When behaviour is identified as a critical piece of the performance equation – and studies of corporate success stories have proven its relevance time and time again – it means that behaviour skills must become part of the organizational total quality management plan. Just as we manage any process and skill for continuous improvement – so too, we need to build individual behaviour processes for improvement through continuous feedback unique to your organization, unique to your team, and unique to each and every individual.
A number of factors contribute to the failure of leadership development programs. Among these is the limited participation by senior leadership in the training and in holding people accountable for changing behaviour following the training. Limited participation signals a lack of commitment. As one common saying explains, “The difference between participation and commitment is like an eggs and ham breakfast: The chicken participated, but the pig was committed.”
Another reason that leadership development efforts fail is the cynicism of senior leaders. These leaders resist investing time and money into development programs, convinced that such efforts will yield minimal benefits but require maximum resources. This mind-set is disastrous, and it communicates to talented employees that the organization is not concerned about their growth and development. An important paradox to remember is that people do not quit their jobs; they quit their leaders. When an organization fails to develop its leaders, or worse, when an organization develops leaders and loses them to another organization, the impact on organizational performance is staggering.
Critical to changing behaviour is the understanding of how our thoughts and feelings drive our behaviour, then identifying the behaviours required for excellence, and finally practicing those behaviours on the job in real time. Changing behaviour is not a quick fix. It requires creating new thought habits and getting rid of existing, ineffective thought habits. It’s a slow repetitive process of continuous improvement.
For a performance driven culture leader mindset and behaviour is developed tapping the skill of Positive Presence™ — the innate ability in every individual to adjust for and create a positive and energized mind-set. Positive Presence is a learned skill, unique to every individual. It is also the intrinsic skill that drives what we call the influential-leader behaviours of collaboration and connection.
The skill of Positive Presence is a new and deliberate way of thinking and behaving that makes the connection between positive human energy and behaviour and is easily practiced and developed right on the job. For many, it is just a lot of common sense, but for others it is a slow and gentle process that requires the help of both team mates and leaders.
CORPORATE HARMONY is grateful to Dr. Michael E. Frisina for his contributions to this entry.
Catherine is the President and CEO of CORPORATE HARMONY, providing virtual solutions for leadership development and organizational culture change. Her leadership and coaching experience as a Project Manager in an ever-changing, fast moving technological organization with unrelenting demands drove her to the realization that a positive mindset and strength-building behaviors are essential for today’s complex and chaotic organizational systems. CORPORATE HARMONY’s virtual platform of programs, coaching and performance measurement, is an innovative online technology of tested proprietary content. The world-class content of CORPORATE HARMONY’s Positive Presence Program develops the skill of ‘Positive Presence’ and the necessary ‘Positive Presence Behaviour Competencies’ for maintaining a positive and energized mindset and increased performance in today’s complex work environment, and leading to a culture of collaboration and connection. Catherine’s vision for Corporate Harmony is to bring the skill of “Positive Presence” to the corporate world as it becomes more complex, ambiguous and chaotic. Catherine is uniquely positioned to impact organizations’ productivity and long term success, with her powerful vision of eliminating bad stress from every workplace around the globe, bringing purpose into the people equation to promote healthy, productive and meaningful work cultures and turn the tide on the neglect of mental health on a global scale. Catherine is author of the book: “CORPORATE HARMONY – The Performance Link for Today’s Modern Organization” Catherine can be reached at: Catherine.Osborne@corporateharmony.ca or go to ‘contact us’ on our website www.corporateharmony.ca. Catherine is available for consultation, and can be reached by 519-695-3407.