Leading Change – Dan Greer

5 Key Trends Leaders Need To Understand To Get Hybrid Right

Dan Greer — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 16:08:27 +0000

By its very nature a major disruption demands transformation not realignment. This does not mean that everything in the past about leading teams needs to be replaced but it does mean that it will probably never be the same again either.

A massive shift is taking place in corporate workplaces and every leader needs to be able to navigate the changes that must be made to hire and retain the best leaders moving forward. This HBR post will definitely help:

“After many false starts, organizations are finally making the shift into a true hybrid work model. Like every other turning point over the past two years, there’s no shortage of perspectives on what this next phase will look like. While some companies are going all in on flexible work, others are pushing for a return to the office of 2019.

Despite this range of approaches, nearly every leader today has the same question: Is the new emphasis on flexibility and well-being a temporary pendulum swing, or the beginning of our new normal?”

How To Lead Your Team Through The Transition Back To The Office

Dan Greer — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 15:05:04 +0000

For well over a year the number one topic with the corporate leaders I help to coach was how to survive the pandemic. Now beyond any shadow of a doubt the strategy for bringing their workforces back into the office while maintaining the appropriate amount of virtual time is top of the list.

Many very large and successful companies are finding that just saying we are all coming back to the office is not working and maybe it should not. This HBR post offers some excellent advice:

“If you’re anxious about how your team is going to navigate the transition to whatever form of in-person work your company is planning, you aren’t alone. By now, you’re likely aware that most employees don’t want to return to whatever normal looked like pre-pandemic. A recent survey from Harvard Business School of 1,500 employees revealed that 81% of them either don’t want to come back at all or would prefer a hybrid model of work.”

The “New Normal” Is Disruption Itself

Dan Greer — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 17:52:48 +0000

If you are waiting for the world to get back to the way it used to be, plan on dropping by Blockbuster on the way home from work today. Those days are gone and disruption simply means that we are going to be living in a state of dramatic change as the norm not the exception.

This is simply a Good To Great brutal fact and the sooner we start leading instead of reacting, the better our organizations will be. This post by Forbes is a great read:

“With 2020 now in the rearview mirror, businesses must look at the road ahead and embrace all that lies before them. To continue the metaphor, organizations need to take the wheel and steer themselves toward digital relevance in this new reality. To succeed, companies have to accept adaptation as not only a means of survival but as a way to fundamentally better meet the needs and wants of a customer base that is more dynamic now than perhaps ever before in history. “

Compassionate Leadership Is Important But Not Sufficient

Dan Greer — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 15:36:18 +0000

There has been a steady movement in leadership training towards valuing your people over everything else. This means that knowing how to understand your team and their individual needs is critical for maximum productivity. There is a clear tension though between just being caring and on the other hand making sure that execution is still successful. This HBR post is excellent:

“A global pandemic, Depression-level unemployment, civil and political unrest – from New York to Barcelona to Hong Kong, it feels as if the world as we know it is faltering. Economies are unwinding; jobs are disappearing. Through it all, our spirit is being tested. Now more than ever, it’s imperative for leaders to demonstrate compassion.”

How To Thrive When Everything Feels Terrible

Dan Greer — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 15:57:41 +0000

I lived through the 1960’s which was an unprecedented time of social and global disruption. This is worse than that. I am sure the first 50 years of the last century could have been the most difficult time of all.

The power of technology and the way we get our information today has exponentially caused this time to at least feel like absolute chaos every day. Personal leadership demands that we lead ourselves well if we are going to have a chance to lead others. This HBR post will help:

“We’re surrounded by negativity everywhere we turn. The news we read, social media we peruse, and conversations we have and overhear. We absorb stress from our family, friends, and coworkers. And, it’s taking a toll.

Negativity can have toxic effects. In fact, Christine’s research has shown over and over that we falter when exposed to negativity or rudeness. Witnessing rudeness interferes with our working memory and decreases our performance. Mere exposure to rude words reduces our ability to process and recall information. We tend to shut down, stop communicating, and cease being helpful to others. Dysfunctional and aggressive thoughts (and sometimes actions) skyrocket.”

5 Strategies To Support Your Employees Through A Crisis

Dan Greer — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 15:04:06 +0000

There has never been a time in my lifetime when we as a country have been under more stress. The disruption is every where and it is negatively impacting every area of our lives. Leaders must recognize this and shift their leadership style at work to match the needs of the moment.

We can leverage this disruption for innovation and positive change but we must acknowledge the incredible demands on all of us. This HBR post is excellent:

“The Covid-19 pandemic has separated people from their workplaces, coworkers, and familiar daily routines. In many cases, it has added stress, led to a drop in morale, and fragmented team cohesion — all of which can result in dampened work performance. That’s why actively fostering a sense of inclusion at work is so critical right now.”

Four Signs Of A Leader Of Hope

Dan Greer — Sun, 20 Sep 2020 17:25:59 +0000

There is an enormous amount of negative bad news coming every day that requires a new level of both character and competency for every leader. You must be able to see the current disruption as more than a crisis but also an incredible opportunity for positive change. Leaders must create a new vision for a better future if their teams and organizations are going to survive. This John Maxwell post is excellent:

“As I look around at our world today, there’s a certain feeling that comes over me, one that I don’t experience often, and I can’t help but bring it to you as we talk about the need for leaders who build bridges.

That feeling is “leadership sadness.” Given the struggles that our world is going through right now, it saddens me to see men and women in leadership positions and roles who choose to lead by pushing people apart rather than by bringing them together. I see too many leaders leaning into the things that separate us, stoking fear over hope, or leaders who simply shrink back from the moment and allow the darkness to swallow them instead of lighting candle to fight it.”

5 Principles to Guide Adaptive Leadership

Dan Greer — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:48:27 +0000

Leaders are facing unprecedented challenges during these dramatic days. We have to find a way to move from emergency mode to stabilization mode where we can operate at some level of effectiveness.

However, we cannot stay there and as soon as possible we must move to innovation mode and create the new normal. It is absolutely the only way we can remain competitive in our market and sustain profitability. This HBR post is excellent:

Responding to the crisis requires adaptive leadership, which involves what we refer to as the 4 A’s:

Anticipation of likely future needs, trends and options.
Articulation of these needs to build collective understanding and support for action.
Adaptation so that there is continuous learning and the adjustment of responses as necessary.
Accountability, including maximum transparency in decision making processes and openness to challenges and feedback.

Four Ways To Take Your Goal Setting To The Next Level

Dan Greer — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 17:56:30 +0000

If the midst of this pandemic and global recession, long range planning now means, what decisions need to be made this week? In this day to day crisis mentality it can become easy to lose the discipline of setting goals. This will make it even harder to stay focused and make good decisions that will impact the future or your organization.

This Forbes post is a great refresher on the goal setting process and why it is more important now than ever:

“Meeting your goals is always a challenge. We all know most New Year’s resolutions fail shortly into the new year. And it certainly isn’t any easier to achieve goals this year — just ask anyone who started 2020 thinking they’d travel more or go to the gym every day.

But if you’re ready to thrive, rather than just survive, as businesses settle into the “new normal,” consider these four ways you can up your goal-setting game.”

The Perfect Virtual Leader

Dan Greer — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 13:36:58 +0000

In a traditional office environment there is a highly developed leadership culture that depends upon meetings and metrics. The projects are clearly identified and the project management software monitors progress.

In a virtual context an entirely new working culture has to be developed. At the top of the list is the relational skill set of the leader. Leadership now is not as transactional but highly relational.

Now your team wants to know if you really care about them and can they trust you to lead them out of this crisis. This Forbes Post is a great read:

“Leadership comes easily in an office, right? You can see people, observe their behavior, build relationships, go out for lunch, give guidance and motivate them to achieve great things. You can monitor performance, coach, share knowledge and create a positive vibe.

That’s the romantic view. Most people will have worked in offices where factors such as politics, personalities and patchy management stopped them from giving their best. ”