Leadership Culture – Page 6 – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Three Signs Your Leadership Style Resembles Bigfoot

Posted October 10, 2014
by admin

To be or not to be, that is the question – William Shakespeare

For many he is an urban legend, for others he is a great hoax. Regardless of your beliefs, Bigfoot enthusiasts have been on the hunt for a long time. In the interest of full disclosure I will confess I’ve become addicted to the Animal Planet show Finding Bigfoot. I will also confess that while I find the show entertaining I remain a skeptic. However, I would welcome an invitation from Bobo and the gang to go ‘Squatchin’.

After watching many episodes of Finding Bigfoot it didn’t take long to connect the dots and draw parallels between the characteristics of Bigfoot out in the wild and some leaders in their offices. Just as some people swear that Bigfoot exists, many people in their organizations make the same claim about their leader – always lurking in the shadows somewhere ,but, can we really be sure?

In Inc. magazine earlier this year, Dino Signore (http://ow.ly/CtgU0 ) wrote about the importance and the challenges leaders face in building relationships and being connected to their people. Clearly, if you want to engage your employees it will take hard work effort on your part.

Signore cites Gallup’s “State of the American Workplace” survey in which seventy percent of American workers say they are disengaged. What does that mean for you as a leader? In short, it means that you are going to have to come out from the shadows and step up your leadership game. Do you have the leadership characteristics of Bigfoot? Let’s find out.

Your people make wild claims about your leadership, but they have little evidence

In order to be a leader that is connected, engaged, and involved in what’s going on you have to be seen. Your people will gain confidence in you as a leader when you lead from the front, not when you are lurking in the shadows. If your credentials as a leader are based upon rumors and sightings then you have lost their trust. If in the eyes of your people you are a fictional character then you are nothing more than a fictional leader.

Your people are perpetually one step behind you, where are you?

In Finding Bigfoot the dedicated team always seems to be one step behind their prey. Here’s the rub – people willingly follow a strong and confident leader. But when your people are reduced to chasing after you and are always one step behind you then frustration builds. When that happens morale begins sink and the Gallup poll on engagement becomes all too real. Your people want a leader who is with them-not evasive, and one they can trust with their own eyes. If you are disengaged as a leader your people will eventually dismiss you as a hoax.

Your people risk a lot to believe in you, have you let them down?

One of the regular features of Finding Bigfoot is a town hall meeting to hear the claims of people who say they’ve had a Bigfoot encounter. It’s up to the team to investigate and separate fact from fiction, or something like that. Be it the investigative team or the people making the claim, they put their reputations on the line by expressing a belief in what many claim to be a fraud. Likewise, your people risk a lot by believing in you as a leader. It’s one thing to believe in your people- that’s important, but you must respect them enough by giving them a reason to buy-in to your leadership and believe in you. Having the respect and trust of your people is a sacred honor, don’t let them down.

Dispelling the Bigfoot leadership myth

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way,” says John Maxwell. Going forward and solidifying your leadership credentials will happen when you take corporate culture seriously, build relationships with your people, and make trust the focal point of your leadership. Your leadership does not have to be subjected to the status of an urban myth or legend. It’s time to come out from the shadows and lead with purpose.

What do you say?

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Three Purposes of Leadership Training

Posted October 3, 2014
by admin

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’ – Muhammad Ali

In Readers Digest, Lori Andersen shared a story about an experience as a professional animal trainer. Andersen recounts, “I was disturbed when my own dog developed a bad habit. Every time I hung my wash out on the clothesline, she would yank it down. Drastic action was called for. I put a white kitchen towel on the line and waited. Each time she pulled it off, I scolded her. After two weeks the towel was untouched. Then I hung out a large wash and left to do some errands. When I came home, my clean clothes were scattered all over the yard. On the line was the white kitchen towel.”

That humorous story illustrates the importance of proper training. While we can all acknowledge the necessity of leadership training and the value it brings, properly identifying the right type of training is important.

Much time and resources is devoted to and invested in the topic of leadership development so you want to make sure you get it right. From Fortune 500 companies to the small mom and pop business, everyone wants and needs a competitive edge and leadership training is a practical way to foster that improvement. But what specifically should you be training for? Here are a few tips for your consideration before you plan your next leadership training activity.

Train to replenish

Workplace anxiety and stress can take a toll. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association (http://bit.ly/1jRDByb) in 2012, 65% of Americans cited work as a top source of stress while only 37% said their organizations provide sufficient resources to help them manage that stress.

Before you get too far down the road in planning some extravagant training session keep in mind the likelihood that your team members are stressed out and perhaps you should focus on their well-being first. Healthy team members (mentally, physically, emotionally) will perform at a higher quality and standard if they are not stressed out or burned out. Don’t add to the problem with the good training at the wrong time.

Train to remind

Sometimes the best thing you can do in a leadership training session is to simply remind your people of the basics. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. For example, soft skills are some of the most important skill sets your people will learn and apply. It’s in the daily practice of these skills that you get ahead.

Don’t know where to begin? Try these: good manners, communication, collaboration, attitude, feedback, and trust for starters. Blunders in leadership happen not because you fail at learning new skills but because of laziness in the old ones. Reminders of the basics are never a waste of time.

Train to reinvigorate

When team members are reinvigorated it can pay huge dividends for your organization. When your people have a fresh perspective of their value to the organization, a fresh take on your vision going forward and what their future will look like, you have most likely met some target goals of a training event.

Key here is take stock of your team members’ well-being, sharpen their existing skills, and take everyone to the next level in their leadership. The goal here is to have everyone moving in the right direction – onward and upward.

I am a strong advocate of leadership training and personal development but what’s more important is hitting the right targets. Be perceptive of where your people are collectively so you can fashion the best training possible to meet your goals. Having their best interest at heart is a step in the right direction, but moving your people toward that goal takes careful planning. Be sure to align your purposes with your training.

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Leadership Minute: Courage to Lead

Posted September 10, 2014
by admin

You will never do anything is this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor. – Aristotle

When it comes to the naming of essential leadership traits, courage ranks high on the list. Courage is what it takes to stand by your values and convictions even if it means standing alone. Courage is what inspires you to act when all other indicators say it’s not a good idea. Courage is telling people what they need to hear and not just what they want to hear. Being courageous may not always be popular but it is essential. The confidence that springs from being courageous is the product of being careful. Courageous leadership comes about by being confident, considerate, and is never about being arrogant. The fuel that drives courageous leaders is not ego but humility. You need courage to lead. Courage is your secret weapon and with it you can go far. Let it be your silent partner and give you strength. The world needs courageous leaders like you.

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Leadership Minute: A Life of Gratitude

Posted September 4, 2014
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As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. – John F. Kennedy

As leaders we have much to be thankful for. No amount of words will ever suffice to express the gratitude we have for those in our life- past and present who helped us along the way. While kind expressions should be expressed it’s how we live our life that truly counts. Living a life of gratitude ultimately leads to a different way of leading. When we remember with gratitude those who gave us that first break, or those who welcomed us not just as colleagues but as friends, we tend to understand that those were defining moments in our leadership development. It’s from those experiences and many more that we learn how to live a life of gratitude and pass down those expressions of gratitude to those coming along behind us. Are you living a life of gratitude?

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Leadership Minute: Reign in Your Ego

Posted August 22, 2014
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You need enough ego to believe you matter but not so much that you ignore others. –Dan Rockwell

One of the dangers of your leadership is that of an over-inflated ego. If not careful, leaders who achieve a certain level of success can make the mistake of believing that everything revolves around them. The danger worsens when you believe you matter more than you do and by ignoring others in the process. While it’s good to believe in yourself you should not be writing your own biased headlines. Strive to make a difference and be grateful for your success. Your accomplishments matter but not nearly as much as the people around you. Don’t let your ego be the stumbling block as it relates to your growth as a leader. Remember, it’s not about you. You will keep your ego in check when you seek to elevate those around you and serve with humility.

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Leadership Minute: Common Occasions

Posted August 18, 2014
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Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them. – Orison Swett Maarden

The down side to seeking extraordinary opportunities is that you may not see them very often. The upside to seeking ordinary opportunities and turning them into extraordinary opportunities is that you could see them more often. A smart leader will seek out the ordinary and turn it into something extraordinary. Common occasions are all around you. They are special moments in the making if your eyes are open to the possibilities before you. If you are sitting around waiting for the next big thing to come your way you will likely miss out on creating your own. Common occasions and opportunities are your pathway to the extraordinary. Look no further than the last opportunity you passed up for being too small or not worthy of your time. Seize the moments that come your way. What may be small today could be an extraordinary event waiting to happen.

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The Power of Purpose-Driven Leadership

Posted August 17, 2014
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When you’re surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment and common purpose, anything is possible. – Howard Schultz

There is a story involving Yogi Berra, the well-known catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, who at that time was the chief power hitter for the Milwaukee Braves. The teams were playing in the World Series, and as usual Yogi was keeping up his ceaseless chatter, intended to pep up his teammates on the one hand, and distract the Milwaukee batters on the other. As Aaron came to the plate, Yogi tried to distract him by saying, “Henry, you’re holding the bat wrong. You’re supposed to hold it so you can read the trademark.” Aaron didn’t say anything, but when the next pitch came he hit it into the left-field bleachers. After rounding the bases and tagging up at home plate, Aaron looked at Yogi Berra and said, “I didn’t come up here to read.”

The story is a great reminder of why having and knowing your purpose is important. Do you know your company’s mission or vision statement? If not, sad to say, you are not alone. According to a survey conducted by TINYPulse (http://bit.ly/1puoP3z) of over 300 hundred companies and 40,000 anonymous responses, the survey revealed that only 42 percent of employees know their organization’s vision, mission, and values.

If your employees do not know your company’s vision, mission, or values then they will be poor representatives of your company. If you, as the leader, have not clearly communicated those core values then you have fallen down on the job. How can your employees represent what they do not know? Purpose-drive leadership is essential to your success. Here are three reasons why.

It gives context to your past

In order to understand where you are and where you are going it is important to understand your past. Knowing the back-story of your organization – all the successes and failures and how it emerged in the formative years is foundational information worth understanding.

Marcus Garvey said, “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without its roots.” Seek to understand where you have come from in order to make sense of where you are going. From that knowledge you can have a greater understanding and appreciation for where you are today.

It keeps you focused on the present

When your purpose and vision is clear it gives your employees the focus they need to succeed. If your team is in the dark about its mission and vision they are without the most basic of tools needed for success. Your employees cannot lead your organization to its intended destination if they do not understand why they are going there or the values that will guide them.

A clear understanding of your purpose gives them the ability to focus like a laser on accomplishing their goals and objectives. Just as Hank Aaron was able to tune out the distraction at home plate and hit a home run, so too, will your team succeed when they focus on their mission.

It gives you direction for the future

When you can put your past in context and focus on the present then you can build for the future. When you have a purpose that is known, with employees who are engaged, then you have a future that is promising.

“Even though the future seems far away,” said Mattie Stepanek, “it is actually beginning right now.” Purpose-driven leadership is about empowering and equipping your team. Purpose-driven leadership is the rudder of your ship and will keep you on course. Your future is only as promising as your ability to empower. The time is now to lay claim to your purpose, make known your mission and vision, and discover the possibilities before you.

What do you say?

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Leadership Minute: Nicer Than Average

Posted August 14, 2014
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The average dog is a nicer person than the average person. – Andy Rooney

Be nice. It’s a simple enough concept and is one that we were taught from an early age. The beauty of the idea is that once it’s developed it will serve you well in all areas of your life. Enter your role as a leader. Being nice as a leader does not mean that you have to be a pushover and not be firm. It doesn’t mean that you are naïve and are not business savvy. Being nice is a reflection of your character and how you treat people is important to you. Being nice is a matter of respect for those around you even if you don’t happen to like them. Let’s face it; some people are just jerks and being nice to them can be a challenge. But being nice is not about them – it’s about you. You can be better than average by being nicer than average. Give it a try!

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Leadership Minute: One of Those Days

Posted August 8, 2014
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Accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days the statue. – Dilbert

If you hang around in leadership long enough you will come to know this truth. It comes with the territory and it’s not always glamorous. Leadership is hard and is not for wimps. The action you take today will make some love you and some hate you. Your decisions tomorrow can turn the tables the other direction. As a leader you are an easy target- and some days, well, some days you are the statue. But your longevity as a leader will not defined by how well you played to the crowd and tried to be a people pleaser. What makes you a leader that lasts and stand the test of time is to stand strong during times of testing. What’s at stake is not about your popularity but your principles. If you sacrifice one for the other you will always be the statue. Come what may- good or bad, be a leader who stands tall and with honor for doing the right thing, the right way, at all times.

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Leadership Minute: Blind Spots

Posted August 6, 2014
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Blind spots: Every organization has them; only few are willing to point them out. – Scott Williams

One of the most important things you can do as a leader in your organization is to have honest dialogue about blind spots. Every organization has them as does every leader. A good exercise you can utilize in your organization is to bring your team together for some honest evaluation. Better yet, bring in trusted outsiders who can tell you what you need to hear and help you navigate your way forward. Blind spots are not weaknesses unless you avoid them. Dare to know and embrace the truth with the attitude of making corrections. If you bury your head in the sand regarding your blind spots your competitors will take advantage of you. The first step in the process is a willingness on your part as the leader to identify your own blind spots so you can lead with clarity and purpose. Your effectiveness as a leader depends on you seeing what others see. You don’t have to be blindsided by blind spots. Lead with your eyes open.

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