Engaging Leader: Leadership communication principles with Jesse Lahey

Research shows no one is happy with annual performance reviews—not executives, not managers, and not individual contributors. Even HR teams responsible for performance management aren’t convinced annual reviews provide value. According to Kris Duggan of BetterWorks, that’s because traditional performance management processes and systems no longer accurately reflect the way we work. (They never did, […]

Research shows no one is happy with annual performance reviews—not executives, not managers, and not individual contributors. Even HR teams responsible for performance management aren’t convinced annual reviews provide value. According to Kris Duggan of BetterWorks, that’s because traditional performance management processes and systems no longer accurately reflect the way we work. (They never did, many would argue.) Kris Duggan is CEO of BetterWorks. Previously, he was founder of Badgeville. BetterWorks began with the simple, but deeply held goal of helping people feel like they are winning at work. Their enterprise goals platform, based on “Goal Science” thinking, is designed to engage, empower, and cross-functionally align workers. BetterWorks drives high-performing companies to become operationally excellent, and provide powerful insights about how work gets done. Highlights from Jesse’s conversation with Kris: * Today’s workforce, especially millennials, want feedback more often. * For organizations to become high performing (and stay that way), leaders must move from holding feedback until the end of the year to a model of more continuous improvement. * Managers need data that helps them provide that frequent feedback within the context of what employees are currently working on. * High-performing organizations take advantage of goal management to encourage cross-functional alignment and team contributions. They create the openness, engagement, and collective thinking that drives innovation and greater business success. * There are five key pillars to goal management: * Connected. Goals are aligned vertically, cross-functionally, and with your company’s mission. * Supported. Employees regularly engage with peers’ goals by providing relevant praise and feedback. * Adaptable. Individuals refine goals and focus goals as priorities shift to get the right work done. * Progress-Based. Employees update goals frequently so small wins are continually captured. * Aspirational. Individuals remain motivated and challenged through meaningful stretch goals. Highlights from the Guide to Performance Management Software 2015, published by Bersin by Deloitte experts: * Goal-setting and revising, managing and coaching, development planning, and rewarding and recognizing are the ongoing activities that comprise effective performance management. * Performance management is not something that high-impact organizations ‘do,’ but is instead a way that work gets done.” * Overall the big trend is this: almost everything we’ve done traditionally in HR has to be adjusted (or re-engineered). The younger, more mobile, more agile workforce and workplace we now live in demands new approaches. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Podcast: GC31: Gamified Goal Setting in the Enterprise: helping people win at work * Website: BetterWorks * White Paper: Goal Science Best Practices * Article: Does Performance Management Make the Grade? * Publication from Bersin by Deloitte: Guide to Performance Management Software 2015 * Twitter:

Focusing on goals establishes a business culture of innovation and collaboration because you are measuring ongoing operations, not a single point in time. For organizations to drive better performance, goal setting should be done frequently, and should focus on just a few high-quality, high-impact goals. BetterWorks is an enterprise goals platform designed to enable all employees to visualize both the inputs and outputs influencing behaviors. This includes communicating the value and impact of more strategic goal setting, tracking, and management to everyone. When you operationalize goal setting, your organization can more efficiently manage business performance and achieve the following: * Smarter planning with increased employee engagement, motivation, and clarity of purpose. Your organization can spend more time deciding what activities should be accomplished, ensuring quarterly goals match the strategic vision. At the same time, you can ensure you are enabling all employees to make progress on tasks associated with meaningful work. You have a gauge for how your organization is tracking to your business plan, and full transparency into where employees and teams are on track and/or need assistance. * Increased visibility across silos. An enterprise goals platform brings transparency to the performance management process. Instead of goals being discussed twice a year—during goal setting in January and performance reviews in December—goal platforms provide on-going and increased visibility into goal progress (success and failure), bottom up, top down, and across teams, creating a more open culture that encourages collaborative problem solving and promotes faster decision making. BetterWorks is designed to engage, empower, and cross-functionally align workers to set, track, and manage goals and become operationally excellent. Its built-in features support five key pillars: * Connected. Goals are aligned vertically, cross-functionally, and with your company’s mission. * Supported. Employees regularly engage with peers’ goals by providing relevant praise and feedback. * Adaptable. Individuals refine goals and focus goals as priorities shift to get the right work done. * Progress-Based. Employees update goals frequently so small wins are continually captured. * Aspirational. Individuals remain motivated and challenged through meaningful stretch goals. Kris Duggan is CEO of BetterWorks. Previously, he was founder of Badgeville. BetterWorks began with the simple, but deeply held goal of helping people feel like they are winning at work. Their enterprise goals platform, based on “Goal Science” thinking, is designed to engage, empower, and cross-functionally align workers. BetterWorks drives high-performing companies to become operationally excellent, and provide powerful insights about how work gets done. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Podcast: GC02: Badge of Engagement * Website: BetterWorks * White Paper: Goal Science Best Practices * Article: Does Performance Management Make the Grade? * Publication from Bersin by Deloitte: Guide to Performance Management Software 2015 * Twitter:

Most people today constantly reach for their smartphones for instant answers and services. What’s the weather? Will Monique be joining us tomorrow? What’s the name of that song? And even people who don’t know how to use most smartphone features know how to send and receive texts. For many, it’s their preferred method for timely […]

Most people today constantly reach for their smartphones for instant answers and services. What’s the weather? Will Monique be joining us tomorrow? What’s the name of that song? And even people who don’t know how to use most smartphone features know how to send and receive texts. For many, it’s their preferred method for timely communication and information in the “mobile moment” – the instant they want to know or to take action. So, if that’s the reality with people on your team, should you add mobile to your toolkit for workforce communications? The annual Global Mobile Report was recently released by comScore, and in today’s show we discuss the highlights and what it means for leaders. Joining the show is Joe Loya, a colleague with Aspendale and also principal of Payne Road, LLC. Joe’s areas of expertise include HR and Workforce Communication Strategy, as well as Technology & Digital Media. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * To see mobile communication in action, text the word engage to 31996. (You’ll receive an automated text message within a minute or two, plus occasional updates. Message and data rates may apply. Text STOP anytime to opt out.) * Global Mobile Report: 2015 study by comScore, a global leader in digital media analytics * Book: The Mobile Mind Shift: Engineer Your Business to Win in the Mobile Moment * Twitter: @JesseLahey and @JoeLoyaJr Subscription Links iTunes Stitcher RSS Your Feedback If you like our show, please rate us on iTunes. That makes a huge difference in helping more people discover it. We love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below! You can also email comments to Jesse at jesse@engagingleader.com, subscribe to him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter.

When you’re the CEO or senior leader, bottom-line results matter. Especially when the going gets tough, the conventional assumption is that the big boss should push profits by any legal means necessary, even if it means twisting the truth, breaking promises, and being a jerk to other people. But for most of us, that intuitively […]

When you’re the CEO or senior leader, bottom-line results matter. Especially when the going gets tough, the conventional assumption is that the big boss should push profits by any legal means necessary, even if it means twisting the truth, breaking promises, and being a jerk to other people. But for most of us, that intuitively feels wrong. We’d like to think that virtue isn’t just it’s own reward; that doing the right thing and treating people right is smart business that also delivers results to the bottom line. What does the data say? A new study of more than 8,000 employees and 84 CEOs found that character really does matter. In fact, character-driven leaders and their teams consistently deliver nearly five times greater return, as well as reduced risk and higher employee engagement. In today’s show, Jesse interviews Dr. Fred Kiel, who led the study and wrote the new book Return on Character. In addition to higher financial results, character-driven leaders and their teams achieve: * 26% higher workforce engagement * 20% advantage in keystone leadership skills of vision, strategic focus, accountability, and senior-team development * Lower levels of risk Character is a combination of habits that can be learned and cultivated. Four key character habits lead to specific business outcomes: * Integrity leads to confidence in leadership – for example, keep your promises and follow through on your commitments. * Compassion leads to collaboration – for example, treat people as people rather than commodities or numbers. * Forgiveness leads to innovation –  for example, accept that people make mistakes (as distinguished from repeated carelessness) * Responsibility leads to a culture of accountability – for example, own up to your mistakes and correct them. On top of the character scale are leaders Kiel calls “virtuosos,” and leaders at the bottom “self-focused.” * Virtuosos use both head and heart to orchestrate a high-performance team that serves others. * Self-focused leaders are mainly out for themselves. Fred Kiel, PhD, is a psychologist and co-founder of the consulting firm KRW International. For more than 30 years, he has helped Fortune 500 CEOs and senior executives achieve leadership excellence and mission alignment. His previous book is Moral Intelligence. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Book: Return on Character: The Real Reason Leaders and Their Companies Win * Website: www.krw-intl.com * Character Self-Assessment Quiz (2 minutes): www.krw-intl.com/characterquiz * Character Reputation Predictor (65 questions): www.krw-intl.com/character-reputation/ * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/krw-international * Twitter: @FKiel * Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReturnOnCharacter * Articles: * Strategy + Business: “Everyone Profits from the Return on Character” * Fortune: “In bus...

Making the connection between better health decisions and daily energy levels does far more to change employee behavior than telling them about longer-term health consequences. At most organizations, a workforce health strategy includes communication and education to motivate and equip employees and their families to reduce health risks, improve well-being, and prevent the development of serious (and expensive) health problems. But according to research scientist Tom Rath, the typical health messages aren’t very effective in motivating people on an ongoing basis to make healthier decisions – not even people who already face life-threatening conditions. Tom is a senior scientist and advisor to The Gallup Organization, where he helps people and organizations reach their potential. Tom was featured in our Workforce Health Engagement episode 2, “Wellness Communication & Education: Which Info & Messages Truly Help?” His previous bestsellers include Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements and EAT MOVE SLEEP: Why Small Choices Make a Big Difference. His newest book is Are You Fully Charged? 3 Keys to Energizing Your Work and Life. Jesse and Tom discuss why the typical wellness messages aren’t very effective, and share examples of messages that are more effective. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Book: Are You Fully Charged? 3 Keys to Energizing Your Work and Life * Tips from the book: EL112: Are You Fully Charged? 3 Keys to Energizing Your Work and Life * Updated edition of Tom’s previous book: Eat Move Sleep: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes * Documentary movie: Fully Charged – features interviews with leading experts, as well as real-life examples, to reveal sme of the most practical ways we can all energize our work and life * Mobile app: Welbe – tracks how you eat, move, and sleep, connecting with wearable devices (Fitbit, Jawbone, etc.) and with friends across platforms (iOS, Android, etc.) * Website: tomrath.org * Twitter: @TomCRath * Previous interview: WHE022 – Wellness Communication & Education: Which Info & Messages Truly Help? Subscription Links iTunes Stitcher RSS Your Feedback If you like our show, please rate us on iTunes. That makes a huge difference in helping more people discover it.

What does yawning have to do with influencing people to take action? If you yawn, you trigger “mirror neurons” in most other people, which affect their brain activity and influence them to yawn too. And mirror neurons don’t just involve actions like yawning. They affect thoughts and feelings as well. This is one of the […]

What does yawning have to do with influencing people to take action? If you yawn, you trigger “mirror neurons” in most other people, which affect their brain activity and influence them to yawn too. And mirror neurons don’t just involve actions like yawning. They affect thoughts and feelings as well. This is one of the keys that separate a traditional leader from a 21st century engager. In this episode, Jesse explains and shares examples about the two influence tools of powerful empathy: * Empathetic perspective: As you prepare for a communication or engagement, see this interaction through the eyes of your audience. * Empathetic thinking: While in the act of communicating, actively seek to understand their thoughts and feelings and – most importantly – allow yourself to be influenced by their point of view. With every communication you do, whether something formal or just a casual interaction, you will be more effective if you use these two tools of powerful empathy. Like a yawn, they get the mirror neurons firing, but in a way that will help you influence people to take action. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Blog: 6 Reasons Empathy Will Make You A Powerful Leader * Video: How to Use Mirror Neurons to Influence People * Podcast episode 004: Powerful Empathy Subscription Links iTunes Stitcher RSS Your Feedback If you like our show, please rate us on iTunes. That makes a huge difference in helping more people discover it. We love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below! You can also email comments to Jesse at jesse@engagingleader.com, subscribe to him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter.

You and everyone on your team has an “inner innovator,” creative potential inside that can be unleashed and harnessed. With the right tools and a little practice, you and your team can improve your creative thinking skills. What’s more, you can build an embedded capability for innovation that engages everyone at your organization and leads […]

You and everyone on your team has an “inner innovator,” creative potential inside that can be unleashed and harnessed. With the right tools and a little practice, you and your team can improve your creative thinking skills. What’s more, you can build an embedded capability for innovation that engages everyone at your organization and leads to game-changing opportunities. Our guest today is Rowan Gibson, one of the world’s foremost thought leaders on business innovation. He is the internationally bestselling author of three books on business strategy and innovation – Rethinking The Future, Innovation to the Core, and his newest book, The 4 Lenses of Innovation: A Power Tool for Creative Thinking. Rather than simply hoping for a Eureka moment, you and your team can discover insights and create breakthrough ideas by systematically looking through these four innovation lenses: * Challenging Orthodoxies—What if the dominant conventions in your field, market, or industry are outdated, unnecessary, or just plain wrong? * Harnessing Trends—Where are the shifts and discontinuities that will, now and in the future, provide the energy you need for a major leap forward? * Leveraging Resources—How can you arrange existing skills and assets into new combinations that add up to more than the sum of their parts? * Understanding Needs—What are the unmet needs and frustrations that everyone else is simply ignoring? Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Website: www.rowangibson.com * Innovation Excellence website: www.innovationexcellence.com * Book: Four Lenses of Innovation: A Power Tool for Creative Thinking (Note: although we are usually fans of Kindle, we strongly recommend the print version of this book due to its graphical layout.) * Twitter: @RowanGibson * Other Engaging Leader podcasts about innovation: * 094: Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation | with Greg Brandeau * 061: The Myths of Creativity: The Truth About How Innovative Leaders Generate Great Ideas | with David Burkus * 040: 5 Keys to Leading Innovation | with Todd Henry Subscription Links iTunes Stitcher RSS Your Feedback If you like our show, please

Back in episode 14, we talked about the six drivers of behavioral engagement. One driver is Structural Ability; in other words, make it easy for people to take the recommended actions that will improve their physical or financial health. Another of the six drivers is Personal Motivation; make it what they want to do. Gamification is an emerging trend that many organizations find can help both make it easy and make it want they want to do. Back in episode 8, we looked at Keas, which uses gamification to boost wellness engagement; and in episode 5, we looked at Change Healthcare, and its focus on consumerism. Today we’re looking at MacroLife, and its creators say it integrates a wide range of employee benefits. MacroLife is a new gamified benefits solution from ACI Specialty Benefits, one of the 10 largest providers in the US of Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services, as well as wellness, work/life, concierge, and student assistance services. (This interview was originally featured as episode 30 on our Game Changer podcast series.) Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Video about MacroLife: acieap.com/gameofbenefits * Video about ACI: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp5ClfeyLv8 * MacroLife website:  www.gameofbenefits.com * ACI Website: http://www.acispecialtybenefits.com * Twitter: @ACISpecBenefits * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/aci-specialty-benefits * Facebook www.facebook.com/ACISpecialtyBenefits Subscription Links iTunes Stitcher RSS Your Feedback If you like our show, please rate us on iTunes. That makes a huge difference in helping more people discover it. We love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below! You can also email comments to Jesse at jesse@engagingleader.com, subscribe to him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter.

According to The Gallup Organization, when companies add a well-being focus to their engagement efforts, it has an accelerating effect. Focusing on employee engagement and employee well-being together helps companies maximize productivity. Today we’ll discuss how your organization can improve your culture, employee engagement, and the bottom line by taking a whole-person approach that allows […]

According to The Gallup Organization, when companies add a well-being focus to their engagement efforts, it has an accelerating effect. Focusing on employee engagement and employee well-being together helps companies maximize productivity. Today we’ll discuss how your organization can improve your culture, employee engagement, and the bottom line by taking a whole-person approach that allows employees to thrive across five universal elements of well-being: * Purpose/Career: liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve your goals * Social: having supportive relationships and love in your life * Financial: managing your economic life to reduce stress and increase security * Community: liking where you live, feeling safe and having pride in your community * Physical: having good health and enough energy to get things done daily Doug Stover is a senior managing consultant with Gallup. He’s business leader for Gallup’s Well-being consulting practice, a strategic advisor for Gallup’s leading clients, and a public speaker on well-being in corporate environments. (This interview was originally featured as episode 22 on our Workplace Health Engagement podcast series.) Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Website: www.gallup.com * Website: www.healthways.com * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/doug-stover/0/bb0/662/en * Article: Memo to Executives: Well-Being Boosts Employee Engagement * Article: Most Company Wellness Programs Are a Bust * Article: Study mentioned by Doug that looks at well-being by occupation * Book: Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements * Texas Health Resources Wellbeing Program Subscription Links iTunes Stitcher RSS Your Feedback If you like our show, please rate us on iTunes. That makes a huge difference in helping more people discover it. We love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below! You can also email comments to Jesse at jesse@engagingleader.com, subscribe to him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter.