Focal Leadership

Leadership

When to change job

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So many people have decided to change job over the past few months. I remember a conversation with an ex-colleague who said, “the problem with the pandemic is that it has given us too much time to think.” I was taken aback because I thought that was a good thing … it is! Time to reflect on your professional, emotional, and psychological well-being is an excellent opportunity to work out if your current job is healthy, fulfilling, and meaningful to you.

In summer 2021 I decided to change my job. I was having a lot of success and making a difference to the people I was working with. But I was worn down, disillusioned with the culture of the company I was working for, and knowing that I could contribute so much more in a different environment. I decided to take the two-week vacation that my wife and I had planned to determine my next move. Here was my strategy – and one that I would recommend to anyone.

  1. Reflect on when you have been most successful and most in the sweet spot of doing what you love. I reflected on my career and when I felt I had been most fulfilled and professionally effective. What were the things I did that extracted most from my skills, motivation, and commitment? Settling this in your mind is crucial. It validates you. It makes you do a self-inventory of when work has been the best. Some call it “discovering your purpose.” Whatever you call it, settle in your mind what really makes you effective and happy at work. This is about values, priorities, and connection – not money or status.

  2. Emotionally and mentally commit to your next step. For me, this was to actively look for another job. Some people know exactly where they want to work and the precise job they want. That is great – and if you can find it, go for it. For me, it was more casting my net wide and knowing that the role/company which fitted me well would come around. As it happened, I applied for a role that was a good match as far as I could tell. In hindsight, what was so reassuring were the many people in this new company who said, “I knew you were exactly the person we were looking for.” Do your due diligence, talk to people about other roles, and then settle in your mind to take the role that fits your sweet spot.

  3. Approach a change of job with a positive mindset – retrospectively as well as forward-looking. It is important to be grateful for the experiences that your previous roles have provided and the people who have enriched your journey. Thank people and find the positives, even if your last role drained your energy and depleted your spirit. And then look forward to giving your best and proving to yourself that the change is a great one!

To change job should never be just about trying to get a higher salary. Nor should it be because you are always moving away from things that do not float your boat. It should be about knowing what you are great at, talking this through with others for validation, and knowing where you can add value. It should also be about a journey – taking the next step in a lifelong adventure where experiences enrich you and those around you. I have always found that making a positive impact on others is the best way to feel a positive impact in myself. Having a servant leadership approach and a knowledge that work is part of life, not life itself. Whatever you decide to do, try not to have regrets, and take the time to discover the best version of yourself.

3 ways organizations are investing in people not buildings

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Investing in people not buildings has never been more pertinent than the present fall-out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Not only have office buildings been less accessible due to shut-downs, travel restrictions, and hygiene concerns, but virtual working has proved more effective than many would have dared to anticipate. Very large companies, as well as many small to medium size ones, have chosen to extend some virtual working arrangements for employees indefinitely. Many are re-evaluating their commercial real estate portfolio and creating strategies which have a much greater component of virtual working. The main reasons for this being (a) virtual working can be effective, (b) technology has enabled more virtual working, and (c) virtual employees can obviously be located anywhere with reduced overheads.

The three examples below highlight how companies are investing in people not buildings:

  1. Build your talent pool

    The pandemic has resulted in significant job losses across the world. Not in every industry, but some sectors have been very badly hit. Taking decisions to rationalize the workforce, retaining those who have most potential to win back business, and investing in employee development for remote working, are all strategies that companies are investing in. Organizations should always have a lean employee population, all of whom add definable value to current and future successful performance.

    Corporations have had to make tough decisions about lay-offs and furloughs. While many of these decisions have accompanying stressful personal implications, they are primarily made with survival and organizational health in mind. With the increasing effectiveness of virtual working, the reduction in employees can be mirrored by a smart real estate strategy. This is sometimes not achievable swiftly, mainly because of lease clauses or just because disposing of real estate is very difficult in the current climate. But organizations can and should be shifting the balance of cost from real estate to value-adding employees wherever possible.

  2. Cost effective & flexible

    Not every role is possible to carry out remotely. But many are. The cost of engaging remote employees is more attractive than providing office space for them. I would add that managing remote employees requires a specific skillset that is different to office-based supervision. Managers need to be much more proactive in connecting with their team members, ensuring they have the right skills and training for remote working, establishing networks and collaborative opportunities, and proactively engaging employees who are experiencing remote working challenges in abundance.

    Hiring remote workers provides a great deal of flexibility in building the skill-base of any organization. Re-imagining compensation options for remote workers is also an opportunity to change things up, e.g. they do not need commuting assistance, or staff restaurants. But considering how remote employees access stationery, copying, and office furniture for home use, all provide an opportunity for HR departments to use their imagination. There is also the significant reduction in the cost of services (electricity, etc.) for organizations who reduce their real estate footprint.

  3. Fuel your strategy

    People strategy should never just be a short-term reaction to an external event. The opportunity for more strategic planning with an increasingly remote workforce means that a more inventive people strategy can be considered. The overheads of investing in buildings can be replaced by the investing in people. Not only from a skills perspective, but from a resource type and location perspective. Strategically, is it better to consider a more flexible mix of permanent, interim, contract, consulting, and on-shore/off-shore resources?

    The presence of global pandemics can only fuel the advance of AI and other forms of automated services/manufacturing. But some industries rely heavily on buildings in which to build products, hold inventory, or deliver services. For jobs that do not require presence in a building provided by the employer, remote working opens up many diverse strategic possibilities.

Investing in people not buildings is smart. But a world without buildings which house corporate employees is hard to imagine. I also do not know if the world-at-large is ready for the wholesale psychological impact of permanent remote working at scale. But if you are looking to buy or renovate a house, make sure you have a home office!

Leading Change in Yourself

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Leading Change is a hot topic. Given the present pandemic, change is not an option. One of the biggest challenges is leading change in yourself. The pandemic has thrown so many curve balls that require us to change, but how about the changes that require personal leadership and not just a response?

What do I mean by this? Some people are pre-disposed to adapting and flexing without any discomfort. Others struggle. Some people are ok being led through change and others enjoy the challenge of leading others. But a lot of stress is caused when people feel that they are constantly reacting to the circumstances around them. Being able to lead yourself through change is a disposition that many are experiencing, yearning for, or simply bereft of. Anticipating that change is a constant, developing chameleon-like behaviors, and retaining serene mindfulness, are adaptive ways of leading change in yourself.

When I first learned to drive, I remember being told by a policeman friend of mine, “steer into the apex of the bend and accelerate out of it”. This driving technique seems to make sense to me. In the same way, if you can intentionally anticipate the upcoming changes of direction, position yourself appropriately, and purposefully invest your energy in the new direction, this seems to be a great way of leading change in yourself. Let us take these one at a time:

Anticipate the upcoming changes of direction

Anticipation can be a quick reflex, or it can be a deliberate plan. Leading yourself requires more of the latter and less of the former. If we are always playing catch up, then we are being led by change rather than leading ourselves through it. If, however, we reflect, research, and resolve to meet the upcoming changes with a positive mindset, we get ahead of the need to just react. Anticipation is an acceptance of the inevitable differences to the status quo. Getting prepared, planning for new solutions, and learning adaptive behaviors, will help you anticipate change. You have heard the phrase “being able to see round corners” … well how about “being the change that lies around the corner”.

Position yourself appropriately

If you do not position your car on the outside of your lane before you steer into the curve, then the curve will be much more difficult to steer around … and you will have to slow down much more. But if you anticipate what is ahead of you, your efficiency and trajectory will be much better. So, positioning yourself for the changes that life, business, and society hold in this current environment will determine how effectively you lead yourself through change. Positioning yourself appropriately implies a change. Communicate differently, work differently, and ideate differently, are all essential to lead through change. You must shift your alignment to the change – be its master, be in control, be ready for it.

Purposefully invest your energy in the new direction

Some people have a victim complex. They are the afflicted ones. Whereas those who lead change in themselves are the opportunists and optimists. Around the corner of our current predicament is a different life. It is hard to imagine that this is the last pandemic we will ever face – and I am trying not to be a doomsday prophet. New opportunities are presenting themselves, the seedbed for innovation has never been more fertile, and the future beckons. When you emerge from the apex of the curve, a new horizon presents itself. Clear vision is restored. We will get through the current pandemic crisis, and there will no doubt be many that have suffered along the way. There will also be those who feel a sense of excitement. Not only of old things returning to normal, but of new vistas. History teaches us that disasters are painful, and they are also accelerants for change. Leading change in yourself will allow you to reflect on the hardships we are all experiencing and also to be authentic in hope.

As we all journey through this time of immense challenge and turmoil, leading change in yourself is an opportunity to build strength, succor, and sustainability to our world.

5 Silver Linings

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Silver Lining

A silver lining is defined as a consoling or hopeful prospect by Meriam-Webster. It is unsurprising that people are looking for silver linings with the COVID-19 pandemic where there are so many stories of heartbreak and tragedy. Lost jobs, deaths, bankruptcies, depression – to name but a few. But the human spirit has a depth of resilience and determination that often only appears at times of crisis. So, what might some of the silver linings be?

Regeneration

Stay-at-home orders, shelter-in-place, and lockdowns are not words/phrases that were expected to be commonplace for the year ahead when 2020 dawned. Working from home has added stresses to some, but there are also many who have been laid off and who now have no job. After a period of grief and maybe anger, people face a new reality. Some people jump straight up and start looking, while others take time to adjust. Of course, the job market is not the healthiest during a pandemic and circumstances test the job seeker like never before.

Being laid off can have a silver lining, although I would not bring this up too soon when speaking to someone who has just lost their job. I was laid off in my early thirties and was absolutely devastated. But tapping into a network, being open minded, focused, and tenacious, led me into a new career. Times like this can be incredibly uplifting as people have to dedicate time to consider and build their brand, learn how to market themselves, and seek out new opportunities.

Reflection

As well as the many who have lost their jobs, there are also many who have been furloughed by their employers. And even those who have kept their jobs, are often faced with new realities and challenging ways of working. Times like these cause a lot of people to reflect. Is this the career I really want anymore? Should I take a risk and do something different? Should I re-balance my life? Should we move to a different part of the country? Should we start a family later than planned? I could go on. Importantly though, reflection and deep consideration of priorities often happens during a crisis.

Reflection is not something that happens too often when everything is running as normal and work/life is at full pace. So, expect many people to make life-altering decisions during this pandemic. This is not a bad thing, as people get more in touch with their values and sense of purpose.

Talent

For many employers, the pandemic has been devastating. Laying off employees, losing revenue, and even closure. Millions of unemployed people and perhaps millions more furloughed from their jobs. The reality of economic, social, family, and personal crisis could not be starker. Yet even in the midst of this, there is a silver lining for talent.

Employers have to make tough decisions to stay in business. This means deciding which of their talented employees are essential to keep them in business and can best help them emerge from the crisis. Sometimes this is a numbers game, but it is also a time to assess the talent bench. Strangely, it is also a time for employers to be aware that some great talent is now in the job market or furloughed and considering other options. Similar to speculating on equities in a bear market, some employers are thinking about attracting others to join them as the economy emerges from the doldrums.

Innovation

Most people have had to innovate in the pandemic fall-out. Whether it is just working out a new daily routine, making masks or learning how to operate Zoom calls. There are of course some who choose to escape or simply bury their heads in the sand. They will be left behind, or they may simply be content in their own corner of the planet. Businesses are having to operate differently, customers shop differently, families communicate differently, and habits are changing rapidly.

Stress and crises are great catalysts for change. A walk back through history teaches us that lesson. Now is the time for entrepreneurs, innovators, and dreamers to step forward like never before. We can adapt, we can demonstrate agility, and we can hasten invention at this time.

Time

The daily commute, business travel, and nowhere to go. All of these have invaded our lives. For many parents, children have also filled their daily lives like never before. The dynamics of how we have used time and how we need to adjust, has meant a recalibration of daily routines. For some, this has meant less time to spend on their own, for some it has meant more time with the family, and for others it has meant way less social interaction. Regardless of which camp people fall into, the use of time has changed.

Maybe the crisis will cause us to value time more. To realize that there are more important things than striving to earn more money, or that we need to invest in relationships more, or simply that we have had a few things out of balance. A silver lining to the pandemic may be that people value time in a new way.

Can virtual classroom learning be as effective as in-person?

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virtual learning

Virtual classroom learning is going through the roof during these times of social distancing, restricted travel, and working from home. So, is it as effective as in-person learning? Why don’t we switch to this modality entirely? Afterall, it saves money, time, and facilities.

Inevitably with a topic like this there are those who will argue strongly on both sides of the question. I try to adopt a position of reasonableness and pragmatism, not underestimating the fact that seismic events such as the one we are now experiencing can change the paradigm.

Let’s examine the “Yes” answer to the question.

A lot of the impact of virtual classroom learning is dependent on the artistry and instructional design of the solution. Tools such as Adobe Connect and Zoom provide excellent platforms. But the existence of a good tool does not guarantee a great learner experience. A lot of thought needs to be given to the interactivity of the learning in order to not only keep the learner engaged, but to ensure that learning takes place. A challenge for all learning and development is, “does it add value and make a difference?” If it doesn’t, why spend money on it!

Great learning solution design is essential. It is also vital that virtual learning integrates elements of application – much the same as in-person learning. So, including actual learner experiences and examples is important for relevance, as well as creating a bridge to apply the learning directly to work and behavior change. For example, pre-learning might include learner analysis of how current performance is delivered and measured. The learning program can then overlay principles and models that outline best practice. The learner can appraise present state against a desired state by applying learning principle taught in the virtual classroom. This can then translate into an actionable plan on return to the workplace.

One of the biggest questions raised with virtual learning is “what about behavioral-based learning?” I would argue that virtual experiences can still impact behavioral change. Engaging the learner through virtual break-out discussions, reflection, assessments, and action planning, all help with this. Accompanying any virtual classroom experience with feedback, coaching, manager check-in, and strong application opportunities, can only strengthen the opportunity for behavioral change. Of course, this change to behaviors requires personal accountability, and this can often be supported if virtual learning programs have more than one module. Multiple modules can facilitate practice and report backs.

So, what about the “No” arguments.

Despite the skills and ingenuity of virtual content designers, as well as the charisma and professionalism of facilitators, there will always be arguments as to why virtual learning doesn’t deliver the impact of in-person learning. I would prefix the argument by “it depends on the learning.” There is no doubt that skills and knowledge transfer can be accomplished virtually. I also know that behavioral change can be stimulated using virtual learning, if the support mechanisms are implemented as mentioned in the last paragraph of the “Yes” argument.

There are some in-person learning experiences that are however difficult to replicate in a virtual way. For example, programs that include high levels of senior leader interaction, simulations, practice, project collaboration, and experiential or immersive activities. Each of these on their own can be done in a virtual way, but there are inevitable compromises in the depth and concentration of the experience. Asking people to learn through their laptop screens for hours on end, regardless of the mix of virtual experiences, is different to the diversity of focal lengths and interactive experiences they experience in-person.

The type and temperament of individuals who learn well virtually also plays a role. Some people may not find they can be as expressive as they would like, or their interactions are more transactional. Of course, the reverse might be true for those who find in-person learning a challenge to their introverted nature. Either way, virtual learning changes the dynamics of human interaction purely because it is through an electronic medium.

It may be that our world is changing irreversibly through current events. It is almost inevitable that the demand for virtual learning will increase, as will the skill levels at designing and delivering it. Can virtual classroom learning be as effective as in-person? Yes and No. That’s the ambiguous and changing world we live in.