25 Feb
[email protected] Leadership

FLY – First Lead Yourself

Go out and lead the world; but never forget to begin by leading yourself . . .
–Israelmore Ayivor

In the early 2000’s we started having discussions and giving speeches about “FLY “- First Lead Yourself, Then Lead Others”. It turns out that we were not alone in this concept so we’ll share what it means to us.

Basically:

  • As leaders we must first understand essential  leadership behaviors and apply them in our daily interactions
  • Once we possess those skills we can begin to effectively lead others
  • We need to commit to continually hone and further develop our skills
  • Leadership is a process, not an event!

We also believe the most impactful leaders possess the following behaviors:

  1. They work on self-awareness and learn how to best engage others
  2. They understand and leverage their “Magic Dust” and the passion and skills of others
  3. Their Vision, Mission, Goals and Measures have been communicated and are fully supported by their behaviors (VMGM=B)
  4. They communicate with others in the preferred style of the message receiver
  5. They have clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and desired results     
  6. They not only hold themselves accountable, they encourage others to do the same
  7. They honor & embrace conflict as it can spark innovation and inspiration
  8. They influence others through their interactions and behaviors
  9. They build and nurture authentic, lasting relationships
  10. They provide timely and meaningful feedback, and regularly solicit feedback so they can continue to grow
  11. They make others feel valued and inspire others to learn more and do more 
  12. They support career growth

Do you FLY? If yes, do you feel equipped to lead others and help them lead themselves?

If you can lead yourself when nobody is following,
people will follow when you are not leading.
— Saji Ijiyemi

18 Feb
[email protected] Leadership

What’s a Bad Boss?

People don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses.

What type of boss do you like? Better yet, what type of boss don’t you like?

We all learn from work experiences which include the culture, colleagues, our roles and the work itself, and at the top of the list is the relationship one has with their boss.

In the past we’ve suggested looking for leadership behaviors and styles you want to emulate. How did others make a difference? Why are they able to build strong relationships? Why are people drawn to them? What do they do to encourage and motivate others for goal attainment?

Now we’ll switch directions – what behaviors and styles do you dislike or find un-motivating or even upsetting?

A Gallup study of 7,272 found that 50% of employees quit their job to get away from their boss. That’s impressive and not in a good way.

The most common items that negatively impact boss relationships include:

Communication
-Is it consistent and meaningful?
-Are meetings regularly scheduled?
-Is the boss reachable when needed?
-Is communication limited to work or does it include a “personal” check in?
-Can difficult discussions be held that are healthy and respectful?

Performance Management
-Are successes recognized?
-Are skill gaps developed?
-Is feedback regularly provided?
-Is everyone treated fairly?
-Does favoritism exist?

Utilizing strengths
-Is the boss aware of each contributor’s strengths and the value they add?
-Are work assignments given based on strengths and “magic dust”? (passion and skills)
-Are team members encouraged to collaborate and learn from one another?
-Are innovation and change encouraged?

These are just a few items that are attributed to “bad bosses”. What should we add to the list? What are you doing to ensure you’re not considered a “bad boss”?

I am thankful for all those difficult people in my life,
they have shown me exactly who I do not want to be.
Author unknown

11 Feb
[email protected] Leadership

Servant Leadership

Servant leaders give more of themselves not because they have to, but because they want to.
—Jeffrey Hayzlett

Are you familiar with the term Servant Leadership?  If yes, what does the term mean to you?

In 1970, Robert K. Greenleaf, coined the phrase and wrote about it in his essay: “Essentials of Servant Leadership”.  Greenleaf’s position is that the servant-first leader ensures that other people’s highest priority needs are being served, and that servant leadership is about helping others grow.

Former president of the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, Larry C. Spears, states that the 10 most important characteristics of servant leaders are:

  1. Listening
  2. Empathy
  3. Healing
  4. Awareness
  5. Persuasion
  6. Conceptualization
  7. Foresight
  8. Stewardship
  9. Commitment to the growth of people
  10. Building community

Jeffrey Hayzlett, author, speaker, and TV and radio host shares another Servant Leadership definition: a philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more just and caring world. He also shares the following 4 steps for developing into a better servant leader:

  1. Encourage diversity of thought
  2. Create a culture of trust
  3. Have an unselfish mindset
  4. Foster leadership in others

Despite the definition differences, the concepts remain the same – to help others. As a leader, are you helping individuals grow and thrive in their skills and abilities?

Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy in which the main goal of the leader is to serve. This is different from traditional leadership where the leader’s main focus is the thriving of their company or organizations. –Wikipedia

04 Feb
[email protected] Decision Making

Your 2021 Expectations

High expectations are the key to everything.
–Sam Walton

Success Magazine – In January they published an article about making 2021 the year you want it to be. If asked, could you respond? Do you have expectations and plans at least drafted to support achieving what you want?

Here are 10 suggestions to help.

In times of uncertainty, show up.
You have to be a visible, in the trenches leader. Not necessarily “in person”, but make yourself available to others to bring them on board and obtain their commitment.

Ask for help to reach your goals.
Utilize the resources and mentors available to help you reach your goals.

Learn what motivates you.
What excites you? When do you accomplish the most? Remember and leverage it!

Don’t let chaos cloud your mindset.
Today’s chaos will be tomorrow’s memory; don’t let ill moments cloud your judgment.

Confront disruption by adapting.
Acknowledge the challenges being experienced without losing focus.

Align your work to your purpose.
Ask yourself if your work is aligned to your purpose. Adjust accordingly.

Set priorities and start at the top.
Setting priorities is vital for success. Rank the items that must get done each day or week.

Take care of yourself to stay healthy.
Taking care of yourself is the first step to taking care of others.

Remember, you can control your attitude.
Self-assessment is a crucial part of success. Know that your attitude and response is all you can control; journaling helps.

Set a tangible goal to get the result you want.
Identify the results you want this year, determine supporting goals and make it real.

We continue to be impacted by covid-19 and adapting to new rules and norms that are out of our control; what we can do is think and plan for what we want from 2021. Don’t wait!

Winners make a habit of manufacturing their own positive expectations
in advance of the event.
–Brian Tracy