Washington Politics and the Office – Beware the Similarities

I recently had lunch with a Congressman from the US House of Representatives and a friend; it was just the three of us.  And while the Congressman was careful in what he said, the relaxed atmosphere allowed us to explore a wide range of political and personal topics.  He lamented how the current climate in Washington DC is so toxic there is little chance to pass legislation even when members of both parties can agree.  The similarities to office politics are striking.

The party affiliation of the Congressman is irrelevant.  His comments remind me of situations found in companies with polarized positions where people dismiss good ideas coming from someone they dislike or disagree with.  While many of us are disgusted with a broken political system, we should look closer to home – where we work.  How often have you seen seemingly good ideas tossed aside because one group dislikes another or because of personality conflicts between individuals?  Unfortunately, I believe it happens all too often.

Groups within companies can become as polarized as politicians.  When this happens, people loose touch with their common purpose and discard opportunity because they dislike the idea’s originator.  While political issues play out in the open press, entrenched positions in companies often take a more passive-aggressive path.  New ideas are undermined in hallways and offices behind people’s backs.  The focus becomes the individual instead of the idea; people attack the person and question their motivation or reputation.  Who loses when this happens?

Instead of embracing the positive elements in an idea, people focus on why it won’t work.  Rather than being builders, they resort to demolition.  Innovations and new ideas die before being evaluated when people or groups become entrenched in personal politics.  I’ve been in meetings where someone is ignored entirely as if they were invisible simply because they aren’t liked.  You can watch it happen in real time as people roll their eyes, start speaking to someone else, or begin fiddling with their phone.  In the end, everyone loses as the potential is lost and relationships are further damaged.  This negative cycle can persist indefinitely and doom an organization to mediocrity – or worse.

To break the cycle, move beyond personal feelings and character attacks.  When someone suggests a new idea, separate the person from the idea, especially if you dislike the individual.  Evaluate the idea on face value and work to uncover its strengths.  One way to do this is to imagine the idea came from another source.  Resist the temptation to dismiss an idea just because you dislike who offered it.  Acknowledge the potential benefits, and then move to collaborate toward common understanding.  Remember you are all on the same team.  Remind yourself and others why you’re there: to build a better organization where new opportunity lifts everyone.  Be a builder, not the wrecking crew. 

For leaders, don’t allow your team to fall into a destructive cycle.  Stop the cycle before it gets started.  It’s your responsibility to guide your team toward solutions and to pull yourself and others above the fray.  Focus people on the idea regardless of who offered it.  In addition, be humble and encourage people to find ways to improve upon the idea.  In the end, you’ll build bridges and move your organization forward. 

If you dislike Washington politics as much as I do, remember the same thing can happen in your organization.

Duane Grove is founder of Connect2Action, a strategy execution specialist at the intersection of employee engagement and executive leadership, igniting innovation as a lever to accelerate your growth.  Follow Duane on Twitter @connect2action and connect with him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+.  Learn more by visiting www.connect2action.com.

Is Your Employee Engagement Being Led by Captains or Coaches?

In an earlier article, I suggested that employee engagement is a full-contact sport where manager and employee collaborate together as an integrated team.  Sticking with that theme, I submit there is a big difference between managers who function as coaches and those who are team captains.  If you want an engaged team, be a captain!

Captains are frequently (if not continuously) on the playing field.  Their perspective enables them to not only clearly see what’s happening, but personally experience conditions.  They can see when certain tactics aren’t working and have a unique perspective on why.  Great team captains earn the respect of their teammates, are incredible motivators, and are relatable.  After all, they’re getting hit every bit as much as the other players are.

In order to develop a high performing engaged team, managers need to have a first-hand view of the landscape.  Coaches lead their teams from the sidelines where it’s difficult to appreciate what employees are experiencing. That may work in some instances, but only if a manager is using feedback from players on the field.

Employee engagement happens on the front line where the game is played.  Management can create conditions for success, equip their team with the right tools, and lend considerable experience when crafting the game plan.  But at the end of the day, it’s the captains on the field that are executing the plan.  They are in the best position to know what is working and what isn’t. 

Ever heard someone say ‘just stick to the game plan’ when things aren’t working?  I have seen this first-hand when a new employee engagement effort is rolled out and quickly falls apart.  It’s the age-old definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results.  If your game plan isn’t working, it’s time to find out why and adjust.  Players (employees) give feedback on field conditions, team captains (front-line leaders) lend their experience and first-hand reports, then coaches (company leadership) incorporate that into a revised plan.

Executives should enable first-line leaders (captains) to make real-time adjustments versus waiting for plays to be called in from the sidelines.  

How does this work in practice?  The US military for example trains its platoon leaders and personnel to read conditions on the ground and adjust their tactics as necessary.  Once the mission and strategy have been established and communicated, those with ‘boots on the ground’ have the freedom to maneuver and shift as things unfold.  This in no way compromises the mission.  Instead, it fosters creativity, critical thinking, and dynamic decision-making.

To develop a truly engaged organization, senior leaders must either function as team captains or delegate a degree of freedom to those in the field of play.  I’m not suggesting the C-suite micromanage.  Instead, select leaders who are effective team captains, empower and equip them with tools, then give them authority to shift as conditions warrant. 

Employee engagement is really not very different from team sports.  The best sports teams are those where everyone is working in synch focused on the same goal and executing the same game plan (strategy).  Each individual has a function, knows their position, and is aware of how their actions affect their teammates.  It’s really not that complicated. 

So ask yourself.  Are my employee engagement efforts being led by coaches or captains?  If you’re relying on coaches, you have no leader on the field and you’re likely going to lose the game.  Find yourself some great captains then trust them enough to lead you to victory.

Duane Grove is founder of Connect2Action, an employee engagement specialist, igniting innovation as a lever to accelerate growth.  He provides front-line leadership development and helps clients improve operational alignment.  Follow Duane on Twitter @connect2action and connect with him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+.  Learn more by visiting www.connect2action.com.