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Leadership

Random Thoughts About Identities and Organizational Roles

I once read that identity is an intersection of how others see you and how you see yourself. As much as we want to define how we want others to see us, I think that’s pretty much impossible. We can certainly try to influence others’ perceptions of us but ultimately, what matters is how others see us. I believe that’s called reputation. The concept of identity is a complex one. It’s even more complex when one considers the role of identity in the context of social settings. When we are associated with groups, such as the organization we work for, we assume the organization’s identity and identity are shaped by its members. Actions by individual members reflect the organization and other members, while the organization’s identity impacts how its members are perceived. Have you ever walked into a meeting where you’ve never met anyone before, yet they’ve already formed an impression of you?

Those in leadership positions must sometimes have to negotiate and reconcile their identities and values with that of their organization as they don’t always match. So, how do leaders authentically represent themselves when representing their organization? What does it mean in this context to represent “themselves”? Are they representing their identities independent of the organization, or are they representing identities defined by their role in the organization?

I think about the questions above when I hear from individuals who maintain that they want to be authentic to themselves and the values they represent. Considering the possibility that there probably isn’t an organization anywhere that completely aligns with the values of every single one of its members, how will those individuals deal with this reality?


Organizational Health

org_healthConsider organizations as organisms consisting of living beings whose level of effectiveness and productivity rely on the health of those who are part of them. Organizations, specifically higher education, are referred to as “institutions” They project the idea that they are machines, consisting of processes and structures, and forget that higher education is made up of human beings working together. The reality is that for “institutions” to be effective and efficient, the members of their workforce must be individually healthy so the organization can be healthy.

One of the topics often discussed in the world of student affairs is the concept of work/life balance. The issue revolves around the idea that because the staff is overworked, emotional, mental, and physical stresses take their toll, leading to individual and organizational problems. Often, the discussion is framed as workers’ rights vs. management issues. But, if framed in the way I had suggested above, this should not be the case. For the organization to function effectively as a whole, it needs to consider its workers’ health, and it should strive to create an environment where the staff is engaged, meaning they both feel like they’re contributing to the organization. They feel satisfied in doing so. As a leader of an organization, I don’t claim to know the answers on how to create this environment, but I do seek ways towards this effort. What I know is that the demands and pressures from mandates, customer expectations, taking care of the staff, and keeping the organization running are often too much for the current staffing level. I scoff at the idea of administrative bloat, especially when it comes to the idea that there is way too many technical and administrative staff at universities. However, consider the ending of the Perkins Loan program and the new Prior-Prior Year change in the financial aid application process. The are just two changes in the financial aid system that require universities to respond to accommodate them immediately. In an ideal world, there would be sufficient time and staffing to meet these demands, but unfortunately, that is not the case. These changes require staff to work above and beyond regular hours, including evenings and sometimes weekends. By no means are these complaints but rather a statement of the reality of the pressures experienced by staff, potentially impacting their health.

The management and the staff must share the challenge and responsibility of keeping the organization healthy. For management, efforts must be made to provide an environment where staff feels like they’re thriving and not merely surviving or even worse. Different folks have different motivations, and it’s up to the management to determine how each employee feels valued. Some like a job that allows them to make enough money and they don’t have to work beyond 8-5 to enjoy their lives away from work and with their families. Some are motivated by intellectual challenges and a sense of accomplishment. Some also see their work as beyond work – their passions drive them to make a significant difference in this world. Then some are motivated by all of the reasons mentioned. The challenge and responsibility then is for management to meet those motivations to the best of their ability while meeting the demands required of the organization.

The staff themselves need to be responsible for their health as well. They need to be their biggest advocate when it comes to making sure their needs are met. This means communicating with their supervisors about their boundaries and recognizing their limits. Sometimes, staff may feel the need to be heroes/martyrs, sacrificing themselves for the sake of the organization. In the long run, this is not the most effective way to contribute to the organization. For one, heroes who take on more responsibilities than they should sometimes prevent others in the organization from growing. Also, they become the only individuals the organization must rely on. While this may be a good feeling to have, the reality is that heroes may not be able to enjoy their lives outside work because they are always in demand, even during their vacations. As for martyrs who feel the need to suffer to show their value to the organization, it is not sustainable as working long hours and spending emotional energy can just lead to burnout. They are also just hurting themselves by setting expectations that are not sensible. For example, a person who constantly works 70+ hours a week may set themselves up for scrutiny when they start to lessen their work to a manageable 40 or so hours a week as their productivity level will decrease.

Staff must also take care of their physical and mental health. These include taking on activities to promote wellness, such as exercising, hobbies, and interests that take their minds off work.

Organizational health is a shared responsibility between management and staff. For organizations to be effective, they must view themselves as more than institutions consisting of tasks and processes but rather as living organisms consisting of human beings who have emotional, mental, and physical needs.

How are you promoting a healthy organization?


The Importance of Being Heard

not-being-heard-by-friendsI have read employees leave organizations because of their managers. One of the most frustrating situations that lead to employees looking for other jobs is because they don’t feel heard by their managers, who expect to guide and protect them. As managers, sometimes we are too focused on getting the tasks done that we fail to notice the cues (subtle or overt) our employees share to let us know of their concerns. And when we do notice their concerns, we fail to realize that they may not be looking for answers from us but just to say, “I hear you.” Acknowledgment is a very powerful action, yet as managers, we don’t do enough of this. I’m guilty of that sometimes, and it’s a shortcoming I’ve realized that I’m now conscious of in my relationships at work. Have you ever observed yourself or others doing this in your workplace?

  • An employee brings up a concern to their manager and is told they are being too sensitive.
  • An employee is in the middle of stating their concerns to their manager, who is cut off by the person they are talking with.
  • An employee proposes an idea to their manager, and their ideas are immediately met with “yes, but…” instead of “yes, and ….”

I’ve been that employee whose ideas have not always been acknowledged, and I’ve also been told I’m guilty of being the not-so-receptive manager. Because of the pressure of having to complete tasks, we forget the human element of our work which include building positive relationships with those we work with and showing they matter and are valued. Part of this relationship building could start by taking the time to acknowledge others.

Image courtesy of ExtremeHealthRadio.


IT Organizational Management & Leadership

IMG_2201I have learned much as the acting Executive Director of my IT organization for the last seven months. While I’ve held management positions for over a decade, I have learned more about organizational change dynamics and leadership/management because of the significant scope/depth of the responsibilities and the challenges of the position.
One of the lessons I’ve learned is that to be an effective organizational leader, you need to be an effective manager and to be an effective manager, you need to be an effective leader. In short, leadership and management go hand in hand when delivering results. I’ve seen quotes on the web that go something like this: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast/lunch” or some variation of that as if one is more important than the other. I get the sentiment that an organization can implement strategies and processes all day, but it won’t work without a culture supporting these strategies. One thing I’ve learned, though, is that, ultimately, what people want from their leaders/managers are results. As a few staff members reminded me after our initial department retreat soon after I took on this position, I can talk all I want, but the only way I can prove my merit and effectiveness is by following through and delivering on what I/we had intended to accomplish. I spoke with a colleague who said, “Joe, you’re doing a great job setting the culture of collaboration and transparency, but we need you to provide a clearer strategy towards what you want us to accomplish as a department.” That conversation reminded me that as a leader, I need to influence and shape the organization’s culture while providing a sense of direction and clear direction for folks to follow, especially when going to an unfamiliar place.
A mentor once said, “Manage constraints and lead toward possibilities,” I also read somewhere that “you manage things, and you lead people.” I’ve led enough projects to understand that scope, time, and cost are variables that must be managed when delivering projects. These are all constraints that need to be managed. But I’ve seen too often when project managers treat people as merely project resources and sometimes like factory robots just expected to follow orders. Any effective project manager would recognize the need to treat people as more than units of resources but as human beings whose motivations and personal satisfaction cannot be ignored. Treat people as robots, and they will give you the bare minimum. Treat them with respect and as human beings, and you’ll get more productivity out of them. That’s from personal experience, anyway.
The credibility of an organization’s leader is based on the consistency between their actions and words and their ability to deliver results. Delivering results requires the skills to manage constraints and leadership competencies to get the maximum effort out of people toward achieving intended goals.As the acting Executive Director for my IT organization for the last 7 months, I have learned a lot. While I’ve held management positions for over a decade, I have learned more in this position when it comes to organizational change dynamics and leadership/management because of the significant scope/depth of the responsibilities and the challenges of the position.

One of the lessons I’ve learned is that to be an effective organizational leader, you need to be an effective manager, and to be an effective manager, you need to be an effective leader. In short, leadership and management go hand in hand when delivering results. I’ve seen quotes on the web that goes something like this “culture eats strategy for breakfast/lunch” or some variation of that as if one is more important than the other. I get the sentiment that an organization can implement strategies and processes all day long, but it won’t work without a culture that supports these strategies. One thing I’ve learned, though, is that ultimately, what people want from their leaders/managers are results. As a few staff members reminded me after our initial department retreat soon after I took on this position, I can talk all I want, but the only way I can prove my merit and effectiveness is by following through and delivering on what I/we had intended to accomplish. I spoke with a colleague who said, “Joe, you’re doing a great job setting the culture of collaboration and transparency, but we need you to provide a clearer strategy towards the things you want us to accomplish as a department.”  That conversation reminded me that as a leader, I need to influence and shape the organization’s culture and, at the same time, provide a sense of direction, and clear direction for folks to follow, especially when going to an unfamiliar place.

A mentor of mine once said, “manage constraints and lead towards possibilities,” I also read somewhere that “you manage things and you lead people.”  I’ve led enough projects to understand that scope, time, and cost are variables that must be managed when delivering projects. These are all constraints that need to be managed. But I’ve seen too often when project managers treat people as merely project resources and sometimes like factory robots just expected to follow orders. Any effective project manager would recognize the need to treat people as more than units of resources but as human beings whose motivations and personal satisfaction cannot be ignored. Treat people as robots, and they will give you the bare minimum, treat them with respect and as human beings, and you’ll get more productivity out of them. That’s from personal experience anyway.

The credibility of an organization’s leader is based on the consistency between their actions and words and their ability to deliver results. To be able to deliver results requires the skills to manage constraints and leadership competencies to get the maximum effort out of people towards achieving intended goals.

image credit: http://www.torbenrick.eu/blog/strategy/the-importance-of-organizational-alignment/


Feedback: The Motivation Behind Them Matters

I have come to trust a couple of mentors in my career. I trust them based on the many interactions; they’ve shown me that they come from the right place when they provide me feedback.  What I mean by “a right place” is that the feedback is genuine, and they are to help me become a better professional and a person. My mentors are honest with me and can offer their observations about myself that I may not want to hear, but nevertheless, I readily accept them.  I’ve come to realize that the intent (perceived or real) behind the feedback from others does matter in terms of how well they are accepted. To effectively provide feedback to others, we must earn the trust of those we seek to provide feedback.

While feedback about my performance/behaviors sometimes hurts, I still seek them as I think in my role as a leader, it’s important for me to understand how I am perceived by those I lead and serve. Just recently, as a part of a departmental survey about my department’s organizational health, I included a couple of questions about my areas of strengths and improvements. I presented the result at our department meeting and thanked my staff for providing helpful recommendations on how I can be better.

I’ve received feedback in the past when I’ve had to question the motivations behind them. There have been times when I found out the “friendly criticisms” were based on professional jealousy and less than noble intentions on those providing them. Unfortunately, I became skeptical about the feedback I received from these individuals who broke my trust. I’m still open to them and I do consider them, but not to the extent I do with my trusted mentors.

Trust is a key component that must be considered in an effective professional relationship. The effectiveness of the messages we provide to others and the actions we take depends on how we express them and how others perceive our level of trustworthiness.


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