DAY 42 - LEARNING TO LEAD SERIES – PART V

I hope you’re following along as we countdown the final 100 days of 2022 - you can join us anytime. Learn more about the program HERE.

In Part V of our Learning to Lead series, we’re going to talk about discernment.  Discernment is the ability to see what is not obvious, hear what is not being said, and then with that information, apply action to create a positive outcome.  Perception is a key element in discernment, and it is a skill that develops more over time.  

Discernment with respect to leadership is reading the signs and the motives behind behaviors.  We’d all like to believe that we have a relationship with our team that ensures they will come to us if there is an issue.  We say we have an “open door” policy so that must mean they will speak up.  That may be true for some, but that’s not necessarily the case for the majority of people.  Admitting you’re struggling makes people feel exposed and vulnerable.  

It’s also pretty unlikely that someone on your team will tell you that they have limiting beliefs that they will be successful at a project so therefore they are not going to make the critical deadlines you have in place.  Instead, the same person may appear aloof or disengaged, not participate during meetings, or show up late for work.  While it’s important to address unproductive behaviors head-on, addressing it with someone when they’re not ready to reveal or fully understand the issue can cause further disconnection.  

In this example, the key could be looking at the uncharacteristic behavior and the workload and seeing if you can create the connection.  Are they normally acting like this or is it an anomaly?  Instead of approaching the team member with a “what’s going on” question which you will most likely get a “nothing” response, open the conversation with “I know this project is pretty significant, and I’m happy to talk through any concerns you might have.”  Take the focus away from the person’s recent behaviors and concentrate on the solutions…alleviating their doubts.  

Good employees don’t often change that quickly, so creating a comfortable space for communication is a better approach.  There is also an additional benefit, they will realize that you truly are open to discussing issues without judgment.  It’s also very likely that your employee will tell others that you are an approachable leader who cares about what their employees are going through.  This can pave the way for others to approach you when they are struggling.  A win for everyone.