create a volunteer organization

I read somewhere the other day that all organizations are volunteer organizations.  Everyone who works at our University makes a daily decision to wake up, get dressed, get in their car, and head to work.  They could choose not get up, not get dressed, not get in their car, and not head to work (there are days I might have wanted to choose that in my life).  While they get a regular paycheck - and while many of them need that paycheck to pay the bills and live their lives - the truth is that they are still choosing to come in every day and do the job to which they have been called.  In some ways I feel very fortunate that they choose to do that on a regular basis - and in other ways it scares the heck out of me that they might choose to stay in bed, not get dressed, not get in their car, and not head to work.  So what can I do to help keep the latter behavior from happening?

I spent seven years working in a large downtown church where most of my responsibilities included overseeing programs that depended on volunteers.  Running Vacation Bible School or Sunday School...directing a choir...organizing worship services...directing a single parents ministry.  All of them included hundreds of volunteers throughout a year's time.  People's livelihood did not depend on whether or not they showed up or kept volunteering year after year.And yet, for the most part, these people decided to wake up, get dressed, get in their car, and head to their volunteer position at the church.  Why?  Here are a few thoughts as to how that may have happened:

• they found meaning in what they did
• they believed that what they were doing was important
• they were involved in creating what they were doing
• they were finding friends and a sense of community
• they saw what they did as a calling
• they saw the results of what they did
• they were thanked profusely for their extra time and energy
• they were kept away form the politics and bureaucracy as much as possible
• they were using their specific gifts and talents in their roles
• they - and what they did - were held up as an integral part of the church
• they were celebrated throughout the year
• they were given breaks when needed

As I look around my organization today, I have to ask whether or not those who work here would feel the same way about their jobs.  What am I doing to...help people find meaning in their work...remind people that what they do is important...involve people in the creation of the work they do...create a place that is fun and builds relationships...hold up people's jobs as true callings...provide evidence of results...thank people over and over again for their work...run interference for people so they can do their work without hassles...put people in roles that magnify their gifts...tell others how integral these people are to the organization...celebrate the work that is done...give people a time and place to breathe and relax?

I have always loved working with volunteers - whether they receive a paycheck or not.  It is my goal that those who work with me will actually CHOOSE every day to get up, get dressed, get in their cars, and head to this place we call Concordia University Texas - and that the choice will be made not because they have to, but because they want to.

the hardest thing for leaders to do

OK...so maybe this is not the HARDEST thing for leaders to do, but it certainly ranks up there in the top five.  So here it is...I believe that the hardest thing for leaders to do is to shut up.  Now my mother told me never to use those words, so let me rephrase that...I believe that the hardest thing for leaders to do is to be quiet.  Most people get to a leadership position because they are good talkers.  They schmooze well, they solve problems well, they speak well, they articulate their ideas well, and they are often the first ones to offer an opinion on a subject  Eventually they end up in that office that says "leader" on the door and they keep doing what made them successful in the first place...talk.

So why do I believe that the hardest thing for leaders to do is to shut up...I mean, be quiet?  Yesterday I had the honor and privilege to interview Ken Schiller, co-owner of K&N Management here in Austin.  K&N Management runs four Rudy's BBQ restaurants and 4 Mighty Fine Burgers, Fries, and Shakes restaurants.  One of the things he said repeatedly is that if he is smarter than any of the members on his team, he has hired the wrong people.  He was also a man of few words (never a good idea to invite someone for an interview who has learned to shut up...I mean, be quiet).  I realized that his success is due to the fact that he hires well, takes care of his people, and really listens to them.  The paradox is in the fact that by hiring people who are a whole lot smarter than him, and then actually listening to them, might make him the smartest man in the room.

Those of us in leadership positions have so much to learn when it comes to shutting up...I mean, being quiet.  Here are a few thoughts in how to be a better "shutter-upper:"

• learn to ask good questions, meaning they are not questions to which you already have an answer
• remind yourself that you do not have all the answers
• learn to take notes when others speak
• really believe that those around you have a lot to offer to the conversation
• allow others to lead by giving them roles and responsibilities that put them up front
• resist the urge to explain everything you say
• realize that sometimes people get tired of hearing you talk
• ask other people their opinions
• put a sign on your desk or in your notebook or on your computer that says "shut up" (I mean, "be quiet")
• don't always be the first one to offer an opinion
• ask those whom you trust to let you know when you are talking more than listening
• when you have the urge to respond, don't

I wish I could tell you that this was an easy task...it seems that it should be.  But as I started out, this may be one of the hardest things a leader has to do.  I know it is for me, and my guess is that if you are sitting in a leadership position, it is hard for you.  You may not agree with me on this and believe that everything you have to say really matters.  I urge you to consider trying shutting up (I mean, being quiet) for a week or two and see what happens.  If you feel that your organization is worse off because of it, then by all means start talking again.  But make sure that you are not the only one in the room who once again enjoys hearing your voice.

clarity

I missed a meeting on Wednesday.  It's not that I forgot about it; I had a gathering of College of Business students that had been set up for three weeks and this meeting had been set up for two weeks.  It was supposed to be a 10-minute check-in meeting with the team of which I am a part...and the meeting went for 45 minutes and included a major announcement that affected us, our budgets, our programs, and our people.  And I missed it.

I checked in quickly with one of my colleagues...I then checked in with another colleague...and then checked in with another colleague - and each time heard a different story.  By the time I checked in with a fourth colleague, I knew two things: 1) I had most of the information I needed now that I had talked with four different people; and 2) I still wasn't sure what the message was and what we really were supposed to do.  UGH!  And all this after our team went through Patrick Lencioni's new book The Advantage which emphasizes over and over again the need for CLARITY.  In fact, the book has three chapters that are entitled create clarity, over-communicate clarity, and reinforce clarity.  Double UGH!

For me, the questions were two fold: first, did we all know exactly what it was we were supposed to do (the short answer is NO); and secondly, would we all communicate the same message to our teams (again, the answer was NO).  Let me think out loud here about how to best get clarity in a team...However, before I provide my regular list, let me state that the issue of clarity does not lie only with the team leader (though it is her responsibility that it finally happens).  Team members need to ASK for clarity if it is not provided by the leader - and they need to take on the responsibility of ensuring that they all have the same message and deliver the same message.  So read this list through the eyes of one who leads a team...and one who participates in a team.  Here goes (and of course these are in no particular order):

1. Take the time prior to the meeting to think through the message that needs to be communicated, even to the point of writing it out.  Putting words on paper and distributing that paper ensures that everyone sees the same message (how they deliver it is another issue).
2. Write ideas and thoughts up on the board so that everyone sees what verbiage begins to stand out.  Let those be the words that guide the communication across the organization.
3. Check with the team and ask if they all understand what is to be done or said - it might not even hurt to ask them to repeat it out loud.
4. Use a checklist - there is no shame in writing things down (what you are going to say...what needs to be accomplished...who needs to do what).  People who brag about keeping everything in their heads probably aren't taking in enough information on a daily basis.
5. Ask the team if it is clear to them what they are supposed to do. Just because you understand it does not mean that the rest of the team understands it.
6. Do not rely on one form of communication   If you said it in a meeting, follow up with an email.  If you sent it out in an email, follow up with a meeting.  Walking around from office to office and seeing if the individual members of the team understood what they were supposed to do would accomplish many things.
7. Don't be afraid to say "I do not understand."  And that's true for the team leader as well as the other team members.
8. Be authentic, direct, and relevant (this courtesy of Patrick Lencioni).  The more important the message, the more need there is to be this way.  
9. Be sure that you as a TEAM have agreed to what the message will be and ensure each other that you will do what you said you will do.

The above list seems very basic, but we all know that confusion around poor communication happens all the time.  Take some time today and this week to consider whether or not you are creating CLARITY or CONFUSION...and take the steps necessary to get better at this.  Not only will your team love you for making this happen, you life as a leader will be much easier in the long run.

the power of ignorance

Ignorance is defined in the dictionary as having a lack of knowledge, education, or awareness.  If that is the case, then I was the epitome of ignorance at a meeting I recently led...and came out the better for it.  Yesterday I began my role as Chair of the Board for Austin ECHO (Ending Community Homelessness Coalition).  I have served on the Board for about 18 months (we are a newly formed 501c3 in town) and I accepted a position on the Board because I have a heart and passion for serving the homeless.  Little did I know that I would be asked to be vice-chair and then assume the role of Chair 18 months later.  As I ran the meeting yesterday, listening to those on the Board who have been involved in this issue for years...who are connected to city politicians...who live in and understand the pulse of Austin...I quickly realized (as I have known for a while) that they all knew more than I did.  So what else could I do but shut up and listen...and as Chair of the Board keep everyone on track as much as possible.  I gotta tell you - the meeting went really well.  We dialogued...we learned...we made decisions...we moved the organization forward...we walked out with a plan for action.  I felt really good about the meeting.

Fast forward several hours to a faculty meeting of the College of Business which I also was leading.  The first topic was about teaching, practicing, and assessing skills to prepare our students for the workplace.  I know a lot about this subject - I read about it, I do it in my classroom, I talk with others about it...in fact, I'm pretty good at it.  The meeting was a disaster!  And you know why?  Because I believed I was an expert and talked too much.  I truly believe that the meeting would have gone better if I would have been more ignorant of the subject matter.

So what did I learn?  I'm not yet convinced that ignorance is bliss, but I am convinced that the less I talk and the more I allow others to talk so I can learn from them is a good thing - especially when running meetings.  I think it was the Apostle Paul who wrote something about how knowledge puffs up - and love builds up.  So I am going to continue to learn (one of my natural ways of being) and maybe even become an expert in some fields (especially ending homelessness). And when I become the expert, I will continue to act as if I am ignorant, allowing others to bring their knowledge to the table.  When that happens, I think I will be happier...I think others will be happier...and I think (no, I know) that more will get accomplished for the greater good.

colleagues

I like to talk about collegiality - the art being collegial with ones colleagues.  But what does that really mean? and why are colleagues so important?  The Free Online Dictionary just told me that the term "colleague" refers to people who work together in the same profession - no duh!  The term comes from the French where it refers to people who are chosen together - as if they were picked at the same time to be on the same team.  I think that may begin to put some more meat on the bones of this term...but let me try to take it a little bit deeper.

When I consider the term "colleague" I think more about the type of relationship that is built between the people who are chosen to be on the same team. This is not just someone who works with me...this is someone who works WITH me - and whom I work WITH.  To have a colleague is to have a trusted partner - one who is willing to work hard to accomplish the task to which all of us are called together.  This is a person who has similar goals...similar outlooks on life...similar aspirations...similar views of the world...and a similar work ethic.  This is someone who respects me...who respects other team members...who respects the mission of the institution...and who respects the idea of what it means to be a team.  This person is willing to sacrifice self for the team...is willing to be open and honest...is willing to do the hard work needed...is willing to stand up for what is right...is willing to speak truth to power...is willing to take a bullet for the team (and other team members).

All that being said, I also believe a great colleague is one who is a strong individual...who has a strong opinion and is willing to share it...who stands up for what they believe is right...who is striving to move ahead in their lives...who wants to be recognized for their hard work...who sees the world different from me...who has different goals than me...who is a maverick...who is an innovator...who is ahead of the curve...who believes there is more to the world than just this one institution...who has a global vision...who can sometimes even be a pain to the rest of the group.

And finally, I believe that a great colleague is one who is able to recognize the paradox of what it means to be a great colleague and, when slipping on either side of the slope, is willing to ask for forgiveness from the team; and also, in recognizing that paradox, is able to render forgiveness to me when I slip on either side of the slope.  Maybe that's the key to collegiality...that the art of being collegial with colleagues is the art of giving and receiving forgiveness...over and over again.

re-framing touchy-feely

Last week I wrote about my team, The Provost's Council, having been through a retreat and beginning the task of building ourselves as a team...and the risks involved in becoming a strong team.  Part 2 of that retreat happened this past Wednesday when we shared with each other behaviors everyone did to improve the team's performance and behaviors everyone did to derail the team's performance.  It was not an easy exercise...but seemed to be incredibly beneficial to the team.  I was sharing this exercise with someone and they made the comment that the team on which they serve aren't into those type of "touch-feely" exercises.  I immediately felt a little bit defensive and asked the question, "What other term could we use rather than touchy-feely?"  Similar to the idea of "soft skills," touchy-feely has an incredibly negative connotation and many people (and teams) would see anything consisting of touchy-feely as a waste of time.  The exercise we as a team went through this past Wednesday was nothing close to a waste of time...nor was it easy and soft...nor was it something one does when they have nothing else to do...and it was certainly not (at least in the accepted sense of the term) touchy-feely.  It took time...it took hard work...it took courage...it took humility...and it took strength and will.  I don't think any of those terms are (or should be) associated with touchy-feely.

So how might we re-frame the phrase "touch-feely when exercises or events we do as a team?  Here are some random thoughts off the top of my head:

• team building
• encouragement
• strength building
• bonding
• soul searching
• exposing the dark side
• persona completing
• relationship strengthening
• leadership capacity
• self awareness
• building team awareness

The next time I hear someone say to me that they do not like to or need to engage in touch-feely exercises in their team, my arsenal of replies will include:

• "so you don't want to use all of the tools available to your team to make it better?"
• "so optimum team performance is not important to you?"
• "so everyone on the team is fully developed as a leader?"
• "so the team is self-aware enough to monitor when it makes good and bad decisions?"
• "so you would rather have a team that is less encouraging of one another than it can be?"
• "so you don't want to build the leadership capacity of the team?"
• "so you believe that everyone on the team is always making decisions from the purest motives possible?"
• "so don't you want your team to be better tomorrow than it is today?"

If you have the need to keep using the term touchy-feely, I suppose that's okay.  Just be sure to say it in such a way that it exudes a positive connotation for team building...which leads to a better functioning team...which leads to a team getting more accomplished...which leads to a fuller living out of the organization's mission...which leads to healthier communities and a better world.  I don't know about you, but if The Provost's Council begins to function at the level we all believe it can as a result of the exercises we have been going through, then I'm all for touchy-feely...whatever that might mean!

the risk of team

Last Friday, the team of which I am a member (officially entitled The Provost's Council) went on a retreat to build ourselves as a team.  We brought on Jim Blanchard of Strategic Positioning to function as a facilitator and used The Birkman Profile as a tool as well as concepts and ideas from Patrick Lencioni's newest book The Advantage. Special thanks and a shout-out to our teammate Tammy Stewart for allowing us to gather at her family's cabin on Lake Travis.  For many people, this type of setting and exercise is a bore and a dread.  Having to get all "soft and fuzzy" drives some individuals crazy.  I happen to like the setting once it gets going - but there is always some fear and trepidation in me as I am driving to the event...mostly because I never quite know where it is going to go.  You see, there's always that moment in these settings when each person has to decide whether or not to TAKE THE RISK to either tell about themselves or comment on someone else.  So the question we have to ask - and answer - is whether or not it is worth the risk to build the team...and then whether or not building the team is worth the risk.

A couple of reasons on why its RISKY to work on the aspect of building a team:

• you have to be vulnerable
• you have to allow others to be vulnerable
• you have to hold yourself accountable
• you have to hold your teammates accountable
• you have to hold your boss accountable (assuming he or she is a member of the team)
• you have to listen to other's comments about what you add to the team
• you have to listen to other's comments about how you distract from the team
• you have to tell others what they add to the team
• you have to tell others how they distract from the team
• you have to be willing to take the fall as a team
• you have to put on your team hat and remove your position hat

You will notice that the above list has a lot of "you have to" in it...I am never a fan of being told I have to do something, so my caveat here is that I suppose you can choose not to do these things - and there is a RISK associated with that decision as well.  It will be interesting watching whether or not everyone on The Provost's Council chooses to engage in the "have to's" or not over time.  My belief is that the more everyone on the team engages in these behaviors, the faster the team will function better...and a better functioning the team, the more that gets accomplished...and the more that gets accomplished, the better the mission is served...and the better the mission is served, the more healthy our communities are.  At the end of the day, if I believe in the mission of my institution, the more I have to take the responsibility to engage in behaviors that will lead to a stronger and more fully functioning team.  I'm ready to take the risk...are you?