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The Downward Spiral:

The Downward Spiral:. Don't Set Yourself up for Failure with Your Boss (or Your Client!). Presented by: Rob Orr, SPHR HR Consultant. “We’re running as an economy at 30% efficiency”. Curt Coffman Employee Engagement Global Practice Leader, The Gallup Organization

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The Downward Spiral:

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  1. The Downward Spiral: Don't Set Yourself up for Failure with Your Boss (or Your Client!) Presented by: Rob Orr, SPHR HR Consultant

  2. “We’re running as an economy at 30% efficiency” Curt Coffman Employee Engagement Global Practice Leader, The Gallup Organization HRMagazine, February 2004

  3. When people need help getting a job done, they will choose a ‘lovable fool’ over a ‘competent jerk’. Tiziana Casciaro & Miguel Sousa Lobo Competent Jerks, Lovable Fools, and the Formation of Social Networks Harvard Business Review, June 2005

  4. The environment has changed • Technical skills not as critical for executives • Actuarial integrity less valued • Focus on profitability • Capitalism èdemutualization, non-paternalistic Source: Sim Segal, FSA, MAAA Deloitte Consulting, LLP - used with permission

  5. Session Objectives By the end of the session, you will be able to: • Identify the specific problems Actuaries face • Identify cues to watch out for • Recognize how Actuaries might contribute to the problem • Identify steps to take to turn the situation around

  6. Agenda • Review purpose and desired outcomes • Difficult Bosses – Difficult Clients • The Set-Up-To-Fail Syndrome • How Individuals Contribute • Taking Responsibility • Summary

  7. Your Difficult Boss / Difficult Client Use the worksheet to describe a difficult boss (or client) that you have known.

  8. The Difficult Boss / Difficult Client • Negative, mean spirited • Autocratic • ______________________________ • ______________________________ • ______________________________ • ______________________________ • ______________________________ • ______________________________

  9. The Set-Up-To Fail Syndrome • Widespread • Insidious & Pernicious • Based on “Common Wisdom”

  10. Common Wisdom Three Groups • Stronger Performers • Weaker Performers • Deadwood

  11. Different Strokes for Different Folks… Bosses consciously treat stronger and weaker performers differently • Stronger performers get autonomy • Weaker performers get help • Deadwood gets ignored (or an invitation to leave)

  12. The Downward Spiral

  13. General Session: Actuarial Communication-Is Anyone Listening? If They Are, What Do They Hear? • Communication (how to deliver the tough messages) • Opinion changes (are they effective enough?) • Actuaries' images and roles in organizations • Peer reviews • Actuarial standards • Professionalism • Backbone

  14. Labels, Biases, & Misperceptions Having formed an opinion, our minds draw on all possible evidence to support it. When confronted with evidence that contradicts our viewpoint, we overlook it or denigrate it, or find some other way of writing it off. That way we can cling to our original opinion as though it were a universal truth. Francis Bacon, 1620 (updated language byManzoni & Barsoux.)

  15. How does this start? Loss of Confidence in Subordinates

  16. Triggers of Lost Confidence What would you say?

  17. Disloyalty Complaining Negative attitude Low engagement or energy Low-self-confidence Insensitivity to signals Know-it-all Disrespect for Boss’s time Blatantly political Extrinsic motivation Trying too hard Triggers of Lost Confidence

  18. Perceiving Performance What about objective performance measures ?

  19. Perceiving Performance

  20. Source: Sim Segal, FSA, MAAA, Deloitte Consulting, LLP- used with permission

  21. Actuaries have lost industry dominance • Fewer actuaries in C-Level positions • Highly-technical actuaries not fast-tracked • Reserved for those presentable to C-suite • Fewer automatic promotions upon ASA, FSA • Narrower roles, fewer opportunities Source: Sim Segal, FSA, MAAA, Deloitte Consulting, LLP- used with permission

  22. In-Groups and Out-Groups • 80-90% of managers have sharply differentiated relationships with subordinates. • In-Group members have close partnerships as “trusted assistants.” • Out-Group members have low-quality relationships as “hired-hands.”

  23. Performance Perceptions • No correlation between objective performance & relationship quality:1993 – Duarte, Goodson, & Klich • Very high correlation between “liking” and in-group status:1990 – Wayne & Ferris • Boss expectation in 1st week a better predictor of “in-group status” than actual performance at end of 2nd week1993 – Liden, Wayne, & Stilwell

  24. Boss’s behavior toward “weaker” performers Subordinate looks for excuses Subordinate progressively disconnects Boss is increasinglyimpatientùpushy or intense during contacts Boss loses faith in Subordinate's excuses Boss is less able to make useful suggestions Boss is not well informed Subordinate spends time on excuses (rather than problem solving) Boss‘s anxiety increases Problem recognition is delayed More problems arise Subordinate performs less well overall The Self-Reinforcing Dynamic

  25. Reality “Good people can quickly end up with bad labels. That needn’t be a problem. The boss’s inaccurate label becomes a problem because it is so hard to change.” Jean-François Manzoni & Jean-Louis Barsoux The Set-Up-To-Fail Syndrome

  26. Are You in the Out-Group? Let’s take a look! Refer to the answers on Your Difficult Boss worksheet

  27. Your Difficult Boss In small groups, share: • the situations you described on page 5 • the factors that contributed to the situation Agree on the common factors( Write on page 20.)

  28. “What is there in your approach or way of managing the situation that might be contributing to the problem or getting in the way of its resolution?” Peter Block Flawless Consulting, Second Edition 2000, Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer

  29. Cues for Subordinates • Attribution of negative personal characteristics • Tendency to reduce contact with Boss • Diminished self-confidence • Hyper vigilance of Boss behavior • Takes feedback with “a grain of salt” • Tendency to bring up the past • Reputation as “the person most likely to disagree with the boss” • Tendency to engage in covert lobbying

  30. Negative, mean spirited Autocratic Stickler for details, intolerant, impossible to please Intimidating, treats people as resources Unrealistic Stubborn; impossible to influence Manipulative Meddlesome; untrusting Control freak; micro manager; evaluative Uncommunicative; aloof; unsupportive Weak, prone to favoritism; low performance standards Impatient; temperamental; unpredictable Ignorant bureaucrat; clueless; defensive Stifling my development The Difficult Boss

  31. Development-oriented Intuitive; decisive Has high expectations and aspirations Driven Demanding; has high aspirations Single-minded; focused Politically astute Helpful; caring Encouraging; coaching; informed; close to the pulse Thoughtful, busy Allows self-discovery Passionate; incisive; mercurial; (at worst) impulsive Realistic; better judge; aware of interdependencies; victim of a poorly sold change Considerate; letting me recover The “Great Boss”

  32. Giving critical feedback Making a unilateral decision Instructing work to be redone Imposing discipline Setting stretch targets Sticking with a doubtful course of action Sending mixed signals Giving unsolicited advice Asking specific questions Delaying response to proposal/ request Not condemning a big mistake Losing temper in public Resisting a proposed change Giving a routine assignment The Observed Behaviors

  33. Perception is Reality

  34. Cues for Subordinates • Attribution of negative personal characteristics • Tendency to reduce contact with Boss • Diminished self-confidence • Hyper vigilance of Boss behavior • Takes feedback with “a grain of salt” • Tendency to bring up the past • Reputation as “the person most likely to disagree with the boss” • Tendency to engage in covert lobbying

  35. Taking Responsibility • Stop digging • Start talking • Accomplish some tasks

  36. Taking Responsibility • Stop digging • Get your job in order • Get your head in order • Don’t rush it • Start talking • Accomplish some tasks

  37. Taking Responsibility • Stop digging • Start talking • Increase contact with boss • Make it easy for the boss • Invite your boss to a meeting • Have a new conversation • Accomplish some tasks

  38. Taking Responsibility • Stop digging • Start talking • Accomplish some tasks • Maintain your own self-confidence • Fight the urge to withdraw • Don’t overreach

  39. Things to Remember • Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em. • There is no one to blame. • Let go of expectations of your boss. • Offer the benefit of the doubt. • Produce hope, rather than pursue it.

  40. The Set-Up-To Fail Syndrome Loss of Confidence • Widespread • Insidious & Pernicious • Based on “Common Wisdom”

  41. The Downward Spiral: Don't Set Yourself up for Failure with Your Boss Presented by: Rob Orr, SPHR HR Consultant

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