22 Oct
Persistence
peopletek Decision Making

Persistence

Success is not the absence of failure, it’s the persistence through failure.
—Aisha Tyler
 
What does “Persistence” mean to you? One thought is that persistence refers to how long one is able and willing to stick to a task, even when it is challenging. Also, that lack of persistence is when someone is willing to drop a task and move on to something else when roadblocks are encountered.

We’ll simplify it and define it as “the quality of continuing steadily despite problems, challenges, or difficulties” and call them set-backs.

Are you impacted by set-backs or do they fire you up? When you experience them, what are you feeling and how do you adjust? We know not everything goes as planned, and that we may feel dejected when our efforts are derailed (for any reason), but it’s how we respond that matters.  The list below highlights just a few that “persisted” and succeeded:

Abraham Lincoln
Experienced 12 major failures before being elected the 16th U.S. President

Albert Einstein
His teachers said “he wouldn’t amount to much“.

Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven’s music teacher once said “as a composer, he is hopeless“.  

Steve Jobs
He felt he was a public failure when he was fired from Apple.

Walt Disney
Was fired from a newspaper for his lack of imagination.

The Beatles
In 1962 they were told they “had no future in show business” and that “groups with guitars are on the way out”. 

Dr. Seuss
His initial manuscript was rejected 28 times prior to being accepted by Random House/Vanguard Press.

Oprah Winfrey
After seven and a half months in her first job as a TV anchor she was fired and told she was “unfit for television news”.

Expect and plan for set-backs and persist! You will experience failures and face challenges, and when they occur, analyze what happened and why.  Be clear about your strategies and the direction needed to obtain the results you desire, and don’t shy away from continuing steadily despite encountering problems!

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

 

Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.
–Napoleon Hill

r

 
15 Oct
The Art Of Communication
peopletek Decision Making

The Art Of Communication

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.
—George Bernard Shaw
 
As leaders there’s a need to be viewed as authentic, trustworthy, and inspiring, and it’s also essential that we are viewed as good communicators.

Have you ever left a meeting thinking you provided clear updates, shared required next steps, and even added dates for deliverables yet you saw a number of blank stares and felt your communication was lacking?

You may have felt that way for a reason. An Interact/Harris Leadership Communication Poll was conducted and employees rated their leaders as follows:

63% – employees were not recognized for their achievements

57% – employees were not given clear directions

52% – leaders did not have sufficient time to meet with them

51% – leaders refused to talk to subordinates

47% – their boss took credit for others’ ideas

39% – constructive feedback was not provided

23% – there was no effort to ask about employees’ lives outside of work

These numbers are certainly nothing to be proud of, but the good news is that we all have the ability to ensure our numbers are better than those reported. Taking them in order:

1.    We need to seriously assess if we recognize accomplishments. If we’re not doing it consistently, why not?

2.    Do we feel we provide clear direction? How could our opinion differ from that of our direct reports?  Do we ever ask how they’ve interpreted the message?

3.    Do we make ourselves available to meet and discuss issues without the employees feeling rushed?

4.    Do we regularly schedule time to meet with our team members?

5.    Have you ever taken credit for work done by another? 

6.    Can you confidently and regularly provide feedback that is both positive as well as for growth opportunities?

7.    Do you invest the time to truly get to know your team?

Are you willing to ask your team how well you communicate (or don’t!)? It may prove interesting to see how your self-scores compare to the team results for these 7 questions.

Let us know what you learn.

Sincerely,

Mike and Jan

Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success.
–Paul J. Meyer

r

 
09 Oct
Mindset and Awareness
peopletek Decision Making

Mindset and Awareness

 
5 Pillars For Success by Natasha Graziano
 
Let’s assume that we all want to succeed. If that’s true (and yes, we know what assume means to some!), we need to have clear aspirations and define what success means to us.  As leaders, this also applies to our teams and organizations. Think in terms of “where are we now” and “where do we want to be”?

Also assess your mindset. Are you focused? Are you self-aware? Do you truly know what you want to achieve?

Natasha Graziano, Mindset Coach and Motivational Speaker provides 5 Pillars to assist with creating success both personally and professionally:

     1. Get clarity on your vision
You’ve heard us time and again share the need to have documented vision, mission, and goal statements, and that all of our behaviors must support achieving them. Graziano adds that “Most people mess up at this first hurdle because they don’t actually know what they want”. Having a clear and written vision will help with clarity for taking the necessary actions required to move forward.

    2. Remove the blockages
What barriers are getting in your way of success? Do you have “Gremlins” that limit your beliefs or that are immobilizing you?  Graziano shares “Once we realize we are standing in our own way of the thing we want, we can begin to move forward“.

    3. Replace old beliefs with new beliefs
We all have baggage and have had experiences that negatively impacted our mindset. What have you learned from them? What beliefs and thoughts can be replaced with some that will better serve you? The idea is that we learn from the negativity we’ve experienced, let them go, and now focus on our desires with positive energy that will help us achieve our vision.

    4. Expand your vision
Don’t think of what’s happened in the past; think outside of the box; don’t limit yourself; step out of your comfort zone. What is it you truly want?  Graziano adds “start dreaming bigger“.

    5. Take inspired action
Graziano says “When the doing and the thinking are aligned, you’re able to achieve massive success”. It takes that first step, it takes commitment, and it takes action.

How’s your mindset?  Are you determined? Are you self-aware and focused on what it is you want? Are you willing to take that first step?

Wishing you success!
Sincerely,
Mike and Jan

Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it.
–Steve Maraboli   
r
 
09 Oct
Books On Leadership
peopletek Decision Making

Books On Leadership

 
Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.
–Harry S. Truman
 
We often get asked for leadership book recommendations. It’s not easy to choose as there are hundreds of books that provide valuable content, but our top 5 picks are:
 
QBQ – The Question Behind The Question by John G. Miller
An oldy but goody, accountability is often an issue in the workplace and pointing fingers can be a by-product. This book explains that without personal accountability it’s difficult to succeed and attain desired goals, and it provides methods for regularly practicing accountability.

The Five Dysfunctions Of A Team by Patrick Lencioni
Learn about five root causes that contribute to teams failing (absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results), and how one can address poor teamwork by implementing specific strategies.

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
It’s all up to us. We must be self-aware and take responsibility for our choices. Covey addresses the following 7 habits that are required for success: Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, Put First Things First, Think Win-Win, Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood, Synergize, and Sharpen the Saw.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership by John C. Maxwell
Learn insights for becoming a more powerful and effective leader and obtain tips to improve your leadership skills and abilities and for influencing others. Maxwell says: If you want to be a leader, the good news is that you can do it. Everyone has the potential, but it isn’t accomplished overnight. It requires perseverance.  This is closely aligned with our motto:
“Leadership is a process, not an event”!

The Power Of Focus by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Les Hewitt
Obtain specific strategies for maintaining focus positioning you to achieve results and increase levels of success. Without focus, unnecessary internal struggles exist, waffling occurs, and results are delayed.

There are hundreds of books that speak to leadership skills, abilities, and behaviors and for making you more self-aware while enhancing your emotional intelligence. A Harvard Business Review article shared that “reading for just six minutes can reduce stress by 68% and is beneficial for stressed leaders/managers and C-level executives”.

Commit to making the time to read!
Sincerely,
Mike and Jan

Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.
— Margaret Fuller