Month: June 2011

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Weiner Scandal

A-man-stressed-and-thinking-standing-on-a-wall.

People love a good political scandal, and the saga of what may or may not be Congressman Anthony Weiner’s underpants is currently dominating Twitter and the network news circuit. With his story changing by the day, it’s clear the Congressman isn’t done explaining, and that whoever is giving him crisis management advice is going in the wrong direction, as this guest article from crisis communications pro Mark Macias explains:

Did he or didn’t he?

No one knows yet whether Congressman Anthony Weiner is lying about tweeting a picture of his bulging boxers to a pretty female college student. In fact, even Weiner admitted he “can’t say with certitude” whether the picture is of him.

As a crisis communications consultant, here’s one thing I can say with certitude. Weiner’s handling of this scandal has been a botched case from day one and if he was acting on the advice of PR consultants, they should be fired.

Guys may be oblivious to the obvious, but when it comes to boxers, we know what we wear. This evasive kind of answer only gets reporters salivating because they know when words are minced, raw meat is likely close by.

Originally, Weiner tried to dismiss this scandal, telling reporters it was nothing more than a prank and he was going to focus on his work. Nice try, but it doesn’t work like that with reporters. Hiding the story only makes reporters hungrier and if there is a political scandal brewing with an “up and coming” politician – complete with photo- reporters will pursue it to break news.

Apparently, Weiner got the message a few days later because he decided to go on a 9-hour speaking tour with the media. It’s a good start, but he was willfully unprepared. He couldn’t even answer the most basic question: is that you in the picture?

Lesson number one: If you’re in the middle of a scandal and you fear it will make news, you better prepare yourself for the tough questions. In Weiner’s case, he didn’t even prepare for the easy questions. Don’t mince words when framing your argument because it will only make you look guilty. If you’re innocent, be clear and concise with your denial. Speak with words people will understand. If you’re guilty and you have a lot at stake to lose, then consider hiring a professional crisis consultant to manage your message. It’s always easier to manage the message before the narrative has been written.

Lesson number two: Don’t go after reporters. It is their job to ask the tough questions and if you don’t like it, tough luck. Reporters and producers have strong personalities so don’t try to challenge them as Weiner did when he called a CNN producer a “jackass” for asking a tough question during a press conference. The purpose of a media interview is to court viewers and readers into your corner, not to alienate them. If you come across as haughty or angry, you have already lost the battle over image.

Lesson number three: Don’t crack jokes to downplay the story, like Weiner did. He did several interviews and seemed to come up with every kind of sexual innuendo that suggested where his mind was. In one interview, Weiner said this Twitter scandal wasn’t a national security threat: “I’m not sure it rises — no pun intended — to that level.” For those who suspected Weiner had a dirty mind, he just reinforced it with his words.

Lesson number four: Don’t delay a response. Weiner made the mistake of believing if he ignored the problem it would go away. If the story is salacious, the media will pursue it at all costs. If you go into hiding, reporters will find you and ask questions when you are least prepared to answer them. In Weiner’s case, a reporter for a local TV station arrived unannounced at his office on Capitol Hill, trying to get answers. But rather than answering questions, his staff called the Capitol Hill police. This is why you need to always get in front of the story. If a crisis situation is beginning to brew, consider releasing it before the story breaks. Or in Weiner’s case, answer the calls on the first day, not several days later.

Lesson number five: Don’t lie. Originally, Weiner said his account was hacked but he didn’t want to go to police. That’s possible, but here’s another take. If he lied to police about his account being hacked, this would have turned into a criminal act for filing a false report. In 2010, I was the Communications Director for a Congressional challenger when my personal email account was hacked. It quickly became a criminal investigation that involved the NYPD crimes division with detectives quizzing me on lots of personal information. I had nothing to hide, so I answered the questions without fear of reprisal. What did Weiner do? He hired an attorney and clammed up, which reinforces the image that he doesn’t want to answer the tough questions.

I can’t predict the future, but I am willing to make a wager on this scandal. I’m going on the record now, predicting that more pictures will soon surface with Weiner in uncompromising photos. Why? Weiner admitted he couldn’t say “with certitude” whether that was him in the picture. I think he is leaving himself some wiggle room just in case more pictures of himself –complete with his Weiner smile- surface on the Internet.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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ABOUT MARK MACIAS — Crisis Communications Expert

Mark Macias is a crisis communications consultant and author of Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media. You can reach him at www.KilltheStory.com

(Editor’s Note: As this guest story was being posted, Congressman Anthony Weiner admitted he was guilty of Tweeting a lewd photo.)

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Leading from all 4Quadrants

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Over the last 20 years numerous business and management authors have identified awareness as a key success factor for leaders. One way to broaden your awareness uses a 4Quadrant approach to frame your perspective, thinking, behavior, decisions, and actions. Unlike the BCG 2×2 matrix, these four quadrants metaphorically capture the four topographies of an organization: ME, WE, CULTURE, COMMUNITY.

ME

In this quadrant everything is personal and subjective. ME is the place from which we all act, perceiving the moment, interpreting it, turning it into the Ladder of Inference that produces our behaviors. Leadership awareness begins with you, in the form of mindfulness, presence, and getting on the balcony to observe your actions and interactions. ME is also the quadrant where you become aware of others as individuals – seeing them in the moment and not disguised by past behaviors, accomplishments, or titles.

Self-awareness creates emotional clarity and understanding of the root cause of our actions, decisions, and behaviors – the story behind the story of our most common behaviors. Few of us are completely “present” to our emotions and feelings, so starting with ME grounds us and places us in the situation at this moment (space and time), preparing us to consider the other three quadrants before we act. With Self-Awareness we can also develop our Self-Discipline and Self-Direction.

WE

Awareness of the team or group dynamic is the second quadrant and this is often the focus of leadership development. Leading from WE builds organizational capacity, connecting people by creating cohesion between groups and leveraging the strengths and interpersonal relationships within the group. In this quadrant, leaders actively and intentionally generate individual and organizational learning.

The foundation of this quadrant is conversation. Awareness in the WE Quadrant begins with identifying what kind of conversation you are having. Is it a discussion, focused on accountability, tasks, and right action? Is it a dialectic, identifying the creative tension of thesis and anti-thesis and forging the way to synthesis? Is it dialog, inquiry that builds on reflection and takes into account imagination and mystery? From conversation, leaders shape internal and external cooperation and collaboration to become competitive advantage.

CULTURE

Culture is a leader’s silent partner and either a powerful ally or covert opponent. When you leave the room culture remains to direct the actions and behaviors of others. Culture is the context in which you lead your organization, the fabric of every work day. It defines organizational values and beliefs, meaning and sense-making, and sets the boundaries of Us/Them, In/Out, Authority/Force. Culture holds the organizational narrative, the stories we tell about ourselves. In this way it creates “the context in which the truth may be perceived as the truth1.” When you admonish a key contributor to: “Go ahead, take a risk. Stretch until you get your hand slapped.” culture determines if they believe you.

By becoming aware of this quadrant you are able to sculpt culture as you go through your day. What should be amplified or reinforced in this situation? What should be dampened? Is this behavior enabling or restricting? The CULTURE Quadrant is where leaders of leaders have their greatest impact. Here is where you develop the leadership of others and create organizational identity.

COMMUNITY

Awareness in this quadrant operates on the enterprise level, the interface between the company and society (local, regional, or global). The first step in understanding this quadrant is to define the system of which you are a part. We commonly see the organizational system as composed of its internal parts and external partners, but companies are also parts of a larger whole. How are your actions impacting the whole? How does your enterprise contribute to the functioning of the greater good?

Being aware in the COMMUNITY Quadrant is less about politics and power and more about purpose and interdependence. In this quadrant leaders expand their networks, tap into internal and external Communities of Practice, and take advantage of weak links to grow their organization from the outside in. Are we aligned to purpose, ours and a higher systemic purpose (for example: sustainable markets, balanced growth and resource management, health and well-being on a societal or global level)? At this level leaders are confronted with the dilemmas of doing business in an increasingly interdependent world, one where subprime lending practices can stop ships from sailing and US employment is driven by a European financial crisis and an earthquake half way around the world.

It takes seconds at act habitually, but we may have to live with the results for months or years. Take a breath…consider the 4Quadrants, and then act.

1 – Harrison Owen, The Power of Spirit, How Organizations Transform. Pp. 162

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How Many Steps to Continuous Learning? None.

A-long-floor-staircase

In response to one of my articles, someone asked me, “Since when did training become part of a company’s success strategy?” Or, something like that. I think it was when companies started giving employees the freedom to control their professional destinies. At least that was when it became necessary. Before then, employees were told every move and how hard to work to keep their jobs. If you depend on people to do their jobs without a whip or club of losing their jobs–if you don’t need to motivate them to do what you need them to do, or don’t care if your employees contribute extra and unique ideas to the success of the company, I guess you don’t need training to be part of that equation.

There are other sources for learning everywhere you look–that is, if you’re looking for them.

Once people know their jobs, it is critical to maintain that level of proficiency, hopefully without whip or club, through continuous learning. I never gave the that training label much thought, and a definition here is really unnecessary. It’s perfectly stated, at least the way I see it. There are no steps because we are doing it continuously. We don’t take steps. Every article I write on training belongs under the Continuous Learning category. Why? Because if we hold a job–any job really, or we are involved with training in any way, learning to do our jobs better, maintaining our competitive edge, we need continuous learning. It’s not just about reading the latest journals. Even reading our emails that have nothing directly to do with our jobs contribute to our continuous learning.

If you believe that you have to sign up for additional training courses, refresher courses, enrichment courses, education courses to be completing your “continuous learning” requirement, I think you would be mistaken. In times of plenty it was so easy to use that avenue to check it off the training list. The trainers said you had to have it, and that was one way to take care of the requirement, and, of course, there were and still are, plenty of peddlers who will sell it to you online, too. Was it so easy that way that we have become complacent in seeking out other kinds of sources? There are other sources for learning everywhere you look–that is, if you’re looking for them.

Actually, it’s even easier than you think. We even have some free sources we can turn to as well, and some as useful, depending on how we use them. What if your company can’t afford to buy the commercial products or services? That’s a reality in today’s market. We trainers certainly want the business as much as anyone, but there are ways we can recommend that are free that can help in tough times. Anything that helps us stay current, consider other options, reflect on best practices or failed practices is worth learning. While paid “extra” training is nice, it’s sometimes just not practical or affordable to everyone in business. An employee who shows initiative in seeking out expertise, knowledge, etc., that will help him or her do a better job can only look good to his superiors. Continuous learning opportunities abound right in front of you, and those are the ones most overlooked.

Some great scholarly knowledge or research might just be waiting for you to add to your professional knowledge repertoire.

Everything related to what you do for a living is reflected everyday in the media. An article talking about the current economic trends so common today mentions your particular type of business, or related business. That’s information you can add to your knowledge of what it is you do. It’s important to know how to relate what you do to the world around you. In talking about training and development, and education in general, we have to talk about the world of work. Educators need to know what companies want so they can prepare students to enter the world of work. That’s your world. Some great scholarly knowledge or research might just be waiting for you to add to your professional knowledge repertoire.

Not only does the news and information media provide learning, but so do the social and professional networks. They are filled with perspectives, best practices and good ideas we can use. Twitter can be a wealth of knowledge if you check out the links. Granted, sometimes these links are filled with “selling points,” but even what someone else is selling and how they are selling it can be important. Get in the social and professional mix by throwing in your expertise and opinions, ask questions, and build professional relationships with others in similar positions in similar companies. You never know what expertise will be yours for free. It’s bound to make your job more enjoyable. Problem solve, exchange ideas. The networking, useful in so many ways, is a bonus.

If you have read many of my articles here, or others on my website, you’ll notice I am always looking for connections. And, with my diverse background my connections may seem far afield, and yet, I am amazed at how so much connects. Now, I’m not trying to be the smartest kid in the class, or the one with the most knowledge on everything; I’m always looking for ways to do my job better. Continuously learning and noting new information (at least being aware of it) is essential to demonstrating you are on top of your game. This includes making connections with material you come across in related areas. I’m sure you’ll agree that not knowing so and so at Company X was doing this truly innovative practice and his company was getting tons of notice is not a way to impress your boss. Knowing similar approaches that might work for your product or service, or the mere fact you have explored these other avenues makes you look good.

I’m always interested in what you have to say. Never know when you will spark an idea for a new blog–one you’ll appreciate. Don’t agree with my point of view? give us you. I’m all about communication and networking. I’ll probably ask to connect with you on LinkedIn. For more articles that reach as far as business applications communication and performance skills, please check out my website. Also, check out my site if you need training developed or a program presented? Let’s chat. I mean what I say when I say my place or yours; have passport, will travel. All you have to do is pay travel and expenses. For reasonable market prices, you get guy who’s passionate about communicating, who looks at motivating people to love what they do and to love training. I love a good challenge. I’m the guy who said “you could train people to read minds“–almost. I also said I’ll “make your mission impossible an affair to remember.” I’ll work with your trainers, staff, executives at any level to get the job done. Oh, and did I say I’m a believer in continuous learning?

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

For a look at the human side of training from my Cave Man perspective, please check out my book, The Cave Man Guide to Training and Development. Happy training.

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10 Question Quiz – How Do You Communicate Messages?

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One of my coaching clients received feedback that she needed to work on her tone and how she delivered messages. Since these skills are essential leadership skills, she needed new ways to speak more effectively to others. Her first step was to become aware of the specific behaviors that were preventing her from communicating successfully.

Here is a “yes/no” quiz that she found helpful to create self awareness when communicating messages:

1. Are you aware of your impact on others when you deliver messages?

2. Are you aware of the tone of your voice and your nonverbals?

3. Do you frequently interrupt to interject your opinions?

4. Do you go “on and on” to get to your point across?

5. Do you show impatience as you wait for the other person to finish speaking?

6. Do you spend more time talking than listening?

7. Do you restate your opinions/point of view often?

8. Do you check in with others to ensure they understood you accurately?

9. If someone disagrees with you, are you closed minded to their point of view or do you tell them they are wrong?

10. Do you finish other people’s sentences?

Stay tuned for my next Blog “10 Tips to Communicate Messages Effectively”

For more resources, see the Library topic Personal and Professional Coaching.

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Pam Solberg-Tapper MHSA, PCC – I spark entrepreneurial business leaders to set strategy, take action, and get results. How can I help you? Contact me at CoachPam@cpinternet.com ~ Linkedin ~ 218-340-3330

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I is for Immaculee Ilibagiza

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I really didn’t understand what my number one business value (Lead by Faith: Pray for God’s guidance) meant until I had the great privilege to hear Immaculee Ilibagiza speak in person and then read her book called Led by Faith: Rising from the Ashes of the Rwandan Genocide.

When I first heard of Immaculee’s story, I was immersed right away in who is she and how she’s an incredible example of living in faith. Faith is all she had for the 3 months that she was hid in the bathroom with 7 other women during the Rwandan genocide in the 1994. During this time, they couldn’t talk to each other in fear that they would be found. “As hundred of killers hunted her, Immaculee formed a profound relationship with God that transcended the bloodshed and butchery – a relationship that enabled her to emerge from the slaughter with a spirit purged of hatred and a heart brimming with forgiveness.”

Before she went into hiding her father gave her a rosary. She used this rosary to keep her sane and safe. She believed that it’s one of the things that provided the miracle that these women survived. Many days she would say the rosary 20 or more times a day. For those of you who don’t know about the rosary, it’s a ritual of praying to the Holy Mother, Mary, asking her to intercede for our prayers. It looks like a necklace as you say prayers for each bead. By the time she was freed, she was able to forgive those who murdered her family and many, many of her friends.

A couple of years ago, Immaculee came to my alma mater in Minnesota, the University of St. Thomas, to share her journey. My best friend, Julie Wylie who I met at St. Thomas, and I heard her speak. Here is a picture of us with Immaculee. She shared stories from her first book Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust as well as her new book is about how she navigated the world, now as an orphan in her young twenties, with only an “abiding faith in God to guide and protect her.”

Just being in her presence you could sense her holiness and devotion to God and her love of Mary. She shared the story of how she “accidentally” met best-selling author Wayne Dwyer, which we all know that it was a “God-cidence,” who then knew her story had to be told. Her took her under his wing and helped her get her book published. She then accompanied him on one of his book tours with public TV.

Here’s how she led by faith, which allowed God to lead the way in regards to her book. She writes, “I picked up the Yellow Pages and began looking for publishing houses in New York City, but I decided that it would be easier and faster to let God to the searching. I place the manuscript in a box beside my Bible and left the rest up to Him. As usual, I took out my rosary to pray — but in keeping with my new vocation, I picked up a pen and wrote this letter.

Dear Lord,

Thanks for helping me finish the manuscript. I hope it’s what you had in mind. But now that it’s done, You have to find someone to print it and then put it in the window display at Barnes & Noble. This is really Your story more than mine, and I’m looking forward to reading it it once You have made it into a book.

Thank You again, God.

Your loving daughter,

Immaculee

I put the letter in an envelope, sealed it and placed it in the middle of the manuscript. Three days later, God introduced me to the man who get my book published – Wayne Dwyer.” Amazing, huh?!

She is so humble and shared how she continues to let God guide her every step. During the time she was in the bathroom, she was forced to rely on God. She realized the power of putting her life in His hands was the only way to live. While it’s harder now that she has the distractions of life to deal with, she continues to lead her life by faith. I encourage you to check out her story and books. Click here. You’ll be inspired by her spirit and love for God.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Janae Bower is an inspirational speaker, award-winning author and training consultant. She founded Finding IT, a company that specializes in personal and professional development getting to the heart of what matters most. She started Project GratOtude, a movement to increase gratitude in people’s lives.

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Start your Federal Grant Proposal Process…

-grant-proposal-kick-off-meeting.

…With Great Application Instructions
Once you decide to apply for a federal grant, you should immediately develop a set of Application Instructions. While every solid grant effort begins with a great kick-off meeting, every successful kick-off meeting begins with a comprehensive set of Application Instructions.

What are Application Instructions?
When you go on a trip with a group of people, you need to study the same maps, read the same guidebooks, and develop a common itinerary.

Embarking on a proposal effort is very similar to taking a group trip. Your team needs to have a common understanding of the tasks ahead.

Good Application Instructions will provide everyone with a clear, detailed roadmap to take them, confidently, from the kick-off meeting to the delivery of the proposal.

The Contents of Application Instructions

Before the kick-off meeting, provide team members with a copy of the grant guidelines and other relevant documents along with your Application Instructions. This should be a three- to four-page document that contains the following:
• Notes and Conventions. This is a bulleted list that includes information about
  (1) the proposal’s due date and how it will be submitted;
  (2) the number of anticipated awards, the amount of money
       available, and the maximum size of a grant; and
  (3) the format and layout of the grant narrative – font style, size,
       justification, size of margins, etc.

• Application. This should be a table in three columns. The column on the
   left should list every section of the entire application from the cover
   sheet through the appendices. The narrative should be outlined according
   to the grant guidelines. The middle column should be titled “Person(s)
   Responsible” and left blank. And the third column should list the dates
   when each of these application sections are due to the Project Manager.

• Evaluation Factors. List the evaluation factors, discuss how the application
   will be scored, and explain what should be emphasized in the proposal
   narrative as a result.

• Schedule. Create a two-column table. The left column should show major
   dates starting with the kick-off meeting and ending with the delivery
   of the application. The right column should list important activities
   keyed to these dates, such as “Complete the first draft of the budget.”

Now your proposal team is ready for a productive kick-off meeting where everyone leaves with a shared understanding of how your proposal will be conceptualized, developed, and delivered.

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Dr. Jayme Sokolow, founder and president of The Development Source, Inc. helps nonprofit organizations develop successful proposals to government agencies. He can be contacted at Jayme Sokolow.

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How to Handle Undesirable Behaviors in Presentations or Training: Use the Intervention Escalator

Boss screaming angrily at employee during meeting

Many years ago, while leading a workshop for effective presentations, I had a number of students who were actually there because they had been asked to conduct mandatory safety training. They talked about undesirable behaviors on the part of their learners: people falling asleep during the training sessions, arguing, or making inappropriate comments about the content. I asked what they would do in such cases, and their immediate response was to “kick them out of the class.” I thought this was a pretty radical reaction, so we talked about what else they could do to get through to their learners. I am not sure they bought into my suggestions to start with a more subtle intervention at that point, but I hope as they became more experienced in the classroom they tried some more subtle techniques.

Over time, as I heard and experienced similar audience behaviors, I developed and shared the Intervention Escalator, a reminder to start with subtle interventions, and move toward more extreme responses only as needed. The hope was that presenters could use subtle but active interventions to maintain harmony in meetings, presentations, or training sessions without relying on extreme or unilateral methods.

Take a look and let me know what you think of this approach. Where do you start on the scale? What is the most effective technique, in your experience? Have you had to eject participants from a classroom or meeting? Are there other steps you would suggest adding?

Intervention Escalator:

1. Ignore it. If you see or hear a behavior once, you may be able to ignore it. For example, a short side conversation, heavy eyes, or a comment you think is just a little “off” can probably be ignored for a while without fear of losing control of the classroom. Keep an eye out for continued behaviors around the room or from the same people but just take note.

2. Silence it. Instead of stopping your presentation or commenting directly to the offender, insert an extended pause into the conversation. Most times, when the room gets quiet, so do those who are indulging in side conversations. Wait until everyone is quiet, then continue without comment.

3. Eyeball them. Often you can head off a confrontation non-verbally by making extended eye contact with people who are distracting others. Your silent message is: “I have my eyes on you.” You still don’t have to be confrontational or put anyone on the spot. Just extend the eye contact beyond 5 seconds and they will get the point.

4. Stand by them. As you move around the room, standing close to those who are being disruptive can help quiet them down, again without a direct confrontation. If only one party to the side conversation is “into it” the other person may appreciate your non-verbal intervention.

5. Ask a question. As the behaviors continue unabated, you are moving toward direct action. But before you jump on someone, start with questions. Ask a question of the audience at large: for example, “I have shown you some of the facts about eye safety, now who can tell me which one you think is most compelling?” Questions sound different than questions, and this may be enough to grab the attention of those who are drifting. By the way, ask the question first, then call on someone. That way, everyone in the room must think, in case you call on them.

6. Ask for input. If lots of side discussions are breaking out, or if lots of eyes are fluttering, you are going to have to deal with it. Call it out: “I see some of you are drifting… Is it too warm in here? Do we need a break now? Did you have a question? Was there a comment you could share?” Note that it is really easy to sound sarcastic here, so try not to let that happen. You could try humor too, if it seems natural and appropriate. “Try this lecture tonight on your three year old to get her to sleep.” (And if you are lecturing, stop, and change the pace to discussion or action.)

7. Talk offline. If one or two people are causing the distraction, try connecting with them on a break. Let them know the impact of their behavior, on you and on others. Ask if there is anything you can do to keep them engaged. Let them know the consequences of continued behavior. At least this way you aren’t embarrassing them in front of others and you are giving them fair notice.

8. Divide and conquer. If certain people are developing distracting behaviors, it may help to get them apart. Break into “discussion groups” by counting off, thereby breaking up teams or whole tables who are too chatty. After lunch or a break, ask people to sit in a new spot so they can “meet new people.” In long meetings or training sessions, this is great practice anyway. Just note that people get attached to their territory and sometimes resist moving. If you use name tents, you can move them over lunch, or catch people at the door and ask them to move. If even a few people change seats it is often enough to change the dynamics.

9. Address them directly. You are getting toward the most direct approaches. If behaviors have continued to this point, you will have to address them directly. Be direct, calm, and factual. “Bill and Sam, I am going to ask for your cooperation. Let’s eliminate the side comments so we can finish our session on time.” (I love telling them this; everyone wants to finish on time.)

10. Eject them. In twenty years of leading training sessions, I have only had to ask someone to leave once or twice. But if you feel their presence is impacting or threatening the physical or psychological safety of the other participants, you will need to take action. Personally, I would ask them to step outside the room and then privately ask them to make a choice about leaving the class or changing their behavior. If you feel threatened, you will want to call security or ask for help. Hopefully, you never have to get this far on the Intervention Escalator.

It is a fine line to walk between being respectful to individuals while being a strong leader, but by starting at the bottom of the escalator, you may never have to get to the most direct actions. Don’t confuse subtlety with avoidance or evasion; take action early to maintain a healthy environment in your next meeting, training session or presentation.

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The Most Powerful Trainer in Your Organization-Culture

Employees-having-dialogue-with-peers-in-the-organization

In multiple recent posts, I discussed techniques for building training that is more likely to result in actual learning. And while I believe that effective training is an investment that will yield a very positive ROI for companies, organizations cannot ignore where the majority of actual learning takes place. The majority of learning in an organization is a result of informal interactions. Employees learn by observation and dialogue with peers, leaders, managers and others. They learn limits by watching reactions of their supervisors and the consequences that come with pushing the limits. It is also within these same interactions with peers, leaders and managers that can make or break the learning transfer after a training session. So while training and HR departments are building programs to develop skill sets or improve performance, the real change happens in the culture. And the culture is built by all those interactions and observations that occur “back on the job.”
Company culture is a powerful thing.

. It teaches employees what is acceptable and what is not.
. It overwrites the handbook and all the training sessions.
. It serves as the check point for employees when making decisions in the trenches of the job.
. It takes blame for failed programs.
. It drives behaviors.

HR and Training Professionals who fail to consider the culture in the organization will also continue to fail to execute the programs they spend hours developing.
If you are thinking, “I can’t control the culture” Get out of HR.
If you are thinking, “I am only one person. How can I control the culture?”
Then start where you are. What culture are you modeling? What behaviors are you supporting? What do you choose to ignore and what do you choose to freak out about?
Employees learn what is acceptable by watching reactions and consequences. Not by handbooks. Use that to build the culture that drives the behaviors that drive the business and you’ll get and keep your seat at the table.

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For more resources, See the Human Resources library.

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Board Gender Balance – a personal perspective

Business men and women in a business meeting

Here are some ideas I drafted for a debate on gender quotas. I would love to have your feedback:
I consider myself to be a professional company director. I am chairman of an ASX listed company, sit on another listed board, am on the board of a company that is planning an IPO, and also on two government sector boards.

A few years ago (more than I care to mention in public) I was an aspiring director; doing well at my job but not considered to be ‘board material’ by the few head hunters who condescended to talk to me about my career aspirations. Nobody at the time suggested that I needed a quota to help me get ahead; the prescription was education and experience.

Being keen I took my ‘medicine’, doing the company directors course in 1996 and passing the exam and assessment task upon completion. I also completed a graduate diploma in Applied Finance as that was another area of weakness – I’m numerate but not an accountant; boards need directors who can read a set of accounts and draw their own independent conclusions from them.

Then I got stuck in a bind – I needed experience to get a job as a director but nobody would give me a job as a director so I didn’t get the experience I needed to get the job. There are two ways out of this bind. You can find a group of people who have so much confidence in you that they will invite you onto a board even though you have no experience or you can find a group of people who need your skills so much that they will invite you onto a board even though you have no experience.

Some people choose the first option and become so good at their jobs that they gain confidence and eventually board seats. Others, like me, find not for profit boards to whom they can make a contribution and get their experience that way before working up to paid commercial boards. Either route will work and is likely to give a better class of director than a quota system.

According to statistics compiled by the Australian Institute of Company Directors, 11.7 per cent of ASX 200 directorships are now held by women, up from 8.3 per cent when we first introduced our programs and initiatives at the beginning of 2010. Fifty-nine women were appointed to ASX 200 boards in 2010, a substantial increase on the previous year (with only 10 women being appointed in 2009). Already this year, 21 women have been appointed to ASX 200 boards. This growth has been achieved without quotas by the use of education programs, heightened awareness and networking.

Contrast this to the Royal Australiasian College of Surgeons: their most recent statistics show that of the 5,421 surgeons active in Australia today (or, at least, at the end of 2010) only 458 were female. That equates to only 8.4%. I haven’t heard any clamour for quotas of female surgeons to counteract this low percentage of female representation at, arguably, the pinnacle of the medical profession. Have you?

Perhaps this is because, when you are lying on the operating theatre table, puffing desperately on proffered anaesthetic, the last thing you are thinking is “golly, I hope I get one of the female surgeons. Even if she isn’t qualified or experienced, I want to give a girl a go at gouging out my inner bits!”

So why, when we talk about boards, do we assume that it is okay to allow unqualified women to practise directorship. Isn’t directorship a profession? Do we really expect investors to want to risk their savings on unqualified and inexperienced directors’ judgements?

This, for me, is the crucial issue. Directorship is a professional enterprise. It is important that Directors are skilled and experienced. This is an issue for women; it is a fact that, in the commercial sector, most people are invited onto boards of companies of a similar size to the one where they work. For the large listed company sector, from which most commentators draw their statistics, the percentage of female CEOs and of female senior executives is very low.

This is a problem because former CEOs and senior executives are prized potential board members and our pipeline just isn’t flowing. It is no wonder that female directors aren’t gushing out of such a turgid and constricted.
In small business the trend is much better with a female representation that almost matches the gender split in our society.

Until we fix whatever is wrong with our large organisations that prevents women from rising through the ranks in the proportions in which they enter those ranks, we will never see an equitable balance of women on the boards because we won’t have an equitable supply of women in the places where boards look for new directors. At the moment we don’t quite know what is wrong.

Attention is being focused on hiring and promotion biases, on maternity leave, career disruption and ongoing education, and on flexible employment practices. That is a good place to start. Clearer, and more objective, qualifications for directors (and senior executive advancement) would also assist.
What do you think?
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Julie Garland-McLellan has been internationally acclaimed as a leading expert on board governance. See her website and LinkedIn profiles, and get her books Dilemmas, Dilemmas: Practical Case Studies for Company Directors and Presenting to Boards.