Comments on: Helping Your Followers to Stay Grounded

By: Mary Jo Asmus, President, Aspire Collaborative Services LLC

Mary Jo Asmus, President, Aspire Collaborative Services LLC — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:55:14 +0000

Monica,

You are a very wise woman. I am grateful for your comments.

By: Monica Diaz

Monica Diaz — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:08:27 +0000

Fear is a part of the present times and an issue to be addressed. There is nothing wrong with fear per se: it keeps us from danger and sets our mind thinking about possible outcomes. It is HOW we face fear that makes a difference. In my experience, leaders that can convey their own fears clearly and how they intend to act in spite of them fare better than those who act as if everything were fine (they just get excluded from the conversations about the fear). The challenges of facing hard times are many, but keeping an eye on what we still have (and value) is a real eye-opener.

Thanks for sharing your very personal perception of this, Mary Jo and for bringing this to the leadership table. Always enjoy your blog!

By: Mary Jo Asmus, President, Aspire Collaborative Services LLC

Mary Jo Asmus, President, Aspire Collaborative Services LLC — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:08:10 +0000

Bret and Wally-

I think I'll now run my posts through you before I publish them (just kidding). Of course, you are correct – caring is important, as is having the ongoing discussions -not just in times of crisis. Thanks for your powerful additions.

By: Wally Bock

Wally Bock — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:30:08 +0000

Let me add that this is very tough to do if you start when things get tough. A lot of what happens at the face-to-face level is that we reap the consequences of the way we acted when times were good.

By: Bret Simmons

Bret Simmons — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:28:55 +0000

Great follow-up, Mary Jo. Again, concur that many leaders avoid these emotional conversations because they are tough and risky, but they are also *critical*. I think there are two things there are no substitute for – the first is performance and the second is caring. You can't just tell folks you care, that won't work. You have to show them by being consistently present and available. And don't feel like you have to have all the answers, because the truth is you don't.

You do a great job here, Mary Jo. Thanks.

By: Mary Jo Asmus, President, Aspire Collaborative Services LLC

Mary Jo Asmus, President, Aspire Collaborative Services LLC — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:07:09 +0000

Great suggestions, Bret. And a great reminder for managers to talk through the fear with employees.

My concern? Many (most?) organizational leaders avoid such emotional discussions because they really don't know how to have them. Suggestions? Here are mine: Step one: leaders need to recognize that emotions are are signficant part of the workplace. Step two: they must be willing to step into conversations that are emotional. Step three: you've provided some great questions to start the conversation.

Anything else you would add?

Thanks for starting THIS conversation!

By: Bret Simmons

Bret Simmons — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:41:42 +0000

Mary Jo, totally concur that we should put all the cards on the table with our employees. And you are correct, you can't just assume that if you said it once, that once will be enough.

But if they are fearful, there is a reason for that fear, and you need to be honest with yourself and figure out where that came from. Make sure your actions line up with your rhetoric.

And hear the fear. Ask "ok, so what if that happened, what would we do? What would you do?" Once they talk through these they might see that things will not end up as bad as they are imagining them to be.

Remind them that there is never any substitute for impressive performance, and today, let's work together to make that happen. We live in uncertain and hypercompetitive times, and complacency and mediocrity just won't suffice.