Keeping it simple is something I like other people to do. I, however, am not always so good at it. That’s why I like simple equations – they help me focus, and help me explain things to others.
p=P-i
…where p is
Effective Leaders Stand Out (part two)
Last week, we covered the first four of nine simple things that an aspiring leader can do in order to stand out. Here are five more – I’m anxious for your opinions! 1) Whenever possible, communicate by phone or in person. Is the person you need to visit with in the same building? Walk up … Read more
Effective Leaders Stand Out (part one)
In preparation for a breakout session at an upcoming conference, I developed a list of ten things a leader can do to stand out and get noticed. Not in a “look at me!” kind of way, but in a way that will help the leader connect more to others, and to enable others to connect as well.
While all ten pointers are applicable to all potential leaders, there are four that newer, more fast-paced leaders, might relate to more than the experienced. So, those four this week, the rest next week. Here we go:
Effective Feedback is About the Future
The title is lifted verbatim from the tenets of Manager Tools, and the brilliant minds of Mark Horstman and Michael Auzenne. I encourage you to go to the source if you want to go deeper.
But the short version is this:
Any feedback on any behavior is most helpful to the individual and the organization if it is
Things successful leaders avoid saying (part 3)
Don’t say don’t.
Really. Two reasons- one is pretty esoteric and provokes skepticism in me, but the second is nearly self-evident:
1) Some research shows that the use of words/phrases involving “not” or even “-n’t” (like don’t) are subconsciously turned into the positive by the listener, because negative talk is rejected. So if a person is told “don’t be late!” they actually perceive “be late!”, increasing the likelihood of non-compliance.
Nervous about speaking in front of others?
When presenting, stand still. Too much walking around makes your audience nervous and projects fear and nervousness. Also, when you stand still, it’s easier to make eye contact. If you’re talking longer than five minutes, it makes sense to deliberately move to a different place. Then stand there, feet shoulder width apart, looking at your audience.
Why “Tabatha” smokes “Boss”…
As a guy obsessed with maxing out potential in groups and individuals – and one who believes the person at the top is the one most responsible for making it happen – I was pretty fired up about the concept of Undercover Boss. In each episode, a CEO goes undercover, in disguise, to work next to front-line employees.
The format got tired quickly – boss leaves fancy home and doting family, stays in fleabag hotels, realizes he/she is totally inept at frontline tasks, discovers that employees are (gasp!) real people with real problems, cries (most episodes), promises to change, and gives lavish rewards to the episode’s featured employees.
What a great concept – and what a disappointment in a show.
What ought Iowa’s schools consider next?
* Training our teachers to be leaders and motivators so they see that students are not so apathetic; we simply may not be motivating them properly — and that students are ready to serve and be motivated; we need to find the way to help them do so.
Do you dig the little things?
At the entrance to the service bay of Toyota of Des Moines is a small, plastic, a-frame sign that says simply
“SERVICE ENTRANCE”
and then, toward the bottom,
“Welcome.”
Last week,
Beware acting while stressed…
Something we talk about in Group Dynamic workshops is this: 80% of decisions are made based on emotion, not ration. Also, we tend to act less mature when stressed. The lessons? There are many.
One is this; when stressed, see if you can delay acting, or speaking, or addressing a situation until the stress passes. This will increase the likelihood of a better decision, and (more importantly) better interactions and relationships. Be nice.