Leaders – Be Sure, Not Right!

June 12, 2014 by

Leaders-Be-Sure-Not-RightWe live in a society that values being right above everything else. Starting at a young age, we teach our youth that it is better to have the right answer than it is to question, experiment and take risks. This has created an environment where people are scared to be wrong and terrified to fail! Is this why so many leaders are scared to death of being wrong? Business owners and leaders are called upon to make a monstrous number of decisions every day. Throughout my time consulting with businesses, I’ve witnessed leader after leader buckle under the immense pressure of always trying to make the right decision but, is it as important as we think to be right?

Steve Jobs was one of the most respected leaders in business of all time. It was said of Jobs that his strength was not that he was always right but that he was always sure. Leaders can learn a lesson here from Jobs. Sometimes it is more important to be sure then to be right! You are not going to have all of the answers and none of us have a crystal ball. As a leader, you have to collect the information you have available to you (know that it will rarely be as much as you’d like) and make the best decision you can based on what you see in front of you. The key is, be sure in your decision! No one wants to follow a leader who questions their own decisions or worse, can’t make one! If you repeatedly spin your tires when it comes to making a decision and can’t commit out of fear of getting it wrong, you better believe your staff will look for someone else with confidence and posture to lead.

Please understand that I am not telling anyone to be reckless with their decision making power. You still need to do your due diligence. Blindly ignoring your ignorance and moving forward with uneducated decisions is irresponsible and will surely lead to failure. What I do want leaders to realize is that you don’t have to be right all of the time. Actually, I guarantee that you won’t be right all of the time. Seth Godin (author and speaker) said during an interview, “If I fail more times than you, I win!” Seth Godin understands that it is okay to fail. As long as you learn from your mistakes and improve, your business will be better for it. So remember if you are a leader at work, home or in your community, you better get comfortable making decisions and once you have the information needed make a confident decision, be sure and don’t be afraid of getting it wrong.

What can leaders do to make sure they stay sure?

1. Have a crystal clear vision of what you are looking to achieve. Often leaders are unsure in their decisions because they have no clue where they are going.

2. Collect all of the information you need. The difficulty here is that you will rarely be able to have as much information as you would like and everyone around you will have their own opinion on what you should do. Remember, you won’t be able to make everyone happy. The best advice I was given on this topic was that the advisors you use don’t necessarily have to be the most brilliant business minds but they should understand you and your organization’s philosophies and principles better than anyone.

3. Make the decision! Always show posture and confidence when making your decision. Your team needs to feel that you are sure and that there is a reason to follow you. Once the decision has been made the hard part is over.

4. Move forward with humbleness and humility. Those who are reading this I am sure are very intelligent people so don’t take this the wrong way. You will be wrong someday! There is nothing worse than a leader who cannot be humble and practice humility after making a decision that was clearly wrong. When the day comes that you are wrong, admit it, recognize the faults and move forward in the best direction possible.

Good luck to the leaders out there and your future decisions. Remember be humble, confident and most of all be sure! Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Filed Under: International Leadership Blogathon Tagged With: , , , ,

On Leadership and the Knucklehearted Leader

March 30, 2013 by

On-Leadership-and-the-Knucklehearted-Leader-Tom-SchulteIn the fast and furious pace of business and life today, motivated people are constantly looking for betters ways to get things done. People are looking for solutions in technology, in personal and professional training, and in seeking shortcuts to help get more done in less time.

So what is driving results?

Getting Stuff Done

For anyone who is responsible for getting things done through other people, one of the most important things to remember is that you are getting things done THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE. This means that to be effective with living breathing people, you have to be considerate of what drives them.

You have to take into account that they come to you with personal lives, problems, heartaches, struggles, habits and crazy families. You must lead people toward your goals and mission knowing that each and every one of the people you lead are different. And this means that they have different personal drivers.

So to know that you have to get stuff done through other people, it makes sense that you are familiar with each person’s emotional drivers. This is at the core of emotional intelligence. Knowing your people as individuals will help you help them to align their drivers to your goals and help when difficult situations arise.

Personal Core Values

So what is really driving your results?

Values drive decisions. Decisions drive behaviors. Behaviors drive results.” ~ Tom Schulte Tweet this!

Take a look at what you value the most in life. And when I say “life,” I mean your WHOLE life that includes what you value at;

  • Home life
  • Work life
  • Recreational life
  • Spiritual life
  • Emotional life

For the sake of an example, let’s say that you, the leader, have established your top values as accountability, family, career, recognition, faith, and independence. Well, imagine if you where asked to do some task by your boss that would have you undermine or have you be in direct conflict with your top values. how would you feel? And then imagine if this kept happening to you. And no matter what you did in protest, it kept happening. You had to continually compromise your values structure.

For most people, they would end up leaving this place to get into a better environment where they could have harmony with what is important to them. And most people would characterize their former boss as a #$%#!! They would think of them as a terrible leader who carries no amount of influence with them. Although this former boss may be plenty smart, they would come across as mean, cold and uncaring.

These are what I call Knucklehearted Leaders. They seemingly have a hardened heart toward the people they lead.

True Influence

So for you to keep from being perceived as a knucklehearted leader, you have to understand that your top values are not the same as virtually anyone else’s. And if some of your values seem to match or align with other around you, the meanings you give to those values can be quite different. You have to know the people you lead so that you can try not to violate something deeply personal to them.

So asking someone to violate THEIR values is the exact same as someone asking you to violate your values. It’s unattractive and resentful.

On the contrary, think how attractive and influential a boss would be if they took the time to understand you and allow you to openly discuss your personal values in context with the work you do. For most people, an “understanding” boss who respects and honors you values would be a dream come true.

So to be the most influential  leader you can be, know your people and what drives them.

After all, this is what is truly getting you your results.

So, what is driving your leadership? Do you take into account the personal drivers of the people you lead? Or are you a knucklehearted leader who is self-absorbed? What can you do to learn and care more about the values of the people you lead? I would love to hear your thoughts!

 

Filed Under: International Leadership Blogathon Tagged With: , , , ,

Risky Business – Making Phenomenal Decisions (While Not Forgetting the Risk)

March 8, 2013 by

Risky-Business-Leadership-Kai-RoerAs a leader, I am expected to make decisions all day – every day. Some decisions are huge, possibly critical to my business or people, while others are minor. Making sure that these decisions are as good as they can be at the time of decision is vital.

There is risk in every decision. Risk of failure, and risk of success. I try to reduce the risk of failure, and increase the risk of success in all the decisions I make. How do I do that, you may ask, allow me share my secret…

The Risk Process

Managing risk is not exactly a new science. Humans have managed risk since the dawn of time, trying to survive in a harsh environment. There should be no surprise then that risk management process’ exist. Depending on your sector, terminology may differ, but the steps of the risk process remain the same.

Good news:  you don’t need to be an expert in risk to successfully manage risk.

The risk process can be summarized in these steps:

1. Risk Assessment

  • You identify the risks involved.

2. Risk Evaluation

  • Evaluate each risk and it’s severity,
  • Classify them by severity and likelihood,
  • Analyze the possible outcome(s) of the risk.

3. Risk Management

  • Decide how to handle each risk. There are two main things you can do:
    • Accept the risk: You accept that this risk may happen, and choose not to do anything about it
    • Mitigate the risk: You decide that the risk is not acceptable, and choose to change its impact.

4. Evaluate and Review

You monitor your process, and make changes as you progress. You may receive new information later that changes the way you perceive some risks. The more you know, the more accurate your map.

There is risk in every decision. Risk of failure, and risk of success.” ~Kai Roer Tweet this!

How Much Risk Analysis Do I need To Do? 

The answer is entirely up to you, your organization and the situation. Sometimes your decision require a rigid process where you must document and analyze many different aspects. Other decisions can be made without writing anything. The secret lies in a list of questions.

The questions follow the process outlined above, and are designed to help you make better decisions.

Questions 

  1. Identifying risk:
    What can go wrong?
    What is the desired outcome?
  2. Evaluating risk:
    What can happen if things go wrong?
    What happens if we do not get the desired outcome?
  3. Mitigating risk:
    What can I do to change the outcome?
    Do I want to change it?
  4. Evaluation:
    What did I just learn?
    How can I reapply that in this decision?
  5. Do I make this decision, yes or no.

The last question is critical. The whole reason behind using a risk process is to help you make better decisions so you can run your company better.

Choosing Right

As you have observed by now, each of these questions can be expanded as needed. This means that if there is an easy decision to be made, you can just run through the questions in your head. If there is a tough decision to be made you can use the exact same process and questions to document the risks involved.

One last note – there are always risks involved which we are not able to identify. I call these Blind Spots. Watch for them!

How do you manage risk in your decision making? Are you concerned with the unwanted outcomes your decisions may create?

Filed Under: International Leadership Blogathon Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Effective Communication – Leadership’s Linchpin

March 6, 2013 by

Effective-Communication-Leadership's-Linchpin-Martina-McGowanThe ability to find success in our own personal lives, or in our businesses is rarely dependent on our own skill alone. Maintaining the proper attitude and effective communication are also important contributing aspects of our roles as leaders. Contrary to the current popular belief, effective communication is not merely a matter of how well we can speak in front of an audience, or how well we can write documents, articles or blog posts. Effective and superior communication can only be adequately determined in how well people have understood us and what we are attempting to express.

Communication is an important foundational element of your authority and influence as a leader.  Many businesses and organizations fail to survive because of poor or substandard communication between business decision-makers and the people who have to implement the tasks. Poor or ineffective communication can be a major contributor to employee burn-out, unnecessary and unwarranted elevated stress levels, dissatisfaction and disengagement.

To achieve effective communication, it is important to focus on this essential aspect of how we decide to lead. For many leaders this will entail a change in both attitude and perspective.  It is important that, as leaders of other people and of organizations, that we work to maintain openness to actively engaging  colleagues, employees and yes, customers.

Businesses are built on trust. And, trust is built on relationships. Communication is an important linchpin of relationship building.  The most important relationship in your life is your relationship with our inner self. Consequently, communication with you inner self should be a high priority. I know, it sounds hokey and touchy-feely; but the way in which you communicate with your inner self is very much a determinant of how you communicate with others.

If you spend most of your time doubting your own capabilities, and putting yourself down, it is all but inconceivable that you will be able to mount a positive or even celebratory response to the activities of the people around you. Positive thinking, positive affirmations and positive reinforcement would help you deal with life’s difficulties better. Henry Ford was right when he said,

” If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” ~ Henry Ford Tweet this!

If you believe something, then those beliefs can either become limiting or expansive in terms of what you decide to pursue, and how you elect to do it. Having a positive inner dialogue will launch you into a more positive and supportive communication style with others.

One example of maintaining effective communication is giving appropriate, useful and practical feedback or constructive criticisms to your teammates.  You must first develop an internal successful feedback pattern for yourself.  This will help you give and receive criticisms more openly.

Effective communication is important to us and to the people we serve.

• Effective problem solving.  When you are able to communicate to your employees and co-workers clearly and successfully about real issues and problems, this can lead to a deeper understanding of problems. A deeper understanding will lead everyone to a quicker and more effective problem solution.

• Effective leadership.  For you, as a leader to be able to set the appropriate tone, get people to progress in a suitable and desired direction, and to influence the team or the organization, you must be able to develop a healthy style of communication with them.  As we have already discussed, positive feedback is important. But, so is criticism. Criticisms should be given as a form of positive, helpful useable suggestion and should serve primarily as support rather than chastisement.

• Effective planning.  Planning involves completely understanding the mission, the vision, and the goal of the individual, the department or the organization.  Planning should must directed by the guiding principles of the group. However, we all know that everyone approaches things differently. So it becomes important to properly communicate with each team member so that all of the energy and ideas can be channeled to create and pull together an effective and executable plan.

• Effective organizational improvement.  Communicating well as a leader is not only about your own personal and professional development and growth.  There should also be some noticeable improvement in the personal and professional paths of the people you lead. And, this can have significant effects on the improvement of your whole organization.

As you work to lead and develop yourselves and your colleagues, you will learn sooner or later that your success often depends on being able to interact effectively with other people. Learning good communication skills, and applying them to your inner dialog can only enhance your external dialog and interaction. Effective, on-point, erudite communication can make or break your leadership, your leadership style and your business.

What other ways can effective communication help an organization? Please share your thoughts and ideas below.

Filed Under: International Leadership Blogathon Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

This Emotional Attachment Will Destroy Your Business!

June 19, 2012 by

Leadership Emotional AttachmentThat’s right, DESTROY! It can kill moral, stifle innovation, increase gossip, diminish customer service, and reduce profits. An emotional attachment is a desire for something or someone, and the inability to release or do without that thing or person. We tend to think about this when it comes to relationships, but have you ever thought about whether you are emotionally attached to say ….a line item on your P&L?

Perhaps it’s a daily lunch paid by the company. Perhaps it’s a hefty bill to an industry association that you can’t leave because you’ll miss your buddies. Perhaps it’s a supplier that has given you cool swag. Perhaps it’s a vendor that is a Facebook “friend” and you don’t want to offend them.

I’ve been blown away at this as I’ve consulted with companies. They don’t mind if the company closes and people lose their jobs, or if they destroy any chance of having any money for their retirement. They are so emotionally attached to certain line items on the P&L that they don’t witness the destruction that is occurring around them.

So what is to be done about this? If one is willing to accept that their organization can use its money more wisely, and they are willing emotionally detach and swallow a little pride, huge things can happen. Here are a couple guidelines:

1) Look at every line item on a budget with scrutiny.
2) Categorize your line items into the following categories:

  • Eliminate
  • Optimize-in most cases this will mean to reduce, but sometimes you may want to increase a certain area because you realize it has a great return
  • Keep.

3) Take Action on Step 2 by eliminating and optimizing the items you identified.
4) Consider outside help. When you are emotionally attached to something, it looks like a need, even though it is a want.
5) Be Creative. Don’t ever accept that you are stuck. Look for alternatives, ask certain vendors and suppliers if there are discounts, look for alternate ways of doing things that could save money and improve a key aspect of your business at the same time.

Being wasteful can cause big problems, being emotionally attached to waste, can kill a company (Tweet This). It is important to be able to step back from your business, take a reading on what is happening and make changes for a better future.

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So, now that you’ve read this article, how are you going to use this information to eliminate dangerous emotional attachments?

Take a moment and share your ideas in the comments section below and please share this with your social media friends, and subscribe to receive A Slice of Leadership notices, as well as occasional leadership advice, articles, tips and freebies.
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Filed Under: Emotional Attachment in Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,