.

Mayo argues that success comes from understanding and adapting to the macro-economic conditions of the business. An interesting question is how often Boards of Directors, themselves demonstrated contextual intelligence, and how often they evaluate current or potential CEOs for their ability to manage within the evolving context.

Micromessages, microinequities, microaffirmations, ... or should you sweat the small stuff

Do you know someone who looks up when you walk into his office, consciously puts his work aside, beams a smile and opens with a welcoming question?

Do you know someone who glances up and quickly away, stays focused on her computer, watches the time and barely acknowledges your words when you enter her office?

Have you ever walked into a meeting, been greeted cordially and still felt you were an outsider?

Stephen Young is creating a language to describe the positive and negative messages which exist at the microlevel of communication. These micromessages create inclusion, exclusion, motivation and punishment at such a subtle level, there have been few ways to discuss them. By giving a language to the micromessages, Stephen Young provides leaders a new skill area that can be used to inspire and motivate others.


When you interact next with a colleague, subordinate, friend or family member, take conscious note of the following:

• Facial expression
• Tone of voice
• Hand gestures
• Choice of words
• Eye contact
• Use of questions
• Level of interaction

Consider what micromessage you were sending and what was received. As you become conscious of the messages you are sending, remember what one CEO noted in the book - it's not about sending everyone the same message, it's about being fair.

Much of what comes up in a google search on micromessaging is from the diversity arena. Rest assured that Young's message goes well beyond the challenges that arise across gender, race and intercultural dimensions. The impact of the positive and negative micromessages are felt every day in board rooms, meeting rooms and lunch rooms.

Maybe you should sweat the small stuff.


Read more at:
Why the Boss May Treat You Right, Time by Julie Rawe
Microinequities: When Small Slights Lead to Huge Problems in the Workplace, DiversityInc by Eric L. Hinton
Microinequities
Improve Morale by Eliminating Subtle Slights in the Workplace, The WallStreetJournal Online by Joann S. Lublin

S&M at the Office

Book Review: The Corporate Dominatrix: Six Roles to Play to Get Your Way at Work by Lisa Robyn

Does business revolve around the concept of surrender?

Are there relevant parallels between sadomasochism and corporate culture?

Lisa Robyn in her new book, The Corporate Dominatrix: Six Roles to Play to Get Your Way at Work, suggests power can be found in both submission and domination. Learn the archetype that is natural to you, how to borrow power, rely on personal power or assume other roles to suit a situation.

Archetype One: The Goddess
The Goddess is self-possessed, thrives on attention (if not, worship), and stays secure with her inner peace and knowledge of self-worth. The Goddess excels in dealing with challenging meetings or confrontational colleagues. She listens to her positive inner voice, keeps her composure, disarms with generosity and graciously accepts support and recognition.

Archetype Two: The Queen
The Queen doesn't just seek power; she wields power with ambition and confidence. She is clear on her objectives; she networks, negotiates and delegates her way to her ultimate goal. Ruling her kingdom, whether a business unit or a team of secretaries, the Queen, mediates, listens, delegates, supports and rewards -- she is a fair Queen. While conscious of the support needed from all constituencies - her boss, her colleagues and her subordinates - the Queen cultivates an image that commands loyalty and respect.

Archetype Three: The Governess
When it's time to manage to the rules, turn to the Governess. She is the keeper of expert and reward power. She leads by example, knows and respects the rules, and rewards those who manage the details to her requirements. The Governess is a natural mentor, teacher and keeper of the corporate culture.

Archetype Four: The Amazon
Strong-willed, independent, heroic, fearless, and strategic are adjectives associated with the corporate Amazon. "The operative principle of the Amazon is to to use might, but only when you're in the right. The Amazon can shift smoothly from direct confrontation to manipulative strategies in the name of her ultimate objective. She knows that winning peace, as well as the war, is critical in achieving her ultimate objective.

Archetype Five: The Nurse
Diagnosing and providing "first aid" to an organization is a key skill of the Nurse. She gains her power through her ability to provide protection, safety and comfort to those around her. A natural teamplayer, the Nurse reacts in a positive and productive manner, reduces and mitigating issues in a workplace.

Archetype Six: The Schoolgirl
Strategically submissive, the Schoolgirl gains her power through obedience, deference to authority and ingratiating regard. Using her charm, she is submissive without being subservient, knowing that she can gain advantage through supporting, rather than challenging, others.

The book provides tests to assess your natural style, the keys to success and the dark side of each archetype. Recognizing where the source of your power and how to find power in new ways will liberate many women in the corporate workplace.

Guidelines are offered on picking a role based on the situation. Many readers may feel a need for additional examples on how to pick and how to flex between different roles in order to gain the full value from this book. Perhaps we can look forward to these examples as women test and try out these various roles.

- How have you seen these six archetypes manifest themselves in the workplace? -