The Dave Daniels Consulting Approach to Diversity and Inclusion – Part 2

As mentioned in my first Blog (Blog #1), I am not against formal classroom training for Diversity and Inclusion (D & I).  As the CEO, you need to construct a strong foundation within your Executive Leadership Team (ELT), first.  My last Blog (Blog #4) introduced the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), as the focus for ELT development.  In my opinion, this assessment tool is the best at creating awareness and action-oriented development steps, when administered by a Certified IDI Coach.

As a Certified Coach with IDI, I strongly recommend that your internal Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) becomes familiar with the tool and should eventually become an IDI Administrator.  Immersing your ELT to this development tool and the process will be one of the best investments that you make as a CEO.  There are companies/individuals that charge up to $1000 per person for completing the assessment while providing a single feedback session.  A Fractional CDO, certified in the IDI methodology, can bring this critical strategic action step to life in your organization. Once certified, it should become a critical component of the CDO’s role, as we work to identify a mid to long term solution for D & I continuity, once my “Sunset” work has been completed.  The Fractional CDO should provide this service as part of their monthly stipend, except for a small Administrative Charge that IDI imposes on each assessment.

Establishing the ELT IDI foundation should take no longer than 60 days.  Once the ELT journey has begun in earnest, then the CDO should work with you and your team to establish a series of ongoing “Listening Sessions.”  It starts with the CEO & CDO facilitating a company-wide session followed by each ELT member replicating a similar session within their own business units.  Leveraging your CDO in preparation, delivery, and follow-up should be your best approach to optimizing honest and constructive feedback.  This format should occur on a regular basis for the first year, minimally.

These two steps, IDI and Listening Sessions, will go a long way in establishing your commitment as the CEO.  Your team will sense your sincerity, especially if you reinforce your message by becoming a member of the “CEO Action” group, now counting over 1000 USA based CEOs from businesses of all sizes.  There is no cost to join and membership provides your ELT a litany of fantastic DEI resources.  Your CPO should be able to help you get signed up with this group. When you couple these three (3) steps with a strong Diversity Council and integration of a strong D &I lens in every aspect of your business, your company’s DEI approach will truly start to enhance positive outcomes and impact improving engagement that drives financial results.

My next Blog will continue Part 3 of the DDC Systemic Approach by diving deeper into measurement and expanding D & I advocates.  Please remember, a Fractional CDO approach can balance results and costs, quickly and effectively.  The DDC approach is meant to be a “Sunset” position that ensures sustainable value and impact for years to come.  At the end of the engagement, together, we will identify the proper advocates whether a Full-Time CDO or a sharing of the responsibilities by all members of the ELT.

 

David Daniels, Daniels Consulting

Dave Daniels is an accomplished Senior Business and Human Resource executive with a proven track record of developing, implementing, and delivering upon both short and long-term results.  He has held management and executive-level positions with companies large and small throughout the United States. Dave has managed his career in a way that provides him with an exceptional breadth of experience and capacity to contribute to improving brand and financial results for his employer in every capacity he has served.

 

Thank you for visiting our blog!

Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners

 

Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

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Too Busy to Lead?  Why? It’s What Leaders Do…

A popular Halloween-themed commercial makes fun of victims in horror movies.  It shows four terrified young people running through the night from an undisclosed danger, making the decision to bypass an awaiting getaway car and choosing to hide behind a wall of chainsaws—all while the “bad guy” watches in bemusement and anticipation.  In the end, the announcer says “If you are in a horror movie, you make bad decisions. It’s what you do.”

Leaders are supposed to lead.  That is what leaders do.  Not leading is a bad decision.  I am constantly amazed by the number of leaders who fail to effectively lead their people because they are “too busy.”  I normally run across the “too-busy leader” when I am called into an organization to help with an HR crisis such as high turnover of key employees, increasing employee complaints, dysfunctional teams, sagging productivity, increased workplace accidents, or a threatened union campaign.  In almost every case, the once passionate, motivated leader has “fallen asleep at the leadership switch” and become hopelessly sidetracked by mounting paperwork, emails and texts, production demands, deadlines, budgets, and countless meetings.

The result is full or partial abandonment of the practices that make a leader a leader.  I’m talking about the very basics– getting to know their people, listening to employee feedback, setting clear goals, providing recognition and encouragement, communicating values, vision, and important tactical information, modeling the organization’s values, and holding employees accountable.

In most cases, the too-busy leader does not become that way overnight. It is a slow fade.  The meetings start piling up, aggressive new budget goals are handed down, customers become more demanding, production issues require constant attention. There is always a squeaky wheel, and something has to give.  Often, it’s the little things that go first. Things like walking around on a daily basis to speak with employees and monitor progress; stepping into orientation meetings to meet new employees; recognizing employee birthdays, anniversaries, and achievements; taking time to listen to employees; communicating important goals and milestones, or eating a meal with the team.  Once that happens, some of the critical functions like meaningful employee evaluations, employee meetings, employee surveys, safety focus, and employee training follow suit.  The end result is disengaged employees, a frenetic, reactive workplace, high turnover, more on-the-job injuries, and the potential for long-lasting damage to organizational morale and reputation.  In many cases, the damage is so great that the organization is forced to replace the too-busy leader with a new leader who once again shifts the focus to effective people leadership.

It IS possible to be a great people leader and still meet aggressive production and budget demands.  It is well-established that highly engaged employees are more productive, produce higher profitability, attract greater customer loyalty, have lower absenteeism, have fewer accidents, and are less likely to leave for another job.

When leaders find themselves in the frustrating and unenviable position of “too busy to lead,” it’s time to step back and take a hard look at WHY they are in a leadership position in the first place.  It’s also time to determine WHAT is taking them away from the job of being a leader and HOW they can pull themselves out of the mire before too much damage is done and it’s too late to turn things around.

If you are one of those too-busy leaders who have been overwhelmed by the urgent and lost your grip on the important and significant, it is a good time for a “reboot.”  Here are some steps to consider:

    1. Review how you spend each day and how much time you allocate to people leadership practices. Are you managing your time and priorities wisely?  Where are you wasting finite time that could be spent more effectively developing and leading your team? What can you eliminate, automate, or delegate in order to maximize your time?
    2. Perform a critical self-evaluation of your leadership effectiveness and impact. Good leaders strive to be self-aware and to improve every day.
    3. Ask others in your organization to give you candid input on specific ways you can improve as a leader. Really listen.  Do not take it personally and be willing to take ownership of your shortcomings.
    4. Set specific, measurable goals for improving as a leader and hold yourself accountable for outcomes. Or, better yet, have someone else hold you accountable. Track your progress over time.
    5. Read at least one leadership book per month and incorporate best practices that you read about or learn from others. The Busy Leaders Handbook by Quint Studer is a great resource for any leader. Look for opportunities to attend (live or online) good leadership courses and workshops.
    6. Find and engage a leadership mentor. Perhaps someone in your organization or industry who you and others respect for his or her ability to be an effective leader even when the workload seems overwhelming. Be willing to learn and to change where needed.

No matter how busy you are, people depend on you for direction, example, and inspiration.  You simply cannot afford to become complacent or to default in your role.  Your employees’ livelihoods, and sometimes their lives, may depend on you.  You have the incredible power to enhance or diminish the success of your organization and the people who work there.  Real leaders make a difference.  That’s what Leaders do.

 

Mike Perkins

Mike Perkins, J.D., SHRM-SCP, is President of Frontline HR Solutions, a full-service human resources consulting firm that assists large and small employers with compliance, crisis management, conflict resolution, and coaching/training.  Frontline offers customized coaching and training programs for busy leaders.  Contact Mike at mperkins@frontlinehr.com or 833/FRONTHR to discuss how Frontline’s leadership training can help your organization improve employee engagement, increase productivity and profitability, and minimize the risk of employee lawsuits.  www.frontlinehr.com

Thank you for visiting our blog.

Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners

 

Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

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Do You Plan to Achieve Your New Year’s Resolutions?

Goal Setting

It’s that time again! Time to make New Year’s resolutions.  I suppose I’m like most people who revel in the excitement of starting a new year. In many respects, the new year offers the promise of a new beginning or an opportunity for change. It’s fun to share New Year’s resolutions and I’m sure that we’re all serious about achieving our goals.  Regrettably, within a few months, most people have given up on their New Year’s resolutions. Business, on the other hand, is a different story. Companies don’t have New Year’s Resolutions.  They have a vision and objectives.  My experience is that a business is more likely to achieve its goals.  Why is that?

I talked with many people over the past few weeks and have learned much about their plans for 2020.  My friend Faith plans to start a supper club to explore new food dishes and to get back to the art of dining at home.  One of my Associates at ITB Partners has created a strategy to develop multiple blogs, monetized through advertising and affiliate programs. He realizes that becoming profitable may take as much as two years, but he is excited about his prospects.

I am working with clients who want to change careers in 2020. Some are between situations and have the flexibility to explore new options while others are gainfully employed but desire a better situation.

These conversations were most interesting. Of course, the most typical resolutions are about personal development; simplifying lives, losing weight, improving diets, and to follow a healthier lifestyle. Continuing education and developing new skills are also popular.  I also enjoyed hearing from those who didn’t have plans to change anything other than to do better executing their current strategies.

My favorite morning talk show host is changing his strategy to include more knowledgeable pundits who can talk from a strategic perspective. I have a few initiatives that I want to pursue, including a seminar program to attract more clients.

While preparing my thoughts for this post, I found an article that listed 20 goals for entrepreneurs in 2020.  Whereas the goals proposed are relevant for most, the focus of the article was on goal setting.  The article even recapped the SMART formula.  It didn’t devote any ink on how to achieve those goals.  Maybe that is part of the problem.

Exploring this issue over the Holidays, I reviewed my favorite YouTube and podcast channels. One point that resonated profoundly was made by James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits. He talks about making small, manageable changes that generate other changes, which cumulatively make a big impact. I like that idea. I like the thought of finding a linchpin to provide leverage for other goals.

Another point Clear makes is that one needs a system to achieve their goals. This opinion is shared by Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert cartoon.  Adams is much more direct as he says “goals are useless, without a system.”  I concur with this point; a system is required to achieve a goal. Another word for a system is routine.

I find this to be a valid perspective! It reminds me of my early career in strategic planning and analysis. The planning process we followed included strategies and tactics (a system) to ensure the desired result. We also established timetables and mechanisms to track our progress. It was a useful process that required serious thought about how to realize our goals. We had a system. Our focus was on executing the strategy.

This year, my primary resolution is to lose the ten pounds I gained between Halloween and New Year’s Day.  I am confident I will be successful, as I have a plan and a system to achieve that goal.  I have several important business goals for 2020 as well. I haven’t completed the plan to achieve those goals yet. However, as I consider planning one of my greatest strengths, I am confident that I will achieve those goals as well.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

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Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners

 

Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners