Dogs can teach us a thing or two. Have you ever thought about how to apply canine behavior to your leadership style? There are interesting approaches your dog would encourage you to try if you want to be a better leader.
If you’re like most Americans you love dogs. Unlike a goldfish won at a church festival, people form deep and meaningful relationships with their canine pals.
So what does any of this have to do with leadership? As it turns out, a lot.
Leadership is more art than science, and more emotion than logic. The actions and behaviors that roll up to form an effective leader, when you boil them down, are actually pretty simple. And they are very similar to why we love dogs so darn much.
Dogs are faithful, inspirational, determined and observant. These four core qualities—the Fido Factors—are the basis of the unexpected reason why we can learn leadership lessons from dogs.
Take a dog’s tail. It’s a crystal clear barometer of how they are feeling. Happy and it wags like crazy, guilty and it curls under out of shame. Dogs are simply incapable of hiding how they feel. They can’t lie.
Not so much with humans. Like a professional poker player, most of us have gotten very good at hiding our emotions in the workplace. And while there are times when that’s a good thing, more often than not we’d benefit from wagging our tail a little more.
Dogs don’t hide how they feel. Take a typical day coming home after work. There to greet you at the front door is your dog. His smiling face, a slobbery tennis ball in the mouth and a wagging tail tell you in no uncertain terms how happy he is to see you. This wear-it-on-the-collar approach to life is one of the reasons we love them so much.
Great leaders at work do the same. Well, maybe not the slobbery tennis ball. They aren’t afraid to open up and show emotion. As a result, coworkers feel a stronger connection to the cause.
Ask yourself this: when one of your associates comes back to the office after a long day in the field, how do you react? Do you wag your tail and celebrate their successes or do you hide your tail in your office so no one can see how you really feel?
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/20220926-Dog-in-Office.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=112801920Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-09-26 08:00:122022-09-26 02:45:53Be a Better Leader by Wagging Your Tail
Speaking spontaneously can be a powerful way for leaders to communicate with their teams. But such spontaneity comes with many pitfalls that can derail the speaker’s message. Beware of rambling on, using inappropriate humor, and not staying attuned to your audience.
A senior vice president I know had just joined a firm and was asked to speak at the next town hall. He was excited about the opportunity to address the company’s 3,000 employees and carefully prepared a scripted speech. But when he began to rehearse, the CEO took one look at the script, and asked,
“What’s that?”
“It’s my speech,” the new executive replied.
“Oh, we don’t give speeches here,” the CEO said. “Just talk to our employees.”
Fortunately, he had time to mentally master the thoughts he had written out, and he spoke without a text – to rave reviews.
Such spontaneous dialogue is the new normal for business leaders. No longer hidden behind podiums as their predecessors were, today’s leaders are far more likely to engage their audience in dialogue. These conversations might be interviews, town halls, elevator conversations, corridor exchanges, or brief remarks sparked by “Do you have a minute?”
As casual as these extemporaneous situations seem to be, they can be high stakes situations for leaders.
If you want to speak as a leader in impromptu situations, avoid the following pitfalls:
Pitfall #1: Not Preparing
Many leaders think of impromptu speaking as “winging it,” but doing so will lead to many stumbles – and who wants to be known for that track record?
Winston Churchill had fun with speakers who talk without thinking. He observed: “Before they get up, they do not know what they are going to say; when they are speaking, they do not know what they are saying; and when they have sat down, they do not know what they have said.”
As counterintuitive as it may seem, you can prepare to be spontaneous. There are times when you know you’ll be part of an impromptu event – a client chat, a conversation with a team member, a networking event, or a Q&A. Take whatever time you have to prepare notes, or a mental outline of what you will say. Even if you only have a few seconds, pause and decide what your message is.
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/20220919-Microphone.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=112801920Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-09-19 08:00:562022-09-19 01:08:38Avoiding the Pitfalls of Impromptu Speaking
The ability to receive feedback, even when it’s critical, and bounce back from adversity are just two of many characteristics that make for a great leader. How many of these traits do you possess?
Here’s an interesting litmus test to apply to the headlines as you sip your coffee this morning or watch the evening news tonight. If you look for it you’ll see a common strain. Someone somewhere will be under attack, criticized for a failed policy, facing an indiscretion that has come back to haunt them, or for making a misstatement that is now being roundly assailed in the media.
Someone once said that the essence of story is and always has been conflict. If that’s the case then the daily news is the petri dish for great stories because it is rife with conflict.
I grew up in the corporate world and made my career there. I learned a thing or two about conflict and how to survive it. I learned even more about people and what distinguished a limited few from the masses when it came to how they dealt with adversity or more specifically, criticism.
Here is the insight I eventually gained (and unfortunately this was not an overnight process.)
Everyone is at their best when they dictate the game. Far fewer are effective when the game is being dictated to them. Said another way, if you really want to know the character of an individual, watch them when the bright lights of scrutiny, criticism, or adversity are being directed toward them.
Many lose their way then. I liken it to the same phenomenon I see in combat sports like boxing and mixed martial arts. The offensive dynamo that withers when the opponent punches back often suffers from what experts describe as the proverbial “glass jaw” meaning that part of the cranium shatters when it’s tapped very hard.
It is very, very real in the business world and I suspect in most careers. That poet laureate Mike Tyson might really have said it best: “Everybody has a plan until they get hit in the face.”
I’ve seen it in leaders at every level and in employees of every type and eventually coined the term, the Iron Jaw Seven to distinguish the truly resilient career travelers from the masses. The characteristics that distinguished this amazing minority are:
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/20220912-Punch.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=112801920Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-09-12 08:00:572022-09-12 06:12:21What do You do when the Career Punches Come?
Studies show that the happier your team is, the more productive they will be. Here are simple strategies to keep them energized.
Today’s post is by William Vanderbloemen, author of Culture Wins (CLICK HERE to get your copy).
More and more studies are showing that how we feel about our work impacts how we feel about ourselves, our personal and professional relationships, and our job performance.
Successful companies are wising up to this and nurturing our mind/body connection and seeing a boost in higher quality work, retention and results.
Still not convinced?
Think of it this way: If you buy two pairs of running shoes and switch them off, they’ll last longer. The same is true with your staff. Give your team time to reset during busy work seasons, and they’ll be energized to do more work quicker and better.
Here are four simple strategies to having work and life not only coexist, but get along, and see great results:
Hit the gym
Organizations with a healthy work culture encourage their team members to be healthy themselves.
Give your employees the resources to take care of themselves. Provide a gym membership. Schedule a trainer to come to the office so people can work out while getting paid (not squeezing in during a lunch hour). Or, have a fitness challenge. People can train together for a race or see who can log the most steps in a month.
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/20220905-Man-Laptop-Coffee-Shop.jpg?fit=1920%2C1224&ssl=112241920Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-09-05 08:00:182022-09-05 06:36:584 Ways to Help Work and Life Coexist
Innovation is the buzzword of buzzwords. Job descriptions seek “innovative leadership.” Organizations tout their “innovative culture.” Grants support “innovative solutions.”
But what exactly does this mean? And how are you most apt to achieve it?
Like many terms, innovation carries baggage. It means different things to different people, and common assumptions mislead. To better grasp its implications, consider what innovation is not.
Innovation is not technology.
Innovation is regularly confused as a codeword for technology. For example, cities aspiring to become innovation hubs may focus predominantly on recruiting this sector. Yet not all technology innovates. And only a fraction of creative thought emerges from this field.
While some of the biggest societal disruptions have undoubtedly been catalyzed by tech, the vast majority of this industry is hardly cutting edge. In fact, as the rate of change accelerates, the period during which even revolutionary products can claim innovation diminishes. (First generation iPhones may have rocked the world in 2007, yet a two-year old device today feels grossly inadequate and antiquated.)
Innovation does not describe the majority of activities pursued by even the most radical technology firms. Bookkeeping, logistics, customer service, HR, advertising, and tech support provide essential maintenance. Yet these tasks hardly require continuous reimagination. Existing solutions may already be adequate to outstanding.
Furthermore, technology is hardly the only field known for extraordinary problem-solving capacity. Visionary artists, scientists, marketers, educators, architects, social workers, entrepreneurs, and other creatives are just as likely to fit the bill. Communities concerned with bold thinking will be well-served by facilitating conversation and collaboration incorporating a diversity of perspectives. Doing so is not merely politically correct. It is essential to progress.
Innovation is not imitation.
Many organizations recognize the need to innovate. Despite historic success, unprecedented challenges necessitate feature tweaking or even deep, fundamental change.
For clues on success, a common practice involves studying direct competition. Bars, banks, and beauticians look to parallel entities, considering which principles might be adopted, adapted, or stolen. Doing so provides more than inspiration. It offers permission. “They do this and it seems to work. Maybe we should too!” This kind of idea appropriation may well solve your challenge, at least temporarily.
But innovation is contextual and a far cry from mimicking. In fact, the act of copying success often achieves the opposite. What was once a novel idea quickly becomes the trite, average state of affairs.
True, innovators are known for studying their competition. Much of the time, however, they look for pointers on what NOT to do. While the masses chase trends like lemmings, these leaders seek a path less travelled.
Innovation is not magic.
To the outsider, breakthrough proposals can feel like sorcery. Poof. Inexplicably, a spellbinding revelation appears. Challenging the status quo, some jaw-dropping vision achieves profound success in ways previously inconceivable. The wizard behind the curtain is heralded for brilliance and supernatural ability.
In truth, innovation—like magic—is not actually magic. It is a skill, akin to any other, that can and must be cultivated. Over time, creative communities compile a toolbox of tricks, protocols, and strategies that amplify their chance for success. Said another way, innovators have chops.
Innovation is not anarchy.
People often come to believe that innovation is a free-for-all. They suppose creative solutions are most likely to emerge when thinking is unburdened by constraints. The key is taking off the shackles, allowing imaginations to roam freely (like my kids after bedtime. . .).
While well intentioned, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The road to everywhere leads to surprisingly few destinations. Imagine ordering from a restaurant with a 96-page menu. At first, it feels exhilarating. You could order literally anything. But most of us quickly start experiencing anxiety, even paralysis. With so many options, which one is best? A likely outcome? “Uh, I guess I’ll have the cheeseburger.”
When seeking innovation, it is essential to establish clear, nonnegotiable limiters. The best constraints force problem-solvers to think differently, actively igniting creative impulses. For example, suppose I asked your company to brainstorm strategies for making more money next year. Without restrictions, proposals will likely resemble what you’ve always done. Or they might point to obvious, low-hanging fruit. But if I require that solutions must somehow involve surfing, or fashion trends, or farm animals. . . Now you have an intriguing framework to build around or push against.
Innovation is not anarchy. It requires clear rules, guidelines, and constraints.
Innovation is not everything.
The quantity of mission statements incorporating “innovation” is staggering. It often feels like a federally mandated term. Yet if this word implies everything and everyone, it is reduced to a meaningless piece of fluff.
If you and your organization claim innovation as a goal, resist the temptation of embracing an empty promise. Instead, substantiate this value by pinpointing specific examples of breakthrough achievement.
Innovation is not a big idea.
“Innovation” often references big, juicy, uncommon proposals. And while bold solutions are clearly important, they tell only part of the story.
Innovation requires implementation. Teams must have the discipline and commitment not only to dream, but also to execute. Otherwise you’re stuck with shiny overtures that make no tangible impact whatsoever.
If you and your team desire a better future or different outcome, the time to act is now.
Innovation is extraordinary problem-solving, and bringing the vision to life.
Speaker, consultant, and facilitator David Cutler, author of THE GAME OF INNOVATION: Conquer Challenges | Level Up Your Team | Play to Win, is known for leading immersive “innovation GAMEs.” Cutler is a Distinguished Professor at the University of South Carolina, where he teaches innovation and entrepreneurship.
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Retaining top talent should be at the top of a leader’s priority list. Doing so requires engagement, recognition, and caring. Those investments pay off in improved performance.
High-performing employees contribute extensively in achieving business results. Hence, companies have designed programs from benefits and compensation to training and development to retain them. Despite this, according to the Harvard Business Review article by Jean Martin and Conrad Schmidt, 12% of all the high potentials in the companies they studied were actively searching for a new job. What should a good leader do, then?
1. Good leaders connect to their employees.
Good leaders know how to communicate the mission of the company and its importance to the employees’ daily work. They can articulate how the workers’ functions consequently impact their stakeholders. They give their staff a sense of autonomy by letting them make decisions and offer solutions, create a challenging atmosphere. And in doing so, they pay attention to their people and ultimately make them engaged—they become productive, provide better service and stay longer. The Corporate Leadership Council learned that highly engaged employees were 87% less likely to leave their companies than their disengaged counterparts.
2.Good leaders are grateful to all.
A study conducted by the American Psychological Association, which observed 1,700 employees, concluded that half of them intended to look for new jobs because they felt underappreciated and undervalued. Good leaders, then, must know how to praise their subordinates—whether with a simple “thank you” sent through an email or written on a post-it note, to huge gestures like providing support in time of need or public acknowledgement of the worker’s contribution. They know how to recognize people based on their personalities and character and are willing to do it amply.
3. Good leaders have patience.
In the fast-paced world of business, being in control means getting the results based on a tight-sealed plan. Reality bites. There will always be situations that get out of hand. Employees will not always deliver in a manner their supervisor wants them to or by the designated timeline. But a good leader knows that these are natural tendencies that should be handled with patience. She knows that any situation can be turned into an opportunity; that as much as she could orchestrate her team, she should also give them a turn in problem-solving; and while it may be easy to berate, mentoring is the best way to keep people empowered and engaged.
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/20220822-Office-Team.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=112801920Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-08-22 08:00:342022-08-22 06:35:31How Good Leaders Keep Their Top Talent
Multitasking doesn’t work. It’s only through true focus that you can make meaningful progress on your work. By using the four aspects of focus, you can excel at any task you put your mind to.
Let’s face it. Pretty much every facet of our work lives conspires against us staying focused. We rush from one meeting to the next. We have too many emails to answer in any given moment. There are days when it seems we do nothing but respond to last-minute requests and fly by the seat of our pants.
And yet, the leader who stays focused is the one who creates exponentially more success.
Focus, at its very best, is our exquisite commitment to a goal, and our full engagement with the process of attaining this goal. Before we explore some common-sense focus practices, let go, once and for all, of the notion that multi-tasking works. Yes, you know how to do it. You are likely quite good at it. Research, however, consistently shows that multi-tasking dilutes the effectiveness of the tasks we perform. We tend to confuse motion with achievement. Instead of our relentless focus on achievement, why not focus on the art of focus?
One activity at a time is a fine place to begin. Successful focus, however, is defined by the levels of awareness you and I bring to the performance of this single activity. The following four aspects of focus help us shift from the purely transactional performance of a task to a deeply conscious engagement with this task:
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Today’s post is by Ming Ong. Learn more about him at the end of the post. Here’s Ming…
In Leading Change, the Leaders as Chief Transformation Officer, Warren Bennis said, “Management is getting people to do what needs to be done. Leadership is getting people to want to do what needs to be done. Managers push. Leaders pull. Managers command. Leaders communication.”
The fine line between management and leadership within the workplace is encountered often, and by many individuals in position of authority. Business leaders often fall into a managerial role and take on a plethora of management tasks. However, leadership and management are two distinctively different, though complementary, systems of action.
Management is about controlling tasks and creating order in an environment, while leadership is about influencing and motivating staff. Without structured management and control, a business can snowball into chaos. Management is crucial to the success of every and any business, regardless of the industry or business size.
Without successful leadership, employees are not motivated to do any more than the bare minimum – also eventually leading to chaos and disorder. Leadership without management cannot sustain change and make improvements in the now; management without leadership is a goalless endeavor that lacks “the big picture” where businesses remain resilient to change.
What our businesses today need are managers who lead, inspire and motivate employees to achieve business-wide goals. Relying too heavily on one or the other can be detrimental to a business.
https://i0.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220725-Scale.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=112801920Trevor Joneshttps://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.pngTrevor Jones2022-07-25 08:00:292022-07-25 06:23:10How to Find Balance Between Leadership and Management
Servant leaders put others ahead of themselves and are prepared to sacrifice for the greater good. Five characteristics stand out for servant leaders. Which of them do you possess?
Leadership is not about telling people what to do. A true leader is one who knows how to serve. Servant leadership means different things to different people. The philosophy closest to my heart, one that I learned at an early age from my father is of “service above self.” I watched him work tirelessly to develop other people and focus on what he could do to help selflessly.
Being a true servant leader is putting the needs of others ahead of your own in service to a larger purpose. I grew up heavily influenced by books on the life and philosophies of great servant leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa. These were ordinary people who became extraordinary leaders as they found their purpose in service of others—who dedicated their entire lives serving a purpose bigger than themselves.
So what sets servant leaders apart from other types of leaders? I find these five qualities stand out.
Care
John Maxwell famously said “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
I am a strong believer that an organization is not defined by its products or its glitzy marketing. The people who work for the organization are its true assets. A leader who takes care of his or her people will never have to worry about poor customer service. When you take care of your people, they will take care of your customers.
Servant leaders recognize that you are placed on this Earth alongside other wayfarers in this journey of life for a purpose. That none of them come into your circle of influence by coincidence and that, ultimately, you must extend your circle of care to include everyone you know and meet. Servant leaders care without restraint, without constraint, without condition.
Magnetic leaders have a line of people waiting to work for them. What sets these leaders apart? Authenticity, vision, and resilience are three good first steps.
Lots of people believe it takes years for someone to become a magnetic leader. Lucky for you, I’m not one of these people. Magnetic leaders are ones who have a line of people outside their door, waiting to come work for them. That line moves slowly, as positions rarely become available.
There are seven traits of irresistible leaders. Here are three and how you can earn magnetic status almost instantaneously.
Authenticity
Magnetic leaders don’t try to be someone else, nor do they change who they are based on office politics. They are true to themselves and are honest in their dealings with others. They are not afraid to share their mistakes or shortcomings. Warren Buffet is an authentic leader who speaks openly about his $200 billion mistake buying Berkshire Hathaway.
I want you to think about how authentic you really are today. Here’s what I mean by this. Do you tell staff members you have a doctor’s appointment, when you’re really leaving work early to see your daughter’s school play? Are you being completely truthful when giving performance reviews or are you holding back because you don’t want to hurt other people’s feelings? Are you speaking up in meetings and saying what’s really on your mind or are you going along with what the boss has suggested because you’d like to remain in his favor?
A yes to any of these questions is a clear indication that you can improve your authenticity. As you can see, making some shifts in this area won’t require much in the way of skill building. However, it will require some internal shifts. If you find you are having difficulties making these modifications on your own, then consider hiring a coach, who can point out opportunities to improve in this area and will provide guidance as well.
Leaders are faced with two conflicting needs. The first is to act with a deep confidence in their abilities and the strategies they are implementing. This allows them to pursue audacious goals and persevere when faced with adversity. The second is to be aware of their vulnerabilities and the need for a healthy dose of self-doubt. This allows them to see themselves and their situations accurately — avoiding, in particular, the hazards of over-confidence and excessive optimism. Those who fail to do so run the risk of having blindspots — which are the unrecognized weaknesses or threats that have the potential to harm a leader and his or her company.
Savvy leaders understand that blindspots, while they vary in severity and are different for each individual, are not the exception — instead, they “come with the territory.” The question then becomes: How do I surface and address the blindspots that matter? One way is to ask the right questions in the right way. Here are some guidelines for identifying blindspots:
1. Avoid yes-or-no questions.Closed-end questions (those that can answered yes or no) are efficient, but don’t surface information that may be critical to understanding a potential weakness or threat. Questions are called open-ended when they allow for a variety of responses and provoke a fuller discussion. For example, a closed-end question might be, “Are you going to deliver your business plan this year?” while an open-ended question is, “Tell me about the risks you face in delivering your plan and the actions you are taking to mitigate them?”
2. Don’t lead the witness. Hard-charging leaders often push to confirm their own assumptions about what is occurring in a given situation and often want to move quickly to a plan of action. This can result in questions that are really statements, such as, “Doesn’t this mean that we don’t have a problem with compliance in this area and can move forward as planned?” These types of questions, particularly when posed by those in positions of power, often prevent contrary points of view and necessary data from surfacing.
Achieving your goals is all about taking tangible steps every day. If you change your time horizon and ask yourself six simple questions, you’ll find you’re achieving your goals more rapidly than you ever thought possible.
I met an eighty-eight-year-old man named Orville at my health club. I first noticed him one afternoon while checking in at the front desk. He was stumbling along behind me. There was no way this man, slowly shuffling along the path to the gym, was going to do any kind of meaningful workout! Orville patiently moved, inch by inch, into the weight-training area, picked up some dumbbells, and, with an audible grunt, started his routine.
One day I happened to see Orville out of the corner of my eye, stepping onto one of the treadmills. I was across the room, and he was already reaching for the start button. Too far away to help him, I just stood there and watched. As the treadmill came to life, Orville took one small step, and then another. The machine picked up speed, but miraculously, so did his legs. Within a minute, he hit full stride, running like a man half his age!
At this point the reality of the situation dawned on me. Orville’s problem was not with his legs, it was with his vision. He couldn’t see where he was going. Though Orville did nothing to cause his vision problem, it is a powerful example of how limited we are when we lack clarity and vision.
How often do leaders and employees lack clarity in their communication, and as a result, drive forward ambiguous goals?
I think 90 days is the best timeframe for most goals. A year is too long – see how few people keep New Year’s Resolutions? Twenty-one days is too short for most real change. However, in 90 days, I was able to lose 33 pounds! And I’ve seen people triple their sales in 90 days. That’s why I like the 90-Day Quick Plan. It is a strategy for clarifying how you are going to achieve your most vital goals.
Pick an area of your business or personal life that you’d like to address, and then ask six questions. Don’t wait to start because the plan should take less than thirty minutes to create. All you need to do is ask and answer these six questions:
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