Making the Most of Transition

Over the years, I have worked with many individuals and organizations to help them transition through major changes - even more so in this economic climate. So, whether you're personally dealing with change or leading your organization through change, this article has tips to help you work through it more effectively. William Bridges, author of bestseller Managing Transitions - Making the Most of Change, has a simple but powerful way of framing change and understanding what it really takes to make transition happen. He distinguishes change from transition, explaining that change is situational and external (e.g., getting a new boss, role, etc.) while transition is internal and refers to "the psychological process that people go through to come to terms with their new situation."

So, why does this distinction really matter? Most of the time, when we talk about change, we focus on the ultimate outcome or result of the change (e.g., 20% cost reduction). Bridges argues that what enables the outcome is transition. Take a look at the overview of his three-step model below to understand how to put this concept into play:

Step 1: Recognize that transition starts with an ending

Every transition starts with an ending, so the first step is to really understand what you have to let go of as a result of the change. In other words, what is "the ending you will have to make to leave the old situation behind?" For example, even something positive like a promotion may mean leaving behind a peer group, a strong sense of security about your ability to do your job, or a work schedule you really enjoyed.

The same concept applies for organizational change. Use the following questions to help you identify who's losing what:

• What is actually going to change? Be really specific.

• What may be the ripple effects of the change?

• Who will have to let go of something as a result of these changes?

• What is ending for everyone?

Step 2: Understand the neutral zone

The second step is to understand the neutral zone, "the limbo between the old sense of identity and the new." Bridges explains that the neutral zone can be a place where we see tremendous creativity, innovation and revitalization. However, it can also feel confusing, discouraging or chaotic - making people want to escape it entirely. This is why we often see an increase in turnover in major organizational changes. The key is to recognize that the neutral zone has its place and is where old habits start getting replaced with new ones, setting the stage for a new beginning.

Step 3: Make a new beginning

The last step is to make a new beginning. New beginnings are what most companies emphasize when they make changes, often failing to recognize the existence and importance of the two steps above.

So, if you take away just one thing from this article, remember that every transition starts with an ending. Recognizing this will go a long way in helping you navigate through your own transitions and leading others through theirs.

Looking from the Outside In

I remember the first time I worked with an executive coach when I was a Director at Deloitte. It was truly eye-opening. People who know me well know that I'm a self-help book junkie and my own worst critic. However, when you're in the thick of the day-to- day pressures and demands there are some things that you just can't "see" on your own. It usually has nothing to do with your intelligence, but has more to do with whether you can find ways to "look at the situation from the outside in." Let me give you an example of a recent client, Suzy, a leader frustrated about an employee's subpar performance. She was convinced he had potential and was trying to figure out how to help him improve. I asked Suzy to explain in detail how she was working with this particular person. As we got deeper into the conversation, she shared that she was giving him recommendations, checking in with him daily, and personally investing a lot of her time. Nonetheless, she saw no notable change in his performance.

I asked whether she thought he had the intellectual horsepower and capacity to do the job, and Suzy immediately said, "Yes." Hearing this, I realized that Suzy may have some blind spots about the situation. So, I asked her a series of questions to help her "look at the situation from the outside in." These questions might come in handy the next time you find yourself in a perplexing situation:

1. What is your underlying intent in this situation?

"I want to keep this employee in the company. His technical skills and knowledge are valuable and hard to replace, and he has potential. I want to help him in any way that I can."

2. What is at stake?

"I'm relatively new in my role. If this fails, I will be viewed as a failure. It will take forever to find a good replacement. I have to make this work."

3. What messages are you sending through your words and actions, regardless of your intent?

Words - "I am willing to invest my time to help you improve. I am concerned about your performance but think you have potential. I want to keep you in this company."

Actions - "Daily meetings with him and sometimes his team, offering numerous recommendations, dedicating hours of my time to him each week despite other priorities."

Messages Conveyed by these Actions - "I don't trust you, so I need to look over your shoulder every day. I don't think you can do the job, so I'm going to do it for you. My way is the best way, so this is how you should do it."

4. If roles were reversed, how would you feel in this situation?

"Incompetent, embarrassed, like I'm about to be fired and should be looking for another job."

By answering these questions, Suzy realized the pressure she felt and how she was sabotaging her own efforts to improve her employee's performance. So, we took her insight and came up with a different approach - one that engaged her employee in the solution without micromanaging him. I'm pleased to say that she is finally seeing that potential turn into performance.

So, keep these four questions handy and find someone to help you objectively look at your situation "from the outside in."

Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman

I just read Play Like A Man, Win Like a Woman by Gail Evans, a senior executive at CNN. Because I specialize in working with high achieving women, the challenges she highlighted were all too familiar. I thought I'd share four pieces of advice that may be a valuable reminder to both men and women.

1. Ask for What You Want

Time and again, I coach women who are reluctant to ask for the raise, promotion, or assignment that they want. I recently interviewed a senior executive at a Fortune 500 company who remembers to this day how she got passed over for a promotion because her boss had no idea of her interest in the position (or the extent of her qualifications). Sometimes we delude ourselves into thinking that the boss already knows, or we might simply be afraid of rejection. After her painful lesson, she made sure that key stakeholders understood her capabilities and career goals. A few months later, a similar position opened up and she got the promotion. When you really want something, don't hint. Ask for what you want.

2. Toot Your Own Horn

I give presentations on this topic all the time, and I know that many women fall into the trap of thinking that their good work will speak for itself. Well, I'm here to tell you that in this 24/7 world, most people are just too busy to notice all the ways that you are contributing. So, it's important to proactively provide snapshots of your performance, in a way that works for you. Women often wrestle with how to tastefully self-promote (i.e., without seeming like they are bragging). One simple idea is to send your boss a concise email every week to let him/her know about your progress on an important project or what your team is doing. When you think about self-promotion as sharing important information, it's much easier to do it.

3. Sit at the Table

Imagine if you were in a situation where your boss has called a meeting, and there are fewer chairs at the table than the number of participants. However, there are other chairs along the wall. Would you take a seat at the table or would you offer it to someone else? The author, Gail Evans, asserts that women often sit in one of the peripheral chairs because they think "the table is for the boss, key people or those who would be disgruntled sitting anywhere else." Remember that if you want to be considered a key player, take a seat at the table.

4. Speak Out

Have you ever been in a meeting that you're well prepared for, but you just don't speak up because there's something you lack information about? Meanwhile, the man sitting next to you confidently shares his ideas and perspective although he doesn't have all the facts. Just remember that if you don't talk, no one will know that you're really there. So, before each meeting take a few minutes to think about what you will say, even if it's asking a thought-provoking question.

I'll leave you with the final thought from this book: remember to be yourself. Women can build genuine, lasting relationships by allowing the natural, nurturing side of themselves to be available. This can be a real advantage in the workplace.

Are You Doing the Right Work?

Time is a precious resource that we just can't get back, so use it wisely. Time management strategies can help, but yield minimal results if you aren't focusing on the "right work" - areas where you can have the biggest impact on the business.  Here are three simple steps to help you focus your efforts:  

Step 1: Determine your "Big 3" - the three critical areas where you can make the biggest business impact this year

As you define your Big 3, also think about what your boss would say should be your Big 3. If your boss hasn't clearly stated what is most critical, there are usually clues in his/her actions or behavior. If you're unsure, take the mystery out of the equation and get clarity through a conversation. A common definition of the "right work" will ultimately shape how you and your boss define and measure YOUR success.  

Step 2: Understand the gap in how you spend your time

After you've identified your Big 3, draw a pie chart. Determine how many work hours your pie represents over a one-week period (e.g., 40 hours, 50 hours, etc.). Then, carve your pie into slices that represent major areas of your work (e.g., getting new clients, developing your team, etc.), with the size of each slice indicating the percentage of hours you SHOULD spend on that area each week. For example, if you should spend 50% of your time on getting new clients, that slice would be half of the pie. Be sure to include your Big 3 as separate slices in this pie.   Then, compare this pie chart to one that shows how you ACTUALLY spend your time.  You can do this by tracking your time for a week, noting your activities in increments of 30 minutes, and then summarizing how much time you dedicated to the Big 3. If it's easier, review your calendar for a recent week that represents how you typically spend your time.   It's up to you how specific you want to get, but the ultimate goal is to recognize the gap between what you should be doing and what you are doing.  

Step 3: Develop strategies to redirect

If you reach the conclusion that you need to shift your focus, figure out what's getting in the way today. Is it perfectionism, too many distractions, or just that you weren't clear on the Big 3? Whatever it is, determine 1-2 strategies you can start implementing tomorrow to help redirect you. Often starting small with just a couple of strategies can start building the momentum you need to achieve big change.   Just remember that when you say "yes" to too much time on less critical areas, you are saying "no" to the "right work" - and your potential impact on the business!!