“here, let me show you” (leading by example)

(part of the Total Quality Leadership (TQL) series)

How an organization achieves world class quality excellence depends on its leaders within the organization, at all levels of the organization.  Whether your organization has just started its quality journey with ISO certification or are ready to apply for the world renowned Deming award, the critical success factor to world class quality excellence…it’s all in the leadership!

Leadership skills that make an environment successful are the same skills that we learned when we were little.  Today, a coaching skill, leading by example.

It's not that the young ones can't do something.  They just need to be shown.  We demonstrate, step by step, how to put things together and they follow our lead.  We make it easy for them.  We relieve the stress they may have.  We show them how to do it right.  Once they learn, they go to the next level.  They experiment.  They do better than we can.  They now show us.

“You cannot create experience, you must undergo it.”  Albert Camus, French Novelist

The new CBS television show “Bosses” is one I enjoy because it represents leadership at its best.  It answers the question of how decisions made in the corporate office impacts those who have to perform the actual implementation of those decisions. 

Prior to consulting on topics I am not 100% familiar with, I spend time beforehand to familiarize myself with the workflows of the environment.  The two pictures are ones taken at the International Bridges in El Paso, Texas.  The picture on the left is a walk-over bridge for pedestrians, the one below, a drive-over for vehicles.  The time I spent following-by-example gave me a much better perspective on the associates' working environment on the bridge. 

A checklist for instructions includes the following:

1.  Find out what each employee knows (don’t make assumptions).  I found the associates to be well-versed.  They had to determine the crossing charge in both US change or dollars and Mexican Pesos.  I barely kept up as people walked or drove by and, many times, tossed in their change.

2.   Demonstrate whenever possible.  I took over for 5 minutes at a time and my head was reeling with the exchange I had to make between both country’s monies.

3.   Encourage questions.  I have always been one to drive my teachers crazy with questions.  As a (Dr.) Deming disciple, the "5 whys" comes naturally to me.  There are no stupid questions!

4.   Explain purpose of job.  Both associates were well-informed tutors.  I was able to tailor my course to the department with the knowledge they had taught me. 

5.   Follow up.  Their thirst for additional learning encouraged the manager and director to provide more team based education.  Procedures were tweaked to meet their respective needs.

6.   Recognize accomplishment.  Writing a column in the City’s online newsletter lets everyone know your Department news.  Everyone likes to see their name in print (and it’s zerO cost)!

My hands-on experience with the associates facilitated tailoring the team-based class to the needs of the department. Sometimes taking the lead means you have to follow first. 

“wanna play wif us?” (Team Building)

(part of the Total Quality Leadership (TQL) series)

How an organization achieves world class quality excellence depends on its leaders within the organization, at all levels of the organization.  Whether your organization has just started its quality journey with ISO certification or is ready to apply for the world renowned Deming award, the critical success factor to world class quality excellence…it’s all in the leadership!

I believe the leadership skills that make an environment successful are the same skills learned on the playground.  Today's skill, team building.

Children love everyone!  The eagerly want to join others and play.  They pick their friends  and others they believe will help them win the game for their side. They help each other out and they enjoy interacting with each other. They learn the rules of the game(s) and follow them.  They learn what happens if they do not follow the rules of the game(s). Their parents or other adults are there to oversee they play agreeably.  

Let's identify true team-based environments using one example of what should be a very simple process. Do your associates schedule their vacations and days off with the approval of their team mates (the people they work with 8 hours a day and who are the ones directly impacted by their absence?)  or

is there still a signature process that involves a litany of people up the "management chain" - supervisors, managers, HR?   if yes, why?  Ninety percent of the responses suggest the "team" is unable to "make those kind of decisions". 

If, as a supervisor or above, you are still spending your time signing off on vacation or time off requests (except for your direct staff) you are unnecssarily adding to the cost of a simple process and negatively impacting the growth of your staff to becoming a self-directed work team. (see blog, ABCM 7/14 and 7/19)

In a true team based environment,

1.) the associate team (those that work together 8 hours a day) would deliberate the "request for absences" at the morning associate team meeting. “Absences or request for time off” would be listed as an agenda item (daily, weekly, monthly— depending on the size of the business).

(the team leader would share the work or tasks for the week in a daily “data-exchange” agenda item)

2.) Together, the associate team would evaluate the team leader's input and make their "yes, no" decision.  The team leader would assist in the process only if needed.

The prelude for the above team process is:

1. We have educated the associates on the process of  “decision-making" in a team building class.

· We have implemented job / skill sharing (some still use the vernacular "cross training") with each member on the team.

2. We have educated the associates on the company policy specifics for “time off”. (identify the rules)

· My policy:  we will not hire temporary worker(s) for the job;  the work will not fall behind  (read:  job / skill sharing [cross training] has taken place).

3. My policy:  All desk procedures are written and up-to-date. (identify the rules and what happens if they are not followed)

· "Your vacation will be interrupted if something happens and no one knows what to do.  This will also negatively impact your request the next time you ask for time off. It will also be noted in your performance review."

Just as we do with children, if we share the rules of the game (read:  set policy) with our team, they should be able to carry them out (read:  implement the procedure) and be held accountable for their decisions. Decision-making is an invaluable skill for the team to learn. It is the basis for any problem solving technique.  Vacations and time off is one that impacts them directly.  Teaching them how to approve or disapprove this request is a good start to their skill set addition.

This is but one example of how true team-based environments should operate.  Does yours? If not, why not?

Celebrate Us!

I spoke, via Skype, this morning to a group of over 100 young girls ages 13 - 18.  They hail from over 25 countries  -  Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ghana, Honduras, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, the UK, the US - just like you.  They attend public, private, and parochial schools.

My topic:  Success is not a “one size fits all” definition.

One of the recurring comments by the audience was there were so few resources for them.  Yes, they know Secretary Clinton, UN Ambassador Rice, IMF President Lagarde but what about the women I spoke about in my presentation. Couldn't I ask them to write their stories?  This prompted my CTA (call to action) to you.

When I hung up, I started thinking about all of you - family, friends, my social media, professional organization and academia colleagues. All of you are successful role models.  Each of you, regardless of race, age, religion, geographic, socioeconomic, demographic, or occupation (and I include the unpaid occupation of homemaker in this group) has a story to tell and lessons learned during your journey to “right now”.  Each of you has a message to contribute.

I would like to ask each of you to write your story, maximum 1000 words and end with 3-5 lessons learned.  Use word.doc format, your name and country on top of page, your title is optional, and a picture would be great.  If you are hesitant to write a story, please include your 3-5 lessons learned.  All pieces will be compiled and published as a motivational resource for young girls globally.

I would like to meet a December 1 deadline.  Return your article via e-mail, the comments section on this blog site, my Entre Nous blog, facebook, or our website. 

Thank you for your help.  I look forward to reading YOUR story and I know the girls will too.