I recently read a fascinating article about an experiment at MIT’s Agelab.  Agelab researchers have created technology in a suit that uses robotic technology to take able bodied individuals and put them into a simulated situation where they have limited mobility, limited eyesight, etc.  They are hoping that by having younger individuals wear the suit while trying to perform “normal” day-to-day activities, the individual will experience the challenges an older person does with completing physical tasks.

Seeing the capabilities of the suit made me wonder, could MIT’s Agelab help generation X or Y understand the aging work population and their work behaviors?  From a physical standpoint, I think it could.  Jobs that involve a great deal of physicality can certainly be simulated by technology like this.  What would be even more interesting to me would be a way to simulate the mental challenges a leader faces, and those people in leadership roles tend to have been in the workforce longer.

Much like a simulator for pilots, creating a simulated work experience for leadership roles could actually help train and prepare more junior staff for roles they are working toward.  For example, it would give the staff insight into areas they need to increase skill and knowledge like understanding financial statements, feeling the pressure of multiple high-level demands from the c-suite, negotiating contracts and making critical hiring and termination decisions.

If you could create an ideal simulator for a skill, ability or task that a leader faces, what would you add to the simulated experience that you wish you had known when you were more junior in your career?

Earlier in the month, I wrote about word games and what is the opposite of a leader.  Clearly I am on a word kick.  Bear with me.

Today, I’m thinking about not just the words I use, but the WAY I use those words.  Am I being direct?  Am I passive?  It all boils down to whether or not I use more denotative or connotative language.  As we know, denotative language is the more literal interpretation of words.  It takes the emotion out of it.  Connotative language is using words where the emotion actually determines the definition of the word.

Take the following sentence:  The man was a good friend.  By subsittuting synomyms for the word good, it can change the tone.

The man was an able friend.

The man was a proper friend.

The man was a suitable friend.

Each one’s connotation can significantly change the meaning of the sentence even though all those words are synonyms for the word good.

Business Application

When you think about your role as a leader and the tone and word choice you use, the impact can be tremendous.  Think for a moment about a situation with a team member who has let you down on an important project.  Do you say:

• I am angry that you did not complete the project on time and on budget.
• I am disappointed that you did not complete the project on time and on budget.
• I’m concerned that you did not complete the project on time and on budget.
• The project was not completed on time and on budget.  What happened?  What were the barriers?
• You dropped the ball once again and the project was not complete on time or on budget.

Each of the statements address the project completion but the tone of each makes the employee aware that their is either a boss willing to work with them on this or not.

When you think about your team, do you tend to speak with them using more denotative or connotative language?   It does make a difference.

I recently heard about “succession readiness” vs. “succession planning.”  It’s an interesting twist on words to change it to a more active way of approaching your change management strategy around talent.  Instead of just planning, you are focusing on actually throwing employees into situations that make them ready for the next level.

As an almost life-long Saturday Night Live fan, I’ve seen many comedians come and go.   I was watching SNL tonight recently and as the opening credits rolled, it struck me that they open by listing all the “regulars”, then they follow that with their “featured” performers.  These featured performers are the up and coming cast members on the show.  I love that SNL actively demonstrates their succession readiness by showing us who the next generation of SNL stars will be.

Now, some will not make it because they won’t resonate with the public or they have other behind-the-scenes issues, but for the most part, we can get a little glimpse each week of the new generation of comedians and see how they are developing.  Do you remember when Will Ferrell first took the screen?  Probably not.  How about Jan Hooks, Martin Short, Chris Katan, Phil Hartman, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey?  Nope.  What you do remember is that they ended up being really successful on the show and they made it funny. We also know that they joined on as young featured performers who eventually came to be key players in the success of the show.

Here are some key takeaways from the SNL Succession Readiness model:

• Actively feature your up-and-coming talent
• Give them opportunities to shine in front of your clients
• Give them opportunities to fail and learn from it “live”

The best part about how SNL handles succession is the way that they prepare us, their customers, to accept the change. They manage us all along the way and when the time comes for a big name comedian to leave, they have already made us love the person that moves from “featured” player to “regular”.  Brilliant!

Guest post courtesy of author and HR professional Ben Eubanks.

Screeeeeeech.

Hmmm… Even the person who is the least knowledgeable about cars knows an engine isn’t supposed to make that sound. It signifies a problem. It’s a sign of an internal stress that needs to be resolved immediately.

Internal stress for people usually isn’t that obvious, but it can be just as costly for a business to ignore the signs as it would be for the car owner in the example above.

Managers have a tough gig. They have to manage people and their various personalities, preferences, and performance levels. They also feel stuck in between employer policies and the needs of their staff. And when the going gets tough, who are the first to leave? The best employees, that’s who. They can find another company to work for if they are top performers.

So how can managers change their mindset and still find time to be genuine leaders to their employees? Here are a few ideas…

• Stop micromanaging- If you’re spending half your time telling others how to do their jobs (and it’s not for one-off training purposes), then it’s either time to replace them or step back and determine if your constant interventions are even necessary.
• Productivity training- Most people have never had much training on how to be productive. Teach them how to use To Do lists, how to manage their inboxes, and how to use technology to save time and effort.
• Pay them to lead- As long as the results are good and it’s not at the expense of their “real” job, some companies have seen a lot of success in this area. Chipotle reduced manager turnover by 47% by using these and other related incentives.
• Motivate someone- Give them the tools to motivate their employees. You never know, acting like a preschooler might actually work for you…

The bottom line

We are living in stressful times, and it doesn’t look like things will get drastically easier any time soon. But when managers can help relieve stress for employees through effective leadership skills, their own stress goes down as well. They feel like they have some level of control over their situation, and that gives people hope.

Do you have any managers who might need to read these words? How do you help your managers cope with stress (either on the job or off)?

Ben Eubanks is an HR pro, blogger, and speaker in Huntsville, AL. He recently authored Rock Your Corporate Culture, a guide focused on helping HR professionals and senior leaders leverage their corporate culture for business success. He thinks of Trish as the big sister he never had and is one of the co-founders of the HRevolution unconference.

Influence is THE buzz word of business right now.  There are lists of influencers, some of which I am honored to be included on and there are companies like KLOUT that are specifically trying to measure and reward influence.  Influence and how to build it seems to be one of the main topics I’m asked to speak about at conferences.  It’s also one of the more elusive things to truly measure because people have varying definitions of what having influence means.

My definition of influence is the ability to cause someone to think differently, to do something or take a different approach from their normal process.  It is especially helpful in change management situations because you are able to use your skills of persuasion to not only express yourself but to have others listen and react.  But being able to influence someone sometimes means you have to have some friction.

Here’s the nugget:

Sometimes you need to be rubbed the wrong way to be influenced.

Let that sink in.

If you think about human nature, we gravitate to people who are “like” us in one way or another.  That is comfortable.  By surrounding yourself with people who think or respond like you do, you will have a good chance of influencing them from time to time.  However, is that the only way?  And, can you be influential by having disagreements with the way someone thinks or the approach they take?  Absolutely!

Why does that work?  When you disagree with someone, your mind immediately begins to think about all the reasons why their opinion is not valid.  Your adrenaline is going and it changes the tone of the interaction.  It’s a time when innovative and creative ideas can come flowing out because you have some passion behind what you are thinking instead of operating in a mode of complete agreement.

What about all those people who rub you the wrong way?  Maybe they are crass or maybe   they come from a different professional background or approach.  Maybe they are from another generation and you find them cocky or insensitive.  I challenge you to add a few of those people to your inner circle in the coming year.  It will be the best move you can make in strengthening your ability to lead and innovate and will test your ability to think differently.