You’ll Never Reach Excellence

The first two articles I wrote after reading, “On Writing Well,” by William Zinsseer did not do well.

I define “doing well” as the number of views along with the number of motivated readers that let others know about my articles through twitter, Facebook, and email.

The two articles: “A What without a How” and “Letting People See Your Frailties“

The first step toward excellence, surprisingly, goes down not up. Why? Because you’re stepping where haven’t stepped before. Proficiency takes time and practice.

Prepare yourself; you won’t reach excellence. There’s always more, if there isn’t your aim is too low.

The place for average

Be average at things that don’t matter to you. Brushing your teeth, stacking groceries in the cupboard, car care… Reach for excellence when reaching matters.

10 strategies for reaching high

1. Lift yourself by lifting others.
2. Remember lessons forget failures.
3. Remain focused on the big picture when your emotions let you down and they will let you down.
4. Get close to those who are great at things you want to be great at.
5. Compare your progress with your vision not with mediocrity. It’s arrogant, self-gratifying, and de-motivating to think you’re doing well compared to those who aren’t.
6. Think progress. Take one step toward excellence.
7. Stay strong at the end. The closer the deadline the stronger the temptations to lower your reach.
8. Celebrate successes they’re fuel for your fire.
9. Stay away from negative people.
10. Don’t feel you need #10 if nine is enough.

You’ll never reach excellence but you can pursue it.

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How do you pursue excellence?

What’s the best suggestion you have for those pursuing excellence?

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Public Speaking Tips from the CEO of Deloitte

James Quigley is global CEO of Deloitte, the largest private professional services firm on earth. Jim generously gave me 45 minutes on the phone.

I asked Jim to share a personal weakness that had become a strength. He spoke about public speaking. He called himself a bit of an introvert. I didn’t, however, take his comment in the traditional “shy and withdrawn” sense.

I understood his comment in the context of  the opportunities and challenges the public platform provides leaders to shape, direct, and motivate large organizations. Leading from the front is a powerful way to reach 175,000 employees.

Jim said, “People want to be led. They want leaders that have vision and passion. I’ve learned to leverage the opportunities the stage provides and do my best to ‘deliver the message’.”

Jim Quigley’s 8 public speaking tips

1. Know your audience.  Do your homework—understand the audience’s perspective, and think ahead about what that means to you, as the speaker.
2. Engage your listeners—make eye contact, and work the room to connect.
3. Wherever possible and appropriate, take and follow their cues—watch the body language.
4. Be flexible and be prepared to change the flow of your remarks, length of presentation, and focus based on changing circumstances.
5. Own the material, even if team members helped you prepare.  To connect with the audience, the content must be yours.
6. Be passionate about your topic – it is critical to not only know your topic but to also be passionate about it if you are to capture the attention of your audience.
7. Be yourself – authentic speakers connect.
8. Be careful with humor, risk usually exceeds the reward.

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What do you find challenging about public speaking?

What tips public speaking tips can you offer?

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On Amazon

Read my review of Jim’s book, “As One: Individual Action, Collective Power“

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Full Steam Ahead!

“In our work with organizations worldwide, we have observed that the biggest impediment to managers becoming great leaders is the lack of a clear vision…,” Ken Blanchard and Jesse Stoner.

A confession:

I must admit it’s not natural for me to enjoy a business fable. You know, a leadership book wrapped around a made-up story. Having said that, I’ve run across a few that really floated my boat. “Full Steam Ahead,” is one.

On Amazon

A secret:

I learned from the authors that “Full Steam Ahead,” is a true story masquerading as a fable. Everything in it happened. The names were changed to protect the innocent/guilty. The companies, phone messages, and conversations all exist.

A Definition:

“Vision is knowing who you are, where you are going, and what will guide your journey.”

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What if you aren’t the “leader”:

I’m frequently asked, “What can I do to change my organization?”

Answer: Develop vision for your own division or department. If your organization eventually develops vision, bring yours into alignment. Don’t wait. Act now.

Vision how:

1. “The process of creating the vision is as important as what the vision says.” Get together with coworkers and work on creating a vision that illustrates purpose. Engagement creates enthusiasm and ownership.
2. Define, describe, and practice everyday behaviors that make your vision real today.
3. Create support structures. The Lone Ranger had Tonto. Surprisingly, only you can dismantle your walls of aloneness.
4. Set goals and create action plans.

Evaluation:

Evaluate success by progress not arrival. A vision you can achieve is only a goal. It’s too low.

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What everyday practices make your vision real today?

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Image source

Stop asking “why”

I think you ask “why” too much and “what” too little. Asking “why” is a backward-facing activity that examines the past searching for excuses and someone to blame.  Asking “why” may be useful on the psychologist couch or in science class but it’s not as useful for leaders.

“Why” feels good.

There’s finality to answering “why?” You may feel a sense of accomplishment because you figured something out. But what did you accomplish?

Don’t get me wrong. I like to blame others for my problems as much as the next person. It’s easy and relieves me of responsibility.

Leadership and “why.”

Leadership is always about forward-facing movement not backward-facing excuses. It’s about change. “Why” won’t take you there.

“What” not “why” shows the way.

1. What can you do today that moves you toward tomorrow’s goal?
2. What can you do that steps you forward into sustaining relationships?
3. What behaviors move you toward career advancement?

The ability to explain why something happened is admirable but frequently useless. On the other hand, defining forward-facing behaviors that create a preferred future is wise. Wisdom is practical and actionable.

Confession time.

I love “why.” “I wonder why they manipulate others,” represent an excursion into speculative, excuse-making bliss. Frankly, I’m seeing “why” as a colossal waste of time.

I wonder why I’m so interested in why?

An experiment

Banish “why” from your vocabulary for 24 hours. Only ask “what.” I think you’ll experience a taste of forward momentum. For example, don’t ask yourself why you are exhausted. Ask, “What can I do to restore my enthusiasm and energy.” You don’t need a reason why. You need a change in behavior.

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Has asking “why” waylaid you?

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How to create high potential communities?

Ken Blanchard told me Jesse Stoner is one of the world’s experts on the topic of vision.

Jesse grew up Jewish in a small Midwest community where being Jewish was something you hid if you could. She lived in two worlds.

In the main stream world she knew she didn’t fully belong and kept her ethnicity to herself.

In her smaller community, she deeply belonged. She didn’t realize all her “aunts” and “uncles” weren’t relatives until she was in her teens. She grew up rooted and belonging to a tight community born partially as a result of prejudice.

Thirty years later, Jesse Stoner has become one of the world’s experts in creating vision. More importantly, her specific expertise is moving vision from dream to reality. She’s all about making vision happen.

When I asked Jesse what excites her about vision she said, “Vision is something that brings people together to achieve a purpose that reaches beyond individuals.” She added, “Creating and executing vision brings people together in a context that maximizes their potential.”

Jesse explained four essential components of vision that creates connected, high potential communities.

1. Embracing a noble purpose brings people together. For example, your business is more than selling shoes. Its making people feel good about themselves while they are walking to work. Noble purpose motivates individuals to band together. It gives them energy to identify and embrace shared values.
2. Shared values create and maintain community cohesion.

• Talk over and explore shared values.
• Explain what they mean in clear language.
• Identify which values fuel your passion.
• Enjoy the power of alignment.

Jesse explained that, “Everyone doesn’t have to share the same values to the same degree. However, everyone needs to agree on which value or values they are willing to stand in front of the bus for.”

Continued tomorrow …

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Jesse’s book, “Full Steam Ahead” is one of my favorite books.

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Purchase it by May 6 and all profits from sales go to “Give Kids the World.”

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Purchase on Amazon: Full Steam Ahead

(uncompensated endorsement)

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Two surprising events

This post was written after spending more than 45 minutes on the phone with Frances Hesselbein, president and CEO of the Leader to Leader Institute (formerly the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management). Peter Drucker told the New York Times, “Frances Hesselbein could manage any company in the country.” Speaking of the country, Mrs. Hesselbein is the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.

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Our call was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. However it was pushed back to 4:00. Upon calling back I was put on hold for a few minutes while Mrs. Hesselbein bid farewell to visitors in her office.

I was glad to wait.

Two surprising events

When Frances said hello, she immediately apologized for the delay and began explaining, with child-like enthusiasm, that her guests were three children of Vietnamese Boat People (Children in their 30’s).

While explaining the reason for her Vietnamese visitors and without shifting gears, I heard her call out, “Take good care of them.” I imagined her waving and smiling as she spoke to the escort of her departing guests.

Her tone wasn’t commanding it was generous and compassionate; a tone she maintained throughout our conversation.

The second event happened toward the end of our call, around 4:50 p.m. when she excused herself to say good night to her Executive Assistant, Gloria. Upon returning, Frances told me she didn’t care much for the title, Executive Assistant. It is completely inadequate.

Frances explained that she was in the habit of saying yes too frequently but Gloria seemed to make it all happen. I’m sure our conversation fit that description perfectly.

Reflection

I’m thinking of all the leaders, over all the years I’ve known. Some of them are intolerant, arrogant, and full of their own self-importance. I’m also thinking of the woman I just spoke with; world traveler, companion of Presidents and foreign dignitaries; admired by leaders of the world’s greatest companies.

More than any other leader I’ve known, she has the “right” to be full of herself. Yet, I found her generous, respectful, energetic, and filled with compassionate strength.

Without suggesting it, Frances refreshes my energy to generously serve others.

More to come …

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The younger leads the older

Image source

Introduction

This is the second installment in my conversation with G.J. Hart, CEO of Texas Roadhouse.

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The fire

The combination of good fortune and hard work landed G.J. Hart as a plant manager responsible for 500 employees at the tender age of twenty. He described it as a great opportunity and a trial by fire. He went on to explain that nearly everyone in the plant was older, more experienced, and more knowledgeable of the industry.

The first question

While listening to G.J. talk, two questions bubbled up in my mind. I think I interrupted him when I asked, “What did your mentor see in you that motivated him to put you in charge of 500 experienced employees?”

G.J. wasn’t troubled by my interruption. He casually responded, “Probably the things you would expect.” There was a pause. I waited.

G.J. began explaining qualities he learned from his parents, qualities imprinted in his DNA; the will to persevere and the will to succeed. Dual qualities he connected to the toughness his Mom demonstrated by surviving six years in Japanese concentration camps and the stubbornness of his Dutch Dad.

The second question

The second question was less personal and more technical. I asked, “How does a young leader earn the respect of older more experienced workers?” Without hesitation G.J. listed two qualities in succession.

1. You respect them.
2. You are there to serve them.

You have to respect a young man with that kind of wisdom.

Input from the Leadership Freak Coffee Shop (LFCS)

I asked the LFCS on Facebook the same question. A small sampling:

• Jean Radeztsky, … “Know that you were selected for this role because of your leadership skills.”
• Kerry Bural, “The “spirit” in which one leads is critical to the outcome.”
• Eric Jacques, … “Asking for their feedback and giving them plenty of time to accept me in my role.”

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Pt. 1 “A Dealer in Hope“

Pt. 3 “A Different Kind of Courage“

What are your suggestions for those charged with leading/managing older more experienced employees?

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Remember Japan

Image source by scarabus

Feel free to share a leader’s response to tragedy and crisis.

Open Leadership – Some Sanity

Openness is central to the integration of social media with leadership and business.

I had one leader skeptically say, “Let’s see what happens three years from now,” as if social media was going away like a fad or bad dream. I say, “bad dream,” because I think large, top down, command and control organizations are scrambling like cock roaches under the glare that openness creates. In so doing, they are missing opportunity.

In many cases, command and control business cultures require secrecy and fear. Secrecy creates fear and fear motivates underlings to lie by telling top-dogs what they want to hear.

Openness undermines secrecy, diminishes fear, and nurtures trust.

How Open – Some sanity about Social Media

Social Media hasn’t ended the basic idea that business exists to add value to customers and constituents in ways that generate profit. Drucker put it this way, “The purpose of business is to create and keep a customer.”

The power and relevance of Social Media depends on alignment with the purpose of business.

Openness for the sake of openness is weak, foolish, and ineffective. Additionally, openness isn’t a magic genie that cures your leadership problems, creates world peace, and generates unending wealth. If you aren’t careful, it actually creates problems.

Charlene Li

Charlene Li explains the four strategic objectives that openness can achieve.

1. Learning. First and foremost, organizations know that they must learn from employees, customers, and partners before they can do anything else.
2. Dialog. Communications – both internal and external – transforms a relationship from that of shouting out one way messages to a dialog, between equals. Along the way people become more engaged.
3. Support. People both inside and outside the organization need support at different times – ranging from pre-sale to post-sale.
4. Innovating. Creativity needs to be fostered, but both inside and outside the organization.

Tomorrow: Open Leadership – the Failure Imperative

Yesterday’s post: Open Leadership

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What can openness do for you or your organization?

What should organizations NOT be open about?

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Open Leadership

“Power to the People,” by John Lenon was released nearly 30 years ago. It’s coming true today.

When power is viewed as a zero sum game, empowering one group disempowers another. Furthermore, power for one destabilizes others. In my opinion, viewing power as a zero sum game is the main reason top-down, command and control organizations are afraid of social media.

Charlene Li’s book, Open Leadership: How Social Technology Can Transform the Way You Lead, begins with, “Why Giving Up Control Is Inevitable.”

“Business leaders are terrified about the power of social technologies, but they are also intrigued and excited about the opportunities,” (Open Leadership, p. 7). My experience includes another group of leaders, the ones whose eyes glaze over when the topic of social media comes up. I feel like saying to this group, “Give it up, the 8-track isn’t coming back.”

Li’s book is foundational for anyone interested in leading in a world radically changed by social media. Notice the past tense, “changed.” It’s true, social media is changing the world. More importantly, with over 10% of the world’s population on Facebook, it’s already profoundly changed the way we think about communication and relationships.

In view of social media tools that radically empower customers and employees, Li offers five rules that govern how new relationships work in the business world.

1. Respect that your customers and employees have power.
2. Share constantly to build trust.
3. Nurture curiosity and humility. (In leaders and managers)
4. Hold openness accountable.  Explain the extent and limits of openness. List consequences when social media is misused.
5. Forgive failure. “Things go wrong all the time in relationships and the healthiest ones move on from them, …”

More from “Open Leadership,” tomorrow…

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Which of Li’s 5 rules do you find most challenging or exciting?

How do you see social media changing leadership?

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Related Post: Open Leadership – Some Sanity