I was working out this morning and one of the trainers was giving me a hard time. No matter what weight I pick up, or how fast I am doing something, they seem to always find something to pick on me about. This quote was derived from something said by one of them today. He walks behind me and says…. “Come on Donny, you should be doing 60lbs, not 30lbs. What kind of example are you setting for the new guys? Just remember you will not get this workout back, this one only counts for today”. Pretty harsh, but I do like the fact they push me and I need it when it comes to exercise. What really stuck with me was the last part – “this one only counts for today”. As leaders we must remember that we will not get today back and therefore we must make the most of it. This is not to say that every day is meant to be great. In fact, some will be absolutely horrible. What matters is how we how we handle people, how we focus/prioritize, the effort we put forth, and how we bounce back.
In the workplace, if we are in sales, is it possible to make 1 or 2 more prospecting calls into that new niche we are trying to conquer? Or how about getting to the next step with one of our strategic accounts? Are we emailing because it is easier and less intimidating than making a phone call to someone we do not know? If we go to a conference and decide not to go to the hospitality event because we are not feeling it, we will not get that networking opportunity back. If we are in the marketing/advertising department and do not send out the advertising or the press releases right when there needs to be hype, the moment is lost and cannot be gotten back. If we are in management and do not react to an employee that needs attention (good or bad), the moment is lost and so is the opportunity that came along with it. If we are in IT, is there more proactive things we can do today to prevent future work overload? The reality is that success requires action, and action at the right time. Is today the right time to make something happen? If so, don’t let it pass without doing so.
At home there is that common saying that you should not go to bed at night upset with one another. All of us can get somewhat moody with those we love, and the best we can do is remember that we will not get today or the current moment back. If this thought can be ingrained in us, each day will likely be more pleasant for us and those around us.
The past being the past means that we cannot reach into yesterday and change something about it. So until time machines are a reality (and even then), let’s remember that we will never get today back, and act accordingly. Make today count.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
“We are defeating ourselves when we stop letting people know how much we care”
Employees, customers, and those we love in our personal lives can’t read our minds. It is a scary thought to consider having no one around. Some of us have been through it, or may be going through it now, and of course many of us started that way. One key proactive thing we can do is consistently let people know how important they are in our lives. When we fail to do so people tend to leave, and if/when it gets to that point it is very unfortunate because we do care, yet have failed to show it. Of course a pre-requisite is that we do care and that others do as well. We do not get far in a balanced life without being caring individuals.
How do we let others know we care? We must have a genuine interest in what is going on with them, ask questions, continuously learn more about them, and do whatever we can to help whenever help is needed. It is easy to neglect employees when there seems to be multiple issues the organization is facing, but don’t let it happen – when you need a break, go talk to someone or call them and see how they are doing. Take the time to learn of their interests outside of work, and potentially make a connection that is not just professional in nature. Likewise, it is easy to neglect existing customers if new business is the focus. Don’t let it happen because it is downright sinful (yet so many organizations make this mistake). Instead do more to network customers together, to communicate with them, to understand how they use our products/services, and to let them know what successes other customers are having, as well as issues they may be facing. Be a trusted advisor. Now, it is a different story when it comes to those in our personal lives. For example, I have been found “guilty” of asking my wife every day “What happened today”? So here is what she hears… All business - “What did you sell today? What did you figure out in Quick Books? etc.” I am sure plenty of you are smiling right now and saying “Man, he has a ton of learning to do”, and you are right. For those that do not know the history, Kristen started her own business (Vocelles – The Bridal Shoppe) in January of this year here in Tallahassee, and I could not be more proud of her and the accomplishments she has had this early. She is smart, motivated, and everyone she interacts with loves her. What I need to do is stop asking her that question since she hears it as just what happened in the business. If something good or bad happened, she is surely going to talk to me about it.
In addition we must to do all the little and proactive things that let others know we care. Let an employee know how proud we are of them for how they performed on a project, or for their leadership. Recognize multiple customers throughout the year by giving them awards for their achievements as well as recognition among their peers. Send your loved one some flowers today, or make them their favorite meal tonight, just because you want them to know you care and not because you have been messing up like me.
In summary, we must consistently put forth effort to let others know how much we care. We never want them to feel anonymous in our world.
How do we let others know we care? We must have a genuine interest in what is going on with them, ask questions, continuously learn more about them, and do whatever we can to help whenever help is needed. It is easy to neglect employees when there seems to be multiple issues the organization is facing, but don’t let it happen – when you need a break, go talk to someone or call them and see how they are doing. Take the time to learn of their interests outside of work, and potentially make a connection that is not just professional in nature. Likewise, it is easy to neglect existing customers if new business is the focus. Don’t let it happen because it is downright sinful (yet so many organizations make this mistake). Instead do more to network customers together, to communicate with them, to understand how they use our products/services, and to let them know what successes other customers are having, as well as issues they may be facing. Be a trusted advisor. Now, it is a different story when it comes to those in our personal lives. For example, I have been found “guilty” of asking my wife every day “What happened today”? So here is what she hears… All business - “What did you sell today? What did you figure out in Quick Books? etc.” I am sure plenty of you are smiling right now and saying “Man, he has a ton of learning to do”, and you are right. For those that do not know the history, Kristen started her own business (Vocelles – The Bridal Shoppe) in January of this year here in Tallahassee, and I could not be more proud of her and the accomplishments she has had this early. She is smart, motivated, and everyone she interacts with loves her. What I need to do is stop asking her that question since she hears it as just what happened in the business. If something good or bad happened, she is surely going to talk to me about it.
In addition we must to do all the little and proactive things that let others know we care. Let an employee know how proud we are of them for how they performed on a project, or for their leadership. Recognize multiple customers throughout the year by giving them awards for their achievements as well as recognition among their peers. Send your loved one some flowers today, or make them their favorite meal tonight, just because you want them to know you care and not because you have been messing up like me.
In summary, we must consistently put forth effort to let others know how much we care. We never want them to feel anonymous in our world.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
“Don’t let minutiae kill the whale”
I had a hard time brainstorming on a leadership topic this morning. Here I am, already a day late in regards to the folks who expect to receive these leadership notes on Wednesday, there are approximately 10 high priority items on my plate today, 90 emails in my inbox all in need of a response, and my calendar has 24 items on my to-do list today. Sometimes I start the day with 20 things to do, get them all done, and then still end up with 20 more left at the end of the day. In addition, everyday ends with me performing the ritual of moving remaining items from my calendar to sometime in the future. But on any given day, there are usually only a handful of items that must be completed. It may be finishing a final bid response, a final meeting with a large prospect, addressing a personnel issue, acting like an attorney to review a contract/agreement, taking the next step in an acquisition, or maybe getting directly involved with a customer support issue. These are the items that we classify as time sensitive and important to the stability/growth of the organization. These are our “whales” (and they are different for each of us) and if we get too caught up in the everyday minutiae and fail to prioritize, the large opportunities go away, and problems mount.
Having a set of rules that help prioritize is essential. First thing is to get over it and understand that we are not allowed to feel sorry for ourselves. Leaders are expected to work hard, be depended upon, and to be the one that others look to when the organization no longer knows its direction. In fact, if there is not much going on, or if there are no complicated issues or decisions to be made, why does the organization need us? So first thing is to embrace it, and then focus on how to manage all the “stuff”. The truth is that some things are not as time sensitive and will get neglected. However, a hardened rule is that we must never neglect customers or employees. We can’t focus on our whales if we don’t have our house in order, and customers and our team make up the foundation. Also, if we have these two things right, much of the minutiae disappears. So if there is an item that pops up in my inbox and it has to do with a customer or employee, it has priority over everything else. It is also best to fix these issues at their root cause, so that they do not come up again.
Prioritizing our whales is a different deal. At any given time, we may have 10-20 or even 50. Some are just in the idea stage, some have grown some legs, and some are in the time sensitve stage of needing to be closed for good or bad. Prioritizing these depends on many factors, all of which are unique to each organization. For example, if growth is the top priority and acquisition is the way to go, then that is where most of the focus and priority should be placed. If stability and customer retention are the top priorities, then refining the customer support system is the top priority. If the culture of the organization is ill-defined and the people who make up the team are not happy, then that should take priority (because if the team is not happy, it also impacting customers).
In summary, the highest prority should be placed on customer/employee satisfaction. This is the best way to proactively avoid much of the minutiae that deflects our focus on big picture items. For our big picture items / “whales”, we must prioritze them to be in line with the goals of the organization. As for the times when we feel we are doing everything we can, but are so covered up in the minutiae that we cannot get to the bigger items, it is likely time to make changes. We may need new team members, existing team members to step up, or we may even need to change the direction of the organization. Regardless, it is our responsibility to not drown in the details, and to continue leading our teams forward.
Having a set of rules that help prioritize is essential. First thing is to get over it and understand that we are not allowed to feel sorry for ourselves. Leaders are expected to work hard, be depended upon, and to be the one that others look to when the organization no longer knows its direction. In fact, if there is not much going on, or if there are no complicated issues or decisions to be made, why does the organization need us? So first thing is to embrace it, and then focus on how to manage all the “stuff”. The truth is that some things are not as time sensitive and will get neglected. However, a hardened rule is that we must never neglect customers or employees. We can’t focus on our whales if we don’t have our house in order, and customers and our team make up the foundation. Also, if we have these two things right, much of the minutiae disappears. So if there is an item that pops up in my inbox and it has to do with a customer or employee, it has priority over everything else. It is also best to fix these issues at their root cause, so that they do not come up again.
Prioritizing our whales is a different deal. At any given time, we may have 10-20 or even 50. Some are just in the idea stage, some have grown some legs, and some are in the time sensitve stage of needing to be closed for good or bad. Prioritizing these depends on many factors, all of which are unique to each organization. For example, if growth is the top priority and acquisition is the way to go, then that is where most of the focus and priority should be placed. If stability and customer retention are the top priorities, then refining the customer support system is the top priority. If the culture of the organization is ill-defined and the people who make up the team are not happy, then that should take priority (because if the team is not happy, it also impacting customers).
In summary, the highest prority should be placed on customer/employee satisfaction. This is the best way to proactively avoid much of the minutiae that deflects our focus on big picture items. For our big picture items / “whales”, we must prioritze them to be in line with the goals of the organization. As for the times when we feel we are doing everything we can, but are so covered up in the minutiae that we cannot get to the bigger items, it is likely time to make changes. We may need new team members, existing team members to step up, or we may even need to change the direction of the organization. Regardless, it is our responsibility to not drown in the details, and to continue leading our teams forward.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
“If we cannot envision greatness – it will not happen”
It is surreal when everything connects; when the organization has the kind of forward momentum that just cannot be stopped (or at least it feels that way); when everyone is happy, everyone is growing, and when we can maintain “greatness” for an extended period of time. When we are not feeling this way, we rummage through all ideas and strategies, and are run wide open attempting to capture greatness once again. Some of us have had many great moments in our leadership roles, while some are still searching for our first. Regardless if it is the first, or next moment of greatness, positive thinking is key.
The first step is to cultivate the imagination. If we cannot envision what it would be like to be great, how will we be able to start putting together the infrastructure to get there? What motivation will we have without having a vision of what being great would look and feel like? There are so many reasons to be pessimistic and to focus on the bad more than the good, but leaders simply cannot think this way. Others look to us for guidance, vision, and in many cases their future. We cannot let them down. Start with tomorrow and guess what – it can be a GREAT day, just all depends on how you are thinking about it today and when you wake up. Think about the overall organization. What are the current problems, goals, and opportunities? What would great look and feel like? What needs to happen to get there? Imagine, embrace, act.
The only constant to greatness is that it is not constant. An organization can experience greatness for an extended period of time and then lose it because of internal complacency and/or because of outside factors. And at the point in time when things do not feel so great, Leadership is needed most. We must envision what the next “Great” version of the orgnanization looks like, gather feedback and buy-in, and then move the organization forward. Just remember that perception is powerful and others are counting on us to have our own perception and vision in check.
The first step is to cultivate the imagination. If we cannot envision what it would be like to be great, how will we be able to start putting together the infrastructure to get there? What motivation will we have without having a vision of what being great would look and feel like? There are so many reasons to be pessimistic and to focus on the bad more than the good, but leaders simply cannot think this way. Others look to us for guidance, vision, and in many cases their future. We cannot let them down. Start with tomorrow and guess what – it can be a GREAT day, just all depends on how you are thinking about it today and when you wake up. Think about the overall organization. What are the current problems, goals, and opportunities? What would great look and feel like? What needs to happen to get there? Imagine, embrace, act.
The only constant to greatness is that it is not constant. An organization can experience greatness for an extended period of time and then lose it because of internal complacency and/or because of outside factors. And at the point in time when things do not feel so great, Leadership is needed most. We must envision what the next “Great” version of the orgnanization looks like, gather feedback and buy-in, and then move the organization forward. Just remember that perception is powerful and others are counting on us to have our own perception and vision in check.
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