LeaderLine

You Never Forget How a Validating Leader Makes You Feel

Today at a conference, Frank Maguire (http://www.frankmaguire.com) shared an anonymous observation worth repeating: "People will forget what you said. They will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel." Frank continued, "I'm not a motivational speaker. I'm a validating speaker. I validate what you have done."

Instead of motivating others, a leaders is to validate others by catching them motivating themselves. When you have to be the motivation for your team, you have to be there. Being the motivation for others is draining and no one is satisfied with the results. The leader feels the team is not motivated enough; the associates feel discounted and undervalued. 

By being the mirror to the light that comes from others, you allow them to take satisfaction in making a difference. You turn it from being your job to motivate them to it being their opportunity to win their own victories.

What are you doing to catch your people motivated? A recent attendee at one of my own programs told me a habit that their CEO used in talking to associates. He would say, "I've heard from your boss that you are doing great things. Tell me what you have found is making the most difference for you in getting those results." Not only did he give a compliment that validated the associate's boss, he invited them to share a best practice so his CEO could listen with pride in his accomplishment. I'm sure he went on to positively gossip about the lessons learned and the associates who taught him. Now, that is one CEO who understands how validation can encourage true motivation!

Think of the leaders in the past who made you feel special. Who could you call to validate for the difference they have made in your life? Make the call to thank them and tell them of the influence they had on your life. Then get busy validating your own people!

Using Three-Minute Huddles!

Paula Kaihla, in a Business 2.0 story, shared a best practice worth considering, "UPS managers have their own safeguard against slack. Every morning, and often several times per day, managers gather workers for a mandatory meeting that lasts precisely three minutes. The talk starts with company announcements, from benefits updates to bulletins about software upgrades on drivers' handhelds. The managers go over local information, traffic conditions or customer complaints. Every meeting ends with a safety tip. The meetings ensure that workers are always kept in the loop, and the 180-second limit helps enforce systemwide punctuality. The practice has been so successful that many hourly office workers now start their days with a three-minute huddle of their own."

Meetings expand to fill available time. Having a three-minute limit gets everyone focused on what's worth saying. Such meetings help keep everyone focused on key priorities and reinforce the value of shared information and team inspiration. Whether your huddles are three minutes or fifteen, you may want to give short team meetings a try.

It's been said that the greatest gift you can give to today's associates is to cancel a meeting! That means free time to actually get things done. Treasure the time of your people and value a focused meeting agenda that honors that value. Where would a huddle make sense in your organization? How could it save time and improve communication?

Source: Paula Kaihla, "Best-Kept Secrets of the World's Best Companies," Business 2.0, April 2006, pp. 82-96.