The Tingley Advantage Inc.

Improving the Way You Do Business

The Problem with Perfect

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Quick Facts

  • Aiming for perfection in your decisions and actions can lead to procrastination and lost opportunities.
  • Most of the time, 70 – 80% confidence is enough to make a sound decision or take action.
  • The benchmark needs to be shifted from a comparison against ‘perfect’ to a comparison against not taking action at all (or delaying action for too long).
  • Perfecting is a process of continuous improvement and learning, rather than an end state.

  Detailed Analysis

“Better is good”. – Barack Obama

High-performing businesspeople are always aspiring to be the best. They might look to people who have reached the pinnacles of their fields – people like Barack Obama in politics, Colin Powell in the military, or Jeff Bezos in business – to learn how to attain the level of perfection they aspire to. Whether you admire these individuals or not, it’s hard to argue that they’ve achieved at the very highest levels. And something else they share – a commitment to strive for good, or better, while avoiding the trap of perfect as much as possible. It’s counter-intuitive – don’t the best of the best aim for perfection? But Powell famously coined the 40/70 rule, which asserts that decisions should be made with not less than 40% information, but not more than 70%. Bezos echoes this idea, believing that most decisions can be made at about 70% certainty. And Obama was committed to the idea that better and done beats perfect and not done, or as he succinctly puts it “Better is good”. Why is perfection so problematic?

  • It delays action. If the standard for your action is perfection, how quickly are you going to act? Likely, a quest for perfection is going to significantly slow down action. But opportunities don’t wait for us to get all our ducks perfectly in a row, so trying to get everything perfect and avoid any possibility of mistake is, in most cases, not a smart option. Unless lives are on the line (and even sometimes then), the biggest mistake will be the failure to act at all. And some believe that perfectionism can be a form of procrastination.
  • It stifles creativity. If you’ve set the benchmark for your team at ‘perfect’, how likely are your team members to throw out creative, outside of the box, possibly bad but potentially thought-stimulating, ideas to make things better? The pressure to come out with perfect ideas, fully formed, means that many good ideas may never have the chance to be improved upon and developed into something viable.
  • It’s unrealistic. This is common sense – the truth is, perfection does not exist. The greatest athletes miss shots, the greatest doctors lose patients, the greatest businesspeople make bad calls. Perfectionism is not just an unhelpful standard, it’s an impossible one. It’s possibly the only business strategy with which failure is all but guaranteed.

So, what’s a better approach? After all, we can let go of perfection, but running headlong into plans without thought or reflection isn’t a sound strategy either. How do we find the balance between careless, too-quick action on the one hand, and perfectionism on the other?

  • Differentiate your decisions. Bezos proposes a structure in which decisions are broken into two types – Type 1 decisions are high risk and cannot be undone or course-corrected, and these should be undertaken with painstaking care and a cautious pace. Type 2 decisions are ones where course-correction, tweaks, and even complete reversal are possibilities. These decisions should be made at lower levels of certainty – as mentioned, he suggests 70% confidence; others suggest a bit higher, something like 80%.
  • Practice mental agility. A recent HBR article suggests the following exercise: practice shifting your focus from focused work (for example, reading this post) to big picture thinking (such as the overall landscape of your industry right now). The metaphor that comes to mind is a camera zooming in and out, taking in a detail in one shot and panning a landscape in another. It’s easy to fuss over details when we lose sight of the big picture; practicing this strategy helps us to maintain context so that we can decide what ‘good enough’ looks like for any given action or decision.
  • Measure the risk of acting mistakenly against the risk of not acting at all. With perfection as the benchmark, any action can be seen as sub-par. But when we consider the risks of action delayed or avoided, the risk assessment can change significantly. Consider delicate surgeries – there is an inherent risk, but they are performed anyway precisely because the risk of not acting is worse.
  • Channel your energy into risk mitigation and improvement. Once you’ve accepted that perfection is not an option and made the best decision possible, you can redeploy your mental effort from figuring out what to do, to figuring out ways to reduce the risks, spot problems, and course correct as needed.
  • Embrace continuous improvement. Thinking “perfecting” rather than “perfection. Mistakes are some of the greatest learning opportunities we’ll ever be handed. When things don’t work out ideally, it’s an opportunity to assess what worked and what didn’t and apply those learnings to future decisions, leading to a positive cycle of continuous improvement, innovation and intelligent risk-taking that can drive your business success. If your inclination is towards perfection, see it as a process rather than an end state.
  • View 80% as a solid foundation upon which to build. Rather than thinking in absolutes, view an imperfect start as a foundation. If you can quickly get something to 70 or 80% done, can your team work towards filling in the rest over time, perhaps even more wisely and effectively for having the learnings from the initial attempt?

Sometimes you need to be 100% sure. But often, faster is better than perfect. And better is good.  

Getting People to Change their Behaviour

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Quick Facts

  • It’s natural for individuals and teams to resist behaviour change, but it’s a necessary business reality, and managers need to know how to support it.
  • Start by gaining buy in for the change, to minimize resistance and leverage your team’s capabilities.
  • Then, make the process of adopting new behaviours as manageable and sustainable as the business will allow.

Detailed Analysis

As we’ve looked at before, change is difficult. As humans, we are hard-wired to resist change, and its easy for us to perceive it as a threat. At a common-sense level, we can see this is true – it’s easier and more familiar to continue doing what we’ve always done than to do something different (ever tried to launch a new fitness regime?) Still, change is part of life, and even more so in our rapidly changing technological world. As a manager, you need strategies in your toolkit to help your team change behaviours when the business calls for it.

Gain Buy In

If changing behavior can trigger reluctance and resistance, changing behaviour because you are forced to do so can trigger downright hostility and complete refusal. This works against your employee, you, and your business. To lay the groundwork for behavioural change, you need buy in. How?

  • Start with context. Rather than introducing a new set of behaviours (say, using a new software tool or following a new process) in isolation, give employees the big picture so they can see for themselves why new behaviours are necessary. For example, if a new process is being implemented, start with a conversation about the changing needs of the business and the ways the old process is falling short. Your team will likely formulate for themselves the idea that a new process is a necessity, even before you introduce it.
  • Help them see why the old way doesn’t work anymore (and why the new state is better). And as much as possible, coach them through this thought process rather than telling them ‘how it is’. Once they have context, ask your team why they feel the current way of doing things might not be viable anymore, or which aspects are still relevant, and which aren’t. Similarly, discuss with them the rationale behind the new processes and ask for their feedback about what might work well and what might be challenging to implement (not only does this uncover their fears and resistance to the new behaviours but can help you identify the pitfalls to manage when you get to the implementation stage).
  • Personalize the benefits. Change is driven by the business needs, but in many cases, changes can lead to benefits for your team – for example, learning a new technology can be difficult but oftentimes might be more efficient or easier to use in the long run. When possible, identify and share how your team will benefit personally from changes to increase their motivation.
  • Make it their idea. This is not always a possibility (for example, if new behaviours are being driven by regulatory change or safety requirements), but whenever possible, give your team the opportunity to provide input into what new behaviours need to happen. Present them with the business problem you are trying to solve and let them generate ideas to solve it. This gives them a feeling of empowerment and lowers resistance (it’s hard to resist a behaviour you yourself have suggested is needed). Additionally, team members can bring a frontline perspective to many issues, and they may generate even better, more efficient, or effective behaviours to support the business.

Manage the Change Process

We’ve discussed the change management process in depth here and here. In addition to these tips, consider using a slow and steady approach towards implementing the new behaviours.

  • Help them shift a little at a time. Back to the new fitness regime – ever tried to do that, and change your diet, and start waking up at 5 a.m. to meditate, all in the same week? How successful were you? How sustainable where the changes over the long term? If you’re like most people, drastic and sudden change is not only unsustainable, but it can lead to discouragement and failure
  • Whenever possible, define the most important change, and focus. Once this change has been mastered and becomes habit, then move on to the next change.
  • Provide constructive feedback. Change can take time and old habits die hard. Mistakes will be made. As much as possible, keep feedback constructive and positive, and focus on successful progress rather than perfection.
  • Set a timeline and expectations. As much as possible, we need to support our teams through the process, giving them the flexibility, they need to adapt. But ultimately, your team is responsible for doing their job in a way that delivers what the business needs. Consequences for failing to change behaviour should be a last resort, and by setting clear expectations upfront, you can minimize the chance of getting to this point.

Change isn’t easy, but it’s always possible. Try these tips to support your team whenever they need to tackle the challenges of new behaviours.        

Talking to Teams During Uncertain Times

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Quick Facts

  • Talking to teams during uncertain times may be one of the most difficult communication challenges may managers will face.
  • Teams look to leadership for reassurance, so you need to ensure adequate support for yourself so that you can support others.
  • Paint a picture of the future that teams can rally around, but avoid over-promising.
  • Be consistent, and remind your team that you are there to support them when they need it.

Detailed Analysis

Difficult conversations are daunting. Difficult conversations during times of profound uncertainty are perhaps the greatest challenge many managers have ever faced. People are scared – for their jobs, the families, and their health. And as their manager, many will look to you for leadership and guidance during this time. As a manager, you are faced with walking the line between providing reassurance and avoiding promises that you can’t possibly keep. What do you say and do when you can’t be sure that ‘everything will be ok’? Below are practical tips for dealing with this communication challenge.

Recognize that they are looking to you for reassurance. When employees share fears or concerns with you, it’s appropriate to empathize – but not to unload your own fears and issues. As the leader in the situation, it’s your responsibility to provide a sense of stability. Your team can’t lean on you when you are unstable yourself.

  • Be honest with yourself and acknowledge what is going on for you.
  • Reach out to the appropriate supports for yourself – your own manager perhaps, or other employee support resources.
  • Once you have met your own needs, you are in a far better position to support the needs of your team.

Paint a picture of the future that people can rally towards. Uncertain times might mean that the future is unclear, or that you need to be prepared to pivot or adapt unexpectedly. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a plan. In fact, imagining and planning for your future state can provide a focal point for team struggling to find balance.

  • Given the information you have now, paint a picture of what could be.
  • Consider what opportunities are being presented by the current challenge, and what does a positive outcome looks like.
  • Communicate this vision with your team, and use it to re-frame their current issues and challenges. For example, if they are struggling with working remotely, help them to envision what success in this area looks like and define steps to move in that direction. Not only does this create a positive shift in focus, but it lets your team members feel empowered and like they have at least some control in unpredictable times.

Do not over-promise or make commitments you can’t or aren’t certain you can keep. Optimism is good. But honestly is essential. The sweet spot is a sense of optimism based in the realities of the situation. If your industry has been upended, it’s optimistic but dishonest to say results won’t be affected and jobs are completely safe. An honest optimist would acknowledge the threat, and then focus on tangible actions that can be taken to mitigate it. Making promises you can’t keep might feel easy in the moment, since you are telling people what they want to hear.  Ultimately, though, your team members will realize sooner or later that you haven’t been frank with them which will erode trust for the long-term.  Instead, for example, you can reassure them that their jobs are likely safe, even though some cuts will be inevitable. But what can we say when the honest news is not good news?

  • Trust that your teams are adults who can deal with difficult information.
  • Provide just the facts that they need to know and avoid speculation or unconfirmed information.
  • Emphasize what’s being done to mitigate potential negative turns of events and what supports are available to them.
  • Reassure them that you will share accurate information with them as soon as you are able to do so.

Try to be consistent. When things change, explain why, and what the new course will be. This can be a challenge in dynamic and changeable situations. As we’ve seen in recent weeks, things can change quickly and unpredictably. How can we create a sense of consistency under these circumstances? By focusing on the items that are under our control, such as:

  • Consistent updates let our team know when they can expect information, so that they feel up to date on the situation. This might take the form of a daily update email or weekly team meeting – whatever is appropriate to your context.
  • Consistent expectations help the team to feel in control of their performance and efforts. This means that expectations are clearly communicated and ideally documented, so that teams don’t feel they are aiming at a moving target.
  • Consistent availability means your team knows when and how to reach out to you. This doesn’t mean you are available 24/7 – it might look like set ‘office hours’ when they know you’ll be available for a quick call or text conversation, or an assurance that you’ll answer emails from the team by the end of the day.

Of course, the problem with change is that it often comes without warning. When this is the case, communicate. Let your team know what has changed, and why. Explain to them how it affects their daily efforts, including the updates and expectations above. Encourage them to use your availability to discuss specific concerns and map their new course.

Make sure your team knows you’re available for them. Ultimately, the actions outlined above let your team know that you are a trusted source of information and reassurance during difficult times. Simple, frequent reminders that you are available to answer questions and address confusion or concern can go a long way towards mitigating your team’s fears and keeping them focused and productive.  

Working Remotely for the Long Term

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Quick Facts

  • Remote work is here to stay, at least in some capacity
  • Building and maintaining connections is critical to making remote work effective and sustainable
  • Creating connections and battling digital fatigue among teams will be an important managerial skill for the foreseeable future

Detailed Analysis

The last few weeks have seen a massive shift from office-based to home-based work. Of course, this has been driven by extraordinary circumstances, but the fact is, by many reports, remote work is proving an overall success. A recent Forbes article shows with the massive availability of remote technology, high levels of productivity are possible – despite our changed world, the work is getting done. Add to this that remote work provides benefits to both employees and employers (for example, more flexible work schedules and eliminated commute times, as well as reduced costs associated with providing physical workspaces), and it seem reasonable to assume that remote work – at least to some degree – is here to stay, and companies and managers need to be proactive about keeping teams engaged in the remote world.

Building Connections

It is a paradox – as we have become hyper-connected in digital terms, it takes more effort and intentionality to ensure human connection. What are some of the challenges?

  • It can be tough to understand what connection really is: just because a manager phones their employees once a week does not necessarily mean they are truly deepening relationships or connecting on a human level.
  • Digital connections can be effective but also fatiguing. The threat of burnout is real.
  • In person connections are ultimately irreplaceable for building trust and true relationship.

To create real connection and combat digital fatigue, managers need to:

  • Be intentional in connecting with employees. Simply saying “How are you” at the beginning of a work phone call is not connection. See your employees as individuals for whom work is one part of life. Take an (appropriate level of) interest in their personal lives and allow time and space to really listen when they talk.
  • Create opportunities for your team to connect as individuals. Offsites, team lunches and other social activities give people a chance to connect on a human level. These can be done virtually (side benefit: you can use virtual socializing to connect teams from different geographies that may never have had the chance in the past), but when circumstances allow, there is no replacement for face to face communication.
  • Create policies that balance the tendency for tech to take over people’s lives. Set the expectation that employees are not required to immediately respond to every email, text or notification they receive, and if necessary, establish appropriate service levels to clarify the parameters (e.g. an hour for a text, by end of day for email, or whatever is appropriate to your business).
  • Reinforce the value of periods of deep work, where distractions are minimized. This not only works against digital fatigue, but it can improve the quality of work performed.
  • Respect office hours. Employees (and you) are entitled to a private life that is not inundated with work interruptions. Recognize that it is just as appropriate for someone to turn off their work phone or laptop as it is for them to leave a physical office at the end of a workday.
  • Define expectations and create policies around remote work. What are the expectations in terms of work schedules? How will accountability be established, and productivity measured when you can’t see what employees are doing? By documenting the answer to some of these questions, you can prevent confusion, misunderstanding and unnecessary stress or conflict over what’s appropriate remote work behaviour.

When employees feel respected and connected, their engagement increases. When expectations are clear, reasonable, and well-defined, employees have an opportunity to meet and exceed them. This is as true (perhaps more so) in a remote environment, where traditional means of connection are limited or (as in the current moment) unavailable.

Focus on connecting with your team and enable them to connect with each other, and you will build a solid foundation for navigating the remote work world for the long-term.  

Key Communication Skills We Can Learn from the Crisis

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Quick Facts
 
  • Effective crisis communicators exemplify skills we can apply all the time to improve our communication skills.
  • Be clear and concise with messaging.
  • Choose your words and tone with intention.
  • Use the power of analogies, and don’t be afraid to make it personal.
  • Give  your audience something to remember to make your message stick.

Detailed Analysis

Communication is a powerful and essential life skill, and this is never more evident that during times of crisis. From a communications standpoint, the pandemic has created a need for clear, honest, and empathetic communication that balances the need for hard facts with a human touch. It’s a masterclass in effective communication for those paying attention.

The Harvard Business Review recently published a thoughtful piece about communication in a crisis which highlights New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as an example of highly effective communication in a difficult time. North of the border, BC’s Chief Medical Officer Bonnie Henry has been praised for her ability to balance high levels of intellect and competence with genuine emotion.

What can we learn from these master communicators?

Be clear and concise. Use less words when possible, and shorter ones. With the pandemic, this means simplifying scientific and medical terminology so that the average citizen can understand it while staying fact-based; in business, it might mean avoiding consultant-speak and vague references or requests, in favour of everyday terminology and clear action items.

In either case, the idea is to keep your message clear and understandable. Often leaders think they have been clear and thorough, only to later discover that employees did not understand – or remember – the message. Of course, it’s important to provide as much detail as is necessary, but by being clear about the key message you are trying to convey, and framing it with simple, understandable language, your message has more of a chance to stick.

It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. When a reporter used the term “shelter at home” to describe the social distancing measures introduced by Cuomo, he was quick to correct the wording choice. He knew that the term is commonly used during acute threats such as active shooters and understood that using the term might trigger a similar sense of fear or panic.

In business, a similar lesson applies. A simple shift in language – “what went wrong during this project” vs. “what did you do wrong” for example – can spark a collaborative conversation rather than a combative one.

Find analogies. HBR notes that Cuomo effectively used this strategy to convey to another state the importance of helping New York in the pandemic. He could have presented data about how viruses spread from one geography to another; instead, he opted to use the analogy of ‘stopping a fire before it reaches your house’. Pandemics are unfamiliar and, in some ways, unfathomable. Fires are something we have all seen and experienced in some way. By opting for a familiar analogy, he got his message across with great impact.

Fortunately, more business scenarios are not as dire as stopping a pandemic in its tracks. But the communication principle can be used in common business scenarios. Reminding your sales team to remember to ‘skate to where the puck is going, not to where it’s been’ can be far more effective than data-heavy lectures on future trends forecasts. At the very least, it reminds employees in a tangible way why those forecasts ultimately matter.

Get Personal. Early in the pandemic, Dr. Bonnie Henry made headlines for welling up with tears while asking the public to do what they could to protect the vulnerable among us. This display of emotion personalized the situation, reminding us that real people, real families, real life-and-death situations were relying on us to do the right thing. It was a powerful moment.

Professionalism and appropriateness are always important, but showing your human side conveys authenticity and empathy – qualities that inspire trust and connection among teams. When a project goes awry, sharing a time when you dealt with a similar situation (even the mistakes you made) can build the team’s resilience and re-focus them on doing the best job they can under the circumstances.

Give Them Something to Remember. If you have a strategic goal and want to spark action among the team, give them two or three (HBR refers to the ‘rule of three’) key points to focus on, and repeat them often. Cuomo used this tactic in a tweet: “Stay Home. Stop the Spread. Save Lives.” Health Canada used an even more concise version in their public awareness campaign: “Stay Home. Save Lives” If a member of the public listened to nothing but these two slogans, they would know precisely what to do to social distance and minimize the spread of covid-19.

If this can be effective with lives at stake, it can certainly help you keep your team focused on a strategic goal. Perhaps a sales team needs to remember to “Reach out, solve problems, stay in touch” so that they focus on proactively contacting customers, finding out their needs, proposing solutions and following up until the sale is closed. Or a team of database analysts needs to “maintain, validate, update” to improve the quality of the data they are responsible for. It does not need to be poetry – just simple, concise, and action-oriented.

Thankfully, few business managers or leaders will ever be tasked with leading a crisis as profound as that faced by Governor Cuomo or Dr. Henry. But all of us can look to them as masters of communication and learn from their expertise and service.