Category Archives: Work

Dear Discontent Employee,

Life, Organizational Culture, Topics in Leadership, Work
Photo by Francois Hoang

As much as anything else, work is about learning.  It is learning about what we are good at and what we enjoy. It is about striving to get better. Conversely, the learning we receive from a job can also involve finding what we do not like to do. We may discover we don’t care for the work, the clientele, the company, or the entire industry.  Finding out we do not like a certain job is important information and can teach us a lot about ourselves. Being unhappy at one job may propel us down a new path we love that we might not have otherwise considered. 

So what if you’ve found yourself unhappy in your job? Do not allow the discontent to overcome you. Rather, I suggest you consider one of the following two options. First, if you are not happy in your job but feel that the type of work is something you want to do and before you get so frustrated you become angry, go to your manager and have a heart-to-heart discussion. Tell them what you like about the work and what you struggle with. Ask your manager for suggestions about what you [the employee] could do differently. Tell them what you think they [the manager or company] could do differently. If you are working for a company that believes in employee development and you’ve demonstrated a willingness to work hard, then it is likely your manager will do what they can to help you. It is much better for a company to help an existing employee be successful than to start all over with a new hire.  In addition to speaking with your manager also figure out which of your co-workers are really successful and enjoy their jobs. Have a conversation with them. Find out how they do their work tasks, how they organize their day, how they handle the difficulties of the job, what they do for self-care, and what keeps them motivated. Learning from a successful co-worker may be just the thing you need to turn things around and excel. If however, you are convinced you are ready to give up on your current job and don’t want to give it a second thought, then I suggest you consider option number two.

The second option is this…leave gracefully. By this I mean do the following. First read the company policy on terminations. It will inform you of the organization’s expectations for you to leave on good terms. Follow the policy. Second, before resigning look for another job. Conventional wisdom says, “It is easier to find a job while you have a job.” Third, while looking for your new or transition job do not slack at the job you are leaving. Work hard and well. Fourth, once you have secured another job then give the company you are leaving the amount of notice of your departure they ask for in the policy. Leave on good terms. Don’t intentionally burn a bridge. The employer you are leaving may well be called on to give you a formal or more likely informal reference. We all need as many good references as we can get. 

Being unhappy at work happens to everyone at some point. For some it is a temporary mood or only a brief season. After all, even if we love our jobs, there are tasks involved with the job we do not like. If, however, you have a pervasive discontent with your job, reach out for help. If that does not work, don’t be afraid to plan your transition.  Just do it gracefully. 

Leadership Lessons I Learned in 2019 and Reminders for 2020

Life, Organizational Culture, Topics in Leadership, Work
Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash

2019, like every year, was full of opportunities for learning and growth. Here are five things I’ll share that I plan to keep in mind as I go into 2020.

  1. There may be a person in your life who you perceive as your nemesis. It is possible that this person is placed in your life to force you to grow. There are times (and only God knows when)  we are not able to grow and develop into the leader we are intended to be unless we have someone in front of us who we must overcome. These are times when skills are required that have laid dormant in us.  Skills that have been latent, waiting for the proper environment to sprout. It may be skills like the ability to exercise humility, courage to speak your mind, or the capacity to take decisive action. Whatever it is, you needed that “nemesis” to bring this out in you. It may seem counter-intuitive but be thankful for them even if the growth experience was painful.
  2. There may be a person whom you perceive as very fragile and incapable of getting their feet underneath them and flourishing. It is possible that with the right supports in place, with a tribe of emotionally healthy friends, the feeding of the mind, body and soul with life-giving practices and the shedding of toxic relationships, a person can come into their own. Their skills, abilities and gifts can surface and thrive. Never underestimate or under-appreciate what a history of childhood trauma can do to a person. Never underestimate or under-appreciate what can be recovered when a healthy and supportive network of caring people begin to nurture someone. 
  3. The current environment you see yourself and your organization surrounded by may seem very unfriendly. The likelihood is, however, that the people, positions, and politics making it unfriendly will change. Hang in there. You never know when the leader of another agency you work alongside will take another job, when a friend will become a major player in your local government, a colleague will get a top post in the state government, or the new group of lawmakers decide to make rules and laws that are much more supportive of your industry.
  4. If you are in a leadership role, never forget that it is a privilege to be there. It carries with it immense responsibilities. Treat your job with gratitude and treat the relationship with the people you work with as sacred. If no one is following you, you are not leading. You are the chief servant. Put all of the other ideas you have about yourself aside. 
  5. It is easy to get caught up in your day-to-day realities. It is easy to see the small space in the universe that you occupy as all there is. When this happens we fail to see the possibilities and potentialities around us.  The world is full of amazing and interesting people doing amazing and interesting things. It is full of beautiful and breathtaking places. It is so important to step away from your work. To take time off. To see people and places you’ve never seen before. It does not necessarily require you to  travel far. Go to art galleries. Go to a museum. Go to the zoo. See the Great Lakes. Go to a national park. See the ocean. Travel to another state or country if you can. These things help you realize that there is much more to life than your job or the circumstances you find yourself in. 

I hope you find this list helpful. I’ve experienced all of it this year. Blessings to you and have a wonderful and meaningful 2020.

What Our Nonprofit Agency Does to Hire People Who are a Good Fit

Organizational Culture, Topics in Leadership, Work
Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash

We just finished interviewing two highly qualified, wise, and hard working people. They had amazing work histories that complemented the job they had applied for and had great references. After meeting with the candidates our interview team said the same thing: “Great people. They have great qualities. They are just not the right fit.” 

What is “fit”? It’s includes a person’s training. It includes their credentials. It includes their experience. But it is also more than the things that go on a resume. Fit includes aspects of personality. It includes relationship skills. It includes a person’s preferred style of conflict resolution, problem solving, and communication. It includes the capacity to work independently and as a member of a team. It encompasses a person’s short term and long term career goals. It involves expectations of work hours or schedule. The list of what makes up “fit” could go on and on. 

How is an organization supposed to uncover these aspects of an interviewee? The reality is that you can’t really know what type of an employee someone will be until they work with you. You can, however, take steps in the hiring process to increase the odds of finding out whether or not the interviewee would be a good match. The leadership team at the agency I work for has come up with a process that helps us narrow down new hires to people who have a better chance of being a good fit in our organization. The process includes, 

  1. Identify the characteristics of an employee who would be a “good fit.” Assess the team members you have who are successful and try to define the personality traits, soft skills, relationship style, cognitive abilities, and other attributes that help them do well. 
  2. Involve team members in the interview. This does three  things. First it empowers the team members and sends the message that their opinion is very important to the organization. Second, it taps into their expertise. The current team is often the best people to determine if someone will fit. Finally it gives the team ownership in the hire and can motivate them to foster the success of the new employee.
  3. Use real life scenarios as part of the interview. Scenarios help to get a sense of the interviewee’s problem solving, triaging, and organizing skills. It also gives you a sense of whether or not their experience translates into practical wisdom for the job. 
  4. Run the name past any team members who used to work with the potential hire. Your team members are invested in having good co-workers and will usually be very honest about their past experience with someone who is a potential hire. 
  5. Never hire the person with “the least bad interview.” By this I mean, you are in a situation where  you don’t feel really good about any of the interviewees but because you feel pressure to fill a spot so you choose the person who was the least bad at the interview. 
  6. Never allow the administration to make a decision to hire someone while not having the full by-in of the primary supervisor. The direct supervisor is the team member who is going to have to live most closely with the new hire. For the supervisor’s morale and to give the new hire the best chance of success make sure the direct supervisor is okay with the hire.
  7. Ask the interviewee for references that were former supervisors or team members. Try to get a minimum of three. The more work history the reference has with the potential hire the better chance you have of getting robust answers to reference questions. 
  8. Do an informal online audit of the potential hire. Google their name. Check on social media to see if they have any posts that reveal their work habits.
  9. If you still are not sure about someone have a second interview and include more team members. 

I hope this short list gives you some ideas to help improve your method of finding team members who are a good fit. It takes longer to get through the hiring process this way but in the long run builds a strong team and in-turn a stronger organization. 

What 4% Unemployment and a Workforce Shortage Means for Community Behavioral Health and Social Service Agencies .

Mental Health, Topics in Leadership, Work
Photo by Shane Rounce on Unsplash

Things are different in the world of recruitment and retention of employees these days. Ask anyone in human resource management. It is getting harder to find competent, effective staff members. Not only is it getting difficult to find good employees, it is also getting increasingly challenging to keep qualified and experienced personnel. In fact, the more technical or skilled the job is, the harder it is to recruit and retain someone.  With unemployment at or below 4% every industry is feeling the pinch. However, in the world of community behavioral health and social services the feeling is much more than a pinch. The reality is that there are not enough highly qualified and licensed staff in the market to satisfy the need. In today’s community behavioral health job market, 

  1. The qualified people currently interviewing at your agency are also interviewing at several other places and a race is on to offer good people a job. If you wait too long you miss out. 
  2. The salary of qualified staff is a constantly moving target.  What is a very competitive wage today is on the low end of average after six months. 
  3. Credentialed staff are being actively recruited by your competition and could go at anytime. 
  4. The competition community behavioral health centers is up against is not only other community behavioral health centers but it also includes large hospital systems, government agencies, and insurance companies. 
  5. Community behavioral health centers are nonprofit organizations with slim margins. It is difficult to compete with the wages and benefits of the much larger more deep pocketed entities that make up their competition for highly qualified employees. 

In order for community behavioral health centers to hire and keep highly qualified staff in this phenomenally competitive market they must embrace four truths.  

  1. The work culture has become an essential asset. A culture that is supportive, affirming, growth promoting, safe (physically and emotionally), flexible, and employee-centered is a necessity. These are all things that community behavioral health centers can provide. 
  2. Front-line managers often serve as mentors, coaches, and  even surrogate parents or grandparents to younger staff members. 
  3. Wages and benefits must be competitive. Community behavioral health systems must find ways to offer wages and benefits that are at least in the ballpark of what others can offer. 
  4. A skill set grounded in Transformational Leadership theory for people in supervisory roles is essential for the retention of good employees. 

So how do community behavioral health and social service centers respond to the current labor market? We cannot live in the past. If we do, our agencies will fall behind. The only choice is to adapt to the new world of recruitment and retention. This is not easy and requires painstaking self-reflection and adaptation at all levels. Leave no stone unturned. At the agency I work for recruitment and retention is a constant conversation amongst our leadership team. It is an ongoing process and we keep at it. Here is a list of actions we have used to guide us that may be helpful to your organization as well. 

  1. Realize that the environment which your agency or organization exists in has changed. Former  assumptions about hiring and retaining employees will not work in these new circumstances. We are experiencing a new generation of workers, a new economy, new technologies, and new priorities in the workplace. 
  2. Clearly identify what your agency’s true mission is and focus all resources on who or what supports that and let go of anything else. 
  3. Frequently reevaluate your human resource assumptions. This is not something that can be done by your organization’s upper echelon by simply thinking about it. It requires asking employees questions about what they like and don’t like about the work environment and the wages and benefits. 
  4. Research what your competition is doing and adjust and adapt to it. 
  5. Identify the policies, procedures, and practices that are holding you back. Is your hiring protocol too cumbersome? Does your process of interviewing, checking references, and making an offer take too long?
  6. Revise your budget. Revamp it so that it enhances getting and keeping the best employees because without them you won’t have a budget. 
  7. Be willing to change your management and supervisory structure to meet the needs of the current generation of employees. Do you need more individual supervision? More group supervision? Ask your team what they need or want and develop your supervisory structure  around their feedback. 
  8. Look at creative ways to offer benefits such as health insurance. Find an insurance  broker who understands the most cutting edge ways to offer incentives to your team. You may find you can cut costs while adding benefits for staff engaging in healthy living practices. 

Community behavioral health and social service agencies have a lot to offer the current generation of workers. We can be competitive in our pursuit of good team members. To do so requires a major overhaul of how we think about recruiting and retaining the best of the workforce.  Change is never easy but it is necessary; however as community behavioral health centers the work we do, often to serve the most vulnerable in our communities, is calling out to us to do what is required.

Simple Over and Under Principles I’ve Learned About Leading That Really Make a Difference

Life, Topics in Leadership, Work,
Photo by Caleb Jones on Unsplash
Photo by Caleb Jones on Unsplash

I have worked as the Executive Director of a community mental health, substance misuse, housing, and abuse recovery agency for the past fourteen years. Presently the organization I work for has just under 100 employees, multiple local partners, and a very significant and daunting mission. It is a demanding job with an agency that is making a difference in our community.  For those of you in similar positions you know that being in charge comes with challenges. As the years have gone by I find myself filing away simple little principles for my behavior that help me do my job more effectively. They are things I tell myself when I feel like taking a shortcut. Some of them apply to how I represent our agency. Some apply to how I make decisions. Some apply to how I treat others. None of them are terribly earth shattering but if you tuck then away and use them as reminders they can help keep you on track. 

  1. It is better to be overdressed than underdressed.
  2. It is better to over-communicate important information than under-communicate important information.
  3. It is better to over-plan an intervention or change than under-plan an intervention or change.
  4. It is better to over-prepare for a presentation than under-prepare for a presentation.
  5. It is better to be early for an appointment or meeting than late to an appointment or meeting.
  6. It is better to leave more-than-enough time to get a project done than not enough time to get a project done. 
  7. It is better to go overboard with thank-yous and appreciation than under acknowledge or not acknowledge people’s contributions and generosity.
  8. It is better to listen for a long time without speaking  than to not listen long enough. 
  9. It is better to get advice and perspectives from many people  than fail to get enough advice. 
  10. It is better to err on the side of generosity than fail to extend grace, mercy, or resources to someone in need. 

Thanks for reading. Blessings to you.

Jerry

Leaders, You Need to Take REST Very Seriously

Faith, Life, Mental Health, Topics in Leadership, Work, ,
Photo by Angelina Kichukova on Unsplash
Photo by Angelina Kichukova on Unsplash

Recently on a Saturday I wrote this in my journal, “Today I started out with a long workout at the YMCA, moved on to reading  several chapters in J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban, and concluded by making and baking three pecan pies. I feel relaxed and reenergized.”

Now, what does this have to do with being a leader? Well, this…being in a leadership role, as wonderful as that may may sound, is often mentally, emotionally, and physically depleting. If you are a manager, administrator or in any way a leader of an organization you need to make sure you are taking rest very seriously.

Why am I writing this now? For the past three weeks I had been grinding out my job with little reprieve. The weeks included several late night meetings, various big projects with imposing  back to back deadlines, orienting new staff, strategic planning sessions, all on top of the normal day to day work that is typical in my role. By the end of completing the  last large project I felt like I had been running on fumes and the fumes were gone. My mind and body had collapsed before arriving at the gas tank and I was crawling. One of my personal warning signs that I am stretched out way too thin is  acid reflux. It was raging. I am usually able to manage it through a combination of keeping my carbohydrate intake really low, frequent aerobic exercise, and getting eight hours of sleep. During these past three weeks I had developed a bout of reflux that was unrelenting despite my diligent use of diet, exercise and sleep. I could sense deep inside what I needed was a total break from my work and responsibilities. I needed a Sabbath rest.

Providentially, Jane and I had planned a long weekend out to visit our daughter and son-in-law in Indiana. We were going to stay at our favorite bed-and-breakfast, enjoy time with family, and just chill. I wouldn’t  have time to think about work, or teaching, or  planning, or administrating. I intended to visit, read, and hike, all of which equal rest for me. What surprised me is that after day one my reflux was back under control. It was like magic. Just a couple days before, despite my typical stress management routine, the reflux would not go away, But just like that, one day with total mental, physical, and emotional  space away from work, and it was better.

Day to day stress management is essential but what this experience reinforced is that periodically we also need a lengthier, more intentional rest. The concept that keeps coming to my mind is Sabbath rest. This is an idea out of the Jewish tradition. Yahweh [in Jewish tradition this is the personal name for the true God]  directs people to take a weekly rest from work. Yahweh also directs that there are routine lengthier times of rest from labor. Not only for people but also for livestock and even the land they farm.

Rest is a built-in hard wired necessity. Resting our mind, our bodies, and our spirit from the work we do is essential to the human soul. If we do not rest, both weekly routine rest and periodic lengthier times of rest (possibly our concept of a vacation) then we burn out, become irritable, less productive, and are less able to accomplish our personal mission. In our society, where technology makes work  accessible 24/7 this kind of rest must be intentional.

So my friends, those of you who are in any type of leadership role, find your rest. Plan a Sabbath rest. Disconnect completely from your work. Connect or reconnect with the people in your life, immerse yourself  in your favorite hobby, get outside, go hiking, go camping, read a book [not work related], or do a home project you’ve been wanting to do. You  know what gives you rest and fills you up emotionally and a spiritually. Whatever it is, engage it. Chances are you’ll come back better ready to do the work that the Maker of Work  has given you to do.

 

An open door and a little chocolate might change you and your organization.

Topics in Leadership, Work
Image by cocoparisienne from Pixabay

Image by cocoparisienne from Pixabay 

95% of the time I am in my office I keep the door open. I only close it if I am having a confidential meeting or need some brief quiet time. I do this because I am the executive director and I want everyone I work with to know I am available and open to them. I do it because I want to say “hi” to my co-workers and ask them how they are doing when they walk past my door. I want people to see me working. I tell all of the new team members that if they see my door open they are welcome to pop in and ask me a question.

Not only have I always kept my my door open but I have recently started keeping candy right by the door. Cool things happen when I leave my door open. My team members check in throughout the day. They ask me how my days is and I get to find out how they are doing. If they can’t find their supervisor I can help them with a quick question. Our team members who are working with children bring the kids by to grab a piece of chocolate. I get to see a little person smile and laugh. If there happens to be a disturbance in the building I hear it and get to be part of the “all hands on deck” team. A couple weeks ago one of our counselors walked by, handed me a soft drink, said “cheers, ” and walked on down the hall. I have been blessed as people have gotten to know me and I have gotten to know them.

There are many ways a leader can send a message to their organization. Some of the ways are simple such as smiling, remembering everyone’s name, or… leaving the door open when you are in your office. Here is a summary of the messages an open door can send,

  • I am here for you.
  • I am working hard to make our organization better able to accomplish its mission.
  • I do not have anything I’m trying to hide from you.
  • I am interested in what is going on out there.
  • I want to know what is going on out there.
  • I want to be part of what is going on out there.
  • I am part of the team.
  • I am available.
  • I want to interact with you.
  • I am approachable.

To all my leadership and management friends out there, leave your door open when you are in your office. Try putting a container of chocolate near the entrance. You may be surprised by the subtle but meaningful difference it makes for you and your team.


How to be Taken Seriously. A Short List.

Life, Topics in Leadership, Work
Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash.jpg

Over the years I’ve been in a leadership role, I have kept a running list of small behaviors or principles that build trust. They let others know the relationship you have with them is important to you. They serve as a set of behaviors and boundaries that promote integrity. They are things we all can do. Here are eight  I jotted down that recently have meant a lot to me.

  1. Return calls promptly…next day at the latest.  If you can’t call right away send a quick text or email letting the caller know you got their message and will call back the next day.
  2. Return emails on the same day. If you can’t fully answer, shoot back a courteous quick reply letting the sender know when you’ll respond to their question. Keep the conversation going.
  3. If you are going to be late to a meeting send a text or a quick call to let the person leading the meeting know you are on your way and how late you’ll be.
  4. Send  thank you notes, emails or texts frequently. Be generous with “thank you”.
  5. If a group or meeting you are part of doesn’t have a secretary and needs someone to take minutes, volunteer to do it then email out the minutes to the group within 48 hours. (FYI often the minutes are not  much more than a detailed outline)
  6. Before you can expect someone to be interested in what you have to say, you have to be interested in what they have to say.
  7. If you make a mistake admit it, apologize for it, and learn from it.
  8. Do not gossip (revealing personal or sensational facts about others…Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Gossiping ruins your credibility.

I challenge you to put these into practice over the next month and see how it goes.

For Leaders Battling Negative Thoughts: “If You Know How To Worry, You Know How To Meditate.”

Faith, Life, Mental Health, Topics in Leadership, Work
Photo by Dingzeyu Li on Unsplash

The pastor of the church I attend the shared the quote in the title one time and it has always stuck with me. I know after thirteen years of being the director of a not-for-profit mental health center, in leadership, there are plenty of things to keep your eye on.  Being aware of what is wrong or what could go wrong is part of the job. Thinking about those things can easily become an exercise in ruminating about the worst possible outcome.

I am not, by nature, a worrier, but there are times when a worry gets lodged in my mind and I can’t get rid of it. It just grows and grows, eventually stifling and suffocating my thoughts with its pervasiveness and robbing me of joy. I had that experience this weekend. It started on Friday.

  1. My Friday had been made up of  back to back intense meetings. 
  2. I had a conversation around noon that led me to begin to perseverate on doom and gloom. My mind was just starting the process of ruminating on bad things happening.
  3. Around 3:15 pm, after a non-stop schedule, my brain needed a quick break.  About that time I read a message from a local faith based group. It was part of a verse from the prophet Isaiah, “I  have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and rescue you.” 
  4. My spirit immediately connected to the reassuring words. It was the kind of expedience in which you sense the Maker-of-all-things heard your struggle and sent a gentle reminder to encourage you. 
  5. Over the next 44 hours the message of doom and gloom peddled hard for supremacy in my head. I recognized it and tried hard to replace it with the words from Isaiah I had been comforted with on Friday,  “I  have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and rescue you.”
  6. I continued to work at replacing the fatalistic thoughts with the encouraging phrase I had been given. When your mind is in this struggle you have to be persistent about reframing the negativity. It takes focus. On Sunday around noon a new perspective broke through. It cleared the path for problem solving and relaxation.
  7. I have not gone back to the doom and gloom thoughts. They have tried to come back but I focus on the truth of that phrase from Friday.

Sometimes I get asked to speak to a group about how to cope with stress. I tell them that for me it is not easy. My job is so stressful I have to take three kinds of medication in order to manage. When I say that, people get a worried look on their face. They relax though when I tell the medications are exercise, journaling, and prayer-meditation. It’s the third one that helped me get through this last bout of worry and fear. 

If you are a worrier remember, if you know how to worry you know how to meditate. You can find truthful words to meditate on by reading classic literature, Scripture, or poetry.  It is about putting good things into your head and focusing on them when worry wants to take over. Also remember, the Maker-of-all-things is here to help you and remind you that you are not in this alone. 

Leadership, walking in the unknown.

Faith, Mental Health, Topics in Leadership, Work
Photo by Joe Beck on Unsplash

Thursday and Friday of last week I attended the annual conference of the trade association our agency affiliates with. The theme was essentially how to adapt to monumental changes facing the Ohio community mental health system. The speakers were sharing insights into how organizations such as the one I work for could best navigate the unknown waters we, as an industry,  are entering. I knew many people there. We shared conversations about how the companies they worked for were adapting to change. There was a sense of fear in some, a sense of opportunity in others. Everyone seemed to accept that business as usual is over.

I must admit I am nervous about how the changes are going to affect the organization I work for. Can we adapt? More unsettling to me is the question, “can I lead us through this?” It is easy to follow my fears down the dark hole they lead to. But fear is not the path of life, or light or creation. Fear suffocates creativity. Fear sees only the walled off end of a dark ally. 

The changes that are at our doorstep mean that the old ways of doing things won’t work. So we turn our gaze to where the light is; to where the creativity of our team, the guidance of our partners, and the voice of our community leads us. We examine everything, beginning with our assumptions about “how we do things around here.” We draw on the amazing capacity and ingenuity of our coworkers to solve problems. We keep everyone informed and seek input from all members of our team. We build bridges, strengthen relationships, and partner with others to offer solutions to their needs. 

I am blessed to work with amazing people. By the grace of God I will lead them. We will face the changes that are upon us with our minds alert, our gaze forward, our hands solving problems, and our work making a difference for our community.