Sugar-coated Leadership Lessons
GBBS is streaming now on Netflix.
Hello friends. It’s been a while since I’ve added a new “musing”. Five whole months to be exact and I’ve missed you!
Work was busy and rewarding this past year and I’m full of gratitude about that. I also earned an executive coaching certification via the esteemed Hudson Institute. I started in April and finished in December feeling very proud. When all was said and done, I ended up reading 12 books on the practice of coaching, completed over 50+ hours of coaching with several new clients, attended ~100 hours of various training and instruction, and received LOTS of feedback on my coaching style. Cue one of the greatest 80’s training montages HERE. Bonus points and my eternal admiration if you already guessed Rocky III.
The whole experience was both exhilarating and exhausting. What helped me get through were the extraordinary humans that I was blessed to meet. Individuals from all walks of life who are dedicated to self-discovery and improvement. Caring people who want nothing more than to help others realize their personal goals and aspirations. It was one of the single greatest learning experiences of my life. I am a better coach, leader, partner, wife, and friend as a result. All of this inspires me to want to share some of the wisdom, tools, and strategies with all of you so get ready. More “occasional musings” are coming your way this year – all with the goal of offering ideas and inspiration to help increase your impact as a leader and teammate.
But first, since my last musing was all about salt, I think it is high time for some sugar! One of my favorite shows on Netflix is The Great British Baking Show. They launched a new season late last year. Such a happy day! I am forever riveted by the display of creativity, passion, and craftsmanship…and I don’t even bake. The fact that behind each cake, biscuit, muffin, and loaf of bread are hours of practice, unfortunate failures, and epic levels of learning is a constant source of amazement to me.
So, I thought it would be fun to share a half dozen leadership lessons that I was reminded of when watching the latest season. If you have smiled every time Mary Berry delighted in taking a bite while calling it “scrummy” (short for scrumptious) or giggled each moment Mel and Sue counted down “On your marks…Get Set…Bake!”, this musing is for you.
Set the scary challenge. Judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood (and his fierce blue eyes) challenge the bakers each week with tests of skills and creativity. Some bakers excel. Some fail. Whatever the outcome, the bakers also improve! How are you helping the people on your team get better? What healthy challenges – that stretch their abilities or help build their confidence – could you put in front of them right now?
The right casting is a big part of healthy team culture. GBBS is a competition show. Each week someone wins “Star Baker” and someone else is sent home. With such high stakes, why is everyone so nice to each other? The short answer is because the show’s producers are hiring (selecting) for both skillful bakers AND niceness. They clearly prioritize attributes like teamwork, empathy, and genuine caring when casting each season. The outcome of such focus? People who consistently bring positivity to their environment. We see contestants regularly hug, help out when someone is in trouble, and applaud their competitors’ accomplishments. In contrast, other competition shows select for drama, anger, and generally low EQ. It a good reminder that you get what you hire for. Clarify what attributes and abilities will bring GBBS energy to your team/company and do your damn-dest (it’s a word!) to not compromise your “casting” decisions.
High standards and feedback with heart. GBBS shows us that leaders can hold people accountable to exacting standards without being a jerk. The key is being clear about what you expect, sharing how you will “judge” performance, and most importantly stating your intent. Every contestant knows what they need to deliver (except for the technical challenge, but we’ll get to that in a moment), the time constraints, and that they’ll get specific feedback on the result. It’s this combination of factors that helps them improve their skills. You can do the same for your people. Does each person on your team know what’s specifically expected of them? Have you stated your intentions around giving feedback (ideally emphasizing that it is because you care about them)? Do they understand how their performance will be assessed? If you can’t answer a definitive ‘yes’ to these questions, make a plan to change that.
Not enough direction can create a big mess. GBBS technical challenges can be entertaining to watch. Critical details such as baking time and what the end result should look like are purposely withheld. Despite such minimal direction, the bakers are expected to produce a high-quality product anyway. The result is a segment full of guesswork and intense self-doubt.
What’s the lesson here? Too little direction, especially when someone needs it most, is an example of leadership neglect. So, while it is slightly amusing to watch people struggle, it is also a strong reminder of what NOT to do when you are in a leadership role. Don’t leave the potential of a great bake up to chance. Don’t be vague about what ‘good’ looks like. Don’t skip important parameters that can help your people feel supported. In short, do not be a neglectful manager.
What’s your equivalent to a Paul Hollywood handshake? The opposite of neglect is preservation. The GBBS world is full of praise and kudos that is given warmly and without reservation. Peer to peer, judge to contestants, and everything in between. That level of attention – of simply noticing the good work others are doing (and saying so) – should be the baseline of what to expect at work. A baseline that you, dear leaders, set the tone for.
At the same time, while consistent praise is important and good, a Paul Hollywood handshake is different. It is given when a baker has delivered something exceptional in terms of their effort, creativity, and quality. The handshake represents a special and unique achievement. Consider what that could look like in your world, and you aren’t allowed to respond with “more money”. For the purposes of this thought exercise, really think about actions, curated moments, or other recognition ideas that would be most meaningful to your team members. Yes, it might be different from person to person but don’t let that deter you. Experiment! Or when in doubt, ask your people what type of “handshake” would mean the most to them.
Orchestrate respectful endings when you can. I think we can learn a thing or two from GBBS about goodbyes. They include thank you’s, handshakes, and hugs, all while they are essentially “firing” a person for deficient performance. This leadership lesson seems particularly important right now because as I write this, my LinkedIn feed is overwhelmed with layoff news. I’m sure yours is too.
As a leader, one of the hardest decisions to make is saying good-bye to one of your employees. Yet once you make your decision around what needs to happen, take a cue from GBBS and give equal consideration to how it needs to happen. Can you design a proper farewell that demonstrates respect to both the person leaving and their teammates? By proper farewell, I mean an ending that at a minimum, recognizes effort and says thank you.
Now I’m not so naïve to believe this kind of good-bye is possible in all real work scenarios. I know there are circumstances where it isn’t or shouldn’t be the case. However, I am suggesting that GBBS offers inspiration for how we might consider and incorporate more respectful endings, especially when the conditions allow for it.
There we have it. A few ideas for you to noodle on. Which of these lessons is one of your strengths? Which one needs more attention from you? What leadership lessons did I miss or get wrong? Drop a note and let me know. Talking about these ideas is one of my favorite ways to “bake”. 😊