| Due to the power differential between
| |
| | performance.4. If you feel like the team
|
| leaders and their team members, leaders
| |
| | member is holding back information, ask a
|
| must learn not only how to tolerate
| |
| | slightly more specific question (What are
|
| criticism, but also to restrict their
| |
| | the top five priorities in your
|
| criticism of others. When we are
| |
| | department right now?). You might learn
|
| criticized, we feel like our bodies are
| |
| | that the problem with the shelf life was
|
| under attack. This fear or panic causes
| |
| | already detected. If so, you would now
|
| our prehistoric, reptilian brain to flood
| |
| | know who detected the problem, how, and
|
| with blood. Rational thought is
| |
| | when. With this information, you could
|
| restricted, and, instead, we concentrate
| |
| | set about correcting this systemic
|
| on our bodily impulses: fight or flight.
| |
| | problem. 5. If the team member does not
|
| A "flooded" person (whether it is the
| |
| | consider the shelf-life issue the top
|
| leader or a team member) is of little use
| |
| | priority, ask why. You might find that
|
| when there is a problem to be
| |
| | you need to re-order your priorities as a
|
| solved.Debra, a COO of a very large food
| |
| | result.6. It the team member's answer
|
| manufacturer in the Southwest, grew tired
| |
| | still does not take into account all the
|
| of notifying department heads about
| |
| | consequences you foresee, drill down one
|
| problems she found, like the shortened
| |
| | level deeper with your questions (What
|
| shelf life of a potato that was roasted
| |
| | impact will the shelf-life have on
|
| in a new oil. "I want to know what we are
| |
| | inventory?).
|
| doing to solve this problem!" she would
| |
| | Even constructive criticism can feel
|
| demand at the beginning of a meeting.
| |
| | like an attack. By asking questions, you
|
| "And why didn't anyone bring this problem
| |
| | disarm the reptilian-brain functions. No
|
| to my attention?" She ranted and railed
| |
| | longer will team members be paralyzed by
|
| because she wanted her team to detect and
| |
| | fight-or-flight responses. They will be
|
| solve these problems in the future.
| |
| | prepared to work with you to detect and
|
| Unfortunately, all they heard was "She is
| |
| | solve problems.In 1987 Gary co-founded a
|
| out to find someone to blame!" Their
| |
| | company with $4,000 in start-up money.
|
| brains subsequently flooded and they
| |
| | Over the years the company grew from 2 to
|
| shifted into defense mode.I invited Debra
| |
| | 2200 employees. ACI Telecentrics, Inc.
|
| to consider a question-based approach to
| |
| | became the 25th largest call center
|
| generate behavioral change. Rather than
| |
| | outsourcer in the United States. "City
|
| calling out individuals in a public
| |
| | Business," a Minneapolis/St. Paul
|
| setting (which creates more tension and,
| |
| | publication, distinguished Gary as one of
|
| therefore, quicker flooding), here is
| |
| | their "40 under 40" award winners.
|
| what I suggested she do:1. Speak with
| |
| | Besides serving on the board for ACI
|
| individual department heads when you
| |
| | Telecentrics, Gary has been a board
|
| detect a problem in their specific
| |
| | member of 9 different corporations,
|
| areas.2. Start by asking a general
| |
| | ranging from non-profit organizations to
|
| question ("How are things going in your
| |
| | financial institutions. Gary received his
|
| area?").3. Keep an open mind. If you let
| |
| | undergraduate degree from the University
|
| the team member dictate the conversation,
| |
| | of Minnesota and attended Harvard
|
| you might learn that there are problems
| |
| | Business School. He has participated in
|
| that dwarf the potato shelf-life issue.
| |
| | several leadership programs at
|
| Or you might find that the shelf life was
| |
| | institutions including the Covey
|
| a concession made as part of a larger
| |
| | Leadership Center and Disney University
|
| cost/benefit calculation. Or you might
| |
| | and the Aspen Institute as a Crown
|
| find that the team member has been having
| |
| | fellow. He is now a respected Executive
|
| personal problems that could be
| |
| | Coach and the founder of C02Partners.
|
| contributing to his or her poor
| |
| |
|
