Coaching & Developing Others, Leadership, Organizational Leadership, Personal & Professional Development

Navigating Uncertainty with Confidence

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They say that the only things that are certain are death and taxes. How about we add uncertainty to that list? While life is full of uncertainties, large and small, in the world of work, there seem to be more now than ever. And even if that isn’t true - there are plenty. That means if we want to lead successfully and confidently, we must learn how to navigate uncertainty more skillfully.

What Most People Do

Through observation and study, there are three basic approaches most people take to uncertainty.

  • Be the Bull in the China Shop. The proverbial “bull in a china shop” is someone who is reckless or destructive in a delicate or sensitive situation. In conjunction with uncertainty, that means they plow forward with their plans and approaches, ignoring any signs of a context that is uncertain. The “bulls” act as if nothing has changed and just keep moving – often leaving chaos in their wake. While it is possible that taking action is a positive thing, not acknowledging or adjusting based on what you know (and don’t know!) will likely cause problems.
  • Play Ostrich. The popular myth is that ostriches bury their heads in the sand when they feel threatened. While it is just a myth, people often do something similar during times of uncertainty by trying to ignore the signs and consequences. The fact is, that ignoring it, or trying to “wish it away” isn’t a very effective way to deal with uncertainty individually, and certainly not as a leader.
  • Freeze Up. Another common response to uncertainty is to recognize it but become immobilized by it. In this case, the uncertainty overwhelms us to the point of us being unable (or unwilling) to act. In some ways, this is the opposite of the “bull in the china shop,” replacing indiscriminate action with no action at all. Often in uncertain times, there are things we can and will be best served to do, even if we don’t have all the information.

If you are like me, you have probably done all these things or certainly have seen each of these responses in action. And chances are you agree that while understandable, none truly help us navigate uncertainty in ways that are helpful.

A Better Way

Here are three things you can do that will help you deal with uncertainty for yourself and especially as a leader.

  • Realize that uncertainty is real. Uncertainty is real and is everywhere around us. And not just the big global, societal, or technological uncertainties either. You don’t really know how the customer will respond, what your team will say or think, how the traffic will impact your day, or a thousand other things. We must realize that it is real. Ostriches need not apply to be your coach. Once we acknowledge it as a natural and common occurrence, we will be more open to the adjustments we might need to make.
  • Consider the context of your situation. A big key to navigating uncertainty is to look honestly at what you do and don’t know – and what you can and can’t know about a situation. This allows you (or you and others) to begin to consider what you might try or consider in the face of what you don’t know. Like exploring the wilderness, when you have surveyed the landscape, you are better prepared and equipped to move in your desired direction.
  • Act based on context, not habit or preference. If we don’t consider context, we will operate on autopilot (see the responses above). But once we accurately survey the situation – even acknowledging the uncertainties – we can make educated choices or make small experiments to help us learn more. These may not be our natural inclinations. But it is these intentional choices to shift based on uncertainty that will build your confidence when you face the next uncertainty.

Navigating uncertainty as a leader is a critical skill today. The goal isn’t to remove all uncertainty, because we can’t. Rather when you know what you might do and have a process for approaching uncertainty, you will build your confidence in the face of the unknown.

Applying the above ideas (and avoiding the common responses) will help you lead more effectively, and with greater confidence.

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Coaching & Developing Others, Leadership, Personal & Professional Development

Closing the Gap Between Potential and Performance

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The gap between potential and performance exists for everyone. Some significantly close this gap - those are people we often look up to and admire. Others seem to have gaps that are so large that we see tragedy in the life stories. However wide the gaps, we all have them. If we can understand the barriers that stand in the way of us closing the gap, we can consciously work to remove or reduce the impact of those barriers.

There are three major types of barriers that cause this gap between our massive potential and the performance we exhibit. These barriers can apply in any part of our life for any performance outcome we would like to achieve. Once we can identify these barriers, we can take steps to remove or overcome them.

The barriers fall into three categories: mental interference, skill development, and habits.

Mental Interference

Simply stated, mental interference occurs when internal distractions disrupt our ability to focus or perform tasks or impedes us from doing the tasks at all. Here are four specific and related forms of mental interference that keep us from closing the gap between our potential and performance:

  • Self-belief. Perhaps this one is easier to see in others. You see someone you know can achieve more or at a higher level, yet their belief in themselves prevents them from making that improvement. We see our beliefs as facts, and they are powerful internal guides to what we believe is possible for ourselves. When we believe our potential is limited, that will be our personal fact unless and until that belief can be altered.
  • Confidence. Confidence begins with external validation. When we try and have even a little success, get positive results, or acknowledgement, our confidence grows. (Here I’ve written about building your confidence.) Confidence then requires us to start and try – if our self-belief doesn’t even allow for the small step of trying, confidence won’t grow. But confidence can begin to change self-belief in a positive, potential-realizing direction.
  • Attitude. Some might say our attitude isn’t that important or is fleeting in its importance. But I believe deep down everyone knows that when their attitude is negative, it can cause them to stop trying, or avoid the chance to do something hard, but important.
  • Self-talk. Self-talk is tied to all three of the other factors, and our self-talk itself is often the source of the mental interference that stops us, cautions us, or holds us back from moving towards our potential.

All these factors are connected to our mindset – which is a powerful compass that points us to our future. If that mindset is pointed in the direction of what is possible for us (our potential), the likelihood of improved performance is high. If our mindset doesn’t match that direction – the gap between our potential and performance may remain far greater than necessary or desired.

Skill Development

As I have just outlined, skills are not the full picture of performance, yet greater skills are needed to achieve greater performance. If you want to close the gap between your potential and your performance, you must know what skills are needed and have ways to acquire those skills. Since this is the focus area of most discussion of “reaching our potential”, I don’t need to say as much about that here, except to remind you that there are more ways than ever to find support and resources to understand and gain the skills you might want and need.

Habits

Removing mental interference and having the skills you need still isn’t enough. If you don’t apply and practice those skills, you will continue to block your ability to reach your potential. Thankfully, much has been learned in the last 20 years about the power of habits, and how to develop and adapt them to meet your needs and goals. Spending time understanding those principles is critical to your success. Here are three specific keys to help you close the gaps we are talking about here:

  • Aligned goals. Knowing what you want to achieve – what skills matter and why they are important to you – is the starting point to creating habits that support your progress.
  • Conscious habits. Once you have clear goals, determine what habits will be required for you to translate skills into new behaviors. You will need to change some habits and add others if you want to achieve the goals you desire.
  • Continued practice. Practice matters. The habits you create or adapt should be connected to giving you time and opportunity to practice. When you practice, it will reinforce building your confidence, which begins to reduce all of the mental inference factors and creates an upward spiral of greater success. (Read more about this here.)

All three barriers are important and all are real. For you to close the gaps between your potential and performance, you must consider each carefully. When you understand and address them, you take an important step to moving your actual performance, behaviors, and results closer to what you are capable of. As you do this for yourself, you will become more adept and empathetic in helping others do the same.

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Coaching & Developing Others, Leadership, New & Frontline Leadership

Three Barriers to Great Coaching

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Chances are, if you are reading this, you would like to be a better coach. And further, chances are, if you are reading this, you are probably already an above average coach – because those are whom want to keep getting better. I want to share with you three barriers to great coaching for two reasons – because they are barriers, and because we might not immediately see them in that way.

Expertise

People typically want coaching from people who have “been there and done that.” Often people want you to know the details of their situation – they wonder if you have done that process, been in their shoes, and successfully navigated past their challenges.

If that is true, why is expertise a barrier?

The most powerful learning is discovery learning – and if we lean into our expertise and experience too quickly – which is the opposite of discovery learning. If we provide immediate answers, make coaching transactional, we aren’t supporting discovery - we may be creating co-dependence. At the extreme, when we misuse our expertise, we teach people that it isn’t their role to figure things out, but rather just ask for your advice.

Perhaps an even bigger barrier is that our expertise in the situation may lock us into solutions or advice before we fully understand the context, think about the skills of the person we are coaching, or remember what it was like when we were learning those skills. Our expertise can lead us to jump to conclusions, and while seemingly helpful, perhaps providing less than effective coaching.

Ego

A healthy ego gives us the confidence to coach. But our ego can hurt our ability to coach too.

An unchecked ego can lead to coaching for control and being over-directing. Rather than helping people discover their own way, we may set the bar for success as “doing it the way we do it.” If we make the expectation as “my way is the right way”, we don’t allow for creativity, process improvement, empowerment or accountability.

An unchecked ego can lead the coach to over-identify with the coachee’s success or failure. Coaches have a responsibility to coach, but ultimately the other person is accountable for their behavior and results. Make sure you keep your accountability clear – and don’t seek the validation that comes from the success of the people you coach.

Example

I’ve long said that people watch our feet more than our lips. Our example does speak louder than our words.

Which is why our example can be a barrier to great coaching. Specifically, if we advise actions or behaviors we aren’t doing. Great coaches are great in part because their example matches their advice. This is one of the great truths and responsibilities of coaching. Don’t give counsel or feedback to do something you aren’t doing (or aren’t willing to start doing) yourself.

All three of these factors can help us be a more effective coach. Our expertise can be helpful. A healthy ego can open the door to our willingness to coach, and when our example matches our coaching, it is perhaps the most powerful coaching we can provide.

But each of these factors can, as I have described, become barriers to great coaching – especially if misused or misunderstood. Hopefully this article gives you a new perspective on these factors and helps you avoid the possible abuses and misuses.

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Coaching & Developing Others, Leadership, Long-Distance Leadership

10 Tips for Supporting Good Mental Health on Remote and Hybrid Teams

As a leader, you need to be aware of the mood, stressors, and overall mental health of your team. Talking about these things is fine, but most organizations only pay lip service to the topic. As a Long-Distance Leader, you can help set some rules, but the most powerful thing you can do is model these behaviors yourself.

Straight from the pages of The Long-Distance Leader, Revised Rules for Remarkable Remote & Hybrid Leadership, here are ten things to consider when creating a healthy workplace environment.

  1. Set Boundaries:
    • Activity: Establish a "work shutdown" ritual. This could involve a specific time each day when you log off from work and engage in a personal activity, such as reading or going for a walk.
    • How to tie it into your workflow: Use calendar blocking to mark off these times and communicate them to your team, encouraging them to do the same.
  2. Schedule Regular Breaks:
    • Activity: Implement the Pomodoro Technique—work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. After four cycles, take a longer break (15-30 minutes).
    • How to tie it into your workflow: Use a timer app to remind you to take these breaks and encourage your team to adopt this method as well.
  3. Practice Mindfulness and Stress-Reduction Techniques:
    • Activity: Dedicate 10-15 minutes each day to mindfulness meditation. Use apps like Headspace or Calm for guided sessions.
    • How to tie it into your workflow: Consider starting team meetings with a brief mindfulness exercise to set a positive tone for discussions.
  4. Stay Connected:
    • Activity: Schedule weekly "virtual coffee chats" with team members, where work discussions are off the table, and personal connections can be made.
    • How to tie it into your workflow: Use a rotating schedule to ensure everyone gets a chance to connect with different team members.
  5. Seek Feedback and Support:
    • Activity: Implement a monthly feedback session where team members can share their thoughts on leadership and team dynamics.
    • How to tie it into your workflow: Create a safe space for open dialogue, perhaps through anonymous surveys or dedicated time in team meetings.
  6. Invest in Professional Development:
    • Activity: Identify online courses or webinars relevant to your leadership role (e.g., emotional intelligence, conflict resolution).
    • How to tie it into your workflow: Set aside time each week for learning and share insights with your team to foster a culture of growth.
  7. Utilize Technology Mindfully:
    • Activity: Designate "no meeting" days or specific hours during the week where no video calls are scheduled.
    • How to tie it into your workflow: Use shared calendars to block off these times and encourage the team to focus on deep work without interruptions.
  8. Promote a Culture of Well-Being:
    • Activity: Start a "wellness challenge" within your team, where everyone shares their self-care activities (like exercise, reading, or hobbies) and supports each other.
    • How to tie it into your workflow: Create a dedicated channel in your communication platform (like Slack) for sharing wellness tips and successes.
  9. Recognize and Address Burnout:
    • Activity: Conduct regular one-on-one check-ins focused on well-being, not just performance. Ask open-ended questions about how team members are feeling.
    • How to tie it into your workflow: Use a structured format for these conversations to ensure they remain focused on mental health and not just work tasks.
  10. Engage in Physical Activity:
    • Activity: Organize a weekly team fitness challenge, such as a step count competition or virtual workout sessions.
    • How to tie it into your workflow: Use fitness apps to track progress and share results, fostering a sense of camaraderie and accountability.

By implementing these specific activities, leaders can create a supportive environment that prioritizes mental health, not just for themselves but for their entire team. To learn more about how to become a great Long-Distance Leader, take advantage of the book or sign up for our Long Distance Leadership Series open enrollment programs.

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Coaching & Developing Others, Long-Distance Leadership, Teamwork & Collaboration

Two Types of Goals Make For Great Teamwork

Teamwork, in its purest form, is simply a group of people working together towards achieving a common goal. Like most things that sound simple, there’s a lot to unpack. This is particularly true when the team isn’t co-located. How do you help everyone understand and stay focused on the goal? It helps if you realize that there are two types of goals.

When we say “goals”, we usually talk about the big picture. “We’re going to double revenue in the next year,” is a goal. You can tweak it, define it, and make it SMART, but ultimately that’s the goal. These are referred to as RESULTS GOALS.

When everyone on the team is in the same place at the same time, a good leader will keep people engaged with that goal. It will be discussed often, used in coaching conversations, and information shared with everyone so the whole team is aware of how they’re doing in their quest for that result. Everyone knows what they should be doing.

When we work separately, though, it is a little easier to lose focus. Not everyone may receive the same information in the same way at the same time. Conversations may be less frequent or consistent. Remote and hybrid work allows for people to do their own work at their own pace and in their own style. But is that way of working consistent with hitting the team’s objectives?

The more frequently, clearly and consistently we ensure alignment, the better our odds of success. But we don’t want to micromanage people or take away their initiative and innovative ways of getting the results we seek. Here is where the second type of goals come in. We call those PROCESS GOALS.

Simply put, a Results Goal is “what needs to happen.” A Process goal is more of a look at “how it gets done.” The success of a results goal is determined at the end of the term or project. Did we double sales or not?

There can be a long time (if it’s an annual goal, that’s 364 days where things can be done very right or very wrong) between setting the goal and declaring victory. By identifying the process goals along the way, you can help keep everyone focused on the big picture without getting overwhelmed or lost in the details.

On remote or hybrid teams, agreeing on process goals allows the leader and team to set milestones, check-ins, and a communication cadence that works for everyone. The leader can get information they need on an ongoing basis to see if things are moving as intended or not. They don’t need to wonder what’s going on, or feel like they are micromanaging, because the check-ins and measurements were agreed to early on. Knowing you have to give your boss a bi-weekly report is different than having her pop in your IMs unscheduled, wondering how things are going.

Process goals allow teams to monitor progress, check assumptions and identify problems early enough to fix them.

What are your teams’ goals? Have you settled not just on WHAT needs to happen, but how it will work? This will give employees the chance to use their drive and good judgment while receiving the coaching, feedback and assistance they need. Leaders have a clear picture of what’s going on even when the work isn’t happening under their noses. They can demonstrate trust, motivation and support to all team members, even those who aren’t in the same space.

We go into this in more detail in the updated second edition of The Long-Distance Leader, Revised Rules for Remarkable Remote and Hybrid Leadership. 

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Coaching & Developing Others, Leadership, Long-Distance Leadership

Getting Honest Feedback as a Long-Distance Leader

As a leader, you know that giving feedback is critical to your team, whether they are remote or in-office. Positive feedback, corrective feedback, atta-boy/girls are all critical. We also know that it’s harder to do effectively when you are in a different physical space than your team. Imagine how much more difficult it is to get the feedback WE need as leaders.

Yes, we need feedback as well. Never mind our egos that scream for positive reinforcement (I ran the heck out of that meeting, didn’t I?) We don’t know if we are getting our message across, supporting people with what they need, or building (or eroding) trust unless there is a feedback loop of some kind.

As we pointed out in our book, The Long-Distance Leader, Revised Rules for Remarkable Remote and Hybrid Leadership, there are two problems with trying to get feedback as the leader: 

  1. We often don’t ask for it, or think about who it should come from.
  2. People who “answer to us,” don’t usually feel empowered to give feedback, especially if it’s unflattering. Even if we ask nicely for their thoughts, the notion that you can fire them is always lurking in the back of their mind.

How can we get the feedback necessary to do a good job without seeming needy or setting up a stressful situation with our team members?

  • Start with existing evidence. Before seeking input from people, take a good, honest look at the situation yourself. How do you feel about it? What evidence supports your opinion (good or bad?) Have people indicated there may be an issue that needs addressing? Examine your own actions and attitudes. That way you can be more neutral in receiving information that may not support your ideas or put you on the defensive.
  • Identify people you trust. Not everyone is going to give you equally valid feedback, even when you ask for it. Developing a network of people you trust to be honest and proactive in offering you positive and negative reinforcement is critical. Trusted advisors can come from any part of the organization. You want people who care about you and your success, people with greater technical expertise than you have, and anyone with first-hand information that you may not possess or have access to. Your team has people on it who understand what’s really happening on the ground and what the team says about themselves. Be careful with this last point.  You are looking for a trusted source of information, not a police informant.
  • Ask open-ended questions. You are looking for honest, constructive feedback so you can keep doing what works, and perhaps alter your behavior if needed. Simple yes/no questions aren’t great for getting those results. “Do you think this will work?” is likely to tell you what you want to hear. “What haven’t I thought of?” or “Based on what you know, what other information should I have?” Especially if you have a trusting relationship with the other person you’re more likely to get actionable, candid answers without making them feel like they are being interrogated.
  • Shut up. Didn’t see that one coming, did you? But if you seek input, you need to be willing to listen to it and assess it after the fact. If you want to be a better receiver of feedback, people need to know you’re going to listen and judge it fairly without repercussions to them. A couple of things to consider:
    • Let them speak first. If you start with, “here’s what I think…” you’ve already told people what you expect to hear from them. Ask them for their input first.
    • Ask clarifying questions. People don’t always tell you what they’re thinking the first time. They might be afraid you’ll react negatively, get your feelings hurt, or think badly of them. Drill down on what you’re told to get very specific examples, or to give them the chance to expand on their initial thoughts.
    • Evaluate and process the information fairly. Receiving feedback, especially if it’s bad news or counter to our expectations, may create more stress than necessary.  Listen objectively to what you hear. It may help to use the PIN technique: Start with the positive aspects of what you heard, identify what’s interesting: unexpected or might need clarification. Then go to the negative reaction. By starting with the positive first, you are less likely to leap to being defensive and give the feedback a fair hearing.

On a remote or hybrid team, feedback may come by webcam, voice, or a single line in a chat message. That’s fine, just make sure that the more explanation, clarification is needed, or potential for miscommunication exists, the richer communication is required. Webcams may be better than text for some of this. 

A lot of this you are already doing when offering feedback to others. It’s not only fair, it’s imperative that we get feedback as well.

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Coaching & Developing Others, Leadership

Become a Better Coach, One Letter at a Time

There are 26 letters in the alphabet, and occasionally I have written keys to help you become a better coach using those letters. In the past, I covered the first 15 letters. Here are those posts:

A-C
D-F
G-I
J-L
M-O

Today, I’m giving your three more keys to coaching success, using the next three letters P, Q, and R. (Don’t ask me what I might do if I ever get to Z.)

Perspective

One of the things coaches bring to those they are coaching is a different perspective. Let’s face it, as humans, we have plenty of blind spots. A good coach will bring their outside perspective to a situation. A great coach will provide multiple perspectives for others to consider.

For example, as a leader/supervisor/coach, we bring that perspective, which is useful, but perhaps limiting. Great coaches offer a different perspective but help those they are coaching see even more viewpoints too – all designed to reduce the blind spots and to help people see their behavior and results in helpful new ways.

How can you provide a different perspective to those you coach?

Questions

How can anyone become a better coach without learning how to ask better questions?

I’m not sure it is possible.

Coaching is about helping other people see, learn, and in many cases, choose to make changes. The only way we as humans truly commit to change is when we come to that choice ourselves. By shifting from coach as advice giver, to coach as questioner, we improve the likelihood that people are owning the changes they want to make.

Ask more questions, ask them earlier in the coaching conversation, and slow down enough for people to process and answer them. As you improve those habits and skills, you will become a better coach.

What are your favorite coaching questions? (Here are four of my favorites.)

Relationship

Coaching is most effective when there is a relationship between the coach and those being coached. You do not need to be friends, but there needs to be a bond of understanding and trust to improve the success of the coaching. To become a better coach, focus on building a level of mutual respect and understanding with those you coach. Build clear boundaries and expectations about the relationship and coaching process and treat those you coach as humans first.

How healthy are the relationships you have with those you coach?

Perspective, Questions, and Relationships. All are components of coaching success. Hopefully one of these resonates with you and you begin exploring how it will help you become a better coach.

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Coaching & Developing Others, Personal & Professional Development

Learning After the Learning – Closing the Knowing- Doing Gap

You’ve been there. The workshop or learning experience ends – and it was wonderful. You have some new ideas and skills and have some motivation and interest in applying them and are ready to go. Even if the workshop was average, you likely leave with an idea you would like to try when you get back to work. Then you get back to work and despite your good intentions, the real work and real life re-emerges. Welcome to the knowing-doing gap.

The Knowing-Doing Gap

In short, the knowing-doing gap describes the time when you know/are aware of new approaches and ideas, but don’t apply them. We can feel guilty about not closing this gap (I know I have), but understanding why it happens is a better strategy than “I should have done it differently.”

There are (at least) four big reasons that we don’t close this gap. Understanding them is the first step to overcoming those tendencies and having a better chance of applying the new skills you have learned.

  • Priorities win. Doing something a new way will take effort and likely more time (at first). When we are in our real world of work, tasks are flying at us and we don’t see that we have the time to do the new thing, even if we want to.
  • Habit prevails. Habits and routines are easy and effortless. So, by the time we see the situation to apply the new idea or skill, our habits and existing approaches have already kicked in.
  • Memory fades. What seems so logical and clear in the workshop, becomes less clear with time. And the longer we wait to try the new idea, the less clear it becomes.
  • Confidence wanes. That lack of clarity also impacts our confidence in our ability to successfully use the new skill. We build confidence by trying, but if we don’t try quickly, we can easily talk ourselves out of trying.

Chances are you recognize one or all these outcomes. Rather than bemoaning them as facts, let’s look at four things you can do to overcome or override these facts.

Closing the Gap

Here are four things you can do to get more real and lasting value out of any learning experience you participate in or experience.

  • Change your goal. Often, we arrive at a learning event with a goal to “learn something” or “get tips on x.” Those are understandable, but more effective would be something like: “I want to apply three things from this workshop when I get back to work.”
  • Move the end line. When application becomes your goal, then the workshop isn’t over when class is dismissed. Reframe your end line as when you have achieved your goal of applying what you learned.
  • Plan differently. Once you have moved your end line, your plan should become more actionable and immediate. Consider specific focused actionable questions like: “What is the one thing I will do or try tomorrow?”
  • Have a partner. As we have already explored, the barriers to applying something new are many. One of the best ways to beat those barriers is to have a learning partner. Find someone to share what you learned and your action steps. Ask them to help you be accountable and to be your peer coach as you work to build your new skills. While anyone can help, someone who was in the same learning experience will likely be the most helpful, supportive and valuable.

If you do these four things, you will improve your chances of overcoming the knowing-doing gap and making real progress on improving your skills and results. And isn’t that why you attended the workshop or learning event in the first place?

Where to Start

The knowing-doing gap applies to this article too. Right now (hopefully) you are experiencing that same feeling as when you leave the workshop or learning experience. You want to try these new ideas! If you have a workshop on your calendar, you are good to go. Re-read this article the day it begins.

But if you don’t have a learning experience on your calendar, when will you have the chance to try?

Let me propose a solution for you.

Virtual LeaderCon is a 2.5 day free-to-attend virtual & interactive learning experience where you can learn from top thought leaders and gain ideas from them from both the leadership and personal development prospective. I challenge you to three things:

  1. Look at the agenda, I’m betting you will find at least one session that will help you reach your goals.
  2. Register - and remember it is free.
  3. Invite a friend. If you want to follow the suggestions above, a partner who has the context and perspective you have will be the most powerful learning partner.
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Coaching & Developing Others, Leadership, Organizational Leadership

Five Leadership Lessons from NFL Football Teams

NFL football is a big business. It is more popular than ever and creates many of the most watched shows in the United States each year. And each of those games provides leadership lessons, if we look for them. If you are a football fan, you are going love this post. But even if you aren’t a fan, read on, because the leadership lessons from NFL football that I am about to share might be more revealing to you.

For the fan, there are plenty of intricacies in the game that could lead to leadership lessons, but I want to make this piece interesting and accessible even if you don’t know much about that game.

Here are five important lessons for leaders and organizations who want to improve – all available to you from watching even a little NFL football.

Practice

Football teams at all levels practice – a lot. They study their opponents, study their past performances, and practice both the details and the fundamentals. None of this is done in a haphazard or unplanned way. The best teams are the best prepared to perform when it matters most.

If an NFL team practiced the way your teams do, how successful would they be?

Positive Pressure to Perform

Simply stated, there are 24 positions on a football team. NFL rosters have 53 players (and some even more on a practice squad). This means that there are backups ready to step in, an obvious succession plan in place, and that every person playing has someone else wanting and working hard for their job. This raises the level of everyone’s performance, every day.

A friend made this observation to me in a text message. “If there’s someone sitting on the bench wanting to take your job, how would you change your work habits? (or would you maintain your position?)

Player Selection and Development

NFL teams take the development of their players seriously. They work harder and spend more time and money on selecting players (i.e. employees) than most any industry and provide resources and set expectations so that players can continue to grow into starting positions.

How much do you focus on and invest in selecting and developing your team members?

Clear Measures of Performance

It’s true of every sport. There are clear measures of performance and success. I believe it is one reason we collectively like watching sports – that we can see what success looks like. NFL teams and coaches have many ways to measure the performance of their players. As important is that those players know those measure themselves. These measures provide clarity, motivation and much more.

Do you have the right measure to help your people know what to focus on and perform at their best?

Coaching and Feedback

There are 53 players on the active roster and up to 17 on the practice squad. Most NFL teams have 12 coaches – coaching 70 players. That is a ratio of just short of 6 players per leader. But beyond the numbers, you don’t have to watch a game for very long to see how much real-time feedback is happening (and you know the same is happening during every part of practice).

How many team members do your leaders have on their teams? And how much of their time is spent in actual coaching and feedback activities?

What About Your Team?

I asked you a reflective question related to each of the five leadership lessons shared. How do you feel about your answers? I know the work of your teams isn’t the same as that of an NFL team. But don’t miss the lessons or justify your answers because your business is different. Take the time to think about these questions I’ve asked. Share them with other leaders in your organization. Then look for ways to apply those ideas in your organization.

You might not win the Super Bowl, but your team will get better. Maybe faster than you think.

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excuses
Coaching & Developing Others, Personal & Professional Development

Are Your Explanations Really Excuses?

In one sense, explanations and excuses seem like the same thing. They are both ways to address questions or concerns about actions and outcomes. They are used to create understanding about why something happened. So, what’s the difference and why does it matter?

The Difference

The key difference lies in the intent and the acceptance of responsibility. We explain to clarify and inform. In sharing those facts, the explainer describes or recognizes their role in the outcome. We make excuses to deflect blame or reduce personal fault. Excuses generally are meant to help others see us as less responsible or not responsible for the outcomes.

Typically, excuses and explanations are thought of as things we communicate to others. But the difference matters to our internal conversations, too.

An Example

Let’s use the classic situation that we have all heard about (though I often wonder if anyone has truly had this happen).

Teacher: “Why didn’t you turn in your homework?”

Student: “I did it, but my dog ate it.”

Taken as an excuse it sounds like: “There is nothing I could do; I mean the dog ate it.”

As an explanation, it sounds different: “My dog did eat my homework. I guess I shouldn’t have left it on the couch.”

Assuming the student has a dog that likes the taste of paper, the fact is the homework is in the stomach of the dog. The difference is in the intent and mindset of the student.

For Ourselves

When we give ourselves excuses, we must be careful. The excuse resolves us of personal responsibility. If we blame the economy, the traffic, the Customer, the IT department for the outcome, we learn nothing and change nothing. The mindset is “There is nothing I can do.” Justifying or rationalizing our actions removes our sense of and need for personal responsibility.

But even when we don’t have control of certain situations (of the dog, the traffic, or the technology choices), we could have influence. With an explanation mindset rather than blame and deny, we learn and consider our role in the situation.

  • I could have picked up the paper. If I had, the dog likely wouldn’t have gotten to it. Next time, I will do something different.
  • I could have left earlier to account for the possible traffic issues. If I had, I likely would have been on time. Next time, I will leave earlier.
  • I could have talked to IT about our concerns. It might not have changed their decision, but they can’t consider our position if they are unaware of it. Next time, I will share my concerns and feedback.

Do you give yourself excuses or explanations?

To Others

As a receiver, would you rather someone make excuses or explain the situation? In nearly every case, I would rather hear an explanation of the facts than hear excuses.

Which do others hear from you?

It is possible people will hear an excuse when you are genuinely explaining the situation. But that is far more likely if you are making excuses to yourself first.

If you want to be a clearer communicator, if you want to build trust and relationships, check your intention. Remember, people will be more skeptical and less accepting when they see you as making excuses.

So, drop the justifications and rationalizations and move out of the blame game. Report the facts and share what you wish you had done differently or will do differently next time. Stop excusing yourself and start growing – both your results and your relationships.

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