by Becky Robinson | Leadership
Today’s guest author is Becky Robinson, writing in support of the launch of Lead Positive, the latest book from Kathryn D. Cramer, PhD. Dr. Cramer, who is passionate about possibilities and potential, is an Emmy-winner, business consultant, psychologist, and author who has written nine books, including the best-selling Change the Way You See Everything. She created and has dedicated her life to asset-based thinking (ABT), a way of looking at the world that helps leaders, influencers, and their teams make small shifts in thinking to produce extraordinary impact. Her latest book, Lead Positive: What Highly Effective Leaders See, Say & Do , shows leaders how to increase their effectiveness through her revolutionary mindset management process, Asset-Based Thinking.
Last week at a business lunch, one of my colleagues said a surprising thing.
In referencing some subcontractors who left our company last summer, she declared “Their leaving our company is one of the best things that have happened to our team.”
I remember how I felt when they left. I cried. I took it personally. I felt discouraged. I wanted to quit. I struggled to identify the right people to fill in the gaps they left. (more…)
by Dr. Richard Reichel | Leadership
Today’s guest post is from Dr. Richard R. Reichel, author of Everybody is an Actor. Dr. Reichel has a long and varied experience in the film and TV industries and holds multiple degrees including a doctorate in counseling psychology. Dr. Reichel created an innovative and comprehensive acting system that’s also helpful for anyone looking to have more confidence and be more assertive at work, social situations, school or even at home.
Having more confidence, having less stress, discovering inner resources, and improving relationships—there are thousands of self-help books to help us accomplish these goals, but do they work?
Self-help books can work, as far as they go, but they don’t address a key component that affects everything from how we feel about ourselves to how successfully we interact with others. That key component is the fact that we’re all actors—at work, school, home, even alone in front of the bathroom mirror.
We’re always playing the character of “Me,” but we also have to play other characters. The better we are at it, the happier and more successful we’ll be. (more…)
by Jane Perdue | Leadership
His joy was absolutely infectious.
It touched me, and I was standing some 20 feet away awaiting the final frothing of a vanilla latte.
He was back in the kitchen, laughing and teasing what I presume to be a co-worker. She was smiling, and her eyes twinkling.
I could hear an unseen co-worker laughing, too.
Everyone’s good spirits back there made me smile and chuckle.
“He forgot to take his meds today,” said the woman making my coffee. Her tone was disapproving. “I’m sorry you have to hear that.” (more…)
by Bob Epperly | Leadership
Today’s guest post is from Bob Epperly, a former Exxon executive turned life coach, author of Growing Up After Fifty, and co-author of Interactive Career Development: Integrating Employer and Employee Goals.
With the unemployment rate dropping to 7 percent, lower than it was even five years ago and down from a peak of 10 percent in October 2009, many are breathing a sigh of relief. But the effects of a long bout of high unemployment are sure to have thrown off the balance of employee well-being.
Of course, the rate does not take into account those who are underemployed, including over-skilled workers in menial jobs and those with too few hours.
For those lucky enough to have decent employment, many feel insecure and are willing to skew their work-life balance into a tailspin, with exaggerated emphasis on their career.
Most people cannot afford to simply refuse the demands of their job, so what’s a person to do?
I offer five tips for correcting lifestyle imbalance. (more…)
by Jane Perdue | Leadership
I sit on the board of directors for a nonprofit that’s in the process of fine-tuning its mission and strategy.
Over the last few months, the organization has done its due diligence about how it runs itself—conducting focus groups and surveys; studying program participation; reviewing revenue, expenses, and donor history; checking out its competitors and assessing its differentiators; doing a SWOT analysis; gauging available resources, etc.
Not bad for a small organization working within the confines of a very limited budget.
So that all board members could fully participate in the strategy working session, the organization hired a meeting facilitator. An orientation session with the facilitator, staff and board was scheduled so the facilitator could be brought up-to-speed on both the research and the desired deliverables so she could design the flow of the meeting.
After listening to the readout, the facilitator’s first response was to ask for a copy of the organization’s balanced scorecard for the last ten years. She also inquired if the organization had worked with an outside consultant firm to create a PESTEL* analysis.
Her questions were greeted with silence and a few averted gazes, then a few audible sighs followed. Those from the corporate world understood her ask; those from smaller businesses or other nonprofits didn’t.
“In an ideal world, especially a for-profit one with deep pockets, having those data points in a highly organized way would be helpful,” responded a meeting participant. “Truth is, most of the needed information for the incremental changes being proposed is already here. We just have to dig a little.”
“But still, having all the information in a single, organized report would be much better,” countered the facilitator with some emphasis in her voice. “And besides, the six-month timeframe being discussed for the work can’t be done. It’s too short. Strategy work should span three to five years to be done properly.”
More deafening silence.
Sometimes good enough is all you need
Are you a stickler for data, lots of it and all beautifully organized? Are you a genius at pointing out the reasons things can’t be done? Do you assume simplicity equates to stupidity? Do you like using words that people don’t understand?
If “yes,” has anyone ever called you a buzzkill?
Effort and ideas can be as fragile as grandma’s porcelain tea cup. Be gentle with them.
Sometimes you have to meet people where they are and start from there. That starting place may not be ideal according to your standards, but at least it’s a beginning.
Sometimes good enough is enough. Most work is beautiful alchemy—part art, part science.
Go with it.
Securing every last piece of researchable information takes valuable time and may not yield a better solution. The days of working with three to five year time horizons for creating strategy are gone, and so are most of the companies that embraced those notions.
Seize the moment, the momentum and make some leadership magic!
Ever worked with a facilitator like this one? How did you handle it?
*an external analysis reflecting the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal components of an organization’s macroeconomic environment
Image source before quote: morgueFile | A version this post first appeared on Lead Change Group
by Jane Perdue | Leadership
A small group of us meet monthly for coffee, connection and conversation. Everyone was a buzz at last Friday’s pow-wow, busy sharing their 2014 resolutions.
Meaningful and ambitious plans were disclosed: getting a new job, losing weight, traveling to Europe, writing a book, being more patient, spending more time with family, getting organized. Such good stuff.
Then it was my turn, and I had nothing to share. Not a single 2014 resolution.
Intentionally so. (more…)
