Vedere Consulting

In the early 1960’s, a psychologist named Sam Glucksberg conducted an experiment testing the effects of extrinsic rewards on creativity. He divided his subjects into two groups and gave them a puzzle to solve that required identifying a new function for a common object (in this case a box with tacks in it). Half the group was told that they were being timed to determine a benchmark for how long it took to solve the puzzle. The other half was told that they would receive a cash award if they finished in the top 25% of the group and a higher cash award if they finished first. Which group do you think finished the puzzle faster?

If you guessed the group with the cash incentive, you guessed wrong. It took them an average of 3 ½ minutes longer to get the puzzle. Yes, that’s right. 3 ½ minutes longer. Why? Because extrinsic rewards tend to narrow our focus. We look toward the goal, which makes it more difficult to see the wider implications. Solving the problem in the experiment required a wide focus, an openness to new solutions.

Other psychologists have done similar studies that have tested this effect on creativity. What they have found is radically changing our idea of what motivates exceptional performance. It is not, according to Daniel Pink in his new book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, (http://www.danpink.com/) the cash bonuses, the commissions, the high salaries, the pay for performance many companies use to incent employees. He says these types of rewards work fine if the task follows a set of guidelines or rules and is repetitive. But for creative work, for solving problems that haven’t been solved before, for dealing with complex issues where guidelines don’t work, science is showing us that rewards and punishments not only don’t work, they sometimes actually do harm by lowering performance or incenting unethical behavior.

In a second experiment cited by Pink, economists Uri Gneezy and Aldo Rustichini studied the effects of punishment on parents whose children attended 20 day care centers in Haifa, Israel. The closing time for the centers was 4:00 p.m. If parents were late, a teacher would have to stay with the child until the parents arrived. Gneezy and Rustichini began the study by recording the number of times parents were late picking up their children. At the end of four weeks, the researchers were allowed to charge a fine for late parents. Because a punishment had been imposed, the researchers expected the number of late parents to decrease, but to their astonishment, the opposite happened. After the fine was imposed, the number of late parents actually increased, eventually climbing to a level twice as high as the pre-fine level. What Pink concluded is that the threat of punishment crowded out the motivation parents once had to treat their children’s teacher fairly. “The fine,” he says, “shifted the parents’ decision from a partly moral obligation (be fair to my kids’ teacher), to a pure transaction (I can buy extra time). There wasn’t room for both. The punishment didn’t promote good behavior; it crowded it out.”

Pink says our organizations, for the most part, still operate under the assumption that the way to increase desirable behavior is to reward it and the way to decrease undesirable behavior is to punish it. Our pay systems are built on this foundation. But science is telling us that there’s a cost, and the cost is diminished performance, less creativity, lowered intrinsic reward, more short-term thinking, and organizations where good behavior can get crowded out and shortcuts, even cheating, are encouraged. This doesn't mean that equitable pay is unimportant. Unequal or unfair pay creates a distraction. But for creative work, extrinsic rewards often backfire.

Plum Cluverius, PCC is an executive coach with over 30 years experience in leadership development. She lives and works in Richmond, Virginia.

Labels: Leadership Development

Click for more information on executive coaching with Vedere Consulting. You can also follow Plum on Twitter.

One of the questions my clients ask most frequently is how to develop their people more effectively. Often they ask it because they are stuck solving problems for employees for the better part of the work day—and then are forced to work extra hours to get their own work done. I always recommend the Situational Leadership Model, a tool I have shared with leaders for over 30 years. Clients tell me it is the most practical model they ever learned.

Developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard in the late 1960’s, Situational Leadership provides a roadmap for effective employee development, delegation and performance management. It identifies two key leadership behaviors, giving direction and providing emotional support, which followers need in varying amounts if they are to successfully learn or complete a task. It then demonstrates how the two leader behaviors are combined to create a variety of leadership styles. What makes the model so practical is that it shows leaders when to use the different styles for maximum impact. If, for example, you have an employee who turns in sloppy work that you have to review and correct before it goes out, the model will help you diagnose the leader behaviors you are currently using that aren’t working and identify the leader behaviors that will probably be more effective.

The key to successful diagnosis is to identify what leader behaviors the follower needs in order to be productive. This is determined by identifying the follower’s development or readiness level—that is, how competent (do they have the requisite knowledge and skills) and committed (are they confident they can be successful and do they think the task is important) the follower is. Blanchard labeled four development or readiness levels: the eager beginner (little knowledge and skills but some level of commitment), the disillusioned learner (some knowledge and skills but somewhat discouraged or uninterested), the capable, but cautious performer (significant knowledge and skills but lacks confidence or commitment) and the self reliant achiever (high levels of competence and commitment). Click here for images of the model: http://images.google.com/images?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&hl=en&source=hp&q=situational+leadership&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=YqFpS5izO4aelAf7oKyRCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCoQsAQwAw

Each of these four development levels requires different leader behavior. The eager beginner needs a lot of clear direction, the disillusioned learner needs direction and emotional support. The capable, but cautious performer (often an underachiever) frequently gets, but does not need, a lot of direction. Instead, they require supportive leader behavior to determine what will help them recognize the importance of the task or develop more confidence in themselves. The self reliant achiever needs little direction or support from the leader.

Strong leaders match their leadership styles to the needs of the follower they are trying to influence. Dysfunctional leadership occurs when leaders use more directive or supportive behavior than needed (overleading) or less directive or supportive behavior than needed (underleading).

Going back to our employee who turns in the sloppy work, the leader should first assess—either alone or by talking with the employee—if the problem is a lack of skill, a lack of confidence or commitment, or both. If the problem is a lack of skill, the leader needs to give clearer direction, guidance and feedback. If the problem is a lack of confidence or commitment, the leader needs to give more emotional support by asking questions, giving praise and encouragement, and explaining how the task fits into the big picture.

To learn more about how this works and for a free diagnostic tool, contact Plum at www.vedereconsulting.com or go to the source: Paul Hersey at http://www.situational.com/?_kk=situational%20leadership&_kt=800c4946-eeed-432e-a65c-1ea085df15ff&gclid=CPP98eHH1p8CFR6dnAod-WIvaQ or Ken Blanchard at http://www.kenblanchard.com/Issues_Organizational_Development/Effective_Leadership_Solutions/One_to_One_Talent_Management/Management_Situational_Leadership_Training/ .

Labels: Leadership Development

Click for more information on executive coaching with Vedere Consulting. You can also follow Plum on Twitter.

One of my favorite clients is Celes Glover. As an administrative assistant to a vice president, Celes is in a unique position, as she puts it, to “spread something.” She literally sits in the middle of the department. People come to her all day long, usually because they want her help. She has to stop what she’s doing and take care of them. One of her insights, she told me, is that she can choose what she spreads. If she’s having a bad day, she can choose the spread the suffering by being short with people or ignoring them. Or she can decide to spread good will. She can listen, she can respond respectfully--even when she’s feeling irritated at an unreasonable request.

Celes has learned something every boss needs to know. Each person who supervises someone else is in a position to “spread something.” Their responses to the people around them are contagious. If they choose to spread the suffering by being short-fused, critical or ignoring others, their behavior will set the tone for the whole office. Their people will shut down, will be less creative. If they choose to spread good will, the office mood is more relaxed and supportive and creativity can flourish.

Let me hasten to add that supportive doesn’t mean soft. There are still too many bosses out there who confuse the two. Soft means you don’t rock the boat. You don’t confront when you need to. You sweep problems under the rug. Reacting with good will means you control your temper, you respond respectfully, you wait until you calm down to act. When President Obama said he wouldn’t “govern out of anger” he was paying attention to what he was spreading.

Right now, there’s plenty of suffering going around. There’s no need to add to it if you can help it. Calm yourself, then act. Say you’re sorry if you make a mistake. Listen. Managing your emotions is good for business.

Plum Cluverius is an executive and leadership coach located in Richmond, Virginia.

Labels: Leadership Development

Click for more information on executive coaching with Vedere Consulting. You can also follow Plum on Twitter.

Three years ago In New Orleans, Kimberly Rivers Roberts, a drug dealer who “did anything I had to do” to get enough money for rent and food, commited an act of faith. She bought a video camera from a friend. She had no idea what she would film. "My state of mind was like, this could come in handy," Rivers Roberts told Steve Inskeep on NPR’s Morning Edition. "My plan was just to film something I could sell."

You might think Rivers Roberts was crazy. What were her chances of making money with a video camera? Then, a week after she bought her camera, Hurricane Katrina struck. Rivers Roberts filmed the storm’s harrowing progress as the waters rose through her house. The family moved to the attic. “I was praying and shooting,” she said in her interview with Inskeep, “that’s what got me through.”

Rivers Roberts’ powerful footage has been included in the documentary, “Trouble the Water,” which won the best documentary award at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival (www.troublethewaterfilm.com). The film crew came through New Orleans shortly after the storm, met the Robertses, and were so taken with their footage that they decided to follow the couple and capture their story. The documentary features a rap recording by Rivers Roberts, who has started a record label (http://www.bornhustlerrecords.com/bornhustler.htm) and is releasing her album, titled “Troubled the Water” today.

In 2001, I facilitated a retreat for the School for the Performing Arts in Richmond (SPARC). SPARC’s mission is to use the “triple threat”—teaching singing, acting and dancing—to build children’s self esteem, confidence and poise. When I worked with them they had grown to the point where they were teaching classes in many different locations. Those many locations created an administrative nightmare. The Board decided SPARC needed to own a permanent home, and although the dream seemed impossible, they pledged to make it happen. It took seven years, false starts and many disappointments. But the Board and SPARC’s leadership, Jennie and Larry Brown, persevered. This summer, SPARC moved into its new home, a spacious building they can call their own.

These stories illustrate that faith takes many forms. It takes acting on an idea without knowing the outcome. It takes persisting even when the odds seem to be against you. Faith works because without it you can’t see the opportunities to move forward that always exist. Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, in his speech last night before the Democratic Convention, reminded us “the Gospel of Matthew says, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to the mountain ‘move mountain’ and it will move.” Leadership means having a vision, and moving others to believe in and work for that vision, as Martin Luther King did with his “I have a dream” speech, delivered 45 years ago yesterday. People who were present at that march were able last night to see a black American accept the nomination for president by a major party. It was something many of them said they never believed they would live to see.

I am seeing today with these examples how faith really does move mountains. That people who believe that in the end right prevails ultimately will be successful. Not always in their lifetimes. But ultimately, the goal will be achieved.

You can learn more about Kimberly Rivers Roberts at www.npr.org .
You can read the full text of Tim Kaine’s speech at http://www.demconvention.com/tim-kaine/ .

Labels: Leadership Development

Click for more information on executive coaching with Vedere Consulting. You can also follow Plum on Twitter.

As a coach, my job is to help people improve their performance. There
are a lot of people out there trying to do the same thing--parents,
executives,teachers, doctors, supervisors, you name it. Maybe you.

Doesn't it feel great when you're successful, when a conversation or
something you did helped someone else turn it around? Isn't it
frustrating when nothing seems to change?

David Rock in his book, Quiet Leadership, (www.resultscoaching.com )contends that coaching someone to better performance is harder than we think. We often get it wrong.
Most people, he says, try to change performance by giving advice. According to Rock, that rarely works.

Why? First, it's really hard to change a habit. Behaviors create a neural pathway in the brain. The more you engage in that behavior, the stronger the pathway becomes. Habits have strong pathways. The brain wants to use that pathway. The only way the pathway disappears is through disuse. To do that, the brain must create a new pathway and the only way to do that is to create a new behavior. The more the new behavior is used, the stronger its pathway becomes. The old habit fades as its pathway no longer is utilized. Finding a new behavior you are motivated to pursue is critical to changing behavior.

Second, no two brains are alike. What might help you make a shift won't
mean anything to someone else because your brains are different. However, most people assume “what works for me will work for you.” It doesn’t.

Third, it takes a lot of emotional energy to change a habit. It goes
beyond just wanting to change. It's energy that accompanies the sense
that you want it, you see the solution, you know you can do it. No one
can tell you these things. The energy is generated from within. Having
an "aha moment," an insight, creates this energy. But there's a catch.
My insight probably won't provide enough energy to change your
behavior. Your insight will. Giving advice to someone else is pretty useless.

So there are two small things we can do differently to be more
helpful, more influential. We can help others create new habits
instead of trying to break the old ones, and we can help others think
for themselves instead of doing the thinking for them. Helping others
think for themselves means shifting the way we approach developmental
conversations--changing the questions we ask and the responses we
make.

We must ask open questions rather than closed ones. We must resist giving advice and listen. We must give the person our full attention. We must encourage rather than discourage. Sometimes it means we must replace our old habits of helping with new ones! It’s worth it, though. You’ll see the person’s eyes look up as they begin thinking, you’ll see the energy released as they get an answer, and you’ll experience the connection that comes from helping someone solve their own problem.

Labels: Leadership Development

Click for more information on executive coaching with Vedere Consulting. You can also follow Plum on Twitter.

“Abandon sageliness and discard wisdom
Then the people will benefit a hundredfold.”
-- Lao Tzu

This quotation hits me like a thunderbolt. Because my secret longing is to be wise. I’ve trained for it and read for it and worked for it and sacrificed other goals for it. To my mind, wisdom is the ultimate accomplishment. It goes beyond being savvy or smart. It means knowing how to use what you know, how to respond to the moment, how to help.

But there’s a dark side to my pursuit of wisdom. The dark side is having to know, having to respond rightly. If I’m wise (like the many “sage” characters we see on TV) I have to know what to do, what to say. That can be nerve wracking. Because I don’t always know. When I don’t know something I or others expect me to know, I feel incompetent. I lose my focus. As a coach, my attention shifts from my client to myself. “What do I do now?” I ask myself. I become conscious of my hesitations. I wonder what my client is thinking of me. In the worst moments of unknowing, I imagine that everyone will somehow know about this and think I’m completely hopeless. My mind is running a mile a minute.

The last thing I’m doing in such a moment is what Lao Tzu calls “non-doing.” For Lao Tzu, there is a flow of life that is ever-changing, ever-creative. If we trust in the creativity of life, our job becomes one of doing nothing that interferes with that flow. Paradoxically, if one is focused on being wise, one cannot be aware of the flow or trust that flow. Whatever one does will interfere with the creative process. When I struggle to be the sage, I act unwisely. When I let the process unfold, when I don’t grasp for the solution or the right thing to say, when I focus on what’s happening and don’t worry about what I “should” be doing, the right answer comes.

Many of the executives I know are the same way. After all, aren’t they paid to have the answers? These executives believe, sometimes at an unconscious level, that they have to know what to do when subordinates come to them, when their bosses come to them, when the organization demands an answer. They are great problem solvers, great visionaries. And, like me, sometimes the external or internal pressure to know gets in the way. Just like my brilliant insights sometimes get in the way of my client’s discovering something even more brilliant for themselves, the go-to VP with all the answers gets in the way of their subordinates solving problems for themselves. Or they solve a problem too quickly and miss valuable information that would have informed a better decision. Or they solve the problem the same old way and lose out because the old way is no longer sufficient.

There is such pressure for us to know, to be right, to be wise. Yet to be wise and helpful, we have to let go of our desire for wisdom, our need to be right. We must wait for the right time, trust that others will find the answer, tune in to what our senses, our bodies and our emotions are telling us, let go of what we know so we can trust the unknown. All this requires a certain faith, not in ourselves, but something larger. Call it God, call it the Tao, call it the Universe. If we trust in the flow of life, we don’t have to be right. We simply have to be present.

Labels: Leadership Development, Personal Growth

Click for more information on executive coaching with Vedere Consulting. You can also follow Plum on Twitter.

How many workhops or talks or meetings have you attended where you quickly forget most of what was said? How often do people forget what you say?

Several years ago I attended a workshop led by Meg Wheatley, and to this day I remember what she said. She talked about how the pioneers traveling to the West had to carry everything they needed for their new home in one wagon. Obviously they had to make choices about what to take—what would be important for the trip and for surviving in a strange new land. They loaded their wagons to the gills so they could carry as much as possible.

The pioneers were ok travelling across the flat prairies, but when they reached the difficult passages through the Rockies and the mountain ranges beyond, they realized their wagons were too heavy to climb. Now they had to choose again—and the choices they made would determine whether they survived or not. What was essential? What could they leave behind?

Meg said we are the new pioneers. We are travelling to a strange new land—changes are coming to our organizations and our world that we now only dimly understand. We will have to makes choices about what attitudes, what behaviors are essential for us in this new world—and our survival depends on the wisdom of our choices.

Whether you buy into Meg’s argument or not, isn’t it amazing that I remember so much about it? It's not because my memory is so good (in fact several people close to me would tell you quite the opposite). It’s because what Meg said is memorable.

Meg was back in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia this week and I heard her again. Her message was different, but just as compelling . Everyone I’ve talked to has mentioned something she said that really stuck with them.

What did she do that made her presentation so memorable? It was simple, really. She used images instead of words. Her slides featured vivid photographs that illustrated her points—probably 75% of any slide was the image, less than 25% were words. The words she did use were potent: “walk out so you can walk on,” “there’s nothing wrong with a broken heart,” “a leader is anyone willing to help.” She told stories (parables, really) that brought her message alive. She asked provocative questions. She talked about something bigger than herself.

It doesn’t take a famous author to do this. Terry Newell of the Federal Executive Institute has written about a director of a Veterans Service Center who inspired her employees by telling them stories about real disabled war veterans and reminding them that “behind every folder is a face.” Yet how many calls to action, how many important messages fall flat and are quickly forgotten? Leaders often fail to craft a message so people can hear it. They insist on focusing on words alone, formal charts, dry language.

Meg talked about the importance of reaching the heart as well as the mind. How she told us was as important as what she said—what she did reached our hearts. I hope more leaders will follow her example.

Labels: Leadership Development

Click for more information on executive coaching with Vedere Consulting. You can also follow Plum on Twitter.