Lean Quote: Never Underestimate the Importance of Having Fun

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"Never underestimate the importance of having fun."   — Randy Pausch

The words "work" and "fun" shouldn't be antithetical. But for so many people, they are.

Here are 5 of our favorite ways to make work fun so your employees stay happy and motivated…

Laugh.

Work doesn't have to be all business, all the time. Of course you need to maintain your professionalism — but that doesn't mean you can't crack a smile (or a joke). When you smile and laugh, others around you will do the same (it's contagious!) and your office will be an all-around happier place to be.

Compliment someone every day.

When a coworker tells you they liked the idea you pitched in the morning meeting, or the new painting you put up in your office, it makes you feel good. So, you should do the same to others. You'll actually feel just as good giving the compliment as you do receiving it.

Share community service experiences. 

Think back to the most powerful memories you have. They’re powerful because they are emotional—whether inspiring and uplifting or challenging with some struggle or trauma. Giving money to charities is cool, but donating time is far more emotional. 

Embrace celebration and appreciation.

Sometimes we forget just to say thank you to our co-workers and the people that helped us be successful. Every day saying thank you and remembering small details about people’s lives is not only important but shows a token of kindness that goes a long way!

Inspire creativity.

Even if your company isn’t a creative one…or if your role is the opposite of creative, you can be creative at work. Just remember “creativity” doesn’t have to be literal, meaning you don’t have to make a piece of art. Creativity can come in many forms and will inspire others to be creative in their day-to-day, and will in many cases bring a smile to someone’s face—that might be you, it may be your co-workers. Either way, expressing yourself in a medium that means something to you can be inspiring for others.

All work and no play makes us crabby and dull! Where there is laughter, joy and fun, high-performance teams thrive. There are countless ways to have fun and even attach empowering meaning to it at the same time. The above ideas will get you started!

Lean Tips Edition #158 (#2581-#2595)

For my Facebook fans you already know about this great feature. But for those of you that are not connected to A Lean Journey on Facebook or Twitter I post daily a feature I call Lean Tips.  It is meant to be advice, things I learned from experience, and some knowledge tidbits about Lean to help you along your journey.  Another great reason to like A Lean Journey on Facebook.

Click this link for A Lean Journey's Facebook Page Notes Feed.

Here is the next addition of tips from the Facebook page:

Lean Tip #2581 – Reduce the Communication Barriers Between Employees to Create a Friction-less Communication.

In order for a business to run smoothly and carry out the necessary day-to-day operations in an efficient manner, communication amongst all employees must be as effective and clear as possible. When this is not the case, employees feel detached from one another and unmotivated, which in turn results in mistakes that could potentially have drastic consequences on the business' productivity.

This can be done in various ways, such as creating a platform to facilitate knowledge sharing., which could be in the form of an online knowledge-sharing forum where employees share their ideas for innovation and current experiments. Furthermore, it could also take the form of an afterwork activity (such as lunch or drink meet-ups), where senior employees can get to know the newer employees, and provide them with tips and recommendations on their new positions in the company.

Lean Tip #2582 – Schedule In-house Training for New Employees to be Mentored by Highly Skilled Employees.

Your employees are your greatest resource in terms - especially when it comes to knowledge and experience. Make sure that your employees have the opportunity to share theirs with the newer generation.

Not only does it help new employees learn and give them a set person to go to for advice, but mentors get to expand their skills. Learning how to mentor and making them put into words the knowledge that they have worked so hard to gain.

If you need help setting up a mentoring program, mentoring training can help you get started.

Lean Tip #2583 – Place Employees Together on Company Projects Where They Can Share Knowledge Rather Than Compete With One another.

Working on something as part of a larger company is a great way to accomplish point four above. When people work as part of a larger group they will understand the purpose of their own team on a higher level.

This should naturally help your team members see the importance of collaboration at every level of the company - and how important it is to share knowledge.

Lean Tip #2584 – Keeping the Communication Transparent

The first and foremost responsibility of a corporation is the use of clear and transparent means of communication. In an open knowledge sharing environment, employees can freely express their individualistic ideas and might contribute to future success. Moreover, no one likes a workplace environment where only a few employees can access inside information about the company. So, knowledge sharing via open communication develops a sense of trust and awareness among employees.

Lean Tip #2585 – Engaging People via Conversations

When like-minded people collide, something massive or even a new idea can occur. Of course, like-minded people don’t just run into each other randomly; they can meet up at a company’s event organized specifically for improving conversations among people. Apart from formal meetings, creating an opportunity where people can meet and communicate freely can lead to meaningful peer-peer conversations.

Lean Tip #2586 – Improve Communication by Strengthening Connections

Not only should communication be improved between team members who work together, but between employees and their managers. Make sure to address this during management training programs. Managers who take the time to get to know their employees and are willing to listen to them will find it easier to communicate and keep direct reports on task. When employees feel that managers are able to address their individual concerns, they are more likely to feel connected.

Lean Tip #2587 – Knowledge Sharing Can Improve Employee Engagement And Retention

When it comes to a company accepting change, embracing new technologies and adapting to innovation, then channeling everything into the talent pool will keep you ahead of the game.

By fostering a knowledge sharing culture, you’re giving employees the possibility to acquire, assimilate, but also transfer new knowledge, this being an excellent way to create value.

Additionally, becoming a company with a solid learning culture can even become a great tool for employee engagement and retention. Employees feel valued and appreciated when their employer invests in their growth and development, by putting a continuous stream of learning opportunities at their disposal. 

Lean Tip #2588 – Eliminate Ambiguity in the Workplace.

Remove any potential for confusion from all workplace communication, including company guidelines, roles, responsibilities and processes. Accountability begins with a clear understanding of who is responsible for which parts of the business, and employees struggle when management leaves important information open for interpretation. To avoid potential problems, follow up often and be firm about your expectations for open communication at all levels in the future.

Lean Tip #2589 – Explain the Business Why

Often leaders come up with a great idea, plan it, implement it, and may even communicate it but may not think to explain why a particular initiative makes sense at any given time.

We need to take the time to think about how an employee will perceive our great ideas.

This requires communicating from the 50,000-foot level and making sure employees understand why something is done and how it supports business goals and organizational strategy.

Lean Tip #2590 – Create Feedback Process

One way communication rarely works well. Create a forum for employees to offer feedback and ask questions.

This helps to ensure that the message was received as it was intended.

These feedback sessions can be done in staff meetings or an online employee forum.

Regardless of the structure or process, employees need to feel like their thoughts and opinions are heard.

This process also helps the organization identify areas that can be improved upon.

Lean Tip #2591 – Establish a Cooperative Mindset

It’s easier to start cooperation at the beginning, than force it later in the process.

Key members of the team must articulate that a collaborative, cooperative approach is wanted, needed, and will be supported. This means rewarding project team members when they think past the standoff or conflict and solve problems together.

Lean Tip #2592 – Teach People the “Why”

A lot of leaders make the mistake of forcing their vision, ideas and decisions on their staff. Sometimes they do this because they think it will save time or avoid pushback. However, in reality, this approach can really backfire, particularly if it’s done repeatedly. When people unwillingly commit to anything, they feel disingenuous and disempowered, which undermines motivation and, ultimately, positive performance and productivity. The way to avoid this is to teach people the reasons behind your grand ideas or vision. Share what you’ve learned or know, telling stories that communicate the benefits and purpose. Do this while building the buy-in as well as after the fact, as a way to reinforce its impact and success.

Lean Tip #2593 – Encourage Questions And Feedback

To build buy-in and align people around your vision, give them the time and place to ask questions and provide feedback. Let them challenge you and even demand that they do so if there’s any shred of doubt as to whether it’s going to be best for all. This is critical because sometimes even the most experienced leaders don’t realize that by pursuing a particular direction, they could be adversely impacting other aspects of the organization or its goals. When questions aren’t encouraged, surfaced and answered, misunderstandings and mistakes are more likely to occur. When they are encouraged, problems are more likely to be averted and your people will naturally become more engaged and involved in developing solutions. In turn, this sense of involvement helps enable their ownership and buy-in for the vision.

Lean Tip #2594 – Define What Winning Looks Like

Great business and military leaders do it. Elite athletes do it. Envisioning what winning looks like is a critical part of achieving success. As Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right."

Studies in neuroscience show that when we literally picture ourselves achieving a goal, our brain starts to find ways to get us there. A great exercise to go through once a team has defined their shared vision and goals is to first individually picture what winning looks like and then share those ideas with the team. What does the organization feel like? What will it be celebrating? Going through this exercise is fun and inspiring. It is interesting to see how different team members will envision the win.

Lean Tip #2595 – Set Regular Check-ins to Stay Aligned

A rhythm of meetings and scheduled communication is key for any team to stay aligned. Priorities shift and leaders must be ready to adapt. But all must agree on what the priorities are or need to become. Otherwise varying directives will be coming from the top and chaos will ensue. These check-ins are one of the priorities and must be consistent. Time must be made for those accountable to share updates on progress so that all are informed on where things stand.

Creating a Culture of Growth/Growth Mindset While Leading Remotely

The rapid spread of coronavirus in early 2020 led to widespread quarantines and a general shuttering of the brick-and-mortar economy. In the wake of this shift, 67% of employers who normally did not make allowance for remote work reported that were taking steps to enable their employees to conduct their work from home.

It’s encouraging that 21st-century companies great and small have the option to continue working even when they can’t meet in person. However, there’s one aspect of business that often translates very poorly to a remote setting: maintaining a growth-minded company culture.

Why a Growth Mindset Always Matters

Everyone has heard of that old saying that if you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime. Regardless of your feelings towards a seafood diet, the maxim has survived the test of time because it possesses universal application — including in the workplace.

If you provide your employees with limited instructions, short-term goals, and a micromanaged atmosphere, it won’t take long before your entire company culture atrophies. Sure, you may be able to meet several benchmarks or objectives initially, but eventually, your staff will wear out, move one, or even simply lose interest. 

Enter a growth mindset.

A growth mindset revolves around the concept that continual change and adaptation are necessary for long term professional success. 

Rather than using your staff’s current skills and knowledge in perpetuity, a growth mindset-oriented employer deliberately fosters a culture that encourages continual learning and innovation. This enables your workforce — and by extension, your company — to remain on the cutting-edge of a business world that is in a constant state of evolution and improvement.

How to Develop a Growth Mindset in a Remote Team

While it’s easy to recognize the importance of a growth mindset, the real challenge comes when you attempt to maintain a culture of growth in a remote team. With physical distance and often tenuous technology keeping you connected, it can be difficult to stay on the same page, let alone try to grow together.

Fortunately, there are many strategies that you can apply in order to develop and maintain a growth mindset even in a remote team.

Maintain Two-Way Communication

Perhaps the most important part of maintaining a growth mindset is healthy communication. This holds even greater importance in a remote work scenario, where staying in touch is often tentative and difficult.

However, if you want to maintain a culture of growth, it’s essential that you tend to your internal communications. Make sure that clear guidelines are established for how communication is to take place, respect work-life boundaries, and remember that communication is a two-way street that requires active listening on the part of the employer.

Empower Your Employees

The bedrock of a healthy company is its employees. However, if your staff feels micromanaged, distrusted, or alienated from you, it can hobble your team’s ability to function.

In order to overcome this possibility, it’s important that you deliberately empower your employees. You can do this by clearly defining responsibilities for each individual, delegating tasks, and generally shifting responsibility and expectations onto your workers in a healthy, empowering manner that encourages them to take control of their work.

Look for Remote Growth Opportunities

Seeking opportunities to learn and grow is a normal part of motivating a professional team. However, when you’re managing a remote team, you can’t necessarily gather into a conference room or hobnob in a bullpen as you learn together.

That leaves it to you, the employer, to actively seek out ways to grow together as a team. This can come in the form of an online course that you take collectively, a lecture that you set up on a Zoom call, or even a series of team building activities.

Build Trust, Even from Afar

Finally, if you want to grow as a remote team, it’s important to develop a deep sense of trust with your employees. Be humble, genuinely invest in your staff, and regularly demonstrate an interest in your employee’s concerns. Show that you care about helping them maintain work-life balance, and use delegation and empowerment to establish a level of trust in their abilities.

In addition, use things like hosting one-on-ones with team members, focusing on outcomes rather than hours worked, and encouraging employee self-care. All of these help to foster a sense of loyalty and are critical factors in building trust and successfully managing a remote team, in the first place.

Maintaining a Growth Mindset in the New Normal

We live in a post-COVID world. Remote work is largely here to stay and managing from a distance is the new normal. As such, it’s important that employers actively take steps to recover, develop, and ultimately maintain a growth-oriented mindset for their virtually driven operations.

Use things like trust, empowerment, communication, and growth opportunities to knit your team together and orient them towards a path of continual learning, adaptation, and growth that benefits both each individual and your company as a whole.

About the Author: Luke Smith is a writer and researcher turned blogger. Since finishing college he is trying his hand at being a freelance writer. He enjoys writing on a variety of topics but technology and business topics are his favorite. When he isn't writing you can find him traveling, hiking, or gaming.

Lean Quote: The Golden Rule vs The Platinum Rule

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"In a diverse world, the ‘Platinum rule’ replaces the ‘Golden rule’: we should treat others as they’d like to be treated, not as we’d like to be treated."   — Thais Compoint, author of “Succeed as an Inclusive Leader”

You may have heard of the Golden Rule before. Many people aspire to live by it but the Golden Rule is not a panacea.

The Golden Rule—treat others as you want to be treated—has a fatal flaw: it assumes that all people want to be treated the same way. It ignores that people are motivated by vastly different things. One person loves public recognition, while another loathes being the center of attention.

The Platinum Rule—treat others as they want to be treated—corrects that flaw. Irresistible people are great at reading other people, and they adjust their behavior and style to make others feel comfortable.

The Platinum Rule accommodates the feelings of others. The focus of relationships shifts from "this is what I want, so I'll give everyone the same thing" to "let me first understand what they want and then I'll give it to them." This rule presents us with a significant challenge, in order for us to follow it we must listen and inquire about the needs of others, and suppress our desire to tell them what it is that they need.

I believe the real goal of the Golden Rule is to treat others the way they would like to be treated. The Platinum Rule, distilled to its essence, equates to respect for others. After all, isn't it really about being considerate of others? Isn't it about understanding what their needs and wants are and empowering them to succeed by meeting those needs and wants? When you empower those around you, it makes for a positive and uplifting environment. Who doesn't want to be in a happy workplace?

5 Simple Ways to Engage Remote Employees

The pandemic is completely redefining the way teams communicate and work. While remote work used to be offered by some companies as a way to offer a more flexible lifestyle to their employees, it has now become the norm for most businesses.

Remote work is not an option or a privilege any more. It has become the norm in most organizations right after the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that COVID-19 reached the pandemic status and urged Governments and other authorities to step in to prevent the virus from spreading.

However, managing remote employees comes with its own set of challenges. The following tips will help you keep your remote employees inspired and engaged within a cohesive and supportive environment.

Communication Is Key.

It is crucial that remote staff feel they are always able to communicate with their colleagues, whether it’s their manager or someone else working the same tasks in a different location. Of course, it’s impossible for everyone to be available at all times, but through digital communication tools, staff can get in touch with one another instantly.

Be Proactive and Check In Frequently.

As remote teams may feel disconnected, managers who lead remote teams need to make themselves available. Frequent check-ins with remote workers is a great way to help them overcome challenges that come with remote work. Waiting for an employee to speak up may be too late. In fact, many of them will never decide to raise a problem themselves. Frequently ask a simple question such as “How can I help you be more productive and feel more connected.''

Make Collaboration More Efficient.

Team collaboration is one of the main factors for greater productivity. Therefore, many employers are trying to improve the way remote teams work together. Team collaboration and employee engagement solutions are the best way to eliminate this challenge faced by most companies who have remote employees.

Empower Your Remote Employees.

Remote workers want to be a part of decision making in companies that they work for. They want to have a word and be heard. Therefore, employers should empower remote employees to make their own decisions, communicate and implement new ideas.

Be Personal.

Finally, it can be easy for remote staff to feel they aren’t known by the rest of the team. In offices, people chat on their coffee breaks and mix in a way that remote workers cannot. Many digital communication platforms can help you create a space for personal discussion where employees can relax and be themselves. In general, making sure you get to know your staff is crucial to their motivation and feeling of belonging.

Remember that managing and engaging your employees is an opportunity, as well as a challenge whether they work half way across the office or halfway across the country. With a remote team, you need to harness more technology to stay connected.

When you’re looking into how to engage remote employees and keeping remote employees engaged, remember that it’s a constant task to nurture and develop. Engagement is never a one size fits all approach or something you do once in a blue moon. Keeping remote employees engaged turns them into your best and biggest asset.

Lean Quote: Five Ways You Can Make a Difference as a Leader

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference."   — Tom Brokaw

A lot of people want to make a difference but few do. They may not know where to start or think it could be risky. To make an impact and lead, it starts with having the right mindset. Here are five ways you can be less afraid to make a difference and lead:

Encourage and Inspire
Recognize the power of developing people as the way to achieving your business goals. Invest as much time, if not more, into coaching and team development as on anything else. Delegate effectively via setting expectations. Get out of the way: Let people do their bit. You will most empower your team by getting clear on success criteria and the role you want to play. 

Shares Your Wisdom
Memorable leaders are those who enjoy sharing their wisdom and secrets of success.   These types of leaders are great teachers and are the best mentors.  The leadership lessons you share with them they will come to appreciate later in their career because they carry the most weight and impact.

Makes You Feel Valued
Leadership is all about people and leaders who forget this will be forgotten quickly. When leaders value and respect their employees, retention will remain strong and people will work harder, with a greater sense of purpose, and with a passionate pursuit of excellence.

Give Space to Fail
One of the most crippling challenges in any organization is fear of failure. It can lead to resistance to change and limits an organization's ability to generate and act on ideas, innovate and adapt. This fear can corrupt an entire culture, leading to higher levels of disengagement.

Empower People
Of all the ways that leaders change lives for the better, nothing matches the gift of empowerment. Leaders take their power, combine it with their belief in the best of others, and give both away freely. When people have both the faith and authority to make a difference, they have the energy necessary to act with boldness.

Ultimately, it is the leader who strives to have an impact that is bigger than just themselves who will be the most memorable – and for all the right reasons.   They will always leave an unforgettable impression and have long-lasting influence on you, your career, and the organization they serve.

Leadership Fails: Avoid These 10 Mistakes

Leadership fails, every great leader will have some during their time on top. Being the leader of the pack is not easy, it is stressful at times but can be rewarding if done right. A great leader is critical to a teams’ success; the way they choose to lead will have a huge impact on the entire organization. A strong leader can lead good employees to greatness but a bad leader can bring extraordinary employees down to sub-par.  I have personally worked for many horrible bosses but have also worked for a few amazing ones. I’ve been a leader, both in my own business and working for others, and have always avoided these leadership fails because after seeing them from the side of an employee, I learned how detrimental they can be to the team.

Lacking Vision
Leaders without vision will fail. Leaders who lack vision cannot inspire teams, motivate performance, or create sustainable value. Poor vision, tunnel vision, vision that is fickle, or a non-existent vision will cause leaders to fail. A leader’s job is to align the organization around a clear and achievable vision. This cannot occur when the blind lead the blind.

Resisting New Ideas
Poor leaders believe change is bad. They will often say, “that’s not the way things used to be done around here.” They cling to old ways and habits and often stand in the way of progress. They generally want to know how things will benefit them and don’t encourage regular feedback from coworkers.

Not “Walking the Talk”
This is one of the classic mistakes of leadership — not leading by example. Leaders who fail in this area expect results, but rarely take the time to help their fellow colleagues. They only delegate and never seem to come down from their high horse to roll up their sleeves and get things done. They generally defend their behavior by saying things like, “That’s not my job” or “I’ve done my time.”

My Way or The Highway
As a boss, there is a delicate balance between staying in command and allowing your employees to express their own creative ability. Although your employees may not always have the right solution, many times they will. When you are in charge you need to learn to guide your employees to discover the right decisions but let them make these decisions on their own. A leader who sets a tone of my way or the highway will create a toxic environment for employees. If employees stick around with this kind of leader they won’t be satisfied or happy in the long run.

Settling for Mediocre Performance
Poor leaders aim low and are complacent. They don’t respond well to high expectations, accept that their team members do the same and are not likely to rise to any occasion for that matter. They don’t challenge their team to realize their potential and their favorite word is “settle.”

Micro-managing
Many first time bosses will make this mistake, part of being a boss is to learn to let go of the responsibilities of your employees. This doesn’t mean you don’t hold your employees accountable, it means to judge their results, not their actions. There are many ways a beaver can build a dam, there is no correct way to build it. If the damn washes downstream the beaver has failed, if the dam remains in tact and provides a shelter for the beaver and it’s family the beaver is successful, regardless of how they went about building it. A good manager understands this and wants their employees to be productive on their own. They will focus on the results the employee produces, not how they go about producing them. Micro-managers do just the opposite, they focus on what the employee is doing daily, always tracking their activity. Micro-managers will keep all their employees on speed dial and expect their calls be answered every time they call.  

Passing the Buck
Everyone is human, we all screw up at one time or another, however as a manager, you need to accept when your employees downfall is because of your doing. The best of leaders will have their employees back, they will not only take the heat when they have created a problem but will also help redirect conflict which the employee may have mistakenly created on their own. There will be times where an employee makes a deliberate mistake and appropriate corrective action is required but in most cases it’s just a simple mistake, one which could have been made by anyone.

Too Reactive
Leaders need to be proactive, not just reactive. If you find yourself spending all of your time trying to put out fires, then you aren't using your time effectively. Proactive leaders have an influence on the future and form the right alliances to advance their causes. Of course you should make sure your group is getting all the answers and resources they need, but don't ignore the future.

Lack of Clarity
This is one the largest and most leadership potential-killing communication failures that you can make. If employees lack a clear goal for what the organization is striving to achieve, this can lead to many negative consequences and overall chaos. When employees are not clear about the organization’s goals or what their leaders want, they become frustrated and their motivation nose dives. After all, if they don’t know what they are working for, why work at all? Employees don’t like to feel directionless. A lack of clarity can lead to mixed messages that will frustrate you, your employees and your organization.

Failing to Develop Others
Because selfish, failing leaders view others as a threat to their position, they are very reluctant to develop top performers into company leaders. On top of their other nine flaws, it makes it almost impossible for anyone to want to work under these managers. This behavior decreases productivity and makes for poor team morale, increasing turnover in the long run.

It's true that making a mistake can be a learning opportunity. But, taking the time to learn how to recognize and avoid common mistakes can help you become productive and successful, and highly respected by your team.

The world’s greatest leaders know that success is fleeting and that no amount of success in the present can prevent a future failure. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of thinking that it can’t happen to you, but the truth is, it’s much easier to fail than you think. An essential part of leadership development is understanding the warning signs that indicate potential problems; learn what they are and how to combat them to reduce the risk of a leadership failure.