Illusory superiority is a cognitive bias where
individuals overestimate their own qualities and abilities, compared to others.
Overall, we are overconfident in our abilities. Most of us believe we are
smarter, more dependable and just plain better than others. Seeking feedback
from peers, subordinates and supervisors is a recommended and invaluable in
today's workplace. The challenge most of us face is that we don’t like and
usually reject feedback that doesn’t fit our belief system. Neuroscience has
shown that part of the brain actually shuts down when we get information
contrary to our beliefs and happily lights up when information supporting our
belief system is presented.
1. Under Leadership Epidemic
For some reason, too many leaders,
managers, and supervisors aren't leading. Way too many individuals when
promoted are ill prepared to be leaders. They don't know how to hold people
accountable, manage performance, deal with conflict, or they don't want to.
2. Be a Leader Instead of the Boss
THE SECRET IS: Everyone must know
his or her own roll they must have the skills and know them well. Until they
know themselves, they can't perform well. THE LEADERSHIP REALITY IS: If you're
a leader, you can't blame the players for poor performance. You have to be a
teacher, a conductor, a coach, and a cheerleader.
3. Leadership Focus
Effective leaders provide this
'outcomes focus' for their organization by emphasizing the mission, vision,
values, and strategic goals of their organization and at the same time they are
building the capacity of their organizations to achieve them.
4. Lessons from Leadership Vision and
Purpose
When leaders create a compelling
purpose and vision, something almost magical happens.
5. Creating a Vision for Change
To keep people focused on a major
change regularly bring the vision for change into their consciousness every
day, so that over time the new vision becomes part of them. People who focus on
a specific task can teach themselves to think differently over time. You are
the role model, model your vision. Keep your vision message simple and
repeatable.
6. Dealing with the Uncertainty of Change
When people are in a familiar
situation, they tend to switch their brains to autopilot. But the moment
uncertainty enters the picture - our brains flash a danger message, switching
our full attention to one thing, people fear the unknown. During change,
First, leaders must create the perception of certainty and reduce
ambiguity. Second, give specifics of the change. Third,
break complex down change into small steps.
7. Employee Engagement versus Employee
Satisfaction
The terms employee engagement and
employee satisfaction are NOT interchangeable. Engaged employees are passionate
and alive with the desire to perform well and do so in alignment with your strategic
objectives. These employees are the reason you need to create an environment
where they become engaged for the long-term.
8. Leading with the Brain in Mind
Threats to our wellbeing are much
more intense and longer-lasting than reward responses.
9. Neuroscience and Leadership
-Independence
Research has shown that when
confronted by a stressful situation ... one factor that determines our
effectiveness in dealing with it ...is the amount of control we have in dealing
with it. Leaders who want to improve performance reduce uncertainty by
supporting their people's need for Independence. Provide people with options or
allow them to organize their assignments and projects.
10. How Status Affects People
When it comes to implementing
change - keep the perception of status in mind.
11. Relationships Affect Engagement and
Performance
People need to feel like they
belong and are cared about, by their leaders and peers. When people make a
strong connection and perceive that others are "just like us" they
become linked, and fear of threat diminishes.
12. Trust in the Workplace
When a perception that an event or
decision isn't fair, it generates a response of hostility, anger, and
distrust. Help your employees see fairness when you make mistakes, use a bit of
humor. Self-deprecating humor usually works pretty well in building trust.
13. Programming for Change
It’s not enough to introduce a
vision once or twice and expect others to internalize it. Just because you get
tired of repeating it, doesn’t mean others have internalized it yet
14. Improving Employee Performance
establish realistic performance
expectations - with outcomes Performance expectations are most effective if
they are outcome based. In other words, explaining what is expected and
why. Schedule regular bi-monthly or at least monthly meeting times with each
team member.
15. Eliminate Fake Work
Create a clear strategy that shows
clear intent. Ensure that every employee is aligned with the strategy, so they
are prioritizing work tasks through the lens of the team. Execute on the
strategy by ensuring that every person understands how to turn the strategy
into action every day. Do not assume that your people have heard about your
strategy, let alone understand it.
16. Three Barriers to Traditional
Performance Management Success
The first reason is objectivity
bias. Ever notice employees bad mouthing their boss. That comes about because
the employee thinks he or she is objective and the boss isn't. The second is
called confirmation bias. In the performance management process, employees want
feedback that confirms their self-perceptions, and they ignore, are offended,
or reject feedback that doesn't fit their paradigm. The third is called threat
response. Threat response is where the employee responds negatively when they
receive feedback that threatens their self-perceptions. The result is often
outward acceptance or compliance, but inwardly a pullback of engagement. Stop
giving direct unsolicited feedback.
17. Coaching to Change Performance
about trying to change people's
worldviews and performance. Don't do it. The key is to help people conclude
that "they" want to change. One way of doing that is to establish
outcome-based performance expectations and having your employee’s document
events when they demonstrated those expectations. Then review those examples on
a regular basis in one-on-one conversations and have them rate themselves on
the results and their actions.
18. Is Pay Really Linked to Performance?
In reality, performance seldom
determines pay.
19. Two Performance Review Agendas
Some bosses want to discuss
where performance needs to be improved, while the subordinate is more
interested in such issues as compensation, and career advancement.
20. One Key to Improving Employee
Performance
people act emotionally, then think
to rationalize their decisions or actions after the fact.
21. Another Key to Improving Employee
Performance
Regular weekly performance
management coaching sessions are a must. Establish regular one-on-one meetings
with each employee or leader. Once a week, every other week, or no less than
once a month. The frequency of the meeting should depend on the skill and
performance of the employee or leader. Start with a discussion on specific
expectations both behavioral and technical. Make the expectations outcome
based. Employees who have weekly one-on-one meetings with their bosses are more
engaged and productive.
