Personal Fitness-Team Fitness

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Five miles into the ride, the warm-up is over, we turn south on A-1-A and set up the pace line. Today, we have five riders. It’s a weekday, so the ride will be a quick 28 miles.

Mike takes the lead, Scott follows, then Rob, Henrik and me. There is a southerly flow in our face, so Mike pulls an easy 19-20 to the first set of buildings. The route ducks behind some condo towers and in the swirl, the speed climbs to 21. By now, the gaps are closed and the line becomes efficient. To be a part of this team, each member takes a turn on the nose, maximum effort into the wind. Macho and ego may play a part (of course it does), but it is the responsibility of the lead bike to keep up a respectable pace. If the leader on the nose sees the speed drop off, it is time to move left and signal the pace line up. A short respectable pull is more appreciated than a longer pull that slows down the line.

As the leader moves off the nose and back to the rear of the pace line, it is important to maintain enough speed to hook on the back and close the gap. A brief lapse in concentration and the pace line can run right past. If too much space opens up, the last rider might lose the wheel in front and suddenly find themselves “off the back.” Fighting the wind solo to regain the wheel in front may be beyond the rider, especially coming off the nose in front. In another minute, the current leader will be cycling back. Gotta close the gap. If I could only catch Henrik’s wheel. 4 feet, 3 feet, 2 feet… in… hold the gap. Don’t lose the wheel again. Mike comes off the front, Scott moves up, Mike will be hooking up in another 30 seconds. Close the gap. If Mike hooks up and I lose Henrik’s wheel, we will both be “off the back.”

The interdependence of the team requires each member to show up rested and fit. Each team member is responsible for conditioning, nutrition, overall aerobic fitness and strength.

When you look at your team, do they show up rested and fit? Does each team member take responsibility for their own conditioning, to support the interdependencies of performance? Business projects often require long hours, focused concentration, dogged determination, stamina. Success requires a clear head. It takes more than a willingness to close the gaps. It takes fitness (mental and physical) to execute, to move the bike (project). How fit is your team? What does fitness look like for you?

Managing Agreement

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This meeting was different. “Business as usual” was shattered like crystal on a marble floor. The usual comfort level was suddenly traded for a stomach flipping tension-filled discussion.

“I am sorry, but I have to disagree.” The silence dropped, eyes got wide, butts in chairs started shifting. Someone cleared their throat. This team was at a cross roads. The next few minutes would determine whether it engaged in productive work or disengaged to avoid the conflict currently on the table.

This is not a question of being able to manage the conflict, more a matter of managing agreement. In fact, the more the group tries to manage the conflict, the more likely the agreement will be coerced and compromised with the real issues suppressed, perhaps even undiscussable.

Conversely, if the group engaged in a process to manage agreement, the conflict might be heard, even encouraged, thoroughly discussed. Opposing viewpoints might be charted out and debated. Expectations might be described at both maximum success and dismal failure. Indicators could be created with contingency plans for positive and negative scenarios.

Does your team manage conflict to make sure discussions are comfortable and efficient?

OR…

Does your team encourage spirited discussion of both sides of an issue? When things get uncomfortable, can your team live through the stress of conflict to arrive at a well argued decision?

When I look around the room and see that each person is comfortably sitting, I can bet the issue on the table is of little importance. But, if I see stomachs tied in knots, this issue on the table is likely to be important. —TF

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Time

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Lester has just returned, “That’s it boss, all done, what’s next?”

And with those innocent words, Lester has just defined the time-span for that specific task. Why is the time-span of a task so critical to the definition of that task? It is an attribute often overlooked. Time, hey, it takes what it takes.

For simple tasks, that take less than a day, or even 2-3 days, the importance of time-span is not so critical, but extend the time-span of a task (or a role) out to a week, out to a month, out to three months, and the dynamics become interesting.

What differences are there between a task that takes 3 days to complete and a task that takes 3 months to complete? In one word, predictability. Most of the elements required to complete a 3 day task are known, very specific, very concrete. Some of the elements required to complete a 3 month task may be unknown or may change prior to the completion of the task. This predictability (or unpredictability) is what makes one task more complex than another. “Yeah, so what’s the big deal about that?”

The “big deal” is that time-span, as an indicator for complexity, can become a discrete unit of measure for the complexity of any task. How complex is a task? If you can describe the time-span of the task, you have just described the complexity of the task. The importance of this measurement is that time-span can be described very specifically. I may not know how to specifically measure the “complexity” of a task or project, but using time-span, I can nail it to the wall: This project has a three-month time span with a deadline of February 15.

Questions:

  • If I can measure the complexity of a project using time-span, can I select a Project Manager using time-span?
  • If I can determine the maximum time-span of a person, can I determine suitability for a role in our company?
  • Can I test a person on the basis of time-span , as they grow and mature, to determine capability for more responsibility?

Hint: the answer is yes. —TF

The Bio-feedback Days

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Remember the bio-feedback days. It was all the rage, an entire arm of the psychology, self-help, medical community started a little cottage industry. I don’t know where it started, maybe with the old lie-detector machines that measured Galvanic skin response. The essence of the science was that various stimuli in the environment create predictable biological responses in the body, sparking electrical and chemical changes in brain patterns and hormone levels. It’s what gives you the sweats when you get nervous.

You don’t hear much about bio-feedback anymore, but the bio-responses in your body are still very real. As a Manager, these bio-responses can work for you and against you. For the most part, bio-response is unconscious, we don’t know what is going on inside, but the hormones are being released nonetheless. As brain patterns change or hormone levels build, if the Manager can become sensitive to the change, two very important things can occur.

  • Heightened intuition
  • Channeled reaction

Charlie was in my office yesterday. We were talking about mostly nothing for a half a minute, when I suddenly became uncomfortable. Something happened inside of me, mostly with my stomach. I wasn’t in discomfort, but there was a significant twinge. Some people believe that intuition is unexplainable, but I think intuition is simply getting in touch with the bio-responses that unconsciously occur all the time.

The twinge in my stomach was caused by a short silence, a white space in the conversation. I had asked a question about Charlie’s last meeting with his boss. There was no response from Charlie. Silence in a conversation often causes a momentary awkwardness, which is a bio-response to “I don’t know where this conversation is going next? I thought I knew, but I don’t know now. I wish I knew, but I still don’t know. I hope this conversation get some direction soon, because this awful silence is killing me.” BOOM. That’s the bio-response. Heightened intuition (simply getting in touch with the bio-response) tells me that we are talking about something more significant than the weather. The first important element of bio-response is heightened intuition.

The second is channeled reaction. The automatic (unconscious) reaction to a bio-response is to avoid. Do anything to make this feeling go away. The silence was awkward. The automatic (unconscious) response is simply to “talk.” Make the silence go away. If I talk, the silence will be gone, the awkwardness will be gone and I won’t feel this way. It is also likely that the conversation will steer back to a discussion of the weather.

Channel the reaction. When the Manager becomes aware of the bio-response, the reaction can be channeled productively. My bio-response to Charlie was a twinge in the stomach. The twinge told me that this conversation had potential to be more meaningful. I could avoid it or I could engage. Avoiding it would be easy, simply talk to fill the silence, talk about anything. OR, I could engage, and channel the reaction. I could let the silence continue. I could let the silence do the heavy lifting to move this conversation to the next level. Something significant had happened between Charlie and his boss and Charlie needed to talk about it. We could have talked about sports, or we could have engaged in a meaningful discussion that had real impact on Charlie.

The bio-response gives the Manager a heightened sense of intuition and the possibility to channel the reaction to a more productive outcome. Listen to the twinges, watch for white space in conversations. —TF

Thou Shalt Not Kid Thyself

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In his book, the Effective Executive, Peter Drucker talks about the most basic principle of Time Management, the principle of Awareness. Knowing how you spend your time is where it all starts. In my management class, I assign each participant the exercise of tracking their working time over a one week period. When Drucker makes this assignment, he recommends hiring someone to follow you around to make more accurate notes of your wanderings during the week. The recommendation has less to do with accuracy and more to do with capturing the truth. I know full well that my class participants are not going to engage an assistant to follow them around. They laugh about the high cost of such a simple task and that no one would approve the budget item to be followed around.

So when I send my students off to make this accurate record, I know they will not heed Drucker’s advice, so my admonishment is, “Remember the 11th commandment. Thou shalt not kid thyself.”

A week later, the results are always interesting. The recordkeeping for the week fits on a single side of an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet. Down the side are the time increments, across the top are the days of the week. In each time increment (of 15 minutes), I ask them to record their activity. Activities lasting more than 15 minutes simply occupy more blocks on the page. With their weekly log in hand, at the top, I have them identify 5-6 of their important Key Result Areas and armed with highlight pens of different colors, I ask them to color code all of their activities.

The patterns of color yield a very quick analysis. A dominant color would indicate a high priority in that Key Result Area. The coaching question is, “Does the real priority of the Key Result Area match the color dominance on the weekly Time Awareness Chart?”

A missing color would indicate that one of the identified Key Result Areas was ignored during that week. The coaching question is, “Did you forget about activity in that Key Result Area, or did you omit the activity on purpose?” On purpose is actually a better response than realizing the ball got dropped through forgetfulness.

But, what about the areas where there is no color at all? The time block indicates activity, but no color seems to match the activity. First blush might indicate that time is being wasted. My contention is that most managers do NOT waste time. Most Managers I know are most always engaged in important activity. The absence of color simply indicates the important activity is not connected with any Key Result Areas of the Manager. Likely, it was connected to a Key Result Area of someone else who cleverly involved the Manager.

The first principle of Time Management is awareness. If you think this exercise might benefit you, remember, “Thou shalt not kid thyself.” —TF

Visible Teamwork

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We were running north with a hint of a tailwind. Glancing at the bike computer, we were running an easy 23 mph. Six cyclists in a pace line. The lead cyclist was creating the forward wind tunnel, expanding larger as each team member passed through. Even with a 5 mph tail, at 23, we still had 18 mph of head wind. The efficiency of the pace line allowed the team to run quicker than a single cyclist alone. The leader on the nose can put maximum effort into the wind, with the rest of the pack safely tucked in behind. The pace line rotates its leader to keep fresh legs up front.

In the dark, the approaching car was easy to see, its headlights piercing out from a hidden driveway. The halogen beams continued to brighten the road in front. We could see the car, the car couldn’t see us.

“Car right! Car right!” echoed off the passing buildings. The pace line, which had been a steady snake for the past 7 minutes suddenly began to bunch, alternating riders cheated left and right. “Slowing!” yelled the lead. Each rider focused simultaneously on bike separation, an escape path and the intersecting car. What would happen next? The riders were bunched, speed had dropped to 18, the efficient wind tunnel disappeared, each bike now flaring its own path into the resistant air.

The headlights stopped. The lead rider made eye contact with the driver and held up a stopping hand. The driver clicked to high beam and back to low.

The lead rider came out of his saddle and pressed hard into the wind, pushing back to 20. The second rider came back from the left and tucked in behind the lead 24 inches off the wheel. Each successive rider adjusted position, pressing into the forming tunnel.

If I could just catch Henrik’s wheel. The last rider hooks on and yells, “I’m on.” Rider 4 yells, “We’re on,” and the lead hammers back to 23. In the short space of 8 seconds, the pace line approached danger, lost its effectiveness, then regrouped into a highly interdependent efficient team.

How does your team run its pace line? When circumstances throw it off course, how quickly does it react to protect itself? How does your team re-establish its operating groove? What is communication like? How quickly does the wind tunnel return? Does your team practice this drill? –TF

Home Field Advantage

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  • Familiar Turf
  • Cheering Crowd

Why do sports teams statistically have better records for home games than road games? In their championship series, why do sports teams jockey for playoff positions that award home-field advantage ? What impact does home-field advantage have on Motivation?

The locker room for the home team has individual accomodations, with names on each locker. Each player sleeps in their own bed the night before, life routines are simply routine. If a problem arises, any team member (including coaches and administrative staff) can tap into readily available tools, or hit the supply cabinet (readily stocked).

The visiting team is in unfamiliar surroundings, life routines are interrupted. Accomodations are adequate but anonymous. If a problem arises, the team member might have to improvise or “do without.” No hugs from family here, just the cold hard reality of a rival field of play.

Though there may be occasional fans supporting the road team, the majority of the cheering crowd is firmly in support of the home team. What is the impact of an engaged stadium full of “positive noise?”

What are the lessons in home-field advantage for the working manager?

  • Identity
  • Comfortable familiar environment
  • Problem solving systems
  • Available resources
  • The right tools
  • Ample supplies
  • Hugs (Support from the extended team)

The challenge for the manager, in the supervision of a team is to create an environment of home-field advantage in the workplace.

The Face of Fear

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Eight managers and a senior VP sit around the table, this table of Eager Beavers, Vacationers and Hostages. What will prevent them from participating? What will drive them to contribute with enthusiasm?

“Houston, we have a problem!!” booms the senior VP. Enter FEAR stage right. The VP has just raised the spectre of fear. Here’s the question, “Does the way you state the problem have anything to do with the way people approach the solution?”

I could see the Face of Fear as I looked around the room. The silent responses were predictable. The darting eyes spoke volumes. Beneath the whisper level, emotions pounded.

  • It wasn’t my fault, (was it?)
  • It couldn’t have been my fault, (could it?)
  • It was supposed to happen that way, (wasn’t it?)
  • Since it wasn’t my fault, it must have been Tim’s fault (right?)
  • I didn’t approve that, (did I?)

Multiply those responses by the eight managers and then calculate what has been accomplished so far. What headway has been made toward solving the problem in Houston? Worse yet, if no headway has been made, what direction is everyone looking?

Does the way you state the problem have anything to do with the way people approach the solution? The mindset around the table is looking for blame, a scapegoat, something, anything to deflect responsibility for the problem in Houston. Everyone is checking out, the quicker the better, last one standing holds the bag. Disengage, no eye contact, pass the buck, Chuck.

As the Manager, you don’t know who has the idea that is going to save the day. You cannot afford to have a single person disengage from the meeting. You need full engagement from everyone in the room for the entire meeting. One idea, one phrase, one twisted word may trigger the solution.

Does the way you state the problem have anything to do with the way people approach the solution? Take the problem and create a positive question that points toward the solution.

HCW?… HCW?… How Can We?… How Can We increase sales in our Houston territory? Take the problem and create a positive question that points toward the solution. Now, look around the room. You will find positive engagement. It is impossible not to. (Sorry, for the double negative.)

A bit of science. The human mind cannot “not answer” a question. (Another double negative.) The way the human brain is wired, when presented with a question, it is impossible for the mind to do anything other than search for the answer. If you want to engage the mind, ask it a question. If you want to engage a team, ask them a question. If you want to engage a team to solve a problem, state the problem as a postive question that points toward the solution. HCW? How Can We…? —TF

Who’s Bright Idea is it Anyway?

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I looked around the room at the management team. It was a ragtag team, like most companies I work with, no starched white shirts here. The meeting had been convened to solve a nagging problem out on the plant floor. For the past two weeks, an elusive product defect had been showing up, but only detected right prior to shipping. This team of eight included representatives from all the major production areas as well as the VP of Operations. As I surveyed this motley crew, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Which person would have the insight, the brilliant idea that would save the day?”

This group was not unlike most classes I teach, where predictably, there are three types of participants. The first type of person always shows up early, helps to arrange the classroom, sits on the edge of their chair and whenever I ask a question, raises their hand, waving frantically for my attention. This is the person I call the Eager Beaver.

The second type of person is never early, but never late. I call this person the vacationer. They are very happy to be in class, because after all, they are not back in their cubicle at work. Responding to a discussion, sometimes they will participate, sometimes they won’t, doesn’t really matter to them, because, after all, they are on vacation.

The third type of person is precisely punctual, sits in the back of the room with their arms folded, daring any person around to engage them in anything, as if to say, “Just try to teach me something!!” This is the person I call the hostage.

Which one of these three is going to have the insight, the brilliant idea that is going to save the day?

It might be the Eager Beaver, perhaps the vacationer, might it be the hostage? For the manager, here is the dilemma. You don’t know. You don’t know which one is going to save the day. This is the reason no manager can afford to have a single team member disengaged. We need maximum participation from every team member. No coasting in my meetings. Everybody plays.

How often do we sit in meetings, watching people check out? They surreptitiously check e-mail on their Blackberry when they think no one is looking. They have one ear open to the meeting, one eyed glancing at a report they were supposed to review yesterday. One brazen team member even has their laptop open on the table, supposedly taking notes of the meeting. A sideways glance shows they are downloading e-mail and checking their horoscope.

Who is responsible for creating a different atmosphere, a different context? Who is responsible for creating the crucible in which a problem can be explored, alternatives generated and a solution selected? Who is responsible for creating the kind of meeting where each team member is engaged from beginning to end? Who indeed?

If that’s you in the mirror, the next question is “how?” How can you create maximum participation from every person in the room? How can you create full engagement? —TF

Motivation vs Manipulation

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My kid is in the back seat on the way home from school. I want him to put on his seatbelt. “Son, I tell you what, you put your seatbelt on and we’ll stop at McDonalds so you can have vanilla shake.”

Motivation or manipulation?

Okay, it’s positive reinforcement, but is it motivation or manipulation? Positive manipulation?

“Son, I tell you what, you put your seatbelt on or else, when we get home, there will be no computer access for the night.”

Motivation or manipulation? So, this is more clear cut. Negative manipulation. So, whichever carrot or stick I use, my kid puts his seatbelt on, what do I care? When, as a manager, you want your team members to do something, and they do it, what do you care how you got them to do it?

“Red Team, I know it’s Friday and it’s 5:00pm and most of you are ready to go home, but if we could all stay another half hour, we got pizza coming. If everyone stays, we can get this project finished in the next 30 minutes.” Motivation or manipulation? If everyone stays, what do you care?

Don’t get me wrong. Manipulation is not necessarily a bad thing. I have always said the manager carrying a well-maintained sidearm is a force to be reckoned with… But here is the critical difference for managers.

Manipulation gets short term compliance as long as the Manager is present. And sometimes, that’s enough. The critical criteria are:

  • Duration of the behavior
  • Compliance
  • Presence of the Manager

Motivation gets longer term commitment and the presence of the Manager may not be required. The same criteria exist:

  • Duration of the behavior
  • Commitment
  • Presence of the Manager

Before the Manager makes a decision about the current ploy to gain cooperation from team members, these are the questions to ask:

  • How long do I need the behavior to last?
  • Do I need commitment, or will compliance be good enough?
  • As the Manager, will I be present, or do I want to be present for the duration of the behavior?

Understanding these three differences between Motivation & Manipulation will help you decide which approach you want to use. Motivation takes time to figure out, but the impact lasts a lot longer. —TF