Nothing in life travels in a neat formation accompanied by bugles and cavalry. A lot of it shows up filthy and unkempt, prominent in the mess we’ve made around our foxhole. These lessons are typically the offspring of hubris, naivete and ignorance … or from overlooking the land mines hidden beneath our feet.

Every Tuesday, we’ll share valuable and practical leadership tips and tools to help you BE a better leader so you can BECOME a better leader. Remember … you won’t BECOME a better leader until you start BEING a better leader  … implementing NOW the changes necessary to adopt the proven strategies of successful leaders. You might start by building on the communication matrix and making sure you’re defending the castle to get done what only you can do. Make some time so you’re thinking past today.

___________________

“Being in the lead and winning is not the same thing.” —Rory McIlroy

What a dramatic Masters finish tells us about succeeding

No, really, I had no intention of writing about the Masters golf tournament — again. You might want to start by looking at Madness or a Masters in Business … but, this 75th anniversary “tune-a-mint” that ended a few weeks ago offered more lessons than a kindergarten classroom.

What is True Grit? Do you think you have it?

Most of us think of Rooster Cogburn, either in the persona of John Wayne or Jeff Bridges, when True Grit is mentioned.

But, what is true grit? Never say die? It’s never too late? All those, and more, applied to the crushing legion wrangling for the green jacket on that fateful Sunday. Eight players shared the lead over a few hours on Sunday. As in life, the contrasts were remarkable.

Rory McIlroy, who held the lead over 63 holes of the tournament, entered Sunday with a four stroke lead and watched it quickly evaporate as his game imploded — he shot 80 on the final day — as contenders climbed over him from every side. Eight players as far behind as seven strokes at down tied for the lead at some point on that bucolic Sunday afternoon.

Life is perplexing blend of success and failure

Some rose to great acclaim — Charl Schwartzel didn’t take the lead until the 16th hole on Sunday. He won with a birdie on each of last four holes — never been done before by a Masters winner — and on his first ever visit to Augusta.

What does it take to succeed under pressure?

What happened? What does it take to persevere under pressure … in the face of intense and relentless competition … when it’s so much easier to fold your tent and call it a day? What exactly is in the DNA of perseverance, anyway?

1. Talent

Of course, you’ve got to have talent, you’ll say, that’s a given. True grit isn’t worth much unless you have the capability to succeed, so it’s important to have a clear understanding of your talent and that you apply it where it gives you a competitive advantage. If you’re a fabulous chess player who’s a duffer on the golf course, no amount of perseverance will overcome the futility of joining the PGA tour.

2. Patience

Our talents, no matter how rich, are fleeting … sometimes rising to the surface when we’re booming big drives, other times hidden beneath the surface when we can’t make a putt to save our lives. Time is the father of patience and its greatest adversary is our desperation to get something done quickly. Maybe we waited too long, underestimated what was required or made too many mistakes. True grit will lead to success if we have the patience to allow our talents to ultimately prevail.

3. Purpose

Purpose is essential to direct our energies and supplement the fuel stores supplied by confidence. Without Purpose, we would persist but not prevail, drudging along with no meaningful intent.

4. Confidence

That’s the next ingredient in this gritty stew, a belief in yourself and your talent.  We’re all pretty good at second-guessing our failures: “What could I have done differently?” “Why did I do something so stupid?” “When am I going to learn?” But, that kind of retrospective is like spitting in the soup. Confidence in yourself is the oxygen that fuels true grit.

5. Pluck

Pluck is the ability to remain fearless in the face of adversity. You reject the pain, ignore the fear and fight back the tears on the way to victory.

6. Perseverance

By any other measure, this is strength of character. There’s not a bright line separating this quality from true grit itself, but perseverance may be true grit in a different costume. Let’s call it three parts confidence, two parts pluck, sprinkled with a dash of patience.

7. Endurance

Endurance may be the fraternal twin of patience, but not everyone with patience will endure the obstacles that are strewn in their path. That fortitude keeps us in the game, willing to suffer the pitfalls and obstacles that would deter weaker souls. Patience would be a lonely soul without riding horseback on endurance, and we would only be durable losers much of the time.

True Grit is a magical elixir

True Grit. It’s a magical elixir. Without it, our successes will only be occasional. With it, we can conquer all that’s before us.

We probably can’t get enough of it, can we?

•••

Lary Kirchenbauer is the president of Exkalibur Advisors, providing practical business strategies for family and other privately owned businesses in the middle market. Exkalibur works closely with senior executives and their businesses in the wine and other industries, and hosts the Exkalibur Leadership Forum for leaders of middle market companies in the North Bay. Please visit Exkalibur.com for a library of valuable resources, articles and insights or connect on Twitter, LinkedIN or the Exkalibur fan page on Facebook.

**********************************************************************************

The North Bay Business Journal, a publication of the New York Times, is a weekly business newspaper which I have served as a regular columnist for over three years. The Business Journal covers the North Bay area of San Francisco – from the Golden Gate bridge north, including the Wine Country of Sonoma and Napa counties.

**********************************************************************************

Article published as Vol. 87 on April 25, 2010: The electronic version of this article, as published by the North Bay Business Journal, may be found here. ******************************

Any related materials or articles referenced in the published column, or otherwise applicable, are referenced in this digital version of the article.

Leadership Lessons | Do you have the magic elixir of True Grit? is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

Nothing in life travels in a neat formation accompanied by bugles and cavalry. A lot of it shows up filthy and unkempt, prominent in the mess we’ve made around our foxhole. These lessons are typically the offspring of hubris, naivete and ignorance … or from overlooking the land mines hidden beneath our feet.

Every Tuesday, we’ll share valuable and practical leadership tips and tools to help you BE a better leader so you can BECOME a better leader. Remember … you won’t BECOME a better leader until you start BEING a better leader  … implementing NOW the changes necessary to adopt the proven strategies of successful leaders. You might start by building on the communication matrix and making sure you’re defending the castle to get done what only you can do. Make some time so you’re thinking past today.

___________________

“I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people’s accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man’s failures.” — Justice Earl Warren

Get in the game. Enjoy the Ride.

The week just ended is my favorite sports week of the year. Some of you will say, “Nah, you got your calendar mixed up. Baseball season opened the previous week.” Of course, I could say, “but the home opener for the Giants was that week” and then you’d say, “OK, so you’re a big Giants fan. I get it.”

A few of you may suspect that’s not the reason. Not that I don’t love the World Champion San Francisco Giants and all … but honestly? That didn’t even occur to me as I braced for the greatest sports week of the year.

What’s not to like?

There are a lot of reasons why I love this past week. For one thing, the contrasts are extraordinary. Unbridled enthusiasm, competitive zeal, office pools, no million dollar salaries … (except, er, the coaches) … there’s every kind of reason to love the adrenaline rush you get from amateur sports, even more so when college students excel at organized mayhem. See Stanford band, Cameron Crazies, et. al.

Contrast that with the subdued demeanor of a professional class of athletes as they excel in a stadium blessed with gorgeous weather, the bucolic lushness of azaleas and dogwood and a canopy of crystal blue sky.

Madness & the Masters

Yes, I’m talking about Final Four basketball … amateur collegians playing indoors on a smooth, shiny maple surface … and The Masters … cool professionals playing outdoors in God’s luscious amphitheater. Tearing down the nets, donning the green jacket … what a powerful contrast in so many ways.

Some of you will say that the college basketball players might as well be professional. They’re coddled, spoiled, fawned upon and are likely the teacher’s pet with special classroom privileges. Maybe in a few exceptional basketball power schools … but Butler, VCU, Marquette, Richmond? … some of the unheralded schools that made the Sweet Sixteen? … not so much.

The kids are playing their hearts out

For the most part, the Final Four is comprised of 18 to 20-year-old collegians, playing a sport that kids of all ages and genders enjoy on concrete and hardwood across the land. For my money, no other sport transcends the infectious exuberance displayed by players and fans alike during March Madness.

This year in particular, not a single #1 or #2 seed made it to the Final Four … the first time that’s ever happened. Everybody in the Big Dance had a turn on center stage with a crazy, unpredictable outcome that, once again, ended Butler’s Cinderella as the Connecticut Huskies won their third national championship.

The men are sweating rose petals

Then there are the PGA tour professionals, who some would say are the poster boys of mollycoddling. Private jets, donated cars, deluxe accommodations, the works for most of them. No sweaty gyms and locker rooms, no rides on the beat-up school bus, no uniforms to wash.

I love both events for just what they are … and in many ways; the vivid contrasts are a microcosm of the life cycle we experience in building a business.

What about this Great Game of Business?

Some days, we’re just having a blast. We’re gung-ho on our next project, things are falling into place … and other days, it seems that refrigerators are falling out of the sky looking for our head as a landing zone.

So, what it this great game of business we’re playing? Our entrepreneurial spirit kicks it off with a bang, excitement running rampant … fresh ideas, new angles and rich rewards just a few thousand hours of intensity away. Then, over time, our youthful exuberance morphs into a more focused strategy, a recognition that energy and enthusiasm alone are not enough, and that a cohesive plan is essential to lasting achievement.

You’ve got to be in the game to bring home the trophy

The Final Four and Masters also remind us that anybody in the game can take home the trophy. We remember the magical March Madness upsets … two people out of 6 million joining the ESPN Tourney challenge this year picked VCU to play Butler in the Final Four … or Jack Nicklaus winning his 6^th green jacket with a legendary come-from-behind victory. Getting in the game gives us a chance to win. As avid fans, we might get courtside tickets, or plum seats at the 18th hole, but if we’re not in the game, we’re not winning.

But make sure you’re also enjoying the game

So, as the Madness of March transforms into the hushed calm hovering over Augusta National Golf Club, let’s take a moment to inhale that same energy and promise to tackle the tough tasks ahead. We’re in the game, we’re competing, and we’re trying to win for our team, our families, and our colleagues. There are opportunities galore and while failure is always an option, it’s one we reject every time when suit up for the next game.

Yes, we’re keeping score. We do care about the statistics. But most of all, building a business is about the journey not the destination.

Make sure you’re enjoying the game.

•••

Lary Kirchenbauer is the president of Exkalibur Advisors, providing practical business strategies for family and other privately owned businesses in the middle market. Exkalibur works closely with senior executives and their businesses in the wine and other industries, and hosts the Exkalibur Leadership Forum for leaders of middle market companies in the North Bay. Please visit Exkalibur.com for a library of valuable resources, articles and insights or connect on Twitter, LinkedIN or the Exkalibur fan page on Facebook.

**********************************************************************************

The North Bay Business Journal, a publication of the New York Times, is a weekly business newspaper which I have served as a regular columnist for over three years. The Business Journal covers the North Bay area of San Francisco – from the Golden Gate bridge north, including the Wine Country of Sonoma and Napa counties.

**********************************************************************************

Article published as Vol. 86 on April 11, 2010: The electronic version of this article, as published by the North Bay Business Journal, may be found here. ******************************

Any related materials or articles referenced in the published column, or otherwise applicable, are referenced in this digital version of the article.

Leadership Lessons: Madness or a Masters in Business? is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

~  Chinese Proverb

What Does It Take to be a Great Leader?

As we’ve all learned, most of life’s lessons don’t travel in a neat formation accompanied by bugles and cavalry. They arrive filthy and unkempt, prominent in the mess we’ve made around our foxhole. These lessons are typically the offspring of hubris, naivete and ignorance … or from overlooking the land mines hidden beneath our feet.

Every Tuesday, we’ll share valuable and practical leadership tips and tools to help you BE a better leader so you can BECOME a better leader. Remember … you won’t BECOME a better leader until you start BEING a better leader  … implementing NOW the changes necessary to adopt the proven strategies of successful leaders.

___________________

Do People REALLY understand what you do?

Does your company have a Vision/Mission Statement that you clearly understand … and everyone knows who it belongs to?

Last week, we talked about the proposition that Leadership = Communication and I shared a communication matrix with you to help you start on a Communication Action Plan.

There’s no doubt that communication stands tall in the pantheon of business leadership, and we all probably think we’re pretty good at it. We can walk, talk, dictate, speak and even string together a few intelligible sentences. We chat with our troops, talk to our customers and vendors, share information with colleagues and shareholders. We hold meetings, BBQ’s and off-sites to talk about what’s going on. We’re all pretty good at communication . . . or are we?

What is Communication … Really?

The inimitable Mr. Webster focuses on the transmission of thoughts and ideas, as if the means of communicating, or the act itself, constitutes “communication”. Yet, when you peruse a thesaurus for synonyms, you get words like, “communion”, “connection”, “conversation” and “interchange”, as well as “transmission” and “advisement”. When you think of “advisement” and “transmission”, it’s more about talking than conversing, while with “connection” and “conversation”, you expect a collaborative, two-way exchange.

The Great Communicator

President Reagan was known as the “Great Communicator” precisely because he could capture the essence of the point he wanted to make in clean, simple language that connected with people on an emotional level. His delivery was smooth and practiced and Americans always thought they knew where he stood. In President Reagan’s farewell address to the nation, he acknowledged the mantle of the “Great Communicator” but said “I never thought it was my style or the words I used that made a difference: it was the content. I wasn’t a great communicator but I communicated great things . . . . “ Take a look at Warren’ Buffett’s 2010 letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders as another example of straightforward communication.

Start by Looking at Your Mission Statement

In thinking about “communicating great things”, you’ve probably heard many times that your company should have a Vision and/or Mission statement.

Here are two examples of Mission statements from well-known companies.

“Outstanding service and solutions through dedication and excellence.”

“Guided by relentless focus on our five imperatives, we will constantly strive to implement the critical initiatives required to achieve our vision. In doing this, we will deliver operational excellence in every corner of the Company and meet or exceed our commitments to the many constituencies we serve. All of our long-term strategies and short-term actions will be molded by a set of core values that are shared by each and every associate.”

Got Any Idea of What These Companies Actually Do?

There’s nary a clue about the identity of these companies, is there? These are not very good examples of communication because they are either too “Mom and apple pie”, or dance between pomposity and verbosity, as in the second example. They’re innocuous and impersonal, and while they may sound righteous, they stand for nothing.

Where Do These Statements Come From?

Most Vision and Mission statements are generally derived in a conversation about the “purpose” of your company. Why are we here? What are we trying to accomplish? How will people remember us when we’re gone? Will they? It’s about you, digging deep to focus on why you’re coming to work each day and busting it from dawn until dusk.

Like Indiana Jones chasing the Holy Grail, some business consultants are obsessed with Vision and Mission Statements. While they can serve as cornerstones of the company’s “Strategery”, their value is in direct proportion to the breadth and depth of the strategic conversation about what’s really important and what differentiates their view of the world.

Vision vs. Mission … What’s the Difference?

In simple terms, a Vision Statement seeks to “communicate” the core values and purpose of an organization, and looks to the future, to “what is possible” rather than “what is”. It’s more about inspiration than perspiration.

The Mission Statement says exactly what you do – now – and like a good “elevator speech”, can be recited in the time it takes you to get from the 1st to the 10th floor. It should use clear, muscular language to tell people succinctly “who you are” and “what you do”. It’s what the perspiration is all about.

How about these examples?

“We fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling, by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles and branded products and services in selected market segments.

“People love our clothes and trust our company. We will market the most appealing and widely worn casual clothing in the world. We will clothe the world.

These make a lot more sense, don’t they? And, it’s not too hard to see the mission of Harley-Davidson or Levi Strauss in these words. Contrarily, did you guess correctly about Hughes Supply and Albertson’s in the earlier two examples?

Make It Good – and Hang It High!

Conclusion? You can stop revising your Vision and Mission statements when you can post them on the walls throughout the company and be as proud of them tomorrow as you are today.

No one snickers when they read them; everyone in the company understands them, can recite them and embraces them as the embodiment of what they’re doing. Customers, vendors and shareholders will clearly understand what you do … why you’re here … and see the mission consistently throughout your organization.

That’s communication!

Leadership Tip | Spitshine Your Mission so it’s Crystal Clear is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

Every Thursday, I’m sharing a new Personal Productivity Tip to help you get more done. Each Productivity Tip is a remarkably simple tool or concept that can be quickly implemented to make a real difference in your personal productivity. When you apply many of them together, they’ll make a big difference in improving productivity, achieving accountability and staying focused on the things that matter the most in your life.

You may want to check out some of the posts in this Productivity series, including the the value of checklists; the importance of getting rid of the crappy stuff;  the nightmare of the cluttered mind; and that feeling of being buried all the time. You can also leverage your resources and apply the lessons of the ARCI chart and the S.M.A.R.T. goals to boost the accountability of your entire organization.

____________________________________________

“A kick in the butt is a good thing if you’re facing in the right direction.”

~ unknown

Are you Turbocharging the Sunrise … or heading down a rat hole?

I’ve written previously about the importance of getting control and perspective on all the things that have your attention. I’ve also identified the 4 Do-or-Die Principles to Drive your Personal Productivity System that is essential to getting done what YOU want to get done.

Once you’ve collected and reviewed everything that should have your attention (refer to the GTD “manual” for a proven approach about how to do this), you should end up with an electronic dashboard that gives you on-call access to everything that matters in your quest for world domination.

Go digital and save the paper for writing a note to Mom

That’s not to say that a paper system can’t work, but achieving a fully mobile system is going to require a digital framework so you can be fully engaged wherever you are. As much as I love the romance of high quality paper and fountain pen, an electronic system makes it much easier to move tasks and project details around instead of crossing things out and re-writing them somewhere else.

If you’ve got more than a few dozen things that require your attention, a paper system is not going to work … and if you’ve only got a few dozen things, you probably haven’t captured everything that should have your attention in the first place.

The Dashboard puts you in charge

The main reason you need a dashboard is to stay focused on what YOU decide to do. In this context, I’m thinking of a comprehensive productivity system that contains all of the tasks and projects in your life, although a mind map dashboard is a good example how this might work for you.

The Dashboard helps you spend time on what’s most important in your life rather than what’s banging on your door demanding your attention. You will never gain control, or enjoy stress-free productivity, if you’re responding to inputs according to someone else’s schedule, rather than managing what YOU want to do according to your own schedule.

Try this simple morning routine to turbocharge your day

Try this schedule, which is the one I follow first thing in the morning, whether I’m in the office or on the road. Is it perfect? No. Do I follow it religiously without distraction? No. Does it always give me the most direct path back home when things go south? Absolutely. (At the end of each, I’ve provided the formula to use for Tasks in Microsoft Outlook and most other PC or Mac productivity systems.)

1. Check your top priorities for the day

This should be a maximum 6-7 tasks … no more … of things that need your attention TODAY, not tomorrow or later this week. TODAY. If there’s more than that, they won’t really be a High Priority because you won’t get to them.

In the GTD world, this short list is kind of a “cheat sheet”, since the use of 1-2-3 or A-B-C priority systems is one of the first and biggest places people go wrong. In a little bit, I’ll digress to emphasize what you have to watch for and why most people go wrong using a 1-2-3 priority schedule. BTW, I only use it sparingly here and nowhere else, just to capture the “for sure today” stuff. I don’t use any other priority levels.

The formula: Search for all items with a “Priority 1″ that are due “on or before today”. If too many show up, renegotiate them so you have a good chance of completing what’s left. Sort them by the context in which you’re going to do them, e.g., Phone, Email, Errands, Online, etc.

Get rid of your 1-2-3 priority system

Here’s why this doesn’t work. Since you’re tired of missing deadlines, you decide to get serious about setting priorities. To make sure, you start using the 1-2-3 (or A-B-C) priority labels, often making even the most mundane task a #1 priority so you don’t miss it.

Then, because you start falling behind, you start marking more tasks #1 so you they don’t get missed … and as you do, the list becomes longer and longer. Eventually, everything becomes a #1 priority … and soon, you have only one list of #1 priorities and anything marked as a #2 or #3 never gets seen. Then, you get tired of looking at such a long list knowing you’ll never get to all of them … your frustration grows and you’re right back to where you started. Sound familiar?

Don’t make this mistake. Limit the top priority “cheat sheet” to just a small handful of things you absolutely need to get done today. They can be big and ugly, or simple and mundane, but they must be things you need to work on today, not tomorrow.

2. Look at the items that need to get done within the next few days

I don’t mark these as a High Priority, but on any given day, I collect the most important tasks due over the next few days.

Again, these need to be kept to a small handful. What if I can’t, you say? What if I just have too many?

It’s not much different than our top priority tasks. If there are many more than you’re going to get done, there’s no value in trying to stay focused on all of them. If you can renegotiate with yourself or someone else, change the due dates to a period of time when you’re more likely to get them done.

The formula: Search for all items that are “NOT Priority 1″ and that are due “on or before today”. This will eliminate those in the first batch of “top priority” items but give you what needs your attention now. Renegotiate as needed. Sort by context.

Keep the lists short or you’ll ignore them

The stark reality is that if you have a lot of things on any single list, you will not only NOT get them done, you’ll skip over them every day KNOWING that you’re not going to get to them. As you do that day after day, you’ll become even more frustrated, get sick of looking at all of them … and THEN renegotiate them or re-order your schedule anyway.

Do it now so you can concentrate on the things you really need to get done and move the rest.

3. What am I waiting for?

Every day, we’re waiting for a bunch of things to happen before we can act. Sally needs to get back to us with the artwork for the brochure. Your brother hasn’t responded about whether they’re coming over for dinner on Friday night. John still owes you an evaluation form for one of his direct reports. Three customers still haven’t responded to your special offer. Etc. Etc. Etc.

By every measure, follow up is 90% of getting things done …and keeping track of what you’re waiting for is the cornerstone of a reliable follow up routine. Do that and rigorously follow up for what you need and you’ll be amazed at how much more you’ll get done.

The formula: Search for all items that are “NOT Priority 1″ and have the category of “Waiting For”. (In Outlook, you’ll need to ignore the “Due Date” and use the “Start Date” in the “View” so that these are not the same tasks as appear on the first two lists. Let me know if you need help with this.) If too many show up, rearrange them so you have a realistic shot of following up on them.

That will Turbocharge YOUR Sunrise!

There’s more, of course, and we’ll cover Phase 2 next week. In the meantime, if you rigorously apply this simple 3 step routine, you’ll kickstart your day with what you WANT to do and what you NEED to do to accomplish the most important tasks across the broad spectrum of your life. Ignore the overnight email, all of the interesting stuff you’re thinking about and devote enough time to follow this routine. You’ll be thrilled  … and it will only be 9:00 a.m.

What’s your morning routine? Does it help you get ahead of the game … or does it only open the door to more distractions which further keep you from getting things done that YOU want to do?

Personal Productivity: 3 Steps to Turbocharge the Sunrise is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

Use Leverage to Turbocharge your resources

Carjack. Nail clippers. Teeter-totter. Tweezers. Nutcracker. Scissors.

What do these devices all have in common? They create leverage, a simple but extraordinary tool that increases the force, or power, of everything to which it is applied. Engineers use a more complicated definition, but you and I know that we need at least three things to create leverage: a 1] fulcrum, or pivot point; 2] a load being moved; and 3] a force that’s moving it.

Leverage has never been more important

Leverage is even more invaluable following the 30-month economic drought. Most of us have fewer resources to solve the problems we face every day … so we need as much leverage as we can muster to turbocharge the resources at our command. Financial leverage may be one the first things that come to mind, but I want to talk about at least five pivot points that can drive your business to greater success.

1. Delegate

Are you doing everything possible to leverage your time? It not only empowers others to learn and grow, but it increases the chance that the most important things won’t get overlooked.

You already know that you can leverage your time by delegating responsibilities to others in your organization. But have you really concentrated on that option lately? Even if it involves multiple people taking up the slack in a variety of tasks, it all adds up and will open up some time for you to do the things most important to your organization.

I’ve written and spoken often about the importance of personal productivity, discipline and focus to help business leaders accomplish those things that only THEY can do. It is critical that you look for resources within your organization to make sure you’re doing the things that ONLY YOU can do.

(A personal footnote. Empowered by the reach and accessibility of the personal computer, executives have worked over the last 20 years with dramatically reduced secretarial and administrative support, in part believing that they could now do much of that work themselves. While this approach has achieved cost reduction benefits, it has hurt executive performance and productivity more than ever expected.)

2.  Outsourcing

Outsourcing can leverage your investment capability while expanding your resources. Hiring contract manufacturers to build your products, public warehouses to distribute them, independent reps to sell them … are just some of the ways that you can expand your resources on a “pay as you go” basis rather than by direct investment.

I’m a strong advocate of these approaches, for not only their ability to leverage scarce investment resources, but their flexibility when plans change. You can switch to another contract manufacturer if your customer base shifts; it’s not so easy to move a plant you wish had been built in a different place.

3. Create New Partnerships

Creating a partnership may be a “kissing cousin” of outsourcing, but it’s a contractual relationship of a higher order. It usually denotes a greater commitment of resources as a well as a greater responsibility for the outcome. Engaging with a partner leverages your financial and human resources and gives you the opportunity to do more than you could on your own. Yes, there are risks to “sharing with a partner”, but the rewards from that kind of leverage can also be striking.

4. Team up with other business executives

4.  You can leverage your intellectual resources by establishing a board of advisors, or by expanding your board of directors to include outside professionals from different industries and viewpoints. You can also join a peer group like the Exkalibur Leadership Forum, or other leadership groups, that offer timely and regular access to diverse experiences, insights and opinions. “Two heads are better than one,” still works.

5. Social Media

Social media has gained phenomenal traction in the last several years and it’s really only beginning. There are many tools … Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube to name a few of the more prominent platforms … that enable all of us to reach a wider network among colleagues, employees, vendors and customers. As we leverage the opportunity to build broader and deeper relationships across the globe, we can make a dramatic difference in our outreach to those communities. Our products become more visible, we strengthen the relationship with our customers, and we communicate more easily with employers and employees to respond to new challenges and threats.

What can you do to leverage your resources?

What are some of the ways in which you have leveraged your resources … financial, human, intellectual and time? Where are you going to focus now? Let me know what’s working for you.

•••

Lary Kirchenbauer is the president of Exkalibur Advisors, providing practical business strategies for family and other privately owned businesses in the middle market. Exkalibur works closely with senior executives and their businesses in the wine and other industries, and hosts the Exkalibur Leadership Forum for leaders of middle market companies in the North Bay. Please visit Exkalibur.com for a library of valuable resources, articles and insights or connect on Twitter, LinkedIN or the Exkalibur fan page on Facebook.

**********************************************************************************

The North Bay Business Journal, a publication of the New York Times, is a weekly business newspaper which I have served as a regular columnist for over three years. The Business Journal covers the North Bay area of San Francisco – from the Golden Gate bridge north, including the Wine Country of Sonoma and Napa counties.

**********************************************************************************

Article published as Vol. 83 on February 28, 2010: The electronic version of this article, as published by the North Bay Business Journal, may be found here. ******************************

Any related materials or articles referenced in the published column, or otherwise applicable, are referenced in this digital version of the article.

Business Leaders | 5 Levers to Turbocharge Your Resources is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

Every Thursday, I’m sharing a new Personal Productivity Tip to help you get more done. There are some remarkably simple tools and concepts that can be quickly implemented to make a real difference in your personal productivity. In combination, they can really help you stay focused on the things that matter the most in your life.

You may want to check out some of the posts in this Productivity series, including the the value of checklists; the importance of getting rid of the crappy stuff;  the nightmare of the cluttered mind; and the 4 Do-or-Die Principles to Drive your Personal Productivity System.

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Set Clear Expectations using S.M.A.R.T. guidelines

When I talk to executives every day, there’s hardly a conversation that doesn’t include the same 2 things: “Why aren’t I getting more done?” … and “Why aren’t my people getting more done”?

There are several simple and proven leadership tools that can save your bacon many times over. This one is kind of an “oldie but goody” so you’ve probably seen it around. If you’re saying, “that old thing again”, I’ll give you 5-1 if you can come up with something better for setting goals and objectives.

The question is … have you really used it?

Why aren’t our people getting more done?

As with the common cold, there’s probably no cure … but there are some things we can do to manage the symptoms. One tool that will alleviate many of the symptoms is very simple : SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS. When I hear the daily complaints about the lack of accountability within the organization … and ask if clear expectations have been set so that there is no misunderstanding about what needs to get done … I usually get the thousand yard stare.

I really don’t have the time to do all of this

What do you think you’d find if you compared the time it takes to SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS … to the time you spend chasing people down who aren’t doing what they’re being asked because you’re not on the same page about what they’re supposed to do?

When this comes up, I often see someone tap their forehead and say, “I know exactly what they’re supposed to do and they know it, too. I’ve told them a dozen times.” For others, a goal is simply a mirage, as with phrases like, “It’s just a goal“, which tells the listener they really don’t have to pay much attention to it.

When I say, “Shall we go and see if it’s as clear in their head as it seems to be in yours?”, our conversation turns to whether any of this has been written down so there is a clear and indisputable reference point. “As soon as I get a chance I will write it down ….” is often the response, but it speaks volumes about why people aren’t getting done what you expect.

Let’s be a little S.M.A.R.T.er about what each of these words mean

Each of these 5 letters is important to signify a special attribute … but in this case, the whole is certainly greater than the sum of its parts. I can promise you that if you set goals and objectives for your organization and the individuals in it, using the simple S.MA.R.T. acronym, you’ll be farther ahead than most.

SPECIFIC

What is the SPECIFIC goal to be achieved? Avoid being too general. The more precise the target, the greater the commitment to follow through. It isn’t enough to say “we need more sales in your territory”. Say something like, “You need to increase sales in your territory by a minimum of 6.5%.”

MEASURABLE

The goal or objective must be measured in terms of cost, quality, quantity, and timeliness, something that can actually be measured. Once again, it isn’t enough to say “you need to spend more time in the field networking in the industry.” Be more specific, something like “find three opportunities to speak to industry groups and three other industry conferences and meetings to attend, at least one of which will allow us to set up a booth or table to meet prospective customers.” You can measure that.

AGREED UPON

Goals should be jointly established rather than imposed. When clear expectations aren’t agreed to in advance, you’ll learn why that’s important during the very first performance review. It won’t take long for that conversation to turn to confusion and misunderstanding about what the goals and objectives were in the first place. If they’re agreed to, written down and regularly refreshed, it’s pretty hard for one of the parties to say they didn’t understand the objectives.

REALISTIC

The goal needs to be “realistic” so it can actually be achieved. Using our earlier examples, it’s probably unrealistic to say “raise sales in your territory by 75%” or “speak at 15 industry events” this year (unless that’s someone’s primary job). Set realistic goals that provide a challenge and stretch the employee, but make sure they’re attainable. If they’re not, no one will pay much attention and you’ll venture into the quicksand of “It’s just a goal”.

TRACKABLE

A well-defined deadline for when the project must be accomplished adds a sense of urgency … but it’s often more valuable to set a “TIMELINE” rather than a deadline. This allows you to follow up BEFORE the deadline to make sure things are on track and if not, to re-negotiate the deadline so everyone can succeed. If you’re only tracking deadlines, you’re likely to catch up to it too late to help.

If this is all too much trouble … the climb will be steep!

When it comes to achieving Accountability within your organization, there is no substitute for SETTING CLEAR EXPECTATIONS. If you do this, you’ll will take THE most important step in leading and managing your people … because there will be no doubt about what’s expected. When that is firmly set, it’s much easier to get more done … for everyone.

How does Accountability work in your organization? Is this what’s missing? Is there anything you’ve found that works better?

Productivity Tip | Want Accountability? Get S.M.A.R.T. is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

Over 7 Wednesdays in January and February, I’ll describe 7 remarkably simple components of R.E.S.P.E.C.T. that you can apply to your everyday conduct. The ability to earn R.E.S.P.E.C.T. is a critical Leadership requirement … and we have absolute control over the actions we take to earn it. It’s also the “centerpiece of accountability“, a concept that vexes even the most astute business leaders. Since it’s impossible to be an effective leader without gaining respect, let’s devote some time and energy to learn how to give it … to get it. Are you with me?

So far in our R.E.S.P.E.C.T. series, we’ve discussed the “R”: Right on Time, Every Time, the “E“: Every call returned in 24 hours and “S“:say something nice like Mom taught us. Last week we talked about giving more “P” = Praise more and blame less.

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Are you easy to work with?

I’d sure like to think so, wouldn’t you? As leaders, we each think that we ARE easy to get along with … it’s just the other guy who’s such a pain in the ass. If he’d just agree with me more … not expect so much from me … not be so demanding and always wanting to hold me accountable for everything … he’d see that I’m very easy to get along with.

If only that were all true, huh? Sadly, a lot of us are in the same boat. We think we’re very agreeable, full of bonhomie and good cheer for our fellow man … eager to help, eager to please (well, maybe not this last one quite as much) but certainly ready to do our part.

If you want to earn R.E.S.P.E.C.T, you’ve got to be “E” = “Easy to Work With”.

The 4 Reasons you’re a Pain in the Ass to work with

But not everyone agrees with our assessment. In a recent leadership meeting, one of my colleagues called me “Mr. Meany-Pants” because I wasn’t very considerate in accepting a few well-intended comments. (This was an especially mild rebuke as she’s trying to quit swearing so much. Normally, it would have been much worse.)

What does it mean to be “easy to work with”? There’s not always a bright line between them … but here are the 4 Big Reasons that You’re a Pain in the Ass to work with:

1. Willingness to be a follower as much as a leader

This is an intrinsic part of the “leader as servant” school of thought. You don’t always have to be in charge … and you should be as willing to participate and accept assignments when you’re following … as you are to dish them out when you’re in charge. If you find this hard to do, you’re probably not so easy to work with. You might as well splash this on the big screen in Times Square because it’s easy to detect and almost impossible to hide.

When you don’t like to follow, even the smallest amount of resistance starts pinging on everyones’ radar. It’s like pulling on a dog leash. If there’s the least bit of resistance, you can feel it and so can others. Go along freely or just get out of the way.

2. Willingness to be wrong

The collaborative environment, which is displacing the more authoritarian regimes of the past, demands an approach which encourages many voices and welcomes differing views. We don’t require consensus but we need deliberation. You don’t get to prevail because you’re the boss … but because you have the best idea … or better yet, because the best idea resulted from many good ideas assembled into a better one.

Whether it’s your meeting or not, your willingness to be wrong will drive the entire meeting. If you’re open-minded and recognize the value of other contributions, you’re good to go. If other ideas are always batted down because yours are better or you just don’t like them, you’re basically in a meeting of one.

3. Command and control is dead

I’m not dead sure about this one … maybe because I’ve been accused of owning the Endowed Chair of Experienced Executives Who Are Too Bossy. I think everyone needs a boss … that someone with more than one boss has no boss … and that someone needs to lead and be fully accountable. There used to be a bright line here, and part of it I truly believe is inherited from the “greatest generation” that fought and survived two world wars where a command and control framework was all anyone knew.

That’s changed, of course, but its offspring are still kicking around among the disciples of that generation, me included. Most senior executives recognize these limitations but haven’t quite absorbed the lessons of collaboration, team-building and leadership development that are required to make the transition. It will come in time … but come it must if you want to be someone who is easy to work with.

4. Never Steps Up, Always Steps Away

If you’re the last one to step up to help out … with a project no one wants, a thankless task that you hate or for a struggling colleague who you don’t like too much … you’re not going to be seen as very easy to work with. I learned at an early age, and have seen but rare exceptions to the rule that “ask a busy man to do something and he always has time. Ask the person with very little to do and they’re always too busy.” The folks in the latter category aren’t too easy to work with.

We’ve all got to suck it up sometimes … and you’ll know when that moment arrives because it will suck. It will be something you really don’t want to do, would like to avoid like the plague … but you know your help is needed.

I really didn’t play so nice with this rule

In the mid-1990′s, I was one of the founding partners of a consulting firm which grew quickly to almost 200 people. Many of our consultants had worked together in the past and most of them had worked in the “on-site, large-scale” consulting environment for many years. (Translation: You flew to a client office on Monday morning, returned home Friday evening and lived in a hotel for 4 nights if you ever returned from the client’s office.)

I noticed that many of the consultants followed an unstated rule that “no one leaves the client office until everyone leaves.” (Translation: If there’s still work of any kind to be done, help your colleague out in any way you can … making copies, filing, anything … so that everyone can get out of there as soon as possible.)

Frankly, I didn’t like this rule guideline too much. In my world, you left when your work was done. It might be 8:00 p.m. but you stayed until you finished … but you didn’t ask anyone else to stay just because you had to. It might be their turn tomorrow, your turn again, their turn … you get the idea. But, you didn’t ask others to stay later just for you, and in turn, didn’t expect to be asked to stay with them.

As you probably guessed, I didn’t do so well with this “rule” and while I usually sucked it up, I’m sure my colleagues realized I was the reluctant bride at this wedding.

How do we become easier to work with?

Many of us may not be so easy to get along with after all, huh? We like things our way … and we’re pretty clear about what that way is … and yeah, we admit we sometimes think “it’s my way or the highway.” … like “where does that rookie get off talking smack about my idea?”

It’s simple to say … much harder to do … but we need to overcome the characteristics I’ve outlined above to get rid of the 4 reasons people think we’re a pain in the ass to work with:

1. When you’re not leading, follow. Here’s a great place to put the Golden Rule to work … and I don’t mean “he who has the gold, rules”!
2. The best idea is not always yours. Be willing to contribute to generating the very best idea. Remember the old adage … that you’ll get a lot more done if you don’t worry about taking credit for it.
3. Think collaboration not control. It takes work to do that. You need invite but not discourage participation. Think “it’s ours, not mine” and staple that to your forehead.
4. Volunteer for the crap jobs. Help out those that are stuck with them. People will appreciate your effort and support even if no one likes doing it.

What do you think? Can you do it? If not, what makes it so hard and what we can we learn from your experiences?

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R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Is Earned … then received

Respect is something we have to earn. It can’t be bought or stolen. Our parents preached it, Aretha Franklin’s timeless rock ‘n roll anthem preached about it … and Rodney Dangerfield’s Grammy award-winning comedy album, No Respect, explains why we can’t get any. (BTW, this clip is hilarious!)

Remember that the general precepts of our R.E.S.P.E.C.T – How To Get It by Earning It series, are at the core of one of the most tormenting challenges faced by business leaders … how promote and achieve accountability throughout the organization. I have spoken extensively on this subject, including at a national webinar sponsored by Success Factors last year, and it may be one of the most exasperating issues that CEOs face because it’s also central to creating a responsible culture, without which, not much gets done. You’ll find other resources about the Cornerstone of Accountability in the Speaking section under Leadership Challenges and Solutions.

Accountability | 4 Reasons you’re a Pain in the A** to work with! is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

Over 7 Wednesdays in January and February, I’ll describe 7 remarkably simple components of R.E.S.P.E.C.T. that you can apply to your everyday conduct. The ability to earn R.E.S.P.E.C.T. is a critical Leadership requirement … and we have absolute control over the actions we take to earn it. It’s also the “centerpiece of accountability“, a concept that vexes the most astute business leaders. Since it’s impossible to be an effective leader without gaining respect, let’s devote some time and energy to learn how to give it to get it. Are you with me?

For the last several weeks, we’ve focused on our R.E.S.P.E.C.T. series. We’ve discussed the “R”: Right on Time, Every Time, then “E“: Every call returned in 24 hours and “S“:say something nice like Mom taught us.

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Why is everything Blameworthy … nothing Praiseworthy?

How many times have we seen something go wrong, something undone, something overlooked … and couldn’t refrain from pointing out the error … to an employee, our partner … maybe our spouse more than anyone? I’ll bet that you, like me, have wished a million times that you’d be better at  praising people when they do something right … instead of only finding fault when something goes wrong?

It’s an aberration of human nature that we’re capable of finding fault so easily. In a restaurant, we probably feel like we’re paying for something we’re not getting … the toast not quite toasted enough, the eggs too runny, they’re out of my favorite jelly, “where’s the orange juice I ordered” … so we rationalize our annoyance in those instances … and reinforce similar behavior in other aspects of our life.

I’m really a wizard at pointing out other peoples’ faults!

It sure is easier to spot what went wrong, isn’t it? We’re damn good at spotting the flaws in others, aren’t we? Their behavior, their performance … but if we are truly “being nice” like Mom taught us rather than just “saying nice things”, we’d notice that the same person has probably done a few things right.

So, what’s more powerful? Pointing our their errors and shortcomings every time we see them … or praising their achievements and encouraging more of them? I think we both know the answer … and, in fact, it’s embarrassingly obvious, isn’t it?

Finding the shortcomings makes us pretty smart, huh?

It also makes us feel smarter … “hey, I saw that” … “you can’t get away with that” … “why did you do it that way” … and we can inhale gallons of that superiority air and still thirst for more. It’s strange, isn’t it, that this comes so naturally when it would be so much easier … not to mention more pleasant … to find the praiseworthy moments in our daily interactions.

Start today to find ONE THING praiseworthy

So, let’s resolve together to find just ONE THING EVERY DAY that we can praise about someone around us … spouse, partner, children, colleague, waitress … everyone is fair game. It’s not that hard … so trying just a little bit harder will make it pretty easy. It doesn’t have to be a home run or a major life achievement. A little thing will do fine … and our notice of a small thing is often more appreciated than for something more obvious.

Look for the good and don’t dwell on the shortcomings. Sure, it will take an adjustment in our mindset to praise the good because our Lizard Brain is well-trained to hoist the arrow when an intruder approaches. But we can beat that reptilian mindset. Let’s give it a whirl.

I’m game! Are you? (And don’t forget to sign up to make sure you get all of our updates sent directly to your inbox.)

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R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Is Earned … then received

Respect is something we have to earn. It can’t be bought or stolen. Our parents preached it, Aretha Franklin’s timeless rock ‘n roll anthem preached about it … and Rodney Dangerfield’s Grammy award-winning comedy album, No Respect, explains why we can’t get any. (BTW, this clip is hilarious!)

Remember that the general precepts of our R.E.S.P.E.C.T – How To Get It by Earning It series, are at the core of one of the most tormenting challenges faced by business leaders … how promote and achieve accountability throughout the organization. I have spoken extensively on this subject, including at a national webinar sponsored by Success Factors last year, and it may be one of the most exasperating issues that CEOs face because it’s also central to creating a responsible culture, without which, not much gets done. You’ll find other resources about the Cornerstone of Accountability in the Speaking section under Leadership Challenges and Solutions.

Accountability | One embarrassingly easy way to earn respect is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

“There comes a moment when you have to stop revving up the car and shove it into gear.” —David Mahoney

One of the most pervasive challenges that arises in my coaching sessions with CEOs and other business executives is the struggle to make the tough decisions. This is a deadly disease that cripples personal productivity. Usually, it’s a decision that’s already been resolved — silently, often deep in the psyche — but we don’t announce it, we don’t execute it and no one really knows the decision has been made at all.

What’s the impact of indecisiveness?

This is a high stress point for executives. These delayed decisions constantly beg for attention, but as we drop these pebbles of indecision in our backpack, it gets heavier with each step. Carrying around the burden of these unexecuted decisions is a malignant tumor that can be fatal to both executive effectiveness, productivity and health. Jack Welch said it best: “you gain nothing by showing uncertainty and indecision”.

These agonizing delays also hijack valuable time from the organization. As indecision becomes increasingly obvious, say when an employee is not really cutting it, people throughout the organization usually see it first. For every day you delay, they wonder why you’re not making an obvious decision.

There’s a giant billboard that says it all about why it’s worth killing procrastination in the decision-making process: The exhilarating and intoxicating relief that every executive experiences when they finally make and publicize a difficult decision. If you’ve been there, you know what I mean.

Five warning signs that tough decisions aren’t being made

I’ve identified five warning signs that procrastination has supplanted decisiveness. These tendencies appear in many forums:

• When it’s time to give unbiased feedback to our employees.
• When we need to replace a long-standing vendor.
• When we have to tell valued customers we can no longer do business with them.

While there’s not a clear bright line between each of these and we’re often swimming in a sea of these varmints, each of them bears a unique characteristic that you may see in your organization.

1. Unwilling

This is one of the most common firewalls I find. Some people are naturally conflict-avoiders, always seeking compromise to make conflicts go away. They will repeatedly offer alternatives to avoid the inevitable, even if in their heart, they know the ultimate answer. If you’ve observed this tendency, you’ve seen that the process is followed to avoid the decision that needs to be made.

2. Uncertain

Some issues are more vexing than others. In this case, there is a long list of pros and cons, with neither answer perfectly satisfactory. Most likely, the decision is simply the lesser of two evils. The solution? Invoke the ready, aim, fire maxim. You may be able to adjust some elements of the decision as you move forward but the results are likely to get worse the longer you delay. You may recall reading Uncertainty is Killing Business which is another illustration of the impact of uncertainty on decision-making.

3. Unclear

“Unclear” is a kissing cousin of “uncertain.” Maybe it’s a distinction without a difference, but uncertainty usually represents a lack of conviction, a vagueness that is often the result of inexperience. Being unclear on a decision often results when there are multiple options, or with a broader impact that’s more difficult to evaluate. In this case, it’s easy to delay a decision to get more information, so make sure you’re not infected by “paralysis by analysis”.

4. Unknown

This warning sign often appears when a decision is expected to ignite a long chain of even more decisions where each outcome is also unknown. Discussion about replacing an employee is a good example. We could imagine a serpentine conversation that goes something like this:

“What happens to the staff if this person is terminated?”

“What if they leave immediately and we have no chance at a reasonable transition?”

“What do we do in the meantime?”

“How long will it take to get a replacement?”

“Who’s got time to handle all the logistics of that process? We’re all so busy.”

“How long will it take for the new person to get up to speed?”

“What if I’m wrong and we can’t getter anybody any better?”

You’ll note that none of this dialogue changes the decision that must be made. It just brings it to a halt because the ultimate outcome is unknown.

5. Uninvolved

This occurs when we don’t take ownership of a problem. Sure, we know the “buck stops here,” but we tell ourselves it isn’t our decision to make — really. “One of my managers needs to make that call.”

Like the “unwilling” candidate, we hope that if we wait long enough, the matter will go away. The managers will make the right decisions, and we can just stand behind them. Our defense is that we’re letting them “do their jobs.” So if we don’t intervene, we don’t have to decide.

Summary

In short? Make the tough calls, and do the right thing. You’ll get more done. You’ll clear the obstacles to your success. You’ll boost your credibility. And you’ll sleep much better.

What’s not to like?

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Lary Kirchenbauer is the president of Exkalibur Advisors, providing practical business strategies for family and other privately owned businesses in the middle market. Exkalibur works closely with senior executives and their businesses in the wine and other industries, and hosts the Exkalibur Leadership Forum for leaders of middle market companies in the North Bay. Please visit Exkalibur.com for a library of valuable resources, articles and insights or connect on Twitter, LinkedIN or the Exkalibur fan page on Facebook.

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The North Bay Business Journal, a publication of the New York Times, is a weekly business newspaper which I have served as a regular columnist for about three years. The Business Journal covers the North Bay area of San Francisco – from the Golden Gate bridge north, including the Wine Country of Sonoma and Napa counties.

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Article published as Vol. 81 on January 24, 2010: The electronic version of this article, as published by the North Bay Business Journal, may be found here. ******************************

Any related materials or articles referenced in the published column, or otherwise applicable, are referenced in this digital version of the article.

Leadership Lessons | 5 warning signs you’re ignoring tough decisions is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

Over the last several years working with Bay Area CEOs and with members of the Exkalibur Leadership Forum, I’ve learned that personal productivity improvements are one of the most important ways in which CEOs can find more time to focus on the things that really matter, and that only the CEO can do. Peter Drucker, noted business author; A.G. Lafley, former CEO of Proctor & Gamble; and others have focused extensively on what only the CEO can do. As I’ve watched CEOs struggle to spend enough time on their most important initiatives, I’ve worked hard to learn as much as I can to adapt powerful productivity ideas to help business leaders gain control and perspective over everything they care about. Every Thursday, I’ll share these VERY PRACTICAL PRODUCTIVITY TIPS to help you improve your own results in 2011. Why not sign up today so you don’t miss any of these great tips?

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During the holidays, I sat down with a client over a chilled martini … 3 olives, thank you. She was lamenting the limited progress she had achieved during 2010 on the seemingly endless list of projects she tried to tackle. Most of them were overdue or barely out of the gates. Her desk was littered with good intentions turned to stalled initiatives with little hope of an early resolution.

She had achieved only limited progress on her number one goal for the year. Yet, as we discussed several of the specific projects, she knew exactly what needed to be done … her reasoning was sound … but it was the unyielding demands of all of them, each of which she thought was as important as the previous one, that was keeping her from the success she was seeking.

Let’s figure out how to get all of this done

As we launch a weekly series … every Thursday … on Personal Productivity, I’m convinced of one thing if nothing else: Without a trusted system that provides timely reminders about everything in our life we care about, we’re not going to get the right things done at the right time. If that system leaks like a sieve and holds only some of the things we have to do … with everything else scattered about in various files, piles and miscellany … if we haven’t taken a full inventory to collect in one place everything that requires our attention … we don’t stand a chance.

I don’t really have that much stuff to keep track of ….

This same executive was also telling me that she doesn’t have that much to keep track of … she has an assistant and teams and lieutenants …. Yet, when we started to list all of the things important to her …  friends, extended family, old friends, neighbors, school moms … and that’s just the beginning of the people list … and the PTA, Red Cross, MADD … oh, yeah, kids, husband, Mom, sister … did I mention work? … a languishing product launch, the struggling contracting division, a failing marketing director … the list was so long she became exhausted just thinking about it.

As we continued our conversation, she was struck by the realization of how much she was missing … “meant to send my sister a birthday card but … missed Adam’s soccer game that I promised I’d attend … because I had to finish start a report due tomorrow … and forgot I was supposed to bring dessert to the PTA meeting to which I was 20 minutes late” … I think you get the picture.

Personal Productivity is the Gateway to Accomplishment

At the root of these problems is the absence of a trusted system to keep track of all things that are important in our demanding and bountiful lives … business, personal, school, family, community, neighborhood, hobbies, etc. Most of us have passionate interests in all of those areas … and then some … and while none one of those issues, tasks or projects requires our attention every minute, we still need to stay on top of the things people from expect from us …and most importantly, what we expect from ourselves.

So, I find myself spending more time learning about and discussing personal productivity than ever. Last year at this time, in the Power of Personal Accountability, I reminded us that personal accountability is also the foundation of a can-do culture where people “own” what needs to be done.

Many of you are running businesses or important segments of them. You’re probably pretty clear about what needs to be done and may even have established a working plan for the coming year. I’ll also bet that when you look over your success in achieving your top 3 goals, you’re disappointed with the results for many of these same reasons. Instead of creating our own fires, we’re running from pillar to post trying to put out fires.

There’s only one YOU so what YOU do is critical

As many of you know, I am an avid proponent of David Allen’s Getting Things Done principles – GTD for short. It is the first approach I’ve found in over 35 years that delivers a comprehensive program to gain control and perspective over all of the things which we care about in our complex lives.

But regardless of whether you’re a GTD fan or never heard of it … no matter what system or methodology works for you … you can improve your personal productivity. As you do, you’ll become better equipped to deal with the raging river of demands coming at you from every direction … and enjoy a level of stress-free productivity and achievement that can truly change your life.

Make sure you don’t miss any of these practical tips, techniques

In the coming weeks, we’ll explore some of these approaches and ideas … and even if you aren’t ready to join the GTD universe, these tips, techniques and tricks will help you get more done … to be able to devote more time to those things that only you can do in whatever universe you choose … as a business leader, CEO, mother/father or spouse. We’ll discuss tips for organizing electronic files as well as paper files, and I’ll share some of the tools available to help you conquer digital and paper clutter. A comprehensive personal productivity program will reward you with even greater success in 2011, so why not subscribe now to make sure you don’t miss any of these weekly tips as you build your own guide to personal productivity?

There’s only one of each of us in the universe … so if we can optimize the use of that most precious resource of all … OUR time … each of us will get to do more of the things that fulfill our lives and ambitions and enrich our families and our community.

Are you with me?

Personal Productivity is the Cornerstone of Success | Weekly Tips is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

The holidays are just around the corner, and we’re still trying to figure out how we’re going to get it all done. So, instead of asking you to work at something – anything – I’ve decided to give you a gift of holiday music. Elmo did it, so did Ren & Stimpy, Winnie the Pooh, Shrek, the Muppets … so with animated competition like this, what can go wrong with my first effort at song-writing?

Yeah, I know, don’t quit your day job. So, feel free to sing along to the tune of the 12 Days of Christmas. Key of D Sharp, please.

All together now:

The first thing in business that’s such a pain to me … is the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The second thing in business that’s such a pain to me … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The third thing in business that’s such a pain to me … meetings, meetings, meetings … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The fourth thing in business that’s such a pain to me … cell phones a’ringing  … meetings, meetings, meetings … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The fifth thing in business that’s such a pain to me … bubble-headed numbskulls … cell phones a’ringing  … meetings, meetings, meetings … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The sixth thing in business that’s such a pain to me … worthless status updates … bubble-headed numbskulls … cell phones a’ringing  … meetings, meetings, meetings … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The seventh thing in business that’s such a pain to me …  jam-packed airplanes … worthless status updates … bubble-headed numbskulls … cell phones a’ringing  … meetings, meetings, meetings … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The eighth thing in business that’s such a pain to me … tweeters tweeting nothing … jam-packed airplanes … worthless status updates … bubble-headed numbskulls … cell phones a’ringing  … meetings, meetings, meetings … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The ninth thing in business that’s such a pain to me … linking, linking, linking … tweeters tweeting nothing  … jam-packed airplanes … worthless status updates … bubble-headed numbskulls … cell phones a’ringing  … meetings, meetings, meetings … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The tenth thing in business that’s such a pain to me … never-ending traffic … linking, linking, linking … tweeters tweeting nothing  … jam-packed airplanes … worthless status updates … bubble-headed numbskulls … cell phones a’ringing  … meetings, meetings, meetings … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The eleventh thing in business that’s such a pain to me … tracking people down … never-ending traffic … linking, linking, linking … tweeters tweeting nothing  … jam-packed airplanes … worthless status updates … bubble-headed numbskulls … cell phones a’ringing  … meetings, meetings, meetings … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The twelfth thing in business that’s such a pain to me … New Year’s resolutions … tracking people down … never-ending traffic … linking, linking, linking … tweeters tweeting nothing  … jam-packed airplanes … worthless status updates … bubble-headed numbskulls … cell phones a’ringing  … meetings, meetings, meetings … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

Be with your loved ones in person and in spirit. Get some rest. It will all be waiting when we return.

Happy Holidays!

KBO

•••

Lary Kirchenbauer is the president of Exkalibur Advisors,providing practical business strategies for family and other privately owned businesses in the middle market. Exkalibur works closely with senior executives and their businesses in the wine and other industries, and hosts the Exkalibur Leadership Forum for leaders of middle market companies in the North Bay. Please visit Exkalibur.com for a library of valuable resources, articles and insights or connect on Twitter, LinkedIN or the Exkalibur fan page on Facebook.

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The North Bay Business Journal, a publication of the New York Times, is a weekly business newspaper which I have served as a regular columnist for about three years. The Business Journal covers the North Bay area of San Francisco – from the Golden Gate bridge north, including the Wine Country of Sonoma and Napa counties.

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Article published as Vol. 79 on December 20, 2010: The electronic version of this article, as published by the North Bay Business Journal, may be found here. ******************************

Any related materials or articles referenced in the published column, or otherwise applicable, are referenced in this digital version of the article.

Vol. 79: The 12 Pains of Christmas is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

Yes, the holidays are here and already the list of things to do continues to grow – completing the annual budget, planning parties, visiting with friends, figuring out what to get who for when … and so it goes. Yet, my spirit remains strong, so I’ve prepared a menu of 12 holiday treats that I hope will slide down like Amaretto eggnog in front of a winter fire.

I’ve even scoured some of my earlier columns to find the most delectable morsels. So, here’s a smorgasbord of lessons learned – a few appetizers, a choice of entrees, a little dessert – from executives of both extraordinary capability and numbing incompetence  — that should grace your executive table.

1.     It’s never about you. It’s always about them. Customers, employees, suppliers … family, friends, colleagues. Be clear about it and thrive. Get it backwards? Fail.

2.     If you don’t think you’ll ever have a management succession problem, you already have one.

3.     Build your compensation plan based on performance. Period. Skip all of the egalitarian schemes and make sure you’ve set clear expectations so that the rewards actually promote your objectives.

4.     Forget about economic news. Don’t allow the naysayers to take you off your game. Press forward, be aggressive and instill a positive attitude throughout your organization.  George Bernard Shaw famously said, “If all economists were laid end to end they would not reach a conclusion.” So, focus on what you can control. Change what you can. Leave the rest to someone else.

5.     Get out of the discounting mindset. Think value, service, delivery. How can you defend your value proposition and find a way to nudge prices upward and increase value? The discounting path is a descending staircase … and we all know it’s much harder to climb the stairs than to go down.

6.     There’s no such thing as over-communicating. Talking too much, yes. Saying little, not good. But reminding your colleagues, customers, employees and vendors what you stand for, where you’re headed, how you’re going to get there? Keep saying it. Again and again. You can’t say it often enough.

7.     Growth is a magic elixir in many ways. It stimulates stronger relationships, greater buying power, opportunities for people development … and the list goes on. It’s also a death trap if it’s not managed. The unexpected lack of cash surprises companies on a growth path more than those struggling to survive. The latter group understands the problem clearly. The first group doesn’t know there is one.

8.     Banks and accountants are valuable allies. Don’t go into battle without them. If the relationship’s not working, check the mirror. The solution is probably smiling back at you.

9.     While this is an appropriate time to remember the “family” part of the “family business,” never overlook the equally important discussion about the “business” of the family.

10.  “Incentives are the cornerstone of life” sayeth Steven Levitt in “Freakonomics.” Figure out if they’re working and if not, fix them. If you don’t have any, get some. They work. Believe it.

11.  Most experienced executives know the right answer, they just don’t like it. As a result, they get wrapped around the axle and trapped in inaction justifying all the reasons they can’t decide. If you’re right, you’re right. Make the decision. It will work out.

12.  Have fun like Jimmy Buffett. He always seems to be on a beautiful tropical island, sipping margaritas, guitar in hand, sun baking the sand. An occasional company picnic or an after-hours pub-crawl isn’t enough. Neither is a ropes course or a team-building cook-off. They’re the ruffles and flourishes. The heart of a company is its values; its brain is a leadership team that’s serious about its mission but doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Make sure you take some time to have fun. Just for the fun of it.

KBO

•••

Lary Kirchenbauer is the president of Exkalibur Advisors,providing practical business strategies for family and other privately owned businesses in the middle market. Exkalibur works closely with senior executives and their businesses in the wine and other industries, and hosts the Exkalibur Leadership Forum for leaders of middle market companies in the North Bay. Please visit Exkalibur.com for a library of valuable resources, articles and insights or connect on Twitter, LinkedIN or the Exkalibur fan page on Facebook.

**********************************************************************************

The North Bay Business Journal, a publication of the New York Times, is a weekly business newspaper which I have served as a regular columnist for about three years. The Business Journal covers the North Bay area of San Francisco – from the Golden Gate bridge north, including the Wine Country of Sonoma and Napa counties.

**********************************************************************************

Article published as Vol. 78 on December 4, 2010: The electronic version of this article, as published by the North Bay Business Journal, may be found here. ******************************

Any related materials or articles referenced in the published column, or otherwise applicable, are referenced in this digital version of the article.

Vol. 78: 12 Holiday Morsels to Strenghten Your Business is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

How could I NOT share this email with you?

Seriously? Isn’t this all about Exkalibur … really? Pretty cool, huh? Maybe somebody’s looking out for us? (BTW, I might have to “borrow” the image of that sword handle.)

How many of you know of The Teaching Company and their terrific Great Courses catalog? If you’re a lifelong learner … and you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t … it’s a great resource that provides access to the great teaching professors from prominent universities. They offer more than 350 titles … in innumerable subjects ranging from the fields of science, fine arts, history and archaeology, philosophy, wine, music, mathematics … there is nothing really outside of their realm. You should check them out. Their stuff is really good.

By visiting King Arthur: The Power of the Legend, you can watch the free video yourself and get an idea of some of the wonderful offerings from this great company.

The Power of the Legend

So, maybe there are even more lessons in store from the legend of King Arthur? I’ll take a look at the video and report back to you. If you get a chance to watch it, let me know what you think.

King Arthur: The Power of the (Exkalibur?) Legend is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

I’ve recently published several lists of “life lessons”, for lack of a better term, that keep coming my way from a variety of sources. These lists, scratched on the back of an envelope found in a plane crash, or tucked in a wallet for 50 years, are treasures because they’re personal … and each person believed he or she had captured the unique nature of their humanity.

So, now come the Guideposts of business philosophy taken from the book, Marriott — The J. Willard Marriott Story by Robert O’Brien. It’s longer than most … not a note card but still a single sheet of paper … maybe Willard did more than most? Some may seem old-fashioned, others a little harsh for the more indulgent company cultures of the 21st century … but most of them are rooted in sound business practices. Work your way past some of the pedestrian entries to uncover a few nuggets and valid reminders that you can add to your own list.

1. Keep physically fit, mentally and spiritually strong.
2. Guard your habits – bad ones will destroy you.
3. Pray about every problem.
4. Study and follow professional management principles. Apply them logically and practically to your organization.
5. People are No. 1 – their development, loyalty, interest, team spirit. Develop managers in every area. This is your prime responsibility.
6. Decisions: Men grow making decisions and assuming responsibility for them.
   • Make crystal clear what decision each manager is responsible for and what decisions you reserve for yourself.
   • Have all the facts and counsel necessary – then decide and stick to it.
7. Criticism: Don’t criticize people but make a fair appraisal of their qualifications with their supervisor only (or someone assigned to do this). Remember, anything you say about someone may (and usually does) get back to them. There are few secrets.
8. See the good in people and try to develop those qualities.
9. Inefficiency: If it cannot be overcome and an employee is obviously incapable of the job, find a job he can do or terminate now. Don’t wait.
10. Manage your time.
    • Short conversations – to the point.
    • Make every minute on the job count.
    • Work fewer hours – some of us waste half our time.
11. Delegate and hold accountable for results.
12. Details:
    • Let your staff take care of them.
    • Save your energy for planning, thinking, working with department heads, promoting new ideas.
    • Don’t do anything someone else can do for you.
13. Ideas and competition:
    • Ideas keep the business alive.
    • Know what your competitors are doing and planning.
    • Encourage all management to think about better ways to give suggestions on anything that will improve business.
    • Spend time and money on research and development.
14. Don’t try to do an employee’s job for him – counsel and suggest.
15. Think objectively and keep a sense of humor. Make the business fun for you and others.

What’s on your life list? What lessons would be in your top 5?

Can you put a lifetime on a 3×5 card? is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

Derek Sivers strongly disagrees and shares what he’s learned from psychologists going back to the 1920′s. His TED speech is provocative and compelling and suggests that the more we tell people our goals, the less we accomplish … because afterward, we tend to behave as though we’ve already accomplished them. By the way, Derek Sivers is a rock star to the musicians he serves, having launched CD Baby and sold it 10 years later when its revenue exceeded $100 million. He continues to serve the musical community with MuckWork.

The Zen of Goal Setting: Don’t tell anyone is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

Harvey Mackay, author of Swim with the Sharks, recounts the story about Gordon Dean, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission under Harry Truman. When Dean died in a plane crash in 1958, it’s been said that among his personal effects was an envelope with nine life lessons scribbled on the back, none of which had anything to do with atomic energy or science.

Here they are:

1. Never lose your capacity for enthusiasm.
2. Never lose your capacity for indignation.
3. Never judge people – don’t type them too quickly. But in a pinch never first assume that a man is bad; first assume that he is good and that, at worst, he is in the gray area between bad and good.
4. Never be impressed by wealth alone or thrown by poverty.
5. If you can’t be generous when it’s hard to be, you won’t be when it’s easy.
6. The greatest builder of confidence is the ability to do something – almost anything – well.
7. When confidence comes, then strive for humility; you aren’t as good as all that.
8. The way to become truly useful is to seek the best that other brains have to offer. Use them to supplement your own, and be prepared to give credit to them when they have helped.
9. The greatest tragedies in the world and personal events stem from misunderstandings. So communicate!

Leadership Lessons: Scribbles on an Envelope is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

“We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit..” — Aristotle

“Who’s walking on my field?”

You’re lugging 40 pounds on your back in 100 degree temperature. Your head’s tucked inside a small capsule like a two-pound sausage in a one-pound casing and sweat’s pouring down your brow. There’s no chance the sun will disappear … it’s only 10 a.m. … and while there’s water everywhere, your reach for the next bottle seems to exceed your grasp. Oh, yeah, and the boss expects you to be running – not walking – on his field.

That’s the view from inside the helmet of a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Intrigued about the great success of the Alabama football tradition, and last year’s national champions, I decided to watch a recent ABC Sports special: “Training Days: Rolling with the Alabama Crimson Tide.”

Head coach Nick Saban is a dominant force on a team with a legendary national reputation, but as I was watching the Alabama football program unfold, I couldn’t help but see, in pristine clarity, the hallmarks of a successful business. It’s a time-honored tradition to relate sports success to business achievement, so allow me to enter the stadium to offer a simple takeaway that neatly summarizes the 5 cornerstones of a winning tradition:

1st down. A great leader. We expect great leaders to understand their industry, to be able to establish a strategy – diagram all the plays with xxx’s and ooo’s. But most importantly, they need to be great developers of talent. They need to be sure the right people are on the bus and that everyone is in the right seat by recruiting and retaining the most talented people they can find.

Saban delivers his maxims … “Mental mistakes are lack of focus and concentration” … or “Who’s making the choice to only give 50 percent out here?” like a jackhammer addressing a concrete slab. He is a powerful motivator who demands maximum effort and eternal dedication. He believes that every day you either get better or you get worse … and if you’re not getting better, you don’t belong on his team. It’s not about talent, it’s about hard work, discipline, focus and commitment to a winning tradition.

2nd down. Give them the greatest resources and most powerful tools you can afford. Alabama has a separate dormitory for its football players, with nutritionists, chefs, tutors and a special dining hall. They have a workout facility the size of a football field with ice baths and saunas and all of the accoutrements you’d expect in an exclusive private club. They have state-of-the-art technology and a legendary stadium.

3rd down. If you have an inspirational leader and great resources, you have a stage to which you can attract great talent. It may be raw and unfinished, it may lack experience and seasoning, but if you identify the talent and surround it with great leadership, training, facilities and resources, you will demonstrate to your team that they are your greatest assets … and you will get great results.

4th down. When you have a great leader delivering great resources to develop great talent, you’re absolutely capable of delivering the crown jewels – great products! Great products and services gain headlines and allow you to cross the goal line to achieve that most important fifth ingredient …

Touchdown. Raving fans. If you saw the line of more than 20,000 fans surrounding the Alabama football facility on Fan Day, you’d discover a loyal fan base that every business would envy. It was still 100 degrees, and fans had been lining up since 7:30 the night before, a record setting time that starts earlier every year as lifelong fans compete to be first in line. These folks were longing for autographs and eager to show their pride in and support for the Alabama football program. It’s not a lot unlike the swarm of customers found in Apple retail stores every day, often with more customers in the store than in the rest of the entire mall.

It’s a simple game, really. Engage a great leader. Equip your team with the best resources. Hire exceptional talent. Deliver great products to delight your fans And win a devoted following that ensures a sustainable and successful business model. Don’t underestimate your ability to do this. Singularly attack each one of these. Make the tough decisions and put in place the necessary steps to improve on each of these every day, and you’ll be shouting your own “Roll Tide” slogan every time you step on the field.

KBO.

•••

Lary Kirchenbauer is the president of Exkalibur Advisors, Inc., providing practical business strategies for family and other privately owned businesses in the middle market. Exkalibur works closely with senior executives and their businesses at the intersection of leadership and business strategy and uses the Business Ferret™ framework to help companies use strategic finance to drive improved business performance. Lary also hosts the Exkalibur Leadership Forum for leaders of middle market companies in the North Bay. Please visit www.Exkalibur.com for a library of valuable resources, articles and insights or join the Exkalibur fan page on Facebook.

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The North Bay Business Journal, a publication of the New York Times, is a weekly business newspaper which I have served as a regular columnist for more than two years. The Business Journal covers the North Bay area of San Francisco – from the Golden Gate bridge north, including the Wine Country of Sonoma and Napa counties.

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Article published – September 13, 2010: The electronic version of this article, as published by the North Bay Business Journal, is identical to this post and may be found here. ******************************

Any related materials or articles referenced in the published column, or otherwise applicable, are referenced in this digital version of the article.

Vol. 73: Five Lessons for Success from the Crimson Tide is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

Yet, Johnson has shown remarkable aplomb and resilience in the face of extraordinary disappointment … for him, it wasn’t overwhelming at all … and here’s why.

Let’s hope we’re seeing a welcome trend of dignity and gallantry, sparked by Jim Joyce’s humility following a missed call that deprived Detroit Tigers’ pitcher, Armando Galaragga of a rare perfect game, as I discussed in Get it Right the First Time. The abject attempts at public apology by firms like BP and Goldman Sachs also inspired Keys to a Public Apology, which outlines some of the important lessons Joyce and Johnson have taught us in their public discourse … and that so many others have missed.

Leaders Don’t Drown – They Rebound! is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

7 Swing Thoughts to Overcome Adversity

The recent 92nd PGA championship ended tragically for Dustin Johnson based on a questionable and controversial call. What virtually every observer, from fans to PGA champions, saw as a sandy area of the rough outside of the ropes was declared by rules officials as a sand trap even though spectators were standing in it. Under the rules of golf, that resulted in a two-stroke penalty because a player can’t ground his club in the sand. It cost him a chance to participate in a three-hole playoff for the trophy in one of golf’s four major championships.

It was heart-breaking to watch and even brought a roar of disapproval from the usually reticent golf crowd. For most casual observers, it’s a distinction without a difference  …  but in the rules-driven PGA tour, it was a judgment call without heart or soul. Mr. Johnson’s disappointment now competes with Armando Galaragga’s recent loss of a perfect game in baseball.

What do we do when we suffer a major disappointment, e.g., the loss of a major client we served so well or the departure of a valued employee to whom we thought we had extended every opportunity? Often, the disappointment is aggravated, isn’t it, when we perceive that defeat has just been snatched from the jaws of victory and we got a raw deal? Often, the agony intensifies since the timing of this ignominy usually comes at the worst possible time. The final indignity occurs when we look across the aisle at the one who really deserved the lousy hand we got dealt … only to watch them bask in the glorious rays of victory.

Here are seven swing thoughts to choose from to help us get through these painfully difficult times:

1. Today is the first day of the rest of your life.

This is a good swing thought to get us re-focused on what we can do now to move forward. As much as we’d like to, we can’t change the past, we can only make new history. This notion can inspire us to seek hope for the future and leave despair in the dust.

2. When walking through hell, keep walking.

Adversity strikes everyone, lurks everywhere and can strike without warning. When it strikes, keep moving, don’t stop to dwell on “why me,” just keep moving forward. Don’t stop.

3. God grant me the courage to change the things I can, the serenity to accept the things I can’t and the wisdom to know the difference.

What I have often thought of as the Quaker prayer has also been attributed to Reinhold Nieburh. It’s an invaluable construction that can eliminate distraction, like the weather and world peace, over which we have no control, and hold us accountable for what we can do and not what has been done to us.

4. This, too, will pass.

Time has almost supernatural powers, wrapping our travails in a magical sieve through which they slowly dissipate. This reassures us that the immediate pain will subside as we renew our commitment to a brighter future.

5. Life isn’t fair.

There’s a reason that “fair” is a four-letter word. Sometimes, we’re rewarded when we make bad decisions; sometimes we suffer from good ones. Fairness is not the yardstick of our success. Achievement is, and it requires renewed devotion when adversity intervenes.

6. It could be a lot worse.

No one is exempt, and many bear greater burdens than we face in the business arena. Need I remind anyone of injured war veterans?  Keep those less fortunate in mind — “there but for the grace of God go I” — as you battle back from the abyss.

7. Never, never, never, never give up.

With these famous words, Winston Churchill inspired a nation  and left no room for weaseling or whining. So, when nothing else works, buck up. Have your two-minute pity party. Get the whining behind you … and then, you know …

KBO.

•••

Lary Kirchenbauer is the president of Exkalibur Advisors, providing practical business strategies for family and other privately owned businesses in the middle market. Exkalibur works closely with senior executives and their businesses in the wine and other industries, and hosts the Exkalibur Leadership Forum for leaders of middle market companies in the North Bay. Please visit Exkalibur.com for a library of valuable resources, articles and insights or connect on Twitter, LinkedIN or the Exkalibur fan page on Facebook.

**********************************************************************************

The North Bay Business Journal, a publication of the New York Times, is a weekly business newspaper which I have served as a regular columnist for over three years. The Business Journal covers the North Bay area of San Francisco – from the Golden Gate bridge north, including the Wine Country of Sonoma and Napa counties.

**********************************************************************************

Article published – August 30, 2010: The electronic version of this article, as published by the North Bay Business Journal, is identical to this post and may be found here. ******************************

Any related materials or articles referenced in the published column, or otherwise applicable, are referenced in this digital version of the article.

Vol 72: Seven Swing Thoughts to Overcome Adversity is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog

We’re not reminded often enough about the inspirational force of asking what needs to be done … rather than thinking about all the reasons something can’t be done because no one’s done it before. This abiding spirit is what drives entrepreneurs to find new pathways that haven’t been traversed before.

Start your day with that simple question – “What needs to get done?” rather than “How will I ever get this done?” Changing your perspective will change your focus, turn obstacles into positive energy and open passages to renewed commitment and heightened accomplishment.

Lead with what’s possible is a post from: Sword Tips – the Exkalibur blog