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Editor: Dr. Wolf J. Rinke
Publisher: Wolf Rinke Associates, Inc.
(c) 2004 Wolf J. Rinke
Vol. 7 No. 3, June/July 2004
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IN THIS ISSUE
1. NEWS YOU CAN USE
2. DON'T OIL THE SQUEAKY WHEEL--PART II
3. HEAR WOLF HOWL--I MEAN SPEAK
4. HUMOR BREAK
5. SPECIAL OFFER
6. ABOUT THE EDITOR
7. PRIVACY STATEMENT AND SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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REALITY CHECK
Don't think or say "I." Think and say "we."
--Peter F. Drucker
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1. NEWS YOU CAN USE
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Are you an effective executive? According to management sage Peter
Drucker effective executives consistently adhere to nine specific practices.
They:
- Ask: "What needs to be done."
- Ask: "What is right for the organization."
- Develop action plans.
- Take responsibility for decisions.
- Take responsibility for communicating.
- Are focused on opportunities rather than problems.
- Run productive meetings.
- Think and say "We" rather than "I."
- Listen first, speak last. (This, according to Mr. Drucker is so
important that he called it a "rule.")
ACTION STEPS:
Just do it! And if you need a bit more help devour my new book: Don't
Oil the Squeaky Wheel and 19 Other Contrarian Ways to Improve Your Leadership
Effectiveness. See the special offer in section 4 below.
Source: Peter F. Drucker, What makes an effective executive. Harvard
Business Review, Jun. 04, pp. 58-63.
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2. DON'T OIL THE SQUEAKY WHEEL--PART II
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In the previous issue of this eNewsletter (#7-2--see www.WolfRinke.com)
I introduced you to CEO Janice Maloney who achieved extremely poor bottom
line results because she kept oiling her squeaky wheels. Now let's take
a look at 11 specific SMART STEPS you can take to achieve peak team
performance.
Take complete responsibility.
Make a formal announcement that as of a certain date the mantra in your
organization will be: If it's to be, it's up to me. Consider putting
that mantra on business size cards and distribute them to all employees.
Then consistently take complete responsibility for all of your actions
and insist that everyone else does the same.
Reject the word: "Try."
Don't accept the word try. Try provides for built-in failure before
anyone starts. Even a lack of success will meet the requirements employees
have set for themselves. After all, they did try. Will, on the other
hand, demonstrates commitment, action, and a high probability of success.
Stamp out blame game conversations.
If necessary make up posters with the words Blame Game crossed out as
in European traffic signs. Any time someone engages in this behavior,
point to the poster.
Remind yourself often.
Pay attention to what you are "recognizing and rewarding."
Always keep in mind that over the long term, whatever you reward is
what you will get more of, whatever you ignore will go away, and whatever
you punish will not be repeated, at least not while you are around.
Foster independent actions.
When team members bring you their problems--especially those who complain
all the time--ask them to bring you 1-3 options or solutions for every
problem. Then ask them to function as the "primary mover"
who puts together a cross-functional team that will address the problem.
Get people to work together.
When people are undermining each other, call every one together and
ask them what it will take to get them to work together as a team.
Have them put their responses on 3x5 cards without names.
--Use each card to drive the discussion.
--Have them make up to five very specific commitments regarding what
they will do different in the future.
--Have each one sign the commitment sheet and insist that they hold
each other accountable.
--Catch them doing things right and let them know about it.
Place people in positions that enable them to build on their strengths.
Find out what your team members love to do and do everything in your
power to place them in those positions.
Avoid competition.
Have people compete against themselves or against standards. Avoid having
people compete against each other within the same organization. The
reason: if there is a winner, there will be a loser. And losing demoralizes
people, and demoralized people will pull everyone around them down.
Do what's unpopular.
Strive to have team members respect you…not like you. When you
want everyone to like you you'll avoid the tough decisions, you'll avoid
confronting the people who need to be confronted, and you'll avoid offering
differential rewards based on differential performance because some
people might get upset. Ironically, by procrastinating on the difficult
choices, by trying not to get anyone upset at you, and by treating everyone
equal regardless of their contributions, will insure that the people
you'll wind up angering the most, are very likely your most productive
team members.
As a last resort resolve conflicts.
Serious conflict, seldom if ever, resolves itself. So here is how you
can deal with it:
Step One. When an employee comes to you and complains about another
team member, insist that they talk with the other team member in a non-confrontational
manner. If the two can't get things ironed out ask that both come and
see you.
Step Two. Listen actively to each side of the story. Affirm each person
without taking sides. Ask how the conflict is adversely affecting the
attainment of the mission, vision and/or core values and strategic goals.
Remain objective and document the facts. Place the focus on work responsibilities.
Avoid finding fault or making accusations. Keep attention focused on
the present situation, not on past histories or old grievances.
Step Three. Insist on statements of facts, rather than opinions. If
employees become emotional, allow them to express their feelings in
a non-confrontational manner and then gently steer the conversation
back to the facts.
Step Four. Refer to the company philosophy as behavior guidelines and
benchmarks.
Step Five. Judge the issue, not the person; state the desired outcome;
and ask each employee for specific suggestions on how the desired outcome
can be achieved.
Step Six. Have both parties reach consensus regarding a specific solution.
Define the specific outcome and state how it will be measured so that
each side will know when it has been achieved. Clearly state who is
responsible for what actions within mutually agreed deadline.
Step Seven. Write down up to five specific commitments the employees
have mutually agreed upon, and have them sign the commitment sheet.
Source: W. J. Rinke, Don't Oil the Squeaky Wheel and 19 Other Contrarian
Ways to Improve Your Leadership Effectiveness, (Chapter 14) McGraw-Hill,
May, 2004.
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3. HEAR WOLF HOWL--I MEAN SPEAK
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Here is a list of full day seminars that I will be presenting for the
rest of 2004 that may be open to you, especially if your company is
a member of the Institute of Management Studies (IMS). Contact the Chairperson
for additional information.
Increasing Your Personal Effectiveness
6/24 Hartford, CT, Mark Jesty, Hartford@ims-online.com
7/20 Philadelphia, Joe Paesani, Philadelphia@ims-online.com
Winning Management: Building a Peak Performance Workplace
10/1 Minneapolis, James Arnold, jkarnold@imsminneapolis.com
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4. HUMOR BREAK
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"I have to have a raise," the man said to his boss.
"There are three other companies after me."
"Is that so?" asked the manager.
"What other companies are after you?"
"The electric company, the telephone company, and
the gas company."
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5. PRE-PUBLICATION SPECIAL FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
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NEW BOOK: Don't Oil the Squeaky Wheel and 19 Other Contrarian Ways
to Improve Your Leadership Effectiveness, to be released by McGraw-Hill,
May, 2004, by W. J. Rinke. Publisher Price: $14.95.
Advance praise: "Tells you what you need to know to win in the
game of leadership in these turbulent times."
J. W. Marriott, Jr., Chairman of the Board and President, Marriott International,
Inc.
POWERFUL CD: How to Motivate Employees to Achieve Peak Performance.
Publisher Price: $19.95.
This LIVE audio by yours truly (~60 mins.) will teach you how to build
a positive organizational culture that will achieve quantum leaps in
performance, productivity and profitability.
Both book and CD--$24.90 + s/h. SAVE $10.00!
------------------------- Offer expires 8/1/2004 -------------------------------
To order log onto http://www.WolfRinke.com/SpecialJuly04.html
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6. ABOUT THE EDITOR
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Dr. Wolf J. Rinke, CSP is an internationally recognized keynote speaker
and seminar leader who delivers customized presentations that combine
story telling, humor and motivation with specific "how to"
action strategies that participants can apply immediately to improve
their management and personal effectiveness. He is also a highly effective
management consultant, executive coach and author of 13 books including
Don't Oil the Squeaky Wheel and 19 Other Contrarian Ways to Improve
Your Leadership Effectiveness and Winning Management: 6 Fail-Safe Strategies
for Building High-Performance Organizations available at www.WolfRinke.com
To take advantage of Dr. Rinke's services call 800-828-9653 or mailto:WolfRinke@aol.com
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7. PRIVACY STATEMENT AND SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
===================================================
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