What is the real truth about your Org chart?

There are many military leaders who have written leadership books and are popular on the speaking circuit. Don't get me wrong, but despite the great leadership lessons that they have learned and the great intellects that they use to impart great knowledge, what they have to say in relation to your 'civilian populated' work life is for the most part, IRRELEVANT!

You see, their frame of reference comes from an ORG. chart that is nothing like yours. The real truth is that your ORG. chart at work is more like your family one when your kids were teenagers.

The military culture is totally dependent upon each person knowing what they are supposed to be doing in the chaos of war. This allows each person to trust that their comrades are doing exactly what they were trained to do. Knowing what each person is supposed to be doing and knowing that everyone is totally committed to that, is what allows them to function in the absolute chaos of war. This is also why, at the core of a successful military, is the insistence that when receiving an ORDER, the response is "YES SIR" before acting upon what was ordered. Only in extreme or unusual cases is it encouraged to question an order. 

Where is your buy-in from Direct Reports?

In civilian life, there is not the same pressure point to adopt a military culture. Yes, you may know some 'leaders' at work who act more like that stereotypical sergeant major who screams orders at everyone. You may know of Direct Reports who usually do what they are ordered to do, but what you don't get are those same Direct Reports to buy-in or be totally enthusiastic about their work environment. Typically, this leads to passive aggressive behaviors from Direct Reports and work being less efficient and effective than it could optimally be.

 AUTHENTIC COMMUNICATION

Like it or not, our Direct Reports are more like our teenagers. They need to know that we want to see them succeed. They need to be 'sold' on our ideas and in a way that they understand what's in it for them. They need to be motivated to act and our preference would be that they would be SELF-MOTIVATED.  You, as their leader, need to understand how to 'light their fire' and do it in such a way that they will be motivated to keep it burning.

CORE MOTIVATIONS

In order to know what will 'light their fire', get their ARC Profiles and ask one of our coaches to help create a simple, yet very effective, plan to help them 'own their journey' in a way that is pleasing to you...........just like your teenagers.