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Coaching & Developing Others, Communication & Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, Personal & Professional Development

Innovation According to Jack Nicholson

Ask my team and they will tell you I am full of (too many?) new ideas, and ask me and I will tell you that we don’t always innovate as much as I would like. Thinking about this paradox on a flight yesterday led me to look squarely at me. After all, if we aren’t innovating as much or as effectively as I’d like, the burden of changing that starts with me.

As I thought about it, I kept hearing Jack Nicholson’s voice, as Colonel Nathan Jessup in the movie A Few Good Men (pardon me for the paraphrase)

“You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you don’t really want innovation. You use words like creativity, and new products, and supporting ideas, and making a difference. You talk a good story, but your actions prove something different.”

Ok, so do you want the truth? Can you handle the truth?

The truth is that many of my/your actions as a leader may run directly counter to supporting the innovation you claim to desire.

You say you want innovation, but you ask people to market the existing product harder, to make this month’s numbers.

You say you want innovation, but you aren’t willing to invest the time and resources for your team to really explore new opportunities.

You say you want innovation, but you lead too many conversations with “no.”

You say you want innovation, but you still use the legacy systems you’ve always had.

You say you want innovation, but you never listen to new ideas.

You say you want innovation, but you never create time for the team to brainstorm and let ideas ferment and grow.

You say you want innovation, but you punish mistakes.

Yep, I said punish mistakes.

And can you have real innovation without mistakes?

Of course not.

In order to create and implement something new, you won’t get it right every time. You will hit foul balls and you will strike out, maybe multiple times, before you hit a home run (or even a single).

How long has it been since you had a team member tell you about a mistake they made? If it has been more than a few days, one of two things is happening:

They aren’t making any mistakes (which means they aren’t learning and certainly aren’t innovating).
They are making them and not telling you.

Both of those things are happening because your team “knows” you don’t want or welcome mistakes. And as it turns out this issue is stifling learning as well as innovation – a double whammy mistake!

So back to Jack. The truth is, if you aren’t getting the innovation you want, start with you. Do your words AND actions show that you really value and want innovation? Before you try to implement all the other great ideas in this issue, you might want to ponder that question for a bit.

Next week, I will give you some ways to support innovation with your teams. But for now, look in the mirror. If you aren’t getting the innovation you desire, you may be looking at the biggest problem you face.

Communication & Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, Personal & Professional Development

Trust at a Distance – And How to Build It

Trust is all over the news these days. People don’t trust the judgment of a jury in Florida. The Yankees don’t trust one of their star players. The Congress doesn’t trust the President, and vice versa. And now the media is asking people if they trust candidate for Mayor of New York (and former Congressman) Anthony Weiner after his second sexting scandal.

While likely no one who is reading this is directly involved in any of these situations, you’ve heard of one or more of them – and perhaps you even have an opinion yourself about them – and that, in part, is why I am writing this article.

Trust is important in organizations. The more work I do with organizations the more central and prominent I find its importance is. Few factors can change so many things toward the positive or negative as much as or as quickly as the presence, or absence, of trust.

We all make judgments, assessments and assumptions about the situations around us and the actions of others. We put what we see through our own mental and experiential filters and make decisions. And those decisions lead us to trust (or not trust) others.

For example, unless you personally know Mr. Weiner, all you “know” about his situation is what has been reported. Your opinion though comes from more than those limited facts, doesn’t it? And don’t the other factors play a significant role in your final judgment of whether you would or could trust him?

And, despite the vast media coverage about the Trayvon Martin case, can you possibly know as much as those jurors do? Yet, we all have an opinion about how much to trust the verdict and intention of all of those involved (regardless of what that opinion is – and all of the various opinions are based on the same “facts”).

So what does all of this mean to us as professionals and leaders, if we want to create more trust in our environment?

Individual Lessons

Consider Your Starting Point. When you look at a situation, what is your initial assumption? Are you a conspiracy theorist, assuming the worst until proven otherwise, or do you assume people’s intentions are pure, until shown differently? Your starting point has much to do with the trust you feel and offer.

Make Conscious Choices. As you look at situations at some distance, make conscious choices to look for the positive and assume the best. This doesn’t mean you will always be right, but trust building begins when someone offers trust or sees opportunities for it. Plant the seeds in your mind and in the minds of others if you want a more trusting environment.

Leadership Lessons

Communicate More. When people don’t know exactly what is going on, they make it up in their own head. So if you want people to have more of the facts, make sure they are getting them early and often from you. The bigger and broader your organization or the situation, the more communication will be required to move the trust needle in a positive direction. And the communication needs to be about more than just the facts . . .

Share Your Intention. People want to know why; they need to understand context. And let’s face it, not everyone immediately trusts you because you are the leader, “management” or “the boss”. Since some people will assume the worst (or at a minimum, have a healthy skepticism of your intentions), share with people why you are doing things, what you see and the context for decisions and actions. It isn’t a perfect antidote for poor trust, but it is a good part of the solution.

Create a Joint Vision. When people have ownership of the vision or the goal, and see you as open in the process, trust is immediately built, and their perspective on the process that follows is immediately changed. While there are many reasons why creating a vision together is valuable, the initial and long term trust implications is certainly one of the most important.

Encourage Feedback. Ask others what they are seeing. Find out how your actions and communication are being interpreted. After people see the vision or direction you are headed, ask people to tell you when they see something that seems out of place or is confusing. By engaging people in the process, the distance is bridged and trust can grow.

While trust grows and is broken in face to face and direct encounters; it is determined at a distance too – through observation, experience and assumptions. If you want to create more trust in your organization and those around you, consider these distance factors and how you can influence them. When you do this consciously and effectively, everyone wins as trust grows.

photo credit: Keith Allison via photopin cc

Communication & Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, Personal & Professional Development

Admitting Mistakes

Mistakes – we all make them, but we don’t always handle them so well. Today’s quotation struck me as a valuable way to think about them (and suggests an approach to them). I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Questions to Ponder

– How readily do I admit mistakes?

– When is it hardest for me?

– Is there a mistake that I need to admit today?

Action Steps

1. Admit a mistake today.

2. Do what you can to make up for it.

3. Learn from it.

4. Realize they happen and move on!

My Thoughts

All of us can learn to handle and respond to mistakes better. But perhaps more than other groups of people, leaders really seem to have challenges with mistakes. Somehow, many of us have come to believe that because we are “the boss,” we are supposed to have all the answers and never make a mistake.

You can check – I’m confident infallibility isn’t in your job description.

In fact, as a leader, we must really be comfortable doing what is suggested in today’s quotation. Our example is the best way to encourage others to share and admit their mistakes so everyone can learn from them.

Today’s quotation takes it all a step forward by saying that we are respecting our self when we are open and willing to share about the mistakes we have made.

We’ve all made mistakes. It is what we do afterwards that will make a difference in our results, as a person and as a leader.

Leadership, Personal & Professional Development

Leadership Lessons From an Unnamed Baby

Unless you have been in the woods or you live under a rock, you know that Britain’s Royal Baby has been born. He is third in line for the British throne and, as of this writing, has no name. Because of this, and as some headlines have read, you may think that a leader was born this week.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Yes, this baby will likely someday become King.

But having a title doesn’t make one a leader.

Yes, he will get every advantage. He will have experiences and schooling and opportunities to learn skills that would serve him in a leadership role – but still, not a leader yet.

History (and your personal experience) is littered with people who had titles of leadership, yet didn’t lead successfully.

I’m not saying this infant can’t become a great leader – I’m simply saying it isn’t a guarantee.

Over the years I have often been asked, “Are leaders made or born?”

My answer has always been, “Yes.”

Leaders are born in that all of us are given strengths and natural tendencies in our DNA that we can use and leverage to become a successful leader. Since there is more than one way to be an effective leader, we can use who we are to move in that direction. And it doesn’t happen automatically.

The skills of leadership are exactly that – they are skills – which means they can be learned. And these skills are varied and complex, which means they must be consciously and continually learned if you want to be a successful leader.

The royal baby has some advantages that some of us might not have in becoming an effective leader. Yet, birth alone isn’t enough. History will tell us how it goes, but what we can know for sure is that if the yet-unnamed prince becomes a successful leader, he will have worked at it.

Leadership is verb (it is things we do), not a noun (a title we have).

Even if you are a royal baby.

If you are looking to build your leadership skills in a consistent and ongoing way, please take advantage of my free leadership gift to you.

Leadership, Personal & Professional Development

The Anatomy of a Leader

There is no perfect leader; leaders truly come in all shapes and sizes. Doctors know the same about their patients, yet they still study anatomy – to understand the basic workings of body parts, their roles and how they function together. While the bodies are different, the anatomy is the same. Similarly, though the style, approach and specific skills of leaders are different, the anatomy is the same.

With this post I thought I would share my perspective on the most important body parts for all leaders, at all levels, in all situations. Here then, in no particular order, is the basic anatomy of a remarkable leader.

Feet. People want to be led by those who lead by example. The best leaders walk their walk. They do the right things for the right reasons and are willing to be observed as an example.

Hands. The best leaders are willing to roll up their sleeves and go to work. While they have their own work and priorities, they are willing to help their team when needed. They humbly bring their skills and experience to these situations in a helpful, not overbearing or controlling, way.

Fingers. The best leaders have a soft touch and can keep their fingers on the pulse of the organization. While they rely on other senses from other body parts, they stay in touch and their proximity and presence makes a difference for their team members (and the results they achieve).

Shoulders. The best leaders know that while much responsibility can and should be shared, they also understand, as did Harry Truman did, where the buck stops. Their shoulders are broad and strong, willing to support that responsibility and allow their team and organization to thrive.

Eyes. The best leaders notice what is going on around them. They watch and notice. Their ability to see what is in front of them is important, but their vision stretches beyond that. They also have excellent distance vision – they can see farther ahead and can help others see what they see as well.

Ears. The best leaders use their ears to listen, not just hold up their glasses. They listen to Customers, they listen to peers and their bosses, but most of all they listen to their people. They realize that to engage others they must encourage their input and engagement, and then they must stop and truly listen.

Lips. Good leaders must be good communicators. Whether speaking to a group, or to any individual, they must learn to speak in ways that messages are both sent successfully, and also received. The best leaders though, also know when to shut up and rely on their ears to improve their effectiveness and communication success.

Head. Good leaders are smart. They are continual learners and consistently and intentionally work to build their skills and knowledge. Since they know that being a great leader is a journey, they get on, and stay on that path. They use their head to think through problems and make reasoned decisions based on facts as well as feelings.

Heart. Leadership is about leading others – which means there is an emotional component to the role. People follow people that care. People want to be led by people who believe in them, and the organization’s mission. No leader can be great without a big, strong heart.

Leaders are human beings first – and while all of these body parts are important to all of us as humans, to leaders they perform these important additional roles. Think about your anatomy in this way and you will be challenging yourself to become the leader you were born to be.

If you would like more support on that part, take my leadership gift and become a part of the Remarkable Leadership Learning System.

Coaching & Developing Others, Leadership, Personal & Professional Development

The Essential Performance Review Handbook

By Sharon Armstrong

Most all managers and leaders do performance reviews, and most don’t look forward to them.

This practical and broad ranging book may help.

About the final third of the book is a compilation of sample forms that an organization could adopt or adapt, but the first 130 pages applies to all leaders and managers –whether new to performance reviews or even those who have been doing them for years.

The chapters cover all the basics, but three chapters really stand out for me:

Chapter 1 – The Roots of Anxiety – here Armstrong talks about why there is so much angst and stress and dysfunction associated with many appraisals and appraisal processes.

Chapter 6 – Rating Error Traps – one of the biggest complaints I hear about performance reviews is the rating systems. This chapter does a great job of talking about the challenges here. I think this chapter alone is worth having this book.

Chapter 9 – Performance Reviews in a Changing World – with a world of tele-commuting and virtual employees as well as upward appraisals, this chapter helps think about these things in a meaningful way.

This book isn’t a summer beach read, but it is a book with practical ideas to put on your shelf and review each time performance reviews come around. And if you are an HR role, the reasons for having the book are even more compelling.

Coaching & Developing Others, Communication & Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, Personal & Professional Development

Giving Them Hell?

Today’s quotation comes from a man who became President first by not being elected (when Franklin Roosevelt died) and remained after most thought he wouldn’t win re-election. In this quotation he talks about how he feels his behavior was mis-perceived.

I think it has application for us, which is why I share it with you today.

Questions to Ponder

– How honest am I?

– How willing am I to tell people what the truth really is?

– When/if I don’t tell the whole truth, is it serving me and the others in the situation to do so?

Action Steps

1. Today, when you are tempted to understate or shade the truth, check your intention. Ask yourself why you aren’t planning to tell the whole truth.

2. Then, resolve to be more truthful and forthright.

3. Share the information completely, but with care and tact.

My Thoughts

Most everyone says they value honesty and want others to be honest with them. Most people say they are honest, yet I believe we often fall short of the full truth, and I think today’s quotation is one of the big reasons why.

We want to be liked.

We don’t want to be seen as rude.

We don’t want to make a big deal.

So we sugar coat, understate or hedge.

It isn’t really lying is it?

I’ll leave you to decide that; I’d rather we focus on our intention. People want the truth in most cases, and sometimes when we give them less than the truth it doesn’t serve them or us.

Here are two facts about the author of today’s quotation. Harry Truman is seen by historians as one of our finest Presidents – he led the United States through many challenges, including ending World War II. He was also known as “Give ‘m Hell Harry” – for his upfront and honest approach. Perhaps there is a connection between those two facts.

Leadership

Checking Your Mental Diet

Previously, I've written about your role in the overall attitude of your organization. Now I want to give you specific actions you could take to change/improve your attitude.

Not someone else’s.

Yours.

That change starts with your thoughts.

Creating a great organizational attitude starts with what we are thinking about most of the time. Whatever is currently capturing our attention is what literally starts the chain reaction.

So, what are you thinking about?

More directly, let’s talk about how we can manage what we think about. It starts with what we feed our mind. Let’s consider seven things that directly impact our thoughts.

What we read

You have heard this one before, but does that knowledge change your reading stack? There is likely professional, trade, and industry information you need to read. Perhaps you need (or want) to read a newspaper. And there is of course the email and other information you must process every day. But what are you purposefully reading to feed your mind with jet fuel for your attitude? Maybe it is reading the documents of your faith, teaching and writing from uplifting authors, poetry, or even a set of positive blogs. Find something that lifts your thinking and spirits, and invest 10 minutes a day for the next month. At the end of 30 days, you will notice a difference and likely be reading more than 10 minutes a day.

Who we hang out with

Your attitude is influenced by the people that you interact with most. So, who are you spending time with? Do you spend time with uplifting, supportive, and positive people? Or Negative Neds and Henny-Pennys who are predicting when the sky will fall? Not only do others impact our attitude directly, but they also impact our thinking. The conversations we have, topics we discuss, and the perspectives of others all play a role in what influences us. Consider this one a doubly powerful influencer. Now that you have thought about it this way, with whom do you want to choose to spend more time?

Where we hang out

If you are a parent, you know this. You wouldn’t want your teen spending all their time in the neighborhood pool hall or other den of bad influences. Yet how often do you think about how places affect your thinking? Where are the places that you feel most alive? For me, there are places both near and far that provide this respite, this personal revival. Figure out where these personal places are for you. They needn’t be spectacular or impressive to others, as long as they feed you. Church, Starbucks, a park, your backyard – figure out which places rejuvenate you. Then make sure you spend time in them intentionally and more often.

What we watch and listen to

Ok, I’m talking mostly about TV, but you can include radio and music too. Some mindless viewing is fine. But are you watching too much violence? Taking in too much negativity and gossip? Too many accounts of the devastating storm? Massive research proves the more of it we watch, the more it impacts our thinking. Keep an audio/video input diary for a week and you will find there is a lot going into your mind. Some of it might not be in the best interest of your short and long-term attitude.

What we experience

This is related to several others on the list, but deserves a separate comment from me and thought from you. We think about every situation in which we find ourselves. Consider this the combination of the people and places. Consciously looking for new experiences helps us learn new things. This generally has a positive impact on our thinking and attitude, beyond the nature of the experience itself.

What we talk about

Based on most of what is above, we talk about what we are thinking about. And when we verbalize things, we crystallize and imprint our thoughts. Pick topics that will engage your mind (and the minds of others) in a positive way. Think about it this way - consider less gossip and more possibilities. Less doom, more happiness. Less destruction, more encouragement.

While these are the major inputs, there is one other thing we must consider and too often don’t.

How we interpret it all

Is your glass half empty or half full? Is there a 50% chance of rain or a 50% chance of sun? This simple mental shift is part of what I mean, but there is more. Yes, you can stop watching the news, but perhaps you want to be informed. The news, on reflection, often holds learning opportunities for us. We don’t have to allow our mindset to become mired in the negativity of it. Beyond that, think about your experiences: What you experience is unique to you in any situation. When you discuss an experience, movie, TV show, or book with someone else who was with you, watched the movie or TV show, read the book, you quickly realize you had different experiences, lessons, and thoughts! The filters through which you view any situation make all the difference in your thoughts and therefore your attitude.

Communication & Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, Personal & Professional Development, Productivity

Warnings for Leaders

The United States Congress passed the Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act in 1965, and in 1966 the first labels were placed on cigarette packaging –

Caution: Cigarette Smoking May be Hazardous to Your Health

I sometimes wonder if leaders should have a warning that they have to read regularly, to remind them of some important things too. The Surgeon General wants us to remember his warning, and employees would like us as leaders to remember these warnings as well. Over the years the warnings on cigarette packages have become more urgent and direct, but I will write mine in the style of the first one written above. It isn’t a complete list, but it is a start . . .

Caution: Under-communication May be Hazardous to Productivity and Success

Of all the concerns/complaints employees have about organizational life, the lack of communication is near the top of the list. As a leader, regardless of our level in the organization, we can communicate more. Share what is going on – more often. And remember that communication isn’t just about talking – but about listening. Make this your new motto in meetings and one-on-one conversations – talk less and talk later, giving other people time to share and ask questions.

Caution: Too Busy isn’t a Good Reason to be Unavailable to Your Team

Leaders at all levels in all organizations are busy. Projects, meetings, and fires are always clogging our calendar. As a leader you must make time for your team. Supporting them, encouraging them, listening to them and coaching them – these are perhaps the most important responsibilities you have as a leader. Remember that “the work” will overwhelm your calendar, leaving you unavailable (or perceived to be) by your team, unless you make space and time to be available for them.

Caution: Micromanagement May Cause Bigger Problems Than it Solves

No one wants a leader who micromanages them – and yet many of us do it sometimes. While there are many reasons why we check on projects (or do it ourselves), the biggest reason is that we want the work product to be “right.” While “right” is important, it is also important to empower your team members and prove your trust in them. Why not coach and prepare them to do the job “right” (or allow them the freedom to find a better way) rather than micromanaging them?

Caution: Poor or No Relationships with Team Members Reduces Organizational Results

Our job as a leader isn’t to make friends with those we lead, nor is it to behave in ways with the goal of getting people to like us. On the other hand, we all want to have good relationships with our bosses – and one of the main reasons people leave a job is because of their boss. As a leader we must build strong, trusting working relationships with our team members if we want to maximize the results of the organization – and make work more enjoyable for everyone too.

Caution: Trying to be Perfect is a Recipe for Disaster.

Sometimes leaders think they are supposed to have all of the answers and be perfect. That is impossible and a bad plan anyway. Our followers want us to be real and authentic. It is OK to not have all of the answers. One of the most powerful statements you can make as a leader is: “I don’t know, let’s find out.”

……

Perhaps these cautions should be placed on all leadership job descriptions and also someplace they can be seen daily. While the warnings on packaging hasn’t stopped all smoking, since the start of the labeling, cigarette smoking in the United States has been cut in half. I hope in a similar way these reminders might help leaders be more effective.

Perhaps you might create different warning labels, and if you have them to share, I hope you will put them in the comments below. Even if you do, I encourage you to pick one of the warnings I’ve written and consider it in your own leadership style and habits – making sure you aren’t making a mistake that keeps you from leading most effectively.

photo credit: Nina Matthews Photography via photopin cc

Leadership, Personal & Professional Development

Make it a Maximum Day!

Perhaps this quotation speaks to me more while I am on vacation, but I believe its message is for all of us, everyday. Today’s questions and action steps take a more personal focus than they sometimes do, and I hope you take them seriously, and most of all take action.

Questions to Ponder

– What percentage of the time do I feel I am living my life to the maximum?

– In what places or situations do I do this best?

– How can I put myself in those places and situations more often?

Action Steps

1. Look at those around you who have greater challenges and struggles than you do, then:

2. Do something to help them in some way if possible.

3. Realize how fortunate and blessed you are.

4. Make more of your day, knowing this fact!

My Thoughts

Yep, our time in life is limited. And that limited resource starts with time. Each day, we all get the same amount of it. It comes down to how we use it. The choices we make about our time will determine what we get from it. The quotation focuses us on our recognition of this fact, and then, more importantly, the action we must take to capture the most from our days.

I urge you to decide now to make today a maximum day!

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