Above Header Navigation

Sunday, February 28th, 2021

Ever think you’re thinking too much?

I have. Too much lately, so I decided to think about why I’m thinking too much.

In part, I think it’s because we simply haven’t made a firm decision about what we’re doing or where we’re going. As a result, we’re constantly rethinking or rejiggering our project and task lists … and in the process … not getting much done.

This phenomenon is compounded by the tsunami of information and data coming our way. We have too many options … too many places where we can make a meaningful impact … but we can’t seem to pick one and focus on it … and instead, allow all those pinballs to keep bouncing around the walls of our cranium.

Too much thinking is also a surrogate for perfection … “Done” is not good enough … so rather than completing it, you’re rethinking about how you can make it perfect.

And One More Culprit

Keep reading to overcome overthinking … and for a few laughs
Comment
Sunday, February 21st, 2021

How Are You Doing with that “Vision Thing”? Got One?

You may think you’re a pretty good communicator.

B ut, have you clearly communicated the purpose of your organization so everyone in your company can recite it?

Do your customers clearly understand who you are and why you’re here?

Young girl with binoculars 800 x 628 px

Communication is a critical ingredient of business success 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 communicators … aren’t we?

What exactly is Communication?

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 this:

When you think of advisement and transmission, it’s more about talking than conversing, isn’t it?

With connection” and conversation, dont’ you you expect a collaborative, two-way exchange?

Is it Talking or Conversing?

Keep reading. How do you communicate why you’re here? …

Comment
Sunday, February 14th, 2021

Can You Prevent the Toxic Flavor of Public Discourse from Infecting Your Culture?

Do you think the the Presidents we most revere are repulsed by how we have dispatched decency standards from the public conversation?

I sure do.

Have I got your attention?

I debated using the image alongside, but I decided to include it so that you’re clear I’m not sugar-coating this subject. It’s probably not the first time you’ve seen this gesture. Probably not the last.

I did it because I want you to pay attention so you don’t let the vulgar and disrespectful standards of our public discourse bleed into your culture and damage everything you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

Setting high standards and strong values is a cornerstone of a successful company.

Why do I bring this up?

In large part because the now concluded impeachment trial of Donald Trump, juxtaposed with the rabble-rousers that find space in the news every day, confirms in vivid colors the anger that separates so many people and the abandonment of civility in our public discourse.

How Do You Prevent this Toxic Behavior from Infecting Your Culture?

We expect people to know the difference between right and wrong, don’t we … even though we also know that such a high standard makes it even more difficult to clearly spell out every single instance of that conduct.

We’re usually invoking the same sentiment when we say that something doesn’t pass the “smell test”. Likewise … the classic case of the “I’ll know it when I see it” observation.

The challenge is that we understand the spirit more than the letter of this code of conduct. Each of us sees these infractions through the prism of our own experiences and we each adhere to a different set of standards than someone else.

What do you do in situations where the conduct of an employee or colleague seems misguided or inappropriate even though there may be no specific written standard that prohibits it?

Read more about creating a Code of Conduct …

Comment
Sunday, February 7th, 2021

The Lack of Momentum may be the Most Lethal Force in Your Business

When all else fails, could motion masquerade as leadership?

For a while … yes.

Momentum Has Super Powers

In my experience, momentum is an inescapable force, both for good as well as harm.

I’ve seen terrible business “deals” get done as a result of momentum – say when an overzealous buyer pays too much for a company – or an overzealous candidate leaps at a tantalizing job offer without doing her homework.

It’s usually because they’re swept up in the adrenaline rush, the desperate chase to be the winner and as the momentum escalates, the fundamentals that drove the initial decision have vacated.

Momentum has taken its place and succeeds in its relentless march to victory.

When you let it have the run of the place without intervening checks and balances, the result is rarely satisfactory.

Keep reading to discover the Power of Momentum
Comment
Sunday, January 31st, 2021

Competence. Confidence. Caring. Done.

In an interview several years ago, William Green, the former CEO of Accenture, a Global 500 firm with current revenues in excess of $44 billion, recounted a 3-day training session for new managers in which they were told 68 things that were required to be successful.

When Green got up to close the session, he started thinking that there was no way anyone would remember even half of what they heard. So, he made a move that would have earned a standing “O” from both Albert Einstein and Steve Jobs.

What did he do?

He synthesized the list of 68 items their new managers heard to the 3 core principles which I’ve used to title this post.

  • COMPETENCE: Being good at what you do and focusing on the job you have, not the job you think you want to have.
  • CONFIDENCE: People want to know what you think so you need enough self-confidence to articulate a point of view.
  • CARING: It’s all about the team and in the end, it’s about giving a damn about your customers, your company and the people around you.

Simplicity at its finest.

Comment
Sunday, January 24th, 2021

Making Mistakes Because You’re Pressed for Time?

Many years ago … and after coaching senior leaders for many years before that … it became clear … crystal … that the senior leaders I was coaching had never taken the time to develop a trusted productivity system to manage everything that had their attention across all phases of their lives.

Instead, they were dashing from pillar to post to keep up with the growing tsunami of information coming at them from all directions.

You need a trusted system.

It’s a rare leader … I’m struggling to name one … who hasn’t said something like,

Of course I need to improve my productivity. Probably dramatically … and as soon as I get some time ….

Not you, I’m sure, but you get the point.

If you don’t have a trusted system to manage everything you care about, you’ll always be in a rush … skip important steps because you either forgot or ran out of time … and you will NEVER have time to do it over.

You can start building it today

BUT … if you take time starting NOW to build that trusted system, you’ll soon see that the time you invested will pay great dividends … every hour and every day … far in excess of the time it took you to put it in place. Once you embrace that truth, you’ll find the fuel to get that trusted system in place.

Today’s quote clearly dramatizes this challenge. When you’re in a hurry and don’t have a trusted system to keep you on track, you make mistakes, miss deadlines and skimp on the important initiatives you swore would drive your organization.

Paste this quote somewhere to remind you that it’s worthwhile to take the time to do it right the first time.

In today’s world, there will never be time to do it over.

Comment
Sunday, January 17th, 2021

Find Yourself Immobilized by the Pandemic? Riots? Politics?

When I’m talking to leaders these day, I find an unusual level of inaction. Maybe immobility is a better word for it.

Today, the pandemic officially begins Month #11, and has people frustrated, bored and uncertain of their future.

The riots in the Capitol and the heightened level of political discord and disruption have also pierced our psyche.

But, when in doubt, there’s a simple adage you can always count on …

GET MOVING!

When you do … when you get in motion … you’ll find a few ideas … a few toeholds … a little “lotion in the motion” that will provide fuel to get you moving again in pursuit of your goals and dreams.

Take a chance. Take that first step and don’t stop moving.

Comment
Sunday, January 10th, 2021

Looking with Envy at the Success of Others?

All too often we look at others … why is he a millionaire? … how come she makes more than I do? … why do athletes get paid so much more than teachers?

It doesn’t matter how true those statements are.

What does matter is that we too often let those observations get in the way of our goals?

The gift you can give to yourself is the realization that while we’re all on the same life’s journey, some people have taken a different road … some are in a different stage of their journey … and some are simply further down the road than you.

So what?

The one thing you have in common with everyone else is that all of us have to start from the same place: WHERE WE ARE TODAY!

Get rid of the “woulda, coulda, shoulda” point of view and get real with where you are.

That’s where you have to start.

Today.

Where you are.

Today!

Comment
Older posts