I recently provided a customized, two-day leadership program for managers from five different countries representing three different business lines. With a room of mechanical engineers, production managers, facility managers, accountants, quality control managers, and a few human resources professionals thrown in, to say one might anticipate a quiet, less-than-open group would be an understatement. However, this group was anything but that. They were engaged, open, and genuinely interested in practical takeaways they could individually and collectively use to become even better leaders.
“… this group was anything but that. They were engaged, open, and genuinely interested in practical takeaways they could individually and collectively use to become even better leaders.”
So why was this group different? Why did this group not fit the stereotype of a quiet, analytical, and potentially gruff group? Well, there were three primary reasons. First, their company has been incredibly intentional in developing and reinforcing a culture that supports and promotes psychological safety. However, as they’ve been on a rapid acquisition spree, bringing new team members into the fold, and enabling them to trust their new environment, is understandably a slow process. However, it’s of consistent focus and a consistent message. For the managers attending from companies that had been acquired within the past few years, everyone said, “This place is different. We’re appreciated here.”
“…their company has been incredibly intentional in developing and reinforcing a culture that supports and promotes psychological safety.”
The second and third reasons for their openness were that they were being included in conversations versus being talked at, and they appreciated being appreciated.
They were included in conversations versus being talked at…
Right when I started the program with the participants introducing themselves, I can’t help myself, but I jumped into coaching mode at various times to provide insights to select individuals on speaking as an executive to not diminish their brand with something as ‘basic’ as their voice not carrying across a room. We then moved into a ground rules interactive exercise that we’d return to throughout the two days. By the time we got to our morning break on the first day, three participants approached me to tell me they were enjoying the training. They’d never attended training in which the trainer included them and talked with them versus at them. Wow. That’s depressing.
They appreciated being appreciated.
After two full days of training, activities, and evening dinners, to say the group was exhausted is an understatement. Yet they hung in there and continued to focus on takeaways. When we’d wrapped up and I was starting to organize my materials to pack them away, one of the operations managers, “Tony”, approached me. He’d been engaged, but with over 25 years experience in his facility before it was acquired and having a somewhat gruff demeanor, he was one of the more quiet participants.
Tony said to me, “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“When we’d ask you a question, you’d often respond first by saying something like, ‘That’s a great question.’ Do you intentionally do that or did you really mean the questions were good questions?”
“Well, Tony. Now that IS a great question (wink, wink), but let me explain why I do that. First, I don’t say it all the time, but when I do say that, it’s because the question someone asked was leading to the next point I planned to make. So, by asking the question, I knew they were tracking with me. The second reason I often say it, is because the question reminds me of something I want to share with the group that is relevant and I’d forgotten to share it or highlight it. So they’re question was helping ME.”
“Well I appreciated it. You said it to me twice and both times I felt pretty good, like I’d asked a smart question.”
You never know who needs to hear a “Thank you” or who would appreciate being told, “You’ve got good ideas.” Even the quiet, analytical, and gruff types like being appreciated.
Copyright MMXXV – Liz Weber, CMC, CSP – Weber Business Services, LLC – www.WBSLLC.com +1.717.597.8890Liz Weber is an advisor to boards of directors, business owners, and C-Suite leaders. She’s a leadership, strategic and succession planning consultant, keynote speaker, and author.
