Are You Self-Leadable?
It's been said many times, in many places by many people:
"You can't expect to lead anyone else unless you can lead yourself!"
Yet, I find in my executive and leadership coaching that too many leaders are still struggling with this concept.
They fight with themselves and with others they are trying to lead with a "do as I say, not as I do" approach to leadership. And, surprisingly, they are surprised to find themselves frustrated over the lack of commitment of their employees, team members or committee workers.
It's time for a change.
Another old adage is "curiousity killed the cat."
Well, I like to say "Incongruency kills the leader!"
If you lead an organization, a team, a not-for-profit board of directors, a school or church committee, or even a family of two, you must be self-leadable*!
*The term “self-leadable” came to me from an idea by Scott Ginsberg, who just wrote a book called “-able” (pronounced a-bull).
How can you expect others to feel confident in following you if you fail to show up in a way that inspires others to show up in a positive, powerful way?
One client with whom I recently finished working had a terrible reputation for raising his voice and chastising his people in public anytime he became frustrated with a lack of performance by a member of his team. Yet, he was also frustrated with the fact that some of his employees were yelling and cursing at each other on the job in public places where customers, clients and subcontractors could see and hear.
Another client from many years ago came to me frustrated with the productivity and teamwork of his office staff. Yet, invested little time around the office to mentor, coach and monitor his employees in the desired behaviors he was hoping would manifest organically with no direction. In this instance, he showed little interest and expressed so little value in his people that his people showed little interest and value in the company or each other.
And, yet a third former client was frustrated with the lack of respect and commitment his employees showed to himself and his company. He couldn't understand it because they had created a strong list of company values that the team would recite and discuss together each week.
On my first day consulting with this firm I sat back and observed this team meeting. Not 2-minutes after this values recitation process the company owner replied to two of his employees in two separate incidents in a sarcastic manner with inappropriate tone.
As Gandi said “We must become the change we want to see.”
This means a person, a leader, must be “self-leadable” first! Are you?
How can you be “self-leadable?” Here are just four steps:
1) Commit to showing up with a higher standard:
In what areas are your words and actions inconsistent and incongruent? In what ways are you not walking your talk? In what ways are you expecting things of others you are not willing to do yourself? If you don’t know, become extremely humble and with humility ask some people around you that you trust.
2) Decide what that higher standard be:
Be specific as to what it would look like, sound like, feel like, talk like, walk like, believe like, expect like, etc.
3) Write it down in detail:
How would you speak, how would you walk, how would you feel inside, what would you have to believe to become this person.
4) Begin practicing one of those areas each day:
Focus on improving 1% each day and in 70 days you will be twice as good (thanks to one of my mentors Alan Weiss, the Million Dollar Consultant, for his “1% Solution.”)
I guarantee that if you apply the four steps above people will begin to notice.
If you’d like to get a sample of a standard I espouse and work with my executive/leadership clients to integrate into their approach and into their organizations, you can read my article on “The 5 Traits of a CHAMP Leader” at this link .
Additionally, this fall I am launching a Tele-Seminar Series titled, “The Champion Leadership Training Camp” during which about 50% of the program will be dealing with this issue and the issue of transferring the standard to your team so that it sticks and gets great results well into the future.
If you’d like to join me visit www.ChampionBusinessLeadership.com
If you like the idea of being “self-leadable,” you will probably want to read other “-able” strategies, which is a recently published book by Scott Ginsberg. You can learn more about it here .
You can read more of Scott’s innovative ideas for being a more effective in your business at www.HelloMyNameisBlog.com
'til next time, make it a great week!
Champion Leadership Tip #42 - The 5 Magical Management Strategies to Manifest Leadership & Teamwork in Any Organization
After taking last week off while on vacation here is a leadership and teamwork tip I've been working on developing the past few weeks.
I've been getting a lot of questions in my email from subscribers about how they can get their employees and team members to take more initiative in their jobs and to work better as a team.
So, it got me thinking on some of the specific keys to making that happen.
I've come up with these 5 steps:
1) Make "Teamwork" a Job Performance Expectation & Reward It
This sounds like a no-brainer, but I'm amazed at how many organizational leaders just expect teamwork to happen. Unfortunately, too many organizations have compensation and reward systems that do not promote the sharing of resources and helping fellow team members.
2) Make "Self-Leadership" and "Self-Responsibility" a Job Performance Expectation
This, too, sounds like a no-brainer, but few organizations set true standards for how people "show up" on the job in their attitudes and behaviors. As such, many leaders are frustrated with dealing with individuals who do not have the "can do" self-starter attitude but do look to blame others when things don't go as they hoped. But, it is their own fault because there is no measurable job performance standard for this area.
3) Create Opportunities for Teaching, Coaching and Mentoring the Organization's Next Leaders
In a couple of weeks I'll be starting my second leadership training program for a high-profile company in my region. When this program concludes around Thanksgiving roughly 1/3 of their staff and 100% of their youngest generation of employees will have gone through a 32-hour leadership training and development program. This organization will be ready for the next generation of leaders to step up, is yours?
4) Make Promoting from Within a Priority/Core Value and Communicate It Throughout the Organization
Another client whose leadership team completed my 'Champion Organizations' program back in the spring recently went through a mini-crisis with one of its leadership team members. Instead of going through a recruiting process to bring an experienced executive on board from outside, we worked on restructuring the team already in place to promote other high-performers giving them the opportunity to take on more. This allows others to see potential opportunities within their own agency and they will be more committed to their present roles knowing their is a possibility for advancement from within.
5) Help All Team Members Achieve their Aspirations Even If It Is With Another Company or Competitor
If all of the above strategies are followed you will be hiring and retaining high-level employees who are a great fit for your organization. But, that retention of key employees will create a backlog of talent, which will need to be addressed. For some you will be able find new challenges for higher contribution, for others you will not and they will wait for an opportunity only so long. Keep the lines of communication open and let them know you will help them get to the next level, whether it is in your organization or elsewhere. If you do, your people will reward you while they're with you.
If organizational leadership and teamwork development strategies like this are helpful to you, you are going to want to join me for my free teleseminar on Thursday, September 9th, during which I will be discussing "The 3 Leadership Strategies Champion Organizations Master That Too Many Leaders Take for Granted."
I've only reserved 100 phone lines for the event and when I got home from vacation this week I learned they are almost 3/4 taken, so don't get shut out, reserve you spot on the call today
www.ChampionBusinessLeaders.com
'til next time, make it a great week!
Champion Leadership Tip #41 - A Strong Bench Is Characteristic of Champion Teams & Vital for Business, Too!
I n athletics its called bench strength. It's managed via something called the depth chart. You've heard the terminology, first team, second team, third team, etc.
The "first team" are the players in the starting lineup, the second team are the "understudies" who give the first team a rest on certain strategic days during the season, or they come in to games at certain strategic times like for defense when a more conservative approach is desired. And, the third team is there to protect against serious injury and unexpected situations that may present themselves, (e.g., a player getting suspended for substance or steroid abuse or getting in trouble with the law, etc. where the second team player has to step up to the first team to fill that void.)
Well, the suprising resignation of former Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd last week has caught the high-tech bohemoth with its depth chart a little light.
According to a recent Wall St. Journal article there is no clear succession plan in place and no clear successor to the CEO role at H-P. This is surprising for such a large, multi-national firm.
It's not a surprise to me in dealing with the small-to-medium sized firm's I work with. But, it is no less important, and maybe even more important, for the smaller companies and not-for-profit agencies with whom I work to have a succession plan in place.
Few do.
I call it the "Mack Truck" scenario. What happens to your organization should the owner/CEO walk down the street for lunch and get hit by a Mack Truck crossing the street?
Hmmm, something to think about! Yet, too many organizations fail to plan effectively for this possibility.
That's why I was excited to get a call from a former client this week who asked me to help train their middle-level managers on leadership and high-performance management skills last winter asking me to take their younger executives, who are the next level on their depth chart, through the same training. This is a firm obviously looking to the future and wants to be ready for it.
I also have another client, a not-for-profit organization, that to this point has not invested time, energy and resources on its Mack Truck scenario. But, I've been moving them in that direction since I started working with them because I believe the health and vitality of its current executive director is vital to the long-term viability and sustainability (not just the success) of the agency. And, at this stage the agency lacks the depth chart to have a viable succession plan.
What about you? Too many company's and not-for-profit organizations procrastinate on this 'fundamental' of long-term success (it's no coincidence that the word 'success' is the core of the word 'succession' as in 'succession planning.')
That's why I have included 'succession planning' and 'depth chart' creation as a strategy within my program on "The 3 Leadership Strategies Champion Organizations Master That Too Many Leaders Take for Granted."
If you haven't downloaded that free white paper report you should do that now at this link.
You also may want to register for my upcoming Free TeleSeminar on September 9th as well, on which I will be discussing the strategies outlined in that report.
The Tele-Seminar on September 9th is titled ""The 3 Leadership Strategies Champion Organizations Master That Too Many Leaders Take for Granted."Champion Organizations Master That Too Many Leaders Take for Granted."
Grab your seat today before the call fills up. I've been amazed at the number of registrations already and I haven't promoted much beyond last week's mention in my ezine that goes out to my list of 4,000 subscribers.
'til next time, make it a great week!
Champion Leadership Tip #40 - Leading Is Like Playing the Guitar
Every time I've picked up the guitar to play or practice this summer I've had to tune it. The varied humidity during the summer months makes the string tensions more varied than at other times during the year.
Each string has to be adjusted differently. Some are very far out of tune while others just need a slight tweak to get them back.
This morning with the guitar hanging from my neck I looked down at the tuner on the edge of the guitar's body and began to test and adjust each string.
After tuning the second string my focus pulled back slightly and I saw the entire six strings in full view and I recognized them as a unit, a team. And, I realized these were the 'team members' I needed to help me achieve my goal of playing the guitar properly in tune.
I then realized that the act of tuning the guitar is similar to leading a team of people.
Each one is different. Each is different in terms of its size, weight, texture, tension, its strength and the sound it makes. Each one also has strengths in certain situations and weaknesses in others.
Just like the people we lead in organizations.
Some days our people are in tune. Some days they need tuning. Some days they are ready to go and some days they need an attitude or motivation adjustment.
One day last week right in the middle of playing a song, one of the strings broke and I had to replace it with a new string. Sometimes that happens to our team members, too.
In leadership its important to remember that every person on our team is a unique human being with dreams, desires, aspirations, personal frailties and insecurities, but also great strengths.
As leaders we need to learn how to play those we lead. I don't mean in a manipulative, condescending way, but in a way that helps bring out the best in them.
We need to get to know them so that we can help them fine tune their approach, their attitudes, their skills and knowledge so they can help us, in conjuntion with their co-workers/teammates play beautiful music for our organizations.
If you would like to learn the techniques to lead like a champion so you can begin tuning your team into performing like a champion, join me on Thursday, September 9th for a FREE Tele-Seminar titled:
"The 3 Leadership Strategies Champion Organizations Master That Too Many Leaders Take for Granted"
Registration is free but you must reserve your spot in advance to make sure you get access to this call, click here to learn more and grab your spot now.
'til next time, make it a great week!
Blinds.com CEO Adds To My Rules for More Effective Delegation
My third most popular and viewed blog post, and the most popular that doesn't have a reference to any contemporary news item, is on the topic of "delegation."
So, it was with great interest that I followed a link to a blog post written by Jay Steinfeld, founder and CEO of Blinds.com. (Blinds.com is the industry leader in online window covering sales, representing more than 50% of window treatments sold online with more than $80 million in sales annually. Steinfeld has been selling window coverings online since 1993 and sold his chain of retail store outlets to go fulltime online in 2001.)
Here is Jay's guest blog post which both supports and adds to my post on the topic of delegation. post on the topic of delegation. Enjoy!
A few years ago, my son Alec, who was fifteen at the time, asked me what I do at work. I told him as CEO of Blinds.com, I set the company’s strategy, help make people the best they can be, and ensure we execute according to plan. With a puzzled look, Alec responded, “So, you don’t really do any actual work.”
I assured him that the work I was doing was, ahem, critical to the success of the business. But in a way, Alec was picking up on something important: I’ve gotten to a point where I can work on my business instead of in it.
A lot of leaders can’t get to this point because they either don’t know how to or they’re afraid of delegating. Maybe they think it will take too long to train someone effectively, or if they delegate too much, they’ll have nothing left to do. And often the more competent they are, the harder it is to delegate. They’re afraid the work won’t get done at all, or more likely, it won’t be done according to their high standards. It’s difficult to give up control, especially when you won’t tolerate anything less than the perfectionism and high-level performance you expect of yourself.
Trust me, I know because I used to be one of these control freaks. But I reformed and I learned that I couldn’t do everything myself. The only way your career - and your business - will grow is by assuming increasingly higher levels of responsibility; the only way you’ll have time to do that, without spending your life at work, is to delegate. You have to work on your business and let everyone else work in it.
Want to free up some time and get ahead? Here are five ways to start delegating:
To read the rest visit BNET at this link
If you'd like help with improving your delegation skills and breaking through the mindset barriers that prevent you from delegating more a good place to start is with my End Procrastination NOW! System. Because once you know the tricks and rules for delegating from me and Jay, the reason you are not is FEAR. And, FEAR is at the heart of your delegation procrastination.
Just a thought?
'til next time, make it a great week!
Champion Leadership Tip #39 - 3 Reasons Why Your Employees Are Not Taking Initiative In Their Roles!
Happy August!
One of the biggest issues my clients and prospects express greatest frustration about regarding the motivation of their employees, is that they feel their employees are not proactive enough, and that they do not take initiative in their roles.
I believe there are 3 reasons why this is happening.
Below are three areas to look at regarding how you and your managers are communicating to them (and with them) and to identify what type of messages you are sending, and/or they are receiving (sometimes communication from managers and leaders in organizations sends mixed signals, causing confusion for employees keeping them from being more motivated and proactive in their roles. In some organizations the mixed signals equate to a labyrinth):
1) They don't know you want them to (I know you think you've probably told them you want them to, but...leaders need to understand that "the meaning of any communication is the response you get." So, if the response you get is counter to your intended and desired response, you need to review your communication, your style and ask for clarification and understanding);
2) They are unmotivated and don't care enough (this is a performance management issue. I would recommend having more frequent performance discussions and asking what is getting in the way of an individual failing to take initiative and responsibility in their roles. The response you get, if you ask, may surprise you!) ;
3) There are de-motivators in the environment that are preventing them from doing so (e.g., they've tried in the past and have gotten negative feedback just for doing so from either a supervisor or peer who felt they were not authorized to do so, they've done so in the past, made a mistake and were given reprimanded for it.
A great resource for understanding and addressing the manifold scenarios that may be causing the performance problem is the book:
Champion Leadership Tip #38 - Champion Leaders Get the Facts Before Making Decisions
I know what you're thinking.
This is common sense.
But, like they say, "common sense isn't all that common."
Last week the news was overwhelmed by the story of U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack demanding the resignation of Shirley Sherrod, the head of the USDA Rural Development office in Georgia.
It seems now with all the facts released, the furor which caused the incident, came from an edited video of a presentation Sherrod made back in March.
Vilsack, it seems, made a decision without having all the facts from which to make it. And, violated Sherrod's basic constitutional rights of being innocent until proven guilty.
This is just one example of how people in leadership positions often jump the gun and make decisions without having all the facts. And, often times, even failing to consider the source of the information.
Back in the spring my wife sent me an e-mail from someone who just took over running a division where she works. This new leader unilaterally changed a policy based on his desire to save money across the entire division.
His decision was going to force public employees to pay for a licensing certification, for which their only use of it would be on the job, out of their own pocket and they would no longer be entitled to reimbursement.
The decision was sent via broadcast e-mail to every person who had responsibility for this area, and at no point leading up to the decision were department heads surveyed to discuss the decision's impact on overall operations.
After significant pushback by department heads and reasonable arguments being made, the decision was rescinded two weeks later.
David Brooks, NY Times Columnist speaking on NBC TV's "Meet the Press" on Sunday made a great comment about reporters and fact checking, "when I was a young reporter my boss in Chicago told us, 'if your mother tells you she loves you, you better get sources for confirmation.' "
Organizational leaders desirous of maintaining high morale and motivation of their employees, should invest time in doing the same.
Get the facts before jumping to conclusions and making decisions that can have adverse affects on your people and organization.
Common sense, I know, but a good reminder in the heat of battle.
A great resource for leaders looking to improve their leadership skills in making decisions and communicating more effectively is "The Leadership Series."
"The Leadership Series" offers 7 lessons in leadership with assessments and worksheets that equate to a mini-masters degree in leadership. It offers practical and specific strategies and tactics to get the most out of those you lead while creating a high-morale work environment.
You can learn more about it at www.YourLeadershipSeries.com" href="http://www.YourLeadershipSeries.com" target="_blank">www.YourLeadershipSeries.com
'tl next time, make it a great week!
p.s. - on Wednesday I will be featuring a guest blog post with a great article on how "not" to motivate your employees! Look for it!
Champion Leadership Tip #37: A Simple Strategy to Improve Employee Motivation
Just this past Friday I was inspired by a Twitter Tweet posted someone I'm following who always shares great leadership quotes.
Steve Keating (who can be followed on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/leadtoday) posted:
"Average leaders make their people perspire while great leaders make them inspired."
His post inspired me that afternoon to create what I am now calling the "Employee Motivation Equation - A Recipe for Team and Organization Success" .
Click the image above to go to a page that explains in more detail each of the components of the equation and why they are important.
Along with this equation I've also created a "Leadership & Employee Motivation Assessment" tool. It is a simple 21-statement checklist you can work through to see how many things you are doing well to motivate your employees and team members, and the areas you need to do better.
To get access to the assessment, complete this form:
If you were consistently apply the above Employee Motivation Equation, worked through the 21-Point Assessment and combined it with "The Secret 6-Step Formula for Creating a High-Performing Business Team that Gets Champion Level Results," you will succeed in creating a highly-motivated team that could achieve outstanding results.
Check out the Employee Motivation Equation and let me know what you think.
'til next time, make it a great week!
Steinbrenner's Legacy Reinforces the 3 Leadership Strategies of Champion Organizations
As a lifelong New York Mets fan I never thought I'd be writing a tribute to New York Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner, but my priorities and focus have changed since the 1970s & 80s when Steinbrenner's Yankees were my most hated nemesis.
In looking at how Steinbrenner transformed a run down franchise in 1973 valued at $10 million into a multi-billion dollar empire, the argument could be made that he did it by applying "The 3 Leadership Strategies Champion Organizations Master That Too Many Leaders Take for Granted."
Here's how Steinbrenner applied each of the "3 Strategies:"
Creating a Powerful Vision & Strategy
From the very beginning Steinbrenner focused the team, the media and the fans on one vision and that was to bring the Yankees back to prominence and to become World Series Champions again.
Steinbrenner purchased the team on January 3, 1973 and within four seasons the Yankees were back in the World Series. In his fifth and sixth seasons his Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in back-to-back World Series.
His strategy of finding the right team members, paying them above market wages t attract them, and then demanding high-levels of performance brought the team high-levels of success.
Personnel & Performance Management Systems With Accountability
S teinbrenner's focus on managing personnel and their performance is legendary.
His reputation for pushing his personnel beyond their comfort zone is well-documented. Some would even say it was over the top and detrimental to achieving his desired results.
Yet, despite not being perfect and having a lull in the middle years of his rein, it got results. Because even when the team was not winning championships in the 80s the value of the franchise continued to climb.
Leadership & Teamwork Developed Throughout
Despite "The Bronx Zoo" era of the late 70s the Yankees under Steinbrenner always had great leaders. As a matter of fact it was Steinbrenner who resurrected the idea of a "team captain." In 1976 he named catcher Thurman Munson the first team captain since Lou Gehrig in 1941.
Subsequent team captains were Graig Nettles (1982-84), Willie Randolph (1986-89), Ron Guidry (1986-89), Don Mattingly (1991-95), and Derek Jeter (2003-present).
Now, despite the team captains and the consistent focus on personnel and performance management, the team wasn't always a cohesive unit off the field. But, there was never a waiver about the commitment to win when they crossed the white lines.
One of the quotes that resurfaced yesterday in the retrospectives on Steinbrenner's life and career was, "winning is the second most important thing next to breathing, its breathing first, winning second."
Many would think that a little over the top and his priorities a little out of sync. But, he was passionate about his teams performing at a high-level and providing his customers with a quality product on the field. That quote was meant to emphasize his commitment to the objective.
A key leadership trait many espouse is compassion. Compassion for those you lead. In public it seems Steinbrenner showed little compassion for those that worked for him. All we saw and heard about was his demanding and overbearing style. The softer, private side of Steinbrenner's personality was also being shared last night in the reports of his life and it seems he gave significantly to causes important to him and his family as well as those individuals closest to him in the game he loved.
If there is one thing we, as organizational leaders can take from Steinbrenner's legacy, I would offer his passion for what he did, his passion for excellence and offering customers a high-quality product that would return high-value for all investing in that product.
Three years ago I wrote a white paper report detailing how these three strategies create champion organizations titled, "The 3 Leadership Strategies Champion Organizations Master That Too Many Leaders Take for Granted."
This month I am in the process of updating it and making it even more relevant for organizational leaders to apply.
It is going to include an exercise for strategic evaluation, and access to additional resources to manage performance and develop leadership and teamwork in any organization.
If you'd like to order this report while I'm still offering it as a free download, which I guarantee will be available before the end of this month click here to get on the list to receive it as soon as it is released.
Champion Leadership Tip #36: Great Leaders Address Issues Promptly
Last week I had lunch with the executive director of a growing regional not-for-profit for whom I had closed a "Champion Organization" development project in March after six months. We met so that he could update me on the agency's progress and identify issues to be addressed moving forward.
Just as he sat down I showed him the "Champion Organizations" plaque I was going to present to him and his agency and he said, "that's great, thank you, and now I'm in the middle of an issue that is challenging that Champion Organization."
It turns out one of the key executive team members with whom I worked during the project was having challenges leading his team members.
For a number of reasons, all personal issues, he stopped following the systems, processes and agreements we had put in place to ensure the positive, successful growth of the agency and its personnel.
Over lunch we spent some time discussing a strategy to immediately address the issue. The individual will be returing from vacation this week and a 1:1 conversation is going to take place between the executive director and this senior position on his staff.
After the conversation the executive director will make a decision whether this individual will continue with the agency. Due to issues among the operation of the agency prior to our "Champion Organizations" project the transgressions must be dealt with in a serious manner so that a message can be sent that this effort is not just a passing fad.
Individuals who are direct reports of this senior leader have worked under others in that role in which issues were allowed to linger, which caused significant morale, motivation problems among the staff and negatively impacting customer service within the community.
I am confident my client, the executive director, will effectively address the issue and make the right decision moving forward. It will not be easy, either way, but a decision and a strategy is what is necessary to bring the situation back to equilibrium.
How many times are significant issues brought to an organization's leader with hard evidence from numerous sources where the situation is allowed to fester and continue, negatively impacting employee morale, employee motivation and productivity throughout the organization, department, or division?
Great leaders address issues in a timely manner with respect and empathy after accumulating hard, factual evidence from reliable sources, and then make decisions accordingly.
It is a habit that must be developed in anyone desiring to lead teams and organizations. It is what being a leader is all about. It was a lesson I learned the hard way (losing my first marriage over a simillar situation) but that's a story for another day.
Have a great week!