Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming our world, with applications infiltrating every corner of industry. From medical diagnosis and fraud detection to personalized recommendations and self-driving cars, AI is poised to disrupt and redefine how we work and live. But simply deploying an AI system isn’t enough. To truly unlock its potential, you need the right team with the right skills. This begs the question: how do you assess your workforce to ensure a successful AI implementation?

We know that organizations face significant challenges in developing the necessary skills to leverage AI effectively. This includes both technical skills, such as data science, machine learning, and software engineering, and soft skills including critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. A thorough assessment of an organization’s AI capabilities allows decision-makers to gain insights into AI readiness and identify areas needing development. This process often involves evaluating the workforce’s AI knowledge, the availability of data and resources, and the organization’s innovation culture.

Additionally, an AI skills assessment can uncover potential gaps or bottlenecks that might impede a successful AI implementation, such as a lack of specialized talent or inadequate infrastructure. Proactively addressing these challenges with targeted training, strategic hiring, and forming cross-functional AI teams can greatly enhance an organization’s readiness for AI, boosting the odds of a successful adoption and a strong return on investment.

Key Competencies Needed to Effectively Implement AI Solutions

Successful AI implementation requires a deep understanding of the organization’s strategic objectives and operational processes in addition to having the key competencies in place. This understanding ensures that AI initiatives align with the company’s overall goals and integrate smoothly into existing workflows, maximizing their impact and facilitating adoption. For successful AI implementation, fostering a shared vision and securing buy-in from all parties involved requires strong communication and collaboration across IT, business units, and stakeholders.

Building a strong foundation in these key competencies is essential:

• Technical Expertise: Data science, machine learning, software engineering, data engineering, cybersecurity

• Strategic Alignment: Business acumen, domain expertise, change management skills

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Effective communication, teamwork, problem-solving

• Iterative Mindset: Continuous learning, adaptation, and improvement

Continuous monitoring, evaluation, and refinement of AI models are essential to maintain their accuracy, reliability, and relevance in dynamic business environments. An agile and iterative approach allows organizations to quickly adapt to changing market conditions and technological advancements. By fostering a combination of technical expertise, strategic alignment, cross-functional collaboration, and an iterative mindset, organizations can effectively harness the potential of AI solutions and gain a competitive edge in their industries. This approach inherently supports the ethical and responsible deployment of AI, guided by the governance frameworks established for the organization.

Conducting a Comprehensive Skills Assessment for AI Readiness

Building a strong foundation in AI skills is critical for successful implementation, yet organizations can fall short by solely relying on training programs. While these initiatives play a vital role in developing core competencies, true competitive advantage hinges on cultivating a workforce that can not only apply knowledge but also gain deep, practical experience. Conducting a comprehensive AI skills assessment helps bridge this gap by identifying existing skillsets and pinpointing areas needing development. This data-driven approach ensures training programs are targeted and effective, while also guiding the development of organizational learning initiatives that equip employees with the hands-on experience necessary to thrive in an AI-driven future.

To assess your organization’s AI readiness, consider the following key steps:

• Define AI Competency Frameworks: Identify the technical (e.g., programming languages, machine learning) and soft skills (e.g., adaptability, self-awareness, relationship management) needed for various roles. This establishes a baseline for evaluation.

• Skills Audits and Assessments: Utilize tools such as performance reviews, self-assessments, and in-take meetings to gauge the workforce’s current capabilities and identify skill gaps.

• Consider Specialized Partners: Partnering with AI skills assessment firms can streamline the process, offer tailored services, and provide unbiased insights.

• Develop Targeted Training: Based on the assessment results, create training programs (on-the-job, professional development) to address identified skill gaps. Focus on both technical expertise and soft skills for successful AI implementation.

• Continuous Learning: Regularly update skills assessments and training programs to reflect evolving technologies and business needs. This ensures your workforce stays current and drives ongoing success in AI initiatives.

By methodically assessing and developing the skills necessary for AI adoption, organizations can significantly enhance their capability to leverage the full potential of AI technologies. Partnering with specialized firms can further optimize this process, leading to more effective and efficient readiness for AI integration.

Upskilling the Workforce to Bridge the AI Skills Gap

To effectively bridge the AI skills gap, organizations must identify specific skill deficiencies within their workforce. This includes a comprehensive range of technical skills, such as advanced data analytics and AI system management, alongside crucial soft skills like ethical AI usage, empathy, and communication. By tailoring training programs to address identified needs, organizations equip employees with a comprehensive skillset that spans both core and advanced competencies. Programs should integrate emotional intelligence modules to enhance collaboration, leadership, and decision-making alongside the technical curriculum.

Incorporating specific AI certification courses that also emphasize soft skills can significantly boost employee confidence and credibility. These certifications validate acquired skills and demonstrate a commitment to comprehensive professional development. Continuous learning should be promoted throughout the organization, with regular updates to training programs and ongoing opportunities for emotional intelligence development. This approach not only keeps the workforce current with AI advancements but also fosters essential soft skills including empathy and adaptability, which are key for ethical decision-making in AI.

Reskilling employees to fill new AI-driven roles should focus on leveraging their extensive organizational knowledge while aligning their new skills with strategic goals. This focus ensures that technical training is complemented by strong emotional intelligence, enhancing job satisfaction and career development. Mentorship and knowledge-sharing programs can further accelerate this process.

Monitoring the effectiveness of these training programs is crucial. It should include assessments of how well technical skills and emotional intelligence are being integrated into the workplace. Feedback from these evaluations can help refine training efforts, ensuring they remain relevant and impactful.

By focusing on a combination of technical skills and emotional intelligence, organizations can better prepare their workforce for the challenges of AI integration. This approach not only maximizes the effectiveness of AI technologies but also cultivates a more collaborative, innovative, and adaptable organizational culture.

Aligning AI Skills for Strategic Impact

Developing a robust AI governance framework is the first step in ensuring responsible and effective AI integration. This framework defines the policies, procedures, and ethical guidelines that govern AI use, aligning it with the organization’s values and objectives. Establishing strong governance early sets the stage for success.

Next comes a comprehensive AI implementation strategy. This strategy outlines key AI goals, identifies primary use cases, and sets clear benchmarks for success. It serves as a roadmap, guiding the deployment of AI technologies in a way that is purposeful and aligned with broader business strategies.

With a governance framework and implementation strategy established, effective AI talent management becomes crucial. Organizations should focus on building a talent pipeline that supports their strategic AI goals. This includes attracting, developing, and retaining individuals with the necessary technical and soft skills through specialized recruitment, partnerships with educational institutions, and the creation of compelling career paths for professionals with AI and complementary skills.

An AI Center of Excellence (CoE) can be instrumental in aligning AI skills with objectives. The CoE standardizes AI practices, develops best practices, and provides leadership and support for AI projects. By centralizing expertise and resources, the AI CoE ensures consistent execution and deep integration of AI initiatives.

Finally, an AI skills roadmap, aligned with the implementation strategy and governance policies, is essential. This roadmap outlines timelines for training, upskilling, and potentially hiring new talent. It acts as a living document that evolves with the organization’s needs and includes metrics to measure the success of the skills development program. By continually evaluating the skills gap and adapting the roadmap, the workforce remains equipped to meet current and future challenges.

Ensuring AI Success through Strategic Skills Assessment and Development

The journey toward successful AI integration is multifaceted, requiring meticulous planning, strategic alignment, and continuous adaptation. By assessing the existing skills and capabilities within an organization, leaders can effectively prepare for the integration of AI technologies, ensuring that all employees are equipped to handle the new demands these systems introduce. This skills assessment, encompassing both technical and soft skills, is pivotal in identifying gaps that could potentially hinder the effective implementation and scaling of AI solutions. Addressing these gaps through targeted training and strategic hiring ensures a smooth transition to AI-enabled processes and fosters a culture of continuous learning and innovation.

Additionally, aligning AI skills with organizational objectives ensures that AI initiatives support strategic goals and enhance operational efficiencies. The establishment of a robust AI governance framework at the outset provides a strong ethical and procedural foundation, guiding all subsequent AI endeavors. An AI Center of Excellence can centralize expertise and leadership, ensuring that AI practices are standardized and effectively integrated across the organization. Additionally, an AI skills roadmap provides a structured plan for the development and integration of necessary skills over time, allowing for adjustments as technology and business needs evolve.

Ultimately, the effective implementation of AI is not just about the technology itself but also about the people behind it. By fostering an environment where technical proficiency is supported with strong emotional intelligence and ethical considerations, organizations can realize the potential of AI. This strategic approach not only enhances the immediate effectiveness of AI projects but also ensures long-term sustainability and success in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

In sum, the road to AI success is paved with thoughtful skills assessment, strategic alignment of skills with business objectives, and a commitment to ongoing development and governance. These elements combine to create a resilient, agile organization ready to capitalize on the opportunities AI presents. Ready to assess your organization’s AI readiness? Utilize our comprehensive AI readiness assessment tool to gain valuable insights into your organization’s current state and identify areas for development.

The 90-Day Success Blueprint: A Guide to Thriving as a New Engineering Manager

Are you starting a new job as an engineering manager? Exciting times lie ahead, but the challenge can be daunting. Leading a team of engineers, building relationships with colleagues, navigating a new environment and delivering results can be overwhelming. But, with the right approach and mindset, you can set yourself up for success and become an asset to your organization. In this blog post, we will explore some practical tips to guide you through your first 90 days as an engineering manager and help you achieve your goals.

Develop plans but remain flexible.

Flexibility is key because unexpected challenges and opportunities will inevitably arise during your first 90-days as a new engineering manager. It is important to be open to feedback and adjust your plans as needed. Collaborate with stakeholders, such as your team members, peers, and senior management, to better understand their expectations and align your goals with theirs. As a new engineering manager, it is crucial to be flexible and quickly accommodate unforeseen challenges and opportunities that may arise during projects and activities. It is essential to adapt and be open to feedback from stakeholders. Having adaptable plans allow for quick adjustments and help ensure that everyone stays on the same page and projects remain on schedule. Collaborating with stakeholders and getting their input can provide valuable insight into their expectations, concerns, and goals, and can help to identify any potential roadblocks that may hinder a project’s progress. Additionally, building strong relationships with stakeholders can foster a sense of ownership among team members, create a positive work environment, and lead to a more successful outcome.

Collaborate with others.

Collaboration is critical to success. Working with other managers can help you identify areas of overlap and create a cohesion within the organization. Building collaborative relationships with other managers is an essential component of achieving your goals as an engineering manager. For example, as an engineering manager, building relationships with other departmental managers such as the marketing, sales, and finance managers can lead to a more efficient process of releasing a new product into the market or securing new clients and projects. Collaborating with marketing and sales managers can help in identifying target customers and creating an effective marketing strategy. At the same time, having a good relationship with the finance manager can ensure projects stay within budget and avoid any financial roadblocks.

“Collaboration is the cornerstone of success in engineering. No single engineer has all the answers. Working together with a diverse group of professionals helps create innovative solutions and achieve superior results.” – Karen Bartleson, IEEE President 2017-2018.

Establish expectations and plan for success with your supervisor.

As a new engineering manager, building a strong relationship with your supervisor is crucial for achieving your goals. Establishing clear expectations and planning for success with your supervisor can help to create a positive work environment and ensure that you are working towards a common goal. To establish a strong relationship with your supervisor, it is important to establish regular communication channels early on. This will help you to stay aligned with your supervisor’s priorities and receive timely feedback on your performance. Short-term action steps that you can take include scheduling regular check-ins with your supervisor to discuss your progress, goals, and any challenges you may be facing. Additionally, you can collaborate with your supervisor on setting achievable goals that deliver quick wins to build trust with your team and set the foundation for achieving long-term goals. Another short-term action step is to keep your supervisor informed of your progress regularly. By doing so, you can receive guidance and support when needed, and demonstrate your ability to manage projects effectively.

Communicate effectively.

Understand your supervisor’s communication style and preferences and adapt your behavior accordingly. Build a relationship with your supervisor by asking for feedback and seeking their guidance on challenging issues. Familiarize yourself with the organization’s processes and resources, including human resources policies, training opportunities, and mentorship programs.

“Effective communication is key to successful engineering projects. It is essential to share ideas and information, collaborate with colleagues, and ensure that everyone is on the same page to achieve project goals.” – Tom Smith, ASCE President 2020.

As a new engineering manager, effective communication with your team is crucial for the success of any project. Effective communication involves clear and concise messaging, active listening, and timely feedback. It not only helps in building trust and creating a positive work environment, but it also helps in increasing productivity and achieving the desired outcomes. However, there are certain communication pitfalls that a new engineering manager should avoid.

The first pitfall is assuming that the team has the same understanding of the project goals and objectives. To avoid this, the manager should ensure that everyone in the team is on the same page by clearly communicating the project goals, objectives, timelines, and expectations.

The second pitfall is failing to listen actively to the team members. It is essential to listen to the team’s ideas, concerns, and suggestions actively. Active listening can help in building a positive work environment and creating a sense of ownership among team members.

The third pitfall is providing vague or delayed feedback to the team members. Feedback should be specific, constructive, and timely. Vague feedback can lead to confusion and delays, while delayed feedback can cause frustration and demotivation among the team members.

Effective communication is essential for a new engineering manager to achieve project success. Avoiding communication pitfalls such as assuming everyone has the same understanding, failing to listen actively, and providing vague or delayed feedback can help the manager to communicate effectively with the team and achieve the desired outcomes.

Build learning into your plan.

Building learning and development into your 90-day action plan is crucial for effective team management and your professional growth. To achieve your professional development goals, there are several action steps you can take.

First, establish measurable and realistic targets that align with the department’s overall objectives. This will help to ensure that your development goals are relevant and can contribute to the success of the department and organization.

Second, foster a culture of continuous learning and growth within your team by providing opportunities for professional development, mentorship, and training. This can include attending conferences, participating in online courses, or arranging for external training sessions. Encouraging your team to learn and grow can not only improve team performance but also promote employee engagement and retention.

Third, consider setting aside dedicated time for learning and development activities, whether it be weekly or monthly. This will help to ensure that learning and development goals are given the attention they deserve and that they become a regular part of your work routine. By building learning and development into your 90-day action plan, establishing measurable targets, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth, and dedicating time to your development, you can achieve your professional development goals and support the success of your team and organization.

Recognize employees and create a productive work environment.

As a new engineering manager, creating a productive and enjoyable work environment is essential for building a successful team. To make progress in this area, there are two key steps you can take within your first 90 days.

First, focus on providing regular feedback, recognition, and rewards to your team members. This can be done in various ways such as through one-on-one meetings or during team meetings. Regular feedback can help to boost team morale and motivation by recognizing and valuing the contributions of your team members. Additionally, providing recognition and rewards for good work can help to reinforce positive behaviors and encourage high performance.

Second, foster a culture of collaboration and innovation by encouraging open communication and teamwork among team members. This can include organizing team-building activities, promoting knowledge sharing, and encouraging cross-functional collaboration. By promoting a positive and supportive work environment, you can create a culture that values teamwork, innovation, and success.

By taking these actions within your first 90 days, you can make measurable progress towards creating a productive and enjoyable work environment for your team.

As you embark on your journey as an engineering manager, remember that success comes with a well-thought-out and adaptable plan, effective communication, collaboration with colleagues, continuous learning, and recognition of your team’s contributions. With these tips, you can thrive as a new engineering manager and make a positive impact on your organization.

A New Engineering Manager's 90-Day Success Plan

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"Effective communication is key to successful engineering projects. It is essential to share ideas and information, collaborate with colleagues, and ensure that everyone is on the same page to achieve project goals."

Tom Smith, ASCE President 2020 Tweet

Foundational Skills to Leverage in the New Year

Originally published on Inside Indiana Business, January 20, 2022.

Being proficient at completing the technical aspects of your position can only take you so far. To stand out from others, strong foundational skills are required. Individuals who are self-aware and adept at communication and relationship building, position themselves and their organizations for success.

Increasingly organizations are prioritizing foundational or “soft skills” during the hiring process. Alexandra Levit, workforce futurist and author of Humanity Works: Merging Technologies and People for the Workforce of the Future, explains, “while most people are hired for their technical abilities, their soft skills give them career durability.” If these skills are so critical, you cannot afford to overlook the fact that further developing your foundational skills can improve your effectiveness, longevity, and mobility.

So, how do you go about leveraging your foundational skills? Here are three strategies to help position you for improved effectiveness.

Become self-aware. While much of what occurs is outside of your control, you can control how you react to situations and how you present yourself. This involves understanding your preferences, tendencies, and resources. You position yourself to cope better with the unexpected when you understand the potential of these aspects.

Employees, customers, and potential customers consider more than your title when interacting with you. They develop impressions of you that are influenced in part by your knowledge, skills, and abilities. This means that every interaction that you have with others impacts your reputation and the organization’s brand.

Recognize any negative habits and develop ways to improve upon them. Micromanaging, or being disorganized or disingenuous, are just a few habits that can lead to major challenges. To improve, replace negative habits with positive ones.
Understand how you tend to react in stressful situations and consider the impact of your work style on others.

Improve communication. You should never assume that others always understand what you mean or what you need, nor will you always understand the needs and intentions of others. In the words of Peter Drucker, “The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.” Leaders and managers, you may need to improve your communication skills if you:

• Always assume your team understands your comments or directives.
• Disrespect your team, peers, or customers by failing to be punctual.
• Dismiss the opinion of others or miss opportunities to ask for input when it is warranted.
• Ignore constructive criticism or fail to appreciate how you can improve your work.

Enhance relationships. People want to connect with others who listen well, express empathy, and respect their time. Why? When you are genuinely empathetic, respectful, and understand the needs and concerns of others, you add value to their lives. Then, others appreciate opportunities to interact with you, which in turn positively impacts the organization and your ability to make progress.

Improving your foundational skills is within reach. Don’t settle for less. Your customers and organization deserve your best, and your career may depend upon it.

Originally posted by Inside Indiana Business on February 23, 2021.

Organizations typically focus on learning and fail to address unlearning as an organizational development strategy. Whether we realize it or not, we gravitate toward what is familiar and less challenging. But without taking the time to step back and reflect upon the ways in which we approach our work we could be sabotaging our own efforts. This applies to most changes we want to implement. Instead of trying to convince your team that your change effort is the right one, help them understand why it is important to change.

Instead of trying to convince your team that your change effort is the right one, help them understand why it is important to change.

At one security system services firm, the customer service team noticed a growth in calls about product consistency. In response to this disturbing trend, the chief technology officer decided to adopt a new element that upgraded the system. The intended benefits of this change—improved reliability and customer satisfaction—were appealing, but the cost to implement was substantial. Because the systems were already installed in residences, customer service would need to contact customers and request that they install a new module themselves. Customers would have to open the system tower, remove the existing module, and install a new module. Customer service representatives were skeptical that the modules could be successfully replaced by customers.

To address their concerns, the CTO sought feedback from a cross-functional group of senior and junior representatives, they asked: If customers could successfully change the modules themselves, what would the organization gain? Employees were asked to consider the proposed change and identify any potential problems. They were also asked to create solutions to potential problems. These conversations helped reduce resistance to the proposed change and increase support for leadership’s approach. In the end, the change was implemented, and team members were prepared to support customers throughout the module exchange. This approach contributed to the adoption of change and goal achievement in less time than had they not pursued discussion first. The organization’s culture was positively impacted, and management’s credibility strengthened.   

The discussions encouraged by management were not simply exercises where employees were asked to discuss the upcoming changes among themselves prior to their implementation. Instead, the conversations were structured to help employees know their input in decision-making and change initiatives were valued. Typically, leaders attempt to roll out change initiatives because they are confident that they are right about the need for the change. They set out to convince employees they are right about the change, and seek to report back as quickly as possible to their leadership, that they have done what they could to achieve “buy-in.”

Unlearning Positions Employees to Embrace New Methods

Long-lasting change that achieves sought after results, comes from leaders acknowledging that they may not have all the answers and that they could benefit from the perspective of others. Leaders that use this approach are successful because rather than setting out to achieve buy-in, they set out to understand potential roadblocks and gather solutions from others. By having meaningful conversations with employees, they gain insight while testing and possibly refining the proposed change. The pursuit of compliance does not exist, nor is it necessary, because individuals are more willing to change when they understand why practices are established and under what conditions. The need for change becomes more apparent when this type of information is shared and understood. This practice of unlearning, of discarding practices or knowledge that are no longer relevant, position employees to learn new ways.

Overcome Challenges Associated with Change

Leaders struggle when they assume their way is the best way, they tend to approach change from the top down—they strive to appear decisive and knowledgeable. Talking points are created and other supporting leaders roll out initiatives in search of compliance. Early adopters are praised, and resisters identified. Dialogue about the change and potential problems is lacking and a small number of employees offer feedback. The limited amount of feedback enables leaders to assume acceptance and change are guaranteed.

To successfully implement change, leaders should take a slower approach when possible and assume they do not have all the answers. Too often we rush change initiatives only to discover we have offended key stakeholders or failed to have important conversations. Leaders need to start meaningful conversations and keep employees engaged. Conversations about key initiatives are not one and done. The key is to develop trust and work with others to understand assumptions and potential challenges.

When leaders fail to have meaningful conversations, they miss tapping into the very talent they hired. They sacrifice progress for adherence and miss having valuable conversations that can improve engagement and strengthen culture. When the need for change is apparent, employees can discard practices and knowledge that are no longer relevant and fully embrace new policies and practices. 

Originally posted by Inside Indiana Business on October 29, 2020.

As organizations adapt to change brought about by the pandemic, many contemplate how long it will take for our world to return to normal.

Normal will be what we make of it. Our former ways of living and working have evolved in many ways to ensure public health is taken into consideration. What we used to consider normal may be forever altered. But I believe there are opportunities awaiting individuals and organizations that are worth exploring.

First, I’ve heard of many organizations who have successfully adjusted rapidly to change during the pandemic. They discovered that their teams were willing and eager to change their behavior when they believe doing so aligned with the organization’s purpose and livelihood. When this openness to change combines with people believing change is possible, change efforts can create powerful momentum. Early wins with tangible progress can be leveraged and practices put in place to sustain change. Eventually, desire for change needs translated into new guidelines and practices, and during times of unprecedented uncertainty, that only happens with effective leadership.

Additionally, it’s critical for us to understand which aspects of change we should embrace to support organizational development. When we think about change, many of us focus on what needs changed in the near term. And yes, we should act to support continued revenue and employment, but we should also enable the longer-term sustainability of our communities and society. But the leaders with the potential to impact meaningful progress may be ill-prepared to make decisions and implement the needed changes. We need to prepare them now.  

Second, organizational learning influences performance. Maintenance learning is for organizations who want to maintain the status quo. It is not uncommon for organizations to connect learning and development activities to performance evaluations and other measures. This practice often fails to account for the performance required to successfully navigate change. Maintenance learning addresses growth and learning related to performance gaps and anticipated activities. It doesn’t address developing the skills and abilities needed to adjust rapidly to change, embrace failure as a means of learning, or how to use design thinking to rapidly make ideas a reality.

Maintenance learning is inadequate for competitive organizations or even for organizations that simply want to survive or thrive during times of unparalleled change. Maintenance learning prepares us for adjusting to circumstances as they are, not how they will be. If we want our organizations to evolve effectively, we must use a combination of maintenance learning with innovative learning practices.  

It’s leaders and executive teams that decide how organizations prepare for and adapt to change. It’s directors and managers that work with individuals and teams to implement changes. Ultimately, it’s individual and team performance that impacts the position of the organization within the market. In some cases, leaders lack the vision to guide the organization in both the short-and long-term. Unfortunately, in such cases morale may suffer, especially among teams and individual employees—which makes sense given decisions made by leaders impact all levels within organizations.

The bottom line is this: opportunity exists to make meaningful progress in spite of the pandemic. If we want to future-proof our organizations, then we have to ensure our employees are prepared to thrive given their current responsibilities. We also have to prepare them to face the challenges and changes that will occur in the future. This involves ensuring our cultures embrace innovative learning—learning that supports the embrace of failure, collaboration to solve problems, and design thinking to rapidly make ideas a reality.

Finally, we need to be specific about the expectations for leaders. While the needs of organizations differ, some may need a leader to provide continuity and guidance in the near term and others may seek visionary leadership who can bolster short-term stability while preparing the organization to withstand turbulent conditions in the future. Every board should have established expectations for the organization’s leadership. Defining expectations that address the near term and the future, using data to inform decision-making, and ensuring the leader is the most qualified, appropriate fit for the position.

The past several months have proven challenging for us—the uncertainty, stress, and fear about the future have been intensified by the need to make decisions quickly, often with limited information or without precedent. The stories of countless organizations who have implemented changes quickly, while focusing on employee and customer safety, give me reason to be hopeful. If we can use leadership and learning as elements that help us endure challenging times, then this time in our history can be one that offers tremendous potential for individuals and organizations.

Tuesday Strong is a coach, consultant, and author at Strong Performance Management, LLC.

Proactive Performance Management

When I started in management, I was focused on ensuring my team understood goals and expectations. Equally important, was knowing that each team member had access to the training they needed to do their jobs well. By the time I left that organization five years later, I was addicted to proactive performance management. Since then, I continued to hone my skills and help others develop. The more I helped others, the more I realized—if I can help others grow, I have made a important contribution. 

Helping others comes naturally for some. Over time, we realize one of the most significant things we can do is help others. That’s why I love lifelong learning. It helps position us with the skillset and mindset to realize challenging goals.

When we recognize the limits imposed by lack of development, we can proactively seek learning opportunities. As a new manager, you’ll need to consider the following five critical aspects of performance management to help others learn and realize goals.

Communicate goals and expectations.

Give your team the information they need to understand what’s expected of them. This may involve your investing extra time to communicate with them as a group and with each team member individually. Instead of hurrying through this task, invest the time to ensure each team member understands the team’s goals and their individual goals.

Stephen Covey said that, “We are the creative force of our life, and through our own decisions rather than our conditions, if we carefully learn to do certain things, we can accomplish those goals.” This indicates the need for managers to give employees the information they need so they can make the decisions to realize goals.

Managers need to communicate goals and expectations clearly and in a timely manner so employees understand what’s expected of them and what resources are available to support their efforts.

Ensure employees have the training they need to do their jobs well.

I have often said that employees cannot be expected to meet or exceed expectations without guidance and preparation. To increase the likelihood that employees will actually accomplish their goals, you need to understand their strengths and challenges and give them the opportunity to improve in the areas that may hamper their performance. Preparation enables progress. Give them the training they need to do their jobs well.

Use coaching to keep employees motivated and on track.

Through coaching, employees are empowered to make decisions and change behaviors that result in immediate impact. Managers help by encouraging employees to take ownership of goals and create the habits that are aligned with their objectives. Through questions and frequent two-way communication, new levels of awareness can result. Managers use coaching to help employees understand how best to leverage their strengths while overcoming obstacles. They offer support and guidance to keep employees motivated and on track.

Communicate proactively and effectively.

For employees to achieve goals, you must communicate effectively. Some new managers don’t invest enough time or energy into getting this right. That’s a big mistake. Usually one that hurts performance and morale. Knowing how to communicate proactively will enable your team to make progress toward achieving goals. 

I’ll share an example. Several years ago, I learned of a manager who was tasked with rallying support for a new stretch goal the team was responsible for achieving. Instead of simply focusing on the implementation of the new machinery, management needed to gain support from the employees who would actually use the machines. In this case, not only did the new machinery require learning how the machines functioned, it also required the adoption of new processes and policies to support their implementation. Production, customer satisfaction, and a return on the investment were all at stake.

Management succeeded in gaining employee support because they communicated not only how the new machines would be used, but also why the new machines and supporting processes were necessary. They communicated in advance of the installation of the machines, giving employees the opportunity to ask clarifying questions and understand why the installation of the new machines was necessary.

Recognize effort and progress.

Employees need to know that their efforts are important. When their work is recognized, they know their work is valued by others. This in turn, has a positive impact on future performance and morale. Managers miss opportunities when they only acknowledge success. Failure is just as important. We learn from our mistakes and use that learning to make better decisions in the future.

Failure can be painful but it can also be extremely valuable. When we fail, we realize that we have options and new opportunities. Our failures help us grow personally and professionally. We feel the pain of failure in the short-term even though we may benefit greatly from it in the longer term. When we fail, we get feedback and the feedback helps us learn and grow. Then we iterate, we make changes, and try again. If we fail again, we learn more and begin the process anew. Our learning and confidence grow throughout the process.

Now that you understand the five critical aspects of performance management, you can help your team embrace challenging goals.

Effectively managing performance is a skill. Your team can either sink or swim depending upon how well you guide and support them. As you develop your skills, be deliberate about your learning. Challenge yourself to develop both the skillset and mindset to manage with confidence. Being a new manager can be difficult. Failing to grow and properly support your team can be even harder.

Effective Planning Can Result in Progress

Many talented executives fail to fully appreciate strategic planning. The problem is they’ve not witnessed the progress that effective planning can help materialize. The unseen reason for their lack of optimism is minimal experience creating and implementing strategic plans. 

When strategic plans are created time is usually tight, with the goal of producing a plan on a timeline in addition to normal workloads. A lot of executives just want to get through the process as quickly as possible.

Strategic Planning Must Be Approached Intentionally

Strategic planning must be approached intentionally because engaging an organization creates risk if leaders are unprepared. A lack of preparation or even the appearance of it, can set a negative tone for the entire process. 

Broad organizational involvement creates opportunities to learn together and build community. With this in mind, leaders can use the opportunity to reinforce culture and gain support for challenging goals.

Because the strategic planning process is so detailed, it’s easy to make mistakes. Here are four costly strategic planning mistakes to keep in mind as you develop your plans.

Not maximizing visionary leadership. In addition to setting the long-term vision for the organization, the leader should ensure more of an emphasis on innovative learning than on maintenance learning. The practice of maintenance learning addresses learning related to performance gaps and anticipated activities. It doesn’t address developing the skills and abilities needed to adjust rapidly to change, embrace failure as a means of learning, or how to use design thinking to rapidly make ideas a reality. Maintenance learning prepares us for adjusting to circumstances as they are, not how they will be.

Looking inward instead of outward. Changes in the external market should be anticipated. At the onset of the planning process, an environmental scan will prove critical to accurately assess the factors with the potential to impact planning. Organizations that fail to assess external conditions and potential, position themselves to miss opportunities to retain current customers, expand sales to existing customers, or acquire new customers.

Not investing in the resources needed to achieve goals. Too many times challenging goals are set without a thorough risk assessment or realistic estimate of the resources needed to achieve established goals. Failure to estimate resource needs can result in increased costs, conflict, or missed deadlines and opportunities.

Not securing buy-in. A failure to secure broad support for strategic plans can damage morale and performance. Leaders need to be change agents and effective marketers with domain level expertise who can synthesize large amounts of information and sell ideas throughout the organization.

The goal is to create a strategic plan that represents your organization’s aspirations. A clear and concise plan informed by data and created with stakeholder insight, positions your organization for progress. As you begin to work on your next strategic plan ask yourself, “how many of these costly strategic planning mistakes are we making?”

Not All Leaders Are Prepared to Lead

If you’ve recently found yourself frustrated and confused by leadership, you’re not alone. Being able to take charge during periods of rapid change and deal effectively with ambiguity are key competencies needed in today’s leaders.

We need individuals who are decisive, trustworthy, and capable of creating solutions today that position us for the future. We need empathetic leaders who understand that local actions may have global implications.

Unfortunately, not all leaders are prepared to lead. The same reasons that contributed their assuming leadership positions may make it even more difficult for them to lead. 

Subject matter or domain specific expertise, relationships, or even urgent needs to fill vacancies, are a few of the reasons that individuals are placed in leadership positions within short time frames. Organizational culture, inadequate search processes, or other internal challenges may also contribute to unqualified individuals being placed in leadership positions. While many may aspire to leadership, not all are prepared to lead.

Organizations need sound leadership now; they cannot always wait for individuals to grow and develop in anticipation of assuming leadership positions.

Organizations don’t always have the luxury of time; many will learn by doing.

Mistakes by new leaders are more likely to occur in the absence of mentors and developmental opportunities. Performance will suffer in those who lack emotional intelligence and the ability to think strategically and operationally. The result, all too often, is the loss of talent or market share.

Here are some practices that will improve confidence and performance so you can secure and develop the talent needed for sound leadership.

Update Competency Models

Yesterday’s leadership competency models are inadequate to meet today’s needs. The pace of change and the dynamics of our global public health crisis and economy, force organizations to rethink and update how individuals are hired, promoted, and retained.

Leadership competency models must address strategic communication, navigating ambiguity, and leadership development. Equally important is innovative learning that addresses being proactive rather than reactive, learning by gathering insight from others, using collaboration to solve problems, and preparing for anticipated change.   

Focus on Innovative Learning

It is not uncommon for organizations to connect learning and development activities to performance evaluations. This practice fails to account for the performance required to successfully navigate change.

The practice of maintenance learning addresses growth and learning related to performance gaps and anticipated activities. It doesn’t address developing the skills and abilities needed to adjust rapidly to change, embrace failure as a means of learning, or how to use design thinking to rapidly make ideas a reality.

Maintenance learning is inadequate for competitive organizations or even for organizations that simply want to survive or thrive during times of unprecedented change. Maintenance learning prepares us for adjusting to circumstances as they are, not how they will be.

The elements of innovative learning include being proactive rather than reactive, learning by gathering insight from others, and using collaboration to solve problems and prepare for anticipated change.

Innovative learning involves understanding and recognizing the value of current circumstances while proactively using learning to make the future a reality.

Fast Track High Potential Leaders

Talking with high potential leaders can help you better understand their interests and motivation. You may discover a willingness to learn more about other areas of the organization or a desire to take on more responsibility. If so, you can offer stretch assignments or have them participate on cross-functional teams.

Once you understand their aspirations, you can work together on career planning and determine if additional internal developmental opportunities would be appropriate. You may also want to supplement internal activities with external learning.

As roles evolve, it’s important to not overload potential leaders with additional responsibilities and tasks without consideration of current workloads. Remove lower level work so they do not become overwhelmed. Gather feedback as they work through new tasks and identify any gaps in their capabilities, then offer additional developmental opportunities.

Maintenance Learning is for Organizations Who Want to Maintain the Status Quo

It is not uncommon for organizations to connect learning and development activities to performance evaluations. This practice fails to account for the performance required to successfully navigate change. The practice of maintenance learning addresses growth and learning related to performance gaps and anticipated activities. It doesn’t address developing the skills and abilities needed to adjust rapidly to change, embrace failure as a means of learning, or how to use design thinking to rapidly make ideas a reality.

Maintenance learning is inadequate for competitive organizations or even for organizations that simply want to survive or thrive during times of unprecedented change. Maintenance learning prepares us for adjusting to circumstances as they are, not how they will be.

You work hard to get products and services out into the world. The important question is whether you’ll do it effectively.

Keep reading to learn three ways leaders can infuse innovative learning throughout organizations to prepare for change.

Adjust rapidly to change.

People are willing and often eager to change their behavior when they believe doing so aligns with the organization’s purpose. When this openness to change combines with people believing change is possible, change efforts can create powerful momentum. Early wins with tangible progress, can be leveraged and practices put in place to sustain change. Notice this approach offers an alternate path to the way in which many change initiatives begin—it starts with the people collectively believing in the change, rather than top down directed change efforts.

Embrace failure as a means of learning.

Failure can be painful but it can also be extremely valuable. When we fail, we realize that we have options and new opportunities. Our failures help us grow personally and professionally. We feel the pain of failure in the short-term even though we may benefit greatly from it in the longer term. When we fail, we get feedback and the feedback helps us learn and grow. Then we iterate, we make changes and try again. If we fail again, we learn more and begin the process anew. Our learning and confidence grow throughout the process.

Use design thinking to rapidly make ideas a reality.

Design thinking can be effective because it promotes a collaborative approach to solving problems. Ideas that solve problems in unique ways result from people coming together to brainstorm. That’s where design thinking comes in, it involves bringing multiple people together and encouraging them to use their diversity of experience to solve problems. This way of working is commonly used to solve customer challenges or meet customer needs, but it can also be effective in solving internal problems and creating new practices to support improved operations and organizational progress.

Being able to adjust rapidly to change, embracing failure as a means of learning, and using design thinking to rapidly make ideas a reality, are practices that encourage learning in new ways and when combined, they have the power to impact organizational culture and influence performance.

Elements of Innovative Learning

The elements of innovative learning include being proactive rather than reactive, learning by gathering insight from others, and using collaboration to solve problems and prepare for anticipated change. Innovative learning involves understanding and recognizing the value of current circumstances while proactively using learning to make the future a reality.