October 11th, 2008
Do you feel like wearing a costume?
by David Zinger
Halloween is fast approaching.
The world economic situation is turbulent to say the least. As a manager do you see this as a trick? Do you see it as a treat? Or do you add an h to treat and get t-h-reat!
I am interested in the impact of this turbulence on your and your managing:
- Has your work changed?
- Has is had an impact on staffing?
- Are you thinking about management or the workplace in a different way?
- Are you making any specific plans or developing any “what if?” thinking?
- Are you changing any of the ways you save or spend money?
Photo Credit: Trick or Treat by http://www.flickr.com/photos/therapycatguardian/2593724697/
Share This
By David Zinger -- 4 comments
October 10th, 2008
I just finished reading Steve Pavlina’s book Personal Development for Smart People, and I really enjoyed it. It was jam packed full of simple but not easy steps on how to improve all aspects of your life.
It was divided into 2 sections: Fundamental Principles and Practical Application. It took me a long time to get through the Fundamental Principles, but after that, the Practical Application seemed to go much more quickly.
The above diagram explains the layout of the Fundamental Principles Steve writes about.
- Love, Truth and Power are the primary components;
- Oneness, Authority and Courage are combinations of two of the elements;
- Intelligence is a combination of all 3 elements.
If you’re looking for a book that you need to chew on, take notes, and implement a little bit at a time, buy a copy of Personal Development for Smart People.
If you’re looking for an easy read that you can read in 60 minutes, do NOT buy Personal Development for Smart People. It’s much longer, much more detailed than 30 minutes.
Even if you’re a reader of Steve Pavlina’s blog, this book has a lot of new lessons on how to improve yourself. It’s nicely laid out, full of information and things you can actually DO to improve your life.
I’m hoping to do an interview with Steve later this year, so if you have questions you’d like to ask him about, please leave them in the comment and I’ll see if I can work them into our conversation.
Share This
By Phil Gerbyshak -- 2 comments
October 9th, 2008
What are you doing December 9th and 10th?
Join Lisa Haneberg in Washington D.C. I will be visiting the group for an hour or two as a guest provocateur!
Are you ready to be a great manager? I think this grows in importance each day we have more business and economic upheaval. This is a two day workshop whereby the participants will create and share many (maybe dozens, depending on the group size) of Power Hours - ready to take back to their workplace and use to help develop great managers.
Power Hour. A power hour is a one-hour informal learning conversation that is designed to get managers into discussions that will help them generate and implement new/renewed ideas to move the business forward and build their management and leadership craft. All of the participants will get access to everything that’s generated during the two days - no licenses, no limitations.
Ultimate benefit: Participants will leave the two days with years worth of management development materials and the ability to easily blend power hours into their training regimens.
Managers who develop managers, trainers of managers, and HR professionals are the target audience for this conference. Anyone interested in management and leadership will love it.
The new management skills and requirements - what are the emerging management topics that ought to be a part of your training programs but probably are not yet? Emerging, new, cutting edge, under recognized - we will be focusing on creating power hours for NEW or underdeveloped management topics.
I have been invited by Lisa to be a provocateur - to share an hour or two of fresh, helpful, and provocative ideas.
You can find out more information about this conferences on the ASTD website here.
Share This
By David Zinger -- 0 comments
October 8th, 2008
Edward Brown from the Core Edge Image & Charisma Institute shared a very interesting comment on 8 Steps to Charismatic Leadership that gave me pause, and made me realize I needed to share it with you:
There appears to be two dominant leadership models on the current world stage, Charismatic Leadership (often described as arousing the emotions of the populous through imagery and poetic prose) and Traditional Leadership (Often described as operations-centric and unilateral while courting consensus building). Interesting enough, both forms are effective, but only under specific social-economic conditions.
During times of uncertainty and upheaval, Charismatic Leadership is effective at restoring hope and productivity. Once the crisis has abated, Traditional Leadership is effective for stabilizing operations and maintaining a steady course until another shake up emerges. The important dynamic essential for the two models to be effective is the competency of the Charismatic and Traditional Leader.
The two models represent a particular philosophy as well as direction, which require scholarship and experience. The U.S.’s current tumultuous conditions favor the Charismatic Model. But, the Charismatic Model steeped with experience as much as style.
How this might affect our upcoming election?
In the Charismatic camp is Barack Obama. He is an amazing orator, and stirs my emotions greatly when he speaks. Senator Obama’s campaign commercials are filled with vivid imagery, and he tugs at my heart strings with many of the ways he paints our country and what he plans to do with the office of president should he win.
In the Traditional camp is John McCain. Senator McCain is a little rougher around the edges, but he is more of a traditional leader, having spent time in the military, and as a POW. He’s the one who has spent time in the Senate (okay, spent a LONG time in the Senate) and understands the inner workings of the political machine that is Washington DC.
I really have no clue who will prevail this year, but based on only this singular piece of information, I predict John McCain will win.
Questions for Managers to think about for Charismatic or Traditional Leadership:
- If you’re a manager, do you know which style you are?
- Which style is your manager?
- Which style do you prefer?
- Does it really matter to you?
Share This
By Phil Gerbyshak -- 10 comments
October 7th, 2008
Two words towards being a genius
by David Zinger
I had the wonderful opportunity this year to work with Dick Richards and Jodee Bock in Fargo. Dick spent a day with us helping us discover a two word key to our individual genius. You can read about his approach in his book: Is Your Genius at Work?
Let’s face it, we are all too busy at work and it is too easy to lose our focus. I am embedded in one of those very busy timeS and I have found that keeping my genius at work has helped me to make the biggest contribution, connected me with the people I manage, offered me perspective, added to my energy, and made a difference for others.
My genius is: EXPANDING CONNECTIONS.
I doodled my genius on a napkin and have included a scan of it in this article.
I encourage you to grab a napkin and get playful creating two words that sum up your genius. This would be a first step and you could refine it by working with the exercises in Dick Richard’s book.
What is your two word genius?
Share This
By David Zinger -- 6 comments
October 6th, 2008
“Emphasize the error, not the person committing it.” — Terri Lonier
As a manager, it’s important that you focus on the behavior the people who report to you exhibit, and NOT the person making the error. Think about it when you give your team feedback.
Good example: “That was a bad decision you made. Here’s how you can improve next time.”
Bad example: “How could you be so stupid as to make that decision?”
The good example helps the person you’re correcting feel good, and yet still understand the impact of the errors.
Focus on the error, not the person who did it.
Share This
By Phil Gerbyshak -- 3 comments
October 4th, 2008
Are you managing your moments?
by David Zinger
Today, can you stop the words and concepts?
Lose your mind and come to your senses.
Change occurs when we stop and become mindful.
We don’t need to learn some powerful strategy — we need to give our full attention to the moment.
You only have moments to live, are you living your moments?
Share This
By David Zinger -- 0 comments
October 3rd, 2008
What would you do without your leaders? Tough question.
What can you do when you lose your leaders, and what can you do before you lose your leaders to prepare for this inevitable day? Better question!
Leaders leave.
They get promoted.
They change departments.
They start their own business.
Leaders leave.
So here are a few pieces of advice on how to prepare for this day before your leaders leave, and what YOU can do to prepare yourself
Before your leaders are gone:
- Find a mentor: Find someone you admire and ask them to share their knowledge with you now…while they’re still at your company.
- Share your knowledge: Write down what you know, and share it with those around you. This will allow you to do some personal gap analysis, and help you grow
- Leaders also must be willing to find out their team’s strengths, and develop those strengths, and hire a diverse group of players
- You must develop yourself, by finding out as much as you can about the core business, and to continually enhance your skills
After the leaders are gone, and the next generation steps in:
- Step outside of your comfort zone and journey into uncharted territory
- Surround yourself with others so you can work AROUND your weaknesses and stay INSIDE your strength zone.
You never know when you’re going to be the next leader! Get ready now!
What’s missing? What are you going to do to prepare for your time without your leaders?
Share This
By Phil Gerbyshak -- 2 comments
October 2nd, 2008
How do you get smart?
by David Zinger
Maxwell Smart, in the old episodes of Get Smart, had a shoe phone. He often looked like a heel using his phone in public.
Now everyone has a portable communication device, from Blackberries and i-phones - people are connected to just about anyone except the people right in front of them. At times we appear to be heels oblivious to the souls around us.
My question: How do you handle the usage of phones and texting if people use them during meetings, training sessions, project planning times, etc?
- Do you ban them?
- Embrace them?
- Or throw a shoe at someone who is only half there?
My latest strategy is to let group members stay connected when they are in training sessions but asking them to leave the room when they text or talk on their phone. It is not because I am a phone fascist…I think they are great tools but everytime someone becomes a thumbody when they are with somebody I think it dissipates the energy, focus, and strength of the connections we are using to get our results.
For example, I taught a management course with a group that did not use cell phones, etc. for the entire two days and we finished our work about 2.5 hours earlier than normal!
Am I a living anachromism who should be text to death or is this something you struggle with as a manager?
Share This
By David Zinger -- 5 comments
October 1st, 2008
If you’re a leader, you need to be a servant leader. You need to put others needs in front of yours or you can’t lead them.
The leaders I respect the most are servant leaders, and I’ve inspected what qualities they have and thought I’d share the most important ones with you.
- Serve others’ needs first - Whether you are standing in line for the coffee, in the parking lot, or at the grocery store, offer others the chance to go first. This doesn’t mean you put everyone in front of you in line, and you wait 2 hours for a cup of coffee. Just pour someone else’s cup full of coffee first, then fill your own cup. Next time you’re out shopping with your family, park a little further away from the entrance at the local mall. If you’re in line at the grocery store and the person behind you has just a few items, let them step in front of you. Any of these small things make people feel GREAT and will help you stand out as a servant leader!
- Believe in people more - Being a leader means instead of treating people as they are, you treat them as they could be. This means EVERYONE has something to share, and is someone you can learn from. Treat each person as though they are the superstars they’re capable of becoming, and they will shine brighter than a new dime.
- Pay it forward - Instead of waiting for someone to do you a favor, do someone else a favor. In the parking lot I frequent for work, I occasionally will buy 2 parking tickets instead of 1, and give it to the next person walking up so they don’t have to buy a ticket. It’s only $2.50, but you should see the smile on people’s faces. Offer what you’re good at to your friends, neighbors or your church family and follow through by actually helping them. I love going to breakfast with folks and helping them set goals, or learn a bit about blogs.
None of these require you having a TITLE, but are all things you can do, no matter your position, no matter your role, to demonstrate your leadership.
What do you think? How can YOU be a servant leader?
Share This
By Phil Gerbyshak -- 10 comments
September 30th, 2008
I am very curious about how you handle performance management issues. I would love to read your comments on any of the following 6 questions:
- How do you make sure your employees receive feedback?
- How do you feel about giving feedback?
- What challenges do you have with feedback?
- When was the last time you received a formal performance review? Was it helpful?
- What is more powerful for performance: formal or informal feedback?
- What tips do you have for others managers, supervisors, or leaders to improve their personal approach to performance management?
I am now entering my last month with Slacker Manager. Thanks to all of you for reading and commenting.
Photo Credit: Performance review time again by http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmlawlor/2346047783/
Share This
By David Zinger -- 7 comments
September 29th, 2008
Note: This is a guest post from @Stephen, editor of Business Development in Context and a co-founder of the work.life.creativity forum. You can follow him on Twitter at @hdbb_stephen.
Defining Leadership
When we think of successful leaders we often think of businessmen and political figures that are in the news. In your own field, you can probably name a handful of men and women who are successful leaders - people with vision and the ability to communicate that vision in order to inspire others. Leadership is defined by your own personality and level of response-ability. Successful leaders are able to define their goals, persuade others to join them in achieving that goal, and lead their teams to success. But what would you say is the definition of leadership?
Leadership involves more than one person
There is no single definition of leadership. Understanding the different facets of leadership is the first step toward becoming an effective leader. Some common traits of successful and effective leaders include:
- A leader is the appointed head of a group, team or organization.
- A leader is a charismatic individual who is ableto make good decisions and inspire others to work toward a common goal.
- A leader has the power to communicate clearly and assertively.
- A leader has the ability to influence others in a positive way.
No single definition is more “right” or more important than any of the others. Leadership is defined by your own personality and level of response-ability, that is, your ability to respond to people and events in a manner that leads to a successful communication or resolution. One thing that all of the definitions have in common, however, is that successful leadership involves more than one person.
Trust makes you a leader
One cannot be a leader without a group of people following your direction and putting their trust in you. As a leader you have a responsibility to your employees, group, organization or team tolead them fairly and ethically. Having a title such as “Boss”, “Manager” or “Director” does not automatically confer upon you the abilities of a leader. To be a successful leader, you will need to constantly hone your skills by keeping up with the latest practices and by observing other successful leaders - both in your organization and in the news. You also need to have the humility to know that your own style of leadership will change as you gain experience and broaden your horizons.
Tip: Keep up on the latest leadership trends (not fads!) by reading trade publications, watching the news, and observing successful leaders in your own personal network.
The qualities of the successful leader
As we discussed above, a leader is someone who inspires, who makes decisions that affect the group in a positive way, and who can pull together a team with diverse skill sets to achieve a common goal. But if being a manager does not make one a leader, what does? Charisma is a quality that many people use to describe a successful leader, and it is often mistaken as a quality that one is born with. However, the true answer is deeper than that - and you can develop a charismatic leadership style if you develop the following fundamental skills:
- Knowledge - Know your stuff. A successful leader must know the details of the business in order to direct the team toward the organization’s goals.
- Trust - If you want something done right, train someone how to do it and put them in charge of it. Then let them go. Don’t micromanage your team. If you have trained them properly, they will do the right thing.
- Integrity - An organization will soon learn to work around a “leader” who is not trustworthy or does not keep their word.
- Decisiveness - A leader is valued for their ability to make a decision, especially in high-pressure situations. Combining Knowledge and Integrity are essential to being able to make the correct decision.
- Assertiveness - Leaders are often chosen or appointed to direct a team, group, or organization. A successful leader understands that they represent the interests of the team members as well as the macro-interests of the entire team, and that leader will stand up for the members who have put their trust in their leader.
- Optimism - Be realistic but confident. Your employees and your own leaders will lose faith and confidence in you if your attitude is pessimistic or negative. As a leader it is your job to manage less-than-perfect situations and turn them around. Figure it out and concentrate on the positive aspects.
- Results - Keep track of the solid decisions and successful outcomes that you have been responsible for. This record is something you can point to when a leadership opportunity comes your way, as well as something that you can look at to build or restore your own confidence in the tough times.
- Vision - As a leader you are expected to set goals that guide your team or organization in a specefic direction, the “preferred future”. You must be able to think broadly and make strategic actions part of your daily routine. This will help your team to grow in the right direction for success.
What is your leadership style?
What do you think? Is charisma something that you are born with - or is it a quality that you can develop? Leave a comment, start a discussion.
Share This
By Phil Gerbyshak -- 14 comments
September 27th, 2008
I am re-publishing this post. It was a special post because it had an impact.
This post was very important to me as Galba Bright, who died this year in March, and was one of the most wonderful bloggers really enjoyed the “belly laugh” he got from this article. It is not always what we write as bloggers it is the impact we have on others. Galba, I will miss your blogging and I hope you are laughing wherever you are!
—–
Dr. Z (warning: do not take medical advice from Dr. Z as he isn’t really a doctor and as you will read he know very little) has done extensive research on management communication patterns (he listened to leaders talk with each other as they went down a buffet line filling their plates with meat balls and mashed potatoes at a leadership conference).
After this state-of-the-art research fused with rigorous analysis of the data and the composition of the meatballs, Dr. Z has concluded that leaders do not know how to talk like leaders.
Maybe you can walk like an Egyptian but can you talk like a leader?
To remedy this leadership gap Dr. Z has developed Leader-Talk© - A program to teach leaders how to talk so that someone —- anyone, will listen.
Here are Dr. Z’s top 5 tips to talk like a leader:
1.
Open mind/open mouth. Do not talk with your mouth full of meatballs. If you do you will say, “I want the report on Tuesday” and your direct report will hear, “I flaunt the port on booze day.”
2.
Listen. The top secret in terrific Leader-Talk© is to listen more than you talk. The more time spent listening the less time available for you to say something stupid.
3.
Pair-a-phrase don’t paraphrase. Don’t paraphrase when you can pair-a-phrase. Notice how this last sentence was an empty paraphrase of the previous sentence. Employees are not looking for repetition they are looking for leadership. The 2 powerful pair-a-phrases are: “we’ll see” and “run that by Bob.” If you need something extra, take a quantum leap to a new paradigm by stating: “Did you know that two dimes makes 20 cents?” Upper management will respond well to your bottom-dime leadership approach.
4.
Feelings. Empathy is such a rich way of expressing yourself as a leader. For instance, an employee is quivering like jelly and says, “I feel horrible and devestated that the KY project went done the tubes.” To demonstrate empathic Leader-Talk©, make sad puppy eyes and ask the employee, “How do you feel about that?” Employees love it when they know their boss is really listening to them.
5.
Walk the talk. Learn the art of transformational Leader-Talk© by going beyond talking to walking. If an employee asks if they can talk to you, just keep walking and say, “It is time for the rubber to hit the road and let’s forget about the talking and get with the walking.” Make sure you wear a pedometer to show how serious you are about your new leadership movement. ” Your employees will be sure to hold you in high esteem as a leader who walks the talk.
Share This
By David Zinger -- 0 comments
September 26th, 2008
After nearly 2 weeks, and 25 comments, and asking all you smart people what you would hire for, Attitude or Experience, here’s what I learned from you:
Experience wins…
If you’re hiring for a specific skill set, like a doctor, or a computer programmer.
If you’re hiring for something short term (though this can and often is contracted out)
Attitude wins…
If you’re hiring for something more general.
If you’re willing to take the time to train someone in the role.
Though some said…
It’s hard to interview for attitude.
Attitude is important…after you’ve narrowed your list to the final 2 or or 3 candidates.
A combination of the experience and attitude is what’s important!
You need to add a liberal amount of APTITUDE!
Talent is what’s important.
In the end, the answer is clear (as mud):
Attitude or Experience: It’s up to YOU to decide what to hire for. If you’re CLEAR on what you are interviewing for, if you can MEASURE what you are interviewing for, if you can ASK the right questions, then it’s up to YOU!
Any questions?
Thanks to these smart commenters for sharing their insights:
Mud image courtesy of burge5000.
Share This
By Phil Gerbyshak -- 5 comments
September 25th, 2008
David at 54, Where Are You?
by David Zinger
I turned 54 yesterday. I know that is old for a blogger but blogging is part of what keeps me young.
Here are a few random things that I have learned:
- If it is to be it is up to we…community and connection are keys.
- You can have gray hair but a “green” (growing) mind.
- Nothing lasts, long live the Buddhist concept of impermanence.
- What doesn’t last though often comes back in a slightly altered form.
- Your children will always be your children but it is important to see how they have grown, developed, and changed.
- Nothing beats really meeting with people —- as good as email, webinars, and social networks get, I feel power, energy, and connection in face-to-face meetings.
- I have terrific hindsight, poor foresight, and I have set my sights on growth, development, and good work for at least 21 more years. Why retire when you love what you do and I love what I do. I could win the lottery tomorrow and I will still keep doing what I am doing (and no I am not drunk as I write this)!
My father once said to me when I was a teenager. “Son, in life you are going to fart, fumble, fall, and fail. You can’t prevent it. You can’t avoid it. You might as well embrace it and learn to move on.” I didn’t really much care for his statement when I was a teenager but every year I appreciate my father’s wisdom more and more.
You see, everything is impermanent and I’ll never get a chance to have my father be able to tell me his wisdom again so I can keep it alive by always remembering it and every so often sharing it with others.
Without the powerful love I received from my mother I would not have the deep reservoir of love that resides inside me and is expressed in my relationships. My mother can never tell again that she loves me but the love she gave me lives on when I express that love to others.
I would not have ever turned 54 without my father and mother being together a little over 54 years ago! So even thought they can’t read this, I can say it…THANKS MOM AND DAD, I love both of you so much!
Share This
By David Zinger -- 3 comments
