communication

Who Are the Innovators of Today?

/ Ken Blanchard

It’s commonly assumed that the top leaders in organizations are the ones who come up with the best ideas—ideas that lead to positive changes such as new products, bigger profits, better customer service, higher employee engagement, lower turnover, etc. But this is a misconception.

Executives at successful companies know that all the brains are not in the C-suite. These leaders work side by side with their people, empowering them by sharing information about the company, asking for input on important topics, and keeping the lines of communication open. They believe people at every level are capable of innovative thinking—everyone should be included and their thoughts, opinions, and ideas should be considered. Just think: if every leader acted on this belief, what a difference it would make in how people feel about themselves and their work!

You never know when innovation will strike. Back in 1981, Spencer Johnson and I did something a bit innovative. We coauthored a book that was unlike any other at the time—The One Minute Manager. When we met Spencer, my wife, Margie, and I were in the early stages of our leadership training and consulting business. We had been invited to an event for local authors because I had coauthored a college textbook titled Management of Organizational Behavior. Spencer had written a children’s book series and was working with a psychologist on a book for parents titled The One Minute Scolding. Margie met Spencer first, hand-carried him over to me, and said, “You two should write a children’s book for managers—they won’t read anything else.” Soon thereafter, Spencer and I decided to write a short parable about a manager who knew how to get the most out of his people by empowering them and catching them doing things right. Everyone we showed the manuscript to raved about it. We self-published and sold 20,000 copies of The One Minute Manager before meeting with any of the big New York publishers.

Our company has been in the business of empowering people for 45 years. Two of our cofounders, Don Carew and Eunice Parisi-Carew, coined the phrase “No one of us is as smart as all of us” while we were working on the book The One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams. In essence, the saying means that no one individual can take the place of a roomful of creative team members trading ideas and working together to find solutions. That’s innovation in action! Being a part of this kind of dynamic connection creates feelings of safety, belonging, and inclusion in every team member.

To get people on board with the idea that every person can be an innovator, leaders must first commit to something rather risky: they must let their people know that it is okay to make mistakes—and it’s okay to fail. If people believe they will get reprimanded (or worse—be out of a job) when they make a mistake, they simply won’t move toward innovation. They will keep their head down and just do their job. It’s up to the leader to bring people together for brainstorming sessions and involve them by not only allowing, but encouraging them to step up and share their ideas with the group. 

My good friend Garry Ridge, CEO Emeritus of WD-40 Company and my coauthor on Helping People Win at Work, wanted to create a safe culture where people knew they wouldn’t be punished if they made a mistake. He said when he took the reins at WD-40, “I had to redefine the concept of ‘mistakes.’ I needed to teach people to not be afraid to fail.” Lots of leaders who promote innovation in the workplace feel the same way. They treat mistakes and failures as important data—Garry Ridge calls them “learning moments”—because they often can lead to breakthroughs.

Organizations that rely only on designers and senior leaders to come up with all the innovative ideas for positive change are underestimating the rest of their workforce. Everyone can contribute to a culture of innovation.

Leaders Must Extend Trust First

/ Ken Blanchard

Trust is essential for any healthy relationship. Warren Buffet once likened trust to the air we breathe. “When it is present,” he said, “nobody really notices. But when it’s absent, everybody notices.”

In a working relationship, it’s up to you as a leader to make the first move to extend trust. This often comes as a surprise to many leaders, who assume they are automatically trusted by others because of their position or title. In fact, the opposite may be true. Because you have more position power, people may be wary of you. That’s why it’s so important that leaders extend trust first.

What It Looks Like to Extend Trust to Your People

One of my favorite stories about extending trust to your people comes from Horst Schultze, one of the founders of the Ritz-Carlton Hotels. After extensive training, Horst’s employees were given a $2,000 discretionary fund that they could use to solve a problem without checking with anyone. Now that’s extending trust!

One day, a businessman who was staying at one of the Ritz-Carlton properties in Atlanta had to fly to Hawaii, because the next day at 1:00 p.m. he was making a major speech to his international company. He was a little disorganized as he was leaving. On his way to the airport, he discovered that he’d left behind his laptop computer, which contained all the PowerPoints he needed for his presentation. He tried to change his flights, but he couldn’t. So he called the Ritz-Carlton and said, “This is the room  I  was  in,  and  this  is  where  my  computer  was.  Have Housekeeping get it and overnight it to me. They have to guarantee delivery by ten tomorrow morning, because I need it for my one o’clock speech.”

The next day Horst was wandering around the hotel, as he often did. When he got to Housekeeping he said, “Where’s Mary?” Her coworkers said, “She’s in Hawaii.” He said, “Hawaii? What’s she doing there?”

He was told, “A guest left his computer in his room that he needed for a speech today at one o’clock—and Mary doesn’t trust overnight carrier services.” Now you might think that Mary went for a vacation, but she came back on the next plane. And what do you think was waiting for her? A letter of commendation from Horst and high fives around the hotel.

Use Discretion, Then Take a Risk

I don’t mean to suggest that leaders should blindly trust everyone. That would be foolish. Leaders need to assess an individual’s trustworthiness before they extend trust. For example, Mary, the Ritz-Carlton employee, was trustworthy because she had completed her training and orientation and was known to be reliable.

Think of a risky situation you are facing where you may be hesitant to trust someone.

  • What about the person or situation gives you confidence to extend trust?
  • What gives you cause for concern?
  • How you can extend trust while also addressing your areas of concern?

The next step is to take the risk to extend trust. You don’t need trust if there’s nothing at risk. That’s called certainty, a sure thing, a guarantee. But if there is risk—if there is a chance you might get burned extending your faith in someone else—that’s when you need to extend trust.

Trust doesn’t happen by accident. For trust to develop in a relationship, one party has to make the decision to extend trust in the hope it will be reciprocated. Ernest Hemingway summed this up simply yet eloquently when he said, “The way to make people trustworthy is to trust them.” In other words, while you can use discretion, you won’t really know whether you can trust someone until you make the first move.

At some point you, as a leader, must take a risk by extending trust and turning over responsibility to your followers. First, be certain they are clear on the goal. Make sure they have the right resources, skills, and training to do a good job—and then let them do it.

By extending trust first, you demonstrate respect and create goodwill. Soon your people will begin emulating your behavior by extending trust and respect to others. In a workplace where trust is the norm, people collaborate more, produce better results, and have more fun.

To learn more about building trust and other powerful leadership practices, pick up a copy of my new book with trust expert Randy Conley, The Simple Truths of Leadership Playbook. And please join us for a free webinar, Simple Truths of Leadership: From Intention to Action on Wednesday, February 21, 7:00 AM PST. Register now at https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4444232/962C05294BC6C39A0C1D43B595A0D7AB.

Let’s Catch People Doing Something Right in 2024

/ Ken Blanchard

Catching people doing things right and praising them is a timeless principle I learned and began practicing and teaching years ago. It is a powerful tool for bringing out the best in others. So instead of making a personal New Year’s resolution this year, I want to make one to share with leaders everywhere: Make 2024 “The Year of Catching People Doing Something Right.”

I don’t want this resolution to pertain solely to our direct reports, though. Let’s also catch our peers doing something right. Let’s catch our bosses doing something right. Let’s catch our partners, kids, relatives, and friends doing something right. And let’s catch ourselves doing something right!

As an example of how to praise someone for doing things right, here are the basics of the One Minute Praising from my bestselling book with Spencer Johnson, The One Minute Manager.

  1. Praise someone as soon as possible after you see praiseworthy behavior.
  2. In very specific terms, tell the person what they did right.
  3. Relate their good behavior to the broader picture by telling them how it made you feel.
  4. Now pause briefly to give the person a chance to feel good about what they did.
  5. Encourage the person to keep up the positive behavior.

This is a concept that still holds true—in fact, it’s woven into all of our company’s training programs and most of my 70 published books. When you catch somebody doing something right—or approximately right—praise them.

Catch your people

To great leaders, acknowledging people’s efforts and encouraging their progress is common sense. These leader behaviors set up a positive cycle: Their praise helps people feel good about themselves, people who feel good about themselves produce good results, and people who produce good results feel good about themselves.

Think about a time when you were proud of something you did, but nobody seemed to notice. How did it make you feel? Now think about a time when you did something well and were praised or otherwise recognized for it. How did you feel then? What was the difference between the two?

Note: a One Minute Praising is not the same as flattery. It’s a statement that builds trust and improves communication because it’s based on facts and data. The phrase “nice job” isn’t specific enough to build rapport. But if a leader says, “William, I appreciate your sending me your weekly report on time. It provided accurate information and allowed me to meet my deadlines. Keep up the great work,” it clearly states the leader’s appreciation, which will boost William’s morale and help him realize he is an important member of the team. Catching people doing things right provides satisfaction and motivates good performance.

Catch your coworkers

Encourage your teammates to catch each other doing things right and praise each other’s progress. This kind of camaraderie can go a long way toward building trust among peers, which helps everyone feel good about their job. People never tire of sincere praise. It’s good for motivation, morale, and momentum.

Catch your boss

When was the last time you praised your boss? Even if you are good at praising direct reports and coworkers, you may have to think long and hard to remember the last time you recognized the efforts of your manager.

It’s easy for people to picture their leader getting positive feedback from their own bosses. But think about how meaningful it would be for your manager to hear you say, “By the way, thanks for letting our team know about the exciting new client we just landed. It felt great to get this news directly from you rather than reading it in an all-company email.” Depending on your relationship, it could also be appropriate to give your boss a compliment on a blog post they wrote or on their caring leadership style.

Catch your family

This principle can also help relationships flourish at home. It’s important to express positive feelings we have about our family members and friends, so that those relationships stay healthy. Catch your partner, your kids, or your parents, siblings, or friends doing things right on a regular basis. Don’t wait for the perfect moment—do it as soon as you see or hear about something good that they have said or done, or even when you have a positive thought about that person.

For example, if your school-aged child makes his bed or does his homework without being asked, let him know right away that you notice and appreciate his efforts. Call and congratulate your nephew on his new job. Or send a card to thank a friend for helping you through a tough time.

Catch Yourself

Did you make a New Year’s resolution this year? If not, you have company. A new YouGov poll shows only 34% of adults in the US made a resolution for 2024. Why? Because people believe New Year’s resolutions fail more than they succeed. They grade themselves on a pass/fail basis—there’s no in-between.

But many people who think that a previous year’s resolution failed may, in fact, have made great progress in that area of their life during the year even if they didn’t technically achieve the original goal they had set.

Remember, in The One Minute Manager, Spencer Johnson and I state that a praising can be given not only when you catch someone (including yourself) doing something right, but alsowhen you catch someone doing something approximately right. So if you stick to your resolution well enough to make key improvements in that space, that’s praiseworthy in my book! Now put your right hand on your left shoulder and your left hand on your right shoulder and give yourself a hug.

Well done! Bring on the new year!

Catch everyone!

Good feelings generated from catching people doing things right can be habit-forming. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself passing along praise to your next-door neighbor, your yoga teacher, your postal carrier, or the cashier or bagger at the grocery store.

Good thoughts not communicated are meaningless. But positive praise creates a significant energy boost in both the giver and the receiver. So let’s all catch people doing something right in 2024!

Leading Others to Find Meaningful Work and Satisfying Careers

/ Ken Blanchard

Nobody wants to stay in a dead-end job. To retain and attract top talent, organizations must provide growth opportunities. My wife, Margie, is passionate about this subject. To promote professional growth in our own company, Margie offers a three-day, two-hour course called Career Discovery that invites people to explore their career development.

It Doesn’t Have To Be Awkward

Many leaders feel awkward about discussing career development with their people. They worry that they will lose the person just when they’ve gotten them trained.

Because she knows that leaders might feel uncomfortable about their direct reports exploring career growth, Margie has a video meeting with each participant’s manager to educate them about the course. She prepares each manager for the discussions that might come and assures them that just because their direct report is asking questions doesn’t mean they are unhappy or uncommitted. It means they want to grow and develop—and that’s a good thing! In fact, Margie encourages managers to take the course, too.

Helping People with Career Development Is Part of Every Leader’s Job

Margie explains that every manager has three responsibilities: 1) doing their own work; 2) developing their direct reports for today’s work, and 3) developing their direct reports for long-term careers. In most cases, the third responsibility gets short shrift.

At least twice a year, managers should have one-on-one conversations with each direct report about their long-term career plans and goals.

“You can be sure that your direct report is thinking about their career, so you need to have what I call Courageous Conversations,” says Margie. “It’s important to understand that it’s just a conversation. You don’t have to have an immediate answer or a job ready for the person to go into. The answers and opportunities will come over time.”

To get the conversation started, Margie recommends asking some exploratory questions, such as:

  • What makes you want to stay in this job/company?
  • What challenges you?
  • What would lure you away?

Managers should assure their people that it’s healthy to look at their career path and congratulate them for thinking about it. “Let people know that they don’t have to wait until they’re unhappy with their job to talk about it,” Margie says.

People appreciate managers who care enough to have career conversations. Showing people you’re interested in them as a whole person—not just in what they can do for you—builds trust.

Four Steps Along the Course of Career Discovery

During the course, Margie takes people through several steps to discover more about themselves and the kind of work they will find meaningful and satisfying.

Sharing Success Stories: To begin, she asks people to talk about the most satisfying times in their life. What have been their peak experiences and successes? After people share their success stories, others comment on the skills they saw being used. For example, “When you won that basketball championship, I saw you using leadership skills to encourage your team members.”

Reflecting skills back to them not only gives people a sense of what they enjoy and are good at, but it also shows them that everyone has a different stengths and that each person is unique.

Taking assessments: The course offers people the opportunity to take career assessments, such as Harrison Assessments. Designed to help match people with the right jobs, the assessments can also identify areas that may be less suitable.

“These assessments help people zero in on what they enjoy, what they’ll be good at, and where they will thrive,” says Margie. “If you enjoy something, you’ll get better at it—and vice versa. Assessments can help people clarify their interest areas and shorten the research phase. They cut down on trial and error—which is expensive for everyone.”

Information interviewing: The course encourages people to reach out to others who are working in jobs they may be interested in, to find out what that job entails. This can also cut down on trail and error.

“Information interviewing would have helped my mother,” Margie says. “She went to all the trouble to get a real estate license, only to find out that the job required her to work on weekends, which she was unwilling to do. An information interview with a realtor would have saved her a lot of time and trouble.”

Coaching: Finally, people in the course are encouraged to get coaching to help them explore career ideas. At our company, we offer everyone six coaching sessions, which can be used for career development.

It Pays to Have Career Conversations with Your People

Margie’s Career Discovery course has been a big success in our organization. Twenty-five percent of the people who have gone through it have either been promoted or have moved into more suitable jobs. Many people have discovered that they are in the perfect job. Everyone who has been through the course has come away with more confidence and a greater awareness of their strengths.

Even if your organization cannot offer a career planning course, as a leader you need to talk regularly with your followers about their long-term goals and dreams. With open communication, you can often retain talent that would otherwise go elsewhere.

“You need to be proactive,” Margie explains. “Headhunters often know more about your people than you do. You want to earn the right to have the first conversation when someone is dissatisfied with their job.”

Great Leadership Starts with Self-Awareness

/ Ken Blanchard

Self-awareness is among the top leadership skills required from future leaders, according to Blanchard’s 2023 Trends Report. Yet the lack of it is one of the biggest challenges leaders face as they step into increasingly higher management roles. Not only is self-awareness a prerequisite for effective leadership, it’s also essential for effective human interaction of any kind.

The best leaders have a high degree of self-awareness. These leaders understand themselves and their needs, strengths, weaknesses, and temperament. They are aware of their thoughts, feelings, and personal motivators. They know how their behavior affects people around them and how to model trusting servant leadership for their team.

Self-aware leaders have a special kind of perspective on leadership. Being grounded in knowledge about themselves helps them be more mindful of the people, experiences, and values that have made them who they are—as both a person and a leader.

How’s Your Ego?

Leaders who lack self-awareness often have egos that they allow to go unchecked, which slowly but surely erodes their ability to lead. These leaders see themselves as the center of the universe. They put their own agenda, safety, status, and gratification ahead of the people they lead—the people most likely to be affected by the leader’s misguided thoughts and actions.

As a leader, if your self-worth is tied up in your achievements and what others think of you, it becomes increasingly difficult for you to maintain a healthy self-image. Why? Because your performance—like everyone’s—varies from day to day, and human judgment is fickle. So your self-worth is up for grabs on a daily basis. It’s easy to get caught between false pride and fear—two ways the human ego can be an obstacle to success.

  • Leaders with false pride are generally seen as controlling. They have a high need for power even when they don’t know what they are doing. They insist they are right even when it’s clear to everyone else that they are wrong.
  • Leaders driven by fear are generally characterized as do-nothing bosses. Their fear of making a mistake and other insecurities keep them from taking action when they should. They are seldom around—and when they are, they avoid conflict and aren’t very helpful.

A lack of self-awareness combined with an overactive ego can topple an otherwise great leader. Don’t let your ego keep you from being your best self or bringing out the best in others.

Can You Be Trusted as a Leader?

Effective leadership starts on the inside. To be a truly trustworthy leader, you must first possess a strong sense of self-awareness by knowing yourself and what you need to be successful.

To help you increase your self-awareness as a leader, we’ve developed an assessment leaders can use to gauge their trustworthiness in the four elements of trust found in our ABCD model:

  • Able: Do you demonstrate competence in your role?
  • Believable: Do you demonstrate how to act with integrity?
  • Connected: Do you demonstrate that you care about others?
  • Dependable: Do you demonstrate reliability?

To gain even more self-awareness, we encourage you to have each of your team members fill out the same assessment, rating you on your trustworthiness. Not every leader is vulnerable enough to ask their people to assess them as a trustworthy leader—but I’ve done it, and I found it to be a humbling, yet enlightening experience!

Important note: make sure you are ready for what you may learn. When you invite people to discuss these potentially sensitive areas, you must be ready to listen. Remember that feedback is a gift. There are only two things a leader should say when they receive feedback—either “Thank you” or “Tell me more.”

Don’t worry—it’s never a bad thing to learn something new about yourself as a leader. Take a tip from the One Minute Manager: If you find out you are doing something right, give yourself a One Minute Praising. And if you discover you are off track in an area, give yourself a One Minute Redirect and get back on the right track.

The more self-aware you are, the better you will be able to serve, care for, and lead your people, which builds trust—and awareness—in every direction. Being self-aware, keeping your ego in check, and learning how to be more trustworthy are all parts of leading at a higher level.