Kevin and Guy offer practical how-tos for any employee who suddenly sees the Supervisor title on the door. From Knob to Boss: Secrets to a Successful Transition to Remarkable Leadership / Kevin Eikenberry, Guy Harris.
First Things First
Those who care most about you think you can succeed - and if you're not sure, just ask them. While we hope you're excited about this challenge (and if you're not, you will be when you finish this book), it won't be easy.
Self-Assessment
Once you've signed up, you can login to access all bonus bytes and many other management resources. Once you are logged in, you can find Bonus Bytes by clicking on the Bonus Bytes link in the navigation bar at the top of each page.
Your Now Steps
Consider these bonus bytes additional resources to help you deepen your understanding and accelerate your growth and development as a leader. Note: The keywords we use throughout the book will be the names of the buttons on the Community Bonus Bytes page, and they will be organized by the six parts of the book to make it easy for you to find them.
The Three Important Words
But it is the promise of the subtitle that has informed and guided the writing of this book: Secrets to a Successful Transition to Remarkable Leadership. This book is about those secrets and will help you become the leader you were born (and chosen!) to be. . This book builds on the concepts, principles and skills of Kevin's previous book, Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time.
What Leadership Is
Leadership is not really something we have or possess; it's something we do. Leadership is a responsibility. You have been placed in a formal leadership role and have accepted it (regardless of your job title).
What Leadership Isn’t
But the behaviors that lead others to grant you "power" do not come from your desire or expectation of power. Your power or influence will come from a variety of factors based on your behavior and values, not your position.
Five Keys to Your Successful Transition
If you are moving into a leadership role after being a peer, this step is especially important, although it would be valid in any circumstance. Read the rest of this book and think about how you can apply what you are learning as you read it.
Some Thoughts on How to Read This Book
With this list in hand, you can focus your attention on the items that concern you most as you read the book. To get the most out of your reading, you may want to highlight ideas you can use.
The Reticular Activating System
In general, we recommend that you read the book cover to cover to see all the connections between the different parts. Keep a study journal or notebook with you so you can record key lessons and actions you want to take as a result of what you learn while reading this book.
Thoughts About This Transition (and Transitions in General)—From Others and Us
When they become conductors, leaders, they have to learn how all the parts come together to create beautiful music. As you transition from friend and co-worker (Bud) to leader (Boss), you probably share many of the concerns from this list.
Some Critical Components of Your Leadership Role
For example, some people say that setting goals and getting things done takes a lot of people skills. If you are like many leaders, you became a leader because you are good at getting things done.
Role Changes
We start with the assumption that you agree with the general direction and mission of your organization, even if you have concerns about some of the details or specifics of some of the issues. We also do not recommend that you adopt a "yes person" attitude with the managers above you and agree to everything without talking.
Relationship Changes
Your circle of influence includes things outside of your direct control that you can make happen through the help and cooperation of others. He spent virtually no time or energy on things outside his circle of influence.
Empowerment and Delegation
Joe's growing circle of influence gave him opportunities to interact with people far beyond his work group. You hope that the way you delegate the task makes the other person feel empowered so that they take action on the delegation.
The Pygmalion Effect: Why Your Expectations of Others Matter
To make the Pygmalion effect work for you, check your thoughts about and intentions towards other people. In this context, you are likely to find what you are looking for - good or bad - and your expectations may depend on what you see.
The Galatea Effect: Why People’s Expectations of Themselves Matter
If you find that you have negative expectations, look for something in their accomplishments to celebrate. If you have just been promoted, you may be especially interested in this topic for yourself and your organization.
Thoughts About Change—From Others and Us
Then write down a list of words or phrases that come to mind when you think of these specific events. You have emotional words on your list. Not everything we think about in a change situation is logical and factual.
Change Is Emotional
And since in your new role how others experience change is as important as how you experience it, let's talk about the implications of this short personal exercise. I don't know exactly what it all means, but I'm excited." There is really no doubt that excitement will affect our behavior and thinking.
Change Is Situational
If we are afraid or anxious, it will change how and what we think and do. If we deny it or ignore it, change will slow down drastically, or not happen at all.
The Leadership Implications
We also know that we have all made changes and we have chosen to make the changes. Although we certainly don't change everything at once (routines and habits are among the most powerful forces on earth), we all change.
Reasons People Give for Not Changing
One way or another, the content of the rest of this book is about change. It may help the organization, but I don't see how it will improve my life/work.
The Four Categories: The Components of a Choice to Change
The reason we were so confident that most, if not all, of your ideas would fall into one of these four categories is that these four categories represent the components of the change choice. When we look at any change opportunity (personal, organizational or cultural) through the lenses of these four components, we can understand why the change is moving forward or not, and if not, what is needed to help people make a choice in to make support. of the change.
Exploring the Four Components of Change
You need to know the result, or at least the likely result, of the change before people choose to change. If the vision of the future doesn't seem better than the status quo, why would anyone want to change?
Beyond Diagnosis
People choose to change for their own reasons, not ours, and we can use the components of change to better understand their reasons. Maybe they are complaining about the change, but they are doing (or will do) the new procedure.
Your Own Changes
At this point you might say, Well that's all well and good and can apply to personal change for others in the organization, but it doesn't apply to the change situation. Before we dive into those "special" cases, let's talk a little more about your personal change situations.
Now, Those Special Cases
At worst, knowing the real end goal of the change will help you see that it "won't be so bad". In this case, how we feel about such changes is similar to how we feel when the change is forced upon us.
Sell’’ Individuals
When you're done with any change conversation, you want others to be ready to change (or closer to that decision) and to feel like they're a bigger part of the change. For some additional thoughts on why you are a salesperson as a leader, go to the Bonus Bytes page at BudToBossCommunity.com and click on.
Help People Take Ownership
When you take the time to listen to people with an open mind, you'll be surprised how much their resistance can be reduced—perhaps more than you can imagine. By engaging them in the process, you are communicating how much you value them and their opinions.
Let People in on Your Process
One of the major concerns of many new leaders is how to handle the vine. For more advice on dealing with the vine, go to the Bonus Bytes page at BudToBossCommunity.com and click on the Grapevine button.
Call It a Journey
Mistake #3: Thinking that by waiting you will find the perfect way to describe the change. One powerful way to prevent the vine from getting out of control is to communicate more—more often and more openly.
Ask Questions
In fact, the sooner you talk about it, the sooner people can begin their transition to change.
Sell Small—Build a New Status Quo
Give It Words
Celebrate Progress
Take Responsibility
The first definition comes from Peter Block, as quoted in Rick Maurer's book Beyond the Wall of Resistance: resistance is "a reluctance to choose." When you think of resistance that way, in light of what you've learned in this section, it gives you a new mental hook for resistance. In this section, we'll share some key concepts you can use to become a better communicator.
Thoughts About Effective Communication—From Others and Us
The guy wanted to say (but didn't): "How you feel like that wasn't the issue." If you have a model that you or your organization uses to understand these dynamics, we encourage you to learn all you can about it and its practical application in your situation.
A Brief History
Since you may already have a model that you use, our goal is not to create a book on the DISC model. If you don't have a working mental model, we hope to share enough information about the DISC model to help you begin the process of applying it.
The Model Defined
The more current and simplified version of this model, based on the work of Dr. Robert Rohm in Positive Personality Profiles, is what we use here. the two extremes of the drive where the shade represents different intensities of it:. When we combine the Pace and Priority arrows into one drawing, we get a graphic representation of the DISC model of human behavior (Figure 18.3).
Behavior Style Blends
By reading the descriptive words in the behavioral style, many people can relate to some of the words in several, in rare cases all, descriptions of the DISC type. This tendency to negatively label people who are different from us extends to all the other interaction style combinations.
Connecting and Communicating with Different People
A similar thing is likely to happen to you when you learn to apply the DISC model to your communications with other people. The DISC model is your map to get from where you are to where you want to be.
If this is your style and you want specific tips on how to improve the effectiveness of your communication, visit the Bonus Bytes page on BudToBossCommunity.com and click the Dominant Self button. If this is your style and you want specific tips on how to improve the effectiveness of your communication, visit the Bonus Bytes page on BudToBossCommunity.com and click the Cautious Self button.
Speak with People and Not to Them
We believe that you can learn communication skills and apply them in your leadership role, and we hope that this chapter will help you.
Speak with People the Way That They Want to Be Spoken With
Demonstrate Unqualified Respect
Speak About What You Want Rather Than What You Don’t Want
When you use and rather than but, you are bridging from one thought to another rather than negating the first part of your statement.
Tell Them, Give Them ‘‘What’s in It for Them’’
Engage Them in the Conversation by Listening to Their Responses
As we said in the previous chapter, listening helps you establish dialogue so you can communicate more clearly. Here are the five steps we recommend so you can overcome the barriers and become a good listener.
Listen to Understand, Not to Respond
The speed discrepancy mentioned above and our natural tendencies toward distraction contribute to some common listening obstacles that you must overcome to listen well. According to research reported in the Communication Research Report (Watson and Smeltzer), the three most common barriers to listening are.
Be Quiet—Externally and Internally
Let Them Finish Their Thoughts
Stop All Other Activities
Look Like You Are Listening
Ask Questions to Ensure That You Understand
When you incorporate these ideas more of the time, you create new listening habits. For each person who gets less than a 7 from you, identify and write down the barrier you face when listening to that person.
Use Purposeful Stories
Simplify Statistics and Data to Make Them Memorable
For a special report on how to tell better stories, go to the Bonus Bytes page at BudToBossCommunity.com and click on the Stories button.
Make It Personal
Close Strong
Call to Action
One of your opportunities in this section is to recognize what you already know and apply your existing skills to the situations you face as a leader in your organization. Of course, in your new role you may mostly think about this from the perspective of the (annual) performance review.
Thoughts About Coaching—From Others and Us
Accountability
While it's important to think about what else you could have done, ultimately great coaches know that the ultimate responsibility for performance lies with the performer, not the coach. As we discussed in Chapter Nine, great coaches are very aware of what is in their control and what is only in their circle of influence.
Belief
The best coaches also realize that their circle of influence is large and are always working to expand it. Good coaches promote the confidence, skill and ability of the other person and always keep the artist clear about their ultimate responsibility.
Conversation
When you know and take advantage of the basic building blocks—the ABCs—you'll instantly become a more effective coach. There are two additional benefits you'll get from this chapter—you'll be better able to give feedback in any situation (not just with those you lead), and you'll be better equipped to receive feedback as well (don't you want do you have any resources available to continue to improve your skills as well?).
Three Sources of Feedback
If you want to become a better runner, you want feedback from a running or training expert. If you want to be a better listener, take advice from the best listener you know.
Four Types of Feedback
If you have ideas about what to do or not do next time, share them with us. People tend to be less defensive when given advice on what to do in the future.
Not One, But All
A Caution About Negative Feedforward
When the negative feedback is repeated, we actually implant a repeated message that we don't want (''street'' or ''hesitation''). Negative feed should be used judiciously, and when used, done in tandem with positive feed (in other words, ''Stay off the street and play in the grass'') - and the positive feed should be used much more often .
Use (Much) More Positive
One of the main rules we all know about outdoor safety is where to play – namely, not on the street. These findings raise the question: Is it possible to have too much of a good thing?
Arguments for and Against More Positive Feedback (and Feedforward)
Just because people work hard and don't seek positive feedback doesn't mean they won't appreciate it. The argument here is that we don't want people to become complacent or that we don't want to exceed the 12:1 ratio mentioned above.
Honest, Genuine, Sincere
Specific
Balanced and Complete
Constructive, Helpful
In Context
With Clear Intention
With Data
Focused on Behaviors
From the Accepted Perspective
Physical Environment
Timing
Also keep this in mind when giving feedback to others. worst case here is of course the annual performance review. Give the feedback when you are in a position and frame of mind to successfully give the feedback.
How to Receive Feedback
While we have all that experience, we obviously can't speak to the specifics of your organization's process or shape. So if you leave out the details of your form and the timeline of when they should be, you'll get more out of this chapter.
Six Keys to Making Performance Reviews Work for You
You have probably received some training on how to conduct the "meeting". All of us have experience as "meeting" employees, and if you're a new leader, you may not yet have experience on the other side of the table. This was the first time she had been notified of the policy or that she had violated it.
Some Final Notes
While you do the other things in this chapter, the form fills out. More importantly, what's on the form will have more meaning and a greater positive impact on people's future performance - which is why we're doing it anyway.
Ten Supportive Behaviors
If you ask ten people to give you descriptions of the best coaches they've experienced, chances are seven or more will mention being supported by their coaches. Knowing what it means, and being able to identify the behavior and exhibit it consistently, is something else entirely.
