dougdickerson – Page 12 – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Leadership And The Troubles That Develop You

Posted March 2, 2013
by dougdickerson

Nothing last forever – not even our troubles. – Arnold H. Glasow

In Bits & Pieces, a story is shared about Somerset Maugham, the English writer who once wrote a story about a janitor at St. Peter’s Church in London. One day a young vicar discovered that the janitor was illiterate and fired him. Jobless, the man invested his meager savings in a tiny tobacco shop, where he prospered, bought another, expanded, and ended up with a chain of tobacco stores worth several hundred thousand dollars.

One day the man’s banker said, “You’ve done well for an illiterate, but where would you be if you could read and write?” “Well,” replied the man, “I’d be janitor of St. Peter’s Church in Neville Square.”

As a leader you will face troubles. In fact, you will probably have more. How you handle the pressures and troubles of life is crucial to your leadership. The truth is no one is immune from troubles, stress, and the pressures that either affect performance at work, or is the source of it at home.

As a leader how you confront those obstacles is what will elevate you as a leader and can be a source of inspiration for those you lead. The choices you make in facing your troubles will define your leadership. Here are three observations to consider.

The troubles that discourage you. The troubles that discourage you are not uncommon. These come as a result of the rough and tumble world in which you live. They come about as a result of the pressures of work: a deal that didn’t come through, earnings expectations that came up short, low morale, petty office squabbling, etc. These issues and more are things that tend to wear you down and take the edge off of your performance.

Discouragement sets in when you allow these things to shape an unhealthy attitude. Dale Carnegie said, “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” This is great advice to consider going forward. How you see and how you react to the troubles you face will make all the difference. When you choose a good attitude you are in a position to emerge from your troubles stronger and more successful.

The troubles that deny you. The troubles that deny you are those that have a way of getting under your skin and preventing you from being the leader you are meant to be. They are caused by a variety of external factors that eventually take their toll and deny you of the joys of leading and serving. Even the best of leaders are not exempt from the grueling daily demands that eventually wear you down.

Unfortunately, some leaders have to learn the hard way that they are not Superman and that at times their setbacks are self-inflicted. Troubles will only deny you if you allow it. The attitudes you choose and your responses to adversity will demote you or promote you. Troubles will reward you or deny you. The choice is yours.

The troubles that develop you. Every leader faces trouble and every leader will have setbacks. The important thing to remember is that those troubles do not define you; they develop you. Many “famous failures” have overcome great adversity and chose not to be defined by their troubles.

Despite the criticism from a newspaper editor for lacking ideas, Walt Disney succeeded anyway. Although he struck out 1,300 times Babe Ruth is a Hall of Fame baseball legend. He was rejected by the US Military and Naval Academies due to poor eyesight, but everyone remembers President Harry S. Truman. As a boy his teacher told him that he was too stupid to learn, but Thomas Edison proved the teacher wrong. This household name dropped out of high school and applied to attend film school three times but was unsuccessful due to his C grade average- but Steven Spielberg has been entertaining us for years.

As a leader you will face troubles. But they do not have to define you. When armed with the right attitude and perspective your troubles can promote you to something far greater than you could have ever imagined.

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4 Steps To Building A Culture Of Respect

Posted February 23, 2013
by dougdickerson

Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners – Laurence Sterne

In surveys conducted by Weber Shandwick (http://bit.ly/ieo5oz) in 2011 it revealed what many already know or experience – incivility in the workplace is on the rise and the many place the blame at the feet of workplace leadership.

The online survey was conducted among 1,000 American adults to assess attitudes toward civility online, in the workplace, in the classroom and in politics. Some notable highlights include:

Over one-half of Americans (55%) believe that civility in the in America in the next few years will get worse.
Over four in 10 Americans – 43% – have experienced incivility at work. A nearly equal number (38%) believe that the workplace is becoming increasingly uncivil and disrespectful.
Workplace leadership is blamed for this decline by approximately two-thirds (65%) of those who perceive greater incivility in the workplace.
After workplace leadership, Americans who perceive greater incivility in the workplace cite employees themselves (59%) for workplace incivility. Other reasons include the economy (46%) and competitiveness in the workplace (44%).

That there are issues that must be addressed by workplace leaders and by employees is an understatement. In addition to the issues of disrespect in the workplace, bullying remains a problem as well.

In a recent TLNT column, (http://bit.ly/14SnSrH) Judy Lindenberger cites statistics from recent studies that she conducted that found more than 50 percent of respondents reported they witnessed or were a victim of bullying at their current workplace, and over 60 percent reported that they witnessed or were a victim of bullying at another company they worked for.

As a consequence of this alarming and growing trend in the workplace, a majority of 67% agreed that there is a critical need for civility training in the workplace. And with workplace leadership being assigned most of the blame it is imperative that those in leadership lead the way. Here are four small steps leadership can take right away to reclaim a culture of respect and productivity.

Teach it. When your staff has selective definitions over what is or is not disrespectful behavior in the workplace it leads to subjective interpretations of bad behavior. Expectations of positive behavior need to be taught, it needs to be mandatory, and it should be annual. Clearly defined expectations and boundaries helps create a culture of respect and holds everyone accountable. It will also help you weed out those who for whatever reason cannot align themselves with company standards.

Adapt it. Any course on civility, respect, or bullying should be framed within the context of your specific organization. While certain principles are universally accepted such as treating others with respect, communication, and moral behavior, you will be well served to frame your expectations around your company’s unique culture and personality. Be mindful and deliberate about your expectations but not at the expense of destroying the good camaraderie that does exist. A good idea here would be have employees help draft the code of standards and expectations. When they have skin in the game they will be more inclined to live up to it.

Model it. Since the majority believes that workplace leadership is at fault as it relates to a culture of disrespect in the workplace, then those in leadership are going to have to personally step up and take responsibility. While changing a culture of disrespect is a system wide objective it starts at the top. What the leader expects the leader has to model. The leader must also be held to account.

Praise it. Unfortunately, many who experience incivility or bullying at work do so in silence. They feel they have no one to turn to or fear retaliation. Building a culture of respect begins when you teach it, adapt it, and model it. But going forward you must praise the work of your team. Instead of suffering in silence you can create a culture of praising in public. It’s been said what you tolerate you promote. But I also believe what you praise you perpetuate. Lift up the positives of respect, honor, civility, and diversity. These are the strengths of your company and the virtues that make it great.

Building a culture of respect begins with respect, and it begins with you. Are you ready to step up?

Visit Doug’s website at www.dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com

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3 Rules of Employee Engagement

Posted February 16, 2013
by dougdickerson

Give whatever you are doing and whoever you are with the gift of your attention. – Jim Rohn

Dale Carnegie Training recently released new findings on employee engagement (http://bit.ly/12GBqXI) and the results proved to be quite intriguing. The first and most dramatic finding shows that if an employee is dissatisfied with their immediate supervisor, there is an 80 percent chance that they are disengaged. Similarly, having a “caring” manager is one of the key elements to a positive and successful employee engagement strategy. Employees want to feel valued and have their manager take an interest in their personal lives, health and well-being.

Other notable findings include:

* Executives (VP and higher) and medical workers are the most highly engaged group of employees; Employees in education, social work, and sales are the least engaged.

* 26% of engaged employees would leave their current job for just a 5% pay increase, 46% of partially engaged employees would leave their current job for just a 5% pay increase, 69% of disengaged employees would leave their current job for just a 5% pay increase.

* Senior leadership’s actions also have a direct impact on employee engagement; 61% of employees who have confidence in the leadership abilities and think that senior leaders are moving the organization in the right direction are fully engaged, 49% of employees who were satisfied with their direct manager were engaged, 80% of employees who were very dissatisfied with their immediate supervisor were disengaged.

From this exhaustive research we are reminded of the complexities of the 21^st century workplace and the need for strong leadership. We understand that engagement is critical not just to employee productivity but to longevity as well. The challenges for managers, supervisors, and executives can be overwhelming. Here are three tips to help you engage your employees and build a strong team.

Rule 1 – Inspire their passions. As a leader, your engagement with your employees is about inspiring their passion and offering whatever assistance you can to help them achieve their goals. In the book, Rules of Thumb, Alan M. Webber writes, “Would you rather have tepid success with something that doesn’t matter or a brilliant future with something that does?” When you engage your employees you help them to discover that brilliant future they desire, and serve as a catalyst for their passions.

When they see that you are inspired by their passion it will cause them to step up and deliver. When you give team members the tools they need, the inspiration to perform, and the courage to achieve their dreams that is a level of engagement that paves the way for great accomplishment.

Rule 2 – Direct their energies. The best ideas in the world do not mean a thing without action. You become engaged and vested in your employees when you help them focus their energies in the right direction and put forth measurable goals of achievement. If you are disengaged in their work, goals and passions, they will be disengaged from you. Consequently they will not perform at levels you like, and they very well may be planning their exit strategy.

When energies are directed with purpose, clarity, and enthusiasm you set the bar high for their personal growth and their personal engagement. When this is achieved there is a greater degree of certainty they will deliver, be more engaged, and be happier employees.

Rule 3 – Reward their effort. As you demonstrate genuine engagement and support for your team members you are positioning them for success. When you do your part to equip your employees do not forget to reward them for what they deliver. This type of engagement goes a long way toward building the morale your company needs and shows that you care.

Whatever incentive or reward program you implement it is just another layer of engagement to solidify your leadership. Without question each employee must take ownership of his or her level of engagement and be responsible for it. But when you take the time to notice and reward those efforts it makes your job that much easier.

Are you engaged?

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Leverage Your Strength, Stress Less

Posted February 9, 2013
by dougdickerson

Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one. – Hans Selye

Are you stressed at work? If you answered in the affirmative then according to a recent Gallup poll (http://bit.ly/Z1RqTr) you are among 33% of workers who said they were totally dissatisfied with the amount of stress they experienced at work. In fact only 29% were completely satisfied with the amount of stress they deal with at work.

What if there was a proven way that you can be more productive at work and reduce stress at the same time by using the strengths you already have? Would you be interested? Well, good news, there is such a way. In another Gallup poll (http://bit.ly/ScJcPn) the results found that the more hours a day Americans get to use their strengths to do what they do best, the less likely they are to report experiencing worry, stress, anger, sadness, or physical pain.

The findings are based in part from more than a half-century of studying human strengths and more than 7.8 million people who have taken Gallup’s Clifton Strengths Finer assessment, which tests 34 specific, unique strengths since its inception in 1998. Gallup found that the more hours per day adults believe they use their strengths, the more likely they are to report having ample energy, feeling well rested, being happy, smiling or laughing a lot, learning something interesting, and being treated with respect.

A function of good leadership within your business or organization is found in learning how to leverage the strengths of your people for maximum benefit. The study reveals that when employees feel a more personal and meaningful connection with their work the more productive they will be. Gallup data shows that employees who simply learn their own strengths are 7.8% more productive. Developing those strengths motivates employees to learn how to apply themselves and makes them far more likely to care whether their activities are profitable.

Leaders who desire to help their employees can do so by tapping into the strengths and by making sure they are leveraging those strengths at all levels. Here are three ways to get started.

Create leverage with the right people in the right place. It is a simple revelation of the survey. When your employees are playing to their strengths they will be happier, more energetic, and less stressed. When your team members are properly aligned with their skill sets it creates a dynamic that is effective not just for them but for the company. Square pegs don’t fit in round holes and the same applies to the skill sets of your people. If skills are not properly aligned to the right people then it will be hard for your company to succeed.

Create leverage with respect and dignity. When employees are treated with respect and dignity they performed better. It is no secret that incivility in the workplace is of increased concern for many and bullying remains problematic. Stress rises and productivity falls when workers are disrespected, and if they believe they are not contributing in a meaningful way. When a leader helps to create an environment where respect and civility abounds, trust and camaraderie follows and you can expect to have happier and more productive employees.

Create leverage by creating your workplace culture. The culture of your organization is a created by adapting a shared core of beliefs which are a combination of your vision (where you are going) and your mission (the shared values that guide you). It is up to those in leadership to create a culture where everyone has the potential to succeed, and it is the responsibility of everyone to live up to it.

The strength of your leverage is found by matching the right people to the right tasks, by treating everyone with dignity and respect, and by creating a culture in which everyone can live up to their potential.

Are you playing to your strengths?

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Words To Lead By

Posted February 2, 2013
by dougdickerson

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. – Proverbs 18:21

A story is told about Casey Stengel, a longtime major league baseball manager who had such a unique way with words that it became known as “Stengelese.” He once said, “I’ve always heard that it couldn’t be done, but sometimes it don’t always work that way.” That’s typical Stengelese.

Casey held a position on the board of directors for a California bank. According to the story that originally appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Casey described his duties this way: “There ain’t nuthin’ to it. You go into the fancy meeting room and you just sit there and never open your yap. As long as you don’t say nuthin’ they don’t know whether you’re smart or dumb.”

Brian Tracy said, “Never say anything about yourself you do not want to come true.” As a leader we often speak into the lives of others through our words. But have you stopped to consider the words you are speaking about yourself? Our words tend to be indicators of our heart and our attitudes. Words have consequences. Here are four types of words to be mindful of as you lead others and yourself.

Words that engage. One of the greatest gifts that you can give to your employees or to yourself is words that engage and empower. Failure to do so can have negative consequences. In a recent survey (http://bit.ly/QHSIfH), Gallup asked 3,000 randomly selected workers to assess their agreement with the statement, “I know what my company stands for and what makes our brand(s) different from our competitors. Only 41% of employees strongly agreed with that statement while 24% disagreed or were equivocal. According to the report, “this shows that too many companies are failing to help their works understand what makes their company different and better than the rest.” Many companies are failing to engage their employees and that is problematic.

Engaged team members are productive team members. Make sure your words engage, empower, and connect. Your success depends on it.

Words that encourage. A Wall Street Journal column (http://on.wsj.com/S9CXeA) last year reported on the amount of productivity that is lost by toiling alongside a chronic complainer and that exposure to nonstop negativity can disrupt learning, memory, attention, and judgment. One employer even went so far as to offer cash as a reward for those who could refrain from gossip and complaints for seven days.

You may not totally eliminate negative attitudes and talk from your business but you can remove it from your vocabulary and thereby raise the bar for others. I encourage you to be the example of your expectations. There is more than enough negativity out there to go around. Why not take it upon yourself to incorporate words into your leadership vocabulary that express confidence, faith, and hope?

Words that challenge. Words have consequences and when used correctly will drive you toward desired goals. Napoleon Hill said, “Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the minds of another.” It is always a good practice to use words that empower and encourage, but you must speak words that challenges your people to stretch and achieve more.

Words that challenge tend to be the ones that cause people to step up and be creative with their thinking, planning, and execution. They can also be the ones that assist you in separating achievers from slackers. Use challenging words generously.

Words that count. Harold S. Geneen said, “Leadership is not practiced so much in words as in attitude and actions.” This is why our words are so important. The words you speak are as seeds planted. What you plant you will reap. When you sow negative words; words that are critical, demeaning, and cutting, that is what you will reap.

The culture of your workplace is created by your words which influence attitudes, actions and performance. Choose your words carefully. Make them count for something good.

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4 Attitude Choices Every Leader Must Make

Posted January 27, 2013
by dougdickerson

Your attitude, not your aptitude, determine your altitude – Zig Ziglar

An observation was made of how both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over our nation’s deserts. All vultures see is rotting meat because that is what they are looking for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But the hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do.

As a leader your attitude will make you or break you. The right attitude can guide you through times of adversity with poise and grace and be a source of inspiration for others to emulate. And at the end of the day it is all about the daily decisions you make. Here are four choices for a good attitude for your consideration.

What you choose to see. The vulture sees rotting dead meat. The hummingbird sees colorful blossoms. Why? It’s their choice. As you look over the landscape of your business or organization do you see recession, fear and uncertainty or do you see opportunity, growth, and new markets?

What you choose to see speaks of your perceptions. Your perceptions are shaped by your attitude. That is not to say you are not mindful of the negatives that exist but you are making a choice not to be defined by them. If you are going to have an attitude of excellence it begins with what you choose to see and ignoring the rest.

What you choose to believe. By its choice the hummingbird chooses new life and growth over what is dead and gone. Your belief systems form the foundation of your personal growth and that of your leadership potential. What you choose to see formulates your perceptions but your beliefs formulate how you live. This attitude is the deal breaker both personally and professionally and it truly matters.

What you choose to believe speaks of your passion. Your passions are a reflection of your attitude and that is a reflection of your heart. What you choose to believe may not always make sense at the time. Yet when you choose faith over fear, hope over despair, trust over doubt, forgiveness over resentment, and love over hate, you are living out an attitude of belief that will set you apart as a leader.

How you will spend your time. The vulture thrives on things dead and gone. The hummingbird spends its time seeking life and beauty. When your attitude is aligned with what you believe and what you see it makes how you spend your time an easier proposition.

How you spend your time is all about priorities. Whether in business or in your personal life your priorities are a good indicator of a healthy attitude. Your time is your most valuable possession and a smart leader learns how to master it.

How you will live your life. The vulture and the hummingbird, for better or worse, have made their choices and live their lives accordingly. Your attitude as a leader has consequences that will determine your altitude. The choice to have a good attitude is not always easy. Someone cuts you off in traffic, the deal you thought you were going to close doesn’t happen, your earnings report falls short of expectations; a friend betrays you; these scenarios and more constantly challenge your resolve to have a good attitude.

How you will live your life speaks of your purpose. Your attitude should be one of your strongest attributes that sustains you in the good times and what gives you the courage needed when times are tough. Make it your priority to live your life as a leader with purpose in your heart.

With your attitude you can see the beauty of life like the hummingbird or you can sink to new lows like that of the vulture. Attitude– it’s your choice.

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Control the Controllable

Posted January 20, 2013
by dougdickerson

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it – Charles R. Swindoll

A story is told of two men who lived in a small village who got into a terrible dispute that they could not resolve. So they went to the town sage. The first man went to the sage’s home and told his version of what happened. When he finished, the sage said, “You’re absolutely right.”

The next night, the second man called on the sage and told his side of the story. The sage responded, “You’re absolutely right.” Afterward, the sage’s wife scolded her husband. “Those men told you two different stories and you told them they were absolutely right. That’s impossible—they can’t both be absolutely right.” The sage turned to his wife and said, “You’re absolutely right.” The sage controlled how each man approached their dispute by the simple power of agreement. How nice it would be if things really were so simple.

The humor from that story is not lost on CEO’s who look at their prospects for 2013 and how the global economy will affect their bottom line. A recent study released by The Conference Board (http://ow.ly/gXDaN) highlights their thinking and how they plan to approach this New Year with a different strategy. The point being, external global economic factors may be out of their control but not everything internally.

In data collected between September and November 2012, over 700 senior executives were asked to identify and rank the most pressing challenges they face, and their strategies for addressing each one. Worldwide, human capital – how to best develop, engage, manage, and retain talent- was named the leading challenge. Operational excellence stood in second place, followed by innovation and customer relationships. This new shift among CEO’s worldwide quite possibly fits the running narrative for your company in 2013.

American theologian Reinhold Niebur penned the words to what is commonly known as the Prayer of Serenity. It reads, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Like many CEO’s worldwide who participated in the survey your plans may have shifted from the uncontrollable to the controllable. The uncontrollable can be difficult to accept, but as you focus on what you can your perspective begins to change. Here are a few tips to help you chart the course and three questions you must answer going forward.

Bloom where you are planted with an eye to the future. What is out of your control now can be a bright spot in your future. Prepare today in order to prosper tomorrow. As you ride out external cycles you can train your talent, develop their skills, and raise up your leaders. When you bloom where you are planted you are putting down roots that will position you for the long term. The future can be promising but only if you are prepared.

Perfect your craft. Well within your control is the quality of your product and how it is delivered. Take the time while you have it to improve quality, delivery, and shore up customer relationships. Now is not the time to stress over things out of your control. Take the initiative and evaluate your systems, streamline for efficiency, and build your brand. It is only as you prefect that which you can control you will be prepared for what is now out of your control.

Create a culture of innovation. The survey highlights how important innovation is to your success. Rebecca Ray, Senior Vice President, Human Capital with The Conference Board said, “As CEO Challenge 2013 shows, human capital is not only a critical function in itself, but is also intimately connected with innovation, operational excellence and other challenges.”

Encourage and promote a culture of innovation with your team. Welcome ideas, reward innovation, and reap the benefits. Remove any and all barriers that stifle create thinking and improvement. Being prepared for what’s next can’t be achieved with narrow minds and lack of vision.

As a leader, you have to answer these three questions: What is out of my control? And then release it. What do I control? And then embrace it. What is the plan? And do it.

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Leadesrhip Development: If Not Now; When?

Posted January 12, 2013
by dougdickerson

Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better – Bill Bradley

In a column for the Harvard Business Review Blog Network, (http://bit.ly/UDGyUE) Jack Zenger unveiled a startling and troubling fact; we wait too long to train leaders. Citing research from his consulting agency he revealed that in their database of some 17,000 worldwide leaders participating in their training programs, the average age for first time leadership training was 42. More than half were between 36 and 49. Less than 10% were under 30; less than 5% were under 27.

The results also pointed to another disturbing fact; the average age of supervisors in those firms was 33. The typical individual in those companies became a supervisor around age 30 and remained in the role for nine years. The result? Most of these individuals are not getting any leadership training at all as supervisors. They are operating the company untrained, on average, for over a decade.

That so many individuals are entering the workforce and advancing into positions of leadership with little or no leadership development is a frightening prospect. While a person may possess the management skills necessary to perform the duties of his or her work without proper personal leadership development it is not wise. The equivalent is teaching a person to swim by throwing them into the deep end of the swimming pool. While most survive; it’s ugly to watch.

While few in the corporate world would argue against the need for leadership development, its placement on the list of budgeting priorities suggests that it can wait. But can a company really afford to put forth supervisors and aspiring executives into positions of responsibility without the necessary leadership tools in hand? Personal leadership development is simply not something you should postpone. Here are three reasons why you should not delay.

Leadership development completes the learning process. It is good that executives and supervisors come to you trained to execute the mechanics of business but without the leadership skill sets in place it creates a negative drag. Leadership development is not about perfecting the craft of operating the business; it is about developing your people to be their best as leaders who operate the business. When you commit to the personal success of your people you make an investment in your business success.

Leadership development stabilizes the working environment. Strong leadership creates stability within your organization. A manager with strong leadership skills can resolve potentially negative situations much easier than one without them. In addition, they are the influencers who are passionate about taking everyone around them to a higher level. They give your company the competitive edge you desire. The long term benefits to your company filled with executives and managers with strong personal leadership skills are invaluable.

Leadership development positions you for the future. The future success of your business depends on many factors aligning correctly. Developing better employees begins by developing better leaders. Your long term success in business is contingent upon it. Employees who have developed as leaders are focused on personal growth, performance, effectiveness, solutions, and the future, etc. They are not mired down in the minutia of title, rank, and procedure. They desire to be productive and with the right leadership development they will.

Leadership development; if not now, when?

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*This column originally appeared in the International Business Times http://bit.ly/UbuhZk

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People Business 101

Posted January 5, 2013
by dougdickerson

The more I get to know people, the more I love my dog – Frederick the Great

Writing in The Book of Business Anecdotes, Peter Hay shares a story that back in the 1950’s, marketing whiz Stanley Arnold was working at Young & Rubicam, where he was asked to come up with a marketing campaign for Remington Rand. The company was among the most conservative in America. Its chairman at the time was a retired General Douglas MacArthur.

Intimidated at first by a company that was so much a part of America, Arnold also found in that phrase the first inspiration for a campaign. After thinking about it, he went to the New York offices of Merrill Lynch, Fenner and Beane, where he told the broker, “I want to purchase one share of every single stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange.”

After a vice president tried to talk him out of it, the order was finally placed. It came to more than $42,000 for one share of the 1098 companies listed at the time. Arnold now took his diversified portfolio into a meeting of Remington Rand’s board of directors, where he argued passionately for a sweepstakes campaign with the top prize called A Share in America.

The old gentlemen shifted around in their seats and discussed the idea for a while. “But Mr. Arnold,” said one, “we are not in the securities business.” Another said, “We are in the shaver business.”

“I agree that you are not in the securities business,” said Arnold, “but I think you also ought to realize that you are not in the shaver business either. You are in the people business.” The company bought the idea.

As a leader when you grasp and understand this simple but sometimes elusive reality of business it will be a difference maker for you. It’s easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day procedures and maintenance of business (the what) that we forget the why (vision and values) and fail to nurture the who of business – people. Here are three essential reminders to help you stay focused as you enter 2013.

People are the purpose of your business; serve them. At times this is a concept lost on many leaders. Crystalizing a key point on this topic is the former president of Starbucks International, Howard Behar. In his book, It’s Not About The Coffee, he writes, “At Starbucks we’re in the human service business, not the customer service business.” That’s the distinction. Behar adds, “I’ve always said, we’re not in the coffee business serving people, we’re in the people business serving coffee.”

When your focus is serving people and in every way treating them the way you would like to be treated you will be fulfilling the tenants of customer service. But it’s a point so simple we often overlook it. When your focus is on people and not your product the people will take care of your product.

People are the fuel of your business; invest in them. In his book, Up, Down, or Sideways, my friend Mark Sanborn explains, “Selling creates a transaction. Service–how we treat and care for that person-creates a customer. Without the customer, all is lost. Remember: no customers, no profit. Know customers, know profit. So making a connection with the customer becomes vital to the initial transaction and, more important, to the continued loyalty to your organization or brand.”

Smart leaders are all about building relationships. A person’s association to your product will take a backseat to their relationship with you as a person. When you nurture relationships above all else you are placing value where it belongs. Invest in people and they will invest in you.

People are the future of your business; be faithful to them. If not careful, leaders can have a narrow view of loyalty and only see it flowing one way – towards them. But may I remind you that loyalty is a two-way street and the best way to receive it is to give it. Be loyal to your people and they will be loyal to you. It’s that simple.

Og Mandino said, “Always render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be.” Leaders who deliver their service with a servant’s heart will never go wrong. Faithfully deliver your best and the people you serve will reward you.

Are you a people person?

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3 Ways To See Life as a Leader

Posted December 28, 2012
by dougdickerson

Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile – Albert Einstein

In a column for Success magazine (http://bit.ly/ZeyOzV) , John Maxwell shares a story about a picture of his son taken with Mother Teresa. Maxwell had sent him to India for a month so he could see the world as it was, not how he thought it was. His son worked in food lines in Kolkata for several weeks and then traveled the country by train in coach class. At the conclusion of the trip he had a brief audience with Mother Teresa.

Maxwell says the photo serves as a reminder to see the world from multiple perspectives, make decisions with empathy, appreciate what you have and work to better the lives of people who don’t have as much. As a leader you have a worldview that merits consideration. It reflects the beliefs you have and influences the decisions you make. In the run up to 2013 here are three ways to look at life and leading through the lens of leadership.

1. See the big picture. Leaders see and promote the big picture. “The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been,” said Henry Kissinger. Getting your people to a place where they have never been begins by painting the picture and then by charting the course. If you want to impart confidence with your team then you should regularly put forth the vision of where you are going and why others want to follow.

2. Lead with a generous heart. The competency and reach of your leadership is not merely defined by your bottom line but by a generous heart. Generosity of heart is a leadership quality that demonstrates that you are not just concerned about what is good for you but how you can make life better for others. When you look at leadership through the lens of the heart you will see things your mind never envisioned and your team will perform at levels they never imagined. When you discover the joy of serving others you have found the secret to your success as a leader.

3. Serve great causes. Leading with a generous heart makes an impact internally within your organization. By this example you are sowing the seeds of what you can do externally. Business Insider http://read.bi/O2g1jR reported on the top 15 charitable companies as reported by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Topping the list for the past year were Pfizer, Oracle, Merck, Google, and Wal-Mart. Each of these companies ‘charitable contributions topped a billion dollars.

Your company may not be in a position to give a billion dollars but creating a culture of serving within your organization begins with a leader with a servant’s heart. Make it your practice as a leader never to miss an opportunity to help someone in their moment of struggle and lift others to a higher level.

As you reflect on the year that was take time to consider how you can make 2013 even better. It starts with what you see, what you feel, and how you respond.

Happy New Year!

Follow Doug @managemntmoment

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