TG Wall - Accelerating Success, Building Winning Teams

A Tale of Two Service Providers

2012-01-23T21:44:00.001-05:00

Mitt Romney made news recently when he said he loves firing service providers when they don't provide good service. I do it when necessary, but what I love is doing business with great service providers. And two of them really bailed me out recently.

One is JC Robles, a guy who handles technical details on some of the webinars I do. He lives in Chicago, so I've never met him, but I know he's great. A couple weeks ago, he went the extra mile to save me from a real problem. I won't bore you with the details, but he alerted me to a problem I didn't know existed.

First he sent a text message. But I didn't recognize the number, it just said call me, it's important. Later that night, about 10:00, I'm shutting down my computer, and there's an urgent email to call him. Ah, the text was from JC! I call him, he explains it, walks me through the solution, gets up early the next day to do other fixes, and I was good to go. Great service!

Last week, it was my local technology guy, Randy Carbone of RC Computers. I experienced a disaster, and called him at 9:00 at night. I needed the computer fixed and ready for a webinar by noon the next day. Randy said, "Bring it over, I'll look at it, and if possible have it for you in time."

Sure enough, he called early the next morning, said it was fixed, and then he dropped it off at my house! Really saved me a ton of aggravation. And, he called that night just to make sure everything worked ok. That's one of my many Randy Carbone stories. He gives excellent service.

I love doing business with JC Robles and Randy Carbone. They provide excellent service, and I'm lucky to have them on my team.

Advance Notice for Leadership Improvement

2011-12-14T08:06:00.000-05:00

Here’s advance notice for my next leadership webinar on Thursday January 26, 1:30pm to 3:30pm.

If you want to get a jump on your competition in the New Year, this webinar will do it. A prudent investment of $225 can lead to improved profitability through more sales, better customer service, or greater productivity.

Your investment includes taking the Leadership Acceleration Profile assessment, a customized report, a workbook, and the two-hour webinar.

Click here for information:
Leadership Acceleration Profile Webinar

If you have any questions, call me at 856-218-7200.

Terry
===============================================
Terry Wall, President
T.G. Wall Management Consulting, LLC
Washington Township, NJ
Accelerating Success
Building Winning Teams through:
Leadership Development. . . .Strategic Planning
Team Building. . . .Coaching. . . .Assessments & Surveys

856-218-7200 http://www.tgwall.com

Where To Find More About Purpose

2011-11-26T13:17:00.000-05:00

My writing about Joe Paterno's leadership failure, and the importance of focusing on your purpose, prompted my colleague, Bob Palumbo, General Manager at Stokes Creative Group, to ask for more information. So, I sent him a previous column I wrote about figuring out what your company purpose is.

And that prompted me to create a new web page to list all the columns I've written about purpose. I'm passionate about the importance and awesome power of purpose. But until I got Bob's request, I didn't realize how often I've written about it.

So if you want more of my thoughts on the importance of your company (or department, team, etc.) purpose, here's where you can find other columns I've written on the awesome power of purpose:
Importance, Power of Purpose

To refresh your memory, in my November 11 post, I had said that focusing on the company purpose is always good whenever you're not sure what you should do. And that when in doubt, you should use your purpose as a moral compass. If Paterno had done this, he would have retired on his own terms, instead of having the Board of Trustees fire him.

Let me know what YOU think!

Avoid Paterno’s Leadership Failure by Focusing on Your Purpose

2011-11-11T15:45:00.000-05:00

Leadership Unlimited
A Monthly Column by Terry Wall
November 2011: Avoid Paterno’s Leadership Failure by
Focusing on Your Purpose

Joe Paterno’s decision to coach the remaining games,
a decision later nullified by his firing, was a
leadership failure. By focusing on his purpose, he
should have seen that coaching out the schedule was a
terrible idea.

Learn from his leadership failure that you should use
your purpose as a moral compass to guide you in
making tough decisions.

I’ve said before that when we focus on the purpose,
we get ourselves and others more engaged in the work,
more committed to goals, and more productive in our
jobs.

But, whenever we’re faced with big decisions, we need
to ask whether a decision will promote the purpose,
or detract from it. Had Paterno done this, he should
have come to the inescapable conclusion that he
should NOT coach the rest of the season.

A former player said that Paterno had taught him and
his teammates to be men as opposed to the boys they
were when they came to Penn State as freshman. So I
see Paterno’s purpose as “transforming boys into
honorable men.”

Paterno was enabling a child predator to continue
abusing children, and he described this tragedy as
“one of the great sorrows of my life.” Why it wasn’t
the “greatest” sorrow, I don’t know.

But he should have asked himself if coaching the
remaining games might look like “business as usual,”
or not showing enough sorrow for the children who
were abused because of Paterno’s enabling.

He should have let his purpose, as his moral compass,
guide his actions.

If building honorable men means teaching them
leadership, personal responsibility, and compassion
and concern for others, then coaching out the season,
was NOT the right decision.

Some might think he was showing how you carry on with
determination when faced with adversity. I disagree.

Maybe you do that with a “personal” adversity, the
death of a loved one, or something like that. But
this was larger than any personal loss. This was a
tragedy of stunningly profound proportions, involving
the sexual abuse of totally innocent children.

The moral compass of building honorable men should
have shown him that this tragedy was bigger than Joe
Paterno, or the team, or the university. The best way
to build honorable men would have been to retire
immediately.

And, although Paterno isn’t the only person
responsible for this tragedy, focusing on his purpose
when he first discovered the abuse would have
prompted him to take appropriate action. That would have
prevented subsequent abuse.

Leaders take responsibility for their actions, and
have laser-like focus on their purpose.

In his decision to coach the remaining games, Joe
Paterno, a talented man who has done a lot of good,
didn’t focus on his purpose.

Know your purpose. Articulate it. Use it as your
moral compass.

Until next edition, keep leading the way!

Copyright (C) 2011 by Terry Wall

10 Tips for Reducing Nervousness When Giving a Speech or Presentation

2011-10-31T15:36:00.000-04:00

Feeling some nervousness before giving a speech is natural and healthy. It shows you care about doing well. But too much nervousness can be detrimental. Here's information from Toastmasters (I've been a member since 1992) on how you can control your nervousness, and make effective, memorable. presentations:

1. Know the room. Be familiar with the place in which .you will speak. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area, and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.

2. Know the audience. Greet some of the audience as they arrive. It's easier to speak to a group of friends than to a group of strangers.

3. Know your material. If you're not familiar with your material or are uncomfortable with it, your nervousness will increase. Practice your speech and revise it if necessary.

4. Relax. Ease tension by doing warm-up physical exercises. Don't work up a sweat, just get loose.

5. Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear, and assured. When you visualize yourself as successful, you will be successful.

6. Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative, and entertaining. They don't want you to fail.

7. Don't apologize. If you mention your nervousness or apologize for any problems you think you have with your speech, you may be calling the audience's attention to something they hadn't noticed.

8. Concentrate on the message - not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and outwardly toward your message and your audience. Your nervousness will dissipate.

9. Turn nervousness into positive energy. Harness your nervous energy and transform it into vitality and enthusiasm.

10. Gain experience. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. A Toastmasters club can provide the experience you need.

The Attention Deficit Society

2011-09-30T06:38:00.000-04:00

Maybe it's all the time we spend on the Internet. Or maybe all the video games. Or just the fast-paced way we live our lives, but something is driving us to become an Attention Deficit Society.

I notice it mostly in email exchanges. I send someone an email asking them to address points A and B. Invariably, the response comes back addressing either A OR B, but not both. Since these folks function normally otherwise, and show no indications of regular ADD, I can only presume they're afflicted with the societal version.

It's gotten to the point where I rarely send out requests to address points A and B. Instead, I send an email asking about point A. When I get the response, I simply reply, saying, "Thanks for the response. That reminds me, what about point B?" It requires two emails, but it gets the job done.

Another indication is not fully catching everything in an email, and this usually occurs in a "lengthy" email. (The standard for "lengthy" gets shorter and shorter; it now stands at about 5 lines.) In this instance, I inform the other person on things they need to know about Tom, about Jim, and about Sally.

Here the response is, "What about Jim?" And it isn't always the middle topic that gets missed. Somehow we're just so busy breezing through emails, that we miss important information.

In the interests of full disclosure, I must admit that I'm guilty of it, too. It happened just today when someone emailed me about...what was it? I forget...

Did I tell you what happens when I ask people to address points A and B? It's about the Attention Deficit Society....

Labor Day, and Engagement's Missing Ingredient

2011-09-05T14:58:00.000-04:00

Labor Day reminds me that although the unemployed would be happy with any kind of job, meaningful work is a key to employee engagement and satisfaction. Meaningful work is the difference between a job you do just for the paycheck, and the job you look forward to every day.

As Fyodor Dostoevsky said, "Deprived of meaningful work, men and women lose their reason for existence; they go stark, raving mad." Ok, maybe they won't go mad, but they certainly will be mad. Mad at their plight, at their bosses, at their companies. And angry people just don't do the best work.

That's why leaders should be doing everything they can to provide "meaningful" work. No matter how menial the work may be, it's up to the leaders to show the employees the connection between the work (the tasks and activities) and the noble purpose.

Somehow that work makes the world a better place, and leaders need to uncover this purpose, and focus the employees on it.

As I've said before, that purpose usually involves serving the customer. The work makes the world a better place by serving customers, solving customers' problems, making the customers' worlds better places. When employees focus on this, employees' worlds become better places.

So this Labor Day, commit to making every day a celebration of meaningful work, and employee engagement. Ask yourself some questions: What are you doing to provide meaningful work? How are you connecting the job tasks and activities to the grand or noble purpose?

Choice is a Key to Motivation, Engagement

2011-08-20T10:39:00.000-04:00

Leadership Unlimited, August 2011
A monthly column by Terry Wall
Choice is a Key to Motivation, Engagement

As leaders, we get used to telling people what to do, and how to
do it. It’s a habit we need to break, especially if we’re
trying to motivate and engage our direct reports, and the rest
of our organization. A sense of choice is a key to motivation
and engagement.

According to Ken Thomas, author of Intrinsic Motivation at Work,
a sense of choice is one of four elements of intrinsic
motivation. (The others are a sense of meaning, competence,
and progress.)

Giving people a sense of choice also promotes accountability.
When people feel that the choice is theirs, that they’re in
control, they’re more likely to accept the consequences of their
actions, and thus hold themselves accountable for the results of
their actions.

A third reason to give people choices is that it promotes
innovation. People are more likely to take calculated risks, to
try new approaches, in an environment the rewards innovation and
risk-taking. Innovation is how we develop new, creative
solutions to old and current problems.

But sometimes we get stuck in a mindset of giving orders and
direction. Successful organizations are moving away from
“command and control,” cultures of micromanagement, and moving
towards collaboration.

What can you do to give people a sense of choice?

Give broad direction. Rather than giving specific instructions
in how to do something, give the overall goal, and let them
develop the methods for achieving that goal.

Ask for feedback on choice-related issues. People have
different styles and preferences for how they like to work, and
to achieve goals. We presume that everyone likes to do things
the way we do them, and that is often not true.

Learn the language of choice. Instead of telling people what to
do, start asking. “Get me this report by 5pm Monday” is an
order. “Since the customer needs the report at 8am Tuesday,
when can you get me the report?” is a request that gives the
other person a choice.

Look at things you currently require to see if you can give
people a choice. You’ll probably find that a lot of them don’t
need to be done a certain way, but could be left up to the
individual.

Apply this principle to customers and vendors. Remember that
customers, vendors, and suppliers need choice as well. If
you’re trying to motivate them to meet your organization’s
needs, giving them a sense of choice may make sense.

Of course, emergencies require decisive leadership. If there’s
a fire in the building, you don’t say, “Leave if you want to.”
You say, “Fire—get out! Let’s go!”

Another exception might be performance problems. If a direct
report isn’t performing, you might need to give straightforward
requirements on necessary improvements. But even then, you’re
giving the person a choice: Improve, or accept the
consequences.

Giving direct reports a sense of choice is the best way to
motivate them, to get them engaged in their work, and more
committed to the organization’s purpose.

How well do you promote a sense of choice? What actions should
you take to give people more choice?

Until next edition, keep leading the way!

Copyright (C) 2011 by Terry Wall

Casey Anthony and 4 Dysfunctions of a Team

2011-07-11T16:13:00.001-04:00

What does Casey Anthony have to do with you? Plenty. She
reminds me how dysfunctional some teams are. The Anthony family
hits the exacta for nailing 4 dysfunctions of a team.

(btw, I think the verdict was…correct! Uh-oh, I see nasty
comments in my future.)

One thing to remember is that most dysfunctional teams don’t
realize they’re dysfunctional. It usually takes someone from
the outside to see the dysfunction. I saw one of Casey’s former
boyfriends interviewed the other night, and he was surprised how
dysfunctional the family was.

Whereas Casey probably didn’t notice the dysfunction, it was
obvious to this guy. Why? Because according to him, he grew up
in a “normal” family. When he arrived at the Anthony home, he
felt like he was in The Twilight Zone.

So, let’s look at some of the dysfunctions he noticed, and see
if they apply to teams you know. Or teams you’re on. Or,
heaven forbid, teams you lead.

Keeping Secrets: If you’re often blind-sided by finding out
about key events/info/situations after everyone else does, this
one applies to your team. Remember that Lee Anthony, Casey’s
brother, supposedly found out about Casey’s pregnancy after she
delivered.

Usually it’s a trust issue. People don’t tell you because
you’ll get mad at them, or use the incident against them later.
All sorts of reasons. Your job is finding out why you’re always
the last to know.

Destructive Conflict Resolution: Yelling, screaming,
threatening may make you feel better initially, but they’re
destructive methods for conflict resolution. And they destroy
teamwork. Conflict resolution must be constructive so that it
enables team members to work together effectively in the future.

Badmouthing Other Team Members: Apparently, all the Anthonys
displayed remarkable skill at badmouthing each other, sometimes
in front of everyone. We shouldn’t badmouth anyone, especially
members of our team.

If you notice team members making disparaging remarks about
other team members, you as the leader (or even if you’re not the
team leader) must let people know that such talk detracts from
teamwork. That it prevents your team from fulfilling its noble
purpose. And that you won’t tolerate it.

Living in the Past: According to the ex-boyfriend, the Anthonys
(all of them) were continually bringing up previous failures,
slights, etc., some of which had occurred years earlier. The
inability of people to “let go” of these incidents makes
constructive conflict resolution impossible.

There you have it: 4 dysfunctions of a team.

Teams are supposed to work together effectively, so that
together they accomplish more than they would working
individually, on their own. That’s synergy. The Anthony family
has what I call “negative synergy.” Together they perform worse
than the sum of their individual efforts.

Your job is to look at your team, identify any dysfunctions, and
then take actions to remove those dysfunctions. Usually
dysfunctions indicate a lack of trust. So building trust will
be a big part of eliminating the dysfunction.

Which dysfunctions apply to your team? What are you doing to
eliminate them?

Until the next post, keep leading the way!

PS I'm really interested in your reaction. Let me know what
you think!

Copyright (C) 2011 by Terry Wall

July 4th Reminds Us What's Important

2011-07-04T15:10:00.000-04:00

July 4th, and I can't help thinking about all the men and women in our armed forces who are deployed somewhere far, far from home. They're fighting wars, and protecting our freedom.

And I'm reminded of how important leadership is to them, and how the leaders, whether or not they're officers, make important life or death decisions every day. To a certain extent, it trivializes the decisions we make in our work lives.

I'm not saying that the decisions we make aren't important. They are. But they pale in comparison to the decisions leaders make every day on the battlefield, in supporting the frontline war-fighters, in carrying out the war on terror.

Let's face it. We make a wrong decision, and the consequences aren't that bad. Sure, someone might get mad if the report wasn't complete, or if we forget to do something. But the worst thing that can happen usually is that we lose a client, or some revenue. Even when we're talking about large amounts of money, it's not the same as on the battlefield.

On the battlefield, the decisions are much more important. Make a mistake there, and people die. Or are maimed, physically and emotionally.

I work with some defense industries, but even with them, most day-to-day workplace decisions don't have battlefield consequences. Those decisions involve technological support of the warfighter, and are very important. But they're not as important as battlefield decisions.

So let's keep what we do in perspective, and remember that the art of leadership as practiced on the battlefield has life or death consequences. What we do is important, but what they do has the greater significance.

How NOT to Motivate a Direct Report

2011-06-21T06:57:00.000-04:00

I come across great examples of how to motivate direct reports.
Also some pretty bad ones. The worst example came from a friend
who’s a sales executive with a national company. And he told me
about how his boss, the sales manager, tried to motivate him to
close more sales. It’s a humdinger.

In a threatening, angry tone, the sales manager told my friend,
“If you don’t get out there and close more sales, I won’t get my
bonus!”

I couldn’t make this stuff up.

“It infuriated me,” my friend said. “The jerk really has some
nerve, trying to get ME to work harder for HIS bonus.”

So instead of getting my friend to think of ways to do better at
sales, this sales “manager” has actually de-motivated my friend.
Instead of focusing on more sales, my friend is focusing on all
the wrong things.

How much he hates his sales manager. How much he’ll enjoy
keeping the sales manager from getting that bonus. How the guy
is no leader, and has no idea what he’s doing.

And my friend is right. Putting a guy like that in charge of
sales, is like putting Anthony Weiner in charge of social media.

Maybe the sales manager didn’t mean it to come off that way.
But the fact is my friend came away with the impression that
it’s all about saving the sales manager’s bonus. And who’s
responsible for that perception? The sales manager.

I tell managers all the time, “It’s not about you. It never is,
so quit talking about YOU. Focus on the other person.”

But it’s hard for some people to grasp. Most aren’t as bad as
the sales manager, but their comments have the same
de-motivating effect. It happens when we talk about a direct
report doing something that cuts into our budget, or reduces our
profitability, or makes our lives more difficult.

The direct report, like my friend, goes away thinking, “Why
should I care about his budget?” Or profitability or any of the
other things we say when we’re not thinking straight.

Focus on the other person. Or when in doubt, focus on the
customer: We need to increase sales because the products and
services we sell make customers’ lives better.

The way to motivate and engage direct reports is to focus on
them, and on the customer. Show them that you’re there to
support them, so they can be the best at what they do, and in
turn do a better job of meeting or exceeding the customer’s
needs.

Take the spotlight off you, and put it where it belongs: On
your direct reports, and on your customers. That’s how to
motivate and engage your direct reports.

Then the direct report walks away thinking, “You know, she’s
right. I should try to do better. I want to do better. I WILL
do better.”

Until next edition, keep leading the way!

Copyright (C) 2011 by Terry Wall

What do you think? Leave a comment, because I always
welcome your feedback.

Fundraiser Requires Organizational Skill, Leadership, Teamwork

2011-06-11T15:47:00.000-04:00

As many of you may know, Jersey Business Leaders, a business group with whom I'm associated, put on a fundraiser in April. It was for a non profit called Hopeworks, and it was a success--128 people attended, and we raised approximately $5000 for a very worthy cause. We'll present Hopeworks with the check at a networking event Wednesday June 29, from 5:30pm-7:30pm at Brio in Cherry Hill.

For more info on the networking event, go to Jersey Business Leaders Networking Event

So, I'm excited about the success of the fundraiser, but I'm reminded that running a fundraiser is a lot like business in general, and leadership in particular, in that it requires a lot of work, organizational discipline, and teamwork.

Over the years, I've attended many fundraisers, but this was the first I'd actually run.

Planning started in the fall, and it really did require a lot of project management skills--timelines, assigning tasks to different people, setting up processes for registration, payments, donations, etc. It also required everyone involved to exercise leadership to get the word out, get people involved by donating items, and get people to attend.

Most of all, it required a ton of teamwork. People pulling together to do the various tasks to make the fundraiser a success. And I was fortunate to have a great team of people who worked very hard.

Organization, leadership, and teamwork. Jersey Business Leaders, and the others who helped us, displayed all three skills.

Come out and join our celebration as we present Hopeworks with the check on Wednesday June 29, from 5:30pm-7:30pm at Brio in Cherry Hill. It's only $10, and Brio will provide light appetizers and a cash bar. For more info, and to register and pay, go to Jersey Business Leaders Networking Event

Visibility is a Great Leadership Strategy

2011-04-26T09:35:00.000-04:00

A colleague recently received a promotion, and one focus area
for him will be visibility—being out in the workplace where he
can interact with direct reports, and frontline employees. It’s
an excellent strategy that has many benefits.

Communicating Your Message: The first benefit is that it gives
you yet another opportunity to get your message out. Whatever
your “message” is, you communicate it more effectively when
you interact with direct reports and employees, where they are.

Perhaps you want to emphasize the purpose of your organization.
When people are connected to the grand purpose, they’re more
engaged in their work, more committed to the organization’s
goals, and more productive in their jobs.

Or perhaps your message is that you’re there to support your
direct reports, or the employees. Whatever your message is,
interacting with employees, or Management By Walking Around, as
it’s sometimes called, is a great opportunity to communicate
that message.

Harnessing the Power of Relationships: Another benefit is that
visibility and interaction enable you to build relationships
with your employees. As my colleague said, he wants to know
them as people, not just as names on an org chart.

Leadership, and just about any related topic—customer service,
teamwork, sales—is all about relationships. And visibility
enables you to build the trust that is the foundation of any
relationship.

The Emotional Intelligence concept says that people are more
engaged in their work when they feel a strong positive emotional
connection to their leaders. Building relationships is about
understanding employees’ frustrations, accomplishments, and
aspirations.

It’s hard to connect if you’re not where the workers are.

Overcoming the Information Vacuum: Visibility also eliminates
the information vacuum that occurs when you as a leader are not
around very much. The old adage “out of sight, out of mind”
doesn’t apply here. If you as a leader are NOT very visible,
employees will start to wonder why.

And when they ask “why,” they have an information vacuum,
and they’ll quickly fill that vacuum. Unfortunately, they
probably won’t use YOUR information about why you’re not
there (how hectic your schedule is, the important projects
you’re working on, etc.).

No, they’ll fill it with THEIR information—maybe the boss
doesn’t care, maybe we’re the lowest on the boss’ priority
list.

When you’re visible, you’re eliminating their information
vacuum.

Whether you’re new to your position, or whether you’ve been
in it a long time, one of your leadership strategies should
include visibility. That means interacting with direct reports
and frontline employees where THEY are most comfortable: In
their work place.

How visible are you in the workplace? What are your direct
reports and employees saying about your visibility?

Until next edition, keep leading the way!

Copyright (C) 2011 by Terry Wall

Please feel free to send me your comments, good or bad, because
I always welcome your feedback.

3 Reasons to Pursue Social Responsibility

2011-03-10T15:44:00.000-05:00

It’s an important, yet often forgotten, aspect of corporate success. It’s so important that some companies actually list it as part of their purpose or values. It’s a way of making the world a better place. I’m talking about social responsibility.

btw, if you’re interested in an event that will definitely make the world a better place, click here: Roll for Hope

Social responsibility is the idea that companies should strive to make the world a better place. Although it can include their products and services, social responsibility also means contributing to society’s welfare outside of those products and services.

The concept means everything from supporting charitable causes to delivering products and services that are environmentally friendly. No matter how you define it, you should look at how you fulfill your social responsibility.

I can think of three reasons you should pursue social responsibility.

The first is that it’s the right thing to do. We all share an obligation to make the world a better place, to treat people with dignity and respect, to help those who are less fortunate than we are.

Social responsibility is good for society and the world in general, and it’s good for us as individuals. It makes us feel good, when we do the right thing.

The second reason is perhaps more selfish. Social responsibility helps us get ourselves and our employees more engaged in our work, because it ties into a sense of purpose. We as leaders should emphasize purpose, and social responsibility is yet another “noble cause.”

Previous columns ( Leadership Unlimited columns ) address the importance of purpose, so here I’ll just say that people are more engaged when they see themselves, and the work they do, as contributing to something bigger than themselves.

That’s why your business, your part of the organization, even your team, needs to have a purpose that inspires people. So, social responsibility, making a significant contribution outside of the actual work, is another way of helping employees feel engaged.

The third reason is the most selfish, and will appeal to those of you who think the first two reasons are too touchy-feely: Social Responsibility can generate great publicity, which will help get your company message out. This publicity can generate lots of business.

I prefer the first two reasons, that social responsibility, such as contributing to charitable causes, is the right thing to do; and it helps us see the bigger picture, and is part of a Noble Purpose.

What will you do to promote the greater good for society and the world?

Don’t forget to check out Roll for Hope It’s a great cause, and will be a ton of fun!

I'm always interested in your feedback, so let me know what you think.

Your Company's Voice: How Does It Sound?

2011-03-07T19:51:00.001-05:00

Eugene has perhaps the most unique way of answering the phone. It's not just what he says, it's also how he says it. It's a military organization, although it's a mostly civilian part of the Army. In your mind you can imagine Eugene jumping to attention, and snapping a salute as he barks, "Office of the Associate Director, how may I help you, SIR or MADAM!"

The words of his greeting never change. Neither does the inflection, or the cadance. And it's almost startling, at first. But it exudes the professionalism of a military man, in a military organization. Most important, you KNOW he really DOES want to help you in whatever way he can.

He is the voice of that organization.

It's not just his greeting on the phone that is captivating. Talk to him a little more (as I did today), and you hear the upbeat voice of someone who never seems to have a bad day. I'm pretty optimistic, but after talking to Eugene, my cup runneth over with optimism. Eugene's just that sort of guy.

(Note to self: Whenever you're having a bad day, just call Eugene, and pretend you want to talk to the Associate Director. You'll feel much better.)

Compare Eugene's greeting and demeanor to some of the other people you call. Doctor's offices can be particularly bad. The person sounds bored. Or annoyed. She mechanically mutters, "Drs. Smith, Smith, and Jones, the best in primary care, please hold." Obamacare will only make it worse.

I've been hearing Eugene's voice, that professional demeanor, for several years now. It's downright refreshing. It's even better when I visit that office and get to see him.

Here's an experiment. Call your office from a phone that won't tip them off thru caller ID who you are, and listen to the voice of your organization. What is that voice saying? How does it sound?

Let me know what you hear.

Snowfall Reminds Us To Avoid the Complaining Trap

2011-01-31T13:17:00.000-05:00

January 31, and they're talking about more snow. We've had a lot of it lately, so much that it's a relief to know they're forecasting only 3 inches tonight. But the snow seems relentless this winter, and everybody's complaining about it, including me.

All the complaining reminds me that we need to watch how much we complain, and resist the urge to pile on with more complaining, badmouthing, and general negativity. This applies to the business world, and life in general. And I see benefits to NOT falling into the complaining trap.

The first is that it forces us to focus on the positive. We can find something positive about most situations. I don't mean being ridiculous about it. I'm not going to start telling people, "Hey, I love the snow, the more the merrier, I wish we had more!" It's hard to say that when you just got a foot or 15 inches of snow.

But last week, after a foot of snow, I was talking to someone, and starting to say the usual (I'm sick of snow, I hate it, Spring can't get here soon enough), and then I stopped to be a little more positive. I said, "On the other hand, clearing the driveway is great exercise. It's invigorating being out there. And there is a certain beauty to the snow as it's coming down." Focusing on the positive adds some needed perspective.

Another benefit to not complaining, is that it reminds us to focus on what we can control, and forget about the rest. We can't control the weather (or the annoying neighbor, boss, employee, etc.), but we can try to control our reactions to bad situations and other adversity. That's a lot more healthy and productive than worrying about things we have no control over.

Refusing to fall into the complaining trap won't change the forecast, but it will make for more positive thinking. And with all the negativity in the world, a little more positive thinking goes a long way.

Find Out Why, When People Head for the Exits

2010-12-31T13:52:00.000-05:00

It's New Year's Eve, and my trip to the mailbox prompted this topic, which is most appropriate at year's end. The cover of America Magazine, a weekly put out by the Jesuits, had this question: Should the Church Do Exit Interviews? I haven't even read the article, but my response is, "Of course, it should." And you should, too.

A religious organization is pretty similar to any business, with a lot of the same challenges. Any business or nonprofit must retain customers, because without customers, an organizations cannot survive. So it's just common sense that when people leave an organization, we should try to find out why. That's what Exit Interviews are for.

The concept applies to any human behavior. People go into the voting booth, choose candidates, and someone wants to know why they voted for certain candidates. It's an Exit Poll. Marketing people do opinion surveys all the time. Hollywood does testing to find out what people liked, or didn't like, about a movie.

Exit Interviews try find out the "why" behind the human behavior of leaving an organization, and also what people liked or didn't like about the organization.

When someone leaves your organization, that person has fired everyone connected with the organization, especially the managers, right up to the president and CEO. Any time someone fires you, you want to know why, right? Then you should do exit interviews whenever someone leaves your organization.

This concept works just as well when a potential client chooses someone else. When that happens to me, I always try to find out why. It's not always easy to get them to tell you, but you have to try.

The reason it's appropriate now is because of New Years Resolutions. Make yours to do more, and better, exit interviews. My resolution will be to do a better job of getting the information from people who choose someone else for their consulting. Perhaps an online survey will help me get the info I need. No matter how you do it, though, Exit Interviews are essential for any organization.

Happy New Year!

Leadership, Thankfulness, and the Christmas Spirit

2010-12-22T17:00:00.000-05:00

Christmas is a great time of year for many reasons. One is that's it usually forces us to consider how lucky we are, and to be thankful for the many blessings we have. My blessings include a wonderful wife, and two great sons. And, we're all in good health.

Even though I'm thankful throughout the year, and try not to take these things for granted, Christmas is a special time for reflection on all these blessings. A time to thank God, and the people in our lives, for how they make our lives better.

In the world of leadership, it's probably the same. But how much do we go out of our way to thank those in the business world for what they do for us? Especially at this time? I mean more than just a Christmas card.

Clients come to mind. Also friends and business colleagues who are there when we need them, to share our joys and accomplishments, and also our frustrations and disappointments. And other good people who, simply by what they do, make our work lives easier. These people also make our lives better.

We should thank them during the year. But we should also thank them at Christmas.

So, thank you for all you've done for me throughout the year. Now it's your turn to thank the people who are important in your life, the people who make your life better.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I'm Not a Technophobe, But...

2010-11-04T09:06:00.000-04:00

...don't get me an iphone for Christmas. I'm happy as I am with a simple cell phone that I use only for making phone calls. I know that makes me somewhat of a dinosaur, but that's the way I am. I only make phone calls. Oh, I do use it occasionally for an alarm clock when I need a nap.

No internet. No email. No video games. No photos, either.

It's just a phone.

On the other hand, I'm writing this now because I'm out of town, and can't, for some strange reason, remotely access my desktop. The one time I don't bring a pile of stuff to do, just in case, because I'll rely on Remote Desktop, and this is the time it doesn't work.

A colleague just now, I mean JUST NOW, showed me on her iphone the Talking Tomcat application, which takes anything you say, and plays it back in a garbled tomcat voice.

It's another reason NOT to get an iphone.

I work out of my home, so when I'm not working, it's easy to walk from the family room to the office, and check my email. Not all the time, just enough. If I had the capability to do it on my phone, it would just take me away from other more important things.

Like talking to people, or looking at the scenery, or letting my mind wander.

I see too many people who are texting (I text ever so rarely), or checking their fantasy football, or getting the latest headlines, and I just don't need to be that connected.

So now it's off to the hotel, and dinner, and afterwards, if I can't access my desktop, I won't get much work done. But I'll be just as happy as people who are doing all those things on their iphones.

So, please. No iphone for Christmas.

I'm interested in your thoughts. Am I alone? What am I missing?

14 Strategies for Better Time Management

2010-10-20T17:53:00.000-04:00

One of my clients recently asked for some time management strategies for busy executives. Here they are:

1. Take a positive attitude toward time. If you believe time overwhelms you, it will. If you believe YOU manage your time effectively, you will.
2. Break large tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks.
3. Establish SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound [have the Smith Report on my desk by close of business Friday]). Reviewing these goals will show what you need to do.
4. Solicit help from others by telling them that you’re working on Time Management—they’ll help keep you on track.
5. Know your internal biological clock, your Prime Time—the time of day when you’re at your best, and you do your best work. Then, operate by it. (If you’re a morning person, schedule those more important, difficult tasks for the morning, when you’re sharpest.)
6. Establish priorities by differentiating between Urgent and Important. Ask, “Is it important? Is it urgent?” If the answer to both is yes, it's Crisis Work. If it's important, but not urgent, it's Work to Do. If it's urgent, but not important, it's Trivial Work. If it's neither important nor urgent, it's Time-Wasting Work.
7. Set aside quiet time for when you can’t be disturbed unless it’s an absolute emergency, and then hold people to it.
8. Reward yourself for Time Management victories, large and small.
9. Schedule specific times to perform certain tasks. Funny how tasks that aren't scheduled seem to slip through the cracks.
10. Spend a few minutes at the beginning and end of each day for planning and scheduling.
11. Get rid of paper To-do Lists, and use software (Outlook, ACT, etc.) to track all your important To-do’s.
12. Identify Time Guzzlers—people who show up unannounced, interrupt your day, talk too much, etc.—and tell them they have to change their interactions with you. (Be careful if it’s your boss!)
13. Learn to say no.
14. Start delegating appropriate tasks.

There you have it, 14 Strategies for Better Time Management. Any questions, just let me know.

The Grudge Report: Reasons to Avoid Drinking Gasoline

2010-09-17T08:30:00.000-04:00

I can't remember who said it, but it's true: "Holding a grudge against someone is liking drinking gasoline and hoping it will make the other person sick." Holding a grudge doesn't hurt the other person. It hurts you in at least two ways.

First, let's look at what a grudge is. A grudge involves anger directed at another person over a very prolonged period of time. The "prolonged period of time" is what differentiates a grudge from simply being angry at someone.

Stuff happens, and we get angry, and that's normal. But we usually move on, and get over it. With a grudge, it stays with us, often for months and even years. We don't move on, and we don't get over it.

The first way it hurts you is that holding a grudge limits your ability as a leader to focus on the right things, the important issues and challenges that face you and your organization.

Think of the last time you were really angry with someone. Remember how initially the incident dominated your thoughts. Eventually you got over it, but at first you probably couldn't think about other things without that incident creeping back into your mind. When this goes on for months or years, its a grudge.

The other way holding a grudge hurts you is that it has an adverse effect on your health. Holding a grudge consumes a boatload of emotional energy, and over time it can leave you exhausted emotionally. Because of the intricate relationship between the emotional and the physical, it can adversely affect your physical health.

Just as drinking gasoline literally eats away at your insides, holding a grudge does the same thing emotionally.

And then there's the people you're leading. Because your leadership abilities are diminished by holding a grudge (focusing on the wrong things, being emotionally and sometimes physically exhausted), your not serving the people you're trying to lead.

Avoid drinking gasoline, avoid holding grudges. Get over it. Move on.

2 Leadership Lessons from Seventh US President

2010-08-31T08:24:00.000-04:00

I read a book last week on the military career of Andrew Jackson, our nation's seventh President. "Old Hickory" as an army general provides two lessons--one about what leaders should do, and one about what leaders should avoid.

The first is that a leader MUST show genuine care and concern for those being led. Throughout his military career, the soldiers he commanded were very devoted to Jackson. So, you as a leader must do everything you can to show that you really do care about your employees. That means understanding their perspectives, their concerns, their hopes and dreams.

The best way to develop this understanding is to spend time with your employees, on their turf. Even as a general, Jackson spent time with his troops. And, his interactions with them showed he cared. He didn't have special privileges--he ate the same food, slept in the same awful conditions, and often gave up his own horse to carry wounded soldiers.

That's leading by example. But, it starts with spending time with your employees.

The second lesson is to avoid rash decisions. Jackson often reacted quickly, without thinking things through. And two examples contradict his genuine concern for the troops: In the field, he had an 18-year old soldier EXECUTED for mutiny. I won't bore you with all the facts, but trust me, it was a rash decision. Later, in another rash decision, he had two British nationals executed, again in the field, for spying.

Sort of like work-place violence in reverse.

So, avoid rash decisions, and take the time to think things over carefully. And do what you can to understand your employees. Gain that understanding by spending time with them, and then lead by example.

Why Are People A Pain in the Neck? Three Reasons...

2010-08-14T17:46:00.000-04:00

I get this question frequently, in one form or another, usually with a tone of utter exasperation. And the question really is about why "dealing with people" or "managing people" is the most difficult aspect of their jobs.

One reason is the sheer complexity of the human being. A person is an incredibly intricate organism, with all sorts of systems (physical, neurological, etc.) working at the same time, and trying to operate in an environment (everything outside the person) that is even MORE complex.

With all these systems pulling and tugging, a person is bound to be difficult at some point.

Another reason is emotion. We're capable of many emotions, but they all stem from three primary emotions: Anger, fear, and joy. Whatever emotion you name, it will be a variant of one of the Big Three. When we get emotional, we throw rationality out the window.

If we took emotions out of the equation, we'd have a lot of logical, rational thought, and although we wouldn't have as many people problems, the world would be pretty boring.

The third reason is all the baggage we carry around inside our heads. That baggage, most of it emotional, stays with us, even when we don't realize it's there. Because of the emotional baggage, we do things that make us a pain in the neck at times.

And there's a lot of baggage, going all the way back to our childhoods.

Someone can probably come up with more reasons people are a pain in the neck. Heck, I'll probably think of some. But for right now, three reasons will have to do.

Client Profile is a Powerful Tool for Boosting Sales

2010-07-30T15:03:00.000-04:00

Everyone wants to boost sales, and an underrated tool for that is the Client Profile. When I'm working with a client who wants to get more, and more profitable, clients, I suggest developing a client profile.

A client profile is simply a one-page document that identifies several key areas: What your company does; the characteristics of organizations you're trying to do business with, including your typical point of entry (CEO, or Facilities Manager, or--if your product is dishwashers--Chief Bottle Washer, etc); and the problems those companies have that you're able to solve.

Developing a client profile serves two purposes. First, it requires laser-like focus on your clients: What distinguishes your more profitable ones from the rest, and what characteristics those more profitable ones share, so that you can do a better job of pursuing those opportunities. You'll be amazed at what you learn.

Second, you can share the document with others who might be able to help you get more business. This is particularly important when you're asking people in your network for referrals. Instead of just telling people, and hoping they get it, you can also provide this document that clearly identifies what you're looking for.

Understand that this isn't a sales document. So leave out all the sales-y stuff about how great you are, how long you've been around, the quality of your work or products. That's about you. If I refer you to someone who fits your client profile, I'll let you tell them that. The client profile is mostly about your clients.

My client profile has three headings: Industries, Organizational Characteristics, Services Offered. The first two take up much more of the page than the last one. These aren't necessarily the only ones, maybe not even the best. But, it works for me.

Interested in more business, and in businesses that are more profitable for you? Develop a client profile.

Avoid Conflict Avoidance

2010-07-24T10:37:00.001-04:00

As a consultant, I run into a lot of conflict avoidance. It's out there more than you might think. Most people just seem to shy away from conflict, and conflict avoidance causes more problems than meeting the conflict head-on. That's why you should avoid conflict avoidance.

Many times we avoid conflict because it's downright unpleasant. Having to tell someone they're doing something wrong just makes us uncomfortable. We worry about the other person getting mad, making a scene, punching us out. And so we come up with ingenious ways to address the problem, while avoiding the actual conflict.

We sugar-coat it. And whenever we do this, the person never takes it really seriously. Why? Because we've made it sound like "no big deal."

Or we tell the entire group about a problem, even when we know that only one person in that group has the problem. This approach never works because the one person who has the problem never considers that he or she is the one we're talking to.

Or we hope it will just get better. This approach works only if you're lucky. I mean really lucky, like win-the-lotto lucky. And since most of us aren't that lucky, the problem gets worse, or more entrenched, making it harder to solve down the line.

What should you do? Identify what the other person's doing that's driving you nuts. Be very specific, and practice what you're going to say. Be a lot more forceful than you usually are, and just tell the person. Then hold the person accountable for doing things differently.

The first conflict we have to resolve is with ourselves, the conflict between what we know we should do--address the conflict head-on--and what we want to do, what's most comfortable--taking the easy way out.

Once you resolve that conflict within yourself, you'll be well equipped for resolving conflict with others.

Lindsey Lohan Lurks in Your Workplace

2010-07-09T15:07:00.000-04:00

First a disclaimer. I don't know much about Lindsey Lohan. I've never seen her in a movie. I couldn't have identified her in a photo lineup before this week. Sure, I'd seen the headlines over the years, but it was only this week that I actually clicked on a headline to see what was going on.

Lohan's explanations before the judge reminded me of what I often see in the workplace: People who always have an excuse, and manage to shift blame away from themselves.

Lohan had plenty of excuses for missing court dates. She was on location filming, or was stranded in Cannes. It wasn't her fault.

Think of the judge as Lohan's boss. When the boss tells you to be somewhere, you find a way to get there. If you screw up, you take responsibility for it. You don't look around for excuses.

The workplace has plenty of examples of people who play the blame game. I didn't get the email. Or, the other department made the mistake. Or it's the rough economy that's responsible for my problems.

On the highway, you see signs that say "Lane Shift Ahead." In some workplaces, with some people, the sign should say "Blame Shift Ahead," because you know they're going to shift the blame anywhere away from themselves.

If you're the leader, you don't play the blame game. You take personal responsibility for your mistakes. And you don't allow others to play the blame game. You confront the Lindsey Lohans of the workplace, and call them out.

Like the judge in Lindsey Lohan's case, you let them know that THEY are responsible for their actions, and for the unpleasant consequences of those actions.

Effective Leaders Ignore the Trivial

2010-06-30T17:50:00.001-04:00

In this month's edition of my monthly column on leadership, (sign up for it by clicking: http://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=55031&AdID=102734) I talk about "blind spots," things we don't see in ourselves, even though they're obvious to everyone else.

Now I'd like to talk about something that's the opposite of a blind spot. This is something that exists mostly in our heads, but its counterpart in reality isn't nearly the same. It gets stuck in our heads, and we're convinced everyone else sees it, and is thinking about it.

The reality, though, is that it's not a big deal to other people.

For example, I coached a manager several years ago who was convinced that his direct reports were focused on the manager being younger than the people he was managing. I knew this wasn't the case.

He kept saying, "It's because I'm younger than they are." Or, "They don't like working for a younger manager." I finally said, "Frank, the only one who's focused on your age is YOU. Get it out of your head. They're not thinking about it, so neither should you."

It can be anything. Your gender, lack of an advanced degree, or even a project you screwed up years ago.

Don't let it hold you back. Don't let it be an excuse. Don't let it prevent you from focusing on the leadership skills you need to improve.

Effective leaders ignore the trivial, and focus on what they can control: Skills and behaviors that communicate accountability, consistency, and respect for others.

BP, Obama, and the Art of Managing Expectations

2010-06-12T17:05:00.006-04:00

The feud between Obama and BP reminds me of the importance of managing expectations. It's an important part of leadership, and neither party is doing a good job. And we don't need pundits or experts to tell us this.

The gusher in the Gulf has been spewing for almost two months, and it doesn't seem like we're any closer to a solution. But the lack of a solution isn't the problem. No, the problem is that we keep expecting a solution, and fairly soon.

I can only hope that leaders across the business community are doing a better job of managing expectations.

First, Obama. The federal government doesn't have, has never had, and probably never will have, the expertise to solve this problem. So, why didn't Obama just come out and say so from the get-go?

Most people would have accepted that this is BP's problem and that solving it is, as Obama said about another issue, above his pay grade. The government will handle the clean-up and containment, things they're equipped to do.

As for BP, here's what a close friend of mine, who is in the industry, had to say: "BP has been wasting 100’s of millions on the ‘top kill’, caps, etc. Everyone in the business knows these will not work and BP has only been doing it to show govt. and people that they’re trying something---all for nothing. There are dozens of blowouts every year and very few (like in the John Wayne movie ‘Hellfighters’) can be stopped without relief well."

So BP should have told us, that with their experience, the best course of action is to do the relief wells even if that takes 12 months. I know nobody orders black crude with their day at the beach, so we wouldn't be happy with the situation, but at least we'd know the score.

What can we learn from this? Regardless of the situation, or the nature of the catastrophe, be up front and honest from the beginning. People may still be mad, but not nearly as mad as when they find that their expectations aren't being met, and didn't have a hope of being met all along.

Our job as leaders, especially in times of trouble, is to manage expectations.

Listening When You Know You're Right Is Hard to Do

2010-05-24T15:56:00.009-04:00

I was discussing the topic of listening with a management team recently, and they all agreed that it's easier to talk about listening than it is to actually do it. They're right. You know the things you should do--maintaining eye contact, looking for nonverbal cues, keeping an open mind--but actually doing those things is difficult. Especially when you're 100% sure you're right, and the other person is wrong.

The more certain you are of your position, the more vulnerable you are to doing a bad job of listening, and the harder you have to work at listening. Usually we think that certainty is good, that that it makes us more confident and forceful. And that's true.

But it's also true that certainty can mean we don't devote as much effort to listening. Not just hearing, or going through the motions of listening, but REALLY listening to the other person. Not listening is dangerous. We can miss important information.

Or we can send the wrong signal. As leaders, we're supposed to listen to others, to be open to opposing viewpoints, to be reasonable. But if we're so certain of our own position, we might just start thinking of other things, we might start glancing at our watch, or computer, or our blackberry.

When that happens we insult the other person by showing that we don't respect the person enough to give his or her view a fair hearing. And that's when the other person loses respect for us.

It's an old adage, but true: God gave us two ears and only one mouth because He wants us to do twice as much listening as talking. Most leaders I know can do a better job of listening, but it takes hard work and discipline. Especially when we're convinced we're right.

Teamwork Plus Competition Often Equals Subtraction

2010-05-08T15:02:00.008-04:00

My wife had some painters come in last week, and one of them, a guy named Mark, asked what kind of work I do. When I told him I'm a consultant and coach, Mark said that years ago he had a boss who tried to get the team to compete against each other.

Mark said it was a big disaster. Instead of improving teamwork, it caused conflict and resentment.

I told him that many managers still believe that competition is good for a team, and that they still run into the same problems Mark saw years ago.

A little competition is ok, but it usually reduces, or subtracts from, teamwork. Think about it, do you really want your team members competing against each other? Or do you want them working together?

Chances are that if they're focused on competition, they're not focused on the team's purpose, on what the team is trying to achieve. That's not a good formula for team success.

Individual competition involves winners and losers, and that's not what you want your team thinking about. You want the TEAM to succeed so that EVERYONE on the team wins.

Also remember that what happens on the micro level mushrooms to the macro level.

I'm currently working with an organization where the top guy is trying to rid the organization of competition. He wants his six divisions working together as an enterprise, not as individual divisions that are watching out for their individual interests.

Changing that mindset is difficult, but we're doing it. You can't take an enterprise approach if everyone's competing against each other.

And it all starts at the smaller team level. You don't want your team members, or your department heads, working against each other. You want them working together to achieve common goals.

Focus your team on working together, not against each other.

Getting New Website Is Like Having A Baby

2010-05-03T08:38:00.003-04:00

OK, my wife is always quick to point out that saying anything is like having a baby is ridiculous--because NOTHING is like having a baby. It's not as difficult, nor is it as rewarding.

She's right.

Still, it is a process that requires work, it is a bit of an ordeal, but it is very rewarding. I should add that the work and ordeal part is because of me, not the people who did the design.

Kulin Shah and his team at NexFusion were just great, and I highly recommend them. Very easy to work with, very patient, very professional.

It may not be exactly like having a baby, but I'm glad the site is up, and I'm proud of the new design, look, and feel. And like having a baby, it's a process that continues after the birth/launch.

Stay tuned...