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(6440, 300, '2012-03-30 06:00:43', '2012-03-30 11:00:43', 'In today’s business world, time is money. Because of this, it’s smart to institute regular performance appraisals, commonly known as a performance review. Assessing your team at multiple points throughout the year helps you and your employees maintain goals and keep open communication.\n<p align=\"center\"><em>“The benefits of performance appraisals are tough to argue with. Conducting performance appraisals helps to decrease uncertainty about job requirements and manager expectations, opens the door for training and development opportunities, and offers a chance to reinforce positive behavior.”\n– </em><a href=\"http://upstarthr.com/benefits-of-performance-appraisals/\"><em>UpstartHR.com</em></a></p>\nWhen you offer frequent performance reviews, you can be sure that both you and your employees are on the same page. There are a number of areas where such assessments are beneficial.\n<h2><strong>Strengths</strong></h2>\nThe number one benefit of assessing an employee’s job performance is being able to point out the strengths that you’ve witnessed.  Psychologically, no matter how old, humans crave recognition for hard work. “When leaders master the art of talent assessment and commit to coaching those who need their help, their organizations develop fierce loyalty, exhibit infectious enthusiasm for the work they do and want to spend their careers growing along with the company,” according to Executive Travel.\n<ul>\n	<li>Benefit: Increased job satisfaction. In a time when job salaries are at an all time low, increasing job satisfaction is critical in keeping your best employees.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2><strong>Expectations</strong></h2>\nWhen you meet on a consistent basis with employees, it allows you to see what they’re doing and clarify your expectations. Whether someone has veered off course, or isn’t doing what has been set out for them, it’s important that you push them back in the right direction.\n<ul>\n	<li>Benefit: Job description clarification. You can be sure each person is doing what they’ve been hired for and are clear in what is expected from them.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2><strong>Goal Setting</strong></h2>\nYou may start each quarter with new goals. However, for the over achievers, these goals may not be sufficient in keeping them busy for a long period of time. When you have the opportunity to see this, you can re-direct their efforts.\n<ul>\n	<li>Benefit: Re-prioritization. Never let employees trail off because their goals have been met.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2><strong>Areas of Improvement</strong></h2>\nOne of the most common uses for an employee evaluation is to shed light on areas where there is work to be done. For new employees who have taken on an entry level position, this is a place for constructive criticism and allows you to take on a mentoring role.\n<ul>\n	<li>Benefit: Influence career growth. Take this chance to direct your employees in a direction that will help them grow within the company. Growth from within can prevent hiring from outside down the road.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2><strong>Overall Communication</strong></h2>\nWhen all is said and done, frequent performance reviews allow for an open flow of communication. While the office may be bustling with conversation every day, this is an opportunity to openly discuss where you see your employees now and in the future. It is also a chance to talk personally with an employee, which allows you to address any issues within the company.\n<ul>\n	<li>Benefit: Discussion of in-house issues. Employees may not come to you with office drama or co-worker problems. Offer your employees a closed door opportunity where they may feel more comfortable speaking openly.</li>\n</ul>\nUtilizing frequent performance reviews is beneficial for everyone involved. As a leader, you are able to assess, guide and prioritize. On the other hand, your employees will always know where their position stands within the company, what their performance reflects back to you, and where they can make changes. When it comes to creating a healthy and thriving small business, don’t you think this open communication is a necessity?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nPhoto credit: Buzzle.com\n\n&nbsp;', 'Why Leaders Should Offer Frequent Performance Reviews?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'why-leaders-should-offer-frequent-performance-reviews', '', '', '2012-03-30 06:00:43', '2012-03-30 11:00:43', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6440', 0, 'post', '', 7),
(6444, 290, '2012-04-03 06:00:49', '2012-04-03 11:00:49', 'Sometimes, we just need to acknowledge a situation. We have those moments, but we pretend it is something that it isn’t. What I mean is, at times, we just want someone to do something without much discussion. However, in order to not hurt feelings, we pretend we want their input, but our expressions communicate frustration. And, the person you want to do something begins to get equally frustrated, and a cycle of frustration moves in quickly.\n\nIt is time to just be honest with each other! Not all times can we be team-based, but all times we can be respectful.\n\nKnowing the difference is leadership.\n\nCommunicating the difference is leadership.\n\nUsing a two-by-two matrix has a way of simplifying things.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\nLet’s quickly step through each quadrant.\n\n<strong>Small Matter, High Urgency:  </strong>We just need something done. The direction is clear. The tasks are well-defined. Just get it done. From a recipient viewpoint, we just need to acknowledge the situation, listen to what needs to be done, and do the work. From a leader’s viewpoint, we need to signal this is one of those moments and calmly and respectfully outline what needs to be done. No play-acting necessary. It is just a reality of some situations, so let’s acknowledge it and not try to turn it into something it isn’t.\n\n<strong>Small Matter, Low Urgency:</strong> As a leader, we need to recognize when a task or activity just needs to be handed off to be done by someone better equipped. It is easy to get distracted by the small things, which lead us to miss the big things that really need our attention. Don’t believe you need to do everything. Know when to make the hand-off and trust others.\n\n<strong>Large Matter, High Urgency:</strong> These are the crisis-type times. It is not being the “lone leader” and barking commands to solve the issue. “Command-and-control” may be an unproductive and risk-prone way. Having the right mix of perspectives and talent will likely lead to a better resolution. The approach is one of a more tightly composed team, where everyone knows they play a key role in a well-coordinated, well-communicated manner. Team trust will help carry the tune of a well-orchestrated outcome.\n\n<strong>Large Matter, Low Urgency:</strong> Strategic initiatives or process improvement projects may fall into this category. Results need to happen over time, whether it is a quarter or two. Setting a framework, empowering a team to dig in and work it through, and then getting out of the way are great ways to instill leadership opportunities within an organization. Knowing when to get out of the way may be the essential leadership lesson to embrace.\n\nThe point is rather simple. It is one of honestly recognizing which quadrant the situation is in and communicating this fact to the participants and knowing it as a leader. It should become part of the organizational culture. Think about the difference. The roles become more clear. While the left half of the matrix is more leader centric, the right half is more team centric.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"></p>\nFor recipients, what needs to be done can be accepted with the proper understanding and context.\n\nFor leaders, role clarity needs to be comprehended, knowing when to direct and when to let go.\n\nLet’s be honest about the situation and apply the right approach. It is a win-win way.', 'Situational Approach: What Role Do I Play in Matters?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'situational-approach-what-role-do-i-play-in-matters', '', '', '2012-04-03 06:00:49', '2012-04-03 11:00:49', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6444', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(6451, 282, '2012-04-12 06:00:44', '2012-04-12 11:00:44', 'Music has a way of transporting us- our minds, our hearts, our thoughts- to amazing and sometimes frightening place. Songs stir up memories of the past, good and bad. Songs give us new lenses to see through as we survey our current landscape of life. Songs have a way of putting a lighting a candle in the far recesses of our soul, of putting a face on our future, of helping us transcend what we know to what might be. Examining the songs that touch each of us can be a powerful tool in helping us discover our fears and hurts, our dreams and strengths.\n\n&nbsp;', 'Bang The Drum All Day!!!', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'bang-the-drum-all-day', '', '', '2012-04-12 06:00:44', '2012-04-12 11:00:44', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6451', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6452, 288, '2012-04-04 06:02:32', '2012-04-04 11:02:32', '\nIn our sometimes cut-throat, highly competitive society, having good negotiation skills is necessary. We’ve identified 12 tips to an all-win negotiation.  We’ll discuss the first 6 here so check back in a few days for the final 6 steps to winning a negotiation.  We’ve included some tips from <a href=\"http://www.dalecarnegie.com/\">Dale Carnegie</a> to ensure a pain-free, positive negotiation process.\n\nRemember, negotiating means that you are attempting to agree on a solution. Compromising, or settling on a mutually agreeable solution, is the result of successful negotiations. Compromise is all about being flexible. It means being able to generate alternate solutions when you’ve “hit the wall.” Whether it involves a person you can’t get along with, an idea you know will work but that others are reluctant to embrace, a change in office systems, or a turf war that needs ending, learning to negotiate and compromise is essential to your success.\n\n<strong>Have A New Attitude</strong>\n\nYour attitude is essential to the outcome in a negotiation. Going into a negotiation with a negative attitude is one of the surest ways to achieve a loss. If you are already expecting a negative reaction prior to a negotiation, take a second and think about the effect your attitude will have on others involved in the negotiation. A negative attitude chain reaction is the last thing you want.\n\n<strong><em> </em></strong><strong><em>1.    </em></strong><strong><em>Tip</em></strong>\n\nApproach the negotiation as an opportunity to learn and achieve an all-win outcome and you will improve your chance of achieving a mutually rewarding solution.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Can You Meet Me Halfway?</strong>\n\nBeing selfish in a negotiation is yet another way to ensure a loss. Of course, it is important to maintain your competitive edge, but being overly competitive and unwilling to compromise on any aspect in a negotiation can lead to a negative outcome.\n\n<strong><em> </em></strong><strong><em>2. Tip</em></strong>\n\nMeet on mutual ground. Find a mutually agreeable and convenient physical space to meet that is comfortable for all involved. Agree on when you will meet and how much time is available to devote to the process. Whenever possible, deal with negotiations face-to-face. Be careful about negotiating over the phone or in e-mail. A lack of facial expressions, vocal intonation, and other cues can result in a negotiation breakdown.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>What’s Your Issue?</strong>\n\nGoing into a negotiation without truly understanding the issues at hand can create a confusing, never-ending negotiation.\n\n<strong><em> 3. </em></strong><strong><em>Tip</em></strong>\n\nAgree on a statement of the issue using simple and factual terms. If the situation is multifaceted, search for ways to split the large issue into smaller pieces and deal with one issue at a time.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Do Your Homework Kids</strong>\n\nOne of the worst things you can do is to go into a negotiation blindly, without any knowledge of the issues from every perspective.\n\n<strong><em> </em></strong><strong><em>4.    </em></strong><strong><em>Tip</em></strong>\n\nTake time to plan. You must not only know what is at stake for yourself, but you need to know the other side’s concerns and motivation. Take into consideration any history or past situations that might affect the negotiations. Know the must-haves (non-negotiable items) and nice-to-haves (negotiable items). Determine the best resolution, a fair and reasonable compromise, and a minimally acceptable deal.\n\n<strong> </strong>\n\n<strong>Let’s Be Honest</strong>\n\nAre you a good communicator? Do you possess qualities that could hinder the negotiation process? Are you unsure of your communication or personality flaws?\n\n<strong><em> </em></strong><strong><em>5.    </em></strong><strong><em>Tip</em></strong>\n\nTake an honest inventory of yourself. Determine your level of trust in the other person and the process. Be conscious of aspects of your personality that can help or hinder the process.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>We Have Something In Common</strong>\n\nBeing unable to see things from the point of view of the others involved in the negotiation can frustrate the negotiation process.\n\n<strong><em>6.    </em></strong><strong><em>Tip</em></strong>\n\nLook for shared interests. Get on the same side by finding and establishing similarities. Since conflict tends to magnify perceived differences and minimize similarities, look for common goals, objectives, or even gripes that can illustrate that you are in this together. Focus on the future, talk about what needs to be done, and tackle the problem jointly.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIn my next post I will detail the other 6 tips to an all-win negotiation. Visit us soon for more easy, yet successful ways to improve your negotiation skills.', '12 Simple Tips to All-Win Negotiations', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '12-simple-tips-to-all-win-negotiations', '', '', '2012-04-04 06:02:32', '2012-04-04 11:02:32', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6452', 0, 'post', '', 5),
(6461, 243, '2012-04-05 06:03:18', '2012-04-05 11:03:18', 'Traditionally, leadership has been defined by the existence of followers.  If followers exist, you’re a leader.  Or at least that’s how it’s been traditionally understood.  However, if that’s the case, if we all become leaders, do we all cease being leaders because we have no followers?  Is a leader someone who can “get” others to follow?  Or is a leader something more?</p>\nMany days I am reminded of the challenges inherent in communication because of nuances in the meaning of words.  Lately, in a group setting, a friend made a comment that I took issue with around leadership.\n\n“People don’t want to be managed, they want to be led.”\n\nMy friends comment, I am sure, aligned very well with the idea that leadership is influence.  People don’t want to be put in little boxes and managed like a resource or a task.  They prefer to be influenced to make free choices about their engagement without manipulation.\n\nAgreeing with my friend and her meaning, I still disagreed with the statement.  The words, lead, influence, and persuade can all feel like manipulation or coercion to me.  Yes, I know coercion means force, but when an individual perceives the consequences of an action are greater than they can stand, they might feel “forced” to do something.\n\nSimon Sinek said that we only have two ways to get others to act: inspiration or manipulation. When inspired, people bring energy, excitement, creativity, passion, commitment, loyalty and a host of other positives to any effort.  When manipulated, at best (for the leader) they bring those same attitudes, at least until they realize their mistake. When they feel sold, manipulated or when their inspiration wanes, so does their effort.\n\nDid you enter the workforce planning to be a follower?  Positional leaders need followers.  You’re not “in” the lead unless you have people who are also in position to follow.  If everyone became a leader today, where would all the followers come from?\n\nEvery day, <a href=\"../sources-leadership\">character-based leaders</a>, those who lead from who they are, rather than from a position, freely choose to submit to the leadership of others.  Those others may be in positions of leadership or they may not.  Those others may simply have a better idea, or be more qualified, but they have no “position” of authority.  They’re not “in charge.”\n\nWe can all be character-based leaders, leading from who we are.  We don’t “become” a follower when we choose to join.  We don’t change who we are by choosing to subordinate to someone in order to achieve a goal.  The United States was formed on principles like these.   We are equals, taking different roles to accomplish shared goals.  When we become leaders, on the inside, as part of our character, we don’t stop enlisting, supporting or serving.  In fact, we may enlist more, support more or serve more once we accept responsibility for our own leadership. (For more on this, see <a href=\"../three-promises-character-based-leadership/\">The Three Promises of Character-based Leadership</a>.)\n\nOur world needs more great leaders.  No, we don’t need more people in positions of authority.  Rather we need more character-based leaders both in and out of positions of authority.  Be a leader.  Choose to make a difference.  Join someone else or start something on your own.  You don’t need permission.\n\nWe can only all be leaders when we accept personal responsibility and choose to enlist of our own informed, free will.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Photo © Sergey Galushko - Fotolia.com</span>', 'Are Followers an Endangered Species?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'are-followers-an-endangered-species', '', '', '2012-04-05 06:03:18', '2012-04-05 11:03:18', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6461', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(6471, 283, '2012-04-05 08:56:45', '2012-04-05 13:56:45', 'Today\'s SmartBlog on Leadership post is by Monica Diaz,  author of <em><a href=\"http://www.otheresteem.org/amazon\">“Otheresteem: Regaining the Power to Value Others.\"</a></em>\n\n\"Powerful listening as well as total presence have long been underestimated as central to a leader’s ability to affect change. It’s time to change this, to use active listening skills and insights to widen perspectives and remain aware of the circles each leader allows herself to be a part of, expanding their reach. \"', 'How a wider perspective makes you a better leader', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'how-a-wider-perspective-makes-you-a-better-leader', '', '', '2012-04-05 08:56:45', '2012-04-05 13:56:45', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6471', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6476, 294, '2012-05-11 06:00:20', '2012-05-11 11:00:20', '<p style=\"text-align: left\">Wouldn’t it be a dream if every employee could add $13,000 to the bottom line of your business each and every year? No need to dream because research shows that’s exactly what happens when an employee shifts from being disengaged to engaged.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><a href=\"http://www.massingenuity.com/2012/04/02/engaging-employees-the-economics-of-micro-ingenuity/\">Read More...</a></p>\n&nbsp;', 'Engaging Employees: The Economics of Micro Ingenuity', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'engaging-employees-the-economics-of-micro-ingenuity', '', '', '2012-05-11 06:00:20', '2012-05-11 11:00:20', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6476', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6489, 294, '2012-05-15 12:40:19', '2012-05-15 17:40:19', 'One of the great beliefs we have as managers is that our job is to listen to our employees’ ideas and then go implement those that we find valuable. Sounds like a great idea. But as managers we know the reality is that a good many employee ideas just don’t make business sense.\n\n<a href=\"http://j.mp/LTZeAe\">Read more...</a>', 'Why So Many Employee Ideas Don&#039;t Make Sense', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'why-so-many-employee-ideas-dont-make-sense', '', '', '2012-05-15 12:40:19', '2012-05-15 17:40:19', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6489', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6492, 288, '2012-04-17 06:00:27', '2012-04-17 11:00:27', 'Last week we detailed the first set of tips to get you on your way to an all-win negotiation. Remember, a negotiation is defined as a mutual discussion and arrangement of the terms of a transaction or agreement, or the process of attempting to agree on a solution.  Society is not getting any less competitive, so if you do not hone your negotiation skills soon you will continue to be steps behind your competition. As impossible as a solution may seem prior to the negotiation, with these final tips from <a href=\"http://www.dalecarnegie.com/\">Dale Carnegie</a> the negotiation process can be positive for all involved.\n\n<strong>Is Emotion Taking You Over?</strong>\n\nYour demeanor plays a huge role in the outcome of a negotiation. No two people are just alike, so it is very easy to clash with someone during a negotiation. We sometimes have the inability to separate the issues being discussed from the people involved. This in turn makes it hard to whole-heartedly listen to others ideas without being biased.\n\n#7 Tip\n\nDeal with facts, not emotions. Avoid any tendency to attack the other person or to pass judgment on his or her ideas and opinions. Maintain a rational, goal-oriented frame of mind, and put your feelings aside. This allows you to deal with the situation at hand with a clear, unbiased mind.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Honesty Really Is the Best Policy…Seriously</strong>\n\nDo you not trust the other people involved in the negotiation? Being vague or misleading during a negotiation is a definite way to frustrate your counterpart and end on a negative note. Despite thinking you are fooling the other people involved, most people can tell when someone is not being completely upfront. Regardless of the size of your tale, I can ensure you that this negotiation will not end well.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em>  #8. </em><em>Tip</em><em></em>\n\nDon’t play games. Be honest and clear about what is important to you and communicate why your goals, issues, and objectives are important to you. Despite thinking that bending the truth just a little will give you an edge above the competition, it ultimately can hurt you in the long run. Future negotiations can potentially be effected by your dishonesty. Your reputation as being truthful and reliable is an important one to maintain.\n\n<strong>“I shall argue that strong men, conversely, know when to compromise…”- Andrew Carnegie</strong>\n\nAre you 100% positive that your solution is the best solution? Is it your way or the highway? Remember that a negotiation is only over once the 2 parties agree to a certain extent. The sooner you realize this, the easier the negotiation will be.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em>#9.  </em><em>Tip</em><em></em>\n\nPresent alternatives and provide evidence. This will exemplify your willingness to compromise. Consider conceding in issues that may be important to the other person but are not of a high value to you.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Unlock the Barriers: Communication Is the Key</strong>\n\nMany negotiations fail due to sub-par communication efforts. It can at times be difficult to listen to an opinion or point of view that you completely disagree with, causing you to ultimately not communicate as effectively as you should.  As in an everyday conversation, if you are not actively participating by adding to the conversation or listening, the person you are conversing with will think that the conversation is not important to you.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em> </em><em>#10. Tip</em><em></em>\n\nBe an expert communicator during your negotiation.  Nothing shows determination to find a mutually satisfactory resolution to conflict more than applying excellent <a href=\"http://www.dalecarnegie.com/events/subject/?F_s=11\">communication skills</a>. Take a genuine interest in the other side’s concerns. Focus less on your position and more on ways in which you can move toward a resolution or compromise.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Negotiations Are Like Songs…</strong>\n\nThe negotiation process can be hard and stressful. Chances are you did not fully agree with the other negotiators involved, and are not looking forward to having to negotiate again. However, maintaining a good relationship with the other parties is important for future business and negotiations.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em></em><em>#11. Tip</em><em></em>\n\nEnd on a good note. Before leaving your negotiation, make sure to double-check that everyone involved agrees and approves of the final solution. Shake on it and agree on the action steps: who is responsible for each step, how success will be measured, and how and when the decision will be evaluated. Be open to agreeing to disagree.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>The Light at the End of the Tunnel…..Final Tip</strong>\n\nThe negotiation is finally over! Now what?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em> </em><em>#12. Tip</em><em></em>\n\nEnjoy the process. Look at the benefits of learning other people’s point of view. People report that after overcoming conflict and reaching an agreement, the relationship grew even stronger.<strong></strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFollow these simple yet useful tips to become a polished negotiator! Visit us soon for more articles and tips to help you achieve your leadership potential.', '12 Simple Tips to All-Win Negotiations: Part II', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '12-simple-tips-to-all-win-negotiations-part-ii', '', '', '2012-04-17 06:00:27', '2012-04-17 11:00:27', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6492', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(6498, 243, '2012-04-16 06:04:36', '2012-04-16 11:04:36', '<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591843162/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=elevate-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1591843162\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-2037\" title=\"linchpin\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/linchpin.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>I read a paragraph the other day that reminded me of why I started the Lead Change Group.\n<blockquote style=\"padding: 10px 50px 20px 30px;\">Fit in too much, though, and nothing much happens. Where are the self-appointed agitators and firebrands, the people who will egg you on and push you to stand out for something?  Seth Godin <a title=\"Linchpin on Amazon.com\" href=\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591843162/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=elevate-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1591843162\">Linchpin</a> page 202.</blockquote>\nThis group was created before it was fashionable to egg people on and push them to stand out for something.  No, I didn’t start the idea.  In fact, no one in this group created the idea.  Over the years, many have encouraged standing up and <a title=\"Posts tagged Stand Out\" href=\"/tag/stand-out/\">standing out</a> for essential beliefs.  Most great leaders started by standing against injustice or standing for an idea.  And today, you can find great posts on that topic all over the Internet, including from friends who are Instigators here.  Even the title, Instigator, comes from our desire to instigate a leadership revolution.\n\nAs for me, I don’t want to be lukewarm.  I don’t want to “go down easy.”  I want to make a difference in the world and I believe my difference is to help you make your difference in the world, at least in the area of character-based leadership.\n\nIn Linchpin, Godin suggests that the world and the \"system\" or the \"factory\" train us to surrender our ability to make a difference.  We\'re taught to fit in, go along, and be cool.  We get pressured into conforming to the system and we surrender long before we even knew what we were doing.\n\nBut we don\'t have to stay surrendered.\n\nDon’t give away control over your ability to make a difference.  Your circumstances, friends, income, or challenges can limit or direct the difference you make.  Don’t surrender to anyone or anything by granting authority over your ability to make a difference.\n\nSo what’s your thing?  Are you doing it?  Have you told anyone?  How could you do your thing more?  Can we help?  Share your ideas below on how readers of this blog can make a difference in their sphere of influence this week.  Every little bit helps.', 'Stand Out', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'stand-out', '', '', '2012-04-16 06:04:36', '2012-04-16 11:04:36', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6498', 0, 'post', '', 6),
(6521, 294, '2012-05-22 14:00:17', '2012-05-22 19:00:17', 'Thirty years ago when the notion of improving processes began to get traction in the U.S., it held great promise. But one problem has kept the promise from becoming a full reality.\n\nIt’s too complicated!  <a href=\"http://www.massingenuity.com/2012/04/23/how-can-we-get-people-to-follow-processes/\">Read more....</a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n', 'How can we get people to follow processes?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'how-can-we-get-people-to-follow-processes', '', '', '2012-05-22 14:00:17', '2012-05-22 19:00:17', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6521', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6524, 290, '2012-05-01 06:00:20', '2012-05-01 11:00:20', 'As we got our coffee and sat down, the conversation continued.\n\n“I am just swamped though, and the work just seems endless. I don’t know if I can keep this pace. I just imagine this wave of work overtaking me.”\n\nMy friend tried to comfort me by adding, “You know you will work through it. You always do.”\n\nAs we continued our spiraling conversation about the continuing loads of work, someone walked over and dropped a napkin on our table. She just said, “I couldn’t help overhearing parts of your conversation, and this simple principle has always helped me and my team through the challenging work times – <em>Plan the work, and work the plan</em>.”\n\nMy immediate reaction was, “Well, of course, but it sounds way too simple for my situation!”\n\nShe just matter-of-factly said, “If you really are planning the work, then you will see how things connect together to realize a specific, defined objective. If all the activities are disconnected, then you really don’t have a direction, which is another issue.”\n\n“Once you have a plan, then you work it, meaning you do the work, learn as you go, and make adjustments as activities are completed and new insights gained.”\n\nI just looked at her with a slight smirk on my face. “This just seems too simple.”\n\nShe just chuckled. “Of course! Too often, we make things more difficult than they need to be. Many times, the simple principles are what keep us on the right path, heading in the right direction. Just do this, when you head back to your office, take this simple approach – <em>plan your work, work your plan</em> – and organize your efforts around it. See what you discover, and keep using this for the next month and write down what you learned from it.”\n\nI said that I would try and thanked her for the advice.\n\nAs she walked away, I returned to my friend and said “What did you think of that!”\n\nHe just smiled and said, “Well, it makes sense to me, so why not try it?”\n<div>\n\nAs we left the coffee shop, I shoved the napkin in my pocket and went to work.\n\nThe story could continue from here, as we each have our own to tell. Sometimes we ignore the simple principles that deliver big results. Here is the crux of <em>plan your work, work your plan.</em>\n\n<strong>Plan Your Work</strong>\n\n</div>\n<ul>\n	<li>Document all the activities you need to do</li>\n	<li>Organize the activities into common groups</li>\n	<li>Answer a key question:  What objectives do these activities align with? If there is no consistency in how all the various activities come together, then re-evaluate why you are involved in them.</li>\n	<li>Focus on the activities that are tied to a plan objective. If no objective is defined, it is time to develop a direction or, in other words, develop a real plan.</li>\n</ul>\nA hodge-podge of activities does not make for a productive day, week, or month. There needs to be some purpose behind the work to be done, so it is essential to develop a plan in which to organize the work. This simple step connects activities to meaning and purpose for your organization and your daily work.\n\n<strong>Work Your Plan</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Identify people and other resources needed to get the work done</li>\n	<li>Collaborate with the right people to get the right things done</li>\n	<li>Adjust your work as new information is gained – adapt as needed</li>\n	<li>Set the milestones to keep the work moving forward</li>\n	<li>Celebrate the milestones that you and others will recognize as being important to have achieved</li>\n</ul>\nPlans are not static; they adapt to changes that occur. As work is done, more information is gained, which means more insights. From this, we see a clearer picture of what reality really looks like, and we need to make the necessary adjustments to the plan and the activities. It is about making your moves and then seeing the corresponding counter-moves before taking the next step forward.\n\nWe all have our work stories, and we need to continue to develop our storyline into something that works for us, our initiatives, and our organization. We need to listen to the characters that enter our story while ensuring we are involving the right characters as our planned plot unfolds.\n\nWe need to <em>plan our work, and work our plan!</em>', 'Simple Principles Work!', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'simple-principles-work', '', '', '2012-05-01 06:00:20', '2012-05-01 11:00:20', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6524', 0, 'post', '', 4),
(6567, 301, '2012-05-11 06:04:12', '2012-05-11 11:04:12', '<h2>Self-leadership depends upon your personality type</h2>\nIf your innate personality and belief system does not comply with the leadership style you choose, your results will be less than desired. You will come across as being phony, hard to communicate with and will be uncomfortable in your own skin. To succeed, choose a leadership style that fits your personality.\n<h2>Open door leadership types enjoy talking with people</h2>\nThis type believes that everyone has viable ideas and a collaborative effort works well. If you are comfortable talking with all types of people, at all levels throughout your organization, you may do well implementing the open door leadership personality. Others find you easy to talk with and feel that what is discussed with you will be kept in strict confidence. You exude an aura of trust, loyalty and true sensitivity to others\' needs. The drawback to this leadership type is the fact that others may view you as a pushover who has no boundaries.\n<h2>Understanding closed-door leadership</h2>\nIf you believe that an organization works best by having one certain person at the helm, you may fit in with the closed-door leadership type. You like to schedule your day around set appointments and work with your door closed. People need to knock on your door if they want to approach you. You like authority and the feeling it gives you. You feel in control and instead of asking for input from others, you give orders. This personality type does not really care if there are any dissenters among the ranks, since sensitivity is not a strong trait. The drawback to this leadership style can be low productivity and high turnover rates due to employee dissatisfaction. Authority types easily lead to dissension among coworkers and associates.\n\nOr, maybe you are a combination of the authority and open-door personality. You like working behind a closed door for a while, having set appointments, but still allow for instantaneous interaction with your associates and other coworkers. You like conversing with others and forming a collaborative team all working towards the same goal. And, you also like being in control and telling others what to do. You believe there are times when being an authoritative figure that makes demands on others is the best option. This middle-of-the-road leadership type can promote a team environment that results in increased productivity.\n\nNo matter which type of leadership personality type you have, you will only succeed when you possess a number of other characteristics. Leaders have strong levels of self-confidence, persistence, determination and foresight. Good leaders always believe there are a number of options available to reach a goal. When one avenue fails, another one is explored. Pliability and flexibility are crucial for a leader\'s success.\n<h2>Find success through self-understanding</h2>\nSelf-understanding plays a crucial role in self-leadership. Before you can lead anyone else, in any capacity, you need to have a firm control over your own personality. Taking some alone time to realize what type of personality you have, and which type you interact best with, can be the key to your self-leadership success.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikcharlton/2496374678/\">image credit</a>', 'What Type of Leadership Personality Do You Have?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'what-type-of-leadership-personality-do-you-have', '', '', '2012-05-11 06:04:12', '2012-05-11 11:04:12', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6567', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(6628, 243, '2012-06-08 06:01:54', '2012-06-08 11:01:54', '<blockquote>\"They didn\'t define themselves by money, fame or power. They defined themselves by impact and contribution and purpose.\" Jim Collins &amp; Morten T. Hansen, <a title=\"Great by Choice at Amazon.com\" href=\"http://j.mp/Jh2dRn\">Great by Choice.</a></blockquote>\nIs ambition bad? Wikipedia defines <a title=\"Definition of Ambition\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambition\">ambition</a> as simply, \"the desire for personal achievement.\" Like many attitudes and behaviors of great leaders, ambition can go either way.  There can be a good side and a bad side.\n<h2>The Bad</h2>\nAmbition gets some pretty bad press. Check out this <a title=\"Ambition at Despair.com\" href=\"http://www.despair.com/ambition.html\">Despair.com demotivator</a>.\n\nAmbition isn\'t the problem. The object of our ambition is. Ambition that\'s focused on a small group or a small objective, is a small ambition regardless of those that hold it. When I think of ambition, I contrast the greed that drove Bernie Madoff, or Bernie Ebbers or Kenneth Lay to an ambition of a different kind. I was involved at a competing company during the telecom boom. I saw several people ambitious for gain. It was the first time I ever worked at a company who\'s objective was to be sold. Everyone seemed to be building a company to sell it, rather than trying to create something that provided lasting value.\n<h2>The Good</h2>\nGreat leaders, those that Collins &amp; Hansen call 10Xers, have 4 characteristics. They balance three core behaviors and a single motivating force. These are the leaders who built companies that, at least for the study periods, outperformed their industry by at <a href=\"http://j.mp/Jh2dRn\"><img class=\"wp-image-6634 alignleft\" title=\"book\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/book-205x300.jpg\" alt=\"Great by Choice at Amazon.com\" width=\"126\" height=\"185\" /></a>least 10 times. In future posts, I\'ll review the book further and talk about the 3 core behaviors, fanatical discipline, empirical creativity and productive paranoia.\n\nBut underlying the 3 core behaviors, there is one motivating force. Collins and Hansen call it Level 5 Ambition. \"It\'s a passion or ambition for a cause or company that\'s larger than themselves... They have egos, yes, but their egos are channeled into their companies and their purposes, not personal aggrandizement.\"\n<h2>Level 5 Ambition</h2>\nLevel 5 Ambition knows that impact and contribution are always measured by others. People rate a leader\'s impact by how it benefits them. People value the contribution of others. Value is always set by the beholder. When our values are short-sighted, we end up pursuing gain to our detriment as I did in the telecom boom. My values were short-term. What made the most money in the short run. What created the greatest stock market value.\n\nThe long run shows that the greatest market value goes to the companies that create the greatest value, period. 10X leaders apply Level 5 Ambition to strive for the greatest goal, the highest purpose. They work to create a company (or serve an idea) that brings value to many for years to come.\n\nHow\'s your ambition? Is it focused on a small group or a short-term goal? Chase the biggest, best dream you can imagine. Our world needs people who will dream great dreams and pursue those great dreams with equally great passion.', 'Ambition of Great Leaders', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'ambition-of-great-leaders', '', '', '2012-06-08 06:01:54', '2012-06-08 11:01:54', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6628', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(6639, 302, '2012-05-28 06:00:21', '2012-05-28 11:00:21', '<strong>I hit the runway hard and the plane bounced!</strong> My heart pounded. I was gripped with fear as I considered what to do next.\n\nIt was my second solo flight and I had less than 20 hours of flight instruction. During my final approach for landing, I came to the realization that I was too high and that meant I would not land at the beginning of the runway. At best, I might land mid-field or even worse run out of runway during the landing.\n\nMy only thought was that I needed to lose altitude quickly and make sure I landed at the beginning of the runway. I pushed forward on the yoke, putting the plane into a steeper dive while increasing the speed of the plane. It was the wrong thing to do.\n\nSo what happened? Instead of gently touching down on the runway, the plane hit the runway hard and bounced! Now what?\n\nFortunately, my instructor had cautioned me what to do if I ever found myself in such a situation. If a plane bounces or balloons on landing, it usually doesn’t stop and only gets worse. The best response is to immediately apply full power, adjust the flaps and go around for another landing attempt. And that’s exactly what I did.\n\nWhat goes through your mind during a heart-stopping experience like this?\n\nFor me, the most important thing was flying the airplane safely. While I was scared, I knew I couldn’t focus on my fears and had to focus on flying the airplane. I started saying to myself over and over again, “fly the airplane, fly the airplane.”\n\n<strong>I think achieving performance improvement results requires a similar disciplined focus on what’s most important.</strong>\n\nOver the past eighteen months, I interviewed 26 experts in a quest to uncover the best strategies that are being used by organizations and top consultants to achieve real performance results.\n\nWhile none of the strategies are exactly the same, I have started to identify several common themes.\n<h2><strong>Improve for the Right Reasons</strong></h2>\n<strong>One common message that I have taken from reading and analyzing all the interviews is that top experts are helping organizations improve for the right reasons.</strong>\n\nI think of the reasons organizations decide to make improvements as existing on a scale. On the left are organizations that are happy with the status quo and on the far right of the scale are organizations that want to change the world.\n\nIn between are all the other factors that influence an organization to change. Some organizations decide to make a change because it’s the latest “silver bullet” they heard about at a conference or maybe from a colleague. Others decide to undertake an improvement effort to achieve a rating or because they need to be in compliance with requirements set by an outside governing body.\n\nStill others want to solve a specific problem or perhaps competition may be forcing management to make changes to keep up or stay ahead in the marketplace.\n\n<strong>Then there are those organizations that are focused on being a great company or have a vision to change the world.</strong> They are engaged in making improvements because they want to be the best and delight their customers.\n\nWhatever the reasons, it is my observation that many industry experts do things that help organizations move further to the right on the scale of Improve for the Right Reasons.\n\nI believe the further to the right your organization is on the Improve for the Right Reasons scale, the more successful your organization is likely to be with performance improvement.\n\n<em>Do you agree? Where is your organization on this scale?</em>\n\nIf you’d like to learn more about how top experts help organizations make improvements for the right reasons, go to the 5 Minutes to Process Improvement Success website where you can read all of the interviews at <a href=\"http://5minutespisuccess.com/\">http://5minutespisuccess.com</a>', 'What I Learned About Performance Improvement from Nearly Crashing an Airplane', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'what-i-learned-about-performance-improvement-from-nearly-crashing-an-airplane', '', '', '2012-05-28 06:00:21', '2012-05-28 11:00:21', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6639', 0, 'post', '', 2);
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(6646, 289, '2012-06-04 06:00:54', '2012-06-04 11:00:54', 'As self-labeled \"leaders,\" we are familiar with all the lingo. We know that by definition being a \"leader\" requires \"followers,\" and that cases can be made on both sides of the \"Are leaders and managers different things?\" argument. From John Maxwell\'s work on leadership alone, we know that there are at least <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/The-21-Irrefutable-Laws-Leadership/dp/0785288376/\" target=\"_blank\">21 laws about it</a>, at least <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/The-Levels-Leadership-Maximize-Potential/dp/159995365X/\" target=\"_blank\">5 levels to it</a>, that it requires a <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-101-John-C-Maxwell/dp/1596448318/\" target=\"_blank\">101 class</a>, at least <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/The-Maxwell-Daily-Reader-Influence/dp/1400203392/\" target=\"_blank\">a year to study</a>, and is as valuable as <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Gold-Lessons-Learned-Lifetime/dp/0785214119/\" target=\"_blank\">shiny precious metal</a>.\n\n\n\nYet, in his book, <em><a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Start-Something-Matters-Blake-Mycoskie/dp/1400069181\" target=\"_blank\">Start Something That Matters</a></em>, TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie says, \"<strong>A leader can create a company, but a community creates a movement.</strong>\"\n\nFor me, this sums it up. The leaders I most admire would never be satisfied with just filing a business license -- they\'re about changing the world. They want to make a lasting impact on the planet, to leave their mark in some tangible way. They want to have <em>advanced</em> something.\n\n<strong>Doing this, however, means we need to build a tribe.</strong>\n\nWhy, then, do we spend so much time on our own leadership, and so little time focusing on how to create a community?\n\nOf course, one could argue that these things are intimately intertwined -- and they are. But let\'s be honest: right now the majority of our attention is self-focused. It\'s on our own <strong>personal</strong> development, our <strong>individual</strong> betterment, our <strong>solitary</strong> growth. While it\'s true that healthy (in an emotional, physical, and spiritual sense) individuals do make the most impact on a community, there\'s no denying we\'re probably on overdrive here.\n\n(<a href=\"http://lmgtfy.com/?q=leadership\" target=\"_blank\">A quick Google search should prove me right</a>.)\n\nHave we gone overboard with our obsession of ourselves as leaders?\n\nHave we forgotten about the community?\n\nThe research and science behind tribe-building pales in comparison to the immense body of work we\'ve gathered on personal leadership. In many ways, this fact is an accurate reflection of our culture\'s obsession with the individual. The challenge, however, is that the world is changing. It\'s becoming infinitely more connected, global, and intertwined. The future isn\'t about separations as much as it is about collaborations.\n\nThis is why a community is so crucial.\n\nThe combination of our individually-obsessed leadership studies with the industrial-mechanical design of most current organizations has created quite a <a href=\"http://blog.joshallan.com/2012/03/19/its-time-for-a-work-revolution/\" target=\"_blank\">Frankenstein</a>. We remain obsessed with self-improvement, while we ignore the anti-cooperative nature of the way we work. We want to be better -- to grow, change, and adapt -- but the systems around us at work often don\'t allow us to.\n\nFrom organization charts, vacation policies, and dress codes to the more \"unwritten\" cultural rules about how friendly we can be at work or how openly we can talk about \"personal stuff,\" we have a variety of tools which can allow a community to form. Unfortunately, in many companies today these are the very things which <em>prevent</em> it from forming. All of our structures and social agreements at work either <em>hinder</em> or <em>foster</em> a greater sense of community. They can never do both. Despite this, we barely give these things a second thought -- unless we\'re complaining about them.\n\nWhat if we could <em>fix them</em> instead?\n\nLeadership studies which stop at changing <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>us</strong></span> aren\'t enough anymore. We need to find and cultivate <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Community-Structure-Belonging-Peter-Block/dp/1576754871\" target=\"_blank\">more great work</a> around leadership which helps us learn <em>how to create communities</em>. It\'s the only way we\'ll achieve the world-changing impact we leaders so truly desire.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Photo (© Levente Janos - Fotolia.com) </span>', 'Leadership is Not For You', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leadership-is-not-for-you', '', '', '2012-06-04 06:00:54', '2012-06-04 11:00:54', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6646', 0, 'post', '', 5),
(6647, 274, '2012-05-28 14:00:24', '2012-05-28 19:00:24', '<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6649\" title=\"zenl\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/zenl1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"146\" height=\"200\" />\n\n<span style=\"text-align: left;\">\nIs th</span><span style=\"text-align: left;\">ere a way </span><span style=\"text-align: left;\">to achieve success and satisfaction AND reduce the patterns of life and work that are esc</span><span style=\"text-align: left;\">alating our stress levels? </span><span style=\"text-align: left;\">The key might just be simpler than you t</span><span style=\"text-align: left;\">hink.  In fact the way you think, in and of itself – your beliefs and mindset – is actually the key. Susan Mazza discusses the new book \"The Zen Leader, 10 ways to go from barely managing to leader fearlessly.\" </span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;', 'How to Elevate Your Leadership', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'how-to-elevate-your-leadership', '', '', '2012-05-28 14:00:24', '2012-05-28 19:00:24', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6647', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(6668, 274, '2012-05-29 06:00:47', '2012-05-29 11:00:47', '\nAs a leader, how easy is it for your team to say “no”? In this article, Jennifer Miller suggests ways that you can create the space for your employees to push back when necessary. \"Show your team that you live in the Land of Reality, not the Land of the Overly Optimistic, by encouraging a culture that says it’s OK to speak up.\" Read on...', '5 Ways to Get Your Team to Speak Up', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '5-ways-to-get-your-team-to-speak-up', '', '', '2012-05-29 06:00:47', '2012-05-29 11:00:47', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6668', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6684, 274, '2012-06-07 14:00:33', '2012-06-07 19:00:33', 'Good question. In this post, Susan Mazza discusses the difference between patience that is an act of leadership, and patience that is not.\n\n<em><strong>\"Patience IS an act of leadership when</strong></em>…you are patient with people as they learn and go through the often difficult work of putting into practice what they are learning.\" Read more...', 'When Do Leaders Need to be Patient?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'when-do-leaders-need-to-be-patient', '', '', '2012-06-07 14:00:33', '2012-06-07 19:00:33', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6684', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6688, 274, '2012-06-12 15:00:54', '2012-06-12 20:00:54', 'Instigator Jon Mertz (member profile, <a title=\"Jon\'s Twitter Profile\" href=\"http://twitter.com/thindifference\">@ThinDifference) posted a challenging piece on Character over at his blog, Thin Difference.  </a></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Character is often discussed. However, it is commonly done in terms of values and leadership styles. It becomes a surface-level talk, almost naïve in approach. Yes, our character may be apparent in meetings, conversations, and good times, but how does it really work when faced with everyday reality? Read on...</p>', 'Wake Up Your Character', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'wake-up-your-character', '', '', '2012-06-12 15:00:54', '2012-06-12 20:00:54', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6688', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6691, 294, '2012-06-13 02:00:00', '2012-06-13 07:00:00', 'In the midst of a crisis we humans are far more willing to be led. I think it’s human instinct to take direction when the barn is burning and someone emerges that seems to have a plan. We simply don’t have time to argue when the danger is imminent and the call to action is now.  <a href=\"http://www.massingenuity.com/2012/05/28/who-doesn%e2%80%99t-love-a-good-crisis/\">Read More...</a>\n\n&nbsp;', 'Who doesn&#039;t love a good crisis?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'who-doesnt-love-a-good-crisis', '', '', '2012-06-13 02:00:00', '2012-06-13 07:00:00', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6691', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6693, 290, '2012-06-05 06:00:45', '2012-06-05 11:00:45', '<em><strong>Honesty is a simple thing yet, in practice, it is done in an incomplete way.</strong></em>\n<div>\n\nWe create a spectrum of honesty in how we practice it. At one end, there is the complete truth, and the other end is no truth. We try to practice honesty in the upper middle, leaning toward complete truth and avoiding telling all lies. Complete honesty is tempered by respect and being respectful. In other words, there is a way to be honest without being rude or crude.\n\nThe other spectrum is in where we deliver our honesty. There are three key areas:\n<ol>\n	<li><strong>Situations</strong></li>\n	<li><strong>People</strong></li>\n	<li><strong>Ourselves</strong></li>\n</ol>\nAs we move from situations to ourselves, we lose our complete honesty. This is an unfortunate aspect to be explored further.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #000000;\"><strong>Situations.</strong></span> When we face issues, changes, or challenging events, we usually can focus on them in a forthright manner. After all, it is just about some environmental occurrence that can be assessed, discussed, and resolved. We can see how <a title=\"Situational Approach: What Role Do I Play in Matters?\" href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/situational-approach-what-role-do-i-play-in-matters/\">situations can be handled</a> in a more completely honest way.\n\nWhat gets in the way of complete honesty, though, is when we don’t want to face reality. We would rather dance around a situation and hope it just goes away. However, we learn that situations just don’t disappear. We need to face them, if we want to move through them, resolve them.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #000000;\"><strong>People.</strong></span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> </span> When we face difficult people, our inclination is to be less honest, because we don’t want to be uncomfortable. Let’s face it. Having a critical conversation with someone about a change required, especially if it is behavior-oriented, is not easy. We would rather ignore them and, again, hope they just self-resolve. Of course, they do not.\n\nThe honest approach is to have the respectful conversations, providing concrete examples and suggested remedies while listening fully and retaining a firm commitment to a positive resolution.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #000000;\"><strong>Ourselves.</strong></span> This is where we get completely weak in our honesty. We don’t like to stand in front of a mirror and accept a critique of ourselves. We just want to have our <em><a title=\"Stuart Smalley Self-Affirmation clip\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DIETlxquzY\" target=\"_blank\">Stuart Smalley</a></em> moment of self-affirmation and blindly believe all is right with us.\n\nWe fail to really comprehend that no one is perfect and individuals need to be on a path of continual learning and growth. Instead, we fake it. <em>Forget them if they don’t like the way I do things!</em> Right? <em>It’s their problem, not mine!</em>\n\nThe other side of this may be when we are too hard on ourselves. We think that we are not doing anything right, and we just want to fade away into to the background. This is an unhealthy approach as well, although most leaders will fall into the first honesty trap of false perfection.\n\n<strong>We need to create a floor.</strong> Our honesty floor needs to stop us cold from being ignorant, bull-headed, and arrogant. The reasons are straightforward:\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Situations change.</strong> We can choose to adapt as appropriate, or we can choose to be less than honest and become irrelevant.</li>\n	<li><strong>People change, and people need to change.</strong> We can choose to let people stay on a wrong and destructive path, or we can choose to have the honest, respectful conversation.</li>\n	<li><strong>Personal leadership requires change.</strong> We can choose to stand still in our self-discovery and become a roadblock, or we can choose to learn and grow and become empowering leaders.</li>\n</ul>\nWe need to be complete, honest leaders. We need to be honest about our situations, about the people we engage with, and about who we have become as a person and a leader.\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>If we are unhappy with a situation,</strong> then we need to face it honestly, change it as best we can, and move through it positively.</li>\n	<li><strong>If we are unhappy with a person we work with or associate with,</strong> then we need to face them honestly and respectfully, outlining the consequences of their actions, suggesting changes, and offering support along the way.</li>\n	<li><strong>If we are unhappy with ourselves or others are unhappy with us,</strong> then we need to face ourselves openly and honestly and determine how we can change to improve and grow as a person and as a leader.</li>\n</ul>\n<em>Am I becoming repetitive?</em> <strong>I am.</strong> It is for a reason. Being an honest leader is what we are called to be. Embrace the higher, complete standard.\n\n</div>', 'Are We Completely Honest Leaders?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'are-we-completely-honest-leaders', '', '', '2012-06-05 06:00:45', '2012-06-05 11:00:45', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6693', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(6698, 303, '2012-06-15 06:00:27', '2012-06-15 11:00:27', '<strong>Like learning to drive, leading, and managing people is an experiential journey.</strong>\n\nMy entrance onto the leadership stage was when I was promoted, having stood in for the team leader from time to time. I don’t know about you, but although I had practiced at managing people, I hadn’t experienced it properly until I had to do it for real.\n\nJunior leaders and managers are appointed because they have shown potential, displayed leadership skills, or are extremely good in the specific field they work in.  More senior leaders and managers have usually had a most distinguished career as a professional, such as doctor, lawyer or accountant. The next step for their career is to manage people with the same specialty.  An entrepreneurial business owner may be extremely successful and have acquired commercial business acumen and savvy long before they actually have to employ people.\n\n<strong>So, people enter leadership and management at all stages.</strong>  Often, one\'s success as a leader will be determined by his or her interpersonal skills. If these skills haven’t had a chance to develop, then even the most successful entrepreneur or professional may well find the going very tough indeed.\n\nOne of the most impactful people skills is Emotional Intelligence.  Wikipedia describes Emotional Intelligence as” the ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups.”\n\nIf you’ve ever witnessed someone throwing the temper tantrum of a two-year-old in an office, or have experienced the rumour mill as the most reliable communication channel, or have been subjected to an environment that thrives on a prevalent blame culture, then you know a situation where emotional intelligence is somehow lacking.\n\nEven worse, if conflict is commonplace, and your people aren’t firing on all cylinders or even are openly disengaged, then you have may have a problem which stems from limited or unrecognized poor emotional intelligence.\n\nDepending on our psychological profile, (thankfully we are all different), you may have brilliant emotional intelligence, or conversely you may need to develop this skill more.   The great thing about emotional intelligence is that if you are struggling, you can learn!\n\n<strong>My first challenge as a young manager was learning how to control my own emotions. </strong> In the early years, I was quite often daunted about having to deal with some larger-than-life characters I had to manage. Managing my fear was one of my first and probably my longest lessons.  I still feel afraid sometimes, but now I know how to deal with it, and it doesn’t faze me.\n\n<strong>My second challenge was to learn how to manage the emotions of my team. </strong> This stage was a long one and a steep learning curve.  The journey was interesting, thought provoking, and necessary.\n\n<strong>The final stage in my learning came when I had to think about engaging large teams,</strong>  some of whom I didn’t see for months at a time. I did try to do the best I could to have physical contact as much as I could humanly manage. Trying to encourage people to feel good, fulfil their potential, and understand how much I appreciated them was more difficult. Although there are many skills attached to managing remotely, my own emotional intelligence was a key player in making remote management a success.\n\nI have worked for and supported many managers and managed teams locally, regionally and nationally.   During this time I have practiced and observed which attitudes and behaviors have been the most successful in getting the best out of a team.  These attitudes and behaviors are  most commonly adopted by people who have honed their emotional intelligence skills and, as a result, have the best people skills. I have practiced these in the latter years, and wish I had access to them in the early years.\n\nThe Nine Attitudes are:\n<ul>\n	<li>Accepting people completely for who they are</li>\n	<li>Always looking for the good in people (there is always some)</li>\n	<li>Dealing with negatives in an impersonal but practical way and getting over it!</li>\n	<li>Not judging – we all make mistakes</li>\n	<li>Giving people the benefit of the doubt</li>\n	<li>Listening to what people need and wherever possible – obliging</li>\n	<li>Responding neutrally to anger or other attacking behaviour and helping the person to reframe it in a positive way</li>\n	<li>Pivoting negative situations to achieve a positive outcome</li>\n	<li>Caring about people, even when they were difficult</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>You might be thinking that it all sounds unrealistic, given some of the people you might be managing.</strong>  But I can guarantee that if you think about it enough, they are all attitudes or stances you would like people to take with you.\n\nUnfortunately we aren’t born with an instruction manual. That said, navigating and improving our own emotional intelligence often comes through our own life experiences and self-reflection. The good news is that there are some clear and easy steps to improving our own emotional intelligence and consequently, that of your team and organization.\n\nIf you would like to find out about 6 ground breaking secrets to accelerate your journey on developing great emotional intelligence, visit <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk/\">www.peoplediscovery.co.uk</a>, and get your complimentary report, \"The 6 Secrets of Great Emotional Intelligence for Inspirational Leaders and Managers.\"  In it, I describe\n<ul>\n	<li>The true purpose of emotions</li>\n	<li>How to achieve a more positive emotional state</li>\n	<li>How to break the cycle and create effective change</li>\n	<li>The four strategies for greater connection</li>\n</ul>\nI hope you enjoy, and would welcome any feedback or comments.\n\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Photo (© RATOCA - Fotolia.com)</span>', 'Nine Attitudes of Emotionally Intelligent Leaders and Managers', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'nine-attitudes-of-emotionally-intelligent-leaders-and-managers', '', '', '2012-06-15 06:00:27', '2012-06-15 11:00:27', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6698', 0, 'post', '', 11),
(6706, 251, '2012-06-11 06:00:22', '2012-06-11 11:00:22', '<span style=\"font-size: small;\">Gene was upset with his new team’s quarterly business results, and his withering criticism of their performance during the staff meeting had brought a stunned hush to the room. Not one of the ten people sitting around the table had been exempt from having their deficiencies cruelly described and even mocked during the meeting. As he strode from the room, Gene mentally congratulated himself for telling it like it was. He prided himself on being authentic.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">Have you ever worked for a boss like Gene? One who confused realness with rudeness? </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">The word authenticity has its roots in the Greek philosophy of <em>to thine own self be true</em>, and is one of the hallmarks of good leadership. Gene’s behaviors went awry, however, because he failed to consider that truly authentic leaders are “aware of the context in which they operate” (Avolio, Luthans and Walumbwa, 2004) because “authenticity is a quality that others must attribute to you” (Goffee and Jones, 2005).</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">Authenticity, like leadership, is relational. It doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It begins with you, requiring self-awareness, self-regulation and self-discipline. Under the guise of being genuine, one shouldn’t blurt out those first unfiltered thoughts. Transparency can come with tact.</span>\n\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">3 rules of the road for leaders to be authentically real without being rude</span></strong>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>Be candid without being insensitive</strong>. Providing forthright feedback is critical for career development, yet one doesn’t have to shred another’s self-confidence in doing so. While you may think what someone did was stupid and laughable, using those words only makes others defensive. When they become defensive, they close off, thinking you’re a jerk rather than focusing on what they need to change. Authentic leaders speak their truth yet deliver constructive, concise and compassionate feedback that leaves self-respect intact.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>Have a strong opinion without being judgmental and unyielding</strong>.  Nowhere is it written that others must perpetually agree with your point of view. Others seeing things differently than you do doesn’t make them wrong. Before you categorize someone as being difficult, determine if they might not be thinking the same about you. Authentic character-based leaders accept differing positions with positive unconditional regard, practicing Ben Zander’s Art of Possibility Rule #6: don’t take yourself so seriously. They don’t use authenticity as a mask for rigidity.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>Be true to your nature while keeping possibilities open.</strong> We all have a default setting where we feel most comfortable. Yet using that “take me as I am” mindset limits creativity, innovation and communication; plus it breeds arrogance, fosters stereotypes and perpetuates biases. Many options were open to Gene for sharing his performance concerns with his team without publicly belittling them. Tactfully voicing his disappointment, expressing his desire for better results, and inviting input would have yielded a more productive outcome. Authentic character-based leaders look for new solutions that still align with their values.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">Layering in thoughtfulness when dealing with others doesn’t make one inauthentic. Rather, it shows strength of character and demonstrates real self-control in leading yourself so you can lead others.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">What say you?</span>\n<h6><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Photography:  Light and Shadow by Fan Ho</span></h6>', '3 leadership rules for being authentically real without being rude', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '3-leadership-rules-for-being-authentically-real-without-being-rude', '', '', '2012-06-11 06:00:22', '2012-06-11 11:00:22', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6706', 0, 'post', '', 19),
(6713, 270, '2012-06-07 06:00:54', '2012-06-07 11:00:54', '\n\n<strong> Do you remember the children’s story “<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_soup\">STONE SOUP</a>…?”</strong>\n\n<em>It is a children’s fable, about a hungry traveler that comes to a small village and begins knocking on doors asking if someone will feed him.  Unfortunately it is a very poor village that is concerned they will not have the resources they need to feed their own families through the winter and he is turned away at each home.  </em>\n\n<em>So the traveler goes to the river, fills a pot with water and carries it back to the center of the village.  Then he builds a big fire under the pot, and as curious villagers peek out their windows to see what he is doing, he tosses a stone into the center of the pot.   …One by one, the people in the village begin to come out of their homes to inquire about what he is doing.  He explains to each one that he is making stone soup and describes what a wonderful meal it is and then emphasizes how much better it would be if only they had____.  Each time he hints about the increased flavor of the soup that just one more vegetable or herb would add.  And each time he hints, a villager is quick to respond with an offer to provide<strong> just one thing</strong>.  Soon the entire village has contributed:  a carrot, a bit a celery, a potato, some herbs, some tomatoes, etc…  <strong>And a short time later the entire village <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">and the hungry traveler</span> sit down to enjoy a meal together.  </strong></em>\n\nThis story means more to me today as an adult than it did as a child, because I know more businesses and organizations that are living in the same fear that the villagers were, than those that are not.\n\nPart of what those groups see is truth, <strong>however the thing that is stopping them is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">not</span> the truth, it is fear.  </strong>And fear limits creativity and problem solving.\n\nThe reality is that there are not enough resources <strong>to do the things we’ve always done,<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"> the way we’ve always done them </span>and just look out for ourselves</strong>…\n\n<strong>SOLUTIONS DO EXIST</strong> by making the choice to do something different, and when that vision begins to catch on, people feel hope and joy instead of fear.  And those positive emotions allow them to access their creative problem-solving skills and be a part of the solution.  Below are a few examples:\n<ul>\n	<li>A friend of mine recently reminded several people in a meeting that it is easier to access grants IF you have pre-existing partnerships and are working <strong>with others</strong> to solve a problem instead of trying to access all of the funding for yourself.</li>\n	<li>Muhtar Kent the CEO of Coca-Cola shares two thoughts that he continually focuses on:  <em>(1.)  </em><em>The belief that we need better collaboration between business, government and civil society.  (2.)  The question he continually asks himself, “How can we be a revenue generator for our partners?”</em></li>\n	<li>Intel has been telling their suppliers for years, <em>“Take the lead, take the initiative; get involved in our operations, suggest things you can provide that will help both our strategic objectives, show us that you understand our business and can help us improve it.</em></li>\n</ul>\n<strong>So here\'s one great example of that thinking in action:</strong>  When I moved to Tulsa, I repeatedly heard organizations talking about volunteering at and contributing to local schools.  The <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><strong>5th </strong></span>time I heard that kind of announcement <strong>from a different organization</strong>, I was beyond curious and HAD to know who was behind the effort.  After making some calls to learn more, the discovery was profound….  The Chamber of Commerce was employing a full time staff person to coordinate the needs of the local public school and match them with thousands of businesses, faith-based organizations and volunteers that in turn help to meet their needs with supplies, donations and volunteers.   WOW!!!!\n\n<strong>So I have two questions for you…  </strong><em>(Please share your stories of collaboration and hope in the comment section so others can benefit!) </em>\n<ol>\n	<li><strong> Who do you want to recognize that is making Stone Soup?</strong></li>\n	<li><strong>What can you do to LEAD CHANGE and create Stone Soup in your community?</strong></li>\n</ol>\n<strong>\n</strong>\n<div style=\"text-align: center\"><em>\"The generous man will be prosperous, </em></div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center\"><em>and he who waters will himself be watered.\"  </em></div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center\"><em></em>Proverbs</div>\n<div></div>\n<div></div>\n<div></div>\n<div>Credits:  Stone Soup Icon Created by Jennifer Perregrino</div>', 'Stone Soup:  Answers For Our World Today, From A Children&#039;s Fable', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'stone-soup-answers-for-the-adult-world-from-a-childrens-fable', '', '', '2012-06-07 06:00:54', '2012-06-07 11:00:54', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6713', 0, 'post', '', 7),
(6722, 274, '2012-06-07 14:00:04', '2012-06-07 19:00:04', 'Each month the Leadchange Group contributes a post to the SmartBrief on Leadership blog. This month\'s post by Susan Mazza encourages you to encourage others. \"There are opportunities to lead every day, right in front of anyone who has a commitment to make a difference for others or contribute to a shared goal or vision.\" <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2012/06/07/want-more-leaders-catch-them-in-the-act/\">Read on...</a>', 'Want more leaders? Catch them in the act', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'want-more-leaders-catch-them-in-the-act', '', '', '2012-06-07 14:00:04', '2012-06-07 19:00:04', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6722', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6728, 243, '2012-06-12 11:08:46', '2012-06-12 16:08:46', 'Do you catch yourself thinking you \"wish\" you could change or make a bigger impact?  But you\'re too busy, right?  Besides, you\'re doing all you can, aren\'t you?\n\n<a href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/farber_headshot.gif\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-6729\" title=\"farber_headshot\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/farber_headshot-125x125.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" /></a>When was the last time you made a serious investment in your own leadership?  Steve Farber (<a title=\"Steve Farber\'s Twitter Profile\" href=\"http://twitter.com/stevefarber\">@stevefarber</a>), author of several bestsellers including <a title=\"Greater Than Yourself at Amazon.com\" href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Greater-Than-Yourself-Ultimate-Leadership/dp/0385522614/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1339294967&amp;sr=1-2\">Greater Than Yourself</a>, and <a title=\"Radical Leap Re-Energized on Amazon\" href=\"http://www.amazon.com/The-Radical-Leap-Re-Energized-Service/dp/161466014X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1339294967&amp;sr=1-1\">Radical Leap Re-energized</a> is hosting the <a title=\"Extreme Leadership Summit Home Page\" href=\"http://www.extremeleadership.com/\">Extreme Leadership Summit</a> August 17-19, 2012 in San Diego, Ca.  Speakers include Lead Change member Liz Strauss (<a title=\"Liz\'s Twitter profile\" href=\"http://twitter.com/lizstrauss\">@lizstrauss</a>, LinkedIn profile) of <a title=\"SOBCon\" href=\"http://www.sobevent.com/about/liz/\">SobCon</a> and <a title=\"Liz\'s SOB Blog\" href=\"http://www.successful-blog.com/\">Successful-blog.com</a>, Jay Jay French of Twisted Sister (yes, that\'s what I said), Sally Hogshead of Fascinate, Inc, Tommy Spaulding of Spaulding Companies, LLC, Brian Mayne of Lift International, Loren Slocum of Lobella International and Simon Billsberry of Kineticom.  Check out the Speakers page for details.  This looks like a serious opportunity to spend 3 days re-igniting your leadership.  And you can save $300 if you register by June 15! <a href=\"http://www.extremeleadership.com/\">Check it out!</a>', 'Extreme Leaderhip in Action', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'extreme-leaderhip-in-action', '', '', '2012-06-12 11:08:46', '2012-06-12 16:08:46', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6728', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6733, 281, '2012-06-14 06:00:13', '2012-06-14 11:00:13', '<strong>You know them: the managers who ignore the fact that human beings don’t (actually can’t) “leave their feelings at the door” when they come to work.</strong>\n\nThese managers ignore conflict and avoid confrontation, especially when there’s a “pot-stirrer” in the office and everyone is just wishing the boss would step up and deal with him or her.\n\nThis boss will suffer the consequences: a slow, painful erosion of the trust he has been given by his employees, all because he is unaware of the forces of emotions at work.  The contagion of anxiety, worry, frustration, stress and more will eventually erode the trust of even the most loyal employee. And need I mention the negative impact on the quality of their work? <strong>The customer or client suffers in the end.</strong>\n\nAccording to Mayer and Salovey, emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions and to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth (Mayer &amp; Salovey, 1997).\n\nDr. David R. Caruso (1999) describes how <strong><em>emotional intelligence</em></strong> can be broken into four related parts:\n\n1.<em><strong> Identifying Emotions</strong></em> – the ability to correctly identify how people are feeling\n2.<em><strong>Using Emotions</strong></em> – the ability to create emotions and to integrate your feelings into the way you think\n3.<em><strong>Understanding Emotions</strong></em> – the ability to understand the causes of emotions\n4.<em><strong>Managing Emotions</strong></em> - the ability to figure out effective strategies that use\n\nManagers who ignore emotions in the workplace are just “in charge.” Managers who understand, appreciate, acknowledge, and use emotions (their own and others\') actually engage in management.  And I\'ll go a step farther and add that they engage in the act of leadership.\n\nThe good news is that most of us are born with emotional intelligence (there’s actually part of the brain that can be seen on a fMRI scan when we are engaged in this fashion), and this strength and skill can be developed and grown with practice.\n\n<strong>As a leadership consultant, this is the most critical skill my clients desire to improve.</strong> It is critical to not only manage others, but most of all to lead people to accomplish great outcomes.\n\nThe higher up a manager or executive goes in an organization, the more critical emotional intelligence is to their own success and potentially the organization\'s success (from the eyes of the employees and customers).\n\nFor new leaders coming into your organization, is there an orientation, an on-boarding process, or employee manual for  him to understand the psychological nuances and hierarchies of the complex emotional system they will have to manage and lead?\n\nIf not, you\'d better hope they score high on the \"EQ\" test!\n\n<em>How are emotions handled in your organization? What are the cultural “rules” (spoken or unspoken) when it comes to how emotions are handled (or not)? Who can express emotion and who can\'t?</em>\n\n&nbsp;', 'Leaders: Do you lead, manage, or are you just in charge?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leaders-do-you-lead-manage-or-are-you-just-in-charge', '', '', '2012-06-14 06:00:13', '2012-06-14 11:00:13', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6733', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(6734, 274, '2012-06-21 14:00:06', '2012-06-21 19:00:06', 'One of our newest instigators, Christina Lattimer, discusses engagement issues and offers some step-by-step solutions.\n\n\"If you are outcome focused and performance manage your people against customer service, company standards, results, targets and outcomes, for example, you are practicing the key behaviours which should lead to success.\" Read on...', 'When Navel-Gazing Can Be Healthy', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'when-navel-gazing-can-be-healthy', '', '', '2012-06-21 14:00:06', '2012-06-21 19:00:06', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6734', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6744, 274, '2012-06-19 14:00:27', '2012-06-19 19:00:27', '<strong>Do you or someone you know have a hard time saying “no”? </strong>\n\n“Yes” is certainly a much easier and more socially acceptable response, especially if you want to be perceived positively and/or as a team player.  It can even feel good, at least in the moment you say it anyway. Unfortunately, saying “yes” to too many things is also a way to get yourself overcommitted and can lead to feelings of overwhelm and/or resentment. Read on...', 'How to Say No and Mean It', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'how-to-say-no-and-mean-it', '', '', '2012-06-19 14:00:27', '2012-06-19 19:00:27', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6744', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(6755, 304, '2012-06-20 06:00:57', '2012-06-20 11:00:57', 'As a leader, you’re required to utilize more than your logical management skills.</strong> It is also necessary to connect and understand yourself and those around you to make informed decisions. In order to do this you need to be connected with your emotions and the emotions of the people you are managing.\n\nOne way to do this is to nurture your emotional intelligence. According to CatalystConsultingPartners.com, “Emotional intelligence (EI) is one of the most important ideas to hit the business world in recent years. It is based on the notion that the ability of managers to understand their own emotions, and those of the people they work with, is the key to better business performance.” So, how do you cultivate your emotional intelligence?\n\n<strong>With Your Self </strong>\n\nWhile it’s critical that you understand the emotions of those who you are managing, first you need to be in tune with yourself. <strong>Being self-aware is knowing your capabilities, strengths and weaknesses.</strong> Not only should you recognize these traits but understand their impact on how you lead and manage your team.\n<ul>\n	<li>Bias: Are you subconsciously bias to certain people? This will have a significant effect on how you work with others – understand it and correct it.</li>\n	<li>Confidence: Are you confident in yourself? If you’re not, CEOonline.com suggests, “You don\'t have to <em>be</em> confident to <em>become</em> confident. You can ACT your way into it.”</li>\n	<li>Emotional control: This includes being successful in self-management, as well. If you know this is a problem, take the most recent incident and assess how you can correct it in the future. Practicing self-management will make you a well-rounded leader.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>In The Social Setting</strong>\n\nBeing in a leadership role in an office can put you on the sidelines of the employee cliques. Because of this, it’s easy for you to separate yourself from the group, which keeps you from understanding them. With an improved social intelligence you can run a smarter, more efficient business.\n<ul>\n	<li>Understanding: This is key to nurturing your emotional intelligence as a leader; understand the group dynamics of the office setting to relate with those around you.</li>\n	<li>Patience: When you manage someone who likes to push you to your breaking point, how do you react? Assess their actions, so you can appropriately, and positively, push back.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Within Relationships</strong>\n\nIt’s important that you are able to connect with employees on a one on one basis. Being able to understand who they are will allow you to tailor your encounters differently for each person. Not only does this make you a better leader, but more approachable, as well.\n<ul>\n	<li>Empathy: This is a critical aspect of your relationship intelligence in an office. Understanding the office dynamics and the emotions of each individual employee will allow you to empathize when approached with an issue. Ask questions and listen intently to improve this aspect of your emotional intelligence.</li>\n	<li>Open expressiveness: While it’s critical that you are open with yourself, it’s necessary to allow employees to be open as well. Nurture this by allowing yourself to recognize their emotional state and push them to a positive outcome.</li>\n</ul>\nAs a leader, <a href=\"http://www.talentsmart.com/\">emotional intelligence</a> is about you, the people you lead and how to manage them. When you nurture your own self-awareness and emotions, you can relate to your employees better. As an emotionally intelligent person, you’ll run a better, more successful business.\n\n<em>Photo Credit: http://jaysonfeltner.com</em>', 'How Leaders Can Nurture Their Emotional Intelligence', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'how-leaders-can-nurture-their-emotional-intelligence', '', '', '2012-06-20 06:00:57', '2012-06-20 11:00:57', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6755', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(6759, 302, '2012-06-19 06:00:40', '2012-06-19 11:00:40', 'I read a lot of books. On average, I read about one book every week. Since the beginning of this year, I’ve made it a practice to read the books of experts whom I interview for the <a href=\"http://5minutespisuccess.com/\">5 Minutes to Process Improvement Success</a> interview series.\n\nRecently I completed reading “<a href=\"http://hitchhikersguidetolean.com/\">The Hitchhiker\'s Guide to Lean: Lessons from the Road</a>” to prepare for an upcoming interview with one of the authors, Jamie Flinchbaugh.\n\nThis is an exceptionally good book not only for its coverage of lean concepts, but also for highlighting the critical role of leadership in successfully transforming an organization from its current state to an ideal, future state.\n\nOne notion about leadership in the book that particularly resonated with me was –\n<blockquote><strong>“The single biggest failure of leadership is a failure to reflect.”</strong></blockquote>\nIn today’s fast paced and “always on” interrupt mode of email, social media and so many other things, how many of us really “turn off” long enough to reflect? According to Roy Williams in a recent issue of the <a href=\"http://www.mondaymorningmemo.com/\">Monday Morning Memo</a>, he quoted Joe Kraus, co-founder of excite.com who said, “Prior to the availability of smartphones, we accessed the internet an average of 5 times a day. Now the average is 27 times a day.” When you add it all up, isn’t it any wonder we all are having difficulty taking time to reflect? Does this play a role in so many of the leadership failures we see in so many of our organizations and institutions?\n\n<strong>Realize that the world looks a lot different when you take time to reflect.</strong>\n\nOne of the unexpected benefits I’ve received from my personal passion for flying and aerial photography is the impact on my own personal desire to take time to reflect. Reflection isn’t time wasted. It’s time invested to take a step back to consider the big picture, see how everything interrelates, and make sure you are headed in the right direction.\n\n\n<strong>Reflection will help you envision a bridge from where you are to where you want to go.</strong>\n\nThe view from 3,000 feet offers a unique perspective, and it’s my preferred altitude to fly when I want to experience the world right in front of me from an overall big-picture perspective\n\nMajor landmarks such as rivers, towns, mountains and interstates are often seen in their entirety, as well as in relation to each other, when you have a birds-eye view of what’s right in front of you. Your ultimate destination is on the horizon, and you can often see it even through the haze. Sometimes a bridge from where you are to where you want to go becomes clearly visible.\n\n<strong>It’s the same perspective leaders need to take that will lead to tomorrow’s ideal state. </strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n <span style=\"font-size:xx-small;\">Photo (c Bill Fox) <span>', 'Leadership From a 3,000 ft. Perspective:  Envisioning a bridge from where you are to where you want to go', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leadership-from-a-3000-ft-perspective-envisioning-a-bridge-from-where-you-are-to-where-you-want-to-go', '', '', '2012-06-19 06:00:40', '2012-06-19 11:00:40', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6759', 0, 'post', '', 4),
(6762, 243, '2012-06-18 18:52:19', '2012-06-18 23:52:19', 'Often, it\'s too easy to do nothing.  It\'s too easy to let the days pass without pushing yourself and others to make a difference.  We can all use the encouragement of a community dedicated to the same ideals.\n\nWhy not take a minute and make sure you get a monthly reminder to keep you moving forward?  We kicked off our newsletter (finally) this month.  Check out <a title=\"Lead Change June 2012 Newsletter\" href=\"http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=88e3df55615dff895482011dc&amp;id=c1c8210cd0&amp;e=abe3ca1524\">the innaugural issue here</a>.  And we\'ll share links to future newsletters too.  But if you\'d like to receive our friendly encouragement every month, you can join the community or simply subscribe to the newsletter right here!\n\nYour biggest gains will come when you take an active role in engaging others in the community.  Feel free to pass the newsletter along to others too!\n\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Image © JJAVA - Fotolia.com</span>', 'Newsletter Signup', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'newsletter-signup', '', '', '2012-06-18 18:52:19', '2012-06-18 23:52:19', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6762', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(6766, 243, '2012-06-21 06:02:59', '2012-06-21 11:02:59', '<em>My dad showed me that being a great manager is high calling. More than that, he taught me the importance of being who-you-are and leading from the strength of who-you-are. That\'s character-based leadership in real life.  His name is Jack Henry, and I posted some more personal thoughts over at <a title=\"Jack Henry: Responsibility and Persistence\" href=\"http://mikehenrysr.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/jack-henry-responsibility-persistence/\">mikehenrysr.wordpress.com</a>.</em>\n\nA great manager helps people get more than a paycheck from their job. A great manager helps people build a life. They must not allow the company or the job to take more from employees than it gives them back. However they also counter the tendency to let slacker employees detract from the value and quality of the product created by the team. Great managers manage the balance between profit and employee benefit, sometimes holding the employee responsible and often also finding ways the company can compensate with more than just money.\n\nJack Henry taught me with his life, that a company must give people life for life. If people spend their life doing their job, they should get life in return. And it\'s always harder to help your people succeed than it is to merely compensate them.\n\nSo today, for a little change of pace brought on by this past Father\'s Day, I\'d like to quote my Dad. I often do a number of quotes on Twitter, but today, I\'ll quote my Dad so you can have the benefit of some of the wisdom I received over the years.\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Talking about an employee one time, \"You can\'t melt a job down and pour it on him and expect any of it to stick.\"</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">The story goes on their honeymoon, my mom asked him, \"Jack, what kind of eggs would you like for breakfast.\" After a moment, his one word reply was, \"Chicken.\"</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">During the telecom boom, I showed Dad around the company where I worked. We were a startup involved in the boom, spending lots of money on the decorations and the urgency of the business. After looking around our new offices he asked, \"This is all real nice son, but, how long till you make money again?\"</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">He was \"the boss\" or \"Mr. Henry\" all my life, either managing or owning a small business. Often we\'d meet people and they\'d ask \"How many people work for you?\" Pausing as if to think seriously about the answer, he\'d come back with, \"Oh, about half.\"</p>\nAs a true character-based leader, there\'s only one Jack Henry.  He values work. Will you do your share? Will you give more than you take? If so, he\'s your friend, but if not, he will withhold a bit of trust and never fully depend on you.\n\nHis life has taught me to value reliability, responsibility, dependability and persistence. More than that, he taught me to distinguish between someone who acts a particular way and someone who is that way at their core.\n\nYour \"who-you-are\" is your character. Someone who leads from who they are rather than from power or position is a character-based leader. Are there any gaps between your true character and your perceived character? That gap weakens your leadership influence and your ability to make a difference. Let\'s all be the best \"who-we-are\" so there\'s no need to manage perception or reputation.\n\nDo you have a favorite story about a character-based leader in your life?  Share a bit below, or contact us about writing a post about your favorite character-based leader.  Our world needs great leaders now more than ever.  Would you share a story or two about the great leaders in your past?', 'Character-based Leadership in Real Life', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'character-based-leadership-in-real-life', '', '', '2012-06-21 06:02:59', '2012-06-21 11:02:59', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6766', 0, 'post', '', 8),
(6772, 274, '2012-06-26 14:00:17', '2012-06-26 19:00:17', 'A friend of mine sent me an article the other day that included a link to another article, and one thing led to another.  The second article was entitled “ Empty Vessels Make the Most Noise “. Of course, this is an idiom, or phrase which has a meaning that is commonly understood by speakers of the language, but whose meaning is often different from the normal meaning of the words, according to <a href=\"http://usingenglish.com/glossary/idiom.html\">Using English.com</a>.  It means that “the thoughtless often speak the most”, out of cluelessness, ignorance, self-deception or denial. Click the title or <a title=\"Thoughtless Often Speak the Most by Georgia Feiste\" href=\"http://www.collaborativetransitions.com/2012/the-thoughtless-often-speak-the-most\" target=\"_blank\">click here</a> to read the full article.\n<div></div>', 'The Thoughtless Often Speak the Most', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-thoughtless-often-speak-the-most', '', '', '2012-06-26 14:00:17', '2012-06-26 19:00:17', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6772', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6775, 266, '2012-06-26 06:00:14', '2012-06-26 11:00:14', '<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>None of us like to terminate another’s employment.</strong> When an employee is causing harm to the organization or is just not doing the job they were hired to do, ultimately you may have to let them go. Before you take that step, though, make sure you have completed these five action steps to a solid employee/employer relationship.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Even before you hire an employee, share the organization’s vision and mission. And, if the organization has taken the time to lay out their values, it’s important that those be shared as well – both officially stated and unstated values that are pervasive throughout the organization.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">As the hiring manager, you should also share your core values, allowing the prospective employee to see who you really are. Hiring a happy and productive co-worker is the goal here, and if they cannot align their values with the values of the organization and the department they work within, they will find it difficult to maintain their focus.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Common Purpose</strong>. When working within a department or a team environment, not only must the employer and employee pay attention to whether or not their values are in alignment, it is also immensely important to describe how the purpose of the department supports the vision and mission of the organization.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Conversations must be held regularly with staff to get their thoughts and ideas around working closely together in moving the department toward accomplishment of the purpose by setting robust and intentional goals. If all are focused on the common purpose, creativity and excitement will be their daily environment, and success will be achieved.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Set expectations</strong>. From their first day on the job, it is absolutely critical that your new employee know what your expectations are for their specific job, and how you would like to see them interact with their co-workers. When they know exactly what is expected of them, they are more able to follow through with results.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">What we are doing here is narrowing the funnel of understanding for the employee. They now know the vision, mission, values and purpose of the organization and how the department/team supports them – often by setting its own vision, mission, values and purpose jointly as a group. By working with the employee to set expectations for their specific job, they will recognize and appreciate how they support the organization, the department, and their team. You have helped them create alignment.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The more detailed and clear you are during this process eliminates ambiguity and confusion, and your employee is able to focus on the successful completion of the job. The ultimate goal here is to focus on performance with quantifiable goals, whether you work in a for-profit or non-profit organization. These goals should be specific to the purpose of the job, measurable in both hard and soft skills, using subjective and objective measurements, attainable by the employee based on their strengths, talents and skills, realistic and time driven.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Let’s talk about the time driven requirement for a moment. Because reality changes so very quickly, sometimes in the blink of an eye, I believe that overarching goals should be somewhat flexible, with significantly more specificity set each quarter. This does two things – it allows for recognition that the environment changes, and when you are not completely in control of all steps of the process, it offers an opportunity for dialogue and a method of changing an end target.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">On the other hand, without a semi-permanent target date for the entire goal to be met, it is possible to have too much opportunity for slippage. Therefore, more specific sub-goals (for lack of a better word) should be set at least quarterly, if not monthly, to help keep things on track.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Hold everyone accountable</strong>, including yourself. Once an employee knows what is expected, and is well-trained, they must be held accountable. You can’t let concerns slide, even when a blunder might have been a mistake. The first time they don’t hit expectations, sit down and talk to them. Let them know how much you care about them, talk about what happened, and spend some time asking questions and coaching the employee.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">What you are doing when you take the time to really talk is choosing to examine the reality of the situation. You are seeking truth. Did the employee, co-worker, or even your boss, make a mistake or was it a choice? Make sure you don’t make any assumptions, and know the facts.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The important part here is that you also hold yourself accountable. You are part of the team, and are not exempt from being aware of your actions and performance as a leader. This requires that you be willing to examine whether you are hitting the expectations set for you from all of your constituents – including those who you supervise.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Relationships are key. </strong></span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In my mind, there isn’t one problem that can’t be resolved when we communicate honestly, authentically, and openly. When you have hired the right people by taking them through this process, trust, mutual respect, and open communication is built naturally. And with this comes strong relationships, creativity, personal accountability, and success. And, with success comes results – financial, professional </span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>and</em></span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> personal – throughout the organization.</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Once you have assured yourself that you have taken all of these factors into account, and your employee is still not performing, it is time to talk about the risk of termination, and why they are facing this solution at this point. Go on to ask them these questions:</span></p>\n\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n	<li>\n<p align=\"JUSTIFY\"><em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">What do I not know that I need to know regarding your performance?</span></em></p>\n</li>\n	<li>\n<p align=\"JUSTIFY\"><em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Do you feel we are aligned in mission, values, and purpose?</span></em></p>\n</li>\n	<li>\n<p align=\"JUSTIFY\"><em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Does this job fit your strengths?</span></em></p>\n</li>\n	<li>\n<p align=\"JUSTIFY\"><em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">What are you hoping to accomplish in this position? </span></em></p>\n</li>\n	<li>\n<p align=\"JUSTIFY\"><em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">What are you willing to do about your performance within the next two weeks that will allow me to retain your services?</span></em></p>\n</li>\n	<li>\n<p align=\"JUSTIFY\"><em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">What help do you need from me?</span></em></p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"JUSTIFY\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If the employee knows that you care, you have done all you can to help them, and you treat them with respect and dignity, even having to let someone go can be a powerful and positive experience.</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #4f81bd;\"><em><strong>What action steps have you employed as a character-based leader when you have had to let someone go?</strong></em></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: Calibri, serif; font-size: xx-small;\">\n</span></p>', 'Leadership Perspective: Five Action Steps to Consider Before You Let Someone Go', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leadership-perspective-five-action-steps-to-consider-before-you-let-someone-go', '', '', '2012-06-26 06:00:14', '2012-06-26 11:00:14', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6775', 0, 'post', '', 13),
(6778, 259, '2012-06-25 06:00:12', '2012-06-25 11:00:12', '<strong>I have a friend who I think is pretty neat.</strong> He\'s always got a smile on his face, laughs easily, and doesn\'t take himself too seriously. Kids love him. He\'s a committed husband and Dad, as well as a humble man of faith. He makes learning new things fun, even when they\'re challenging. He\'s got a servant\'s heart, yet is a strong leader, and he volunteers his time to his community and neighbors.\n\nDuring a recent weekend trip with this friend and some others, I realized that everyone who knows him holds him in high regard. I\'ve often wondered what people will say about me when I\'m gone. (Strange, I know – but it\'s part of being intentional about the legacy I want to leave.) It became apparent that my friend has been building his legacy for years already, and it\'s a strong and solid one!\n\n<strong>When it comes right down to it, though, haven’t we all?</strong>\n\nThe path we follow through this world intersects with others’ along the way. We make an imprint upon everyone we meet, no matter how large or small. When we hold a door open for someone else or send a friend a card for no reason, we are touching someone else’s life. It may not be the same impact as when you rescue someone from a burning building or help a child gain confidence, but we can’t go through life without affecting those around us.\n\n<strong>And sometimes, it’s the small actions that have the biggest effect</strong>. Just plain being there when someone needs a friend, putting yourself in their shoes for a time, sharing simple words of encouragement and understanding – it all adds up to the legacy we leave.\n\nWhat legacy are <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">you</span> leaving as a person and a leader? Are you being intentional about it, or just letting it develop over time based on random acts and decisions you make? Better yet, does everyone you know hold you in high regard or are there relationships that need mending?\n\nAs leaders, we need to be aware of those around us, but more than that, we need to be aware of the effect we have on them by our actions and our inaction.\n\nTo become a leader with a legacy you can be proud of, here are a few action steps to point you in the right direction.\n<ul>\n	<li>Imagine listening in at your own funeral. What do you want to hear people remember most about you? And what did you inspire people to aspire to? That’s going to become your goal.</li>\n	<li>Assess where you stand in relation to that goal now. If you need help with this, ask a trusted friend or mentor.</li>\n	<li>Identify what skills, characteristics and habits you need to start establishing now to more clearly achieve that goal.</li>\n	<li>Begin a program of self-improvement to better incorporate those behaviors into your life.</li>\n	<li>Periodically reassess both the goal and where you stand in relation to it.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>We are works in progress until we die.</strong> Unfortunately, for most of us, we have no idea whether today’s the last day or if we have another year, 20 years or 50 years. Yet, a legacy waits for no one. We’re making one right now, whether we’re intentional about it or not. Is it something we can be proud of, or does it still need work?\n\nThe time to begin is today. What’s your legacy going to be?', 'A Leader&#039;s Legacy', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-leaders-legacy', '', '', '2012-06-25 06:00:12', '2012-06-25 11:00:12', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6778', 0, 'post', '', 3),
(6785, 274, '2012-06-22 14:00:31', '2012-06-22 19:00:31', 'This month\'s contribution to SmartBlog on Leadership is by Jane Perdue. In her post, Jane discusses the often perplexing paradox of kindness. \"Employees complain in engagement surveys that their bosses don’t treat them with respect or as unique individuals. Yet on the flip side, research shows that bosses who treat people with kindness, respect and dignity are “seen as less powerful than other managers.”\n\nWhat a dreadful paradox: We want to be treated with kindness yet don’t respect those who do so. What’s up with this?\"', 'Let’s end the paradox of kindness', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'lets-end-the-paradox-of-kindness', '', '', '2012-06-22 14:00:31', '2012-06-22 19:00:31', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6785', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(6787, 274, '2012-06-27 14:00:57', '2012-06-27 19:00:57', 'This time in history has been referred to as the attention deficit age. And it is no wonder. Everything moves fast and seems to keep moving faster.  There are often so many things we need to do and so many more activities going on at once around us. <strong>It can be quite hard to create the mental space necessary to really listen to another human being.</strong> Click the title of the post or click here to read the full article.', 'Listening in the Age of Attention Deficit: Part I', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'listening-in-the-age-of-attention-deficit-part-i', '', '', '2012-06-27 14:00:57', '2012-06-27 19:00:57', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6787', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(6794, 294, '2012-06-29 14:00:34', '2012-06-29 19:00:34', 'Leaders – and managers for that matter — need to have a heart. If it is your job to guide human beings to be their very best, you need to look at your underlying assumptions about people.\n\nIn the age of Mass Production it was easy to see people as simply extensions of the machinery; what we couldn’t automate we hired “hands” to do. Seeing people as a means of getting the work done was a mechanistic way of thinking in a mechanistic era.  <a href=\"http://www.massingenuity.com/2012/06/18/the-leader%E2%80%99s-five-question-heart-check/\">Read more....</a>\n\n&nbsp;', 'The Leader&#039;s Five-Question Heart Check', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-leaders-five-question-heart-check', '', '', '2012-06-29 14:00:34', '2012-06-29 19:00:34', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6794', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(6797, 245, '2012-06-27 06:00:37', '2012-06-27 11:00:37', '<strong>As a leader, when you encounter a team member whose moral compass seems to be pointing in the wrong direction, how do you handle it?</strong> Early in my career, my compass got a little off track and I’m forever grateful to the leader who helped me regain direction.\n\nMy first job out of college was with a department store chain based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  A man named Mike, who was the regional director of human resources for the retailer, was one of the first mentors in my professional life.  He was an unassuming man with a rapier-sharp wit who showed me how to lead with character. Mike taught by encouragement and humor, not by pontificating. I can still clearly recall a phone conversation that could have gone very wrong, but because of Mike’s leadership skill, turned into a lesson I carry with me today.\n\nHere’s what happened. I was the Assistant Personnel Manager for one of the retailer’s suburban department stores, which had a restaurant within the store. The restaurant’s manager Al called me to say that he’d seen one of his employees taking a glass of soda pop from the restaurant after the stored closed. Evidently, this employee had a history of helping himself to soda pop and had been warned that if he did it again, he’d be fired. So Al was calling me to ask if it was time to fire him.\n\nMy boss, the store’s Personnel Manager, was on vacation so I called Mike to bring him into the loop. I explained the situation and asked for counsel. Mike said that I was to begin the termination process.\n\nI was surprised. Firing a guy for taking a glass of soda pop seemed so <em>extreme</em>. “Mike, really? We’re going to fire him?” Mike reminded me that the employee had been warned (in writing) of the consequences of his actions. Still, I persisted—“Mike, it just seems so unfair—can’t we give him one more chance?”\n\n“Well, I’ll tell you what . . .” Mike said in that low-key way he had. “What about this? How about if we let all 200 of the associates at your store help themselves to whatever item they want in the store? Would that be a good way to run the business?”\n\nThat put it into perspective very quickly.\n\nIt wasn’t the dollar value of what the employee stole, it was <em>the fact that he stole</em> from the company.\n\nNo lecturing about protecting company assets, no reminders about our obligations as human resources managers. Just a simple question that brought the issue into crystal clear focus: <strong>to act with integrity means to do so all the time, regardless of the relative weight of the infraction.</strong>\n\nWhy does this lesson stay with me all these years later?\n\nMike held up a mirror to my integrity, but he did so in a non-threatening way. Even though we were discussing whether or not to fire an employee, the subtext to the conversation was, “Jennifer, what do <strong>you</strong> stand for?” The needle of my moral compass was off track that day; Mike helped me get it pointing back in the right direction. And he did so without shaming me, which is incredibly important when dealing with the sensitive subject of someone’s integrity.\n\nWhen you are faced with helping a colleague examine beliefs that underpin their integrity, do so with positive intention and kind regard, but by all means <strong>do so</strong>. To do any less would be to fall short in your role as a leader. Not only does their integrity depend on you taking action, but your integrity depends upon it as well.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nphoto credit: istockphoto.com', 'Leadership and the Moral Compass', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leadership-and-the-moral-compass', '', '', '2012-06-27 06:00:37', '2012-06-27 11:00:37', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6797', 0, 'post', '', 9),
(6801, 243, '2012-06-24 12:43:47', '2012-06-24 17:43:47', 'TCC Department of Continuing Education and Lead Change Tulsa are hosting another breakfast leadership discussion, <a title=\"Register Now!\" href=\"http://leadchangejune2012.eventbrite.com/\">Effectively Leading a Diverse Organization</a> this Thursday, June 28, at the TCC Center For Creativity, 910 S. Boston.\n\nCost is $15, continental breakfast is included.<em></em>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Our Panelists</h3>\n<table style=\"width: 640px;\" border=\"0\" frame=\"box\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; vertical-align: top;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> Haley Buzzard</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Graduate Candidate at DePaul University</p>\n</td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; vertical-align: top;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> Jesse Guardiola</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Career Development and Hispanic Outreach Officer  Tulsa Police Department</p>\n</td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; vertical-align: top;\"> Hannibal Johnson\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Author, Attorney and Consultant</p>\n</td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; vertical-align: top;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> Kelli McLeod-Schingen</p>\nCommunity Coordinator for Racial Healing, Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;\"> <img title=\"Haley Buzzard\" src=\"https://evbdn.eventbrite.com/s3-s3/eventlogos/1906439/haleyb.jpg\" alt=\"Haley Buzzard Profile\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" /></td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;\"><img title=\"Jesse Guardiola\" src=\"https://evbdn.eventbrite.com/s3-s3/eventlogos/1906439/jesseg.jpg\" alt=\"Jesse Guardiola Profile\" width=\"91\" height=\"91\" /></td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;\"> <img title=\"Hannibal Johnson\" src=\"https://evbdn.eventbrite.com/s3-s3/eventlogos/1906439/1305f23.jpg\" alt=\"Hannibal Johnson\'s Profile\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" /></td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;\"><img title=\"Kelli McLeod-Schingen\" src=\"https://evbdn.eventbrite.com/s3-s3/eventlogos/1906439/kellims.jpg\" alt=\"Kelli McLeod-Schingen profile\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" /></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a title=\"Get more info or Register Now!\" href=\"http://leadchangejune2012.eventbrite.com/\">Get more info, or Register Now!</a>  Seating is limited and the cost is $15 per person.  Continental breakfast is provided.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">This won\'t be a sit-and-listen breakfast.  This is a fast-paced get-as-involved-as-you\'d-like dialogue on solving real problems in our community. You\'ll meet great people and share ideas with some of the sharpest and brightest character-based leaders in the Tulsa area.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\"This is the first networking event I\'ve ever attended where I wanted to stick around and meet everyone!\" Cynthia Stewart, Evermore Services.</p>\n</blockquote>\nCurious about the breakfasts? Check out <a title=\"Local Leadership Impact\" href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/local-leadership-impact/\">this video</a> or just register and join us Thursday, June 28. Who knows, you might become part of something greater than yourself.\n\nPlease also take a minute to share this link with a friend?  Or better yet, register for 2 and bring them along.  We look forward to seeing you there!', 'Leadership and Diversity Tulsa June 28', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leadership-and-diversity-tulsa-june-28', '', '', '2012-06-24 12:43:47', '2012-06-24 17:43:47', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6801', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6807, 274, '2012-06-28 14:00:58', '2012-06-28 19:00:58', 'This is a video by Instigator John M Bernard about the problems caused by the growth of government regulation. In this video, John tells the tale of two typical Americans, Tom and Irene, as they attempt to tangle their way through bureaucracy. John asserts that unless we refocus on citizen outcomes, and clean up the mess, our American way of life could end sooner than we imagine. Click <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaK9sTrNTXA\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to watch this video.', 'The Tangled Path &#124; A Look at Government Regulation', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-tangled-path-a-look-at-government-regulation', '', '', '2012-06-28 14:00:58', '2012-06-28 19:00:58', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6807', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6811, 290, '2012-07-05 06:00:47', '2012-07-05 11:00:47', 'It may seem odd to discuss interdependence when many are celebrating independence this week. In leadership, however, independence may be inadvisable. The reality is interdependent leaders are the ones enabling happiness in their organizations, teams, and communities.\n\nLeading with interdependence means two or more people or things are mutually dependent upon each other. Interdependent leaders are stronger than independent ones because of the relationships built and maintained.\n\nHere are four interdependent relationships to enable leaders to succeed more fully and purposefully.\n<h2><strong>1 - Learning Interdependence.</strong></h2>\nGood leaders learn. There is a mutual dependency on books, mentors, and other leaders to stretch our minds, our attitudes, our motivations, and our approaches. Leaders who do not have an interdependent learning relationship become stale and outdated, stuck in old ways and inadequate traditions.\n\nIt is more than the taking in of information and ideas though. It also is in the giving. Leaders who teach and share lift up all leaders within their circle of influence. It is a <a title=\"The Unboxed Life: Giving\" href=\"http://www.thindifference.com/2011/11/17/the-unboxed-life-giving/\" target=\"_blank\">give-and-take relationship</a> in learning, which energizes strong, interdependent leaders.\n<h2><strong>2 - Team Interdependence.</strong></h2>\nTeams contain all sorts of characters. The best teams are the ones where everyone brings their strengths along with their humility, best listening skills, and finest ideas. Teams that are self-managing are the most interdependent group of leaders possible. Nonetheless, even if there is a single leader designated for a team, the leader can only be successful if the team works well together.\n\nInterdependence of human skills and insights is what will bring out the best in all team leaders.\n\nA team of independents will lead to an entanglement of egos and a frustration of efforts. A team of interdependent leaders will lead to empowered achievement.\n<h2><strong>3 - Community Interdependence.</strong></h2>\nInterdependent leaders know community is where the next generation of leaders will spring. Leave our communities alone and the talent will slip backwards rather than upwards. Communities feed off of solid leaders, and leaders feed off of solid community. The tighter the interdependence, the higher the potential for long term advancement. The advancements come in the form of:\n<ul>\n	<li>Greater involvement in activities</li>\n	<li>More commitment to people</li>\n	<li>More conversations on how to lead</li>\n	<li>Higher learning, raising the standards in knowledge and insights</li>\n</ul>\n<h2><strong>4 - Integrity Interdependence.</strong></h2>\nIntegrity translates into leadership and life values; it is the way to lead and live in a non-harmful and inspired way. Our leadership values need to be defined and then fully practiced in everyday situations. Integrity and values need to be our high standard of conduct – something to strive to and be held accountable for. Herein is the crux of integrity interdependence.\n\nA leader without integrity is an independent, soulless one. Integrity without leaders is just a concept.\n\nFor <a title=\"Leadership and the Moral Compass\" href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/leadership-and-the-moral-compass/\">integrity</a> to come alive, leaders need to embrace it. For leaders to lead effectively, integrity needs to be upheld. More than the relationship between leader and integrity is the need for both to be demonstrated actively in our teams, organizations, communities, and families.\n\n<strong>Leadership interdependence…</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Are you ready to celebrate it and see the true <a title=\"The Joy of Leadership\" href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/the-joy-of-leadership/\">joy in leadership</a>?</li>\n	<li>Are you ready to embrace your leadership interdependencies?</li>\n</ul>\nI hope so. Happy Leadership Interdependence!', 'Happy Leadership Interdependence!', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'happy-leadership-interdependence', '', '', '2012-07-05 06:00:47', '2012-07-05 11:00:47', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6811', 0, 'post', '', 4),
(6814, 303, '2012-07-03 14:00:05', '2012-07-03 19:00:05', 'In the post <a title=\"Making Family Friendly Work for You by Christina Lattimer\" href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk/2012/06/28/making-family-friendly-work-for-you-5-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them/\">Making Family Friendly Work for You: 5 Mistakes and How to Avoid Them</a>, Christina Lattimer discusses the subject of family-friendly workplaces. What does it mean to be family friendly? What are some common mistakes associated with a family-friendly workplace, and how can we avoid them? \"If you are already going down the family friendly route, or intend to, then congratulations.  If devised and implemented thoughtfully through consultation with your strategists and your people, then it will be successful.  By being clear about your bottom line, you will gain the commitment, loyalty and best performance from your people and have people queuing up to work for you.\" Click <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk/2012/06/28/making-family-friendly-work-for-you-5-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them/\">here</a> to read on.', 'Family Friendly Workplaces - People Discovery Blog', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'family-friendly-workplaces-people-discovery', '', '', '2012-07-03 14:00:05', '2012-07-03 19:00:05', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6814', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(6818, 243, '2012-07-02 06:10:45', '2012-07-02 11:10:45', 'Sometimes, a description of what something <em>is not</em> helps to also describe what it <em>is</em>.\n\nThis past week, we had another <a title=\"Local Leadership Impact video\" href=\"/local-leadership-impact/\">Lead Change Tulsa breakfast dialogue</a> and the topic was Effectively Leading Diverse Organizations. Over 40 people, many new to Lead Change, joined us for this discussion.\n\nTeri Aulph (<a title=\"Teri\'s Twitter profile\" href=\"http://twitter.com/teriaulph\">@TeriAulph</a>) generally enlists the panelists and we allow each to open the dialogue. Chery Gegelman (<a title=\"Chery\'s Twitter Profile\" href=\"http://twitter.com/gianaconsulting\">@GianaConsulting</a>) moderates and facilitates with grace and involves everyone in the room to the extent they\'re comfortable. Their skill at managing these events enables me to relax and think.\n\nThis day, I chose to study the people because the group was more different from me than any other breakfast discussion we\'ve had. The topic of diversity almost by itself brings out a more diverse crowd. The stories and the ideas shared opened my mind and challenged my thoughts.\n\nWhat makes a leader? What path were these people on to develop as leaders?\n<blockquote>\"Diversity is simply hearing every voice.\" Teri Aulph</blockquote>\nAs a committed contrarian, I was reminded of ideas I\'ve shared before about <a title=\"Are followers an endangered species?\" href=\"/are-followers-an-endangered-species/\">followers and leaders</a>; about acting out roles vs. who we really are (character); about positional authority vs. <a title=\"Posts tagged character-based leadership\" href=\"/tag/character-based-leadership\">character-based authority</a>.\n\nIn some way, everyone in the room was a leader, and yet everyone enlisted to both share and learn. Everyone looked to grow and help others grow, stretch and help others stretch. We all instinctively knew that simply being better made our community a little better, but that wasn\'t enough.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058DTIC0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=elevate-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B0058DTIC0\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-6819\" title=\"Great-By-Choice\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Great-By-Choice-202x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"202\" height=\"300\" /></a>The stories of many of the panelists and of the attendees were about times when their opinions didn\'t matter, and when they felt all alone or when they had been pre-judged and shut out. Then I thought about a book I\'ve recently read titled <a title=\"Great by Choice at Amazon.com\" href=\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058DTIC0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=elevate-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B0058DTIC0\">Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos and Luck - Why Some Thrive Despite Them All by Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen</a>. One chapter in the book is about luck and the authors identify that a key distinguishing factor between the great companies and the not-so-great companies is their \"return on luck or ROL\". Great organizations \"got what I would describe as a better return on luck…\" both good luck and bad luck.\n\nEvery person in the room came from a less-than-ideal circumstance. But every person in the room chose their response to their circumstances, their heritage, their surroundings and the behavior of others. Every person in the room chose to be a leader and lead themselves and their reaction to each situation. They could have chosen the mindset and resignation of victim, but instead, chose to take responsibility for their attitude and their actions. They led themselves into a different mindset, chose a non-standard response, and made a positive difference!\n\n<em>Victim</em> is my new word to describe <em>the opposite of leader</em>.  No one likes being a victim, but I catch myself blaming others for my circumstances and my position and at that moment I become a victim.  When I remember I can always chose my attitude and my reaction, I become a leader, at least of my self.\n\nThis group of people chose not to be victims. I\'m better for simply spending 90 minutes in their presence appreciating their stories and <em>believing</em> I have the power to choose.\n\nToday, will you be a victim or will you take the lead?  When do you catch yourself withdrawing from the role of \"leader?\"  What would you call that if not \"victim?\"  What other words might you use to describe the opposite of \"leader?\"\n\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Photo © JRB - Fotolia.com</span>', 'The Opposite of Leader', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-opposite-of-leader', '', '', '2012-07-02 06:10:45', '2012-07-02 11:10:45', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6818', 0, 'post', '', 3),
(6825, 274, '2012-07-05 14:00:55', '2012-07-05 19:00:55', '<strong>When was the last time you were overjoyed by an inspired act or outcome at work?</strong> For too many managers, the very thought of joy at work is laughable. For employees? It’s not only laughable, but a notion left for dreamers — certainly no place for it in the cubicle nation. If there is, however, a lesson folded into these ambiguous times, it’s that conventional management and leadership wisdom is on a wobbly foundation. Click <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2012/07/05/on-creating-joy-at-work/\">here</a> to view the full article.', 'On Creating Joy at Work', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'on-creating-joy-at-work', '', '', '2012-07-05 14:00:55', '2012-07-05 19:00:55', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6825', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(6828, 270, '2012-07-06 06:00:41', '2012-07-06 11:00:41', '\nOn June 29<span style=\"font-size: 11px;\">th,</span> my parents, sisters and their families were in route from North Dakota and Montana to Oklahoma for a long weekend together.\n\nAs I was preparing for their visit I received this message from my aunt,“<em>You all have a great time with your folks, sisters, &amp; kiddos. Those times can be so special.  …Will be thinking of all of you.</em>”\n\nOn July 2<sup>nd</sup>,  just three nights later my aunt’s daughter was killed in a car accident.\n\nWhen my dad made his first phone call to check in with his sister, she was quick to emphasize that we were not to cut our time together short, because of her daughter\'s death and that instead we should spend time with the living.\n\nImmediately her words, her strength and her grace reminded all of us of their mother, my grandmother:\n<ul>\n	<li>A woman who was widowed when her first husband was killed in World War II and was left with two small children to raise and years later lost one of those children in a drowning accident.</li>\n	<li>A woman that was both strengthened and softened by those events and instead of becoming bitter she used them as a catalyst to better understand the needs of others and offer help and  hope.</li>\n</ul>\nAs I’ve pondered the events of the past few days I’ve:\n<ul>\n	<li>Felt incredibly thankful for the lives and the example of both women and found myself hoping for a fraction of their strength and their grace.</li>\n	<li>Examined my own focus and priorities...  <em>\"Do I spend enough time enjoying the living?\"  </em></li>\n	<li>Pondered what we will learn as a family, what changes we will make and hoping we won\'t forget what we learn.</li>\n	<li>Wondered how this sudden loss will eventually be used to help others.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>What about you…  How has a season of loss in your life served as a catalyst for change, hope and healing for you or for others? </strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n<p align=\"center\"><em>“To everything there is a season…</em></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><em>A time to break down, and a time to build up; </em></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><em>A time to weep and a time to laugh;</em></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><em>A time to mourn and a time to dance…”</em></p>', 'A Time To Break Down &#038; A Time To Build Up', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-time-to-break-down-a-time-to-build-up', '', '', '2012-07-06 06:00:41', '2012-07-06 11:00:41', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6828', 0, 'post', '', 10),
(6834, 258, '2012-07-09 06:00:20', '2012-07-09 11:00:20', '<strong>Imagine for a minute you are meeting someone new</strong>. You get together for coffee and start to talk, to learn about each other, to share personal information. You reveal something important about yourself, thinking it will help your new friend understand you better.\n\nYou say, I am a Christian, a republican, a veteran, a doctor, a father, or an American. Your new friend responds, “I don’t care. Whatever.” This statement probably means that your revelation changes nothing about how your new friend feels about you, but it still stings a little, and you find yourself wondering if it changes how you feel about her.\n\nI have been thinking about this response in the wake of <a href=\"http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/07/anderson-cooper-the-fact-is-im-gay.html\">Anderson Cooper</a>’s recent decision to reveal that he is gay. He is not the first, nor will he be the last well-known individual to do so. But what struck me was that so many of my good-hearted friends and neighbors had the same reaction. “I can’t wait for the day when this is not even news, when this doesn’t matter.” I know what they mean. They want sexuality to cease to be a singular yardstick by which people are measured. They want discrimination against homosexuals, in fact all discrimination, to finally end.\n\n<strong>But discrimination does not just end by itself.</strong> Women still make less than men for the same work. Blacks still experience racial slurs and hate speech. Bullying still happens. We can neither legislate nor ignore discrimination away. People are persecuted every day for their religion, race, gender, political beliefs, for their weight, intelligence, hair-color, disabilities, and yes, for being gay. We’ve been working on this tolerance thing for a long time and although things are better, plenty of haters in the world still try to lift themselves up by putting others down. As a result, sexuality matters. So does religion and race and hair-color and all of the differences and diversity that make us individually unique. If we really want discrimination to stop, we have to keep fighting. We have to care, because who we are matters.\n\nAs leaders in our communities, we have a responsibility to break down discrimination and dispel hatred. We also have this incredible opportunity to understand and empower those around us. I think we can do all of these things at the same time. People really just want to be seen. When our friends and colleagues feel that we truly see them, deeply know them, they grow and contribute more to their communities. They gain strength and confidence and become leaders themselves. Our abilities to connect, to show empathy, and to demonstrate compassion are vital to effective leadership. Every time we dismiss something that is significant in others, when we choose not to see people fully, we erase a piece of them. This devaluation weakens our teams and communities.\n\nInstead we must care about each other wholly and completely. We need to ask questions, show support, be present, and listen, really, really listen to a person’s story. That is not to say we must love every part of a person equally. Our world is full of beautifully diverse and complicated individuals. We agree with and support parts of everyone we know. We disagree with other pieces and spend time trying to understand new perspectives and explain our own. Either way, the common denominator is the same, caring.\n\n<strong>The cure for discrimination is not apathy.</strong> “I don’t care. Whatever.” can’t be the response to personal revelation. Instead we must reply in ways that lift up and demonstrate understanding. Maybe our answer can be as simple as “OK,” or “Thank you for letting me to know you more completely.” In essence we need to say, “I see you…all of you.”\n\nIt is by caring for each other deeply and compassionately that we will move toward peace and equality, toward better communities. When we can share ourselves with each other fearlessly and completely, discrimination will finally end. And Anderson Cooper’s sexuality will no longer be headline news.\n\nPerhaps you have personal experiences to share or suggestions for ways to address discrimination more effectively. I welcome your comments.', 'Discriminating Leadership', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'discriminating-leadership', '', '', '2012-07-09 06:00:20', '2012-07-09 11:00:20', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6834', 0, 'post', '', 15),
(6838, 303, '2012-07-06 14:00:43', '2012-07-06 19:00:43', 'On becoming a manager I encountered a problem which my frustrated teachers would have relished.   I found not everyone was as driven as me.  In fact, in the early days, team members would pitch up late at meetings and even (perish the thought) miss deadlines to complete tasks which put whole projects into jeopardy.\n\nI tried everything I could and although some of my team rose to the occasion, I found I was spending much of my time chasing up work, making sure people were getting things done on time.  Even worse, I found deadlines being missed without a raise of an eyebrow by some of the team and even with a casual acceptance.  I was mystified. Click <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk/2012/07/05/the-single-most-important-question-to-ask-to-get-great-results/\">here</a> to read on.', 'The Most Important Question to Ask to Get Great Results', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-most-important-question-to-ask-to-get-great-results', '', '', '2012-07-06 14:00:43', '2012-07-06 19:00:43', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6838', 0, 'post', '', 3);
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(6845, 251, '2012-07-10 06:00:57', '2012-07-10 11:00:57', 'Years ago I handled labor relations in a meat processing facility where every employee had a singular function. Someone ran the slicer, someone else the grinder, etc. Everyone knew and accepted the very narrow parameters imposed on their job duties.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">An exchange with a client this morning prompted my walk down meat packing memory lane.</span>\n\n<em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">“Coaching problem employees isn’t my job.”</span></em>\n\n<em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">“Whose job is it?”</span></em>\n\n<em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">“That’s what HR does, not me.”</span></em>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">While there’s a whole host of rich topics embedded here, what jumped out first for me was how effortlessly this fellow had narrowed his area of leadership responsibility. The employees making the bacon had little choice in the scope of their duties given the machine they were assigned to run. This individual had constructed his own job boundaries, opting to make them narrowly focused on what he did best – metrics, results and schedules. He forgot about the people who make the results and numbers possible.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">It’s heart-warming to read the results of IBM’s </span><a href=\"http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/37793.wss\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-size: small;\">2012 Global CEO study</span></a><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> in which “CEOs regard interpersonal skills of collaboration (75 percent), communication (67 percent), creativity (61 percent) and flexibility (61 percent) as key drivers of employee success to operate in a more complex, interconnected environment.” Leadership isn’t a specialty area for one-way directives, tasks and numbers. (I’ll send out the memo to Wall Street and big business later this afternoon.) Leadership is a labor of love that encompasses both task completion and relationship fostering. It’s not an either/or proposition.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">Are you a leader like my client who’s most comfortable focusing on results and aren’t sure how to bring more flexibility into your leadership interactions? If so, research and science provide guidance in learning to integrate the “paradoxes, tensions, and trade-offs inherent in the managerial job.”</span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">[1]</span>\n\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">1) Reframe how you think about your role.</span></strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> Many leaders tend to over-rely on a strength (say, driving for accomplishments) and under-use its opposite</span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">[2]</span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> (collaborating and creating cohesion). That’s when all sorts of problems arise because the over-used strength has now become a weakness. Here’s where you apply the Goldilocks principle of getting it just right – like skillfully pressing for results while treating people like people instead of machines.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>2) Be kind and hold people accountable.</strong> A good leader expects his people to achieve their objectives; and when they fall short, the performance gap is discussed considerately so their self-esteem and self-worth remain intact. We all fall short from time to time and rarely benefit from being labeled an idiot or worse by an uncaring boss. It’s the leader who coaches us to better performance and who does so with compassion that we’ll follow off the cliff.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>3) Understand it’s not your dad’s management anymore.</strong> Command and control may create short-term compliance at the expense of long-term resentment and disengagement. Awareness and agility are needed to deal with a world that’s constantly changing, perpetually connected and well-informed. An effective leader wants a broad repertoire of knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviors in her toolkit.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>4) It’s all about context.</strong> At some point in coaching programs and development workshops, someone typically points out that I’m advocating that they be inconsistent and manipulative. Puh-lease. I’ll concede that it does take more time, effort and awareness to be directive and flexible, decisive and sensitive. Recognizing that one-size-leadership doesn’t fit all circumstances isn’t being capricious, it’s being smart.</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">A character-based leader willingly incorporates the dualities of leading in a complex world – monitor and mentor, producer and facilitator, doing good and doing well. What say you?</span>\n<h6><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Duality image from <a href=\"http://unwrappingminds.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/the-world-of-duality-coexistence-of-good-bad/\" target=\"_blank\">Unwrapping Minds</a></span></h6>\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;\"> </span>\n<div>\n\n<hr align=\"left\" size=\"1\" width=\"33%\" />\n\n<div>\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">[1]</span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Calibri;\"> Lindberg, Jennifer T. and Kaiser, Robert B. “Assessing the Behavioral Flexibility of Managers:  A Comparison of Methods.” April 2004.</span></span>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">[2]</span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><span style=\"font-family: Calibri;\"> Ibid.</span></span>\n\n</div>\n</div>', 'Leadership Isn’t a Specialty Area', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leadership-isnt-a-specialty-area', '', '', '2012-07-10 06:00:57', '2012-07-10 11:00:57', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6845', 0, 'post', '', 11),
(6860, 281, '2012-07-13 06:00:58', '2012-07-13 11:00:58', '<h2>The Tightrope of Leadership</h2>\nAs leaders and change-agents, we walk a daily tight-rope between how we \"should\" do things because that\'s how they\'ve always been done ... which may be contrary to what believe matters today and tomorrow. Leadership is no different.\n\nTo be a true leader, we must walk this tightrope in our daily actions.  While most people would not want to be in our leadership shoes for fear of ridicule, being ostracized or publicly called out ... they secretly and silently cheer us on.  One day you are a hero ... the next day you are a zero.\n\nFor almost 20 years I\"ve been writing, speaking and coaching leaders to courageously use the \"F\" word and the \"V\" word.  F as in feelings and V as in Values- as in pay attention, stop pretending they don\'t matter because they do.\n\nAt first, I treaded lightly, because I was told if I didn\'t, no one would listen.  So I did as I was told and followed the rules, like most of us do.\n\nSure, after about the 10 year milestone, and with the help of platforms like the Lead Change Blog, I no longer felt like a fish out of water.  In fact, I discovered a whole community who also believed as I did.   While I felt validated seeing others were willing to break the rules  mattered, there was a \"Yes, but ...\"\n\nYes, but I felt I was \"preaching to the choir\" when it came to the characteristics and behaviors of what it REALLY takes for a leader, someone of influence and power, to motivate, inspire and lead people, small businesses and organizations to be outrageously successful (hint: the operative word here is PEOPLE so pay attention).\n\nBut who am I, one who\'s never walked in a CEO -of-a-Fortune-500\'s-Company\'s-Shoes to tell YOU how to be a successful leader as a card-carrying MBA, CXO?\n\nPersonally, I\'m done walking the tightrope, being careful and \"should-ing\"  when it comes to the words I choose to use to describe what it takes to lead people today.  I\'m through with hiding, pretending and using politically-correct language to get heard in the corporate world.  Join me in instigating this leadership revolution:  Walk your talk, call it what it is and refuse to hide behind the leadership speak of  \"human capital\"  and other such almost-there-but-not phrases.  <em>Thanks ... it sure felt good to get that off my chest.</em>\n<h2>Leaders: Get Real!</h2>\nLet\'s get real and cut to the bottom line.\n\nWhat I realize in my almost 20 years of experience with PEOPLE is that no matter what your title, you are still a human being who works with other human beings to motivate, inspire and get the job done.  Period.\n\nHere\'s the bottom-line question:  When it comes to the \"F\" word, what are you so afraid of when it comes to your own feelings, the feelings and needs of your team or that of your customers? And while the word values gets tossed around like the latest fad, are you taking actions based on your values on a daily basis?\n\nTwenty years ago, I was told not to tell potential companies (clients) my credentials came from the field of systems and therapy, (marriage &amp;, family) which raised eyebrows anyhow, but because it would intimated and \"scare\" corporate types. Inside I thought <strong><em>but the bottom line in achieving success in business  IS about understanding relationships and people</em></strong> yet I kept my silence, afraid of being ostracized in the leadership development field.\n\nFast forward to 2012:  If management guru\'s who have the corporate credentials like Gary Hamel and Mike Myatt, or experts on emotional intelligence like Daniel Goleman, or even executive coaches to the top Fortune 100 CEO\'s like Marshall Goldsmith can say it, then so can those of  us who are executive coaches who have been treading not-so-lightly on the sidelines as our clients nod in silent agreement.\n\nHere\'s my challenge to you:  If you are a CXO, CEO, COO, CFO or have the title of a leader and aren\'t afraid to say it out loud it\'s more necessary than ever before.  Stay tuned for the first collaborative effort by many of your Lead Change Group authors <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>\"Character-based Leadership: Instigating a leadership revolution one person at a time.\" </em></span>Read it, pass it along, spread the word.\n\nAs a leader who has the ability and responsibility to authentically influence others to create value, join us in the LeadChange effort - AND don\'t be quiet about it.\n<h2>Now who\'s talking?</h2>\nThe Harvard Business Review, Forbes and the McKinsey Quarterly post<a href=\"https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Governance/Leadership/Leading__in_the_21st_century_2984#\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Leading in the 21st Century</a>\" are also printing what it takes to be an extraordinary leader in today\'s world:  be human, a rule-breaker and authentic.  Gary Tramel\'s <em><a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2012/04/03/gary-hamel-what-matters-now-the-centrality-of-passion/\" target=\"_blank\">What Matters Now</a> </em>says it loudly, too. You don\'t have to look far to find out what it takes to be a <a title=\"What is a Sustainable Leader?\" href=\"http://sustainable-leaders.com/about/\" target=\"_blank\">Sustainable Leader</a> who is built to last who\'s goals are to not simply survive, but to thrive through the warp-speed of the global economy and change.  The consistent message is <em><strong>be courageous enough to be human every day</strong></em>.  Which means to be vulnerable and to be real and walk your talk, balancing confidence and vulnerability.\n\nThe good news is you will find it takes a lot less effort to be authentic than it does to pretend. The tough part is <em>knowing</em> what your values and beliefs are so that you can walk your talk every day in every conversation.  If you are unclear how to take action in this area, there are  plenty of highly qualified and experienced folks in this group to assist you.\n\nTake action and connect with one ... just get started before you fall off the tightrope or get left behind by other rule-breaking leaders who are already taking action.\n\nHow do you<em><strong> show up</strong></em> as a leader in your business and what is YOUR leadership tightrope made of?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;', 'Walking the Leadership Tightrope', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'walking-the-leadership-tightrope', '', '', '2012-07-13 06:00:58', '2012-07-13 11:00:58', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6860', 0, 'post', '', 11),
(6867, 305, '2012-07-18 06:00:46', '2012-07-18 11:00:46', '<blockquote><strong>“People don’t want to be managed. They want to be led. Whoever heard of a world manager? World leader, yes. Educational leader. Political leader. Religious leader. Community leader. Labor leader. Business leader. They lead. They don’t manage. The carrot always wins over the stick. Ask your horse. You can lead your horse to water but you can’t manage him to drink. If you want to manage somebody, manage yourself. Do that well and you’ll be read to stop managing. And start leading.”</strong>\n\n<strong><em>Printed by United Technologies Corporation in the Wall Street Journal</em></strong></blockquote>\nWhen I read this, it rings true to me. My bells and whistles go off and I do hop kicks in my head. My red flags go down. I know I don’t want to be managed.  I want to lead and be led.  I know my husband and [adult] kids don’t want to be managed.  In fact, I can’t think of anyone who wants to be managed, unless of course he/she has subjugated that role to others because of being brainwashed into believing that they can’t manage or lead themselves.\n\nLet’s say we agree with this, that people don’t want to be managed.  Then what is management for?  Why do so many seek to manage and why have we spent so many millions of dollars on the management sciences?  And why is leadership such a hot topic today inspiring untold numbers of articles, blogs, movements such as <a href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com\">Lead Change Group</a>, etc?  Maybe just maybe we got off course somewhere and all bought the idea that we could manage people.\n\nSo given these millions of dollars spent on management development, management sciences, etc., and the pervasive idea that managing people is possible, what does that say about our history and our focus?  You might say it seems ludicrous to think that we could get rid of management.   How will all those human resources, those people, be directed and controlled?\n\nWhat will happen to bosses and supervisors and managers?  People need  them, really they do.  If you think that way, I assure you that you will find ways to be right.  You will prove that people are not trustworthy, that they need you telling them what to do.  You will find ways to justify your position.  But is that really getting you what you want? Are people performing to their utmost for you, exceeding all expectations? If you left would they follow you?\n\n<strong>On the other hand, you may say that you yourself rely on others to manage you, to decide for you, to think for you.</strong>  Does that really make you happy? Or do you complain to your spouse, your family, your friends on a regular basis about your job?\n\nOne specific example of what I am talking about comes to mind that illustrates this perfectly.  In fact, I was speaking with a President of a company today and she mentioned the same example.  Most of us have been part of a United Way campaign.  In the early days, these campaigns were delegated to management to run.  Typically management would take the tact of talking to their employees about the importance of being a good citizen and helping to fund helping agencies so their patrons could have a hand up (effectively trying not to appear to strong arm you into giving so that the company goals could be met.)\n\nThen, one year things changed.  The leaders asked for employee volunteers to lead the campaigns. Everyone couldn’t wait to show up to the next new event, and attendance and giving doubled and tripled.  You saw people showing their true talents, coming alive, doing things you had no idea they could do.  The fun quotient spiked, the giving exceeded goals, employee morale improved, and the new office stories were accompanied with more laughter.   Hmmm - no management in the picture.\n\n<strong>Personally, I’d like to join United Technologies Corporation’s movement to get rid of management, at least management in the sense of managing people.</strong> Let’s leave management to manage things.  We will always need to manage our resources of time, money and materials.  We still need management, because we will always need controls, oversight, compliance, and so on.  That doesn’t go away.\n\nWhen it comes to people, let’s lead ourselves first, and when we have mastered that, we are ready to lead others.  And when we lead others, let’s use that term in the same way we would use the term serve.  Let’s be empowering leaders, who trust and believe in people and want to inspire them to grow and become the best they can be. Let’s cast a vision, rally people behind it, showing them what they have to gain personally and professionally in achieving it.  Let’s grow other leaders.\n\n<strong>Let’s manage things and lead people.</strong>', 'Let’s Get Rid of Management', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'lets-get-rid-of-management', '', '', '2012-07-18 06:00:46', '2012-07-18 11:00:46', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6867', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(6872, 294, '2012-07-12 14:00:38', '2012-07-12 19:00:38', 'Work is a part of being human. It’s easy to think that we work simply to earn a living. But work is much more. Work is one of the ways we make a difference and help make someone else’s life a little better.  <a href=\"http://www.massingenuity.com/2012/07/02/why-do-we-work-it%E2%80%99s-not-what-you-think/\">Read More....</a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;', 'Why do we work? It&#039;s not what you think', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'why-do-we-work-its-not-what-you-think', '', '', '2012-07-12 14:00:38', '2012-07-12 19:00:38', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6872', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6876, 243, '2012-07-10 14:10:14', '2012-07-10 19:10:14', 'Instigator Meghan M. Biro (<a title=\"Meghan\'s Twitter Profile\" href=\"http://twitter.com/meghanmbiro\" target=\"_blank\">@MeghanMBiro</a>, <a title=\"Talentculture.com\" href=\"http://www.talentculture.com/founder/\" target=\"_blank\">Website</a>) wrote a challenging post on Forbes this week titled <a title=\"Leaders: American Needs You To Be Its Batman by Meghan M. Biro\" href=\"http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2012/07/09/leaders-america-needs-you-to-be-its-batman/\" target=\"_blank\">Leaders: America Needs You To Be Its Batman</a>.  Meghan makes some great points about the characteristics of great leaders that are compelling, valuable to any organization or community and very necessary in our present time.  She talks about the importance of Intrinsic Motivation, Focus, and Courage.  Read the <a title=\"Leaders: American Needs You To Be Its Batman by Meghan M. Biro\" href=\"http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2012/07/09/leaders-america-needs-you-to-be-its-batman/\" target=\"_blank\">full post</a> and take a minute to leave a comment for her too!', 'America Needs Batman - by Meghan M. Biro', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'america-needs-batman-by-meghan-m-biro', '', '', '2012-07-10 14:10:14', '2012-07-10 19:10:14', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6876', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(6879, 288, '2012-07-12 06:00:32', '2012-07-12 11:00:32', 'There is no “I” in team, and if anyone else has anything to say about it, there aren’t any weak links in \"team\" either.\n\nFor any company to be successful, all of its members must work in sync to accomplish tasks in the most efficient fashion. Teamwork enables businesses to reach goals on time and generate the best ideas due to collective brainstorming and checks and balances. One of the most critical steps in becoming a successful team member is being able to recognize your weaknesses and the things you can improve upon. Take the following steps from <a href=\"http://www.dalecarnegie.com/\">Dale Carnegie</a> to learn how you can put an “I” in “team” and ultimately help build a better team by doing so.\n\n<strong>1.     </strong><strong>Be a Busy Bee</strong>\n\nTaking the initiative goes a long way when it comes to business. When there is a lot of work to be completed, it often takes a lot of time to delegate initial tasks to individual team members. If the project seems overwhelming to you, the project leader feels the same way. Think of ideas to alleviate some of the stress off of the project leader and dive in. Waiting around wastes valuable time. Make something happen! Being a do-er is an admirable characteristic and exemplifies <a href=\"http://www.dalecarnegie.com/events/the_leadership_advantage/\">effective leadership</a> that is essential to motivating the team.\n\n<strong>2.     </strong><strong>Debbie Downer Isn’t Invited</strong>\n\nWe have all worked with that person who can bring the entire morale of the company down in 30 seconds or less. To ensure that you do not become a member of the Downer family remember that you have to learn to cooperate with the inevitable. Every business and team member will face inevitable issues like staffing challenges, information errors, technical problems, weather trouble, and more. Many things cannot be changed and furthermore, once issues occur, having a negative attitude will not turn back the hands of time and make things different or magically fixed. Be a great team member by accepting issues and dealing with them in a timely, positive manner.\n\n<strong>3.     </strong><strong>Turn Obstacles Into Stepping Stones</strong>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\"> “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”–Dale Carnegie</p>\n</blockquote>\nAs perfect as many of the most profitable companies in the world may seem, no one truly has it all figured out. Every company can benefit from new and innovative ideas for creating better organizational skills, more efficient processes, and better relationships. Take setbacks and challenges and improve upon them. This is the only way a business can grow and progress. Having the mindset that obstacles are only in place to create ways to overcome them will improve your company’s chances for success dramatically.\n\n<strong>4.     </strong><strong>Hard Work Pays Off</strong>\n\nWhen a team is not successful everyone feels the stress and worry of the failure. Do not be the reason your team fails. Take pride in everything you do. Give all tasks 150% and do not rest on the idea that someone else will pick up the slack.\n\n<strong>5.     </strong><strong>A Cluttered Workspace Leads To Cluttered Work</strong>\n\nKeeping your entire workspace clean will not only help you stay organized, but will also relieve stress by helping to clear your mind. Many people share workspaces, making it even more imperative that you keep your area clean. Also, potential clients may see your workspace at any given time. You want to always give the best impression. A cluttered, disorganized workspace throws off the balance of the entire office and ultimately slows you down.\n\n<strong>Knowing your strengths and weaknesses is the first step to self-improvement and ultimately becoming a better team member.</strong> If every team member does a tiny bit of work on themselves, your entire team will quickly see a transformation and shift toward a more efficient, successful company overall.\n\nCheck back next week for How to Be a Great Team Member Part 2!\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;', 'Put Your Best “I” In Team: How to Be a Great Team Member Part I', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'put-your-best-i-in-team-how-to-be-a-great-team-member-part-i', '', '', '2012-07-12 06:00:32', '2012-07-12 11:00:32', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6879', 0, 'post', '', 3),
(6885, 302, '2012-07-16 06:00:02', '2012-07-16 11:00:02', 'Over the past 20+ years I have witnessed a repeated and troubling pattern that occurs far too frequently.  The recurring pattern I’m referring to is when organizations choose to settle for a “silver bullet” solution.  With the hope of quickly getting rid of a problem, many organizations are blindly adopting a “cookie-cutter” approach without asking the hard questions first.\n\n<strong>Given all the uncertainty in today’s economy, can organizations afford to continue on this track?</strong>\n\nI have witnessed countless scenarios like this, and I bet you have too –\n<ul>\n	<li>Enterprise wide resource systems are rolled out with a lot of fanfare and management promises that it will transform the way the organization does business.  A year later everyone is still waiting for the transformation and the search for the guilty begins.</li>\n	<li>Process improvement initiatives such as Agile, CMMI, Lean, Project Quality Offices and any number of other improvement initiatives are started and stopped often in one failed initiative after another.</li>\n	<li>You can add your own example here.  I’m sure that there have been many times where you have seen your organization or another organization in your industry opt for the “cookie-cutter” approach!</li>\n</ul>\nUnfortunately, organizations rarely gain any traction or produce any real business value when they look for the “silver bullet”.  Implementing these failed initiatives that aren’t right for a particular organization’s needs means that thousands of dollars are needlessly wasted on training, software, computer hardware, consultants, etc.  Organizations lose even more money from the effects of loss of productivity and employee morale.\n\n<strong>Two Ways Leaders Can Begin to Reverse the “Silver Bullet” Syndrome</strong>\n\nWhile we can sympathize with leaders who may be dealing in complex domains and may not have the insight and bandwidth to forge a successful approach or who are sold a \"bill of goods\", below are two insights that can help.\n\nFirst, leaders can start by beginning to ask better questions.  Ask great questions and you will yield the best answers.  When we are captivated and hypnotized by the buzz of the latest industry “silver bullet”, more often than not the great questions don’t get answered, let alone asked.\n\nOver the past 18 months, I had the opportunity to interview 26 top experts in the field of process and performance improvement. Interestingly, the number one main theme that I have identified across these interviews is that these experts ask great questions – yielding better answers and better outcomes.\n\nWhat are those questions?  I’m in the process of compiling a complete listing of all the stated and implied questions from the interviews that I will be publishing in a future blog post.  In the meantime, here are several five minute interviews with great questions:\n<ul>\n	<li><a title=\"Understand What Your Challenge Is and Where You Want to Go with Alan Shalloway\" href=\"http://5minutespisuccess.com/?p=118\" target=\"_blank\">Understand What Your Challenge Is and Where You Want to Go</a></li>\n	<li>Three Key Questions to Ask at the Start of Any Process Improvement Initiative</li>\n	<li><a title=\"The Amazing Power of Asking Questions and Following the Energy with Dale Emery\" href=\"http://5minutespisuccess.com/?p=152\">The Amazing Power of Asking Questions and Following the Energy</a></li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Focus on Values, Principles and Practices</strong>\n\nA second approach can be found in a ground breaking book, <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/High-Performance-Operations-Competitive-ebook/dp/B005R4NO6Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1342066374&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=high+performance+operations\"><em>High Performance Operations</em></a>, where the author, <a href=\"http://hillelglazer.com/\">Hillel Glazer</a>, performs a bit of alchemy in describing how organizations can blend compliance into the value stream to lower costs, increase profits, and gain competitive advantage.\n\nHillel asserts that often times the “silver bullet” approach instills a focus on implementing the “silver bullet” itself rather than a focus on achieving the desired effects or outcomes.  So what’s the downside of that?  It’s probably a lot worse than you think.  Think about it - focusing on a packaged solution usually results in just that and not the intended benefits.\n\nQuoting from the book, Hillel states (in the context of best practices) where he believes leaders really need to focus:\n\n“Organizations must focus on the purposes and outcomes the practices are designed to elicit.  The reason the practices are in the body of work is why the practices are there, not the performance of the practices themselves.”\n\n<strong>What do you think?  What are your ideas for solving the “silver bullet” problem?</strong>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Photo istockphoto.com</span>', 'Leadership Means No More Silver Bullets', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leadership-means-no-more-silver-bullets', '', '', '2012-07-16 06:00:02', '2012-07-16 11:00:02', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6885', 0, 'post', '', 9),
(6896, 306, '2012-07-19 06:00:04', '2012-07-19 11:00:04', '<p style=\"text-align: left;\" lang=\"en-US\" align=\"CENTER\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;\"><strong>Ever wonder why there are more than 350,000 leadership titles on amazon.com?</strong> The plethora of models, seminars, speakers, authors, and books on the topic confirms something I’ve been thinking for a while: leadership is less a science (or even an art); it’s more an individual expression... as unique and one-of-a-kind as a snowflake or a leader’s own fingerprint. No wonder so many people have such different takes on it!</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" lang=\"en-US\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>This expression of leadership is born from the full range of our experiences.</strong> Upbringing and parents. Relationships.Work. Other responsibilities. We can each trace our own ‘leader-p</span></span></span><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;\">rints’ back to a complex web of factors unique to our own lives.</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" lang=\"en-US\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">My expression of leadership has grown from three key roles I’ve held outside of the corporate environment: <strong>teaching, parenting, and volunteering.</strong></span></span></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" lang=\"en-US\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Early in my career, I was a high school teacher and then a college professor. My students were great teachers, since I was learning right along with them. I quickly discovered that me telling them only went so far. My fascinating and well-researched lectures sustained their interest for a nano-second... but when students got involved - when they were working with others, when they were hands-on - interest, retention, and fun skyrocketed.</span></span></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" lang=\"en-US\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Then came my own children, who taught me more about leadership than any training course ever could. I remember reading when they were young that we teach the life we live... and that quickly played out day after day. “Do as I say, not as I do” didn’t work any better with kids at home than it did with employees in the workplace. Modeling - whether how to use manners at the dinner table or get along with friends - was the only way to achieve sustainable results.</span></span></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" lang=\"en-US\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Along with my own kids came countless opportunities to volunteer. This is where my most powerful leadership lessons were learned. Volunteers don’t do it for the glamour or the paycheck. They have many other organizations vying for their time and talents. And they stick around only as long as their needs are being met.</span></span></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" lang=\"en-US\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">So, how do these three lessons come together in my ‘leader-print’?<strong> I am compelled to get people actively involved - not talking about things but taking action toward joint goals.</strong> I lead from the middle, shoulder to shoulder with others in the effort. And I treat everyone - paid or not - like they’re volunteers who are getting nothing out of the experience but a sense of satisfaction and appreciation.</span></span></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" lang=\"en-US\" align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">So, what’s your personal expression of leadership? How did you arrive at your own unique ‘leader-print’?</span></span></span></p>\n<em>\n</em>', 'What&#039;s Your ‘Leader-Print’?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'whats-your-leader-print', '', '', '2012-07-19 06:00:04', '2012-07-19 11:00:04', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6896', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(6902, 258, '2012-09-06 06:04:34', '2012-09-06 11:04:34', '<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7196\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/jacuzzi-300x223.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" />\n\n<strong>My plane landed in Las Vegas after 9pm, and we were late. </strong>\n\nI was traveling on business and tired, but excited to spend some time in Las Vegas at the beautiful Red Rock Resort. When I tried to check in an hour later, I was told that there were no rooms ready, but they generously gave me a credit for food and drink while I waited.\n\nI strolled around the resort, hung out in the casino, and sampled the bar. Finally I headed up to the room at midnight (now 3am eastern) and when I opened the door to my room, I couldn’t help but laugh.\n\nFor the next six hours I was to be treated to luxury beyond my imagination. My $2800 a night 2000 square foot high-roller suite sported five flat screen televisions, an amazing stereo system, an enormous sectional couch, a marble topped bar, and a giant Jacuzzi. The only thing missing was a pool table for “naked billiards.” I started taking pictures while I ran water in the tub. I happily added bath salts and jumped in. It was lavish, it was ridiculous, and six hours later, it was gone. I checked into a regular room, having forfeited sleep for a chance to enjoy surreal decadence.\n\nI recently read this article from the “National Review,” <a href=\"https://www.nationalreview.com/nrd/articles/313504/boss?pg=1\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Like a Boss</em></a>.  In it Kevin Williamson points out that candidate Mitt Romney is fabulously wealthy, has fathered five sons and as a result, is a far superior candidate for president.\n\nHe encourages Romney to embrace his wealth. “Now Romney should quit pretending that he’s an ordinary schmo with ordinary schmo problems and start living a little larger. He should not be ashamed of being loaded; instead, he should have some fun with it. He will discover something that the Obama campaign has not quite figured out yet: Americans do not hate rich people. Americans love rich people.”\n\nMaybe Williamson’s piece was a bit of satire, but it felt pretty serious.\n\nThe same day a very different post caught my attention, Gregory Gull’s <a href=\"http://forprogressnotgrowth.com/2012/08/19/a-real-crisis/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>A Real Crisis</em></a>.  In it he explores the relationship between individualism and collectivism and the role of systemic problems in the success and failure of leadership. He posits that exhortations for leaders to change their style to avoid the failures that have haunted leaders of late will do nothing as long as that raison d’être for business, short-term profit maximization, is the single most important measure of leadership success.\n\nHe concludes “Until we change the focus of our attention and until we educate accordingly nothing can and will change. Unless the aim changes the system will remain as is, ensuring more unintended negative consequences for society.” In essence, nothing leaders do will matter until the game changes.\n\nSo what do we do with these competing ideas? One author calls for leadership that embraces the status quo, the virile and wealthy businessman. The other contends that leadership matters little in our profit-driven society. For me, these two articles and my adventure in Las Vegas have given me a framework from which I’d like to talk with you about leadership.\n\nThere are some important questions I’d like to ask, but before we talk about them, let me tighten this up by mentioning some points that maybe we can agree upon and set aside.\n\nFirst, money changes people. It certainly turned my head. Six hours in a luxury suite made me far less appreciative of the lovely “regular room” I stayed in the second night, even though it was far nicer than any other hotel room in which I had stayed.\n\nAnd it wasn’t until I got home and finally got some sleep in my own bed, the one with my favorite ratty comforter and squishy pillows, that I realized how far from my roots I had been lured. I don’t think the siren call of money is news to anyone, and it was only meant to be the starting point of this discussion.\n\nSecond, it is easy to be distracted by the politics here. I want to be clear. I am a staunch democrat, but that does not change the fact that I appreciate the fact Romney flies coach on occasion and gives generously to charity. I don’t think fathering sons makes you a man, but sticking around to parent them does. I sincerely hope he has done that well. I’d like to get past this as a political debate and focus on some different issues.\n\n<strong>Does leadership matter?</strong> Is our society so focused on money and short term success that it is a rigged game? Will all leaders, regardless of style or focus, eventually lose, either by not making “enough” money or by compromising their ethics to win?\n\n<strong>What is it we want from our leaders?</strong> Do we need them to be powerful, wealthy, virile, and ruthless? Do we want them to be humble, compassionate, smart, and passionate? What role does strength, vision, curiosity, and innovation play in leadership?\n\nThe Lead Change Group is an excellent place to discuss these issues. In many ways this is our purpose. So I am asking you. Yes YOU, who loiter out there reading and tweeting about leadership. The questions are on the table, and I am personally inviting you to join this discussion.\n\n<strong><em>What do you think? Does leadership matter? How? What is it we want from our leaders?\n</em></strong>', 'The Pleasure of Your Company is Requested', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-pleasure-of-your-company-is-requested', '', '', '2012-09-06 06:04:34', '2012-09-06 11:04:34', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6902', 0, 'post', '', 3),
(6903, 274, '2012-07-17 14:00:04', '2012-07-17 19:00:04', 'Whatever your role in the workplace, I’m betting you would like to go to work and be able to do your best in an environment which is fun, productive, friendly, happy, inspirational and positive, makes a difference, and has a great reputation (oh and pays enough to give you a decent standard of living)...\n\nI’ve been in a minority at times given the grouches people have about their workplaces, as I have worked in teams where the qualities listed above have been achieved.  The problem is when you have a workplace which works really well, it’s usually rare, and doesn’t always last. Read the full article <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk/2012/07/12/7-deadly-workplace-sins/\">here</a>.', 'Seven Deadly Workplace Sins', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'seven-deadly-workplace-sins', '', '', '2012-07-17 14:00:04', '2012-07-17 19:00:04', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6903', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6907, 307, '2012-07-24 06:00:27', '2012-07-24 11:00:27', '<h2>The Stuff</h2>\n\nYour ability to:\n<ul>\n	<li>dream</li>\n	<li>show others the way</li>\n	<li>ask the right questions</li>\n	<li>challenge others\' thinking</li>\n	<li>inspire</li>\n	<li>motivate</li>\n	<li>encourage</li>\n</ul>\nThis is the stuff of leadership - and it has nothing to do with the title that comes after your name or power to force people to act.\n\nIt has everything to do with what is in your heart.\n<h2>An Inside Job</h2>\nYour influence flows from how you lead yourself and these 7 questions provide a solid core from which to influence others:\n<h3>1) What do you really want?</h3>\nIn the middle of a leadership crisis, nothing provides clarity like this question.\n\nWhat do you want to happen as a result of your leadership in this situation? Sometimes you\'ll find that you\'ve been acting from an entirely different set of motivations than what it is you want deep down, where it matters.\n\nEg: many leaders lose influence because they act out of a desire to be \"right\" - to prove something, but deep down what they want is to be effective and accomplish the mission.\n<h3>2) Do you know (and are you working out of) your values and personal mission?</h3>\nSelf leadership begins when you know your own values and understand your purpose - what make your heart sing and come alive in the universe. When you work from this energy, it’s naturally attractive to like-minded team members and you motivate almost without knowing it. If you haven\'t done this work, I strongly encourage you to find a coach or mentor who can help you explore what matters most.\n<h3>3) Are you choosing problems or trying to avoid problems?</h3>\nSolving problems is central to meaningful leadership, but many leaders fall into a trap of trying to avoid problems. We don\'t get to choose whether or not we\'ll have problems…but often we DO get to choose which set of problems we\'ll have. Effective leaders don\'t spend time trying to avoid problems. Rather, they put their energy into working on the right set of problems – the ones that get them closer to their vision.\n\nExamples:\n<ul>\n	<li>Do you want the discomfort of learning how to address poor performance or do you want the discomfort of a team with poor morale and worse results?</li>\n	<li>Do you prefer the pain of changing your strategy or the pain of discovering your team is no longer relevant?</li>\n	<li>Do you risk vulnerability and apologize for mistakes or do you avoid taking blame and lose credibility?</li>\n</ul>\n<h3>4) Do you really want things to get better?</h3>\nIn question #1, you looked at what you really want, deep down.\n\nNow it\'s time to look at the cost.\n\nIf you\'re going to change things, it\'s going to include risk, discomfort, being misunderstood, sacrificing other goals, etc. Are you willing to accept the consequences of pursuing your vision? If not, you can\'t possibly expect your team to come along with you.\n<h3>5) Are you working for your team or yourself?</h3>\nTime to take a hard look in the mirror…no one will truly know the answer to this one but you.\n\nWhen your decisions are in your heart and your head, before you\'ve given them a voice…are you filtering them through what\'s best for you or best for your team? Are you saying \"I\"…or \"we\"?\n\nIt\'s okay to include your own well-being in your decisions (you are one of the team after all!), but if your team isn\'t at the core of your leadership decisions, your credibility will quickly erode.\n<h3>6) What can I do to bring about the results I want to see?</h3>\nI love this one: it moves us from victim to leader.\n\nWhen you find yourself frustrated at circumstances, upset that people \"just don\'t get it\", or discouraged that things didn\'t go as you hoped, you\'ve got a choice:\n<ul>\n	<li>Bemoan the unfairness of the universe (which inspires no one!)</li>\n	<li>Or look at the situation and see where you can take action. Just asking the question completely reframes the situation and can transform a gloomy attitude in seconds.</li>\n</ul>\n<h3>7) Are my people better off as a result of their time with me?</h3>\nThis is what <a href=\"http://trailblazeinc.com/book-review-worlds-most-powerful/\" target=\"_blank\">James Hunter</a> calls \"the ultimate leadership test\".\n\nIf the answer is yes, keep going. If the answer is no, examine the reasons why.\n\nDo you need to improve your skills? Do you need to wrestle with some of the earlier questions on the list?\n<h2>Your Turn</h2>\nI use these 7 questions regularly to help me \"course correct\" and refocus when my leadership is blunted or confused.\n<h4><em>What questions do you use to lead yourself and maintain your influence?</em></h4>\n&nbsp;\n\nTake care,\n\nDavid M. Dye\n\n<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/telmo32/2591933295/\" target=\"_blank\">Photo </a>by telmo32', '7 Practical Questions That Will Multiply Your Influence', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '7-practical-questions-that-will-multiply-your-influence', '', '', '2012-07-24 06:00:27', '2012-07-24 11:00:27', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6907', 0, 'post', '', 9);
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(6910, 256, '2012-08-21 06:00:44', '2012-08-21 11:00:44', 'Have you read the headlines lately? Not only are they sad, but they’re often disturbing, frustrating, horrifying and sometimes unfathomable. It’s tough to read the headlines themselves; never mind the details of each story.\n\nThe negativity is crazy!!! Heck, poor Gabby Douglas couldn’t even celebrate her Olympic gold medal without spending time defending what her hair looks like. When did it become okay not to celebrate her and her hard work and instead focus on something so opinionated and shallow?\n\nAnd guess what…the Presidential election campaigning is just getting into full-swing, now that Romney has picked his running mate. Several news agencies are already calling both parties out on having the <a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-08-15/negative-campaign-romney-obama/57076836/1\" target=\"_blank\">most negative campaigns</a> in history.\n\n<strong>With all the violence, hatred, and “spewing” that seems to be taking the forefront of media and public attention, people are in need of positivity and hope more than ever.</strong>\n\nGiven that employees are at their workplace five days a week, for likely more than forty hours, wouldn’t it be awesome if it were a place they could come to escape the negativity? Even better, what if their workplace gave them hope? Can you imagine what that might do for people and productivity?\n\nLeaders today should focus on the well-being of their people, their culture, and their workplace environment. Building in more positivity and hope will be worth the effort, as it will help with engagement, loyalty, effectiveness, and efficiency.\n<h2>How can you do it? <strong>Here are 5 strategies that may help:</strong></h2>\n<strong>1. Get clear on purpose and vision, and engage everyone in it.</strong> Make sure everyone knows the benefits (not features) of where you’re headed as an organization. Equally, make sure they know how important and connected their particular efforts are to the effort overall.\n\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7131 alignright\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/happy20employees.360225516_std-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" />\n\n<strong>2. Celebrate milestones along the way.</strong> People (all people, every. single. one) enjoy being acknowledged, appreciated, and celebrated. It’s motivating, encouraging, and rewarding. It fuels future performance as well. When goals are met, celebrate the progress and the people who made it happen.\n\n<strong>3. Communicate with integrity.</strong> Share information – as much as you can. Keep people informed with reality and truthfulness. People feel part of the team when they’re kept in the loop. Only when they’re kept in the dark can they let their minds wander to the worst possible scenarios about you and about the organization.\n\n<strong>4. Show you care.</strong> Yes, I know it’s a workplace and people are there to do jobs, but guess what? It’s people that are there to do jobs. People need to know you care about them. Be connected, personal, likeable and genuine. Find common ground and seek to understand what their needs are and what they think is most important.\n\n<strong>5. Serve. Serve. Serve. And serve some more.</strong> Create a culture of service to one another and to your customers. Give people latitude and flexibility to accomplish their service in the best way they see fit. Make examples of “above and beyond” service, and incentivize people to think of and help others. Lead by example here, and make serving your people your number one priority.\n\n<em>Is there something else you would add to the list? If people were happier and more hopeful, do you think it would make a difference? What impact could you see happen?</em>', 'Workplace of Hope and Happiness', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'workplace-of-hope-and-happiness', '', '', '2012-08-21 06:00:44', '2012-08-21 11:00:44', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6910', 0, 'post', '', 10),
(6911, 256, '2012-07-17 06:00:20', '2012-07-17 11:00:20', 'I’ve noticed as I creep more into my forties that life feels a lot different than in was in my twenties.  For some aspects, I’m wildly cheering.  I’m so grateful for each year of learning and experiences.  Other aspects of aging aren’t quite as fun.  Recovery (from anything) takes longer, metabolism becomes slower, young children constantly challenge work-life balance, and the stress of increased responsibility can be debilitating sometimes.\n\nHere’s the challenge: our leadership continues to improve as we experience more career and life, and we typically have the opportunity to impact more people as we grow to higher ranks or become more well-known … but, with age, our health and energy-level often decline if we’re not taking care of ourselves.  It’s a real problem.\n\n<strong>More people, more responsibility and more stress <em>require</em> more of our energy, and we can’t give our best if we simply don’t have it to give.</strong>\n\nLeaders need to have endurance, fortitude and creativity.  They need to get results.  Great results.  They need to inspire people and engage with them – often and with some depth.  They need to rally people toward a purpose, and they need to communicate clearly, consistently and darn-near constantly.  It takes work, heart, emotion, strength, courage, persistence and energy.  Lots of energy, if you want to do all these things well.  <em>(Whew, I’m tired just writing about all of that!!)</em>\n\n\n<strong>You must be healthy to be of sound mind and body.  You must be healthy to be the best leader you can be.</strong>\n\nThe state of most Americans doesn’t look healthy, though.  I heard somewhere recently, that we’re the most “overfed and undernourished” country in the world.  Ick.  That’s not a flag I want to carry.  Not only are we making bad food choices, but our portion sizes are out of control as well.\n\nI recently read some alarming statistics from the World Health Organization:\n<ul>\n	<li>Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and deaths are projected to increase by 45% from 2007 – 2030.</li>\n	<li>The #1 killer in the U.S. in heart disease, but up to 80% of premature heart attacks and strokes are preventable with diet and lifestyle changes.</li>\n	<li>More than 180 million people worldwide have Type 2 diabetes.  Deaths from diabetes are expected to increase by more than 50% in the next decade, if we continue our same patterns.</li>\n	<li>Approximately 1.6 billion people are overweight; 400 million are obese.</li>\n</ul>\nI should mention that I’m not a fitness or nutrition expert.  My business is focused on leadership.  I do, however, love to research and find good information.  More than that, I love to feel good.  I love to feel <em>my best</em>, in fact ... because I like to give 110% to everything I do.  <strong><em>Don’t you?</em></strong>\n\nSo, because I’m not a health expert, aside from trying to improve my own way of living, I’ve simply devised a list of questions you can challenge yourself with.  Really read them and answer honestly.  Perhaps take your responses to your physician, trainer or nutritionist, so they can expertly steer you.\n\n<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Healthy Leader Challenge</span></strong>\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Do you exercise regularly?</strong>  Research suggests that at least 20 minutes of daily cardio is optimal.  Weight work is also suggested several times weekly to maintain bone density.</li>\n	<li><strong>How much fast food do you eat?</strong>  When polled, most nutritionists suggest that “never” would be the right amount for your health.</li>\n	<li><strong>How is your daily intake of “greens?”</strong>  Fresh vegetables and fruits help your body to heal and revitalize.  You should ingest more of these than any other kind of food daily.</li>\n	<li><strong>When was your last physical?</strong>  You should have one annually.  Additionally, proactive screening should be done for prostate, breast and colon cancer on a regular basis into your 40s and 50s.</li>\n	<li><strong>Do you drink enough water?</strong>  Our bodies are approximately 70% water, and we need to replenish this resource in order to function properly.  The average-sized person should drink approximately eight 8-ounce glasses per day.  It’s also best to drink it ice-cold and with lemon.</li>\n	<li><strong>How’s your stress level?</strong>  Most importantly, are you doing what you need to appropriately deal with and counteract any stress you have?</li>\n	<li><strong>Are you heart healthy?</strong>  Have you ever had a “baseline” test for your heart?  Do you know the warning signs of heart attack or stroke (and did you know they are different for men and women?)</li>\n	<li><strong>Are you getting the rest you need?</strong>  Research suggests that your body would love 6-8 hours daily.</li>\n	<li><strong>Are you balancing your needs?</strong>  Consider every aspect – mental, spiritual, physical, emotional.  Your well-being depends on all of these being in working order.</li>\n</ul>\nAgain, this is just a simple list with basic questions, but it’s a good starting point.  Most of us aren’t doing all of these things, so pick just one good habit to incorporate this month.  Keep it, and add another next month.  And keep going…\n\n<strong>Take the best care of yourself, because the world needs your leadership.</strong>\n\n<strong><em>Comment below if you know of other great tips for each of us to maximize our health and lead with our best! </em></strong>\n\n<em>\n</em>', 'Are You a Healthy Leader?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'are-you-a-healthy-leader', '', '', '2012-07-17 06:00:20', '2012-07-17 11:00:20', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6911', 0, 'post', '', 11),
(6914, 288, '2012-07-27 06:00:30', '2012-07-27 11:00:30', 'In <a title=\"Put Your Best I in Team: How To Be a Great Team Member Part 1\" href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/put-your-best-i-in-team-how-to-be-a-great-team-member-part-i/\">Part I</a>, we discussed the first five steps to becoming the perfect team member. Remember, successful companies are not created overnight. However, successful businesses are created by hard-working, determined, passionate people who are able to recognize their strengths and weakness and can work on themselves for the betterment of the company.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.dalecarnegie.com/\">Dale Carnegie </a>once said, “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” Do not allow failures to set you back in your journey toward success and becoming an essential part of your company’s team.  Use the following tips to become an even better team member.\n\n<strong>1.   </strong><strong>Grab Your Priorities &amp; Put Them In Their Place</strong>\n\nBeing a member of a team means you must be able to shift priorities to accommodate your team as well as your work. You must be able to efficiently prioritize your tasks to ensure all of your work gets completed at the appropriate time. Be open to re-organizing your plans to benefit the team. Other members of the team respect and understand shifting priorities when you explain them thoughtfully and honestly.\n\n<em> </em><em>Tip: Keep an updated planner. Whether your planner is paper or online, keeping your tasks all in one place will help you keep track of when things are due and will assist you in prioritizing them.</em>\n\n<strong>2.   </strong><strong>Solve Problems Then and There</strong>\n\nProcrastination undermines effective teamwork. Procrastination only opens the gates for bigger problems. As stressful as a problem may seem, not immediately looking for a solution will only make matters worse. Your entire team will feel the effects of these issues. Your team members will definitely appreciate your determination to resolve problems quickly as it will increase the efficiency of the entire team.\n\n<em> </em><em>Tip: Remind yourself that small problems can quickly snowball into even bigger problems. Utilize all of your resources, <a href=\"http://www.dalecarnegie.com/events/strictly_business_the_dale_carnegie_immersion_seminar/\">problem solve</a> with team members, to resolve them as quickly as possible.</em>\n\n<strong>3.   </strong><strong>Love Your Job</strong>\n<p align=\"left\">Sure the words “job” and “work” are synonymous, and work does not quite have a positive connotation, but you can still love your job. If you enjoy what you are doing it will show in your work and your everyday attitude. Your positive outlook can greatly affect your team.</p>\n<em>Tip: Utilize your resources to make your job as enjoyable as possible. Staying organized will assist you in not becoming overwhelmed with work. Put enthusiasm into everything you do. Only you can control your mood!</em>\n\n<strong>4.   </strong><strong>Expect ingratitude</strong>\n\nIn today’s professional work environment, everyone is expected to work hard and produce exceptional work. After all, this is what you were hired for. There will not always be someone telling you what a great job you are doing.  In fact, many people may not fully appreciate how much work you do to further the team effort.  Waiting for compliments can be an exercise in frustration.  When you don’t expect gratitude, it means even more when you get it.\n\n<em>Tip: Learn to pat yourself on the back. Remember: your company’s success is due to the great work you have done. Think of all of your team’s successes as a job well done on your part.</em>\n\n<strong>5.   </strong><strong>Don’t Be Fussy</strong>\n\nKeeping things in perspective is important not only at your job, but in life in general. Life is short, and the work day is even shorter, so getting worked up over insignificant issues will make you less efficient and less productive. As a team professional, sort out the important concerns from the unimportant ones, and avoid wasting time.\n\n<em>Tip: If you find yourself getting worked up take a few seconds and walk outside and get some fresh air, take a few deep breaths, or grab your handy stress ball. The seconds used to relax and resort your thoughts is well worth the amount of stress and wasted hours you would use by letting insignificant issues take over your day.</em>\n\n<strong>Believe it or not, the succes of your company and team rests on your shoulders. Sincerely work on the tips above and watch yourself, and your company, progress!</strong>', 'Put Your Best “I” In Team: How to Be a Great Team Member Part II', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'put-your-best-i-in-team-how-to-be-a-great-team-member-part-ii', '', '', '2012-07-27 06:00:30', '2012-07-27 11:00:30', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6914', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6922, 308, '2012-07-25 06:00:46', '2012-07-25 11:00:46', '<strong>As a leader how and what do you do to maintain resiliency in leadership?</strong> <ins cite=\"mailto:BSB\" datetime=\"2012-07-19T11:25\"> </ins>By resiliency, I mean, recover speedily from problems and maintain elasticity, bend, stretch and not break during challenging situations. \n\nAll organizations encounter challenges, issues and difficulties everyday including financial shortfalls, downsizing, increased workloads, and succession issues.\n\nThese challenges force the organization to turn inward and look at itself and its effectiveness. It is a time to regroup and assess where the organization stands.\n\nIf the organization embeds and nurtures a culture based on mutual trust and where all members of the organization strive to be trustworthy and treat one another with respect and caring then you have a solid foundation to deal with the challenges and issues you face. But where do you begin? It begins with a focus on people and a focus on building and enhancing positive relationships.\n\nMost peoples want to be part of the solution. They would like to have a sense that their ideas are heard, not necessarily accepted but considered with some action taken. They want to be part of the team, participating, engaging and solving some of the challenges.\n<h2>6 Steps to Lead When You Face Challenges<ins cite=\"mailto:Mike%20Henry\" datetime=\"2012-07-19T12:11\"></ins></h2>\nHow do you do this as a leader? For me it means spending a significant amount of time to:\n<ul>\n	<li><em>Make personal connections</em></li>\n	<li><em>Build important relationships</em></li>\n	<li><em>Interact face to face when possible</em></li>\n	<li><em>Be open, transparent and authentic</em></li>\n	<li><em>Model integrity with the right intent</em></li>\n	<li><em>Act on feedback and deliver results</em></li>\n</ul>\nMuch like you have to turn inward as an organization to assess where it stands, you as a leader have to turn inward and determine how you will act as a leader, especially when you and your organization face challenging times.\n\nSelf-examination is not easy to do, it is risky and when you build an environment which encourages engagement and open, honest communication you will hear some things you don’t really want to hear. At times it is tough to take, but it is necessary  because it enhances communication, opens dialogue, improves relationships and makes you more reflective and resilient.\n\n<strong>You must be reflective to be resilient</strong>. Reflect on how you can convert uncommitted teammates into supporters and partners. Building a resilient organization requires that you begin with reflection designed to engage your team and turn them into flexible, creative and engaged problem solvers.  When our organization was facing a significant shortfall, it was our goal to deal with it through openness, transparency, and to seek and to act on the input received.\n\nTough decisions had to be made as it resulted in the reduction of staff, reduction of programs and a reduction in budgets.  It was also our goal to bend and stretch the system but not break it. We were able to demonstrate resiliency as a team and the organization has not broken; in fact it has flourished.\n\nI am convinced that with a focus on people, on building positive relationships, and by continuing to enhance a culture of trust, respect, transparency and team you can tackle the challenges you face daily including the tough ones that will inevitably come your way.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;', 'Overcome Leadership Challenges', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'overcome-leadership-challenges', '', '', '2012-07-25 06:00:46', '2012-07-25 11:00:46', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6922', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(6925, 266, '2012-07-20 14:00:22', '2012-07-20 19:00:22', 'Yesterday I read a wonderful blog on the Lead Change Group’s website, written by Deborah Costello, entitled<a href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/discriminating-leadership/\">Discriminating Leadership</a>.  In her blog she states: “<strong>The cure for discrimination is not apathy.</strong> “I don’t care. Whatever.” can’t be the response to personal revelation. Instead we must reply in ways that lift up and demonstrate understanding. Maybe our answer can be as simple as “OK,” or “Thank you for letting me to know you more completely.” In essence we need to say, “I see you…all of you.”\n\nHer blog struck a very strong cord with me, and I would like to share some additional thoughts from a leadership perspective. Read Georgia Fieste\'s full post <a href=\"http://collaborativetransitions.com/2012/leadership-perspectives-the-continuum-of-tolerance\">here</a>.', 'Leadership Perspectives: The Continuum of Tolerance', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leadership-perspectives-the-continuum-of-tolerance', '', '', '2012-07-20 14:00:22', '2012-07-20 19:00:22', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6925', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6928, 244, '2012-07-23 14:00:54', '2012-07-23 19:00:54', 'Our culture, especially our business culture, seems to have an obsession with efficiency.  It’s not that efficiency isn’t a good idea, but it isn’t always the silver bullet it is believed to be.... <strong>Yet when it comes to human systems a focus on efficiency can actually distract you from a better goal, being effective. </strong>\n\nRead the full article here.', 'The Secret to Being Effective', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-secret-to-being-effective', '', '', '2012-07-23 14:00:54', '2012-07-23 19:00:54', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6928', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6930, 252, '2012-07-19 14:00:56', '2012-07-19 19:00:56', '<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6931\" title=\"marys\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/marys.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\" />Whenever managers talk to me about work issues, the conversation inevitably turns to employees seeming to “not listen.” Evidence? Work is not getting done according to plan. It’s not meeting requirements or not on time, or not getting done at all. I often hear some form of the frustrated plea, “They just need to understand …”\n\nIf you relate to this, for the sake of argument let’s presuppose that your employees are reasonably smart people and not making your life miserable on purpose. Let’s take the focus off of why they don’t get it and instead focus on what you can do to change things.\n\n<strong>Read the full article on SmartBrief <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2012/07/19/talk-less-get-employees-listen/\">here</a>. </strong>', 'Talk less to get your employees to listen', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'talk-less-to-get-your-employees-to-listen', '', '', '2012-07-19 14:00:56', '2012-07-19 19:00:56', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6930', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(6934, 274, '2012-07-20 06:00:21', '2012-07-20 11:00:21', 'This summer, I made the transition from <a href=\"http://www.kevineikenberry.com/about/team/\" target=\"_blank\">team member</a> to team leader.\n\nAnd now I understand how different the world looks from here, how different the world looks from there.\n<h6 style=\"text-align: center;\"></h6>\nThe leader I followed as a team member is someone I admire, and working with him, while not always <em>exactly </em>what I expected, confirmed my belief that he is gifted, intentional, and dedicated in his work.\n\nAs I build my own team, I\'ve found myself looking to emulate his example — not surprising —  but in more ways than I might have expected. I hear his voice in my head.\n\nI hear myself use some of his turns of phrase, especially in individual meetings with my team members. Kevin would always say \"What\'s on your list?\"  — He gave me the chance to begin each meeting with whatever was on the top of my mind, focusing on my priorities first. This is something I try to do with my team members as well.\n\nMore than that, I have a much deeper and clearer understanding and level of empathy for how difficult it is to be a leader.\n\nHave you done this: looked at a leader and projected your own expectations and preferences onto the situation?\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>If I were in charge, I would...</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Why isn\'t...</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>I wish my boss would... </em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>I\'m disappointed that... </em></p>\nFrom this side of leading the team, I\'ve realized, more than ever before, the difficult juggling act between serving clients and serving my team. I\'ve gotten a (small) taste of the difference in pace of work a leader faces.\n\nAnd, to be fair, I am almost always home, at my desk, which allows me a different level of comfort and stability, making my situation much easier than Kevin\'s, since he travels most weeks while still giving time and attention to his team.\n\nHere are my first few lessons from the other side:\n\n<em>Leading is harder than I thought.</em>It\'s easy to judge from the sidelines, to  determine the should-haves and should-bes. It is far more difficult to actually live according to the ridiculously high standards I set.\n\n<strong><em>Leading is about the team. </em></strong>I appreciate much more fully the sincerity of Kevin\'s words of appreciation and gratitude. Kevin regularly expressed his thankfulness for the team\'s work, and while I believed and appreciated his words, I understand more fully how important the team is to a leader. I could not do what I am doing without my team. The fact that I am a leader is all about them — because of them and for them. Kevin really got that.\n\n<strong><em>Leading is more rewarding than I could have imagined</em></strong>. Seeing ideas come to life, seeing values incorporated into practices, seeing the joy my team experiences in their work — it is all better than I envisioned. The level of enjoyment of work seems somehow altogether different and better from here, perhaps because I more fully appreciate the behind the scenes effort that makes it possible.\n\nI know that this is just the beginning of my journey as a leader and I will likely understand and appreciate Kevin and other leaders more as time goes on.\n\n<strong><em>Tell me something! </em></strong>What do you understand as a team leader that you did not comprehend as a team member? If you are a team member, what would you like your leaders to understand about your perspectives?\n\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Photo (c) Molly Page</span>', 'Lessons from the Other Side', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'lessons-from-the-other-side', '', '', '2012-07-20 06:00:21', '2012-07-20 11:00:21', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6934', 0, 'post', '', 6),
(6937, 266, '2012-07-26 06:00:28', '2012-07-26 11:00:28', 'When I was deep in the trenches of senior leadership several years ago, I\ndiscovered a vital piece of information that every leader needs to know. And,\nas I check in with leaders now, it is apparent that most of them have not yet\nhad this <em>ah-ha</em> moment.\n\nAre you ready for it?\n\n<strong>Employees often ignore what you have to say to them.</strong>\n\nYou are right, it isn’t rocket science. In fact, you probably have often made that choice too. Let’s talk about why, and what you can do about it.\n\nIf you work for a fairly major corporation, you may hear these comments as you roll out a new initiative:\n<blockquote>“I’m not going to spend much effort here. It’s just another flavor of the month. Things will be back to normal in a month or two.”\n\n“Oh, this is new for us. But, I heard that company xyz is rolling out almost exactly the same thing. They must have hired the same consulting firm. I don’t think much will come of it; it won’t distinguish us from the competition.”</blockquote>\nEven smaller companies are plagued with the same cynicism if you share too much information all the time.\n\nWe’ve been coached and counseled on the concept of transparency – making sure that information\nis being shared and people understand it. We don’t ever want to get in a position of being accused of\nhiding information from the people you work with.\n\n<strong>Here is the downside to this coaching:</strong>\n\nPeople are bombarded with information. It’s noisy, everyone wants their attention and quite frankly,\nmost of the time it isn’t worth the time it takes to focus on and process the messages. The messages\nare repetitive; there isn’t anything new; and, according to statistics, less than 30% of our employees are\nengaged enough to listen.\n\n<strong>It will take time for people to notice, but the first step you need to take in correcting this problem is to</strong> <strong>switch to demand-driven communication.</strong> Make sure that the information you share is exactly what your employees want to know and that it is delivered in language they understand.\n\nGregg Baron, author of <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Without-Excuses-Accountability-High-Performance/dp/0071600043\"><em>Leadership Without Excuses: How to Create Accountability and High-</em>\n<em>Performance</em></a>, says that employees want to know three things:\n<blockquote>1. Who are we, and how do we make money?\n\n2. How are we different from the competition, or how are we trying to be different from the competition?\n\n3. What do our customers really need, and how can we work together more effectively to address those needs?</blockquote>\n<strong>Your co-workers need to know the values of the organization, and what it is there to do.</strong> You don’t need fancy lists of philosophical language and mission statements that have been wordsmithed to death. You need simple statements about what is important, and what the ultimate outcome should be. That, in and of itself may be what distinguishes you from the competition, and should also answer what it is your customer really needs.\n\nLeave out the marketing hype about your branding, drop all the acronyms and industry specific\njargon, and forget the glossy brochures. You’ve heard of the <strong>KISS principle – Keep It Simple and</strong>\n<strong>Straightforward.</strong>\n\nAs a character-based leader, take the time to talk to people. Listen to their questions, learn from them.\nWork with your leaders first until they get it, and then help them help you create your message. The\none you will repeat over and over and over, until you can do it in your sleep. Don’t change a word.\n\nKeep repeating it in all the conversations you have with people, whether it is in the hallway, the elevator, or\nin meetings (one-on-one or group). Talk about it until you are ready to gag on the words, in exactly the\nsame way. You may even want to lie down and play dead if you have to give the same talk one more\ntime. Once you get to this point – look around. Your co-workers are starting to have their own “ah-ha”\nmoments and have begun to take action around the strategy.\n\n<strong>You’ve done it. You’ve got their attention at this point. NOW they are listening.</strong>\n\n<em>Tell me, how might you go from Supply-Driven to Demand-Driven Communication in the</em>\n<em>next five months? What would you like your co-workers to hear and begin to</em>\n<em>implement?</em>', 'Leadership Perspective: You’ve Got Their Attention Now!', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leadership-perspective-youve-got-their-attention-now', '', '', '2012-07-26 06:00:28', '2012-07-26 11:00:28', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6937', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6943, 282, '2012-07-23 08:05:32', '2012-07-23 13:05:32', '<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>CHANGE is the number one constant factor in all growing businesses.</strong></p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">What worked well yesterday or last month may not work today or next year.  Staff, scheduling, finance, marketing... all of these are facets of business where quality leadership is needed in navigating the changes a growing business faces. Many of these challenges revolve around having an effective staff in place.  Prepare for the rapid change that happens in business by considering these suggestions as a roadmap.</p>\n\n<ol>\n	<li><strong>Slow It Down! Hiring well has a huge impact on hours spent later in crisis management.</strong></li>\n</ol>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">When hiring new staff, it is critical that you make sure potential employees share the vision of your business.  Businesses whose staff either reject the vision of the company, or only provide lip service can undermine the success of the business.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It\'s also critical that you check out potential staff thoroughly.  Overkill on reference/background checks is necessary. Be creative in researching potential employees- Social media, Google, references from references.  Of course, the standard background checks are important, but you\'ll be amazed at what you find out when you dig a little deeper.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Also, consider the mix of your current office staff when bringing on new staff.  Great teams have diversity in them, but they are also built well, considering personality types, experience level, and other key factors.  Think of your staff as a baseball team- is it made up of all pitchers?  What about the personality types- all hot heads or all introverts?  Balance is strength!</p>\n<em>QUESTION: What is your best advice for hiring practices when it comes to bringing new staff to your business?</em>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n	<li><strong>Clear as Mud? Write &amp; explain job duties for your team members!</strong></li>\n</ol>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Simple, clear job descriptions are critical, and reviewing those job descriptions on  a regular basis is vital to maximizing the performance of your team.  Consider using a fresh set of eyes to assist in the evaluation of these job descriptions, maybe someone who has never done it before.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">How about allowing employees to evaluate their own job description and duties?  <strong>Determine who</strong> it is in your office that needs a job description either written or amended.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>QUESTION:  What areas or job duties in your business need the most work now, and who is going to do them?</em></p>\n\n<ol start=\"3\">\n	<li><strong>Who\'s on First?  Constant change is no excuse for poor communication.</strong></li>\n</ol>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">First, you must decide <strong>how</strong> you will communicate, and be committed to it (email, bulletin board, scheduling program, smoke signals?).  Everyone faces challenges in business, but poor communication seems to have a \"mulitiplier\" effect on every other problem it is attached to, making the existing problems magnified in length and severity.  Consider having a “5 minute staff meeting” to start each day!  This is a simple way for your team to all start the day off on the same page!</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Here\'s a great motivator for increasing the quality and consistency of your communication. Ask yourself, \"What have been the consequences of poor communication for us as a company so far?\"  It doesn\'t take long to build a sizeable list!   Above all, it\'s vital that you recast the vision on the <strong>big basics</strong> for your business repeatedly.  Whether it\'s through one on one conversations, company emails, or a sky writing airplane, your team needs to remember your core principles and values, and to be reminded of them again and again.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>QUESTION:  What communication tool has been most effective for you?  Which has been least effective?</em></p>\n\n<ol start=\"4\">\n	<li><strong>Pull Your Head Out of the Sand! Confront problems effectively.</strong></li>\n</ol>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Timing is important, and clarity is essential regarding addressing problems, solutions, and consequences for failure, as well as rewards for success.  If you have more than one employee(yourself), then you <strong>will</strong> have problems among staff.  How, when, where, and what you do to handle these problems will either launch you to the next level of success, or stymie your growth and success.</p>\nIt\'s so important these days to document <strong>everything</strong>... and back it up somewhere.  Document as if it might end up in court, because it very likely could.  Involve individuals in clarifying the issues and/or challenges, and what options are available in meeting those issues/challenges.  Wise counsel from King Solomon in Proverbs 15:22 says, \"Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.\"\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>QUESTION: What is the hardest part of confronting staff problems for you, and why?</em></p>\n\n<ol start=\"5\">\n	<li><strong>Give a the Man a Cigar!  Congratulate success regularly.</strong></li>\n</ol>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Consistency &amp; creativity in affirmation are key to building confidence, trust and self-esteem in your key leadership and staff!   So as you affirm them, take time to find out what appeals to your staff- verbal affirmation, cash, time off, gifts, promotions?</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Multiply yourself as an encourager. Build on success by giving successful staff a chance to invest in other employees. You\'ll be surprised at what a difference it makes in team loyalty, cooperation, and overall success of your team.</p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>QUESTION: Who on your staff deserves some type of big pat on the back, and how are you going to do it?</em></p>\n<strong id=\"internal-source-marker_0.700163833796978\">So get ready for success, it\'s coming your way!  But it\'s up to YOU to make the most of it as you build dependable, creative and dynamic teams of leaders.  Tom Peters is well known for saying \"Leaders don\'t create followers, they create more leaders!\"  Why don\'t you become well known for DOING IT!?!</strong>', 'Challenges of Change', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'challenges-of-change', '', '', '2012-07-23 08:05:32', '2012-07-23 13:05:32', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6943', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(6946, 309, '2012-07-31 06:00:08', '2012-07-31 11:00:08', 'I recently conducted a leadership retreat for a client company where I introduced a leadership principle that I learned long ago. From John Maxwell\'s book, \"<em>The 21 Indisputable Laws of Leadership</em>,\" I spoke on the Law of the Lid.\n\nFrankly, I was a little surprised that no one was familiar with this principle. Simply put, this law states, \"Leadership ability is the lid that determines a person\'s level of effectiveness.\"\n\nIn one organization I worked for, the top leader had many good leadership qualities and skills. However, communication wasn\'t one of them. This, you can imagine, led to some detrimental effects on the organization, one of which was losing highly talented leaders who became too frustrated to continue working in that environment. The top leader\'s \"lid\" prevented the organization from growing to its full potential.\n\nLooking back, I can see my own leadership lids and how they affected my teams negatively.\n\nTo increase effectiveness as a leader, you must first recognize where your leadership lid is. Asking your team how you can be a better leader to them is a great place to start. Then, find the resources needed to help you grow and raise that lid. Focus on your strengths first as those are the qualities that will accelerate growth across the board. Next, look at the deficiencies. If it cannot be improved significantly, it would be better to bring in someone who compliments you in those areas. To lead is to learn. To learn is to live. So live like you mean it!\n\n<strong>How about you? Have you experienced this in another leader\'s life, or even your own?  What \"lids\" do you experience most often?\n</strong>\n\n<em>Photo by author.</em>\n\n&nbsp;', 'Lids Are Fine For Pots But Not Leadership', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'lids-are-fine-for-pots-but-not-leadership', '', '', '2012-07-31 06:00:08', '2012-07-31 11:00:08', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6946', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6948, 274, '2012-07-25 14:00:34', '2012-07-25 19:00:34', 'To create great <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk/teams-organisations/\">team-working </a>you need to leave your ego at home each day.  People talk about the ego and mean many different things.  Some people say we need a healthy ego in order to be able to function in this world.  “Healthy” could mean for example, having a healthy sense of self, respecting healthy boundaries, or knowing your own likes and dislikes.\n\nClick <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk/2012/07/19/team-working5egotrait/\">here</a> to read the full article on LC Instigator Christina Lattimer\'s blog, People Discovery.', 'Team-working: 5 Ego Traits to Leave at Home', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'team-working-5-ego-traits-to-leave-at-home', '', '', '2012-07-25 14:00:34', '2012-07-25 19:00:34', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6948', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6951, 290, '2012-07-31 14:00:27', '2012-07-31 19:00:27', 'We were young once. As aspiring leaders, we undertook many projects in our youth. Time passed, as we gained education and our first \"real\" job. We became contributors to a larger organization. One day, we became managers of a team for the first time. We were leaders again.\n\nAs years advance, we look back to those early days and may wonder how we made it all work. We wish we knew then what we know now.\n\n<strong>Here is the key question:</strong> What advice would you give a young leader?\n\nAs important, as a young leader, how will you lead? What principles will you lead by? What key practices will you put in place to advance your leadership skills and character?\n\nThinking through your leadership practices is essential. <a title=\"What Would You Tell New Leaders?\" href=\"http://www.thindifference.com/2012/07/19/what-would-you-tell-new-leaders/\" target=\"_blank\">Read more</a>.\n\n&nbsp;', 'What Leadership Advice Would You Give Your Younger Self?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'what-leadership-advice-would-you-give-your-younger-self', '', '', '2012-07-31 14:00:27', '2012-07-31 19:00:27', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6951', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6958, 274, '2012-07-26 14:00:32', '2012-07-26 19:00:32', 'It has almost become cliché to say that we are living in times of uncertainty. Our global economic situation is unstable and highly complex, weather has become more extreme and the speed of change leaves many of us breathless. Read the complete <a href=\"http://www.wendyappel.com/how-to-lead-in-times-of-change-and-uncertainty/\">article</a> on instigator Wendy Appel\'s blog.\n\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Photo (c) David Templeton-2007</span>', 'Two Leadership Essentials in Times of Change and Uncertainty', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'two-leadership-essentials-in-times-of-change-and-uncertainty', '', '', '2012-07-26 14:00:32', '2012-07-26 19:00:32', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6958', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6961, 282, '2012-12-21 06:06:00', '2012-12-21 12:06:00', '\n&nbsp;\nI wish you could be Scrooge... I really do. You may not understand what I mean when I say that, but most likely you understand WHO it is I\'m talking about. Ebenezer Scrooge, the grumpy old businessman in Charles Dickens\' \"A Christmas Carol\" paints a masterful picture for us of a cantankerous old coot who is visited on Christmas Eve by three ghosts.\n\nThe Ghost of Christmas Past shows him the ugliness of his years gone by. The Ghost of Christmas Present transports him to front row seat to view both the joy and the pain others are feeling around him. The Ghost of Christmas Future is the specter Scrooge fears the most, because in that view he not only sees his own wasted life ended, but the \"change that could have been\" never having been realized in the world he might have transformed for good, if only he would have.\n\nSo why? Why do I wish YOU could be Scrooge this year? I think you and I could be radically impacted to become leaders of world change if we could learn his lessons. The lessons of \"The Christmas Carol\" move far beyond just buying a turkey and gifts for the needy. They are grander than challenging us to be nice and enjoy the holidays. Let\'s see if some of the grander life lessons from this classic might just help you to wake up different this Christmas morning.\n\nCourageously Confront Your Past!\nBlock Out Some Time to Ruminate! Confucius said, \"Study the past if you would define the future.\" But we don\'t like to spend much time in the archives. Sometimes it\'s painful to enter that place. There are jaded memories of \"what if\" and \"how come.\" We are confronted with the brevity of life\'s victories and the unchangeable scars of the unforgiving blows that come with our past failures. But we will grow, we will overcome; we will plan better, think smarter, perform greater and be more aware of this moment and those to come, if we will dare spend time in contemplation and reflection about the steps down the paths we\'ve taken in the past.\n\nDon\'t Be Held Hostage by your History!\nScrooge had constructed in his life a prison of his own making, a world built out of bricks of greed and mistrust. When faced with the reality of the life he\'d established, he was embarrassed and miserable. You may feel the same when you look at the pages of your life\'s scrapbook. But the question you face is unavoidable.\"What will you do next?\" Great leaders know that \"Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.\" <em>Winston Churchill.</em>\n\nAn important note to consider is this: you can be held hostage to a fantastic and successful past just as you can one of mistakes and regrets, but if you do, you are still a prisoner shackled to history, always a chain\'s length away from the future you dream about.\n\nBe Passionate In your Pursuit of the Present!\nCreate an Objectivity Window Into Your Reality! Of all the skills and talents mankind has developed over the years, the one that continues to elude our species is that of \"objectivity.\" It\'s why good people, wise people, the best leaders in life surround themselves with people they can trust to be honest. The ghost of Scrooge\'s business partner, Jacob Marley, warns him of impending consequences if he doesn\'t change his ways. His nephew tries to invite him to a Christmas party, and two men raising funds for the poor try to help him understand the true plight of the less fortunate, but all to no avail! Even when surrounded by those who will be honest about reality, Scrooge still wouldn\'t listen. So what is the lesson there for you and me? Have LOTS &amp; LOTS of people, people we trust, people we respect who will invade our space and get in our face when we need a reality check! If one or two won\'t do, then if need be, get nine or ten!\n\nBe The Master of Your Moment!\n“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love” said Marcus Aurelius. The Ghosts who visited Scrooge continued to hammer home the same message- it was HIS life choices that had brought, were in the moment and would be in the future bringing him to each of the milestones in his life. Stop... ask yourself- \"Am I the Master of the moments in my life?\" Remember, as you make the choices, the choices make you. Do you like what they are making?\n\nForge the Future of Your Dreams!\nDare To Embrace Life on an Epic Scale! Radical discoveries always are followed by radical living! For Scrooge it was giving away money, reaching out in love and humility to those he had wounded and taken advantage of. For some, it may be a radical departure from the values that have driven their life so far. For others, the time may have come for a job change, an attitude adjustment, a fiscal forfeiture or a total transformation of self! What about you? Max Lucado says, \"There is a time for risky love. There is a time for extravagant gestures. There is a time to pour out your affections on one you love. And when the time comes- seize it, don\'t miss it.\" Is it your time for risky love or extravagant gestures?\n\nYour Legacy Is A Sum of Every Breath You Take!\nScrooge saw in his final vision a tombstone with his own name on it. But that vision was not the one that seemed to rattle him most, but the lonely cane without the crippled child to whom it belonged. His burning regret was to know in that moment that HE COULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE, BUT HE DIDN\'T. Spend some time this holiday season thinking about your legacy to come. Will you be proud of the legacy that you built one breath, one moment, one decision and day at a time?\n\nWhy are we afraid to ruminate on our past???\nWhat\'s keeping us from being the Master of our Moments???\nIf you could only chase after ONE EPIC dream in your life, what would it be?\n\nGo ahead... be a Scrooge this Christmas... I dare you.', 'A Business Carol', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-business-carol-2', '', '', '2012-12-21 06:06:00', '2012-12-21 12:06:00', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6961', 0, 'post', '', 2);
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(6964, 310, '2012-08-01 06:00:34', '2012-08-01 11:00:34', 'The army taught me a concept or two about leadership.\n\nWhat did I learn? Show up, reach out and connect.  These tenants of leadership are the cornerstone for making an impact and achieving results. When these three acts are evident, followers take notice and ready themselves for progress whether it’s in boardrooms, shop floors, office pools or battlefields. Presence adds direct as well as indirect value to a solid leadership posture.\nIn 1982, while on active duty, I spent a year stationed in Seoul Korea as a First Lieutenant and aDetachment Unit Commander. My soldiers were positioned at other bases throughout the South Korean peninsula, to include one in close proximity to the DMZ- Demilitarized Zone (on the border with North Korea).\n\nMany were taking bets on whether I would venture through the security areas to visit them in this austere setting. Responding, I went and even spent the night, rising the next morning to go running with my soldiers.  This move strengthened their belief that I was concerned about who and where they were—not a leader stuck in the confines of comfort and safety in Seoul.\n\nMy soldiers and I bonded, creating trust while also providing me the opportunity to hear about their\n\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6965 alignright\" title=\"Progress\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Fotolia_28723375_XS-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />\n\nchallenges. And I confess, this trip conquered my own reticence to go north!  Leadership results:  an improvement in morale was noted by my boss (a Colonel) and other staff members, something we’d all agreed was a mission concern at the beginning of my tenure in this assignment. Overall cooperation and performance among soldiers were highlighted as well.\n\nA leader’s personal footprint is powerful—building on other spiritual principles of humanity and service. For instance, the references to touching and agreeing can be found in Biblical scripture. Verses tell us that if at least two people confirm a shared desired goal, with God in the center, it can be accomplished.  As in faith, leadership involves standing firm in your principles. To further expound on these three leadership principles that stand tested through time:\n<strong>Lead – Guide others towards an objective.</strong> From a critical project, organizational imitative to a family vacation, the skill sets of organization and vision are needed to move the effort forward. Keep in mind that leadership is a personality business as much as it is a skill set. The confidence to put your whole self into this work is important.\n<strong>Touch – Go where the people are.</strong>  A face or visual sends a clear message of caring.  But don’t show up only when something is awry. Check in periodically for a people moment. The “how are things going,” common interest news, or an event remembered conversation rank high marks among followers. Stop by desks or work sites.  When geographically separated, use Skype or other technology to show thyself the leader. In those interactions, be an authentic self.\n\n<strong>Agree – On commitments or responsibilities, find the common denominator.</strong>  Stay with the issue until clarity is achieved. Then march strongly towards the objective.\n\nLike many approaches to leading, each person takes it on in their unique stride. So now here are a couple of questions to think about. What’s your leadership posture? Can you agree to show up and connect?', 'Lead, Touch, and Agree', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'lead-touch-and-agree', '', '', '2012-08-01 06:00:34', '2012-08-01 11:00:34', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6964', 0, 'post', '', 6),
(6968, 263, '2012-07-30 12:30:02', '2012-07-30 17:30:02', 'The answer is we all do, whether we know it or not! But not necessarily in the traditional sense. It’s all about balance. I have known great leaders to take time off beautifully and others to feel they never can or need to. But in the age of ideas, it’s a proven fact that your thinking improves when you take a bit of a distance. The question is: how much distance is necessary? Modelling behavior about time-off really makes a difference for leaders and the people they inspire. Even mini-breaks like lunch time seem to be frowned upon in some places. Now might be a good time for leaders to rethink the way they handle vacations for themselves and others.\n\nIn the traditional train of thought work was so awful that you needed time off from it now and again. A week or two if you are in the United States, and 25 or more days if you live in other developed countries. Everyday stress is cited as that which you need to “get away” from. As if feeling stressed is just a fact of life. (I still believe stress is a symptom of some pretty toxic work woes, but let’s leave that for a later post.) Still, though most people recognize they are consistently stressed, many <a href=\"http://money.cnn.com/2012/05/18/news/economy/unused_vacation_days/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\">don’t take their vacation time!</a> Some just fear losing their jobs or just letting their clients down. Some find there is nobody else to shoulder the load while they are gone.\n\nWhat about people who love their work? Who don’t have a “job” but a higher calling? Who work for themselves? Do they need vacations? You might think “vacation” is just not in their vocabulary. Think again. Even if you are not worn out by stress, you still get tired. Especially if you are passionate about what you do and go full-out most of the time.\n\nYou might be surprised to know that the trend for \"unlimited\" vacation time yields higher productivity. Fastcompany reported in this <a title=\"Unlimited Vacations and Productivity\" href=\"http://www.fastcompany.com/1823415/why-unlimited-vacation-policies-ensure-productivity\" target=\"_blank\">article</a> how different companies have explored the possibility for workers to decide when and how much time to take off.  Folks at The Motley Fool are even FORCED to take two weeks off! (I am SO considering that option for my workplace!) Leading change in this way is a natural, since the very nature of work has transformed so much.\n\nHere are a few challenges for the traditional vacation model today:\n<ul>\n	<li>Many companies are understaffed and it truly is difficult to take time off without affecting quality or service levels.</li>\n	<li>People take their work with them, literally, and continue to answer emails, cell phones, etc. This creates the illusion of time off but is sometimes even more difficult than staying in the office. Headaches ensue trying to catch up on email in the blazing sun at the beach.</li>\n	<li>Cycles of peak performance are necessary and many believe they will happen only if they are \"always on\". When a leader is strong and hard working, others get the impression that living up to the example means putting in an extra something...or everything.</li>\n	<li>As people choose their work freely they find their passion and are absolutely driven by it. People energized by their work might find it hard to believe that forgetting about it for a while will ignite their passion even more.</li>\n	<li>Summer might not be the best time for vacation in every line of work, or Easter, or December for that matter.</li>\n</ul>\nSo, the question that started this post begs for an answer, but the solution may lie in the very definition of the concept behind the word vacation. What is it and what should it be now? What will work best for your specific situation and work? As any leadership issue, this is not open-and-shut and there is no one solution that fits all.\n\nSince I am feeling very renewed by my recent two weeks off, here\'s the things I did differently this time around:\n\n<strong>I allowed the first couple of days to \"detox\" from my regular flow. </strong>I didn\'t take off for the beach until I was two days into my vacation. So, as I prepped my bags and got myself ready, I heard my \"monkey mind\" as it went through all the things that could go wrong, or had to be done, or needed attention. Without giving in to the panic, I wrote each one down for the week of my return and wrote a few emails to my colleagues to take care of the ones I could delegate. Then, I was gone!\n\n<strong>I let everyone know.</strong> Yes, automatic email notifications were in place. But also, I found myself telling most of my clients I would be away, and where I was going and how they could rely on the people at the office if they needed anything. I set the stage for NO urgent calls while I was away. And yes, I did take my computer and phone, just didn\'t answer them.\n\n<strong> I set my expectations for the coming of big ideas.</strong> I allowed the first couple of days to \"detox\" from my regular flow.  I DO love my work and as an entrepreneur, always connect the dots to my passion for doing what I do. So I did some serious speaking to myself about that. I took a moleskine wherever I went so I could jot down those great revelations that pop up when you are truly unwinding. I labeled the page \"IDEA CATCHER\" and made it a point to not act on any of it, just capture! By the time I came back, I was savoring the unleashing of it all.\n\n<strong>I enjoyed myself at every moment.</strong> A guilt-free vacation is all about trusting the people back home to do their very best and just letting go. If every I started to fret, I put my attention back into my kid\'s smiles, my delicious drink or the lush surroundings. I did Tai Chi on the beach, laughed a lot, just chilled and remembered to have a vacation I would be envious of if someone else had it.\n\n<strong>I took a week off back home</strong>. Tempting. That\'s what jumping right back into work sounded like, with all those ideas and relaxation behind me. But I wanted to enjoy my home and family. I decided to take an at-home refresher to show it\'s not the place, but the state of mind. I still kept my moleskine close by and did a lot of writing and reading. One of the big ideas I had? More mini-breaks BEFORE I need the two weeks off! Both for me, and my staff.\n<blockquote>So what do you say? Do YOU need to re-define \"vacation\"? How would you? Add your insights so we can explore this together.</blockquote>', 'Vacations: Who needs them anyway?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'vacations-who-needs-them-anyway', '', '', '2012-07-30 12:30:02', '2012-07-30 17:30:02', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6968', 0, 'post', '', 4),
(6974, 311, '2012-08-02 06:31:46', '2012-08-02 11:31:46', '<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em><strong>Being content is good. Being discontent is bad.</strong></em></p>\nHave you heard this or felt this way? I have. From an early age, I have been taught that contentment is a noble characteristic. I must learn to be content with what I have, with what I make, and with the circumstances beyond my control. <img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6977 alignright\" style=\"margin-left: 10px;\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/glasshalffull-300x200.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /> Within that context, being content is good.\n\nBut too often, we begin to mistake a sense of contentment with a feeling of <em>comfort</em>. We want to feel comfortable in our place and position in life. We seem to long for the day when we finally arrive. We find that being content looks more and more like being comfortable.\n\n<strong>Over time, I\'ve discovered the most effective leaders actually possess an underlying perspective of healthy discontent.</strong>There is an edginess to them. They might be pleased with what\'s going on at the moment, but they are never satisfied. These leaders operate out of a different perspective than the one written at the beginning of this post:\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Being content is good. Being discontent is necessary.</em></strong></p>\nWhen it comes to leadership, a healthy discontent isn\'t seen as a negative. Rather, it\'s a powerful catalyst for positive change. <strong>A leader\'s best ideas and greatest energy can come from those moments when he or she is unhappy, frustrated, or angry about the way things are.</strong> Leaders learn to use these moments to their advantage. They use them to get curious about the challenges they\'re facing. They use them to experiment with new opportunities and solutions. Ultimately, they use their discontent to change something that needs changing.\n\nLeaders are wired to challenge the process (thank you Kouzes &amp; Posner). In fact, a compelling vision of a preferred future is always birthed from a perspective of discontent. A leader\'s vision is compass that points a group of people in a certain direction.\n\n<strong>At the heart of a compelling vision is the message that we can\'t stay here.</strong> It grows out of a sense that we cannot become what we need to become by remaining who and where we are right now. Growing too content with present realities can lead to stagnation.\n\nThus, discontent is a positive perspective for a leader. Discontentment is a challenge that there\'s something more. <strong>If we allow contentment to evolve into comfort, we won\'t do the work to make the necessary changes to get to where we need to go.</strong>\n\nA healthy discontent is necessary to move forward. <strong>Our growth as people, as teams, and as organizations is often motivated by discontent.</strong> It fuels our learning, our experimenting, and our changing.\n\nOne more thing. I\'ve tried to state the case for <em>healthy</em> discontent. Just like being content can become a quest for comfort, being discontent can quickly spiral into complaining. <strong>Healthy discontent leads to changes that move a person or people forward in a positive direction.</strong>\n\n<strong></strong>Here\'s an exercise to help you evaluate your own areas of discontent.\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">1. Create a list of some things you\'re not content with.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">2. Pick one thing from the list you would most like to change.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">3. Get curious. Identify the various factors that created this situation.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">4. Acknowledge your own mistakes and learn from what you uncover.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">5. Identify what you need to do differently.</p>\nHow have you seen discontentment help you change?\n\n<em>Photo credit: <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/94449473@N00/5980780394/\">Jonas Norling</a></em>', 'Leaders Live In The Tent of Discontent', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leaders-live-in-the-tent-of-discontent', '', '', '2012-08-02 06:31:46', '2012-08-02 11:31:46', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6974', 0, 'post', '', 14),
(6980, 274, '2012-07-31 14:00:07', '2012-07-31 19:00:07', 'The following is an edited excerpt</strong> of an article by Mario Sikora, president of the International Enneagram Association and executive coach. Learn about a little understood area of the Enneagram – The Instincts – powerful forces that drive where we focus our attention and how they shape our resulting behaviors as leaders and team members. Read the full article on instigator Wendy Appel\'s blog <a href=\"http://www.wendyappel.com/whats-your-instinct/\">here</a>.', 'What&#039;s Your Instinct?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'whats-your-instinct', '', '', '2012-07-31 14:00:07', '2012-07-31 19:00:07', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6980', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(6984, 312, '2012-08-03 06:00:56', '2012-08-03 11:00:56', '<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6986\" style=\"margin: 3px;\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Decsion-making2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"149\" height=\"148\" />I’ve traveled throughout the country over the past years conducting workshops on time management and getting results--and boy do I get an ear full.\n\nOne of the most popular points of discussion about productivity is about the role the manager plays.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard about a manager’s indecisiveness or trouble getting critical items finished because he or she procrastinates.\n\nOne thing is for sure – a leader’s decision-making impacts credibility. So, take a moment now to think about your decision-making. Why take a moment?  Decision-making is so natural, so automatic many of us aren’t aware of our decision-making style let alone how skilled we may or may not be.\n\nI believe that decision-making is not only a skill but is also key in leadership and management competency.\n\n<strong>Master The 4 Key Decision Making Styles</strong>\n\nLeading and managing entails a lot of decision-making in a variety of situations and most of us default to our natural decision-making style most of the time, no matter the situation. Did you know there are natural decision-making styles or preferences? Also, did you know that your personality type plays a significant role in that style?\n\nThe leadership and management challenge, however, is that the same style is not best or optimal for every situation.\n\n<strong>These are the four most common styles. Take a moment to determine which is your most natural: </strong>\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>spontaneous -</strong> may be best described as \"shooting from the hip\" - reactive and emotion based<strong>\n</strong></li>\n	<li><strong>decisive - </strong>firm and unwavering (sometimes to a fault<strong></strong> - can be seen as inflexible)<strong>\n</strong></li>\n	<li><strong>methodical - </strong>decisions are made by gathering information and accessing the information step-by-step<strong>\n</strong></li>\n	<li><strong>inclusive - </strong>the need to include all interested parties in the decision making process as much as possible<strong></strong></li>\n</ul>\n<em>Note:</em> each of these has an extreme that can undermine the effectiveness of it\'s use depending on the situation.\n\nWhere do you fit the most? Certainly it\'s not all one all the time - but most of us have a typical style with which we are most comfortable.\n\nTo power up your effectiveness, you need to develop an awareness of your natural default style (you cannot change what you cannot see) and then make a conscious effort to train yourself to use the others where appropriate.\n\n<strong>Additionally, learn the natural style of each of your team members.</strong> With that knowledge,  you\'ll be amazed at how that will help you and your team enhance the collaborative experience by reducing friction and creating more synergistic results.\n\nHow will you enhance your decision-makings skills and how will you coach your team to improve theirs as well? For myself, when I first learned this information, I challenged myself to make decisions faster in certain situations rather than spending too much time analyzing. That was even a time saving strategy! What decision-making change will it be for you?\n<div></div>\n<div></div>\n<div></div>\n<div></div>', 'Power Up Your Leadership Effectiveness With Skilled Decision Making', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'power-up-your-leadership-effectiveness-with-skilled-decision-making', '', '', '2012-08-03 06:00:56', '2012-08-03 11:00:56', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6984', 0, 'post', '', 9),
(6987, 290, '2012-08-06 06:00:17', '2012-08-06 11:00:17', '<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6988\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/3104093-vacation-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Vacation Policy Shifts\" width=\"240\" height=\"240\" />Many of us do this. We carve out the time. We plan the <a title=\"Drive Somewhere with Your Family this Summer\" href=\"http://www.thindifference.com/2010/06/15/drive-somewhere-with-your-family-this-summer/\" target=\"_blank\">family vacation</a>. As we hit the road or jet way, our workplace disappears into the background, yet it is still right next to us in our digital devices.\n\nThe new reality is we never really, completely, wholeheartedly leave work behind. Work is attached to our hip and safely placed in our carry-on bags.\n\nThe reasons for this change are many, but it directly relates to the hyper-connectivity of our current world of activities, the streamlined nature of our organizations, and our desire not to spend many hours catching up when we return. We would rather dabble with work while we are on vacation than drown in it when we return.\n\nFor organizations, the new, new reality of vacations may need to shift our thinking on vacation policies and approaches. It may also mean a shift on how <a title=\"Vacations: Who needs them anyway?\" href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/vacations-who-needs-them-anyway/\">individuals get that needed break</a> from it all, too.\n<h2><strong>4 New, New Vacation Practices and Policies</strong></h2>\nHere are four <strong>new, new vacation practices and policies</strong> for us to embrace.\n<h3><strong>P1: Moments of silence during the day.</strong></h3>\nMindfulness is gaining traction in the business world, and an element of the practice is to take a break and be present in a moment of silence. What this means for individuals is to take a break or two during our work days. We should:\n<ul>\n	<li>Close the door, sit in silence.</li>\n	<li>Unplug and take a 5 minute walk</li>\n	<li>Turn everything off during our drives to and from work</li>\n</ul>\nThere may be other practices, but it is taking the momentary moment to catch our breath, let our thoughts breathe, and refresh our mindset.\n<h3><strong>P2: Each year, one week of training.</strong></h3>\nAlthough vacations are still needed, knowing there will be a mix of rest and work requires a subtle change in approach. Each year, organizations should encourage and enable individuals to take a week for training. It could be a week-long course in some topic, or it could be 2-3 shorter workshops. Whatever the mix, these training opportunities give individuals a time to renew their thinking and re-energize ways to tackle the increasing workload.\n<h3><strong>P3: After three years, completely unplug for one week.</strong></h3>\nGiven that we don’t really unplug during our yearly vacations, after three years, an organization should strongly encourage, if not mandate, individuals take off and completely unplug for one week.\n<ul>\n	<li>Autoreply all emails with a contact person.</li>\n	<li>Forward voice mail.</li>\n	<li>Leave your digital devices fully drained and inaccessible.</li>\n</ul>\n<h3><strong>P4: After six years, completely unplug for one month.</strong></h3>\nWe used to call them sabbaticals, but now they could be called “electronic cleansing retreats.” What organizations may need to realize is that a mind away is a mind revived. With time away, mindsets and attitudes adjust. Creativity engages again. Energy returns. There is a benefit to the organization. After all, organizations and teams are still powered by people more than electronics.\n\nChange is the constant, but how have vacation policies changed to keep pace with our new world of always being connected? It is a key question leaders need to ask and evaluate.\n<h2><strong>2 Leadership Questions</strong></h2>\nEmbedded in this connected vacation discussion are two leadership questions:\n<h3><strong>Q1: Are we leading to reflect the new realities by changing and adapting vacation policies?</strong></h3>\nIt is a new reality. Leaders have higher expectations on the effort of the work being done along with the level of performance being delivered. Work is more intense, and we are more connected to it.\n\nThe leadership answer needs to be aligned to the changing workplace. Our vacation policies and approaches need to change to reflect and support the new realities <em>(see suggestions outlined above)</em>. Leaders need to get in front of this change and put new policies and practices in place.\n<h3><strong>Q2:</strong> <strong>Are we taking moments to catch our breath? Are we breaking away and disconnecting from it all?</strong></h3>\nLeaders, like everyone, need a break from the constant stream of activities. Gaining a pause translates into recharged mindsets and breakthroughs in approach. We can call it “think time away from it all.”\n\nThe leadership question is centered on how we are <em>taking-a-break as an example</em>. It is about revitalizing our perspective and re-energizing our spirit. It is also about trust. The level of trust we have in our team can be correlated to how often we touch base with them while we are on vacation. Trusting our team means leaving our team alone while we are on vacation. It also means taking a vacation.\n\nIt is time to change. We need to adapt in order to renew our most valuable resources:  our team members and ourselves.\n<h3><strong><em>How would you change an organization’s vacation policy in this new world? How are you leading this shift?</em></strong></h3>', 'Leading the New, New Corporate Vacation Policy', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leading-the-new-new-corporate-vacation-policy', '', '', '2012-08-06 06:00:17', '2012-08-06 11:00:17', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6987', 0, 'post', '', 7),
(6999, 274, '2012-08-02 14:00:06', '2012-08-02 19:00:06', '<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-7000\" title=\"10teamfacts1 2\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/10teamfacts1-2-300x186.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"186\" />Team science encompasses a wide range of disciplines, such as cognitive psychology, business management, education, and sociology, among others, and explores the ins and outs of group dynamics. It’s a relatively nascent field, but one for which a fair amount of research and observation already exist.\n\nSuffice to say, findings on what factors constitute a truly successful team constantly ebb and flow and shift. But the articles out there still warrant reading all the same, and anyone involved in planning and managing teams of all types might want to keep some of their pointers in mind when hoping to accomplish a specific goal. Click <a href=\"http://www.thebestdegrees.org/10-scientific-facts-about-successful-teams/\">here</a> to read the full article.', '10 Scientific Facts About Successful Teams', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '10-scientific-facts-about-successful-teams', '', '', '2012-08-02 14:00:06', '2012-08-02 19:00:06', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=6999', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(7002, 313, '2012-08-05 08:00:01', '2012-08-05 13:00:01', '<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\"> A recent Forbes article: <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/07/27/31-telltale-signs-you-are-a-horrible-boss/\">31 Telltale Signs You Are A Horrible Boss</a> got me thinking and it inspired this post. Many of us will recognize our former or present bosses described there and, worse yet, we may recognize ourselves!</p>\n<strong>I began to wonder what happens to someone when they become a <em>boss? </em></strong>\n\n<strong>Which led to … do we need to have bosses?</strong>\n\n<strong>What practical function do they provide and do the negatives outweigh the benefits?</strong>\n\nPerhaps the problem is embedded in the word and we need to banish \"boss\" from our business vocabulary?  The language we use has a profound impact on how we see and experience reality.\n\nIf you become a mom, dad, grandparent, policeman or policewoman and you step into that skin and/or uniform, you take on a role. That role is informed by your perception of what it means to be a mom; how you have experienced others in that role, and even wearing the uniform shifts your sense of self and effects how you play your role.\n\nRecently, my friend Joan asked a a friend of hers to become godfather to her son Daniel. She described a big shift in his behavior. He stepped up and took on the responsibility and the role. His subsequent relationship to my friend and her son changed noticeably.\n\nWhen someone takes on the moniker \"boss\" he begins to embody his perception and definition of what it means to be a boss and takes on that role as he interprets it. “I am here to <em>boss you around,” </em>could be one interpretation, along with many others.\n\n<strong>Think about how the word immediately sets up a power dynamic and a parent/child relationship.</strong>\n\nBoss is synonymous with <em>authority figure </em>and the role presumes that people need to be told what to do, punishments and rewards should be meted out.\n\nRemember the <a href=\"http://www.prisonexp.org/\">Stanford Prison experiment</a>? It was a simulation where the prison guards became sadistic and the prisoners became depressed and showed signs of extreme stress. When people took on the roles they began to do, say, and feel things that were congruent with the roles they were playing. It got so bad, they had to end the experiment after six days.\n\n<strong>So I continued to wonder, “what necessary functions does a boss serve and could those functions be served in another way?”</strong>\n\nThe most valuable things my former bosses did was to share information from above and across the <img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7003\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Fotolia_41414035_XS-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />organization; to set the vision and direction; to jointly set my goals and objectives; to advocate for me and my ideas; to make sure I got salary increases and bonuses; to approve vacation dates.\n\nMy former bosses also held me accountable to honor my agreements and commitments, to adhere to the organization’s ethics and standards and to be the best I could be.\n\nOne of the most unnecessary functions they performed was the annual performance review. By the time I got my review, the information was so stale, it grew mold and had to be tossed.\n\nA comprehensive list of destructive boss behaviors can be found in the <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/07/27/31-telltale-signs-you-are-a-horrible-boss/\">Forbes</a> article. If the list weren’t so real and tragic, it would be funny.\n\nIdeally, bosses are available to advise and council, to sooth and encourage, to help build confidence, to motivate and inspire … Ideally a boss is someone who is wise and transmits that wisdom to help their direct reports develop, grow and thrive both personally and professionally.\n\n<strong></strong>If part of the problem is the <em>title</em> Boss / Manager, I continued to wonder, what alternative is there?\n\n<strong>How about <em>mentor?</em> I love the genesis of the word from the Greek Myth, Odysseus.</strong>\n<div>\n\n<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentor#cite_note-1\">From Wikipedia</a>:\n\nIn Greek mythology, in his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor in charge of his son Telemachus and of Odysseus\' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.\n\nWhen Athena visited Telemachus she took the disguise of Mentor to hide herself from the suitors of Telemachus\' mother Penelope.\n\n</div>\nBecause of Mentor\'s relationship with Telemachus, and the disguised Athena\'s encouragement and practical plans for dealing with dilemmas, the name Mentor has been adopted in English as a term meaning someone who imparts wisdom to and shares knowledge with a less experienced colleague.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">________________________________________________________</p>\nMentor suggests a type of relationship: I am here for you. I am here to help you develop and grow. I trust that you are fully capable of doing your job. I know you will rise to my high expectations of you. I will model the way by my words and behaviors. Come to me when you need advice, counseling, guidance.\n\n<strong>A mentor sponsors, supports, nurtures and advises.</strong>\n\nA mentor is a wise and trusted ‘counselor’ who passes on knowledge, experience and wisdom and who opens doors to opportunities that may otherwise be out of reach.\n\nI am aware that there are certain leadership styles for which the role of mentor would be more challenging than for others. Take, for example, someone who is prone to have an autocratic style.<a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftn1\">[1]</a>\n\nHowever, I do believe that if the title and role was <em>mentor</em>, even someone with autocratic tendencies might start to adopt a different set of behaviors--perhaps with some coaching. <strong>Just by the change in title, it sets up a whole other set of expectations with associated behaviors.</strong>\n\n<em>What kind of organizational and individual changes can you imagine as a result of this?</em>\n<div>\n\n<em>Perhaps you’ve seen this or a similar model implemented?</em>\n\nPlease comment, engage and share!\n\n</div>\n<a title=\"\" href=\"#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> You can review the nine <a title=\"Nine Enneagram Types\" href=\"http://www.wendyappel.com/nine-enneagram-types/\">Enneagram Styles</a> to see the different approaches to leadership and how they might warm to and/or be challenged by the role.\n\n<strong>Post Script</strong>: as this blog was about to go to print, the following article from Wharton Human Resources came to my attention. I love serendipity: <a href=\"http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=3059\">Going Boss-free: Utopia or \'Lord of the Flies\'?</a>\n\nIt addresses some of the experiments around self-managed teams and takes a different but complimentary tack to my post.\n\nPhoto © .shock - Fotolia.com\n<div>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n</div>', 'Should We Banish Bosses?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'should-we-banish-bosses', '', '', '2012-08-05 08:00:01', '2012-08-05 13:00:01', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7002', 0, 'post', '', 11),
(7007, 251, '2012-08-09 06:00:55', '2012-08-09 11:00:55', '<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-7013\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/charactercalm1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"137\" height=\"194\" />You’d been angling to get assigned to the special project team at work for a long time. Finally your dream came true.  What you weren’t expecting, however, was discovering the team facilitator rubbed you the wrong way, big-time.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">Maybe it’s a case of opinions and values being worlds apart. Perhaps there’s open hostility or a personality clash. Possibly there’s hidden resentment on your part. Regardless the reason for the conflict, you can’t avoid or ignore him because your long-awaited participation requires interaction and collaboration.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">So what does a savvy self-aware character-based leader do? Take the high road!  You take control of the one thing in your control – yourself. </span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>M<strong>anage your attitude.</strong> </strong>While the temptation to fire off a snarky retort or roll your eyes in derision is alluring, it isn’t a politically astute move as it diminishes you. Think before reacting when your hot button is stoked. Move away from your sense of rightness. Make it a point of personal honor to avoid a purposeless confrontation. Stay calm, maintain self-control.</span>\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>“The greatest conflicts are not between two people but between one person and himself.”</em> ~Garth Brooks</span></blockquote>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Understand your own intentions</strong>. Are you operating from an “I win/you lose” perspective? If your motive is to enhance your standing by diminishing that of others, it won’t work. A win/win orientation plays to everyone’s benefits.</span>\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>“Even in your rightness about a subject, when you try to push your rightness toward another who disagrees, no matter how right you are, it causes more pushing against. In other words, it isn\'t until you stop pushing that any real allowing of what you want can take place.”</em> ~Abraham Hicks</span></blockquote>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Become familiar with what motivates your nemesis. </strong>Walk in his penny loafers; view things from her perspective; listen closely for clues to his values and beliefs. Consultant Susan Lankton-Rivas advises, “Try to understand the other person’s point of view and how he or she arrived it at.” Doing so can help you get a better grasp on why this person annoys you so much.</span>\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.”</em> ~Dale Carnegie</span></blockquote>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Control your communication style and message.  </strong>Aim for total alignment between what you say and how you say it. The National Network for Women’s Employment counsels us to “keep in mind it’s not just what you say that matters. It’s also how you say it, how you act and your body language.” Advising a colleague in a sharp tone of voice there’s a problem you want to discuss – and doing so with your arms tightly folded across your chest – sets off his internal alarms and builds a poor foundation for productively resolving the issue.</span>\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>“Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense into your good sense.”</em> ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson </span></blockquote>\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">Learning to master your attitude, intentions and communication style forms the bedrock for staying calm and capably managing conflict.</span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">What other “stay calm” insights can you share?</span>\n<h6><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Poster credit:  <a href=\"http://www.keepcalmandcarryon.com/creator/\" target=\"_blank\">Keep Calm and Carry On</a></span></h6>', 'Conflict, character and calm', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'conflict-character-and-calm', '', '', '2012-08-09 06:00:55', '2012-08-09 11:00:55', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7007', 0, 'post', '', 7),
(7014, 303, '2012-08-03 14:00:32', '2012-08-03 19:00:32', '<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7015 alignleft\" title=\"timthumb\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/timthumb-300x96.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"96\" />Last week I discussed the 5 ego traits individuals bring into the workplace.  This week I discuss the big 4 ego traits which organisations bring into the workplace.\n\nThe opposite of “ego” is “unified self”.  The difference between the characteristics of the unified self to that of the ego is that the unified self acknowledges and respects the sameness of ourselves as human beings and is more concerned for the “good of all” or a “collective” win/win philosophy for example. Click <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk/2012/07/26/challenges-for-organisational-change-four-ego-traits/\">here</a> to read full article.', 'Challenges for Organizational Change Four Ego Traits', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'challenges-for-organizational-change-four-ego-traits', '', '', '2012-08-03 14:00:32', '2012-08-03 19:00:32', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7014', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(7016, 274, '2012-08-06 14:00:27', '2012-08-06 19:00:27', '[caption id=\"attachment_5949\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"190\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-5949\" title=\"Christina Haxton_1\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/chwebportrait2nd.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"190\" height=\"271\" /> Christina Haxton[/caption]\n\nWhat is the first question you are asked when you meet someone at a business or social function?  “Hi, my name is …. What do you do?”\n\nIf you are the VP, CEO or have another prestigious title, the answer comes automatically and easily often with a tone of pride in your voice. Let’s dissect the conversation for a moment and notice you aren’t really answering the question in the way it’s being asked. In our culture, we often answer the “What do you do?” question with an “I am …” answer.  Never mind that in doing so, we aren’t really answering the question; more importantly, is what you do really who you are? Click <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2012/08/02/do-confuse-are/\">here</a> to read the full article.', 'Do you confuse what you do with who you are?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'do-you-confuse-what-you-do-with-who-you-are', '', '', '2012-08-06 14:00:27', '2012-08-06 19:00:27', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7016', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(7017, 263, '2012-08-08 14:00:07', '2012-08-08 19:00:07', '<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7020\" title=\"POLITICS\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/POLITICS.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"210\" />The higher up you coach in an organization, the more <a class=\"zem_slink\" title=\"Politics\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics\" rel=\"wikipedia\" target=\"_blank\">politics</a> is a true issue. It\'s a base to cover with leaders that turns out to be somewhat of a taboo for some. I have even had people tell me \"there are no politics\" in their organization.\n\nWell, that\'s just not so. And \"politics\" is not a dirty word, either! It refers to shifts in power and the execution of authority in any way in which it appears in your workplace. So, it is the stuff that daily interactions are made of for those seeking influence within the organization.\n\nWhat it does NOT entail is being untruthful, ruthless, sneaky or otherwise dishonest. In its highest sense, it seeks justice and fairness, clarity and consistency across decisions. When done ethically, politics is as fascinating as any aspect of human relations. Who is asking for what? Who feels connected to whom? How do powerful players interact in this scenario? More and more, if you are in a top management position and not consciously “doing politics”, you are not in the game! Click <a href=\"http://www.e-quidam.com/theblog/?p=884\">here</a> to read the full article.', 'The P Word: Politics and Leadership', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-p-word-politics-and-leadership', '', '', '2012-08-08 14:00:07', '2012-08-08 19:00:07', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7017', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(7025, 243, '2012-08-08 05:02:03', '2012-08-08 10:02:03', '<a href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Fotolia_4796511_XS.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7026\" title=\"Freedom to Choose\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Fotolia_4796511_XS-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Two Leadership Models | The Lead Change Group\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>In leadership, there are two distinct organizational models. Since few things are quite so black-and-white, we might consider them to be two ends of a continuium, with a virtually limitless number of stops between the two. But at their core, the distinction between the two comes down to one question: who in the organization produces the value?  Who does the real work of the organization?\n<h2>Practitioner Leadership</h2>\nIn one corner, we have what my brother calls Practitioner Leadership. Modeled after a law or physicians office, this model has one or a very few people responsible for delivering the product or service provided by the organization. They are the expert; they have the training and their activity is the most valuable and most scarce in the organization.\n\nEvery other person in the organization supports this \"leader\" in performing their service. If you\'re the leader and you see everyone else in the organization as your helper, you fit in this model.\n<h2>Servant Leadership</h2>\nIn the other corner, the servant leader is the leader who recognizes that the people in the organization, those closest to the customer, create the value of the organization. A leader in this organization serves the people who create the value, working to make them more effective at delivering value and enchanting customers, whether internal or external. Leaders in this type of organization see themselves at the bottom of the org chart, supporting, enabling, sometimes correcting, encouraging and coaching people to create more value so that the organization can prosper.\n\nEvery person in the organization supports the people who create the value.\n<h2>The Time Test</h2>\nOver time, the Practitioner model runs out of gas or at best, simply stagnates. Regardless of what anyone in the organization does, there\'s little opportunity to change your position or move \"up\". Unless you go to school or miraculously prove you are as smart as (or smarter than) the leader, you will simply never measure up. You\'ll always be the second fiddle.\n\nBut over the same period, the Servant model creates new energy and life. As the organization grows, the number of people creating value grows. People who do a great job creating value begin first to self-equip and self-learn and eventually go on to support others in the same role. So leaders are developed with the expectation they will support the position they know. A Servant Organization grows and develops more servants, both on the front line and in the support roles. These organizations create their own \"type\" of people and fuel their own growth.\n\nWho creates the value in your organization? Do you create the end product or service, or do you support those who do? The answer to that one question says much about your organization, your leadership style, and the future of both.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Photo © <a href=\"http://us.fotolia.com/id/4796511\">marilyn barbone - Fotolia.com</a></span>', 'Two Leadership Models', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'two-leadership-models', '', '', '2012-08-08 05:02:03', '2012-08-08 10:02:03', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7025', 0, 'post', '', 8),
(7033, 270, '2012-08-07 06:00:33', '2012-08-07 11:00:33', 'Have you ever had an \"A~ha! Moment\" that is so profoundly simple you wonder why you\'ve never seen it before?  I had one of those a couple of years ago that continues to impact me.\n\nI have always believed that the biggest reason leaders exist, is to be a source of light and help to their organizations and the people they serve.  <strong>What if... There are two primary ways for leaders to share that light with others?</strong>\n<ol>\n	<li><strong>As a candle</strong> - Softly and gently bringing understanding, help and hope to others. (Most people like the soft warmth and glow of a candle and will draw near.)</li>\n</ol>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7035\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Fotolia_2099921_XS1-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>As a beacon</strong> - Boldly and courageously shining the light on danger and standing firm on truth.  (This light comes from a place of deep conviction, and frequently calls the leader to stand alone.  ...This light is so bright and strong that some people cover their eyes and choose not to see the danger they are in.)</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7036\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Fotolia_9661590_XS-300x232.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"232\" /></p>\nClearly both types of light are needed!  However...\n<ul>\n	<li>Choosing to be a candle in a situation that requires a beacon, can result in no behavior modification and cause something that is already a potentially dangerous situation to escalate.</li>\n	<li>Choosing to be a beacon when a situation that requires a candle can cause people to believe that their intentions and their results are being judged.  It can shut down their efforts and divide teams.</li>\n</ul>\n<p style=\"padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\">Holding these two options in your mind\'s eye, is a powerful way to discern the type of light that is needed, ultimately creating a clear path to becoming a more effective leader.  <strong>As you think through the meetings you have scheduled this week...  Do you need to be a candle or a beacon?</strong></p>\n<p style=\"padding: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;\">~~~</p>\nChery is one of the Authors of the new Lead Change Book, <strong>The Character-Based Leader, Instigating A Leadership Revolution… One Person At A Time.  </strong>Click the link above to receive a complimentary chapter of the book.', 'Leaders:  Are You A Candle or A Beacon?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leaders-are-you-a-candle-or-a-beacon', '', '', '2012-08-07 06:00:33', '2012-08-07 11:00:33', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7033', 0, 'post', '', 11);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` (`ID`, `post_author`, `post_date`, `post_date_gmt`, `post_content`, `post_title`, `post_excerpt`, `post_status`, `comment_status`, `ping_status`, `post_password`, `post_name`, `to_ping`, `pinged`, `post_modified`, `post_modified_gmt`, `post_content_filtered`, `post_parent`, `guid`, `menu_order`, `post_type`, `post_mime_type`, `comment_count`) VALUES
(7041, 314, '2012-08-08 14:00:01', '2012-08-08 19:00:01', '<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-7042\" title=\"practicemakesperfect1-300x199\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/practicemakesperfect1-300x199.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" />You hear of the overnight success story quite often.   An individual or company comes out of nowhere and has instant success.  It just happened.   They got lucky.  The same is true of a great leader.  It just happens.\n\nThat makes for great media and television.  However, it couldn’t be any farther from the truth.  If you show me an overnight success, I’ll guarantee you that there are years and hours of extremely hard work behind that success. Click here to read the full article.', '2 Things That Will Make You An Overnight Success', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '2-things-that-will-make-you-an-overnight-success', '', '', '2012-08-08 14:00:01', '2012-08-08 19:00:01', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7041', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(7047, 252, '2012-08-16 06:00:35', '2012-08-16 11:00:35', '<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7048\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/MP900442700-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /><strong>The London 2012 Olympics are coming to a close. </strong> As I reflect on the thrills and exceptional performances, it started me wondering how the road to the Olympics parallels our own leadership journeys.\n<h3><strong>Embody the Mindset</strong></h3>\nIf you have been following the 2012 games at all you have no doubt noticed Oscar Pistorius of South Africa, the first double-amputee to compete.\n\nPistorius said his mother was so adamant about not treating him any differently than his brother Carl that she once told him, \"Carl, you put on your shoes and Oscar you put on your legs, and that\'s the last I want to hear about it.\" \"I didn\'t grow up thinking I had a disability,\" Pistorius said. \"I grew up thinking I had different shoes.\"\n\nAs leaders, we can learn from Oscar and his mother.  You may not have the title yet, but nevertheless, you can embody the qualities of the leader you want to be.  One day you may get the title, and more importantly, you’ll already be a leader on the inside.\n<h3><strong>Commit to Your Vision</strong></h3>\nNo pun intended here in telling the story of the blind archer Im Dong-hyun of South Korea.\n\nIm has 20/200 vision in his left eye but that doesn’t keep him from “shooting through feel,” as he calls it.  Im went on to beat many of his own records in preliminary rounds this Olympic season.\n\nIm, not unlike runner Pistorius, calls on his resourcefulness and perseverance to bring into reality his vision of competing at the Olympic-level.  What does it take for you as a leader to achieve your vision, even when it appears the deck is stacked against you?\n<h3><strong>Watch Your Step</strong></h3>\n<strong></strong>I was struck in watching U.S. Olympian A. G. Kruger teaching a journalist how to “hammer throw” on TV recently. It was clear from his demonstration that to be at the Olympic-level of hammer throwing you need to know where to place each step, when to take a breath, when you start to raise your arm, and not a moment sooner…\n\nA.G., like athletes in many other sports, will have practiced so much that the movements come naturally –so that an Olympic performance comes naturally.  He will have practiced so that he knows each moment inside and out.  He knows what happens when he rushes or when he holds back a second too long.\n\nA great leader is very aware of her performance as she moves through each day.  She notices what works and what does not, until pretty soon, it comes naturally.\n\nI invite you to consider the Olympians who caught your eye this year.  <strong><em>What can we learn from them about leadership?</em></strong>\n\n<span style=\"color: #888888;\">Image - Microsoft Clipart</span>', 'Lead Like an Olympian', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'lead-like-an-olympian', '', '', '2012-08-16 06:00:35', '2012-08-16 11:00:35', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7047', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(7049, 274, '2012-08-09 14:00:51', '2012-08-09 19:00:51', '<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-7050\" title=\"LegacyTree-300x199\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/LegacyTree-300x199.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" />In this post, Lead Change instigator <a href=\"http://www.juliewinklegiulioni.com\">Julie Winkle Giulioni</a> reflects on the life and death of her mother-in-law and encourages us to examine what legacy we wish to leave as leaders.\n\n\"My mother-in-law died.  She was a remarkable woman, focused on measurement long before it was in vogue.  In particular, she judged a funeral by the <em>number </em>of viewing attendees, <em>number</em> of mass cards sent, and <em>number</em> of cars in the procession.  <strong>She would have been pleased with her metrics</strong>.\" Click <a href=\"http://www.juliewinklegiulioni.com/blog/leadership-matters/whats-your-legacy/\">here</a> to read the full post.', 'What&#039;s Your Legacy?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'whats-your-legacy', '', '', '2012-08-09 14:00:51', '2012-08-09 19:00:51', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7049', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(7051, 310, '2012-08-09 13:30:53', '2012-08-09 18:30:53', '<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7053\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/mlkm1-125x125.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"115\" height=\"120\" /><strong>The past week’s Olympics production got me thinking. </strong> Mainly about the dedication, strength, determination and stamina exhibited by the athletes (<em>and on a side note, how I’d like to visit London again at some point in the future</em>).\n\nNow I wasn’t necessarily excited about watching the games, but found myself with some downtime and tuned in to the volleyball and track competitions. I was so impressed by such ability and spirited athleticism on display. The winners were humble while basking with their medals of victory, the ultimate get.\n\nWhat a feeling! The lesson linker in me thought; <strong>how can these traits be applied with the same intensity to other areas of our lives?</strong>\n\nAs we are all aware of, the volatility of our economy combined with recent acts of violence, have put us in search of more winning and positive moments. Sometimes it’s up to us to create them for hope and sanity reasons.\n\nSo my question flood continued with more wondering. Can we each be a champion in our own right? Wouldn’t it be great if our colleagues, kids, family or community saw us as such?  And we in turn them? How do we find our gold medals of talent?\n\n<strong>I’m of the belief that we all have gifts and coupled with our wits, such talents can make us a winner in our endeavors.</strong> Many people operate successful businesses based on their talents. Or contribute their best to an employer using their strengths. From culinary, leadership, financial or construction, everyday champions provide us services in these areas. The goal is to make whatever your bestowed gifts real, daily and useful.\n\nBack to the stories of the Olympic athletes and what got them there. Here are 7 helpful pieces I gleaned from the broadcast accounts of their lives.\n<ol start=\"1\">\n	<li><strong>Recognize</strong> – Many of the athletes showed signs of ability in their chosen feat early on in life. Starting with a passion, necessity or exposure, it then magnified. Think about what you’ve most      always liked to do or be or see. Run, hit, speak, write, organize, or travel, the wealth of our gifts is deep and wide. Explore yours.</li>\n	<li><strong>Visualize</strong> – Either they, a parent or sponsor saw a larger dream for utilizing this gift of theirs. Be open to the signs to turn your assets into successes.</li>\n	<li><strong>Prepare</strong> – They have to think about how an Olympic status could happen for them. We hear stories of athletes leaving home in order to get the resources needed to achieve their goal. Start to plan for      what it’ll take for your champion voyage— time, money, education and other necessities. Then set goals with the specific action steps.</li>\n	<li><strong>Focus</strong> – The fervor of the desire to be an Olympian is evident in the athlete’s faces. Answer constantly the question, <em>How much do I want this?</em> From a promotion, stellar employee, new      client or venture, what’s driving your motion?</li>\n	<li><strong>Train</strong> – The role of coaches to the competitive lives of these athletes is phenomenal. Details make a difference. Repetition brings a measure of finesse. Hone your craft by being open to learning and      loads of practice. Leaders, parents, workers, all roles require instruction and observation.</li>\n	<li><strong>Accept</strong> – They realize this feat is part of their purpose. And not one that comes easily, that’s the norm. Wins and losses will also come. Next? That’s the evolution of personal growth at work.</li>\n	<li><strong>Keep Going</strong> – Many of the athletes are multiple Olympic contenders. Fueled by a competitive spirit, outdoing their personal best (and I imagine a few endorsements don’t hurt) drives them  forward. Decide to break your own record. Inspire You!</li>\n</ol>', 'You - The Champion! 7 Ways to Maximize Your Olympic Gifts', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'you-the-champion-7-ways-to-maximize-your-olympic-gifts', '', '', '2012-08-09 13:30:53', '2012-08-09 18:30:53', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7051', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(7057, 303, '2012-08-10 06:00:02', '2012-08-10 11:00:02', '<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7058\" title=\"Screen Shot 2012-08-09 at 12.57.56 PM\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Screen-Shot-2012-08-09-at-12.57.56-PM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"233\" height=\"176\" /><strong>Expectations of our leaders are increasing. </strong>  Ethical and value-centered leadership seems to be the emerging priority across the globe.  The world needs leaders who can pull it from the current state of chaos with clear vision, great emotional intelligence, and thinking skills. For me, together with unity-conscious beliefs, therein lies the skills of congruent leadership.\n\nFor individuals; the raw material of those three skills creates our reality.  How you imagine your life to be; what you focus and think about the most; or indeed how broadly you may think, and how emotionally you navigate life, filtered through our beliefs are the play dough of life.\n\nFor a leader those skills, if used purposefully and with awareness, can collectively create the reality of a nation. If that nation is a world leader, then the potential is staggering.\n\nOf course, vision, emotional intelligence and thinking skills are all to no avail when the belief system those skills are filtered through is somewhat blinkered, limiting or biased.  If however the leader’s belief system is centred on unity consciousness then their intentions are for the greater good of all.\n\nIf you put all of those elements into a pot, then you have the ingredients for all possibilities, and a chance to shape the world, the organization, or the team anyway you want.  They are the play dough of true leadership, and if done well, can change the world for the better.   Here is a summary of what I believe are the top 10 ingredients which could enable a leader to shape the world for the better.\n<h2>Leadership Play Dough Recipe</h2>\n<h4>Ingredients</h4>\n3 basic beliefs:\n<ul>\n	<li>We are all equally as valuable</li>\n	<li>There is only love or fear of love</li>\n	<li>We can create our reality</li>\n</ul>\n3 components of vision:\n<ul>\n	<li>Anything is possible</li>\n	<li>Our vision is for the greater good of all</li>\n	<li>What we can imagine we can create</li>\n</ul>\n2 parts emotional intelligence:\n<ul>\n	<li>Our emotions are a guidance system not a result</li>\n	<li>Emotions help us learn who we really are</li>\n</ul>\n2 pieces of thinking wisdom:\n<ul>\n	<li>We are not our thoughts, we can change them</li>\n	<li>Thinking and what we focus our thought upon creates our world</li>\n</ul>\nPreparation Method:\n<ol>\n	<li>Find the problem and develop a solution based on the 3 basic beliefs.</li>\n	<li>Create a vision which involves the 3 components</li>\n	<li>Flexibly navigate our way through using 2 parts of Emotional intelligence and 2 pieces of thinking wisdom</li>\n</ol>\nWhat other ingredients would you add to the mix and do you have a different preparation methodology?  If so, do please comment below, I’d love to hear from you.\n\nIf you would like to learn more about <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk\">leadership development</a> and emotional intelligence, why not visit <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk\">www.peoplediscovery.co.uk</a> and pick up a free copy of <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk\">“The 6 Secrets of Great Emotional Intelligence for Inspirational Leaders and Managers”.</a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;', 'Leadership Play Dough – Top 10 Ingredients', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leadership-play-dough-top-10-ingredients', '', '', '2012-08-10 06:00:02', '2012-08-10 11:00:02', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7057', 0, 'post', '', 3),
(7063, 244, '2012-08-14 14:00:33', '2012-08-14 19:00:33', '<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-7064\" title=\"7046282179\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/7046282179.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"160\" />There is something we can all learn from this as we think about the rules we put in place, whether it is to maintain order amidst the potential for chaos, to right a wrong, to protect people from harm, or to simply try to ensure there is fairness to all involved.\n\nRules can of course serve an important purpose.  In the case of the Olympic Gymnastics, if the purpose of this rule was as it seemed to be - to ensure one country didn’t dominate the medal rounds - then perhaps they succeeded. Read the full article here.', 'The Purpose of Rules and Principles', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-purpose-of-rules-and-principles', '', '', '2012-08-14 14:00:33', '2012-08-14 19:00:33', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7063', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(7066, 245, '2012-08-10 12:49:35', '2012-08-10 17:49:35', 'There’s been an exciting project going on behind the scenes within Lead Change, and now it’s time to pull back the curtain to give our community a sneak peek.\n<h3><strong>We wrote a book!</strong></h3>\nA virtual community of 21 authors (all contributing authors to the Lead Change Group) came together to share their wisdom and perspectives regarding character-based leadership.\n\nIt’s like a leadership conference in book form! Come and “hear” what <a href=\"about:blank\">Mike Henry</a>, <a href=\"about:blank\">S. Max Brown</a>, <a href=\"about:blank\">Dan Rockwell</a>, and many others have to say that will encourage you along your journey to becoming the character-based leader you want to be, no matter what your role in life.\n\n<img class=\" wp-image-7067 alignright\" title=\"Screen Shot 2012-08-10 at 1.28.29 PM\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Screen-Shot-2012-08-10-at-1.28.29-PM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"324\" height=\"137\" />\n\nThis book is all about the Character-Based Leader, and explores why character-based leadership is important, how you can lead from who you are (regardless of organizational position), and what character traits are crucial for a character-based leader to develop. It also looks at how communities can be built and what the future of character-based leadership looks like. The book recently went to press...we couldn’t wait to tell you — we are so eager to share this news!  The title is The<em><strong> Character-Based Leader: Instigating a Leadership Revolution... One Person at a Time.</strong></em>\n\n<strong>Why a book?</strong>\n\nEver since the Lead Change Group formed, we’ve had a passion for spreading the message of character-based leadership. Those in our community who had already published books encouraged the Lead Change community to put into print ideas that will help move this leadership revolution forward. So, starting in the summer of 2011, a book project (and, along with it, a project team) began to take shape, albeit in a non-traditional way.\nWe wrote this book to help further the discussion on how to become a character-based leader. <strong></strong>\n\n<strong>Here’s the cool thing about this project: we did it 100% on a volunteer basis and completely virtually.</strong> It’s been a testament to the ability to get things done, even if there isn’t a formal titled “leader” in charge. To date, nearly three dozen people have contributed in some way — as authors of a book chapter, project managers, editors and researchers. It’s been fascinating to see a tangible product come to fruition, with people we haven’t met face-to-face, and with whom we have only the thread of character-based leadership binding us together.\n\nAs we await the finished product, we would love to know:<strong></strong>\n<ul>\n	<li><em>What would inspire you to read (yet another!) book on leadership?</em></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n	<li><em>What is it about the Lead Change Group that draws you to this community?”</em></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n	<li><em>How can we strengthen this community so that all benefit — not only the group’s membership, but with those we serve each day?</em></li>\n</ul>\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7045 alignnone\" title=\"The Character Based Leader - http://characterbasedleader.com\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/The-Character-Based-Leader.png\" alt=\"The Character Based Leader - http://characterbasedleader.com\" width=\"167\" height=\"254\" />\n\nIf you’re on Twitter, watch for the <a href=\"about:blank\">#leadrev</a> hashtag for more news and information. As we get closer to a publication date, we’ll have lots of opportunities for you to engage with the Lead Change authors to learn more about the book.\n\nFor now, click this link to receive a sample chapter. If you would like to review the advanced .pdf version of the book on your blog or website, please visit this link.\n\nAnd when you’re done sharing your thoughts and ideas, take a few minutes to congratulate the authors on a job well done! Listed in alphabetical order, they are <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/eandtsmom\">Tara Alemany</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/ChadBalthrop\">Chad Balthrop</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/MeghanMBiro\">Meghan Biro</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/SMaxBrown\">S. Max Brown</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/pagecole\">Page Cole</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/HeatherEColeman\">Heather Coleman-Voss</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/costelloland\">Deb Costello</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/monedays\">Mónica Diaz</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/soniadima\">Sonia DiMaulo</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/feistycoach\">Georgia Feiste</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/GianaConsulting\">Chery Gegelman</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/ChristinaHaxton\">Christina Haxton</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/mikehenrysr\">Mike Henry Sr.</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/will_lukang\">Will Lukang</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/SusanMazza\">Susan Mazza</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/jennifervmiller\">Jennifer Miller</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/thehrgoddess\">Jane Perdue</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/lisapetrilli\">Lisa Petrilli</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/leadershipfreak\">Dan Rockwell</a>, <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/MarySchaefer\">Mary Schaefer</a>, and <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/donshapiro1\">Don Shapiro</a>.<strong id=\"internal-source-marker_0.8401631121523678\"></strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong id=\"internal-source-marker_0.8401631121523678\">Acknowledgement: </strong><em>I would like to personally thank <a href=\"http://www.twitter.com/eandtsmom\">Tara Alemany</a> for her assistance in the editing of this post. If there was a way we could have published citing two authors, I would have done so!<strong id=\"internal-source-marker_0.8401631121523678\">\n</strong></em>', 'Unveiling the Next Big Lead Change Project', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'next-big-project', '', '', '2012-08-10 12:49:35', '2012-08-10 17:49:35', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7066', 0, 'post', '', 4),
(7082, 314, '2012-08-13 06:00:58', '2012-08-13 11:00:58', '<a href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/unityloyalty.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7083\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/unityloyalty-300x230.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"230\" /></a><strong>If there is one difference maker in organizations, it may be the leaders’ ability to create unity and loyalty.</strong> Unity and loyalty often make the difference between mediocrity and greatness. When I see an organization that lacks personal accountability and has a toxic culture of finger pointing and blame, it is usually the result of a lack of unity and loyalty.\n\nGreat leaders have the ability to create an organizational culture that minimizes politics, confusion and turnover. The great organizations have a cult like following, not only internally but externally. Think Apple, Zappos and Southwest Airlines.\n\nHere are 11 things great leaders do to create oneness and richness. Not everyone will be loyal, but it’s worth the risk.\n<h2>Create strong cultures</h2>\n<ol>\n	<li>Instill a strong belief in family and unity. Leaders avoid finger pointing and blaming. Everyone shares in both successes and failures. This instills that belief in family and unity.</li>\n	<li>Hire the right people. Individuals who share your core values create a common bond. Seek out individuals who put team goals first.</li>\n	<li>Constantly communicate the vision and mission of the organization. Individuals should be loyal to the vision and mission, not the leader.</li>\n	<li>Create an atmosphere of working through adversity. Overcoming adversity strengthens the “oneness” and bond. You learn more from your losses than wins.</li>\n</ol>\n<h2>Act like a mentor</h2>\n<ol>\n	<li>Great leaders are vulnerable and comfortable with their flaws. They have the ability to disagree and commit. This builds loyalty.</li>\n	<li>Display “window and mirror” maturity. When things go well leaders point out the window and give credit to everyone else. When things go wrong, they look in the mirror at themselves and take full responsibility. (From book, How The Mighty Fall and Why Some Companies Never Give In, Jim Collins).</li>\n	<li>Do not act like dictators. Leaders realize that the organization is greater than any one person.</li>\n</ol>\n<h2>Utilize these allies</h2>\n<ol>\n	<li>Leaders are great communicators. People in the organization know what everyone is doing. Hidden agendas disappear because the organization practices transparency.</li>\n	<li>Agreements do not go unresolved. Because leaders are great communicators and because everyone knows what’s going on, leaders don’t allow tension and gossip to build. Issues are addressed immediately.</li>\n	<li>Create shared purpose. The vision and goals of the organization are stated early and often. Unity will overcome individual talent. It’s common in athletics. The most talented team doesn’t always beat the most unified team.</li>\n	<li>Serve other people. When you are leading you are serving. Help other people do their job and grow.</li>\n</ol>\n<strong><em>How about you and your organization? Do you have any advice or suggestions on creating and maintaining unity and loyalty?</em></strong>', '11 Steps to Create Unity and Loyalty', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '11-steps-create-unity-loyalty', '', '', '2012-08-13 06:00:58', '2012-08-13 11:00:58', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7082', 0, 'post', '', 14),
(7085, 243, '2012-08-16 13:00:12', '2012-08-16 18:00:12', '<a href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Fotolia_37535125_XS.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7086\" title=\"roundabout sign\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Fotolia_37535125_XS-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Who\'s Leading Who? | Lead Change Group\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></a>Do I influence the people around me or do they influence me? Is my sphere-of-influence those I influence or those who influence me? Who\'s leading who?\n\nSeth Godin wrote a post a few of days ago about a <a title=\"A Fire in South Buffalo\" href=\"http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2012/07/a-fire-in-south-buffalo.html\">Fire in South Buffalo</a>. He talked about how the media seems to play on our fears and when we react, we encourage them to continue.\n<blockquote>\"We get what we click on. Alas, we also get what others click on. And society does a poor job of marketing productive media to itself. We\'re consuming more media than ever before, but I\'m not sure the mass media is making us much smarter, braver or more willing to take action.\"</blockquote>\nWe are more influenced by our surroundings than we\'d like to admit. We dress alike, trim our beards or wear our hair (or the lack of it) alike. We talk like those around us and we tend to appreciate the things that are appreciated by people who are important to us.\n\nHis post got me thinking about sources and first actors. Often the first actor is the one who refuses to react. We make a difference when we choose our actions.  When we fail to choose our actions, we let others, the media or our sphere of influence, choose for us.\n\nIf our media isn\'t making us much smarter, braver or more willing to take action, who is? Do you have any peers, mentors, friends or anyone who does make you smarter, braver or more willing to take action? Do you have friends who pull you up, or challenge you to a higher level of performance?\n<h2>Ways to lift others (and yourself):</h2>\n<ol>\n	<li>Challenge a friend to study a book together or work out together.</li>\n	<li>Volunteer to work with a friend for a non-profit organization.</li>\n	<li>Encourage a blogger - That\'s right, find a blogger or two who you appreciate and tell them.</li>\n	<li>Write a blog post. Ask to guest post on a blog. Join Lead Change and write there. You don\'t have to write for the rest of your life, but do something new.</li>\n	<li>Ask someone to mentor you for 4 weeks on an area where you\'re already strong, but you\'d like to improve.</li>\n	<li>Offer to help someone in your workplace who\'s junior to you.</li>\n	<li>Buy someone\'s lunch without them knowing.</li>\n	<li>Join a LinkedIn group where you can help others and take 10 minutes a day to participate in the discussions on that forum.</li>\n	<li>Donate money anonymously to a charity.</li>\n	<li>Make time to listen to others. Challenge yourself to learn 10 new things a week about your coworkers and remember those things for 4 weeks.</li>\n	<li>Call someone who has helped you in the past, out of the blue, and just say \"Thanks!\"</li>\n	<li>Write a handwritten Thank You note to someone and send it via snail mail.</li>\n</ol>\nList your ideas below, too. I\'m sure there are thousands of ways to move the needle and lift others up.\n\nWe have to <a title=\"Let\'s Start Some Global Warming\" href=\"/lets-start-some-global-warming/\">decide to be a thermostat</a> and not a thermometer, every day. We have to resist the pull to a life of routine reactions to our circumstances. We must dig our heels in and resist the pull to mediocrity. We must be people who lift others and who challenge others or we won\'t have anyone to lift and challenge us.\n\nWill you make someone smarter, braver or more willing to take action today?\n\nPhoto © Q - Fotolia.com', 'Who&#039;s Leading Who?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'whos-leading-who', '', '', '2012-08-16 13:00:12', '2012-08-16 18:00:12', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7085', 0, 'post', '', 5),
(7090, 310, '2012-08-17 14:00:42', '2012-08-17 19:00:42', '<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-7091\" title=\"1333821[1]\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/13338211.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"175\" height=\"219\" />\"Somebody needs to be in charge!\" \"Press on!\" My Uncle Harris often advised me with those words in our discussions about family or work related matters. His words were rooted in wide, hard and celebrated stories of leadership, from which I learned much. The time to cement this legacy came on December 7, 2011 when the Lord took him home.\n\nMany of us do think about \'what we will leave behind.\' Whether its leaving a career, business or the finality of life; the question is did I make a discernible footprint?  And of course with family and children we may ask, did I teach them something sustainable or what will they remember about me, my work, how I spent my time or who I helped; all important things to ponder. Click <a href=\"http://leadershipquests.blogspot.com/2012/02/legacy-of-leadership-story-will-you.html\">here</a> to read full article.', 'A Legacy of Leadership Story - Will You Have One?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-legacy-of-leadership-story', '', '', '2012-08-17 14:00:42', '2012-08-17 19:00:42', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7090', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(7093, 243, '2012-08-13 14:03:57', '2012-08-13 19:03:57', '<a href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/From-Bud-toBoss-cover-rot-185x240-glow.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-4600\" title=\"From-Bud-toBoss-cover-rot-185x240-glow\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/From-Bud-toBoss-cover-rot-185x240-glow.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"185\" height=\"240\" /></a>Kevin Eikenberry is bringing his 2-day Bud To Boss workshop to Tulsa, OK September 13 and 14, 2012.\n\nThe Bud to Boss Workshop is designed to help new supervisors make the transition successfully to their roles as leaders. If you or people in your organization are new in the supervisor role, and want to become more successful, competent and confident leaders, this is where you need to be!\n\nWhile this is good news for you as a leader and as a professional, the even better news is that the skills you will learn will help you in all parts of your life!\n\nKevin\'s a Lead Change Instigator and he will be teaching the course himself again this year.  Last year, 19 people registered for the class.  This year we\'re hoping to double that number.\n\nClick here to learn more or register now!\n\n<address>Bud To Boss Tulsa - September 13 and 14, 2012</address><address>DoubleTree – Tulsa Downtown</address><address>616 West 7<sup>th</sup> Street</address><address>Tulsa, OK. 74127</address>Coming from out of town? Kevin\'s team has negotiated a special rate at the DoubleTree! Get the discounted rate by checking out the information page.  Or you can register for any of the Bud To Boss workshops being held around the country by clicking this information link.\n\nSo what are you waiting for?  Take some practical action and develop your leadership potential. Sign up today!\n\n&nbsp;', 'Bud to Boss Tulsa Register Now!', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'bud-to-boss-tulsa-register-now', '', '', '2012-08-13 14:03:57', '2012-08-13 19:03:57', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7093', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(7096, 302, '2012-08-14 06:00:56', '2012-08-14 11:00:56', '[caption id=\"attachment_7097\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7097 \" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Los_Angeles-class_submarine-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Los Angeles Class Fast Attack Nuclear Submarine\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /> Los Angeles Class Fast Attack Nuclear Submarine<br />Source: US Navy[/caption]\n\nPlenty it turns out. It was just three weeks ago when my attention was drawn to an article in Fast Company magazine called \"<a href=\"http://www.fastcompany.com/1843334/submarine-captain-power-leadership-language\">A Submarine</a> <a href=\"http://www.fastcompany.com/1843334/submarine-captain-power-leadership-language\">Captain on the Power of Leadership Language</a>.\"\n\nI served aboard a US Navy fast attack nuclear submarine for over three years, so I was immediately intrigued by this article about leadership language from an environment few people are familiar with but that was so familiar to me.  I was immediately taken aback and pushed to contemplate what leadership lessons I had learned in the Navy that I had maybe long since forgotten.\n\n<strong>A Lesson in the Failure of Top Down Command and Control Leadership </strong>\n\nThe article describes an early experience aboard the USS Santa Fe, one of the most modern fast attack nuclear submarines in existence, shortly after Captain Marquet ends up in command.  The Santa Fe was ranked at the bottom of the fleet and the crew was demoralized. Shortly after taking over, the captain is stunned to find that even when he gives his crew a command that is impossible to carry out, no one questions his authority.  He soon realizes the danger of such a situation, and is left perplexed at how inadequate top down command and control leadership can be.\n\nFrankly, the above incident brought back many memories of my own leadership experiences aboard a nuclear submarine. I can remember many instances when authority would not be questioned. I can say the top down command and control style tended to have a demoralizing impact on the crew. However, it was not practiced without abandon at all times by everyone in a leadership position, so a balance kept things in check.  All together, though, it was not a leadership model that empowered the crew to strive for excellence.\n\n<strong>How to Create Leadership at Every Level</strong>\n\nIn <a title=\"Turn the Ship Around\" href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Ship-Around-Create-Leadership/dp/1608323749/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Turn the Ship Around</em></a>, Captain Marquet details how he transformed a submarine from last to first in the fleet by creating leadership at every level in a stunningly short time.  It’s a transformation that caught the attention of Steven Covey who, after visiting with the crew, was moved to say that the crew was the most empowered group he had ever seen. That’s a stunning statement--I hope it’s one that will motivate you to learn more.\n\nI was so moved and impressed from reading this book, I immediately reached out and connected with Captain Marquet to see if he would be willing to let me interview him for <em>5 Minutes to Process Improvement Success</em>.  We have since talked and I’m looking forward to publishing his interview soon. I believe you will find his response to my question, \"what is your best process improvement strategy or tactic,\" to be an empowering strategy that you will find immediately useful and enabling.\n\n<strong>A Review from the Author, Captain David Marquet</strong>\n\nWhile I was writing this blog post, Captain Marquet posted his own review of his book on Amazon, and I thought it captured perfectly the message I got from this book and wanted to convey in this post.  With his permission, I have included his comments below:\n<blockquote><em>“Hi. I\'m the author of Turn the Ship Around! I wrote this book to help pioneer a better way of treating each other, a way of treating each other that will allow more of us to freely give of our passion, intellect and creativity. In short, that way means treating others as equals, as co-leaders, and not as followers. It means giving control not taking control.</em>\n\n<em>I believe this unlikely but true story of a leadership revolution on board a nuclear submarine makes the case that this is a better way to interact. Not only did the submarine improve in the moment (something I call ACHIEVEMENT) but it continued operating at a superior level long after I left and an amazing 10 of its officers were selected for their own submarine command. This embedding of the capacity for achievement in people and the practices of the organization I call LEADERSHIP. I think we confuse these two things. </em>\n\n<em>You will share what I learned about the conditions under which empowerment steps are effective and what happens when you give decision making control without the necessary pre-conditions. </em>\n\n<em>You will also know exactly what we did, what mechanisms we implemented and what changes we made to our HR documents. These mechanisms, though they may not be the exact ones your organization needs, will likely provide you with sufficient grist for robust discussions in your workplace. </em>\n\n<em>We have too many problems for them to be solved by some set of experts at the top. The only way is to get everyone involved.”</em></blockquote>\nLook for my upcoming interview with Captain Marquet at <a title=\"5 Minutes to Process Improvement Success\" href=\"http://5minutespisuccess.com\" target=\"_blank\">5 Minutes to Process Improvement Success</a>.', 'What can a US Navy fast attack submarine Captain teach you about leadership?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'what-can-a-us-navy-fast-attack-submarine-captain-teach-you-about-leadership', '', '', '2012-08-14 06:00:56', '2012-08-14 11:00:56', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7096', 0, 'post', '', 4),
(7098, 307, '2012-08-24 06:00:54', '2012-08-24 11:00:54', 'In our leadership journey, it is easy to rely on common sense.\n\nUnfortunately, some of our oldest and most cherished beliefs can limit our influence if we don’t examine them carefully.<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7107\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/nose-300x262.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"262\" />\n<blockquote>“It is the obvious which is so difficult to see...People say \'It\'s as plain as the nose on your face.\' But how much of the nose on your face can you see, unless someone holds a mirror up to you?” - Asimov</blockquote>\n<h2>1) Is the Golden Rule Wrong?</h2>\n“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”\n\nIn one form or another, you’ve probably learned this ancient wisdom and its call to treat others with value, dignity, respect, and compassion.\n\nThat’s good stuff…and good so far as it goes.\n<h3>Leaders Need More</h3>\nAnd yet…leaders who follow the golden rule can find themselves with unproductive and unmotivated teams.\n\nWhat’s going on here? How can you treat people with respect and dignity, but still have problems?\n\nPeople are unique. Effective leaders meet people where they are and provide them what they need to be grow and achieve results.\n\nExamples:\n\nIf you are an introvert who is content to be left alone and focus on your projects, but you try to “do unto others as you would have done to you”, you will find your extroverted team members wondering why you don’t care.\n\nIf you enjoy the big picture and love ideas, your team members who need to understand details will feel lost if you give them only the big picture you need.\n\nIf you prefer to be addressed with an especially tactful style of communication and use that with your team, those who need things said directly will be frustrated that you won’t just say what’s on your mind.\n\nYou get the idea – what works for us doesn’t always work for others.\n<h3>A New Rule</h3>\nThe Golden Rule isn’t wrong – it serves an important role in helping us grow out of childish selfishness.\n\nBut effective leaders don’t stop there.\n\nIf you want your team members to be effective, you will give them what they need, not just what works for you.\n<h2>2) Why \"Don’t Look Back\" Is a Great Song But Lousy Leadership Advice</h2>\n<em>Don’t look back / A new day is breakin’</em>\n\nIf you’ve never heard Boston’s classic rock lyrics, you’re probably still familiar with the popular advice: “Don’t look back”.\n\nEven the Old Testament tells of an angel’s admonition for Lot to not look back as he left Sodom and Gomorrah (and what happened to his wife when she did).\n\nAdvocates of the “don’t look back” philosophy will tell you to keep your eye on the vision, always look forward, forget about the past, and be fully committed to the future.\n\nThere are times where this is good advice, but…\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-7100\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/down-the-mountain-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" />On the Mountain</h3>\nI live in the State of Colorado, right on the doorstep of the beautiful Rocky Mountains. I love hiking our majestic peaks, but I’m a big guy and some of these mountains are a real challenge.\n\nNear the top where the air is thin, it might take me an hour or more to cover a mile. At times, everything in me says to give up and go home.\n\nBut I’ve found a secret that keeps me going. It’s simple and powerful and you can do it too:\n\nTurn around and look down the mountain.\n\nThe power of the view beneath me is that it shows me what I’ve done…what I’ve already proven capable of. If I can get that far…certainly I can make it a little farther!\n<h3>When Looking Back Is Perfect</h3>\nWhen you encounter frustrations and are overwhelmed – those times when you doubt if you’ll ever accomplish your vision, I suggest you turn around.\n\nTake some time to look at where you’ve been – what you have done, how you have grown, positive decisions you have made, and what you’ve learned.\n\nIf you’ve come this far, you can go a little farther.\n\nYou’re not looking back to linger in the past.\n\nYou’re looking back to take note of your own strength…to stand a little straighter…to be reminded that you’ve overcome obstacles.\n\nWith this fresh perspective you can look to the future and take one small step.\n\nThen one more.\n\nYou can do it with your team as well. Take time to celebrate and acknowledge your accomplishments. They are fuel for your future!\n<h2>3) How Being Bambi-Nice Cripples Your Influence</h2>\n<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7101\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/thumper-262x300.jpg\" alt=\"image of Thumper from Bambi\" width=\"262\" height=\"300\" />\n\nGenerations of children grew up hearing the rabbit named Thumper repeat his mother’s lesson: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”\n<h3>Real Caring</h3>\nEffective leaders <a title=\"19 Ways to Keep from Missing What\'s Right in Front of You\" href=\"http://trailblazeinc.com/2012/04/19-ways-to-keep-from-missing-whats-right-in-front-of-you/\" target=\"_blank\">care for the people they lead</a>.\n\nHowever, it is easy to confuse caring with being nice. They are not the same thing.\n\nYou may encounter an inner voice (or even a team member’s voice) that tells you you’re not being nice when you act in the best interests of another person.\n\nYou can say it kindly, you can maintain your respect for the other person, and you can reinforce their dignity. All these are desirable.\n\nBut it may not feel nice.\n\nAnd yet, helping a team member understand the negative consequences of their actions may be the most caring thing you ever do. It gives them a chance to grow and experience more from life.\n<h3>Are You Too Nice?</h3>\nIf being agreeable and getting along with your team prevents you from addressing uncomfortable subjects, the answer is yes.\n\nYou keep your team from growing and you will lose credibility.\n\nIf that describes you, it’s time to stop being nice and start to care.\n<h2>Your Turn</h2>\n<blockquote>“Never assume the obvious is true.”  - W. Safire</blockquote>\nMany of our common sense beliefs are valuable and help us grow into maturity, but they will limit our leadership if we do not use them thoughtfully.\n\n<em><strong>What other common sense ideas have you had to reexamine in order to be an effective leader?</strong></em>\n\nTake care,\n\nDavid M. Dye\n\nPhoto Credits: <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/darling_clementine/297068074/sizes/m/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Nose</a> by Deann Barrera; <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/5024993346/in/photostream/\" target=\"_blank\">Mountain</a> by Wally Gobetz; <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/kentfreeman/6520914729/\" target=\"_blank\">Thumper</a> by Kent Freeman', 'Do These 3 Common Sense Mistakes Limit Your Influence?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'do-these-3-common-sense-mistakes-limit-your-influence', '', '', '2012-08-24 06:00:54', '2012-08-24 11:00:54', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7098', 0, 'post', '', 6);
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(7104, 281, '2012-08-15 06:00:46', '2012-08-15 11:00:46', '<blockquote><em><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-7105\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/scared-horse.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"259\" height=\"194\" />\"When we study what followers follow, we will know what makes great leaders great ...\"</em> ~ Paul Hunting</blockquote>\nI have been at a horse show all week-long (and still am as I write this post) so my result my \"leadership brain\" has not been engaged, so when I realized I had to write a post, I\'ll have to admit I wasn\'t sure what I was going to write about. Then it hit me... the leadership lessons are happening right before my eyes!\n\nI have been watching people handle, ride ,and compete with animals who:\n<ul>\n	<li>Weigh in at half a ton or more</li>\n	<li>Don\'t speak our language</li>\n	<li>Have prey-animal instincts that tell them to run a half a mile before they stop and look at what they think was going to eat them</li>\n</ul>\nThis speaks volumes of lessons in leadership: building trust, peacefully resolving conflict and respectfully choosing your battles.\n\nThe first class of the day was English Equitation and I watched a very interesting dynamic between two horses and their mounts.\nTwo riders were attempting to execute an equitation pattern between three cones.  Each horse refused to move forward at the gait the pattern called for and reared up on its hind legs and began backing away from the cone.\n<h2>The first scenario</h2>\nRider A reacted and yelled loudly \"Stop that you STUPID HORSE!!!\" and repeatedly kicked her horse forward harshly with the spurs on her boots. The horse refused even more by running sideways back toward the gate. The frustrated rider reacted with more anger and jerked on the reins to get her horse to go back to the cone.\n\nUnfortunately, the strength of the 1000 pound animal was no match for the 100 pound girl.  She was unable to complete the pattern and was asked by the judge to get back in line with the other riders.\n\nRider A was in tears and her horse was worked up and shaking all over by the time it was over.  Not only was that the longest 3 minutes of the rider\'s life, the experience set the tone for the pair for the rest of the show.\n<h2>The second scenario</h2>\nRider B\'s horse oddly enough did the same thing at the cone as Rider A\'s horse did ... but Rider B responded very differently to her horse\'s refusal to go near the cone.\n\nRider B\'s horse also refused to pick up the correct gait to perform the circle around the cone and began to run backwards quickly, head high in the air in an attempt to run back to the other horses at the far end of the arena.\n\nRider B spoke calmly to her horse and let him get a little farther away, and gently yet firmly guided him in a circle so he could face the obstacle from a more comfortable distance.  As she allowed him to do so, she continued to gently urge him forward with her legs and gave some slack to the rein so he could relax and lower his head to look at the scary object.\n\nShe guided her horse closer to the cone and as soon as he looked more confident, she asked him to pick up a lope and start the circle again. While he still looked somewhat nervous, he was willing to perform the pattern at the request of the rider, who was now aware of what was scaring him ... (and in fact also was scaring Rider A\'s horses).\n\nWhat she also realized, in her calm and curious state of mind, was that about 50 yards beyond the cone was the terrifying horse-eating-boogey-monster on the other side of the panel of black fabric stretched tight across the panels at the end of the arena: a herd of cows!\n\nNow, many of you reading this might believe that because you see horses and cows together in movies, \"all horses get along with cows.\"  That\'s not the case.  Talking with Rider A\'s mother, we discovered that her daughter\'s horse had been gored by a steer (male cow with horns) when it was just three years old.  Because horses have memories that rival an elephants, they never forget (especially painful experiences) - the horse has since and continues to be terrified of cows to this day.\n\nRider A assumed her horse was misbehaving on purpose, being willfully disobedient and was just a \"stupid\" animal with no purpose behind his behavior. Rider A\'s frustration and eventually even anger was obvious to all of us watching, but the most perceptive of all was her horse, who felt it and reacted, too. In the end, they both lost.\n\nRider B knew and understood that her horse, a prey animal whose instinct is to run from unfamiliar objects, was afraid of something (although she wasn\'t sure what) and responded by being calm yet firmly in control, both of her own emotions and therefore her horse\'s reaction to flee.  She was confident that together she could help him build his confidence and get through the pattern.\n\nAlthough the pair didn\'t win a first place blue ribbon, they finished successfully and placed third in the class.  Even better than a ribbon was the prize of a stronger partnership and trust, having gotten through the challenge together.\n\nThe pair performed beautifully for the remainder of the show, won another class and both horse and rider had a terrific rest of the day.\n\n<strong>Here are 3 Lessons of Leadership:</strong>\n\n<strong>1. <em>\"You can judge the quality of your communication by the response you get ...\"</em> </strong>If your horse (or your team member) isn\'t doing what you want, or is reacting in a way you don\'t expect them to, it may be YOUR behavior that\'s making a bad situation worse. What you are willing to do first as the leader when you see this happen will determine what happens next ... and next?\n\n<strong>2. Not everyone sees every situation the way you do.</strong> You may know there are cows on the other side of the black fence, but all your horse can sense (by smell) is something it\'s very afraid of based on its past experience.  Since curiosity and empathy cannot coexist with the emotion of fear, it\'s up to you as a leader to start being curious and consider there may be more than one explanation (not just yours) that\'s causing the behavior.\n\n<strong>3. Emotions are contagious.</strong> Do you really think that using a longer whip and a sharper spur is going to motivate and inspire your team\'s confidence, loyalty, and willingness to step into unfamiliar territory? Enough said.\n\nHow many other Lessons in Leadership do you see in this story?\n\nNow, I\'m going back to enjoy the rest of the horse show and see what other lessons in leadership I can learn!\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Christina Haxton, MA LMFT\nLeadership Speaker, Consultant &amp; Executive Coach</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Co-author of <strong><em>The Character-Based Leader: Instigating a leadership revolution...one person at a time</em></strong></p>\nCheck out: <a title=\"Leadership &amp; team building programs where horses teach leaders\" href=\"http://www.experiencehorsesense.com\" target=\"_blank\">Experience HorseSENSE: Team building &amp; leadership programs where horses whisper to humans the secrets of successful leaders </a>\n\n&nbsp;', 'Lessons in Leadership Straight from the Horse&#039;s Mouth', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'lessons-in-leadership-straight-from-the-horses-mouth', '', '', '2012-08-15 06:00:46', '2012-08-15 11:00:46', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7104', 0, 'post', '', 3),
(7109, 315, '2012-08-28 06:00:02', '2012-08-28 11:00:02', '<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/lightplay/1112879573/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7110 alignright\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/rope-bound-fence-300x142.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"142\" /></a>Alliances are a key part of what a leader does. They are critical whether you are an employee, business owner, consultant, or volunteer. Alliances provide a network of trusted sources. Skilled leaders build diverse teams for success and do not work in a vacuum. In my blog post, Keys to Successful Leadership, I briefly touch on the importance of alliances. I want to expand on my thoughts and define how I build key alliances. Any person can follow this process no matter what their job in a company or group.\n<h3>Find Key Stakeholders</h3>\nAn important impact on your leadership success is the ability to find stakeholders. Look up your chain of leadership, down to those you lead, and across to your peers. Important people work in all aspects of your group or company structure. There are two types of allies often overlooked: those who report to you and those on your peer level. Creating connections in more directions allows you to create stronger alliances through more communication. More communication means a more informed organization and a better chance of success over the long term.\n<h3>Engage With a Purpose</h3>\nOnce you have found the right people the engagement process begins. Define your purpose. A strong sense of purpose provides a solid footing from which to form a winning alliance. Frame your approach to others with a win-win solution. Support is often easier to gain when you are offering to help solve someone else\'s problem. Remember to keep an attitude of collaboration. You are not simply pointing out a problem needing to be resolved .\n<h3>Grow Your Base</h3>\nLeaders should not become content with their initial effort. Alliances take consistent growth to keep momentum. Too often we engage effectively with one or two supporters of our idea. The result is a shallow root system that will cause the alliance to fail. <a href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/leaders-live-in-the-tent-of-discontent/\">Tim Milburn</a> has an excellent post on what living in the tent of discontent. The post includes an exercise to help you discover your own areas of healthy discontent.\n\nLet me provide a practical example of building alliances that I use on a regular basis. I tend to set up partnership meetings between my team and other departments. The meetings offer the best atmosphere to build an alliance. I reach out to key people who understand the interactions of our immediate teams. We then extend an invitation outside of the core group to grow our base. No two alliances, like fingerprints, are alike and there is no one right way to build them.\n\n<em>How do you identify, engage, and grow your key alliances?</em>', 'The Importance of Alliances as a Leader', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-importance-of-alliances-as-a-leader', '', '', '2012-08-28 06:00:02', '2012-08-28 11:00:02', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7109', 0, 'post', '', 9),
(7111, 316, '2012-08-16 14:00:31', '2012-08-16 19:00:31', '<img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-7113\" title=\"balance 2\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/balance-2-125x125.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" />\n\nAfter some tweet and email discussions with <a href=\"http://www.princeton.edu/~slaughtr/\" target=\"_blank\">Anne Marie Slaughter</a> and <a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2012/07/02/my-personal-you-cant-have-it-all-moment-last-week/\" target=\"_blank\">Cali Williams Yost</a> about Anne Marie’sarticle on <a href=\"http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/07/why-women-still-can-8217-t-have-it-all/9020/\" target=\"_blank\">The Atlantic</a>, and the uproar about Marissa Mayer becoming Yahoo’s CEO while she is pregnant, I decided to weigh in.  Finally, we are having an honest discussion of “having it all” instead of perpetuating a fairly tale.  While this has mainly been viewed as a ‘woman’s’ issue, it is a very human issue.\n\nThe phrase “having it all” is a huge part of the problem.  First, no human being can have it all, regardless of gender. Read the full article <a href=\"http://mills-scofield.com/blog/2012/8/13/i-dont-have-it-all-yeah.html\">here</a>.', 'I Don&#039;t &#034;Have it All&#034; - Yeah!', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'i-dont-have-it-all-yeah', '', '', '2012-08-16 14:00:31', '2012-08-16 19:00:31', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7111', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(7115, 274, '2012-08-17 14:00:34', '2012-08-17 19:00:34', '<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7116\" title=\"6a00e54f9234088833017744251449970d-800wi\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/6a00e54f9234088833017744251449970d-800wi-200x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"270\" />In this post, Anne Giles Clelland discusses an upcoming book by Lead Change Instigator Julie Winkle Giulioni.\n\n\"When I read a list of tips from Beverly Kaye\'s and Julie Winkle Giulioni\'s <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1609946324/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1609946324&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=handsh20-20\">Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Employees Want</a>, I wondered about the Return on Investment, the ROI, of following these tips vs. the ROI of just doing the work.  Who has time to \"Just talk with people\"?\n\nAs a business owner, I need to be convinced that the time I take to talk to people will produce more revenue - and therefore guarantee my employees their salaries - than if I and they just buckle down and get the job done.  Intuitively, I believe the authors\' tips have merit, but I need to know the numbers in order to be convinced.\" Read the full article <a href=\"http://www.handshake20.com/2012/08/help-them-grow-or-watch-them-grow.html\">here</a>.', 'Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: The ROI of Conversations at Work', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'help-them-grow-or-watch-them-go-the-roi-of-conversations-at-work', '', '', '2012-08-17 14:00:34', '2012-08-17 19:00:34', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7115', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(7117, 317, '2012-08-17 06:00:03', '2012-08-17 11:00:03', '<h3><strong>What is it?</strong></h3>\nToxic leadership is brought about by <strong>lack of self-awareness, lack of self-control</strong> and <strong>confidence,</strong> all of which are seeded by self-interest. As a result, a toxic leader\'s subordinates don’t like him or her. Toxic leaders care all about themselves. They only think of their own feelings and disregard those of others. Somehow, toxic leadership is related to <strong>autocratic leadership style.</strong>\n\nSuch leaders act aggressively and treat others terribly. They distribute tasks in a restrictive manner and even try to intimidate their subordinates in order to preserve constricted control.\n<h2><strong>Characteristics Of A Toxic Leader:</strong></h2>\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Self-destructive</strong></li>\n</ul>\nHe only thinks that his own ideas are right. In every opportunity, he <strong>degrades</strong> his followers, and acts like the subordinate is of no use.\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Irritable</strong></li>\n</ul>\nA toxic leader is always irritable. He <strong>doesn’t want to be bothered</strong>. He avoids and hates to be asked questions at any time. He doesn\'t allow an open and frank flow of ideas that would contribute to the betterment of the organization. <strong></strong>\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Arrogant<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7118\" title=\"Dead Line Pressure Boss Target\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Fotolia_40217950_XS-271x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"271\" height=\"300\" /></strong></li>\n</ul>\nToxic leaders are arrogant. They are <strong>boastful </strong>and always think that they are right. They don’t extend help to others. They hate to be corrected by other people, especially their team members.\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Incompetent</strong></li>\n</ul>\nToxic leaders are incompetent, even though they always put in their mind that they are the best. They always criticize others.\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Maladjusted</strong></li>\n</ul>\nThey are maladjusted and <strong>afraid of change.</strong> They are<strong> not flexible</strong> and they are hard to deal with.\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Lack of confidence</strong></li>\n</ul>\nToxic leaders are not confident with themselves. They also don’t trust their subordinates. Every day we face problems. These problems be solved right away to prevent them from pilling up. But with toxic leadership, subordinates will feel depressed and hopeless about the future.\n<h2><strong>Tools of a toxic leadership</strong></h2>\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Organizational Structures</strong></li>\n</ul>\nToxic leaders have the ability to destroy organizational structures.\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Workload</strong></li>\n</ul>\nWorkloads pile up. The reason for this is that toxic leaders are setting objectives that are unrealistic. In turn, this sets the company up to fail.\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Corporate power structures</strong></li>\n</ul>\nA toxic leader controls his or her team members.\n\nThese are the characteristics and tools of a toxic leadership. If you see these signs in your leader, then think twice if you’re going to stay or leave. Toxic leadership degrades team members which lowers their self-awareness and self-confidence.\n\nIf you are a true leader, then you must assess yourself to determine if you exhibit any of these traits. If so,  you need to internalize any issues you may have and take the necessary steps towards sincere change for the betterment of yourself as a person and as a leader.\n\n<em>Are you being a toxic leader? Does toxic leadership makes you feel more like of a leader? Is toxic leadership associated of being an arrogant?</em>\n\n<em></em>Visit our site <a href=\"http://www.youreffectiveleadership.com/gender-and-leadership.html\">here</a> for more posts!\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Photo © Red rockerz - Fotolia.com</span>', 'Toxic Leadership', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'toxic-leadership', '', '', '2012-08-17 06:00:03', '2012-08-17 11:00:03', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7117', 0, 'post', '', 9),
(7121, 266, '2012-08-27 06:00:27', '2012-08-27 11:00:27', '<strong>Have you experienced organizations that develop a Vision Statement, a Mission Statement, and a Purpose Statement and spend enormous amounts of money to send the message throughout the organization, but the teams and individuals within that organization never commit to them? </strong>\n\nOn the flip side, have you experienced the joy and excitement of a working within a team that gets it, and moves together as if one?\n\nThe obvious next question is:  <em>On which team would you rather be a member, and how do you get there?</em>\n\nMany years ago, I was working as a senior analyst within the Information Technology department.  We were moving business from one system to another, and the project required a strong understanding of the product, as well as knowledge of how both systems worked, so we could translate from one to the other.  We had a team of five people in this project, and we were given three months to accomplish the goal.  We were asked to go off site for three months, away from our families, and focus on the task at hand.\n\nWe quickly identified the skills and knowledge held by each person on the team, understood what we <img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7122\" title=\"Teamwork\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Teamwork3-300x153.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"153\" />needed to do and in what order, and we walked together by separating to accomplish our individual tasks and coming back together multiple times a day to share information, talk through the challenges, make decisions and quickly move forward.\n\nIf an individual on the team did not get their individual tasks accomplished, we either challenged them to stretch more or we jumped in to help.  We played while we worked, and we worked while we played.  We accomplished our goal, and we did it well.\n\nI have also worked with teams who did not coalesce.  Many members of the team were looking out for their own career, did not communicate, and often pointed fingers to shift scrutiny from them to another.\n\nWhat was the difference between those teams?  <strong><em>Common Purpose</em></strong>.\n\nWhat is common purpose?  I think it is fairly simple.  It is when the leader takes an active role in the group that they lead.  They create the bond that holds the team together.  It isn’t about teams that work in an us vs. them culture (often hierarchical in nature, with managers making decisions and handing them down for implementation).  It is about creating a <em>we</em> culture that is inspired, vibrant, courageous and hard to beat.\n\nThis culture says very clearly that:\n<ol>\n	<li>Every individual on the team, including the leader, stands side by side with the others</li>\n	<li>There has been clear, open and candid conversation with everyone present so that every possible idea, concern, and disagreement is on the table</li>\n	<li>The entire team knows the goal and what needs to be done, and</li>\n	<li>They know the values and intentions of the organization.</li>\n</ol>\nThe team is then able to put aside all doubt and any perceived limitations, unleash their imaginations and creativity, and agree as a cohesive group to be successful, with a willingness to take risks that often create huge shifts in thought and what they are able to accomplish.\n\nWhen an organization remembers that every individual within an organization has the ability to be a leader, and utilizes all the strengths and talents available, it creates a “third mind” that begins to gel and give rise to solutions that do not exist in any one individual’s mind.  <strong>Everyone, including the leader of the team, is working toward a <em>common purpose</em>.  The team cannot help but succeed. </strong>\n\n<em>What steps are you willing to take to create the <strong>common purpose</strong> that will propel your team forward, making them nearly unbeatable?</em>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"></p>', 'Leadership Perspective: Building on Common Purpose', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leadership-perspective-building-on-common-purpose', '', '', '2012-08-27 06:00:27', '2012-08-27 11:00:27', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7121', 0, 'post', '', 12),
(7125, 308, '2012-08-22 06:00:50', '2012-08-22 11:00:50', '<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-5107\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/compass-150x1371.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"137\" />In the forward to Bill George’s book <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/True-North-Discover-Authentic-Leadership/dp/0787987514\">True North,</a> David Gergen shares, “what ultimately distinguishes the great leaders from the mediocre are the personal, inner qualities - qualities that are hard to define but are essential for success, qualities that each of us must develop for ourselves.”\n\n<strong>How can leaders develop these inner qualities that are essential to great leadership?</strong> There is not a clear-cut recipe, path, or leadership development program that will guarantee results to develop these qualities. However, much of the current leadership research and trends propose that the path begins with an examination of yourself and your inner qualities. Great leaders need to know themselves first before they can effectively lead others. Common character themes and traits stand out among great leaders and words such as <strong>authenticity, integrity </strong>and<strong> trustworthiness</strong> describe their character traits.\n\nAfter much reading and reflection I have been inspired to examine myself, and have attempted to discover the inner qualities that help to define my own leadership development and to apply what I have learned.\n\nHere are five go-to\'s to assist those willing to go deep and discover their inner leadership self, and to then live their leadership.\n\n<strong>Go-To #1: Discover and determine your values, intent, and goalposts. Communicate and demonstrate them consistently.</strong>\n\nIn the <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/The-SPEED-Trust-Changes-Everything/dp/1416549005/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1345406936&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=speed+of+trust\">Speed of Trust,</a> Stephen M.R. Covey states that “declaring your intent, and expressing your agenda and motives can be very powerful.. it signals your behaviour..it lets people know what to look for so that they can recognize, understand, and acknowledge it when they see it.”\n\n<strong>Go-To #2: Assess and take stock of yourself and the organization you lead to enhance the leadership environment.</strong>\n\nIn his book <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Axiom-Powerful-Leadership-Bill-Hybels/dp/031027236X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1345143580&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=in+ax*i*om\"> ax*<em>i*</em>om</a>, Bill Hybels shares, “ A key responsibility of the leader is to know what season the organization is in, to name it, and then to communicate the implications of that season to his or her followers.”\n\n<strong>Go-To #3: Get ongoing feedback and input, and when you ask for it, report back and act on it.</strong>\n\nIn <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Art-Max-Depree/dp/0385512465/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1345143666&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=Leadership+Is+An+Art\">Leadership Is An Art</a>, Max DePree outlines that “leaders must arrange for involvement on everybody’s part, leaders must make that involvement genuine and leaders must be genuinely open to the influence of others.”\n\n<strong>Go-To #4: Leadership is a shared responsibility. Rely on your team; you cannot do it alone.</strong>\n\nStephen M.R. Covey relates that “ humble leaders do not stand alone, but rather on the shoulder of others who have gone before, and that they move upward only with the help of others.”\n\n<strong>Go-To #5: Leadership is about heart. Lead with care, openness, and vulnerability.</strong>\n\nKouzes and Posner in <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Truth-about-Leadership-Heart---Matter/dp/0470633549/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1345143739&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=Truth+About+Leadership\">The Truth About Leadership</a> summarize that, \"the highest performing managers and leaders are the most opening and caring. The best leaders demonstrate more affection toward others and want others to be more open with them.\"\n\nThrough reflection and by purposeful actions, I have used the five go-to’s to enhance my leadership journey and to act with authenticity and integrity when leading others.\n\n<em><strong>How about you? What are your go to’s? How have your inner qualities contributed to the leadership actions you have taken on your leadership journey?</strong></em>', 'Five Go-To&#039;s For Discovering Your Inner Leadership Self', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'five-go-tos-for-discovering-your-inner-leadership-self', '', '', '2012-08-22 06:00:50', '2012-08-22 11:00:50', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7125', 0, 'post', '', 9),
(7133, 270, '2012-08-17 11:20:57', '2012-08-17 11:20:57', '<img class=\"size-full wp-image-7134 alignleft\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/LeadChange_Badge125x125.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" />\n\nIn this new SmartBlog Post, <a title=\"Chery Gegelman on Twitter\" href=\"http://twitter.com/GianaConsulting\">Chery Gegelman</a> references the Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner to illustrate the benefits of instigating a leadership revolution in your organization.\n\n<em>\"<a href=\"http://blogs.sap.com/innovation/innovation/new-ceo-study-from-ibm-07272\">Many CEOs have identified creativity and innovation</a> as critically important to growing their organizations. My experiences have convinced me that most of what they are seeking is lying dormant in in the knowledge and experiences of their employees and customers, and that employees are longing for the opportunity to be included, involved and unleashed.\"  </em>\n\n...To Continue Reading Click <a title=\"A Leadership Revolution &amp; Why It Matters To You\" href=\"http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2012/08/16/a-leadership-revolution-matters/\">Here</a>.', 'Leaders:  Do you lead like a Road Runner or a Coyote?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leaders-do-you-lead-like-a-road-runner-or-a-coyote', '', '', '2017-10-15 22:25:36', '2017-10-15 22:25:36', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7133', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(7139, 303, '2012-08-22 14:00:25', '2012-08-22 19:00:25', '<p align=\"left\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7140\" style=\"margin: 10px;\" title=\"Screen Shot 2012-08-17 at 10.55.24 AM\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Screen-Shot-2012-08-17-at-10.55.24-AM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"258\" height=\"216\" /><strong>Responsibility can be a tough bedfellow.  </strong>Today in a couple of separate encounters, one with a 14 year old girl and the other a 40 year old man, I heard how they had recently experienced difficult times in their lives. What both had in common was they blamed others for their plight.  The common theme was ”If only x had done y then z, and I would be ok”.</p>\n<p align=\"left\">I watched this dynamic without judgment.  I too had taken such a position for a very long time.  Click <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk/2012/08/16/lead-yourself-first-the-freedom-of-taking-responsibility/\">here</a> to read on...</p>\n\n<div></div>', 'Lead Yourself First: The Freedom of Taking Responsibility', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'lead-yourself-first-the-freedom-of-taking-responsibility', '', '', '2012-08-22 14:00:25', '2012-08-22 19:00:25', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7139', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(7143, 314, '2012-08-20 06:10:52', '2012-08-20 11:10:52', '<a href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/tag/trust\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7144\" title=\"Trust, Colorful words hang on rope by wooden peg\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Trustdelegation-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"6 Delegation Tips that Build Trust | Lead Change Group\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>Delegation is powerful.   It’s a huge part of growing a business and creating trust.   One person can only do so much effectively.  To multiply and accomplish more, delegating effectively is vital.\n\nWhy do people struggle with delegation?   Not because they don’t want to delegate, but because they are not taught how to delegate effectively.\n\nMany leaders delegate <em>activities</em> rather than <em>results</em> and then micromanage the process.  This micromanagement creates a lack of trust.\n\nEffective delegation actually increases the amount of time you can allocate to high priority, non-urgent items.  Take time on the front end and set things up properly so effective delegation is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">built into the culture of the organization</span>.\n<h3> 3 Delegation Tips That Create Trust</h3>\n<ol>\n	<li><strong>Create a culture of delegation</strong>.  According to <a href=\"https://www.stephencovey.com/\">Stephen R. Covey</a>, in his book “<a title=\"Principle Centered Leadership at Amazon.com\" href=\"http://j.mp/PKb9Sr\">Principle Centered Leadership</a>”, most people won’t take the time to <em>explain, to train to commit</em>.  Dave Ramsey, author of <a href=\"http://daveramsey.com/entreleadership\">EntreLeadership</a>, states that you don’t start with delegation; you hire the right people and create the culture first.  Lay the foundation for effective delegation.</li>\n	<li><strong>Create a culture of mutual trust</strong>.  To delegate effectively there has to be a high level of trust and trustworthiness in the organization.  <a href=\"http://www.coveylink.com/\">Stephen M.R. Covey</a>, author of “<a title=\"Smart Trust: Creating Energy, Prosperity, and Joy in a Low Trust World by Stephen M.R. Covery at Amazon.com\" href=\"http://j.mp/NVnhhE\" target=\"_blank\">Smart Trust</a>” states that nothing engages someone like being trusted.</li>\n	<li><strong>Delegate results not activities</strong>.   When all you delegate is activities, buy-in is less likely.  <a href=\"http://www.coveylink.com/\">Covey</a> states that <em>Stewardship Delegation</em> is the most powerful and effective form of delegation.   Delegate the results you want and let the employees work within the guidelines you provide to achieve the results.</li>\n</ol>\n<h3>3 Delegation Tips That Build Results</h3>\n<ol>\n	<li><strong>Declare your intent to motive (<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">why)</span> behind the (<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">what)</span></strong>.  Explain why you are delegating, there are no hidden agendas.   This makes it open and builds trust.</li>\n	<li><strong>Qualify expectations</strong>.  Describe what winning looks like, this creates a <em>no surprises</em> effect.</li>\n	<li><strong>Have an accountability process</strong>.  The employees will anticipate it, and, because it was <em>mutually</em> put together they will respect and trust it.</li>\n</ol>\n<h3>The Power of Trust</h3>\nTrust is powerful.    It’s also fast (see Covey’s book <a href=\"http://www.coveylink.com/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Speed of Trust</span></a>).   It can be lost quickly.  Trust is also reciprocal.  If you give trust, it will be given back to you.   According to Covey, delegation is a result of this trust.\n\n<strong>What are some effective delegation methods that you have used / practiced?</strong> <strong>What advice would you give beginning leaders about delegation?</strong>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Photo courtesy of iStockPhoto</span>', '6 Delegation Tips That Build Trust and Results', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '6-delegation-tips-that-build-trust-and-results', '', '', '2012-08-20 06:10:52', '2012-08-20 11:10:52', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7143', 0, 'post', '', 14),
(7146, 282, '2012-08-23 06:00:02', '2012-08-23 11:00:02', '<em><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-7147\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Abby-Road.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"301\" height=\"214\" /></em>\n\n<em>\"I write the songs that make the whole world sing</em>!”… OK, so maybe Barry Manilow didn’t write “the songs”… he just wrote ONE song, and chopped off parts of it to release as a new hit!  HA!  Whether you’re a Manilow fan or not, one thing is certain--you are most likely a fan of someone’s music.\n\nWhether it’s an Iron Maiden anthem, or Michael Buble swing, a Faith Hill love song or an Eagles classic tune, just about everyone has a favorite song.  And every great song has a life of it’s own, a great story behind the song.\n\nOur lives are a lot like a song.  Filled with drama &amp; excitement, love stories &amp; broken hearts, our lives are the stuff musicians live for, whether they are country crooners or hip hop divas.  Our lives are a song, but the musical question you have to answer is simple…<strong>Who\'s Writing Your Song?  </strong>\n\n<strong></strong>When you look back at the end of your life, will you be able to say with pride, “I wrote that… that’s the song of my life, and it’s amazing!”  You just may, especially if you understand what it takes to write a great life song.\n\n<strong><em>1. Music Makes Our Dreams Come Alive...</em></strong>\n\n<em>I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment’s gone. All my dreams pass before my eyes, a curiosity.  Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind.\" -Dust In the Wind, Kansas</em>\n\nEver feel like life is passing you by, wondering if the world really is any better because you’re here?  Then stop wondering and do something about it!  Don\'t miss your moment in the spotlight! “Life is short” is such a HUGE understatement.\n\nSeriously, what are you waiting for?  Great song writers seize the moments of inspiration that come to bring the dreams on the inside, outside and wrap then in a tune.   You can do the same thing in your life!  Garth Brooks said it best…  <em> So don\'t you sit upon the shoreline , And say you\'re satisfied , Choose to chance the rapids, And dare to dance that tide.\" The River, Garth Brooks</em>\n\n<strong><em> </em><em>2. As You Write the Song, the Song Changes You…</em><em> </em></strong>\n\n<em>\"Because of you, I never stray too far from the sidewalk.  Because of you, I learned to play on the safe side so I don\'t get hurt”.  Because Of You, Kelly Clarkson</em>\n\nNot only is the world a stage, but we’re ALL on it!  I’m writing the song of my life at the same time you are writing yours.  Sometimes it’s this amazing symphony that blows us away.  Other times, it’s just noise.  But with every experience, every note of the song that’s written, we shape our world and we are shaped.  Don’t be a waste of space!\n\nThousands of songs have been recorded over the years, with most of them never finding their way to the airwaves.  <em> </em>Duds or album filler is what became of most of them.  But a small number of songs make it to the charts &amp; become a hit. Lives are just like that.  Some people are content for their lives to be the “extra” songs on the CD no one listens to… Others settle for nothing less than for the song of their life to top the Billboard life charts!\n\nBob Dylan challenged us when he sang, <em>\"How many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn\'t see?\" </em>Open your eyes to the life you are creating, and open your ears to the sound song!  And when you do, make it spectacular!\n\n<strong><em> </em><em>3. Living Your Song Out Loud is Contagious! </em> </strong>\n\n<em>\"You may say I\'m a dreamer, but I\'m not the only one. I hope one day you\'ll join us, and the world will be as ONE! \" Imagine, John Lennon</em>\n\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7149\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Mike-Henry-Love1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"286\" height=\"274\" />\n\nRemember the great Coca Cola commercial (<a href=\"http://youtu.be/ib-Qiyklq-Q\">watch it here</a>)?  The obvious message of the song is simple- let’s all have a Coke and have a great time!  But the more subtle message of the song comes in the delivery.\n\nOne person starts the song, a song about unity, hope and love.  And then another person joins in, and still another until the hillside, and maybe the world is filled with people with bad hair and horrible clothing, but singing and enjoying a friendly cold beverage and the world peace it brings!\n\nThat may be a little bit of a stretch, but the principle is sound.  As you discover and begin to pen the passionate song of your own life, your music can’t help but affect those who hear it.   “<em>And the dream we were conceived in will reveal a joyful face and the world we once believed in will shine again in grace.”  Heal the World, Michael Jackson</em>   So go dream, go shine, go write the song of your life!\n\n<strong>By the way, if you had to pick one set of lyrics or one song that has impacted your life, what would it be and why?</strong>', 'Who&#039;s Writing Your Song?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'whos-writing-your-song', '', '', '2012-08-23 06:00:02', '2012-08-23 11:00:02', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7146', 0, 'post', '', 3),
(7153, 314, '2012-08-29 09:00:15', '2012-08-29 14:00:15', '<strong>Leaders make decisions. It’s what they do. It may be the most important thing they do.</strong>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_7155\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"125\"]<img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-7155\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/stock-photo-17296723-3d-man-complicated-question1-125x125.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" /> Photo courtesy of iStock Photo[/caption]\n\nIt’s not necessarily one individual decision that is important.   It’s the <em>cumulative effect</em> of decisions that build momentum, or destroy it.\n\nAs <a href=\"http://jimcollins.com/\">Jim Collins</a>, author of <a href=\"http://jimcollins.com/\">Good To Great</a>, states, these incremental decisions build momentum.  They create the flywheel effect, one small nudge at a time.\n\nThe great organizations have leaders and teams that decide, execute, decide, execute and they do this over and over again.   They make great decisions that turn the flywheel.\n\nIn this post I will share three things you can do to make better decisions as a leader.\n\n<strong>1. Eliminate fear</strong>.  The biggest cause of poor decisions is <em>fear</em>.   Fear causes <em>indecisiveness</em>.  This is usually fear of the “<em>what if</em>”.   Fear is a liar.   It only shows up when you are doing something that matters.  Fear does not mess with average.  It causes discouragement and sometimes makes you want to quit.   To eliminate or reduce fear try these 4 things:\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Give yourself time </strong>– the time spent making the decision should be proportionate to the impact of the decision.   Small impact, less time.  Big impact, a lot of time.</li>\n	<li><strong>Have a lot of options</strong> – prepare plenty of options.  Look at the worst case scenario.</li>\n	<li><strong>Train </strong>– train your associates to bring you solutions and not problems.</li>\n	<li><strong>Create a deadline</strong> – set a deadline for the decision and stick to it.   Put it on the calendar.</li>\n</ul>\n2. <strong>Make great people decisions</strong>.  The best leaders have an ability to make great people decisions.  Get the right people on the bus first.   It’s not <em>“what”</em> but <em>“who”</em> that is important.    Surround yourself with good people that you trust to make great decisions on a daily basis.  The great leaders have the ability to pick these people.\n\n3. <strong>Create more certainty in the decisions you make</strong>.   Not every decision you make will be perfect.  However, there are certain things you can do to make sure that the decisions you do make have a higher probability of success.\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Don’t force a decision too early just to make a problem go away</strong>.  The risk and uncertainty won’t go away just because you make a quick decision.   Look at the risk associated with the decision over time.   Does the risk increase quickly or do you have more time to gather information?  If so, don’t rush into a decision.</li>\n	<li><strong>Let your people be heard</strong>.   This is different than just letting them have their say.   Participation by everyone is important to make a good decision.    Let everyone participate in the decision making process and then get buy-in.   Spend time on the decision first.   Then get the buy-in.</li>\n	<li><strong>Create conversations that deal with facts not opinions</strong>.   Rumors are not facts, opinions are not allowed.  Facts only.  This creates information flow throughout the company and transparency.</li>\n	<li><strong>Disagree and commit</strong>.  Most great decisions are not made with a consensus.  They are usually made with intense debate and disagreement.  However, once the decision is made, commitment to the decision is not optional. Everyone is unified.</li>\n	<li><strong>Minimize the impact of the decision</strong>.   Take small steps forward.  Don’t make a decision that if it is wrong, carries a huge impact. Take small steps at your target and adjust.   If you miss, the impact is small.</li>\n</ul>\nDon’t let your past failures or fear paralyze you or your organization from making great decisions.  Eliminate fear, surround yourself with great people and create more certainty in the decisions you make.\n\n<strong><em>What other things have you seen great leaders do when it comes to making decisions?</em>  Let me know your thoughts.</strong>', '3 Steps That Will Help You Make Great Decisions', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '3-steps-that-will-help-you-make-great-decisions', '', '', '2012-08-29 09:00:15', '2012-08-29 14:00:15', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7153', 0, 'post', '', 6),
(7158, 305, '2012-08-23 13:00:26', '2012-08-23 18:00:26', '<em><strong>What occupies your mind? Do you let your free </strong></em><em><strong>thoughts meander or do you direct them? Which is better, do you think? </strong></em>As a child, we most likely chased our dreams in a free flow of thought. Dreams were certainly more exciting than listening to our parents tell us what we to do, how to behave, what NOT to do, what chores to do, what was wrong with our toys lying everywhere, what consequences were lying in wait if we broke the rules, \"yadayadayada\"...\n\nChasing our dreams kept us from being unbearably bored in school when the teacher lectured us or when we did our school work or later when we did our homework.\n\nOur dreams led us into exciting adventures where we were the hero, the winner of all, the prized and\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_7159\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"240\"]<img class=\" wp-image-7159    \" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/dream1-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"180\" /> Ah...the places I can go and things I can do.[/caption]\n\nrevered soul among others. We found ourselves in imaginary lands, conquering unreal beasts with weapons or with goodness, bending reality to our own way, winning all that our hearts desired - fabulous wealth with everything we could dare hope to buy, beautiful lands to explore and be lost in, or our beloved soul mate - that perfect person to share our life with who adored us beyond reason.\n\n<strong>Things change for adults.</strong> Some give up their dreams because they fail to make them real - perhaps too much dreaming and not enough doing. Some give up their dreams because something terrible happens - death of someone treasured, destruction from mother nature, devastation from war, deep and wrenching loss. Others give up their dreams, treating them as \"child\'s play\" - something that adults shouldn\'t do.\n\n<strong>Some never give up their dreams and pursue them relentlessly.</strong> These persons invent the things we use everyday like iPhones or Androids, or build companies known the world over like Wal-Mart or MacDonald, or create music, art, dance, theatre, TV, movies that move us, inspire us, change a piece of us, touch our hearts. And let\'s not forget those who care for us in ways that save us from ourselves, from our illnesses, from our poverty, from our ignorance, from our bad choices. And especially, let\'s not forget those who lay down their lives for us. We would not have what we have today, or be who we are if it weren\'t for those who pursued their dreams.\n\n<strong>Have you lost hope that you will ever fulfill your heart\'s desire?</strong> Losing hope happens to all of us at some point in our lifetime, and yet hope and dreams are inbuilt - they are an undeniable part of us throughout our lifetime. No matter what age you are, how young or how old you are, how many dreams you have not realized, or how many attempts you have made - you must <em><strong>never</strong></em>, <em><strong>ever</strong></em>, <em><strong>no never give up your hope</strong></em> for the life experiences and outcomes that you want.\n\nThe more you focus your thoughts on making your dream real, the more you draw in the answers for how to do it. But don\'t give up. If you give up on your dreams, you give up on yourself. <em><strong>So just</strong><strong> do it! Take the journey to the dream of your lifetime.</strong></em>\n<div>\n<div><em>What dream have you realized? What dream is not yet real? What is your \"dream\" story?</em></div>\n<div></div>\n</div>', 'Dream Baby Dream!', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'dream-baby-dream', '', '', '2012-08-23 13:00:26', '2012-08-23 18:00:26', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7158', 0, 'post', '', 2);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` (`ID`, `post_author`, `post_date`, `post_date_gmt`, `post_content`, `post_title`, `post_excerpt`, `post_status`, `comment_status`, `ping_status`, `post_password`, `post_name`, `to_ping`, `pinged`, `post_modified`, `post_modified_gmt`, `post_content_filtered`, `post_parent`, `guid`, `menu_order`, `post_type`, `post_mime_type`, `comment_count`) VALUES
(7166, 288, '2012-08-29 13:00:24', '2012-08-29 18:00:24', '<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7169\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/daleprojectplanning2-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" />We have all heard the age old 7 P’s about the effects proper planning has on your performance. While the phrase may be a bit brash, it is completely accurate. Poor planning is one of the top reasons most businesses fail.\n\nThe ability to properly plan and complete projects can be an extremely intricate, complicated skill; however, it is a skill that needs to be mastered in order to thrive in today’s business world.\n\nThink back to a time where you saw the clear signs of poor planning in someone at your workplace. It is easy to spot someone who failed to prepare because they are usually flustered, fail or simply bring the entire team productivity down.\n\nYour lack of planning can greatly affect your entire team and company. Take the following steps from <a title=\"Dale Carnegie\" href=\"http://www.dalecarnegie.com/\">Dale Carnegie</a> to ensure that your performance is far from poor and cultivates successful results.\n\n<strong>Step 1:  Put Everyone on the Same Page</strong>\n\nBe sure that everyone involved knows what the project will entail and what the ultimate goal is.  The entire team should work together to ensure that the objectives and plan of action are agreed upon.\n\n<strong>Step 2:  Be realistic</strong>\n\nIt helps to know what roadblocks may exist instead of blindly running into them down the road. Know what the current state of the situation is and what obstacles may stand in the way of completion. The sooner you recognize the issues the faster you can rectify them and move forward\n\n<strong>Step 3:  Make SMART Goals</strong>\n\nDefine and set realistic goals to successfully carry out the scope of the project. When you don’t have goals to strive to reach it is easy to get off task. Set goals that range from immediate to long-range. Remember that long-term goals are simply a combination of the immediate goals positive end-results. Use the acronym “SMART” to help you and your team set appropriate goals. Every goal should be:\n\n<strong>S</strong>              Specifically created with processes and resources clearly defined\n\n<strong>M</strong>            Measurable by objective data\n\n<strong>A</strong>             Attainable\n\n<strong>R</strong>             Relevant to your vision\n\n<strong>T </strong>            Time-specific deadline\n\n<strong>Step 4:  Create a Plan of Action</strong>\n\nTo achieve your goals, you must prioritize and organize so that you can create the appropriate steps to accomplishing these goals within the deadline.  Be sure to have answers to the following questions when creating a plan of action:\n\n<em>What are the specific requirements of the job?</em>\n\n<em>Exactly what tasks need to be completed?</em>\n\n<em>Who are the appropriate people to complete each task?</em>\n\n<em>What methods or tool will need to be used?</em>\n\n<em>How do the different parts all tie together?</em>\n\n<em>How the results will be communicated? (Ie: a report, a PowerPoint presentation, etc.)</em>\n\nWhile planning to start a project may sound like a simple task at first glance, you should spend time creating a detailed plan to avoid potential disasters that can result in failed projects. Behind every successful project is a strategically mapped out plan that was properly executed.  A little bit of preparation can truly go a long way in the business world.\n\nCheck back soon for Part II with steps 5-8 to help you improve your <a title=\"project planning skills\" href=\"http://www.dalecarnegie.com/business-process-change-management/\">project planning skills</a>.', 'Steps and Tips for Proper Project Planning', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'steps-and-tips-for-proper-project-planning', '', '', '2012-08-29 13:00:24', '2012-08-29 18:00:24', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7166', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(7170, 310, '2012-11-30 06:33:20', '2012-11-30 12:33:20', '&nbsp;\n&nbsp;\n\"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.\"\nMartin Luther King, Jr.\n\nCan you hear me now? Verizon introduced this phrase in their marketing campaign to emphasize the surety of their cell phone products because consumers want to trust the connection, to communicate a timely and clear message with no drops. Similarly in the military this action, a commo check, is used to verify a transmission of critical information.\n\nThe process of communication takes on many forms of transferring information from one person to another, an interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information through speech, symbols, actions, or writing. Its deployment is a master messenger for leaders.\n\nA lot of ineffective leadership situations are created when there is a breakdown in the communications process. In a void of no message, there is fear and chaos. With a well-delivered message, there is action and clarity. Being aware of that process and how to become more effective in it will enhance professional and personal situations and serve to lessen some of the distrust associated with relationships in those areas.\n\nWhether in battle, cubicles, boardrooms, conventions or homes, the ability to send and receive messages is critical. In the military, establishing lines of communication is of the first order. Securing the modes is essential so that the source can be trusted. Then it has to be confirmed so everyone can hear the now in the message.\n\nReflect about leaders you know and trust. Are they dependable and speak their mind? You don’t have to guess what they are thinking. Concise and understandable, if they say it, they do it. These leaders know how to “approve their own message,” vetting it with their sanctioned skill of leadership. From it, trust, respect and action emanate.\n\nWhat are some ways for leaders of all venues to develop trust through communications skills? In my leadership skills programs, I share these eleven core points:\n\n• Tell the truth as a way to create an open environment.\n• Support autonomy as a way to encourage innovation and for people to bring their best.\n• Challenge the status quo when necessary to introduce the power of new ideas.\n• Show appreciation for all efforts, big and small.\n• Be a model of something good by sharing your gifts and life examples.\n• Become a more active listener. Focus on key points by connecting to what you know while showing interest in others’ messages.\n• Use supportive non-verbals. Align your say and truth in your face and voice.\n• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Inject them to check message understanding.\n• Be aware of your style and adjust to the situation.\n• Know the audience by being alert and flexible to the circumstances.\n• Give and receive feedback appropriately, constructive in criticism and reinforcing in the positive.\n\nThink about the first day of your ideal leadership position. You are now in command! Your followers are waiting to hear from you. What will your message be and how will you check it?\n\nLike bidding at an auction, communication must be done early and often. Whatever the message, you must really imbed trust. A willingness to make sure your message is understood is paramount, so try a variety of communication mediums. Today, tweeting and texting are methods at a leader’s or parent’s disposal, if that gets the satisfactory and rapid response.\n\nPeople hear things differently. Backgrounds, preoccupations, or baggage affect the receiver mode. The best-intended message may have unintended impact. Aim for impact by tailoring the script to the receiver. Emotions cloud reception. History of the quality of connection can help or hinder. Be clear on these things.\n\nCan YOU hear me now?\n\nThis post is excerpted from Deborah’s upcoming book, <em>Hardcore Leadership: 11 Master Lessons from My Airborne Ranger Uncle’s “Final Jump”</em> due out January 2013.\n\n<span style=\"font-size:xx-small;\">Photo credit: Creative Commons</span>', 'Commo Check – 11 Ways to Establish a Trust Message', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'commo-check-11-ways-to-establish-a-trust-message', '', '', '2012-11-30 06:33:20', '2012-11-30 12:33:20', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7170', 0, 'post', '', 4),
(7171, 314, '2012-09-08 06:00:50', '2012-09-08 11:00:50', '<strong>We are all leaders.  Everyone can lead.  In today’s economy, everyone must lead.</strong>\n\nThe status quo days are over.\n\nIt’s all about being connected, building relationships, and leading.\n\nIt doesn’t matter whether you work in a cubicle, in a field, in a retail store, or out of your home.\n\n<strong>Leadership is a choice.</strong>\n\nThe hard part is deciding to lead. Doing something knowing you might fail requires courage, whatever that something is.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_7190\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7190\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Fotolia_36209243_XS-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /> Don\'t be afraid to take risks.[/caption]\n\nBelow are 3 things <a href=\"http://sethgodin.typepad.com/\">Seth Godin</a> discusses in his book <a href=\"http://sethgodin.com/sg/books.asp\">Poke The Box</a> that can help any leader. I highly recommend anyone in a leadership position read the book and then:\n\n<strong>Start something</strong>\n<ol>\n	<li>Everyone has a passion.  Everyone can start something.  But everyone doesn’t start something.  It’s about having the courage to start something. Create your map and don’t wait for someone to give you one.</li>\n	<li>“<em>Pick Yourself.\"</em>  Don’t wait for someone to choose you.  You have the ability to choose yourself.</li>\n	<li>If your organization doesn’t let you speak up, speak up somewhere else.  Find a tribe or form a tribe.  Godin states that <em>not starting</em> is worse than being wrong.</li>\n</ol>\n<strong>Take the initiative</strong>\n<ol>\n	<li>Initiate change.  This creates power and ownership.  Don’t worry about getting credit; just make it happen.  You will be rewarded.</li>\n	<li>You must be proactive. Find work worth doing and go do it.  It’s that simple.   No one is holding you back.  Do not be reactive.  Being late is not good in today’s economy.</li>\n	<li>Start a blog, form a group, build a tribe (even if it’s small).  Instigate something.</li>\n</ol>\n<strong>Fail a lot</strong>\n<ol>\n	<li><strong>Nothing fails like success</strong>.   Every year organizations expect better results.  More sales, more profits, more, more, more.  That’s just how it is.  So, if you are successful, nothing will “<em>fail</em>” like success.</li>\n	<li>The person who fails the most wins.  Don\'t be afraid of fear, face it, risk it.</li>\n	<li>Learn how to sell and face rejection.  If you can sell, you will learn how to fail often.</li>\n</ol>\n<strong>If you look at history, most of the great success stories are a result of previous failures.</strong>\n\nGodin must have failed at various times in his career.  Although he’s highly successful now, I’ve got to believe there were failures preceding his success.\n<ul>\n	<li>Steve Jobs was kicked out of the company he founded.</li>\n	<li>Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.</li>\n	<li>Great baseball hitters are only successful 30% of the time.</li>\n</ul>\nFail a lot and you will be successful.  Persevere, grow, learn and be an agent of change.\n\n<em><strong>What do you need to start?  Better yet, what do you need to start, finish and risk failing? </strong></em>\n<h6><strong>Photo © Sergej Khackimullin - Fotolia.com\n</strong></h6>', '3 Steps That Will Help You Start Leading', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '3-steps-that-will-help-you-start-leading', '', '', '2012-09-08 06:00:50', '2012-09-08 11:00:50', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7171', 0, 'post', '', 4),
(7175, 318, '2012-08-26 06:00:42', '2012-08-26 11:00:42', 'Why are so many leaders attracted to running long distance and other endurance sports?\n\nI’ve spent the last decade talking to swimmers, bikers, and runners in line at pre-triathlon and marathon port-a-pots asking that question.\n\n<em><strong>Why?</strong> </em>Because I have a tendency to consume too much pre-race caffeine and my “competition” is also nervous, friendly, and eager to talk. But mostly, because it’s a fastinating crowd: CEOs and other corporate executives, community activists, ministers, teachers, hospital administrators, politicians, etc.<img class=\"alignright  wp-image-7176\" title=\"iStock_000020901882XSmall\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/iStock_000020901882XSmall.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"320\" />\n\nEveryone I meet at these events seems too busy to invest the 10, 15, 20+ hours a week to compete in these events. Most are parents. Many are also active in their community. And yet they do invest, many waking up before dawn to fit their training into their schedules. And they love it. <em><strong>Why?</strong></em>\n\nSure, the obvious <a title=\"mayo clinic health benefits of exercise\" href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-admin/\">health benefits</a>--study after study speak to that.  However, I am not convinced that health is the number one answer.\n<h2>Other Reasons Leaders Run Long</h2>\n<strong>1. It gives us time to think</strong>\n\nThere’s nothing like many hours with just you and the road to get you thinking. Long training provides an opportunity for moving meditation, or at least an opportunity to sort things out. When I was training for my longest triathlon, I actually kept a pencil and paper on my bike to record the ideas that surfaced.\n\n<strong>2. It forces routine and discipline</strong>\n\nTo find that kind of time to train requires careful scheduling and discipline. It means running in the rain, and getting up despite a long night of travel. It involves cutting out a lot superfluous time drainers from your life and working more efficiently. This kind of discipline spills over into your work day. You learn that you can’t waste time.\n\n<strong>3. It develops endurance and a higher pain threshold</strong>\n\nLeadership is tough. It often requires believing in the goal and pushing through, despite pain and setbacks. After running with cramps or bleeding toenails, sticking with that inspired project despite the naysayers doesn’t seem that hard.\n\n<strong>4. It makes us more coachable</strong>\n\nWhen you get serious about running long, you start looking for experts. Most runners I know have stacks of magazines all over the house and running groups with whom they benchmark. They ask one another for advice about everything. Water or sports drink? Should I run through that injury? Which shoes will work best? How many of us are that open to advice on how we act in our leadership roles? In this way, training makes us more open to advice.\n\n<strong>5. We learn to make frivals (friendly rivals)</strong>\n\nIf you are trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, you are also cheering for your training buddies to qualify as well. In fact, you don’t really care that much who finishes first in the qualifying race. The point is, there is room for anyone who makes the cut, and you want to go together. Oh sure, there is plenty of smack talk at the local 10K... but at the end of day, this is about bettering your own time and cheering for one another. What a nice transferable mindset.\n\nLeaders run long because it transforms their leadership by making them stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally. It also helps leaders create connections with themselves and others.\n\n<em><strong>Are you a Leader athlete? How has running long supported your leadership journey?  </strong></em><strong><em>Does something else you do serve the same purpose?  What is it?  </em>Please share your story.</strong>\n\nSee Also:\n\n<a title=\"Interval Training for Leaders:  The Value of Confidence Bursts\" href=\"http://letsgrowleaders.com/2012/07/12/interval-training-for-leaders-the-value-of-confidence-bursts/\">Interval Training for Leaders:  The Value of Confidence Bursts</a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">Photo (c) iStockPhoto.com</span>', 'Leader Athletes:  Training Long for the Long Run', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leader-athletes-training-long-for-the-long-run', '', '', '2012-08-26 06:00:42', '2012-08-26 11:00:42', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7175', 0, 'post', '', 17),
(7182, 316, '2012-08-30 06:00:20', '2012-08-30 11:00:20', 'School is back in session and the formidable task  begins of coordinating 5 kids, 13 drivers (1 kid drives) and 2 cars.  One of parents, and a good friend, let’s call him Joe, created a google doc spreadsheet for us (10 parents plus 1 family’s nanny &amp; housekeeper) to organize driving.\n\n<strong>As you can imagine, this was not fun or easy. </strong> We were happy with our previous season’s arrangement with one of the families for our 2 boys.  My solution was keep what we had, adding 1 more kid who lived right by both of our families, and let the rest work it out.  We had 6 drivers for 3 boys and they had 6 drivers for 2 boys.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_7187\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"218\"]<img class=\" wp-image-7187\" title=\"Choosing A Strategy\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Fotolia_42443403_XS.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"218\" height=\"270\" /> Take the Middle Path[/caption]\n\nMy husband noted how Joe and my individual socio-economic-political beliefs deeply influenced basic decision-making, like carpooling!  Joe always strives to engage the collective, achieve consensus and make everyone feel his or her input mattered.\n\nI try to be inclusive and gain consensus, but sometimes you need to just get things done because the time cost for consensus is too high relative to the value.  For this carpooling saga, I was not willing to spend the time and effort of multiple emails and google doc’ing to work this out.  We had a plan that had worked, no solution could include everyone, so just get on it with.\n\n<strong>So what’s the leadership lesson here?</strong> Our beliefs are so ingrained we don’t always notice how they affect our decisions - we need to balance what we know works with what we don’t know, or think, could work.  We need to reflect and question ourselves on why we are doing the way we are doing.\n\n<strong>As leaders, we (co-)<a href=\"http://www.forbes.com/sites/giovannirodriguez/2012/08/15/do-ceos-matter-anymore/\">create the vision</a> for the organization, provide direction and clear, and clearly communicate, the path forward.</strong>  It is our job to help our people see how what they do, and who they are, positively impact the vision as well as what’s in it for them.  This involves times when agreement and consensus are not just nice to have, but required.\n\nThis also involves times when a decision needs to be made, and we need to move on.  A wise leader discerns the difference, acts accordingly, and communicates why.  A wise leader knows him or herself well enough to know how deeply ingrained beliefs both illuminate and cloud simple to complex decision-making.\n\n<strong>As we adjust to the new demands on and types of leadership for the 21<sup>st</sup> Century, we see the predominance of command-and-control ebbing.</strong>  This doesn’t mean the only leadership style is now collaborative and consensus-driven.  It is a balance.  It’s “<a href=\"http://mills-scofield.com/innovation-and-innovanomics/\">And/Both</a>”, not “Either/Or”.  American is a country more comfortable with going between extremes than in finding a balance.  Just look at this election – there is no ‘middle ground’.\n\n<strong>Our opportunity as leaders is just this – to find the middle ground – to know when to simply decide and when to gain consensus, when to lead and when to get out of the way.</strong>  And hopefully, but learning and modeling this, we can teach those around us…who can teach others.\n\nPhoto © freshidea - Fotolia.com\n\n&nbsp;', 'Ingrained Biases', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'ingrained-biases', '', '', '2012-08-30 06:00:20', '2012-08-30 11:00:20', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7182', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(7184, 303, '2012-08-27 14:00:48', '2012-08-27 19:00:48', '<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-7185\" title=\"Screen Shot 2012-08-24 at 9.44.43 AM\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Screen-Shot-2012-08-24-at-9.44.43-AM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"231\" height=\"178\" />We all can become attached at some stage in our lives.  As children we are attached to our parents or other caregivers.  In this scenario attachment is seen as healthy and affirming.\n\nWhen an attachment prevents us from seeing or acting clearly it has become unhealthy....In the workplace, we can become attached to a particular culture, belief or perception about the way things are, or should be.\n\nWe can become attached to our views of others and also about how relationships should be at work.   People who resist change are usually people who are attached to maintaining the status quo. Read the full article <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk/2012/08/24/lead-yourself-first-attachment-detachment/#\">here</a>.', 'Lead Yourself First: The Empowering Magic of Detachment', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'lead-yourself-first-the-empowering-magic-of-detachment', '', '', '2012-08-27 14:00:48', '2012-08-27 19:00:48', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7184', 0, 'post', '', 6),
(7194, 258, '2012-11-06 06:33:53', '2012-11-06 12:33:53', 'The <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultimatum_game\">ultimatum game</a> is often played in economic experiments in which two players interact to decide how to divide a sum of money that is given to them. The first player proposes how to divide the sum between the two players, and the second player can either accept or reject this proposal. If the second player rejects, neither player receives anything. If the second player accepts, the money is split according to the proposal. The game is played only once so that reciprocation is not an issue.\n\nLet’s try an example. How about you and I play the game?  I\'m given $10 and can offer you as much as I want. The fairest thing to do would be to split the money evenly. But instead I offer you $2 while I keep $8. What will you do?\n\nIt turns out that Player 2 in this scenario is often unwilling to accept just $2 and rejects the offer resulting in neither player getting anything. Player 2 thinks, if the game isn’t fair, then no one should be rewarded. Is that what you thought?\n\nPolitics of late has been played like the ultimatum game. The majority party has often made offers that the minority is unwilling to accept. The result? No one is rewarded, everyone is punished, and nothing gets done. In this version of the game, everyone is a loser, and when I say everyone, I mean you and me.\n\nToday is an important day in the United States. Like every election day in our nation’s history, it is our opportunity to prove that democracy works, that Americans cherish freedom so much that they place the selection of leadership in the hands of the citizenry. In our great nation we now believe that all adult citizens, no matter their ethnicity, religion, gender, economic status, height, age, hair color, favorite ice cream, or political leanings have the right, the responsibility, and the privilege of voting. And every person’s vote is equal. It’s an amazing, powerful, and frankly extraordinary idea.\n\nBut at the end of this day, half of those that voted are going to be disappointed. The race is pretty tight. This is no landslide victory for either side. Instead there will be winners and losers and the echoes of hard words, bent truths, and disappointment left behind. This is where we all get to step in, because in our political ultimatum game, we get to play again and again.  And this time around we need to play differently. This time we need to play better.\n\nOur job as citizens is two-fold. First, I encourage you, in fact I demand that you go out today and vote. It doesn’t matter if you are in one of those states that polls have determined is “already decided.” You must vote. In a world where so many cannot safely or fairly choose their leaders, we must not take this incredible freedom for granted.\n\nSecond, we each have an opportunity to remind ourselves, our neighbors, and our politicians that compromise is not a dirty word. This election is not a mandate for one side or the other. At best it is a mandate for better play in the ultimatum game. Majority leaders must do a better job of making fairer offers, offers that are inclusive, that accept that both sides have good ideas. Minority leaders have to accept some of these offers, even if they are not completely fair.\n\nOur society has to create a new definition of “winning.” Winning isn’t just about getting everything. In these fractured times, we must accept some allotment of defeat in order to gain some measure of victory. We must keep our eyes on our goals and win not by decimating our opponents, but by healing conflict, agreeing to keep on talking, and always moving forward.\n\nI am asking you to work hard to encourage this behavior in your leaders, in your neighbors, and in yourself. We have just experienced months and months of conflict and anger. It’s time to put this aside and get on with the business of rebuilding this great nation. We simply must listen, strive to embrace diverse opinions, and find and accept the merit in opposition plans. Winning is compromise.\n\nThat’s my ultimatum.', 'Ultimate Leadership', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'ultimate-leadership', '', '', '2012-11-06 06:33:53', '2012-11-06 12:33:53', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7194', 0, 'post', '', 2),
(7198, 274, '2012-08-28 14:00:58', '2012-08-28 19:00:58', '<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-7199\" title=\"Screenshot from 2012-08-28 12:45:12\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Screenshot-from-2012-08-28-124512.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"232\" height=\"92\" />This post by Lead Change Instigator Becky Robinson was published under the Social Media category on SmartBlog. Becky, an expert in social media, has helped countless leaders utilize Twitter and other online tools to engage with various audiences. Becky asserts, \"I often meet people who don’t understand the value of Twitter.\" Click <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/social-media/2012/08/28/4-ways-stand-crowd-twitter/\">here</a> to read more about how using Twitter authentically and effectively can help you be a better character-based leader.', '4 ways to stand out from the crowd on Twitter', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '4-ways-to-stand-out-from-the-crowd-on-twitter', '', '', '2012-08-28 14:00:58', '2012-08-28 19:00:58', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7198', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(7201, 313, '2012-08-31 06:00:10', '2012-08-31 11:00:10', '<strong>This morning I hung out my freshly washed clothes to dry in the sharp, hot Mallorcan sun.</strong> After 3.5 years, I was struck by the realization that I actually enjoy this weekly act.  Awaiting each batch of clean laundry is my funky royal blue clothes line strung between two orange trees. The process is so simple, yet it feels timeless and primitive.\n\nI didn\'t grow up hanging my clothes out to dry. We had a washing machine, and as an adult I had one too. But here and in many parts of Europe, this is normal. I now love folding my laundry and burying my nose in the fresh smell.\n\nMy decision to move to Mallorca was not an easy one. The San Francisco Bay Area had a strong pull, but myintense longing to slow down and simplify won out.\n\n<strong>There have been tradeoffs, however.</strong> In order to reach out across the globe,  my computer and I have developed a very special and intimate relationship. Connections with friends, family, colleagues are through Skype. I fly away to work and network. There are many, many things I miss about my life in California.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_7209\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<img class=\" wp-image-7209\" title=\"P1000124\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/P1000124.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /> My Home[/caption]\n\nYet, I continue to choose here and live in a way that is congruent with my vision. <strong>By my daily choices, I choose <em>simplicity.</em> </strong>Social connection is spontaneous. For human contact, a stroll to the plaza ensures a meet-up with friends and acquaintances. \"<em>Holas</em>\" to Mr. postman and Marga the banker, and a wave to the butcher Joan as I pass his shop. Some days I pop into the sporting goods store for a chat with Karen or Michelle. Inevitably, someone wants to sit down for a coffee. Drew called today to invite a few of us over for tapas and drinks.\n\nFor food shopping and errands, I strap on my saddle bags and hop on my trusty steed--<em>my bicycle</em>--and I\'m off to the market! Some weeks, I may use my car just once.\n\nI pick lemons, oranges, figs, grapes, and plums from the orchard to eat on the day and friends drop by to join in the bounty.\n\nI keep it simple. Small, uninteresting car. No mobile phone contract -- pay as you go. No cable TV. Shop at the indoor market every other day--no freezer. I only buy things I really love--no clutter and minimal shopping. You see, I found that things started to own me instead of me owning them. My weekends used to be spent in the care and feeding of my things.\n\n<strong>How did I get here? </strong>Motivated by my desire to live full-out / no regrets, and through a process of self-reflection, I decided to press the reset button on my career and narrow my focus while expanding my playing field.\n\n<strong></strong>Lurking inside me for years was a wish to live and work internationally. My university studies reflect this: Spanish and Ibero-American Studies, undergrad and Social and Cultural Anthropology MA. I chose to study what I captured my attention and imagination. Finally, that wish became a reality.\n<blockquote><strong>Action follows intention and attention.</strong></blockquote>\nMany of us react to what is most immediate and in front of us. Take time to step back and look inside. <em>What is your purpose? What is your vision? What are your priorities and will they move you toward your vision?  How do you move through your day and does it reflect your purpose, priorities and values?</em>\n\nI realized that some of my long-standing patterns (habits, reactions, motivations) caused me pain and suffering. I became more transparent to myself and began, step-by-step, to shift my patterns. On my journey to grow and learn more about myself, to clarify my purpose and vision for this next era of my life, I spontaneously (truly) wrote a book: <a href=\"http://www.wendyappel.com/store/book/\"><em>InsideOut Enneagram: The Game-Changing Guide for Leaders</em>.</a> The process of writing this book was life-altering.\n<div>At the same time, my professional vision became clear: to promote my brand globally and play on a larger stage; to bring my voice out in the world and to work with leaders to make a shift towards conscious leadership (the essence of my book).</div>\n<div></div>\n<div><strong>Everyday I have to prioritize.</strong> It would be so easy to get swept off course. You see, we create our lives with every little and big decision. As leaders of organizations and in life, we create the results we get. Everyone is thrown curve balls, and some more than others. How we respond is what makes all the difference.</div>\nI challenge you to ask yourself as a leader of your organization and as a leader of your life:\n\n<strong>\"Is my vision clear and do I keep it in front of me at all time</strong>s?\"\n\n\"<strong>Do the actions I take move me towards my vision?\"</strong>\n\n<em>What\'s your vision? Do you see yourself clearly in the picture? Do your words and actions demonstrate these priorities and do you offer clear direction to your organization and your team?</em>\n\nSee <a href=\"http://randomactsofleadership.com/small-choices-big-impact/\">Small Choices. Big Impact</a> for a related post.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;', 'Leaders: Do Your Actions Bring You Closer to Your Vision?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leaders-do-your-actions-bring-you-closer-to-your-vision', '', '', '2012-08-31 06:00:10', '2012-08-31 11:00:10', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7201', 0, 'post', '', 12),
(7207, 303, '2012-09-11 06:00:58', '2012-09-11 11:00:58', 'In my article <a href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/leadership-play-dough-top-10-ingredients/\">Leadership Play Dough</a> I discussed the 10 ingredients involved in great leadership for now and the future.   The ingredients included vision, beliefs, thinking skills and emotional intelligence.\n\nUsing those ingredients effectively requires a mindset different than that which has gone before.\n\n<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7208\" title=\"pic\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/pic-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />Quantum physics is now proving what most people believed was impossible is actually true, based on scientific evidence.  Very briefly and simply, this means:\n<ul>\n	<li>The universe is made up of pure energy</li>\n	<li>We are all interconnected and part of that energy</li>\n	<li>Energy is invisible, but what we what we pay attention, believe and think becomes our reality</li>\n	<li>Every observer will create a different reality depending on their mindset</li>\n</ul>\nThere is really only one shift to be made which is the realisation of the infinite possibilities which exist.  But it as rare as St. Paul’s Road to Damascus moment for the majority of us to make such a huge shift all at once.  It takes time for most to let go of old and outworn beliefs and thoughts and replace them with new life affirming mind-sets.  For leaders of the future, the following seven shifts may be good places to start in the workplace.\n\n<strong>Shifting our attention from</strong>:\n\n<strong>Sickness to Well-being </strong>– Concentrate and invest in physical, emotional and mental wellness.  How many people are well? Celebrate wellness, and set targets around well-being.   Focusing  attention and energy upon absence and sickness means it is created and prolonged.\n\n<strong>Scarcity to Abundance</strong> – Instead of cutting costs or settling for second best or laying off employees for example, develop possibilities of generating ways to grow and increase wealth. Be generous and don’t allow fear or guilt about finances be the decision-maker.  Realise you can still be rich even without money, given the right mindset.\n\n<strong>Limited to Unlimited</strong> – There are no right or wrong decisions or beliefs.  There is just difference.  Moving from limited beliefs and thinking can at first prove overwhelming when you realise there are infinite possibilities or paths to traverse.   We are only limited in our achievements by our limited thinking and beliefs.  Listen to your intuition and dare to believe what you truly desire can be achieved.\n\n<strong>Powerlessness to Power</strong> – Empower yourself by believing in your ability to create and change your current reality.   Accept your current reality without resisting or wishing away what is. Have faith and patience that with the right mindset you can make the change for something better.\n\n<strong>Competition to Excellence</strong> – Let go of the need to compare and compete with others, whether personally or in business.  Concentrate instead on only doing the best you can.  It is the only way to make your authentic contribution.   Understand there is a niche for everyone and a contribution for everyone to make.  You will not mind coming 2<sup>nd</sup> or 100<sup>th</sup>, or 1st, if you know you listened to your intuition and did your best.\n\n<strong>Profit to Contribution -   </strong>It matters not about the size of the contribution as long as it is authentic and borne of a desire to make a difference.  Shift from how much profit to how much of a contribution you make.  It is the energy of contribution honestly made which meets a real need which is paramount.  When you concentrate on contribution and make it a brilliant one, the energy will bring abundance. <strong></strong>\n\n<strong>Management to Relationship - </strong>Systems and processes can be managed, but with people you must build relationships.  Relationships built on mutual understanding, equal responsibilities, agreed roles, with built in accountability for fair reward.  It is a mutual and agreed relationship of give and take, which returns energies of contribution with those of reward.\n\nIf you would like to learn more about <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk/\">leadership development</a> and emotional intelligence, visit <a href=\"http://www.peoplediscovery.co.uk/\">www.peoplediscovery.co.uk</a> and pick up a free copy of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http://peoplediscovery.us4.list-manage2.com/subscribe?u=c02fe68c46a2c8b4bb7033d76&amp;id=c02374d65b\">“The 6 Secrets of Great Emotional Intelligence for Inspirational Leaders and Managers.”</a></span>', 'Leadership Mindset – 7 Paradigm Shifts', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'leadership-mindset-7-paradigm-shifts', '', '', '2012-09-11 06:00:58', '2012-09-11 11:00:58', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7207', 0, 'post', '', 8),
(7212, 287, '2012-09-04 12:15:23', '2012-09-04 17:15:23', '<h3><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-7215\" title=\"ID-10046853\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/ID-10046853.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"186\" height=\"280\" />An under-appreciated leadership skill is the ability to persuade others – quickly and naturally – to support your ideas.</h3>\nLeaders spend a huge amount of effort working to convince their supporters, staff and peers to provide money, staff and other types of resources to the areas and interests they deem most worthy.\n\nThose who learn to frame their arguments most clearly and convincingly not only make good use of their own energy, but gain personal influence and get results.\n\nThe essence of this skill is the ability to refine your ideas down to a simple “pitch” that is easy for anyone to understand and everyone to appreciate. Pitching is most noticable when you’re “getting sold” something, but in day-to-day business it simply looks like conversations and presentations. Leaders who master the art of the pitch can turn any conversation into an opportunity to achieve greater impact.\n\n<strong>Pitching is a skill, not an event.</strong> Some ideas will get shot down (and will deserve to), but over the course of your career you’ll have many opportunities and the better you get at it, the more of your ideas can make it.\n\nBeing good at pitching means practicing, and choosing people to practice with who don’t take pleasure in your failure, but build you up. No one’s really born with this skill, it takes some personal development.\n\nBut when you get good at it:\n<ul>\n	<li>You gain more influence.</li>\n	<li>You get better results.</li>\n	<li>You become known for your ideas.</li>\n</ul>\nWatch this short video for 4 tips to get your ideas heard.\n<iframe width=\"600\" height=\"338\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/QzVTDk-ItBQ\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen></iframe>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Learn the art of the good pitch in a safe and supportive atmosphere.</strong> Sign up for 5 Common Mistakes We All Make Pitching Our Ideas - a complimentary webinar provided by my company, <a title=\"Inpower Consulting and Coaching\" href=\"http://inpowercoaching.com/\">Inpower Consulting</a>, this Thursday September 6, 2012 at Noon Eastern time. You\'ll learn the biggest mistakes we all make and some great ideas for putting your strongest pitches together. Submit in advance to get your idea reviewed in the webinar!  We look forward to seeing you there!\n<strong id=\"internal-source-marker_0.7715098871849477\">\n</strong>', 'Pitching Your Good Ideas', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'pitching-your-good-ideas', '', '', '2012-09-04 12:15:23', '2012-09-04 17:15:23', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7212', 0, 'post', '', 1),
(7216, 319, '2012-09-05 06:06:34', '2012-09-05 11:06:34', '<strong>Here’s what I’ve learned about leadership: it begins with yourself. Boo-ya.</strong>\n\nWhatever I’ve learned about leadership has come from trial and error in and on the field. Is there another way? Books and seminars on leadership can be wonderful idea factories. But I’m not sure it’s possible to convince others to accomplish the extraordinary and push themselves beyond self-imposed limits -my personal definition of leadership - by following someone else’s instructions.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_7219\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"179\"]<img class=\" wp-image-7219 \" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/12867_170829253603_2880469_n2-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"179\" height=\"239\" /> Central highlands volunteer project, Vietnam 2009[/caption]\n\nThe field I mentioned includes the highlands and Mekong Delta of <strong>Vietnam</strong>; the Mount Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, in <strong>Tanzania</strong>; and the volcanoes, rivers and back roads, respectively, of <strong>Nicaragua</strong>, <strong>Peru</strong> and <strong>Patagonia</strong>.\n\nI suppose it also includes the dust-bubble of wartime Iraq and the dandelion-choked soccer fields of Aurora, Ill., my cheesy hometown in what really, really old people call the middle West.\n\n(So there’s no confusion: I was in Iraq as a reporter not a warrior.)\n\nI spent 11 years as <a title=\"Paul von Zielbauer articles in the NYT\" href=\"http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/z/paul_von_zielbauer/index.html?offset=30&amp;s=newest\" target=\"_blank\">a reporter for The New York Times</a>. Three years ago, I <a title=\"Why I Created Roadmonkey\" href=\"http://www.roadmonkey.net/blog/2012/04/why-i-created-roadmonkey/\" target=\"_blank\">voluntarily left that job</a>, at the front-end of a frightening recession, after coming to the sad conclusion that it had begun sabotaging rather than serving my vision for myself, or what I like to call my own <a title=\"F. Scott Fitzgerald quotation\" href=\"http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/125227-it-is-youth-s-felicity-as-well-as-its-insufficiency-that\" target=\"_blank\">radiantly imagined future</a>.\n\nI left the paper and journalism to start <a title=\"Roadmonkey homepage\" href=\"http://www.roadmonkey.net\" target=\"_blank\">Roadmonkey</a>, an adventure philanthropy company that combines physically challenging adventure with hands-on volunteer projects that help struggling communities help themselves.\n\nOnly now, in retrospect, am I able to see leaving The Times as an act of radical self-leadership. Quitting your perch at the highest levels of journalism to become a social entrepreneur with no experience, no partners and no funding….I mean, RUFKM?\n\nThe struggle is mighty but it is also authentic. There’s no way to b.s. yourself when your success depends on what you and only you do or don’t do each day.\n\nOne lesson I learned early in my post-Times career is that when you lead yourself you begin throwing off different energy – an energy that people notice because it’s unique and not replicable.\n\n<strong>Which is why leading yourself so often brings new people into your life: You’re broadcasting on a frequency they want to hear.</strong>\n\n<em>What’s your frequency, and how unfiltered is your energy?</em>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\">photo: © Paul von Zielbauer, 2009</span>', 'Lead Yourself (Into Your Radiantly Imagined Future)', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'lead-yourself-into-your-radiantly-imagined-future', '', '', '2012-09-05 06:06:34', '2012-09-05 11:06:34', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7216', 0, 'post', '', 5),
(7223, 243, '2012-09-01 07:41:40', '2012-09-01 12:41:40', 'I had the opportunity, thanks to Lead Change member Mike Sipple Jr. (<a title=\"Mike\'s Twitter profile\" href=\"http://twitter.com/mikesipplejr\">@mikesipplejr</a><a href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Fotolia_32579164_XS.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-7224\" title=\"Successful overcoming the difficult barriers\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Fotolia_32579164_XS-125x125.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" /></a>) to <a href=\"http://centennialinc.com/three-obstacles-betweem-hearing-and-understanding/\">guest-post</a> over at Centennial Inc.\'s blog.  Established in 1975, <a title=\"Centennial Inc. Recruiting, Coaching and Career Development\" href=\"http://centennialinc.com/\">Centennial</a> is a respected recruiting, coaching and career development company based in Cincinnati, Ohio.\n\nThe post is about the difference between simply hearing and truly understanding others. In a word, <em>diversity</em>.  We recently held a Lead Change Tulsa breakfast discussion on the topic of leading a diverse organization and the post comes from my thoughts after attending the event.\n\nDo you have people who challenge your thinking or force you to understand a history and perspective radically different from your own?  Check out the post <a href=\"http://centennialinc.com/three-obstacles-betweem-hearing-and-understanding/\">Three Obstacles Between Hearing and Understanding</a>.  Thanks!', 'Obstacles to Understanding', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'obstacles-to-understanding', '', '', '2012-09-01 07:41:40', '2012-09-01 12:41:40', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7223', 0, 'post', '', 3),
(7226, 243, '2012-09-02 10:57:51', '2012-09-02 15:57:51', 'Jeremy Kingsley (member profile, <a title=\"Jeremy Kingsley\'s website\" href=\"http://jeremykingsley.com\">website</a>) wrote a post about loyalty over at the <a title=\"Where\'s the Loyalty: Getting the most out of your team in trying times by Jeremy Kingsley\" href=\"http://www.tlnt.com/2012/02/03/wheres-the-loyalty-getting-the-most-out-of-your-team-in-trying-times/\">TLNT blog</a><a href=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/loyal_employee_1-200x136.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-7227\" title=\"loyal_employee_1-200x136\" src=\"http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/loyal_employee_1-200x136.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"136\" /></a>.  He contrasted \"short-term, bottom-line thinking\" to loyalty and pointed out 5 negative impacts of that kind of disloyal environment.  He explained how those five impacts reduced the overall productivity and output of an organization by disengaging employees and making people feel as if they didn\'t count.  He then went on to relate a rare and compelling story about Ernest Shackelton\'s failed 1915 expedition.  Learn what this man did for his crew and Jeremy\'s <a title=\"Where\'s the Loyalty: Getting the most out of your team in trying times by Jeremy Kingsley\" href=\"http://www.tlnt.com/2012/02/03/wheres-the-loyalty-getting-the-most-out-of-your-team-in-trying-times/\">8 principles to build loyalty</a>.  Make sure to go check it out!', '8 Principles to Build Loyalty', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '8-principles-to-build-loyalty', '', '', '2012-09-02 10:57:51', '2012-09-02 15:57:51', '', 0, 'http://leadchangegroup.com/?p=7226', 0, 'post', '', 1);
