V.P. of Lean Development for Federal Heath Sign Co.

In today’s world, the rate of change is taking place at a pace well beyond most organization’s ability to adapt. Within Manufacturing we’re challenged by resignations, supply chain issues, and a philosophically divided society. Edward Deming, referred to as the “Father of Quality,” provided relevant insight saying, “Change is not required, because survival is not mandatory.”

If change is required for survival, why is it resisted with such fervor? Per a baseball analogy, we can’t get steal or get to second base if we keep our foot stuck on first. We can change or be changed by the change but inevitably change keeps coming faster without notice. As leaders the most important change begins within us and especially in times of great uncertainty. John Maxwell famously said,

“Everything rises and falls on leadership.”

In similar times of frustration, I fondly remember the consistent coaching from the CEO saying, “Baby steps are okay but no steps are not okay.” He consistently shared a football analogy of how an intentional shift back to the basics of “blocking and tackling,” could stabilize the current state, while fueling continuous improvement. Per an old Chinese Proverb, “To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.”

Back to the basics involves getting still before we truly know what to prioritize. The world and maybe even our lives have become consumed with too much noise. What are we hearing? Can we hear what isn’t being said? How can this reflection fuel us towards our personal or organizational purpose? In a culture of busyness, to get still is counter intuitive; yet keep this in mind: only dead fish go with the flow. The awareness from the pause feeds an intentional focus. Leaders must realize that even a rose bush must have dead branches cut off to properly grow. Without a pruning process, new opportunities to fuel purpose are constrained. Our challenge today isn’t time management, its priority management. We’re too busy in the chaos to identify the right priorities. Everything may be permissible but not beneficial. John Carmack aptly stated, “Focus is a matter of deciding what things you’re not going to do.”

After navigating the economic minefield over the past couple of years, the importance of purpose has come to full light. Numerous publications have emphasized that people and purpose matter. Value driven priorities should override the predictions of what’s next. While understanding that purpose is lasting and more meaningful, we’re realizing that many things are temporary or transitory.

Bob Goff noted that, “We need to realign, refine, and reconnect with the greater purposes for our lives rather than be distracted by the lesser ones.” Purpose provides a filter for priorities. We can’t let the darkness of today’s circumstances distract us from our personal or organization’s purpose. Within a reactionary society, it’s leaders driven by values that are navigating the changes at a higher level. Let’s move beyond what has worked, to what lasts; value driven purpose. As Albert Einstein stated, “Try not to become a person of success, but rather a person of value.”

Purpose, values, emotional intelligence and employee engagement all carry an extreme weight of relevance for organization health. A leader driven by purpose and adding value to others realizes it’s not about them. My favorite book talks about how, what we make happen for others will return to us. Kindness, gratitude, authentic listening, and support become superpowers for today’s leaders.

Connection and engagement are no longer optional approaches. Ultimately people will be moved by how we make them feel and not what we’ve said. Behavior is the echo of belief and purpose driven leadership is authentic and “seen.”

Recently a team member shared a picture of this huge snake that had slithered into his hen house. The initial shared interest began fifteen years earlier on the shop floor. Discussions involved numerous projects and challenges of working a small farm. That engagement built trust and genuine care. That led to a type of co-5 why problem-solving exercise on how to keep snakes out the hen house. Questions were wrapped around, what’s the solution process; how do you know it will work; or what can be done now? We basically carried out a training/coaching session on problem solving that fits any number of issues within any organization. Yet where did it begin? It all started with being still, listening to what’s being said or not said, while engaging with team members. Here’s the food for thought; are you engaged with your team enough to problem solve a snake in a hen house or the metaphorical snake of complacency and disconnection? We need to identify the snake type distractions and help navigate our team members into a restored, not resigning, workforce. John Maxwell once said, “People don’t know we care unless we actually show it.” We’ll never truly hear, unless we first get still and know, which will lead to, seek first and find, that builds the trust for ongoing “baby-steps-are-okay” improvements.

Quincy Adams once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more and do more, and become more, you are a leader.” In summary

1. Be still and know: Intentionally stop. Yes stop right now. Go outside, take a deep breath, sit on a rock and reflect on what’s the one baby step that you can take right now as a leader to support your team?

• Get still but not stuck. As leaders we’re not trees so we can move.

• As leaders do we want to be the Captain of firefighting, holding the end of a hose going from one fire to the next or do we want to be the solution represented by the water that influences everyone holding the hose as well as the problem it’s being splashed on?

• Don’t get distracted by the false positive of empty productivity.

2. Seek first and find: Seek feedback from your team to find out what needs to take place with that baby step. Be diligent. Will it be a snorkeling expedition or a deeper dive to reveal unequivocal value?

• What needs to be pruned and cutoff?

• What should we say “yes” to today?

• Make sure the ladder you’re climbing is up against the right wall.

3. Trust the process: Be Still – Seek First – Find – PDSA[Plan-Do-Study-Adjust]

4. Make gratefulness intentional: Take a gratitude walk and intentionally express authentic gratefulness to others. Write a thank you card. Text someone and tell them howthey’recrushing it and you’re appreciative for their efforts. Put it on your calendar. Make it a habit. We have the ability to shape and transform one another through the smallest acts of kindness and attention.

5. Get a coach, it’s never too soon or too late.

In conclusion, we can’t let the past or future cripple us from taking the next baby-step. Everybody stops somewhere. Is this where we’re going to stop? We’re not going to get there without getting still, becoming more aware, identifying priorities, and simplifying the approach for our team matters. People matter! Leadership matters! You matter!