If you look bad, you are bad

Actually, this is only 1/2 of the phrase I tell people on my teams or leaders I've trained. The entire saying is "If you look good, you may or may not be good, but if you look bad, you are bad." Sentence structure-wise, it's not that great, but hopefully it conveys my meaning.

Let's expand a little. Perception is huge in life, isn't it? We judge and are judged constantly. We often make snap decisions regarding people by just the smallest thing or things we see. By "thing" I mean, neatness, vocabulary, writing, spelling, dress standards, etc.

In business, our credibility is everything (read more here). Because of that, we have to be aware of the "things" we are showing others. It shouldn't have to be that way, but it is. Perceptions, especially negative ones, are hard to overcome.

Here are a few "if you look bad" examples:

• Misspellings on a letter (especially on a resume or cover letter)
• Grammar and sentence structure issues in emails and documents (professionals really ought to be able to write...and so many cannot)
• Chomping your gum (or even chewing it in certain situations)
• Sloppy dress (unless that's the look you're going for...please say it isn't) and poor grooming
• Poor posture

There are lots of ways to present ourselves poorly, and there are ways to present ourselves positively. In the Army, the saying goes, "If it doesn't work, paint it", meaning at least it will look good and, on the surface, people may have a positive first glance.

Now, I'm not at all advocating fluff over substance, but let's face it. The judgments are real and are happening as I write. You can have the best ideas and best products in the world, but if people have anything less than positive thoughts regarding any of the reasons above or any others you might think of, your credibility will be hurt. Take a look at yourself and ensure your "fluff" matches your substance.

Take-away: Look good and BE good.

How much of the time is your door closed?

That's my question: how much of the time are you behind closed doors while at work?

The point I'm getting at is for you to realize how much of the time you are out mixing it up with the troops and/or customers and how much of the time you are available for your people. Do you know?

Try an experiment. Take a guess at how much of the time you're in your office with the door shut. Assign a % to it. Then talk to at least one of your employees and ask him or her the same question: "What percentage of the time do you think I spend in my office with the door closed?" You may be surprised with the answer. Whether their answer is more or less than what you think, I'd bet it's not the same, maybe not even close.

As a leader, you're probably a pretty busy person. And as a leader, your most valuable resource is...what is it? It's your people! You need to ensure you're spending time with them and are available for them on a regular basis. Otherwise, bad things can happen.

Be on guard and have some realization about your availability for your people.

The Opposite of Micromanagement...Laid-back Management?

What's the opposite of micromanagement? Could it be laid-back management?

If so, is that bad? Is it bad to have a laid-back management style? Well, micromanagement is definitely not good if that's a predominant trait. I think we can all probably agree on that. The same can be said for laid-back management, can't it?

Here's a possible example: one of your people comes to you for guidance on an issue and you say, "well, just do whatever you think is best" or "I'm fine with whatever." Like, micromanagement, it's not good to have that style as a predominant one, either.

Our people want to be led. They're not looking for someone to tell them how to do everything and they're also not looking for a boss who just leaves them to their own devices. They're looking for good, solid leadership that provides the right amount of guidance. Now, that amount is different for every employee and that's why it's important for bosses to ensure that, while they treat everyone fairly, one management style "doesn't fit all". Bosses need to understand each of their direct reports and relate to them in a way that helps each person flourish. It's a tall order, but it can be done.

One Reason Ideal Service Often Fails

Well, really, one reason an ideal in any area fails: if we’re not successful right away or shortly after initiating the solution, we often give up and say it doesn’t work.

Let’s get back to service for a minute. I’ve worked with a company that has an outstanding process for providing a world-class customer experience. For this company, it’s the ideal. A lot of research, development, and training have gone into ensuring their customers get the absolute best from the local teams as possible. The problem is often that the staff in these locations doesn’t follow through with how they were trained.

How is that possible? How is it possible that, with all that training and with such a great process, team members aren’t carrying out the ideal?

One of the main reasons I’ve been told is that the process doesn’t work for that particular team or that they tried to make it work, but:

1. “One of the team was on vacation or out sick so it threw everything off.”
2. “The schedule got messed up somehow so we ended up being unprepared for things happening differently than we had practiced.”
3. The list of derailments goes on.

Like I mentioned, once a wrench gets thrown in the works, the staff sometimes jumps to the conclusion that the customer experience process doesn’t work. Well, SNAFUs occur. Things don’t go according to plan. That’s life. Does it mean that if the settings aren’t perfect for the ideal to occur, the ideal isn’t doable anymore? It’s just that the fewer times the staff works to get back to the ideal, the less likely the ideal with ever happen…in any form. Then the teams slide back into mediocrity…for them and their customers.

What can the teams do to ensure they don’t forget the ideal? It comes back to believing. And it comes back to training. And it comes back to measuring. If the teams acknowledge that customer service and the customer experience as defined by their company is the ideal, if they have been trained and measured against that ideal, then they must return to the ideal with every chance they have.

Do you ever see the situation where the ideal gets pitched out by a group because it just isn’t working right now? Have you ever seen “following the ideal” just erode away over time?

"Well, what do you think you should do?"

When Dana, one of your team members, comes to you asking your help in solving a problem, you have several options, don't you?

You can:

1. tell Dana that he's on his own and he'd better come up with a good solution. After all, that's what you pay him for.

2. go ahead and tell Dana what should be done.

3. help Dana figure it out --

I like to say "well, what do you think you should do?"

Dana responds, "huh?"

I come back with "I know what I would do, but I'd like to know what you think you should do. Your idea might provide the best solution."

Dana says, "I don't know what to do. That's why I came to you."

Back to me, "OK, but you probably know more about this than you think. You probably have an idea about the problem. Let me ask it this way, 'if this were your company, what would you do'?"

#3 is my preferred approach (because you're so smart, you probably already knew that). Not only does it get Dana and the others thinking about solutions, he might have a better answer than mine like I mentioned above. After all, I don't have the corner on smarts, you know? If Dana doesn't provide the greatest possible solution, that's OK. At least he thought about it and I definitely want to encourage that behavior. Then I can gently help provide a possible answer or brainstorm with Dana to ensure he's involved in the solution.

Try responding this way the next time the opportunity arises. You can help empower your folks, help them start thinking more on their feet, and perhaps come up with a really great solution to the problem.

10 ways to know you're micromanaging

10. When you realize you're doing all the talking.

9. When your team stops having any initiative because they know you're going to do it your way anyway.

8. When you hear yourself say, "why do I always have to think of everything?"

7. You have to be involved in every meeting, even though your team members are capable.

6. When you do attend that same meeting and finish your team member's sentences for them.

5. All decisions have to come through you no matter how trivial.

4. You regularly say to yourself, "if I want it done right, I'm gonna have to do it myself."

3. If you're too busy to plan because you're so involved in putting out all the fires from today.

2. You never take a vacation because the place will fall apart if you're not around.

1. If you tell your people what you want them to do and then turn around and tell them how to do it, too.

I think most bosses micromanage at one time or another, but the point is to not do it constantly.

Ways to avoid being a micromanager (e.g. you get to feel comfortable about letting your people do their jobs without your constant involvement):

1. Hire the right people and put them in the right positions (Jim Collins: right people on the bus in the right seats)

2. Acknowledge there's more than one way to get things done.

3. Develop your people, give them goals and objectives, and then hold them accountable to the goals and objectives.

4. Focus on your own job because that doesn't go away when you're busy micromanaging your people's work.

Are there any signs of micromanagement not on the 10 above that you want to share and/or do you know of other ways to avoid being a micromanager?

How Do I Know That My People Are Really Working?

Have you ever hear bosses ask this question? I've heard it, but not very often because it's kind of an embarrassing question to ask. Still I think many leaders wonder this. Unless you're standing over your people, micromanaging everything they're doing (please tell me you're not doing that), there's no way you can really know, is there?

Sure, there is.

You set goals and you measure them. Sounds easy, but many leaders want their people to do the work and do it the way the boss would do it. Oh, please! You've heard the phrase, "there's more than one way to skin a cat", right? Well, that's true at work. As long as your folks get the tasks done on time and nothing illegal or immoral took place during the completion of the tasks, you should (within reason) be OK with how they chose to get it done (within reason).

Hence, the main point. Whether your people sit in the same room with you or they're spread all over the world, the answer is the same. Set goals and measure them.

Let's say that you have a project to complete by September 1 so since it's August 4, you have almost a month to get it done. You give Lisa the project as one of her tasks to complete (for the sake of the example, it's a one-person project). What are the steps that you might take to help Lisa successfully complete the project? Hmmm? Well, what are they?

Here are a list of possible steps:

1. Sit down with Lisa and let her know of the project with details and deadline.
2. Ask Lisa her initial thoughts on how to complete the project or brainstorm with her on that if she's willing.
3. Once Lisa has a clear understanding of the requirements and has no questions, send her on her way.

Are you done? No. There is one more step...and this is the one that bosses fail at most often...follow-up.

4. Since I know you'll be meeting with Lisa every week for your 1:1 sessions (because you're such a communicative, proactive boss), you'll be able to review the project with her (along with any other tasks she has) to see how she's doing, offer any guidance you feel needed, answer her questions and ensure she stays on the right track. With this example of a September 1 deadline, you should have 3 times already scheduled where you can follow-up with Lisa (add more meetings if you need to, but these are already set).

The regular 1:1 meetings are key to ensuring you know that your people are taking care of business. Like I said, not only can you ensure Lisa's project is completed successfully, but you can help your people prioritize based on current reality and guidance you receive from above.

It comes down to communication. People ask me about their team members working from home. I say, "more power to them". As long as you've set clear expectations, are available to support them, and check in on them periodically to ensure they're OK, then you should be good to go. Of course, every now and then you need to meet face-to-face with all your team members to reconnect, but you won't have to worry about the work getting done.

If you've got a good follow-up system in place, relax and focus on your own tasks. I'm sure you have plenty to do yourself.