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. 

The post What Does Your IT Team Really Want? appeared first on The SERO Group.

The fire tower atop Albert Mountain represents the 100-mile mark for Northbound AT backpackers. I reached it on my 9th day on the trail.

“This is crazy,” I said glancing over my shoulder toward my two hiking companions. One was only six horizontal feet behind me, yet his head was well below my ankles. The same was true for the man behind him.

We were scaling the south side of Albert Mountain, climbing from one four-foot rock to the next. Each separated by dirt and gnarled roots, long exposed by rainwater as it made its way down the steep incline. The final 1/3-mile of the approach climbs over 400 feet of elevation. I couldn’t imagine making this ascent in the rain.

I looked up toward a clear, cobalt blue sky. Wisps of clouds high in the atmosphere offered little cover from the sun. It was almost lunchtime and the heat of the mid-day sun pounded us with each step we took. I couldn’t tell how many more rocks lay between us and the top of Albert. The steep, 70-degree climb made seeing the summit impossible. Hopefully we were close to the 5,250 ft peak where a fire tower stood, offering a view of the Nantahala Mountains and the Little Tennessee River valley.

In addition to a respite from the climb, the summit of Albert represented another, more compelling. draw for me, the 100-mile mark for Northbound Appalachian Trail hikers (NoBos). For me, the summit of Albert was the fourth mini-goal of this journey.

Before starting on Springer Mountain, Georgia, I had divided my journey into a series of smaller, more manageable chunks. My first goal was to make it 30 miles to the Mountain Crossings Outfitters on US-19. That would represent three days of hiking and would provide the critical feedback I’d need about my gear and my conditioning. It would also equal the longest trip I’d ever hiked.

My second milestone was Dicks Creek Gap on US-76, where I would meet a couple of hiking buddies who would join me for the following five days. Dicks Creek Gap is 69 miles into the AT.

Crossing into North Carolina from Georgia was my third goal for the journey. Reaching the state line would mean that I had completed one of the 14 states that the AT traverses. One down and thirteen to go, eventually.

Now, I was on the cusp of my fourth goal, Albert Mountain. The fire tower sits 100 miles into the Appalachian Trail. Reaching the top meant that I would reach triple digits. Although it’s only one mile more than 99, for me it was much more than that. It meant that I had made serious progress on my march toward eventually completing the length of the AT.

We reached the top and I was tired and hungry and thirsty and ready for a rest. Despite my physical condition, I inwardly rejoiced in the milestone. 100 miles. I sat eating lunch, content in my accomplishment.

Thirty-seven miles lay between me and my final goal for this outing, Nantahala, NC. Thirty-seven miles of ups and downs, of rain and sun, of wondering where my next source of water would be found. But, I knew I would reach it. I knew that I would build upon these mini-successes and reach my fifth goal of this 137-mile trek.

I also know that I will one day, Lord willing, I will summit Mt. Katahdin in Maine, the northern terminus of the AT, some 2,190 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia. Success comes to those who persevere through the difficulties and celebrate the mini-milestones along the way.

AT Lesson #12: Small Victories Lead to Bigger Ones

Like all worthwhile endeavors, long distance hiking takes time and effort. Too often we set ourselves up for failure by turning an ambitious goal into a boolean proposition, either we make it or we don’t. Either we accomplish what we’ve set out to achieve or we fall short and fail. That’s unfortunate and often encourages people to give up in the early stages when the going gets tough. A finish line that is too far off, dissuades people from even trying. It seems unassailable and insurmountable.

Dividing large and distant goals into more manageable pieces, allows us to easily see the next milestone and know that it’s within our reach. We have reason to celebrate the mini-successes that come regularly and our spirits are buoyed by the accomplishments. Success begets success. We build confidence. We increase our knowledge, learning as we rise to meet each new goal.

Look for ways to recognize and celebrate the smaller successes in business and in life. Structure them so that they support a longer term strategic goal. Develop and taste for success and allow it to drive you toward bigger and better things.

The post AT Lesson #12: Small Victories Lead to Bigger Ones appeared first on The SERO Group.

A man and his wife were taking a lazy Sunday afternoon drive through the country enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of the rural community. As they slowly navigated the narrow two-lane road, large hardwood trees reached for the sky and offered shade from the hot sun above, broad pastures and farmland extended as far as the eye could see, and picturesque oak barns dotted the landscape.

On the side of one of the barns, a series of targets was painted. There must have been a couple of dozen little red, yellow, and blue targets. In the center of each one was an arrow, a perfect bullseye. There were no other holes in the target; just one solitary bullseye.

The man slowed their car to get a better look. “That’s remarkable,” the man said to his wife.

“Maybe he was in the Olympics,” she replied.

Just then a little boy, perhaps eight or nine years old, opened the door of the white farmhouse nearby. He waved from the porch.

Curious, the man pulled into to gravel driveway and stopped the car.

“That’s some shooting,” the man said nodding toward the barn.

“Eh, it’s nothing really,” the boy demurred.

Thinking the boy jealous of his older brother, the man said “Well, I guess whoever shot those arrows must be pretty pleased with it.”

“Not especially,” the boy replied.

“Why would you say,” the wife asked.

“Those are my arrows,” the boy shrugged.

The man and wife glanced at one another. “Yours,” the both said skeptically.

“Sure. Want to see me shoot another one?”

Before they could answer, the boy disappeared into his house and returned a moment later with a bow, an arrow, a paint brush, and three small cans of paint – one red, one blue, and one yellow. They followed the boy to the barn.

The boy set his gear down about fifty feet from the barn, picked up his bow and notched an arrow. In one fluid motion, he slowly raised the bow, pulled the string back, and steadied his aim. A moment later the arrow released into the air and stuck with a dull thud into the side of the barn.

The boy carefully laid the bow down, picked up the paintbrush and paint cans, walked to the barn, and started painting a target around the arrow.

To Succeed, You Must Define Success

Unfortunately, many people are like the little boy in the story. They attempt to define success after the fact. They go through business or life somewhat aimlessly, being carried by the wind and whichever way it happens to be blowing at the moment. Then they try to make the best of it afterward, telling themselves and others that this is what they really wanted all along.

As leaders, our teams at work and our families at home, depend on us. It is our responsibility to define what success looks like. What is strategically important to us? Where should we spend our time and our resources? Where do we see ourselves in the future? More importantly, at our core, who are we and how do we see ourselves.

Tactically, what do we want to accomplish in the next week, in the next three months, in the next three years? How will we know that we’re making progress toward that goal? How will we know when we’ve achieved it?

Leaders must earn their leadership every day. Part of that is painting a vibrant picture of what success looks like and then creating an environment to accomplish it.

Are you earning your leadership?

The post What Is Success? appeared first on The SERO Group.

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.

The post Book Review: Scrum by Jeff Sutherland appeared first on The SERO Group.

A work environment like The Office where an obtuse boss unknowingly stifles productivity and routinely kills morale makes for a funny sit-com. That series is one of my all-time favorite television shows. However, when fiction becomes reality, it’s not so funny. I’ve seen work environments every bit as dysfunctional as the Scranton branch of Dunder-Mifflin. When an obvious choice had to be made, you could count on the boss to make the exact wrong decision.

When our work environments become tough, it’s easy to feel like we are victims in a bad situation with little hope for a better future. Often we fixate on the brokenness of the circumstances and allow it to rob us of contentment both at work and outside of work.

However, you do have choice. You have options.

Choose to Accept

Disappointment and discontented are rooted in our expectations. When we anticipate one thing and receive something else, our expectations are not met and we’re frequently unhappy about it. We can continue to set ourselves up for disappointment by hoping that the circumstances or people will somehow magically change, but that’s only setting ourselves up for more discontentment.

So, you can choose to accept it. You don’t have to like it. You don’t have to condone it. But you can acknowledge that this is simply the way it is and stop mentally fighting it.

You can get annoyed that the boss shows up 10 minutes late for her own meeting. Or you can expect it and use those ten minutes to catch up on email. You can get aggravated that someone frequently avoids on-call duty. Or you can do your job and allow him to reap what he sows in the long run.

Choose to Change It

Often we have far more influence than we know. We may not have the positional power to change something, but we can influence those around us by our presence, our demeanor, our actions, and our words. You can influence others by asking questions, making suggestions, or having a good attitude. If we stop viewing the situation as utterly hopeless and look for opportunities to improve things, we empower ourselves to create a better future.

One way to do this is remove yourself from the situation. Image that a friend or colleague has come to you with this problem. Describe it to yourself as if the friend was telling you of his woes at work. What advice would you give? What counsel would you provide?

Choose to Leave

Sometimes the environment or situation is so caustic or so bad that you have no choice but to extricate your from it. You must leave it for your own sanity. If that’s the case, begin taking concrete steps toward that goal. Look for a job with another team or with another company. Get your resume ready, study for certification exams, and begin networking at user group meetings. These simple actions help give you hope in the short term and will offer a path to remove you from the environment that’s causing so much grief.

You Have a Choice

As leadership guru Stephen Covey said in his timeless classic The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, we have the ability to choose. Proactive people are “response-able.” They are able to choose their response to their environment and they focus on the things they can control. They don’t waste time and energy on the things they cannot control. It’s Habit 1 of the Seven Habits.

Knowing that you have a choice is liberating. It’s empowering. It provides hope for a better future.

Choose.

The post Three Options for Increased Contentment at Work appeared first on The SERO Group.

Sitting on a log beside the trail, I took off my pack and reached for my water bottle. I estimated that I had an hour before the final remnants of the day gave way to darkness. It was just enough time for a short break before setting up camp, walking 0.2 of a mile down a blue-blazed trail for water, and cooking dinner. I would need a restful night of sleep and recuperation before tackling the steep rocky terrain of Tray in the morning.

It had been a good day. I had hiked over thirteen miles and had scaled two notable mountains, Blue Mountain and Rocky Mountain, since leaving Low Gap shelter that morning. The descent into Indian Grave Gap and back up to this campsite at the old Cheese Factory had taxed me. Satisfied with today’s progress, I was ready for a meal and a hammock. I had accomplished a lot and it had prepped me for a good tomorrow.

“Joe!”

I turned to see a hiking buddy that I’d met just a couple of days before. We had camped together the prior night but had gotten separated early in the day. He dropped his pack and took a seat on a log opposite me.

Pointing toward to the blue blazed trail, he asked, “Is there water?”

“I don’t know. I just got here 5 minutes ago,” I replied.

“Are you stopping here,” he asked.

“Yep. This was my goal for the day,”

“You know,” he said with a grin, “we’re only a short way from the top of Tray.”

“Yeah but it’s a long way up,” I countered.

“Wouldn’t it be great to wake up in the morning and see the sun rise from up there? Just imagine the beauty.” His grin widened.

Ever the pragmatist, I began voicing the reasons why that was a bad idea. It would certainly get dark before we made it to the top and, although I like night hiking, this wouldn’t be the ideal path for it. What if we ran out of energy and couldn’t find a place to camp along the steep trail? What if there was no water up there? What if, what if, what if. My list continued.

He listened patiently.

“All that’s true,” he said, “but just imagine how great it could be.”

We locked eyes for a brief moment, our steely gazes challenging and spurring each other.

“Let’s do it,” I said.

AT LESSON #6: Dreaming Big is Contagious

It was midnight before we summited Tray Mountain. The hike was arduous and we had to rest often along the way. But every step forward, every foot of elevation change, was well worth the effort.

When we reached the top of the mountain, the “Green Tunnel” opened up. On that moonless night with no man-made light pollution for miles, countless heavenly bodies dotted the black velvet sky. There were more stars than I’ve seen. It was an incredible sight that words cannot adequately describe. We stood in awe as we took in this view of creation and its majesty.

When the sun rose the next morning, we were once again treated with an equally incredible, yet very different, view. The sun peaked just above the distant mountains, its light streaming down and slowly bringing color to the grey world below.

That night and the following morning were among the most enjoyable highlights on my trip. I was exhausted, but I felt a great sense of accomplishment. Sitting here typing this, I am so very glad that I didn’t miss that experience. I’m thankful to my fellow traveler for spurring me on and challenging me to do more than I had planned, to achieve a higher standard than I had set for myself. The reward was worth it.

At work, at home, and in life, we can help one another achieve more. We can encourage each other to dream big, to not count the obstacles in our way but to set our sights on the goal. We can even take the journey with our colleagues.

Opportunities abound all around us. Just look for them.

The post AT Lesson #6: Dreaming Big is Contagious appeared first on The SERO Group.

As we enter the last quarter of 2014, I’m reminded of a story by Mike Greene that I read recently in the Business Journals (check it out here).

Paraphrasing, the story went something like this:

A man walked into an old country store late one afternoon. As he wandered around looking at the merchandise, he was occasionally interrupted by a low moan coming from behind the end of the cash register counter. He continued to peruse the shelves until his curiosity finally got the better of him. He approached the counter and asked the store owner about the sound.

The owner nodded his head toward the floor where an old dog lay sleeping. “He’s napped there every day for the past several years. So much so that he’s worn the wooden floor down and an old rusty nail pokes him in the side as he sleeps,” offered the store owner.

The man looked questioningly at the dog and then at the store owner and wondered aloud, “Why doesn’t he just get up and move to another spot?”

“Good question,” replied the owner, “as much as it hurts him, I guess it’s not enough to do anything about it.”

The end of the year is traditionally a time to reflect on the prior year and to set goals for the next 12 months. As you consider the direction you’d like to take in 2015, spend some time thinking about the things you’ve been living with and ask yourself, “Do I hurt enough to change, to actually do something about it?”

It may mean making a career move or signing up for training to expand your knowledge. Maybe it’s seeking out a mentor to help you navigate the difficulties or uncertainties in life. Or maybe it’s something else entirely.

Whatever it is, resolve that come next December, you’ll be able to look back with a sense of accomplishment and pride in what you’ve done.

photo courtesy of freeimages.com

The post Are You Hurting Enough to Really Change? appeared first on The SERO Group.

Because I said so!” Ever hear that growing up? I certainly did on more than one occasion, typically when I had exhausted my parent’s patience with me.
Unfortunately, many IT Leaders adopt this behavior as part of their leadership style. What most don’t realize is that using the dictator style of management doesn’t bring out the best in your team. In fact it can be counterproductive. To really motive your team, you need to share why what they are doing is important.

Adam Grant, professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania recently conducted an experiment which illustrates this point. In his study, a group of university call center workers soliciting donations from alumnus were given a chance to meet and talk with some of the recipients of scholarships funded by the callers’ efforts.

As you might expect by the end of the experiment, there was a substantial difference in the amount of time spent on the phone and the total money raised by each caller who had spoken with scholarship recipients. In fact, those call center works who had spoken with scholarship students spent twice of much time on the phone and raised over 2 and 1/2 times the amount of money as those callers who didn’t talk with the scholarship students. You can read about Grant’s study here.

Understanding why is important. Help your team be more productive and stay motivated longer by helping them to see why what they are doing is important.

The post Motivating Your Team: The Importance of Why appeared first on The SERO Group.

So how are you doing? Is there a void of leadership in your team? If so, it’s time to step up and fill the vacuum.

image courtesy of www.freeimages.com

The post A Leadership Vacuum appeared first on The SERO Group.

In football, the quarterback is the de facto leader of the offense of team. Late in the game it is to him that the team looks to snatch a last minute come-from-behind victory from certain defeat. That’s a lot of weight to put on one man’s shoulders.

Yet the quarterback is leading his team in more ways than one. Sure he calls the signals and distributes the ball to other players through hand-offs or passes. But it is his demeanor that sets the tone for the rest of the team.

If the quarterback is visibly frustrated, if he comes to the sideline throwing his helmet, if he blames others for mistakes, if he hangs his head in despair, the team becomes rattled and loses confidence.

On the other hand, if the QB is mindful of his attitude, if he is poised and confident in spite of adversity or mistakes, the team rallies around him and is motivated to perform at an elevated level.

The team will mirror the characteristics of its leader; it will perform only as well as its leader.

The same can be true in business. As the leader of your team, your direct reports will feed off of your attitude and demeanor. Keep that in mind the next time your team faces adversity.

So, how is your attitude? What tone are you setting for your team?

The post You’re Leading in More Ways appeared first on The SERO Group.