Are You the Captain of the Titanic
Disconnected leaders are captains on the Titanic.
Comfortable disconnection in the present signals failure in the future.
Isolation may feel comfortable – especially in difficult situations – but it sinks leaders and organizations.
When you feel like pulling away, lean in.
Get off the Titanic:
Begin with unfocused walkabouts. Just wander around. (Hewlett and Packard invented “Managing by Wandering Around.”)
Wandering around is more important as responsibilities expand. This includes leaders in Human Resources, Accounting, and Marketing.
The further you are from the front-line, the more you need to walkabout.
Tip: Connect with the front-line, not just other leaders.
Focused walkabouts engage people and expand organizations.
If you’re already wandering around, try focused walkabouts.
I encourage leaders to connect by taking fifteen minutes a day to walkabout with a specific intention. (If once a day is too much, try twice a week.)
7 focused walkabouts:
Walkabout asking questions, not giving direction.
- Empowering walkabouts. “If you were the boss, what would you do (name a situation)?”
- Affirmation walkabouts. “You’re really great at … . Keep it up.”
- Accountability walkabouts. “What’s happening with (name a project)?”
- Give feedback walkabouts. “I notice … . The impact of that behavior is … .”
- Effectiveness walkabouts. “What might we stop doing?”
- Challenge walkabouts. “I’m counting on you to … .”
- Values walkabouts. Choose an organizational value and ask about it. “How are we recognizing initiative?” (If initiative is one of your values.)
Two new walkabouts:
I’ve never suggested the following walkabouts.
#1. Learning from failure walkabout:
- “What are we/you learning from failure?”
- “Where did we/you fall short last week? What did we/you learn?”
- “What are you learning about yourself? Your team?” (With falling short in mind.)
- “What are you learning about … ?” (Insert a topic)
#2. Innovation walk about. “What would you like to try that we aren’t already doing?”
The ship could be sinking – but you wouldn’t know – unless you walkabout.
What walkabouts seem most relevant to you?
What topics for walkabouts might you suggest?
Excellent post, Dan! One line that really resonates with me, “When you feel like pulling away, lean in.” Personally, as well as professionally, a critical action for success, satisfaction and happiness.
Thanks Sam. I think that one rule would save us all tons of heart ache and disappointment. Best wishes
Dan, the focused walk arounds are great. I’ve done the wandering one for years but I really like to emphasis of focused one. These become more than a sense of morale but allows leaders to listen on a focused topic. Great idea!
Thanks McSteve. Maybe this is MBWA 2.0. 🙂
Dan,
I like the view for those who have the opportunity to mingle, when you run projects remotely we have to trust our Teams. Getting feedback from the field people has been the best for me, when we have discussions on ways to do things better, etc. Seems like “focus” came out again today, so this weighs in for everyone more than we know.
I have found ways to “take the daily walks” just to open up the mind, now we can toss in some “focus” for the walk, fabulous!
Thanks Tim. Yes, I believe a short walk is useful for clearing the mind. If you add something like holding your head up and breathing deeply there is an added bonus.
Thanks, Dan. Army Chaplains talk about the “Ministry of Walking Around.” You broaden your perspective and meet people who can make a difference if they are heard. You also learn firsthand where repairs need to be made.
Thanks Michael. I wonder if this is connected to the ministry of presence. Perhaps presence is more about comfort. Walking around is more about leaning?
Dan, precisely. Walking around puts one in the presence of those who have promise, but fear to ask for help (or think they are too busy)
Thanks again, Michael.
I really like the learning from failure and innovation walkabout ideas! Thanks!
Thanks Kristi. I don’t know about you, but for me, lessons from failure are high impact in my life. I learn what I don’t want to do again and often get clarity on what I want to do next time.
This really resonates with me. It’s all too easy to remain in your office and only go to meetings. What really matters is getting the pulse of the organization. It will actually help you in meetings because most likely no one else will be going out and getting the valuable information you will by getting out to the front lines. I was told LEAN IN yesterday as well. Instead of standing against the wall, lean in.
Thanks Jenna. Great seeing you here again. It seems like meetings would be better for several reasons.
Better relationships with people in the meetings.
Better relationships with the people who report to the people in the meetings.
First hand information.
Cheers
Great article. I would also suggest a simple “Getting to know folks” walkabout. Spend a few minutes in someone’s office or at their work station and you can often learn what is important to them outside of work. Their kids, their pets, their favorite sports team, their love of boy bands, whatever. Actively listening to people talk about what’s important to them can help create long lasting bonds that make the workplace better for everyone.
Love it Brian. Yes, just walk around and ask what the plans are for the weekend or where they were born or where they went to school. The options are limitless.
Another excellent post, Dan! I like the “focused walk around”, leaders should do it too often to get the feedback from the front-line. From the 7 focused walkabouts, I think I always do items #2 ~ #6. I seldom do item #1 and #7 is new to me. Anyway, thanks for the inputs Dan.
Thanks Eric. The first question is being used by leaders who want to engage and empower people. I just had a coaching conversation with a leader who is having great success with this.
What topics for walkabouts might you suggest? How to do walkabouts when your team is remote.