ITB partner, Frontline HR Solutions, offers an exciting new lineup of Manager/Supervisor Development, Coaching, and Training Programs. Mike Perkins, President, announced, “With the addition of two outstanding leadership development experts, we can offer an expanded menu of customized leader development and coaching programs for businesses that understand the value of investing in their first and second-level leaders.” Leading the enhanced development programs for Frontline HR Solutions are Rodney Atkins, former Director of Talent Management for Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Company, and Dr. Colby Jubenville, Professor and Director of the Center for Student Coaching and Success at Middle Tennessee State University. Atkins has over 30 years of manufacturing and professional services experience with Fortune 500 Companies. Jubenville is a popular public speaker and success coach, and author of Zebras and Cheetahs: How to Look Different and Stay Agile to Survive the Business Jungle (Wiley) and Me: How To Sell Who You Are, What You Do & Why You Matter to the World.
Studies show that frontline leaders are the number one factor in employee turnover, productivity, and engagement. Businesses and non-profit agencies that have traditionally promoted employees to supervisor and management positions without providing leadership training and coaching have discovered that investing in the development of these leaders pays huge dividends, especially in the retention and success of the employees they manage.
“Frontline’s leadership development programs are specially-tailored for our client’s specific needs, schedules and budgets,” said Perkins. Frontline offers over a dozen training and development options ranging from fundamental programs like The Basics Every Leader Should Know, Do and Avoid; Discrimination and Harassment Prevention; Conflict Resolution; and Effectively Holding Employees Accountable to higher-level 360 evaluations, executive coaching, employee focus groups, and personal strength and communication assessments for individual and teams.
Our world and our workplaces are filled with people from broken homes and dysfunctional families. Research shows that over 60% of Americans grew up with some type of family dysfunction. As employers, we can make a real difference in people’s lives- inside and outside the workplace. Employees need our help, guidance, teaching, encouragement, love, and support to be successful and to feel like they belong. If they get that, they are much more likely to stay with us, work hard, be loyal and make a difference. Otherwise, they will just go through the motions, make minimal contributions, and always be looking for greener pastures.
I have been an employment attorney and HR professional for almost 30 years. I thought I knew a lot about people from other walks of life. But I was dead wrong. I really didn’t know much about life for people with different upbringings and socio-economic backgrounds until I had the opportunity to live with them. Literally. In 2006, my wife and I took a professional sabbatical and worked for seven years at Big Oak Ranch in North Alabama. Big Oak is a “Christian Home for Children Needing a Chance.” There, over 120 children live in homes with up to 8 children and a “Mom and Pop.” Over those seven years, Kim and I served as house parents and primary caregivers for over a dozen boys from broken homes (abandonment, neglect, poverty, abuse, drug abuse, alcoholism, imprisonment, death). During that time, we fed them, clothed them, helped educate them (in partnership with a great school), mentored them, disciplined them, cheered for them, laughed, and cried with them, attended proms, ballgames (hundreds!), school events, counseling sessions, medical appointments, hunting trips, vacations, provided driver training, and washed thousands of loads of dirty, stinky laundry.
In the process, we learned a LOT about life, love, and belonging. Some of our kids responded well and have prospered. Others have struggled with life outside the ranch. But we like to think they are all better off from having been at the boys’ ranch. I know that we are.
You don’t really know people until you get to know them- Everyone does not think like you do (in fact, very few do). Don’t stereotype or prejudge. Go to them and seek to understand how they see the world. You’ll be surprised at how differently people view things. Each person’s unique history provides an inimitable life perspective. Understanding a person’s background, values and worldview helps build bridges that will make you more effective as a leader and them as an employee.
Rules without relationships are meaningless– Rule enforcement and management directives without relationships usually result in resentment. It is important to develop real relationships with the people you manage. Otherwise, you will be in a constant battle to enforce workplace rules and it will be difficult to persuade employees to perform challenging tasks. Relationship always trumps rules.
Set boundaries and stick with them. How you start offsets the course for the future. Like cattle, it is human nature to look for the holes in the fences and test the boundaries. Employees want to know where the boundaries are. Set the boundaries and close the gaps. You can lighten up once trust is established.
Teach them not to be a victim and a finger–pointer– It is easy to claim “victimhood” and blame shortcomings on the past and on others. Employees must understand that they control their own destiny and that they cannot allow the past to drag them down. Encourage them to be chain breakers, victors, change-makers. Direct them to community or company resources if they have difficulty overcoming past trauma or experiences. Don’t allow employees to make excuses based on the actions of others. Help them stay focused on the things they can control.
First Impressions are critical- People need to understand that, if they really want to succeed, they need to look and act the part. I am not talking about stereotypes, but a clean, positive look makes a huge difference to others and will often set the tone for their future interactions. Sometimes, it is a matter of facial expression and good hygiene. Manners also make a big difference- On BOTH sides! “Hello,” “please,” “thank you,” and “you’re welcome” go a long way…
When you break the rules, there are consequences– Everyone needs accountability. If we allow employees to “get away” with unacceptable performance, we hurt them, the organization, and their co-employees. Discipline should be considered a teaching process, not punishment. Discipline should never be administered in a state of anger or passion. The best discipline is calm, methodical, and delivered in a spirit of caring and concern.
Everyone craves security- If they don’t get it from you, they will look elsewhere. At the ranch, we told the boys. “I love you; I will never lie to you; I will stick with you until you are grown and on your own; and there are rules, don’t break them.” An employer’s version of this might be, “You are a valuable person, and we appreciate you and your work; we will never lie to you; we will stick with you during good times and bad, and there are rules, don’t break them.” And then, do just that!
Find strengths and develop them- Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Our job as leaders is to develop our strengths and utilize them as effectively as possible. At the same time, when employees have weaknesses, we should do everything within our power to minimize those through education, training, coaching, modifying assignments, and, where necessary, utilizing discipline.
It doesn’t always work- Everyone is not coachable, and not everyone really wants to work. We owe it to them, their co-workers, and ourselves to help those employees find another career path. Sometimes that means separation– and we shouldn’t prolong that when an employee is not working out. Other employees may decide a particular job or company is not right for them. Don’t slam the door on them. Some will decide the “grass is not so green” and will want to come back. While the grass may look greener, there is always dirt on the bottom.
Love and a sense of belonging are more important than everything else. If employees feel that from their leaders, they will run through brick walls for them. Bricks hurt, so output goals will seem like a walk in the park.
Mike Perkins, President- Frontline HR Solutions
Mike is available to speak to your group/association and provides customized training for your frontline leaders. Contact him at mperkins@frontlinehr.com
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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:
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?
Perform a critical self-evaluation of your leadership effectiveness and impact. Good leaders strive to be self-aware and to improve every day.
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.
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.
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.
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
I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.
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.”