leadership priorities – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Have You Stayed Too Long?

Posted May 20, 2019May 23, 2019
by admin

Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later. – Og Mandino

A manager and a sales representative stood looking at a map on which colored pins indicated the company representative in each area. “I’m not going fire you Wilson,” the manager said, “but I’m loosening your pin just to emphasize the insecurity of your situation.”

Longevity in the workplace. It’s more of a challenge now than at any other time. I was thinking about this recently after having a conversation with a friend of mine who’s enjoyed a very successful career in the same profession he started out in. “I’m thinking about retiring in another year or two,” he said. “Then what?”, I inquired. “We’ll see,” he said, “but thirty years in the same job is enough.” Is it?

The dynamics of longevity in the workplace is changing. And for each generation, it looks different.

Writing for thebalancecareers, Alison Doyle provides some great insight into longevity in the workplace. Dean states, “ Fuzzy definitions aside, the average person changes jobs an average of 12 times during his or her career.”

What about you? What’s been your story?

Doyle continues, “Many workers spend five years or less in every job, so they devote more time and energy transitioning from one job to another. In January 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the median employee tenure was 4.3 years for men, and 4.0 years for women.”

With such high turnovers in the workplace, how do you know when it’s time to go or whether to stay? What factors drive the decision?

Can you still be effective in your chosen profession after being in the same job for 10, 20, 30 years? Absolutely! How do you know if you’ve been there too long? Here are a few warning signs to help you know if it’s time to go or if it’s simply time to recharge your batteries.

When your ideas are no longer relevant

One of the signs that maybe you’ve been around too long is that your ideas are no longer relevant or fresh. When the way you did things 20 years ago seems fine by you and you’re just stuck in the past, then it might be time to step aside or step up with some fresh thinking. Click To Tweet If you have no fresh ideas then it begs the question of whether your leadership is still relevant to the people you lead.

When change is not welcomed

Every smart leader knows how to adapt to change and welcomes it. To be sure, not every change will guarantee success, but it’s a guarantee that by never changing you will stay where you are. How open and receptive are you to new ideas? Do you seek out and welcome fresh ideas and new ways of doing things? So long as you have a mindset of “this is the way we’ve always done things,” then your leadership is stagnant and so is the health of your organization. Click To Tweet

When you stop growing

As a leader, your personal growth and development is your key to longevity. So long as you are learning, growing, and retain a growth mindset then you are can be just as relevant as you were the first day you walked in on the job. But when you stop growing and developing as a leader it becomes a sign that your influence is not as constructive as it once was.

When you protect tradition at the price of progress

This warning sign is the most difficult to own up to and can be the hardest to overcome. Your years of sacrifice and giving hasn’t come without cost. When you have given of yourself in unselfish ways it can be hard to admit that you may now be at a place where you are a guardian of the past and not a leader for the future. Some soul searching is in order. What tradition from the past are you holding onto at the expense of your future?

None of these warning signs have to be fatal. Your most useful and productive days can still be in front of you. But you must be honest with yourself and the people you lead to know just how long is too long.

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Choose One Chair: Three Questions Every Leader Must Answer

Posted March 25, 2019
by admin

Credit: Google Images

“Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they’re here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday.”- “Yesterday”, by Paul McCartney and John Lennon

In Guidepost Magazine, Luciano Pavarotti relates a story from when he was a boy and his father introduced him to the wonders of song. He recounts:

“He urged me to work very hard to develop my voice. Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in my hometown of Modena, Italy, took me as a pupil. I also enrolled in a teachers college. On graduating, I asked my father, ‘Shall I be a teacher or a singer?’ “‘Luciano,’ my father replied, ‘if you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them. For life, you must choose one chair.’ “I chose one. It took seven years of study and frustration before I made my first professional appearance. It took another seven to reach the Metropolitan Opera. And now I think whether it’s laying bricks, writing a book–whatever we choose–we should give ourselves to it. Commitment, that’s the key. Choose one chair.”

At some point, every leader has that moment of awakening when one chair wins over another. The process of getting there will vary from person to person, but that day will ultimately come.

Your growth and development as a leader is a fluid process. Foundational character principles that guide you on your journey will not change, but for the sake of future growth and development as a leader, you must be open to change and new ideas.

As leaders, we also know that the only constant is change. What worked for you in years past may not be sufficient today. If you are content to just “phone it in” and coast as a leader on how it was done in years gone by then you may like have lost your edge. So what is a leader to do? Here are three basic questions you need to answer. Reaching your destiny as a leader may very well depend on it.

Is yesterday’s passion enough?

Passion is the fuel of your leadership. With it, the sky’s the limit in terms of your potential and destiny. It’s what keeps you up late at night and gets you up early in the morning. It’s the “why” that gives your life meaning and purpose.

Yet perhaps the wear and tear of the daily grind have taken its toll on you. Perhaps your dreams haven’t been realized and you feel there is no use in going forward. Let me encourage you today to buy-in to the words of Joel Osteen when he said, “If you’re alive and breathing, you can still become everything God has created you to be.” Becoming a leader of destiny requires a new passion for going forward. While the passion you started out with may have been sufficient at the time; today’s goals, dreams, and destiny will require more. Click To Tweet

Is yesterday’s attitude adequate?

If passion is the fuel of your leadership then your attitude determines your mileage. How far you go is about possessing the right attitude. Your attitude in years gone by may have served you well up to a point, but to get to the next level you may have to step it up a notch. Click To Tweet

Zig Ziglar said, “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” And that is the secret to achieving your leadership destiny. Leaders who have stood the test of time understand the importance of a positive attitude. Every leader has also dealt with the challenges-both internally and externally, of right thinking. Your attitude will cause you to reach your destiny as a leader or it will prevent it. Be sure it’s a good one.

Is yesterday’s mindset working?

One of the greatest threats to your leadership today is holding on to a “this is the way we’ve always done it” approach of years gone by. Evolving as a leader is not about disrespecting the past but has everything to do with letting it go for the sake of your future. Click To Tweet

While values are timeless your methods must be current and relevant to today’s world. Are you still open to new ideas? Do you still have the attitude of a student who is humble enough to learn? Don’t forfeit the destiny that could be yours because of limited thinking. Stay current, be relevant, and keep growing.

When Pavarotti chose his one chair it changed the course of his life. It was that singular decision that put his destiny in motion. In like fashion you must choose your one chair and make sure that you have the right levels of passion, attitude, and mindset to take you to the top.

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Leadership In a Word: Rest

Posted May 21, 2018
by dougdickerson

Rest and be thankful. – William Wordsworth

A word about rest

Rest -it’s a sometimes elusive concept for many leaders. Intuitively, we know it to be important, but making the time for it is not easy. The demands on our time tend to overwhelm the best of us. Be it the obligations from work, home, children, etc. it’s a cycle that no one is immune from. Sound familiar?

An article in Entrepreneur magazine highlighted the fact that many employees are less productive due to a lack of sleep. It reported ”that 58 percent of 32,000 workers surveyed said they weren’t getting enough sleep, and 61 percent said that sleep deprivation affected their work. For some, it’s a vicious cycle: 44 percent of workers said that just thinking about work kept them up at night”.

As leaders, we know the value and importance of work. But in the process could it be that we have lost the value and importance of rest? Have you?

As you take into consideration all of the demands of your time perhaps it is also time to take into consideration why rest is such an important element of your leadership. Here is a few reasons worth your consideration.

Rest gives you time to recharge

There’s nothing scientific here that needs to be explained. You simply must remember that you are not invincible and that your mind, body, and spirit needs time to recharge. Give yourself permission to recharge – and be sure to promote it among your team.

Rest gives you time to refresh

A change of pace or location can give you time to not only refresh your body but to refresh your mind and thinking. A refreshed mind can help you see the things going on in your life through a fresh lens.

Rest gives you time to reflect

Every leader needs to take the time to reflect on where he or she is, evaluate how things are going, and what adjustments might need to be made. A tired mind and body can’t properly do this. Make sure you set aside time to rest in order to reflect. Your leadership will benefit greatly from this time.

Rest quotes

“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” – Alan Cohen

“Each person deserves a day in which no problems are confronted, no solutions are searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.” – Maya Angelou

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” – Mark Twain

“All that is important comes in quietness and waiting.” – Patrick Lindsay

“Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges. So relax.” – Bryant McGill

A final word

The buzzwords in most leadership circles revolve around productivity and maximizing the day – getting the most out of it. Afterall, as leaders, it’s what we do what we pride ourselves on. But along the way, don’t lose sight of the fact that you need rest in order to make it happen. Rest for the sake of your leadership and the productivity you desire.

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Being Present: Why It Matters To Your Leadership

Posted September 24, 2017
by dougdickerson

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment” – Henry David Thoreau

One of the great challenges in leadership today is having leaders who are present in the moment. It’s a struggle for many leaders. In fact, when was the last time with intentionality you set aside even a small amount of time just appreciate the moment and reflect?

Healthy leadership is essential to your success. But what happens when the pace of your leadership is greater than your ability to be present in the moment? What is the tipping point between activity and action that does more harm than good? Why does being present matter? Here are a few reasons why being present matters to your leadership.

You can put your past in perspective

In order to effectively know where you are and where you are going, it helps to put your past in perspective. What knowledge and skills have you picked up along the way is working? What do you need to let go of? What changes do you need to make today to make for a better tomorrow?

Only being present in the moment allows you the opportunity to reflect in such a way as to appreciate the moment and put your past in perspective.

You can put your priorities in order

It’s when you are present in the moment that you can evaluate your priorities and put them in order.No leader intentionally sets out to mess up their priorities but it happens. Being present in the moment is as much of a priority for you as a leader as anything else you do. If your priorities are out of balance then the decisions you make will have consequences you hadn’t planned for.

Only being present in the moment can you see what corrections you need to make with your priorities. It’s when you are present you can make adjustments.

You can reconnect with your people

A leader not present in the moment is not the leader his or her people need. The unintended consequences can be irreparable if not careful. The graph below highlights the communication issues employees have with their leaders. Take a look at how many complaints there are on the list that could be avoided if only the leader were present in the moment among his or her people.

Being present in the moment puts you where your people need you. Being in the moment is all about leadership at the moment.

You can lead more effectively

Ultimately, being present in the moment is about more effective leadership. It’s about giving of yourself without all the distractions that come with priorities that are out of order and by being disconnected from your people.

Being present in the moment can be a challenge. Our minds are racing and thinking of a dozen other things that need our time and attention. I get it. But all you have is this moment. And in this moment, you can do something that will impact your leadership in a positive way. Be present.

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Recharging Your Leadership

Posted July 13, 2017
by dougdickerson

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have miles to go before I sleep.” – Robert Frost

I had a great pleasure recently to spend a week up on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the mountains of North Carolina. As a coastal resident, it was a welcome reprieve. The mountains are my ‘happy place’ if you will.

Be it hiking trails to waterfalls, walking across the infamous swinging bridge at Grandfather Mountain, or hiking my way to the observation summit at Mt. Mitchell- the highest mountain peek east of the Mississippi, it was a great time. I live by the motto of John Muir, “The mountains are calling and I must go”.

At waterfall in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Provided by author.

The summer months tend to be markers. It’s the mid-point of the year, a time to look at where we’ve come and tweak goals and action plans for the remainder of the year. How is it looking for you?

But before we kick the can too far down the road, let’s take a moment to consider the benefits of summer. It’s an important time in the year for leaders and you don’t want to miss an opportunity to consider what I call the 4 R’s.

A time to rest

Many leaders I know struggle with the thought of rest. They are constantly on the go. Unfortunately, many leaders have subscribed to the notion that to rest is to violate their work ethic. Consequently, they never slow down, they are the first in, last out, and out-hustle everyone else. Noble characteristics for sure.

But even the best of leaders need to rest. A person can only burn the candle at both ends for so long and still maintain any degree of fresh thinking and energy. Do yourself, and everyone else a favor, and embrace the idea of rest. You will be a better leader for it.

A time to recharge

This is the value-added consequence of taking the time to rest. Your body, soul, and mind, can only run for so long and still be useful to you. Rest affords you the opportunity to recharge mentally, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.

Recharging your leadership through the lost art of rest will do you a world of good. When you are recharged you give yourself a fresh perspective on the issues at hand and it will give you the energy needed going forward. Rested and recharged you will position yourself for a great second half of the year.

A time to reflect

During down time and rest is the perfect time to reflect. It’s a time to look back at the first half of the year to see where you’ve come- to put it all in perspective. It’s a time to look ahead, not in the heat of the moment when there is no time to properly absorb what is taking place – but to do so in a state of mind that gives you the context you need.

In your time of rest and mid-year reflecting it’s also important to be present in the moment. “We always project into the future or reflect in the past,” says Marina Abramovic, “but we are so little in the present.” How much do we miss as leaders – family, children, memories we can never have again – simply because we were too busy and missed living in the moment?

A time to reconnect

The benefits of rest can be substantial. Times of rest is important for us in ways already mentioned. But the good it can do for you as a leader will make you a better one.

A rested leader is a more effective leader. Your thinking is more clear, your instincts are sharper, and your temperament is more balanced. Yet, none of these benefits would be possible without making the conscientious decision to rest. Rid yourself of the stigma that to rest is wrong, and embrace this important area of your leadership.

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