TheLeadershipNotebook

Twelve Communication Errors Leaders Should STOP Now

 

“We spend a lot of time teaching leaders what to do.

We don’t spend enough time teaching leaders what to stop.”

 ~Peter Drucker

Good communication is a wonderful thing. We hunger to receive constructive feedback on our performance or an “atta girl” when you’ve done something right. We truly value hearing the words “great job” or “thank you.” On the other side of the coin, silence is a very effective form of communication. Being listened to shows we’re respected and builds connection.

 

In the end, powerful communicators help you understand how your work contributes to the broader business objectives. They let you know why the work you do matters.

 

But there is a dark side to communication. Executive Coach Marshall Goldsmith in his book, “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There,” cited several communication blunders that leaders need to STOP now. I’ve witnessed many of these same behaviors in my own leadership journey and in working with coaching clients and their 360 respondents.

 

So here’s a quick tip: if you really want to be more effective as a leader, take a look at the list below. Identify those you’re guilty of and in the words of Bob Newhart, STOP it! 

 

Too Much Communication

 

1.  Adding too much value. The overwhelming desire to add your two cents to every discussion.

2.  Making destructive comments. The needless sarcasm and cutting remarks that you think make you sound sharp and witty.

3. Starting with “no,” “but” or “however.” The overuse of these negative qualifiers, which secretly convey to everyone, “I’m right. You’re wrong.”

4. Telling the world how smart you are. The need to show people you’re smarter than they think you are.

5. Speaking when angry. Using emotional volatility as a management tool. (This is a big one to stop.)

6. Negativity (“Let me explain why that won’t work.”). The need to share your negative thoughts, even when you haven’t been asked to do so.

 

Not Enough Communication

 

7. Not listening. The most passive-aggressive form of disrespect for your colleagues.

8. Withholding information. The refusal to share information so you can maintain an advantage over others.

9. Failing to give proper recognition. The inability to praise and reward.

10. Claiming credit you do not deserve. The most annoying way to overestimate your contribution to any success.

11. Refusing to express regret. The inability to take responsibility for your actions, admit you’re wrong or recognize how your actions affect others.

12. Failing to express gratitude. The most basic form of bad manners.

 

 Do you see yourself in any of these communication “don’ts”? If so, awareness is the first step in changing bad behavior. Pick one of two of your most derailing behaviors and make it a priority to set yourself on a different communication path.                                              

 

Are there other communication blunders you see leaders routinely make? How do these behaviors get in the way of your commitment, engagement or focus?

 

To your success,

 

Mary

Leading Change: Part 2

 

“You go first and lead the way.”

~Tom Flick

 

I spent the last couple days attending the annual Winning Is Everything Conference out in Las Vegas. The event gathers CPA leaders from a wide variety of firms across the country. The focus is on sharing current practice management challenges and opportunities impacting the CPA profession.

 

For me, a former practicing CPA firm partner and executive coach for many CPA leaders, it’s a great opportunity to keep a pulse on what’s happening in firms across the country.

 

This year, from the opening presentation on, I sensed a definite shift in focus and perspective in firm leaders. Now, more than ever, they shared, outstanding leadership is imperative. The consistent message came from keynote speakers, panel participants and leading consultants to the profession. And great leadership is not just critical at the Managing Partner level. It’s throughout the firm, regardless of your title or role.

 

Amen.

 

Tom Flick, former pro football quarterback, was a highlight. He gave a rousing keynote address, focusing on many of the transformational change imperatives espoused by John Kotter in his book, Leading Change. Creating a sense of urgency, instilling a vision and strategy and empowering others were just a few of the leadership “musts” that Flick touched on. I smiled as I listened to Flick’s presentation, remembering a blog post I authored on the topic a couple of years ago. These CPAs were listening.

 

Flick’s reminder is timely. The profession is in full blown merger mania, with combinations happening in large and small firms across the country. We all know that there’s more to mergers than dollars and cents. They impact people. (Full disclosure, my former firm was merged into Plante Moran in the late 1990s.)

 

As firms continue to combine, strong, transformational leadership is needed to create a positive and productive surviving culture. To make sure that 1+1 is way more than 2.

 

The published theme of the conference was BE A HERO: Think Outside of the Box. And that’s exactly what great leaders do.

To your success,

 

Mary

 

What Are You Missing?

 

“The beauty of a person, or a flower, or a poem lies in seeing all of it.”

~ Peter Senge

 

 

 

The 360º feedback was clear. Although Pam*, (*not her real name) excelled in many of the leadership skills required by her organization, she lacked a critical skill set for her future progress: an ability to think strategically. According to the individuals I interviewed, Pam lacked the perspective required to pull together various aspects of her role into a coherent, strategic view.

 

Pam, a CPA and a senior leader in a fortune 500 company, did not disagree with the results. “I’m so focused on the details and the “here and now” that I don’t make the time to look up and think about the bigger picture,” she shared.

 

Pam’s focus and comfort with the technical and tactical aspects of her role has served her well in her progression with her company. But as a newly named head of a major corporate project, she will be required to stretch out of her comfort zone and into a new and different way of thinking.

 

How can Pam learn to build a strategic mindset?

Of course, building this skill will be one of the primary focuses of our coaching work together. We’ll work to broaden her perspective of her company’s business, not just focusing on the narrow, financial aspects, but also exposing her to other information and data that will help her understand how what she does, impacts the overall results.

 

Peter Senge, in his book The Fifth Discipline, describes systems thinking as “a discipline for seeing wholes.”  It is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing patterns of change rather than static “snapshots.” Much of strategy and systems thinking comes from having a curious mind and some imagination. Learning to ask questions and exploring “what ifs”. We’ll focus on building those muscles and mindset in Pam.

 

Pam will also need to delegate more of her day to day and tactical responsibilities to her team so that her time will free up for more planning and thinking about what’s next and how the project she’s leading fits into the bigger picture.

 

In the end, while Pam knows that strategic thinking is not one of her natural preferences, she knows it’s a skill set she can build. She also knows that this skill is required for future progress with the company. She’s committed to her leadership development and is definitely interested in seeing the big picture. After all, look what she’s missing.

 

 

 

What about you? How do you apply a systems perspective in your work? What are the strategies you use to broaden your perspective, to leave the tactical and shift to a strategic perspective?

 

To your success,

 

Mary

Which wolf will you feed in 2012?

 

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle

that goes on inside people.

He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” 

“The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.” 

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,

“Which wolf wins?”

 The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

~Anonymous

 

Exactly two years ago this week, I was finishing up a great holiday vacation with my family in Florida. The trip was wonderful although on the day I wrote my blog post, “Which wolf will you feed in 2010?” the weather was unseasonably cold (40) for the fifth day in a row and I was struggling with my mood.

 

Stay positive, I wrote. Focus on the “Good” that I experienced during the week: good time with my family, good food and celebrations, good exercise and a jumpstart on my year’s fitness goals. “Feed the wolf with what’s right” rather than dwelling on what’s wrong.

 

Fast forward to today. I’m back in Florida with my family, and up until today (it was 32 this morning), the weather has been excellent. But today’s frosty Florida weather takes me back to my continued commitment of two years ago: to focus on the positive, to focus on helping my clients build on their strengths and to focus on helping them create what’s possible both in their professional and personal lives.

 

In short, using Martin Seligman’s term, my continued focus and effort for 2012 is to help my clients “flourish.”

 

So how about you? Which wolf will you feed in 2012? How will you create the opportunities in your life to flourish?

To your success,

 

Mary