I love INC Magazine. The articles they feature are right on target and thought provoking. Most of all, you actually want to read the articles and not just scan briefly through them. John Warrillow, an angel investor in a number of start-up companies wrote an article recently about getting inspiration from great innovators of our time.
If you are stuck and seeking to find answers just ask yourself...what would Richard Branson do? What would Steve Jobs do? The theory is by putting yourself in the mindset of renowned innovators, you will begin thinking like one. A small Finnish company called Pomarfin put themselves in the space of wild innovation. They were manufacturing shoes in Estonia to lower costs, however they were competing with companies in Asia who would manufacture the shoes at a much lower cost. What's a family owned business to do? Expand their innovation quotient.
Clearly Pomarfin could do what many companies have done in recent years, manufacture overseas for much less cost or look for another way to keep their production in Europe. Pomarfin's decision speaks to the essence of a risk taking innovator - they decided to niche aggressively by selling a new product with a new target...made-to-measure shoes for high net worth men who hate shopping.
This new brand entitled "LeftFoot" was a clever idea from Pomarfin. They thought they would install a foot scanner in all retail stores that sold its shoes. Easy...a well to do man comes knocking, the retail clerk scans the man's left foot with a LeftFoot machine, the image uploads to a server in Pomarfin's manufacturing plant that would create and ship these unique pair of shoes customized to the man's feet. When he wanted to order another, all he would do is go online. Easy! Not so much...
Pomarfin needed retailers who would want to install a scanner in their stores and scan customer's feet. May not be the most pleasant experience for a retail clerk, however the idea is worse for the retailer who would lose the customer to an online store.
LeftFoot started building their own retail stores and still needed traditional retailers to fully cover the market. As my dear mentor always tells me...you know you will be successful because others before have done it and can light the way. LeftFoot only had to look no further than to the music and publishing business for a model. They would pay a royalty for life fee for every new pair of LeftFoot shoes a customer purchased when referred by the retailer.
Can you imagine if all you had to do was take one action and then you would get paid for life with no effort? That's how the retailer's looked at the offer. The retailer referred the customer, got payments for life and didn't even need to stock inventory or pay for more support staff. Retailers signed on without hesitation. Now LeftFoot has retailers set up throughout most of Europe and Asia.
Very innovative, yes? They key to LeftFoot's success was their willingness to be highly innovative and to think differently about their delivery and customers.
Thinking differently is an easy phrase to say and more challenging to do. And still...is it better to sit idle, or to model those who have come before us - the great innovators - who look at a challenge as simply another opportunity. Where can you think differently? Where is your opportunity to pioneer, to innovate and to become the next Bill Gates of our time?
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
A Life Preserver When Work Piles Up
While at a charity dinner last week, I heard several executives discussing how one of the greatest opportunities they face today is managing getting things done. As work piles up, expectations grow despite the decline in available resources. It’s a tough situation with no clear solution. One executive illustrated the dilemma well, telling how when he went to his boss to get help, his boss simply replied, “Get it done.”
Hmmm…. Is this kind of response helpful? Not really. Although we accept the reality of budget cuts, we don’t adjust our expectations accordingly. Instead, demands continue to soar and expectations to meet and exceed organizational goals continue to exist. Bottom line, what do you do in such a situation?
The book “Execution: The Art of Getting Things Done” by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan helps to provide some insight. Although not a new book, the text is still highly relevant and something that should be required reading for every leader who wants to get things done.
The authors explain how to “get it done” by describing execution as a “systematic process of rigorously discussing hows and whats, questioning, tenaciously following through, and ensuring accountability. It includes making assumptions about the business environment, assessing the organization’s capabilities, linking strategy to operations and the people who are going to implement the strategy, synchronizing those people and their various disciplines, and linking rewards to outcomes.”
I define execution as “getting things done, systematically and with swift action with people.” The key words here are swift and with people. Getting things done is not simply about speed; it’s first and foremost about leveraging your people and including them in the process thoughtfully. After all, they are the ones who will need to execute your plan. Ultimately, execution is about a new way of thinking and acting, which can be accomplished by the following:
1. Connect what is most meaningful to organizational priorities – not everything is important. You must figure out what is and what isn’t. Avoid the tendency to make every new thing the emergency of the day and leave the really important things to the last minute. Plan it, prioritize it and then act on it.
2. Toss out the lingo – jargon gets in the way of getting things done. Every organization has its own unique style of language, and not everyone speaks this unique slang. For example, I had a client who didn’t understand what the words “big picture” meant because everyone around him used the phrase differently. You’ll save time by making sure you define everything clearly and universally from the start.
3. Right people in the right jobs rely on your right words and right actions – it’s not enough to have the right people doing the right jobs. It is your responsibility to align what you say with what you do. It’s challenging to believe someone who does not align their words with their actions.
4. Responsibility first, blame last – take responsibility for everything -- period. Doing so will make you a better leader and, more importantly, a better human being.
5. Advocate, pursue and mobilize change – change can be a dreaded term because people don’t like when the boat is rocked. Go ahead and shake it! The more dynamic the workspace, the more the organization can grow. Stagnancy only hinders the growth and output of people and the organization.
6. Impeccable coordination – as Fred Kofman notes in his book “Conscious Business”, coordinating well and with those inside and outside the company will define you as a leader. The better you coordinate, the stronger your rise to the top in your career will be and the more sound your organization’s output will be.
7. Act quickly with those who don’t perform – not everyone is competent enough to be in their current positions. Although it’s good to offer people opportunities and coaching, if someone is not performing, you must move them out and do so quickly. If you don’t move fast, you only hurt you, your employee and the organization. And if you are afraid to hurt your employee, remember a job someone can thrive in is better than one to just survive in.
8. Link strategy, people and operations – as Charan and Bossidy state eloquently in their book, you cannot have a thriving organization without these three things being critically tied together. Each one functions with the others. Focus on all three with equal measure.
A final thought -- you probably put a lot of time and energy into developing your strategy and operations, and that doesn’t mean that you are putting the same effort into developing your people. Your people are your greatest asset. Unless you leverage, nurture and care for them deeply, with responsibility and accountability, you may lose your strongest competitive leverage point.
Hmmm…. Is this kind of response helpful? Not really. Although we accept the reality of budget cuts, we don’t adjust our expectations accordingly. Instead, demands continue to soar and expectations to meet and exceed organizational goals continue to exist. Bottom line, what do you do in such a situation?
The book “Execution: The Art of Getting Things Done” by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan helps to provide some insight. Although not a new book, the text is still highly relevant and something that should be required reading for every leader who wants to get things done.
The authors explain how to “get it done” by describing execution as a “systematic process of rigorously discussing hows and whats, questioning, tenaciously following through, and ensuring accountability. It includes making assumptions about the business environment, assessing the organization’s capabilities, linking strategy to operations and the people who are going to implement the strategy, synchronizing those people and their various disciplines, and linking rewards to outcomes.”
I define execution as “getting things done, systematically and with swift action with people.” The key words here are swift and with people. Getting things done is not simply about speed; it’s first and foremost about leveraging your people and including them in the process thoughtfully. After all, they are the ones who will need to execute your plan. Ultimately, execution is about a new way of thinking and acting, which can be accomplished by the following:
1. Connect what is most meaningful to organizational priorities – not everything is important. You must figure out what is and what isn’t. Avoid the tendency to make every new thing the emergency of the day and leave the really important things to the last minute. Plan it, prioritize it and then act on it.
2. Toss out the lingo – jargon gets in the way of getting things done. Every organization has its own unique style of language, and not everyone speaks this unique slang. For example, I had a client who didn’t understand what the words “big picture” meant because everyone around him used the phrase differently. You’ll save time by making sure you define everything clearly and universally from the start.
3. Right people in the right jobs rely on your right words and right actions – it’s not enough to have the right people doing the right jobs. It is your responsibility to align what you say with what you do. It’s challenging to believe someone who does not align their words with their actions.
4. Responsibility first, blame last – take responsibility for everything -- period. Doing so will make you a better leader and, more importantly, a better human being.
5. Advocate, pursue and mobilize change – change can be a dreaded term because people don’t like when the boat is rocked. Go ahead and shake it! The more dynamic the workspace, the more the organization can grow. Stagnancy only hinders the growth and output of people and the organization.
6. Impeccable coordination – as Fred Kofman notes in his book “Conscious Business”, coordinating well and with those inside and outside the company will define you as a leader. The better you coordinate, the stronger your rise to the top in your career will be and the more sound your organization’s output will be.
7. Act quickly with those who don’t perform – not everyone is competent enough to be in their current positions. Although it’s good to offer people opportunities and coaching, if someone is not performing, you must move them out and do so quickly. If you don’t move fast, you only hurt you, your employee and the organization. And if you are afraid to hurt your employee, remember a job someone can thrive in is better than one to just survive in.
8. Link strategy, people and operations – as Charan and Bossidy state eloquently in their book, you cannot have a thriving organization without these three things being critically tied together. Each one functions with the others. Focus on all three with equal measure.
A final thought -- you probably put a lot of time and energy into developing your strategy and operations, and that doesn’t mean that you are putting the same effort into developing your people. Your people are your greatest asset. Unless you leverage, nurture and care for them deeply, with responsibility and accountability, you may lose your strongest competitive leverage point.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Don’t Be Passed Over and Pissed Off: Learn to Lead
Recently diversity was celebrated as part of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association's events and conferences for 2010, including the annual meetings for such cable diversity groups as Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT), the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) and the Walter Kaitz Foundation . What’s most interesting about all of these gathering was the one theme that stood out - “leadership.”
The question of concern, which is applicable to all industries today, was: how will you develop and hone your leadership to guide your people through this ever-changing business landscape? Spanning such diverse topics as mentoring, developing leadership and the bottom line, being strategic, producing multi-ethnic content and programming, developing multi-ethnic high potentials and more, diversity really boils down to one thing – people. In the words of Eric Hawkins of Discovery Networks International, “Who makes organizations run? People. Who ensures a culture is innovative? People. Who continues to keep us competitive? People.”
Well said by Eric. After all, even if you are talking about programming, marketing, digital, or any field of business, it’s all about leadership. Leaders are the ones that spearhead organizations, make decisions that affect what goes on cable/television and the Internet, and create an environment for employees to be creative, to innovate and to feel valued and motivated to do their best.
During the WICT conference, I was on a panel entitled, “Leadership and the Bottom Line”, and all of my fellow panelists – Nomi Bergman, President of Bright House Networks; Margaret Lazo, Executive Vice President in Human Resources at NBC Universal Television; Jill Smart, Chief Human Resource Officer at Accenture – all encouraged the participants to grow, nurture and cultivate leadership skills in order to become the most relevant and essential element of their organization.
Easy to say, and not so easy to do. However investing in yourself and your leadership ensures that you avoid what Jacqueline Welch of Turner Broadcasting, Inc. called, “POPO – ‘passed over and pissed off.’”
To avoid being POPO, here is a top ten list of some of the most useful and relevant tips for advancing your leadership:
1. Go international - Take a short-term or long-term international assignment to understand the international marketplace. After all, if your organization makes money globally and your employee pool is global, wouldn’t it help if you had global experience and understood this landscape well?
2. Seek and enlist a champion – Ask someone inside the organization to be your “champion.” This person can advocate on your behalf, give you advice and promote you consistently. Whoever you ask needs to be trained to understand what opportunities you are seeking (aka, what is your “sweet spot”) and what to say about you. A champion may be someone who emerges from working jointly on projects or who takes notice of the good work you are doing or simply someone you ask for help. In any case, get one!
3. Business strategy – Understand the business you are in and the company you have joined. Be sure to listen and participate on earnings calls, join affinity groups and become a well-rounded student of your organization and business.
4. Applied formal and informal learning - Being a life long learner is critical to advancement. This enables you to have an open mind and learn different disciplines and points of view. Naturally, learning makes you smarter, and applied learning will effectively make you stand out.
5. Professional presence – At Diversity Week, Dr. Tonya Cornelius from ESPN emphasized the need for leaders to know and leverage their brand. Know what people “see” in you when you walk in a room and how others think of you. Hone, develop and manage your brand.
6. Scrappy wins - Become a “scrappy” leader. Be resourceful and do what you need to do to get the job done, e.g. devise innovative ideas, enlist departments, which never worked together before, hire people with non-traditional experience.
7. Stand out – Win people over with your ideas, performance, goals and mission. Allow people to see all parts of who you are.
8. Measure your success – Learning how to use and devise metrics will set you apart from the rest. Consider how it sounds to say, “the campaign was a success” versus “78% of our clients voted this campaign as being the key driver of their business, increasing revenue by over 50%.” Which one impresses more?
9. Pay it forward – Mentor, look for places to champion others, give constantly with a clear consciousness wanting and asking for nothing in return.
10. Know who you are – Great leaders are self-aware, drive with authenticity, know when to ask for help and are always true to themselves.
Pick one of the top ten and go for it full force. Take your leadership and your career into your own hands, because if you don’t, no one else will.
The question of concern, which is applicable to all industries today, was: how will you develop and hone your leadership to guide your people through this ever-changing business landscape? Spanning such diverse topics as mentoring, developing leadership and the bottom line, being strategic, producing multi-ethnic content and programming, developing multi-ethnic high potentials and more, diversity really boils down to one thing – people. In the words of Eric Hawkins of Discovery Networks International, “Who makes organizations run? People. Who ensures a culture is innovative? People. Who continues to keep us competitive? People.”
Well said by Eric. After all, even if you are talking about programming, marketing, digital, or any field of business, it’s all about leadership. Leaders are the ones that spearhead organizations, make decisions that affect what goes on cable/television and the Internet, and create an environment for employees to be creative, to innovate and to feel valued and motivated to do their best.
During the WICT conference, I was on a panel entitled, “Leadership and the Bottom Line”, and all of my fellow panelists – Nomi Bergman, President of Bright House Networks; Margaret Lazo, Executive Vice President in Human Resources at NBC Universal Television; Jill Smart, Chief Human Resource Officer at Accenture – all encouraged the participants to grow, nurture and cultivate leadership skills in order to become the most relevant and essential element of their organization.
Easy to say, and not so easy to do. However investing in yourself and your leadership ensures that you avoid what Jacqueline Welch of Turner Broadcasting, Inc. called, “POPO – ‘passed over and pissed off.’”
To avoid being POPO, here is a top ten list of some of the most useful and relevant tips for advancing your leadership:
1. Go international - Take a short-term or long-term international assignment to understand the international marketplace. After all, if your organization makes money globally and your employee pool is global, wouldn’t it help if you had global experience and understood this landscape well?
2. Seek and enlist a champion – Ask someone inside the organization to be your “champion.” This person can advocate on your behalf, give you advice and promote you consistently. Whoever you ask needs to be trained to understand what opportunities you are seeking (aka, what is your “sweet spot”) and what to say about you. A champion may be someone who emerges from working jointly on projects or who takes notice of the good work you are doing or simply someone you ask for help. In any case, get one!
3. Business strategy – Understand the business you are in and the company you have joined. Be sure to listen and participate on earnings calls, join affinity groups and become a well-rounded student of your organization and business.
4. Applied formal and informal learning - Being a life long learner is critical to advancement. This enables you to have an open mind and learn different disciplines and points of view. Naturally, learning makes you smarter, and applied learning will effectively make you stand out.
5. Professional presence – At Diversity Week, Dr. Tonya Cornelius from ESPN emphasized the need for leaders to know and leverage their brand. Know what people “see” in you when you walk in a room and how others think of you. Hone, develop and manage your brand.
6. Scrappy wins - Become a “scrappy” leader. Be resourceful and do what you need to do to get the job done, e.g. devise innovative ideas, enlist departments, which never worked together before, hire people with non-traditional experience.
7. Stand out – Win people over with your ideas, performance, goals and mission. Allow people to see all parts of who you are.
8. Measure your success – Learning how to use and devise metrics will set you apart from the rest. Consider how it sounds to say, “the campaign was a success” versus “78% of our clients voted this campaign as being the key driver of their business, increasing revenue by over 50%.” Which one impresses more?
9. Pay it forward – Mentor, look for places to champion others, give constantly with a clear consciousness wanting and asking for nothing in return.
10. Know who you are – Great leaders are self-aware, drive with authenticity, know when to ask for help and are always true to themselves.
Pick one of the top ten and go for it full force. Take your leadership and your career into your own hands, because if you don’t, no one else will.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Secrets to Managing UP
Managing up is critical to thriving inside of organizations. Although not spoken about regularly, if you don’t manage up well you simply will not rise through the ranks. Managing up is an art, a science and a skill.
It’s important for all managers and leaders to be managed. One of the hidden agreements an organization provides you is this…you’ll be managed and led AND you have the responsibility to also lead and manage those who report to you as well as those above you. Just as your boss invests in you, so too must you invest in your boss’ success.
Investing in your boss means, as the book “Managing UP!" by Michael Singer Dobson, Deborah Singer Dobson states, “being listened to and having your ideas respected. Getting your decisions in a timely fashion. Having the kind of influence that helps get your job and your mission accomplish…. it also means helping compensate for your boss’s weak points. Everyone has them.”
Tis true…we all do have faults and sometimes expecting your boss to be all things to everyone is as big of a mistake as expecting the same of our spouse.
Consider some of the most common mistakes that effects managing up and how you can remedy them:
1) When my boss doesn’t agree with me, I know this causes a rift between us.
Truth: You don’t have to like or agree with your boss in every situation. You are both on a team and are paid for the execution of the goals of the organization. You may have similar and opposing views in how to accomplish these goals, and that does not mean your career is in jeopardy. This just means you are two different people.
Word from the coach: When you have a differing opinion, you may not have all the information your boss does to make decisions. That’s fine. It’s time to read between the lines, ask deeper questions and come to an understanding of what is needed.
2) I know my boss and consider him/her a friend. Therefore, I know what kind of support my boss needs.
Truth: Most people don’t know how to manage up and can only make assumptions about their bosses’ needs. Eradicate speculation and start communicating.
Word from the coach: Ask your boss how he/she wants you to communicate with him/her. What materials does he/she need to see from you? Schedule meaningful one-on-ones with clear agendas and expectations. Ensure your meetings handle core issues clearly and honestly. Meeting just to meet is never beneficial for anyone. Make sure you create agreements that outline how you will communicate in times of bliss and crisis (know that the crisis times are the ones that will test your relationship).
3) Not keeping your boss in the loop.
Truth: We think we are good at keeping our bosses updated but our bosses probably need to know way more information than we think they do. “Sheltering” them only keeps them in the dark – now it’s time to turn on the lights.
Word from the coach: A former boss of mine, Ellen Cooper (a communications expert), once told me, “‘Closing the loop’ is one of the most important assets of any great communicator.” Ask yourself, is there a piece of information I have that my boss needs? Anticipate your boss’s needs by always offering updates, even if you believe the information is trivial. Nothing is trivial and should something ever become unimportant, you can count on your boss to tell you (you can make this an agreement between you both).
4) Being reluctant to ask for feedback
Truth: Hardly anyone likes to hear brutally honest - hit you over the head - feedback. Although we often say we want to grow, it’s tough to hear the real truth. Unless we ask for it and are willing to listen to honest feedback, we won’t know where we have room to grow and develop ourselves. Keep in mind, it’s not always easy for our bosses to give us feedback and they have to take feedback from their own bosses, too.
Word from the coach: Ask and ye shall receive. Lose the fear. Growth requires some degree of discomfort. Showing a willingness to become uncomfortable, hear the truth and act swiftly on it will be what differentiates the good from the great.
5) Bringing problems and no solutions
Truth: Problems or “issues” brought to your boss without solutions simply look like complaints. It’s never good to be perceived as a complainer.
Word from the coach: Whenever there’s a problem, try to consider at least three alternative solutions. If you get stuck, ask for help from your peers. If you still find yourself completely void of ideas, be transparent. State upfront to your boss that there’s an issue that requires his/her attention and that you have done your best to consider all possible solutions but haven’t found the best answer. Lay out the issue and brainstorm together.
6) Not managing your boss’s perceptions
Truth: All bosses have inherent perceptions about how work should be done. Some of these perceptions may be from their own past work experience and even performance reviews. Examples include things such as: getting your work done quickly shows you can work well under stress; coming in early and staying late shows commitment; coming in on the weekend to finish a project demonstrates diligence.
Word from the coach: Most of these perceptions are not spoken but rather implied. Managing these perceptions is critical to your success, so get them out in the open, talk about them and negotiate them. Supervisors would rather you get a project done well rather than finish it in two minutes. Sharing with your boss the process and progress of your work product helps to eradicate unspoken of perceptions.
7) Avoiding conflict
Truth: Experiencing conflict is not a sin. Conflict brings growth, fosters development and airs misperceptions. Yet, I found in a group session that I facilitated with advertising executives, most saw conflict as negative and something that should be avoided as much as possible. There’s a difference between confrontation and conflict. Confrontation involves hostility, whereas conflict merely arises from a difference of opinions.
Word from the coach: Before you say something that may be in opposition to what your boss thinks, set your intention. If your intention is to provide maximum value to the organization at all times, then the words you speak will echo this sentiment. If your intention is to “set your boss straight”, then be prepared for a harsh exchange of words. It’s up to you to determine the starting point…
Managing up is one of the greatest skills a manager or leader can possess. Dedicate yourself to excelling at this skill and your reputation and value to the company will be recognized -- guaranteed. Until next month!
It’s important for all managers and leaders to be managed. One of the hidden agreements an organization provides you is this…you’ll be managed and led AND you have the responsibility to also lead and manage those who report to you as well as those above you. Just as your boss invests in you, so too must you invest in your boss’ success.
Investing in your boss means, as the book “Managing UP!" by Michael Singer Dobson, Deborah Singer Dobson states, “being listened to and having your ideas respected. Getting your decisions in a timely fashion. Having the kind of influence that helps get your job and your mission accomplish…. it also means helping compensate for your boss’s weak points. Everyone has them.”
Tis true…we all do have faults and sometimes expecting your boss to be all things to everyone is as big of a mistake as expecting the same of our spouse.
Consider some of the most common mistakes that effects managing up and how you can remedy them:
1) When my boss doesn’t agree with me, I know this causes a rift between us.
Truth: You don’t have to like or agree with your boss in every situation. You are both on a team and are paid for the execution of the goals of the organization. You may have similar and opposing views in how to accomplish these goals, and that does not mean your career is in jeopardy. This just means you are two different people.
Word from the coach: When you have a differing opinion, you may not have all the information your boss does to make decisions. That’s fine. It’s time to read between the lines, ask deeper questions and come to an understanding of what is needed.
2) I know my boss and consider him/her a friend. Therefore, I know what kind of support my boss needs.
Truth: Most people don’t know how to manage up and can only make assumptions about their bosses’ needs. Eradicate speculation and start communicating.
Word from the coach: Ask your boss how he/she wants you to communicate with him/her. What materials does he/she need to see from you? Schedule meaningful one-on-ones with clear agendas and expectations. Ensure your meetings handle core issues clearly and honestly. Meeting just to meet is never beneficial for anyone. Make sure you create agreements that outline how you will communicate in times of bliss and crisis (know that the crisis times are the ones that will test your relationship).
3) Not keeping your boss in the loop.
Truth: We think we are good at keeping our bosses updated but our bosses probably need to know way more information than we think they do. “Sheltering” them only keeps them in the dark – now it’s time to turn on the lights.
Word from the coach: A former boss of mine, Ellen Cooper (a communications expert), once told me, “‘Closing the loop’ is one of the most important assets of any great communicator.” Ask yourself, is there a piece of information I have that my boss needs? Anticipate your boss’s needs by always offering updates, even if you believe the information is trivial. Nothing is trivial and should something ever become unimportant, you can count on your boss to tell you (you can make this an agreement between you both).
4) Being reluctant to ask for feedback
Truth: Hardly anyone likes to hear brutally honest - hit you over the head - feedback. Although we often say we want to grow, it’s tough to hear the real truth. Unless we ask for it and are willing to listen to honest feedback, we won’t know where we have room to grow and develop ourselves. Keep in mind, it’s not always easy for our bosses to give us feedback and they have to take feedback from their own bosses, too.
Word from the coach: Ask and ye shall receive. Lose the fear. Growth requires some degree of discomfort. Showing a willingness to become uncomfortable, hear the truth and act swiftly on it will be what differentiates the good from the great.
5) Bringing problems and no solutions
Truth: Problems or “issues” brought to your boss without solutions simply look like complaints. It’s never good to be perceived as a complainer.
Word from the coach: Whenever there’s a problem, try to consider at least three alternative solutions. If you get stuck, ask for help from your peers. If you still find yourself completely void of ideas, be transparent. State upfront to your boss that there’s an issue that requires his/her attention and that you have done your best to consider all possible solutions but haven’t found the best answer. Lay out the issue and brainstorm together.
6) Not managing your boss’s perceptions
Truth: All bosses have inherent perceptions about how work should be done. Some of these perceptions may be from their own past work experience and even performance reviews. Examples include things such as: getting your work done quickly shows you can work well under stress; coming in early and staying late shows commitment; coming in on the weekend to finish a project demonstrates diligence.
Word from the coach: Most of these perceptions are not spoken but rather implied. Managing these perceptions is critical to your success, so get them out in the open, talk about them and negotiate them. Supervisors would rather you get a project done well rather than finish it in two minutes. Sharing with your boss the process and progress of your work product helps to eradicate unspoken of perceptions.
7) Avoiding conflict
Truth: Experiencing conflict is not a sin. Conflict brings growth, fosters development and airs misperceptions. Yet, I found in a group session that I facilitated with advertising executives, most saw conflict as negative and something that should be avoided as much as possible. There’s a difference between confrontation and conflict. Confrontation involves hostility, whereas conflict merely arises from a difference of opinions.
Word from the coach: Before you say something that may be in opposition to what your boss thinks, set your intention. If your intention is to provide maximum value to the organization at all times, then the words you speak will echo this sentiment. If your intention is to “set your boss straight”, then be prepared for a harsh exchange of words. It’s up to you to determine the starting point…
Managing up is one of the greatest skills a manager or leader can possess. Dedicate yourself to excelling at this skill and your reputation and value to the company will be recognized -- guaranteed. Until next month!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Keeping Your Clothes On Ain't Easy
It's easy to lose your cool as a leader with so much going on, so much to juggle, so many people to be responsible for, so much information to keep present...it can be challenging to keep your composure, to know what to do next and to operate with the team in mind. Don't you just want to give yourself permission sometimes to go screaming out of the building?
Do we talk that much about losing your cool and the daily grind leading can be? Not so much because no one wants to hear it and it's not the most uplifting conversation. Betty Davis in "All About Eve" said the famous line, "Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night," and such is true about leading. Every day leaders are running faster than the speed of light and we wonder why motivation is one of the most critical elements for reinvigorating teams when we may need some reinvigoration ourselves.
Here's what you do when you just want to lose your cool, run out of the building or shout from the rooftops:
-It's never too late - if you read trade magazines, they are full of stories of people who have made come backs from the lowest of places. America is full of icons that continue to come back when they are beaten down the most. Have a vision and follow it and know if all seems to be going awry, turn to your mentors, to those who believe in you, they will help you to see what you are blocked from in this moment.
-Be in a place of exploration - investigate what's really happening. Sometimes our vision is clouded by our own need to fix things without the help of others.
-Don't quit on your dream - it's taken a long time to realize what you want to achieve in this life. You are experiencing a bump in the road and treat it as such, not as the end of what you desire profoundly.
-Take a stand for you - getting upset is not pretty. Oftentimes you can beat yourself up, compromise valued dialogue and make those around you wrong. Take a stand for helping yourself to know the truth of the situation you are in. Beating yourself up only does one thing...prolong the guilt.
-Do an inventory - just as you would with a warehouse full of product, take an inventory of the current situation, your strengths, the strengths of those on your team and evaluate if what you are experiencing is really the end of the world or a call to shift how you do what you do.
We may not be able to change the situation we are in, however we can shift our perception and management of ourselves and those around us. Stepping up to be a leader means you've signed up for continuous self-examination and careful mindfulness of those around you. Let's celebrate all you have done rather than go screaming from the building. There's always some measure of good in what's going on, we are required as leaders to help lift the fog to find the truth, move out of anger/frustration/resentment and take decisive action with compassion.
Do we talk that much about losing your cool and the daily grind leading can be? Not so much because no one wants to hear it and it's not the most uplifting conversation. Betty Davis in "All About Eve" said the famous line, "Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night," and such is true about leading. Every day leaders are running faster than the speed of light and we wonder why motivation is one of the most critical elements for reinvigorating teams when we may need some reinvigoration ourselves.
Here's what you do when you just want to lose your cool, run out of the building or shout from the rooftops:
-It's never too late - if you read trade magazines, they are full of stories of people who have made come backs from the lowest of places. America is full of icons that continue to come back when they are beaten down the most. Have a vision and follow it and know if all seems to be going awry, turn to your mentors, to those who believe in you, they will help you to see what you are blocked from in this moment.
-Be in a place of exploration - investigate what's really happening. Sometimes our vision is clouded by our own need to fix things without the help of others.
-Don't quit on your dream - it's taken a long time to realize what you want to achieve in this life. You are experiencing a bump in the road and treat it as such, not as the end of what you desire profoundly.
-Take a stand for you - getting upset is not pretty. Oftentimes you can beat yourself up, compromise valued dialogue and make those around you wrong. Take a stand for helping yourself to know the truth of the situation you are in. Beating yourself up only does one thing...prolong the guilt.
-Do an inventory - just as you would with a warehouse full of product, take an inventory of the current situation, your strengths, the strengths of those on your team and evaluate if what you are experiencing is really the end of the world or a call to shift how you do what you do.
We may not be able to change the situation we are in, however we can shift our perception and management of ourselves and those around us. Stepping up to be a leader means you've signed up for continuous self-examination and careful mindfulness of those around you. Let's celebrate all you have done rather than go screaming from the building. There's always some measure of good in what's going on, we are required as leaders to help lift the fog to find the truth, move out of anger/frustration/resentment and take decisive action with compassion.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Make It Or Break It Leadership
One of the most common issues leaders are tackling with today is motivation - how do you maintain it or increase it. As a boss, it’s not easy to know when to push someone vs. when the employee is supposed to take the lead.
Robert Sutton, author of the New York Times bestseller The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't sites in his latest blog a research study conducted at Columbia University by Daniel Ames and Frank Flynn which “suggests striking the right balance between being too assertive and not assertive enough is immensely important to being (and being perceived as) a great boss.”
Ames and Flynn thought initially in their research that bosses who are too assertive are just too domineering and bossy and this ruins relationships with others. Yet leaders who are not assertive enough don’t achieve much of anything with their teams that they can beam with pride.
In their research they asked 213 MBA students to evaluate their more recent bosses. There was high overlap between those bosses their rated as moderately assertive and those most effective overall. The MBA’s rated those moderately assertive bosses as most likely to succeed in the future and those they would be happy to work with again.
Those bosses found not to be effective are ones that were either too assertive or not assertive enough and was cited as a cornerstone of those weak leaders more than deficits.
Ames and Flynn further state that being a successful boss requires modulating between pushing people strongly at key times and taking a step back at other times. “Being flexible and socially sensitive — knowing when it's the right time for either approach — enables bosses to be seen as motivating and engaged, but not as bullying or micro-managing,” Sutton says.
There’s a reason why being a boss is a critical role. A boss is a mentor, coach, manager and potentially leader. However not all bosses are true leaders. It takes a strong degree of emotional intelligence to carefully, strategically and compassionately motivate your team. Being a bull in a ring or hanging out in the background may move your team somewhere however over the long haul the results you desire will be non-existent.
How do you build yourself to be a better boss?
Perfect your skills in managing, coaching and leading with a keen eye to examining your own strengths. Get feedback from those who will be honest and those you respect. And get a mentor, this is one of the greatest tools you can have to shoring up your leadership. Be a lifetime learner and never live in the past. Look forward, be focused, be a realist and have profound compassion for those around you. Be “people centric” and devoted to your team’s growth. Get feedback on how you are doing and consistently improve. And after you begin to make habits out of your new found best practices, do them again and again and again. There’s a reason why on the back of those shampoo bottles they say “rinse and repeat.”
Robert Sutton, author of the New York Times bestseller The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't sites in his latest blog a research study conducted at Columbia University by Daniel Ames and Frank Flynn which “suggests striking the right balance between being too assertive and not assertive enough is immensely important to being (and being perceived as) a great boss.”
Ames and Flynn thought initially in their research that bosses who are too assertive are just too domineering and bossy and this ruins relationships with others. Yet leaders who are not assertive enough don’t achieve much of anything with their teams that they can beam with pride.
In their research they asked 213 MBA students to evaluate their more recent bosses. There was high overlap between those bosses their rated as moderately assertive and those most effective overall. The MBA’s rated those moderately assertive bosses as most likely to succeed in the future and those they would be happy to work with again.
Those bosses found not to be effective are ones that were either too assertive or not assertive enough and was cited as a cornerstone of those weak leaders more than deficits.
Ames and Flynn further state that being a successful boss requires modulating between pushing people strongly at key times and taking a step back at other times. “Being flexible and socially sensitive — knowing when it's the right time for either approach — enables bosses to be seen as motivating and engaged, but not as bullying or micro-managing,” Sutton says.
There’s a reason why being a boss is a critical role. A boss is a mentor, coach, manager and potentially leader. However not all bosses are true leaders. It takes a strong degree of emotional intelligence to carefully, strategically and compassionately motivate your team. Being a bull in a ring or hanging out in the background may move your team somewhere however over the long haul the results you desire will be non-existent.
How do you build yourself to be a better boss?
Perfect your skills in managing, coaching and leading with a keen eye to examining your own strengths. Get feedback from those who will be honest and those you respect. And get a mentor, this is one of the greatest tools you can have to shoring up your leadership. Be a lifetime learner and never live in the past. Look forward, be focused, be a realist and have profound compassion for those around you. Be “people centric” and devoted to your team’s growth. Get feedback on how you are doing and consistently improve. And after you begin to make habits out of your new found best practices, do them again and again and again. There’s a reason why on the back of those shampoo bottles they say “rinse and repeat.”
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Leadership and the Bottom Line
Does coaching, managing and leading contribute to the bottom line? Yes! I'm in the midst of writing a leadership book on this subject with the commitment to prove that when coaching, managing and leading is done well, this leads to increased productivity and profitability.
Of course as coincidence would have it, in the midst of writing, a wonderful resource came knocking at my door. Tim Lohrentz of the National Network of Sector Partners summarized decades of academic research, which confirms that employee development can improve employer bottom-line profitability by increasing revenues and lowering expenses in the following six ways:
1. Increased cooperation and ability to take advantage of innovation, which can be measured by:
a. Better team performance
b. Improved capacity to cope with change in the workplace
2. Increased rate of employee retention
3. Lower rate of employee absenteeism
4. Increased quality of work or service, which can be measured by:
a. Decline in waste
b. Decline in product rejection or mistakes on the job
c. Increase in customer satisfaction or retention
d. Better health and safety
5. Increased productivity, which can be measured by:
a. Less time spent accomplishing projects
b. Increased output of products or services
c. Time savings for managers and supervisors
d. Improved capacity to use new technology
6. Increased sales
I was not completely surprised to read sales at the bottom of the list. As one trusted colleague explained...Disney does not reprimand a Castmember when the person missteps and is about to go out and be with customers. Why? Because employee satisfaction means customer satisfaction. When an employee is happy, they will treat your customers better. When the relationship is harmonious between an employee and their supervisor, this too impacts how a customer is treated.
Perhaps today instead of looking so hard to improve customer satisfaction, maybe we have to look in our own backyards first. Happy employees will change revenue, innovation and productivity. So let's keep the eye on the ball - it's the employees first. When done right the money will follow.
Of course as coincidence would have it, in the midst of writing, a wonderful resource came knocking at my door. Tim Lohrentz of the National Network of Sector Partners summarized decades of academic research, which confirms that employee development can improve employer bottom-line profitability by increasing revenues and lowering expenses in the following six ways:
1. Increased cooperation and ability to take advantage of innovation, which can be measured by:
a. Better team performance
b. Improved capacity to cope with change in the workplace
2. Increased rate of employee retention
3. Lower rate of employee absenteeism
4. Increased quality of work or service, which can be measured by:
a. Decline in waste
b. Decline in product rejection or mistakes on the job
c. Increase in customer satisfaction or retention
d. Better health and safety
5. Increased productivity, which can be measured by:
a. Less time spent accomplishing projects
b. Increased output of products or services
c. Time savings for managers and supervisors
d. Improved capacity to use new technology
6. Increased sales
I was not completely surprised to read sales at the bottom of the list. As one trusted colleague explained...Disney does not reprimand a Castmember when the person missteps and is about to go out and be with customers. Why? Because employee satisfaction means customer satisfaction. When an employee is happy, they will treat your customers better. When the relationship is harmonious between an employee and their supervisor, this too impacts how a customer is treated.
Perhaps today instead of looking so hard to improve customer satisfaction, maybe we have to look in our own backyards first. Happy employees will change revenue, innovation and productivity. So let's keep the eye on the ball - it's the employees first. When done right the money will follow.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Art of Delegating
One of the chief responsibilities and core skill of any leader is delegation. Simple, yes? Oh no. Many executives today don’t know where to begin. However if you can learn to use delegation correctly, it can reduce stress, empower your direct reports and develop your high potentials. Conversely, the lack of delegation skills can lead to the downfall of any leader, regardless of how powerful.
One of my clients was commenting in a recent executive coaching session that his Vice President, Bob, who has no idea how to delegate, is derailing in his position because of this key weakness. Bob is great in every other area other than delegation. As a result, Bob has not grown his direct reports. His current level of delegating usually involves phrases such as, “Sarah, put out this fire. I’ve got to run to this emergency meeting. Thanks!” Or the flipside, “It’s easier if I just do it myself. In the time it takes to explain everything, it would already have been done.”
As your responsibilities, department and organization grows, you must rely on others to produce and take initiative. You absolutely cannot do it all alone. No way, and why would you want to? We’d all like to believe we’re Superman (or Superwoman); unfortunately, that is not the case. In pretending to be Superman, we leave very skilled teammates in the dust. If you delegate properly, you free yourself to do higher level work (where your energy should be spent); you shift accountability where it should be, on all members of the team (including yourself); and you build a more resilient group who can respond quicker and faster. If you don’t help put others in the driver seat, they too will pick up poor delegation skills and the cycle will continue endlessly.
Consultant Karen Lawson states on the topic, “You’re not simply assigning work to employees that falls within their job duties and responsibilities. To delegate, you must give someone the responsibility and authority to do something that's normally part of your job.“ The key is handing someone a task, for which you are also responsible, that stretches his or her abilities.
Here’s how to do it:
1) Brainstorm
On a blank sheet of paper, draw one line down the page. On the left hand side title it “to do” and the right hand side title it “to delegate.” Make a list of all the tasks you have to get done this week. These must be assignments and tasks for which you have responsibility and ownership. Jot every single one of them no matter how mundane.
2)Review your task list and consider:
o What is administrative?
o What questions can someone else on my staff answer?
o What task can I give to someone else that would assist in their growth and development?
o What are typical tasks my team is asked to do when I’m out of the office?
o What tasks can I give to someone would require minimal explanation?
3)Put names of your staff members next to each task. When assigning, be mindful of individuals strengths, weaknesses and skills you want to specifically looking to build.
4)Prepare to communicate:
o Reason for delegating to this specific person
o Explain task to be delegated
o Ensure the person has the time and desire to take this on
o Expectations for the task and follow-up procedures
o Timeline/deadline for work to be completed
5)Follow-up:
o Schedule time to discuss their approach
o Be sure to be available for any and all questions
o You might consider assigning a different manager to oversee this task – it’s another way to expand an employee’s leadership abilities.
6)Coach and mentor – if the person is struggling in completing the task, use this opportunity as an ideal time to coach and mentor strengths and weaknesses
7)Reward and praise – as employees complete tasks, reward and praise them for a job well done.
Stretch yourself this month to delegate as much as possible. View delegation as a core skill to grow and develop your employees. And don’t forget yourself too!
One of my clients was commenting in a recent executive coaching session that his Vice President, Bob, who has no idea how to delegate, is derailing in his position because of this key weakness. Bob is great in every other area other than delegation. As a result, Bob has not grown his direct reports. His current level of delegating usually involves phrases such as, “Sarah, put out this fire. I’ve got to run to this emergency meeting. Thanks!” Or the flipside, “It’s easier if I just do it myself. In the time it takes to explain everything, it would already have been done.”
As your responsibilities, department and organization grows, you must rely on others to produce and take initiative. You absolutely cannot do it all alone. No way, and why would you want to? We’d all like to believe we’re Superman (or Superwoman); unfortunately, that is not the case. In pretending to be Superman, we leave very skilled teammates in the dust. If you delegate properly, you free yourself to do higher level work (where your energy should be spent); you shift accountability where it should be, on all members of the team (including yourself); and you build a more resilient group who can respond quicker and faster. If you don’t help put others in the driver seat, they too will pick up poor delegation skills and the cycle will continue endlessly.
Consultant Karen Lawson states on the topic, “You’re not simply assigning work to employees that falls within their job duties and responsibilities. To delegate, you must give someone the responsibility and authority to do something that's normally part of your job.“ The key is handing someone a task, for which you are also responsible, that stretches his or her abilities.
Here’s how to do it:
1) Brainstorm
On a blank sheet of paper, draw one line down the page. On the left hand side title it “to do” and the right hand side title it “to delegate.” Make a list of all the tasks you have to get done this week. These must be assignments and tasks for which you have responsibility and ownership. Jot every single one of them no matter how mundane.
2)Review your task list and consider:
o What is administrative?
o What questions can someone else on my staff answer?
o What task can I give to someone else that would assist in their growth and development?
o What are typical tasks my team is asked to do when I’m out of the office?
o What tasks can I give to someone would require minimal explanation?
3)Put names of your staff members next to each task. When assigning, be mindful of individuals strengths, weaknesses and skills you want to specifically looking to build.
4)Prepare to communicate:
o Reason for delegating to this specific person
o Explain task to be delegated
o Ensure the person has the time and desire to take this on
o Expectations for the task and follow-up procedures
o Timeline/deadline for work to be completed
5)Follow-up:
o Schedule time to discuss their approach
o Be sure to be available for any and all questions
o You might consider assigning a different manager to oversee this task – it’s another way to expand an employee’s leadership abilities.
6)Coach and mentor – if the person is struggling in completing the task, use this opportunity as an ideal time to coach and mentor strengths and weaknesses
7)Reward and praise – as employees complete tasks, reward and praise them for a job well done.
Stretch yourself this month to delegate as much as possible. View delegation as a core skill to grow and develop your employees. And don’t forget yourself too!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Keep Your Nose Clean
Industry organizations are a great way to learn something new and receive terrific mentoring. Being a leadership advocate and a woman, I love organizations that foster leadership skills and do so for women. As someone who specializes in the media and entertainment industry, I have a deep personal admiration and respect for Women and Cable & Telecommunications (WICT). WICT is a national industry organization which was formed in 1979 and currently has over 7,000 members. It is actually the oldest and largest organization serving women professionals in the cable telecommunications industry. Their mission is to “advance the position and influence of women through proven leadership programs and services at both the national and local level.” Their “Touchstones of Leadership” guide all of their programs and initiatives and they include: know yourself, communicate, listen, connect, be a catalyst, be fearless and inspire.
WICT has made a strong impact through their twenty local chapters including the Southern California Chapter (SOCAL WICT). SOCAL WICT has been providing programs to bolster the leadership of women by such programs as their signature mentoring program, which pairs executive level women with aspiring leaders to foster their growth and development.
A key event and kick off for the mentoring program is their Mentoring Tea, which features several industry experts who rotate between tables of participants offering insights and advice to participants. I was fortunate to be one of those participants sipping tea at the Beverly Hills Hotel (I know, not a bad gig), eating scones with cream and learning about leadership in the media and entertainment industry.
The keynote speaker was Danielle Wade, VP Customer Care and Marketing at Bright House Networks. She was poised, elegant, eloquent, relatable and best yet...funny. I have met Danielle several times and what I admire most about her is her honesty and directness mixed with grace and humor.
Danielle shared several invaluable points about being a leader and succeeding. They are so great they are noted below. I hope you will enjoy these tips and put them into action:
1) Understand what you need to do to relate and be relatable
2) Find out who are the players - who has managed the "waters well"; what are their secrets
3) Have a personal Board of Directors - have varied members who deliver honest and forthright advice and feedback
4) Avoid the appearance of impropriety - keep your nose clean!
5) Represent yourself honestly
6) Test your limits - try it all before you assume you can't do it
7) Pick the things most important to you and just be them
8) Be authentic
9) Be resilient
10) Be daring
11) Be ready - you never know who is watching you at any given time
12) Pick something new to learn every year
13) Write down a roadmap of where you want to go - plan A, B and C
14)Write down three key goals you want to achieve by the end of 2010
One item Danielle didn't mention that I'll add in...be a mentor. Share your learning. Remember, great leaders pass on the learning and you too can be standing in front of a crowded room enjoying tea and scones and sharing your invaluable lessons.
WICT has made a strong impact through their twenty local chapters including the Southern California Chapter (SOCAL WICT). SOCAL WICT has been providing programs to bolster the leadership of women by such programs as their signature mentoring program, which pairs executive level women with aspiring leaders to foster their growth and development.
A key event and kick off for the mentoring program is their Mentoring Tea, which features several industry experts who rotate between tables of participants offering insights and advice to participants. I was fortunate to be one of those participants sipping tea at the Beverly Hills Hotel (I know, not a bad gig), eating scones with cream and learning about leadership in the media and entertainment industry.
The keynote speaker was Danielle Wade, VP Customer Care and Marketing at Bright House Networks. She was poised, elegant, eloquent, relatable and best yet...funny. I have met Danielle several times and what I admire most about her is her honesty and directness mixed with grace and humor.
Danielle shared several invaluable points about being a leader and succeeding. They are so great they are noted below. I hope you will enjoy these tips and put them into action:
1) Understand what you need to do to relate and be relatable
2) Find out who are the players - who has managed the "waters well"; what are their secrets
3) Have a personal Board of Directors - have varied members who deliver honest and forthright advice and feedback
4) Avoid the appearance of impropriety - keep your nose clean!
5) Represent yourself honestly
6) Test your limits - try it all before you assume you can't do it
7) Pick the things most important to you and just be them
8) Be authentic
9) Be resilient
10) Be daring
11) Be ready - you never know who is watching you at any given time
12) Pick something new to learn every year
13) Write down a roadmap of where you want to go - plan A, B and C
14)Write down three key goals you want to achieve by the end of 2010
One item Danielle didn't mention that I'll add in...be a mentor. Share your learning. Remember, great leaders pass on the learning and you too can be standing in front of a crowded room enjoying tea and scones and sharing your invaluable lessons.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Tight? Tense? Stressed? Simple Solutions for Having Tough Conversations
Talk is cheap. It costs nothing to speak, but the impact of words is often lasting and far reaching. If your words don’t match your actions, then they could have even greater ripple effects. When we search for answers to organizational issues, explanations as to why things happen and what our fate will be, we hang onto words as if they are the last slice of bread we will ever eat.
You must have heard:
• “Our people come first!”
• “We are seeking to meet the challenges of the marketplace”
• “We are in a competitive landscape”
Blah, blah, blah. That’s what this kind of talk sounds like to everyone. These clichés often waste key opportunities for meaningful communication. If you don’t seize these pivotal moments to have tough conversations, be honest, transparent and stop spinning and positioning, then your words will indeed have impact – but probably not the impact you intended.
Clients tell me when they hear words that sound like double talk they know that the speaker is either hiding something or what they are saying is untrue. Even worse is when it’s apparent that someone wants to avoid having a tough conversation and all his or her actions and body language speak exactly the opposite of what he or she is attempting to convey.
Before you speak in front of thousands, you need to learn the skills for having tough conversations one on one. If you can’t communicate to one then there’s no way you’ll be able to reinforce the message delivered to thousands. Luckily, most of us don’t manage thousands, we manage a few folks or even none. So how do you have those tough conversations?
Before you start the process of having a difficult conversation, you must evaluate:
1. Is it worth saying anything at all?
2. Is there another way to resolve this?
3. Are there other people that need to be involved?
4. Am I trying to change someone else or do I really need to shift something in myself?
For tough conversations, I have developed a step-by-step formula called the Tough Conversations B.D.A. (Before, During and After) Process. Most of my formulas are pretty simple, however the execution of them can take a lot of time, dedication and diligence. This blog will cover the “Before” process. Subsequent blogs will review the “During” and “After” processes. Here we go…
Before:
Take time to prepare for the difficult conversation. It enables you to see both sides of the issue, take full responsibility and move you to feeling empowered and secure before you have the actual conversation. Avoid the impulse to blurt out words, which can end up hurting everyone.
1. Know whom you are speaking to before you do – analyze their behaviors and values and create a plan of how to speak from their position and not yours. Golden rule: speak from your shoes, results not so great; from the other person’s shoes, stellar results
2. Feelings aren’t facts, so separate them – most of us lead with our feelings instead of examining the actual course of events. Do not ignore how you feel, however be careful to look at what’s true and what’s not. For example, maybe George said something that hurt your feelings but had no impact on the company, the department or anyone else
3. Envision the end result – envision your relationship in the future, complete with understanding, listening and learning
4. Evaluate contribution – if you must engage in a tough conversation with someone then realize that you too have helped create this difficult situation. Looking at your part allows space for both of you to take responsibility. One way to do this is:
o Consider the situation and feel the other person’s pain completely
o Think of how it could have had a better and more productive outcome
o Make a commitment for how and what you will take responsibility for
5. Journal – a great way to understand how you are feeling about the conversation and to get real about what you need
6. Stop and ask yourself the following questions:
o Feeling - What am I Feeling?
o Truth - What is the Truth?
o Learning - What am I meant to Learn?
o Responsibility – What Responsibility can I take?
o Action – What proactive Action can I take?
Tough conversations are “tough” for one reason – they challenge people. Your mastery of them will only help you to be a better leader – one who is much more effective at getting things done and building relationships. After all, isn’t this what it’s all about? People-centric leadership!
You must have heard:
• “Our people come first!”
• “We are seeking to meet the challenges of the marketplace”
• “We are in a competitive landscape”
Blah, blah, blah. That’s what this kind of talk sounds like to everyone. These clichés often waste key opportunities for meaningful communication. If you don’t seize these pivotal moments to have tough conversations, be honest, transparent and stop spinning and positioning, then your words will indeed have impact – but probably not the impact you intended.
Clients tell me when they hear words that sound like double talk they know that the speaker is either hiding something or what they are saying is untrue. Even worse is when it’s apparent that someone wants to avoid having a tough conversation and all his or her actions and body language speak exactly the opposite of what he or she is attempting to convey.
Before you speak in front of thousands, you need to learn the skills for having tough conversations one on one. If you can’t communicate to one then there’s no way you’ll be able to reinforce the message delivered to thousands. Luckily, most of us don’t manage thousands, we manage a few folks or even none. So how do you have those tough conversations?
Before you start the process of having a difficult conversation, you must evaluate:
1. Is it worth saying anything at all?
2. Is there another way to resolve this?
3. Are there other people that need to be involved?
4. Am I trying to change someone else or do I really need to shift something in myself?
For tough conversations, I have developed a step-by-step formula called the Tough Conversations B.D.A. (Before, During and After) Process. Most of my formulas are pretty simple, however the execution of them can take a lot of time, dedication and diligence. This blog will cover the “Before” process. Subsequent blogs will review the “During” and “After” processes. Here we go…
Before:
Take time to prepare for the difficult conversation. It enables you to see both sides of the issue, take full responsibility and move you to feeling empowered and secure before you have the actual conversation. Avoid the impulse to blurt out words, which can end up hurting everyone.
1. Know whom you are speaking to before you do – analyze their behaviors and values and create a plan of how to speak from their position and not yours. Golden rule: speak from your shoes, results not so great; from the other person’s shoes, stellar results
2. Feelings aren’t facts, so separate them – most of us lead with our feelings instead of examining the actual course of events. Do not ignore how you feel, however be careful to look at what’s true and what’s not. For example, maybe George said something that hurt your feelings but had no impact on the company, the department or anyone else
3. Envision the end result – envision your relationship in the future, complete with understanding, listening and learning
4. Evaluate contribution – if you must engage in a tough conversation with someone then realize that you too have helped create this difficult situation. Looking at your part allows space for both of you to take responsibility. One way to do this is:
o Consider the situation and feel the other person’s pain completely
o Think of how it could have had a better and more productive outcome
o Make a commitment for how and what you will take responsibility for
5. Journal – a great way to understand how you are feeling about the conversation and to get real about what you need
6. Stop and ask yourself the following questions:
o Feeling - What am I Feeling?
o Truth - What is the Truth?
o Learning - What am I meant to Learn?
o Responsibility – What Responsibility can I take?
o Action – What proactive Action can I take?
Tough conversations are “tough” for one reason – they challenge people. Your mastery of them will only help you to be a better leader – one who is much more effective at getting things done and building relationships. After all, isn’t this what it’s all about? People-centric leadership!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Working Change Free
According to The Conference Board CEO Challenge Survey, one of the chief challenges of CEO's is "stimulating innovation/creativity/enabling entrepreneurship." It’s a funny thing about inspiring such attributes…unless you currently measure your people by innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, your organization is going to need to undergo a major shift of thinking, processes and procedures in order to make this happen.
Let’s face it many organizations are exploring alternative strategies to enable them to operate more efficiently and to motivate their staff to become more creative, innovative and entrepreneurial. A strong leader knows you must change your game in order to get ahead. You can't live and work change free, even though most of us would like to be on the isle of denial for many years.
When times are as tough, getting things done becomes a top priority and asking people to think and be different is key. Here are clear pitfalls to avoid…
1) Waiting to change – If you are considering new paradigms to getting things done, you should implement those disruptive changes now. Organizations thrive through a process of pursuing and demanding change. The more uncomfortable the process the better. No great strides have ever been made by remaining idle. Create an environment where people of all ranks are given permission to engage in hearty and transparent dialogue; examine organizational and individual beliefs; inflame innovation; conceive a new future; negotiate and revise cultural norms; rekindle motivation; and ignite responsibility for team action. What you get: an organization focused on culture and people.
2) Blaming others – When times are tough, it’s essential to pioneer unconditional responsibility. Claim your role in every action with humility and ensure others do the same. Align your words with your actions and make it clear what accountability measures you will take if your words and actions run out of alignment. The strength and character of your leadership and your definition of teamwork is tested by the degree of responsibility you take. You are solely responsible at the end of the day for everything you do. Innovation comes out of responsibility. What you get: leaders.
3) No talking or talking without significance - Talk is cheap, meaningful words are priceless. Create venues for unconditional honesty; demand dialogue; use language that demonstrates transparency; ask provocative questions that probe and evoke curiosity; and share information with velocity. Settle for nothing less. What you get: merciless merging of strategic plan with market/economy, also competitive analysis, proficient people and dramatic results.
4) Flaky actions, plans and priorities - Connect all meaningful actions with strategic plans and larger organizational priorities. Make everything clear. Ensure that there’s a common approach and common language. The strength and clarity of the link will determine who, how and when it all gets done. Re-examine with vigor. What you get: harmonized people, priorities and results.
5) Keeping people in their seats – It does no one any good to let poor performers languish. Create “score cards” for each employee. Provide hands on mentoring, coaching and training within a timeframe. If your employees don’t improve quickly, either move them out of the company or out of the department. What you get: performers in each role and a rigorous examination of progress.
In such dynamic times, it’s easy to go with the flow, but in reality, careful examination and investment is critical to your progress. Request that employees show up and allow their voices to be heard powerfully. This places ownership on your people and enables them to shape their future.
Let’s face it many organizations are exploring alternative strategies to enable them to operate more efficiently and to motivate their staff to become more creative, innovative and entrepreneurial. A strong leader knows you must change your game in order to get ahead. You can't live and work change free, even though most of us would like to be on the isle of denial for many years.
When times are as tough, getting things done becomes a top priority and asking people to think and be different is key. Here are clear pitfalls to avoid…
1) Waiting to change – If you are considering new paradigms to getting things done, you should implement those disruptive changes now. Organizations thrive through a process of pursuing and demanding change. The more uncomfortable the process the better. No great strides have ever been made by remaining idle. Create an environment where people of all ranks are given permission to engage in hearty and transparent dialogue; examine organizational and individual beliefs; inflame innovation; conceive a new future; negotiate and revise cultural norms; rekindle motivation; and ignite responsibility for team action. What you get: an organization focused on culture and people.
2) Blaming others – When times are tough, it’s essential to pioneer unconditional responsibility. Claim your role in every action with humility and ensure others do the same. Align your words with your actions and make it clear what accountability measures you will take if your words and actions run out of alignment. The strength and character of your leadership and your definition of teamwork is tested by the degree of responsibility you take. You are solely responsible at the end of the day for everything you do. Innovation comes out of responsibility. What you get: leaders.
3) No talking or talking without significance - Talk is cheap, meaningful words are priceless. Create venues for unconditional honesty; demand dialogue; use language that demonstrates transparency; ask provocative questions that probe and evoke curiosity; and share information with velocity. Settle for nothing less. What you get: merciless merging of strategic plan with market/economy, also competitive analysis, proficient people and dramatic results.
4) Flaky actions, plans and priorities - Connect all meaningful actions with strategic plans and larger organizational priorities. Make everything clear. Ensure that there’s a common approach and common language. The strength and clarity of the link will determine who, how and when it all gets done. Re-examine with vigor. What you get: harmonized people, priorities and results.
5) Keeping people in their seats – It does no one any good to let poor performers languish. Create “score cards” for each employee. Provide hands on mentoring, coaching and training within a timeframe. If your employees don’t improve quickly, either move them out of the company or out of the department. What you get: performers in each role and a rigorous examination of progress.
In such dynamic times, it’s easy to go with the flow, but in reality, careful examination and investment is critical to your progress. Request that employees show up and allow their voices to be heard powerfully. This places ownership on your people and enables them to shape their future.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Align Foot Soldiers With Visionaries
No two people are alike. Even if you compare one person’s fingerprint with another they will be different, one person’s personality to another, it would be different, one person’s specific likes and dislikes, it would be different. Organizations are similar. They are comprised of people who have different traits, characteristics and strengths. The success of the organization is contingent upon the mix of people – the confluence of strengths and values mixed with those who are great “doers” and those who are great visionaries.
Every army needs a mix of both, the foot soldiers who physically engage in battle day to day and the generals who can oversee them. If you have an army with only soldiers there will be bedlam with no strategic direction and oversight. Who would oversee the overall battle and determine which moves need to be made in order for there to be a build up for victory?
A general without soldiers is a battle that is non-existent. Generals may be the chief strategists and even be the cause for fighting, however there will be nothing gained without soldiers who can execute these plans. Just imagine a general shouting, “Run up the hill!” to no one actually in the field to do the running.
Just because you have a mix of foot soldiers and visionaries, does not guarantee organizational success. Joe may be a great strategist, however he can be horrible at aligning teams. Sarah, may be wonderful at inputting financial data, however she cannot follow direction. The mix of the “right” people in the right jobs with clear expectations and accountability ensures success.
Here are some tips:
1) Appreciate everyone on your team.
A simple “thank you” or “great job” doesn’t get you far. “Thank you’s” are cheap and easy to say. If you have a powerful desire to manage your team and create a motivational environment, you’ll need a lot more than a “thank you”. Have your comments mean something. When formulating how you will verbalize your appreciation, consider utilizing the following formula:
• Details - what action was done, how they went above and beyond, how they united groups, etc.
• Jot it - write down and keep it as a record.
• Intention – what is your intention by communicating this praise?
• Environment – where do you want to give the praise? What is the proper environment? E.g. at an all-hands meeting, one-on-one weekly check-in.
• Say it - communicate your praise with enthusiasm and an eye towards developing the person.
2) Examine
You may have a great visionary who is not so great at the details. You may have someone who is great at handling the day to day and not a great visionary. You need a combination of both to succeed. Make sure you are examining each person’s strengths and ensure the role they are in sets them up for the greatest success.
3) Develop talents
Develop individual and group talents accordingly. It’s not enough to simply know someone is strong in their job; it’s critical to spend time in developing the person’s talents. The more an employee feels you devote consideration and attention to them and are dedicated to their development, the greater chances for them to succeed.
4) Constantly recruit
You never know when you will need to hire. You just don’t want to hire anyone you want the person who will be the perfect fit. Finding foot soldiers or visionaries takes time, effort and energy. Why wait until you need to fill a position to recruit and then sift through hundreds of resumes? Recruit now. Scope out the best of the best. Take them out for coffee or a meal. The least that will happen is you’ll meet a good person that you can network with in the future.
When you align foot soldiers and visionaries you get the right people in the right jobs performing at a high level. The success of your organization will soar and your people will be sought after and recognized both inside and outside of your organization.
Every army needs a mix of both, the foot soldiers who physically engage in battle day to day and the generals who can oversee them. If you have an army with only soldiers there will be bedlam with no strategic direction and oversight. Who would oversee the overall battle and determine which moves need to be made in order for there to be a build up for victory?
A general without soldiers is a battle that is non-existent. Generals may be the chief strategists and even be the cause for fighting, however there will be nothing gained without soldiers who can execute these plans. Just imagine a general shouting, “Run up the hill!” to no one actually in the field to do the running.
Just because you have a mix of foot soldiers and visionaries, does not guarantee organizational success. Joe may be a great strategist, however he can be horrible at aligning teams. Sarah, may be wonderful at inputting financial data, however she cannot follow direction. The mix of the “right” people in the right jobs with clear expectations and accountability ensures success.
Here are some tips:
1) Appreciate everyone on your team.
A simple “thank you” or “great job” doesn’t get you far. “Thank you’s” are cheap and easy to say. If you have a powerful desire to manage your team and create a motivational environment, you’ll need a lot more than a “thank you”. Have your comments mean something. When formulating how you will verbalize your appreciation, consider utilizing the following formula:
• Details - what action was done, how they went above and beyond, how they united groups, etc.
• Jot it - write down and keep it as a record.
• Intention – what is your intention by communicating this praise?
• Environment – where do you want to give the praise? What is the proper environment? E.g. at an all-hands meeting, one-on-one weekly check-in.
• Say it - communicate your praise with enthusiasm and an eye towards developing the person.
2) Examine
You may have a great visionary who is not so great at the details. You may have someone who is great at handling the day to day and not a great visionary. You need a combination of both to succeed. Make sure you are examining each person’s strengths and ensure the role they are in sets them up for the greatest success.
3) Develop talents
Develop individual and group talents accordingly. It’s not enough to simply know someone is strong in their job; it’s critical to spend time in developing the person’s talents. The more an employee feels you devote consideration and attention to them and are dedicated to their development, the greater chances for them to succeed.
4) Constantly recruit
You never know when you will need to hire. You just don’t want to hire anyone you want the person who will be the perfect fit. Finding foot soldiers or visionaries takes time, effort and energy. Why wait until you need to fill a position to recruit and then sift through hundreds of resumes? Recruit now. Scope out the best of the best. Take them out for coffee or a meal. The least that will happen is you’ll meet a good person that you can network with in the future.
When you align foot soldiers and visionaries you get the right people in the right jobs performing at a high level. The success of your organization will soar and your people will be sought after and recognized both inside and outside of your organization.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Bold Leadership Takes Center Stage
Being a strong leader is not easy and when done right, you can revolutionize a company. Let's take a page from a high level executive who was anointed to a superstar title in the movie industry. With this enormous opportunity so has come the challenges. Rich Ross is the Chairman of the Walt Disney Company and since he was promoted to this position in late 2009, he has shown a strong theme of leadership.
He has taken hold of a renowned and recognized brand and is doing what he does best, reinventing it. At Disney Channel as head of the network, he build mega powerhouse franchises such as "Hannah Montana," "That's So Raven" and "Wizards of Waverly Place."
I admire Rich Ross quite a bit. Years ago I worked with him first at Fox and then at Disney. He has always demonstrated a mix of fearlessness and innovation with a fierce look at the big picture and the bottom line. He is a master of taking one brand and repurposing it in different avenues such as film, online, merchandise, etc.
Surely taking over at Disney could not have been easy. Ross has moved around lots of people inside the company. He has cleaned house, while promoting some people and making non-traditional decisions. Ross focuses on the people - getting the right ones in place and jealously safeguarding star performers.
In the search for a new Chief Marketing Officer for Walt Disney Studios, Daily Variety states, "Ross had been adamant about hiring someone from outside Hollywood. He wanted someone with fresh ideas, especially an exec that knew how to effectively use digital platforms to attract younger ticket buyers. He also wanted an exec with experience in launching new consumer products."
Ross' recent non-traditional hire was today. He hired MT Carney as the new Chief Marketing Officer for Walt Disney Studios and she fits in perfectly with Ross' "think-different" approach. She will oversee a $400 million budget for marketing and distribution under Walt Disney Pictures and Touchstone and has never handled the rollout or launch of any film, no less a major studio film.
Carney has been a successful executive who founded a media planning company that has been successful by steering away from traditional advertising. She doesn't have heaps of entertainment experience, however she does in the arena of launching new consumer products for companies such as like Coca-Cola, Unilever, Kimberly-Clark, Johnson & Johnson, Nokia and Nike.
What Ross' leadership demonstrates is that leading and running a business as we've done it will not work today. You can say "well it's the recession" that causes new thinking, however Ross shows that innovation and creativity must be the fabric of every leader. Making tough choices and tough decisions catapults an organization and shows employees, you too can make a powerful difference.
On a personal note...Thank you Rich for this lesson and for the bold moves you are making and for all you have taught me too.
He has taken hold of a renowned and recognized brand and is doing what he does best, reinventing it. At Disney Channel as head of the network, he build mega powerhouse franchises such as "Hannah Montana," "That's So Raven" and "Wizards of Waverly Place."
I admire Rich Ross quite a bit. Years ago I worked with him first at Fox and then at Disney. He has always demonstrated a mix of fearlessness and innovation with a fierce look at the big picture and the bottom line. He is a master of taking one brand and repurposing it in different avenues such as film, online, merchandise, etc.
Surely taking over at Disney could not have been easy. Ross has moved around lots of people inside the company. He has cleaned house, while promoting some people and making non-traditional decisions. Ross focuses on the people - getting the right ones in place and jealously safeguarding star performers.
In the search for a new Chief Marketing Officer for Walt Disney Studios, Daily Variety states, "Ross had been adamant about hiring someone from outside Hollywood. He wanted someone with fresh ideas, especially an exec that knew how to effectively use digital platforms to attract younger ticket buyers. He also wanted an exec with experience in launching new consumer products."
Ross' recent non-traditional hire was today. He hired MT Carney as the new Chief Marketing Officer for Walt Disney Studios and she fits in perfectly with Ross' "think-different" approach. She will oversee a $400 million budget for marketing and distribution under Walt Disney Pictures and Touchstone and has never handled the rollout or launch of any film, no less a major studio film.
Carney has been a successful executive who founded a media planning company that has been successful by steering away from traditional advertising. She doesn't have heaps of entertainment experience, however she does in the arena of launching new consumer products for companies such as like Coca-Cola, Unilever, Kimberly-Clark, Johnson & Johnson, Nokia and Nike.
What Ross' leadership demonstrates is that leading and running a business as we've done it will not work today. You can say "well it's the recession" that causes new thinking, however Ross shows that innovation and creativity must be the fabric of every leader. Making tough choices and tough decisions catapults an organization and shows employees, you too can make a powerful difference.
On a personal note...Thank you Rich for this lesson and for the bold moves you are making and for all you have taught me too.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
When Rah Rah Becomes Blah Blah
Organizations and leaders are big on the rah rah to get employees excited and motivated to take action. It doesn't last. In fact it does the opposite. Employees get completely excited for two minutes - "yes, I'm on board!", and then their excitement drops to skepticism - "wonder what this means...layoffs, turnover, merging groups or is this just a lot of talk".
Rah rah for the crowd seems like a great idea, however if it's not backed up with meaningful words and actions, you will lose buy in quickly. Also, if you are a leader who is more introverted, then living up to the expectation of rah rah will leave the masses greatly disappointed, including you. Being true to who you are and utilizing words that have meaning are two qualities of a strong leader.
Before scheduling that big ol company meeting or deciding to make a grand announcement, ensure you have a strategy in place to take lofty words into action. In 30 days you want people to be able to see some difference, however minor. Communicate clearly, early and often and gain a reputation for doing so. Better to be known as someone who delivers rather than a leader who whoops up the masses with little results. Show others how they can succeed over and over and over again.
Now that's the kind of rah rah we can all believe in.
Rah rah for the crowd seems like a great idea, however if it's not backed up with meaningful words and actions, you will lose buy in quickly. Also, if you are a leader who is more introverted, then living up to the expectation of rah rah will leave the masses greatly disappointed, including you. Being true to who you are and utilizing words that have meaning are two qualities of a strong leader.
Before scheduling that big ol company meeting or deciding to make a grand announcement, ensure you have a strategy in place to take lofty words into action. In 30 days you want people to be able to see some difference, however minor. Communicate clearly, early and often and gain a reputation for doing so. Better to be known as someone who delivers rather than a leader who whoops up the masses with little results. Show others how they can succeed over and over and over again.
Now that's the kind of rah rah we can all believe in.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Building Your Value
Want to give yourself an extra boost of visibility and build your value? Here's a daily three-step checklist to ensure you are elevating your brand:
1) Check in with your boss - find out what is on your boss' agenda, what is most vital to them for the day and see to it you become a resource for helping your boss get it done. Or, take something off of their plate to ease up their workload so they can get a pressing issue done.
2) Check in with your direct reports - find out what is most pressing for them today, how are they doing on projects you delegated to them and what issues are coming up for them. Ensure your people are also networking internally and externally to build value for your team. Good will goes a long way.
3) Check in with your peers - what is most pressing for your peers and most importantly, how can you help. Being a trusted resource to those you work closely with will only build your value.
As you make this three-step check in process an integral part of your work day, you will suddenly see more people thinking about you, giving you more exciting projects, wanting to hear your opinions and turning to you as a key advisor. This is one investment that will return dividends far beyond your imagination and put you on the map as a high valued employee.
1) Check in with your boss - find out what is on your boss' agenda, what is most vital to them for the day and see to it you become a resource for helping your boss get it done. Or, take something off of their plate to ease up their workload so they can get a pressing issue done.
2) Check in with your direct reports - find out what is most pressing for them today, how are they doing on projects you delegated to them and what issues are coming up for them. Ensure your people are also networking internally and externally to build value for your team. Good will goes a long way.
3) Check in with your peers - what is most pressing for your peers and most importantly, how can you help. Being a trusted resource to those you work closely with will only build your value.
As you make this three-step check in process an integral part of your work day, you will suddenly see more people thinking about you, giving you more exciting projects, wanting to hear your opinions and turning to you as a key advisor. This is one investment that will return dividends far beyond your imagination and put you on the map as a high valued employee.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Living Change Free
In the recent book Switch by Chip and Dan Heath, they describe the way humans think about any and all issues. There’s the right side, tied to analytical and problem solving and the left, which is tied to our emotions.
During times of change you may rationally know the organization is to go in a new direction, however your emotional side likes the old way of doing systems and is comfortable with the systems already in place. So what happens? The organization may shift, however the employees don’t. Both your analytical and emotional sides need to align in order to really move and desire the change.
However when organizations are changing, do they communicate the change to our right and left sides of our brains? Not so much. Someone with a swanky title stands at a podium, says some nice things that most people won’t understand because the dialogue seems merely like rhetoric. If the leader is showing umpteen numbers of Power Point slides that’s even more of a snore and potentially more confusing. All employees hear are “here we go again…what does this mean…I hope I don’t get fired.” And so employee motivation is nil.
As Chip Heath points out, the US Congress long ago changed the national speed limit to 55 miles per hour. Did that change behavior? If you live in Los Angeles and drive the freeways at all hours of the day when the freeways are free of traffic, 55 mile per hour speed limit mirrors wishful thinking.
David Cooperrider who created the leadership modality, Appreciative Inquiry believes if you focus on the good stuff you’ll get more of it. People are inspired by great success stories. If a leader whose organization is going through change pointed out the last time there were changes how successfully the employee population leveraged their key strengths to make the change a victory, I bet you there would be plenty of people really motivated. At least employees would have a visual image that this change too can be done and we can come through it with the same degree or more of success than was experienced before.
When you build on strengths and empower employees to do so, change is not seen as moving a huge barge. It’s seen as something that’s tough and it can be done because we’ve done it before.
And please don’t look to change your organization by mirroring someone else’s. How about looking within, at your own history to see how you have worked change well. What were your proudest moments? Who was involved? How did teams and individuals interact? How about mirroring your internal case studies instead of someone else’s?
It’s easy to focus on what is not working, however if you can become a leader who can focus on what is working well and leverage the best of what is, betcha you’ll find a whole group of people around you more apt to do the heavy lifting that is required to move your organization to new heights.
During times of change you may rationally know the organization is to go in a new direction, however your emotional side likes the old way of doing systems and is comfortable with the systems already in place. So what happens? The organization may shift, however the employees don’t. Both your analytical and emotional sides need to align in order to really move and desire the change.
However when organizations are changing, do they communicate the change to our right and left sides of our brains? Not so much. Someone with a swanky title stands at a podium, says some nice things that most people won’t understand because the dialogue seems merely like rhetoric. If the leader is showing umpteen numbers of Power Point slides that’s even more of a snore and potentially more confusing. All employees hear are “here we go again…what does this mean…I hope I don’t get fired.” And so employee motivation is nil.
As Chip Heath points out, the US Congress long ago changed the national speed limit to 55 miles per hour. Did that change behavior? If you live in Los Angeles and drive the freeways at all hours of the day when the freeways are free of traffic, 55 mile per hour speed limit mirrors wishful thinking.
David Cooperrider who created the leadership modality, Appreciative Inquiry believes if you focus on the good stuff you’ll get more of it. People are inspired by great success stories. If a leader whose organization is going through change pointed out the last time there were changes how successfully the employee population leveraged their key strengths to make the change a victory, I bet you there would be plenty of people really motivated. At least employees would have a visual image that this change too can be done and we can come through it with the same degree or more of success than was experienced before.
When you build on strengths and empower employees to do so, change is not seen as moving a huge barge. It’s seen as something that’s tough and it can be done because we’ve done it before.
And please don’t look to change your organization by mirroring someone else’s. How about looking within, at your own history to see how you have worked change well. What were your proudest moments? Who was involved? How did teams and individuals interact? How about mirroring your internal case studies instead of someone else’s?
It’s easy to focus on what is not working, however if you can become a leader who can focus on what is working well and leverage the best of what is, betcha you’ll find a whole group of people around you more apt to do the heavy lifting that is required to move your organization to new heights.
Monday, March 15, 2010
10 Reasons the Bad Economy is Great for Your Leadership
There are so many reasons to bemoan the economy as creating havoc with our organizations, businesses, lives and well-being. After all, why not? The economy has left leaders and employees in organizations scrambling with a lot more to do with fewer resources and greater demands. Sure, you can see it that way and then there’s another way…
Economic downturn creates the opportunity for leaders to rise above the chatter to become more opportunistic. It’s not easy, no one ever said it was and still we all have a choice…to moan in our office, be unhappy, stressed, overworked and overwhelmed or get on the surf board and ride the wave of opportunity. There’s money, promotions and heaps of learning waiting for you.
Here’s the top ten reasons why the bad economy is good for your leadership:
1. Challenge the status quo - Ask “what if” questions. Recent research published in the Harvard Business Review states the most effective leaders "are much more likely to ask 'What if' questions. Visionaries tend to ask heaps of questions and they challenge the status quo. Want to know what separates leaders such as Michael Dell from the rest, question and experiment. If you want to be safe, get a seat belt.
2. Great talent is everywhere - Great talent is on the market, begin recruiting now. Even if your organization cannot hire, meet people your friends recommend. If you have an open position and see someone you like and for some reason you can’t hire them now, keep their resume, you will hire them later.
3. Innovate - Companies seeking to increase profits are looking for solid ideas – great time for innovation.
4. Delegate juicy projects - Employees are distracted by the economy; delegate “juicy” projects to those you are looking to develop. Juicy projects are those that employees want to work on because it aligns with their interests and strengths. No greater way to get someone more invested then to give them a project where they can learn and shine.
5. Leverage your coaching abilities - With fewer dollars to spend on external resources, companies are looking for leaders to step up and be stellar coaches.
6. Become an internal ambassador - When times are tough companies are looking for new ways to utilize each and every resource. Introduce people internally to each other, suggest new ways for departments to work together, seek out new efficiencies. You will save your organization lots of time and money.
7. Network - To generate great ideas and to test out great ideas, not simply to promote yourself (Jeff Dyer, Brigham Young University professor suggests).
8. Focus on developing your internal talent - It’s a paradox, the economy has put many more highly qualified people in the market and still, some organizations are under a hiring freeze. What are you to do? Grow, groom and hone your talent. No, this is not a game or a test or a luxury. Investment in your people grows cash and makes you look good too. A leader is measured by the people they hire and grow, not simply by your own talents.
9. Huddle up for seven - Organizations such as 1-800 JUNK are using daily 7 minute huddle ups of everyone in the company as ways for employees to tout their success and to share what’s new. Don’t you have seven minutes to inspire your employees?
10. Sharpen your focus – with fewer people/resources and with everything being “seemingly” important, now more than ever is the opportunity to focus and cut away the clutter. Now is the time to have a systematic way to begin and end your day. There will always be more to do, however bookending your day with what is most important and scheduling a check in with yourself once a day will ensure you keep on track.
Leadership is a process, not an event. External circumstances will always throw a curve ball into the process. Those who can catch the ball and throw it back with greater vigor will be the ones who shine among the crowd. And wouldn’t you want to catapult your image in a crowded marketplace?
Economic downturn creates the opportunity for leaders to rise above the chatter to become more opportunistic. It’s not easy, no one ever said it was and still we all have a choice…to moan in our office, be unhappy, stressed, overworked and overwhelmed or get on the surf board and ride the wave of opportunity. There’s money, promotions and heaps of learning waiting for you.
Here’s the top ten reasons why the bad economy is good for your leadership:
1. Challenge the status quo - Ask “what if” questions. Recent research published in the Harvard Business Review states the most effective leaders "are much more likely to ask 'What if' questions. Visionaries tend to ask heaps of questions and they challenge the status quo. Want to know what separates leaders such as Michael Dell from the rest, question and experiment. If you want to be safe, get a seat belt.
2. Great talent is everywhere - Great talent is on the market, begin recruiting now. Even if your organization cannot hire, meet people your friends recommend. If you have an open position and see someone you like and for some reason you can’t hire them now, keep their resume, you will hire them later.
3. Innovate - Companies seeking to increase profits are looking for solid ideas – great time for innovation.
4. Delegate juicy projects - Employees are distracted by the economy; delegate “juicy” projects to those you are looking to develop. Juicy projects are those that employees want to work on because it aligns with their interests and strengths. No greater way to get someone more invested then to give them a project where they can learn and shine.
5. Leverage your coaching abilities - With fewer dollars to spend on external resources, companies are looking for leaders to step up and be stellar coaches.
6. Become an internal ambassador - When times are tough companies are looking for new ways to utilize each and every resource. Introduce people internally to each other, suggest new ways for departments to work together, seek out new efficiencies. You will save your organization lots of time and money.
7. Network - To generate great ideas and to test out great ideas, not simply to promote yourself (Jeff Dyer, Brigham Young University professor suggests).
8. Focus on developing your internal talent - It’s a paradox, the economy has put many more highly qualified people in the market and still, some organizations are under a hiring freeze. What are you to do? Grow, groom and hone your talent. No, this is not a game or a test or a luxury. Investment in your people grows cash and makes you look good too. A leader is measured by the people they hire and grow, not simply by your own talents.
9. Huddle up for seven - Organizations such as 1-800 JUNK are using daily 7 minute huddle ups of everyone in the company as ways for employees to tout their success and to share what’s new. Don’t you have seven minutes to inspire your employees?
10. Sharpen your focus – with fewer people/resources and with everything being “seemingly” important, now more than ever is the opportunity to focus and cut away the clutter. Now is the time to have a systematic way to begin and end your day. There will always be more to do, however bookending your day with what is most important and scheduling a check in with yourself once a day will ensure you keep on track.
Leadership is a process, not an event. External circumstances will always throw a curve ball into the process. Those who can catch the ball and throw it back with greater vigor will be the ones who shine among the crowd. And wouldn’t you want to catapult your image in a crowded marketplace?
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Positioning the Change
“One of our major initiative is investing in our people.” How many times have you heard this? A colleague and former client recently confided at an all-hands meeting the President stood up and proudly proclaimed this new organizational venture. I asked a logical question, “What does this mean?” She said, “I have no idea.”
Hmmm….
Organizations mean well and so do their top leaders. They want people to be valued and want to invest in their workforce, however the translation of it can leave people a little sour. Remember, “In the absence of information, people will make up their own.” And without being specific, a lot of interpretations can be made.
I wonder before the President got up and even made the statement, did he have the plans in place to back this all up? Were the people initiatives in place? What are they? What will be launched and when? Who were the people in the audience? Did he tailor his remarks? How will results of the initiatives be measured? Who will participate and when? And if he did have any of the information, why didn’t he share it in the moment? After all, he did have a captive audience!
Wonder what the President could have done differently? Let’s take a page from author William Bridges, a management transitions pr:
• You need to “sell” the issue that’s igniting the new initiative so employees can buy in and give you a big ol “yes.” It’s important for employees to buy in, when they do you’ll know it. Productivity, motivation, sales and innovation will increase. And if a change is communicated well, you’ll see dramatic increases. If not, then you know you have to go back to the drawing board.
• Write a positioning statement for the change. Preparation is key. Without taking the time to write something down, consider all ramifications, then you are setting yourself up for the “Scooby Doo” look. You know the one that I mean, it looks like you feel off a space ship and landed on a foreign planet and the only words out of your mouth sounds like “huh?”
• Before saying anything answer the following:
o What is the challenge? What is the situation that requires this change to solve it?
o Who says so and on what evidence?
o What would occur if no one acted to solve this?
o What would happen to us if that occurred?
o What is the upcoming change, exactly?
o What is ending and what is not (what is changing and what is not)
o Why is the change necessary?
o What is the purpose?
o When will more information about the change become available?
o How will this change be positive and provide continuity and longevity for the company?
• Use the information above about to write a first draft of a positioning statement and then a final draft.
Consider:
• When do you deliver the “positioning statement?”
• Where and to whom?
• How often is it delivered?
• In what format?
Once you have thought written a positioning statement and considered when and what format to deliver it, show the statement to other advocates and mentors and get their opinions. Buy in is critical.
Make sure the positioning statement is in alignment with the strategy created for the change. The one that puts your people first. After all, it’s the people who implement the changes and are the ones who make an initiative succeed or fail. And if you are reading this making a Scooby Doo-like face and the sound “huh” eeked out of your body, then it’s time to start again. Remember people +processes = profit/competitive edge/desired workplace. That’s a heck of a return on investment.
Hmmm….
Organizations mean well and so do their top leaders. They want people to be valued and want to invest in their workforce, however the translation of it can leave people a little sour. Remember, “In the absence of information, people will make up their own.” And without being specific, a lot of interpretations can be made.
I wonder before the President got up and even made the statement, did he have the plans in place to back this all up? Were the people initiatives in place? What are they? What will be launched and when? Who were the people in the audience? Did he tailor his remarks? How will results of the initiatives be measured? Who will participate and when? And if he did have any of the information, why didn’t he share it in the moment? After all, he did have a captive audience!
Wonder what the President could have done differently? Let’s take a page from author William Bridges, a management transitions pr:
• You need to “sell” the issue that’s igniting the new initiative so employees can buy in and give you a big ol “yes.” It’s important for employees to buy in, when they do you’ll know it. Productivity, motivation, sales and innovation will increase. And if a change is communicated well, you’ll see dramatic increases. If not, then you know you have to go back to the drawing board.
• Write a positioning statement for the change. Preparation is key. Without taking the time to write something down, consider all ramifications, then you are setting yourself up for the “Scooby Doo” look. You know the one that I mean, it looks like you feel off a space ship and landed on a foreign planet and the only words out of your mouth sounds like “huh?”
• Before saying anything answer the following:
o What is the challenge? What is the situation that requires this change to solve it?
o Who says so and on what evidence?
o What would occur if no one acted to solve this?
o What would happen to us if that occurred?
o What is the upcoming change, exactly?
o What is ending and what is not (what is changing and what is not)
o Why is the change necessary?
o What is the purpose?
o When will more information about the change become available?
o How will this change be positive and provide continuity and longevity for the company?
• Use the information above about to write a first draft of a positioning statement and then a final draft.
Consider:
• When do you deliver the “positioning statement?”
• Where and to whom?
• How often is it delivered?
• In what format?
Once you have thought written a positioning statement and considered when and what format to deliver it, show the statement to other advocates and mentors and get their opinions. Buy in is critical.
Make sure the positioning statement is in alignment with the strategy created for the change. The one that puts your people first. After all, it’s the people who implement the changes and are the ones who make an initiative succeed or fail. And if you are reading this making a Scooby Doo-like face and the sound “huh” eeked out of your body, then it’s time to start again. Remember people +processes = profit/competitive edge/desired workplace. That’s a heck of a return on investment.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Table Tennis Warren Buffet Style
Warren Buffet astounds me. He is one of the most successful investors in the world as well as a businessman and philanthropist. He is known for his personal frugality despite large amounts of wealth. It's not every day you witness someone giving away 85% of their fortune (to the Gates Foundation). He is the primary shareholder and CEO of a conglomerate holding company called, Berkshire Hathaway.
He did something I truly admire in a leader – he took responsibility. According to a recent article in The New York Times, last year he took himself to task for the company’s decline in book value. This year he was able to sing a higher note when he described to shareholders how he used the last 18 months to buy a string of assets that netted the company income of $8.1 billion last year. Sixty one percent higher than in 2008. He said, “It’s been an ideal period for investors: A climate of fear is their best friend.”
Usually we think of fear as the ultimate derailer. If I’m afraid, how can I move? How can I work? How can I thrive? How can I survive? However there is another paradigm…As Buffet, you can consider alternative solutions, ones that leverage innovation and people. Even if Buffet himself thought up all the ideas of where to invest and companies to acquire, he still needed people to execute these deals and without his people working in unison towards this goal, I wonder how much of the company income would have risen?
Fear can be a great leverage point if you know how to utilize it to motivate your workforce for new and innovative ways of thinking. How are organizations seizing on the fear that is pervasive in the market as well as in their boardrooms, staff offices and cubicles? How are organizations turning fear around to thrive in these economic times?
In recent weeks I wrote about Fortune Magazine’s list of the top companies that avoided layoffs during the economic downturn. Overall each invested in their people. They knew one clear point…if you don’t water a plant it whithers and oftentimes dies. Same is true with employees – if you don’t cultivate them they will leave, be stagnant or not get the job done well or at all.
Let’s take a page from Mercedes Benz ‘s management who looked inward to take a decisive step – “When management discovered that further cost reductions were unavoidable, the CEO and executive team (28 people total) accepted pay cuts. The tough choices paid off, resulting in a 10% total reduction of labor costs from mid-2009 to year-end. “
What a concept? All companies made tough choices in these rough economic times and still they put their people first, and by doing so were able to maintain their employee base while growing loyalty.
It does start with leadership. If you pave the way, employees will align. However leaders have to be willing to springboard innovation, creativity and lead by example. And you must take the time to engage and generate buy-in. Employees may not necessarily align and take initiative just because you want them to. Take a page from Warren Buffet…he invited shareholders to his company’s annual meeting and promised to play table tennis for spectators and urged them to buy goods and
He did something I truly admire in a leader – he took responsibility. According to a recent article in The New York Times, last year he took himself to task for the company’s decline in book value. This year he was able to sing a higher note when he described to shareholders how he used the last 18 months to buy a string of assets that netted the company income of $8.1 billion last year. Sixty one percent higher than in 2008. He said, “It’s been an ideal period for investors: A climate of fear is their best friend.”
Usually we think of fear as the ultimate derailer. If I’m afraid, how can I move? How can I work? How can I thrive? How can I survive? However there is another paradigm…As Buffet, you can consider alternative solutions, ones that leverage innovation and people. Even if Buffet himself thought up all the ideas of where to invest and companies to acquire, he still needed people to execute these deals and without his people working in unison towards this goal, I wonder how much of the company income would have risen?
Fear can be a great leverage point if you know how to utilize it to motivate your workforce for new and innovative ways of thinking. How are organizations seizing on the fear that is pervasive in the market as well as in their boardrooms, staff offices and cubicles? How are organizations turning fear around to thrive in these economic times?
In recent weeks I wrote about Fortune Magazine’s list of the top companies that avoided layoffs during the economic downturn. Overall each invested in their people. They knew one clear point…if you don’t water a plant it whithers and oftentimes dies. Same is true with employees – if you don’t cultivate them they will leave, be stagnant or not get the job done well or at all.
Let’s take a page from Mercedes Benz ‘s management who looked inward to take a decisive step – “When management discovered that further cost reductions were unavoidable, the CEO and executive team (28 people total) accepted pay cuts. The tough choices paid off, resulting in a 10% total reduction of labor costs from mid-2009 to year-end. “
What a concept? All companies made tough choices in these rough economic times and still they put their people first, and by doing so were able to maintain their employee base while growing loyalty.
It does start with leadership. If you pave the way, employees will align. However leaders have to be willing to springboard innovation, creativity and lead by example. And you must take the time to engage and generate buy-in. Employees may not necessarily align and take initiative just because you want them to. Take a page from Warren Buffet…he invited shareholders to his company’s annual meeting and promised to play table tennis for spectators and urged them to buy goods and
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Three Biggest Mistakes of Managing Up
Recently I had a conversation with John, a key senior level business leader, who pointed out that one of the most common mistakes employees make today is not managing up properly. John emphasized the importance of managing up saying, “It’s everything. It’s not talked about often, however if you don’t do it well, you simply don’t rise through the ranks. That may sound a little harsh, but it’s true.”
Managing up is an art and a skill that is rarely discussed. Consider some of the most common mistakes that affect managing up and how you can remedy them:
1) I know my boss and consider him/her a friend. Therefore, I know what kind of support my boss needs.
Truth: Most people don’t know how to manage up and can only make assumptions about their bosses’ needs. Eradicate speculation and start communicating.
Word from the coach: Ask your boss how he/she wants you to communicate with him/her. What materials does he/she need to see from you? Schedule meaningful one-on-ones with clear agendas and expectations. Ensure your meetings handle core issues clearly and honestly. Meeting just to meet is never beneficial for anyone. Make sure you create agreements that outline how you will communicate in times of bliss and crisis (know that the crisis times are the ones that will test your relationship).
2) Not managing your boss’s perceptions
Truth: All bosses have inherent perceptions about how work should be done. Some of these perceptions may be from their own past work experience and even performance reviews. Examples include things such as: getting your work done quickly shows you can work well under stress; coming in early and staying late shows commitment; coming in on the weekend to finish a project demonstrates diligence.
Word from the coach: Most of these perceptions are not spoken but rather implied. Managing these perceptions is critical to your success, so get them out in the open, talk about them and negotiate them. Supervisors would rather you get a project done well rather than finish it in two minutes. Sharing with your boss the process and progress of your work product helps to eradicate unspoken of perceptions.
3) Avoiding conflict
Truth: Experiencing conflict is not a sin. Conflict brings growth, fosters development and airs misperceptions. Yet, I found in a group session that I facilitated with advertising executives, most saw conflict as negative and something that should be avoided as much as possible. There’s a difference between confrontation and conflict. Confrontation involves hostility, whereas conflict merely arises from a difference of opinions.
Word from the coach: Before you say something that may be in opposition to what your boss thinks, set your intention. If your intention is to provide maximum value to the organization at all times, then the words you speak will echo this sentiment. If your intention is to “set your boss straight”, then be prepared for a harsh exchange of words. It’s up to you to determine the starting point…
Managing up is one of the greatest skills a manager or leader can possess. Dedicate yourself to excelling at this skill and your reputation and value to the company will be recognized -- guaranteed.
Managing up is an art and a skill that is rarely discussed. Consider some of the most common mistakes that affect managing up and how you can remedy them:
1) I know my boss and consider him/her a friend. Therefore, I know what kind of support my boss needs.
Truth: Most people don’t know how to manage up and can only make assumptions about their bosses’ needs. Eradicate speculation and start communicating.
Word from the coach: Ask your boss how he/she wants you to communicate with him/her. What materials does he/she need to see from you? Schedule meaningful one-on-ones with clear agendas and expectations. Ensure your meetings handle core issues clearly and honestly. Meeting just to meet is never beneficial for anyone. Make sure you create agreements that outline how you will communicate in times of bliss and crisis (know that the crisis times are the ones that will test your relationship).
2) Not managing your boss’s perceptions
Truth: All bosses have inherent perceptions about how work should be done. Some of these perceptions may be from their own past work experience and even performance reviews. Examples include things such as: getting your work done quickly shows you can work well under stress; coming in early and staying late shows commitment; coming in on the weekend to finish a project demonstrates diligence.
Word from the coach: Most of these perceptions are not spoken but rather implied. Managing these perceptions is critical to your success, so get them out in the open, talk about them and negotiate them. Supervisors would rather you get a project done well rather than finish it in two minutes. Sharing with your boss the process and progress of your work product helps to eradicate unspoken of perceptions.
3) Avoiding conflict
Truth: Experiencing conflict is not a sin. Conflict brings growth, fosters development and airs misperceptions. Yet, I found in a group session that I facilitated with advertising executives, most saw conflict as negative and something that should be avoided as much as possible. There’s a difference between confrontation and conflict. Confrontation involves hostility, whereas conflict merely arises from a difference of opinions.
Word from the coach: Before you say something that may be in opposition to what your boss thinks, set your intention. If your intention is to provide maximum value to the organization at all times, then the words you speak will echo this sentiment. If your intention is to “set your boss straight”, then be prepared for a harsh exchange of words. It’s up to you to determine the starting point…
Managing up is one of the greatest skills a manager or leader can possess. Dedicate yourself to excelling at this skill and your reputation and value to the company will be recognized -- guaranteed.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Golden Rule Takes Flight
When recently reading an article in Business Week entitled, "The Ten Management Practices to Axe," I was struck by the soundness of most of author Liz Ryan's top ten management practices companies should be rid of:
1) Forced employee ranking - when you evaluate your employees against one another, to see who's most critical on the team and who's most expendable
2) Front-loaded recruiting systems - when you are forced to undergo background checks, assessments, perhaps even giving your over your first born before you are considered for the position
3) Overdone policy manuals - the ones that are 500 pages too long:)
4) Social media thought police - not allowing employees to engage in sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn during office hours
5) Rules that force employees to lie - such as withholding medical information for fear of not being covered
6) Theft of airline miles
7) Jack-booted layoffs - when firing someone they are given an immediate boot out the door
8)360-degree feedback programs - teaching good management practices instead
9) Mandatory performance-review bell curves - scale rating of employees, instead of setting high standards for employee reviews and raising them annually
10) Timekeeping - obsession around arrival and departure times, "using fractions of sick and personal days to attend to pressing life situations"
It's true, there are so many management and leadership books on the market, some ill conceived "best practices" have taken root and booted some good solid behaviors. What's missing from this list is the most critical element, people come first - period, end of sentence. In all of our creating of systems and processes we've forgotten the basic tenant, the "golden rule." Remember that one...the one that states every person has a right to fair and just treatment, and each of us have a responsibility to ensure this justice for each other.
Where did the golden rule go in the mix? Organizations can't be run like street side lemonade stands, however as long as organizations take the eye off the golden rule, the rest is just a shifting of the chairs. In fact, working at a lemonade stand may sound really great if your organization is scoring you like cattle and throwing you out the door after 15 years of service.
Let me save you some time from reading the countless numbers of leadership books...live by the golden rule or the old "love thy neighbor as thyself." Unless we learn how to care for the people side of the business, our businesses won't function very well for very long. You won't hear experts talk of it in these terms. Schmanzy language such as "third quarter earnings were down" is how they will cite it. If you took a microscope to the people side of the business, how would the organization fare in the long run?
This suggestion is to you my dear leader...when deciding what new business book to read, remember the golden rule, the rest is just commentary.
1) Forced employee ranking - when you evaluate your employees against one another, to see who's most critical on the team and who's most expendable
2) Front-loaded recruiting systems - when you are forced to undergo background checks, assessments, perhaps even giving your over your first born before you are considered for the position
3) Overdone policy manuals - the ones that are 500 pages too long:)
4) Social media thought police - not allowing employees to engage in sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn during office hours
5) Rules that force employees to lie - such as withholding medical information for fear of not being covered
6) Theft of airline miles
7) Jack-booted layoffs - when firing someone they are given an immediate boot out the door
8)360-degree feedback programs - teaching good management practices instead
9) Mandatory performance-review bell curves - scale rating of employees, instead of setting high standards for employee reviews and raising them annually
10) Timekeeping - obsession around arrival and departure times, "using fractions of sick and personal days to attend to pressing life situations"
It's true, there are so many management and leadership books on the market, some ill conceived "best practices" have taken root and booted some good solid behaviors. What's missing from this list is the most critical element, people come first - period, end of sentence. In all of our creating of systems and processes we've forgotten the basic tenant, the "golden rule." Remember that one...the one that states every person has a right to fair and just treatment, and each of us have a responsibility to ensure this justice for each other.
Where did the golden rule go in the mix? Organizations can't be run like street side lemonade stands, however as long as organizations take the eye off the golden rule, the rest is just a shifting of the chairs. In fact, working at a lemonade stand may sound really great if your organization is scoring you like cattle and throwing you out the door after 15 years of service.
Let me save you some time from reading the countless numbers of leadership books...live by the golden rule or the old "love thy neighbor as thyself." Unless we learn how to care for the people side of the business, our businesses won't function very well for very long. You won't hear experts talk of it in these terms. Schmanzy language such as "third quarter earnings were down" is how they will cite it. If you took a microscope to the people side of the business, how would the organization fare in the long run?
This suggestion is to you my dear leader...when deciding what new business book to read, remember the golden rule, the rest is just commentary.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Permission to Hide
I love electronics. Ever since I was a kid I had the latest and greatest gadget on the market. Remember when Sharp came out with one of the first electronic organizer? I had to have it! Drove my mom nuts until I had that rectangular electronic mega system in my hands. Of course I needed it to input all necessary information such as the next party, dates, outings with friends, etc. You know, life necessities.
Today electronic communication has been elevated to a new art. Blogging, texting, video blogging, emailing, instant messaging…the list could go on and on and surely will over the next decade and beyond. I miss though the simple things. Getting into an elevator and saying a simple “hello” and smiling. Oftentimes the person standing next to you in the elevator is so busy on their BlackBerry you wonder how they don’t miss their floor. I am equally guilty of it. Although, my favorite electronic moment was watching two friends text each other as they are sitting right next to each other. Perhaps we need to introduce the concept of “live dialogue?”
Electronic communication has given us the gift of reconnecting with old friends, old flames and even allows us to peer into our past as a voyeur – “I wonder what Jonathan Lewin really does look like 25 years later?”
In the workplace electronics can help speed up the transmission of information and it can also cause a huge backlash of miscommunication. A recent Wall Street Journal article (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704259304575043491348109012.html?mod=dist_smartbrief) cited a top list of email misuses, ala email mistakes. Included were vague subject lines; burying the news; hiding behind the “BCC” field, failing to clean up the mess of earlier replies/forwards; ignoring grammar; avoiding necessarily long emails; mashing everything together into bulky, imposing, inaccessible paragraphs; neglecting human beings at the other end; thinking email works best; and forgetting that email last forever are egregious mistakes. Bottom line…electronic communication gives us permission to put our heads in the sand and not have real and meaningful dialogue.
Email, texting, instant messaging, etc. gives us the comfort of a computer screen and a keyboard, aka a buffer to being physically present with another person. Statistics show that over 93% of all communication is non-verbal so what are we giving each other? 7%. That’s right – 7%. With all of this communication we miss out on the subtleties of eye contact, shifting in chairs, folded arms, grimaces and grins, shifting body posture to either say, “yes, I’m excited” or “nope, I could care less”. Even telephone calls are better. Picking up a phone and hearing the tone in someone’s voice allows you to peer into what is really going on. If Sam is reluctant to take on a project you may not see it in an email, you may pick it up strongly in his voice.
One on one in-person or telephone conversations creates relationships, unity and enhances teamwork. Today, make another choice. Pick up the phone, walk down the hall, smile and speak to the person you were going to email. You never know how this small step will create huge dividends.
Today electronic communication has been elevated to a new art. Blogging, texting, video blogging, emailing, instant messaging…the list could go on and on and surely will over the next decade and beyond. I miss though the simple things. Getting into an elevator and saying a simple “hello” and smiling. Oftentimes the person standing next to you in the elevator is so busy on their BlackBerry you wonder how they don’t miss their floor. I am equally guilty of it. Although, my favorite electronic moment was watching two friends text each other as they are sitting right next to each other. Perhaps we need to introduce the concept of “live dialogue?”
Electronic communication has given us the gift of reconnecting with old friends, old flames and even allows us to peer into our past as a voyeur – “I wonder what Jonathan Lewin really does look like 25 years later?”
In the workplace electronics can help speed up the transmission of information and it can also cause a huge backlash of miscommunication. A recent Wall Street Journal article (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704259304575043491348109012.html?mod=dist_smartbrief) cited a top list of email misuses, ala email mistakes. Included were vague subject lines; burying the news; hiding behind the “BCC” field, failing to clean up the mess of earlier replies/forwards; ignoring grammar; avoiding necessarily long emails; mashing everything together into bulky, imposing, inaccessible paragraphs; neglecting human beings at the other end; thinking email works best; and forgetting that email last forever are egregious mistakes. Bottom line…electronic communication gives us permission to put our heads in the sand and not have real and meaningful dialogue.
Email, texting, instant messaging, etc. gives us the comfort of a computer screen and a keyboard, aka a buffer to being physically present with another person. Statistics show that over 93% of all communication is non-verbal so what are we giving each other? 7%. That’s right – 7%. With all of this communication we miss out on the subtleties of eye contact, shifting in chairs, folded arms, grimaces and grins, shifting body posture to either say, “yes, I’m excited” or “nope, I could care less”. Even telephone calls are better. Picking up a phone and hearing the tone in someone’s voice allows you to peer into what is really going on. If Sam is reluctant to take on a project you may not see it in an email, you may pick it up strongly in his voice.
One on one in-person or telephone conversations creates relationships, unity and enhances teamwork. Today, make another choice. Pick up the phone, walk down the hall, smile and speak to the person you were going to email. You never know how this small step will create huge dividends.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Secrets of No Layoffs in Tough Economic Times
A recent Fortune Magazine featured six companies that avoided the pinch of layoffs during the economic downturn. As of mid-January 2010, they have never had a layoff. SAS, Wegmans Food Markets, Mercedes Benz, S.C Johnson & Sons, EOG Resources and Baptist Health South Florida were among the companies highlighted.
All companies had a mix of attributes. According to Fortune Magazine, "S.C. Johnson & Sons, a family-owned and operated household cleansing products manufacturer, has been able to avoid layoffs for 124 years. Even in the worst of times, management has stuck to the belief that company employees are its most valuable asset." And Mercedes Benz ‘s management looked inward to take a decisive step in this economic climate. – “When management discovered that further cost reductions were unavoidable, the CEO and executive team (28 people total) accepted pay cuts. The tough choices paid off, resulting in a 10% total reduction of labor costs from mid-2009 to year-end. “
All companies made tough choices in these rough economic times and still they put their people first, and by doing so were able to maintain their employee base while growing loyalty.
Let's take a deeper look at what was their "secret sauce" to no layoffs:
-Instituting hiring freezes in all areas except R&D and sales
-Cut back on travel and expenses and rely more on conference calls and video conferencing (almost all)
-Engage company support by communicating early and often
-Give developmental opportunities to advance career
-Cross train staff for different jobs making them flexible to the changing needs of the business
-Reducing temporary staff, placing controls on overtime
-CEO and executive team take pay cuts
-Take a long-term perspective on hiring, e.g. delayed merit increases for six months
-Run the organization on low cost and low debt
-Adhere to compensation plans and continued to pay bonuses, award merit increases, promote from within and issue stock grants.
If you have not heard of the companies cited above, maybe it's time to take a page out of their playbook. And keep in mind as one employee at Wegmans said, "Our thought process is that we'll never have a layoff. Everything is planned on the basis that our people come first."
By putting people first, companies can be innovative, creative and ahead of the competition and not only survive, hopefully thrive in these economic times.
All companies had a mix of attributes. According to Fortune Magazine, "S.C. Johnson & Sons, a family-owned and operated household cleansing products manufacturer, has been able to avoid layoffs for 124 years. Even in the worst of times, management has stuck to the belief that company employees are its most valuable asset." And Mercedes Benz ‘s management looked inward to take a decisive step in this economic climate. – “When management discovered that further cost reductions were unavoidable, the CEO and executive team (28 people total) accepted pay cuts. The tough choices paid off, resulting in a 10% total reduction of labor costs from mid-2009 to year-end. “
All companies made tough choices in these rough economic times and still they put their people first, and by doing so were able to maintain their employee base while growing loyalty.
Let's take a deeper look at what was their "secret sauce" to no layoffs:
-Instituting hiring freezes in all areas except R&D and sales
-Cut back on travel and expenses and rely more on conference calls and video conferencing (almost all)
-Engage company support by communicating early and often
-Give developmental opportunities to advance career
-Cross train staff for different jobs making them flexible to the changing needs of the business
-Reducing temporary staff, placing controls on overtime
-CEO and executive team take pay cuts
-Take a long-term perspective on hiring, e.g. delayed merit increases for six months
-Run the organization on low cost and low debt
-Adhere to compensation plans and continued to pay bonuses, award merit increases, promote from within and issue stock grants.
If you have not heard of the companies cited above, maybe it's time to take a page out of their playbook. And keep in mind as one employee at Wegmans said, "Our thought process is that we'll never have a layoff. Everything is planned on the basis that our people come first."
By putting people first, companies can be innovative, creative and ahead of the competition and not only survive, hopefully thrive in these economic times.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Your Very Own Organizational Gold Medal
Would you agree that all great leaders make mistakes? When leaders do not take the people side of the business seriously, the leadership mistakes are more dramatic and have bigger impact. Perhaps if leaders had a list of the biggest mistakes made, more leaders would be apt to avoid them.
We can search the great annals of history including our historic media industry to be specific. Here’s one celebrated debacle…
A few years ago in the Delaware’s Court of Chancery Walt Disney shareholders sued at the time the Walt Disney Company’s CEO, Michael Eisner (and seventeen current and former directors), for giving Michael Ovitz (then President of The Walt Disney Company) an excessively rich deal when the company hired and quickly fired him—more than $300,000 a day in severance for his allegedly incompetent 454 days as president.
Ovitz was a Disney board member when he was fired, so he is, in a fine irony, one of the eighteen co-defendants. Ovitz was paid $140 million in severance because even though the powers at be didn’t think he did a great job, he wasn’t so terrible that he could have been fired for cause.
It can be argued that in Eisner’s legacy even he himself drove away renowned executives that have risen to other ranks in our industry including Jeffrey Katzenberg, Gerry Laybourne, Susan Lyne (Desperate Housewives, Lost), the Weinsteins of the famed Miramax company, and also Pixar’s geniuses.
The carnage that is left from mistakes is of course certainly the roadmap to growth and learning. The old adage says, “there are no mistakes in life, only lessons to be learned.” That’s a lovely sentiment, however if you are part of the leadership “roadkill” it’s not so much fun.
What if there was a better, less costly way? Wouldn’t we all be interested?
As someone who consults and coaches media leaders on leadership development, I became increasingly interested in what mistakes hold media leaders back and would potentially cause great damage to the people side of the business.
I have a personal inherent belief that people are the backbones of organizations and are the ones who really make everything happen. Without taking time and care to be devoted to your workforce you are completely sunk.
Here the top three mistakes found from examining over 20 companies in the media industry. Thus far, these are the top three:
1)Leadership development not linked to development plans; little to no leadership and on-going development planning - 89%
2)Caught up in the day to day without bigger picture in mind – 89%
3)Actions, plans and priorities have little to no link to daily work – no clarity on company’s strategy and expectations (when an employee does the work, don’t know what happens to it after its done) – 84%
Let's unpack the first mistake:
1) Leadership development not linked to development plans; little to no leadership and on-going development planning - 89%
I was meeting with Joe, a senior executive several weeks ago and we were discussing the concept of development planning. I like Joe because he is focusing much of his attention and energy on refining his team and putting processes in place to ensure he has a high impact team. He’s looking for people processes to ensure the success of each individual on the team.
Joe said, “You know Esther, I think it’s a wonderful idea to have development plans for senior executives, yet who is going to take the time to do it? I don’t think my boss will and doubt his boss has asked him to do this.” Then Joe posed the question to me, “Don’t you think as senior level leaders we should know what we are doing and don’t need anything like this? It sounds like a good idea, however I don’t think it’s practical.”
Joe brings up a good point. Having an on-going development planning process isn’t easy. Having a process and a plan for focused and on-going leadership development is something that takes time and effort. And it’s true, it’s time consuming and surely high-level execs may not want to invest the time.
There’s a difference between having a plan for development and no plan for development. There’s a difference between having developmental goals and no goals. Statistics show when you have a goal, especially one written, you are more likely to achieve it. Plus, if you invest people around you into helping you achieve your goal, you are certainly more apt to achieve it.
I liken it to…Steven Redgrave. Steven Redgrave is considered to be one of the greatest rowers of all time. He is also referred to as the greatest Olympian of Britain. He has won gold medals in the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games, 1988 Seoul Summer Games, 1992 Barcelona Olympics, 1996 Atlanta Summer Games and in the 2000 Sydney Summer Games at the age of 38, Redgrave won his fifth Olympic gold medal.
Just imagine if Steve would not have had roadmap for his development as an Olympic athlete? There’s no doubt Steven Redgrave was a talented rower. He won the Junior World Rowing Championships as a kid, and went onto win 27 of the highest awards in rowing. However, having a plan, and a coach or someone to work with him to create a plan for achieving gold medal status, he achieved this and so much more.
It’s no different for a media leader. When you create measured development plans with key motivators that cause action, then you know you are getting somewhere. Planned, systematic and dedicated check ins ensures accountability and serve as core indicators to demonstrate progress. What do you get when you put development planning in place? A culture of inflamed people development.
Here are some tips:
• Create development plans
• Meet regularly – every 60 days for check in, development and motivation
• Ensure the person being developed can clearly see measured progress
• Prepare for these meetings and ensure a follow-up – be ready to ask developmental questions
• Let the person being developed drive this process
Let development planning be your roadmap to your own organizational goal medal!
We can search the great annals of history including our historic media industry to be specific. Here’s one celebrated debacle…
A few years ago in the Delaware’s Court of Chancery Walt Disney shareholders sued at the time the Walt Disney Company’s CEO, Michael Eisner (and seventeen current and former directors), for giving Michael Ovitz (then President of The Walt Disney Company) an excessively rich deal when the company hired and quickly fired him—more than $300,000 a day in severance for his allegedly incompetent 454 days as president.
Ovitz was a Disney board member when he was fired, so he is, in a fine irony, one of the eighteen co-defendants. Ovitz was paid $140 million in severance because even though the powers at be didn’t think he did a great job, he wasn’t so terrible that he could have been fired for cause.
It can be argued that in Eisner’s legacy even he himself drove away renowned executives that have risen to other ranks in our industry including Jeffrey Katzenberg, Gerry Laybourne, Susan Lyne (Desperate Housewives, Lost), the Weinsteins of the famed Miramax company, and also Pixar’s geniuses.
The carnage that is left from mistakes is of course certainly the roadmap to growth and learning. The old adage says, “there are no mistakes in life, only lessons to be learned.” That’s a lovely sentiment, however if you are part of the leadership “roadkill” it’s not so much fun.
What if there was a better, less costly way? Wouldn’t we all be interested?
As someone who consults and coaches media leaders on leadership development, I became increasingly interested in what mistakes hold media leaders back and would potentially cause great damage to the people side of the business.
I have a personal inherent belief that people are the backbones of organizations and are the ones who really make everything happen. Without taking time and care to be devoted to your workforce you are completely sunk.
Here the top three mistakes found from examining over 20 companies in the media industry. Thus far, these are the top three:
1)Leadership development not linked to development plans; little to no leadership and on-going development planning - 89%
2)Caught up in the day to day without bigger picture in mind – 89%
3)Actions, plans and priorities have little to no link to daily work – no clarity on company’s strategy and expectations (when an employee does the work, don’t know what happens to it after its done) – 84%
Let's unpack the first mistake:
1) Leadership development not linked to development plans; little to no leadership and on-going development planning - 89%
I was meeting with Joe, a senior executive several weeks ago and we were discussing the concept of development planning. I like Joe because he is focusing much of his attention and energy on refining his team and putting processes in place to ensure he has a high impact team. He’s looking for people processes to ensure the success of each individual on the team.
Joe said, “You know Esther, I think it’s a wonderful idea to have development plans for senior executives, yet who is going to take the time to do it? I don’t think my boss will and doubt his boss has asked him to do this.” Then Joe posed the question to me, “Don’t you think as senior level leaders we should know what we are doing and don’t need anything like this? It sounds like a good idea, however I don’t think it’s practical.”
Joe brings up a good point. Having an on-going development planning process isn’t easy. Having a process and a plan for focused and on-going leadership development is something that takes time and effort. And it’s true, it’s time consuming and surely high-level execs may not want to invest the time.
There’s a difference between having a plan for development and no plan for development. There’s a difference between having developmental goals and no goals. Statistics show when you have a goal, especially one written, you are more likely to achieve it. Plus, if you invest people around you into helping you achieve your goal, you are certainly more apt to achieve it.
I liken it to…Steven Redgrave. Steven Redgrave is considered to be one of the greatest rowers of all time. He is also referred to as the greatest Olympian of Britain. He has won gold medals in the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games, 1988 Seoul Summer Games, 1992 Barcelona Olympics, 1996 Atlanta Summer Games and in the 2000 Sydney Summer Games at the age of 38, Redgrave won his fifth Olympic gold medal.
Just imagine if Steve would not have had roadmap for his development as an Olympic athlete? There’s no doubt Steven Redgrave was a talented rower. He won the Junior World Rowing Championships as a kid, and went onto win 27 of the highest awards in rowing. However, having a plan, and a coach or someone to work with him to create a plan for achieving gold medal status, he achieved this and so much more.
It’s no different for a media leader. When you create measured development plans with key motivators that cause action, then you know you are getting somewhere. Planned, systematic and dedicated check ins ensures accountability and serve as core indicators to demonstrate progress. What do you get when you put development planning in place? A culture of inflamed people development.
Here are some tips:
• Create development plans
• Meet regularly – every 60 days for check in, development and motivation
• Ensure the person being developed can clearly see measured progress
• Prepare for these meetings and ensure a follow-up – be ready to ask developmental questions
• Let the person being developed drive this process
Let development planning be your roadmap to your own organizational goal medal!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Collaboration Is Everything
Do you think working 20 hours per day will make you more successful? Not according to Cristóbal Conde, president and C.E.O. of SunGard, one of the world’s leading software and IT services companies, serving more than 25,000 customers in more than 70 countries.
In the article in The New York Times entitled, “The Flatter the Better”, Conde admits that working like a dog “doesn’t scale.” Collaborative leadership is key. It may not be an easy thing to do, however it’s more challenging to micromanage the organization.
When you do your best to be involved in everything you tend to squeeze your very best people and as a result they leave the organization. Then you are left with an organization you need to more tightly manage because employees were never given the ability to think on their own, to risk, to be held accountable and to stumble. And if you are the leading executive then you are most likely out meeting clients and traveling consistently. That doesn’t leave you much time to get up to speed on anything. As a result you won’t have the time to learn and know all you need to make an informed decision.
So what do you do? Foster teamwork and collaboration. At SunGard, one of the tools they use is a Twitter like system on their intranet called “Yammer.” It is designed to “allow people to see what others are doing, share information, collaborate, brag about their successes — that is what flattens the organization,” says Conde. Yammer enables Conde to share information with his staff from key meetings with clients such as - “Look, this is one of our largest clients, and the C.E.O. just told me his top three priorities are X, Y and Z. Think about them.”
Technology is great and there are other ways of fostering collaboration. Here are three tips when you are not near your Yammer:
-Encourage sharing best practices consistently. Have this as an agenda item in team meetings. Showcase one person’s successes and let them have bragging rights. If you set the context right, this will encourage other team members to be more successful and to share center stage.
-Allow healthy debate before coming to a conclusion. Let everyone know his or her opinion matters.
-Let staff pitch new ideas every month. Allow the team to pick the one great idea per month and execute. If monthly is too much then do it quarterly, it will foster innovation and show your people they are valued.
Collaboration and teamwork are great leadership buzzwords, however the execution takes a proactive and thoughtful approach. Don’t turn around at the end of the quarter and wonder why sales are low and morale has sunk. Utilize these tips to witness group unity soar.
In the article in The New York Times entitled, “The Flatter the Better”, Conde admits that working like a dog “doesn’t scale.” Collaborative leadership is key. It may not be an easy thing to do, however it’s more challenging to micromanage the organization.
When you do your best to be involved in everything you tend to squeeze your very best people and as a result they leave the organization. Then you are left with an organization you need to more tightly manage because employees were never given the ability to think on their own, to risk, to be held accountable and to stumble. And if you are the leading executive then you are most likely out meeting clients and traveling consistently. That doesn’t leave you much time to get up to speed on anything. As a result you won’t have the time to learn and know all you need to make an informed decision.
So what do you do? Foster teamwork and collaboration. At SunGard, one of the tools they use is a Twitter like system on their intranet called “Yammer.” It is designed to “allow people to see what others are doing, share information, collaborate, brag about their successes — that is what flattens the organization,” says Conde. Yammer enables Conde to share information with his staff from key meetings with clients such as - “Look, this is one of our largest clients, and the C.E.O. just told me his top three priorities are X, Y and Z. Think about them.”
Technology is great and there are other ways of fostering collaboration. Here are three tips when you are not near your Yammer:
-Encourage sharing best practices consistently. Have this as an agenda item in team meetings. Showcase one person’s successes and let them have bragging rights. If you set the context right, this will encourage other team members to be more successful and to share center stage.
-Allow healthy debate before coming to a conclusion. Let everyone know his or her opinion matters.
-Let staff pitch new ideas every month. Allow the team to pick the one great idea per month and execute. If monthly is too much then do it quarterly, it will foster innovation and show your people they are valued.
Collaboration and teamwork are great leadership buzzwords, however the execution takes a proactive and thoughtful approach. Don’t turn around at the end of the quarter and wonder why sales are low and morale has sunk. Utilize these tips to witness group unity soar.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A Decade of Non Intention
This morning I went out for my typical bout of exercise. As I was walking briskly I began reflecting on the last decade (analysis is a good thing and really, a chief attribute for any leader). I'm still baffled by writing 2010. It's as if someone put a sock in my hand as I attempt to write the numbers. I fumble as if I have too many things in my hand.
When January 1, 2010 came along for some reason it escaped me that a new decade was underfoot. Instead I looked at it as another year come around and time to set goals, make resolutions and create a more solid footing than the year before.
As I sat reading my friend Jane's blog about goal setting for 2010, she recapped where she was 10 years ago and compared it to where she is now. It hit me strongly...hey, Ms. Weinberg, you are in a new decade. Duh? Didn't I realize a new decade had come upon me? Clearly not. What was even more startling, as I began journaling this morning, was to realize how completely different life has looked over the last ten years. 1990-2000 was a much different decade than 2000-2010. It was equally startling to realize how my own leadership has morphed and evolved over the last decade - personally and professionally.
Here are some highlights and as you read them, consider your own "decade-lights":
1990-2000:
-rose through the corporate ranks to be a high powered executive at Disney
-created and expanded public relations departments at three major international companies
-launched four cable networks
-moved to California to work for Disney
-began traveling the world
-became an amateur photographer
-married and divorced
-father passed away
2000-2009:
-launched my own business (2000)
-left corporate America as an executive and became a consultant
-was trained by CoachU (one of the first accredited global coaching schools)
-evolved my career from corporate media executive to entrepreneur, consultant, executive coach and author
-traveled the world
-worked in three countries abroad
-Packed up, put all my stuff in storage and moved to live and work in Uganda
-launched a photography website which gives back to global children non profits
-became a "parent" to a young girl in Uganda and I provide for her education
-discovered love anew
-became an author
-coached thousands of executives on leadership and how to get things done
-spearheaded a global project overseeing over 1,000 volunteers
-began living a spiritual life
And surely there was more...Reflection is a beautiful thing. I would encourage you to create your own "decade-lights" and notice how far you have come, the choices you made, the strengths you developed and what you desire for the next decade.
With all these memories I thought, "did I laugh a lot? Did I have fun or was I so caught up in the stress that I didn't realize the joy in it all with so much gratitude." Without appreciation and laughter, you don't really have much.
I didn't create intentions in the past for the next decade to come. It's a practice I do at the beginning of each year and have found it invaluable to setting the course for the year ahead. In all of this analysis, I point my compass for the following intention for the next 10 years: lead, love, laugh...serve and surrender.
What is yours?
When January 1, 2010 came along for some reason it escaped me that a new decade was underfoot. Instead I looked at it as another year come around and time to set goals, make resolutions and create a more solid footing than the year before.
As I sat reading my friend Jane's blog about goal setting for 2010, she recapped where she was 10 years ago and compared it to where she is now. It hit me strongly...hey, Ms. Weinberg, you are in a new decade. Duh? Didn't I realize a new decade had come upon me? Clearly not. What was even more startling, as I began journaling this morning, was to realize how completely different life has looked over the last ten years. 1990-2000 was a much different decade than 2000-2010. It was equally startling to realize how my own leadership has morphed and evolved over the last decade - personally and professionally.
Here are some highlights and as you read them, consider your own "decade-lights":
1990-2000:
-rose through the corporate ranks to be a high powered executive at Disney
-created and expanded public relations departments at three major international companies
-launched four cable networks
-moved to California to work for Disney
-began traveling the world
-became an amateur photographer
-married and divorced
-father passed away
2000-2009:
-launched my own business (2000)
-left corporate America as an executive and became a consultant
-was trained by CoachU (one of the first accredited global coaching schools)
-evolved my career from corporate media executive to entrepreneur, consultant, executive coach and author
-traveled the world
-worked in three countries abroad
-Packed up, put all my stuff in storage and moved to live and work in Uganda
-launched a photography website which gives back to global children non profits
-became a "parent" to a young girl in Uganda and I provide for her education
-discovered love anew
-became an author
-coached thousands of executives on leadership and how to get things done
-spearheaded a global project overseeing over 1,000 volunteers
-began living a spiritual life
And surely there was more...Reflection is a beautiful thing. I would encourage you to create your own "decade-lights" and notice how far you have come, the choices you made, the strengths you developed and what you desire for the next decade.
With all these memories I thought, "did I laugh a lot? Did I have fun or was I so caught up in the stress that I didn't realize the joy in it all with so much gratitude." Without appreciation and laughter, you don't really have much.
I didn't create intentions in the past for the next decade to come. It's a practice I do at the beginning of each year and have found it invaluable to setting the course for the year ahead. In all of this analysis, I point my compass for the following intention for the next 10 years: lead, love, laugh...serve and surrender.
What is yours?
Thursday, January 7, 2010
A BlackBerry "Time Out"
Wonder what would happen if we tossed out our BlackBerry's… In this week's issue of Business Week, a scrapping entrepreneur demonstrates to all BlackBerry addicts that you can make money without the techno frills. “Miller Farm, a Pennsylvania food producer has grown the business to $1.8 million in annual sales from less than half that four years ago. The farm is so busy it's turning away orders from food cooperatives around the country,” the magazine reports.
The owner is 32-year old Amos Miller, an Amish man who lives without elecricity, a car, cell phone, email, website, Facebook page, Twitter handle, textin, CRM software, computer, electricity, fax machine, scanner or a copier. Can you imagine? Probably not. We have lived so long with our technology that few of us would know what to do without it. Me included.
As part of their religious beliefs the Amish do not use modern-day conveniences or things some of us would call essentials today (aka a cell phone).
The article reports that back in 2000 Amos and his father decided that they would promote nutrient-dense food since that market was about to grow exponentially. They heard from customers and representatives of organizations that promote these foods, nutrient-dense food was about to be the next rage. And so they focused on expanding their offerings and it’s paid off big time. They can’t meet the demand.
What is most inspiring is how Amos and his father have done it all with something pretty basic…listening to their customers and being innovative. When so many companies and organizations are investing millions in technology, I can’t help to wonder if all this money was invested in the basics – picking up the phone to speak with customers or visiting them in person, listening to what customers have to say, providing excellent service, caring for employees exponentially - and then expanding and innovating, how different companies would look and feel. I bet employees would be more productive, revenue numbers would be up and expenses would be way down…a CEO and CFO’s dream. And our BlackBerry’s may be on a temporary “time out.”
The owner is 32-year old Amos Miller, an Amish man who lives without elecricity, a car, cell phone, email, website, Facebook page, Twitter handle, textin, CRM software, computer, electricity, fax machine, scanner or a copier. Can you imagine? Probably not. We have lived so long with our technology that few of us would know what to do without it. Me included.
As part of their religious beliefs the Amish do not use modern-day conveniences or things some of us would call essentials today (aka a cell phone).
The article reports that back in 2000 Amos and his father decided that they would promote nutrient-dense food since that market was about to grow exponentially. They heard from customers and representatives of organizations that promote these foods, nutrient-dense food was about to be the next rage. And so they focused on expanding their offerings and it’s paid off big time. They can’t meet the demand.
What is most inspiring is how Amos and his father have done it all with something pretty basic…listening to their customers and being innovative. When so many companies and organizations are investing millions in technology, I can’t help to wonder if all this money was invested in the basics – picking up the phone to speak with customers or visiting them in person, listening to what customers have to say, providing excellent service, caring for employees exponentially - and then expanding and innovating, how different companies would look and feel. I bet employees would be more productive, revenue numbers would be up and expenses would be way down…a CEO and CFO’s dream. And our BlackBerry’s may be on a temporary “time out.”
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Airline Leadership is Not Just for the Skies
Must admit, I have fallen in love all over again today. Tis true and I didn't think it would be possible, especially with the former Chief Executive of Continental Airlines (1994-2004), Gordon M. Bethune. One of the main reasons is that he’s a true believer in people as a main focus and driver of the success of an organization. Mr. Bethune melds talk with action.
When I developed my eight step execution system, “Execute Like Crazy,™” you could say it was done out of careful and courageous thought about working with thousands of leaders over many years and seeing what separates great leaders and organizations from mediocre ones. This is true and really, I developed it out of a sense of passion for people.
If you don’t have “people centric leadership” you are screwed. Tis the truth. It is the people that make organizations competitive, who create innovation, who develop the resources to separate you from the pack. For all the utilitarian folks out there, it’s the people who make the money and who grow and expand the resources. With proper thinking aligned with action, your leadership can soar – that is if you do put your people first.
Don't just take it from me, consider some advice from Mr. Bethune,
• “If you treat me with respect, I’ll do more for you.”
• “I never forgot what it’s like to be down the ladder, and that being good at your job is predicated pretty much on how the people working for you feel.”
• “I’ve got 10 guys working for me, and for the last five years, every time I got any recognition, I said, “Bring them on the stage with me.”
• “I hired the best people. The sickest patients need the best doctors, so you can’t skimp on this stuff. “
• “The really good people want autonomy — you let me do it, and I’ll do it.”
• “I’m going to do is take a look at your performance. Then I’ll ask, how are we keeping you from doing your job? But you know, if it’s not the old equipment that’s to blame, and it’s you, I’ll find that out pretty quickly.”
• “You have to hire people with good judgment. That’s No. 1. If they have it, whatever they’re put in, they’ll get good at it…Somebody who knows what they’re doing, who has a good track record, they come across as very articulate, bright and looking for a challenge — that’s absolutely my kind of hire.“
• “Actually take the time to go over to somebody’s office and personally thank them. You need to take the time to show the people around you who work for you that you’re interested in them.”
And here’s a personal favorite…many organizations are undergoing vast transitions. One of the key elements that will separate successful transitions/changes from failures is the ability to communicate and to do it well with consistency and careful thought and approach. Take a note from Mr. Bethune: “I did a weekly voice mail — every week for 10 years, a three- to five-minute message. Every week I’d tell them what was going on. And we had a daily update with our stock price, our on-time performance, who did what to whom in our industry. So the employees always kind of knew what was going on. They had direct access to me, and direct access to the information.
And we never lied. You don’t lie to your own doctor. You don’t lie to your own attorney, and you don’t lie to your employees. And if you never lie, then when it hits the fan, and somebody says you’re wrong — you can say, “No, I’m not,” and they’ll believe you.
Now that is people centric leadership!
When I developed my eight step execution system, “Execute Like Crazy,™” you could say it was done out of careful and courageous thought about working with thousands of leaders over many years and seeing what separates great leaders and organizations from mediocre ones. This is true and really, I developed it out of a sense of passion for people.
If you don’t have “people centric leadership” you are screwed. Tis the truth. It is the people that make organizations competitive, who create innovation, who develop the resources to separate you from the pack. For all the utilitarian folks out there, it’s the people who make the money and who grow and expand the resources. With proper thinking aligned with action, your leadership can soar – that is if you do put your people first.
Don't just take it from me, consider some advice from Mr. Bethune,
• “If you treat me with respect, I’ll do more for you.”
• “I never forgot what it’s like to be down the ladder, and that being good at your job is predicated pretty much on how the people working for you feel.”
• “I’ve got 10 guys working for me, and for the last five years, every time I got any recognition, I said, “Bring them on the stage with me.”
• “I hired the best people. The sickest patients need the best doctors, so you can’t skimp on this stuff. “
• “The really good people want autonomy — you let me do it, and I’ll do it.”
• “I’m going to do is take a look at your performance. Then I’ll ask, how are we keeping you from doing your job? But you know, if it’s not the old equipment that’s to blame, and it’s you, I’ll find that out pretty quickly.”
• “You have to hire people with good judgment. That’s No. 1. If they have it, whatever they’re put in, they’ll get good at it…Somebody who knows what they’re doing, who has a good track record, they come across as very articulate, bright and looking for a challenge — that’s absolutely my kind of hire.“
• “Actually take the time to go over to somebody’s office and personally thank them. You need to take the time to show the people around you who work for you that you’re interested in them.”
And here’s a personal favorite…many organizations are undergoing vast transitions. One of the key elements that will separate successful transitions/changes from failures is the ability to communicate and to do it well with consistency and careful thought and approach. Take a note from Mr. Bethune: “I did a weekly voice mail — every week for 10 years, a three- to five-minute message. Every week I’d tell them what was going on. And we had a daily update with our stock price, our on-time performance, who did what to whom in our industry. So the employees always kind of knew what was going on. They had direct access to me, and direct access to the information.
And we never lied. You don’t lie to your own doctor. You don’t lie to your own attorney, and you don’t lie to your employees. And if you never lie, then when it hits the fan, and somebody says you’re wrong — you can say, “No, I’m not,” and they’ll believe you.
Now that is people centric leadership!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)