Leadership Spine Poems as Reflective Practice: If Your Books Could Talk…

May 9, 2013 — 8 Comments
roysspinepoem 300x225 Leadership Spine Poems as Reflective Practice: If Your Books Could Talk...

Roy Nickerson’s Leadership Spine Poem

What does your bookshelf say about you?  What if your leadership books could collaborate to support your growth?  Spine Poems provide new perspective on your reading choices.  The idea, take a quick look at your shelf, and use the spines to create a poem.

The exercise provides perspective your topics of choice and how they hang together.   Give it a try. What are your books yearning to say?

I asked my online friends to play along.  Here’s what their books are saying…

Leadership Spine Poems (Examples)

Be the Best At What Matters Most-David Dye

Create Distinction
Think Sideways
On Leadership
Make a Scene
The Mission Myth
Own the Stage Continue Reading…

In Callings, leadership books, Questions , , , , ,
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Interviewing? 4 Ways to Set Yourself Apart

May 8, 2013 — 4 Comments

iStock 000023703627XSmall 150x99 Interviewing? 4 Ways to Set Yourself Apart

It takes more than qualifications to get the job.  Don’t count on your track record.  In a close race, best prepared wins.

Two candidates were interviewing for a District Sales Manager position.  Both had great backgrounds and qualifications. Both nailed the Behavior Based Interview, and we moved on to talk about their planned approach.

Joe (not his real name) came with his generic 90 day strategy.  It was as if he had read Michael Watkin’s Book, The First 90 Days,* and copied the generic advice into his plan. His key actions looked like that of so many other candidates.  Part of Joe’s plan was to visit every store in his territory in the first 30 days.  Yawn.

*p.s I love Watkin’s book. It’s a great read when applied well. Continue Reading…

In grow your career , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Why Smart People Do Stupid Work

May 7, 2013 — 10 Comments

stupid 300x225 Why Smart People Do Stupid WorkDespite my best efforts to encourage employees to think, question, and recommend change, on any given day, I know there are people on my team doing tasks they know are stupid.

Stupid work includes…

  • reinforcing policies without thinking
  • making decisions that lose customers
  • generating reports no one uses
  • focusing on trivial matters when the sky is falling around them
  • _______ I’ll stop here to let you fill in the blank.
  •  If you find that cathartic here’s a few more blanks___________, ___________.

Bottom line, If it feels stupid it probably is.

Forest Gump said “stupid is as stupid does…”  But I know the truth.  Stupid is as stupid leads. Continue Reading…

In Culture, Empowerment, Execution, Trust , , , ,
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May 2013 Leadership Development Carnival

May 6, 2013 — Leave a comment

finalleadership carnival logo 150x67 May 2013 Leadership Development CarnivalWhat an amazing line-up contributions for the May Leadership Development Carnival. A heartfelt thanks to all the thought leaders who contributed to this diverse collection.  I would like to also personally thank the LD Carnival founder, Dan McCarthy, for an opportunity to host this edition. This is particularly exciting for me since Dan was the first blogger I had a “real” conversation with when I started as a novice blogger in June.  He offered great insights and began connecting me with others.  As I put together the carnival, it was wonderful to see the submissions pouring in from so many fantastic people I have met and grown with since then.

Being a Better Boss

Dan McCarthy of  Great Leadership shares his post, 6 Types of Bosses.  Dan answers the question we all wonder from time to time, “ “If all of this leadership development stuff is supposed to be so great, then why are there so many bad bosses?”

Wally Bock of  Three Star Leadership shares  The Disease of Me.  The Disease of Me can destroy relationships and careers. It’s easy to catch.

Collaboration

In Collaboration Trust copy 150x135 May 2013 Leadership Development Carnival

In Collaboration We Trust, Jon Mertz

Jon Mertz shares his post, In Collaboration We Trust from his blog Thin Difference.  Collaboration succeeds when trust is active and trust is embedded in interactions, mission, connections, and progress forward. Continue Reading…

In Creativity, Culture, customer service, Empowerment, Execution, Failing, Fear and Courage, grow your career, motivation, Performance, Productivity, Questions, Relationships, Risk taking, Teamwork
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Teaching Your Team Executive Presence: The Green Jacket Effect

May 3, 2013 — 7 Comments

iStock 000019194278XSmall 100x150 Teaching Your Team Executive Presence: The Green Jacket Effect Executive presence is not just for executives.  Your team must learn to tell their story.  You can help.

A Familiar Story

You want your team to perform well in front of senior leadership. They’ve practiced their elevator speeches. But, when the exec shows up, they get nervous and eat their shoe. Nerves block circulation.  Frightened tongues babble. Your phone rings and you spend the next 20 minutes explaining that Joe really is smarter than he looks—damaging your credibility while trying to salvage his. Continue Reading…

In accountability, Communication, Help People to Grow
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10,000 Human Beings

May 2, 2013 — 16 Comments

iStock 000008108166XSmall 150x99 10,000 Human Beings

Fred’s Story

Fred (not his real name) has a beautiful habit. Every time we discuss a strategy, policy, or project, he stops and asks about the “human beings.” His words are transformative.   Fred doesn’t speak of “resources,” “headcount” “people” “employees” or even “team members.”  He talks about humans.

Fred Asks…

  • “How will this change impact the human beings in that center?”
  • “Will this system be hard for 400 human beings to learn in 3 days?”
  • “What information do these human beings need to be successful?”
  • “How much time can we give these 800 human beings to look for a new job?”
  • “How will those 12 human beings react to our decision.”
  • “Is this the right thing to do as a human being?

Lessons From Fred

It’s not semantics.  It’s people.  Words change conversations– every time.

I’m entrusted with 10,000 human beings, not human resources.

I must…

  • slow down
  • ask better questions
  • learn who they are
  • tell them more
  • inspire
  • lead better

We must…

Pause.  Think deeper.  Put ourselves in their shoes.  Think about our friends in similar situations.  Personalize our leadership.   Be a human being leading human beings.

How can leaders shift the conversation to focus more on the people involved?

See Also:  Can Those People Be Trusted (SmartBlog)

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In Communication, Culture , , ,
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Resources for Building Your Personal Brand

May 1, 2013 — 12 Comments

You work hard.  You’ve got great results.  Your team loves you.  You’ve made strong internal connections.  That’s a start.   But others are doing more.

Define what matters most.  Build your brand.  Share it with the world.  Build relationships and find resources beyond your current reach.

 Don’t wait for tomorrow to matter beyond your current role. 

Perhaps you’re “too busy…” “don’t know how…or “hate to toot your own horn…”  Get past that.  Learn how (resources below).  Make the time.  Connect.

Executive Coach, Speaker and Consultant, Henna Inam, is building her platform. She recently found me through social media and asked to connect… just as I do with others. That’s not networking, that’s building real relationships.  It’s easy.  It just takes a few minutes to make a connection.  She’s got a mission to help women realize their potential as transformational leaders.  I have a mission to grow leaders at all levels.  We should know one another and collaborate. She shares insights on building your brand (excerpt and link below).    That’s only the beginning.  You can build these kinds of relationships too.

Five Steps To Amplifying Your Leadership Brand Continue Reading…

In grow your career, Help People to Grow , , ,
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Mentoring Moments: Just in Time Support

April 30, 2013 — 12 Comments

iStock 000010331854XSmall 101x150 Mentoring Moments: Just in Time SupportSomeone asks you to be their mentor.  You’re not sure you can commit. It’s a lot of time, and you’re already overloaded.  Plus you’ve mentored in several formal mentoring programs and it felt forced and awkward.

Formal programs can stifle a good relationship.   Even organic relationships can lose steam with too much structure.  Worse, many connections never start for fear of commitment.

Mentoring Moments

“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” -Phil Collins

Instead of saying, “yes! I’ll be your mentor,” or “I’m sorry, I can’t at this time,” how about a simple, “I’d be happy to talk with you.”  Keep it natural.  Find time to connect.  Figure out why they thought of you.  Help where you can.  Connect them to others who can support.  If it makes sense to set a follow-up, do that.   Don’t get stuck mentoring past helpfulness.  Growing leaders can benefit from a series of mentoring moments with a broad spectrum of leaders.  You will learn from these moments too.

Tips for a Making Great Mentoring Moments

  • Ask lots of questions
  • Work on a specific skill
  • Pull out the answers
  • Provide information and encouragement
  • Help them ask “why?”
  • Dust them off when they fail
  • Encourage self-reflection
  • Serve as sounding board
  • Remove obstacles
  • Uncover resources
  • Create additional connections

10 Mentoring Moment Sentence Starters

  • Have you thought about…
  • What do you think would happen if…
  • Why do you think that happened?
  • Who should you involve?
  • When is the best time to do this?
  • Why are you pursuing that approach?
  • Which are the most important goals?
  • What will happen next?
  • Why does that make you so angry?
  • Who can help?

 What makes for a great mentoring moment?

See Also:
Won’t You Be My Mentor
Nemesis Mentors
Don’t Get a Mentor
Speed Mentoring

In Listening, Mentoring , , ,
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