Archives For leadership

Moms Growing Leaders: A Mother’s Day Tribute

May 10, 2013 — 22 Comments
momsadvice 300x225 Moms Growing Leaders: A Mothers Day Tribute

Thanks to Joy Guthrie for drawing the lesson from my mom https://twitter.com/VizwerxGroup

If you ask my mom if she’s a leader, she’ll say “no.”  And then, everyone who knows her will just shake their heads and laugh.  People follow leaders toward a vision.  Leaders serve.  Leaders grow leaders.  My mom’s a leader.  She’s grown a nice crop.

Moms Growing Leaders

Some moms hold formal leadership roles.  Others do not.  Either way, don’t underestimate the impact.  Over the last few weeks, I’ve been asking successful leaders what their moms taught them about leadership.  Some great insights shared below.

In the spirit of Mother’s Day, take a minute to reflect.  What did your mom teach you about leadership?  Share in the comments… more importantly, if you still can, tell your mom.  Don’t assume she understands the impact.

What Moms Taught Us

“My mother taught me about creativity and passion for what you do. My grandmother taught me perseverance and hard work while always finding the joy (and a smile) in the moment. My great aunt taught me to respect the wisdom and the work of those who came before who put you in the position you are. My great great grandmother taught me that anything is possible when you put your mind to it, no matter what the circumstances. A long way to say – I have had great teachers.”  -Kahina Van Dyke, Global Women’s Executive Leadership Council Continue Reading…

In accountability, confidence, Developing Leadership in Children, Empowerment, Fear and Courage, Listening , , ,
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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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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)

Please help spread the word about Let’s Grow Leaders through subscribing, commenting and sharing.  

In Communication, Culture , , ,
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Best Leadership Books for Frontline Leaders

April 26, 2013 — 11 Comments
books2 150x100 Best Leadership Books for Frontline LeadersI’m always being asked for recommendations on the best leadership books for frontline leaders.  I share my favorites with you throughout my posts, so this time I thought I’d ask the Let’s Grow Leaders Community.  I cast the best leadership book net in all my online communities, asking “what one book would you recommend for new leaders.”  I also asked my own team for their views on most impactful leadership books in their journey.  I am happy to share some of their favorites (all titles include links).
“The first thing would be to give them a library card because, if they stop reading, they will stop leading effectively.”

 Top 10 Leadership Books for Frontline Leaders*

  1. The Leadership Challenge (Kouzes and Pozner)
  2. Leadership and Self-Deception (Arbinger Institute)
  3. Who Moved My Cheese (Spencer Johnson)
  4. The Speed of Trust (and other books by Stephen Covey)
  5. How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie)
  6. Bud to Boss (Kevin Eikenberry)
  7. The First 90 Days (Michael Watkins)
  8. Execution:  The Discipline of Getting Things Done (Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan)
  9. The 21 Indespensable Qualites of a Leader (and other books by John Maxwell)
  10. Emotional Intelligence (Daniel Goleman)

Bonus:  The Holy Bible (God et al)

As nominated by various LinkedIn Groups, Google Plus Groups, Twitter, and Let’s Grow Leaders Facebook Page

Other Popular and Interesting Choices

Practical Advice

Culture

Career

Strategy

Inspiration and Meaning

See Also:

Children’s Books on Leadership:  Questions to Inspire Young Thinking
Kid’s Books on Leadership for the Older Crowd:  Insights From India
David Dye’s List:  12 Influential Books

In Listening , , ,
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Less is Less: The Problem with Soundbites

April 2, 2013 — 5 Comments

iStock 000020991775XSmall 300x300 Less is Less: The Problem with SoundbitesI’ve screwed up “less,” by extrapolating to more.   I’ve embarrassed myself by jumping to soundbites.

Something is wrong somewhere… in one location, on one team, with one important customer.

Don’t assume the problem is far-reaching.   One mistake may be one mistake.  One employee does not represent the entire team.  One problem may not mean you need more training, incentives, or change.  Beware of the one-off sound bite. Continue Reading…

In Listening , , , ,
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Why Aren’t You Leading?

March 21, 2013

iStock 000023138913XSmall 200x300 Why Arent You Leading?

My friend ran up to me while we were waiting to pick up our kids. “I’ve got this great idea and I know a lot of people are interested.”  I listened.  It was brilliant. I was ready to sign up to help.   But next she shared,  ”Nobody’s asked me to start leading it.. so why should I volunteer?”   And then, “I keep hoping somebody else will step up and take the lead.”  I couldn’t help but think that “somebody” was me.

Let me get this right.  It’s a great idea.  And you COULD do it.  You WANT to do it.  But you WON’T because no one has THOUGHT of asking you?

“Yeah, I’m just waiting.  It would be a lot of work.”
“If you lead it, I will help you,” I offered.
She quickly changed the subject.

She was perfect for the leadership role.  Her feelings were hurt… she wanted someone to invite her to lead.  Not just someone.  The right someone.   She is still waiting.  No one is leading. The effort is effortless.

“No One Asked Me”

Perhaps this is happening to you.  You care deeply.  Change must happen.  They need you.  You are qualified.  You have big ideas.

  • “I’m not sure I’m ready.”
  • “I might fail”
  • “I’m scared”
  • “It’s too much work”
  • “I’m too busy”
  • “No one asked me.”

No one is going to ask you to lead.

  • It’s unlikely that the guys in the department down the hall are sitting around thinking of you for that special assignment
  • The folks at church see how much you already have on your plate and think you’re too busy
  • The PTA has no idea you have talent
  • You can see the obvious next step, what makes you sure it’s clear to others?

Leading or Losing

If you wait to be asked, it’s less likely you will have to do anything.  If you don’t do it, you cannot fail.  Try:

  • Starting small:  offer to do the pilot, or one session….
  • Co-leading:  2 heads are a great way to start
  • Submitting a proposal
  • Volunteering for a similar effort and take notes
  • ?
  • Or follow this twitter LEADER.

@LetsGrowLeaders I always was a follower but I feel with God’s help I can be a leader.  Amen.

What are YOU waiting for?

Related Posts:

The Top 7 Ways to End Frustrating Wait Time
Why Volunteering Makes You a Better Leader
The Secret to the 9 Box Performance Potential Grid
Are Today’s Young Women Afraid to Lead?

In Callings, Change, confidence, Empowerment, Fear and Courage , , , ,
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5 Indications the Feedback is Not About You

March 4, 2013 — 10 Comments

iStock 000014512836XSmall 225x300 5 Indications the Feedback is Not About YouHave you ever received frustrating feedback? Have you ever wanted to shout, “are you freaking serious?…” “Have you looked at the impact YOU are making?”  ”I don’t want to roll like you…” Continue Reading…

In Authenticity, Fear and Courage , , ,
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5 Secrets to a Kick-Butt Kickoff (how to host a motivational meeting)

February 25, 2013 — 1 Comment

kickoff1 300x200 5 Secrets to a Kick Butt Kickoff (how to host a motivational meeting)Are you looking to host a kickoff meeting to inspire and motivate your team?  When’s the last time you got the whole crowd together to rally around the vision, celebrate progress and have a little fun?

What if you got this note in your email today (I did)?

“I was approached by one of my employees this morning. He wanted to share with me what the Kickoff meant to him. He stated that he was so inspired by the enthusiasm and the things he heard, that he wanted to work harder than he ever has before. He said that he woke up 3 times in the middle of the night, thinking about what he had learned. He kept thinking about what he had to do to make sure that he made it up on stage next year as a top performer.   He came into work today with a great attitude and a desire to create a WOW experience with every person he spoke to today.   I also observed him in the break room today encouraging another representatives from his team to do the same.”

And then a follow-up message from one of the leaders on my team:

“and, that’s why we do what we do.”  My response was one word.  ”Amen.”

The secret is not a great venue, fancy AV, or a high-priced motivational speaker.  I’ve seen successful kickoffs in parking lots and warehouses.  It’s something else…  Continue Reading…

In Creativity, Culture, Recognition, Storytelling, Vision , , , , ,
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