Business Leadership Advice

Leadership Skills: Don't hit the brakes when you hit the gravel By Joe Tye

Josh Hinds — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:26:00 +0000

If you're speeding along down the road on your bike and unexpectedly hit a patch of loose gravel, the temptation is to immediately hit the brakes. But if you do, more likely than not you will just as quickly hit the ground.

A much safer approach is to coast, to ride it out as you gradually slow down, keep your concentration and maintain your balance, and not even think about falling.

We're faced with similar challenges in our everyday lives. At the first sign quarterly profits might not hit the expectations of analysts and shareholders, the CEO might be tempted to slam on the brakes by slashing "discretionary" expenditures like advertising or staff training.

Although it might take longer for the effects to be felt than would a tumble from a bike, the damage can be very real, and it can take a long time to heal.

At an organization where I once worked, I was holding a staff meeting in a department characterized by low morale, marginal productivity, and lousy attitudes.

When I asked about this, a participant remarked, "It all started when 'the suits' decided to save money by canceling the employee picnic. It was the one nice thing they used to do for us." I'd been at the organization for a number of years, but I'd never heard about an employee picnic. "Picnic? How long ago was this?" I asked.

The response: "Oh, I don't know - five or six years ago." We on the management team were furiously pedaling away, wondering why our "knees" hurt so much, oblivious to the wounds that had been inflicted five or six years earlier when a previous rider hit the brakes on the proverbial patch of gravel.

The effects can be similarly traumatic at home. A teenager comes home way past curfew. Instead of riding it out until morning, when the situation can be handled with love, compassion, and understanding, the parent slams on the brakes: "You're grounded! Give me the car keys and go to bed."

Though it might not be superficially obvious in the morning, a wound has been inflicted that will require first aid if it is to heal properly. The danger is, like the long-forgotten (by management), long-remembered (by staff), cancelled employee picnic, what might have been a minor abrasion can turn into an ugly scar.

If you mentally rehearse your reaction to hitting a patch of gravel before it actually happens, you're less likely to panic when it does. So, too, in business and in life. If you anticipate the possibility of an economic downturn, or a rebellious teenager, and mentally rehearse your response, you're more likely to respond with intelligence rather than react in anger.

* The above is an excerpt from Joe Tye's e-book Learning to Ride the Bicycle of Life.
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Joe Tye is president of Paradox 21 Inc., which provides corporate training and culture change initiatives based on a proprietary curriculum of The Twelve Core Action Values of Personal Leadership Effectiveness. He is also the author of several books and audio programs on personal, career, and business success, and a popular motivational speaker. Visit www.JoeTye.com.

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Building A Successful Team By Jim Rohn

Josh Hinds — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:44:00 +0000

Once you've set a goal for yourself as a leader-whether it is to create your own enterprise, energize your organization, build a church, or excel in sports - the challenge is to find good people to help you accomplish that goal. Gathering a successful team of people is not only helpful, it's necessary.

So to guide you in this daunting task of picking the right people, I'm going to share with you a four-part checklist.

Number One: Check each candidate's history. Seek out available information regarding the individual's qualifications to do the job. That's the most obvious step.

Number Two: Check the person's interest level. If they are interested, they are probably a good prospect. Sometimes people can fake their interest, but if you've been a leader for a while, you will be a capable judge of whether somebody is merely pretending. Arrange face-to-face conversation, and try to gauge his or her sincerity to the best of your ability. You won't hit the bull's-eye every time, but you can get pretty good at spotting what I call true interest.

Number Three: Check the prospect's responses. A response tells you a lot about someone's integrity, character, and skills. Listen for responses like these: "You want me to get there that early?" "You want me to stay that late?" "The break is only ten minutes?" "I'll have to work two evenings a week and Saturdays?" You can't ignore these clues. A person's responses are a good indication of his or her character and of how hard he or she will work. Our attitudes reflect our inner selves, so even if we can fool others for a while, eventually, our true selves will emerge.

And Number Four: Check results. The name of the game is results. How else can we effectively judge an individual's performance? The final judge must be results.

There are two types of results to look for. The first is activity results. Specific results are a reflection of an individual's productivity. Sometimes we don't ask for this type of result right away, but it's pretty easy to check activity. If you work for a sales organization and you've asked your new salesman, John, to make ten calls in the first week, it's simple to check his results on Friday. You say, "John, how many calls did you make?" John says, "Well..." and starts telling a story, making an excuse. You respond, "John, I just need a number from one to ten." If his results that first week are not good, it is a definite sign. You might try another week, but if that lack of precise activity continues, you'll soon realize that John isn't capable of becoming a member of your team.

The second area you need to monitor is productivity. The ultimate test of a quality team is measurable progress in a reasonable amount of time. And here's one of the skills of leadership: be up front with your team as to what you expect them to produce. Don't let the surprises come later.

When you're following this four-part checklist, your instincts obviously play a major role. And your instincts will improve every time you go through the process. Remember, building a good team will be one of your most challenging tasks as a leader. It will reap you multiple rewards for a long time to come.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn
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Creativity by Bobb Biehl

Josh Hinds — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:17:00 +0000

On a one-to-ten scale, how would you respond to these questions?

• How creative do you think you are?
• How competent are you at solving problems?

I believe that creativity for leaders is bringing together new, workable solutions to problems. It’s a fundamental misconception to think, “To be creative, I have to be artistic.” If you can solve a problem, you’re creative.

I’d like you to focus on the one thing you have the strongest desire to create. Asking yourself the following questions can enhance your ability to be creative:

Do I have an attitude of readiness for creativity?
I’m told that the director of the U.S. Patent Office in the late 1800s wanted to close that agency because he believed all the best ideas had already been patented. Do you believe the best has already been, or are you convinced the best is yet to be?

In the area I want to apply creativity, what is the need? As you think about this, how can you state the need—and then solve it using your problem solving skills? I’ve published a book called The Memories Book. Many people have told me the idea was creative. It’s a gift book (that includes 600 questions) in which parents or grandparents can record their memories. It lets them leave a priceless legacy for their descendents.

However, the Memories Book began as an attempt to fill many lonely hours for my wife’s elderly grandmother, Frances Shupe. I saw the problem and worked to solve it; the solution was a concept that could be passed on to others.

When a problem is “burning a hole” in your mind and you think, “There has to be a solution to this,” recognize that need as the soil for creativity. Reflect deeply on the problem, and the solution will “jump out at you.”

Should I try to find an original solution, or is there a model I can follow?

There are at least two types of human creativity. Both are valuable and effective.

• Original creativity is the process whereby you arrive at a solution without having seen anything like it previously.
• Adaptive creativity is the process in which you take existing models and tailor them to fit your situation.

How can I expand my perspective?

By temporarily adjusting the context within which you approach a problem, you may see new solutions. For example, if you’re trying to solve a problem with a budget of $100.00, consider what changes you would make with an unlimited budget. With more dollars available, you could identify a variety of solutions you hadn’t even considered. You can then identify ways in which some of those ideas could be pursued on a “scaled-down” version.

Another idea for expanding your view: Take five minutes to list as many options as you can. Don’t worry now about any drawbacks—just quantity. You may be surprised by your creative solutions.

When something is simple—keep simplifying it! (Make sure you have big sheets of paper to write on when brainstorming.)

Is this need worth a lot of time?

Make sure the problem is worth the amount of time and mental energy you’re exerting.

How do I feel about the problem?

Often, simply realizing how you feel about a problem will prompt creative solutions.

Has someone already solved this problem?

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. (On the other hand, never stop refining the tire!)

Who could help me think creatively about this problem?

Who’s the most creative person you know? Call that person, explain the problem, and ask for input. Expect to hear creative alternatives!

Could this solution be a “Big Winner”?

Some solutions are “ten-dollar ideas” while others might be “million-dollar ideas.” Identify and invest yourself in the “big ideas.”

REMEMBER...

Whenever you’re tempted to doubt your creativity, ask yourself:

• Do I have an attitude of readiness for creativity?
• In the area I want to apply creativity, what is the need?
• Should I try to find an original solution, or is there a model I can follow?
• How can I expand my perspective?
• Is this need worth a lot of time?
• How do I feel about the problem?
• Has someone already solved this problem?
• Who could help me think creatively about this problem?
• Could this solution be a “Big Winner”?

By knowing the right questions, you’ll continue to increase your leadership confidence.

Note: This material has been adapted from a book called LEADING with Confidence…available at www.BobbBiehl.com
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Bobb Biehl is an executive mentor. He is the founder of Masterplanning Group International. As its president, he has consulted personally with more than 400 clients. In that time he has met one-to-one with over 2,500 executives (board members, senior executives, and staff members) and spent an estimated 35,000 hours in private sessions with some of the finest leaders of our generation. You can visit him at www.BobbBiehl.com.

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Leadership From Confusion to Clarity By Bryant Nielson

Josh Hinds — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:57:00 +0000

New leaders - and sometimes more senior leaders - can find themselves in organizations and situations that are very cloudy and confusing.

This problem could arise from changes in the organization's structure, new leadership, a lack of direction, or even a new team or organization. What can a leader do to create clarity amidst the confusion?

First of all, you must define the future for the organization. Many times confusion arises from just not knowing where the organization is headed. Define the future by determining a vision and mission for the organization - and be as specific as possible.

What goal do you want the organization to reach, and in what time frame? Do you need or want the organization to grow in size, revenue, or number of locations? All of these things must be described concisely in order to lift some confusion.

You'll find that by just painting a picture of what the future looks like, people will fall behind it and begin moving in the same direction. Remember that your vision is most likely a change, so expect the organization to react to change before embracing the new direction.

Next, be sure to clarify roles. This simple statement takes on quite a bit of complication because you must clarify the roles of everyone in the organization - from the front line to middle managers, as well as your own role.

As a leader, your role should concentrate on the big picture and you should communicate this to the organization. While you're clarifying roles, you may need to adjust them, as well. For example, if you're trying to move your organization into a more leadership-based organization, you may have to define managers as team leaders - and begin changing the hierarchy.

You may also find that you have to adjust roles within the organization - the person or team who was responsible for certain tasks may not be the best suited for those tasks and you may have to make adjustments.

As you move down into the organization, be certain that every person is aware of his or her role - and that their questions about that role can be answered by you or another leader.

With clarified roles, at least people can direct their attention to their tasks and not to the confusion that may be occurring.

Third, begin the process of developing leaders at all levels. Look at the training that currently exists in the organization. Is the training based on function only, or are there opportunities for people to grow as coaches or leaders?

Can you take functional training and adjust it to create functional leaders, that is, people who excel at their normal tasks and can be used to lead others in those tasks? Examine the organization to determine if any leadership is visible at the lower levels - and spend time developing those groups. But how does this create clarity in confusion?

First, creating a talent pool helps you to clarify roles. You may have emerging leaders who can now see their role within the organization - and the possibility that they can move up within the organization.

Second, you're making it clear that in order to reach the organization's goals, each person has a chance to become a leader. So not only can people concentrate on their own tasks, they can also concentrate on how leadership skill can improve the entire organization.

You must remove hierarchies and boundaries that may have caused confusion in the past. Sometimes you'll find that the organization may have quite a bit of redundancy in tasks and responsibilities.

This not only creates confusion but it also creates less than good will amongst departments and teams. By examining who's doing what, you can clarify the hierarchy and move to create an organization that functions efficiently.

Boundaries between teams and departments can also contribute to confusion. In many organizations, teams do not have a general awareness of how they fit in with the big picture and with other teams.

In fact, many individual team members may be keenly aware of his or her own tasks, but have no idea how those tasks contribute to the overall function of the organization. By breaking down the walls between teams and departments, you'll allow everyone to see how it all fits together, as well as to expose redundancy and ineffective processes.

Again, removing an old way of doing things is a change, so be sure to communicate the benefits the change at all times.

Finally, communication is the key to removing confusion - both formally and informally. On the informal side, you, as the leader, must be a constant champion of your own vision and goals for the future. In other words, you should talk about it whenever you have the chance.

Be sure that lower-level organizational members hear the words coming out of your mouth - prove to them that it's not just top-level talk. More formally, consider using a G.E. "Work Out" approach, where business units come together to solve problems and brainstorm on future efficiencies.

Allow the people who do the work to communicate with you and your team - you'll find that some of the best ideas come from that type of communication. You can also consider "town hall" type meetings, where you go to the groups and allow them to ask questions about the changes, the new vision, and the direction of the organization.

Remember that communication is a two way street, so just as you communicate to the organization, allow the organization to communicate with you.

By defining the future, clarifying roles, developing leaders, removing boundaries, and opening communication, you can create clarity in the midst of confusion - and move your organization ahead.

Copyright 2008 Bryant Nielson. All Rights Reserved.
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Bryant Nielson - Managing Director and National Sales Trainer - assists executives, business owners, and top performing sales executives in taking the leap from the ordinary to extraordinary. Bryant is a trainer, business & leadership coach, and strategic planner for sales organizations. You can visit him at www.BryantNielson.com

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Empowering Others By Brian Tracy

Josh Hinds — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 01:45:00 +0000

Get the Cooperation of Others...
Empowering people is the key to building a high-performance team. Once you empower people by learning how to motivate and inspire them, they will want to work with you to help you achieve your goals in everything you do.

Your ability to enlist the knowledge, energy and resources of others enables you to become a multiplication sign, to leverage yourself so that you accomplish far more than the average person and in a far shorter period of time.

Determine the Key People to Empower...
There are three types of people that you want to and need to empower on a regular basis. They are, first of all, the people closest to you: your family, your friends, your spouse and your children.

Second are your work relationships: your staff, your coworkers, your peers, your colleagues and even your boss.

Third are all the other people that you interact with in your day-to-day life: your customers, your suppliers, your banker, the people with whom you deal in stores, restaurants, airplanes, hotels and everywhere else.

In each case, your ability to get people to help you is what will make you a more powerful and effective person.

Always Be Positive...
Empower means "putting power into," and it can also mean "bringing energy and enthusiasm out of."

So the first step in empowering people is to refrain from doing anything that disempowers them or reduces their energy and enthusiasm for what they are doing.

There are things you can do every single day to empower people and make them feel good about themselves.

Satisfy the Deepest Needs...
The deepest need that each person has is for self-esteem, a sense of being important, valuable and worthwhile.

Everything that you do in your interactions with others affects their self-esteem in some way. You already have an excellent frame of reference to determine the things that you can do to boost the self-esteem and therefore the sense of personal power of those around you. Give them what you'd like for yourself.

Continually Express Appreciation...
Perhaps the simplest way to make another person feel good about himself or herself is your continuous expressions of appreciation for everything that person does for you, large or small. Say "thank you" on every occasion.

Thank your spouse for everything that he or she does for you. Thank your children for their cooperation and support in everything that they do around the house. Thank your friends for the smallest acts of kindnesses. The more you thank other people for doing things for you, the more things those other people will want to do.

Action Exercises:

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, continually look for ways to make people feel more valuable and important. Say things to others that you would like others to say to you.

Second, express appreciation for everything anyone does for you, large or small. Say the words, "thank you" on every occasion.
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Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Visit the Brian Tracy web site.

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A Special Kind of Courage By Brian Tracy

Josh Hinds — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 05:18:00 +0000

There are several different aspects of courage. Perhaps the most important is the courage to endure, to persist, to "hang in there" in the face of doubt, uncertainty and criticism from others.

Practice Patience in Adversity ...
This is called "courageous patience," the willingness and the ability to "stay the course" in the face of uncertainty, doubt and often criticism from many quarters.

Stay the Course ...
In my experience, there is a critical time period between the launching of a new venture and the results that come from that venture.

During this hiatus, this waiting period, many people lose their nerve. They cannot stand the suspense of not knowing, of possible failure. They break and run in battle, they quake and quit in business.

The True Leader ...
But the true leader is the person who can stand firm, who refuses to consider the possibility of failure. The turning points of many key moments in human history have been the resolution, or lack thereof, of one person. Courageous patience is the acid test of leadership.

To encourage others, to instill confidence in them, to help them to perform at their best requires first of all that you lead by example.

Allow Honest Mistakes ...
The second thing you can do to help alleviate the fears of failure and rejection in others is to encourage them to take calculated risks and allow honest mistakes.

Build People Up ...
Give the people who look up to you regular praise and approval. Celebrate good tries as well as success, large and small. Create a psychological climate where people feel safe from censure, blame or criticism of any kind. Then do things that make people feel terrific about themselves.

Become Unstoppable ...
Courage comes from acting courageously on a day-to-day basis. Your personal development goal should be to practice the behaviors of a totally fearless person until you become, in your own mind, unstoppable.

Action Exercises:

Here are two ways for you to develop courageous patience.

First, prepare yourself in advance for the inevitable disappointments and setbacks you will experience on the way to your goal. Don't be surprised when they occur.

Second, resolve in advance that you will bounce rather than break and continually encourage others to think and act the same way.
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Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Visit the Brian Tracy web site.

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Developing Leadership Skills Through Your Community By Barbara White

Josh Hinds — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:27:00 +0000

If you want to progress in your career, and get promoted to a leadership role, it is important to be developing your leadership skills on an ongoing basis.

One of the most essential indicators of good leadership skills is the most obvious – the ability and willingness to take the lead and to motivate the team to follow.

This article will explore how you can develop experience in leadership and how your leadership skills can be developed through becoming a volunteer in your local community.

Generally speaking everyone falls into one of three categories:
1. People who make things happen
2. People who watch things happen, and,
3. People who ask “What happened?”

The role of a leader is to make things happen. A leader is the person, who not only develops the skills and abilities to make things happen, but makes them part of their lifestyle.

The role of a leader plays out, not only in the work environment, but in every area of life. A leader takes the lead at work, at home, with family, in their church, in their community, and often this is in a volunteer position.

Leaders are the ones who step up to the plate and do what it takes to get the results that are needed.

Here is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done. Who took the role of the leader?

It was Nobody

Part of the leader’s role involves leading by example. A leader is not just the person who takes charge or wears the “leader’s” badge. True leadership is about serving, and making sure the job gets done.

The role of a leader is to be a role-model for those who follow. You are there, setting the example by being part of the team. You start a little earlier, you work a little harder, and you stay a little later. You never ask anyone to do something that you wouldn’t do yourself.

As the head of the team, you continually look for ways to make it easier for your team members to do their jobs. You accept complete responsibility for the achievement of the overall goal, You are a leader because you continually lead.
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Barbara White is an author, speaker and trainer in leadership development. You can visit her site at LivingBeyondBetter.com.

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How to Design a Great Leadership Team Off-site Meeting By Dan Mccarthy

Josh Hinds — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:12:00 +0000

1. What's the overall purpose of the meeting? To develop a 3 year strategy? Improve teamwork? Solve a big hairy problem? Sometimes it's a combination of a few things, but try to keep it to just a few. A great off-site agenda should not look like an extended staff meeting. This is an opportunity to take the time needed to strategize, brainstorm, debate, reflect, and learn.

2. What's the "desired outcomes"? Desired outcomes are a tangible set of deliverables that describe what a successful meeting would look like at the conclusion. Examples: "A list of 3-5 three year goals", "A shared vision", "a shared understanding of each other's concerns".

Desired outcomes give you a target to shoot for and a way to evaluate the success of the meeting. It also helps drive the creation of the agenda - a way to screen out the clutter that everyone always seems to want to bolt on.

3. Determine participants and roles. Usually there's one meeting leader, participants, maybe a facilitator, and sometimes guests.

4. Do a "stakeholder assessment". Who are all the key stakeholders for this meeting and what would a "win" look like for them. Stakeholders may be attending the meeting or they may not. For example, the manager of the meeting leader is a key stakeholder. You won't be able to pleased all stakeholders but it helps to least be aware of their needs.

5. Consider the context. What's going on in the environment that may influence the participant's behavior, mindset, or participation? For example, is their a pending downsizing? A new team member? A restructuring?

6. Establish the dates. Three days is often ideal, two is OK, and anything more than four can turn into a death march.

7. Notify the participants - just have them hold the dates for now.

8. Select an overall "theme" for the meeting. The theme will emerge based on the purpose, desired outcomes, and context. The theme could be "Leading change", or "A winning team", or "playing to win". Having a central theme allows you to creatively tie all of the meeting elements together: agenda, venue, activities, gift, etc...

9. Find the right venue. Work with your corporate meeting planners, your meeting facilitator, or do your own search. Most resorts and hotels cater to corporate meetings and can help you select the best room, meals, and activities. You'll probably work with a conference planner. Make sure you specify AV needs, room set-up, meals and breaks, and any other details.

10. Begin to work on the key design elements. This is a creative process, where you begin to come up with ways to accomplish the desired outcomes. There could be teambuilding activities, strategy or problem solving sessions, training, and/or presentations.

11. Design the high level agenda. The pieces begin to fit together like a puzzle. I often write the key agenda pieces on post-its, and move them around until they begin to form a nice flow.

12. Confirm any outside speakers or other guests.

13. Develop the detailed agenda. For each major agenda segment, determine the what, who, how, when, and how long.

14. Select activities. Activities are a great way to informally build the team and keep the energy high. Pick activities that support your meeting purpose and theme.

15. Send a high level agenda to the participants and any invited guests, including all of the logistical information, including maps, dress code, pre-work, and any activities.

16. Select a parting gift - some kind of special memento that supports the theme and creates a lasting anchor for the experience.

17. Fine-tune the agenda, trouble-shooting potential snafus and making the inevitable last minute adjustments.

Once the meeting starts, be prepared to make adjustments. Things never go as planned, but if you follow these steps, you'll improve you chances of having a great leadership team off-site. Good luck!
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For advice and information on leadership and leadership development, visit Dan Mccarthy's blog at GreatLeadershipByDan.Blogspot.com.

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Managing to Improve: 10 Areas or Emphasis for Workplace Leaders By Bill Blades

Josh Hinds — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 08:55:00 +0000

About 85 percent of all managers in North America became managers without prior education to become one - I'm sure you can imagine how well that often goes. Time spent away from the office at trade shows offers a good chance to review what makes a good manager. The majority of traits I see in need of improvement usually include the following.

Look in the mirror

The CEO is too easy: Leadership is sometimes hard and sometimes soft, but I find most CEOs are far too lax on the next layer of management down. The various reasons include not being gutsy enough, don't know how to counsel professionally and even promoting favoritism. Tell them the truth when you should. If you don't, it's called conflict avoidance, which may be construed as weakness. Then the executive group might do the same with everyone else. It starts at the top. As Harry Truman said-the buck stops here.

Communication: Whether in our personal or business lives, the first thing that causes divisiveness is a breakdown in communication. Communication either just stops or becomes short and to the point. It comes with no coffee, no sincerity and very little contact with the person. Seven of 10 people lose their jobs due to a lack of communication. It's not what you say, but how you say it.

If a co-worker stops talking to you, you should immediately visit the person and ask if you've done something wrong, and always ask for the truth. Also, remember that people are more relaxed when they're either lying down or sitting over a beverage or meal. Since you don't want the person lying down in your office, I suggest you conduct the meeting over coffee. Even Lipton employees have meetings with coffee.

Absolutes: Once a decision has been made, share with your group that "this is an absolute. By that, I mean failure is not an option." From that day forward, using the word "absolute" -will have a profound effect. From Gen. Eisenhower's D-Day "We go," President Kennedy's "We will place a man on the moon and bring him back safely to Earth" or Gen. Schwartzkopf's briefing on Iraq, "We will cut its head off," there was no question as to who was in charge and an all out effort was required by everyone. What's the one big absolute you need to share with your group-now?

Micro-managing: If you want to kill creativity and enthusiasm, don't let your group "get on with it" without your approval on every piece of the puzzle. Micro-managing is similar to the newspaper headline that read "Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge." Oh, the mediocre people won't mind your meddling, but the really good ones will hate it-and probably leave you twisting in the wind eventually. It's smart to follow-up, but dumb to control everything carefully.

Make the time to think

Brain challenge: Most of us can do our jobs with one arm. Perhaps even with one arm and one leg. Yet, the No. 1 thing that managers, and their staff, have to offer is their brain. Yet, I hardly ever see anyone really thinking enough? They are too busy just "doing." And very little creativity comes through high-speed motion. Slow it down by taking at least four hours a week just to think.

I suggest you challenge every person that reports to you to provide a monthly report. It can include the following topics: what am I doing that I shouldn't be doing, what am I not doing that I should be doing and a minimum of one high quality, creative idea to boost sales, teamwork, morale and whatever else that might be a challenge or priority. Plus, help them implement the suggestions.

One-on-one development: Every person reporting to you can become a minimum of 25 percent more effective. Often, they don't know how to, so it becomes your responsibility to pinpoint their areas of improvement and arrange for any necessary assistance.

If improvements require an outside resource, they can become either an expense or a great investment. It will be a cost if you don't hold the individual accountable for acting on the new skills she received. Hold her accountable and it will become a great investment.

Personal growth: I'm talking about you here. Your dedication to personal growth earns you the right to ask others to improve. The first area to conduct an assessment is communication. It's still the No. I reason why very bright leaders flounder. Ask a few people who will tell you the truth on how well you are communicating.

Then, what's the next area to assess? What's after that? Even with you, it's still called continuous improvement. Even schoolteachers seek improvement according to a recent headline that read: "Sex Education Delayed, Teachers Request Training."

Time utilization: Time is our real currency and we need to treat it as such. The average executive is interrupted 50 to 80 times daily. Let's just use 50 and say each interruption is only 5 minutes. That's four hours that's lost a day. We're paid to think and you cannot effectively do so if you don't block out quiet time. I suggest you pick certain hours where no interruptions are allowed and instead designate it as time just to think.

My best thinking time is when I first wake up in the morning because there's nothing else to interfere with my thoughts. Here's an idea: Stay home one day a month just to think and plan. No interruptions. It's the same as going to the office on Saturday for four hours. You get two days of work done, right?

Taking stock of inventory

Favorites: One of the worst mistakes a manager makes is a bad hiring decision. The error is then compounded by allowing that person to remain on the payroll. This is also bad for overall morale. The only thing worse than employee turnover is when there's none of it when there should be. I recently suggested an employer discharge an employee for non-performance. He said, "Bill, I would but I am afraid he would go to work for our competitor." Duh! "That's where you want him to go," I replied. Still, the CEO liked him, regardless of performance.

Even Nordstrom's marks down slow moving merchandise-and does it fast. It doesn't matter how much they like the outfit. No one else does, so move it at any price.

Culture: Some see this as a fluffy area... an option at best. It's anything but that. In fact, it's almost everything. The best culture calls for the business to be the funnest place in town to work. When work becomes fun, teamwork improves, productivity is elevated, turnover is reduced and creativity is unleashed. Of course, sales are also elevated.

Here's a quick check to perform. is everyone eating, sleeping and breathing your mission statement? I have had more than one CEO in the last few years who couldn't tell me his mission statement. When the CEO doesn't embrace greatness, no matter the size of the organization, the deathbed is already being packed for shipment.

Conclusion ...

We often use "management" and "leadership" as if they were the same. They are not. For you military veterans, think about the roles of drill sergeant and general. For you non-military veterans, the difference in the two of them is the former barks orders while the other thinks, plans, strategizes and rallies troops. Don't stop payment on your reality check. I suggest you rate yourself on the above 10 skill sets and figure out which ones you'll need to address immediately. Plus, don't forget to be totally honest - another important leadership trait.
____________
Bill Blades, CMC, CPS
William Blades, LLC
1240 Red Tail Way
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009
307-635-1989
www.WilliamBlades.com

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The Key to Leadership By Brian Tracy

Josh Hinds — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 07:46:00 +0000

The Foremost of the Values ...
Winston Churchill once said, "Courage is rightly considered the foremost of the virtues, for upon it all others depend." The systematic development of the deep down quality of unflinching courage is one of the fundamental requirements for leadership in any field.

Fear, or the lack of courage is more responsible for failure in management, and in life, than any other factor. It is always fear that causes people to hold back, to sell themselves short, to settle for far less than they are capable of!

Eliminate Fear and Doubt ...
I firmly believe that you can do, have or be far more than you now know if only you could eliminate the fear, doubts and misgivings that consciously and unconsciously interfere with your realizing your full potential.

Unlearn Your Fears ...
If there is anything positive about fear, it is that all fears are learned, that no one is born with fears, and that having been learned, they can be unlearned.

If you want to understand the role of fear in shaping the course of your life, just ask yourself, if you had a magic wand that would absolutely guarantee you success in any one thing you attempted, what goal would you set for yourself.

The Great Question ...
"What one great thing would you dare to dream if you knew you could not fail?" If you had no fears at all with regard to money or the criticism of others, what would you do differently? Most people can think of all kinds of changes they would, or could, make in their lives if they had no fears to hold them back.

The Origins of Fear ...
The development of courage begins with understanding the psychological origins of fear. The newborn child has only two fears; the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. All other fears that we experience as adults are learned as we are growing up, primarily as the result of well-meaning but destructive criticism from our parents.

How Fears Develop ...
When the curious child gets into things and makes a mess, the parent scolds and punishes the child, eventually building up a pattern of fear connected with trying or getting into anything new or different. As adults, we experience this as the fear of failure, the fear of risking, of making a mistake, of losing.

Action Exercises:

Here are two steps you can take immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, imagine that you had no fears at all. What would you set as a goal for yourself if you were guaranteed of success?

Second, decide exactly what you want and then act as if it were impossible to fail. You may be surprised at how successful you are.
___________
Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Visit the Brian Tracy web site.

Look: Save 20% on Brian Tracy's Leadership for Results Package! - in this program you will learn: powerful strategies for getting the most out of yourself and others.

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Trust Withheld; Micromanagement Unveiled By Eileen McDargh

Josh Hinds — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 08:56:00 +0000

Micromanagement and lack of trust are cries often heard in today's business arenas. In this age of accountability, downsizing, larger spans of control, complex global competition, and job uncertainty, all managers are faced with getting results through people. Managers preach empowerment and yet, if the results are not right, who gets the blame?

And so, I think, the issue of trust resembles a crystal with four facets. The first facet has to do with that term "empowerment". Too often management throws out the term without clarifying what are the limits or parameters in which employees may make critical decisions.

When boundaries are not clear employees naturally think the manager is sending mixed messages. When employees feel micromanaged, they're basically saying, "Stop looking over my shoulder I can do this. Stop checking upon me. Why must I report in every step of the way?"

Good question. Why? Clarify for yourself first, and then with the employee, what is the performance outcome you need. The more quantifiable, the better. Note the word "outcome". This is not the same as "do it MY way". As long as you get the outcomes and results keep the team and ethics intact, who cares HOW they got the job done.

Ask yourself what are your "twitching" points. That's my term for those areas in which you have special sensitivity, where you get a knot in you stomach or the hairs stand on the back of your neck. The sensitivity might be caused by demands which your manager has placed on you. Share these demands and then find out how your colleagues can help you meet them.

You might have other "twitching points". For example, I value relationships. Form letters, bored telephone voices, disregard for returning phone calls, and impoliteness drive me crazy. These are all things which I think show a lack of concern for the relationship. If I micromanage in these areas, it could be that I have not either trained my support staff well, have hired wrong, or have failed to explicitly state my sensitivity.

Another facet of trust has to do with authenticity. "At the core of becoming a leader is the need to connect one's voice with one's touch," wrote Max Dupree, former chair of Herman Miller. Is what you say and what you do in line? I am constantly amazed at the systems, practices, and behaviors found in corporate America which send mixed messages.

...like the manager who claimed he had an "open door policy" but greeted anyone who entered with the statement "and this better not be a dumb question."

...like the company which touted itself as "innovative" and yet used a one-size-fits-all budget scheme for its diverse operations.

...like the vice president who sent around articles on TQM but refused to allow employees to go for training.

...like the executive who wanted her managers to learn leadership, communication, problem-solving, team-building, and visioning in a two-day training because "learning is important."

...like the vice president who sent around articles on TQM but refused to allow his employees off the job to attend TQM training.

And the list goes on. Never, I'm convinced, intentional. And always detrimental.

The third facet of trust has to do with fear. Of what are you afraid? What is your worst fear and what's the chance of it really happening? Are there checkpoints or fail safe measures which you and your employees could put into place to short- circuit a negative outcome? And once done, relax and enjoy. As Mark Twain said, "I've had 103 catastrophes in my life, only two of which actually occurred."

The fourth facet of trust rests in self-reliance. We all have heard the dictum that a strength overused becomes a weakness. Perhaps our life's experience has taught us that we depend solely by our own wits and wiles. Too many people have let us down. Or perhaps we take great pride in Frank Sinatra's mantra "I did it my way".

Our world is too complicated and interdependent to live solely by our singular guts and brain power. We need the insights and ideas of others. Too much now lies out of our control and coronaries await for those who attempt to do it all.

In the final analysis, trust is also a four-letter word; love. When people know we care about them, they respond in kind. Easy to say. Harder to do. Practice in action is the only key and trust blooms as a result.

© Eileen McDargh, McDargh Communications. All rights reserved.
____________
Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE is head of McDargh Communications, a training and consulting practice founded in 1980. She's also an award-winning author, radio commentator, and on the Board of the National Speakers Association. Eileen can be reached at www.EileenMcDargh.com.

* read more business leadership articles from Eileen McDargh ...
- Lessons In Leadership - What NOT to Do from A Canoe!
- From The Cockpit: Lessons in Leading Through Crisis

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The Key to Motivation By Brian Tracy

Josh Hinds — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 05:01:00 +0000

Your Real Goal ...
Your goal is to become a transformational leader, the kind of person that motivates and inspires people to perform at levels far beyond anything that they had previously thought possible.

Keep People In the Know ...
Transformational leaders empower others by keeping them "in the know," by keeping them fully informed on everything that effects their jobs.

People want and need to feel that they are "insiders," that they are aware of everything that is going on. There is nothing so demoralizing to a staff member than to be kept in the dark about their work and what is going on in the company.

Give Regular Feedback ...
One empowering behavior practiced by transformational leaders is regular feedback on performance and results.

People need to know how they're doing so they can improve if performance is below standards and so that they can be proud of their successes.

The more feedback you give to people, the better it is, as long as the feedback is objective and not critical. My friend, Ken Blanchard, says that, "Positive feedback is the breakfast of champions."

Be Generous With Praise ...
Be generous with your praise and encouragement. Remember, people are the only asset that can be made to appreciate in value by giving them warmth, respect, approval and by creating a climate of positive expectations.

Create An Exciting Future ...
What companies and countries and institutions need today are courageous visionary leaders who are committed to creating an exciting future for themselves and others.

You have within yourself the ability to evolve and grow as a leader and to make a real difference in the world around you. And the one thing you can know for sure about yourself is that, no matter what you've accomplished up to now, there is far more that you can do.

As you practice the behaviors of effective leaders, you will grow more and more toward the realization of your full potential. It's completely up to you.

Action Exercises:

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action in your work.

First, hold regular meetings with your staff and tell them everything that is going on. Invite their comments, questions and concerns. Make everybody feel as if he or she was an insider in the organization.

Second, continually look for opportunities to give positive feedback, praise and encouragement. People need praise and encouragement like roses need rain and sunshine. Take every opportunity to make people feel better about themselves and their work.
_____________
Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Visit the Brian Tracy web site.

* Read more business leadership tips from Brian Tracy ...
- Trust Your Subordinates
- What the Best Bosses Do
- Everyone is Important
- Transformational Leadership
- Leaders Are Made, Not Born

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The Passionate Leader By Lee J. Colan

Josh Hinds — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 08:52:00 +0000

A common characteristic of high-achieving leaders is a deep sense of passion. Passion is the glue that helps teams stick to their plans through adversity and over the long haul. There are three success factors for leaders to capitalize on the power of passion.

Paint the Picture...

Focus and competence engage the minds of your employees. To engage their hearts and ignite their passion, we must meet one of their most basic psychological needs - to contribute to something bigger than a job, to find meaning in their work.

Picture this scenario: Three workers were crushing rocks side by side on a construction job. When they were asked, "What is your job?" the first worker answered, "My job is to do what I am told for eight hours a day so I can get a check." The second workers replied, "My job is to crush rocks." The third worker said, "My job is to build a cathedral."

Which of these three workers do you think would be the most engaged, most productive and go the extra mile? No doubt the third one, who understood his job, was far greater than just crushing rocks. He understood he was contributing to a purpose greater than his own efforts.

People will naturally become more passionate about their work when they clearly see the big picture. To paint the picture for your team, answer the four questions employees commonly ask (and they are asking these questions - whether you hear them or not):

1. Where are we going? (Strategy)
2. What are we doing to get there? (Plans)
3. How can I contribute? (Roles)
4. What is in it for me? (Rewards)

Painting the picture might seem like a soft, intangible process; but it yields hard, tangible results.

Value Your Values...

Even more important than what your team does is how your team does it - in other words, your team's values. Values help build a common focus and set of norms. Team values might include collaboration, innovation, zero defects or a customer-first commitment.

The word "communication" comes from the Latin root meaning "community." Your efforts to communicate team values play a key role in creating a unique community of employees who share a common focus and passion.

Communicating values should be a natural outgrowth of your leadership passion. It is best to simply describe the behaviors that demonstrate each value. This helps employees understand the intended spirit of the values and minimizes misinterpretations. For instance, a team value of "the customer is always right" can be interpreted many ways, so providing some examples would help define the acceptable responses to that statement.

If you do not value your team's values, no one else will. Take the time to communicate your team's values, allow your employees to find their own passion about them, and most importantly, live them!

Give what you want...

Most employees do not quit their jobs because of compensation or something "the company" did. People quit people, not companies. And it often comes down to a simple matter of appreciation.

Leaders who build passionate teams really appreciate their people, not just their employees. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. It is easy to appreciate the top performers who bail you out of tight spots. However, it is more challenging, but more meaningful, to appreciate everyone on your team regardless of their relative contributions.

Charles Plumb was a U.S. Navy pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was shot down; he ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent six years in a Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on the lessons learned from that experience.

One day, Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant when a man came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"

"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.

"I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!"

Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If that chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about the man. He thought of the many hours the sailor had spent on a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship - carefully folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands someone's fate.

Plumb later said, "I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform - white hat, bib in the back, bell-bottom trousers. I wondered how many times I might have seen him and not even said, 'Good morning, how are you?' because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor."

So ask yourself, "Who is packing my parachute?" Remember, at the end of the day, your success is based more on what your people do than what you do. We all have someone who provides what we need to make us more productive. Appreciate those people.

Leading with passion will enhance your team's discretionary effort - extra time and energy they willingly give to meet your team's goals. Give want you want and you will get what you need.

Passionate leaders foster passionate teams, and passionate teams create powerful results!

(This article is an excerpt from the best selling book Sticking to It: The Art of Adherence).

(c) Lee J. Colan - all rights reserved
________________
Lee J. Colan is a high-energy executive advisor, author and speaker. He is passionate about delivering simple tools that leaders can put to work right away. Learn more at www.theLgroup.com.

*brought to you by BusinessLeadershipAdvice.com

Leadership Effectiveness By Marshall Goldsmith

Josh Hinds — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 07:49:00 +0000

By asking for feedback, analyzing the results, developing a focused action plan for change and following-up, leaders are perceived as more effective.

Recently, one executive was asked, “How much do you spend each year on leadership development programs?” He replied, “Tens of millions of dollars!” He was then asked, “How much do you spend on follow-up?” He replied, “Tens of dollars!”

More effort needs to be placed on the follow-up required to ensure positive, long-term change. By developing processes that ensure ongoing feedback and follow-up, we can help leaders develop in a manner that requires fewer resources and produces more change.

When we designed and implemented a leadership development process for one company, every manager received anonymous feedback.

Later the managers reviewed the feedback with outside consultants in coaching sessions designed to help the managers understand their perceived strengths and plan for improvement.

Based upon direct-report feedback, each manager was encouraged to pick one to three areas for improvement, develop an action plan for desired change, respond to direct reports concerning the areas for improvement, ask them for help in changing behavior, and follow-up with them to check on progress and receive further assistance.

In responding to direct reports, managers were asked to spend only 5 to 15 minutes in a focused, two-way dialogue. In following up, managers were asked to spend only a few minutes in a dialogue concerning their progress.

After 18 months, direct reports were asked to again provide feedback. Three questions were added: 1) Do you feel your manager has become more effective as a leader in the past year? 2) Did your manager respond to previous feedback, and 3) How has your manager followed up with you on areas that he/she has been trying to improve?

Follow Up or Fail...

In leading people, impact is not determined by what leaders think they say, impact is determined by what direct reports hear. In our study, of those managers who were seen as not responsive to feedback and not following up, over half were rated as unchanged or less effective. Managers who were responsive but did no follow-up were perceived as no more effective than managers who did not respond at all. In fact, this group had the highest percentage of managers who were seen as getting worse.

Leaders who respond to feedback, promise change, and then do nothing different are perceived by their direct reports as less effective. Raising expectations without delivering results is a formula for increased dissatisfaction and decreased respect. Even a little follow-up has a positive impact. And, 95 percent of the leaders who ask for feedback and engage in frequent follow-up are perceived as much more effective.

Peter Drucker has said, “The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell. The leader of the future will be a person who knows how to ask.” By asking for feedback, analyzing the results, developing a focused action plan for change and following-up (asking again), leaders are perceived as more effective by direct reports, team members, and customers.

Leaders often have a constant need to know, be right, and win.

The higher up you go, the more you need to let other people be winners and not make it about winning yourself.

Many leadership development efforts focus exclusively on the front side of the process—impressive training, well-designed forms, clever slogans, and lots of “flash”. They fail to focus on the back-side—the ongoing application of what is being learned. And yet what leaders do back on the job is a lot more meaningful to people.

*Leadership Excellence, September 2003
______________
Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is a world authority in helping successful leaders get even better – by achieving positive change in behavior: for themselves, their people and their teams. You can visit him at MarshallGoldsmith.com

*brought you by BusinessLeadershipAdvice.com

Leadership Skills: Invisible Conversations By Joe Tye

Josh Hinds — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:00:00 +0000

If two people are talking and there is no one else in the room, how many participants are there in the conversation?

This is not a trick question, but the answer is four. The two people conversing, both of whom are visible and audible, and the inner voices in each of their heads, both of which are invisible and inaudible.

Though these inner voices cannot be seen or heard, they are very much a part of the conversation. And they might be saying something that is quite contrary to what is being audibly voiced. Consider the following hypothetical interchange between a supervisor and a subordinate:

Supervisor: Mike, you did a great job on that recent project. I really appreciate the contributions you are making to our team.

Supervisor's self-talk: I hope that this "one minute manager" pep talk works, because nothing else seems to motivate Mike to do more than the absolute minimum.

Subordinate: Thanks Jeff, I appreciate it. But it was really a whole team effort, and they all deserve the credit.

Subordinate's self-talk: Yeah, right. We get a pat on the back now, but when bonuses get handed out, it will be Mike going home with the money.

Quite obviously, even though a conversation is going on, it is not real communication. Conversations like this, in which the real meaning is hidden, occur all the time (think of the last time you asked your teenager to clean out the garage).

Of course, you can't read another person's mind (sometimes it's hard enough to read your own mind!), but you can do a better job of monitoring your own self- talk and paying attention to the body language and facial expressions of the other person.
_____________
Joe Tye is president of Paradox 21 Inc., which provides corporate training and culture change initiatives based on a proprietary curriculum of The Twelve Core Action Values of Personal Leadership Effectiveness. He is also the author of several books and audio programs on personal, career, and business success, and a popular motivational speaker. Visit www.JoeTye.com.

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Trust Your Subordinates By Brian Tracy

Josh Hinds — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 10:47:00 +0000

The Definition of Leadership ...
Leadership has been called "The ability to get followers." One of the deepest cravings of human nature is the need to feel important, to have a sense of meaning and purpose in life and work.

Leaders are invariably those who can tap into the deeper emotions of others and get them to rise above and beyond anything they may have accomplished in the past.

Inspiring Words Lead to Victory ...
Winston Churchill was able to arouse and inspire an entire nation with words like these: "Let us so carry ourselves that if the British Empire should endure a thousand years, men will still say, this was their finest hour."

Spearhead A Turnaround ...
Lee Iacocca stepped into Chrysler Corporation when the company was almost bankrupt. Through the sheer force of his personality, his unshakable determination, his appeals to Congress, to Chrysler workers and to Chrysler customers on television, he spearheaded a turn-around that will go down in the history books as one of the greatest achievements in American business.

Trust Other People ...
The key to getting followers in every case is to "trust your subordinates." Many studies have concluded that it is the mutual bond of trust and respect that acts as the catalyst that creates high performance. Not only must you trust your subordinates, but even more important, they must trust you.

Act With Integrity ...
In order to "get followers," your subordinates must have an absolute belief in your integrity. They must believe that you will abide by the highest ethical standards of fairness and justice. Integrity appears over and over as the most important leadership quality. People can only put their whole hearts into their work when they feel secure and they can only feel secure when they can relax and trust you completely.

Action Exercises:

Here are two things you can do immediately to bring out the very best from the people who look up to you.

First, make people feel important. Tell them how important and valuable they are and then give them both the responsibility and the opportunity to do their job the very best they know how.

Second, set a good example. Be an inspirational leader by being a role model for everyone else to follow. The more people look up to you, the better they will do their work and the happier they will be.
_____________
Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Visit the Brian Tracy web site.

Sponsor Message: Learning the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership DVD Training Curriculum by Dr. John C Maxwell... Learn more, and or order your copy here.

What the Best Bosses Do By Brian Tracy

Josh Hinds — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 03:06:00 +0000

Inspire Others to Peak Performance ...
A transformational leader is one who excites and inspires people to perform far beyond their own expectations of themselves. Transformational leaders practice certain behaviors that cause their people to feel stronger, happier, more confident and more committed.

Delegate Responsibility ...
The first of these behaviors is the delegation of high levels of responsibility for results. Transformational leaders pick the right people, match them to the right jobs, achieve mutual clarity on the desired results and then they get out of the way and leave the individual with maximum freedom to perform.

Let People Do Their Work ...
Lao-Tse, the great Chinese philosopher, had this idea when he wrote, "A leader is best when people barely know he exists... when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, 'We did this ourselves.'"

In a recent study, thousands of people were asked to describe their best bosses. Over and over, the respondents said things like, "I hardly saw him" or "He left me alone" or "He gave me complete freedom to do the job."

Give Them Freedom ...
There is something liberating and empowering to know that you've been entrusted with a major responsibility and that you've been given the freedom to fulfill it. When the right person has been matched with the right job, the conditions for exceptional performance have been created.

Confidently Expect Success ...
Another behavior of transformational leaders is their confident attitude of positive expectations. They radiate a belief in themselves and in the ability of their subordinates to succeed. They know that the leader sets the psychological tone for the whole organization, so they consciously project a positive attitude no matter how distressing the external situation may appear. They are in complete control of themselves and their emotions.

Action Exercises:

First, delegate complete responsibility for results to your subordinates. Discuss and agree on exactly what is to be done, when it is to be done and to what standard. Then, get out of the way and let them perform.

Second, express complete confidence in your subordinate's ability to do an excellent job. Radiate an attitude of confident expectations. Even if you have personal doubts, never let them be seen by others. This is the role of leadership.
_____________
Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Visit the Brian Tracy web site.

*brought to you by BusinessLeadershipAdvice.com

Listening Like a Leader: The Truth about Trust By Garrison Wynn

Josh Hinds — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:31:00 +0000

Our studies of the most effective people in corporate America show that the top 2 percent are effective not because they executed best practices well. They did not make the most phone calls or have the best processes. They simply understood the truth about trust:

* People do business with people they like.
* They like people they trust.
* They trust people who have a detectable level of compassion and competence.

Does it take time to build trust? The truth is that you have known people for five years who still don’t trust you, and you’ve known some for five minutes who do. Our research shows that trust is usually created by showing a detectable level of concern. When people truly believe you are concerned for them, they tend to think you possess good judgment. After all, if you care about them, you must know what you are doing.

So what is the fastest and most effective way to show people that you care and you’re competent?

Make sure they feel heard, which is more than just listening. I call it listening like a leader.

You are not a leader unless you have followers; a leader without followers is called a failure. Regardless of your skills, if your staff doesn’t feel heard and doesn’t trust you, they will always do the minimum. They will watch the clock and be ready to leave at 4:45 every afternoon. They will do just enough each day to avoid getting fired, and they will hope the idea you came up with without their input fails. That’s right—you can spend your life delegating to people who want your projects to fail. How smart is that?

OK, you have to listen; I am sure you already know that. The issue is, how well do people really listen? Most studies show that 75 percent of the world’s population does not listen well.

Here is an insight that you won’t find in many books, keynote speeches or training programs. As a whole, we don’t listen very well and it’s not our fault! That’s right, I am sure you are used to hearing and reading that all of our communication problems are of our making. However, most experts agree that from birth to 5 years of age, we learn more than we will for the rest of our lives.

Even if you earn 15 doctorate degrees in your lifetime, you still acquired most of your knowledge in early childhood. In those formative years, if a child does not feel heard by the adults in its life, it does not possess good listening skills. The bottom line is that it’s hard to listen when no one ever listened to you.

Listening is not hereditary.
It’s an acquired skill.

Are we going to blame the parents? No! It’s difficult to listen to young children when we are trying to look out for their welfare. When my stepdaughter was five, she asked me if Dracula drives a taxi cab. I said, “Well…, I guess if it’s a night job. Uh, wait a minute! What kind of question is that?”

She also asked me if she could have a tattoo—not a fake, stick-on tattoo from an ice cream parlor vending machine, but a real one. I said, “No, because you’re in kindergarten—and I’m taking the TV out of your room just for asking that question.”

People are more likely to follow your example than to follow your advice. We create better listeners by being better listeners.
Unfortunately, we don’t have much evidence of people returning from communication-training programs as better listeners. It doesn’t take a lot of research to figure out that poor listeners get very little from seminars on listening.

So we don’t listen and it prevents us from being effective leaders. If we can’t do much to improve our listening skills, we have to focus on what we can do in the condition we are in.

The key, then, is to focus on making sure people feel heard. And the first step requires recognizing and recovering from distractions.
One day, as I listened to an employee talk about his wants and needs, my mind started to wander. There he was, sharing his core issues, and I’m thinking to myself, “Look at the size of this guy’s head!” It was hard to focus. Once I was trying to listen to a prospect on a sales call when I noticed he had red hair, blonde eyebrows and a black mustache. I remember thinking, “It’s Mr. Potato Face! Something has to be a stick-on; that’s not all him.”

After we recover from our own distractions, we have to deal with the real issues at hand. The first of these issues is what I refer to as “the pitch in your head.” It can be anything from a preconceived idea that a manager has about an employee, to a practiced presentation that you are dying to spew on your unsuspecting sales victims (prospects, I mean).

Sure, you ask a question just as you were taught to do in your sales or management training program—you know, a question like “Based on what criteria are your decisions made?” As they talk and you diligently pretend to listen, the pitch in your head starts to play; and when the prospect says something that strikes a chord in you, triggering how much you know, your pitch finds the pause it was looking for and off you go.

“I know exactly what you are talking about because I have had many people just like you with this exact same situation. As a matter of fact, it was this time last year and they even looked a lot like you.”

You then project your opinion, experience or spiel onto the person as a solution to his or her problem.
Instead of feeling heard, the person feels quickly judged, and communication does not take place. It was dead before the spew was finished.

The problem with this scenario is that you rob people of their uniqueness. When you tell them you know exactly what the problem is, they tend to want to show you how unique they are. You actually create your own resistance and prevent your skills and even your empathy from making their mark.

When people are talking, you are thinking about you or about what you can do to help them help you. It’s a natural thing for us to do, and it forces us to pitch hard and focus on convincing rather than on gaining agreement.

So what do the most effective people do differently? They make sure the people they are dealing with feel heard and can retain their uniqueness. If you make people feel important, you will be important to them!

But an even bigger realization comes from all of this.

When you focus on how people feel about what they are saying, you increase the level of true concern you have for others. You actually start to become the person you thought you were pretending to be: a true leader!
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Garrison Wynn is a nationally known keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant. He is the president and founder of Wynn Solutions, specializing in turning talent into performance. Visit him at Keynote-Speaker-Motivational.com

*brought to you by BusinessLeadershipAdvice.com

Communicating Change Management: Change Is The Same As It Always Was By Garrison Wynn

Josh Hinds — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:00:00 +0000

How can management motivate people to listen?
By making sure they will benefit from what is said!

A manager during change is like a sea captain, they need to get their ship together.

We all realize change is inevitable. Change itself is not an issue; it’s the resistance to change that causes such problems. The resistance is naturally strong when we explain our great reform is based on doing more with less. We tell our coworkers and even our bosses that the future is based on being more productive with fewer resources. (I don’t know about you, but I always dreamed the future would somehow involve physically doing less with much more cool stuff.)

We can attempt to cultivate buy-in by explaining how to be more productive and how to lessen the cost of that productivity, ultimately enabling us to wrap our fingers around that holy grail of business achievement: profitability. But let’s get real. All signs might point to profitability as a logical product of the changes being proposed, and yet logical humans need to see how a change in process will make them look good before they will give it their all.

Through our surveys of top professionals who serve as change agents, Wynn Solutions has noticed a critical first leg of the buy-in journey. (“Critical” and “first leg”? It sounds like change is limping already!) We found that top professionals who succeed in implementing change begin by tactfully explaining that the more people focus on making change work, the more value they have to the company.

Additionally, these professionals dealt with the good-old-days syndrome that prevents some people from creating their own future. You may have heard that to spread change through an organization, you have to prove to key players that the new way is at least as good as, if not better than, the old way. You might think you need to provide some physical evidence (data) and a couple of testimonials (people thought of as straight shooters saying positive things about the changes) as well.

However, if you want people to see it’s possible to succeed by doing more with less, you need to find or create change agents who will massively benefit from the change and who have an outstanding advocate network, great communication skills and – above all – really big mouths.

Change is not the problem; resistance to change is the problem.
The Gallup Institute study of eighty thousand managers and over a million employees’ shows how dramatically employee opinion can affect productivity. And while we can't control much of the world changing around us, we can control how we respond to how employees feel about a changing environment.

When things change, people are afraid they will no longer be experts. They will have to learn the new way, and no one wants to be a senior beginner. Our studies show that to make change work, we have to prove to our key people that the change means getting results better than (or at least equal to) those achieved the old way, assure them that their experience has value, and then get them to spread that message through the organization.

Resistance management
(Tactics for systematically managing resistance)

The eight most common beliefs and reasons that people resist change:

1. There isn't any real need for the change.
2. The change is going to make it harder for them to meet their needs.
3. The risks seem to outweigh the benefits.
4. They don't think they have the ability to make the change.
5. They believe the change will fail.
6. Change process is being handled improperly by management.
7. The change is inconsistent with their values.
8. They believe those responsible for the change can't be trusted.

Being prepared for the resistance and making sure your solutions fit the existing culture are the keys to making change work. It’s important that the new way makes sense at all levels. A solution is not viewed as valuable if it just compensates for a flaw in the system.

What do you get when you cross lassie with a pit-bull? A dog that will rip your leg off and then help you go find it. What good is that?

© Wynn Solutions 2005.
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Garrison Wynn is a nationally known keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant. He is the president and founder of Wynn Solutions, specializing in turning talent into performance. Visit him at Keynote-Speaker-Motivational.com. View cutting edge Information on change management.

*brought to you by BusinessLeadershipAdvice.com

Thoughts on Leadership: The I in Team is U By Joe Tye

Josh Hinds — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 18:40:00 +0000

You have heard that a chain is no stronger than its weakest link, and that a convoy is no faster than its slowest ship. You have also heard that there is no "I" in team. But if a chain is made up of many links, if a convoy is made up of many ships, that means that each link, each ship, is an "I."

The I in "team" is U. If you are a member of a team (and I'm sure that you are a member of more than one if you include family and community), then U are one of the I's that make up that team. And since a team is no stronger and no faster than its weakest and slowest "I," then U have an obligation to your fellow team-members to make yourself as strong and as fast as possible.

In this article , I'll share seven personal strategies that will help you be a stronger and faster member of the teams in which you participate. These strategies will also help you be more effective in your own career, and in your various family and community activities.

1. Be a Dionarap: Don't try to look up that word, because it's not in the dictionary, at least not yet. Dionarap is the word "paranoid" spelled backwards. You will be a far more effective and valuable team-member if you automatically assume that everyone is acting in good faith and in your best interest, even if it's not apparent at the time.

This does not mean to be stupid or naïve, but you will find that this change in perspective dramatically enhances your relationships and your results. You really cannot for long hide your feelings about another person, and according to the Law of Reciprocity, they will quite quickly begin to feel about you the way you feel about them.

2. Cultivate contrarian toughness: Bad things do happen to good people; bad things do happen to good teams. When they do, instead of feeling victimized, seek out the (often well-disguised) blessings in the situation. Adopt the philosophy of Brother Solanus Casey - Thank God Ahead of Time. Brand the formula - TGAoT - into your own heart and into the hearts of your colleagues (with thanks to Father Michael Crosby for writing the book).

In business and in life, the difference between winners and losers is not nearly so much how good they are at achieving success as how resilient they are in the face of (perceived) failure.

3. Practice your most important speech: The most important speech you ever give is the one you give to yourself all day, every day. Psychologists have shown that the human mind automatically tends to gravitate toward negative, frightening, and depressing thought patterns unless we consciously steer our inner dialog into more positive and constructive channels.

For most people (including me and probably including you as well), unless we're paying attention, eighty percent of the conversation we have with our inner critics is negative. You need to have a Janitor in Your Attic clean it up. It's quite simple: every time you catch yourself engaging in negative, self- sabotaging, and disempowering self-talk, visualize it for what it really is - mental graffiti. Then visualize your janitor scrubbing it off the walls of your mind and replacing it with something that is positive, nurturing, and affirming (and to be honest, probably more truthful).

4. Avoid tragi-tainment: Most of what passes for "entertainment" in the media is really tragedy repackaged in such a way as to sell advertising. From CSI to the evening news, most of what you see on television is someone else's misfortune transmogrified into a televisable spectacle. Unfortunately, the more of that tragi-tainment you absorb, the more it tends to color your perception of the world as a dangerous place, and your subconscious perception of yourself as a helpless victim of that world.

5. Change your reference group: Over time, the single-most important determinant of your beliefs, attitudes, political views, and even your income and social status, will be the people you choose to hang around with. Sociologists call this your reference group.

If you're not happy with how things are going in your life, look at the people you spend most of your time with. Chances are that they're unhappy in some of the same ways. Connecting with other happy and successful people will, of course, mean moving beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone. Adopting the attitude of a Dionarap (#1 above) will help you make the effort with greater confidence.

6. Put on rose-colored glasses: I sometimes have people tell me that I am "a Pollyanna." I always thank them, then suggest that they read the story. Pollyanna came into a community that was fractured with hate, pain, and broken relationships, and she brought love, healing, and reconciliation. I'll point that out, then ask, "What's wrong with that?" You tend to get what you expect out of life; the best thing you can do for yourself and for the members of your team is to create positive expectations of success.

7. Take The Pledge: The most effective thing you can do for yourself to become an empowered individual who makes substantive contributions to your team is to memorize, internalize, and operationalize the Seven Simple Promises of The Self-Empowerment Pledge. As you become more responsible, reliable, determined, and accountable; as you work to make a greater contribution, to be more resilient in the face of adversity, and to maintain a positive perspective in a turbulent world; and as your faith is reflected in your attitudes and your behaviors; you will find yourself doing more to bring your own strengths to the effort, and to support your colleagues in their efforts to do the same. And that is the greatest formula I know for building a successful team.
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Joe Tye is president of Paradox 21 Inc., which provides corporate training and culture change initiatives based on a proprietary curriculum of The Twelve Core Action Values of Personal Leadership Effectiveness. He is also the author of several books and audio programs on personal, career, and business success, and a popular motivational speaker. Visit www.JoeTye.com.

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Leadership -- By Pegine Echevarria

Josh Hinds — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 03:57:00 +0000

Each day I am inspired by individuals taking small and powerful actions towards leadership. Today I received a call from a young man I met three months ago. He is 19 years old. He is the first in his family to attend college, the first to graduate from high school.

When we met I was struck by his poise, his confidence, his tremendous smile and his willingness to help three younger students. I gave him my card when we met and encouraged him to call me. I knew when he called that he was taking steps to be a leader.

1. Leaders take risks. They reach out to people they don't know or know well and connect with them. They take personal responsibility for their relationships.

2. Leaders laugh. I've seen amazing leaders transform their organizations, their negotiations and their team when they laugh... and laugh hard. They know that laughing encourages camaraderie and team cohesion, and laughter breaks down barriers. As long as the laughter is either self deprecating or about universal humanity.

3. Leaders motivate, inspire and promote to potential. They believe in their staff more than their staff does.

4. Leaders, exceptional leaders, like people.

5. Leaders become comfortable with change.

You may be in a leadership role now… or not. Everyone is responsible for being a leader in their lives and interactions. From the moment you wake up, to the moment when your eyes close at night, you lead. You transform your environment.

Do you say hello to your family, staff and coworkers? Do you really mean it? Before you begin your paperwork, do you connect with the people at work, in volunteer positions or at home who most impact your success? Do you ignore your administrative assistant or the receptionist? Did you say thank you to the paid administrative support at your volunteer organization? Have you appreciated, acknowledged and been aware of how your partner, child or parent helped you today? Leaders do.

Maybe you can't change policy (yet), maybe you are in a cubicle - it doesn't matter - leaders lead. They lead themselves first, then others.

On my conference room wall I have four words that remind and inspire me to be a better leader. The worlds are Love, Laugh, Believe, and Create. Great leaders lead with a philosophy and a point of view that guides their behavior and their purpose. These four words keep Team Pegine Inc. focused. What are your words? Do you have a philosophy or point of view? Perhaps today is the day for you to design your leadership philosophy.

Here are how my four words inspire, motivate and teach me.

* Love - Love and be passionate about your work. Can you truly say that you love what you do, love how you do what you do, love the clients you work with and love the people who help your company grow. I don't mean love in the same way that you love your family. I do mean love in that you truly care and are passionate about your purpose, vision, employees, clients and customer's satisfaction As a leader you serve your clients best when you love and are passionate about what you do.

* Laugh - It is time to truly laugh and enjoy the process of leading. Enjoy the people you interact with, the people you learn from and the people you work with. Laugh at your foibles as you grow and change and laugh at the challenges, trials and tribulations…they are always there to help your company and you grow. That is how you become a sparkling gem…by grinding the rough spots.

* Believe - Believe in the vision, believe in what you do, believe in your staff, believe in the people who support your work, believe in your future, and believe in your dream. As a leader, I believe in myself and my skills and I believe in the people with whom I surround myself.

* Create - Creativity and innovation are the keys to leading in a diverse world. New ideas, new products and new initiatives build business, people and a better society. As a leader you are also the creator, perhaps the creator of processes that make your work more efficient, the creator of initiatives that connect customers and staff easily or the innovator needed to reward staff for a job well done. At Team Pegine Inc., creating new ideas, initiatives and programs that support our customer's goals to increase productivity, profitability and retain great people are at the core of who we are and what we do.

Remember, only you can change yourself. You can't change others; however, they will change if you do. Focus on Loving, Laughing, Believing and Creating, so that you can be the leader you were designed to be.
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Pegine Echevarria has over 15 years of experience as a nationally recognized expert on success, leadership, and teambuilding, and 30 years of experience in the workplace, ranging from corporate America to public service. You can visit Pegine at www.Pegine.com

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Leading the Day After: Leadership Opportunities After the Project is Over By Kevin Eikenberry

Josh Hinds — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 06:35:00 +0000

If you lead for any length of time, you have experienced one (or both) of these situations:

* Your team achieves a major goal, finishes a big project or lands the big client.
* The team tries for but doesn't reach the big goal, finishes a big project late or loses a big client.

While these two sets of situations are quite different - some are big successes and the others disappointments - both lead to something very challenging for us to deal with.

Once you've climbed the mountain, what's left? Once you've failed, what's next?

Both situations lead to letdown. And letdown, regardless of the cause, is important for us as leaders to recognize and deal with.

A variety of the symptoms of letdown pose challenges for us. These include:

* Focus lost
* Energy drained
* Vision missing

And, if the letdown comes from a major success, you might need to add complacency to this list.

If, or when, you notice one or more of these symptoms, consider the six ideas below to help you as a leader get your group past the letdown and on to greater success.

Six Keys to Overcoming Let Down...

Recognize. The first step is to notice the symptoms. Keep your eyes and ears open. Notice how people are talking and acting. If you notice the symptoms, take the next step.

Discuss. Get people together to talk about how they are feeling. Are they feeling an adrenaline drag? Tired, not sure what to do next? Get people together and let them talk about what they are thinking and how they are feeling. Remember that the feeling question is the most important one. Ignore this component of the conversation and you will have missed a major opportunity for healing and improvement.

Allow (for awhile). It is OK for people to feel whatever they are feeling after these sorts of "big" events. Allow people to be tired, de-motivated or even cocky for a bit. If the feelings or behaviors aren't what you want long term, then help people make the shift with the rest of these steps.

Reflect. Whatever led to the letdown, there are massive learning opportunities from those experiences. Make sure people have the chance to reflect on and learn from what happened. Reflection can be a powerful part of the celebration of successes and a great release from disappointments. Above everything else, reflection is like a much needed mental deep breath.

Look higher. Once you have gotten people to this point, it is time to move forward. The best way to re-invigorate the group's mindset is to tie the past effort to the higher goal. When people understand or are reminded of the "why we are here" they can put the success (or failure) they now feel into the appropriate context.

Re-energize. Part of looking higher is setting new goals. Few things provide the powerful sort of mental, psychological and physical energy that an aspirational goal can. Help people set a new goal - one that helps them move forward with passion and purpose.

The best leaders try to focus on the needs and challenges of their team. This is a wonderful attribute and very important. In this case though, it is difficult to lead your group through these steps if you haven't led yourself through them. Recognize that you may be suffering a letdown. Letting the team know how you are feeling can be a wonderful step into helping them through these steps.
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Kevin Eikenberry is a leadership expert and the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. To receive your free special report on Unleashing Your Potential click here or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.

Sponsor Message: Josh Hinds, your host here at BusinessLeadershipAdvice.com is the author of "Why Perfect Timing is a Myth: Tips for Staying Inspired and Motivated Day in and Day out!" available here.

Business Leadership Skills: Everyone is Important By Brian Tracy

Josh Hinds — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 03:32:00 +0000

Everyone has critical skills and knowledge that are important to many other people in the company.

Use Better Titles for Each Person...
Some years ago, when I started in business, the job of the receptionist was to answer the telephone and direct the callers to the appropriate people.

Today, however, her job is far more complicated and, therefore, more important. Since she is the first contact that most customers have with our business, her personality and temperament are extremely important.

Think About Your Customers...
The prospective client who telephones begins forming an impression of us the instant that the telephone is answered. Then, because our companies are doing so many things, she must tactfully ascertain exactly how the caller may be best served and who is the best person in the company to direct the telephone call to.

One Person Can Make the Difference...
In many cases, there are requests for further information, and follow-up telephone calls go through our front-office manager. Her ability to handle these calls effectively, to direct calls to the right people, to take accurate messages, and to act as the core person in a network of communications makes her job so important that it is essential that she sit in on all staff meetings and be aware of everything that is going on.

Keep Yourself Informed...
Your job in your company also requires that you know a lot about what is going on everywhere else, as well as being thoroughly conversant with what you do. And the fastest and most accurate way of keeping current with what is going on is to develop and maintain a network of contacts, an informal team of people within your workplace who keep you informed and who you keep informed in turn.

Encourage Participation and Involvement...
The old methods of command and control now exist only at the old-line companies, many of which are fighting for their very survival. Today, men and women want a high degree of participation and involvement in their work.

They want an opportunity to discuss and thoroughly understand what they are doing and why they are doing it. People are no longer satisfied to be cogs in a big machine. They want to have an integral role in achieving goals that they participated in setting in the first place.

Build a Top Team...
Being a team player is no longer something that is optional. Today, it is mandatory. If you want to achieve anything of consequence, you will need the help and cooperation of lots of people.

Your main objective is to structure everything you do in such a way that, because you are constantly cooperating and working well with others, they are continually open to helping you achieve your goals.

Action Exercises:

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, recognize that every person in the company is essential to the smooth functioning of the organization. Take time regularly to discuss their jobs with them and understand what they do.

Second, identify the things that you do that can really affect the work of others. Then, look for ways to do your job so that you help others in every way possible.
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Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Visit the Brian Tracy web site.

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