If you aren’t spending time each day considering your character as a leader, you could be headed for failure.  Just stop and think about it for a minute.  Over the course of your career, how many leaders have you seen fail?  Was it because they didn’t know how to do their job or lacked technical proficiency?  In the majority of cases, the answer is “no.”  Their ultimate failure was a failure of character played out over time, little steps towards compromise that ultimately culminated in one big crash.  Are you headed for a crash?

This week every news outlet is covering the crash of another great leader.  General David Petraeus, former commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Director of the CIA, was exposed ... Read More »]]> By  David Morris,  SBE

If you aren’t spending time each day considering your character as a leader, you could be headed for failure.  Just stop and think about it for a minute.  Over the course of your career, how many leaders have you seen fail?  Was it because they didn’t know how to do their job or lacked technical proficiency?  In the majority of cases, the answer is “no.”  Their ultimate failure was a failure of character played out over time, little steps towards compromise that ultimately culminated in one big crash.  Are you headed for a crash?

This week every news outlet is covering the crash of another great leader.  General David Petraeus, former commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Director of the CIA, was exposed for an extra-marital affair with his biographer.  To be clear, I am firmly planted in a glass house and in no position to judge Petraeus; however, I’m concerned about the cry from our culture that people should be allowed to separate their “professional life” from what they do in the privacy of their own home.  This attempt to bifurcate who we are from who we project ourselves to be is not only psychologically damaging, but has rippling effects on every aspect of our lives, including our ability to lead others.

In their research-based book on leadership (The Extraordinary Leader), authors Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman identified the competencies that make leaders “extraordinary.”  After collecting  over 20,000 surveys that evaluated the effectiveness of some 2,000 business leaders, they distilled out 16 competencies that differentiated those leaders in the 90^th percentile from everyone else.  Furthermore, they found that these 16 competencies clustered together into five categories, which they envisioned as a “leadership tent,” held up by these five “tent poles” of leadership effectiveness.  The idea behind their imagery was that the more poles you are able to get in the air, the greater the space inside the tent, translating into effective leadership.  From all the data they collected, the center pole of the tent, the cluster of competencies on which all the other skills required for leadership effectiveness depended, was personal character.

Having been involved with the terminations of several leaders who were technically proficient and operationally excellent but had lapses in judgment that cost them their careers, I’ve seen firsthand the impact of the lack of a strong “center pole.”  These sobering experiences have caused me to realize both good and bad news.  The bad news is that you and I have deficiencies in our character.  To prove this point, stop right now and make a list of the qualities you wish to possess as a person.  Look back over the list and tell me, honestly, do you live up to these standards each day?  I’ve yet to pose that question to anyone who could confidently say that they were unwavering in their commitment to their personal values.

The good news is the same as the bad:  you and I have deficiencies in our character.  This is good news because it means that we’re all in the same boat and, when we’re willing to admit it, we can rid ourselves of the energy wasting images of excellence we try to project to the world around us.  We can redirect our focus toward embracing transparency, modeling humility and making adjustments.  We can be free to live authentically in the community of leaders who surround us and can teach our employees a powerful lesson – position does not equal perfection.

Coming to terms with your propensity to act in ways contrary to your character is essential, because leadership effectiveness is rarely destroyed with one major bad decision.  Rather, it is eroded little by little each day until a major landslide occurs.  The greatest threat to your leadership effectiveness is the little decision you make each day to compromise your character, because compromise is the true enemy of character.  Compromise can come in many forms, including:

• Misrepresenting facts in order to make you or your team look better to others
• Refusing to accept blame or admit a mistake
• Talking bad about other workers or leaders behind their backs

These are just a few examples that I’ve been faced with.  What opportunities do you have each day to compromise your character at work?

At a time when I was in a dark place in life, a close friend shared with me this wisdom:  it was a thousand tiny steps in the wrong direction that got you here; it’s going to take a thousand steps back in the right direction to find your way again.  Recognize your propensity to compromise your character, take an honest look at your life, and take your first step back today.  Take my advice and the advice I’m sure Petraeus would give you:  don’t wait until the crash.

About David Morris

About SBE Training 

How much time do you spend dealing with conflict each week?  I recently read an article that concluded that the average manager spends 25% of his or her time handling conflicts over resources, policies and rules, and people.  My experience tells me that number is a little low.  Due to the significant amount of time spent managing conflict, it is important that managers learn the skills and tools required to effectively engage in any conflict.  The starting point for ensuring that the conflicts in your organization are productive is to establish a set of ground rules, some “rules of engagement,” to help guide you through your next conflict.

Most of us are guilty of thinking about conflict as a war between two people ... Read More »]]> By  David Morris,  SBE

How much time do you spend dealing with conflict each week?  I recently read an article that concluded that the average manager spends 25% of his or her time handling conflicts over resources, policies and rules, and people.  My experience tells me that number is a little low.  Due to the significant amount of time spent managing conflict, it is important that managers learn the skills and tools required to effectively engage in any conflict.  The starting point for ensuring that the conflicts in your organization are productive is to establish a set of ground rules, some “rules of engagement,” to help guide you through your next conflict.

Most of us are guilty of thinking about conflict as a war between two people or ideas that is only resolved through force.  At best, we view conflict as a “necessary evil” that lurks in the shadows of all of our relationships, both personal and professional.  With this mental and emotional backdrop, it’s no wonder that as soon as a conflict becomes apparent most of us begin (literally or figuratively) taking up arms and preparing for battle.  While the means by which we engage in conflict may be unhealthy, the presence of conflict in your organization is not always a negative sign.  In fact, at the computer chip manufacturer Intel, management preaches that the only thing worse than too much conflict is no conflict at all.  Celebrity CEO Jack Welch once wrote that when he began at GE everyone spoke very politely and avoided controversy at all costs.  Welch called this “superficial congeniality,” in which everything was “pleasant on the surface, with distrust and savagery roiling beneath.”  What Intel and Jack Welch both recognize is that the absence of healthy conflict can be just as bad of a sign as the presence of unhealthy conflict.  When team members are not free to openly debate and disagree about important ideas, they often turn to back-channel personal attacks.  While there may be a peaceful environment on the surface, you can guarantee that there is “savagery roiling beneath.”

How do you create an environment in which productive conflict is encouraged?  It begins with setting some ground rules for how you and your team will act when things get tense.  You’ll want to develop a set of rules that makes sense in your context, but, to get you started, I offer you my five “rules of engagement” for conflict.

Rule #1:  “We”

At the end of his career, management guru Peter Drucker noted that the most inspiring and effective managers he knew “thought in ‘we’ rather than ‘I.’”  In conflict situations, great leaders want the entire team and organization to succeed more than they want to be proven right.  Demonstrate this to your team by the words you use.  Doing this will inspire your team members to think beyond themselves, which will keep them from digging into their self-protective foxholes when things get tense.

Rule #2:  Don’t Get Personal

If you allow the situation to shift from conflict that attacks issues to conflict that attacks people and personalities, you and your team have lost.  When things begin to become personal, it is a sign that the people involved have lost sight of the issue at hand.  The energy of the conflict shifts from problem solving to appropriating blame.  Nobody wins.

Rule #3:  Practice Perspective Taking

When you are engaged in a conflict, challenge yourself to view the issue from the other person’s perspective.  Is there anything about his or her position, feelings, or core need as a human being to which you can relate?  Take the time to consider the ways that people are just people and share the same needs that we have.  Use empathy to build bridges.

Rule #4:  Take Stock

Too many of us spend our lives never feeling satisfied and, therefore, walking around feeling constantly slighted.  When you slip into this victim mentality, you become entitled, territorial, and unable to engage in healthy conflict.  Tell yourself, “I already have enough.”  Take stock of the good, rather than spending your time focused on the bad.

Rule #5:  Choose Wisely

Not everything is worth fighting for, so it is important that you choose your battles wisely.  Those who fight about everything lose their voice.  Those who fight about nothing lose their relevance.  Be intentional about the conflicts you choose to engage in and those you choose to avoid.

A close friend returned from serving 18 months in Iraq and told me a haunting story.  He was out on patrol with his unit when he saw an Iraqi national in the distance pointing what appeared to be a gun at him.  Instinctively, he raised his rifle and took aim, ready to neutralize the threat.  Fortunately for him, his commanders had issued strict rules of engagement that forbade him from initiating fire.  Without these rules of engagement to guide him, his life would have been forever altered.  You see, it wasn’t a hostile soldier that he was facing; it was a little boy holding an umbrella.  Firing off too quickly in your next business conflict could cost you dearly.  Be sure that you and your team know the rules of engagement for conflict before it’s too late.

About David Morris

About SBE Training 

Few obstacles are as damaging to a business as a lawsuit.  Even when unfounded, allegations of wrongdoing can cost a business owner not only in terms of time and resources, but also image, confidence, and focus – especially when such allegations come from a former employee.  According to an article by Jane Mundy on LawyersandSettlements.com, wrongful termination lawsuits have risen as a result of the down economy.1  It is therefore especially important now that employers understand how to protect themselves.

This article is not intended as legal advice.  If you are facing or believe you may face a lawsuit for wrongful termination, you should seek legal counsel.  What this article is intended to be is a set of suggestions, compiled from a variety of online sources, to help you build a strong foundation of ... Read More »]]> by Andrew Thompson of SBE

Few obstacles are as damaging to a business as a lawsuit.  Even when unfounded, allegations of wrongdoing can cost a business owner not only in terms of time and resources, but also image, confidence, and focus – especially when such allegations come from a former employee.  According to an article by Jane Mundy on LawyersandSettlements.com, wrongful termination lawsuits have risen as a result of the down economy.1  It is therefore especially important now that employers understand how to protect themselves.

This article is not intended as legal advice.  If you are facing or believe you may face a lawsuit for wrongful termination, you should seek legal counsel.  What this article is intended to be is a set of suggestions, compiled from a variety of online sources, to help you build a strong foundation of responsible practices that will enable you to prevent false claims of wrongful termination from becoming a problem in the first place.

But let’s face it: in order to even begin, you’re going to have to…

1.  Know the law.   It sounds obvious, but this is perhaps the most important key of all.  Mundy argues, “In a situation where an employee understands wrongful employee termination and their employer doesn’t, the grounds are fertile for a potential wrongful termination lawsuit.”1  Don’t be one of these uninformed employers.  Be aware, as advised in the article “Avoiding Wrongful Termination” on LawFirms.com, that the law may vary from state to state, and study previous wrongful termination cases in order to  “gain a finer understanding of what is typically accepted and what is not.”2  Arming yourself with the knowledge of what, according to law and precedent, constitutes wrongful termination will enable you…

2.  Set clear policies.   The article “Avoiding Wrongful Termination” suggests that all small businesses should have employee handbooks that include procedures for employee termination.2  Ken LaMance, in his article “How to Avoid Lawsuits When Firing an Employee,” agrees, stating, “One of the best ways to prevent claims of wrongful termination is to develop clear employee firing procedures and to follow them closely.”3  Unfortunately, having been so diligent will mean little in a lawsuit unless you can prove that you were, which means that it is absolutely essential that you…

3.  Keep good records.  “Avoiding Wrongful Termination,” argues that employers should have employees sign statements regarding all disciplinary actions in order that they may later demonstrate “that other disciplinary action was taken in an attempt to remedy the situation BEFORE the employee was terminated.”2  Good documentation may make or break your case in the courtroom; in fact, according to LaMance, it “may be the only real evidence that you can use at trial.”3  Of course, the evidence you need to protect yourself from a wrongful termination case may not always be contained in writing, which is why it’s important to…

4. Have a witness.  If it does come to legal action, you don’t want it to be your word against the fired employee’s.  That’s why Jody Raines, in her article “Best Practices to Avoid Wrongful Termination Actions,” suggests having a third party either manage the termination of an employee or sit in on the process.5  Jean Scheid, writer of “How to Terminate an Employee the Legal Way,” seconds that advice, arguing, “It’s best to have a witness present,” preferably “a supervisor, upper management, or a co-owner,” and never a co-worker.4  Of course, your witness is just a witness, not a legal adviser – which is why you should always remember:

5. When in doubt, consult a lawyer.  I know, I know – wasn’t the entire goal to keep you from getting to the point where you really need a lawyer?  Well, in a strange way, that’s actually what this step is for.  As LaMance points out, consulting with an attorney to review your procedures or the circumstances of a particular case before a termination “can help you avoid costly litigation in the first place.”3  By seeking legal advice before you make a misstep, you can ensure that you won’t need to hire a lawyer later, after costly mistakes have already been made.

Firing an employee can be difficult, and hearing later that an employee is claiming wrongful termination can be stressful and demoralizing.  By following the 5 Steps above, you will be better able to ensure that every party is treated appropriately and fairly in an employee’s termination, making the process easier, keeping your business safer, and, ultimately, giving you peace of mind.

1 Jane Mundy, “Wrongful Termination Lawsuits on the Rise,” Lawyers and Settlements, January 5, 2011, accessed October 13, 2012, http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/wrongful-termination/wrongful-termination-law-11-15747.html#.UHkyjhyaK4B.

2 “Avoiding Wrongful Termination,” Law Firms, accessed October 13, 2012, http://www.lawfirms.com/resources/employment/wrongful-termination/avoiding-wrongful-termination.htm.

3 Ken LaMance, “How to Avoid Lawsuits When Firing an Employee,” Legal Match, last modified November 11, 2011, accessed October 13, 2012, http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/how-to-avoid-lawsuits-when-firing-an-employee.html.

4 Jean Scheid, “How to Terminate an Employee the Legal Way,” Bright Hub, last modified March 8, 2010, accessed October 13, 2012, http://www.brighthub.com/office/entrepreneurs/articles/65876.aspx.

5 Jody Raines, “Best Practices To Avoid Wrongful Termination Actions,” HR Knowledge, August 8, 2012, accessed October 13, 2012,  http://www.hrknowledge.com/blog/bid/86009/Best-Practices-To-Avoid-Wrongful-Termination-Actions.