One of you asked how to deal with senior management interference when you are trying to develop your team. I don’t know the context of this question, so I’m going to use a coach approach to helping you. That is, offer you some questions to ponder.
If something is not working, don’t just let it happen….speak up. I realise it can be hard giving feedback to our “seniors”, but they are all human too, and sometimes they don’t know that they are hindering your efforts. If you say nothing, nothing will change. Seething about it, or whining about it to other people will not change a thing.
I’m going to quote Susan Scott again, who wrote Fierce Conversations. Can you tell how much her work has inspired me lately, by the amount of times I refer to her thinking??!
She uses several questions to get clear about an issue. In this case, you could use these to get clear before a conversation with someone more senior, and then use that clarity to explain your position in the conversation:
“Step 1: Identify your most pressing issue
Step 2: Clarify the issue:
What is going on
How long has it being going on?
How bad are things?
Step 3: Determine current impact?
How is this issue currently impacting me?
What results are currently being produced for me by this situation?
How is this issue currently impacting others?
What results are currently being produced for them by this situation?
When consider the impact on myself and others, what are my emotions? [why is this question important? – because it is emotions that give you the fuel to do something about it]
Step 4: Determine the future implications.
If nothing changes, what’s likely to happen?
What’s at stacke for me relative to this issue?
What’s at stake for others?
When I consider these possible outcomes, what are my emotions?
Step 5: Examine your personal contribution to this issue.
How have i contributed to the problem?
Step 6: Describe the ideal outcomes.
When this issue is resolved, what difference will that make?
What results will I enjoy?
When this issue is resolved, what results will others enjoy?
When I imagine this resolution, what ar my emotions?
Step 7: Commit to action.
What is the most potent step I could take to move this issue toward resolution.
What’s going to attempt to get in my way, and how will I get past it?
When will I take this step?
Contract with yourself
During this fierce conversation with myself, I’ve identifid a potent step to take to begin to resolve this issue. I have chosen the date by which I will take this step. There will be other steps, perhaps many of them. This is the first. I commit to taking it”
And this self-coaching conversation is not only useful to address this issue about senior management interference, but any issue that you are facing.
Go for it, and let us all know how it goes, in the comments box below.
