Scott Mautz’s book, Leading from the Middle, highlights a critical leadership need that organizations often overlook. Anyone who reports to someone and has someone reporting to them must lead from the middle. This can be really messy, since middle management is full of contradictions and opposing agendas, as Scott says in the book.
Here’s why this is so important. Scott points out that
– Middle managers can impact as much as 22% of revenue.
– Replacing a bad middle manager increases productivity by 12%.
– Employees with a strong middle leader are 20% less likely to leave when offered another job.
But there is a particular mindset and skillset necessary for influencing 360 degrees – up, down, and across one’s organization. This position is one of the most important and impactful, so why aren’t we paying more attention to it?
Scott compares this extremely tricky position to being a fish in a fishbowl. “Maneuvering in the middle of an oversized fishbowl, all eyes privy to my every movement. Surrounded, yet lonely. Pressure from all sides; the weight of water. Watching other fish with their own agenda zip by while I labored to remain steady and purposeful in the middle of it all.”
As a former middle manager, it’s so important to me to help other leaders develop self-awareness and become epic coaches. Even on teams within teams or from the messy middle, leaders have the potential to drive people and organizational results and build a high-performing, collaborative culture. While it may seem that being stuck in the middle inhibits what you can do or accomplish as a leader, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
We have built some amazing training programs that can tackle this particular challenge for leaders. Learn more by reaching out to us.
#MiddleManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #PeoplePerformance #PeopleScience
New Data Shows Companies Offering Flexible Work Policies are Hiring More Easily
/in LeadershipData from this past summer, drawing from hundreds of public and private sources measuring headcount growth and flexible work policies, has found that companies offering flexibility are hiring at a greater rate. While growth doesn’t always correlate to success, the research indicates companies who don’t mandate in-office work are having an easier time hiring.
This data confirms my own position on remote work – that agile companies who allow people to choose their work setup will have their pick of global talent and secure high-performing teams over those who insist on returning everyone to the office. We’ve also been seeing headlines across the web about company executives who themselves have access to satellite offices near their homes but who still insist on enforcing back-to-the-office policies. This messaging is not only hypocritical, it communicates to teams that there is no confidence in their ability to perform without constant oversight. These policies erode trust and damage organizational culture.
I’ve been exploring the shift to remote work and its implications in my leadership trainings. #LessonsLearned What I’ve seen from my remote operating clients is that in lieu of investing in a brick-and-mortar office, they’re shifting their investments into other impactful areas like learning opportunities and experiential retreats. They see that culture and engagement are massive accelerators for performance. And to me, they will be at the forefront of innovation thanks to their willingness to shift their perspective. So I would ask leaders this: What will the impact be if you don’t evolve? If you don’t invest in opportunities to enrich your culture’s desirability quotient? How will you leverage opportunities to drive innovation?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenamcgregor/2023/07/18/remote-and-hybrid-workplaces-are-hiring-people-twice-as-fast-as-full-time-office-employers-report/
How to Cultivate Psychological Safety at Work
/in Everything DiscWhat’s your feeling of psychological safety at work? The answer might depend on your level or title.
According to Everything DiSC research, managers report lower levels of safety than higher-ups. This means feeling as though mistakes are held against them or struggling to deal with tough issues is something that plagues managers, which influences how psychologically healthy the work environment is.
There also seems to be a correlation between job level and feeling valued. So how do we as leaders ensure safety, trust, and value at every level of the organization? Facilitated learning like with DiSC can cultivate some of the more essential EQ skills that will drive better communication and trust.
We cannot forget that while managers and lower-level leaders are responsible for overseeing and developing others, they themselves might not be comfortable making mistakes and having tough conversations. “While it is a departure from more traditional (and increasingly outdated) corporate models, many organizations are coming around to the idea that innovation happens at every level…” And in order to secure a cohesive and safe culture, we must promote innovation and value contribution at all levels of the organization.
Read more on the research in Everything DiSC’s latest blog post:
Psychological Safety at Work: The Key to Success and How to Get It
#EQ #Culture #WellbeingAtWork
What Tools Are You Bringing to the Workplace?
/in Everything DiscThink of someone’s personality as special skillset or toolbox that they bring to work. Based on your traits and tendencies, you’ll be uniquely adept at some tasks and you’ll find others more challenging.
If teams don’t try to understand each other, collaboration and cohesion will be a significant hurdle, not to mention the organizational culture will suffer.
Everything DiSC® on Catalyst™ gives you insight into your teammates’ styles and how they interact with your own. This assessment and platform essentially shows you what’s in your work toolbox. From how you communicate to what you thrive on and what you struggle with, this tool will underpin all your workplace interactions and show you how to leverage one another’s DiSC styles to work together better.
Learn more by requesting some free resources or signing up for an upcoming showcase webinar: MDR: DiSC on Catalyst
#TeamWorking #DiSCStyles #TeamBuilding #AuthorizedPartner
Is Virtual Teamwork Working for Your Team?
/in Building Cohesive Teams, The Five BehaviorsWhat does it mean to be an effective team?
For many companies and teams, it seems that working remotely has taken its toll on feeling connected as a team. Without solid teamwork skills in place, people can feel out of the loop with what’s happening on their team or in their organization. Many companies are now moving their teams back into the office, causing a second big shift in the workplace environment.
For those of you with a remote or hybrid team environment, what’s been your experience lately? Do you feel connected as a team? Are you able to engage in healthy debate or have the difficult conversations required to hold one another accountable? Do you feel a sense of team cohesion?
Whether virtual teamwork will continue to stay, or your organization is transitioning back to in-office work, effective communication and connection are at the heart of successful teamwork.
We can help your organization rethink its approach to teamwork. Powered by The Five Behaviors – Trust, Conflict, Commitment, Accountability, and Results – this training teaches participants the critical behaviors and interpersonal skills needed to work together effectively. Because ineffective teamwork is here to stay, unless as leaders we can equip our people with the skillsets they need to engage in productive behaviors and work toward common goals.
Learn more on our website: MDR: The Five Behaviors
#Teamwork #MakingtheDreamwork #TeamBuilding #AuthorizedPartner
How Do Workplace Experiences Impact Different Generations?
/in Everything DiscRecent research from Wiley Workplace Intelligence dug into all the different generations present in the workplace and how they feel about aspects of their work. This research sought to understand if differing areas of skill and experience, as well as different values and desires, might cause conflict and impact teams as a whole. We already know that due to growing up with social media, for example, Millenials and Generation Z experience the world quite differently than Baby Boomers. So how do these differences show up at work? The results of this research might surprise you.
Despite the generational gap and widely-held stereotypes (for instance, that younger generations are idealists and Boomers are the opposite), the majority of Boomers and Gen X individuals surveyed said that a fulfilling job means a great deal to them.
So as leaders, how exactly do we create fulfillment for our people? Building trust is a great place to start. Fostering accountability and leadership – regardless of role or title – can also go a long way in creating meaningful experiences at work. Ultimately, we should avoid assuming different generations don’t share experiences or appreciate the same things when it comes to workplace culture. In addition, addressing workplace struggles that can potentially lead to a hostile work environment will be the most proactive thing leaders can do.
Read more about the survey findings in Everything DiSC’s latest blog post: Four Generations at Work: The Unexpected Truth
#AuthorizedPartner #DiSC #FulfillingCareer #GenerationalDifferences
How Does Your Team Handle Constructive Feedback?
/in Everything DiscWorkplace conflict can manifest itself in many ways. One of the sources of conflict in teams is giving and receiving constructive feedback. In today’s organizations, feedback is crucial for ensuring cohesive teams that trust and hold each other accountable and managers who are self-aware. How does your team handle constructive feedback?
Because the manager/employee relationship is highlighted as the number one influence on the employee experience, Wiley Workplace Intelligence wanted to know how conflict is being managed in workplaces right now and how it’s changing. Wiley surveyed people managers and team members and found that one of the most common issues managers were facing was an unreceptiveness to constructive feedback. Thirty-one percent of managers reported this issue. On the other hand, managers themselves reported they are open to feedback on their performance (71%).
Most organizations have a detailed process for dealing with conflict and other behavioral or performance issues. But as leaders, how confident are we that this process is effective? Outside of formal meetings and performance reviews, what can we do to improve how feedback is given and received? The answer is building TRUST.
Trust empowers individuals to navigate conflict in a healthy way so as to theoretically need less disciplinary action and behavior management. Trusting teams are open to feedback because they hold each other accountable. They’re also more likely to be vulnerable with one another. Leaders and people managers are no exception to this.
Trust is a key tenet of any successful organization. But it’s something that must be continuously prioritized and practiced. Luckily Wiley has the perfect tool for building team trust. Training and learning experiences through Everything DiSC solutions can help you turn points of conflict into points of opportunity.
Learn more by shopping DiSC tools and or joining a free virtual showcase.
How You Can Leverage Your Team’s Unique Dynamics for Improved Group Communication
/in Building Cohesive Teams, Everything DiscDo you struggle to keep employees engaged in group settings? Do your team meetings tend to stall or are you left with more questions than answers after a group discussion?
Team cohesion depends on your people understanding one another and being able to communicate clearly, leading to more productive discussions, streamlined decision making, and a healthier culture.
Each organization has its own unique culture, and according to DiSC research, the strength of that culture depends on whether it was shaped with intention or left to develop on its own. Without guidance and a shared purpose, bad habits and poor communication can easily become the foundation of company culture.
This is where DiSC® on Catalyst comes in. Catalyst’s clever groups feature allows learners to check out their colleagues’ DiSC styles and learn strategies for working better across styles. Catalyst also provides unique group maps that you can build on your own, so that you can get context-specific tips on improving specific group dynamics.
Working in a hybrid or remote workplace? Not a problem – another feature of Catalyst is its increased support for virtual facilitation. With so many people working remotely, Catalyst has enhanced resources for facilitating DiSC sessions virtually. Materials support both virtual and in-person options.
Watch this video to learn more, and then visit us online to see how you can get started with your own simple DiSC assessment.
#TeamworkMakestheDreamwork #AuthorizedPartner #TeamTraining
Are Your Managers Trained in Conflict?
/in Productive Conflict, Everything DiscLeaders, how much thought have you given to ensuring your managers are equipped to manage workplace conflict? It’s vital to not only know how to deal with conflict but also to understand that conflict can be leveraged in a very positive way.
While the general perception is that conflict is a sign of dysfunction, modern research on organizational culture, teamwork, and leadership indicate that knowing how to navigate, and even encourage, healthy conflict at work can inspire greater productivity, engagement, and cohesion in an organization.
According to recent Wiley research, only 57% of managers report they’ve received training for conflict management. Aside from the importance of this skill for maintaining a healthy workplace culture, conflict management can also impact a manager’s own wellbeing. People managers who have received training on employee discipline or conflict management, according to Wiley, report higher confidence levels in their ability to handle conflict or have difficult conversations than those who did not receive any training. And more confidence means a more successful and satisfied leadership team!
The best way that organizations can work towards creating a culture embracing healthy conflict is by being proactive. Facilitated learning experiences such as DiSC can provide the training managers and leaders need to transform their approach to conflict.
Learn more by reaching out to us directly, or check out our conflict-focused DiSC offerings here.
#LeadershipTraining #ProductiveConflict #ManagerTools
Mastering the Art of Job-Fit Hiring
/in Hiring, PXT SelectDid you know that with PXT Select, you can run a multiple candidates report and check out how different applicants might fit the same role? This will help you narrow down and focus your interview process on those who match higher for job fit.
You can also run a multiple positions report, which reflects how a candidate may fit into different roles. So you may have found an exceptional candidate overall, but the job they applied for isn’t the best fit. This information helps your hiring managers objectively analyze which traits stand out in each candidate and align those traits to their position models. These reports can also help you build models if you don’t already have them.
We know that people change, evolve, and adapt. As hiring managers, we must hire for the long haul. These tools, such as PXT Select, exist to determine not just how a candidate will perform in the present role, but if they will succeed long-term. Organizational health and performance outcomes depend on job fit and hiring models that are data-driven.
Reach out to download one of PXT Select’s sample reports, or contact us for a specialized training to master the art of hiring for job fit.
#JobFit #HiringAssessments #HiringManagers
#PXTSelectAuthorizedPartner
Leading From the Middle: Why Middle Management is So Important
/in Leadership, Training ProgramsScott Mautz’s book, Leading from the Middle, highlights a critical leadership need that organizations often overlook. Anyone who reports to someone and has someone reporting to them must lead from the middle. This can be really messy, since middle management is full of contradictions and opposing agendas, as Scott says in the book.
Here’s why this is so important. Scott points out that
– Middle managers can impact as much as 22% of revenue.
– Replacing a bad middle manager increases productivity by 12%.
– Employees with a strong middle leader are 20% less likely to leave when offered another job.
But there is a particular mindset and skillset necessary for influencing 360 degrees – up, down, and across one’s organization. This position is one of the most important and impactful, so why aren’t we paying more attention to it?
Scott compares this extremely tricky position to being a fish in a fishbowl. “Maneuvering in the middle of an oversized fishbowl, all eyes privy to my every movement. Surrounded, yet lonely. Pressure from all sides; the weight of water. Watching other fish with their own agenda zip by while I labored to remain steady and purposeful in the middle of it all.”
As a former middle manager, it’s so important to me to help other leaders develop self-awareness and become epic coaches. Even on teams within teams or from the messy middle, leaders have the potential to drive people and organizational results and build a high-performing, collaborative culture. While it may seem that being stuck in the middle inhibits what you can do or accomplish as a leader, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
We have built some amazing training programs that can tackle this particular challenge for leaders. Learn more by reaching out to us.
#MiddleManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #PeoplePerformance #PeopleScience