Recognizing and Navigating Credit Theft in the Workplace (Taking Credit Series 1/2 )

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you put in the hard work on a project, only for someone else to take credit for your efforts?  It's an unfortunate scenario that can be demoralizing, but there are effective strategies to set the record straight and address this issue.

This article will delve into common ways credit can be unjustly claimed, and the next one will explore strategies to respond effectively.

Common Scenarios of Credit Theft:

1. Peers who Share your Ideas.  Picture this scenario - you share your innovative ideas with peers, and they either remain silent or attempt to discourage you.  Later, in front of leadership, one of them presents your idea as their own, which is well-received, and they are now put in charge of the project.

2. Colleagues Omitting Credit for Your Work.  When collaborating on a project, a coworker presents to leadership and consistently uses "I" instead of "We" without mentioning your contributions.  It can be frustrating when you added just as much, if not more, and because they were the face of the project, they assumed all the credit, even if you were the more prominent behind-the-scenes player.

3. Boss is Taking Credit For Your Work.  Imagine spending weeks developing a strategy, only for your boss to present it to his leadership team as his own without acknowledging your contribution.  They were even on PTO during part or most of the planning process and were not really clued into all the details, yet they were the mouthpiece for the plan. What’s most egregious is that you only learned that they presented it as their own and gave you no credit when you had a conversation with his peer about getting promoted and they responded that you needed to strengthen your strategy-setting muscle.   You are baffled because you just built the whole strategy for the next year so you conclude that your name was not attached to your body of work.

Credit taken is quite common in politics.  Representative Pete Stauber voted against Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill in Nov. 2023.  Yet months later, in January 2024, he bragged how excited he was to have received funding for Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District to improve 29 airports without saying where the money had come from.  He aimed to take credit for other people’s hard work by bragging about something he was directly against.

4. Ideas Taken During Meetings.   You may start to share an idea in a meeting, only to have your audience initially overlook it.  Later, another person repackages and presents your idea as their own, receiving a positive response from the attendees.  Something similar to this situation happened recently with one of my clients; she was the idea’s originator and brought in partners along the way for others to pitch in on small areas when needed. During one meeting, when she was presenting, one of the partners spoke up and added information and ended up assuming control of the meeting because all the future questions were directed to him.  He provided the answers like he had been working on it from the beginning, even though he led only a small part and was not the overseer and was brought in well after the projects started.

5. Appropriation in Professional Networks.  Entrepreneurs and independent contractors may face this in a professional network group that aims to support each other.  You may be sharing some ideas, perhaps, a workshop you want to run, and you want to get feedback from the group.  You later learn that your peer has packaged that program and started offering a version on their website without your permission. This feels hard because a lot of trust has been betrayed; you offered your ideas to get supported and not copied for others to profit.   Or, if you are doing an exercise on defining your mission and niche and others have shared their first draft and they seem really unclear, then you share yours, which is well articulated and thought out and you realize as the program continues, people are now using your niche because your work has influenced their thinking.  This can be quite frustrating because you put so much time and effort into getting clear on your authentic messaging and having it on your website, and they come in and try to take some of that language and shortcut the process for themselves.

6. Ideas Taken in Interviews.   During interviews or proposal submissions, you share ideas on workshops you want to deliver with the hiring manager. You do not get hired for the job but later learn that big pieces of your presentation were used by their internal team to deliver the content and exercises. It almost felt like the meeting was taken just to get fresh perspectives on what to do with no intention of procuring an outside contractor.

7. Diminished Introductions by Others.   Sometimes, peers or colleagues may introduce you in a reduced capacity, downplaying your role or contributions to a project.  I had a client who was running a project and was designated as the primary liaison for the visiting CEO.  Her peer who initially received the CEO introduced my client in a reduced capacity, basically saying she was helping to take care of some local logistical pieces even though she had a much bigger role. She has been misrepresented, and I would love to correct the record, but I do not want to seem petty.

Credit theft in the workplace is an unfortunate reality that many individuals face. It occurs for various reasons, ranging from insecurity and competitiveness to a lack of awareness about the importance of giving credit where it's due. By recognizing the common scenarios in which credit theft occurs, we can better prepare ourselves to respond.

Quote of the day: "Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not." - Oprah Winfrey

Question: Do you have examples of when somebody took credit for your work?  How did you respond?  Comment and share your experiences below; we’d love to hear.

The next blog in this series 2/2 will focus on strategies for reclaiming credit after a robbery. 

As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with leaders to communicate effectively including strategically self-promoting, contact me to explore this topic further.

Has somebody taken credit for your ideas? What did you do?

Elevate Your Team’s Success (Self-advocacy series 7/7)

In addition to ensuring your contributions are visible, consider doing the same for your exceptional yet often unnoticed teammates and colleagues, particularly those who belong to underrepresented groups.

Let's explore ways to highlight other’s work:

1. Acknowledge Their Achievements. Recognize your teammates' accomplishments through thoughtful gestures such as gift cards, congratulatory lunches, or public acknowledgments on a Kudos board. When you celebrate their successes, you not only incentivize continued excellence but also convey their value to the team. Leadership Author Kevin Cruz highlighted that this recognition can significantly enhance performance and engagement.

2. Invest in Their Professional Development. Encourage and support your team members’ professional growth.  Provide opportunities for training, workshops, or courses that can enhance their skills and knowledge. Investing in their development benefits them, strengthens the team's capabilities, and advances the organization.

3. Provide Stretch Assignments. As a leader, identify your team members' strengths and assign them tasks or projects where they can showcase these abilities. Matching skills to opportunities for growth can profoundly impact their careers.  Columbia Law professor Alexander Carter shared a story of when all the lawyers from her class got together one month into their jobs to give talks.   The professor in the back of the room pulled her aside and let her know she was a fantastic speaker.  She said she would like to put her on a committee that gives legal presentations, and that allowed her to have so much more practice, which led to her incredibly successful career.

4. Offer Them Visibility with Leadership. Invite your teammates to meetings with you to increase their exposure. In leadership gatherings, amplify your team's voices and ensure their ideas receive proper credit. For example, you can say, "Jill's innovative approach to this event significantly improved employee satisfaction and connection. Jill, could you elaborate on this?" Or, “Bill came in with the winning idea that helped us gain the client’s trust.  Bill, can you share your strategy?” This practice elevates your team's contributions and highlights their significance.  You can take it a step further and put them on a substantial project so they can play a significant role by presenting to the executive team.

5. Endorse Them Privately.  Even when they are not present, endorse your teammates to your peers by discussing their achievements and sharing valuable insights your team has gained from them. Reference their ideas and represent their perspectives to contribute to their credibility. Incorporate any testimonials from key stakeholders or customers to reinforce their reputation.

6. Share Credit on Projects. Always acknowledge the team members who contributed to a project's success. Similar to the acknowledgments in a book or an Oscar winner's acceptance speech, emphasize that your success is a collective effort. Mention how your team played a pivotal role in making this happen. People appreciate success stories more when credit is attributed where it's deserved.

7. Express Appreciation of Your Team to Your Boss. When your teammates excel, send appreciation emails and consider copying your boss. This practice not only recognizes their accomplishments but also highlights their value within the team. 

8. Publicize your Team’s Efforts on Your LinkedIn.  Randelle Lenoir, VP Branch Leader at Fidelity Investments is a pro at this.  After speaking to her mentor, she set a goal for herself to post one thing on LinkedIn each week:  a photo of the team doing important work, a recent win they collectively had, or just an individual achievement.  One of the most popular posts was when a younger member held his certificate and announced that he had just passed his series 7 exam.  She usually has good engagement with other team members, chiming in during the celebrations. The impact this has had is that she has developed a pipeline of great people who want to work for her because they see how excellent the culture is.  This allows her to be agile in creating movement for current members, if they want to move on and do something else, she can pull from her waiting list.

By implementing these strategies, you can actively contribute to the success and recognition of your team members, creating an environment where everyone's contributions are acknowledged and celebrated. 

Quote of the day. "Great things in business are never done by one person; they're done by a team of people." - Steve Jobs

Question. How do you effectively promote your team?  Comment and share below; we’d love to hear! 

As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with leaders to communicate effectively including strategically self-promoting, contact me to explore this topic further.

How do you promote your team’s successes?

Shifting Perceptions for a Promotable Future (Self-advocacy series 6/7)

If you find yourself passed over for a promotion but are determined to enact meaningful changes, there are effective strategies to shift perceptions and prepare for future opportunities.

According to Carol Kauffman, Founder of the Harvard Institute of Coaching, there can be a significant time lag between making behavioral improvements and others recognizing these changes, especially if prior behavior was viewed negatively. This transition can take several months, even up to a year. In cases where you've been labeled as challenging, stubborn, or self-centered, it may feel as if you're trapped in this perception.

Here are actionable steps to signal your growth and alter the way your supervisors and colleagues perceive you:

1. Promote Your Growth. Just as companies announce forthcoming product upgrades or service enhancements, market your efforts and substantiate your transformation with evidence. When a retail store undergoes renovation, they immediately inform customers, display a "coming soon" banner, and provide glimpses of the improved storefront or layout. You can apply this concept by openly sharing your personal development goals so they can begin to collect evidence to support those changes.  If you've received feedback about missing deadlines, communicate your commitment to meeting all deadlines without reminders.  If your manager sees you as someone who avoids problems instead of solving them, and you quietly change your behavior but don’t communicate what you are doing, they may not notice.  You can offer comments to show your proactively, such as, “I’m working on this challenge and maintaining full ownership until it is resolved. Here are some steps I’ve already taken; I’ll circle back when there is more to convey.”  If the same challenge arises in a larger team meeting, you can jump in and share that you are on the case and offer one thing you have done and your next step so they see you as having a good grasp of the situation.  You can also be diligent in your written communication.  If an email is sent to you and your manager, it is helpful to respond as soon as possible, letting them know you are on top of it and offering some next steps so they restore faith in your abilities.  When you alter your underlying behavior and showcase it, you start to create a new reputation. 

Bradley Cooper embarked on a similar issue of altering his reputation.  He is famous for being an incredible actor with hits like American Sniper and the Hangover Series and has received numerous academy awards, and is one of the highest-paid actors.  While his reputation was strong as an actor, he felt underutilized and wanted to Direct so when he pitched A Star Is Born to Warner Brothers, it was a big leap.  He got the job, received many Oscar nominations, and is widely recognized for being much more than a skilled actor.

2. Consistent Demonstrated Behavior. Consistently demonstrate the desired behaviors or qualities that you want others to perceive in you. For example, if you want to be seen as a proactive problem solver, consistently take the initiative to address challenges and find solutions. Send email updates without reminders to inform others of what’s going on. Over time, your actions will reinforce the new perception you're aiming for.

3. Demonstrate Leadership. Take on leadership roles and responsibilities within your organization or community. Leadership positions often have opportunities to showcase your abilities and qualities to a broader audience. Being a proactive leader who leads by example can change perceptions about your capabilities and potential for growth. 

3. Seek Feedback. Actively seek feedback to keep your changes at the forefront of others' minds. If you are working on improving your meeting management skills, engage your colleagues by informing them of your objective and requesting their input. Afterward, follow up with them to gather feedback on your progress. Regularly checking in on your goals will make others more aware of your efforts.

4. Seek Mentorship and Role Models. Seek mentorship from individuals with the qualities or skills you want to be known for. Learn from their experiences and let their guidance help shape your behavior and mindset. Having role models can provide real-life examples to emulate and inspire positive changes in how others perceive you.

5. Evaluate Alternative Paths.  In cases where the gap in perception seems insurmountable or when you lose motivation to change the situation, consider exploring new opportunities elsewhere. Sometimes, a fresh start in a different environment can offer the best path to advancement.

By focusing on these strategies, you can effectively change how others perceive your professional skills, capabilities, and potential.  

Quote of the day: “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Question:  How do you best shift perceptions? Comment and share below; we’d love to hear from you.

The next blog in this series 7/7 will focus on promoting your team. 

As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with leaders to communicate effectively including strategically self-promoting, contact me to explore this topic further.

How do you shift perceptions?

Mastering the Art of Promotion Requests: More Tips and Strategies (Self-advocacy series 5/7)

In the previous article, we delved into three crucial factors for seeking a promotion: accomplishments, vision, and passion.  This article will expand on these aspects and explore additional valuable tips.

1. Seek Endorsements from Allies.  Harness the power of endorsements from colleagues who can vouch for your leadership potential.  Approach them in advance to gauge their support and ask how they would describe your qualifications for a promotion. This not only strengthens your case but also provides insights for improvement.

2. Identify Decision Makers.  Promotions often involve a committee, especially at the higher levels. Discover their criteria and seek opportunities to collaborate with key decisionmakers on projects to showcase your capabilities and gain their support.

3. Have a Plan B.  If a promotion is not immediately available, consider alternative benefits. Request support for professional development, executive or leadership coaching, training opportunities, tuition reimbursement, or membership into professional organizations. Maybe they can connect you with a mentor so you can learn another part of the business, or you can ask to attend key executive meetings so you can gain greater visibility to the broader part of how the company operates, or push for a flexible schedule so you can enhance your skills and value.

If they say no to your promotion because of promotion freezes by the company and not because you are not ready, you can ask if you would have their support next time and get that verbal agreement in advance.

If they say no because they feel you are not ready, try not to leave the conversation unless you are clear on the 2-3 things to focus on to get promoted in the next cycle. You can ask what are two skills that people in that position demonstrate so you can start working on them.  Or, is there something you should stop doing that would help you advance in your career?

4. Cultivate and Leverage Authentic Relationships.   Before vying for a promotion, you should build a reputation as somebody who builds good relationships and is a team player.  Be willing to jump in for others, offer support, build on their ideas, and celebrate them.  When you realize that somebody is having trouble with a new program, volunteer to jump in and share so you can fast-track their learning; those gestures go a long way.  Maybe you hear another leader having trouble finding certain information, and that’s your area of expertise; you can email the information even without being asked to do so.

Also, it is okay to leverage relationships which are at the heart of building many successful careers. Madeline Albright got to know Bill Clinton and wrote him a recommendation, and then he returned the favor and nominated her to a critical political position; of course, she was qualified, but many other people were as well.  Men are good at exchanging favors, whereas women tend to give their time to help without expecting something in return.  This is what a typical exchange can look like for many women, your coworker John says, “Can you fill in the meeting for me tomorrow?” You respond, “I don’t think so, I have a lot going on.” He pushes and says, “I have another meeting where a key decision needs to be made and if I don’t show, that project will be delayed by weeks.  You relent and say, ok and he says thanks.  That should not be the end of the exchange.  It would help if you then signaled reciprocity.  “Sure, I’ll fill in, but I need your help on Thurs. morning to get this part of the work done.”   If you have no upcoming work that needs to get done, you can say, “You owe me one if I need coverage later on.  Sound good?”

5. Speak confidentially. Don’t be tentative in describing your skills and experience.  For example, “I’ve never held a position like this before so I’m not sure if my skills are an exact match.”  It seems like more of an issue for women because less qualified men are much bolder.  They may say, “I have exactly the skills you seek and easily meet the requirements because I’m excellent in x, y, and z.”  Replace your tentative language: “I think I can contribute,” with stronger language: “Here is how I plan to contribute;” “My track record shows that I’ll be able to…”

6. Define Your Desired Role.  You should know the role you are going for to make your case.  If the organization has created a new role, it is an excellent opportunity to define it as you cocreate the details.  If you suggest a new position, map out a job description while leaving space for them to add their thoughts, generating greater buy-in.  You are trying to make it easy for the other person to say yes, and if they have yet to learn the specifics of the role, they are more likely to say no because there are too many factors to consider.

7. Increase Market Rate Awareness.  Research market rates for similar roles at other companies to understand your value.  Internally, research on compensation packages of peers in comparable positions with similar team sizes should be gathered to negotiate effectively. 

8. Demonstrate Competencies.  Showcase how you already possess the competencies required for the next level. If there are some that you are not doing, you can offer your plan to fill those gaps.   

9. Address Concerns. Proactively address any concerns or reservations that decisionmakers may have. Offer practical solutions and share your vision for overcoming potential challenges.  For example, they may be worried that you have never run a team more than 10 so 30 is too big of a stretch.  You can walk through your vision of how you would manage that challenge.  Or, if you now have to start a partnership with the engineering team but have little exposure, you can talk about your plan to build relationships and collaborate efficiently.

10. Be Tactful in Disclosing Weaknesses.  Sharing your development gaps can be helpful, especially when you have an environment of trust and support.  When somebody has power over your pay and promotion, you can also be cautious, especially if you are unsure about the trust and depths of your relationship.  Instead of saying, “I have imposter syndrome running this team that are more experienced and older than me.” I would frame it in seeking advice.  “You have always been so helpful; I would love to learn your approach to running teams that have more experience than you?”

11. Correcting Misconceptions.  If you encounter misinterpretations or inaccuracies in feedback, address them promptly.  I was working with a leader once who was asking questions about a new vision that was rolled out.  The HRBP, who was in the meeting, labeled him as not quick to get on board.  There were no other data points to support that statement, yet feedback followed him for a long time.  When that happens, be sure to correct the record.  Schedule time with the person who gave the feedback to try to understand it better.  See if there are examples they can provide.  Share what you have been doing to bring people along.  Provide context for your approach. e.g., “At the beginning of a new initiative, I tend to ask many questions to gain greater understanding. It is so I am better prepared to answer questions that I will get from my team. The number of questions is more related to deeply understanding it than questioning your vision.”

12. Interview Elsewhere.  This is helpful because you learn about other opportunities, better understand your worth, and refine your self-presentation.  If you get an offer, you can take it to your boss as a powerful negotiating tool.  Sometimes, companies are reluctant to promote from within too quickly, but when faced with losing you, they magically find money because letting you go is more expensive than paying the extra money you want.  In fact, it can cost companies up to 100k or more to bring somebody in and onboard them.

13. Avoid Bluffing.  Honestly is essential. Never claim to have another offer unless you genuinely intend to accept it. Bluffing can damage your credibility and future promotion prospects. 

By incorporating these additional strategies into your promotion request process, you can effectively enhance your chances of success and navigate the complexities of career advancement.

Quote of the day: "If you don't ask, you don't get." - Mahatma Gandhi

Question.  Who do you know that is great at asking for a promotion?  What was their approach and why were they effective? Comment and share below; we’d love to hear from you!

The next blog in this series 6/7 will focus on ways to showcase your growth to shift perspectives. 

As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with leaders to communicate effectively including strategically self-promoting, contact me to explore this topic further.

How do you gain allies before you ask for a promotion?

5 Ways To Spark Full Team Participation (Team Series 6/10)

How do you encourage active participation from your team? 

Perhaps, you have an important decision to make and you want to get a lot of quality input in pursuit of the strongest solution.  So… you prepare the room, invite the key participants, and get ready to receive an abundant amount of ideas from every team member.  What you actually get instead is a group of mainly silent observers with a few dominant voices.  Indeed, it can be a challenge to get the very best from the group if there is not 100% participation.

Here are techniques you can use to encourage full participation:  

1. Call on quiet people.  Let people know in advance of the meeting that you value their opinion and want to include their voices so you would like to find ways to include them.  When you call on them it is because you are merely eager to hear their thoughts to reach the best decision possible.  This can have the intended effect of creating a safe space where they do not feel singled out and are more interested to share. To work with the style of introverts, you can give them some additional time to write their ideas first.

2. Use a default guideline, such as “silence denotes agreement.”  Author Bob Frisch talks about a common problem in meetings, which is when a potential new plan is discussed and when asked if anybody objects or has concerns, nobody says anything.  So the leader mistakenly assumes that everybody is on board.  A few days go by and some people begin to offer doubts, even though they had those same reservations at the time of the meeting.  To address this challenge, he recommends setting a key ground rule – silence means agreement.  This would prompt more people to open up; otherwise, it is safe to say that if they do not share, it is because they agree.  It is important to note that in a psychologically safe environment, people usually feel comfortable and empowered to contribute.  If this necessary condition is not present, there are other things that can be done to include people’s voices, but it is a temporary fix because psychological safety is an essential ingredient for long-term team success. 

3. Take anonymous polls.  People can write down their questions or concerns and deposit them in a box to be read aloud. They can also use polling websites that would allow them to submit their responses anonymously and have their answers projected for all to see in real-time.  A benefit is that potential problems can be aired for those people who may not want to speak up and possibly be seen as a naysayer.  This technique should be used sparingly because you want to try and have as much open discussion as possible, which is what you get in psychologically safe teams. 

4. Have small group discussions.  People are more likely to participate when they are just talking to one or two others.  After the time is allotted for them to flesh out their thoughts, each group can have a representative to report on the ideas or challenges.  This is also a great way to get introverts involved because it creates a more comfortable space to share.

5. Use empathy to elicit more voices.  Bob Frisch mentioned how people are more likely to speak up on others' behalf than their own.  A question, such as “what objections or concerns might your direct reports or other teams have,” can prompt additional participation.  This distance will allow them to share other people’s possible perspectives that may not have been offered if it was coming directly from them.

Each person on your team plays a vital part.  By not getting them involved, you are neglecting essential resources.  While there is no set way to encourage participation because it is a matter of doing what fits with your team and culture, building phycological safety and having communication norms will go a long way for creating excellence in teams.

Quote of the day: “Not all who are silent do not want to talk.” -Author Debasish Mridha

Q: What’s the best method you use to prompt somebody’s participation? Comment and share with us, we would love to hear from you!

*The next blog in this team series 7/10 will jump into the goal of achieving collective intelligence.

Full team participation can lead to your greatest discoveries

Your Team Needs Universal Agreements (Team Series 5/10)

Effective teams are intricately linked by a common purpose based on shared values and norms.  They believe that they can succeed or fail together.  The healthy teams have rules of engagement – explicit and implicit guidelines of how to work together and the kinds of conflicts they will or will not allow. Some agreements can be broad such as listen like you are wrong, assume positive intent, and be solution-focused. Other agreements can relate to specific activities like team meetings.

Here are some norms that can foster an excellent working relationship among teams in their meetings:

1. Encourage full participation.  Sometimes when you go to a meeting, there is somebody who sits off to the side and never says anything.  However, it is essential for everybody to be heard for buy-in to occur and for the greatest amount of ideas to be put on the table. What systems do you put into place to foster maximum contributions? For some ideas, you can check out my article, “5 ways to spark full team participation.”

2. Adopt the Devil’s Advocate Role.  Some people invoke this term to have license to say something unpopular or distasteful, but a real devil’s advocate provides an excellent service.  It gives people permission to challenge, disagree, and argue productively.  It is an excellent practice to test your idea and make sure it is really solid.  If your teammate is trying to tear it apart, poke holes, and undermine it, and you cannot adequately defend the idea, perhaps it is not ready yet for the mainstream. For this tactic to be effective, you need to have trust and psychological safety. You are more likely to give and receive challenges when there is an understanding that the goal of the tough inquires is to make your ideas even better, thereby benefiting the team.

3. Establish a “disagree and commit” culture.  This idea comes from Tech Co-founder Scott McNealy's larger point - “Agree and commit, disagree and commit, or get out of the way.”  Andy Grove, and most recently Jeff Bezos included this idea in his 2016 letter to shareholders.  Bezos expected and demanded that teammates voice their disagreement.  He also believed that no matter their point of view, once a decision has been made, everyone commits to its success.  He writes, “Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit. Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting.”  If you have two people battling to win the approval of their idea and one loses, that person could be so tied to their plan that they may not want to see the other person’s idea succeed.  But real teammates know how to spar to make each other better and then offer their sincere support and robust commitment because there is a bigger picture and a larger vision at play.  If you notice somebody not jumping on board, they may be elevating the individual over the group agenda. 

4. Speak last as a leader.  This advice was given to former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer by legendary Executive Coach Bill Taylor.  He said that when you go first and blurt out your ideas, you rob other people with the ability to share their perspectives.  While you may know the answer, it is vital to contribute last because you give the team the chance to partake in the process, synergize, and get there together, which is just as important as coming up with the right idea.

5. Elect the right people to lead the discussion.  If the conversation is about marketing, it should be led by the marketing department.  Most times, corporate politics can get in the way of the finest ideas prevailing, but the best managers put the person closest to the problem in charge of solving it because they have first-hand experience and unique insights. Innovation is not about only allowing important people with big titles to create, but driving forward excellent ideas regardless of where they originate.

6. Use the Six Thinking Hats Method.  Edward De Bono designed a system for group discussion and individual decision making by the use of six colored hats, which represent a type of thinking. 

• The WHITE hat is logical and fact-based where you analyze data and past trends.

• The YELLOW hat symbolizes optimism where you explore the positives and probe for value and benefit.

• The GREEN hat is creative and provocative where you offer possibilities and out-of-the-box alternatives to standard ideas.

• The BLACK hat is judgment, the devil’s advocate role, or why something may not work.  This hat is cautious and conservative and can be the most powerful but problematic if overused.

• The RED hat signifies feelings, hunches, and intuition. When using this hat, you can express emotions and share fears, likes, loves, and dislikes.

• The BLUE hat is used to manage the thinking process, it could be a meeting chair that directs the conversation and calls on certain hats when there is a lull or when contrast is required.

You can try on certain hats for a specific agenda item to yield a great variety of perspectives to form a more comprehensive picture. 

7. Use the Double Pro/Con Method.  This is great for when you are trying to foster fruitful discussion and see multiple perspectives.  If you have a group of 10, you would divide them into two groups of five.  

·      Each group of five will spend some time depositing ideas into the collective pool and then choosing the best idea they want to present to the whole group of 10.  

·      They will then divide themselves - 2 people representing pro and three people representing con and will discuss for 10 minutes so multiple points are displayed.  

·      Then they will switch roles where the three people are now for the proposal, and the two people are against it. This would be enlightening for the second group of 5 people to watch because they can see the contrasting ideas and tease out the nuggets of wisdom.  

·      You can then invite the second group to go through the method so the first group can have the benefit of witnessing multiple sides to a proposal.

Great teams do not just organically happen. When you are intentional about adding some structure and universal agreements, creativity and excellence can surely abound.

Quote of the day: “In teamwork, silence isn’t golden, it’s deadly.”  -Mark Sanborn

Q: What are some norms that you use which help your team perform at their best? Comment and share with us, we would love to hear from you!

*The next blog in this team series 6/10 will delve into 5 ways to spark full team participation.

As a Leadership Development & Executive Coach, I work with teams to set up universal agreements for peak performance . Contact me to learn more.

Which agreements allow your team to thrive?

To Unite Your Team, Build Psychological Safety (Team Series 1/10)

If somebody was to ask me about the most valuable skill you can develop to thrive in the work world - being an excellent team player is at the top.   A company is not about individuals, it is about a team, and knowing how to work with others effectively will add tremendous value to your life and the lives of others.

On one end of the spectrum, there are dysfunctional teams where personal agendas prevail and sabotage occurs.  On the opposite edge, there are great teams where everybody is growing, rowing in the same direction, and eliciting each other’s best.  The most important part of a great team is that it can satisfy a fundamental human need, which is to feel a sense of belonging through community. 

So, what are the magical ingredients that go into a high performing team?  In 2012, Google embarked on a quest to find out the answer to that question – how to build the perfect team?  They launched a major study codenamed Project Aristotle, inspired by the philosopher’s quote, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." They spent two years studying 180 teams and concluded that excellent teams at Google have the following five components: psychological safety, dependability, structure and clarity, meaningful work, and impact.

#1 Quality Of A Great Team: Psychological Safety

Have you ever been in a room with your team where you wanted to contribute or speak against an idea, but you stopped yourself because you thought, this could be stupid, I could get laughed at, people will think I’m dumb, or aggressive, or something worse?  So, you choose silence.  You rob yourself of taking a risk and potentially innovating. This strategy works for you because you are protected from those doom and gloom scenarios that you conjured in your mind.  Psychologist call this impression management, a conscious or subconscious process of regulating information in social settings.

Perhaps, a few seconds later, another part of you pushes through the discomfort and you speak up.  Oops, your worst fear is realized as you are interrupted and even shunned.  There is an absence of psychological safety, a climate where people feel comfortable being and expressing themselves.  Harvard Business School Professor Amy Edmondson says psychological safety is the “belief that it's absolutely okay, in fact, it's expected, to speak up with concerns, questions, ideas, and mistakes.”  Not having this condition can spell disaster, making teams rife with inefficiencies.

Unfortunately, most teams are not as psychologically safe.  Gallup data reveals that just three in ten U.S. workers strongly agree that at work, their opinions seem to count.  With no psychological safety, teams are holding back from interacting and potentially making mistakes.  It is when the co-pilot does not feel comfortable telling the pilot that something is wrong, or it is when the nurse does not want to speak up in the operating room for fear of reprisal from the doctor so the patient’s wrong organ is extracted.  Essentially, teams do not get to be at their best when they feel restrained. 

In a fascinating challenge, Peter Skillman, former VP of Design at Palm and Author Tom Wujec had a team-building competition where participants had to build a marshmallow tower made from spaghetti, tape, and string.  The only requirement was that the marshmallow had to sit at the top.  He ran this competition with different groups, such as kindergarteners, business school students, and lawyers.  The winner…reaching a whopping 26 inches were kindergarteners, while the average score for business school students was 20 inches.  This experiment showed that it is more about team interaction than the caliber of individual skill.  Kindergartens’ felt comfortable to take chances, fall flat on their faces, and try again. There wasn’t even an incentive that they get to eat marshmallows if they won! Business students were censoring their actions, sizing up everybody’s power in the group, and holding back their experimental approaches.  They were ensconced in too much drama and not enough risk-taking. The lawyers…well, they may have been more preoccupied with arguing in and out of their minds.

Edmondson has confirmed that psychological safety predicts quality improvements, learning behavior, and productivity.  When there is an opportunity for you to speak and feel fully listened to, you are more likely to take risks without feeling insecure or embarrassed and know that even if you fail, your teammates and managers will have your back.  Gallup data supports these benefits including, “a 27% reduction in turnover and a 12% increase in productivity.”

Ways To Build Psychological Safety: 

In her TEDx talk, Edmondson offers the first three actions individuals can take to foster psychological safety and I’ve added a few more:

1. Frame the work as a learning, not an execution problem.  It is not just about completing the work but creating space to talk about the work from the beginning.  Thinking about what we can learn from one another through discussion and debate before we jump into task mode.  It is about recognizing that we all have uncertainties and we cannot know everything individually, so we need to listen fully to each other and get all members involved to figure things out and collectively solve problems.  To do that effectively, it is imperative to have all brains and voices in the game.  To prompt your team’s involvement, you can let them know that you are missing perspectives and would find it valuable for them to identify a few.

2. Acknowledge your fallibility and vulnerability.  There will be times when you make mistakes and that’s ok because they will likely yield powerful learnings in which all can benefit.  Being vulnerable and openly sharing your missteps or bad news, will invite others to share, and that builds psychological safety and spreads learnings that prevent avoidable errors as opposed to concealing that information.   As a leader, when you offer small vital disclosures, it allows others to do the same without fear of being penalized.   

3. Model curiosity and ask questions. This practice creates an environment where people can always speak up when they have simple or complex questions.  As a leader, you can ask, “what are 3 questions that would be good to gain a better understanding of this challenge?  I do not want to move on to the next topic until we get some tough questions on the table.”

4. Have clear norms and agreements.  Ask team members what they need from each other to make their fullest and best contributions.  What behaviors would they like to exhibit and commitments they like to make in service of psychological safety.  Talking about these interpersonal interactions before jumping into the business will allow for effective and transparent communication. 

5. Have guidelines for productive disagreement.  Disagreements will most certainly happen.  What is the best way you would like to be respectful of others’ opinions when this happens?  How about when somebody gets naturally defensive, how do you want to handle this occurrence as a team so the exchanges are productive?

6. Ask for help.  Mistakes can be made when people do not seek support, and some people do not feel comfortable because of fear of being judged or feeling like they should know something when they don’t so ask the question will expose that potential incompetence.  So, what are those intentional steps team members can take to raise their hand and get assistance?  Are their designated helpers?  Sharing stories of teammates asking for help can normalize the practice and encourage others to do it and not be judged. 

7. Solicit feedback.  As a leader, do not assume people will voluntarily contribute regular feedback, you want to take steps to promote and encourage this practice to make it safe for them to raise concerns.  You can change the suggestion box to a problem box that encourages them to bring issues so the team can fix them.  If they would like to offer remedies or preliminary solves to those problems, that’s great, but it is not a requirement.  This is so people do not feel pressure to also find a solution to a problem they have discovered.  Some problems are deeply complex and need the minds of the entire team so no need to carry that full burden.

Being a part of a good team is a special experience because you get to be exactly who you are and have opportunities to grow in the process. Surrounding yourself with supportive high achievers will level up your abilities.  The best teams have psychological safety, the conditions where you feel comfortable to take interpersonal risks and know there will be no consequences because it is an environment without judgment; those freewheeling contributions are necessary for innovation.

Quote of the day: “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” -Helen Keller

Q: What does your manager do to build psychological safety in your team?  Comment and share with us, we would love to hear from you?

*The next blog in the team series 2/10 explores the other characteristics that comprise excellence in teams.

As a Leadership Development & Executive Coach, I work with teams to build psychological safety for peak performance. Contact me to learn more.

Psychological safety is necessary for building excellent teams.

Top 3 Reasons To Delegate (Delegation Series 1/4)

As a star performer, you have just been promoted to a managerial role and might be feeling tempted to continue to follow your usual routine of doing excellent work, while also trying to motivate the team to get results.   You start to notice that you have a pervasive feeling of being buried with assignments and keeping up feels like your biggest challenge.  The best skill you can foster to address this challenge is to learn how to be a master delegator.

Surprisingly, most managers do not delegate.  A 2007 study on time management found that close to half of the 332 companies surveyed were concerned about their employees’ delegation skills. At the same time, only 28% of those companies offered any training on the topic.  It is also quite possible that as a high achiever, you may not even be aware that you are unnecessarily hoarding work; after all, you are used to handling everything and getting results. 

A great way to learn if you are under-delegating is to keep a journal on how you are spending your time and look for patterns of low energy activities.   The most glaring sign that you may be insufficiently delegating is if you are always working long hours and having the feeling of being indispensable.

Top 3 Reasons To Delegate:

1. Maximize your contribution.  There are jobs that only you can do in your senior role so when you can spend more time doing just that and less time on work that can be done by others, you are advancing yourself and your company. Richard Branson said, “managers should delegate so they can put themselves out of business for that job and be free to think bigger.”  Proper delegation allows you to multiply your output and increase your high-value work.

2. Develop your people.  One of the most rewarding and important parts of your job as a manager is to grow your people.  A great way to do this is to motivate them to take ownership of the task, give them autonomy to experiment, learn from their mistakes, and have chances to flourish.  It is advantageous to give the entire job and support them in the process so they can experience control and success. Brian Tracy says that the average person works about 50-60% of their capacity, but the best managers know how to tap into their team’s potential to yield as high as 90 -100%.  Through effective delegation, managers can elicit the highest quality performance and build capabilities and confidence in their team.

3. Grow Your Abilities.  Effective delegation requires you to be a tremendous teacher, communicator, listener, and more.  Jeffrey Pfeffer, Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford said, “Your most important task as a leader is to teach people how to think and ask the right questions so that the world doesn’t go to hell if you take a day off.”  The more you can achieve outcomes through others, the more you are able to rise in your leadership journey and take on even more challenges and opportunities in your organization.  Indeed, great leadership involves putting in place a successful system that supersedes your influence.

Quote of the day: “Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.” – Jessica Jackley, Co-Founder of Kiva

Q:  What was the last thing you decided to delegate so you could have more time to do something else that was even more important to you? Comment and share your thoughts with us; we would love to hear from you!

The next blog in this series 2/4 will focus on setting up the delegation process

As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with leaders to help them delegate more effectively, contact me to explore this topic further.

How do you delegate?