What How Why Who

Human beings are complex.  Yet when it comes to performance assessments, performance appraisals or psychometric assessments, we find there is a tendency to adopt a “one size fits all” approach. Confining ourselves to assessing only one aspect of the human condition is a disservice to the individual and counterproductive to the organization’s human talent management goals.

For example, emotional intelligence is recognized as a key leadership trait and in some circles the flavor of the month in assessing managers and executives. However by itself, emotional intelligence does not tell the whole story. How will we understand the leader’s actual behavior? Human emotions affect human behavior and vice versa. Additionally, motivations and decision-making styles are also intertwined with behaviors.

Working with TTI, a national assessment company, ETI has many performance assessments that we use with all clients be they small business owners, sales professionals or much larger organizations, depending on their specific need. Each tool gives us another dimension of the individual. In general, we can break this down into “What” makes them up, “How” they apply those attributes, “Why” they do what they do, and their capacity to interact  with “Who” on a daily basis.

What: Based on the work in axiology by Dr. Robert Hartman, we measure  attributes that individuals use in their decision-making framework.

How: Behaviors that individuals use in the workplace reflect the degree to which they utilize their attributes. Since behaviors impact relationships, ETI uses DISC most frequently with team-building and communication workshops.

Why: To understand and get the most out of behaviors and attributes, motivators and values must be examined. Leaders who tap into the motivators of their team members are consistently some of the most successful.

Who: We measure the Emotional Intelligence to manage our emotions and adapt to others’ emotional states

Additional assessments, like 360s, aptitude towards learning, current job alignment, etc are available to fine-tune or highlight specific requirements.

Performance assessments are great tools to build a foundation from which to build and move toward the desired behaviors and results. However, they work much better when more than one are used and there is alignment in the organization.

Conflict "Management"

I'm a very adversarial person. I know I have to realize that many don't appreciate my sometimes "in your face" approach. My perspective is that I don't get in your face until I feel like I'm not being heard. I know others see it differently.

Whether I do or not, I far too often come across the other extreme - Conflict Avoidance. Many who what to   go along to get along - or want others to go along - would rather stack their teams with moles.

I don't mean spies.

Rather, they run in their tunnels, in the dark, avoiding others until they have to come up for air like in a meeting. Even then, they turn a blind eye to inter-personal issues or other work issues.

Unfortunately, they feel productive as they run underground. What they don't know is how much more creative and productive they could be by opening their eyes and mouths and having a fight every now and then.Of course I don't mean a fist-fight. Or even an emotionally charged argument. Let's open ourselves up for disagreement. For reasoned argument. For facts or viewpoints not previously considered.

If we do this in and adult manner, our organizations will be better off.

www.etindy.com

Servant Leadership in the Real World

I had the pleasure of attending the "Tuesdays at PLC" series today at the Peace Learning Center. On this chilly pre-winter day sitting on the banks of Eagle Creek Reservoir with the blue birds, cardinals and other birds that I can't identify, provided a foggy, yet idyllic, setting to discuss important concepts that can affect change. How many business meetings are conducted with a deer looking in at you through the window?

The topic was Servant Leadership and moderated by Wayne Schmidt of Schmidt Assoc. You can learn more about him and his company at Schmidt-arch.com

Wayne has implemented the servant leadership philosophy in a business setting and achieved bottom line results. These notes are my takes on what Wayne shared with us today.

The key to implementing servant leadership - or any corporate culture - is to demonstrate it; not to talk about it. It must be talked about so everyone understands what the expectations are. But if it's not demonstrated by key management, it is only lip service.

Recognize that most employees are highly motivated and intelligent. If they aren't why did you hire them? Also treat employees as if they are volunteers, because realistically they can find another position very quickly. A term Wayne used when describing his hiring process is that he wants to create a "vocational lifestyle." Our careers are the activity at which we spend the most time. Why shouldn't it support our values and lifestyle?

The concept of servant leadership is fairly common in the non-profit or religious environments. Wayne shows that it has profitable application in the business world too.

Reading list:
* "Leadership is an Art" by Max De Pree
* "Mindset: the new Psychology of Success" by Carol Dweck
* "Servant Leadership" by Robert Greeleaf

Links:
www.schmidt-arch.com
www.peacelearningcenter.org

Do We Know Where We're Headed?

Some surveys show that up to 85% of employees don't know their job goals.

Fear or Freedom?

All negative emotions, and therefore that which holds us back, stem from fear.

Overcoming the fear that arise from within will allow the possibility of absolute freedom. Freedom from fear enables the potential to blossom from our fundamental humanism. This is not intended to be a psychoanalytical approach, nor a religious approach. While psycho-social seeds and religious approaches to weeding out the negative may be valid, in this blog I want to focus on how these tools affect the journey toward freedom in our every day lives.

Let's examine the fears that keep us from revealing our utmost potential, and discuss what tools will enable us to experience the freedom that is the ultimate goal of all mankind.

Let's Get Started

This page will launch ideas and technology for continous improvement.

Dedicated to each individual challenging their limitations and achieving a revolution in their life. This personal revolution leads improvement in the performance of every area of our lives.