Are Middles getting in the way of your progress?

It’s been my experience that many of the major blocks to change, growth, innovation, and more are tied to Middles: middle class and middle management.

The problems of having just enough

Middles tend to have just enough, so they fear risk that might cause them to lose what they have. Rags to riches stories don’t come from Middles. This group has a hard time seeing the potential gain because the potential loss is so overwhelming. You rarely hear Middles saying they are willing to risk it all. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, I’m a huge fan of small bets and what Jim Collins described as firing bullets before cannon balls. But Middles can struggle even with firing off bullets unless those bullets are fired in incredibly safe territory.

Middles also can’t afford bigger bets, so the adage of “it takes money to make money” serves as a roadblock. Because risk is such a major inhibitor, Middles can have problems taking the steps they need to make a major impact in their communities, churches, businesses, etc. When you have enough to be comfortable, but not enough to be carefree, comfortable is like living within giant walls covered in razor wire surrounded by a moat filled with crocodiles. No one is getting in, but no one is getting out, either.

Don’t screw it up!

Middle managers who share this risk aversion can kill progress in companies. They often live by the mantra “just don’t screw it up!” So they passively block innovative thinking, change within the company and new people with new ideas. The Middles don’t like new. They like big, comfortable, proven and safe.

We’re not in a safe economy. With innovation being the buzz word for companies of all sizes, having a culture filled with the Middles mindset can passively kill whatever progress upper management has in mind.

The absence of yes

One of my favorite statements related to the passive aggressive behavior of Middles came from a 2015 episode of the TV series The Good Wife. I’ll spare you the details of the show, but the line “The absence of ‘yes’ times time equals no” is a brilliant representation of the Middles code of compliance.

Think about it. You’re in a company that desperately needs to change to stay relevant and gain the best new talent, plus you need to innovate and offer up something new for your audiences. Upper management develops new foundations with a vision, mission, values, purpose, building a positive culture, etc. The Middles don’t say “no” to the change. They just don’t say “yes”, either.

Then it’s time to get innovative. Upper management is now under the belief that their teams are on board. Since they didn’t get much push back on the change initiatives, they believe everyone on the boat is rowing in the same direction and now will embrace innovation as well. The absence of no does not mean yes. Middles don’t like to say no, partly because saying no means they will have to defend their reasoning—and their reasoning may mostly be centered around the fact that they don’t like change. Especially in a culture where upper management is driving to a new destination, Middles don’t want to be seen as the boat anchors.

But don’t think for a minute that Middles agree with or support the progress. The absence of yes can be seen as passive agreement. That would be a mistake. Middles know that when it comes to organizational change and innovation, usually they just have to outlast the idea of the hour and then they can get back to managing their comfortable worlds. Thus, the absence of yes times time equals no.

So what can you do? Here are five suggestions for dealing with Middles and the Middles mindset.

Overcoming the Middles

1. Use Middles to strengthen the core. Middles aren’t all bad. They just don’t like risk and change. Middles might be excellent at managing the core of any organization and keeping the company on track. Embrace their strengths and focus on strengthening the middle.

2. Don’t ask Middles to lead change and innovation. In his excellent book “The Innovator’s Dilemma”, author Clayton Christensen recommended moving disruptive innovation outside the core of the company. Why? Partly because the Middles often treat innovation like a virus that needs to be attacked, passively or actively, by the body. Do your organization a favor and let the Middles focus on their strengths while enabling the Innovators in the organization room to move and grow.

3. Help Middles see the future. Middles need time to embrace change. Middles want the company to continue doing what it’s always done and, in some cases, get back to the glory days the company once enjoyed with its legacy products and services. Because they tend to not be early adopters, this is going to take more time than most organizations want to recognize. Understand this. Schedule time, training and work to get buy-in before all the decisions have been made so the Middles can see themselves as part of the future.

4. Get verbal agreements. If you’ve ever sat in an exit row on an airplane you’ve been asked by a flight attendant to give him or her your verbal acknowledgement that you know you are in an exit row and have the ability to manage the exit door in an emergency. They don’t take a chance that you might be able to do the job, because if the plane goes down, you managing that exit door could be a matter of life or death. You need that same kind of agreement within the company to know everyone will do what you think they will when the time comes. Don’t let the Middles passively kill progress with an absence of yes.

5. Be willing to make the change they can’t. Just as important as getting the right people on the bus is helping the wrong people find a different ride. Once the vision and expectations are set, the coaching managed and programs initiated, it’s time to keep an eye on progress. If key metrics aren’t being met—and this tends to be consistent over time—and team frustration grows, it may be time to help some Middles find new roles inside or outside the company. In some cases this is just a factor of the company taking a new direction and needing new skill sets, so coaching people out of the organization doesn’t mean they are damaged goods, simply that they may not fit the future as well as they did the past.

The truth is we need both Innovators and Middles in most organizations. Just know that they can cancel each other out and see each other as the problem. Knowing where the company needs/wants to go will help, but things can’t end there. Upper management has to keep an eye on progress and people who are truly part of the program. Embrace those who join the efforts to move forward. Coach those on the fence. Help the others find success somewhere else.

10 Ideas for Taking Charge of Your Career.

Whether you’re just starting out or rethinking your current situation, you’re in charge of you. Where you go from here is largely related to who you are, how hard you’re willing to work and what kind of impact you want to make in the world. Choose to be amazing.

Early in my career a mentor helped me see that I had a choice in how I worked my way through life. He said that though I’d never be able to control every aspect of what happened, I could control how I showed up, what kind of impact I had and how I felt about that impact.

I’ve collected the best advice I’ve received over the years and narrowed them down to the top ten. I’d love to hear what works for you.

1. Be YOU

Much of the world doesn’t like originals. They like things and people that are predictable. But you have a choice in the kind of life you want to live. I love Todd Henry’s statement that “cover bands don’t change the world.” They play someone else’s music over and over again. Don’t be a cover band. Be you.

2. Have big goals

Be willing to aim for lofty goals, so that even if you fall short you will have accomplished something and that something is relevant to you. Long-term goals help you have an idea of the smaller steps you need to take to reach them. If you’re focused only on today, you become very fragile when things don’t go your way. Things are going to be different than what you planned. You should plan on that!

3. Make a difference

Plan to make a difference, to learn and grow and change the world. Those things don’t happen overnight. They aren’t killed overnight, either.

I encourage people to take a moment each quarter and document what they did over the previous three months to have an impact. A lot of people struggle with that. They can tell me all the work they did, or number of projects or clients, or places they went. But not anything of significance. Don’t confuse effort with outcome. Plenty of people work very hard and have nothing of significance to show for it.

4. Worry about what you can control; not about what you can’t.

This was something I heard early in my career and is absolutely one of the most important lessons of my life. Obsess over things under your control but learn to give up the things outside of your control.

You can’t control how your presentation will be received by the people you present to, but you can control how much time, energy, thinking and general preparation you put into your presentation. I’ve found that when I did the heavy lifting on my end more often than not the outcomes came closer to what I had hoped. It’s when I cheated on the prep that things went badly.

5. Take what you do seriously, but not yourself

Learn to laugh. Enjoy your work and the people around you. Nobody wants to work around the office curmudgeon and they certainly won’t be around to help make your life better if you’ve made theirs a personal hell. Do great work but enjoy the ride.

6. Be curious

Stay open to what’s new and different and crazy and special. Stop trying to know the approach. There is no one approach. That’s a fixed mindset that says somehow you’ve arrived and now you can’t grow any further. Science proves that your brain can rewire itself continuously and learn new techniques. So keep up the curiosity.

7. Be amazing at something

Don’t be normal. Normal is boring and doesn’t leave a mark. Be amazing. It doesn’t matter what you choose. Find your passion and work like crazy to be amazing.

8. Be willing to fail

I guess I’m lucky here, because failing comes so naturally to me or because I’m willing to put ideas out there and get a reaction. A few years after college I was on stage one night playing my guitar and singing before several hundred people and forgot the second verse to a song. Oh sure, I had the guitar chords down, but the lyrics were gone. I could have walked off the stage embarrassed or I could have … yeah, walking off wasn’t an option. I asked the audience if they’d mind me singing a different song. They didn’t mind. I played, sang and finished the song in style. I’m convinced the big applause I received wasn’t so much because I did anything special but because I had just overcome one of the top nightmares for people performing in front of an audience. I think they liked knowing I didn’t spontaneously combust. I’ve performed thousands of times since then and had any number of issues pop up. But I’ve always survived.

9. Don’t make excuses

Good things happen every day. Bad things happen every day. Own your issues and improve when you screw up. You will screw up. Hopefully, because you’re going to be willing to fail and that means you’ll miss the mark sometimes. When that happens, be the adult in the room who takes the heat.

10. Be open to change

What I do now didn’t exist five and ten years ago. Technology I use every hour didn’t exist three years ago. It’s an amazing time to be alive. Go with it. Learn new things. Be curious. Have a growth mindset and enjoy the ride.

BONUS: Who you are is not who you will become

Take a good look in the mirror. Whether you love or hate what you see, you have a chance to make tomorrow something special. You’re not stuck. If today was lousy, make tomorrow better. You can control that. You should control that. In the end, be you. Be amazingly you. And change the world while you’re at it.

The Copy Paper Syndrome: why selfish behavior is killing your company from the inside out.

What difference can a few sheets of paper make?

We’ve all been there: you head over to the office copier, one that’s shared by a dozen or several dozen other employees who all bear the same responsibility for keeping it stocked with paper, only to find that the paper trays are empty. You look around for the spare reams of paper and find that those, too, are somehow missing.

Here’s where the syndrome kicks in: what’s your next move?

A) Walk to wherever the boxes of paper are stored and bring a whole box, or at least several reams, back with you and fill the paper trays while stacking up the extra paper for others to use later?

B) Walk to the paper storage area and retrieve a ream of paper so you can completely fill the tray you need?

C) Walk to the nearest other copier, grab a handful of pieces of paper based on what you need and return to your copier to finish the job?

D) Walk to the nearest other copier and take care of your task there, since that machine apparently has paper?

If you chose options A or B, you’re already in rarefied air in today’s me-first company cultures. Unfortunately, it is far too common to find employees and managers alike who focus on taking care of themselves and their needs rather than looking out for the good of the company and their fellow associates.

The perils of looking out for you versus looking out for us

Companies are made up of a variety of moving parts, all working together to make a product or offer a range of services. It takes everyone on the team to make that happen. When employees fill their days with only those items that are important to them, or are listed on the scorecard they are held accountable for, they miss the ‘working together’ principle of teamwork. If it’s always someone else’s job to do the little things, then the organization begins to break down. Things that are left for others invariably end up never getting done.

Short-term outlook negates the long-term vision

The Internet is filled with disparaging articles on Millennials and their give-it-to-me-now approach to work and life. But it’s not just Millennials. This is a systemic issue. Many large organizations promote managers on regular two- and four-year intervals, as long as those managers don’t screw things up. As a result, those managers avoid long-term solutions and instead focus on what will help them get promoted to their next station. We have found brand and marketing managers who recognized larger issues with their brands and that someone, eventually, would need to address them. But why worry with the big picture when grabbing the low hanging fruit will get you to the next level?

Upper management rarely sees the problems—because selfish behavior is like a cancer in the corporate body silently killing the company from the inside out. By the time upper management gets wind of the problem the cancer has spread and now manifests itself as missed orders, shipment delays, product quality issues, facility breakdowns, budget overruns, etc. The systematic dysfunction comes about because people are looking out for themselves. And because many companies reward the behavior, they only have themselves to blame.

The boy who saved Holland, but couldn’t save the corporation

There’s an old tale about a boy in Holland who was walking along one of the dykes and noticed a trickle of water coming out of it. Knowing that water coming through a dyke could eventually lead to a catastrophic failure of the dyke and therefore imperil the country, the boy stuck his finger in the hole and thus saved the Holland.

The same story could happen across many manufacturing plants today—but it doesn’t. In the name of budget cutting, companies neglect to make basic repairs to their facilities.

For example, in one large manufacturing plant we found in our research, the facilities stretch across tens of acres and require constant maintenance and repair to withstand the intense weather outside. Now no site manager wants to fork over their entire budget to repair 40 acres of rooftop, so you do what you have to, and you divert the water. Short-term fix for a long term issue. No need to repair a small hole or two in the roof when those dollars could be conserved or used elsewhere, right? The mentality shifts to just putting a tarp up to block the drip when it rains.

But little holes add up. And since employees are looking after themselves, remember here that no one is rewarded for plugging the hole, the drips and tarps keep coming. As a result, on rainy days, this manufacturer’s facilities look like they’ve hung circus tents inside to deflect the water. Deflect is the operative term here. Because the tarps aren’t solving the problem. No one is solving the problem. In terms of the Copy Paper Syndrome, they’re just getting a few sheets of paper for themselves and leaving the larger problem for someone else.

Be the one who breaks the cycle

It is important that we look out for the needs of more than just ourselves to ensure that all areas of the company are tended to. Don’t leave a task for that unnamed person—who probably doesn’t exist anymore anyway. Make the time to look out for the person behind you. Be the one who gets the extra paper even when you only need a few sheets. Be the manager who, even if you can’t solve the larger problems, makes sure upper management is aware of them and has line of sight on the issues. Sure you’re busy. Everyone is busy. It takes the entire team to win the game.

Want help breaking the cycle and moving your organization to a healthier culture, let’s talk. Join the conversation here or reach out directly.

7 Reasons Why You Should Fire Yourself

Don’t wait for someone else to evaluate your performance. Do it yourself. Then either make the necessary changes or fire yourself and improve your life.

Too many people want to blame their issues on the system, on a manager who is out of touch, on a company that just doesn’t understand them or have programs that meet their needs. If this is you, do the world a favor and fire yourself. Quit and go do something you know and love. Use all your energy to have a positive impact on the world and make a difference somewhere. Go ahead, the world will be a better place for it and no one will miss your whining at the place you left. Trust me on this.

Not ready to take that step?

Let’s do a little personal inventory on whether you should stay or go.

1. You don’t take your work seriously.

This is an easy one. Have a blast at work. Be happy. But do your work. Harvard Business School professor Teresa Amabile and independent researcher Steven Kramer, noted in their heavily researched book The Progress Principle, that happy employees do, in fact, work harder, do better work and create what the authors call a “positive spiral.” If you’re on the downward slide and it’s affecting your work, you should seriously consider a change of heart or workplace.

2. You complain. A lot. And often.

No one likes a whiner. It’s a toxic trait, it’s contagious and habit forming. So, if you’re the first one to complain about every little thing in the office, especially while never being part of any solution, it’s time for you to go.

3. You don't contribute to the company culture.

We’ll consider that you’ve already addressed the issues in number 2 so you’re no longer a whiner. But what else have you done for the culture? Those company values you like to make fun of ... how many of those have you embraced and brought to life? And what about helping your teammates achieve their goals? Zig Ziglar made a career out of helping people see how “you can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” All you have to do is keep in mind that this world is not about you. You're important, but so are the others around you. Don’t agree with me? Fire yourself.

4. No one is dying to have you in the room for the big challenges.

Are you a problem solver? Someone who rolls up their sleeves and tackles the hard challenges? Didn’t think so. Those big challenges require taking risks and calculated jumps. You don’t like to do that. But that’s what the company needs right now. If you’re not going to be one of the people willing to do what it takes to get us to where we need to go, you’re taking up precious space. It might be time to fire yourself and go find an easier job. We’d love to have you here, but that’s your choice.

5. If there’s a problem, somehow your name is always attached, and never in a good way.

Yeah, I know, you’ve just had an incredible streak of bad luck. I get it. I also know that you need to fix that or you won’t be here to extend your streak. Refer to the previous issues and become a positive force in the company, someone known for solving problems and getting stuff done. If you do this, you won’t have to fire yourself.

6. You’re not accountable to anyone, including you.

Pointing a finger is fine as long as you point one at yourself first, make the change and then move around the room. Do like Michael Jackson and start with the man in the mirror. Hold yourself accountable for your thoughts, words and actions. Be an adult. If this is hard for you and you’re unwilling to grow up, hand yourself a pink slip, if you can.

7. You have nothing to show for your time at the company.

This is a company built on results—positive results and, well, you don't have any of those that we can find. That means you are probably coasting and picking up a pay check. We don’t really need those kinds of people here because we’re looking to make a difference in the world. We believe you have it in you but if you don’t believe that as well it’s probably best if you move on.

Or ... hire yourself every day

Do you remember how you felt on your first day at your new job? Chances are you were filled with excitement, with all kinds of energy and ideas on how awesome this job was going to be. You didn’t join to be a slug. You didn’t set out to coast. No, you were going to make it to the top.

That’s a choice you get to make every day. So start with a good, hard look at who you are, where you are, and what you want to be. If you’ve drifted, get back on track. If you’ve slipped into a funk, get back on solid ground. If you can't get back on your own seek help ... and then get out there and make a difference.

What do you think? What did I miss?

The Goose Code: Lead, Follow and Encourage the Whole Journey

In the world of geese flight everyone has a shot at being a leader, all are followers at some point, and everybody is expected to cheer.

My house is apparently in a flight zone. Let the weather turn even slightly cool and geese fly over in any number of formations, from long lines to deep Vs. I see them and think of all the motivational posters I’ve seen and speakers I’ve heard who used the geese in formation analogy to talk about teams. I may be piling on here, but after a discussion with some students a few weeks ago, I thought it might be worth repeating.

Leaders Wanted
It’s interesting to see a flock of geese take to the skies. At first the group can seem disorganized and chaotic. But soon enough a pattern emerges with one goose in front and the others taking up the various positions behind. In his excellent book Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek discusses how people are hardwired to let the Alphas lead, giving them the best of the spoils with the expectation that those same individuals will provide protection and assistance when needed. I don’t know if that’s exactly what happens in the goose world, but it’s clear someone has to step up and lead the way. Without this leader, the whole flock is doomed to chaotic and inefficient travel, which could jeopardize the community.

The same thing is needed in organizations all over the world. Even if everyone in the group doesn’t believe fully in the exact path to the goal there needs to be some alignment that someone will lead and others will take up positions behind to help the group get there. Intel invokes their Disagree and Commit slogan to signal that once the decision has been made to move, it’s time to get moving.

Your Turn!
I worked in an agency once that liked to use team analogies. A lot. But they were almost always focused on being the ideal leader, or being the perfect soldier behind a great leader. I knew when I got criticized as a senior manager for not always having the winning idea that it was time to leave.

Geese have a better grasp on this leader and soldier rotation concept. They recognize that the lead goose is taking the full force of the wind in order to make life a little easier for the rest of the flock. But they also recognize that being in front wears on a guy. So when the time comes to give the lead goose a breather, he or she is able to coast back in to formation and recharge so he or she can lead again when the time comes.

It’s irresponsible to think that any leader can always have the best idea, and all the answers. It’s much healthier for the organization to surround the leader with a strong team that can step in and give the leader time to recharge.

Honk. You’re Doing Great! Keep it Up!
I don’t speak goose, but those who study these things say that one of the fundamental reasons geese honk during flight is to encourage each other, from the guy in back trying to keep up to the lead goose setting the pace. Their constant pep talk helps the whole group do a better job. When’s the last time you worked in that kind of organization?

It’s much easier to sit behind the leader and criticize. When you’re not getting beaten by the wind, when you don’t face the same pressures every day, it’s easy to judge the person ahead of you. Don’t. Find the leader guilty of doing well. Send her a note. Tell her you appreciate what she’s doing. Don’t do to it to suck up to her, that won’t help anyone. But you benefit when she does well. And when your time comes, you have every right to expect her to be your biggest supporter.

I talk to company leaders all the time who tell me how isolated they feel at the top—because people guard their words, both good and bad. In healthy organizations, a foundation of trust means anyone in the building can give a honk out to the leaders around them. And when those leaders need bit of a breather they should expect that people won’t hyper analyze the pause as failure, but only a respite in a long journey.

Lead, Follow and Encourage the Whole Journey
What is your team’s approach? Are you celebrating the best of each member and encouraging people to lead in their moments? Or do you burn through leaders when they’re not perfect at all jobs? Do you welcome new leaders and new ideas? Or push out whomever and whatever doesn't conform?

One last thought: migrating geese set big goals to reach destinations far beyond the reach of one or two birds. Yet when they work together, encourage each other, and let each bird lead when he or she is in peak form, the whole community reaches the goal.

Maybe it’s time we finally recognize that we are better together. You lead, I’ll encourage. Then I’ll lead, and while you rest a bit, how about giving a few honks every now and then?