QUESTION

I need to be more in touch with (my team or organization). I didn’t come up the same way they did and oversee functions I haven’t done myself. Lacking their expertise means I rely on them more because I can’t go in and take over their work.

At the same time, I bring strong leadership and the perspective of the executives to the table. I need to build an effective bridge between these two perspectives.

ANSWER

As you rise in your career, you will increasingly be put into positions where you lack specific subject matter expertise. Most middle managers and executives have not performed every function they oversee—and it increases feelings of vulnerability.

Leading at scale requires clear communication about mission, success measures, and an ability to connect with people you don’t know personally and with whom you may never have a direct conversation. To connect effectively means you have to break your own patterns and invite yourself to some of theirs.

You don't build a business. You build people, and people build the business.
–Zig Ziglar, American author, salesman, and motivational speaker

Break up your routine. If you sit at a desk, take a walk by where your teams sit. If you lead an organization walk through a different department each day or week—and talk to people. Think of the things you want to know more about: was a compliance training they had to take helpful? Was a new change in strategy clearly understood? Do they feel they are supported? If so, how? If not, what should change? Focus on one concept and ask the people you talk to the same set of 2-3 questions. See if any themes develop. When it’s appropriate, share your findings. These might be just anecdotes for a conversation or an all-hands meeting. They might be used in a monthly newsletter or you might just keep them to yourself as a “temperature check.”

The lesson here is to see what they are doing for yourself—day in and day out. Hear from them in their own words, in addition to the surveys and reports about morale. Most people occupy themselves with the same set of tasks and problems for most of their careers. Most likely, what you see are big people occupied with little assignments. Too often, people grind away at jobs that are too small for their spirits.

Why? When people are not fully utilized or aligned with what they do, a part of them goes to sleep, maybe even dies, from the monotony or lack of meaning in what they do. Dedication doesn't have a chance to develop or re-ignite.

Give these same people a "mission," though, and watch them come alive. Missions—specifically missions that are personally relevant to each individual—ignite focus and energy. They put their hearts into their work. They not only agree with the change, but they also help others understand the benefits as well. Here's a simple fact: People don't care about working for a company or organization; they want to work towards a higher purpose. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves, and they want their work to matter.

When people focus on a cause that transcends the mundane aspects of their everyday duties, they start to dream and get creative about how to achieve it. Dedication increases.

It should go without saying that some tired, organizational goal will not fire up people's sense of commitment. It might sound good in a presentation or look good on a poster, but people tend to have little attachment to it in their everyday work. It’s hard to get emotional about financial objectives such as "reduce costs by 15%" or a "20% organizational rate of return." Even creating “a great place to work” has become tired. Instead, build your mission around an idea or principle that can inspire people to think around current constraints.

Martin Luther King did not say, "I have a plan." He shouted, "I have a dream!" and he created a crusade.

MORE THOUGHTS…

No company, small or large, can win over the long run without energized employees who believe in the mission and understand how to achieve it.
— Jack Welch, American business executive, chemical engineer, and writer
People lose their way when they lose their why.
— Bill George, American businessman and academic
The greatness of community is measured by the compassionate actions of its members.
— Coretta Scott King, American author, activist, civil rights leader, and the wife of artin Luther King Jr.
Leadership is not about executive position or title. It is about connection and influence. At its highest, leadership is all about adding value to the world and blessing lives through the work you do.
— Robin Sharma, Canadian writer
If leadership requires a fired-up sense of purpose and imagination, it also demands a profound connection to the society [or group] to be led.
— George Takei, American actor, author, and activist

REMEMBER

Depending on the level of resilience in the organization and the individual, change can leave people shaken, with a wounded sense of self-worth. Reinforce your efforts by providing reasonable goals. Let these accomplishments restore their faith in themselves. Keep people from just going through the motions. Employees who don’t believe in themselves or in what they are doing deliver little of their potential and hold back the team.

PRACTICE

Consider the current level of connection between yourself and your area of control, or scope. How strong is it? What is it based on? How do you personally define connection? Do people do what you say because they are afraid? Do people feel comfortable enough to speak up when something isn’t going well? Do people go above and beyond to help each other (and you)? What behaviors demonstrate connection to you?

CONNECT

Talk to a friend or trusted colleague about ways in which define connectedness within a team and an organization. Consider examples of teams and organizations you’ve served in that left a positive impression. Having examples makes it easier to define. And if you can define it, you can start to move toward it!

REFLECT

If you keep a journal for your own development, write down the behaviors of leaders, teams, and organizations that demonstrated a healthy connection. Think about how your team or organization would function if you started modeling some of those behaviors. What are the behaviors and what impact would they have in your current environment?

To perform well while under pressure, we need to develop habits to work more effectively. Making the right decisions, engaging with others effectively, learning to manage our own emotions takes practice.

Driving Dedication During Change: A pocket guide for becoming an effective linchpin enables you with all the tools and tactics you need to make your interactions less stressful and more effective.