Professional Development – Page 5 – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

The Most Important Person in the Room is Not You

Posted September 23, 2016
by dougdickerson

Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying, ‘Make me feel important.’ Never forget this message when working with people- Mary Kay Ash

At age 16 Andor Foldes was already a skilled pianist, but he was experiencing a troubled year. In the midst of the young Hungarian’s personal struggles, one of the most renowned pianists of the day came to Budapest. Emil von Sauer was famous not only for his abilities; he was also the last surviving pupil of the great Franz Liszt. Von Sauer requested that Foldes play for him. Folds obliged with some of the most difficult works of Bach, Beethoven, and Schumann.

When he finished, von Sauer walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead. “My son,” he said, “When I was your age I became a student of Liszt. He kissed me on the forehead after my first lesson, saying, ‘Take good care of this kiss–it comes from Beethoven, who gave it to me after hearing me play.’ I have waited for years to pass on this sacred heritage, but now I feel you deserve it.”

The young Andor Foldes experienced what the average person in your office/organization wants to experience (no, not a kiss!) but validation and approval.

In fact, a report by the American Psychological Association (http://bit.ly/2ddRXvf) found that those who report feeling valued by their employer are significantly more likely to be motivated to do their very best (93 percent vs. 33 percent). So how are we doing?

Value. It is a word as leaders we like to kick around. We want to “add value” we say, but in reality, do we? Really?

Are you running a deficit on people skills and showcasing the most important people in your organization? Here are three simple tips that you can put into practice right away that can make all the difference in the world to your people.

Say it

Your people are the most appreciable asset you have. As you interact with your team members, look at them with that invisible sign around their neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’ How about a compliment? How about word of encouragement? How about a pat on the shoulder, a look in the eye, and a sincere “Thank you for all that you do. We really appreciate all of your hard work!” Who wouldn’t feel important after an encounter like that?

Leadership tip – Your people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Tell them!

Show it

Your words are nice and your words are important. But you can also make them feel important by your actions. Take time to celebrate your victories along the way and give honor where honor is due. You don’t have to break the bank to make your people feel important but you should be willing to acknowledge your people and the sacrifices they make. Make your people feel important giving them a hand-written note of appreciation with a gift certificate enclosed to their favorite restaurant. It doesn’t have to be elaborate but the acknowledgement lets them know they are important.

Leadership tip – Leaders who are invested their people will have people invested in their leader.

Share it

Making team members feel important is essential to you as a leader. It does wonders for morale and the sense of shared accomplishment is elevated. But you are not the only one who looks upon your team members and sees their value. After 25 years of service one company I know of gives their employees and spouse an all-expense paid dream vacation. Behind every great team member is a significant other who shared in the sacrifice you benefited from. The circle of your success is far more reaching than you might imagine.

Leadership tip – The most important person in the room is not you. It’s everyone who has joined with you, bought into your vision, share your passion, and have cast their lots with you to carve out a future together. It’s them.

Who have you made feel important today?

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What’s On Your Success List?

Posted September 8, 2016
by dougdickerson

Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least. – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The story is told of a new bank president who met with his predecessor and said, “I would like to know what have been the keys to your success.” The older gentleman looked at him and replied, “Young man, I can sum it up in two words: Good decisions.” To that the young man responded, “I thank you immensely for that advice, sir, but how does one come to know which are the good decisions?” “One word, young man,” replied the sage. “Experience.” “That’s all well and good,” said the younger, “but how does one get experience?” “Two words,” said the elder. “Bad decisions.”

Years ago, like many I suppose, I was programmed to equate success in terms of what I was able to cross off of my “to-do” list at any given time. As each item that was transcribed onto the list was successfully completed it somehow gave me a sense of accomplishment. But the euphoric feeling didn’t last long as a new list soon replaced it and the process started all over again.

As time went by I began to see and understand the frustration associated with this hamster wheel approach of measuring success. I was running myself ragged checking off “to-do’s” which ultimately culminated with an empty feeling on the inside and little to show for it outside. Can you relate?

Allow me to introduce you to a few ideas from the book The One Thing, by Gary Keller (Order on Amazon at http://amzn.to/2c6nqje) that I believe will empower you as a leader. K onething eller devotes a powerful chapter to the myth that everything matters equally. Here are three key thoughts worth consideration.

You need a success list not a to-do list

The key thought here is that your to-do list tends to be long whereas your success list tends to be short. “If your to-do list contains everything,” says Keller, “then it’s probably taking you everywhere but where you really want to go.” Focus more on what you should do and less on what you could do. Keller adds, “Instead of a to-do list, you need a success list- a list that is purposefully created around extraordinary results.” Your success begins with the way you frame it and define it. Success is not measured by checking off the to-do list, it is measured by what you check off of your success list.

Not everything is equal

Being busy does not necessarily translate into being successful. We succumb to the tyranny of the urgent and we end up chasing rabbits all over the place. In the end, the rabbit wins and you are worn out, frustrated, and empty-handed. Keller observes, “When everything feels urgent and important, everything seems equal. We become active and busy, but this doesn’t actually move us any closer to success. Activity is often unrelated to productivity, and busyness rarely takes care of business.” When you remember that not everything is equal many things can come off your to-do list.

Work from your priorities

Successful people have a clear set of priorities. They think and act different. They have an “eye for the essential.” The crux of the matter, as Keller points out is that “the majority of what you want will come from the minority of what you do. Extraordinary results are disproportionally created by fewer actions than most realize.” Success comes not from a long to-do list you check off one by one, it come from focusing your time, energy, and creativity around a short list that you have prioritized (Pareto’s 80/20 principle). Success is not doing many things half-heartedly, it is achieved by making the list smaller and smaller and pouring yourself into it.

Making the transition from busy to productive to successful comes about as you make your list smaller not larger. It comes from clear priorities and understanding that not everything is equal. Do yourself a favor as a leader and get off the hamster wheel of being busy and start being successful. It will make all the difference in the world.

What’s on your success list?

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The Changing Work Environment Part III: Providing Choice

Posted August 18, 2016
by dougdickerson

dilbert1

“I believe happiness is a choice. Some days it is a very difficult choice.” – Steve Gleason

Our three part series on the changing work environment was inspired by findings in the Staples Advantage Workplace Index (http://bit.ly/1ULVQr7). Findings in the report reveal that half of workers state feeling overworked is motivating them to look for a new job, 62% say wellness programs are a selling point when looking for a new job, but only 35% actually have a wellness program at their current job, 3 out of 4 respondents say their employers don’t give them access to the latest technology to do their job efficiently. You can read more by clicking on the link and reading the full report.

In part III of our series ( In part one we talked about providing flexibility and in part two last week we discussed providing autonomy) on the changing work environment we discuss the importance of providing choice. Employees are not willing to give 100% to a job where they feel trapped. They want opportunity and they want choice.

What does it look like?

In the changing work environment, employees want to know that they have choices. In this new environment management is not dictating ‘how’ everything gets done. Employees are given the ‘what’ and the ‘why’, and then they are given the opportunity to make decisions and design how their work gets done to meet the goals of the company. In addition, they are empowered with the training and resources they need to be successful.

Why is it important?

Employees want to know that they are making a valuable contribution to something bigger than themselves; they want to feel truly invested in their work. When employees have choices, they have a sense of control which shows them that their input is valuable. It tells them they are trusted and are important.

Not long ago Glassdoor published its list of the Best Places to Work 2016 (http://bit.ly/1lN0I2p). Topping the list was Airbnb. An employee review for MindBody (#14) in the Glassdoor article writes, “It’s a culture of happiness! I’ve never been in such a positive environment. Management encourages you not only professionally, but in personal aspects of life too. So thankful to work for such an amazing company!” That sounds to us like a company that understands the value of their employees and wants them to succeed.

How do we do it?

Providing choice requires management to let go of the control they have clung to in the past. Old habits can be hard to break; here are six ACTION steps to help you think through your current operations and to embrace providing choice.

Accountability – The ebb and flow of an organization that provides flexibility, autonomy, and choice hinges on accountability. Regardless of what the organizational structure looks like or how teams are assembled it all comes down to mutual accountability if it is going to succeed.

Collaborate – In this changing work environment collaboration may take on a new look as well. Your box approach to thinking may now look more like a circle that makes room for more people, new ideas, and greater potential. If your workplace environment changes so too must the way you work with others also change.

Train – John Maxwell said, “The people’s capacity to achieve is determined by their leader’s ability to empower.” This is so true in the changing work environment. Training is essential not just for your success today but how you will look and operate five years from now and beyond.

Inspire – What your people need to see as they embrace a new work environment is greater ownership, greater opportunity for growth, and more control over their future. Inspire your people to the possibilities before them and remind them of it often.

Opportunity – The changing workplace environment can be frightening for people who have no voice in the direction they are going or have not bought-in to the vision. If one’s opportunity is not clear to them they will be the last to embrace change. Be vocal, be clear, and be out front with the opportunities that exist and for the ones they will create.

Now – The time for creating this new workplace environment is now. And we would like to remind you of what we advised in part one of this series. Take baby steps and tackle one or two small changes that you can implement right away. Be intentional about your changes and make them gradually. Include your people when charting the course. But get started!

liz Liz Stincelli is the Founder of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. She holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership. Learn more about Liz by visiting her website: www.stincelliadvisors.com

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The Changing Work Environment Part II: Providing Autonomy

Posted August 11, 2016
by dougdickerson

Cubes - 267 - AUTONOMY

“The way you delegate is that first you have to hire people that you really have confidence in. You won’t truly let those people feel a sense of autonomy if you don’t have confidence in them.” – Robert Pozen

In part II of our series on the changing work environment we tackle the topic of autonomy. Gone are the days when employees were willing to show up at the factory, follow orders being dictated by management, collect a paycheck, and then do it all again tomorrow. Employees aren’t mindless machines and they don’t want to be treated as such.

What does it look like?

In the changing work environment, employees are demanding more autonomy. In this new environment, employees have control over how their own work tasks get accomplished. They are trusted and encouraged to make decisions and to act in the best interest of the organization without being micromanaged.

Why is it important?

Providing autonomy shows employees that you have confidence in their judgment and ability. This inspires employees to take ownership of their work. When employees have control over their own work they are more satisfied, they take pride in the contribution, and they become loyally invested in the success of their team, department, and organization.

How do we do it?

Many management teams struggle to let go of the control they have become accustomed to for all of these years. Old ways and mindsets can be hard to overcome. Here are six ACTION steps to help you think through your current operations and to embrace autonomy.

Acknowledge the challenge of autonomy. It is critical here to understand the difference between the autonomy of the work while remaining true to the mission and vision of the organization. The two are not in competition but when done right are a compliment to one another.

Coalesce around the best ideas for autonomy. The mistake leaders make is that their idea of how it looks should prevail. But as one company leader explained it, “The one who sweeps the floor picks the broom.” How autonomy looks in your organization should be determined by those closest to the work.

Tweak along the way. Ideas that look good on paper may not play out well in reality. Don’t be afraid to go back to the drawing board as you flesh out what is and is not working for you. There is no “one size fits all” approach for how autonomy works. The key here is to be flexible and be willing to make adjustments as needed.

Invest in their success. Greater autonomy in the workplace is reinforced by leaders who have the backs of their people by empowering them and setting them up for success. Invest in your people. Put the tools and resources in their hands they need to succeed. The greater the investment the greater the autonomy. Be generous.

Ownership is a requirement. Embracing the autonomous workplace is great. But now comes the buy-in that makes it all work. Ownership, like loyalty, is a two-way street. In this model ownership is shared, trust is mutual, expectations are clear, and outcomes are measured. It’s an “all-in” attitude that if not fully subscribed to will derail all efforts of a truly autonomous workplace. Without ownership there is no autonomy.

Next Step – In order to attract and retain the best talent, your organization must offer a level of autonomy. You must provide your employees with the training and resources they need to be successful and then you must step aside and allow them to do their jobs. Show them that you have confidence in them. But, you can’t stop here. Once you have acknowledged the attitudes that are holding you back; have intentionally created a workplace culture; shown employees that you trust them; have identified incremental changes you can make; and observed the impact of those changes, it’s time to take the next step.

Be on the lookout next week for part III of The Changing Work Environment Series: Providing Choice.

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The Leaders Without Borders Coaching Program

Posted August 9, 2016
by dougdickerson

New Session Begins September 12th!

Across the country students are preparing to go back to school. But what about you? Now is the time to enroll in my 9 week leadership coaching program! Check out the information below. Space is limited so the time to act is now!

The Leaders Without Borders Coaching Program

After more than thirty years in leadership positions I am pleased to announce to you an opportunity for one-on-one leadership training and coaching for you or your team.

Taken from the pages of my book Leaders Without Borders: 9 Essentials for Everyday Leaders, (Foreword by Mark Sanborn) I bring home the leadership skills you and your team need to move forward.

Here are two realities you are up against:

A recent Gallop Business Journal survey not long ago reported that only 30% of U.S. employees (and 13% worldwide), are engaged. Getting your employees engaged and building a corporate culture that thrives can be a challenge. How do you think that type of engagement impacts your place of business? How different would things look if that number increased for you?
Writing in the Harvard Business Review, John Zenger, CEO of the Zenger/Folkman leadership development consultancy reports that the average age of supervisors receiving any type of leadership training was 42. More than half were between 36 and 49. Less than 10% were under 30; less than 5% were under 27. Think about that for a moment. If they are not entering leadership training programs until they are 43, they are getting no leadership training at all as supervisors. And they are operating within that company untrained, on average, for over a decade.

But what is a leader like you to do? Your obstacles to this dilemma are two-fold – time and money. Where do you find the time to send your team members to get the training they need? While the desire may be there, often time the resources you need are not. Conferences can be pricey once you factor in registration fees, travel, and hotels, and lost productivity being away from work. Many well-meaning leaders like yourself who would like to empower their employees don’t have the access to leadership training that can help because of these two factors—but, help is on the way!

My book, Leaders Without Borders: 9 Essentials for Everyday Leaders, serves as the textbook for the 9 week leadership training course you need. The nine chapters address foundational leadership principles that will enrich and awaken the leadership skills that can improve your people both personally and professionally. The nine leadership principles outlined in the book are: passion, priorities, optimism, teamwork, attitude, authenticity, loyalty, kindness, and legacy.

Here is how it works:

*Upon registration, participants will receive a copy of the book. Participants will be assigned one chapter per week to read and will be emailed a set of corresponding questions, outside reading assignments, videos to watch, and evaluations to work on.

*Participants will have a one hour session with me each week live via Google Hangout/Skype where I will serve as their personal leadership coach to discuss their assignments and develop their skills.

Upon completion of the course each participant will receive a certificate and a copy of my latest book, It Only Takes a Minute: Daily Inspiration for Leaders on the Move, a daily motivational leadership read for the entire year.

As stated before, workshops and conferences can be expensive. My desire is to make leadership training not only effective and empowering, but affordable. My desire is to awaken the leadership skills within your people, to close the engagement gap within your organization, and help you get a jumpstart on the training for everyone in your organization. Simply put, I want to add value to you and your team!

The leadership training you desire coupled with the convenience of not having to travel off-site, and equipping your team and raising up leaders is now within your reach!

Now is the time to take action and enroll as an individual or members of your team.

Email me today at: [email protected] or call 843.509.5104 for pricing and scheduling.

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The Changing Work Environment Part I: Providing Flexibility

Posted August 4, 2016
by dougdickerson

Flexibility 1

“To make flexibility work, it is not only necessary to change our attitude about who is a good worker and who is not, but we have to train managers at all levels to recognize the difference between the number of hours worked and the quality of work produced.” – Madeleine M. Kunin

Recent findings in the Staples Business Advantage Workplace Index (http://bit.ly/1ULVQr7) reveal exciting and challenging trends in the modern workplace. The changing work environment sees fewer employees working standardized hours. Technology now allows employees to work from any location. The global economy requires the ability to conduct business on a non-standardized schedule.

That the workplace is changing comes as no surprise to those paying attention. Preparing for it can be a challenge. It is in this context we begin a three part series that explores this topic in hopes of raising awareness and starting a conversation about solutions.

What does it look like?

While this is not a new concept for many organizations it is nonetheless an approach whose time has come and it deserves a second look. In the changing work environment employees are encouraged to work, within reason, a schedule that works for them. The emphasis is more on task accomplishment than on hours in the office.

The shift toward this approach, like any new idea or concept, begins with the leadership of the organization. New attitudes must be embraced if new ways of competing in the global economy is going to work for you. In short- flexibility must give way to adaptability which in turn gives way to greater productivity.

Why is it important?

A good workforce is the foundation of every successful business. It’s no longer about work-life balance. Employees want work to fit seamlessly into their personal lives. If you want to attract and keep high performing employees, you are going to have to provide the flexibility they desire.

The Staples Index revealed that burnout and employee engagement is a major concern among employees. When asked what would help turn that around the number one response was workplace flexibility. While we embrace a strong work ethic and productivity, perhaps organizations would be better served not by employees who are burned out but by employees who are empowered and inspired by greater flexibility and control over their schedules.

How do we do it?

What if we change the way we look at employees, from working for us as an employee, to working with us more like an independent contractor?

In many organizations righting the course can take time. Old ways and mindsets can be hard to overcome. Here are six ACTION steps to help you think through your current operations and to embrace flexibility.

Acknowledge – It’s time to bring your team together and acknowledge attitudes and mindsets that are holding you back. It’s time to take an honest look at what is and is not working. It’s time to quit clinging to traditions and think about the future.

Create – The flexibility you desire and production goals you set are the ones you create with intentionality. What will your future look like? What will employee engagement in your workplace culture look like? It looks like what you create!

Trust– Show your employees that you know that you have hired the right people for the right positions. Let them see through your actions that you trust them to operate in the best interest of the organization without the need for micromanagement. Give them the resources they need and then let them do their job.

Identify- Identify one or two small changes that you can implement right away to signal that the desire for flexibility is being recognized. Regardless of how big or small, just do it. Baby steps are acceptable. Now, identify one or two “old ways” of doing things and let them go. Identifying change and creating change can be done, and is best done incrementally.

Observe – How are employees responding to the incremental changes you are implementing? How is your culture being impacted? What should your next step be? Ask employees for their input; involve them in the development of the plan going forward.

Next Step – Offering flexibility is a great starting point for attracting the best talent and staying agile in the changing work environment. But, you can’t stop here. Once you have acknowledged the attitudes that are holding you back; have intentionally created a workplace culture; shown employees that you trust them; have identified incremental changes you can make; and observed the impact of those changes, it’s time to take the next step.

Be on the lookout next week for part II of The Changing Work Environment Series: Providing Autonomy.

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Be The Right Person (Video Blog)

Posted July 11, 2016
by admin

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCU3C5_g9lg&w=560&h=315]

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Three Questions for the Gray Areas of Leadership

Posted July 7, 2016
by admin

I love the gray areas, but I like the gray areas as considered by bright, educated, courageous people. – Alan Furst

A story is told of Lord Halifax, a former foreign secretary of Great Britain, who once shared a railway compartment with two prim-looking spinsters. A few moments before reaching his destination the train passed through a tunnel. In the utter darkness Halifax kissed the back of his hand noisily several times.

When the train drew into the station, he rose, lifted his hat, and in a gentlemanly way said, “May I thank whichever one of you two ladies I am indebted to for the charming incident in the tunnel.” He then beat a hasty retreat, leaving the two ladies glaring at each other.

I can just imagine the reaction of the two ladies when Lord Halifax left the compartment. Do you think they ever figured out that they had both been played? What lingering doubts did they leave with?

As leaders we pride ourselves in our values, mission statements, and principles that we subscribe to personally and professionally. But sooner or later our beliefs and assumptions will be challenged. Gray areas will emerge. What we once thought of in strict black and white terms become clouded. Now what?

Here are three guiding questions worth asking when the answers aren’t so clear.

What does my head say?

When faced with gray areas in your leadership you can use your cognitive skills to walk through all available options. Not every circumstance you face as a leader is going to have an answer readily available in some employee manual collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. There will be situations thrown at you that you didn’t prepare for nor did you see coming.

The key for you as a leader is to think through the situation and in a level-headed way in order to chart a path forward. One simple way to navigate through the gray area is to ask how your decision will either uphold or take away from your values.

What does my heart say?

Gray areas compel us to think different. We wrestle with the gray areas because intuitively we know that life is not always predictable. Stuff happens. Our cognitive skills are important, but there does come a time we have to think with our hearts. Some situations call for emotional intelligence to find the answers we need.

The key for you as a leader is striking a balance between what you know in your heart and what you know in your head. How do you reconcile the two in gray areas to arrive at the best solution?

What does my history say?

As a leader no doubt you’ve struggled with gray areas. Beliefs that you once thought were “settled” some time ago suddenly resurface and challenge your beliefs today. I’ve been there many times. Your growth as a leader is always evolving. The challenges you faced five, ten, twenty years ago are going to look different from the challenges you face today. And they should.

The key to dealing with gray areas in your leadership is to utilize all three questions in your approach. Welcome gray areas as an opportunity to grow and develop as a leader. In the end; trust your head, trust your heart, and lean on your history. This is where your judgment in dealing with the gray areas has been formed.

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It’s Not About the Mission Statement

Posted June 9, 2016
by admin

mission

Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients. – Richard Branson

Writing for Talent Management and HR (http://bit.ly/1KWCe2t ), John Hollon cites a survey concerning the state of employee engagement. Among his finding that employers need to pay attention to include: More than 54 percent of employees have felt frustrated about work; only 38 percent of workers strongly agree that their manager has established a strong working relationship with them; some forty percent say they don’t get their company’s vision, or worse yet, have never seen it; nearly 67 percent of American workers can name at least one thing that would prevent them from taking any kind of risk at work.

Intuitively, many leaders know that employee engagement is critical to the success of their organization. Sadly, many employees feel that their leaders in management are out of touch. In fact, forty percent in the cited survey said they don’t get their company’s vision or haven’t even seen it. How is this possible?

Let’s be clear- a mission or vision statement hanging on a wall in some obscure place in the break room is not employee engagement. Yes, a mission statement is important. It’s important that your employees understand your vision and the role they play in seeing it fulfilled. But that alone will not suffice.

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.”

Employee engagement begins with leadership engagement. Employee engagement begins with leaders who are engaged in the lives of the people who make the mission of the work possible. It’s that simple and it’s that difficult. It takes work. It means that as a leader you have to come out from behind your desk and get connected to your people. So what does leadership engagement look like and what are some core characteristics? Here are three for your consideration.

Leadership engagement is proactive.

So long as your approach to employee engagement is a reactionary one – one that responds only during a crisis- it does not qualify as a model of employee engagement. Leadership engagement, for example, says that the health and well-being of your people is important and an investment in them and will include a wellness program because you know that when your employees are healthy they will be more productive.

There are many ways to be proactive and engage your employees but sitting back and waiting to put out the next fire is not one of them. Your mission statement means little to your people so long as your commitment to them is an afterthought.

Leadership engagement is personal

A smart leader understands that people are your most appreciable asset. You can have the best business plan in the world, and the best mission statement to go along with it, but without people you are going nowhere. Leaders who excel at employee engagement understand this principle and take to heart the importance of building meaningful relationships. Your connection to your customer/clients flows through your employees. It’s so much easier for your employee to advocate for your brand and your product when the relationship with its leadership is strong.

Make it a practice of your leadership to get to know your people and build relationships. At the end of the day your people want to know that you care about them and not just the bottom line.

Leadership engagement is a practical

Employee engagement works best when at the end of the day it’s practical. Your engagement with your people is critical but is it must be practical in its application. For example; if communication within your organization is lacking and information is not reaching the right people in a timely fashion; a workshop on retirement options on Monday at 9:00 a.m. may not be the most urgent event on the calendar.

Leadership engagement is all about knowing the pulse of your organization, understanding the needs of your people, and cutting through the layers of bureaucracy to get results. Never underestimate the power of being practical.

Employee engagement issues will continue to be front and center in most organizations. There is always room for improvement. A commitment to employee engagement begins when leaders are engaged with their people.

What do you say?

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Six Ways to Rise Above Your Critics

Posted May 19, 2016
by admin

critics

To escape criticism- do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. – Elbert Hubbard

A story is told of Winston Churchill and his extraordinary integrity in the face of opposition. During his last year in office, he attended an official ceremony. Several rows behind him two gentlemen began whispering. “That’s Winston Churchill. They say he is getting senile. They say he should step aside and leave the running of the nation to more dynamic and capable men.” When the ceremony was over, Churchill turned to the men and said, “Gentlemen, they also say he is deaf.”

Critics. Every leader has them and every leader will. How you respond to critics is an important component of your leadership development. It’s all too easy to get defensive when critics rub us the wrong way or misunderstand us. But can you appreciate a critic when he or she is right? Rising above your critics takes courage. Here are six ways to do it.

Keep a positive attitude.

Zig Ziglar said, “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” He’s right. How high and how far you go as a leader will be determined by your attitude. Nothing will give you a bad attitude any quicker than a wrong reaction to a critic. Basic things you will want to know regarding a critic are the source, the accuracy, the ramifications, and your reaction – if there even needs to be one. Regardless, stay positive and focused on the big picture.

Stay true to your values.

Don’t allow your critics to throw you off of your game. Stay grounded and connected to the values that have guided you to where you are. Values do not change but are guideposts when your circumstances do. The values and principles that brought you to where you are will keep you there so handle your critics with that in mind.

Speak no evil.

Seriously? Yes. Engaging in mud-slinging with your critics only hurts you in the long run. Unless what they have spoken or done is libelous then don’t waste your time in a verbal battle. Be content in knowing that the truth is on your side. There is no greater satisfaction than in knowing that you can look yourself in the mirror and lay your head down at night with a peace that comes from knowing you did the right thing regardless of how others behaved.

Don’t retaliate.

There will be times when you will want (and those close to you) to retaliate against critics. There is something about human nature that wants to fight back and get revenge and settle the score. I get it. But again, the end result will never be good for you. As hard as it may be there are times when you just have to let it go. Don’t worry if you lose a battle today, you are going to win the war if you keep your heart right.

Give them more ammo.

Most of the critics you will encounter are simply those who have some kind of vendetta or jealousy directed toward you. As opposed to stooping down to their level why not give them more ammo? As you do the right thing by continuing to work hard and by exhibiting good leadership, you will only become more successful. Nothing will annoy your critics more than your continued success.

Don’t lose your sense of humor.

One of the most important leadership skills you can develop is a sense of humor. Churchill exhibited it towards the men who spoke ill of him. Your critics will stir up a wide range of emotions and reactions that you will want to run with. But if you laugh – at them, and at yourself, half the battle is won.

What do you say?

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