Servant Leadership – Page 4 – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Embracing The Leadership Process

Posted September 8, 2017
by dougdickerson

Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. – Jack Welch

For the baseball fan, everyone is familiar with the great Ted Williams, the Hall of Famer from the Boston Red Sox. Known as “the slugger”, he was once asked about his ‘natural ability” to hit the ball. He’s said to have replied, “There is no such thing as a natural born hitter. I became a good hitter because I paid the price of constant practice, constant practice.”

For the leader, Williams’ answer is an accurate summation of what good leadership looks like. It’s about stepping up to the plate, it’s about the daily grind of practice. In short, it’s about commitment. It’s all about embracing the process.

But for many aspiring leaders and even for those who’ve been around a while, the process is the pitfall.

Writing in the book Rooted – The Hidden Places Where God Develops Us, author Banning Liebscher makes this observation:

“God always develops us before He develops our vision. If we don’t understand this, we will resist Him, get frustrated, and ultimately end up disappointed and disillusioned. But if we expect and embrace God’s root-building process in our lives, guess what? We will not only set ourselves up for success, but we will set ourselves up to thrive in that process. So let’s embrace the process.”

While specifically addressing the development of your faith, this principle is transferable and speaks volumes about the leadership process.

When we short-circuit the leadership process we cause harm to ourselves, and to those we are trying to lead. We want to avoid, rush past, or skirt the teachable moments – moments that could be unpleasant perhaps, but in doing so, we fail to properly develop the leadership skills that come with it. The result? We tend to move up as leaders with deficiencies in key leadership skills we need. So what’s the solution? Embrace the leadership process.

Here are a few leadership skills that you will not want to rush in their development. In fact, most of these will be ongoing over the long haul of your leadership. Here are just a few of them.

Embrace the process of reflection and reading

The truth be told, this is a skillset in leadership that you will always carry with you. Developing this skill in the formative years will serve you well in the latter years. Make the time to read, reflect, and expand your horizons. The old adage is true, “leaders are readers”, and leaders are always learning. I will add that prayer is an essential ingredient to the development of this skill set. Mark Batterson summed it up this way, “One God idea is worth more than a thousand good ideas’.

Embrace the process of time management

Jim Rohn was spot on when he said, “Either you run the day, or the day runs you,” and you must embrace the process of learning this skill. There are many tools and technologies to help you with the implementation of this skill, but ultimately it’s a discipline you have to master and I don’t think there’s an app for that. It’s on you. Time management is too crucial to your success as a leader so embrace it quick.

Embrace the process of conflict resolution

Most people I know avoid conflict. They avoid it at all costs. But if you are going to succeed as a leader, you must learn and develop this delicate but essential leadership skill. You will have to dig deep to pull off sharp conflict resolution skills such as its timing, knowing what to say, what not to say, tone, and moving toward your desired outcomes. As a leader, you will need this skill. Embrace it and learn it.

Embrace the process of people skills

It’s been said in many ways and by numerous people – people are your most appreciable asset. Simply put, no shortcuts are allowed in the process of developing your people skills. It will make you or break you as a leader. If you don’t fully embrace the process of learning and developing your people skills, you are setting yourself up for failure. How smart and talented you are mean little if you don’t know how to treat your people and if they don’t respect or trust you.

Embrace the process of personal growth and development

All of these skills that I have presented, and more, all about your personal growth development as a leader. But know this, first and foremost leadership is an inside job. You must learn to lead yourself before attempting to lead others. This is why the process must be embraced.

Leaders are not grown overnight. It takes time. It’s a lifelong commitment to learning and growing. School is always in session for the leader. Embrace the process!

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Start With Low Fences

Posted September 2, 2017
by dougdickerson

“I work on the same principle as people who train horses. You start with low fences, easily achievable goals, and work up. – Ian McGregor

Developing your skill sets as a leader is not an overnight process. It’s something that takes time and commitment. It’s a process.

I liken the process to one of my favorite hobbies – photography. Back in the day of first learning my photography skills things were much different from today. It was all manual. Various photography classes back then taught me the fine art of things like shutter speeds, f/stops, dark rooms, lighting, composition and more. You had to learn the skill in order to be good.

Nowadays with a few hundred dollars, you can purchase a fully automatic camera that takes all the guess work out of it. Ask the owner to switch to manual mode- not to mention the rule of thirds, negative space in composition, etc. and take a picture, most would be at a loss on where to begin.

Here’s the problem. With that expensive fully automatic camera in your hands, it can make you look better than you are. You can have the fancy equipment, but without the training on how to use it, you are creating a false impression.

One of the dangers in leadership is bypassing the learning process and securing the foundational principles needed for growth and maturity. This is why many an aspiring leader never reach their full potential. They rush the process. But with an open mind coupled with the attitude of a student, your leadership skills can be developed and you can rise to the next level.

It’s when you start with the low fences that you earn your leadership stripes. Here are a few low fence concepts worth considering as you think about your future and growth as a leader.

The low fence of humility

There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Aspiring leaders can blur the lines when they think their degree conveys wisdom. Your formal education is your right of passage to your real education. A strong dose of humility is in order starting out and is well worth remembering when you are older. There’s always something new to learn.

The low fence of dependability

There are no shortcuts on the path to proven leadership. It takes men and women who are willing to roll up their sleeves and earn their stripes. If you can’t be counted on in the low fence things of your leadership how can people raise their expectations of you for greater things? It’s in the daily grind that you show yourself dependable.

The low fence of flexibility

Sometimes in leadership, you have to throw out the script. Your growth and sanity as a leader will be tested with this low fence skill in more ways than you can imagine. If you can learn this low fence skill early it will save you a lot of grief later.

The low fence of loyalty

Loyalty is one of the pillars of leadership. All the creative powers in your arsenal of skills will not amount to much if loyalty is an afterthought. Faithfully striving to represent the values, mission, and vision of your organization should be the focal point of all that you do.

The low fence of service

The heartbeat of leadership is service. It’s about adding value. It’s about lifting others up, not tearing down. It’s servant leadership. The beauty of this skill set is that you never outgrow it. But with your growth and development as a leader comes the opportunity to have a greater impact. Develop this skill early while the fence is low. But never forsake it. The more you give and the more you serve, the greater the influence you can have.

Just as low fences are the starting points for training horses, it’s where you begin as a leader. But you are not designed nor destined to stay at that level. You have a higher destiny that you need to walk in. Low fences are where you start, but they are not where you should stay. You must raise the bar.

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What Millennials Are Teaching Me About Leadership

Posted July 20, 2017
by dougdickerson

“Good habits formed at youth make all the difference”. – Aristotle

He takes to the platform each week in skinny jeans, his shirt is untucked, and he has a shoe collection that would rival that of Imelda Marcos. But this is no ordinary person and it’s not a comedy club on a Friday night. It’s church on Sunday and he is my late 20’s something pastor. Band members are tatted up, some sporting man buns, but all with one thing in common-serving others the best they know how.

That in this stage in my life I would find myself in a church where the majority of the staff are millennials and I am old enough to be their parent, or in some cases their grandparent, is quite surprising even to me. But I am, and I am loving it.

I recently had lunch with my skinny jean-wearing pastor. We talked leadership over pizza and I must admit, I am more encouraged by what I see and hear from Millennials than I have ever been prior.

To be sure, millennials have had their fair share of criticisms leveled against them. Some of it justified, a lot of it not. But as is the case for all of us in leadership, millennials should be given a fair shake as they earn their leadership stripes.

I don’t presume to speak about all Millennials in all situations, but only to what I personally know, see, and experience on a regular basis. Here is what I am learning from those skinny jean wearing, man bun styling millennials. I think there’s something here for all of us-regardless of our age.

Millennials are teaching me about authenticity

These millennials are setting a great example about being authentic and transparent. It’s quite refreshing to be around people who understand their learning curves and talk openly about their mistakes and flaws, all while pursuing a higher level of excellence. Authentic leadership is hard to come by and way too many opt for wearing a mask. These millennials are teaching me that they care more about being real than they do about false perceptions.

Millennials are teaching me about the value of community

What I am learning from these millennials is that they are all about community and relationships. “Life wasn’t meant to be done alone” is the mantra often repeated. They have tapped into the power of community and discovering that life, just as in leadership, is better when you are part of a community of people who have each other’s backs and that through a community of strong relationships is how we grow. These millennials are teaching me that there is an up-and-coming generation that gets it and works hard to make it happen.

Millennials are teaching me about serving others

One of the bad wraps millennials get is that they are just a bunch of navel-gazing, narcissistic people who are the “entitled” generation. Look around and cherry-pick, and in some cases, you will find it. But the millennials I know take community and servant leadership to a new level. They are invested in their community and are making in-roads in the local schools. Community and civic pride is not the exception, but rather the rule. Millennials are teaching me they realize it’s not all about them, but that true leadership is about serving others.

Millennials are teaching me the importance of personal growth and development

As my skinny jean wearing pastor and I talked about leadership, we talked about personal growth and development. I was more than impressed by his vast knowledge and familiarity with leading authors, books, and podcasts. He is a student of leadership and works hard to apply it. So does his team. They are taking leadership seriously and are taking advantage of every opportunity to grow.

On the day of his Inaugural Address, a young 43-year-old President John F. Kennedy declared that “the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans…” It was a time of great uncertainty and many questioned the ability of such a young president to lead our nation with the challenges it faced. But he did.

Millennial leaders are rising to the challenge. They are taking up the torch and mantle of leadership and from my experiences with them, we have reason to be optimistic. Their leadership will be tested. They will not always get it right, nor will we who are older. Our life in leadership is a journey- a marathon, not a dash. But it’s when we sit across from the table, eat pizza, talk, and share life experiences that we find that we really have more in common than we realized. But I draw the line at skinny jeans.

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On The Other Side Of Fear

Posted March 17, 2017
by dougdickerson

We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear. – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In his book Intentional Living, John Maxwell describes the faith factor as it relates to connecting us with like-minded people. In a more personal way, he relates the role fear plays in preventing us from reaching our goals and dreams. Maxwell states, “Fear is the most prevalent reason why people stop. Faith is what makes people start.” Over the years I’ve had my fill of fears. I reckon it’s possible you have as well.

If you’re like me, you possess no shortage of ideas or goals you’d like to achieve. I’ll admit some ideas were perhaps conceived too soon, some a little too late, while others just died a slow death due to the restraints of time. Can you relate?

Yet there are some dreams and goals that died a slow death for another reason- fear. We’ve all wrestled with fears. I remember in Little Leagues it was always the fear of striking out. In school, I had test anxiety. Fear would get the best of me that I would fail. Even today I struggle with another fear- arachnophobia- the fear of spiders. What are yours?

Thankfully, Maxwell’s depiction of fear and the struggles we all face didn’t stop there. He went on to point how faith makes up for our fear and when applied in our lives can turn the tide in our favor. Maxwell said, “Faith does not make things easy, but it makes things possible because it puts everything, including fear, into the right perspective. So, if you want to learn, to grow, to achieve your dreams of significance to make a difference, have faith”.

How different would your life look if the decisions you made, whether those decisions are personal or professional, look if they were made through the lens of faith rather than through the lens of fear? How would things look on the other side of fear? Here’s my challenge to you.

Lead on the other side of fear

Imagine the kind of influence you could have as a leader if you opted for faith over fear? Fear will paralyze you as a leader and hinder you from becoming all God created you to be. When you lead with faith it will bury your fears and you will lead on a new level. Living on the other side of fear doesn’t mean you don’t have doubts or have questions, it just means that it’s a burden that doesn’t rest entirely on your shoulders anymore. Faith takes the weight off, fear puts it on.

Dream on the other side of fear

I know all too well what happens to dreams when fear sets in. They die. How many dreams of yours have suffered an untimely death because of fear? Fear will keep your dreams small. But I’d rather fail on the other side of fear with a God-inspired dream than succeed knowing I didn’t need God’s help. As Mark Batterson says, “If your dream doesn’t scare you, it’s too small.”

Serve on the other side of fear

When you live your life free from fear you live a life that is a peace. You are at peace knowing that you don’t have to worry about what other people think about you, say about you, or otherwise interfere with your life’s purpose. You are free to lead with your heart and serve causes greater than yourself. Fear is a speed-bump on the road to being a blessing to others. Get rid of the fear.

Grow on the other side of fear

Fear stunts your growth on many levels. It can rob you of your dreams, goals, creativity, and productivity to name a few. But when you feed your faith and starve your fears you position yourself for unprecedented personal and professional growth.

I am in no way suggesting here to throw caution to the wind and chase your dreams on blind faith. It pays to be prudent and listen to wise counsel. But well-meaning people along the way will fuel your faith or they will fuel your fears. You must not allow fear to win. Faith is hard because of the unknown. But with fear, the unseen and unattained dreams and goals will always be that–unseen and unfulfilled.

A wonderful life in leadership awaits you. It’s on the other side of fear.

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Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone – Stepping Into Your Destiny

Leadership is all about taking people on a journey. The challenge is that most of the time, we are asking people to follow us to places we ourselves have never been. – Andy Stanley

In our respective leadership circles we hear a lot about stepping out of our comfort zones. “It’s where the magic happens,” we are told. And yet for whatever reason we are reluctant to leave the comforts of what we know and fail to experience all that we could. Sound familiar?

Peter was such person in Scripture that a lot of us can identify with. He was one of the twelve chosen by Jesus to follow Him. That alone is an impressive resume builder. More than that, Peter was one of three (Peter, James, and John) who were really close to Jesus. That made him uniquely special. He was part of the inner circle.

For all of these impressive qualifiers there is also a side to Peter I am more prone to identify with. Peter is very much human- a hot head, one who likes to speak his mind. Jesus had a knack for choosing ordinary people. I like that because it gives me hope. They were a ragtag group of fishermen and a tax collector. A traveling band of brothers. World changers.

In Matthew 14 we read a story where Jesus had his disciples get into a boat and go before Him to the other side of the lake. While making their way to the other side a storm developed and the guys were scared. Get the visual here—they were fishermen by trade. Being in a boat with a developing storm was not new to them. It must have been bad.

In the fourth watch of the night Jesus appeared to them walking on the water. Now they are really afraid. They think they are seeing a ghost. But Jesus speaks to them and tells them not to be afraid (vs.27).

Comfort zones. Think about yours for just a moment. Have you become too comfortable? Have you become too predictable? What is the appeal that keeps you there so that you are not willing to venture out of it? Every possible concern and question Peter faces in this moment are ones you and I can identify with. Let’s explore them.

You will have doubts (vs. 28) “Lord if it is you…”

From the confines of the boat at night during a storm Peter has his doubts. That makes sense. No one is going to fault him on this one. Peter is keeping his cards close to his chest and erring on the side of caution. With his doubts firmly in place, he says to Jesus, “Lord if it is you, command me to come to you.”

As leaders we all have our doubts. What will people think? What will they say about me if I try this and fail? What if I screw things up? How will it make me look to my peers? We can massage our doubts in our comfort zones or we can set them aside and get out of the boat. Either way, we will have doubts just like Peter.

You will be challenged (vs. 29) “So He said, ‘Come’…”

For Peter this falls under the category of “be careful what you ask for”. Peter has really stepped in it this time. Jesus takes him up on his offer and commands him to come to Him. What is Peter going to do? In front of his peers Peter makes this appeal and Jesus calls his bluff. Peter has to act.

All leaders face times of testing and challenges. And when you do there comes a time for talk and there comes a time for action. For Peter, the time to act was at hand. Your comfort zone will either keep you in the boat or you can step into your destiny. It’s all up to you.

You will have fears (vs. 30) “He walked on the water…he was afraid…”

Peter takes Jesus up on His offer to step out of the boat and starts walking. Pretty impressive I must admit. I am not so sure I would have done that in the middle of a storm at night. But when he begins to walk he is distracted by the winds and waves. Ya think? As a result, Peter begins to sink.

As leaders we begin to sink when we take our eyes off the ball – the goal, dream, vision, our mission. When all we see is our fears and all we listen to are the voices telling us why it can’t be done we tend to lose our way. When we take our eyes off Jesus we do the same. I don’t fault Peter for his momentary slip. I admire him. He faced his fears and got out of the boat. What fear is keeping you in your comfort zone?

Here are a few take-aways that are important to remember as a leader:

God knows where you are

That the disciples would be in the boat and a storm would come was not lost on Jesus. He knew. And today He knows right where you are. You might be full of doubts, and fears, – even questioning your own abilities, but this is not about you. It’s about placing your hopes, dreams, and goals into more capable hands than yours and trusting Him to do with it what you can’t.

God knows your struggles

We all have struggles as leaders. We all have our imperfections. We each have our own set of doubts, fears, and questions we wrestle with. He knew about the disciples in the storm and He knows what you are up against. God wants to disrupt your comfort zone and stretch your faith as a leader.

God’s timing is perfect

The disciples had been in the boat battling the storm for a long time. You too might be facing opposition, doubts, and difficulties. You might be on the verge of giving up. Jesus didn’t come to the disciples when they wanted Him to, He came when they needed him the most. It’s when we come of the end of ourselves that God shows up and takes us places we never imagined. How different would your comfort zone look if you invited God into it?

Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone and into your destiny? Take the first step.

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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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In Praise of Second Fiddle Leaders

Posted September 15, 2016
by dougdickerson

Expressions of servant leadership are found when you concede being in the spotlight by putting someone else in it.

Where were you on April 8, 1974 at 9:07 p.m. EST? It might be a stretch for some to remember where they were last weekend, much less on this date 42 years ago, if indeed you were even alive. But I remember the date and time like it was yesterday. I was glued to my TV watching one of my sports heroes make history.

The stadium in Atlanta, Georgia was filled with 53, 775 joyous fans. It was in the fourth inning with a runner on first, when finally it happened- with one powerful swing of the bat – baseball history was made. Hank Aaron hit homerun number 715 into the Braves bullpen in left field. Babe Ruth’s long-standing record was finally broken.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFsTiV7bqCo&w=350&h=350]

But there is another part of the story that is rarely, if ever, mentioned. Right off the top of your head, can you name the pitcher who threw the ball to Aaron? What team were they playing? On that April night, someone had to be the hero, and someone had to make it possible. That person was left-handed veteran Al Downing of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Downing had a career ERA of 3.22 with a Win-loss record of 123-107. On this historic night, Al Downing was second fiddle.

Second fiddle. Not a very glamorous sounding title is it? But were it not for untold thousands of people who courageously bear the name, we would not have our heroes to idolize. To be sure, – every quarterback needs a center, every NASCAR driver needs a crew chief, the boxer needs a trainer, etc. Behind and beside every successful person is a second fiddle who helps make it all possible.

Who are the second fiddle people in your organization? Chances are you have already identified this person. They are your most reliable go-to people who make things happen without being asked or told. They have an intuition of what needs to be done and take action. They prefer the shadows over the spotlight and whose job, when completed, make you look better than you are.

I contend that what we need today are more people who play second fiddle. Yes, we need strong leaders out front casting vision, defining the mission, and leading the way. And yes, we need our heroes to cheer who inspire us to be our best. All of my teammates in Little League wanted to be like Hank Aaron.

But in a culture where people clamor for the spotlight perhaps a second look is in order. The backbone of every successful leader, organization, business, and any other worthwhile cause is a dedicated group of people who play second fiddle- the unsung heroes, the real leaders.

So here is to all the second fiddle leaders out there – I write in praise of your leadership. You have conceded the spotlight by putting others in it and by doing so have shown what servant leadership is all about. People may not know your name, or see the tireless contributions you make, but none of it could be done without you.

Al Downing may be a tiny asterisk in the annals of baseball history. But were it not for Al Downing on that April evening 42 years ago you wouldn’t know the history of Hank Aaron. We need more players willing to step up the big leagues and play second fiddle. Are you game?

By the way, the Braves won the game 7-4.

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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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On The Brink and Out the Door: How Employers Can Build a Culture that Matters

Posted January 29, 2016
by admin

culture

People don’t quit companies, they quit lousy bosses. – Jimmy Collins

I was in the car not long ago listening to an episode of the Dave Ramsey Show (http://bit.ly/NfZIDm) when a caller was describing to Dave how her husband was ready to quit his six-figure income because of a toxic work environment that had pushed him to the brink.

I couldn’t help but wonder how a person in such a financially secure position could walk away from it due to deplorable working conditions. Unfortunately, it’s a wide spread problem for far too many people.

A Benefits Pro article (http://bit.ly/1ZZ4oeU) reveals some of the top reasons why many in the workplace are ready to bolt. Among the top reasons are: Low pay, awful commute, unreasonable workload, annoying co-workers, poor work/life balance, lack of opportunity for advancement, the boss, and layoff/firing fear, to name a few.

If you were to give yourself an honest assessment of your present circumstance would you find yourself in the position like the lady talking to Ramsey or perhaps a person described in the article above who for whatever the reason were ready to quit?

Perhaps you are an employer who is trying to make sense of poor morale and attitudes that reflect a disengagement that troubles you. Here are some steps you can take to begin to close the gap and build a culture that matters.

Look in the mirror

Building the kind of company workers would never dream of leaving begins by being the kind of leader everyone wants to follow. If workers are ready to walk out the door making six figures it likely has less to do with the company and more to do with the leader. Never stop growing and learning as a leader and before you try to grow others, grow yourself.

Get connected

It was John Maxwell who said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Unless you get this right, your organization will be a revolving door of talent who can and will go elsewhere. Building your company begins by building relationships. When your people mean more to you than your profits you will never have to worry about people walking out the door.

Build bridges

Building a culture of trust and openness begins when you connect your people to one another. While job descriptions and responsibilities may vary it is important that each person see the value of his or her role. Job titles and duties may vary but everyone brings talent and skills needed for success. Building a culture that matters begins when you bring people together, not when you keep them apart.

Embrace change

Building a culture that matters can only happen in an environment where change is allowed. The way things were done twenty years ago may have served you well at the time but how is it working now? Employee engagement is essential to your success and creative options exist today on levels that were not present a decade or two ago. Many an organization have lost their competitive edge simply because they were not ahead the curve as it relates to change. Don’t let your inability to change be the reason your best and brightest flee.

Be willing to prune

The truth is, some people are never happy unless they are unhappy. They are chronic complainers and whiners. They have bad attitudes and are the laggards on every decision to move forward. For them the glass is always half empty and they are always finding fault along with sowing seeds of strife. The old saying goes, “What you tolerate, you promote.” In order to build a culture that matters in which everyone can thrive and reach their potential you must accept the reality that not everyone can or should take the journey with you. Let them go.

Give ownership

When your people are empowered they will seldom disappoint. It’s an age old principle that has been proven time and time again. When people have ownership and the power to make decisions at the closest level to the problem they will succeed. Sometimes the best thing you can do as a leader is to get out of the way. When there is a shared ownership of the mission and vision then everyone has a stake in the outcome. The key for you as a leader is to welcome your people into the process, not shut them out.

These are but a few practical steps that if implemented can start a process of closing your revolving door and building the kind of culture that you and your people can take pride in. Are you ready to get started?

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Five Traits of Extra Mile Leaders

Posted November 20, 2015
by admin

mile

There are no shortcuts on the extra mile – Zig Ziglar

Bob Kuechenberg, the former Miami Dolphins great, once explained what motivated him to go to college. “My father and uncle were human cannonballs in carnivals. My father told me, “go to college or be a cannonball.” Then one day my uncle came out of the cannon, missed the net and hit the Ferris wheel, I decided to go to college.”

The way you tap into your motivation as a leader may not be as drastic for you as it was for Bob Kuechenberg, but tapping into it is necessary nonetheless. Going the extra mile as a leader is what will set you apart from the rest of the pack and will take you farther than you could have without it.

So what traits do “extra mile” leaders possess? Here is a sampling of a few that I believe are essential. It’s not an exhaustive list but is a good place to start.

Extra mile leaders are proactive

Extra mile leaders take the initiative in getting things done. They prefer to tackle issues head-on rather than assume a reactionary posture. Extra mile leaders are out front on understanding the culture of their organization and the needs of the people they serve. They don’t wait to be told or asked, they see what needs to be done and they do it.

Extra mile leaders possesses a contagious enthusiasm

What sets extra mile leaders apart from mediocre leaders-every time, is a passion and enthusiasm for what they do. Their attitudes are positive and their temperament is even-handed. An extra mile leader in your organization with enthusiasm and passion will be the benchmark for the rest of your team. Without extra mile leaders your work will be hard but with them your team can see extra-ordinary results. Extra mile leaders bring out the best in those they serve.

Extra mile leaders put the team first

Extra mile leaders by and large are selfless in that their motivation and their proactive ways are done with the intent of benefitting the team. Yes, there can be exceptions when what motivates an individual is selfish in nature. But by and large, extra mile leaders have a broad understanding of the mission and vision of the organization and their extra mile sacrifices are for the benefit of the group. Of course, it pays dividends in the long run as all hard work and effort does, but it’s not the prime motivation. Extra mile leaders put their colleagues first.

Extra mile leaders have an attitude of excellence

Extra mile leaders are not satisfied with the status quo nor do they settle for what is merely acceptable. Extra mile leaders have a compelling desire to be the best personally and professionally. At times it can be misinterpreted by those without the extra mile mentality as self-serving, grand-standing, or posturing, etc. but at their core, the extra mile leader cares deeply and truly wants to advance the team in the right direction.

Extra mile leaders have found their purpose

Extra mile leaders have not only tapped into their passion but have taken it a step further in discovering their purpose. Extra mile leaders intuitively understand that it’s not about what they “do” that defines them or motivates them to go the extra mile. Extra mile leaders are those who have embraced the blessing and gift of their Creator and have committed themselves to living their life in such a way that honors it.

Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said, “There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.”

What you are capable of becoming as an extra mile leader is realized when you worry less about what you do and care more for the life you have to live and the ways in which you can serve others. When you do, the results will speak for itself.

Are you an extra mile leader?

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