24 May
[email protected] Leadership

BAM! You’re A Leader

Courage is the main quality of leadership, in my opinion, no matter where it is exercised.—Walt Disney

Many of us were promoted into leadership positions because we were great at what we did. We excelled in our role, we executed tasks with precision, and we met or exceeded goals and deliverables.

All of a sudden “BAM”; you’ve become a leader with direct reports and are not sure what all is involved. It doesn’t matter that you’re unclear on what’s required in your new role, or that your “people” skills needed to be developed, refined and/or refreshed.  Sound familiar?

Some of us have had the opportunity to have a mentor and be afforded career development opportunities.  Some of us have not had a smooth transition into our new leadership role, and quite honestly have difficulty moving forward.

The good news is that we can help ourselves by learning new tools, and acquiring techniques and methods that are considered to be essential for leadership effectiveness. This can be humbling, and it takes courage for successful professionals and technicians to admit they have gaps to fill.

A good starting point is to increase awareness levels; what’s working well, what is not, what skill-sets need to be updated, and are customer/client needs being met?

We have a complimentary self-assessment that we think you’ll find helpful. You (confidentially) rate yourself in the areas of Awareness, Magic Dust, VMGM = B, Communication, Clarity, Accountability, Conflict, Influence, Relationships, Feedback, Inspiration, and Continual Learning. To request the assessment click here.

After scoring yourself on a ten-point scale (from poor to superb), you will document your strengths and target development areas, and provide names for those you feel can provide you with developmental assistance. It will conclude with you determining “next steps” and timings.

Leadership development requires courage and commitment – and, it’s a process not an event. (We know; you’ve heard this before. Numerous times!)

Why not utilize this leadership roadmap to update your development plan? Take your first step towards courageous leadership today!

LEADERSHIP IS ONLY COURAGE AND WISDOM, AND A GREAT CAREFULNESS OF SELF.
—John Buchan

17 May
[email protected] Career, Leadership

Workplace Learning – Poor or Strong?

What happens culturally throughout an organization is linked to what happens with learning and career development and vice-versa.
— Sian Musial, an L&D specialist

How engaged are you with career development, both for yourself and for your staff/colleagues?

Studies have shown that workplace learning is a proven way to ensure that employees keep their skills current while contributing to the growth of the company (it also reduces attrition and improves satisfaction levels).

Based on current studies, the top 4 training and development priorities are:

  • 25% – Leadership and Management Development
  • 12% – Communication Skills
  • 9% – Customer Service
  • 7% – Information Technology

Given that we all have different skill-sets, styles, and preferences, it’s no surprise that the top 3 development priorities are related to “people”.

Times have changed; leadership has assumed many roles formerly done by HR and Talent Management groups. It’s often up to the leader to maximize and recognize each employees’ contribution, to inspire engagement, drive performance, identify growth areas, and facilitate career planning.

KEY TAKEAWAYS From the U.S. L&D Benchmarking Survey: 2018 –Abby Guthrie, Emily Simpson, Shane Adams

Companies who support their staff with quality learning and development are twice as likely to keep employees three years and more likely to report employees are engaged.

Top-performing organizations are five times more likely to have learning cultures, suggesting that a culture of learning is a key component of business success.

90% of companies with strong learning cultures said senior executives were actively engaged in L&D initiatives.

Effective leadership includes fostering a culture of learning, collaboration, and inclusion. Take the time to evaluate what’s working well and what is not, and learn from failures as well as successes.

Would you rate learning in your workplace poor, strong, or in-between?  What can you do to strengthen it?

Developing leaders in the organization is top-of-mind for L&D professionals in 2018.

10 May
[email protected] Leadership

Divisive or Inclusive?

The effect of leadership failure on any organization of people is the same: Polarization, instability, and if left unchecked, destruction.
–Steve Tobak

We continually provide tips and share stories about becoming a more effective leader, and we also discuss optimal behaviors and skill-sets that the strongest leaders possess.  Why?  Because if we don’t continually work at being our best, we may find that we have unintentionally created instability or uncertainty, and find that our team is floundering.

Effective leaders set the tone for their entire team/organization. They share their vision, mission, goals, and strategies, and they create and communicate a roadmap for reaching the desired point of destination.

They focus on inclusiveness. They communicate. They clarify how each colleague can contribute to achieving shared goals. They help everyone understand how and why they each have a role, helping minimize obstacles within the roadmap.

In Deloitte Insights, Juliet Bourke and Bernadette Dillon published The Six Signature Traits Of Inclusive Leadership:

SIX SIGNATURE TRAITS

  • COGNIZANCE – Bias is a leaders Achilles heel
  • CURIOSITY – Different ideas and experiences enable growth
  • CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE – Not everyone sees the world through the same cultural frame
  • COLLABORATION –  A diverse thinking team is greater than the sum of its parts
  • COMMITMENT – Staying the course is hard
  • COURAGE – Talking about imperfections involves personal risk taking

These concepts should sound very familiar.  We equate them to:

Awareness  – of self and others and the value provided
Continual learning – never get complacent or lose the desire to improve and listen to differing perspectives
Emotional Intelligence – understand the difference between IQ and EQ and leverage the strengths
Collaboration – working together to find a solution is a win-win
Accountability, persistence and commitment – don’t give up despite barriers or failures
Courage – We coined the term CourageAbility™ (and wrote a book!)

Is inclusive leadership part of your work culture?

QWIKTIPS – click to read why FEAR IS A BARRIER TO SUCCESS

03 May
[email protected] Leadership

Sources of Pain

For good ideas and true innovation, you need human interaction, conflict, argument, debate.
–Margaret Heffernan

Sources of pain.  We’re talking about at work.  Do you know people that complicate your ability to delivery and achieve goals? Do they deflate the energy of those they work with?

Perhaps they are:

  • Disruptive
  • Antagonistic
  • Over committers
  • Under performers
  • Not reliable
  • Lacking accountability
  • Finger pointers
  • Not accepting of differences or change
  • Exhibits dictatorial behaviors

Some refer to these difficult individuals as sources of pain, and the situation/behavior that creates the difficulty must be managed (and the sooner the better).

Here are a few tips that can help:

  • Evaluate whether you could have misunderstood the behavior
  • Try to understand the intention behind the action
  • Be respectful and factual – share your perception with the “source of pain” using facts
  • Assess whether you are the only one experiencing the issue
  • Don’t focus only on the negative; could it just be a bad day or is it a consistent problem?
  • Don’t wait; address it immediately

Human interactions often include conflict, (simply a difference of opinion/perspective) and this can be inspiring, energizing, and thought provoking.

Just remember that it’s up to us as leaders to address any actions/behaviors that negatively impact our ability to obtain desired results.

Are there any sources of pain you need to address?

QWIKTIPS – click to read about 5 Common Leadership Mistakes

26 Apr
[email protected] Success

Self-Sabotage

Check yourself before you wreck yourself.—Karima Mariama

We’ve all been there.  Our confidence levels have slipped; our “gremlins” are telling us “no” when our inner self is telling us “yes, you can do it”.  We’re hesitant to move forward, and we sometimes stall or tune out.

Karima Mariama provides 5 Self-Sabotaging Behaviors we should be aware of and make efforts to avoid.

1. Comparing yourself to others
Too much focus on others is bad for business and worse for self-confidence. (That does not mean we can’t learn from others, but if we’re constantly comparing, we’ll always find someone that “does it better”).

2. Failure to take risks and consistently challenge yourself
The most successful people are always pushing limits and expanding boundaries. Accept that things don’t always go as planned, but don’t settle. Be persistent; and always strive for new ways to do more.

3. Succumbing to distractions
Increase your ability to accomplish tasks by limiting your access to certain distractions. Be cognizant of the time spent on social media and your cell phone – is it time well spent?

4. Inaction
Part of the reason we procrastinate is because we look at big projects and we don’t know where to start. Break the required actions into smaller components and don’t be afraid to ask for assistance when needed.

5. An unwillingness to relinquish past mistakes
Try to tune out the negative self-talk; Be kind to yourself. Remember, to err is human; to forgive yourself is divine.

Mistakes and missteps happen; we need to own them, learn from them, and assess what to do differently so they are not repeated. We also need to avoid self-sabotage.

In the words of Travis Bradberry: Smart, successful people are by no means immune to making mistakes; they simply have the tools in place to learn from their errors.

Indeed!

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

Read more –  about TIME WASTERS

19 Apr
[email protected] Interpersonal Skills, Leadership

The Enforcer

Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people – your family, friends, and coworkers, and even strangers you meet along the way.—Barbara Bush

This week Barbara Bush, both the wife and mother of former U.S. Presidents, passed away.  She was known for her humor (sometimes biting), her fondness for wearing pearls, and she was lovingly referred to as “the enforcer”.

Although not a political leader, she was a leader in her own right. She focused on nonpartisan social issues, and volunteered and promoted causes that would especially help children.

Mrs. Bush’s quote reminded us of another quote: I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.— Maya Angelou

As leaders, we’ll at some point find it necessary to deliver tough messages, but it can be done in an honoring way and with aplomb. We may need to practice our delivery to ensure our message is clearly understood, that it is delivered with compassion, and that those impacted are not left feeling that they were treated disrespectfully.

In the past we’ve highlighted behaviors that Jim Rohn (author and motivational speaker) identified as key leadership traits, and it never hurts to repeat them:

  • Learn to be strong but not impolite
  • Learn to be kind but not weak
  • Learn to be bold but not a bully
  • Learn to be humble but not timid
  • Learn to be proud but not arrogant
  • Learn to develop humor without folly
  • Learn to deal in realities

Depending on the situation and the role we play, we too may be viewed as an enforcer, but if we apply our leadership skills effectively, our “yardstick of success” for how we treat others can still be favorable.

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

QWIKTIPS – click here to read more about MAKING A DIFFERENCE

12 Apr
[email protected] Leadership, Success

Collaborative – Yes or No?

Collaboration divides the task and multiplies the success.–unknown

In the past couple of weeks we’ve talked about two conflict styles – avoiding and competing.  Both have their down-sides, and both have situations when they can be used effectively.

As leaders we need to understand that conflict in the workplace in inevitable, and we need to know when to leverage each conflict mode so the differences don’t escalate into unhealthy situations.

This week we’ll share information about conflict style COLLABORATIVE. This style is viewed as a “win-win” since those with opposing views work together to find a solution that fully satisfies each of their concerns.

Skills associated with using the collaborative style include:

  • Identify both people’s underlying concerns
  • Create conditions that enable collaboration
  • State the conflict as a mutual problem
  • Analyze input with an open mind
  • Listen objectively and respond positively
  • Brainstorm solutions and pick the best one
  • Be open to the notion that what you felt initially may be replaced by a better solution

Ralph H. Kilmann, co-author of the Thomas-Kilmann Instrument (TKI) published a research study that correlated the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) results with TKI.

The findings reflected that people who were extraverted (those with “E” as the first letter of their MBTI type) were more likely to use the collaborative mode during times of conflict. He felt this was because collaborating required extra energy for the interactions required for discussing concerns with others.

He also felt that with awareness, those that typed out as “I” (introvert) can choose to engage in collaborative discussions when they’re willing and comfortable with putting forth extra effort.

Can you think of a time when the collaborative style would not serve you well? In general, it’s the most optimal style to use, but because it is time consuming, you may need to leverage other styles to drive solutions when time is of the essence.

Remember, all conflict modes have a time and place; effective leaders know when each style is most appropriate.

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

QWIKTIPS – click to read about CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE

05 Apr
[email protected] Leadership

Do You Have A Need To Win?

I would submit effectively dealing with conflict is one of the most valuable skills a leader can possess.—Mike Myatt

Last week we talked about how many leaders struggle with addressing conflict, and as a result the conflict is sometimes avoided. We also shared that there is a time and place to be an “avoider”, but when used inappropriately, avoiders may be viewed as weak and unassertive.

Now we’re switching gears. Do you have a need to win? Are you uncooperative and assertive? Are you power oriented? If yes, you’ll likely score high in the “compete” style.  This style may not serve you well. You may win, but it also means someone loses; not an ideal work relationship!

For those familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI), the types most aligned with the competitive style are types ESTJ (extroverted-sensing-thinking-judging) and ENTJ (extroverted-intuitive-thinking-judging).

These types prefer facts and data, and may not be as concerned about the feelings and impact their style may have on others. Just something to be aware of!

All styles have a time and place and the compete mode is no different. It can be effective when:

  • You’ve considered all styles and competing is truly the most effective
  • Quick, decisive actions are vital (ex. emergencies)
  • When unpopular actions are mandated/non-negotiable (ex. cost cutting, audit points, rule enforcement)
  • When a stand must be taken and there is not time for collaboration
  • Defending something you know is correct
  • When one’s position is being challenged/insubordination occurs

We suggest using this style on a limited basis as the consequences may include:

  • Feelings of intimidation which may shut down lines of communication
  • Strained relationships
  • Resentment and retaliation
  • A lack of commitment
  • A lack of caring

When there is a need to use the “compete” mode, pay special attention to your tone and body language. There’s no need to make the situation even more confrontational than it already is.

As we’ve stated before, conflict in the workplace is unavoidable; what’s key is to prevent the conflict from escalating into an unhealthy situation.  Productivity, communication, collaboration, inspiration, morale, and growth will all suffer if not properly managed.

The “compete” mode has a time place, just use it sparingly!

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

QWIKTIPS – click to read about ACTIONS and BELIEFS

 

29 Mar
[email protected] Leadership

Are You An Avoider?

The whole business starts with ideas, and we’re convinced that ideas come out of an environment of supportive conflict, which is synonymous with appropriate friction.—Michael Eisner, former Disney CEO

Many leaders struggle with addressing conflict – are you one of them? Would you consider yourself an “avoider”?

As leaders, we need to understand the different styles of conflict and their appropriate usage, and we need to remember that conflict is simply any situation where one’s concerns or desires differ from those of another.

Having teams that engage in healthy conflict can promote growth. Team members that feel they are in a “safe” environment will not only build upon the ideas of others, but will be comfortable presenting opposing views and share thoughts that can inspire and promote new ways of thinking.

Avoiding addressing conflict has its appropriate time and place, but most often, leaders that are “avoiders” are labeled as weak, unassertive and uncooperative.  That’s not always the case!

When avoiding is appropriate:

  • When there’s a need to obtain additional details / facts
  • When emotions are high and those involved need to cool down in order to think rationally
  • When the conflict is being addressed in a healthy manner and an “intervention” is not required by you!
  • When the timing is “not right” (ex. location, attendees, sensitive nature)

Conflict in the workplace is unavoidable; what’s key is to prevent the conflict from escalating into an unhealthy situation. Productivity, communication, collaboration, inspiration, morale, and growth will all suffer if not properly managed.

Your response to managing and addressing conflict is entirely up to you. Understand the styles of conflict and when to effectively use them, and empower yourself and others to manage conflict in a healthy, honoring, respectful way.

And yes, being an “avoider” has a time and place!

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

Click to read more about CONFLICT MODES

22 Mar
[email protected] Leadership

Keep Them Happy!

The best way to retain employees is to stay in touch with what they’re thinking.
—Susan M. Heathfield

Even the best leader struggles with retaining top talent.  Quitting could be the result of life events (ex. career change, family needs), but most reasons are related to the organization itself.

In 2015 we shared the following 4 reasons why top performers quit:

1.   Reward System
2.   Management
3.   Hiring/Promotions
4.   Too Much Work

This year (2018), Human Resource expert Susan M. Heathfield has published what she views as the top ten reasons why employees quit:

1.    Relationship with the boss

2.    Bored and unchallenged with the work

3.    Relationships with co-workers

4.    Opportunities to use their skills and abilities

5.    Contribution of their work to the organization’s business goals

6.    Autonomy and independence on the job

7.    Meaningfulness of the employee’s job

8.    Knowledge about your organization’s financial stability

9.    Overall corporate culture

10.  Management’s recognition of employee job performance

Other studies report that a “bad boss” is the number #1 reason for quitting, but having a relationship with the boss is different. The employee wants feedback, direction, and recognition, with a desire for open lines of communication. Having trust in the relationship is also a plus!

Employees want a stable work environment and they want to feel their contributions are valued and meaningful for the success of their organization. They also want their contributions to be acknowledged.

They want a work environment where relationships exist between team members, and where team members collaborate and build on one another’s ideas.

What type of relationships do you have with your direct reports and peers? Do you know what makes them “tick’?  As a leader what more can you do to stay connected and retain top talent?

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

Click to obtain tips for STAYING IN TOUCH

15 Mar
[email protected] Leadership

Masterful Leadership

Leadership―at every level―is the most important factor in whether a team succeeds or fails.
Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, authors/former Navy SEALS

We’ve talked quite a bit about vision, communication, development, passion, collaboration, being a continual learner, and leveraging the strengths of others in order to achieve success and be an effective and influential leader.

Ten highly successful entrepreneurs (and leaders) shared what they viewed as best practices for successfully leading teams and we’re happy to share that many overlap with our beliefs (their findings were published in Success magazine “The Oracles” April 20, 2017).

Below are excerpts for what they feel is required for masterful leadership:

1. Stay true to your vision – an outstanding leader balances two opposing skills: external sensing and internal conviction. –Irene Chang Britt, former president of Pepperidge Farm and board director of Dunkin’ Brands

2. Communicate clearly and often – leaders communicate the organization’s mission and big ideas to their teams and clear roadblocks so their team can execute.– Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Zillow

3. Make yourself, and those around you, better – I’ve made it my mission to support, encourage and create opportunities for my team to achieve what they want.–Tom Ferry, founder and CEO of Tom Ferry International

4. Practice humility –  Humility has charisma.  Arrogance can be repulsive. Be boldly humble.– Mike Zeller, founder of Elevate United Elevate United

5. Check your ego at the door – A willingness to hire people better than you makes for a great leader.– Joe Kakaty, co-founder and president of Poker Cen Poker Cen

6. Supplement your shortcomings – I attract, recruit, nurture and care for the people I hire to run my companies.–John Hanna, author of Way of the Wealthy and CEO of Fairchild Group

7. Keep your people passionate – Passion is a hallmark quality of a masterful leader. It is to focus on activating the hearts of their people.– Allison Dunn, president and CEO of Deliberate Directions and executive business coach

8. Always learn, and ditch stubbornness – I’ll never finish learning or perfecting. No other qualities emulate the impact of constant growth, learning and facing your fears.– Jay Georgi, founder of Nadvia

9. Harness your team members’ strengths – I observe individual abilities and efficiently coordinate my team through knowing everyone’s strengths and weaknesses. I don’t place people in positions to fail. I put them in positions to succeed and achieve more than they thought possible. –Jim Mathers, CEO of North American Energy Advisory, Inc

10. Get everyone on the same page – Creating awareness up the chain of command overcomes the all-too-common culture of reactive, anti-change management and enables you to focus on executing the mission.–Craig Lack, CEO of ENERGI and creator of Performance-Based Health Plans

Which of these best practices are part of your leadership skill-set? Do you apply them daily? Are there any you need to further develop?

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

Click to read about  5 Common Leadership Mistakes

08 Mar
[email protected] Leadership, Success

A New Kind Of Leader

Chief Leadership Officers (CLOs) authentically embrace the business of business and people, not as “human resources” but as human beings – the crucial contributors to organizational success.—Kevin W. McCarthy

Are you familiar with the role of CLO? Kevin W. McCarthy wrote a book entitled CHIEF LEADERSHIP OFFICER. Mr. McCarthy feels that new and challenging times call for new leadership roles that include:

  • Position the organization to be a leader in its chosen field
  • Position each person to be leaders on and off their jobs
  • Meaningfully integrate the two above so everyone profits (financial gain is just one aspect of profit)

Mr. McCarthy explains that the role of CLO is a way of life and also a manner of doing business “where purpose, people, and performance are increasing wealth so everyone profits”.

A Chief Leadership Officer® Integrity Map is provided in the book and is comprised of Articulation, Synthesis, Development, Performance and Re-think. You start with “on purpose” statements that support your purpose, vision, mission and values. (We think this aligns well with PeopleTek’s concept that ALL behaviors must support your Vision, Mission, Goals and Measures).

A CLO checklist is also provided and is divided into 3 categories that help with the transition of the CEO leadership mentality to that of CLO:

Personal Leadership Development – There are 8 components; one is: I have written my personal 2-word Purpose, Vision(s), Missions, and Values (PVMV)

Professional Leadership Development – There are 7 components; one is: I have one or more trusted team member(s) with complementary talents for collaborative efforts

Business Leadership Development – There are 17 components; one is: Our Service Model™ links our PVMV, Plan, People, Processes, and Performance to serve our Customer Chains within our Values

A CLO “has a heart for service, a head for profit, the resilience of the military, and a moral imperative”. Are you ready to be a new kind of leader?

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

Click to read why LEADERS ARE CONTINUAL LEARNERS

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