Destiny is not a matter of
chance; it is a matter of
choice.

WINSTON CHURCHILL

ARE YOU DRIVEN
TO CONSTANTLY IMPROVE?

You’ve come to the right place.

Here you’ll find models, methods, practices, and processes
to help you develop the right focus, create the right environment,
build the right team, and embody the right commitment.
To get the right results.

Why Consistency is King

As a leader you cannot be effective if you’re not seen to be consistent. And who is the judge and jury? Your people of course.

John Maxwell has authored dozens of books on leadership and if there’s one thing he’s certain of it’s this: ‘A sure way to lose followers fast is to say one thing and do another – you won’t believe how quickly they abandon you. All the slick talk in the world won’t disguise that disconnect.’

Keith McFarland wrote a great book, ‘The Breakthrough Company’, about how successful mid-size companies become successful large companies. Interestingly, he noted that those companies don’t spend a lot of time ‘drafting values statements and fretting about corporate culture.’ Instead, they focus on ‘aligning what they say with what they actually do.’ In a word: consistency.

People are bloodhounds for inconsistency. Continually ask yourself, and your people, what your organization can do to better align its practices, processes, policies and products for success.

Consistency, consistency, consistency.

Your thoughts?

Michael

Drive Like Mario Andretti

Do you ever fantasize about getting 100% caught up, being fully on top of things, having everything under control? Me too.

Then consider some advice from former Formula 1 World Champion, Indy 500 winner, Daytona 500 winner and racing legend Mario Andretti:

“If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough.”

Oh. This is how it’s supposed to feel.

Your thoughts?

Michael

Your #1 Challenge in the Next 18 Months

Your organization is facing a critical challenge. And if you don’t take action NOW it is likely to be the limiting factor to your growth over the next 18 months.

People. Finding, attracting and securing strong talent.

There’s no shortage of people looking for work, but there is a shortage of top-tier talent. And whether it’s sales reps in Seattle, welders in Winnipeg or managers in Manhattan, the competition for talent is only going to get more intense.

Compete for talent.

When you come across someone – a server in a restaurant, somebody selling to you – who just might be a good fit for your organization, give the person your business card, your 10-second pitch, and invite them to call you. If you know of someone in your industry who is a top performer then make them an offer they can’t refuse. Create contests for your employees to refer great people. Make your company a great place to work so word-of-mouth recruiting attracts great people.

This isn’t an HR job. It’s every manager’s job.

If you’re truly committed to winning, then posting “Help Wanted” signs isn’t going to cut it. Compete for talent.

Your thoughts?

Michael

Do Less, Do Less, Do Less

Over the past year I’ve made the case in several blogs that organizations lack focus because they try to do too much. And that the solution is to do less. (And to take more time doing it!) For those of you who think that’s just some bizarre consulting theory, let me try another angle.

Inc. magazine recently brought together 11 people – the founders of very successful businesses along with top thinkers / advisors from leading business schools. They asked a simple question: What is the single most important thing you’ve learned?

Well, guess what? Evan Williams, the co-founder of Twitter and Blogger, said, “Do fewer things. The vast majority of things are distractions, and very few really matter to your success.”

Roger Martin, dean of the Rotman School of Management, who has worked with some of the largest companies in the world, said, “Choose your playing field. A lot of companies don’t consciously choose where not to play.” (emphasis mine)

Take a good, hard, honest look at all the things you have your organization doing.

Then do less.

Your thoughts?

Michael

What Millennials Really Want

A recent study looked at what employees of different ages and genders want most from their employers. Can you guess the number one thing that Millennials want more of at work?

No, not more money.
Not more time off.
Not more recognition.
Not more meaningful work.
Not more challenging work.
Not more fun at work.

Training. They want more training.

They want the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. Which, oh by the way, will help your organization succeed.

Your thoughts?

Michael

If You Want to be a Better Leader …

If you want to become a better leader then strive to become a better coach.

What do great coaches do?

  1. FOCUS – They regularly communicate goals, why they’re important, and where the organization is on the path to achieve them. They clearly convey what is required of individuals to meet those goals.
  2. EQUIP – They provide the necessary skills, resources and authority for their people to succeed in helping the organization succeed.
  3. INFORM – They provide meaningful feedback about past performance and helpful guidance so their people can improve.
  4. FOLLOW-UP – They recognize and celebrate progress and success. They hold accountable people who continually fail to meet expectations.
  5. CONNECT – They role model and cultivate an atmosphere of respect, trust and caring.

Great coaches continually work to create the right environment to get the best from the talent they have. Isn’t that what all leaders should do?

Your thoughts?

Michael

Is “Engagement” Simply “Feel Good”?

In boardrooms I sometimes see glazed eyes when the topic of employee engagement is brought up. You can easily imagine the thoughts behind those looks. Really, isn’t this just the term-du-jour for employee satisfaction? For happy employees? The fluffy, feel-good stuff?

The Gallup organization recently published their 8th report on employee engagement. They studied 192 organizations with 1.4 million employees and, discouragingly, found that seven out of ten U.S. workers are mentally checked out – disengaged – from their work. The cost? A reported 22% lower productivity than organizations with high engagement. Which translates into about $500 billion of lost productivity every year for U.S. businesses.

So, is employee engagement simply the same as fluffy, feel-good? No, because happy and satisfied employees may not be productive employees. And you want employees who are both happy and productive. Employee engagement is a solid indicator of both. 

Your thoughts?

Michael

Real World Successes – Innovation

I’ve been consulting with a company over the past two years to help create a culture of innovation. We’ve made tremendous progress and are seeing evidence of real cultural change. In our first year over 150 ideas were submitted and almost a third were implemented. But more importantly, people are now thinking about how the business can be improved, and approaching their managers with ideas. Managers are much more open and responsive to those ideas. And everyone sees ideas being implemented and takes that as the norm. This is what tells us the culture is truly changing.

How did we do it?

Early on we established an Operational Framework for submitting, evaluating, tracking and implementing ideas. We developed a Marketing Framework for communications, promotions, recognition and celebration. We put in place a Support Framework to create an environment aligned with innovation. And we instituted a Management Framework with a guiding team, an executive sponsor, and regular meetings to track progress and, periodically, recalibrate the plan.

What’s the difference between this approach and the typical initiatives that fail? We approached it as a system. A system focused on people. A comprehensive approach so that everything consistently and continually points people in the right direction. So it’s not just a project. It’s how the business operates.

Your thoughts?

Michael

Why Even the Best Must Change

He didn’t want to do it. But he knew he needed to. Being the best ever didn’t matter. He had to change.

Roger Federer, the greatest men’s tennis player of all-time, recently made the decision to change from a racket with a 90-square-inch head to one with a 98-square-inch head. After years of playing with a racket that netted him 17 Grand Slam singles titles, 257 Grand Slam match victories, and 302 weeks as world #1 – all records – Federer made the move to try to remain in the top echelons of his sport.

He understood the case for change. Both of his main rivals – Nadal and Djokovic – use rackets with 100-square-inch heads which gives them a larger sweet spot, more power and more spin. And Pete Sampras, second to Federer on the all-time Grand Slam list with 14 titles, admitted in 2010 that he regretted being close-minded towards the latter part of his career and not changing from an 85-square-inch racket head.

Still, there’s no guarantee that by changing Federer will continue to be a top player. Yet it’s almost certain that by not changing, he won’t.

Your thoughts?

Michael

The Demons of Decision Making

Studying cognitive psychology helped me understand how easy it is to make bad decisions. Not because of laziness or lack of intelligence. But because of systematic biases that creep into our thinking. Here are four, highlighted by the Heath brothers in their book Decisive.

1 Confirmation Bias

We tend to seek out and spotlight only that information which confirms our existing beliefs. Instead, look for contrary evidence. Lease your beliefs, don’t own them.

2 Overconfidence

Success is fertile soil in which overconfidence can take root. So remember, what made you successful in the past could kill you in the future.

3 Short-Term Emotions

In the heat of the moment, emotions – positive or negative – can overtake reason. A simple solution: never make a major decision when you’re emotionally piqued.

4 Narrow Framing

We typically consider only a narrow range of options. Encourage a wide-mouth funnel for inputting ideas before you narrow it by testing them.

None of us is as rational as we like to think. Recognize where rationality breaks down and work to counteract it. You won’t always be right but you can make better decisions. If you decide to.

Your thoughts?

Michael

Make Allies, Not Adversaries

It only takes one word. But one word can carry massive weight. Saying “yes, but …” sends the message that “you’re wrong” or “I disagree.” It places you in opposition and makes the other person an adversary.

Change the one word. From “but” to “and.” Saying “yes, and …” sends a message of acknowledgement and respect. Instead of making an adversary you make an ally.

If a goal of communicating is to influence, which word do you think is more effective?

Your thoughts?

Michael

The Grand Canyon of the Workplace – Millennial Edition

A couple of weeks back I wrote about the ‘Grand Canyon of the Workplace’ – the generational gap – and how Boomers can reframe their thinking to bridge the gap. Millennials, now it’s your turn:

1) ‘This new technology is so cool …’

Sure. And so were Betamax, AOL (America Online) and 3-D movies (the first time around). It’s all cool. But will it catch on? And does it have staying power? One reason Boomers aren’t as impressed as you are is because they’ve seen lots of cool, new technology. And most of it is in the dustbin.

2) ‘Boomers are resistant to change’

Some are, some aren’t – like any generation. But Boomers are different in that they’ve experienced lots of workplace change and know firsthand that change is not always good. And even if it’s good in theory, the implementation can be a disaster. It might be a good idea to find out why they’re resisting change. Maybe there are some ‘red flags’ you need to be aware of.

Ready to bridge the gap?

Your thoughts?

Michael