How Leaders Have Effective Tough Conversations - The Encouragement Meeting with Gene Hammett

In this episode, I explore the critical skill of effective communication for leaders, particularly in managing tough conversations that can significantly shape a company's direction. Drawing from my experience as an executive coach, I discuss observed challenges faced by CEOs in guiding their teams through uncertainties and aligning efforts around new opportunities. I introduce the concept of the "encouragement meeting" from my book, which emphasizes the importance of follow-up communication to reinforce progress or re-align team objectives. Additionally, I highlight the necessity of maintaining an ongoing dialogue that encourages continuous improvement. Ultimately, this episode highlights that courageous leadership and proactive communication are key to fostering accountable and high-performing teams.

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• 1:00Speaker 01

  I really love working with CEOs that are ambitious and driven, but they get to a point where they're not quite sure how to lead to that next level. And maybe there's a new opportunity on the horizon and they've got to make sure the team is completely aligned together. Maybe there's a challenge that we need to rally together to overcome. Whatever it is, tough conversations are a part of that. Welcome to Growth Think Tank. This is the one and only place where you will get insight from the founders and the CEOs of the fastest growing privately held companies. I am the host. My name is Gene Hemmott. I hope leaders and their teams navigate the defining moments of their growth. Are you ready to grow? Today, we want to talk about being a more effective communicator as a leader, specifically with tough conversations. My name is Gene Hammett.

• 1:44Speaker 01

  I'm an executive coach for more than 10 years. I really love working with CEOs that are ambitious and driven, but they get to a point where they're not quite sure how to lead to that next level. And maybe there's a new opportunity on the horizon and they've got to make sure the team is completely aligned together. Maybe there's a challenge that we need to rally together to overcome. Whatever it is, tough conversations are a part of that. I was just talking to a client today who had a tough conversations two weeks ago. And the the impact of that was not a change in performance. It's just a bunch of excuses that came up and and he was able to address the excuses and and give them whatever he needed to be able to move forward with the project. Doesn't matter what the project is.

• 2:26Speaker 01

  And this is a very common kind of experience with our employees that they might not be getting the results we want. And they think that they are doing the right things, but then they come back and say, well, you didn't do this or do that. You didn't give me this. Give me a little bit more time, whatever it may be. But you have the tough conversation. And inside our book, throw up here on the screen, um, how to have tough conversations. There's a little piece in there that we put in there as we were writing the book called the encouragement meeting. And I'm just showing you a little bit about why that's so important. The encouragement meeting assumes that every tough conversation needs a follow up meeting. Maybe they don't all, but 99% do. And the follow up meeting could be, I'm encouraging you to stay on the path you're on because I like the progress you're getting.

• 3:10Speaker 01

  I like the feedback we're getting. Good job. The encouragement meeting could also be version two. You need to find the path. You haven't gotten on it yet, or it's not working. What's your next steps? And then you can have a dialogue around that. But you don't just sit that back and wait. You don't just sit back and make up stories in your head. You engage proactively in these conversations. This encouragement meeting is a small little tool that you can use as a leader every time you want to to reinforce the person staying on track. You encourage them to keep going, or you encourage them to get back on a workable path, whatever that may be. You can fill in the blanks. When you think about your job as a leader, it's not just to, you know, get work done yourself.

• 3:53Speaker 01

  It's not just to, you know, show up and go to the meetings. It's for you to inspire people to go beyond what they believe is possible. So you may have to call them on their bullshit every once in a while. That particular client I was talking about earlier, he had said that that employee was operating from fear, and that's one reason why they're not successful. And then I asked a few probing questions of that CEO and he came back and said, well, I haven't engaged in the next conversation because I don't. I'm a little fearful about this and I'm not clear about the next step where I want to take the team and so I'm just not doing anything yet. Now, I don't, that might be acceptable in your world, but in my world, you've got to address the things that need to be addressed proactively. You don't just sit back and wait.

• 4:35Speaker 01

  Sometimes you have, you have to wait and let things play out for a certain amount of time, but if you're not getting the results you want with your team, be willing to have the tough conversations, be willing to schedule that, that follow-up meeting a week or two weeks out to encourage them and then keep on top of it. That way, when things change, you can give them the praise, give them the accolades, or if it's not getting the results, you can change the strategy and approach and you can work with them and coach them to that next level. That's my two cents here, just giving you a little bit of insight on tough conversations, specifically the encouragement meeting, why it's so important, and how to do it to be a more effective leader and be incredibly effective at tough conversations.

• 5:18Speaker 01

  When you think of growth and you think of leadership, think of growth, think of growth. As always, with courage, we'll see you next time.

• 5:28Speaker 02

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