Category: Learning and Development

Reading Time: 2 minutesWhile providing an orientation to new employees recently I had a realization about something that makes Cloverleaf’s company culture unique. Around the room was a UX Designer that was most recently a Spanish teacher and a Product Marketing Manager that was previously an attorney….or at least passed the bar even if he didn’t practice law. While a fun story that may not be a spectacular indicator of a great company culture but when you consider that the person that runs Customer Success for our coaching community spent 10 years as a construction accountant or our VP of Engineering was a former architect or that even I started my career as a Risk Manager then you have a trend that communicates something about how we see talent and could inform how you should think about talent. When we started Cloverleaf, to communicate what we wanted to create I would draw 3 circles in a Venn diagram. I would talk about how the market would focus on just experience, but that there were these other factors that were key to success in a role. This near single-minded focus on experience has the effect of shrinking the candidate pool and keeping organizations from top talent. Instead, we wanted to create a way to provide insight into all areas of human performance including values, behavior, and strengths. Why do we have all these people that have undergone somewhat extreme career transitions? That isn’t a prerequisite to work at Cloverleaf, but rather it speaks to how we let core values be a driver in the hiring/selection process. One example of this is using exercises or challenges as a part of the hiring process that looks at how candidates solve problems. Candidates that have had multiple careers often look at problems differently. They don’t fall into the same patterns of how things were solved previously and they always ask different questions. They are truly curious about problems and potential solutions. This is a necessary trait when building a new market segment or dreaming up approaches to new problems. Our product helps bring transparency and data to areas of individual, team, and organizational performance. And you can literally see this curiosity for growth when you look at our team on the Cloverleaf product. The Learner® strength from CliftonStrengths® is our second most prevalent strength with a full third of our team having this as a top strength. A full half of the team has either Love of Learning or Curiosity as a top VIA strength and a third of the team has Critical Thinking as a top Strengthscope strength. If you want to be more strategic about the culture you are creating for your team get started with a free team trial. Try a Demo

Reading Time: 4 minutesFor some reason when you think of feedback examples you’ve received from a manager, one might instantly be transported back to a time in grade school when we were summoned to the principal’s office. No matter how old you are, that memory always sticks with you. As a leader, feedback is NOT about getting anyone “in trouble.” While feedback can be positive or constructive (as opposed to negative feedback) the goal of employee feedback should always be to contribute to team members and the company culture. It’s part of taking on the role of coach; not just boss. It includes performance management, communication skills, and work styles. https://youtu.be/E2mPshygZY8 When To Give Feedback One of the most critical things about how to give feedback is WHEN you give it (whether it’s constructive feedback or positive feedback). Follow these simple guidelines: Give feedback as CLOSE to the relevant circumstances as possible: Holding onto feedback is a disservice to the team member and gives you one more thing to juggle on your calendar. Time may not always allow for it to be in the moment, but delivering the feedback in a timely manner (one week or less) is better than just waiting for the next performance review. Know the time AND place: Never give constructive feedback to someone in front of others. Period. Always make sure you are in a private space to share constructive feedback. Remember, the person you are about to talk to could be having a 3rd grade flashback, so be kind. Read the room: Take into consideration your own state of mind, frustration level, and the wellbeing of the rest of the team. (i.e. don’t give constructive feedback if you are annoyed or if the person is visibly upset or feeling it and about to lose their lunch.) How To Give Feedback Feedback is not a two-word sentiment.  It’s not “good work, thank you, nice job, or stop that!” Sure, we should say thank you but giving good feedback requires giving SPECIFIC feedback. It’s about what happened, what didn’t happen, what went right, what went wrong and even what can be done better next time. Before we even get into the “meat” of the feedback, let’s start at the beginning. Choosing HOW to start a feedback conversation can set the tone for the entire conversation and employee experience. Feedback is what you say… Examples of Positive Feedback: “I’d love to share some good news with you.” “That was an incredible presentation, let’s unpack all of what worked.” “I’ve really noticed the extra effort and creativity you’ve been putting into this current project, let’s talk about what’s working.” What to notice: All of these statements imply there is something MORE to discuss, share, and give positive feedback about. Feedback is a conversation not a one time ATM deposit. Examples of Constructive Feedback: “There’s something I want to go over with you about our current project. Let’s put our heads together. “ “I’ve noticed that some of your work isn’t at the level of detail that it usually is. Is everything ok?” “We obviously need to discuss the disagreement that you and Sue had in the meeting. Where would you like to start?” What to notice: These types of feedback seek to create common ground and partnerships. They are inclusive, not handing down some disciplinarian edict from on high. When you include the person as an active participant in the conversation, feedback examples like this are easier for others to receive. …AND how you say it The HOW you say it is a combination of things like tone, body language, facial expression, and even volume. Here’s a list of do’s and dont’s. Do Smile when appropriate. Be at eye level (either both seated or both standing). Watch your resting “you-know-what” face. Avoid the eye roll entirely. Inject humor when appropriate. It’s ok to laugh! Ask if the person has any questions.  Don’t Raise your voice. Ever. (1950 called and wants their management style back) Avoid admitting anything that might be your responsibility. Interrupt. Just listen. Go on and on and on. Make sure it’s a dialogue. Do anything else while delivering feedback. Your exploding inbox can wait.  Try to remember all of these things. Just be authentic and real.  Here are some real feedback strategies that work: One of the most popular models for giving effective feedback that has stood the test of time is the STAR model. For those of you who like acronyms and easy to remember words you can keep in your back pocket, this one’s for you: S = The Situation  T= Task A= Action R= Result The STAR Model For Giving Positive Feedback S = You’ve really gone the extra mile and done the hard work with the Smith account. T= When they threw that last minute pivot at you.. A= You knew exactly what information to pull in to improve the situation. R = Our main contact was thrilled and is planning on expanding their contract with us. The STAR Model For Giving Constructive Feedback (with a twist) S= I know things have been stressful since Sarah left our team.. T= And I realize that you were struggling with this last project.. A= It felt like you rushed as we got towards the deadline instead of asking for support.. R = Which means we have a few things to double back to make sure we have all the bases covered. In SOME feedback models, it is suggested here that the manager GIVE direct reports the alternative result, but what can be even more powerful is to apply a coaching technique. Follow up this constructive feedback with a coaching question. Here are a few examples: Is there something I could have supported you with? What would you do differently next time? How can the team better support you in the future? What do you think is the best place to start in “Q-Aing” the project? Whether you are delivering a bouquet of compliments or have

Reading Time: 4 minutesIn support of a coach approach to managing performance, Gallup® shares: “Today’s employees want a manager who is invested in their personal and professional development. They want frequent feedback — and opportunities to do more of what they do best.” So how can you offer continuous, real-time feedback that helps empower and motivate team members to help them do more of what they do best? https://youtu.be/gXdE94WAD6A Performance Management Tools For New Managers Your 1-1 Meeting Cadence To evolve past a performance management system that relies heavily on “event-based” performance, it’s vital to have some regular meeting cadence with your team members. While every organization may have different performance management tools (and some may have none at all), it’s up to you to lead the way in your 1-1 meetings and ensure they are valuable. Depending on the size of your team, your 1-1 check-ins may be weekly, bi-weekly, or at least monthly. The important thing here is that every conversation is an opportunity to develop employee engagement and employee performance. It’s the ongoing practice that makes the difference. During your 1-1 meetings,  It’s not uncommon to focus on urgent pressing matters that relate to the day-to-day of your work. However, a good practice to develop is to allow 25-30% of your meeting time for real-time individual employee development. This might mean setting or following up on goals, or even creating new ones as old ones are accomplished. Speaking of goal setting…. Some companies may require setting annual employee performance goals that will come up on performance reviews. Annual goals sound great in theory, but there’s a reason why New Year’s resolutions don’t work. Feel free to Google this one to your heart’s content, but consider that goals with shorter timelines have a much higher chance of reaching the finish line. Monthly or quarterly employee goals that support performance can be both DIRECT or INDIRECT. For example, Direct goals may relate specifically to a person’s role or function. INDIRECT goals may be general professional development activities that help a person to develop skills or behaviors that help to support career advancement. For Example: DIRECT: Close 30% of current warm sales leads into paying customers.  INDIRECT: Participate in an optional communications training with the Learning & Development team. Notice these goals are pretty specific. Goals never include terms like “more, better, or try to…” A productive goal has to be connected to a specific result or event.  When taking a coach approach to performance goal setting, remember not to insert your own agenda. When your team members design their own goals they’ll exert a certain level of ownership over them. As you coach individuals to set goals, support them in designing action steps to help get them there. Don’t forget to ask how you can support them as their manager. The art of the follow up The key to supporting goal accomplishment over time is following up. This isn’t school and you aren’t checking homework. You’re leveraging coaching here to check in on progress. You’re also inquiring about where you can continue to support goal achievement through continuous feedback. Following up is a type of continuous performance management that also reveals when goals need to be tweaked or changed. Projects and initiatives pivot and change course all the time. This may change direct performance goals or organizational goals. As you follow up, you’ll be able to help your team make goals customizable as needed. Opportunities to improve skills may also arise as your team seeks to develop their own career. As a bonus tip, make sure you are aware of the training and development plans and opportunities your organization offers. This allows you to have them in your back pocket for the perfect time.  Following up is about consistency. Do it often and listen for where you can make a difference. Coaching Strategies For Effective Performance Management As a leader, it’s important for you to tap into your team members’ highest potential. There are certain scenarios where it’s up to you to listen for what’s possible. Here are just a few coaching solutions: When it might benefit the individual to stretch themselves: “I know you can knock this month’s OKRs out of the park. If you think about what you did last quarter, what outcome would really motivate you?” When an individual does NOT accomplish a performance goal: “Let’s take a closer look at the metrics so you can refocus your goal. What worked and what didn’t work? How can I support you?” When you sense a professional development opportunity can advance a goal: “I know you mentioned you’d like to become a manager someday. Of the trainings available to our department this quarter, what is one that interests you the most to support this goal?” When a goal needs to pivot: “What adjustment to your current goal would make the most difference? So what is the rewarding part of all of this we alluded to earlier? Watching people grow, achieve and expand IS inspiring. Seeing the people you lead challenge themselves, and knowing you played a small supporting role can be extremely satisfying. So think of your team as a blank canvas of opportunities to contribute to and put these performance management tools to work. They might just come back and thank you later. Download the Cloverleaf Assessment Guide This guide contains: A comprehensive list of the assessments that Cloverleaf offers Summary of each assessment and what insights you get Anticipated time commitments for each assessment HUMAN SKILL PROGRAMS ARE HITTING LIMITATIONS…​ 5 THINGS THIS FREE RESOURCE WILL TEACH YOU Close the widening gap between learning and on-the-job application Overcome the tension of pausing productivity for development opportunities Integrate learning so it is actually in the flow of work The evolution of human skill development What Automated Coaching™ is and how it works.

Reading Time: 3 minutesWhen you watch your favorite sports team come from behind and win a championship game, there is usually all sorts of celebrating, popping champagne, and visible explosive excitement. The air is filled with the energy of what is possible when a group of people, ALL committed to the same end goal, use teamwork to succeed. Leading a team towards high collective performance goes beyond managing individual members. It’s more than meeting a common goal or completing tasks. Learning the leadership skills that can envision something greater than oneself takes courage, insight, solid decision-making, and the willingness to challenge yourself. But don’t let this grand vision freak you out. Though you’ve just started in your role as a new manager, the only difference between a newbie and a champion is PRACTICE. What is a high performing team? So what makes a high performing team? Is it just meeting tangible business goals? Do team members all have to like each other? Patrick Lencioni, basically the Godfather of high performing teams comments “Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare.” Lencioni outlines the clear things that high performing teams do…and the dysfunctions that plague the underperforming teams of the world. A high performing team does some critical things that give them a competitive advantage. Here are some characteristics of high performing teams: They build trust. They are not afraid of conflict. They commit together and stay the course. They hold each other accountable. They keep their eyes on the end results. In the beginning…  As you get started what does this mean for you? First, have some patience. You aren’t going to establish all of this overnight. If there is one thing we forget it is that human beings are not devices. We don’t just get updated operating systems to replace the previous version. We are living, breathing, complicated beings. When you put those complicated beings in GROUPS it gets even messier.  The ONLY thing you have to focus on at the start is building relationships. Building relationships with each of your team members and facilitating the relationships between the entire team is a key part of building a more effective team. Relationships make ALL Of this possible. This means being yourself and allowing others to be themselves. Just get to know the humans. Start there. Allow for the team with you at the helm to organically form itself.  And pay attention. LISTEN. LISTEN. LISTEN. Listening is half your strategy. Listening to what people are saying…and not saying, will help you know how to proceed. Managing conflict so it doesn’t get personal One of the messiest things about high performing teams where it SEEMS like something is wrong is conflict. The most successful teams survive conflict because they do it with respect.  Respectful conflict doesn’t get down and dirty. High performing teams can remain focused on the conflict at hand without resorting to personal attacks, over the top emotions, or behavior that isn’t appropriate for the workplace. Successful teams ALLOW time for this type of conflict. Did we just say ALLOW for conflict? YES. We did. If you avoid conflict, be prepared to be uncomfortable. This is not the end of the world. It’s not like that terrible dream where you show up to high school late to take your final exams and forget your clothes. It just means we have to be ok with things NOT always being ok. Healthy conflict generates better ideas, unearths problems in team dynamics that need solving, and can ultimately fuel innovation. So buckle up and make conflict your friend. Strategies for building high performing teams While you’re focusing on building those relationships, here are some strategies for strengthening your team to be one of the best. Create the space for teams to bond over non-work topics. Yes, there’s actually research on this. Whether it’s allowing some quick sharing on a Monday morning huddle or all going to an escape room together, great team leaders allow the humans to actually be humans…together. Try Lencioni’s Team Effectiveness Exercise. This is basically real-time, constructive feedback that your team gives to one another to hold each other accountable. You just need about one hour, but it’s incredibly simple and worth it.  Track team goals. Make sure there is some structure to track team goals. Whether it’s built into your company practices or you just whip up a spreadsheet, track away. Keep notes on trends that you notice. Does Joe talk a lot and take over? Is Sarah afraid to speak up in meetings? Start to jot down your observations and design micro-actions around them. For example, ask Sarah a question directly in a group meeting rather than open it up to the entire group. Developing and leading a high performing team takes time, attention, and diligence. Whatever consistent best practices you can install into your own team operating system, do that. If something works, keep doing it. When something tanks, toss it. Remember, you are your team’s GPS. Sometimes you will change routes because of a traffic jam ahead, but ultimately everyone will reach their destination – together. Try a Demo