Lynn Fisher

March 17, 2023

Using Clarity To Beat Procrastination And Increase Engagement At Work

Lynn Fisher

March 17, 2023

Read time: 4 minutes

Many would label procrastinators as “lazy”. I think they’re wrong – I think so-called procrastinators simply lack clarity!

New leaders notoriously squeeze out some aspects of their less familiar leadership responsibilities and fill their time by doing things they are more comfortable with – things they already know how to do, and know they are good at. Though with time, this escapist strategy catches up with them. Some of their leadership priorities don’t get addressed – and this is when the pressure and overwhelm kicks in.

SO, what’s the REAL problem with procrastination?

We’ve all beat ourselves up at some points (or many – no judgement!) for not acting quickly enough on some project(s). What emotions surface with knowing you didn’t live up to expectations? Some may experience frustration, embarrassment, anxiety, insecurity, resentment, among others. These emotions drag us into a negative loop. And in turn, this loop shuts us down and works against future productivity, resulting in a downward trend in our work output, our mood, our relationships, ….

“I work a LOT but can never seem to get ahead...”

When staring at a seemingly growing list of to-dos, which type of “task tackler” are you? Do you...

choose the most urgent item, but only under the high pressure of a looming deadline?
pick the thing that will take the least amount of effort and time to complete?
“lose” the list all together and forget about what you should be doing by completing other tasks on autopilot?
suddenly get fed up with the list and commit to working extra hours over the next few weeks to finally tackle it?

Either choice will lead to you feeling productive but only for a brief period. What you need to ask yourself when looking at your extensive list is: “What will get me closer to satisfying my priorities and achieving my goals?” Rather than simply crossing off everything on the list, you need to be more intentional about HOW you spend your time.

Being disciplined in how you prioritize your time is necessary to get what you need to get done and reduce the chance for procrastination to kick in. To be able to prioritize, you first need clarity around what’s truly important for your success professionally and personally.

Gaining clarity on your goals/responsibilities (What needs to get done?)

To move past the noise of all the to-dos, first determine your priorities. This will figure out which items on your list should be addressed first (if at all). Ask yourself these questions:

What is the reason for my role?
What would help make me successful at my role? Which deliverables do I need to take ownership of?
What tasks on my list relate to my role? Which ones should I delegate?
Which ones are irrelevant and could be removed from the list - or at least saved for later?

Now, of the tasks related to your role, place them in priority/urgency. Base your decision on facts: realistically, what should be done first? When should it be completed by? We can relieve a lot of pressure by looking at our list objectively. Otherwise, we tend to create false unrealistic deadlines in our minds or underestimate how long tasks take to complete.

Often, we also feel compelled to check things off our list simply because they’re there. If we can gain clarity around what’s important/urgent, can be delegated, pushed out and dropped, we can greatly reduce the length of our to-do’s, which is motivating. Shorter lists make it easier for us to focus more of our attention on fewer things.

Gaining clarity on your values (What do you want to get done?)

The ticket to motivation is having your to-dos aligned with your values. Sure, not ALL things are fun. Sometimes we really do just need to buckle down and get things done. But the more awareness you have around your values, the easier it is to decide what should truly be deserving of your time and attention.

Take a moment and look at that daunting list of to-dos of yours and again, ask yourself these questions:

Is there something that’s been on my list for what seems to be forever?
Is there a particular project or task that just gets pushed back or never seems to get addressed?

Without thinking of the process, which task, if completed, would relieve the most pressure and bring you the most sense of completion, satisfaction and accomplishment?
Is this item a remnant of an old wish list I can now let go of?
Is this aligned with my values and life goals? If not, What’s preventing me removing it from the list?
Is the timing of this appropriate?

Timing your to-do's

Before rushing to set times in your calendar to get things done, reach out to others who may need to be involved. Make sure they also have the time/resources that match your proposed timeline to complete your project.
Once confirmed, put things in your calendar – and respect these time blocks as you would someone else’s schedule. This includes the final goal, milestones, expectations. For each time block you have scheduled, break down your projects into manageable chunks and make sure to be clear about what needs to be completed during that time. By including the desired outcome in your notes, you take away the time you would spend just thinking about what you should be working on and can get right to work.
Time your tasks for times you are most likely to be in flow with them. For example, I am a morning person and therefore prefer to do more detail-oriented tasks earlier in the day, while leaving more creative tasks for afternoons/evenings. Some tasks just feel more natural to complete at certain times of the day. Work with this to help you gain momentum.
Post the final goal where it is visible so that you are constantly reminded of what you are working towards.

Next time you struggle with procrastination, hit the “pause” button and take the time to think through your list to ensure the items that appear on it are in service of your goals and priorities.

Then shift your focus from “frustration” to the “why” and the “how” to complete your task. This will help you be well on your way to a more productive day.

Whenever you are ready, there are 2 other ways I can help you:

1. If you are still looking to further improve your leadership skills, let me recommend starting with an affordable course:

→ The New Leader’s Survival Guide: Time Management

→ Stand Out From The Rest: Communicate Like An Effective Leader

2. If you are looking for a more customized leadership development experience, leadership coaching may be the better option to get you to your professional development goals faster. Book a complimentary “Discovery Call” to discuss your goals and see if working with a leadership coach might be the way to go.

Lynn Fisher

March 11, 2023

Emergent Leader Newsletter/003/How To Sustainably Carve Space To Thrive As A New Or Emergent Leader

Lynn Fisher

March 11, 2023

Read time: 5 minutes

Individuals new to leadership roles are often left to their own devices when it comes to figuring out the “how to be” piece of leadership. As anyone would, they lean into their comfort zones when under stress and resort to doing what they know – not necessarily what is best. One of the key components to being an effective leader is being able to manage your time to address all of your priorities, while maintaining a work/life balance that works for you in a manner that is sustainable.

The problem with time management with new leaders often stems from trying to approach how they manage or spend their time as a leader, the way they did as a “do-er”, which almost always leads to wasting a lot of time doing things that no longer apply to their new role.

As a leader, it’s important to realize that your priorities shift. And to thrive in your new role as a leader, you will have to also shift the way you spend your time – right out of the gate.

Why is this a problem?

Because leadership burnout is no joke. The stats are alarming, as stated in PositiveGroup.org’s article.

We often dismiss busyness (or even pride ourselves on it), attributing it to just a normal part of life – especially when leading. Though the thing about burnout is if you aren’t pro-active in managing your time and life, your body and mind’s health will eventually hit a wall and force you to re-evaluate your current lifestyle.

If supporting your health isn’t convincing enough for you, then perhaps the fact that burnout affects your overall productivity (and reputation as a leader) would do the trick?

Why aren’t more people attentive to how they spend their time?

New leaders in particular struggle with this. The learning curve is steep. They are now not only responsible for their own work, but for the work of others, therefore the stakes are higher – and so is the stress level. With their heads down, they, at best, survive the adjustment period. More learning or professional growth is often likely the last thing on their minds.

I often get "Oh, I would love to get coaching, but I don't have time right now." I get it, but that statement makes as much sense as saying “I’ll get my butt to the gym once I get more fit.”

Putting off re-evaluating “how” you work is completely understandable if the following statements apply:

You are in the weeds of the first 3 months in their new role;
You feel completely content with your work/life balance;
Your team is running efficiently and producing the required quality/quantity of work;
Your team has no complaints about their work/life balance.

However, if you are NOT able to check all these boxes, then you are or will most likely get comfortable by adapting and settling into some inefficient habits, such as working longer hours (#1 most common go-to strategy of struggling leaders I work with), but then the problem becomes:

“My team is fine - I don’t need coaching or development.”

Right. Let's go check in with your team members and see how they really feel about that statement.

So, how can you shift from managing your time as a “do-er” to a leader?

It really comes down to being more intentional and purposeful with your time – your most precious resource. This means aligning all your daily activities with your priorities. As a leader, you should structure your schedule to contain items that will only help move the needle on priorities. When at home, it would mean reducing activities that serve only to “kill” time and replacing them with those that bring you joy and fill your buckets so that you then have the energy to show up as your best self.

Things to try at work:

Get clear on your priorities.
Acknowledge that your team members are also human and have limited time to work on things. Determine no more than 2-3 priorities to be your team’s radar over the next quarter. Though before setting these in stone, contact various stakeholders and/or departments to ensure they also can support your priorities during each quarter. Timing is super important. Set yourself (and your team) up for success. There is no point in setting goals if you won’t have the resources to achieve them.
Identify who will be in charge of what. This will make it much easier to keep your team members accountable. Determine what success would look like for each task.
Create project timelines and figure out very specifically what needs to get done/by when. Involve your team in this journey. Sure, you might have experience and be able to do it faster, but as a leader, part of your job is ensuring your team members’ growth. With time, it will also increase your team’s workload capacity.
Once your project timelines are set, add them to your calendars – along with specific deliverables.
Fill in with regular 1-to-1 check-ins with each of your team members to ensure progress is made. These not only give you the opportunity to chat and get to know each of your direct reports better, but they also open the door to safe conversations for each of them. *Ensure these 1-to-1's aren’t simply about project progress. Check in with your team. Are they getting what they need from you to succeed? How are they doing in general? These touchpoints will help avoid unpleasant surprises when projects come due.
Adjust as needed.

Things to try at home:

Are you going through life on autopilot? Or are you intentional about what deserves your time and attention over the course of the day? Are you feeling stuck or stalled?
Are you numbing the weight of the day with unproductive or harmful habits that drain your energy and stamina?
As you would at work, decide what your priorities are. Once you gain clarity on these, it makes it so much easier to then decide how you should spend your time.
Perform a schedule audit. What are you spending your time off on? What habits could be eliminated to make space for better ones?
Begin replacing the time some of the bad habits that don’t “fit” your priorities. For example, do you lose yourself in the false reality of tv shows for endless hours? Nothing wrong with that AS LONG AS it doesn’t interfere with your ability to move your life forward in a meaningful way. Ask yourself what’s missing from your life? What do you wish you had more of? Incorporate more of those things.

One of the key components to avoiding burnout is having a sense of control over your work and life. By spending time figuring out what your priorities are, you are then better able to actively manage your life, giving you a better sense of control.

If this is something that you are interested in delving a little deeper into, I have created a simple step-by-step course “The New Leader’s Survival Guide: Time Management” (link below) to not only help you get to the core of what’s profoundly important to you, but also how to structure your schedule so that your priorities and responsibilities are addressed in a way that is sustainable and that will allow you to thrive as an individual and as a leader.

Whenever you are ready, there are 2 other ways I can help you:

1. If you are still looking to further improve your leadership skills, let me recommend starting with an affordable course:

→ The New Leader’s Survival Guide: Time Management

→ Stand Out From The Rest: Communicate Like An Effective Leader

2. If you are looking for a more customized leadership development experience, leadership coaching may be the better option to get you to your professional development goals faster. Book a complimentary “Discovery Call” to discuss your goals and see if working with a leadership coach might be the way to go.

Lynn Fisher

March 3, 2023

Emergent Leader Newsletter/002/Holding Your Team Members Accountable without the "ick"

Lynn Fisher

March 3, 2023

Read time: 5 minutes

If your employee is repeatedly not performing to the level you are expecting, you may be partly to blame.

Here is the problem: I would be willing to guess that you believe that you give clear instructions when delegating AND/OR you’re avoiding going through with the consequences of an unfulfilled performance management plan (if there is one in place) – either way – it’s not them, it’s you.

Don’t believe me?

How many of the following strategies do you employ to mitigate the effects or gaps in the less-than-stellar quality of work output from your weakest performer?

Do you tend to put in a few extra hours to clean up their work yourself?
Do you tend to avoid delegating higher-stakes tasks/projects to certain individuals?
Do you continually skip over the same individuals’ name when promotions come up?
Do you exclude certain people’s input or take it less seriously than others’ on the team?
Does your energy shift in a negative way in a particular individual’s presence?

When leaders come to me about an under-performer on their team, my first question is always. “Have you explicitly communicated your concerns with this employee?”. Shockingly (well, not so much anymore), the answer is often “not really”.

What’s at the root of most under-performers?

The truth is most employees don’t even know that their work is sub-par. Not kidding. It’s that simple. While they may feel that something is off, they are often left in the dark about how their boss really feels about the mediocre quality of their work. The most common clues they get that signal to something isn’t quite right, come from noticing they aren’t included in major projects or being used for significant tasks. With time, they notice that they are constantly being passed up for promotions, or worse yet: they are let go!

In fact, here is how most people handle the under-performing employee:

They avoid the conversation all-together (they talk themselves out of thinking they are the right person to have the conversation with the employee in the first place);
They justify the undesirable result with reasons that are out of their control (for example, the individual was sick or away) and convince themselves that whatever factor got in the way this time won’t be a factor next time.
They find reasons to delay (this can be hidden behind excuses like “I need more info,”; “I’m just waiting to another individual to get back to me.”; “I don’t want to disrupt them in their work,”; “I don’t have time right now.” “I don’t think they mean anything by it” and “I’m sure it will get resolved with time and experience.”
They face it head-on but it’s awkward, rushed and nothing is really done to educate or prevent deficient performance from happening again in the future.

Now, before you start being too hard on yourself, just know you are not the alone. The majority of small to medium organizations don’t have a process in place. And unfortunately, because there is no process in place, the unproductive cycle persists.

Here’s how I would handle it:

1. Make the decision that from now on, you will take pro-active measures to ensure that the quality of work that comes back from all team members is exactly what it needs to be.

2. Next, if you don’t already do this, set up regular weekly or bi-weekly 1-to-1's with all your direct reports. Book a time in your calendar, send them a calendar invite, along with brief talking points. By meeting more regularly, you can be more proactive about checking in on work you delegated. It also provides an opportunity for your team members to ask questions and ask for support required to be successful. To make this possible, you will most likely be best to block this time in your schedule (and theirs) well ahead of time (like, in quarterly batches).

3. Prepare yourself mentally for the meeting. Take a few moments before the meeting to ground yourself. People tend to reflect the energy of others they engage with. As the leader, you get to set the tone for these meetings.

4. Clear assumptions/labels you hold about each of your team members. We’re not as good at hiding our emotions as we would like to think we are. I have yet to meet someone who wakes up in the morning with the intention of ruining their boss’ day. Step into these conversations with the assumption that the other person is doing their best with the information they have. Don’t assume they “just know”.

5. When the meeting begins, go over the talking points and make clear that this is a 2-sided discussion. Both sides will have an opportunity to ask questions and gain clarification around expectations. Let’s face it. Both sides want to be successful, and that’s usually dependent on successful completion of the task or project. See each other as allies after the same result rather than me vs them.

6. To make sure there is a clear understanding of what is expected, do what Brené Brown calls “paint it done”. Describe in detail what the final task/project should look like, then ask the other person to describe what they picture in their minds from your description. Adjust as necessary. It is MUCH easier to hold someone accountable when expectations are clear (and documented).

7. Ensure both parties walk away with what they need from the conversation and plan/book the next chat before the next project milestone to avoid any surprises.

With time, you may be able to lift your foot off the pedal with some of your team members as they learn to work in a way that satisfies the organization’s needs. Though keep in mind, these 1-to-1's is not just for your own peace of mind. They are a way to ensure you regularly connect with each of your team members to support them so that they can do their best work, reducing the need for difficult conversations down the road.

Whenever you are ready, there are 2 other ways I can help you:

1. If you are still looking to further improve your leadership skills, let me recommend starting with an affordable course:

→ The New Leader’s Survival Guide: Time Management

→ Stand Out From The Rest: Communicate Like An Effective Leader

2. If you are looking for a more customized leadership development experience, leadership coaching may be the better option to get you to your professional development goals faster. Book a complimentary “Discovery Call” to discuss your goals and see if working with a leadership coach might be the way to go.

Lynn Fisher

February 26, 2023

Emergent Leader Newsletter/001/How To Lead Difficult Conversations Like A Pro

Lynn Fisher

February 26, 2023

Read time: 5 minutes

If you are holding off having difficult conversations with your team members, your team could be performing at a higher level.

Here is the problem:

Most clients I work with have no idea how they could improve, yet they have been referred to me because of performance issues. WHAT?!? That is right. I work with new and emergent leaders to help them develop their leadership skillsets so that they can succeed and thrive in their roles. And at the root of many of the skills gaps is either the unwillingness to lead difficult conversations or the lack of know-how to hold space for frank discussions.

If you one day aspire to lead higher up in the ranks – or simply want to lead highly effective teams, the ability to hold space for difficult conversations is a skill that is very desirable and respected.

Why is the inability to hold a difficult conversation a problem in the first place?

One reason is to be able to intercept when a problem arises, such as performance issues on your team, lack of progress or results on a project, problematic behaviors, or unhealthy dynamics on the team. Left unchecked, with time, any of these issues will erode any positive team culture, productivity, trust, and bottom-line results – which, let’s face it, will be interpreted as a result of your leadership (or lack of).

While for the team member in question, the consequences may involve being passed up for opportunities for more responsibility and growth – both professionally and financially and may even lead to being let go.

So why not just have the conversation in the first place?

You are paralyzed by fear. When we do not feel confident in a skill, such as holding the space for difficult conversations, we tend to focus on everything that could go wrong and wiggle our way out of going through with it. With my clients, the following reasons frequently come up:

They are afraid of hurting the other person’s feelings;
They are afraid of how the other person might react;
They are afraid of turning someone against them.

All valid concerns HOWEVER, here’s what I also know to be true: if the critical conversation is not had, the problem will no longer be about the team member. The negative attention will eventually shift to you and your inability to lead effective teams.

How should you hold space for difficult conversations?

Mindsets reframe:

Remember: the rest of your high-performing team will appreciate the fact that you are not letting a poor performer erode the team’s efforts OR that unhelpful habits will not become a distraction to the excellent work your team does.
If having a difficult conversation with someone that is based on facts turns them against you, that is their business. Not yours.
Avoiding difficult conversations has never led to a higher sense of loyalty from a valuable, high-performing team member. It only breeds complacency from those who already limbo under the bar of “acceptable” quality work.
If the conversation is based on facts, the repercussions will be on the positive side. Everyone will move forward more effectively.
By having the conversation, you are avoiding similar situations in the future, thus freeing up your time for more important things, such as providing more outstanding value to your team.

Preparing for the conversation:

Communicate what the expected behavior/performance/quality of work is in the first place. While it may be obvious to you, it may not be for all your team members. Set the expectation for everyone and then hold them to that standard from now on.
Understand that as a leader, you are there to support your all of your team members in pursuit of their success. Be present and check in regularly.
Document instances where the individual was off-track – and how it impacted on the team’s ability to perform. Sometimes going through the “why” helps some individuals better understand how their work matters in the bigger picture and can be a huge motivating factor in their future work.
Book the conversation for a time when you both have enough space to prepare and discuss. Do not stun the individual. When you book a time in your calendars, fill them in on what the meeting will be about. Keeping them guessing will only have them imagining the worst – or blind-side them, neither of which will work in your favor.
While you should not stay attached to any outcome from this conversation, be clear in your mind what it is that you need the other person to walk away with. What are the non-negotiables? What is up for negotiation?

In the moment:

Be mindful of the energy you bring into the space. If you cannot keep your emotions, body language and tone in check, then you cannot expect the other individual to keep theirs under control either. People tend to mirror others they are in conversation with. If you appear calm and collected, they are more likely to remain that way also.
Before stepping into a potentially tension-filled conversation, clear up any assumptions you have about the person in front of you. In fact, the only thing you should assume is that they are doing their best, and that you both want to succeed. By removing any labels or assumptions, you will bring a completely different energy into the conversation.
Enter the conversation with a curious mindset and listen. Seek to understand rather than finish their sentences. If the other party truly feels heard and understood, they are again, less likely to react emotionally.
Offer the individual the opportunity to ask clarifying questions. Think of this as a 2-way discussion that will not only serve to better set them up for success in the future but will also help you better understand what they need to succeed.
Together, create a clear plan of action for the period until your next meeting. Not only should you paint a clear picture for them, have the other person re-iterate in their own words to ensure they fully understand what is expected.
Practice with team members that may be less prone to react negatively before going about it with a more serious conversation.

By getting into the habit of having an open and regular constructive conversation with all your team members, it will significantly reduce the need for more “difficult” conversations in the future.

Whenever you are ready, there are 2 other ways I can help you:

1. If you are still looking to further improve your leadership skills, let me recommend starting with an affordable course:

→ The New Leader’s Survival Guide: Time Management

→ Stand Out From The Rest: Communicate Like An Effective Leader

2. If you are looking for a more customized leadership development experience, leadership coaching may be the better option to get you to your professional development goals faster. Book a complimentary “Discovery Call” to discuss your goals and see if working with a leadership coach might be the way to go.