Listen Up People!

Listen Up People!

In my last leadership article, I shared ten traits of high performing leaders. With this issue, I would like to add an 11^th critical trait for top leaders – listening.

Jim Cathcart says that listening is wanting to hear. Hmmm. Let that sink in for a moment. Dude, that’s deep. But he is right.

See, here’s the thing. Listening is not just waiting your turn to speak. Effective listening is giving your full attention to another.

Have you ever been talking with someone and you can just see it in his or her eyes that they can’t wait to say something. They are intently focused on one thing – you shutting up! There is no way they even know what you are saying, let alone care at all. They just don’t get how important listening is for any healthy relationship.

It is a great feeling as an employee to have a boss who is an effective listener. They not only hear what you have to say, but they also feel what you feel.

It is amazing what you can learn if you just shut your mouth and listen. Being present for your folks is an incredible gift to give, and it never grows old in their eyes. And there is a good chance they will emulate your behavior. Way cool!

Leadership is a privilege. Leadership is a commitment. And with leadership comes great responsibility to both the cause and the people. Always look for the next building block to make the structure stronger. Choose to be an amazing listener today.

Until next time, Go Ahead and Dare to be Amazing!!

Block by Block – The Building of a Great Leader

Block by Block – The Building of a Great Leader

Many a study has been conducted to vet out the common traits present amongst the best leaders in the world. And save for a few unique characteristics of each great leader, they all have several key things in common within and because of their leadership styles.

And that really shouldn’t surprise you. The same thing is true whether you are studying the habits of leaders, athletes, teachers, artists, sales people or realtors. The best all have much in common. And the smart ones among us study those on the top of their game to gain insight and direction. Emulating the elements that make others successful is a proven path to improvement, as long as you remain true to yourself and you honor your defining values.

To embrace this concept, I wanted to share with you a commentary recently presented by Dr. Janice Presser of the Gabriel Institute. She answers the question “What are the top 10 interpersonal skills found in great leaders?” See what you think:

1.     They are team players.

2.     They are coherent (neither rigid nor diffuse) in all their interactions with others.

3.     Depending on what they are leading, they are either highly inspirational, in which case people are drawn to follow them and their vision, or they are excellent at shepherding people toward the goal. Occasionally you find people who are good at both.

4.     They take initiative, especially in innovation companies. They seize the moment, and go for the opportunity.

5.     They clearly get that other people have points of view that may not exactly mirror their own. (They might not like it, but they definitely get it.)

6.     They aren’t consumed by greed. Their ambition and desire to win extends to their team, organization, stakeholders, and especially their customers.

7.     They aren’t know-it-alls, even though they are generally smart.

8.     They know how to depend on other people: their trust is highly desired and valued.

9.     They respect all living things.

10. They openly express their faith in the team, that together they can achieve the vision.

I have witnessed many of these skills within the best leaders in my career. And the pure absence of these traits is blindingly evident.

There is no easy path to leadership. It often comes from surviving great trials and challenges in life. See, here's the thing. It is not just a collection of traits, skills, or bits and pieces of one person’s experience because, indeed, a leader does not exist in isolation. A leader is part of a team, and often it is the team – in all its complexity – that challenges, and teaches, leadership.

Leadership is a privilege. Leadership is a commitment. And with leadership comes great responsibility to both the cause and the people. Always look for the next building block to make the structure stronger. Greatness is just around the next corner.

Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast

Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast

Today’s leadership message is going to be short and to the point. But, don’t let the brevity overshadow the power of the message.

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

This quote has been my mantra lately at Dare to be Amazing.  The late management guru, Peter Drucker, brilliantly states what I have believed for years.  Get your culture in line and you can achieve anything. Without a dynamic and profound culture in place, you can develop strategy all day long with poor results. 

By culture I mean the practice of values, vision, teamwork, relationships, communication, accountability, engagement and agreements. 

Remember in a recent of issue Simply Amazing, you learned about the difference between “being” and “doing” and how success is heavily dependent on the “being.” Well, think of your culture as the “being” and the strategy as the “doing”.  You need both to be successful. However, with a broken down culture, your strategies will fall flat. That is a certainty.

See, here's the thing. Culture eats strategy for breakfast (and maybe even lunch as well!). Lead with an engaging culture and greatness will be in your future.

I Can’t Hear What You Are Saying!

I Can’t Hear What You Are Saying!

If you want your team members to be more accountable, start with making changes to your own behavior. When you care for and support the people who report to you, they will thrive and you will see more of the results you’re looking for.

Each of the following behaviors can make a significant difference in how you lead your people and how well you assist them in being accountable. Some are on the list because those who implement them achieve great results. Other behaviors are here because they can be the things that are stopping or blocking folks from achieving their next level of success.

1. Experiment and try new things – Complacency is not going to get you where you need to go in this “post-Wall Street fiasco” age. Make changes, and make it safe for your team to fail. As a result, they try new things and get new, better results. How can you do this for your teams? How can you get into the habit of trying new things?

2. Tell the absolute truth, regardless – I’m not calling you a liar. This is about being honest with yourself. Telling the truth includes making sure that your thoughts, words and action (“TWA”) are aligned. When your team members can see this integrity in everything you do and say, they will walk through walls for you. If you say one thing and your actions demonstrate another, it puts up walls between you.

3. Start being early for everything – I could have said, “Don’t be late,” but it’s important to frame our goals in a positive light. When you’re late, you’re missing a big opportunity to set an example for your team. This may mean redesigning how you spend your time.

4. Treat people much, much better – I recently heard a suggestion that whenever you approach someone, whether at the checkout counter in the grocery store or in a business meeting, that you should consciously bring happiness, joy and laughter to the interaction. Try it the next time the phone rings. Paste a big smile on your face and think about bringing happiness, joy and laughter to whoever is calling.

5.  Hold your commitments, no matter how big or small – It’s that simple. When you have a task assigned to you, get it done! And do it on time. Leading by example in this area is so, so powerful. When you hold yourself accountable, others notice.

See, here's the thing. Changing your own behavior in order to create more accountability in your workplace might seem backwards, but it works. I’ve seen it demonstrated time and again. Believe me. Or don’t believe me, but try these suggestions.

Lead by example and trust will follow. That has been my experience in almost 20 years of being a leader and being in the company of leaders. Trust me!

Thanks and until next time, Go Ahead, Dare to be Amazing!