Four Capacities Every Great Leader Needs

The following is a great article on leadership that was sent my way. It is written by Tony Schwartz.

Develop a work environment that compels employees to give the highest value to your company. by Tony Schwartz


WHEN I WAS a very young journalist, full of bravado and barely concealed insecurity, Ed Kosner, editor of Newsweek, hired me to do a job I wasn't sure I was capable of doing. Thrown into deep water, I had no choice but to swim. But I also knew he wouldn't let me drown. His confidence buoyed me.

Some years later, I was hired away by Arthur Gelb, the managing editor of The New York Times. This time, I was seduced by Gelb's contagious exuberance about being part of a noble fraternity committed to putting out the world's greatest newspaper.

Over the last dozen years, I've worked with scores of CEOs and senior executives to help them build more engaged, high-performance cultures by energizing their employees. Along the way, I've landed on four key capacities that show up, to one degree or another, in the most inspiring leaders I've met.

1. Great leaders recognize strengths in us that we don't always yet fully see in ourselves.

This is precisely what Kosner did with me. He provided belief where I didn't yet have it, and I trusted his judgment more than my own. It's the Pygmalion effect: expectations become self-fulfilling.

Both positive and negative emotions feed on themselves. In the absence of Kosner's confidence, I simply wouldn't have assumed I was ready to write at that level.

Because he seemed so sure I could - he saw better than I did how my ambition and relentlessness would eventually help me prevail - I wasted little energy in corrosive worry and doubt.

Instead, I simply invested myself in getting better, day by day, step by step. Because we can achieve excellence in almost anything we practice with sufficient focus and intention, I did get better, which fed my own confidence and satisfaction, and my willingness to keep pushing myself.

2. Rather than simply trying to get more out of us, great leaders seek to understand and meet our needs, above all a compelling mission beyond our immediate self-interest, or theirs.

Great leaders understand that how they make people feel, day in and day out, has a profound influence on how they perform.

We each have a range of core needs - physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Great leaders focus on helping their employees meet each of these needs, recognizing that it helps them to perform better and more sustainably.

Arthur Gelb helped me meet not just my emotional need to be valued, but also my spiritual need to be engaged in a mission bigger than my own success. Far too few leaders take the time to figure out what they truly stand for, beyond the bottom line, and why we should feel excited to work for them.

3. Great leaders take the time to clearly define what success looks like, and then empower and trust us to figure out the best way to achieve it.

One of our core needs is for self-expression. One of the most demoralizing and infantilizing experiences at work is to feel micromanaged. The job of leaders is not to do the work of those they lead, but to serve as Chief Energy Officer - to free and fuel us to bring the best of ourselves to work everyday.

Part of that responsibility is defining, in the clearest possible way, what's expected of us - our concrete deliverables. This is a time-consuming and challenging process, and most leaders I've met do very little of it. When they do it effectively, the next step for leaders is to get out of the way.

That requires trusting that employees will figure out for themselves the best way to get their work done, and that even though they'll take wrong turns and make mistakes, they learn and grow stronger along the way.

4. The best of all leaders have the capacity to embrace their own opposites, most notably vulnerability alongside strength, and confidence balanced by humility.

This capacity is so powerful because all of us struggle, whether we're aware of it or not, with our self-worth. We're each vulnerable to believing, at any given moment, that we're not good enough.

Great leaders don't feel the need to be right, or to be perfect, because they've learned to value themselves in spite of shortcomings they freely acknowledge. In turn, they bring this generous spirit to those they lead.

The more leaders make us feel valued, in spite of our imperfections, the less energy we will spend asserting, defending and restoring our value, and the more energy we have available to create value.

All four capacities are grounded in one overarching insight. Great leaders recognize that the best way to get the highest value is to give the highest value.

Tony Schwartz is the president and CEO of The Energy Project and the author of The Way We're Working Isn't Working.

Let us know your thoughts on this article!

Failure to Launch: Reasons Company Strategies Don’t Succeed

Today's post is written by David Mead of Mead Consulting. We couldn't agree more with what Dave has to say.

In 2008, I heard a presentation by Michael Canic of Bridgeway Leadership who discussed the reasons that strategies fail. He quoted statistics that over 65% of all strategies fail to reach expectations. Why do so many business strategies fail? Below are some key reasons. Knowing the barriers to successful planning and execution is the first step. Clients that follow our recommendations have been significantly outperformed the competition. We like to say, “A good plan, well executed, beats a great plan, poorly executed, every time.” Contact us if you would like more information.

1. No clear definition of success

Fuzzy goals lead to fuzzy outcomes. While it seems obvious, many organizations simply don’t articulate the specific goal of a business strategy. If the goal of your customer intimacy strategy is to form deeper customer relationships, that’s fuzzy. If the goal is to increase customer retention by 10 percent and increase annual revenue per customer by $10,000 and net profit by $1,000, that’s clear. Here, deeper customer relationships may be the mechanism to achieve the goal.

2. Too many goals

When everything is a priority, nothing gets accomplished. Many so-called strategic plans have too many goals, objectives, success drivers, strategies, initiatives and so on. Worse, it’s not clear how these various appendages are linked. Is it any surprise these plans sit on shelves and collect dust? Choose to do fewer things much better.

3. Metrics and Alignment - Either no metrics or vague metrics

Many plans are simply a brainstormed list of things to get done by unspecified people at indeterminate times. A plan with specifics outlines who will do what by when. It takes into account the sequencing and timing of tasks, activities and resources. Make certain that the goals of everyone in the organization are aligned to the few key objectives.

4. Visibility - Progress isn’t measured and managed

Ever notice how plans placed in the spotlight flourish while those left in the dark shrivel? Any plan worth executing is worth tracking. A monthly meeting with a tight agenda can quickly determine what actions have been taken; what progress has been made; what will be accomplished over the next month and by whom, and what, if any, challenges have emerged. This builds commitment, accountability and confidence in the process.

5. You lack the right people

Some of those nice people who work for you may not be the right people to get the job done. That statement makes you uncomfortable, doesn’t it? Many have been loyal, are committed to the culture, and may be friends and family. However, If you are truly committed to winning, or achieving success - however you define it - then at some point you have to take a long, hard, honest look at the capabilities of your people. Point them in the right direction, support them, develop them – give them a fair chance to succeed. But if they can’t get it done, then your responsibility is to get people who can.

6. Flexibility – Failure to update the plan to stay real

Reserve the right to do what makes sense. Plans are based on assumptions that can change over time. If they do change, then the plan may need to change. A quarterly “recalibration” meeting is a good forum to test your assumptions and determine which, if any, have changed. The meeting may result in either a revalidation or redesign of the plan. It ensures the plan stays real and relevant.

7. Reaction to Failure - Failure is met with indifference or an inquisition

Is your team serious about its definition of success? Your response to failure sends a clear message about your commitment to winning. Just as importantly, it sends a message about your credibility. Do you ignore a failed initiative and move on to the next big thing (which conveys that you really weren’t that committed and you shouldn’t be taken seriously)? Do you look for scapegoats (which communicates that you don’t take personal responsibility and can’t be trusted)? Or do you first look in the mirror, take responsibility, then publicly commit to getting it right, and effectively engage your people to make it happen? Your choice speaks volumes about who you are as a leader.

Let us know your thoughts.

It Does Not Have to be Lonely at the Top (in fact it shouldn't be!)

Today's post is written by Bob Dodge, Sr. Partner at The Alternative Board - Denver West.

As a business owner, you have no doubt experienced how lonely it can be at the Top. It doesn’t have to be lonely, though. Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto to talk with. You don’t have to go it alone; in fact, there are several reasons you should involve (listen to) others.

Talk with your employees to find out:

1. if they understand why you expect them to complete critical tasks. If they are not motivated, no amount of training will help! The must have the desire to do so.
   
   
2. if they have the capabilities (time, tools, skills and resources) to accomplish what is needed for the organization. Telling your team to “just do it” if they lack these capabilities will only frustrate them, and eventually you. You and your entire team will benefit from discussing your vision and priorities; providing opportunities for employees to learn. Demonstrate to your employees through your actions that you are committed to these critical success factors.
   
   
3. if they know the consequences of their actions or lack thereof. If employees don’t understand what is in it “for them”, they’ll never perform. Be prepared to provide those (positive as well as negative) consequences to avoid problems down the road. In short, walk the talk.
   
   As a result, you might hear some great ideas to improve the business! After all, they are the ones actually doing the work!
   
   

Talk with your customer to jointly consider how they experience your product or service:

1. Maybe there are additional services you might provide that customers would value (and pay for). These are opportunities to capture additional revenue.
   
   
2. You might discover that your company is currently spending time, money or other resources on activities and features that your customers don’t value.
   
   At least they’ll appreciate the gesture to at least look at the business relationship from their perspective.
   

Talk with your peers:

You might be surprised that other leaders face similar challenges as you. Regular conversations with these executives provide a safe way to explore ideas and learn from one another.


Talk with your coach:

Consider getting a coach to help you explore and accomplish taking your business to a new level. A good coach will help you listen to yourself!

These examples of communicating are all actually acts of listening. Most business leaders can and do inform, motivate, sell, and convince. Effective leaders have also mastered listening! How could listening to your employees, customers, peers or coach affect your business? Would you feel like less of a Lone Ranger?

What is Motivation?

The art of motivating people starts with learning how to influence individuals' behavior. Once you understand this, you are more likely to gain the results that both the organization and its employees want.

Motivation is the will to act. It was once assumed that motivation had to be injected from outside, but it is now understood that everyone is motivated by several differing forces. Int he workplace, see to influence your staff to align their own motivation with the needs of the organization.

To release the full potential of employees, organization are rapidly moving away from "command and control" and towards "advise and consent" as ways of motivating. This change of attitude began when employers recognized that regarding good work is more effective than threatening punitive measures for bad work.

Self-motivation is long lasting. Inspire self-motivated staff further by trusting them to work on their own initiatives and encouraging them to take responsibility for entire tasks. For demotivated staff members, find out what would motivate them, and implement whatever help you can. Highly motivated individuals are vital to supply organizations with the new initiatives that are necessary in the competitive business world.

Who do you need to motivate? Yourself, managers, colleagues, and subordinates. Each are motivated in their own way. If you want a detailed assessment of what motivates your people click here or send an email to blair@tabdenverwest.com.

Your persuasion and influence can be used to motivate yourself and others. Just remember, true motivation has to come from within.

Inspiring a Shared Vision

Regardless of the economic times, leaders need to inspire a shared vision - for their key stakeholders - employees, customers, partners and potentially the communities where you live and work.

Visions don't hvae to be grand designs in order to motivate and inspire people. A vision pulls people forward. It projects a clear image of a possible future. It generates the enthusiasm and energy to strive toward that goal.

• Martin Luther King, Jr.'s vision had the power to better the lives of us all and to change the course of our nation.
  
  
• Winston Churchill's vision had the power to pull the British people through the darkest days of World War II when they fought Hitler alone.

All inspiring visions offer the following attributes:

• Ideal - a high standard to aspire to
• Unique - pride in being different, an identity
• Image - a concept or mental picture made real or tangible through descriptive language
• Future Oriented - a map of the journey and statement of the goal ahead
• Common Purpose - a way people can join together

In order to inspire and motivate, a vision must be communicated in a clear and lively form. It myst be expressed in a simple and direct way that moves and touches people. Leaders breathe life into their visions and values by using things such as metaphors, examples, quotations, analogies, slogans and anecdotes.

When leaders effectively communicate avision, it has very powerful results. When visions are effectively communicated you will see -

• Job satisfaction
• Commitment and loyalty
• Clarity about organizational values
• Pride in hte organization
• Organizational productivity

Is your vision inspiring your team?

On Growth: Be a River

I read the following by Mark Sanborn and instantly wanted to share it with everyone. Enjoy!

I've been listening to a CD of a panel presentation from a conference I recently attended. The participants were all long-time friends and colleagues in the speaking business. They are all highly successful in their respective fields and I've seen great growth in them and their careers over the years.

The insights and perspectives they shared were very valuable and I have benefited from their collective wisdom.

In listening, I was reminded of something very important about highly successful people.

First, they invest regularly and significantly in their own growth.

I know each of these individuals and they have spent serious time and money in seeking out the best resources, whether professional associations, coaches or educational experiences.

Second, they become conduits of what they've learned.

Each freely shares what they've learned with colleagues and clients. Their exceptional expertise has created great demand for their services. Not only have they profited from their skills and abilities, but they have been willing to help others who desire to do the same.

They have become rivers.

Highly successful people are more concerned with their growth than their comfort; they are more committed to learning than leisure. That means they invest in learning and development.

But they don't stop there. Not only do they share; they increase their expertise and abilities in the sharing. A wonderful synergy takes place when they help others. People learn from the successful, but the successful learn not just from the people they teach but from the teaching process itself.

The lesson, if you aspire to become and stay successful: be a river.

Are Things Really as Bad as They Say?

In a recent Board meeting (consisting of small business owners) we had a conversation about the state of the economy. The question on the table was “are things really as bad as “they” say”? While the news out of Washington and most everything else in the press is negative the Board found reasons to be optimistic!

In spite of everything, small business owners find ways to grow their businesses and become financially successful. This economic swing is no different. Yes, business is run differently and won’t go back to the “old ways” but there are people out there making money in a down economy (including these Business Owners).

The economy will come back! What it will look like remains a question but it will come back. While unemployment is “high (9.7%)” compared with what we have seen in the past, the fact is we still have a lot of people working – 90% of the population!

At the end of the day, it is about remaining optimistic and looking for opportunities. While you need to keep on top of the economic news, there is no need to blame the economy. Find new and innovative ways to run your business. Small business owners (and Americans as a whole) have always persevered during difficult times.

Here is the message from one group of very successful business owners – focus, focus, focus!

Share your thoughts.

Help Great People Do Great Things

Last week at the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Denver luncheon, the keynote speaker was Jerre Stead, President and CEO of IHS. IHS is closing in on $1 Billion in revenue. Since 2005 the company has made 33 acquisitions. Since completing its IPO in 2005, the company revenues have more than doubled and EBITDA has grown about fourfold. SUffice to say, their performance over the past few years is worth noting.

Jerre Stead's message to the audience was straightforward - The Role of the CEO is to "Help Great People do Great Things." He then described five principles that he uses to operate IHS.

1. People are the only sustainable competitive advantage
   Treat them all with equal dignity and respect. There are no "perks" for anyone at IHS.
   
   
2. 100% trust of every person in the company
   At one point, Stead ordered the detailed IHS policy manuals (with hundreds and hundreds of policies) be shredded. "Do we need guidelines? Absolutely! But, if you let people use their best judgment, you never know how great they can be."
   
   
3. Invest in training and development
   "If I had an extra dollar, I'd spend it on training and development." It's the best investment you can make and its the surest way to reduce involuntary turnover.
   
   
4. Facts are our friends
   
   • Not masses of information, but "actionable facts".
   • "Give me three important facts that will help me make a decision."
   • One of Steads comments was that all proposed decisions at IHS require the generation of a "one-pager." On the one-pager is the summary of the proposal, what decision you are looking for and "three facts that will help me make the decision."
   • You can always ask for more detail, but get the key facts and help me make the decision.
   • You never have enough facts, but if you wait to make the decision until you have all the facts, it typically is too late.
     
     
5. Have an intense internal and external intellectual curiosity about customers
   All senior meetings start with some interaction about customers.
   
   
6. Reward ... Reward ... Reward ...
   HE said there were five principles, but he added a sixth very important one. Remember to reward employees continually for company success.
   

Share your thoughts on Jerre Stead's key principles.