Will you have one fan this week?

June 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

In the quest to obtain new fans and “friends” or become hyper linked-in, we might be ignoring the fans right in front of us.  Remembering the old saying that “a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush” could lead to the desired outcomes you want to achieve this week.  In building valuable relationships it is the quality, not the quantity, that matters.

DO THIS:  Make a list of the most important people in your life and those that have had the biggest impact on the growth and well being of your business.  Take a few minutes to create time on your calendar to send each one of them a note, give them a quick call, or just send them an email of appreciation for what they have done to help you.

BE THIS:  Conscious of the value of each person you come in contact with this week.  Ask yourself, are you bringing value to them or are they bringing value to you or both?  Who are the five people you will spend the most amount of time with this week?  Do they help you feel empowered and think at a higher level?

TRY THIS:  Focus on building one relationship at a time.  Build one fan at a time.  Spend your time wisely by creating a customer and collaborator strategy.  Start by categorizing your customers from highest to lowest net income vs energy and expenses exerted value.   You can do the same for your personal and professional relationships.  For those, rank them by the level of empowerment, encouragement, trust and mutual respect you each bring to the relationship.

One great, committed, wise, fan can make all the difference in the world to you.  One fan has changed my life completely.  My husband Allen has not only been the best father I could have ever imagined for my daughter, Melody, he has also been my biggest fan.  He has given me unconditional love, support, encouragement, and grace through what can only be described as a wild ride.  I count myself lucky to have other fans, too, that have been essential to my success, health and wellbeing.

As a leader, remember to focus on the fan in front of you this week.  Let them know they are appreciated, be present and listen to them, be sure they feel heard, and learn from them.  Take what you learn and earn another fan and another and another, building one fan at a time.

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Will your team have the desire to change this week?

June 9, 2013 By Leave a Comment

People don’t change because you tell them to.  People change when they have a desire to.  Desire is what triggers change.  Your beliefs, and those of your team members, are what will form your culture and the direction and speed at which you reach your goals.  Here’s some ways to apply this to achieve your desired outcomes this week.

LISTEN TO THIS:  Are you creating an environment that supports people to move in the direction you want them to?   In our newest Joltcast (about 12 minutes – podcast) Jeff Smith conducts an Executive Coaching session around the concepts in Tom Asacker’s newest book, The Business of Belief.  You’ll learn how to get the people you lead to buy-in, believe and reach their goals.

The Business of Belief book coverREAD THIS:  Conviction drives action.  “Believing is seeing” according to this short article from Tom where he talks about how our beliefs filter information and inform our perceptions.  How will you use your team member’s desires and beliefs to motivate them to change this week?

CONSIDER THIS:  Beliefs aren’t always built on facts and truth.  Many times, we form beliefs that distort our perception of reality.  The first step in any change you want to make within yourself or anyone else is to discover what core belief is driving the behavior.  If you believe that hard work pays off, your experiences have supported that, and someone tell you that working 4 hours a week will make you more money, you’re going to have a difficult time changing because what that person has told you doesn’t align with your core belief.

You can’t change anyone.  As a leader, your job is to develop your team by tapping into their highest-level thinking.  Discover their beliefs, help them have new experiences that will form beliefs that support success through achievement of their goals. Well, only if they desire to do so, of course.

Have you reached your leadership potential?  We may be able to help.  Contact me about our upcoming Fall classes.

A big THANK YOU to Kevin Scott for doing such a good job hosting our Joltcast series and to Brian Duvall, our Director of Digital Media for all the work he does behind the scenes.  THANK YOU to each of you who have supported our work this year to help leaders, like you, reach their desired outcomes. We’ve enjoyed all our work this year, including working with teams from MemberOne Federal Credit Union, Goodwill of the Valleys, Interactive Achievement, Colors on Parade, Cleveland Clinic, PAML, CMR Institute, Global Metal Finishing, Hanwha, MB Contractors, City of Roanoke, and so many, many others!  Thank you!

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Will you use tension to reach your goal this week?

June 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Structural tension that is.  You and your team may experience some tension during the journey between where you are and where you want to be.  How you process that tension, whether you allow it to stop  or propel you forward, may mean the difference between success and failure.

 READ THIS:  An article by Robert Fritz that will explain that…”the structural dynamic(s) of structural tension is the principle that tension seeks resolution and the contrast between your desired state and your actual state forms the tension.”  You’ll learn that you must look at current reality first rather than ignoring it and only focusing on what you want. Understanding what skills, resources and behaviors are creating the reality of the situation you are in gives you a baseline from which to begin. Just believing in something doesn’t create it.

USE THIS:  Need a chart to help map your next creative plan?  Here’s  a simple one that might help you and your team.  

 WATCH THIS:  Quick Joltip video (1 min) with Jeff Smith, President of Voltage Leadership Consulting, that helps explain structural tension.

 As a leader, understand and use structural tension to motivate your team through the challenges you are sure to face in any creative process or difficult change initiative.

You are strong enough.  You are smart enough.  You are capable enough.  You can and will lead your team this week through any tension they face to reach your desired outcomes.

Listen. Serve. Celebrate.

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How will you explain things to yourself this week?

May 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Your explanatory style, which is how you explain events to yourself and others, affects your ability to perform optimally according to work Martin Seligman does in the field of positive psychology.  Daniel Pink explains it like this in his new book, To Sell is Human, “the key is to “dispute” and “de-catastrophize” negative events or circumstances.

TRY THIS:  Ask yourself these 3 questions the next time something negative happens.  Is this permanent?  Is this pervasive?  Is this personal? You are looking for ways to answer “no” to each of the questions and explain why to move to a mindset that will serve you to move more quickly past your negative emotions.

THINK ABOUT THIS:  Instead of seeing a situation as personal, permanent or pervasive, explain the bad event as temporary, specific, and external.  By asking yourself what the overall consequences might be and why they are not nearly as bad as you thought they might be, you will learn to keep you and your team moving forward.

USE THIS:  Interrogative self-talk.  Studies now show that using questions to prompt you towards better performance are more effective than statements.  For instance, asking yourself “Will I do a good job on today’s presentation?” is more effective than saying to yourself “I will do a good job.”

WATCH THIS:  Bill Gates and Warren Buffet discuss two things they think can help you stay focused.  In this 1:24 video, they talk about an inner scorecard and getting great at saying no.

You are dedicated to excellence in yourself and others or you wouldn’t be reading this.  Remember to take time to celebrate the successes that you and your team have.  Focusing on what you and others are doing right will keep things on track and moving forward in the right direction.

Welcome aboard to our new clients in CA, ME, GA, and Abu Dhabi.  It’s fun doing our work in different states, countries, and cultures.  Thank you for your support!

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Will your team’s project be successful this week?

May 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Utilizing all 4 phases of a team work cycle for your next project or initiative could help you move from good to great as a leader.  Research shows that teams often skip essential phases and instead spend time on work they prefer to do, which leaves gaps in the team’s thinking and successful execution of a vision, concept, or idea.  By skipping phases, your team might be going straight from idea to execution without stopping to fully evaluate it.  A leader with vision could skip the ideation phase and go straight to elaboration where the whole project could get stalled or stuck.

As a leader, you will probably be strongest in one of the phases or maybe two.  For that reason, it’s important to know which one you are best at and develop a process of teamwork that allows different members to take the lead at different phases of the project or initiative.

READ THIS:  This short article explains the team work cycle quickly.  Basically, “The Team-Work Cycle can be divided into four phases: Initiation (when the task is analyzed and defined), Creation – also know as Ideation (when alternative ways and methods to approach the task are generated), Elaboration (when the various ways of accomplishing the task are developed in detail), and Completion – sometimes known as Execution (when an approach is selected and the work is planned and carried out).”

DO THIS:  Take the same amount of time in each phase and move through each one, in order, for best results.  To be sure this is occurring, keep track of the time you spend on each phase.

TRY THIS:  for your team member’s and your deepest level thinking.  Stay focused on the phase you are in.  If you’re in the ideation phase, don’t allow other team members to start elaborating (saying why the idea won’t work or focusing on the details) until you move to that phase.  Sometimes it’s helpful to have separate meetings for the elaborators and the idea generators.

Leading important initiatives can be one of the most important jobs you’ll have as a leader.  Learning how to lead your team through the phases and roles of the team work cycle can help you generate the best possible outcomes.  (Hint… at Voltage, we can coach you on how to do this.)

Happy Mother’s Day to all the dedicated, hard working, beautiful woman I know that sacrifice their time and energy to be fantastic role models for their children and so many others!  I wish you the most encouraging week of the year to know that what you do and who you are is more than enough!

 

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Will your team benefit from an after action review this week?

May 5, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Do you make it a regular practice to review a project after it’s completed to determine what went right and what was missing?    If you don’t, it might be because of the limited time you believe your team has.  The truth is that spending a small amount of time on reviewing what occurred during the execution of a project or initiative could save you LOTS of time in the future.  The time you spend to obtain insights during an after action review will most certainly be a high return on your investment.

READ THIS:  Some excerpts from this article include:  An AAR is an assessment conducted after a project or major activity that allows employees and leaders to discover and learn what happened and why.  The art of an AAR is in the obtainment of mutual trust so that people will speak freely. Innovative behavior should be the norm. Problem solving should be pragmatic and employees should NOT be preoccupied with status, territory, or second guessing “what the leader will think.”

  • It does not judge success or failure.
  • It attempts to discover why things happened.
  • It focuses directly on the tasks and goals that were to be accomplished.
  • It encourages employees to surface important lessons in the discussion.
  • More employees participate so that more of the project or activity can be recalled and more lessons can be learned and shared.

ASK THIS:  You can make the AAR process very simple by asking several questions and allowing everyone on the team a chance to submit thoughts or share in your next meeting:  What went right?  What was missing?  What would we do differently in the future?  What do we appreciate about what just happened?

WATCH THIS:  This (2:43) video will help you understand the methodology of an AAR, who should be involved, and how it is best executed with your team.  The process is a learning tool, NOT a disciplinary action.

As a strong and competent leader, you create the vision and direction for your team.  Finding out what went right and what is missing can be valuable in accomplishing your highest level directives for the future.  Make the time to do one this week.

Welcome to just a few of the new leaders joining us in receiving this week’s Joltlist, including Dan Essad, Laurie Carroll, Suzi Cutchins, and the most delightful Ms. Madeline Johnson.  My trip to Richmond was fun and informative.  Can’t wait to go back!

 

 

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What will your executive brand be worth this week?

April 28, 2013 By Leave a Comment

When you received your W-2 for last year were you satisfied with the number it showed you?  If you want to know where you’ll see the result of the effort you put into developing your executive presence, or brand, it will show up in your paycheck and net worth.  The more credible, connected, trusted, and competent you are perceived as by others, the higher the number will eventually be on what counts the most in business – your personal bottom line.  Here’s some tips to increase the value of your executive brand:

DO THIS:  Know that everything communicates something.  The skill is in knowing how your executive brand is being perceived by others.   Getting objective feedback is a great way to be sure that you are hitting the right target with your brand.

READ THIS:  A Forbes article about what Executive Presence is and some insights on how to improve it.  Karen Friedman says “Oftentimes people who exhibit executive presence exude a “wow factor,” or magnetism, and are able to easily influence others. They often speak up, use strong and clear language, communicate with passion and energy, and display positive body language by standing tall, making eye contact, offering a firm handshake and using an authoritative tone of voice.” 

 WATCH THIS:  to find out what is the worst thing that can happen to your executive brand.  

 BE THIS:  On time, skilled in your field, comprehensive in your approach, friendly in your demeanor, and global in your thinking.  Top level performers get paid the most because they can communicate their vision and objectives effectively. 

As a leader, being aware of what your brand is communicating about you is essential to gaining the financial success you may want.

We are well above 800 weekly readers now to the Joltlist!  A few of our newest subscribers, Cathy LaPrade, Phil Peters, Lyle Oberto, Kamilia Lawson, and Sheila Brewer.  Welcome to the land of leaders.  We are glad you are here.  Your comments and suggestions will be valued.

Our Executive Presence classes fill up quickly and sometimes sell out within a few days of being announced like the EP II class we offered for this summer did. Watch for a notice about upcoming classes being offered this Fall or contact me if you’d  like one-on-one executive coaching or to have a class at your corporation.

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What return will you receive from your investment of time this week?

April 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment

It’s an illusion that we can actually manage time itself.  Time just is.  The more important question we need to ask ourselves is how will we use our time this week to net us the highest return on investment.  Stop trying to manage time and start using time to design the business and life you want to create.

CONSIDER THIS:  You have exactly the same amount of time in your day as the CEO of Google or Sheryl Sandburg, COO of Facebook or Mark Burnett the Producer of shows like Survivor, The Voice, Celebrity Apprentice, and more recently, The Bible).  What do those leaders do with their time differently than you do?   What have they done differently for the last 20 years than you have done?  Time is the only resource we all have in common.

DO THIS:  Assign everything on your task list a day and time to do it.  Don’t pile up tasks and commitments that aren’t assigned a time to complete.  Tasks are wishes, not realistic actions you will take, when they are not assigned a real day and time for completion.  No sense in piling up tasks that together add up to more than 24 hours in a day.  Go back and measure how long things actually took, versus what you estimate when you booked them.  Trust me on this.  You will get better, quickly, at using your time wisely and appropriately.

BE DELIBERATE:  with who you spend your time with.  Look ahead at your week and schedule time with the people most important to you in the areas that you desire successful outcomes in.  Schedule time with your most important who’s.  Measure how much time you are spending with them.  Go back at the end of the week and see if you kept those commitments to yourself.  If you didn’t, readjust to face current reality for next week, or change your commitments so you can fit in your most important who’s on your calendar.

TAKE THIS ASSESSMENT:  Wonder how you are doing with utilizing your time effectively.  This assessment is free and fast and can give you some insights that may be helpful.  

What you do with your time, as a leader, is a critical factor to your long term success.  Who and how you spend your time will determine the return on investment you receive.  If you are a leader and all of your time is spent doing, who, exactly, is leading?

Our job, at Voltage Leadership Consulting, is to provide leaders, like you, with the insights you need to achieve your desired outcomes.  Let me know if you are looking for a keynote speaker or facilitator for your next corporate event.  Our price is much lower than the value we will deliver you and your group.

Thank you, this week, to Brian Duvall, for his tireless work on helping us build our business and brand.  Also, we we say goodbye to Taylor Ricotta, our Communication Coordinator, we welcome in a new structure for our company and a dawn of exciting growth and opportunity.  We thank Taylor for her hard work, dedication, and reliability.  We appreciate all that she did to keep us going and growing!

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How will you be remembered this week?

April 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment

As leaders, we make tiny impressions each day on people in our lives.  Those impressions make a difference.  You make a difference.

You are more than a task list.  You have so much more to offer than “doing” for others.  Your gift this week might just be in the “being” with those important to you in your life and on your team.

 Be deliberate with your time. Be specific with your visions and interactions so you can construct the life you want to be remembered for.  Reflect back on how you spent your time last week and use that information to construct how you will spend your hours and minutes this week.

DO THIS:  Schedule your most important who’s first.  You know, the who’s that are important in your life and at work.  Make sure your who’s are on your calendar regularly.

READ THIS:  A Harvard Business Review article that explains how great leaders leave legacies.  Great leaders engage in open and candid dialogue about the future, they transfer knowledge, practices and relationships to prevent surprises, and they manage their feelings and are sensitive to others.

WATCH THIS:  A music video from Phillip Phillips that reminds us that people will love us long after we’re gone.

Grant Plaskon, a brilliant videographer, left us this week, too soon and as dramatically as he lived. It was Grant that gave me the confidence I needed to create a new life and career for myself 15 years ago.  Grant was talented, fun, and sometimes, a complete mess. I remember him most for helping me believe in myself and for some pretty crazy times together.

I ran five miles yesterday because Grant couldn’t.  My daughter, Melody, and my husband Allen, ran 3.2 miles in the Remembrance Run at Virginia Tech because the 32 victims of the shootings couldn’t.  It was a sunny and beautiful weekend to reflect on the gift of life we so frequently take for granted.

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What will you focus on this week?

April 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Focusing on a clear vision of what you want will lead to success for you and your team.  Many times, we instead, focus on what we don’t want which can lead us straight into the Dreaded Drama Triangle.

LISTEN TO THIS:  A session recorded just for you and our clients.  It’s our brand new Joltcast.  Joltcast is a 15-minute, quick coaching session with Jeff Smith, President of Voltage Leadership Consulting and a national author.  This podcast is with David Emerald, author of The Power of TED – The Empowerment Dynamic.  If you want to be in a successful mindset this week, this is worth your time!

KNOW THIS:  You have a choice of what to focus your mind on.  Many times, we can’t immediately change our circumstances, but we can choose to change the way we are perceiving them.  Simply ask yourself and your team this week, “What do you want?”  Sometimes you need to ask multiple times to get your highest level thinking.

READ THIS:  A quick overview of what the DDT is and the antidote to it – TED – The Empowerment Dynamic.

Choose this week to be a coach rather than a rescuer, a challenger instead of a persecutor, and a creator instead of a victim.  You will change, your team will change, and so will the results you are getting.

Thank you to David Emerald for being our first guest on Joltcast, to Jeff Smith, who always leads in a way that empowers the CEO’s he coaches and the rest of us, Kevin Scott, our most enthusiastic participant of this work and super talented radio personality and leader, Taylor Ricotta, our trusted and reliable Communication Coordinator who was a big part of making this happen, and Brian Duvall, the man, behind the scenes who is always a part of anything we do that we are proud of on-line.  It was fun to see my vision of what I wanted come to shape as I was producing this.  What a blast!  Let me know what you think.  Your feedback will help us with future ones.

 

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