Does your team know your core values and personality style?
Is your behavior consistent in all your interactions with your colleagues?
Do you sometimes find yourself following a pattern of behaviors that others’ expect from you, instead of creating your own?
Do you experience a level of stress trying to perform to others’ standards? (more…)
Quick quiz for everyone!
Raise your hand if you…
I’m guessing most of you raised your hand on at least 5 or 6 out of that list of 7 items.
Well, I’d like to announce that the new normal is here. There’s no need to wait for it any longer. For some of you that’s good news, for others, you’re groaning. (more…)
Imagine taking a trip to Niagara Falls, New York, observing the beauty and power of the rushing water, as you peer through the mist to see across the international border. You could be surrounded by other tourists, wearing rain ponchos as protection from the water spray, and taking pictures of the rock formations surrounding it. But what if you instead, stepped onto a wire two inches in diameter, strung 1500 feet from one side to the other, and step by step crossed onto the other side? (more…)
Think back to the start of your professional journey. What if you knew your full capabilities, your potential, your value? What difference would that have made in your decisions? How would it have increased your confidence to pursue your goals?
A research study has shown that our confidence increases over the course of our career[1]. It makes sense. Over time, we learn from our successes and failures. We discover how to get better results based on our personal style and capabilities. We figure out how to navigate tough situations. We gain clarity about our goals. In fact, the women surveyed rated themselves as 15 points less confident than men in their mid-20s, with both increasing to the same level of confidence by the time they reached their mid-40s. (more…)
Kevin crouched near the edge of the cliff, 2,000 feet above the valley floor. Still slightly out of breath from the last leg of his climb, he surveyed the vast forest below him, the denseness of the trees, a lower summit off to the right, and a river running through it along the highway far below. From this vantage point he could see miles and miles of largely undisturbed woods and rugged terrain. It was beautiful yet overwhelming to take it all in.
He was reminded of why he decided to hike to this peak in the first place; the need to find solitude and think about the overwhelming amount of information he was managing as CEO of his company. Strategic decisions needed to be made about the coming fiscal year, and while he had a capable team, they tended to focus on their individual piece of the organization.
Kevin felt accountable for integrating it all into a comprehensive plan. As the leader, he had the vantage point of seeing the implications of everything in ways that others didn’t. But he was beginning to think more about that responsibility. How can he effectively use his vantage point to be a better leader, and to get better results with his team? What fundamentals did he need to think about to make a positive impact on the business? (more…)
Everyone has a purpose, but not everyone will recognize it and fulfill it. And one of the biggest reasons why is because they won’t have the patience to go through the process to see it come to pass. Joe is a good example of how practicing patience and preparation ultimately led to fulfilling his purpose.
Joe grew up the youngest of four brothers on the family farm in the Midwest. His father owned herds of cattle and while they weren’t poor, they were far from rich. One day Joe had a dream that he would be running a multi-million-dollar company and make a distinctive impact on millions of people. Different from any other dream, this one was vivid and clear. The next morning, he remembered every detail of it and couldn’t shake the feeling that somehow this meant something. Now this seemed the farthest thing from reality because none of Joe’s brothers had gone to college or left the family business, and there was no expectation that he would either. (more…)
What were you doing as a teenager that really excited you and that you continue to do today?
A speaker asked this question years ago while talking to a group about understanding their strengths and passions in life. Several years later, when I was at a pivot point in my career, trying to decide whether to take the “safe” route, which required less faith, or the “risky” route, which required a lot of faith, it helped me make my decision. I recognized four key things I did during my teens that I was passionate about and how I continued these themes later in life.
Writing – When I was about 14, I decided on my own to read 1 and 2 Corinthians in the Bible and write down, chapter by chapter, what it meant to me. I was analyzing and trying to understand it and relate it to current life. Thirty years later, I continued that theme by writing a book of insights reflecting a faith- based approach to leadership. And I’ve followed that by writing a monthly commentary for individuals, teams and organizations focused on development of successful leadership skills. For me, the creativity of writing is intellectually stimulating and has become a passion and a priority in life. (more…)
Do you know what people are saying about you when you’re not in the room? Do you know what they think of your performance, your presence, your purpose and your personality? Rather than being unconcerned about what others think, it’s important to ensure that their perception of you aligns with how you want to be perceived. Because the answers to these questions are part of your personal brand.
Glenn Llopis describes personal brand as “the total experience of someone having a relationship with who you are and what you represent as an individual; as a leader.”1 It’s your promise that you will do what you said you will do. It’s your reputation that attracts others to you, or pushes them away. Establishing and managing your brand is an ongoing process fueled by continual behavioral inputs that remind others of who you are, what you do, and how you can support them. Leaders must develop their brand so that it validates their work and provides a platform to connect with others and accomplish their goals.
Several centuries ago, during the Revolutionary War, a group of soldiers were trying to move a heavy piece of lumber that was blocking the road. As hard as they tried, over and over again, they couldn’t seem to move it from the ground. Their corporal stood nearby giving them direction and probably graciously allowing them a brief period of rest. He may have even sought their input on “how” to best move the huge piece of wood. But after their repeated efforts, his patience was wearing thin.
Another more senior army officer came along on horseback and observed their efforts. After a moment, he suggested that the corporal help his men. The corporal responded with a tinge of offense in his voice, “Me? Why, I’m a corporal sir!”
The senior officer dismounted his horse and stepped over to the men. He positioned himself alongside them, and gave the order to “heave”. All of a sudden, the timber moved into the position where they needed it, no longer blocking the pathway.
He then turned to the corporal and told him, “The next time you have a piece of timber for your men to move, just call the commander-in-chief.” The officer was George Washington.
Washington’s behavior modeled servant leadership. He led by example. He didn’t merely direct others, or solicit their input. He demonstrated his willingness to serve and support them. And as a result the soldiers felt his tangible encouragement of their work; and he understood the challenges of their roles.
We frequently talk about purpose in the context of individuals or organizations, but there are other areas where identification and understanding of purpose is critical. One such instance is in the context of leadership, and Isadore Sharp, founder and Chairman of the iconic Four Seasons Hotel brand provides a great example.
Sharp finished college with an architecture degree and joined his father’s construction business in the Toronto area. After building several motor hotels, he recognized that his passion lay not in constructing and owning hotel buildings, but in providing a premier guest experience and level of customer service. He wanted to “welcome customers and treat them like guests coming into our home.” 1 So Sharp shifted from being a hotel owner-operator into managing hotel properties. His priority is a commitment to the Golden Rule, where employees and guests alike are treated with respect. Along the way he had to examine the behavior of his senior leadership team and part company with those who couldn’t lead by example. As a result, with 96 properties in 41 countries and annual revenues in excess of $4B, both customer and employee retention is high, and they’ve been on the list of 100 Best Places to Work for 18 consecutive years.
Sharp understands that his leadership purpose was to provide a premier level of hospitality and service. And over time, he recognized the importance of building the right team around him, whose perfomance aligned with that purpose. He fulfills his purpose based on leadership strengths of treating guests with respect and sincerity, and providing the right location and environment for a first class stay. He consistently embeds it into every aspect of his organization’s processes, rewards and behaviors; and believes that a true leader influences not from a position of power, but from a position of respect.2 His leadership purpose and strengths, then work together to accomplish his leadership goal of generating a reasonable profit that benefits the company, hotel owners, customers and employees.
Leadership purpose forms the “why” of your leadership. Are you seeking a leadership role simply because of the power, position, people or profits? Or are you leading because of the purpose, mission and vision that you are pursuing, no matter the size of the role? Leadership strengths are the capabilities and critical success factors necessary to operate in your purpose. And leadership goals are the results you accomplish in your work. (more…)