-Company President
“If you ever find yourself trying to read me, stop it. I am not intentionally being vague. I am just being a bad communicator at that moment.” This statement became part of my introduction to people joining my team.
Most people reacted to that statement in two ways. Some seemed relieved. Some were confused. Whether it was relief or confusion, both reactions were the result of working on teams where they spent too much time trying to figure out their boss. Continue Reading…
If I challenge my boss, she will thank me. If I speak up for what is right, my boss will not persecute me. If I fight for my integrity despite pressure from above, I will always keep my job.
None of these results are guaranteed if I do the right thing. The only time I have a guarantee is if I stay silent. My silence guarantees things will stay the way they are. Speaking up is the only way change may happen.
Some people are afraid to speak up and challenge the boss. Some people don’t want to put forth the effort. And some just don’t care anymore.
As a result, the leader never hears the truth about himself and his ideas. The people either become silent bystanders or self-serving sycophants.
When a leader asks for feedback and does not get it, who’s fault is it? Continue Reading…
Julie had her reservations. She wasn’t sure if this guy was right for the job. Over my first 18 months on the job, Julie always spoke with candor, and she seemed to be a good judge of people.
But, I didn’t listen. I convinced myself, and then her, that this guy was right for the job. I made a good case. With some skepticism, she finally agreed. So, I hired him.
Within 90 days, I knew I was in trouble. I should have listened to Julie. Continue Reading…
Titles mean something. Team Leader, Manager, Supervisor, Vice-President- they are all titles bestowed on those who are called by an organization to lead. They have the official duties and responsibilities that go with the title.
John Maxwell says leadership is influence. If that is true, are the people with the titles the only ones called to lead? No. The title gives them some positional authority, but leaders are needed at every level of an organization. Continue Reading…
It was another day at work with Janet. She was once again telling me about her problems with her boyfriend. In my mind, she needed to ditch this loser.
I was confident he was lying to her, cheating on her, and was not the guy she should commit to any longer. But, her friends were advising her differently.
Me: “Who are these friends?”
Janet: “My girlfriends from the gym who I hang out with after work.”
Me: “Are any of them married?”
Janet: “No, why?”
Me: “Seek advice from people who are where you want to be. Not from people who are where you are.”
I was a wimp for three years. I was a coach for twelve more after that. Add it up and I spent fifteen years in sales leadership at a Fortune 50 company. Not surprisingly, my success as a leader came in those final twelve years. I realized, with the help of the people I was leading, that they wanted candor not coddling. Continue Reading…
A lot of people do not like performance reviews. Many times it is the anticipation of bad news that can cause anxiety in the individual. The fear of the unknown can overwhelm people.
That’s the problem. Nothing that is discussed in a performance review should be unknown.
That is why they are called performance reviews - NOT performance reveals! Continue Reading…
It was one of those meetings. Every time I brought up an issue or an idea, all I got was blank stares or nodding heads. Every time I tried to illicit feedback from my team, I felt as if I were pulling teeth. All I heard was crickets.
When I finally had enough, I looked at my high performing team and said, “You’re all fired!” There was a nervous laugh until they saw my face. I had a stone cold look I learned when I was in the Army. The laughing stopped. Continue Reading…
Confronting your boss is not fun. When I have done it, I have been met with anger, indifference, and/or passive aggressiveness. I have also seen some very positive reactions as well.
When I speak to groups about Building A Culture of Leadership within an organization, I always discuss the need for those without the title to speak up and lead up. I can usually count on someone approaching me after the program with a problem.
Some people tell me about their boss and the issues they will encounter if they attempt to lead up. I usually respond with empathy and one of two quotes from my dad:
• Just because it isn’t easy to do does not mean you should not be doing it!
• Whoever said leadership was going to be easy?
These quotes have some bite to them, but they are true nonetheless. Continue Reading…
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