Mike Figliuolo – Page 25 – thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World

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Entries by Mike Figliuolo

Would you rather lead a team of strong or weak personalities?

April 13, 2017 /1 Comment/in Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: Would you rather lead a team of strong, difficult personalities or one with weaker personalities but more team cohesion? – Give me the strong personalities with less team cohesion: 37% – I’ll take the weaker personalities with more team cohesion: 63% Stronger Teams Preferred. It’s interesting that two thirds of you opted for a team with weaker personalities but more team cohesion. That speaks to our basic desire to avoid conflict. The upside is the team operates harmoniously. The downside can be that the team members aren’t strong enough to become the next generation of leaders. If you ever have a chance to lead a weaker team with stronger personalities, give it a try. While individually they may be more challenging, if you can build the teamwork skills between them, you could be amazed by what they’re able to deliver. Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below! – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

Chaos Doesn’t Always Point in the Desired Direction

April 10, 2017 /0 Comments/in Books, Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

Sometimes the person on your team who is “driving change” is actually driving everyone crazy. How can you figure out the difference? What do you do when you learn they’re making everyone nuts? Today’s post is by Ilene Marcus, author of Managing Annoying People (CLICK HERE to get your copy). Many managers value a team member who can shake things up, get their peers moving, create chaos, figure a clear path out of the chaos, and spring into action. Managers who value this style often proclaim “You belong on my team,” proudly adding “What a bull in a china shop!” With 100% certainty, they believe if there isn’t loud noise and many moving parts, nothing is really happening. The bull in a china shop evokes strength, force, and authenticity. 100% certainty until they have a bull in a china shop on their team and it is not working. Dissecting team dynamics is tricky. There are many variables and even more personalities. It’s my job to look for the common threads that drive or stall a leader’s agenda. Most often that is the motivator and its flipside is the energy zapper. Interactions, people or process that zap the leader’s, team’s, or an individual’s productivity, are an indicator of the team dynamic and propensity for triumph. The energy zapper stops progress. When disguised as the bull in the china shop, most managers are stymied at the impact this behavior (they may value) has on their team. Shouldn’t a bull move the process forward? As an idiom, it is defined as a clumsy creature in a delicate situation or something awkward. The Cambridge dictionary says “If someone is a bull in a china shop, they are very careless in the way that they move or behave.” In German culture, it’s an elephant in a china shop. That may […]

How do you deal with someone with a domineering personality?

April 6, 2017 /1 Comment/in Career, Communications, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How do you deal with someone who has an exceedingly domineering personality? – I avoid them: 14% – I confront them directly: 16% – I work around them: 44% – I coach them and give them feedback: 27% Stopping a Steamroller. We’ve all worked with someone who has a “steamroller” personality. They get things done but they roll over everyone in their path in the process. These coworkers can be difficult to deal with. While working around them might be an acceptable approach in the short term, you’re only setting yourself up for future pain down the road. Take a moment to provide the person some feedback. It is possible to stop their steamrolling behavior. They may not even realize they’re bowling people over as they do their work. Their overzealous nature and “get it done” attitude can be huge assets to the organization if they’re tempered. They might mistakenly think their behaviors are not only appropriate but valued. If you want to make things run more smoothly and avoid you or others getting crushed in the future, stop avoiding the issue and provide the required feedback. Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below! – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

How a Sales Manager Can Think Like a Leader

April 3, 2017 /0 Comments/in Books, Guest Blogger, Leadership, Sales /by Mike Figliuolo

Sales leaders need to get out of the day to day selling activities and focus more on the longer-term development of their team if they want to succeed. Today’s post is by Kevin F. Davis, author of The Sales Manager’s Guide to Greatness (CLICK HERE to get your copy). Almost every sales manager was, at one point in their career, a peak-performing sales professional, top dog on the team. When promoted, everything changed—except, perhaps, them. This presents a problem because managing and leading a sales team requires a completely different mindset from selling. Yet what sales managers have to rely on are the instincts and competencies they developed when they were selling. That’s why, above and beyond any specific techniques they learn, every sales manager needs to re-frame their thinking around leadership mindsets so their decisions will be driven by what’s good for the team not what’s good from a salesperson’s perspective. For sales managers it’s a constant internal struggle to replace sales rep instincts with more effective leadership mindsets. Here are some examples of what that means. Struggle #1: Player vs. Observer Every great salesperson I’ve known wanted to be in on the action, down on the field, making the plays. That strong drive is what made them great and brought them stellar results. But sales managers are not put in the job to keep selling. They are put into the job so they can help others become the best salespeople they can be. Great sales managers see themselves as observers and coaches, not players. This switch is perhaps the hardest of all. But it’s only by observing that a sales manager can properly evaluate what the problem is and offer suggestions to a rep that will lead to lasting improvements. Struggle #2: Results vs. Inputs

How would your team rate you as a leader?

March 30, 2017 /1 Comment/in Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How would your team rate you as a leader? – They think I’m the greatest leader they’ve ever had: 6% – They think I’m a great leader: 26% – They think I’m a good leader: 52% – They think I’m an OK leader: 11% – They think I’m a poor leader: 2% – They think I’m a horrible leader:3% What keeps you from being “great?” Two thirds of you see yourselves as a “good” leader (or less). What’s preventing you from becoming great? What holds you back? If you have deficiencies you’re aware of, what’s preventing you from working on them every day? If you’re not sure where to start, there’s a core set of traits I’ve known all great leaders to have. Those include being authentic, resilient, decisive, fair, innovative, strategic, and thoughtful. Spend some time assessing your weak spots and lay out a plan for building those skills. Nothing about your performance will change unless you deliberately seek to change it. Start down your path to “great” today. There’s no reason not to. Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below! – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

How to Navigate the Choppy Waters of Crisis Management

March 27, 2017 /0 Comments/in Books, Entrepreneur, Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

When you face a true crisis, how do you react? Do you stress out? Do you look for someone to blame? Perhaps instead you can approach the crisis like a Hollywood director. Today’s post is by Tom Reilly, author of The Hollywood MBA (CLICK HERE to get your copy). I have spent three decades running movie sets which has always required me to anticipate and stave off problems on a daily, if not hourly, and even minute-by-minute basis. Of course, not every leadership and management problem is a crisis, although they can often feel that way. But how do you tell the difference? Here’s how I do it. Consider which of the situations below you would consider to be a crisis when running a massive motion picture that costs tremendous amounts of money per day to shoot? And why would you consider it a crisis? A. When you are filming in the Everglades in 110 degree heat, three alligators surface in the water less than thirty feet from where your leading man, Sean Connery, will be standing for the next scene. B. It’s 3:00 in the morning. You’re filming a stunt sequence for a period film (1952) in a desolate wooded area in Rhode Island and the battery to the antique car you are using dies. C. When filming a scene in a Manhattan apartment, the three-year-old playing Robert De Niro’s grandson has a temper tantrum of magnitude ten on the Richter scale. So does his twin brother. At the same time. D. The “smoke effect” being used for a diversion during a car chase literally blows the hood off a car and sends it three stories into the air. Alligators, dead batteries, screaming kids, explosions… maybe not potential problems in your line of work, but they are in mine. […]

Have you ever struggled transitioning from one level to the next?

March 23, 2017 /0 Comments/in Career, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: Have you ever struggled transitioning from one level to the next, like from manager to director? – Always – I’ve struggled every time I’ve changed levels: 14% – Sometimes – I’ve had a couple of bumpy transitions: 49% – Rarely – Most of my transitions have been smooth: 28% – Never – I’ve never had trouble making a leap: 9% Expectations have changed. You got the promotion because people believe in you. It’s time to start believing in yourself. When changing levels, look at behaviors that need to change and be honest with yourself about insecurities you have about the next level. The keys to transitions are embracing the new expectations, spending time preparing to contribute in new ways, and acting “as if” you’re supposed to be at that table – because you are. The faster you can wrap your head around the new expectations and practice those new behaviors, the smoother your transition will be. Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below! – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

A Leader’s Need to Overcome Self-Limiting Beliefs

March 22, 2017 /0 Comments/in Career, Entrepreneur, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

You have a limited amount of time yet you have unlimited potential. What is getting in the way of you achieving it? Self-limiting beliefs are one of the biggest obstacles you face as a leader but you can overcome them. Could your issue be what you believe and have convinced yourself of? Could it be how you present yourself – posture, stance, body language? Possibly you are allowing your emotions to get in the way and need to learn how to control them. Quite often we are our own worst enemies, but within is a Superman or Superwoman screaming to come out. You are a leader because of what you have done in the past, yet to move to the next level requires something different. Learn to summon your inner super power and get ready to take a giant leap. Here at thoughtLEADERS, I’m fortunate to work with some incredibly bright people. Marcy Schwab is one of them. Marcy recently discussed the topic of these self-limiting beliefs and behaviors with Steve Caldwell at Manager Mojo. They got together on his podcast to discuss how to overcome these challenges. Listen to the podcast here:

Successful Leaders Do These 3 Things to Reach Outside Their Comfort Zones

March 20, 2017 /0 Comments/in Books, Business Toolkit, Career, Entrepreneur, Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

Reaching outside your comfort zone is critical for success in business and in life. If you want to be successful, follow these three tips. Today’s post is by Andy Molinsky, author of Reach (CLICK HERE to get your copy). If you play tennis, you’re probably familiar with the concept of a “second serve.” In tennis, you have two chances to serve the ball, so on the first you can really put everything into it, with little risk since you always have that second one to fall back on. The key is how you approach the second one. When I was much younger, I learned that it was OK – critical even – to learn how to hit a powerful second serve – something that would be nearly as effective as the first – with lots of spin to it. But that took time and effort and many, many failed attempts – even in game-time situations. The easy solution in the moment would have been to tap that second serve right in – risking little, but also not developing for the future. But I’m very glad I got the advice I did to risk it early on, and learn from experience and failure, because now I actually have a second serve I can use effectively – something that’s actually an asset –a weapon – and something I can use in real game time situations. And, as I’ve learned from my own experience, as well as from the experiences interviewing managers, executives, and entrepreneurs for my new book Reach, having the courage to take a leap is just as important in business as it is on the tennis court. So, what are the best practices for willing yourself to take that leap and do something you know will help you in the […]

What’s the balance between “thinking” and “doing” on your team?

March 16, 2017 /0 Comments/in Innovation, Leadership, Poll /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: What’s the balance between “thinking” and “doing” on your team? – We do too much thinking and not enough doing: 38% – We have a good balance between thinking and doing: 28% – We do too much doing without enough thinking: 34% Balancing thinking and doing. Many of you face the challenge of too much thinking without enough doing or too much doing without enough thinking. Either one of those can cripple your organization. If you’re doing too much thinking, it’s likely because you’re not breaking big problems into smaller ones with more actionable solutions. Have a bias toward action. A smaller problem is easier to solve and act on. If you’re not doing enough thinking, consider changing your decision making style to make it more inclusive of other perspectives. Doing so will help you avoid mistakes you should have known you’d make before you made your decision. Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below! – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

The Powerful Leadership Tool You’re Not Using Enough

March 13, 2017 /2 Comments/in Books, Communications, Guest Blogger, Leadership /by Mike Figliuolo

Most leaders feel enormous pressure to be a rock for everyone they oversee – calm, composed, and unfailingly clear-headed. But, too often, they confuse ‘being strong’ with being unemotional robots. Today’s post is by Brandon Black and Shayne Hughes, co-authors of Ego Free Leadership (CLICK HERE to get your copy). Though countless studies verify that compassionate leadership yields better business results, many leaders still refrain from showing genuine emotion and vulnerability in moments when their teams actually need to see it most. That lack of sincere expression often alienates employees and makes already difficult situations even more volatile. First, let’s state the obvious: It is never easy – or comfortable – to let others know you feel upset, awkward, uncertain, or even incompetent. But in the right situation, honestly reflecting that reality can be a truly powerful (and unifying) display of strength. Doing the right thing is often difficult Just such an event occurred at Encore Capital Group during a difficult layoff of 110 employees. In today’s tumultuous global economy, it’s impossible for companies to guarantee employment. Hard calls sometimes get made. But just because it’s the “right decision” doesn’t make executing that decision easy. CEO Brandon Black and his executive team wanted the process handled with care so that departing employees could walk out with their heads held high, knowing they weren’t abandoned by the organization. The leadership team agreed to make themselves accessible for every question that came up – and to be patient when people got angry or cried. The largest headcount reduction was to occur at their Phoenix office where about thirty three percent of the employees were being let go. Encore’s SVP of Operations, Jim Syran, went there to personally deliver the message. On the day of the layoffs, the leadership team had a call […]

How do you view deferring important training to future dates?

March 9, 2017 /1 Comment/in Leadership, Poll, Training /by Mike Figliuolo

Our reader poll today asks: How do you view deferring important training to future dates? – Totally unacceptable: When there’s a skill gap, fill it immediately: 14% – Not a good idea: Only defer training if there’s a critical reason: 80% – Not a big deal: It’s OK if it’s deferred. We’ll get to it eventually: 2% – Totally fine: Training is pretty low priority: 2% – Who cares? Training is just a waste of time: 1% Waiting causes issues. If there’s a skill gap in your organization, it’s clear the consensus is to fill it and conduct the necessary training. While many of you believe that, in my 12+ years of providing training programs, all too often I’ve seen folks not walk this talk. Budgets, “I’m busy,” and other arbitrary metrics get in the way and cause delays on a consistent basis. The next time you’re facing a deferral of training, think hard about how suffering with the skill gap your facing for another three to six months will impact your organization. Ask yourself if it’s worth the wait. If not, go to bat for holding the training and resolving the skill shortfall sooner rather than later. I’ve pushed this point in the past and some leaders have gotten the message. Unfortunately there are many others who bow to the pressures of delaying required training. Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below! – Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!