Expecting too much too soon

I had a client who asked me to implement new key performance indicators in a month (they had nothing at the time) - yes, zero to implementation in a month. The KPIs he was asking for were very deep and complex, they didn't have the necessary systems in place, and the alternative was to capture the basic data manually (not really an option in most cases). Because of my objections as to the impossibility of the request, he gave the project to somebody who didn't say no. Six months later, no indicators. They restarted the process 4 more times with the same results.

For all of their effort, they seemed unwilling to grasp how their choices of process and conditions were making it impossible to obtain meaningful information. Even if all went well, the first few data collections are plagued with errors, personnel aren't clear what you are asking of them or are afraid to give it to you. As for interpretation: You don't have a baseline to compare them to (is that 7 in indicador 3 good or bad?) and you don't have a tendency (is it improving or getting worse, is more better or worse?).

How do you know if your expectations are too much? Read their body language! If you see:

1. Uncomfortable smiles
2. Weight shifting
3. Darting eyes - nobody looks at you in the eyes but look at each other worriedly
   

That usually means you are off base in your request. You have to realize that if nobody believes it can be done, then it probably wont get done. Trust your team advisers - otherwise, why have them? On a side note, if your team doesn't' give you straight or honest answers, you better rethink your communications and leadership skills.

The point here is that you have to be realistic on your expectations - if you ask for the impossible again and again you will lose credibility - the result is that nobody takes him seriously anymore and the work they do produce is more made up than a ride at Disney.

Good communication will make you a good leader - and help you keep you job

One of the worst defects of low leadership skills is poor communication. I’ve seen it a couple of times, nobody knows how the boss got the job as he seems unable to communicate his ideas coherently. Most of the time he seemed to be babbling - his speeches were full of trendy words and ideas but no substance; it took an enormous amount of effort on our behalf to understand what he wanted us to do. And obviously, sometimes we misunderstood and made mistakes. His shining point: he knew how to dress you down in front of everybody. Don’t be that boss.

You better understand (and quickly) how to deliver a message. Not only a better communicator will outshine you every time, but it will cause your organization to be erratic and mistrustful of your actions. It can help your subordinates set you up for failure and it will certainly make you a joke around the office.

I was reading a very good article on the MIT Management Review about how subordinates may be setting you up to fail. The article centers (among other things) in how perception plays a key role in how your actions, inactions and communications are received by your team. Although you cannot take responsibility of how people will understand your message, you better make sure your delivery is appropriate.

One of my mentors at Booz Allen gave me a maxim that I took to heart. Communications has two parts:

1) Message – what you are trying to say

2) Delivery – how you present your ideas

Delivery is how you may shape the perception of everyone who is receiving your message. Delivery could be short and sweet, floral and effervescent, somber and full of protocol. How you shape your delivery will not only help the audience receive the message, but get the right context for the message. Don’t tell the group that the company is restructuring while your face is smiling (I’ve seen this), or say you are focusing on indicators while doing nothing to get them (your actions are part of your delivery).

My recommendation is that you be the boss that means what he says and says what he means. Let your message and actions be coherent – in times of uncertainty make your message crystal clear.

Thinking about strategy: too many leaders

If you find that for your company, thinking about strategy requires a monumental effort it may be because you are including every possible variable in your analysis. Sometimes this approach to strategy comes about because there isn't a dominant leader in the company but several strong-willed executives. Without a charismatic leader - a company may flounder without direction. Just like two people can't drive a car, too many executives can't drive a company.

Instead of really working cooperatively, the dominant executives will try to control the situation by introducing variables in the analysis that will lead to their desired outcomes. The result will be an ineffective strategy:

• Too broad: being the no 1 position in the whole wide world (what does this mean?)
• Conflicting objectives: being the premium brand using the cheapest components.
• Unattainable: going from pure software development to software integration without making real changes to the way things are done.

If you are not one of the strong-willed executives, there isn't an easy solution to your problem (but that is why you are reading this post). What you need is a third party that breaks the stalemate and takes over - sometimes it can be you! Sometimes you need to use somebody on the board or the CEO. You need somebody with enough authority/clout to break the stalemate and take over completely. If there isn't any single person who can do this, then you will have to play Big Brother or Survival and make alliances with enough power to take over. Make sure you control the alliance or you will have the same situation but with even more people involved.

If you are one of the strong-willed executives (BTW, thanks for reading the post) the solution is even more simple: get another job (find your own company to play with without sharing) or get the the other person another job. If you are evenly matched (the unmovable object meeting the unstoppable force kind of situation) why are you complicating your life? find another company and take over. Do avoid anything with the N1H1 virus or Facebook photos in the mix.

Survival: Understand your position in the job market

To get a job in this job market you have to understand your position: generalist vs. specialist. If you don't, you will be climbing the stairs using your nose. If you are a specialist and your specialty is in demand, then you will not have a problem. If you are a generalist, my friend, you have to do things different because you are in trouble.

There is a common complaint from job seekers lately: that the market has such deterministic needs that if you do not comply 100% with whatever checklist the recruiter has you are out. There is such abundance of general types (or at least people willing to do anything) that the barriers to entry for any position have risen. In the past, recruiters and HR departments were willing to talk to people that didn't quite fit or didn't meet all the criteria but were bringing something extra or worthwhile to the table. They don't do that anymore, mainly because of two things: one, a lot of screening is done by software so they won't even see your resume. two, they have hundreds of applicants to any position, so why do you think they will bother with people that have to be sold (because they don't match part of the criteria), they will just pick a candidate that has 100% of the requirements.

If you are a generalist, my advice to you is: stop wasting time applying for positions where the match is not 100%. Either get the 100% qualifications (invest in certifications when it makes sense ) or skip to the next position.

Your real option is networking. But not the networking of old when you went to a dinner and met X and they referred you. You have to do new networking: blogs, talks, Twitter, Facebook, et al + old networking. Call your dad and/or mom's friends; hell, now is the time to be calling on favors. If you are smart, you will pay them back latter with interest - once you have that network (and a job) then is the time to launch your career into the stratosphere.

New media: use with caution

In the middle of our busy lives we are all trying to keep up to date on what is happening with our contacts. Tweets and wall updates populate our days and we feel lost or isolated when we don't follow on each of our friends updates. Important conversations and networking opportunities are lost because we were not online at the right time. Let me help you with that!

First things first. Repeat after me: "I don't have to be online all the time". Now repeat: "I will learn to use the tools offered to keep on top of things". I know what you are thinking: If you only connect at the beginning or at the end of the day you will miss out on important information. That is true and there is something you will have to face. But on the other side, being connected 24/7 will distract you from your day to day activities and real life.

Two things to solve this: Balance and tools.

Balance is achieved when we use social media with a purpose: Don't Facebook just for the sake of it, have a purpose and a plan to use Facebook. Your purpose may be networking or making a sales contact. Your moves have to be deliberate: connect, get updates, update, disconnect. Don't spend endless hours looking at your friends pictures, or posting inane games or the results of what kind of transformer are you. Is like going to the bank during lunch: get there, do your business and leave.

All social sites provide tools to filter and control the information flow. Learn to use them. Filter content from your second cousin twice removed, allow content from that great contact in marketing. Use Tweetdeck and filter out comments about the latest Lindsay Lohan appearance.

Use social media the right way and it will be a treasure trove of contacts and good things. Use it wrong and it will fill your days with 4chan memes and "having lunch" tweets.