Have you ever been asked that question? If you’ve worked for a large organization, I bet you’ve seen that question on a formal Employee Satisfaction Survey. In smaller companies, the question may come from a manager who has Googled “Good questions to ask during an annual review.” In both cases, the company wants to learn what makes an employee happy. Happy employees don’t leave a company; dissatisfied and disengaged employees leave.

When an employee leaves, it’s costly. The hard costs of finding and onboarding a replacement are bad enough, but when you factor in the opportunity costs of deferred projects, the lowered morale of having to cover the responsibilities of the departed employee, and the reputation of being a place with high turnover, the costs are even higher.

Often when an employee leaves, she is asked why, either by her manager when she turned in her notice or by an HR Rep during the exit interview. “They offered more money” is a common excuse. So is “it’s more convenient to where I live.” In almost every case, those answers are disingenuous, or incomplete at best. Happy employees aren’t looking for another job nor do they listen when called by a recruiter.

So why do they leave? 

According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, once the fundamental physiological and safety needs are met (typically with financial compensation), the higher level needs of social belonging, esteem, and self-actualization become more of an influence on motivation and behavior. Notice that these are not dependent on financial compensation, rather they are concerned with the workplace environment and corporate culture.

So, if your team is fairly or even generously compensated, yet are unhappy, are disengaged, and are leaving the company, the glaring question is: why. Why are they leaving and what can you do about it? (By the way, the only thing worse than an unhappy and disengaged employee who leaves is an unhappy and disengaged employee who stays.)

The answer will vary by organization. however, the following are frequently cited as key desires by IT professionals. 

• “More autonomy in what I’m working on.”
• “More flexibility on when I’m working.”, 
• “A better work/life balance for my life”

Less often explicitly stated, but just as important nonetheless, are:

• “Knowing that I’m making a difference to my team or customers.”
• “Feeling that I’m known, that I’m respected, and that my contributions are valued.”
• “Being able to tell when I’m doing a good job.”

So, what can you do to help your team feel engaged and valued? According to Verne Harnish and his team at Gazelles in their book Scaling Up, managers are responsible for 70% of the variances in employee engagement scores. That’s good news. It means that we, as IT managers and leaders, have the ability to influence our team through our own behaviors to create a better and more engaging environment for them. We are not helpless and impotent, subject to the whims of the marketplace and to the confines of our corporate policies. We can make a difference for our team. 

In the book, Harnish goes on to say that to help their teams stay engaged, managers should:

1. Help people play to their strengths. 
2. Don’t demotivate; “dehassle.”
3. Set clear expectations, and give employees a clear line of sight. 
4. Give recognition, and show appreciation. 
5. Hire fewer people, but pay them more. 

Depending on your company, you may not have a lot of control over number 5, but the first 4 are something you can do. It may not be obvious to you at first. It may not be easy for you, but learning to motivate and engage your team is something that you, as a leader, must learn to do.

IT leaders who come from a highly technical background are often ill-prepared to lead a team of IT professionals. This is particularly true when the new leader is promoted and asked to lead a team of former peers. Leadership is a completely different set of skills than those which made him successful as an individual contributor. However, leadership is a skill that can be learned. With our coaching clients, we find that new leaders can leverage the same tenacity and drive that propelled them to success as an individual contributor to become a great leader of IT professionals.

Don’t know where to start? Have a look at our Recommended Reading list. Still have questions, give us a call or send us an email. 

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One of the biggest events of the year for data professionals is just one week away. The PASS Summit in Seattle, Washington, kicks off on November 6, 2018. Each year the event draws thousands of attendees from around the globe for three days of intensive learning, engaging networking, and embracing camaraderie. If you’ve never been, I highly encourage it. I’ve been to the annual conference 16 times, speaking at a dozen of them. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend this year.

What’s that? You can’t go either? There’s always next year. But just because you cannot make it to Seattle this year doesn’t mean you cannot continue growing in knowledge of your craft. Successful IT professionals make continual learning a part of their routine.

So, what are some options for learning SQL Server? Here are a few that we regularly recommend to those we coach and mentor. 

• PASStv.  Although PASS makes many of the sessions from the conference available for purchase on its website, some recordings from the conference, from the 24 Hours of PASS, and virtual chapter meetings are available for free on YouTube. Just search for SQL Server PASStv and you’ll get a long list of available sessions worth watching. For example: 
  • Watch Brent Tune Queries by Brent Ozar
  • SQL Server 2016 Always On Availability Groups Enhancements by Jimmy May
  • 7 Tips to Performance Tuning, Optimization, and Everything by Pinal Dave
  • But It Worked in Development by Brent Ozar
• YouTube Videos. PASS doesn’t have the market cornered on good SQL Server content on YouTube. There are other videos available as well. For example, if you search for SQL Server, you can watch these great sessions: 
  • SQL Server 2017 Deep Dive by Bob Ward
  • SQL Server 2016 Hidden Gems with Adam Machanic
  • Running SQL Server in a Docker Container on a Mac by Kendra Little
  • T-SQL: Bad Habits and Best Practices with Aaron Bertrand 
• Vendor Resources. Many SQL Server tools manufacturers create a lot of educational content to help you not only learn to use their products but to learn SQL Server concepts as well. Some are videos. Others are free ebooks. For example:
  • SentryOne Resources
  • Redgate Hub
  • Microsoft Channel 9
• White Papers. Quite a few companies create white papers and other technical documents that can be helpful as you learn. There are good collections curated by others: 
  • SQL Skills 
  • MSSQLTips
  • PASS 
• Paid Training Sites. Although free training is good, sometimes high-quality training is available from paid sites. These offer some reasonably priced alternatives to in-person conference attendance.  
  • Lynda.com
  • PluralSight.com
  • PASS Summit Recordings

This list is not meant to be comprehensive. Rather it’s designed to spark interest and to offer proof that good education is available online, often for free.

These online experiences are no substitute for actually being at the conference where you can meet the speakers, connect with others in your industry, ask questions of the product teams, and immerse your self in the SQL Server goodness that is PASS. But, if you cannot make it to the World’s Largest SQL Family Reunion, these are good opportunities to expand your knowledge. 

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One day during the Jamboree, we were to take a 10-mile hike to the top of a nearby mountain where some festivities awaited us. Our campsite was a couple of miles from the trailhead so for our group it would be a 12-mile hike.

One stoutly-built Scout was winded by the time we reached the trailhead. “Mr. Joe, I don’t think I can make it,” he said. I gave him a short pep talk and we continued. A few miles in, he was lagging behind. I walked with him along with another Scout to make sure he didn’t get left behind.

“Mr. Joe, I can’t make it,” he said, bending at the waist, hands on knees trying to catch his breath. I pointed to a tree a couple of hundred feet ahead and asked if he could make it to that tree. Between deep breaths, he said he could so we continued walking. Once we reached that tree, I encouraged him again, pointed to another tree, and asked the same question. Over and over again, we repeated the routine.

Along the way, another Scout offered to carry his daypack for him. That young man carried his own daypack on his back and wore the struggling Scout’s pack on his stomach. He effectively doubled his own load to help someone else. The three of us (the stout Scout, the Scout carrying two packs, and I) slowly made our way up the mountain. 

The rest of the Scouts noticed the young man was falling behind. Rather than mocking or laughing at the stout young man, they took frequent breaks to allow us to catch up. 

As we neared the summit, we noticed that the rest of Scouts had stopped. Gathering together, they called out to the struggling Scout “You got this!” and “Keep going. You’re almost there.”

Once we closed the gap and were all together again, the rest of the Scouts ushered the young man to the front on the Troop so he, the one who had struggled so mightily, the one who had delayed their arrival to the fun festivities atop the mountain, the one who had nearly given up before he had even begun, could be the first one to summit the mountain. And when we arrived at the top, they let out a heartfelt cheer for their companion. That day, that young man accomplished something he didn’t think possible and his fellow Scouts celebrated that moment with him, right behind him.

Remembering that still brings a lump to my throat. It gives me hope for the day when our nation and our communities will be led by the coming generation.

I have lost contact with most of those young men. Yet, their actions that day remain with me. It’s something I won’t forget.

So, how important is corporate culture? I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that the trajectory of that young Scout’s life may have been changed that day. Had the other Scouts jeered him, had they belittled his abilities, he would have left there feeling inadequate and deflated.

Instead, the group rallied behind him and built him up. There’s no telling the things he may accomplish in the future because of the corporate culture that existed in that Troop.

Imagine your team, encouraging one another. Imagine them pulling together for a common goal. Imagine them growing stronger together, sharing their strengths, and helping to carry each other’s load when needed. What could you accomplish? Maybe a better question would be: what couldn’t you accomplish?

Perhaps the most important thing we can do as leaders is to create the culture we want in our organizations. If we don’t intentionally do that, someone else will. And it may not be the culture we want.

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If Branson is to be believed, and his track record at The Virgin Group suggests that he knows what he’s doing, we’re left with the question: how do you take care of your employees? What do employees want and value in their role in an organization?

According to Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, once the basic and most physiological needs of food, shelter, safety, etc., are met, people long for a sense of belonging, esteem, and ultimately self-actualization.

What that means in practical terms is that employees who feel that they work in a stable environment and are fairly compensated within the organization and within the broader context of their industry, look to factors beyond salary for contentment. Employees want to belong to a team where they feel like they can contribute effectively, where they have some say-so in the work that they do, and where they feel that their work is meaningful.

So how do we create an environment like that – an environment where employees want to do their best work?

That was the question that Jeff Sutherland researched and contemplated extensively during the 80s and 90s. He experimented with countless technical teams.

Until that point, the standard approach to software development was the waterfall method. Waterfall has a terrible track record for producing quality products, in a timely manner, within budget, and that fulfills the customer’s needs at the time of delivery. Additionally, Sutherland observed that the traditional waterfall approach meets almost none of the higher level needs described by Maslow.

He looked for a new approach and identified some philosophies that addressed the shortcomings of the waterfall methodology. He eventually created a set of principles that he later called Scrum.

These principles include:

1. Process control – being mindful of the process and continually looking for ways to improve.
2. Self-organization – those doing the work have the best awareness of the effort it will take to complete it. Teams will have more commitment when they can contribute to how and what gets done.
3. Collaboration – The team works together to accomplish a goal. Teams of 3 to 9 people who have all of the requisite skills to complete the project are preferred.
4. Value-based priorities – Teams should strive to create value early in the project, knowing that 80% of the value is derived from 20% of the effort.
5. Timeboxing – Break work into discrete units that can be completed in a relatively short amount of time.
6. Iterative development – repeat the development process frequently, always looking for ways to improve the process.

Since it’s creation, scrum has been adopted by a wide variety of teams. It’s been used in education, home remodeling, engineering, and medicine.

In his book Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time, Sutherland explains “the how”, but much more importantly “the why” of the Scrum methodology.

I borrowed the e-book from my local library. It’s good enough that I’m buying a paper version for reference. I’d certainly recommend reading a copy. Even if you don’t use Scrum at work, you’ll gain a greater appreciation for the factors that motivate your team.

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The backpackers I know strictly adhere to the pack-it-in-pack-it-out philosophy. Unfortunately, not everyone does.

I scaled the four-foot dirt bank and followed the trail as it turned sharply left and paralleled the meandering stream that I had just crossed. It was almost noon and I was hungry. I considered every small clearing as a potential spot for lunch, hoping to find a site near the water. The sound of water trickling over rocks creates a nice ambiance while eating, but I had a more compelling and practical reason to eat near water. I could drink deeply from my water bottles and fill up again before hitting the trail.

As I walked, searching for a place to stop, something caught my eye, something I hadn’t seen on this trip until now.

In small clearing beside the stream, logs had been arranged in the shape of a U. In the center, a small fire ring made of softball-sized rocks held ashes. It also contained several blackened soda cans, a partially melted disposable water bottle, and some unburned trash on top. Scattered around the campsite was other debris that looked to be remnants of diapers.

Taken aback I stopped and surveyed the site. Until now the trail had been nearly pristine, which is pretty remarkable given the number of hikers on the Appalachian Trail. Every backpacker I had met was meticulous about leaving a campsite better than he found it. Trash was not left for someone else to clean up. We all diligently followed the “Pack It In, Pack It Out” philosophy.

Like most other hikers, I carried a 1-gallon ziplock bag where I kept what little trash I produced until I could dispose of it properly. A few road crossings had bear-proof garbage canisters for hikers to use, otherwise we carried it until we came to a store or town.

But here, at least one camper had completely ignored the code of the trail. I shook my head in disbelief. I took off my pack and picked up some of the trash, adding it to my ziplock bag. It hardly made a difference, but I thought that every little bit helps.

Within a half mile, I came to a road crossing and understood what had happened. It wasn’t backpackers that had left this mess. It was probably locals who had hiked a short distance into the woods for a fun time camping. When the party was over, they didn’t feel like toting their discards back to their car. So, they left it.

AT Lesson #11: Don’t Feed the Stereotypes

Campers and backpackers are often seen as trespassers into the natural environment, interlopers into a world that does not belong to them. Carelessly leaving trash in their wake, they damage the unmarred habitat of nature’s fauna and flora. The stereotype of the self-centered, careless, and egotistical camper that cares nothing for the environment is reinforced with every piece of trash found.

I believe that spending time in the woods, communing with nature, actually encourages people to be better stewards of creation. In the woods you get a better appreciation of the glory of nature, and you want to protect it. As an avid backpacker, I’m aware of the damaging stereotype and do what I can to combat it. I don’t want the inconsiderate actions of a few to dictate how the world thinks of campers.

In our daily walk at work, we must be aware of stereotypes as well. IT departments are notorious for needlessly and flippantly saying no, being unresponsive and uncooperative to the needs of the business, and rudely belittling those who don’t understand the acronyms or the technology. That’s unfortunate. And it’s how “Shadow IT” becomes prevalent.

Stereotypes also invade our personal and volunteer lives. As a Christian and as a member of a local church, I know that some people automatically ascribe bigotry and intolerance to me. I know that as an adult leader in a youth development organization, some assumptions are inevitably made about me.

So what can we do?

First, be aware of the stereotype. Know that it exists and be sensitive to it. Understand that you may have a hard time convincing that business user that you’re not there to automatically quash their request but to further understand their needs and how you may be able to help.

Second, don’t feed the stereotype. As an IT professional don’t use a bunch of jargon that you think makes you sound smart. It doesn’t. Remember the quote that is often attributed to Albert Einstein, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

Third, follow Stephen Covey’s advice, seek first to understand and then to be understood. Actually while you’re at it, follow all of the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It’s good.

I know it’s an uphill struggle, but just as getting into the woods gives you a better appreciation of nature, getting into the business gives you a better understanding of how your job affects others in the business and your customers.

“But I’m just one person and I cannot change the whole organization.” That may be true. But we can do our part and we can be an example to others. I couldn’t pick up all of the trash someone else left behind, but I carried out what I could, and I like to think that helped.

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“We need to pull out of the stops for this one. These changes have got to be put in place before the end of the year. Otherwise we’re out of compliance and our customers cannot do business. I know it won’t be easy and there will be a lot of long hours in the coming weeks but I know we can do this. So let’s get cracking.”

That’s what one VP of IS said to his team just before leaving the office for the day at 4:30pm. True story. I was there. All that was missing was the “Rah, rah, rah” at the end just before the door closed behind him.

His pep talk wasn’t the best I’ve heard but he did get his point across. This was important to our customers and we needed to pull together as a team to help them. He gave us the vision and helped us understand why our task was important.

But his actions spoke far louder than his words. Scurrying out the door before it hit his backside undermined everything that he’d said in the moments before.

It’s been said that only 7% of communications are the words used. The remaining 93% of the message comes from other cues – tone of voice and body language being two of the prominent factors.

For leaders, I’d add “other actions” in the mix as well. You could even call it character. When your day to day actions are inconsistent with what you profess, your team will believe your actions before they believe what you say.

As John Maxwell put it “People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.”

I’m not saying that this VP of IS should have stayed to help with the project. In fact, doing so may have hampered our efforts. However, the team had grown weary and skeptical of him due to a pattern of actions that were at odds with his words.

Are you words and deeds saying the same thing? Or are they out of sync?

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Leaders get a combination of what they create and what they allow.

That’s one of the themes that runs throughout Dr. Henry Cloud’s Boundaries for Leaders: Results, Relationships, and Being Ridiculously in Charge published in April of 2013.  Ok, but what does that mean?

What Leaders Create

As leaders, we have influence over the culture in our organization. Whether we are a front line supervisor, a mid-level manager, a Senior VP, or a C-level suite, we can intentionally create programs and incentives that encourages the culture we wish.

For example, if you wish to foster an environment of teamwork and collaboration in your network administration team, you can create it. One option would be to hold a 15-minute stand-up meeting each morning where your sys admins share something cool that they’ve recently discovered or discuss a technical problem that they are battling. Openly sharing and working together toward a common goal will help create a sense of camaraderie in your team.

This is but one example of intentionally creating an outcome you’ll receive as a leader. But you also get what you allow.

What Leaders Allow

The corollary of getting what you create is getting what you allow. We may not intentionally set out to create a certain culture in our team, but if we allow behaviors that promote that culture, that’s exactly what we’ll get.

Take meetings, for example. If you routinely wait to start your weekly meeting until the majority of your team arrives, you are subtly telling everyone that it’s ok to be late, that you’ll wait for them. So, what will happen? More and more people will show up late to your meetings. And why not, there’s no reason to show up on time when you’re not going to start the meeting until everyone arrives. They might as well spend those extra few minutes being productive at their desks rather than waiting in a conference room. So, you’ve inadvertently created a culture of tardiness, where time is not respected.

The same could be said for negativity in your team, for a lack of problem solving by your direct reports, and for placing self-interests above team interests. By not explicitly dealing with behaviors that drive a work environment, you are implicitly creating that culture. You are allowing it to happen.

What Are You Getting?

So, what are you getting? Are you intentionally creating an environment that produces the atmosphere that you want? Have you invested yourself and your resources into improving the culture of your team?

And what about the things you allow? Is your team creating something that you’d rather not have because you haven’t yet stepped up to lead?

Remember, leaders always get a combination of what they intentionally create and what they implicitly allow. Or as W. Edwards Deming once put it “Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it produces.”

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