The Attrition of Compromise – The Making of the Walking Dead

LEADERSHIP COACHING WARNING: If you are looking for an upbeat coaching moment that will give you the four keys to being a successful leader or a whimsical quote you can put on your wall, DO NOT read this blog. This blog may bring a level of awareness you have been denying for years and, therefore, the threat of dealing with reality.

 

No, this is not a behind the scenes look at AMC’s cult classic The Walking Dead. In case you’re interested, this TV show is about a bunch of not-so-dead flesh eating zombies attacking soon-to-be-dead people in a variety of perilous situations. These not-so-dead will do seemingly anything to maintain some level of existence no matter what the cost, succumbing to all levels of craziness to stay “alive”, even if their version of alive means being not-so-dead. It’s all very tragic and entertaining! But I digress, seeing as how most of the executives I have worked with probably don’t even know what a TV looks like other than the ones they show their presentations on, so I’ll just keep this conversation focused on our work.

 

You see, I walk the halls of companies and, sadly, I see zombies. They aren’t really dead but their strategy and vision are, and it’s only a matter of time before they are roaming the offices with arms outstretched, searching blindly for the person they once were. These walking dead have compromised, to a large extent, what they stood for and worked hard to create and thus we see them enter into a type of survival mode. This is not a conscious process resulting from one singular negative incident but rather a steady erosion of values over time. This wearing away of self occurs because these individuals just can’t fight the resistance anymore. Whether it be a battle with the competition, other leaders or Board members, or with their employees, the fight rages on and can drag people down. All Hollywood drama aside, there is a reason why the average life span of most CEOs is only six years.

 

Now I know that this can’t possibly happen to you because you are so focused and driven to make your strategy a reality; you would never cross that line, right? But think for a moment and ask yourself if you have ever pulled back from your beliefs (even if only slightly) because the road to enlightenment was much longer than the path to compromise. Do you ever stop and wonder what this compromise might cost, no matter how big or small, even if it’s just this one time?

 

These opportunities to compromise occur everywhere: in your relationships, in your family, in your day to day activities. But what happens when it’s a company and the values are loosely defined? What happens to guiding principles like action oriented or continuous improvement, best in class, drive for success – to all the values you’ve seen and practiced over the years? The first year these corporate values are real and are the foundation for the changes you are going to make, the culture you will create and the strategy that will give you the success you desire. But the path is not a straight one and the resistance is high. You are challenged every day and there is no time to rest. You keep reminding yourself that this is why they pay you the big bucks and you continue to move forward. Slowly but surely the strategy goes from two years to five; success turns from growth to survival. You try to recalibrate yourself to the new reality, but there is a part of you that you know is being left behind and that you fear might be dying or already dead. Let me make myself clear, you are not a failure but you are not the picture of success you thought you would be.

 

So what do you do now? First, be honest with yourself. Even though your bank account tells you that you are a success, trust what is in your gut. Second, look into the mirror and watch for the dead eyes and the drained face that come from the wear and tear of compromise. In other words, beware of the zombie. Third, remember that you are the one that has compromised yourself, and you are also the only one that can return you and your company to the land of the living.

 

In any aspect of your life, survival is NOT living! Don’t be content to remain one of the undead or even one of the soon-to-be-dead. Break the cycle of compromise and take down the zombie!

 

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Categories: Business Management, Executive Coaching, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

The Tree or The Shadow

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
~Abraham Lincoln

 

My wife was reading the Chicago Tribune yesterday when she saw this quote, and Lincoln’s words really seemed to resonate with me.  There are two aspects of this quote that caught my attention.

 

The first point of interest is the man who is credited with this quote and how history has continued to define the true strength of his character.  But even more amazing than his actions during one of the most volatile times in American history, was his awareness that not only was his leadership being tested, but also his character.

 

The second aspect that struck me – How many of us have that same ability; the ability to face tremendous adversity and, at the same time, hold tight to the awareness that our character will not only define us but also define the decisions we make?  Before you answer this question, let us first define character.

 

One dictionary defines character as, “The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.” Another states that it is, “The complex of mental and ethical traits marking a person.”  In yet another dictionary, character is said to be, “The stable and distinctive qualities built into an individual’s life which determine his or her response regardless of circumstances.”

 

Abraham Lincoln was quoted as saying, “Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow.  The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”  Our character is much more than the facade we attempt to display for others to see (the shadow), it is who we are even when no one is watching (the tree).  Good character is doing the right thing because, quite simply, it is the right thing to do.

 

You see, character is not something you can hide or mask with position or power.  You cannot rationalize away wrong doing because it is best for the business or, perhaps, because other more successful individuals have done so.  According to Lincoln, in order to be “the real thing”, you cannot pick and choose when you wish to demonstrate good character; all you can do is add to the building blocks of what defines yours.

 

Character is the tree.  Reputation is the shadow.  Which best describes you?

 

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Categories: Business Management, Executive Coaching, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

How Does Your Report Card Look for 2014?

I remember those worrisome grade school days when report cards were handed out. The report card would have two columns: one grade for my schoolwork and aptitude and the other for my conduct in class. I’ve never understood this grading system but most of the time I was happy because I had a tendency to get more A’s for my conduct than for my studies. Ok, let’s be honest here, I cannot remember a time when I ever received an A for my scholarly work. In fact, I used to tell my parents that, if we combined my A for conduct with my C in class studies, I actually managed a B average over all! You can take a guess at how long that argument held water with my folks. Thus, it took me a while as a young man to realize something that still rings true today; results are the key to getting invited to the game, conduct (leadership behavior) is the deciding factor to staying in the game. How could I have possibly known that this intense training of balancing results along with conduct from St. Aloysius grade school would lead me to my career in executive coaching?

 

So what does all of this have to do with how you grade yourself in your business role for 2014? Interestingly enough, in the past 25 years I have seen more executives lose their job due to poor conduct rather than results. The paradox to ascension within an organization begins with driving results. But, as you move higher, the ability to achieve results becomes a given and the measurement used to benchmark those results now becomes the most important factor, which is conduct. The really fun part about this transfer of importance is that, most of the time, no one will tell you this critical truth until they are walking you out the door. Do not misunderstand me, driving results is the most important measurement for a good leader, but unfortunately for all of us there are a lot of people who can drive results. The good news is that there are few people that have the strategic leadership behaviors (conduct) to make these results sustainable and if you are one of them, not only will you stay in the game but you will also define it.

 

Most CEOs and executives intellectually understand this concept but have difficulty assessing their conduct and its influence on the results they are aiming for. Furthermore, in today’s world of double and triple tasking, most executives are pushed to their limits to drive their desired results every day and have very little time or patience to review or even discuss their behaviors. Unfortunately, I can guarantee you that this inability or lack of desire to focus on your conduct is a dead end street 100% of the time. Yes, you can have a good job and you can be considered a success financially but in the long run, your inability to deal with your own issues and their effect on the people around you will ultimately lead to failure. The funny part about this failure is that rarely is it externally visible to the world. But on this point you must trust me – if you are at all a driven individual and you expect the best from yourself and others, you will judge yourself for a long time.

 

As your blogging coach I am asking you to take this opportunity to grade your conduct for 2014. Look at what you could have done differently to create more sustainability by aligning your leadership behaviors with your desired results. Be tough on yourself, no one else will see your grades, but then take your self-assessment and allow it to help you define what you are going to do differently in 2015. And remember this, you are tougher on yourself than anyone else ever will be and at times you may even be able to BS yourself about your conduct but, in the long run, you will always know if you were up to the task.

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Categories: Executive Coaching, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , ,

How’s the View From Your Seat?

Every time I go to a baseball game, I’m amazed by the screams heard from the upper grand stands when a batter hits the ball into the air. Unfortunately, the same excitement cannot be felt when you are sitting at ground level because you know it’s just a pop fly. Or how about when you open up your bedroom blinds and smile at the bright and sunny morning, ready to kick start the day? Meanwhile, your spouse grumbles with their pillow over their head, still feeling the effects of last night’s festivities. I guess it just turns out to be a matter of perspective! There are literally hundreds of other examples as to how perspective can influence the way you and others view the same set of facts so differently. So as a business leader, are you certain you’re really viewing the facts, or is your perspective keeping you from seeing the reality of the situation?

 

Context and perspective are two very important insights that most executives forget to share with one another when discussing solutions. Most of the time it is not a purposeful deception because each party assumes that the other is totally aligned on the desired outcome. In reality, there are many nuances that exist to develop the right solution and, depending on where you sit with the problem, the desired solution can be quite different. The good news is that, over time, context and perspective are shared and the group comes to a conclusion or the leader just outlines what they want. Unfortunately, this process takes time and time is a real enemy to your business success.

 

So why are context and perspective not shared when defining a desired solution for a problem?

 

Here is what I have observed:

 

1) Speed: The need to solve the problem now creates a tactical view of the issue and negates the strategic implications the solution can and will have on the organization as a whole.

 

2) Assumptions: People assume that what they believe is a shared belief amongst everyone, and history has shown us that this is a very dangerous assumption.

 

3) Ignorance: Leaders, at times, are unaware of their own thinking process when it comes to identifying the problem, its effect on overall business, and the need for a comprehensive solution.

 

4) Culture Over Results: In some organizations it is frowned upon to share your thoughts unless it is in alignment with the “corporate way”.

 

5) Fear: This is the biggest one; the fear of ridicule or disagreement over one’s perspective keeps people from sharing their thoughts. The irony is that if you focus on keeping yourself safe and don’t come to the best solution, you are actually putting yourself at greater risk.

 

So if you have experienced being in a meeting, watching the disagreements and confusion around what you think is an obvious solution, then take a minute and think. Have you shared your perspective on the problem? Are all of the participants aligned around the desired results for a solution? If not, take the time to share your thought process with them and you will be surprised how quickly the team will discover an impactful solution once they’ve viewed the problem from your seat.

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Categories: Business Management, Executive Coaching, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

The Kryptonite to Process

Over the last thirty years of working with a wide variety of companies, I have found that there has been a significant increase in the use of processes to identify, solve, and implement solutions that plague businesses every day. This embrace of a systematic way to go about business is one of the main reasons for our increase in productivity. So if results have shown us that the use of process works, then why do so many processes fail? The easy answer would be to blame and shoot the project managers, but they’re usually just the messengers. No, it’s typically not the project managers that bring an entire process crashing down to its knees. Instead I have found three common elements that are present in most, if not all, failed processes and they act like Kryptonite to every super process.

 

The three disrupters that make up Kryptonite are:

 

1) The Disconnect from Business Reality 2) Need for Speed 3) Ego

 

Used individually or coupled together, these three elements will kill any good process and, superman of the office or not, even you might not be able to recover from the Kryptonite.

 

Disconnect from Business Reality

One must remember that processes and project management are merely tools to leverage the experience and intelligence of the organization and to marry it with what is known as “Best Practices”to solve business problems. It makes sense and most of the time it works quite well, just as long as the focus of the process is to solve the problem and not to run the process. In other words, don’t let the tail wag the dog! The best approach to keep the process real is a reflexive loop of conversations that ensures the process is in alignment with the stated goal. This conversation loop is an interaction between process leader and business leader where they marry the need for process with the need to drive results. So picking the right personnel is key.

 

The Need for Speed!

How many of you are familiar with this little scenario? I can’t tell you how often I am in meetings and there is a discussion taking place around a problem. As talks continue I see an executive sitting in the meeting, bouncing their leg up and down in sheer frustration at the potential time being wasted talking about the problem instead of solving it. Now don’t get me wrong, I work with these speed demons every day and I love how quickly they can get to the essence of an issue. But this addiction to move and move fast and to make speedy decisions leads to losing focus on the big picture and how this solution supports the rest of the organization. So pretty quickly, these speed freaks pull the process apart. When asked how they will integrate this solution with the rest of the organization they smile and wink and move on to the last but most important element.

 

Ego

Ego. What can I say? We all have one! Some are bigger than others, some are more under control, but ego is a powerful aphrodisiac and it allows individuals to see the world in their own special way. And when it comes to running a successful process, nothing is more disruptive than the all knowing and understanding Wizard of Oz. First, you need to understand why process is difficult for these folks. This speaks to the foundation of creating a process and that, as I mentioned earlier, is leveraging the experience and intelligence and marrying the two with best practice. But when you are the Wizard you have the most relative experience and, of course, you are very intelligent and you probably wrote the book on best practice around this subject. In addition, you are probably a speed freak too! So, if you already have the answer, why waste the time working with others on a process? Most of the time these “leaders”volunteer to run the process, that way they are able to make sure the outcome matches what they know to be true.

 

Now there are certainly other ways that process falls apart, but over the years I have found these three to be the main factors in its demise. So watch for them, make sure you have the right people in place and are committed to finding the right solution.
 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Categories: Business Management, Executive Coaching, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Delegation with Expectations – A Speed Pass to Results

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat down with CEOs and heard them vent their frustrations about the inability of their direct reports to make the right decisions quickly. Ironically enough, when I sit down with direct reports they are equally frustrated with the short-handed way their leader delegates objectives with so little information. This then leaves the managers to guess what special sauce the leader is looking for. Unfortunately, I see this dance of incompetency way too often and the amazing part is that both groups claim they are trying to build a culture of trust and results. So how do these good intentions become so utterly disconnected in an attempt to reach desired results? Easy – it is all about the lack of expectations by both parties.

 

Most leaders I work with confuse expectations with micro-management. In fact, throughout their years of development they have been bombarded with the mantra of, “Delegate more, you can’t do it all”. The funny part is that most leaders have a part of them that thinks they can do it all. But ultimately they realize that to undertake all would not be efficient and would seriously limit the growth of the business. So what’s a leader to do? They delegate. Easy. Simple, right? Or, then again, maybe not.

 

The problem that so many leaders encounter when delegating is that they assign responsibilities/tasks based on how they wished their previous bosses had delegated to them. That is to say, with as little guidance as possible!! In other words, they are basically saying, “Just let me do my job my way and we will all be happy!” (And I’m serious when I tell you that this is a direct quote). What these unique CEOs don’t recognize is that their thinking process not only catapulted them to the top, but also differentiated their problem solving capabilities from others. I call it the Sixth Sense of business, but instead of seeing old, dead executives of years past they see business issues and potential solutions before others have had their first cup of coffee. Once this awareness becomes conscious and active thought, these leaders realize that they have expectations that go beyond the normal objectives. When executives take the time to explain these expectations, their direct reports not only have a clear idea of the desired outcome but they also have fresh insights that were not previously possible and that lead to the best solutions. This sharing of expectations accelerates results and helps to speed up further conversations and solutions as the team starts to incorporate the sixth sense thinking process on their own.

 

Peter Drucker stated, “Checking the results of a decision against its expectations shows executives what their strengths are, where they need to improve, and where they lack knowledge or information.” Not only does sharing expectations drive results faster, but it also develops a mentoring process between a leader and their directs, fostering better teamwork and an aligned culture.

 

So what do you do when you are the one on the receiving end of short-handed delegation? (Because clearly history has shown you that there is more to this request than meets the eye.) Well, you can gut it out again, nod your head, and pretend like you really do see all of those solutions floating in the hallways. But you and I both know the results will be predictable and neither you, nor your boss will be happy which ultimately only stands to make the business suffer. Interestingly enough, acting like you understand is the preferred reaction to those reporting to “Insert Almost Any Leader Name Here” but it is the wrong decision and you know it. Don’t let your ego override your intelligence in this situation. Remind yourself that this is not a competition between you and your boss; it is a collaborative effort to find the best solution for success.

 

So how do you get this gold dust of a thinking process from your boss to fall on your shoulders? By asking questions about how they look at the problem and how this problem threatens the stated strategy. You see, by gaining insight on how your leader views the problem, you achieve a greater level of clarity on how they view success. Once there is agreement on the issue and transparency on the stated strategy, then the solution becomes obvious. Far too often I work with folks who hesitate to ask questions out of fear that their boss will think less of them. Reality check readers: the more clarity you gain, the better chance you have of meeting the full expectations of your business leader, thus improving results. Everyone has a process or a mind map they use to find solutions to problems and your business leader is no different. So once you understand your leader’s thinking process, you can then put yourself in a position to be the proactive one solving the problems in the business. And let me tell you friend, proactive problem solving impresses every business leader.

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 

Categories: Executive Coaching, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Skating On the Edge

Watching the recent winter Olympics reminded me of the 1996 winter Olympics when Eric Mueller was speed skating; it was an electric time. I stopped by the Pettit Center ice rink in West Allis and watched him and other Olympic hopefuls practicing and was in complete awe. The speed, the grace, balance, and sheer power of their skating captivated me. In part, it’s because I have problems walking on my icy driveway let alone speeding along on an oval rink. But it’s also because I always get goose bumps when I see individuals excel at what they do.

 

The most amazing part for me was when he was rounding the curve, his left hand brushing the ice while he was in a full lean to create the right momentum to drive him through the curve. He was on the cutting edge of his skates. Lean too far towards the ice and he would fall, lean too far off the edge and he would crash into the wall. He was constantly on the edge of victory and defeat and any loss of balance meant the latter.

 

I see this “skating on the edge” every day with my business leaders. The edge my leaders are skating on is the delicate edge between their strengths and weakness. You see, everyone’s strengths have a dark side; it is a fine line between leveraging your strengths to drive success and pushing yourself to a level of dysfunction. Interestingly enough, the closer you get to that edge the faster and better these results occur. So how do you keep your balance when leaning into a curve your business sends your way?  How will you know if you are leveraging that strength to drive you successfully through the curve? Will you find that subtle balance or will your need drive you harder and push you and your organization into the wall?

 

Perhaps the answer is hiring me to coach you every minute of the day.  Realistically that won’t work. Even I have issues being with me every minute of every day. The better solution is to study your tells. Yes, we all have tells. These are little quirks that warn us when there is a wall coming our way. If you are married just ask your spouse. Most of the time they can tell when you are ready to crash just by looking at the expression on your face. Truthfully, isn’t it embarrassing that others can recognize our moods before we can?

 

Eric Mueller was an Olympic caliber athlete. He keenly understood the signals his body was sending to him and his mind was well trained to make the adjustments needed to maintain balance and momentum through the curves. But to skate on your edge has nothing to do with your body and everything to do with how you synthesize information and your emotions through your communications.  Athletes practice 5 to 10 hours a day to perform at a high level.  How much time do you dedicate to ensuring that your Beliefs, Emotions, Words and Actions are in alignment with your intent (BEWA)?  Can you recognize when you have crossed that fine edge of functionality?  You need to. Your people and business are depending on you to keep that balance.  If you are in a leadership position you have the ability to capture the hearts and minds of your people. The more you understand how you do this, the more you can ride that edge of success with purpose and balance.

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 

Categories: Executive Coaching, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , ,

The Gift of Critical Feedback

A few years back I was playing golf with a client of mine and a banker of his. As usual, the typical old golf banter was exchanged in between serious business discussions. During one such business discussion my client said something that, quite honestly, only he could say. I looked at him and bluntly pointed out that he had his head so far up a very dark place that I was surprised he was able to pull out that answer!

 

My client laughed and shrugged his shoulders and as I looked back at the banker, his face was one of pure shock. He said to me, "Aren't you his coach? Aren't you supposed to keep him positive?” I smiled back at the banker and kindly replied that our friend, the executive, has plenty of people who tell him every day how right he is. My job is to make sure he actually is.

 

I have one of the best jobs in the world working for highly paid, intelligent, motivated, well assured, successful executives. These professionals want to know what they need to do in order to be better leaders. It's certainly not always an easy conversation and we don't always agree, but they listen because they know the only reason I get in their faces is to assist them in reaching the highest level of leadership! It’s through this mutual focus on their success that we create a bond that is both respectful and purposeful.

 

It reminds me of this great football coach I grew up watching and reading about and his take on success. Upon reflection, it represents the work my clients and I do together:

 

“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”
~Vince Lombardi

 

As a business leader you are also a coach and you have people who report to you that deserve your focus on their success. So how often do you give them the critical feedback that will help them get to the next level? The truth is that even if you are right most of the time, you won't reach the level of success you desire unless you have lots of folks that work for you that are also right most of the time. Remember, being a good coach does not mean you are a cheerleader but rather a good coach has a singular focus on the success of his team. The work and the feedback will not stop until the goals are accomplished and even then there is always the next goal!

 

How often, when you are at your computer working on annual reviews for your direct reports, have you edited the feedback you need to give them? You hesitate because your feedback will be in their records and/or impact the level of their merit pay. Or let’s say you are so busy grinding your own wheel of success that feedback is non-existent and why spend time giving feedback when you can just fill in the performance gaps yourself?

 

The hardest part about these excuses is one day the light will go on in your head and you will realize that you can't achieve or sustain the level of success you desire without a highly functional team. The problem is you have been feeding them BS for years and they believe that they are at peak performance and if you tell them the truth now you will have a mutiny on your hands!! Well my friend, I remember reading somewhere "as we sow, so shall we reap" and boy does this lack of critical feedback sow poor results.

So if you are looking for relationships with your direct reports that are respectful and purposeful, I suggest you invest some time into your success and theirs by giving the gift of critical feedback.

 

If not for yourself, then do it for Vince!

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 

Categories: Executive Coaching, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Upon Further Reflection

Driving results is the key measurement of success for any business leader, not only in regards to the magnitude and speed of achieving these results but also their sustainability. This formula for success is accomplished by making decisions that support the needs of the corporation today while also supporting its long-term strategies. As a business leader, how do you balance the "need for speed" in your decision making while formulating or supporting the best solution?
 
Answer:  Reflection!
 
I have identified three modes of reflection that have positively effected my successful clients’ decisions. In fact, these usages of the pause button have actually accelerated their results. But don't worry because I am not about to go Deepak Chopra on you, nor am I going to take you through a guided meditation. I will say, though, that I do believe reflection to be a best practice for successful leadership.
 
In truth, these reflections take just seconds but the impact they can have on your interactions with others is incredibly significant. Think about that when you are next sitting with your team, remember to incorporate these three bookmarks into your thought process and I guarantee you will come away with better results.
 
REFLECTION # 1 – Listen & Pause
 
I can't tell you how many times I am in a business meeting and the leader interrupts the individual talking to help finish their thought. Now I’m not sure if this is a game of who is the smartest one in the room or just a total lack of patience. Either way, if you want buy-in from an individual or group that you are asking opinions of, then I suggest you listen to what they have to say, pause and reflect, then respond. This simple interaction has two very important outcomes:
 
A) It tells the other person that you respect their opinion enough to give it thought.
 
B) By listening and acknowledging contrary opinions in the meeting you lessen the probability of them resurfacing later in the implementation process which, as we have all experienced, slows down the total progression.
 
REFLECTION # 2 – Reality Check
 
Driving your organization to excel through stretch goals and year over year improvements are ways to accelerate your results, but what happens when these goals are disconnected from reality? More importantly, what happens to your organization when you are the last one to recognize this divergence? Lost time and energy on projects and goals, which will cost you and your company lots of money, that’s what happens. So the next time you are trying to help solve a nagging strategic issue, take a moment to reflect and ask yourself – are we realistically looking at all of the facts? Because when it comes to business, nothing beats a realistic strategy backed up by facts, facts that reflect the reality of your end markets, economic conditions and, of course, your organizational capabilities. The more your goals deal with business reality, the more quickly you will develop actions that will ensure your business’ success.
 
REFECTION # 3 – Links to Strategy
 
Of course I had to leave the most important reflection for last! I have written many times about the need for consistency from leaders. Consistency demands having a clear and well-defined culture and a strategy that will support and reaffirm the desired environment and drive the level of success your business requires. Subsequently, as you are in this meeting and everyone is in the game and you believe the actions reflect the reality of the day, that’s when you need to take a moment. Take a moment to find the bridge from the decisions made today to the key strategic pillars that define your company’s success both presently and in the future. This bridge will not only reaffirm your strategic direction but it will also increase the speed and results of your decisions.
 
Once you have accomplished this trifecta you will now have the capability to leverage the full strength of your organization and to maximize your results. So take some time and reflect on these three bookmarks and remember …Listen, Reality and Strategy.

Categories: Executive Coaching, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

The Fool’s Fool

I found a quote the other day and it captures many a conversation I have had with some highly intelligent clients of mine. The quote said, and I’m paraphrasing here, "Never argue with a fool. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.”            – Sarah Cook

 

I would say that most of the CEOs and executives I work with don't have any issues dealing with a direct report not quite up to their intellectual standards. But when they have to deal with one of those dogs that can't hunt and said dog is also in a position of power like their boss or a Director or even a peer, these highly intelligent executives become victims of those who know so little. So what can you do when you find yourself suffering a fool’s fate??

 

For the sake of simplicity (and this blog) let's just assume that the fool you are dealing with is your boss. This executive may be occupying the physical space (mere geography) of a leader but they have yet to step into the intellectual or inspirational roles one would expect of someone at that level. Meanwhile you have exhausted every avenue to advance what most would assume to be logical business objectives. Your frustration continues to grow and you are rapidly coming to the conclusion that fighting this insanity is useless. In addition and for some ridiculous reason, the universe is allowing this imbalance of logic to continue – here enters hair pulling and choice, four letter expletives. At this point it’s been my experience that one of two avenues is taken by most executives:

 

1)    You start to question yourself. It seems to you that since the fool is currently squatting in the geographical location that you covet, then perhaps there is something you are missing! This is a slippery slope my friend because once you leave your knowledge at the door and replace logic with frustration and self-doubt, surrender is imminent and now you have entered the fool’s territory! Refer back to the quote above for the complete “aha” moment.

 

2)    You decide to be the aggressor and make the decision that two can play at this game. The aforementioned conclusion is true if you yourself are a fool but you are reading this blog and, therefore, are not a fool. So you enter the land of Foolville completely out of your element and with no real knowledge of how this game is played. Now, like any other rookie you end up looking to others as the real problem because of your sheer inexperience. The biggest danger in this scenario: if you can actually out fool the fool. You see, when you out fool the fool you have instantly become the kind of person you’ve detested almost all of your life and you can't take enough showers to wash that stink off!!

 

So what is the solution to this dilemma?

 

A. Faith – In 30 years of working with business leaders I have found that a fool’s time in the sun is limited. Some go down in a fiery blaze while others get pushed aside and fade away. Over time, business results, intelligence and pure business momentum make them obsolete. Now if you don't have time to join the faithful, then this dilemma has turned into a career decision and is no longer about the executive but rather about your inability to deal with them.

 

B. Strategy – Get agreement early around the strategy and don't get caught up in the weeds of tasks, the fools live here and can derail any strategy by arguing minute details. When you feel the frustration building you need to go back to the strategy, get agreement and then show how the task aligns with/reinforces the strategy. You may need to repeat this often but use the strategy to gain agreement; all tasks cascade from the strategy.

 

C. Recalibration – If your goal is a perfect ten then you need to assess the affect the fool has on achieving your goal. Most of the time the executive can affect 20% to 30% of what is possible so you need to focus on the remaining 80% and execute flawlessly that which you can control and accomplish. Focusing on the fool and your unattainable goal of that perfect ten only creates an environment that sub optimizes any results; this is detrimental to the business, your people and to your career. What you need to remember is that a fool will ultimately leave and someone else will inevitably take their place but here’s the kicker – the first question they will ask you is why you have not managed what was in your control. And before you know it, you have become the fool’s fool.

 

So when your inner voice tells you that you cannot let the fool win this game and your competitiveness wants to kick into another gear, remember this famous quote:

 

The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.
– Albert Einstein

 

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My goal for this blog has always been two-fold. First, I have the opportunity to share my insights and years of experience with you, the reader. And second, I myself get to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. To make this blog a mutually beneficial experience, I would ask that you take the time to post your comments, your questions and your own war stories from your years in the business. Let’s use this blog to generate dialogue on the issues we’ve all faced in our businesses and work together to come to some great solutions.

 

To see more of my blog and find more helpful tips, you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 

Categories: Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , ,