Leadership
Leaders Beware: Your Actions are More Contagious Than You Know
There is a day etched permanently in my memory. It started as a typical day, getting to work before 7
There is a day etched permanently in my memory. It started as a typical day, getting to work before 7
Leaders are always responsible for generating energy (or heat) as they engage the hearts and efforts of others in moving toward a common, shared and worthwhile goal.
In thinking about that energy and momentum as “heat” generated by a “fire”, I recalled that fire takes three elements: Fuel, Oxygen and a source of Heat.
In this article, learn what your team’s Fuel, Oxygen, and source of Heat are, and discover why you should keep your team burning – but not too hot.”
A lot of energy is being spent on the topic of how to manage Millennials. There is angst as they come in and expect a different workplace – one that works for them as well as their employers. There is eye-rolling as their older workplace peers snicker a bit and wonder how they can be so naive, self-centered, and immature. There is a whole lot of “things don’t work that way here” going on.
As with all generalizations, they hold some truth in the macro sense, while exceptions abound when looking at a population case-by-case. Nonetheless, trends across this age demographic are evident. A recent INC article, called the Quick Guide to Motivating Millennials, points to six things that this younger, tech-savvy generation are looking for in their work. And I am struck by the degree of alignment between this list and what research is showing us about emerging highly performing organizations. …
At times people are startled when I refer to them as a leader. “But I’m only an employee, a student, or a volunteer,” they say in protest. For they believe that leadership is defined by role, position, age or appointment. I don’t.
I believe leadership is about who you are and what you do. It is seeing a way to create a better future, stepping up to make that happen and engaging others in the pursuit of that goal.
To illustrate my point, let me tell you a story about Lilly…
Hate to tell you, but if you are patiently waiting for upper management to proclaim their vision for your work and your team, it most likely is NOT going to happen. Or at least in the degree of granularity you might be hoping for.
We all want to have work with meaning – and as a leader, it is your job to help create that meaning. The good news is that each of us has the ability (and perhaps the obligation) to cast vision – for yourself and your team.
The notion of vision scares us at times. It sounds big. Pretentious. Unknown and unknowable. You might struggle with deciding what is “too big” and what is “too little”. I encourage you to acknowledge the doubts and plow ahead. I’d much rather put my effort toward a “too big” vision than none at all. And if you err by starting small, you will have at least started. Small steps are better than no steps. …
I stumbled across Mary Parker Follett’s name about six months ago in the book, The Power of Collective Wisdom. My curiosity got the better of me – and I dug deeper. And what I found was the work of a brilliant women with great influence. Some call her the “mother of modern management.” How is it that I know her work and not her name?
In celebration of Women’s History Month, I honor this female visionary. Although I never knew her name till recently, my study of her work reveals just how much of my practice in leadership and organizational dynamics is influenced by her…
In my executive coaching I see plenty of folks plagued with this problem: They are smart. They have deep expertise in their field. They are competitive and are on the hunt for the next promotion. And they have an almost uncontrollable need to prove just how brilliant they are. Unfortunately, these actions work against them. Even when they are smart and capable and driven.
The notion of telling stories in business is at times a bit suspect – as if telling a story was the same as spreading a falsehood. Or perhaps a bit too frivolous for the “serious” nature of the work we do. Or a bit too theatrical, pushing us well outside our comfort zone.
Doug Stevenson, founder and chief story teller at Story Theater International (and his amazing side-kick and muse, Deborah Merriman) have cracked the code on “strategic storytelling” for business. I had the wonderful opportunity to join three others in a retreat at Doug’s studio recently.
Doug draws heavily on his acting training and Hollywood experience to bring “the magic of storytelling” into a business setting. He breaks down the essential elements of story and teaches how to craft a compelling tale that captures attention and sticks with you for a very long time. Most importantly, he instructs business people in how to make their point using story. For storytelling in business is more than just spinning a good yarn or telling a story to get a few yucks. Much more than that.
Gallop just released the results of a study with Purdue, measuring the degree to which graduates have “great jobs,” through successful and engaging careers, and are leading “great lives,” by thriving in their overall well-being. They distilled their findings into six key college experiences that contributed greatly to well-being. Yet few college graduates that Gallup studied achieve the winning combination. What were the six key college experiences, and what can we do to help them achieve them more often?
Thanks to all who voted! Turns out that the top blog post of 2014 was a tie between The Power of Words, and Do Emotions Have a Place at Work?. I’ll be contacting the randomly selected winners of a signed copy of my book by email shortly – so watch your inbox! I’ve also included (in this post on my blog) the comments some voters left on the survey. They were very thoughtful and I appreciated them.
If you are in the Lafayette, Indiana, area, I invite you to join Evergreen Leadership and Tippy Connect on Thursday, January 29th at 5:00 PM at MatchBOX Coworking Studio located at 17 S. 6th St., Lafayette, to hear me speak on 10 Must Have Skills for Today’s Leaders. The event is free of charge and open to all.
Note: While at the event, Tippy Connect members will also learn about an upcoming opportunity to participate in an Evergreen Leadership Development Circle that will be offered to them at an amazing price point.
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