Courageous Conversations

Executive Interventions

Saving executives' from themselves.

As part of the resolution, I help redeem executives and leaders who have been accused of sexual harassment. When there seems to be no hope, no way out, no way to resolve and to "fix it", I make it happen.

Saving the executive from further mistakes and the company from further litigation.

Click here to download an Executive Intervention Fact Sheet

You know you need an intervention when:

An executive violated the company's sexual harassment or anti-discrimination policy and you need to do something about it - today. And that something has to be both corrective for the leader and protective for the company.

An executive or leader is a good performer in that he/she produces the numbers, the "what" of the business, but the "how" of producing the numbers is unsustainable.

When those around the leader are calling "for his head" and you don't know where to turn. In this OD intervention process, Tim will help your leaders:

• Jumpstart their career
• Eliminate behaviors that impede career progress
• Replace the behaviors that don't work, with behaviors that do

We will focus on the goals, engage the stakeholders and create practical behavioral strategies that are implemented immediately.

For example: Tim worked with an executive with detrimental behavioral and relationship issues where replacement costs were estimated at $500,000. For a fraction of that cost, the organization now has an effective executive who has changed his behaviors, built the relationships to peers and stakeholders, and received a promotion to a combined and expanded organization. The same executive who was deemed ‘unfixable’ not six months ago.

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I am interested in...	Executive Intervention Harassment Prevention

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"What is with you people?"

Calvin has been working on a project for his boss for months. The information for the report comes from all the other business units. He has been in contact with at least one representative from each unit to collect and analyze the data.

Calvin's boss continually changes what he wants and how he wants it. Calvin has to go back to the units to ask for more and different information.

Celia, one of the units' representatives snaps, and takes Calvin to task on this latest request. He needs to take the heat without "selling out" his boss, the process, or his unit. (15:30)

Click here to download as an MP3

Lessons Learned:

• Listen - "I really felt like he was hearing me, I had no where to go."
• Be truthful - Don't promise changes, resolutions or resources you can't honestly provide.
• Demonstrate your empathy - Calvin understood what he was asking was a burden on the business unit.
• Be prepared - If there alternatives, offer them. If there isn't, don't.
• Be unabrasive - Strong-arm tactics will not get you the result you need.

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"Are you cool with me being a manager?"

Kyle, Steve’s employee, wants more specific, concrete, actionable feedback on his career, his skills, his abilities. Specifically on what it takes to be a manager. Steve is uncomfortable giving truly honest feedback. He just wants it to be 'all good.' Kyle has decided to talk with Steve about his need, again, and push a bit harder to receive the information he wants, needs and deserves. (10:25 minutes)

Click here to download as an MP3

Lessons Learned

• Be persistent - Kyle already knows the Steve is not going to like this topic, so he will need to ask questions and make suggestions beyond where it feels comfortable.

• Set a positive tone and language -Kyle likes the work and likes working with Steve, so it is not a matter of being dissatisfied.

• Engage on options and negotiate on the solutions - The employee needs to have some ideas on what type of outcome he would like from this situation. Be willing to negotiate what the actual next step.
  
  
• Create a plan - Once you do decide on a plan of action, determine exactly how you will implement it. Who will do what and when will they do it, etc.?

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"Unspecified form of treatment"

My "unspecified form of treatment" for someone like Representative Weiner is to help locate his "trigger points." What was going on in his life, before the behavior even began, that "triggered" the inappropriate behavior?

This is what makes the work tricky for organizations. To find the trigger points, we need to be sympathetic to a person who at the moment is very unlikeable.

It becomes a bit of a Catch-22. To reduce the risk of reoccurrence, we need to manage our own desire for punishment and give an ear to the "reasonable" causes of the problem.

This is also why that "ear" needs to be an outside person. Insiders understandably don't currently have the tolerance to listen.

Weiner planning leave of absence for treatment

Actively work to fix your relationships

Taking a leave of absence is one way to fix it, as Representative Weiner is doing. Problem is, the issue will still be there when you get back.

What's needed to truly resolve the concerns is the courage and willingness to talk to your colleagues about what has happened, how it has impacted them and what you are doing to fix it.

This is not about how to get them to "forgive" you or make you feel better. These conversations, and subsequent actions, are about building or rebuilding the trust your colleagues have in you.

These could be the people wronged. It could be your boss. Your peers. The point is that it needs to be about them and not about you.

Democrats Wrestle With How to End Weiner Scandal

Why you need relationships at work

When trouble erupts, you truly find out who your friends are.

As Representative Weiner is finding out, there are few in the House who are willing to defend his character, his legislative history or just him personally.

Building solid relationships with your colleagues at work helps the daily work go more smoothly, but it also helps when you are facing a particularly difficult challenge.

Meaning, when a mistake happens (not to Weiner's extent, but a mistake nonetheless) do your colleagues want you to succeed and are willing to help? Do that want you to fail and do nothing? Or are they actively working against you?

As part of repairing the damage of mistakes, I have had to work with most executives to help them repair both the relationships to those directly impacted, plus build more solid, mutually-beneficial relationships with their bosses and peers.

...Silent as few colleagues defend him