A little old, but some things are timeless. This is a wonderful video sharing some of the best qualities of leadership. Imagine if more of us started this early with the knowledge and understanding of these traits.
Enjoy and share!
Belpre Elementary School students share their leadership experience
Belpre Elementary School has a program for students to become a leader and improve their communication skills.
“Leadership mostly because you are very kind and when you are on the lighthouse team and you are like a mean person, people aren’t going to think of you as a leader. So, what I learn the most is being a leader and being kind you know, helping others whenever they need help because sometimes people don’t ask for help because they are like tough, but sometimes they just need a little help” Maddie Richards, Lighthouse team student.
The lighthouse team allows students to become leaders and learn to communicate well with others.
“Whenever we have meetings every Friday, we have to talk a lot and we always have to go over speaking loudly at a good clear level, like at Rockland Ridge we had to do that because sometimes they couldn’t hear me. So, I had to repeat and that’s okay just don’t be mean and do not yell at them so that really has helped my communication skills.” Ellie Whitlatch, Lighthouse team student.
These student leader recognize not everyone is in the same boat as others.
“Everybody doesn’t have life as you do, something could be going on at their house or in their life and you just do not know so I think it is important to be kind and be a leader because sometimes that can just really help other people.” Ava Colvin, Lighthouse team student.
A common favorite part within the team is being kind and being a role model for other students.
“My favorite part is probably the morning announcement. I like showing on the announcements we do habits and do inspiring quotes and I like spreading the word about being kind.” Chloe Hess, Lighthouse team student.
I like helping others and I know it probably means a lot to them whenever I smile especially if they are having a bad day.” Raelynn Gibbs, Lighthouse team student.
Enjoy!
‘Go Back to Your Tractors’
4 Business Lessons We Can Learn From the Iconic Rise of Lamborghini
Lamborghini’s story is one of humble beginnings, fueled by a lifelong passion for cars and set into motion by a feud with Enzo Ferrari himself.
Key Takeaways
- By recognizing opportunity and utilizing resources, you can find success.
- Chase perfection and don’t compromise, ever.
After over 60 years in business, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann says the supercar company is still going strong — selling more cars every month than it can produce, even after increasing production twice in 2022. Amidst inflation, rising interest rates, and increasing energy costs, it’s a stunning success story — especially for a once-bankrupt company, liquidated and pulled up by the bootstraps of a farmer’s son.
With annual revenue exceeding €2.8 billion ($US3.07 billion), Lamborghini may not seem like a case study for small and medium-sized businesses, but this mega company’s long and tattered history can teach modern founders a thing or two about innovating from raw resources, leveraging publicity, and refusing to compromise on the quality of its products. Business owners may recognize themselves in the humbleness of Ferruccio Lamborghini’s beginnings, but his whole story offers four key lessons for how to turn core values into an enduring brand.
- Get savvy: Start with what you know
Ferruccio Lamborghini was born into an Italian family of farmers, but from a young age, his focus was less on the farm and more on the machines needed to operate it. He was gifted at fixing engines, a knack that steered him to attend technical school and later to serve as a mechanic in World War II for the Italian armed forces.
After the war ended, Ferruccio saw opportunity. He salvaged surplus parts the Allied Forces had left behind and returned to his hometown, where he began building tractors on his family’s farm. The Lamborghini Trattori company was born with its notoriously affordable and robust builds.
In just a few short years, Ferruccio had not one but two flourishing companies (the other a heating and air-conditioning business), making him one of the wealthiest men in Italy by 1962. His early ventures may not have been as glamorous as the supercar company known the world over today, but they provide a strategic blueprint for business owners.
By recognizing opportunity and utilizing the period’s abundant resources, Ferruccio was able to leverage his farming connections and existing skills to embrace tractor manufacturing. He then diversified into the heating/air conditioning sector to help mitigate risk as he observed changes in post-war living. These savvy decisions ultimately set Ferruccio on the path to pursuing his deepest passion.
- Chase perfection and don’t compromise, ever
By the time he was in his 40s, Ferruccio had ample time and money and so briefly considered building helicopters, but the government refused him a license. Instead, he turned to marvel at his growing collection of Jaguars, Mercedes, Ferraris and Maseratis. But Ferruccio’s enthusiasm for perfection led to a nagging problem: No car ever completely satisfied him.
If it wasn’t the weak ventilation, it was the noise of the power transmission or the inferior leather lining. When he purchased a brand-new Ferrari 250 GT, he experienced issues with its clutch. Frustrated, Ferruccio told his factory mechanics to take the assembly apart, revealing that his top-of-the-line Ferrari used the same clutch component as Lamborghini’s own tractors.
Ferruccio was shocked. He paid 10 lire for his tractor clutches; Ferrari charged him 1,000 for the same part. He was even more upset to learn that Ferraris were not built with specialty components that were more durable and suitable for the use case. He took his complaint straight to Enzo Ferrari himself but was not met with open arms. Ferruccio went to his grave claiming that Ferrari, known for his bluntness, yelled at him: “The problem is not my car, it’s the driver. Go back to your tractors and leave me alone!”
Whether fudged or fabricated, the two titans’ decades-long feud provided fantastic publicity for both parties. Ferrari was already a household name, and by hiring some of Ferrari’s ex-engineers and -mechanics, Lamborghini was able to debut its first model car only four months later.
- Elevate customer service
Lamborghini presented its first prototype at the 1963 Turin Auto Show, dubbing it the Lamborghini 350 GTV. Ferruccio chose his zodiac sign, Taurus the Bull, as the company logo. The prototype morphed into Lamborghini’s first production model and later the Miura, Espada, Islero and Jarama. The company boomed as Lamborghini’s cars received wide acclaim for their refinement, power and comfort.
A lifelong passion for cars fueled Ferruccio, but his early business ventures proved priceless in setting the company apart. His heating and air-conditioning service company, Brucatori, had instilled in him the importance of never compromising on customer satisfaction. If a customer’s car broke down, Lamborghini would pay to send a mechanic straight to them, by plane if needed, along with a personal letter of apology. This no-compromise mentality became indelibly associated with the luxury level of not just the car itself but the Lamborghini service.
- Core values are meant to last
Unfortunately, the 1970s weren’t as kind to the brand. Union strife and failed emissions tests stifled the company’s entry into the lucrative U.S. market, leading to a temporary withdrawal. While facing challenges with conforming to U.S. regulations, Lamborghini only managed to continue selling the Countach in America after a seven-year absence.
Feeling the weight of financial troubles, Ferruccio sold his shares and retired, and Lamborghini eventually entered bankruptcy proceedings. The company changed hands multiple times throughout the ’80s, and the product line stagnated. But we all know the story didn’t end there. The Volkswagen Group acquired Lamborghini in 1998 and, under new owners, innovation returned.
Under the management of Volkswagen’s Audi division, Lamborghini has regained its status as a supercar manufacturer known for its incredible performance, state-of-the-art power and unparalleled luxury. Ferruccio may have moved on long ago, but he created a legacy through his unwavering commitment to service, performance, and perfection. It’s a lesson of perseverance and staying true to a brand’s core values. And when it was time for Ferruccio to step down, brand evangelists kept the name and the tenacity behind Lamborghini alive for future generations.
I Power Seeds
Here are our takeaways and thoughts - pause and reflect, then nourish and grow!
This is an incredible story of a drive and passion to be and provide the best. His relentless drive to make the best cars along with his exceptional customer service made the car company the incredible success story it is today. This is an inspirational story about uncompromising leadership.
Farmers on Small Italian Islands Restore Ancient Groves and Local Production
Growers on Giglio Island and Capri are restoring centuries-old olive trees to revive a fading culture and protect unique island landscapes.
Italy’s small Mediterranean islands are treasure troves of natural and cultural wonders. Some, now known as popular holiday destinations, were once settled by peasants who practiced subsistence agriculture. Until the second half of the 20th century, it was common to find expanses of cultivated olive groves and active olive presses on most inhabited islets.
“I had been thinking for some years of running a farm with my family, but there was a bit of indecision because we already had another job,” he added.
“Eventually, I found great support in my wife Stefania Pellegrini and my cousin Emanuele Bancalà, and with them, I started to restore our almost 300 olive trees.”
Fewer than 1,500 people live year-round on the island, characterized by hilly terrain, steep terraces that slope toward smooth, pale granite cliffs, and a few sandy beaches much sought-after by vacationers during the warmest months.
“An olive mill has been operating on the island until the mid-1990s,” Bancalà said. “Our ancestors landed on these coasts between 1560 and 1570, and afterward, they were most likely engaged in olive farming.”
“Indeed, today, we are taking care of trees that have been passed down to us from our great-grandfather, who produced olive oil,” he added. “The company’s name is a tribute to him; Goffo is the nickname by which he was known in the village.”
“After having recovered our plots, we started asking fellow villagers if we could manage their lands through a rental agreement,” Bancalà said. “Our work has been highly appreciated, and several owners of olive groves ended up asking us to take care of their trees.”
“Today, this has become an important project for us since most olive trees are centuries old and represent a true heritage,” he added. “At the same time, we preserve the terraces and manage the land sustainably, using only organic fertilizers.”
Usually, the team carries out a drastic reform pruning of the trees to restore their vegetative-productive balance after years of neglect. They take two or three years to become productive again.
“We have cleaned up some plots where the olive trees could not even be seen since they were submerged by vegetation,” Bancalà said. “Moreover, some trees can grow eight meters tall. We prune them all according to the polyconic vase system and make them lower, up to a maximum of three meters. Those reformed a couple of years ago are starting to bear fruit again.”
The team now manages 750 trees and has planned field visits to evaluate the conditions of four new plots to take over in the coming weeks.
“The operations are not easy due to the steep slopes and irregularity of the terrain,” Bancalà said. “It is impossible to use vehicles, and the harvest is done by hand. Since some trees are even ten minutes walking distance from the main road where we park the van, carrying the bins full of olives can be quite strenuous.”
“Despite the difficulties, including the weather issues of the last few years, we maintained high-quality standards and achieved great results that repay all the efforts. Added to this is the awareness of the landscape and environmental value of our work,” Bancalà said.
“One day, while walking in the restored plots at the end of the work and commenting on the great results of the restoration, we came up with the idea of recovering all the abandoned lands of the area and the olive trees growing on them,” Lelj said.
“So far, we have succeeded in recovering about 30 hectares of groves, and we usually manage to restore one or two hectares every year,” Lelj said, specifying that they not only clean up the land, prune the trees and maintain the terraces but also plant new olive trees.
“We added approximately 700 trees to replenish the sparser orchards,” he said.
I Power Seeds
Here are our takeaways and thoughts - pause and reflect, then nourish and grow!
Just a “feel-good” story of being innovative and excellent management and leadership skills to turn a almost far-gone situation into one of renewed growth and prosperity.
Dolly Parton’s Secrets to Success
Hard Work, Delegation, and Personal Style
Here is a summary of Dolly Parton’s journey to success, her hands-off management style, and the role of personal style in the workplace.
Dolly Parton, the legendary singer, and savvy entrepreneur has built an empire that extends far beyond her music. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, the 78-year-old icon shared her secrets to success, management style, and the importance of appearance in the workplace.
The Power of Hard Work and Delegation
Parton’s journey to success is rooted in hard work, determination, and a keen ability to delegate. The singer-turned-businesswoman manages an impressive portfolio of ventures, including Dollywood Theme Park, Doggy Parton pet apparel, and a fragrance brand. Despite her extensive wealth, Parton maintains a hands-off management style, trusting great people to run her various businesses.
“I believe in finding smart people and letting them do their jobs,” Parton said. “I like to be creative and come up with the ideas, but I rely on my team to handle the day-to-day operations.”
A Blend of Intuition and Higher Wisdom
When it comes to managing senior executives, Parton values creativity, instinct, and higher wisdom. She trusts her gut when making important decisions and believes in letting people show themselves, whether they are a good fit for their roles or not.
“I think it’s important to listen to your instincts and not be afraid to make changes if something isn’t working,” Parton explained. “I’ve learned to let go of people who aren’t the right fit for their roles, and I rely on my faith to guide me in making the best decisions for my businesses.”
Dressing for Success
In addition to her business acumen, Parton is known for her signature style and appearance. She believes that looking the part is an important aspect of success in the workplace, but encourages employees to add their personal flair to their attire.
“I always say, ‘You should look like a woman and think like a man,'” Parton said. “But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your personal style. I encourage my employees to follow the dress code, but also to be comfortable and bend the rules a little bit.”
In conclusion, Dolly Parton’s success story is a testament to the power of hard work, delegation, and intuition. By surrounding herself with great people, trusting her instincts, and valuing creativity, Parton has built an empire that continues to thrive. And when it comes to appearance in the workplace, Parton encourages employees to find a balance between professionalism and personal style.
I Power Seeds
Here are our takeaways and thoughts - pause and reflect, then nourish and grow!
I have always been a fan of hers and all that she stands for. Her business acumen is matched to her passion and drive that makes her incredible innovative and successful. She provides an invaluable example of an ideal leader.
Senior Airman Alix Hayes
Hayes took charge of the annual “Food Vulnerability Assessment,” a task involving the inspection of six facilities to identify vulnerabilities. Her efforts successfully pinpointed 13 vulnerabilities that could have led to potential ‘food fraud’ items being sold by external vendors on the base.
Furthermore, Hayes played a crucial role in safeguarding a $20 million food supply, a contribution that contributed to the 377 MDG clinching the prestigious 2022 Air Force Global Strike Command Surgeon General Clinic of the Year award.
Hayes made significant improvements in the medical in-processing system, ensuring that 155 overdue items were addressed for 94 medics, guaranteeing their constant readiness for missions.
Simultaneously, she meticulously audited 119 shops, enabling Kirtland to surpass Air Force standards for the first time in two years. Demonstrating her leadership skills, Hayes led emergency/incident command training for 15 Airmen, and her efforts led to the updating of four contingency checklists, certifying the Group’s preparedness for potential disaster relief missions.
After receiving recognition, Hayes happily shared, “I especially want to thank my husband for always being there for me during the hardest workdays and I want to give an even bigger shout-out to my coworkers and leadership who always pushed me to do better.”
I Power Seeds
Here are our takeaways and thoughts - pause and reflect, then nourish and grow!
This is a great story of someone who grabbed the reins and instinctively showed what management skills she had. Congrats and a great example.
How can you blend self-awareness with strategic thinking, innovation, and collaboration?
Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand your own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, values, and motives. It is essential for effective leadership, as it helps you to align your actions with your goals, communicate clearly, empathize with others, and manage stress. But self-awareness alone is not enough to succeed in today’s complex and dynamic environment. You also need to develop strategic thinking, innovation, and collaboration skills to create value, solve problems, and inspire your team. How can you blend self-awareness with these other competencies?
Here are some tips to help you.
Know your purpose
Strategic thinking is the ability to see the big picture, analyze the situation, and identify the best course of action to achieve your vision. To think strategically, you need to have a clear sense of your purpose: what is your mission, your values, and your goals? How do they align with the organization’s vision and strategy? How do they influence your decisions and actions? By knowing your purpose, you can focus on the most important and relevant aspects of your work, and avoid distractions and conflicts.
Seek feedback
Innovation is the ability to generate new and useful ideas, products, or solutions that meet the needs and expectations of your customers, stakeholders, and market. To innovate, you need to have a growth mindset: a willingness to learn, experiment, and improve. One of the best ways to learn and grow is to seek feedback from others: your peers, your managers, your mentors, your customers, and even your critics. Feedback can help you to discover your blind spots, strengths, and areas of improvement, as well as new opportunities, trends, and insights.
Build trust
Collaboration is the ability to work effectively with others, leverage diverse perspectives and talents, and achieve shared goals. To collaborate, you need to have trust: a belief in the integrity, competence, and goodwill of your partners. Trust is built on mutual respect, honesty, communication, and accountability. By showing respect for others’ opinions and feelings, being transparent and authentic, listening actively and empathically, and delivering on your promises, you can foster a culture of trust and cooperation.
Reflect and adapt
Blending self-awareness with strategic thinking, innovation, and collaboration is not a one-time event, but a continuous process. You need to regularly reflect on your actions, results, and feedback, and adapt your behavior and strategies accordingly. Reflection can help you to evaluate your performance, identify your gaps and strengths, and learn from your successes and failures. Adaptation can help you to adjust your plans, actions, and expectations to changing circumstances, challenges, and opportunities.
By blending self-awareness with strategic thinking, innovation, and collaboration, you can enhance your leadership effectiveness, impact, and influence. You can also create more value for yourself, your team, your organization, and your customers.
I Power Seeds
Here are our takeaways and thoughts - pause and reflect, then nourish and grow!
The key is being self-aware – if you can recognize your current emotions and understand them, then you will be able to communicate and understand more effectively.
Check out the Blob Tree for more context.
This post ties into a recent post of mine regarding of The Ideal Team Player and what the fable shares with employee engagement as well as employee motivation.
I want to share a personal story along similar lines to the story below.
I care deeply about my staff and their well-being, not just at work but also outside of work as their personal lives have a significant impact on their work and their attitude while at work (which can be infectious). I want them to be happy at work and happy outside work (as much as possible). I believe my staff would see me as being sympathetic and empathetic.
I had a manager that I liked. The CEO suggested I fire him for a specific issue the manager created. It was not heinous nor one that involved other people but an issue that cost the company money. This manager had a young family and needed the job so I warned him and let it go. The CEO trusted me and my judgement and did not overrule my decision (something I have always appreciated about Rich Willis). What I did not do was put aside my caring feelings and look at the bigger picture which was he was not a good fit for the culture and he hired employees to be part of his team that were like him and before I knew it, the culture in his area became worse than I had thought. When I left the company, I saw it more clearly and I should have made the tough call and let him go as soon as I was told of the issue. My entire department/team would have been much better off and progressed in a more positive path if I had trusted my initial instincts (and Rich’s suggestion).
To highlight this point, I heard this quote recently, “When there is doubt, there is no doubt.“
Please comment and offer your thoughts and similar stories. These examples are an excellent way for us to personally relate and learn from.
This is a great story that I really liked as it tied into a thought I was having about how leaders need to “cut bait” sooner than later when they have doubt. Enjoy.
The Founder of Panera Bread: ‘I Wish I’d Fired More People’
I was the CEO of a public company for more than 26 years — that’s longer than Cal Ripken, Jr., played baseball. And I wasn’t the only one who stuck around Panera for a long time. Many of my colleagues did, too. In one case, a senior executive grew up with me there for more than 20 years. His job eventually outgrew him, and he totally checked out. He knew it, too, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell me. He just kept showing up to work. I pushed him and waited for him to step up. For years. But I didn’t fire him.
Looking back, I understand why: I was too obsessed with being a caring leader. What I should have done was let him go sooner, and many others like him.
CEOs like me come from a model called servant leadership. The idea is that we’re there trying to serve our teams and focus on their well–being. I thought of my team as a family, and the folks who worked with us as we built the organization were phenomenal. There’s a lot to be said for servant leadership, but there’s also a downside that took me years to recognize. As the complexities and challenges of our business got bigger and bigger, some team members weren’t able to keep up. But instead of confronting them, I’d find ways to cover for them. I was willing to do their work. Time and time again, that hurt the organization.
Why did it take me so long to let these people go? Experience comes from banging your head against a wall, and if I’m being honest, I didn’t come fully into my own as a leader until the past 10 years of my career. Now I see my mistake. I didn’t understand that a leader can’t put up with employees’ baloney. If someone isn’t producing, a leader has a right and an obligation to fire them.
Eventually I learned that servant leadership isn’t about being nice at all costs. It’s about being helpful at all costs. A leader should be as brutally honest as possible — and you can do this in a kind and loving way. Let the chips fall where they may, and remember: Honesty is helpful. When you tell someone why they’re doing a bad job, you’re transferring the responsibility. Maybe they improve. Maybe they leave. Whatever the outcome, they own it.
And let’s be clear. You’ll lose people this way — and that’s fine. You can’t teach a pig to sing. Some leaders think, Oh, I’m going to train the employee to become this; we’re going to develop them into that . It just doesn’t happen. People are who they are. A leader’s responsibility is not to make a person succeed. A leader’s responsibility is to create a direction for the organization and share with their team the opportunity of what they all can be. A leader provides the space to perform. After that, each employee owns their career and chooses their path.
So, about that longtime executive whose job had outgrown him: After two years of bad performance, I finally confronted him. We mutually agreed he should leave the company. As I matured as a leader, I had many more experiences like that — the honest conversation that leads to a departure. Employees have actually come back to thank me. People who have been fired or were asked to leave have later told me that they learned more about themselves and their capabilities during that process than at any other time in their career. And that makes me feel good. It means I succeeded in being a servant leader.
I had a recent situation where I asked a simple clarifying question and one of my employees came back with a snarky response. Something to the effect of ‘this is a waste of time and why are we even discussing it.’
As I sat back and thought about it, always starting at looking at myself, Steve (not his real name) was grumpy one day, aggressive with snarky remarks some days, and other days incredibly friendly such as joking with me saying ‘you are a handsome man, don’t let anyone tell you differently’.
So how do you deal with it?
For me, I stop and use “stop and reflect” – something I came up with for myself to stop myself from taking the response personally and look at it from their point of view such as taking into account they might be having a bad day, I might be over-sensitive today, or any other personality hiccups that might be in play.
This practice of “stop and reflect” has really helped me slow down and put things into perspective. As we know, we always want to show our staff we are in control of our emotions and that we are strong but not over-bearing. In the situation above, I let this staff member know why I was asking the clarifying questions so he understood why I was asking them (my set of lenses) and then I went over to see him and had a couple of laughs and it lightened the communication mood and things progressed in a positive way. It also helped reiterate what I have been sharing about healthy conflict and trust (from “The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni).
A good quote I like:
“Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means”
Ronald Reagan
Remember, you are the manager or leader, your staff looks to you for strength, direction, guidance, wisdom, and most importantly – example. Lead by example, it is a foundation for success.
Please leave any comments and successes you have had on the Comments section of this post – let others learn from you.
Do you want to be a transformational leader?
Have you been charged with leading your company through a major change?
Have you wondered how you would get it done and worry about if it will be successful?
These are extensive and challenging questions. But if you build a an amazing team and instill a trusting and committed culture, you can accomplish anything.
This an adaptation, with my comments in italics, from Stan Slap author of “Bury My Heart at Conference Room B: The Unbeatable Impact of Truly Committed Managers”, which offers these tips as you embark on your journey:
1. If we can’t sell the change inside, we can’t sell it outside. Before rolling out our plans for change, we need to work closely with our staff and get emotional commitment and buy-in from them.
This is key. If you have buy-in from staff, the implementation and process mitigates major hiccups. A quote from H.P. Lovecraft says, “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.”
For example I was asked to help lead the company I worked for to relocate the corporate headquarters from California to Texas. When I got a call while I was at home on a Sunday night at 7 pm from the CEO to immediately come into his office, there was an instant fear of “what did I do?”. And I knew that it was serious for me to get a call from the CEO of a $220m company on a Sunday evening. I had a lot of fears and figured it had to be serious because obviously he felt it could not wait until Monday morning. As it turned out, they asked me to help lead a massive project to move the company’s headquarters from CA to TX. That initial fear of the unknown turned into one of most rewarding and exciting projects I have worked on, once the plans and details were made known and explained to me.
As the process of moving the company’s corporate headquarters, I quickly formulated a plan and brought my team in and explained the move and all of the details. It was very transparent. I involved each team member in the process and made them feel like a key component of the team and of the decision making process.
I can tell you that this was the most positive and smoothly run project I have been part of. I attribute it to my amazing staff and their buy-in and being an integral part of the move. And it was verified when move than 50% of my department moved their families from California to Texas – more than any other department in the company.
2. Plans don’t count. What matters is implementation. Nothing can kill a new initiative faster than a “thumbs down” from the employees. Realize the power of the culture. Tell them clearly what is not going to change, and that your organization remains focused on implementing strategies that support the mission.
The process of transparency in what is going to change also has to be applied for things that are not going to change. Adding on to the story above, my staff wanted to know and feel and have a sense of job security in their future and what they do at work will not be changing. Once their fear and concerns were mitigated, they were on board and committed to the project with joy, vigor, and commitment. Their drive and dedication was very noticeable and made the project enjoyable and completed early and under budget. Incredible results.
3. Your organization will be branded both for its performance and how you deliver the products or services. What is the customer-friendliness quotient of staff and to each other? How does your organization solve problems? What is your capacity to treat each and every customer humanely and with respect? For instance, think of stressful, emotional situations when it is hard to maintain your cool, like dealing with angry customers.
Using my example above, our department was well known for its excellent customer service and technology products and service delivery. This culture and pride speaks volumes when new projects are being considered and that my department can handle what is needed to meet the business goals and objectives.
Here is an example of this. Our VP came into my office and casually sat down and with a big smile said, “how realistic could you migrate and consolidate the different data systems and “re-open” our office in Ireland so they can handle all the business in Europe and Asia while using the company’s ERP system ?” I said that with enough time and resources, we can do anything. She said they were just floating the idea and left my office.
She came back 15 minutes later after talking to the CEO and said, “ok, it’s a “go” and you need to be live on July 4th.” and she walked away. Now as the shock began to take effect, I realized it was only 2 months away, we were just starting to move our corporate office from CA to TX, and they had just fired the office manager and I took on the role of not only moving the IT department but also doing all the construction build-out of our new office in TX. To add to the pressure, there was no room for failure. It had to work.
I share this story as I had started with the company about 3 months prior and the executive leadership had already seen the shift in culture and attitude in our IT department and we had now won the trust of our VP and CEO to give us the opportunity to embark on this really challenging but rewarding project. Needless to say, we did meet the deadline and were live July 4th and I spent my 4th of July holiday in Ireland as we flipped the switch and the migration and opening went off without a hitch. I could have only done it with the amazing team I had.
4. People do not follow negativity. You must remain positive, even in the face of great challenges. For example, labor negotiations can be a negative experience. While you cannot alone determine the course or the tenor of the experience, what you can do is remain upbeat and positive. When dealing with negative behavior, it is hard to remain above the fray. It takes energy, but it is the right course. Have passion for what you do. If you don’t have that passion, find something else to do.
Very true. I recently came through unsuccessful union contract negotiations for teachers that ended up resulting in a week-long strike, which had not been heard of in CA for many years. Through it all we had a great team that kept calm, planned for every scenario we could think of, and took action accordingly. It went smoothly. At the same time I was involved in another union negotiating their contract and all the bargaining unit members from both sides took a different tact and approach – one of trust, professionalism, and common goals. The negotiations proceeded smoothly and without incident or even anyone getting frustrated in any way. At the end of the negotiations both sides were very happy with the results. We were only able to do this as we focused on realistic goals and staying positive throughout the process.
In “Bury My Heart in Conference Room B”, Stan Slap says, “The irreducible essence of leadership is that leaders are people who live their deepest personal values without compromise, and they use those values to make life better for others – this is why people become leaders and why people follow leaders.”
Slap stresses that the true purpose of leadership is not to increase the value of the organization or to improve the productivity of teams. The true purpose of leadership is not what leaders do, but why they do it. Leadership is a purpose before it’s a practice.
Check out his book on Amazon.
Adapted from “Leading Organizational Change” by Erin K. Green, MBA, RSBA. School Business Affairs, November 2010, p. 4.
Bike Analogy
I recent heard and analogy of how a bike is like management and leadership. I wanted to share that with you and leave you with some thoughts.
The rear wheel is like management – it gets the job done. It is what pushes the bike forward and is driven forward, or in other words – results happen from other parts of the bike – the pedals, the crank, the chain, the brakes, the burrs, the shifters, etc. In summary, management is about moving forward and getting things done through others.
The front wheel is leadership. It turns or shifts the direction of the bike based on a number of factors. The front wheel is critical to ensure you and your team (the entire bike and all of its components) get to where the goal is (the vision). There are significantly less parts on the front wheel that help guide the direction of the bike versus the driving wheel which has a lot of components to make it work and work efficiently. The front wheel is again critical to results or reaching the destination.
If you are a manager, keep strong and consistent. If you are a leader, provide a clear direction where you are heading and have a memorable journey.
As I write in my blog, I Power Ideas, I like to post things I feel are going to help a manager or leader learn and grow through small learning nuggets or seeds to inspire the reader to think, reflect, and dig deeper into the subject.
One story my wife recently shared with me was a story by Chip Gains from his book, “Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff.”
My wife is a huge fan of Joanna and Chip Gains and she has thoroughly enjoyed this book, and more importantly it inspired her to explore and think in new and different ways. Her enthusiasm was contagious and infectious. She was thoroughly excited to try new things, all from Chip’s book.
One of the stories she shared that has a great parallel with management and leadership is relationships. It really is all about relationship. If you have a strong relationship with someone or a group, collaboration and open dialogue are much easier to facilitate.
I am going to paraphrase the story.
Chip talks about digging a long ditch on a hot summer day. If someone comes along and offers to help, you’re not going to ask him questions about his political views or other things that have nothing to do with the task at hand, you’re just going to be happy for the help. Then as you work side-by-side, you’ll get to know him because you are actually working together – you’ll be interested in his story. You will actually listen with intent and bite your tongue if you strongly disagree because the point is to hear him, get his perspective. And vice versa. You’ll respect him regardless of whether or not his views differ from yours. You may even become friends. That’s the world I want to live in.
So very true and his story hits home in so many ways. Enjoy exploring and building deeper relationships with those around you.
Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff
From Amazon
The funny and talented Chip Gaines is well known to millions of people as a TV star, renovation expert, bestselling author, husband to Joanna, and father of four in Waco, Texas. But long before the world took notice, Chip was a serial entrepreneur who was always ready for the next challenge, even if it didn’t quite work out as planned. Whether it was buying a neighborhood laundromat or talking a bank into a loan for some equipment to start a lawn-mowing service, Chip always knew that the most important thing was to take that first step.
Why did I begin this journey?
The main thought I had while completing my ITIL Practitioner Certification, there were so many frameworks, management, and leadership topics and thoughts and I wanted to share those as well as offer a place for others to share and collaborate their skills, experience, and wisdom to help others be better managers and leaders.
Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Patrick Lencioni reiterated the same sentiment in his book, “The Truth About Employee Engagement”, which I highly recommend. He says that employees don’t remember the work you did, but how you made them feel.
In Patrick’s book, he provides examples of how we make decisions based on emotion and feelings vs. pure logic. For example, how many times have you seen a television commercial and it shows numerous emotional and grabbing visuals accompanied with powerful music and you ask yourself what is the commercial for – then the actual item is quickly shown and the commercial ends. Car commercials are a perfect example of this. They contain powerful visual imagery and music which affects you emotionally versus providing you with real logical data. This emotional tie is what drives and increases sales. It also is what makes you remember the commercial.
I share this story as you look at your leadership skills and practices and self-reflect on continuous improvement and how we make those around us feel is far more impactful than the actual work we do. I can attest to this as I still have former employees who worked for me more than two decades ago recount how I made them feel and the times we had together (not the work we completed together).
Embrace each day and let those around you know you care about them as people, not just as employees.