Effectivity Insights

Working In or Out of Your Strength

annette@effectivity.consulting (a w) — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 21:56:25 GMT

Working outside of our strengths can be exhausting. Body, mind, and spirit.

Plenty of people leaders feel that strain every day.

And many leaders and managers haven't had effective (or any) training or coaching.

That feels like a set up for failure.

When we consistently work in our weaknesses, our brains get tired faster, we require more oxygen and fuel, feel more stress and less focus, strain our attention muscles, struggle to make decisions...the list goes on.

Just a few weeks into the year, we've got leaders and managers who are already exhausted, already questioning their ability to lead their team and meet their KPIs. Leaders who already feel like imposters and failures.

This is a real thing. Someone reading this is shouting or thinking "heck, yeah!" or "amen!" at their desk. Maybe even looking over their shoulder.

And I care about this.

If you're in this spot, take a breath.

Advocate for yourself.

Name what's most challenging. Specifically.

Find someone who can help, guide, or encourage you.

Make time to do things that come naturally, because strength time is important.

There's so much more, but start there.

Leading Through Change

annette@effectivity.consulting (a w) — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 17:47:50 GMT

Leading Through Change

Leading through change can stretch even the best of leaders.

Growth and change can walk hand in hand, but I don’t think I’ve seen it happen by accident.

It starts with a clearly communicated (and repeated) change vision, purpose, goals, and milestones.

To help your team embrace and adapt to the “new” way, address the ever-popular WIIFM. Their important and unique roles matter in the journey and for the end goal.

Inspire your change leaders and team members to choose to engage in the process and goals rather than feel like change is “happening to” them. Nudge your people through the mindset shift, as they do the work.

Because the mindset shift of change is often most of the work.

If you want big wins, gather feedback along the way and be willing to act on it. Consider if, how, and when to adapt or communicate about what you’re hearing and seeing to help the team move through the process.

Many of us can remember leaders who spurred our personal and professional growth during seasons of change at work.

How are you fostering growth and possibility within your team during change?

Yearly Review and Planning

annette@effectivity.consulting (a w) — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 17:43:12 GMT

Looking Back and Ahead

Question: "What one word comes to mind when you think about annual business review/planning"

Answers: Challenging! (several of those) Routine. Tiring. Exciting! Process. Risky.

The group of tenured, successful business owners and leaders had plenty of experience. And, yet, they were there to learn and consider more options.

To set the tone, I offered these suggestions:

1. Protect your business review/visioning time and mind space

Making time to work "on" the business while overseeing the day-to-day and leading a team is something many leaders struggle with. Prioritizing that cleared time and brain will position you to spend less time working "in" the business. And that often clears up other issues.

2. Gather varied, diverse, even contrary perspectives and feedback as part of your review/visioning.

Getting a holistic, multi-lensed view of your business is necessary for seeing what you do and don't want to see, innovating, getting out of ruts, and exploring new ways of thinking and working.

3. Gather a team of people to help you sort, clarify, interpret, and connect dots and intentionally design next steps.

Again, a multi-lensed interpretation of what happened this year, or what you want to happen in the coming year is critical to protect against getting "yes maam'd/sir'd" in your awareness or strategy. Designing and communicating clear ideas about what happened and/or will happen sets you and your team up for success.

Whether you've already reviewed/visioned, are neck deep in it, or are getting started, consider if/how these ideas can help you revisit, pivot, or plan.

The Look and Sound of Leadership

annette@effectivity.consulting (a w) — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 17:35:40 GMT

What does effective leadership look like to you?

Some may roll their eyes at the question, but it's one worth reflecting on.

In one single morning, I noticed a wide range of leadership behaviors in action:
- greeting others with a smile, positive tone, and intent to serve
- withholding information that could have helped others
- asking engaging questions to help someone think and share ideas
- avoiding eye contact and conversation with someone because of an unresolved issue
- fostering communication and connection between two peers
- praising someone for offering to serve others
- showing vulnerability after first positioning as "having it all together"
- giving clear direction in a distracting situation

Being an effective leader requires intentionality and consistency.
And that can be achieved in ways that build or break trust and relationship.

How do you demonstrate leadership in your life?

Moving Through The Unknown

annette@effectivity.consulting (a w) — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:30:34 GMT

Steps of Courage

The unknown can trip up the best and most courageous of us.
Because our brains default to protection, consistency, predictability, and the easiest path to whatever it is we're going for.

Most of us have put a pin in something we're hesitating on. Something we're not deciding on because we want more information before taking action. I can name something right now in my own life.

And we know the way through is to take a step. It sounds simple, cheesy, and cliche, but it's not. We know that courage is stepping out in spite of uncertainty.

To be clear, I'm not talking about making un-researched or impulsive decisions. I'm talking about the ones for which we have information, but don't know how it will turn out.

To take action without a predictable end is courageous. But wow, it can shake up the system. And it can also be one of the biggest sources of growth.

So...
What action are you pausing because the outcome isn't certain?
What could be your first or second step?
Who can help or support you?

Contingency Plans

annette@effectivity.consulting (a w) — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:27:03 GMT

Thinking Ahead

Intentionally creating options and plans for leading through what's now unseen will serve you well. Whether your business is currently predictable, successful, stable, or not.

Thinking about and planning for (the thing) *now* will help you *then*.

The exercise may stretch and challenge you. It might be fun.
It might not be comfortable or easy. But neither is being caught unaware or unplanned.

Here are a few suggestions to get started:

- Identify 2-3 things that could significantly disrupt your business (business demand you're not positioned to support, losing a key client or team member...). Don't go too far down the trail on this - it's meant to empower you, not derail you.

- Build a simple, practical plan for each (who would be involved, what would be done (including communication), required resources...).

- Read in those who need to know the plan (choose wisely).

- Modify as needed (keep it flexible to respond to business changes or growth).

- Then, focus on leading your business today; nurture the things on that list. Build *now* what you want to see *then*.

Year End Push

annette@effectivity.consulting (a w) — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:21:03 GMT

Setting The Tone

The year-end push. 'Tis the season.

Your team has worked hard throughout the year.
You have, too.

And yet, there are some unmet goals, dreams, targets, and objectives.
It's often part of the deal, if we're setting stretch goals.

As you move through this "closing mode" of projects, sales, or whatever you said mattered most in January, here's something to consider:

Leaders set the tone.
Beginning, middle, and end.

What tone are you setting for these last few weeks of the year?
What is your team hearing from you?
What are they seeing in you?

And...is your tone compelling them to want to return in January, and make another year of it with you?

Embrace your opportunity to set the tone around you.

What Have You Gained?

annette@effectivity.consulting (a w) — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:12:13 GMT

Effort:Results

Q4 prompts many leaders to take a deeper, more comprehensive look at that ratio.

And that assessment informs and drives decisions for Q1 and beyond.
About leadership, people, process, tools, opportunities, and much more.

It can be easy to default to a gap analysis of that ratio, and that's an important part of the process.

But let's not lose sight of the gains. They matter.

As many of us have gratitude on our minds and hearts this week, consider these questions to draw insights about what went well this year.

- In what areas, specifically, did I/our leadership team move the needle for others?
- What was my/our boldest leadership move this year, and what were the highlights of it?
- What event, behavior, or attitude revealed an individual or team strength I/we didn't anticipate this year?

Study those wins, and apply them toward your future success.

What Culture Are You Promoting?

annette@effectivity.consulting (a w) — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 16:52:31 GMT

What Are You Promoting?

Two different women. One starting out. The other a well-seasoned rock star.
They independently mentioned the very same topic.

Voice at work. Influencing their culture or ecosystem.
And the risk and energy it requires.

It resonated with me. Deeply.

Some company cultures (read: leaders) invite voice, disruption, feedback, change, and innovation.
And others don't. As in, they invite voice but shut it down or ignore it. Or, they flat out don't invite it.

The question I asked both of these women was
What do you want - why put your voice into what's happening or isn't happening around you?

Both said because they want to influence change and progress.
But one realized the culture she was in wasn't forward thinking enough to receive it or do anything with it. And her energy is better invested elsewhere.

What type of culture are you promoting and modeling?
Is that hurting or helping you?
Who can help you get an accurate lens on that?

Designed For What?

annette@effectivity.consulting (a w) — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 20:39:18 GMT

Your YTD Review

"Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets."
W. Edwards Deming

Here we are, approaching the end of Q3. Already.

And that means leaders are reviewing YTD results, building strategies/tactics to close the gap or increase the gain to maximize the year, and projecting into 2025/26.

And that exercise shows the good, bad, and ugly regarding performance, team engagement, resources, risk, etc.

And Deming invites leaders to look in the mirror: the results you see aren’t just happening to you - they’re often happening because of you.

If your firm-wide system - your structure, culture, processes – is missing the YTD mark, it’s likely been designed (or tolerated) to do exactly that. This is partly about influence and power.

Results reflect the leaders we choose, the decisions we’ve made, the habits we’ve formed, and the ways in which we influence work.

So, leaders, ask yourself:
- What results are you seeing today that you want to maximize (or change)?
- What parts of your system or organization are fostering those results?
- How are you contributing to those results?
- What will you do to maximize Q4 and influence 2025?

Do something today that your future organization will thank you for.

Outward and Inward Growth

annette@effectivity.consulting (a w) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 17:51:51 GMT

Outward and Inward Growth

"Any contest between two plants can be decided in one move, when the winner simultaneously reaches higher and digs deeper than the loser." Hope Jahren - the book, Lab Girl

Those words stopped me on the spot.

That works for us in business, too. Winning isn’t just about shooting up quickly. It’s also about digging deep.

It's easy to focus on visible results - hitting goals, building teams, closing a sale. Those are great motivators for many of us.

But what's going on below the surface or behind the scenes is what gives us the power for real, lasting, competitive growth.

Healthy leaders focus themselves and their teams on strong roots and values that hold up when things get tough.

If we want sustainable growth, we are wise to invest in both outward and inward resources, strength, and commitment.

So, by all means, go push for that big achievement. And remember to dig deep so you can sustain and root your success. Real, lasting growth happens in the practice of both.

What are you reaching for?
Are your roots deep enough to sustain your efforts and success?

When Slow Is Fast

annette@effectivity.consulting (a w) — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 19:40:28 GMT

We crave fast results.

Quick brews. Self-checkout kiosks. EZ-Pass toll lanes on the highway.
We crave fast results. And sometimes we get them.

Other times, what we get is the opportunity to repeat what we did because it didn't work. Or we missed something the first time.

The impact of small, deliberate, sometimes-slower actions may seem insignificant at first, but they tend to compound over time, driving growth and impact.

One component of leadership is guiding these shifts, knowing that thoughtful progress can outpace even the fastest among us.

Isn't there a story about a tortoise and a hare...?
Ah, yes. Sad bunny.

To be clear, I'm not advocating turtling around. I don't have the patience for that, either.

But we've all seen or been the hare that gets schooled by the team or company that thought a bit longer before taking action.

I am advocating for us to take a minute or three to design intentional, incremental actions that contribute to a more sustainable outcome.

So, take a breath and think for a moment here.

What are you trying to rush?
What's got you impatient?
Which small shifts can you leverage to drive big results and growth?

Here's to your thoughtful, transformative success.

Your Brain at Work

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 19:47:45 GMT

Our brains are lazy.

Predictability and well-worn patterns reduce neurological stress and conserve energy for life-giving energy (literally).

So, our brains want the shortest, easiest path from A-to-B.

Being an agent of mindset change that leads to behavior shifts is my professional passion; I have the privilege of helping my clients think through and execute the hard work of change - in plain sight.

Here are a few observations on the cycle of learning and change:

1. Learning new mindsets slows people down. Like a sudden and massive traffic jam on the expressway. It's supposed to slow us down - our brains are processing what's happening, looking for ways to understand and relate. Shifts create unpredictability, requiring a lot of mental energy. Leaders: be patient with people as they adopt new mindsets.

2. New mindsets create excitement. New lanes are created; people often feel refreshed, inspired, and empowered. Leaders: celebrate and encourage the (literal) brainstorming that happens here.

3. It takes time to apply the new mindset to old ways. Remember - the brain wants easy. Moving from mindset/concept to application and relevancy requires more energy than it takes to keep 'making the donuts' like we used to. Leaders: listen, support, and coach during these times. Don't do their work for them - listen and respond well.

4. Then we normalize. Durability requires consistency, practice, failure, and more practice until the new thing becomes predictable. Leaders: intentionally foster that durable consistency.

Process this for yourself.
Then help your brain store it by sharing it with someone else and help them learn, too.

10,000 Failures

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 19:32:01 GMT

Edison's first public reveal of the incandescent lightbulb was December 31, 1879.

After 3,000+ designs and 6,000+ plant materials

Can't you hear him in the lab?

"dang it! I thought that one was it..."
"well, that clearly didn't work"
"this one's a shot in the dark..."
"I wonder if..."
"so-and-so was right...I can't do this"
"seriously?!?"

"we had it there, for a second!"
"what about..."
"we're getting close..."

That New Year's Eve reveal led to light and power distribution systems, the alkaline battery, electric railroad, and so much more.

Creative leadership is a long game. And we never know how our mistakes and successes will influence and impact others.

So, in whatever you're working through,
Keep ideating & creating
Keep expanding options
Demonstrate grit
Shine your light

Inspire others to greatness
Persevere through darkness and naysayers
Help people see what they previously couldn't

Your impact is brighter than you may think.

Don't Poke The Bear

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 19:21:42 GMT

Think and commit to follow-through before you initiate something new.

It's easy to be inspired to take quick action, explore a novel idea, ask for feedback, experiment with the line, execute on something you've been thinking about or heard someone else did, or finally take a risk on an initiative you've been hemming over.

Yes, business execution is a good thing.

But half-executed or flavor-of-the-day projects can actually do more damage than never starting the thing in the first place.

Poking around, introducing something new, initiating change, interrupting patterns - can be really healthy for an organization or team.

And, it can be really unhealthy if not done thoughtfully.

Keep this in mind: once you disrupt the system, you've raised expectations for change and follow-through.

Execute all day long, but only...
AFTER clarifying why you want to do it/what you want to achieve by it
AFTER consulting with/listened to key stakeholders re: the idea
AFTER confirming who will own it, who is accountable
AFTER committing to what you'll do with the results/outcome (particularly if they're not favorable)
AFTER making sure you, personally, will lead well through it and for the long haul (or delegate to those what will)

So, by all means, please take action.
Just be thoughtful about what will happen after you start.

Because no one wants an agitated bear on their heels.

The Danger in Revering

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 21:36:57 GMT

Get ready. These words just might break your brain:

Show respect, but don't revere.
(Quote from Tom Yorton)

In business, when we respect or honor an idea, a person, etc., we'd likely agree that can be a positive thing.
But to revere? There can be danger in that.

Because revering an idea, person, etc. can lead to short-sightedness, blind acceptance or support, lack of innovation or change, or even a lack of reality.

We've all seen revering-gone-bad.

An organization fades into oblivion because it won't adapt. It made "the way we've always done it" untouchable.
A group of people goes wonky because they just accepted what their beloved leader said.
I could go on, but won't.

Do a self check.

How do you differentiate respect from crossing-the-line-reverence?
What has you feeling like your cheese has been moved?
What are you not seeing, or holding onto, that just might make sense to get another viewpoint on?

Let's respect the past, and embrace what's ahead.

How to Learn

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 21:36:57 GMT

"Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change." Jim Rohn

As a coach & facilitator of change, and as a human who often sweats through change herself, I know how tough change can be.

Here are some ideas on how to move through learning and change with a bit more ease.

1. Set your mind. B efore you start, agree that success isn't just about learning "the thing" you're learning. There's much more to gain.

2. Be humble. B ring a growth mindset with you. Even if you're an expert, there's always something to learn.

3. Learn and change with others . Most of us learn more and better when we're not muscling it out on our own.

4. Decide to fully participate . When it's fun/new, and when you need to take deep breaths. Show up, keep going, contribute.

5. Prioritize time to process , digest, and apply what you're learning. About "the thing", and about yourself in the process. Without this think-space, learning and change goes out the window as soon as the next text, tweet, or crisis hits your desk.

6. Commit to apply it. Studies show if you apply what you've learned within 1-2 days, it will stick. Write it out (yes, actual writing is better than typing) in your own words, describe or teach it to someone else, and apply it to a real life situation.

Radical Candor

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 21:36:59 GMT

When being direct is the kindest thing.

"Hey, Matt, sometimes in meetings, it looks like you're disinterested"
"Liam, I don't think you intend this, but you can create a first impression that you're cocky"
"Karen, you may not realize that at times you come across as cold and stand-offish"

These comments seem a bit...intense, right?

Given in a healthy context and delivery style, with people who've established trust and have each others' best in mind, these comments become gifts. Gifts full of potential.

If Matt isn't disinterested, how are we helping him by not sharing our ongoing impressions?
If Karen is shy, but doesn't know she's coming across as stand-offish, are we helping her develop or contribute if we don't say anything?

And what about you? (I'm asking myself too)
What signals are you sending that you don't want to send?

How can you know if no one tells you and/or you don't ask?
What potential could be highlighted if you asked for or gave feedback that could improve productivity or impact?

Commit to asking one person you trust for direct feedback today.

If you're not already familiar with her work, I highly recommend reading Kim Scott's book, Radical Candor.

How Can I Get More Out of My People?

Mon, 01 May 2000 17:26:46 GMT

This question, or a variety of versions of it, comes up often when talking to people leaders or managers.

I'd like to propose a more helpful question...

"What specifically will I do to foster greatness in my team?"

Here are a few practical ways to put this into practice:

Take ownership for your part of the results. Your role as a leader is to guide, challenge, provide resources, and engage with your team.

Check your emotional intelligence (self-awareness & regulation, interpersonal awareness, and relationship management). Sometimes, teams don't produce because they're not connected to a leader who's connected to them. The best leaders check and lead themselves before attempting to lead (or point the finger at) others.

Ensure you have the right people. Consider if they have the mindset, skillset, techset, and commitment for their unique components of the work. If they do, find out what's in the way of their results. If they don't have what's necessary for success, either get them what they need or consider what needs to shift.

Set clear goals. Be overt about what you expect, who's responsible for what (including yourself), and how you're measuring results.

Connect the dots . Verbally and often, help your team understand how their individual and collective work matters. One of the best ways to benchmark their understanding is to ask them (versus telling them). If they get it on their own, great. If not, help them see it.

And my personal favorite...

Ask them how equipped, engaged, and challenged they are. Then smile, and be quiet as you listen.

Here it is again: how will you foster greatness with your team?