Upping Your Impact Today with Prediction, Understanding, Control, and Compassion
Inspirations from The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge Into Action By Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton
I think most people agree that we are in hard times. Granted, things are looking up compared to the COVID era but there is still a lot of uncertainty in the world, our economy, and in our industry. In just the past few years so many people have changed jobs, careers, where they live…impacts have been strong for everyone, even those who have not made these changes. Just think about how much change we have are experiencing in the way we do work, the people we work with, and the attitudes and behaviors of others. We have a renewed appreciation for the people side of business--the leadership skills (a.k.a. soft skills) required to keep an engaged workforce so that business can continue.
The concept of driving fear out of an organization has been around for a very long time (thank Dr. Deming - Out of the Crisis and Dr. Maslow - Hierarchy of Needs) but it is not outdated or obsolete. The idea that we might know the right thing to do, or at least have ideas for different things to do, but hesitate to speak of them or give them a try because we are afraid is still relevant today. I find these four bullets: prediction, understanding, control, and compassion very interesting. While these bullets are presented in The Knowing-Doing Gap in the context of what an organization can do during “hard times” (like layoffs, re-structuring, etc.) to mitigate negative impacts on staff both directly and indirectly effected:
Prediction - give people as much information as possible about what will happen to them and when it will happen.
Understanding - give people detailed information about why actions, especially actions that upset and harm them, were taken.
Control - give people as much influence as possible over what happens, when things happen, and the way things happen to them; let them make as many decisions about their own fate as possible.
Compassion - convey sympathy and concern for the disruption, emotional distress, and financial burdens that people will face
I think there are other contexts in which they apply. Here a just a few:
Workforce Engagement per Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence
According to the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence definition of Workforce Engagement: An engaged workforce refers to the extent of workforce commitment, both emotional and intellectual, to accomplishing the work, mission, and vision of the organization. Organizations with high levels of workforce engagement are often characterized by high performing work environments in which people are motivated to do their utmost for the benefit of their customers and for the success of the organization. In general, members of the workforce feel engaged when they find personal meaning and motivation in their work and when they receive positive interpersonal and workplace support. And engaged workforce benefits from trusting relationships, a safe and cooperative environment, good communication and information flow, empowerment, and performance accountability. Key factors contributing to engagement include training and career development, effective recognition and reward systems, equal opportunity and fair treatment, and family friendliness. To me, this definition includes many elements which align with prediction, understanding, control, and compassion.
Engaging Gen Z
When you do research into characteristics of Gen Z in the workplace, you find things like:
Gen Z is on its way to becoming the most educated generation yet and continuous learning is highly valued
Gen Z is not against the office life they just want flexibility
Competitive compensation is important but for Gen. Z so is career fit
Gen Zers have their eye on the future as they start their professional lives
Gen Z is quitting jobs that don't align with their professional goals and values
Gen Zers generally have progressive views on a wide range of social issues and tend to be highly inclusive in their attitudes and approach to diversity
When I look at the above, I see prediction, understanding, control, and compassion.
Being More Effective per 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Habit 1: Be Proactive (You’re in Charge)
Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind (Have a Plan)
Habit 3: Put First Things First (Work First, Then Play)
Habit 4: Think Win-Win (Everyone Can Win)
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood(Listen Before You Talk)
Habit 6: Synergize (Together Is Better)
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw (Balance Feels Best)
Do you see the four in here? I do.
Being a Leader
Now using the lens of leadership skills and what leaders do, there are four main competency categories:
1. Create and communicate vision
2. Build relationships and trust
3. Develop people and cultivate talent
4. Generate alignment
Again; I see prediction, understanding, control, and compassion in this leadership model.
Building Trust per 13 Behaviors of a High Trust Leader by Stephen M.R. Covey
I will use trust as a final example. Most people agree that trust is the foundation of all relationships and that trust sets the tone for all interactions. As I review these 13 behaviors found in the book The Speed of Trust, I see elements of prediction, understanding, control, and compassion.
Character
Talk straight
Demonstrate respect
Create transparency
Right wrongs
Show loyalty
Competence
Deliver results
Get better
Confront reality
Clarify expectations
Practice accountability
Character + Competence
Listen first
Keep commitments
Extend trust
So...What is the point?
My professional focus is on facilitating leadership success and development by purposeful alignment and execution of mission/vision/values, strategy, operational systems, workforce engagement and results. (Anyone see elements of prediction, understanding, control, and compassion in there?)
Whether I am consulting, speaking, or teaching my preparation and execution are not complete until I can elocute what I want my audience to be able to take and implement right away to see immediate results. Here are some questions inspired by prediction, understanding, control and compassion to help develop your impact as a leader:
Prediction
Operations Focused: Are your operations systems robust enough to predict results? Do people have the information available at the right time to make savvy decisions?
People Focused: Are you transparent and candid so that people have information necessary to make behavior adjustments as well as smart, timely decisions?
Understanding
Operations Focused: Do your analytics and reporting facilitate insight and decision making? How well do your metrics align with strategy, mission, vision, and values?
People Focused: When speaking with others; particularly when delegating, assigning, and giving feedback, do you contextualize your message for that person in the bigger picture of the organization’s health and future? Do people recognize overall system impact of decisions, actions, and results?
Control
Operations Focused: Do your operational systems and processes support distribution of decision-making authority down to the lowest possible levels of the organization or do you have overly complex and clunky review and approval protocols? Are your policies and procedures followed and yielding desired results?
People Focused: Do your people possess enough knowledge and experience to formulate plans aligned with organizational values, strategy, goals and objectives AND are they skilled enough (from a technical and leadership perspective) to execute and achieve desired results? Are your managers good leaders? What level of autonomy do your people have? Are they encouraged to develop mastery in areas aligned with their greatest interests and support their journey?
Compassion
Operations Focused: Are your policies and/or processes so strict that managing exceptions causes great disruption? Are your key metrics based strictly on financials? Do your policies enable or disable knowledge sharing, ideas, feedback, well-being, diversity, equity, and inclusion across the organization’s hierarchy as well as cultural, racial, gender, political, social, and other demographics?
People Focused: Does your culture support developing and cultivating the talents of all people in the organization or just an elite few? Does each person know how their daily work supports the overall goals of the organization? Do they see how their role aligns with the big picture? Are people commodities or assets in your organization? Are your people given healthy, regular feedback and coaching? Do your leaders really care about employees and their families (mental, physical, and financial well-being)?
Just some food for thought for those people looking further develop as an individual , team member, team manager/leader, and/or organizational leader. Whatever you choose to do with this information, please do it with purpose – on purpose.