by Sharon Becker | Creativity, Women
Sharon Becker
Being a psychotherapist, I am fascinated by the process of change.
Beyond what I do, my current passion for helping others, particularly women, to take advantage of the change process has exponentially grown based on my own personal experiences.
At age forty, I changed career paths, discovered new skills I possessed that I would never have imagined and began to view the world through different lenses.
What changed?
It was more of an unfolding. (more…)
by Amy Diederich | Creativity
Capability is daring yourself to stretch and see that you don’t have a limit to your potential.
A former boss used to say, “whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” When she would say this, I’d roll my eyes and think, oh what a Pollyanna!
However, if you examine how our brains work, she’s right! Our brain is designed to filter out information that doesn’t fit with our self-image or capability. (more…)
by Jane Perdue | Creativity
Ever have one of those days where you’re feeling blue because something really worthwhile is going to come to an end because the person in charge says they want help but really don’t?
That’s me today.
A leader asked several individuals, myself included, for our help in getting a project off the cliff’s edge of financial collapse. The caliber of the individuals providing advice is impressive; what they have to say moves me. Their intelligence and passion are formidable. They care. (more…)
by Jane Perdue | Creativity
Listening to the CEO of the $500m manufacturing firm describe the exploits of his operations vice president was fascinating:
“Louis was an incredible leader…again. When the product defect was discovered, he told his team to do whatever was needed to fix it. After two weeks of all-hands-on-deck work, Louis got the glitch (more…)
by Jane Perdue | Creativity, Workplace tips
“It’s fascinating when Sally and Greg are in the same meeting. You can count on Sally to point out what’s wrong and Greg to focus on what’s right. Together they make the perfect glass half-empty, half-full pair.”
Sally and Greg’s styles represent two of Dr. Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats™ – an effective method for moving beyond limiting mindsets: I’m right/you’re wrong, confrontation, either/or, number-cruncher. (more…)
by Jane Perdue | Creativity, Leadership, Workplace tips
Leaders are immersed in metrics, perpetually measuring and quantifying business performance in pursuit of the next improvement, double-digit growth or to beat the market.
Too bad there isn’t a similar quest for connections.
Connecting is good for individuals and for business. The research is a little dated, yet back in the late nineties Sears discovered that a 5% increase in employee satisfaction produced a 1.3% positive bump in customer satisfaction which, in turn, yielded a 0.5% increase in revenue growth. How? Leaders transcending “it’s all about me and/or the bottom line” by building connections and relationships.
People do the work, so connecting with them should be high on a leader’s priority list, right alongside strategizing, budgeting and planning the next acquisition. In Touchpoints: Creating Powerful Leadership Connections in the Smallest of Moments, Doug Conant and Mette Norgaard write,
“Each of the many interactions you have during your day is an opportunity to establish high performance expectations, to infuse with greater clarity and more energy, and to influence the course of events.”
5 ways for leaders to reframe, connect and grow
Try one (or more) of these five ways to build and foster meaningful associations (not just clicking a “like” icon!) with your work team, employees, colleagues, others within your company, and with the wider world:
1) Own up to your mistakes.
Stories abound in the press about leaders, politicians, etc. who cover up their lies and seem surprised when their credibility is lost. It takes real personal leadership to make yourself vulnerable and disclose your blunders. To be vulnerable is to be strong.
2) Be generous with your time.
Don’t get caught in the trap of thinking you’re too busy to meet people for coffee, chat for a few minutes after a meeting or take in the occasional networking event. People want affiliation, so be the one who gives it to them.
3) Shift your perspective.
Tony Schwartz, President of the Energy Project, calls this viewing the world through “a reverse lens.” Sure we want to get the sales report to the boss as soon as we can, yet when a colleague drops in unexpectedly, reframe the situation as an opportunity to engage and/or influence rather than as an interruption.
4) Practice reciprocity.
If you want people to play in your sandbox, you have to play in theirs from time to time.
5) Share, don’t hoard.
Communicate what’s happening—tell what you can. Start a discussion. Connect like-minded people and even contrarians. Recommend articles, websites, books, etc. Being viewed as a subject matter expert and/or the “go-to” person for ideas boosts both personal and professional connections.
With whom will you connect today?
Image source before quote: morgueFile.com
