4 C’s for the Big Picture

There was one rock to miss. It was right in the middle of the raging river drawing my kayak to it like a magnet. I bounced off it hard, somehow managing to stay in the boat. I was rattled and the next few minutes were frantically reactive. I lost my awareness of the river, instead focussing on what was right in front of me. When a similar thing happens to pilots, they call it ‘getting behind the plane’. Decisions come late and each error compounds into the next. The ‘big picture’ disappears.

When many of my clients and friends in Western Australia describe business/life at the moment, it has the same feel. In many ways we are late to the Global COVID party. Now it’s here. Many clients work in disability and aged care services and now have positive cases. There’s deep concern for the wellbeing of people they provide services to and their staff. It’s rapidly evolving. Decisions have real consequences. They are reacting to a daily shifting landscape.

When we end up reactive and working ‘close to our nose’, just like the paddler and pilot, we lose perspective. Work seems somehow harder and less meaningful as reactivity forces us away from purpose and meaning - just dealing with the next thing.

Leaders can mitigate some of this for themselves and the people they lead with 4 C’s

• Clarity - rather the crystal clear version of clarity, think lighthouse in a thick fog. If a clear picture is not possible, provide clarity about direction and things to avoid. Give people clear priorities that reduce the pressure of decision making in the heat of the moment.

• Communication - talk to the team and keep them informed. It’s almost impossible to over communicate in high consequence fast moving environments. Make it as clear and brief as possible.

• Connection - Links to purpose/mission, each other and a sense of hope can all erode if playing too close to your nose. Be kind. Show you care. Value results. Remind each other of purpose. 

• Calm - The US Navy SEALs say ‘Calm is contagious’. Whatever the situation, panic or calm are choices. One advantage of a team is that when I am losing it, you will be calm. That will calm me. Later, I will share my calm with you. Breathe and slow down a little. We can easily get caught up in fever pitch. 

If you could benefit from the 4C’s right now, reach out. It would be my pleasure to give you some time. Book via the link or return email.

The Leadership Closet

A newly appointed senior leader showed me her closet. 

Actually it was just the knobs on the doors. She’d proudly installed them herself (and done a mighty fine job of it). We talked about why After all, her organisation has a maintenance team for exactly that kind of work. 

Turns out the knobs were a symptom of something many of us experience when we reach a new level of leadership. We are not 100% sure what to do! It freaks us out at a subconscious level. Feeling incompetent has deep roots in human experience. In harsher times, incompetence could equate to death or alienation. It’s risky territory. 

In the face of that feeling we often default to the familiar ‘tools’ of the level below, or tasks we can obviously do, like the door knobs. Usually our motivation is good. “I don’t want to overload others”,  and “I want to be helpful”. Here’s the problem though, others experience it as micro management. It seems like you don’t trust them to get the job done.

If you are a leader at a new level, ride out your own discomfort. Thank people for the little things you could have done yourself. Watch, ask and learn. Those precious early days when you are not yet sure of yourself in the role and others extend understanding are a great time to build the relationships and knowledge for your leadership later. 

Ask: How can I clear the way for others to do their best work? What can I learn about this organisation and my place in it? What were previous leaders at this level respected or reviled for?

In the recent hot weather, Mike has been getting questions about staying hydrated, this link has his reply.

Rio Report: Risks and Challenges

Rio Tinto made a bold move publicly releasing the Broderick report into their workplace culture. The report highlighted bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault in many global operations. Many felt unable to report or act. Rio have a hard road ahead, and an opportunity to reshape themselves into a genuinely world class culture. The proof will be in the action taken over coming weeks and years. One leader I admire at Rio said “The price of a great culture is eternal vigilance”. 

It’s easy to throw opinions around about Rio, but I reckon the report presents a number of challenges and risks to us all.

Organisational Challenge - If you opened your organisation to a similar review,  would the report be positive? How visible are the issues? How are they being addressed? Is there a culture of tacit acceptance and ‘open secrets’? How do you actively promote a higher standard?

Leadership Challenge - How and where do you address issues like those reported? Broderick found a ‘leadership lottery’ where people’s experience of Rio and negative behaviour varied greatly depending on their leader. How do you stack up personally? Do you actively create a solid culture and call out abusive behaviour? If, like me, you provide support to leaders, how are you addressing these issues? We need more open conversation and support for action. 

The Risk - The report rightly highlights Bullying, Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault as critical issues to be addressed. They absolutely must be. But… if  psychological safety is seen as only the absence of those behaviours, we do a disservice to the people in our organisations. In physical safety,  serious incidents, accidents and fatalities absolutely need critical and urgent attention, and  a well rounded approach also looks at much smaller indications of safer/less safe. We could look at banter taken too far, gossip, disengagement, rudeness, unkindness, among others. 

Let’s work the complete spectrum and create workplaces not only free of bullying, assault and harassment, but ones that are a genuine delight to work in.

It’s the right thing to do.

Everything depends on it…

And over the past two years it has taken a massive beating. 

It’s Psychological Safety. 

Unlike physical safety which can be more readily seen, measured and mitigated - Psychological Safety is more about how safe something feels. As a young outdoors instructor I often saw people deeply concerned about the safety of abseiling down a 50 metre cliff, and yet quite happy to jump in a raft to shoot some rapids.

 If you are using properly rigged and rated gear, the abseil is very low risk. It becomes quite a predictable environment from a physical safety point of view. But we are born with a hard wired fear of falling from height. That’s smart design isn’t it - especially given the consequences! The barriers are almost all psychological and it feels very unsafe and exposed. Rapids on the other hand can be way riskier. And yet it seems easier for most of us to trust the boat and jump in.

In the workplace Psychological Safety impacts many elements contributing to bottom line:

• Dealing with conflict

• Contributing innovative ideas

• Spotting and correcting physical safety issues

• Giving and receiving useful feedback

• Developing new skills

• Pointing out potential flaws in a product or plan

• Taking responsibility/accountability for results

• Giving honest estimates of time required for projects

• Open conversations about budgets, strategy, tactics and opportunities

If people don’t feel safe to do these things and more without experiencing negative kickback, they are likely to find any reason not to do them. What you say, or what the official policy is doesn’t make much difference to this. It’s all about feel. 

How would you rate the Psychological Safety of your workplace, especially after the assaults of the last 2 years? If you’d like a practical 20 point checklist to measure and improve it, send me a message and I’d be happy to send you one.

Prioritise for Certain

My palms prickled and my throat ran dry as I stared into the valley. I felt like running - fast and without a plan. Verging on panic really. Running was the last thing I should be doing. I was on day one of a multi-day solo survival challenge in a hot and arid area. My biggest uncertainty was where my water resupply would be. I sat down in the shade for a while and focused on my priorities. Conserve and find water were top of my list.

There’s a ton of uncertainty as we launch into 2022 (at least in Western Australia). Many leaders I have spoken to seem a bit bunkered down. Waiting to see what comes. It’s a reactive state. Seeing what comes and then trying to make the best of it. Not being overwhelmed in the process. 

Back when I was instructing survival skills, clear priorities were a major key to success.  The environment is no less uncertain, but the priorities give certainty about what to focus on. Focus informs action. Certainty reduces the amount of time spent second guessing how to respond. 

Priorities inform an approach - Moving in the cool of the day, minimising losses from sweat. They also make opportunistic action possible - Keeping an eye out for bird and animal movements indicating water nearby. Moving like that means we might head off the planned route to take advantage of water along the way. 
In times of uncertainty, direction and targets may not work to plan. We’ll have to adapt and deviate. Priorities help us to maintain positive momentum, rather than being entirely reactive to circumstances. They also minimise wasted effort.

In my business, one of the biggest priorities is maintaining great relationships with current and potential clients. Having certainty about that assists greatly in decision making and setting direction for the team.

What are the key priorities for you and your business/leadership? How can you use them to create certainty for yourself and your team in an uncertain environment?

Creating a Sense of Safety and Connection

Have you ever had a moment where 4 small words had the potential to dramatically change your experience? Back when planes were a regular part of my work and life I had one of those moments. 

I was seated halfway along a smallish plane. 

The aircrew were moving along the plane from the back opening all the overhead lockers as they came. There seemed to be a sense of urgency.. 

I wondered what they could possibly be looking for. Aircrew know where things are. If they needed some piece of equipment they would go get it. 

It also seemed unlikely they were looking for something for a passenger.

If we want something from hand luggage in an overhead locker we stand up and get it, not call the aircrew for a systematic search!

And yet, here they were systematically searching lockers along the whole plane… Strange.

Eventually the crew arrived at my row.  She opens the locker, stands on tip-toe to peer in and appears to be subtly sniffing the air. 

I couldn’t help but ask, “Are you looking for something?”

Her response amazed me. It was very low on the list of things I would ever expect aircrew to ask a passenger. 

She looked me straight in the eye, smiled as only air crew  can and asked, 

“Can you smell smoke?”

Her question didn’t especially bother me. I couldn’t smell smoke, and I’m very comfortable on planes

For a less comfortable passenger the question could well be enough to have them clawing for the handles on the nearest emergency exit!

It’s a great illustration of psychological safety. For the crew, the situation clearly wasn’t of great concern, and she was in an environment very familiar to her. When we are familiar with our environment, we can inadvertently do or say something that deeply disturbs someone less familiar.

One of the quickest ways to build trust and psychological safety is to anticipate possible perspectives and issues for those around you, especially if they are new to the environment.

Time spent setting their mind at ease strengthens their trust and regard for you.

The challenge is to be aware enough of what those concerns might be, especially if the environment has become routine for you.

Where could you more effectively build trust and psychological safety for those around you?

Influencing Wel

If you need to influence someone (Or a group of someones) for a particular outcome, here are some key thoughts to consider.

• Create an environment of psychological safety where wholehearted participation is encouraged and welcomed 

• Masterfully transfer skills, if there are specific skills that need to be handed over to others

• Be open to other ways of achieving outcomes (or even alternative outcomes)

Influence is discretionary. There are many things on a daily basis that we can influence. Some of them are critical, and we should absolutely get involved. Others should be left alone. It’s a matter of judgement which is which. 

Consider these five elements when deciding to influence or not:

HOW TO CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT TO INFLUENCE
Capacity	If you’re close to maxed out, it’s more sensible to focus on your realm of control. Nailing what you can control is influence in itself. People notice your actions. A great example of this is the mantra of the Navy Seal Commanders: “calm is contagious” Calm is something that’s within your control and has a profound influence on others.
Choice	Acknowledge that influence is a choice. You can choose to get involved or not. The old adage of “choose your battles wisely” is well-placed here. We add heaps of unnecessary stress and frustration (read: shakeability) to ourselves and others by getting involved in things that we shouldn’t. Keep your powder dry for the times and places that it is to the greatest effect.
Acceptance	Be clear that this is a game of influence. It’s unlikely that you’ll end up with exactly the outcome you want. Accept that. Lack of flexibility here is one of the ways we blur the line between control and influence.
Clear parameters	The clearer you are about the desirable outcome and acceptable limits, the more effective your influence is likely to be. Muddiness doesn’t help influence.
Tactics	Given all of the above, actively choose the best tactics for the situation and the people involved. You can influence someone in many ways. Formally or informally, heavy-handed or not, directly or indirectly.

It’s a Fine Line

In a number of coaching and workshop experiences in the last few weeks, people have talked about being right on the edge of being overwhelmed. If that’s you at the moment, I feel you! Overwhelm is a state any of us can get into. When I arrive there, I sometimes feel like there’s no way out (or at least no easily visible one). It can easily feel as if one thing is piling on top of another. Last week we discussed control. Sometimes It can feel as if we don’t have much. 

One of the sources of stress comes from blurring the line between control and influence.

How we feel, act, and think are in our direct control (to a large degree - there are times when more reactive parts of our brain and physiology take over - that’s a topic for later). How others feel, act and think are in their control. If we try to control outcomes with others it will eventually do our head in. At best we can influence others. Depending on the situation, the people involved and your standing with them, the influence might be high or low. Either way, it’s not direct control. 

A practical way to reduce stress is to acknowledge the line between control and influence. When we recognise that we are in a ‘game’ of influence, it helps to reduce stress when things don’t work out exactly as we expect.  

How well do you manage that distinction?

Next week: Doing Influence well

Sliding sideways into Christmas

What’s this time of year like for you? I find it feels more pressured than normal. There’s more social engagements, deadlines to meet, maintenance around the house and yard to prep for summer, organising family catch ups and more. Some of the pressure is in our minds… A reaction to ‘end of year’ approaching. But much of it is real. 

Here’s my top two tactics for dealing with it.

1. What can I control? - Getting clear about what is (and isn’t) in your control is a great place to start. For me, staying on top of things that fuel my performance and mental health are key - regular exercise, good sleep, eating well (most of the time), being orderly about my work, remembering to be grateful -  all help me to feel less like the year is pressing in. Interestingly, research about people who survive against overwhelming odds shows that they are very good at focusing on what's in their control and being less concerned with what is not.
   
   What can you more consciously control? Are you taking on things that belong with others?
   

2. Front loading! - Wherever possible do things in advance. It’s amazing how many activities you can find to do before they are due. It’s a subset of what’s in our control. I personally find this makes me feel more in control and less rushed.

3. 
   What can you front load and what would be the impact of that?

Reframing Regret

Regret drags us into the past. Sometimes it prevents us from taking action now. It can even impact how we feel about the future. I’d hate to see a tally of the hours I have spent in regret over the years. I reckon they are some of the most expensive hours we can spend. They burn time, energy and can even erode confidence.

These days I’m pretty good at not having regrets. It doesn’t mean that all my decisions are brilliant in the harsh light of hindsight (wouldn’t that be something to celebrate!). It just means I don’t beat myself up about decisions and actions that I would change in hindsight. I’ve recently read 2 perspectives on regret that I find effective.

Suzanne Waldron in her wonderful little book “Sleeping Giants” says that “Regret is simply this: you know now what you didn’t know before.”

That perspective makes Regret a gift - rather than indulging it, I can use it as a trigger to acknowledge what I have learnt and how I have grown.

Recently, James Clear quoted novelist Toni Morrison on her  measure of success:

"For me, success is not a public thing. It's a private thing. It's when you have fewer and fewer regrets." Morrison’s perspective makes me wonder if regret is a product of not being fully aligned with yourself. I know for myself, and many of the leaders I work with, the more they align their decisions and actions with what matters most to them, the less regret they experience.

What part does regret play in your life?

If you are holding onto a past decision or action, what would it take to find the lessons and move on?

How could you increase your alignment?

Probability Can’t Help You Now

Radical Uncertainty by Mervyn King and John Kay is on my reading list at present. It’s worth a read!

They give a detailed history of how probabilistic thinking evolved and works. They argue that we are a little over enamoured by the certainty probability seems to impart. We see it used all over the place. I love it in the weather forecast where there’s a probability of rain. Every now and then the forecast will say ‘a chance of showers’ with a 100% probability of rain. When you look into the details it might say 100% chance of 0-0.1mm of rain. That’s hardly any rain, but the probability makes it sound certain that I should pack the umbrella.

Kay and King suggest that probabilities make it sound as if we are more certain than we are. I love their example of crossing the road. For any given stretch of road in your area we could get the accident statistics. We could probably even break pedestrian accidents down by age and gender. There’s a high likelihood that we could identify fairly exactly the probability of you being hit by a car if you crossed this road. BUT, that probability does not help you decide when, where and how to cross the road at all. 

They caution us to be less enamoured by probability, especially when it comes to understanding uncertain situations. 

I reckon there’s a 95% chance that they are right.

Puzzle or Mystery?

I’ve been reading an excellent book of late. Radical Uncertainty by leading economists John Kay and Mervyn King, highlights a number of challenges in our current era for leaders and decision makers. In the book, they suggest a key distinction for understanding what you are facing, and suggest the question “Is this a puzzle or a mystery?”

A puzzle might be complicated, but can eventually be comprehensively understood. Like a large jigsaw, once the edge is defined, all the pieces get assembled to create an recognisable picture. Even if there are pieces missing (Unknown, or moving data points), it's possible to get enough of a picture to make decisions with some certainty. The authors argue that it has been a long term default to view uncertainty through the ‘puzzle’ lens. The implication is that even if we can’t see the picture yet, we feel as if we might in the future. In some situations this will slow decision making and action unnecessarily while we wait for a clearer picture that may not arrive.

A mystery is essentially unknowable. There are simply too many ambiguous or undefinable elements to know the full picture. Imagine a box of 700 jigsaw puzzles all mixed together, where each piece is the exact shape and size of all others, all the edge pieces are missing, and only half have a clearly printed image. Where would you start? How would you know if it was done? In a mystery, waiting for a clear picture could be very detrimental. So could acting too early. 

You could be facing a mystery or a puzzle. In reality it’s probably several of each, potentially with no way of knowing which is which. In that case the only way to drive certainty is from within your team or organisation. Having a clear purpose and guiding principles/priorities will assist you to act, even in unknown/unknowable circumstances.

What guides you in the absence of external certainties?

How Tight is Your Team?

When I was interviewing leaders I admire for the (Un)shakeable book, several phrases stood out. Jodi Cant, then Director General of the Department of Finance said “There’s no daylight between us” to describe how united her executive team were once a decision was made. It's a great example of Commanding the Narrative and Mantras . The Mantra is visual and clearly sets intent for unified behaviour. No daylight = not even the tiniest gap. For me it conjures an image of the team standing shoulder to shoulder, facing the future, filled with courage and shared commitment. 

You only get alignment like that when the discussion, data and dispute leading up to a decision are robust. The minimum standard is that each member of the team can live with the decision. The gold standard is that each member of the team wholeheartedly agrees with it. It takes courage, solid culture and huge commitment.

If the process is not robust, the gaps between the team are huge. Often they show in undermining behaviour like:

• Leaders agreeing when face to face, but voicing disagreement to subsets of the team behind the scenes. This is a really fast way to reduce trust. It’s one of the key tactics that reality shows like Survivor use to create factions on their shows.

• Leaders going back to their team and blaming the decision on other members of the leadership group.

• Leaders not communicating the decision to the people they lead.

• And a host of other more subtle ways of undermining either each other and/or the decision.

Robust leadership cultures can be confronting. The courage, vulnerability and work involved in “No Daylight” is not for the faint hearted. There’s no room for passengers. AND if you take the time to build a culture like that you can achieve incredible results. 

How much daylight is there between members of your team?

Not According to Plan

I’m noticing a trend for short-term thinking and action provoked by the ongoing uncertainty of lockdown. It seems that just as things get moving in Australia we get interrupted again. Maintaining a balance between short-term, pragmatic action and a longer-term view is important. It’s a continuous and conscious balancing act for leaders.

I was leading a group of young people on an expedition canoeing trip during one of the heaviest periods of rain I’ve ever experienced. So heavy was the downpour that bright orange canoes disappeared into the gloom if they were more than 30 metres away. The rain stung bare skin as massive drops pounded down.

I was checking in with each two-person crew when I noticed one young guy shivering violently. His lips were turning blue. He was dressed lightly and suffering. “Put your rain jacket on!” I yelled over the sibilant roar of rain smashing into the water. “I didn’t pack one,” he replied. His logic for not packing a jacket was the sunny weather he experienced last year when he did the same trip. Talk about optimistic long-range weather forecasting!

We needed a solution quickly. Severe hypothermia in our remote location was a significant problem and he was rapidly heading down that road. I grabbed a large garbage bag, cut rough holes for his arms and neck and he pulled it over his head. Instantly warmer!

It's a great example of a quick, rough pragmatic approach. But long-term reliance on garbage bags for warmth and water proofing wouldn’t be wise.

In what areas of your business and life are you currently operating with a short-term pragmatic view? Is it necessary, or have you become reactively ‘stuck’ there? In what ways could you expand your horizon to a more strategic view?

Mantras

Last week’s article hit a nerve for some of you. 

“The word ‘command’ in command the narrative feels too aggressive” was one of many comments.  

I get it. I wrestled over the word for months before I was happy to use it. Even now it provokes some discomfort in me. 

Command the Narrative!

It’s a bold declaration. It has impact in a few short words. It conveys boundaries and a willingness to defend them. It has gravitas and forward movement. It takes courage and a willingness to be seen. It cuts through babble. 

It’s memorable. 

It’s a mantra.

Mantras are one way to Command the Narrative.

You’ll find they already exist in your culture. They are short phrases loaded with meaning. (Not necessarily positive or what you want – remember fermentation from a few weeks ago). They get repeated in meetings and casual conversation. You may have heard some around.

It’s always been that way

‘They’ don’t understand

I’m so busy

Nothing ever changes

It’s too hard

These things are sticky, contagious, and pervasive, just like a good mantra will be. It’s part of the reason that Command the Narrative is not too strong. Without intentional narrative, the default prevails. It costs energy, momentum and resources. 

It leaves a lack of clarity hanging over everything like a fog.

Notice the mantras in your culture? Are they contributing to the right future? 

Culture Ready or Not

Fermentation interests me. 

Over the years I’ve really enjoyed making artisan bread, mead and fruit wines. I’ve mostly opted to let nature take its course. Natural fermentation relies on airborne yeasts taking residence in whatever you happen to be brewing. 

If the conditions are right, you get healthy yeast cultures and yummy results. 

But… a slimy, stinking mess is also possible. Definitely not edible, and probably toxic. 

A good culture takes care. Neglect it for too long, and the culture feeds on itself. It turns nasty pretty quick. Sometimes, you can repair it with some concentrated attention to the environment, but it only works if you haven’t neglected it for too long. Occasionally, a desperate removal of two thirds of the culture and replacement with fresh ingredients will bring it back, but it’s a long shot. 

Part of the reason commercial bakers and vintners use commercial yeasts, is that they can quickly establish a culture with predictable and repeatable results.  

Whether you intentionally create and maintain it, or leave it to chance, there will be culture. It may or may not be the kind you want or expect. 

In an organisation culture is the collective result of assumptions, values and behaviours that repeatedly show up in action. This may or may not align with what is said or written about the culture.

I’ve had lots of conversations with leaders over the last month or two about culture.

There are 2 central themes

• culture has deteriorated during lockdowns/working from home

• people are behaving in ways that don’t fit the culture we would like to create.

When I go digging for more information, there’s usually a set of assumptions about what the desired culture should be, but little current effort to bring that culture to life or maintain it.

How have you been maintaining your culture this past year?

(Un)shakeable with Rabia Siddique, Author of Equal Justice

Rabia Siddique has a significant impact as a global speaker and media commentator. Like many in the conference and events industry, her income was decimated as a result of COVID. We discussed bouncing back and the impact of COVID in places outside the bubble of Western Australia.

If you wish to learn more about Rabia or connect with her, visit her website here.

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Next week, stay tuned for...

Suzanne Waldron recently completed a delightful book “Sleeping Giants”. It speaks deeply of the human experience. Profits of the book are supporting Nakuru Hope, a not for profit that provides education, food and accommodations to people living in poverty in Africa. We’ll be talking with Suzanne and Founder of Nakuru Hope Susan Saleeba about their work, and the impact of COVID beyond our shores.

Empowering Students as Leaders with Wil Massara

Wil Massara is an inspirational 18-year-old who has been making a big difference on the youth leadership front. We discuss inspiration, motivation, leadership and insight.

Find out more about Wil Massara and Youth Leadership Australia at: www.ylaaus.com.

Stay tuned on what's next in our Unshakable journey... see you soon.

Be Better with Jeremy Watkins

Jeremy Watkins helps people find an abundance of energy and vitality for whatever they are doing. I've personally benefited from insights he has shared during the challenging lock down period. In this interview we dive deep into what it means to 'become better' and how to balance that against not feeling 'good enough'. Jeremy gives some really practical tips and tools to help track, manage and enhance your energy and vitality. Free tools are available here. I reckon you'll find his enthusiasm and transparency infectious.

I will be sharing next week the talk I had with Wil Massara last 29th of July. Wil is an inspiring young man who is changing the game with his Youth Leadership Academy, so stay tuned for that.

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Thanks for joining us live or on recordings of the Unshakable webcast. I'm taking a few weeks in the bush to recharge and celebrate 25 years married with my wife. I look forward to connecting with you on the webcast again soon, and will let you know about future guests and times. I hope you are doing well in the current circumstances.

Emerging Workforce and Workplace Trends Post COVID with Professor Gary Martin

“We need to think this through!” Workplaces have been changed by COVID, probably forever, but making those changes work long term will require more.

Professor Gary Martin and I discussed current and evolving issues for workplaces and their leaders as we recover from COVID.

Stay tuned for other exciting guests this July.