Articles categorized as:

Change, Growth, and Succession

  • February 21, 2024 Pass it On

    Parents, teachers, mentors, and consultants live life on the fragile surface of a pedestal. It’s only a matter of time before they become human in the eyes of their children, students, followers, and clients. In the beginning of the relationship, their wisdom seems out of reach. Eventually, the gap narrows.

    Keep Reading...
  • September 26, 2023 The Painstaking Pleasure of Patience

    The Tiffany Dome was originally crafted in 1897 when the current Chicago Cultural Center opened as the then Chicago Public Library. At 38 feet in diameter, the dome holds 62,000 pieces of glass inside 243 sections. A complete restoration was finished in 2008, allowing natural light to enter the space that had been blocked since the previous restoration in the 1930’s. Teams of all shapes and sizes can learn a few things from this wide-scale, multiphase project.

    Keep Reading...
  • July 6, 2023 Three Aspects of Loss

    We are enjoying a historic period of leadership succession as the Baby Boomers gradually age into retirement. Professional service firms often employ mandatory retirement thresholds when 62-year-olds need to find new career paths regardless of whether they are ready for a transition. Many of these colleagues are just reaching their peaks. The consequence is loss and change. When this unfolds, we lose much more than the person and their talent.

    Keep Reading...
  • May 10, 2023 Three Kinds of Change

    The first change that draws most people’s attention is the unfair event that alters their stability. The second kind of change is the one that you, yourself, instigate. Others react to this one like you would respond to the first type. The third kind of change is constant and quiet. We age. Our teams evolve. Succession happens. The first and second examples consume tremendous amounts of leadership and H.R. energy. What many people don’t realize is that the third is an even more valuable expenditure of time and talent.

    Keep Reading...
  • March 8, 2023 Navigating Change with Grace

    Adult maturity has little to do with chronological age. Under stress, it has more to do with coping skills. Face it, there are children with more effective coping skills than some grown-ups. So, what in the world happens when the stakes are high and teammates have divergent views. Some move into problem-solving mode while others throw tantrums. Some lean in while others withdraw. Either way, how we manage change under normal conditions has little predictive value when things are upside down.

    Keep Reading...
  • February 8, 2023 Five Key Tasks Triggered by Change

    The period that follows upheaval is usually a time to regroup. Depending on the nature of the change, teams either recalibrate goals or focus their resources on healing. Which way the energy gets directed usually depends on whether the change was expected or unexpected – and whether the response was proactive or reactive.

    Keep Reading...
  • January 24, 2023 Allow the Struggle or Cushion the Fall?

    Generational succession planning has left Baby Boomers with a conundrum. As the 60-somethings exit their leadership positions, they must decide how much guidance to provide the 40-somethings. These whippersnappers will likely own decision authority for the next two decades. Imagine the consequences in a family business where the heir doesn’t need to be qualified to get the job. Gulp.

    Keep Reading...
  • December 21, 2022 Midnight on December 31st

    The end is the beginning. 12:00am lasts less than a second, as today becomes tomorrow and last year becomes this year. We’ll take stock in the accomplishments of the past and make promises for the future. The clock keeps turning.

    Keep Reading...
  • June 21, 2022 Feeding the Next Generation

    Succession planning has taken on new meaning over the past few years. Prior to the pandemic, it was simply the Baby Boom generation handing over leadership reins to the GenXers. The volatility of the COVID era has forced us to view these transitions through a different lens. Since the preciousness of life is now more fragile, succession is more of a gift to future generations.

    Keep Reading...
  • March 8, 2022 Slow and Steady Growth

    The most lasting change unfolds gradually, under the surface and invisible to onlookers. Unlike the shock of an abrupt transition, evolution quietly advances despite our inability to track its progress. Much like the roots of an old-growth tree, tendrils slowly reach out to connect with a powerful network of fuel and support. Above the ground, teams form.

    Keep Reading...
  • March 23, 2021 Making Change Stick: Initiative, Discipline and Momentum

    The biggest enemy of change is science. Homeostasis is the scientific explanation of why living things devote their energy to staying the same. When external threats occur, the ecosystem organizes around protecting the status quo. This is why it is so hard to establish new habits. This is why it is so difficult to change a workplace culture.

    Keep Reading...
  • July 23, 2020 The Healing Gift of Distancing

    There are big losses and little losses. When your favorite sports team loses a game, the disappointment is commensurate with the level of connection. The life-long fan feels worse than the casual fan. When the family pet dies, the kid who grew up feeling like Fido was a sibling feels worse than stepdad who inherited the dog when he married the kid’s mom. When a business closes due to the economic impact of a pandemic, the ripples spread beyond owners and employees to vendors, customers and communities. In each example, the greater the attachment, the greater the loss.

    Keep Reading...
  • February 26, 2020 The Next Generation of Leaders

    The aging Baby Boomer generation is gradually giving way to eager GenXers. The face of leadership has fewer wrinkles despite the weight of responsibility that will someday cause them. Professional service firms are great examples of this transition as attorneys, accountants, engineers and financial planners design their careers with specific retirement dates in mind. Succession planning anticipates these departures and develops new talent accordingly. As long at the outgoing leader is graceful and the incoming replacement is respectful, everything runs smoothly. What happens when grace and respect are subtracted from the recipe?

    Keep Reading...
  • October 21, 2019 When Change Isn’t Managed

    When we are able to be our best selves, we manage change with maturity. We acknowledge what has been lost and wrap our brains around the new conditions. We take some time to lick our wounds and then figure out what to do about the transition. We bring our best coping skills to the team and try our best to do nothing that might get us stuck or set us back. In a perfect world, the stress of the change doesn’t turn us into a child. Occasionally, these best intentions break down. Here’s what that looks like.

    Keep Reading...
  • March 21, 2019 The “We” and the “Me” on Teams

    Two things happen on teams after a significant change. First, teammates feel depleted as the energy of the team is consumed in managing the emotional impact of the transition. Second, teammates find a way to embrace the new circumstances. As a team, everyone must answer the question, “What does this mean for us?” Privately, most teammates are wondering, “What does this mean for me?” Fortunately, you can’t answer one question without answering the other. With this, the exercise of coping effectively begins.

    Keep Reading...
  • January 9, 2019 Strengthen One Relationship

    Time is precious. The team’s highest priorities get attention and less important things get neglected. Unfortunately, the subjects of neglect are often people. When someone feels like a low priority, engagement suffers. These teammates come to work, do their job, go home, and collect their paychecks. Why would they go the extra mile? Yet, when we invest in people, they grow. Sleepwalkers become evangelists. Look at your team roster. Identify the teammate most likely to thrive if fed. Sponsor his or her development. Here’s how.

    Keep Reading...
  • November 21, 2018 The Consequences of Growth: 3 Vulnerabilities

    Like the sprinter who discovers his shoelaces untied in the middle of a race, sometimes we’re moving too fast to fix a critical problem. Such is the challenge of rapid growth. The demand for our services outpaces our ability to add resources. We enter triage mode. Everyone focuses on the highest priorities and agrees to neglect less important needs. Over time, this takes its toll on a team. What would happen if the sprinter stopped to tie his shoes?

    Keep Reading...
  • September 18, 2018 Why Teams Need Loss

    The first reaction to a loss is usually disappointment. Something has changed. Things aren’t the way they used to be. When a team is in transition, it’s difficult to see the benefits. When you add stress to the situation, it’s even harder to appreciate the value of the loss. Energy gets depleted and hope is diminished. So, why do we need to lose something to gain something?

    Keep Reading...
  • July 11, 2018 Changing at Lightning Speed

    Sometimes change happens faster than humans can cope. Despite our best intentions to adapt with maturity, the pace of change surpasses our stress threshold. Most teammates want to be their best selves during transitions. Unfortunately, rapid and unexpected transitions have a way of bringing out the child in some of us. What kind of teammate do you become when the pressure is intense?

    Keep Reading...
  • June 28, 2018 Your Team’s Stage of Development

    Every team has a lifespan. The building blocks of development are constructed during the team’s infancy and tested throughout its childhood and adolescence. Once the team has matured into adulthood, performance is measured and remeasured as teammates manage obstacles, challenges, and changes through many cycles of growth. With each round, a new opportunity to thrive is welcomed. In what stage is your team today?

    Keep Reading...
  • March 6, 2018 The Path from Vision to Execution

    Another change has been announced. The team is still reeling from the last transition. The new future, while visionary, may not have factored in the view from the ground level. The team will be asked to achieve ambitious goals crafted by colleagues in a boardroom. How do we make it real? Everyone has a role.

    Keep Reading...
  • July 18, 2017 Crisis to Opportunity: The Best Time to Reboot a Culture

    It ends with a mass exodus. It begins with key talent frustrated with lack of support being lured to greener pastures. The mounting turnover consumes too much of leadership’s time and attention. The team soon spirals to survival mode where tasks related to mission and vision become low priorities. All effort is focused on urgent recruitment, just-in-time training, and plugging holes. Although painful, it’s perfect timing to reboot the culture.

    Keep Reading...
  • May 16, 2017 Current State and Desired State

    Every relationship, team, and organization can become more effective. Few, however, are ready to take on the burden of evolving. Living, breathing ecosystems are always in a temporary stage of development. Teams, therefore, are constantly faced with a choice about attending to or ignoring the symptoms indicating the need to adapt. Most opt for the comfort and consequences of staying the same. Consider these six motives for embracing the discomfort of growth and moving your team forward:

    Keep Reading...
  • February 21, 2017 Mentorship or Sponsorship?

    Team succession happens formally and informally. When formal, high potential talent is promoted to greater responsibility under the mentorship of someone above them on the organizational chart. Often, a new title gets printed on a business card. When informal, the daily delivery of skill, initiative, and engagement creates opportunities that can’t help but get noticed. While there may not be a new title on the business card, these teammates end up under someone’s wing where resources and support can have immediate bearing. Because they’ve been sponsored, every day is a job interview. So, what’s the difference between mentorship and sponsorship?

    Keep Reading...
  • December 19, 2016 Mastering Transitions

    As much a sameness brings comfort, the constant nature of change forces us to become experts at managing transitions. Changing jobs. Changing seasons. Changing teammates. Changing leadership. Changing health. Changing direction. Changing priorities. Regardless of what event defines the transition, adapting has two vital components: mourning loss and refocusing on new circumstances. Name the pain and then work the problem. Consider these case examples:

    Keep Reading...
  • June 14, 2016 How to Restart a New Team

    Whenever you add or subtract a member, you have a new team. Depending on the role and profile of the transition, the change can be significant. To minimize the impact, most teams try to keep as much the same as possible. Let the new members join the old club. The healthiest teams recognize the window of opportunity to re-anchor mission, values, and engagement. Here’s how:

    Keep Reading...
  • March 8, 2016 When Leaders See the Future

    Unfortunately for most teams, succession decisions are reactive. A valuable talent got hit by the proverbial bus and the scramble ensued. A top performer was lured away by a shiny opportunity taking her client list with her. Leadership neglected to read the tea leaves of dissatisfaction and had to devote costly energy and attention to recruitment rather than retention. What might happen if the future was predictable? How might an organization approach succession planning?

    Keep Reading...
  • January 30, 2015 Author Your Legacy

    We are about five years away from the boomer generation becoming a minority in the workforce. The change in demographics has businesses dusting off succession planning documents and asking increasingly urgent questions about strategic direction, talent quality, bench strength, and legacy. Leaders face a critical choice to begin the process: set the table for my successor or leave a mess for someone else to clean up?

    Keep Reading...
  • August 20, 2014 Everyone is Traumatized

    We all perform well under normal circumstances. Poise stands out under stress. When the heat is turned up, look for the teammate with the best coping skills to lead the way. That’s not always the designated leader. It’s usually whoever has the most relevant experience with managing crisis effectively. Often, it’s the teammate with a trauma history. Do you know anyone who has been through a traumatic event?

    Keep Reading...
  • June 30, 2014 World Cup Succession Planning

    One of the pleasant surprises of the 2014 World Cup is the artistry coming from unexpected teams and unheralded talent. Odds-makers and media experts have been forced to recalibrate their predictions. Savvy veterans are welcoming their youthful successors with appreciative celebration. The professional sports industry seems to embrace the seasonality of teams more effectively than other business sectors. Perhaps we should take a lesson.

    Keep Reading...
  • May 23, 2013 The Generational Transmission of Wealth

    The rising star was humbled by receiving an award named for a former rising star that had forged a legacy in the organization. Who knows, someday an award might be christened in her honor and bestowed upon one of her children’s peers. Succession moves in dynamic cycles as the wealth of knowledge is passed on and new leaders are created.

    Keep Reading...
  • December 12, 2012 This is Not Set in Stone

    Sitting in the lobby waiting to be greeted by the company’s chief human resources officer, I took in the decor. Workspace design is often the first clue to an organization’s mission. This particular organization was the parent company for over a dozen global businesses. Each business logo was proudly displayed on a sign attached to a post embedded deeply into a massive foundation of granite. The message was clear.

    Keep Reading...
  • October 23, 2012 Respect and Resilience

    An international gathering of small business owners attracted a diverse crowd at this year’s ISSA North America 2012 convention in Chicago’s McCormick Place. The convention floor was crawling with entrepreneurs in search of innovative products and methods. When I arrived at the podium to deliver my keynote address, “Building Great Teams,” the audience was already energized. I began my presentation with a story.

    Keep Reading...
  • June 26, 2012 The New Golden Rule

    Tom sat at his desk with his head in his hands, frustrated about the challenge his boss had just laid in his lap. The report, the one that takes a week to complete, had to be turned in three days early. He knew the team would balk. He could picture Andrea’s reaction as she considered the extra time she’d have to take away from her kids to meet the deadline. He knew Jim would stomp around, angry that he was going to miss the big game. Gloria would deal with it without complaining because she’s motivated by getting the job done on time and well.

    Keep Reading...
  • March 27, 2012 Flip the Snake

    Sometimes it takes a unique perspective to find a solution. We can work as hard as we like, but the answer remains hidden until perspective is adjusted. Sometimes that perspective has to come from outside ourselves, and accepting it becomes the challenge.

    Keep Reading...
  • August 26, 2011 Can a Zebra Change its Stripes?

    We’re all wired with indelible traits and talents. What happens when new requirements of a team mandate a change in core character? Are humans truly capable of transforming?

    Keep Reading...
  • July 6, 2011 The Rules Have Changed

    The band has been together for 25 years through various changes in personnel. Add a bass player…find a new drummer…introduce a talented new lead guitarist…stumble upon a vocalist. Through all the transformations, the band adapted and kept generating good music. That is, until recently, when the rules changed.

    Keep Reading...
  • May 4, 2011 Embracing Change

    What are the fundamental principles of effective change management?

    Keep Reading...
  • April 25, 2011 Why Are My Friends Leaving Me?

    One of the greatest gifts of change is new talent. While some teammates get mired in mourning who they’ve lost, others reinvest in who they’ve gained. How does a team best leverage this change for success?

    Keep Reading...
  • December 3, 2010 The Band Played On

    Twenty-five years after the original formation of the band, the music continues to evolve despite numerous changes in membership.

    Keep Reading...
  • September 1, 2010 Is Growth A Good Problem to Have?

    Welcome back to the Team Clock Institute’s monthly newsletter. Each month, Breakthrough Teams will invite readers to participate in an Ask/Apply/Act model:
    Ask: this month’s team challenge
    Apply: example story
    Act: action steps for consideration

    Keep Reading...