CEO – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Leadership Minute: Keep it Together

Posted August 11, 2014
by admin

If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place. – Proverbs 24:10 (The Message)

One of your tasks as a leader is to model confidence in times of adversity and crisis. It’s during these times that your team looks to you for leadership and direction and you’ve got to deliver. But if you are falling apart and are unsure of yourself then it can quickly become a crisis in leadership. Now the problem is compounded. However, when you have it together your team can come together because they have confidence in your leadership ability. Be assured; times of testing and crisis will come, but it doesn’t have to defeat you. Keeping it together is the result of fine-tuning the fundamentals of your leadership – strong people skills, strong organizational skills, being engaged in what is going on around you, and a commitment to personal growth and development. In times of crisis there’s no need to fall apart; it’s the time to step up and lead.

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Leadership Minute: Your Big Opportunity

Your big opportunity may be right where you are now. – Napoleon Hill

One of the pitfalls for many aspiring leaders is the temptation to look for greener pastures and not appreciating where he or she is at the moment. Having a desire to improve and move up is certainly not a bad thing, but there is something to be said for excelling right where you are. While it is true that leadership is not about your position the same can be true about your location. Why not make it a practice to bloom where you are planted and make the best of your present situation. Why not learn all you can, do the best you can, and become the best you can – right where you are? Your next big opportunity will come, but don’t neglect your present one.

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Leadership Minute: Praise For The Front Line Staff

Never underestimate the wisdom and resources of your frontline staff – Lee Cockerell

Staff on the front lines have the initial point of contact with your clientele, are the face of your organization, and create the first impressions that make or break your business. As a leader, you should not just appreciate the service they deliver but see them as extensions of your leadership. As important as this role is, it is equally essential to understand why your front line staff is important to you. They add value by what they see, by what they hear, and what they deliver. They are your go-to team members who deliver for you and your organization time and again. Be sure to honor and thank them for their service. Where would you be without them?

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Leadership Minute: Practice Kindness

Be kind to one another, because most of us are fighting a hard battle. – Ian McLaren

One of the misconceptions about leadership is that once you are a leader you have fewer problems. One of the truisms of leadership is that leaders are no different from anyone else. We all have our share of hardships and troubles. What will separate you as a leader is when you go out of your way to show kindness to those in the battle. Going through the battles of life is not uncommon, but you shouldn’t go through them alone. While it’s not your place to solve everyone else’s problems, you can show acts of kindness and give encouragement. Be the type of leader that has not only open eyes; but also an open heart.

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Five Ways Leaders Lose Their Focus

Posted February 1, 2014
by admin
1 Comment on Five Ways Leaders Lose Their Focus

The key to success is to focus our conscious mind on things we desire not things we fear. – Brian Tracy

Writing in Reader’s Digest, Carol Mann tells the story of golf immortal Arnold Palmer as he recalled an important lesson about self-confidence. It was the final hole of the 1961 Master’s tournament, and Palmer had a one-stroke lead and just hit a very satisfying tee shot. Palmer felt that he was in pretty good shape. As he approached the ball, he saw an old friend standing at the edge of the gallery. The friend motioned him over, stuck out his hand and said, “Congratulations.” Palmer recalls that as soon as he took his hand and shook it, he lost his focus.

The next two shots he hit the ball into the sand trap, then put it over the edge of the green. He missed a putt and lost the Master’s. “You don’t forget a mistake like that,” Palmer recalled, “you just learn from it and become determined that you will never do that again.”

Learning how to keep your focus is an important leadership skill to develop. But yet it is one of the hardest to master. Countless distractions coupled with the never ending demands on your time make it a challenge. How leaders lose their focus is important information. Being aware of these common distractions can help you be a better leader. Here are five ways leaders lose their focus and why it matters to you.

Bogged down in the details

It can be hard to focus on the big picture if you are mired down in the micro details of all of your operations. While it is important to be in the loop you have to empower and trust capable people to help you with the details. It’s normal to want to be informed but when you are mired down in the smallest of details it begs the questions – who’s steering the ship?

Improper delegation

This is where many leaders fall short and where most of them burn out. When the leader is of the opinion that he or she can do the job better by themselves it could be causing more harm than good. Let’s make the assumption that you have surrounded yourself with quality people who are capable of doing the work associated with your organization. Leaders lose focus when they do not empower these people to do their jobs. Delegation at its best will allow you to focus your time and energies where they are most needed. The secret is to empower and release the people around you.

Lack of organization

An unorganized leader is an unfocused leader. It is not so much about the proverbial cluttered desk as it is the personal disciplines that bring order to your life. If you tend to fly by the seat of your pants, if you are reactionary instead of proactive then these are all problematic traits that cause you to lose focus. You can overcome this by bringing order to your day. Keep a calendar. Schedule important calls and appointments and stick to it. Beware of the “tyranny of the urgent” and do not fall into the traps that can easily disrupt your day. Strong organizational skills will keep you focused and serve you well.

The need to be a people pleaser

In all fairness we all want to be liked. But if you are consumed by a need to be liked, you will quickly lose your focus as a leader. Your job is not to be liked. Your job is to lead. That being said; be friendly. But be careful not to get to the place where you are consumed about your popularity so much that it is affecting the decisions you make and it causes you to lose your focus on what is most important. You can’t lead with integrity if you make decisions based upon whom it pleases or displeases.

Gadgets

Technology is great isn’t it? The progress we have made in recent years has made our world much smaller and our work a lot easier. I am sold on the wonders of our technology. But take a look around your place of business or glance around the conference table the next time you are in a meeting. We are all wired up but in many ways are very disconnected. Our technology for all of its benefits has contributed to a strong lack of focus on many fronts. Let your technology serve you but do not be subservient to your technology.

What do you say?

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4 Leadership Lessons from the Founding Fathers

Posted June 30, 2012
by dougdickerson

The happy Union of these States is a wonder; their Constitution a miracle; their example the hope of Liberty throughout the world – James Madison

In the book, Resources, by Kenneth L Dodge, he writes of the experiences of the Founding Fathers after the Declaration of Independence was signed. As we know, 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence. Their conviction resulted in untold sufferings for themselves and their families.

Of the 56 men, five were captured by the British and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army. Another two had sons captured. Nine of the fifty-six fought and died from wounds or hardships of the war. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships sunk by the British navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts and died in poverty.

At the battle of Yorktown, the British General Cornwallis had taken over Thomas Nelson’s home for his headquarters. Nelson quietly ordered General George Washington to open fire on the Nelson home. The home was destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt. John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she lay dying. Their thirteen children fled for their lives. His fields and mill were destroyed. For over a year, he lived in forest and caves, returning home only to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion.

In celebration of our independence it is worth noting some leadership lessons from our Founding Fathers that we can benefit from today. Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” She’s right. Here are four leadership principles our Founders taught us.

The courage of convictions. Our founders clung to and fought for the cause of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Through years of hindsight and the benefit of our modern comforts, it is hard to comprehend their sacrifices.

Leadership today requires a steady conviction in the face of incredible challenges. What will be the hallmark of your leadership? To say that our Founding Fathers were men of conviction would be an understatement, but all great leaders are.

The sanctity of sacrifice. In the formation of our republic and in signing the Declaration of Independence, the Founders pledged to one another, “our lives, our fortunes, our sacred honor,” The leadership principle of sacrifice is not new. Our Founders understood it well. And to that end we understand that sacrificial leadership is selfless, not self-serving.

The commitment made 236 years ago reminds us that no great thing worth achieving comes without sacrifice and that causes greater than self are generally the lasting ones. Great leaders understand the power of sacrifice. What causes are you serving?

The fulfillment of faith. To their credit, the Founders understood and valued the practice of faith. In their wisdom the founders recognized the truth that we are all “created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights” by which we live our lives and practice our faith. It is not a prerequisite of leadership to be a person of faith, but it certainly is an asset.

It is through the practice of our faith that we see the world around us and the people entrusted to our leadership in a more meaningful way. A thoughtful leader seeks to be a blessing and to serve causes greater than self; a wise one remembers the source.

The power of purpose. It was through persecution, hardships, and struggles whereby the Founders rallied and mutually pledged their “reliance on the protection of Divine Providence” in declaring our independence.

The innumerable lessons our Founders taught us transcend political ideology and religious creed. The rally today is for leaders with purpose, backed by the power of their convictions, faith and sacrifice, to make a difference in the world. Thomas Paine said, “Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom must undertake to support it.” Our Founders were leadership pioneers; let us honor their memory as we celebrate.

Happy 4^th!

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Doug’s new book, Great Leaders Wanted, is now available. Visit www.dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com to order your copy today!

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The One Minute Encourager

Posted May 19, 2012
by dougdickerson

Encourage v: to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence- Random House Dictionary

A story is told about the Duke of Wellington, the British military leader who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo. He was not an easy man to serve under. He was brilliant, demanding, and not one to shower subordinates with compliments.

Yet even Wellington realized that his methods left something to be desired. In his old age a young lady asked him what, if anything, he would do differently if he had his life to live over again. Wellington thought for a moment, and then replied, “I’d give more praise,” he said.

While it was too late for Wellington to go back and do things differently, the approach you take in your leadership style can make an immediate impact if you implement this one small yet powerful leadership characteristic; encouragement.

If you think encouragement is not that significant or necessary; think again. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the number one reason people leave their job is because they do not feel appreciated. The Gallup organization reports that one poll found that 65% of Americans reported receiving no recognition for good work in the past year. How tragic. Almost seven out of ten people last year were not recognized, acknowledged or told how much they were valued or appreciated.

In a recent survey of nearly 2,000 people, Monster.com asked this question of their readers: Would you actively encourage children (your own or others) to enter the career you’re currently in? 47% said never, 22% said maybe, 10% said probably, and 21% said absolutely. What would you say? While there is no direct correlation between the Gallup poll and the Monster.com survey, the results are striking. While many variables contribute to the feelings, morale, and satisfaction each person has as it relates to their work, encouragement is one small investment that can pay big dividends. Here is three ways it can help.

Encouragement builds relationships. When you take time to notice what others around you are doing and the way in which they contribute it can make a world of difference. But encouragement takes it a step further because it is grounded in reality.

An encourager sees the struggle and appreciates the sweat equity involved in making your organization a success. Robert Martin said, “Taking an interest in what others are thinking and doing is often a more powerful form of encouragement than praise.” When was the last time you went out of your way to encourage your team? The one minute encourager understands that the best retention policy you have is in the form of encouraging words.

Encouragement builds morale. Think back to the survey; 65% of the respondents reported receiving no recognition for good work in the past year. To be sure, the state of morale within your organization can be subjective and is not always what you think. But without a strong leader that knows how to encourage, think of where your organization would be without it.

Encouragement can take on many forms: a hand-written note of thanks to an employee for a job well done, a gift-certificate for dinner, a day off with pay; the possibilities are endless. When encouragement becomes a natural part of your leadership style the residuals of strong morale will be evident. The one minute encourager understands that strong morale is built when the team is the focal point of appreciation.

Encouragement builds loyalty. For the leader who understands the power of encouragement this is the reward. John Maxwell was right when he said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” The difference between superficial praise and encouragement is found in the results. Superficial praise doesn’t mean much and is short-term; both in meaning and outcome. But genuine encouragement is long-lasting, and builds loyalty.

As you develop as an encouraging leader it will change the atmosphere in your organization. Not only will your team begin to believe they are appreciated, but they will begin to act like it. Now the way in which they are being encouraged is the way in which they handle their relationships. The one minute encourager understands that one of the single greatest resources at his or her disposal is not only cost-efficient but also time-efficient. Who have you encouraged today?

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Doug’s new book, Great leaders Wanted! is now available. Visit www.dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com to order your copy today.

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