The date of January 1 each year brings a varied list of emotions and feelings.  To some, it could be the idea of starting over and forgetting the previous 12 months.  For others, January 1 brings the idea of continuing all of the positive trends that occurred in the past 365 days.  And for the leaders who are multipliers, the New Year establishes hope and optimism in leading others to achieve personal and professional milestones.  These goals and resolutions create a method of setting objectives, leading to the incredible feeling of accomplishment when achieving them, and also holding yourself accountable when falling short and figuring out why.

Hopefully, nobody goes into a year with a goal of “I am going to finish the year ranked last in my company’s bonus pool” or “I am going to be the worst manager I know”.  Conversely, we set goals of “I’m going to make more money this year than last” or “I am going to work out 3 days a week and lose 20 pounds by March” as tasks we wish to accomplish.  If you look at your team from last year, what separates the people who exceeded their goals versus ones that fell short?

To me, it is the difference of being COMMITTED to the process of succeeding versus being invested in success.  There are many people who say they are invested in reaching a goal…they only do the work asked of them and only focus on results.  When I see people who are COMMITTED to exceeding their targets by tackling weekly or monthly objectives, these are the ones who show the grit and determination in the process, knowing that success will follow suit.  An example…when my father was training for a marathon, he had certain miles he had to run each day/week to be fully prepared for the day of the race.  The weather outside did not matter to his training and he ran in any type of weather (and this was in the 1980’s so the availability of treadmills and indoor gyms was not as prevalent as it is today).  On the day he was supposed to complete a 20 mile run, the weather was below freezing and he came home with icicles in his hair from the sweat freezing so quickly.  He was committed to hitting his weekly target to achieve his end goal of finishing a marathon.  On the flip side, the person who was invested in this same training regimen might have taken the day off because of the bad weather.  They are still capable of finishing the race, but may not have the resiliency to succeed, no matter what obstacles are thrown their way.

As a leader, how do you get your team committed to achieving their resolutions and keeping them on track for the year?

1. Goals/Resolutions have to be written down, visible, and SMART: This seems to be a very basic concept however many people write down a goal or resolution and forget it 30 days later.  I ask my team to hand-write their goals and take a picture of them to keep on their phones or in their cars/offices…A person will relate more to a goal written in their own handwriting versus one typed in a “Calibri” or “Arial” font on their computer.  And each goal must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.
2. Change the mindset about Resolutions and Goals: People who are committed say “I WILL have a great year this year” versus “I hope to have a good year this year”. Leading your people to think about their goals with this positive mindset will lead to improved performance, if their belief is stronger than someone else’s doubt.
3. Shout Praise and Whisper Criticism: Most of us crave recognition of a job well done. And while we welcome coaching on areas of improvement, a diminishing leader will focus longer and harder on the areas you are not succeeding in and the need to show improvement.   An example is the parent whose child brings home a report card with 4 “A’s” and 1 “C”.  The parent should focus on recognizing the positive “A” grades more than criticizing the “C”. While not rewarding “C” work, make sure to have balance.  Pay more attention to what people do well versus what their gaps are.

Here are some quotes of praise that you can share with your team…once you share the quote, make sure to cite the specific reason for the acknowledgment.  And instead of recognizing the result, praise the process.  Even if you are recognizing the little things that everyone should be doing, this positive reinforcement will turn an average day into a potentially great one and your team will know you care about their development:

• I appreciate the attitude you bring to work every day…
• I am proud of you…
• I am lucky to work with you…
• Our team needs you to be a leader and help us through this situation…
• What you just did was so extraordinary…
• Thank you for working so hard…
• I know you can accomplish more…
• You continue to impress me…

“How Full is Your Bucket” is a great book by Tom Rath and Donald Clifton and is a quick read on how to have a happier and more fulfilling life.  The concept is one that my team has been working on over the last year in helping us adapt a true “Multiplier” leadership culture.  Having a balance between praise and criticism is just as important in building up your team’s morale and performance as any tactical or strategic plan with proper execution.  And consistently having a full bucket will help bring you sanity in a somewhat cynical world.  Leading your team to be committed to a specific process versus just focusing on results will bring happiness to you and the people you influence, for 365 days a year.

 

Over dinner recently, someone asked me to summarize how I have become the person I am today.  The question was not to validate whether I am a good person, which I hope I am.  The question, he said, was to realize all of the specific interactions we have in life (most of which we take for granted) and how they shape you as a leader, a parent, a partner, or any other role that we play on a daily basis.  It was a wonderful conversation which caused me to appreciate how lucky I am to have been surrounded by so many good people both personally and professionally.

During my tenure in training, I usually started off each development session with a quote.  “In order to know where you are going, you need to know where you have been and where you are now”.  A more eloquent way of understanding the meaning of this message is to watch the below video of Matthew McConaughey’s speech after winning an Oscar Award for Best Actor.

https://www.facebook.com/JayShettyIW/videos/1699571663690625/

Back to the dinner conversation…as I was discussing what has helped shape my professional life, I recognized that I have been fortunate to work with so many good people.  I am grateful for their influence on me, on providing me opportunities that at the time I am not sure if I deserved, and most importantly, always lending an ear for when I needed it. During the dialog at dinner, I learned that I need to personally thank several people for what they did to shape me as a leader and teaching me the core principles I lead with on a daily basis.

MS – First impressions mean everything.  Mike taught me to fully prepare for each day with your appearance (collar stays and shined shoes) as well as walking with confidence and not arrogance.  These initial interactions will help you create lasting two-way relationships. Also, planning for any situation you may encounter will help determine your level of success.

RD – Serve the people who work for you.  Rob taught me to focus on the needs of others first, before my own personal needs.  Acknowledge other people’s perspectives, give them the support they need to meet their work and personal goals, involve them in decisions where appropriate…these actions will lead to a sense of community within your team.

JB – Make time for professional development and personal growth.  Jim has forgotten more about training then I will never know.  Training cannot always be about a product or a job.  He was always striving for additional personal growth programs for our employees and he valued the role training played in shaping people’s lives, both in and out of the workplace. And Jim promoted the concept of “Life-Work Balance” with life being more important then work.

BA – Sometimes, you need to follow your gut.  We all need to understand the data before making any decision; however, sometimes the data is only a partial indicator of what that correct decision is.  Several times, I would see Brad make a decision that was not supported by the data, but was the right thing to do for the business.  These valuable decisions were made because he trusted his gut feelings.  And if he was wrong (which was rare), his “fail fast” motto made sure that the course would be corrected very quickly.

MG – Understand your position.  Marcus is one of the best marketers I know from a brand as well as a personal perspective.  Building personal brand equity as an individual is the same as developing a strong brand campaign for a product.  Brand positioning is critical to both and understanding how to enhance your position is something I learned a tremendous amount from him about.

DO – Keeping it simple.  One of the best takeaways I have taken from David was the “Art of the Flip Chart”.  When working with David, you should always be able to discuss your business plan on one page of a flip chart (and usually with a calculator not too far away).  Breaking down annual goals into smaller chunks is something he is excellent at and I am so fortunate I have been able to work with him since 2004.

TB & RB – No Gotcha Moments (either positive or negative).  Travis and Rob are two of the most polished and fair people I have ever worked with.  They taught me to be straightforward with any information (no sand-bagging) and to always make them aware of situations which could come up in future meetings.   I will always remember the term “no surprises” and I am honored that I got to work with these two consummate professionals.

MN – Bring positive energy and excitement to everything you do, no matter how big or small.  Michael has a way of making anyone smile, usually within 30 seconds of meeting him.  He is the type of person you have to call when you are having a day that you would like to forget and usually, within that small time frame, he has lifted your spirits and made you laugh.  It’s a trait that very few people can pull off without coming across fake or phony, and he accomplishes this with such ease.  He is truly one of a kind.

There are so many other people who have shaped my leadership style over the last 20 years.  As discussed in previous postings, I look back at my early years of managing others (most of those times, I was managing versus leading) and I am perplexed at some of the decisions I made.  And moving into the future, I know that I will still make mistakes and will continue to learn from the obstacles that I am faced with.  However, I am committed to “always learning” and trying to lead in an optimistic and uplifting way, no matter what the situation.  And to me, there is a huge difference in being “committed” versus being “invested”.  Many people want to be invested in a process, but are not committed to success as evidenced by their daily actions.  More to come on this topic later….

 

 

 

I thoroughly enjoy the sport of soccer.  I love playing the game, I enjoy coaching and teaching children, and I always look forward to watching both of my kid’s games.  As each child embarks on a new season, one of the training methods used to determine fitness and conditioning is the YoYo Test (also referred to as the beep test).  It is the ultimate test of stamina, speed, and agility for an athlete and requires each participant to dig deep to perform at a high level.  For those of you who have completed this type of fitness test, “lungs burning” or “wobbly legs” are two of the terms used apon completion.  For those who have not taken the test, please click on the link below to see a brief example of a test for the US Men’s National Team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcJ6ueF6C4E

While watching my son recently participate in his pre-season YoYo test, I was reminded of how similar this test is to leading others, and how leadership requires both stamina and speed, while also challenging us to overcome internal and external obstacles.  One cannot fake their way to success with the YoYo.  The YoYo tests humbles all participants, and being humbled is an emotion every leader should deal with on a regular basis.  Being humble in leadership is one of the most important traits to me in future leaders.  Effective training and time must be put in to succeed in leadership, the same as training for a sport or a race.  And time is our most valuable asset as a leader.    We are always looking for more time to accomplish tasks and rarely are successful leaders asking themselves “I have too much time and not enough to do”.  Your time as a leader in developing your team is just as crucial as working with your most important customer.  John Maxwell describes the value of time as below:

“To know the value of one year – ask the student who failed their final.

To know the value of one month – ask the mother of a premature baby.

To know the value of one week – ask the editor of a weekly magazine.

To know the value of one day – ask the wage earner with six children.

To know the value of one hour – ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To know the value of one minute – ask the person who missed the plane.

To know the value of one second – ask the person who survived the accident.

To know the value of one millisecond – ask the Olympic silver medalist”

So how do you increase the value of the time spent in leading others?  How do you avoid feeling like a YoYo, being constantly pulled in opposite directions?  Here are three ideas to consider:

1. Turn your “if only’s” into “what if’s”: It is easy to say “I would be successful if only I had additional resources”.  Often times, our employees are looking for easy ways out of situations by making excuses or blaming others versus finding solutions with their current state of business.  The most successful people in life do not look at others for accountability…they look inwards and figure out a way to get things done.  Challenge your team to come to you with problems and solutions.  Also, challenge your team to imagine success with no boundaries or restrictions…some of the best ideas come out of these strategic thinking sessions.

 

2. Are you hiring and retaining the right people? I recently listened to a prominent college soccer coach talk about what he looks for in potential athletes.  He mentioned Grit, Love of the Game, Team Work, Self-Belief, and Competitive Drive as some of the characteristics he looked for in a student athlete. If a recruit did not possess one of these traits, then the coach and his staff looked elsewhere.  In addition, the coach would re-assess these characteristics each season and challenge his players to maintain high scores in these core competencies.  Do the same with both your potential new hires and your existing team on a regular basis.  As a leader, your performance is based on the success of your team…make sure they are consistently engaged and focused on both short term and long term goals.

 

3. Make decisions quickly: Sometimes, leaders suffer from “Paralysis by Analysis” and are slow to act on timelines or resolutions because they feel they need more information.  They have fear in making the wrong choice.  The most successful leaders in the world have made mistakes in their past and will make poor decisions in the future.  However, each of these leaders will also describe how being first is just as important as being right.  Some people may associate timely decisions with poor decisions, but to me, timely and thorough thinking usually wins.  Set aggressive timelines with decision stakeholders to educate you on new initiatives and the data required to be both quick and accurate.  Understand the risks and benefits to any decision…many times the biggest risk is not being timely enough.  Be nimble in your leadership and realize that all of the planning in the present will not prepare you for unforeseen obstacles in the future.

 

Leading others is hard work.  As Tom Hanks stated in the movie A League of Their Own, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard … is what makes it great.”  A great leader should also realize their individual value to their team and their company.  I don’t buy into the idea that everyone is replaceable.  To me, I will do everything in my power to retain my most valuable employees and I should tell these “A” players how lucky I am to work with them on a frequent basis.   Recognizing others is a detail commonly missing from our weekly tasks.

Effective leadership requires us to be in great shape both mentally and physically (a positive balance of health, mind and body and not just a gifted athlete).  Building stamina in leading others is just as important as the stamina required of an athlete to participate in a sport.  Also, understand that your time is the most valuable asset you have as a leader.   Focus on being great with your leadership, investing in your personal development, and achieving new levels of leadership fitness with your own YoYo tests…strive to be better, not perfect.

Well Done > Well Said

 

In the leadership book “No Hero”, Navy Seal Mark Owen describes a mountain climbing exercise where he received some great advice to focus on his “three foot world”.  His takeaway from this feedback was centered on controlling the things he can, without looking too far backwards or forwards or up or down, to gain a positive outcome.  The respect I have for this man, and the US military in general, is immense…one of the biggest regrets in my life is not serving my country when I was younger.  As Mark stated in his book, many of the principles instilled in our military’s training are applicable to us as leaders in the business world.

There will always be situations and scenarios presented to us as leaders where we have limited control on the outcomes.  However, when it comes to controlling our professional lives, there are 3 things we have 100% control of:

• individual preparation
• attitude
• work ethic

We all have a personal brand that we live to build and maintain.  Professional or personal competence does not occur without being intentional with our preparation, attitude, and work ethic.  If we control these 3 individual traits, our lives will always be full, we should be happy the majority of the time, and most importantly, we will always be learning.

When we discuss leadership and control, there are several items that come to mind to improve the way we influence control and inspire others.

1. You have to “buy-in” to the leader before you are bought in to their ideas. People in leadership roles try to push their agendas without earning the respect of their direct reports or employees.  Titles are irrelevant when it comes to leading others and people will respond in a positive manner to initiatives from leaders they respect versus directives from ego driven managers who operate without a pulse on culture or real world situations.  True leaders do not look for individual credit for positive performance, and when things go well, highlight the team and point the praise to them.  When times are tough, the most respected leaders accept the responsibility internally and do not place blame on others.  Make sure you are continuously working to gain the respect of those around you, even when it means making difficult decisions or holding others accountable to making decisions consistent with your organization’s values.
2. Gain a “fail-fast” attitude. People make decisions thinking their ideas will work.  I doubt there are many people who make a choice in life or business expecting to fail or to be unhappy.  Some of these choices may have negative consequences or be made without gathering all of the information possible.  As a leader, we must be quick to identify the poor decisions in life we make (and we all make them personally and professionally) and have a “fail-fast” mindset with a secondary plan in mind.  And in a “fail-fast” professional setting, you always need to have a back-up plan. Always…
3. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. This is another concept from “No Hero”.  What are your goals to improve on something you are currently not good at?  The most valuable mentoring experience I have had was working with a CFO of our organization.  This was a total departure from my inner circle of peers and supervisors who I continuously leaned on for support.  I am more of an instinctual or experience leader versus an analytical leader. I thought I was an effective strategic leader, but was worried about how I would come across to the CFO of our organization and if my ideas would be shallow compared to his depth of knowledge around numbers and finances.  The times spent with Mike taught me to view situations in an entirely different manner, and I am grateful for the opportunity of learning many things from someone whose personality is the polar opposite of mine.
4. If you ask for feedback, make sure you listen and react. In working with different companies, a quick fix to any change in market or business dynamics is to create a “task force” or “advisory council” to discuss these issues.  Unless these assembled teams have the ability to influence change or make a difference, these groups can actually do more harm than good.  It is far worse to ask for feedback and not act upon these discussions, than to not inquire at all. The most productive councils or task forces have actionable items after each session, which should lead to improved performance if implemented correctly.  And if you as a leader are talking more than listening during these meetings, you will lose credibility within the group.
5. Surround yourself with people who hate to lose and who learn from their failures and mistakes. It is easy to say we want to surround ourselves with “winners”…however, everybody loves to win.  As mentioned multiple times throughout this blog, we will all lose or fail at something in our life (if we are not failing or making mistakes, then we are not growing as a leader).  I am also not saying we should fail more than succeed.   We must always be gracious and humble when things go well.   In addition, we must be professional and positive in defeat while learning about what we could do better in future similar situations.  I feel the most effective leaders are ones who are driven to win in a compliant and proficient manner and, when faced with adversity or defeat, ask “how will I improve to win again”. True character is revealed in tumultuous times…make sure you and your team are prepared to overcome any challenge presented to you.
6. If you don’t have an answer to an important question, set a goal to find an answer or point someone in the right direction to assist. A new term I have heard recently is “that’s not my responsibility or in my job description…I cannot help you”.  These words should never be shared as a leader, especially when it relates to something important to the person asking the question.  We will never have all of the answers, but make sure you are invested in finding an appropriate solution.  When we say “no” or “we can’t” as a leader, make sure to provide the reason why.

Control as a leader is a very difficult task to manage.  However, one of the easiest ways to manage your time and to improve efficiency is to hire well and not be afraid to hire someone who could be your replacement when you move on to your next role.  I have led plenty of people who are smarter than me or who are more strategic than I am.  Empowering your team to work together towards a common purpose is an amazing and fulfilling achievement, and should be the main reason we became leaders in the first place.

 

*above image from The Heritage Flag Company

 

We all have many roles in life.  Maintaining positive balance between professional and personal responsibilities is one of the most challenging tasks we face, as there are times where this ideal balance seems to be slanted, and many times, we place professional responsibilities before our personal accountabilities.

The role I am most proud of (personally and professionally) is the role of husband and father.  I am blessed to have two great children, who both are respectful, athletic, and work hard at school, and an amazing and supportive wife.  One of the lessons we have recently been working on with our children is the concept of not “peaking too early in life”.   I see many people who already consider their best years behind them, whether they are teenagers or employees in their 30’s – 50’s.  We all know of individuals who were great athletes in high school, and feel that life can get no better than being an all-star in sports as a teenager.   I also speak to industry professionals who are resting on their laurels of excelling in their jobs 10 years ago, but have not done much since then. Additionally, managers have certain minimum GPA expectations for potential new hires…GPA’s are relevant for particular jobs in life and I don’t want to downplay the importance of good grades.  For me, the most recent professional experiences of a candidate far outweigh their GPA attainment from when they were 18-23 years old.

As a leader, I know my best years are ahead of me.  When I look back to when I was 18-23 years old, I am disappointed with the person I was.  I lost sight of things that should have been important and made some decisions that I definitely regret.  I am lucky that people had faith in me and helped me to improve as a person.  A life story is created throughout our entire journey on this earth, versus just a couple of years, whether those years are positive or negative.  I work every day to make a positive impact on my family, my work, and my faith. Some days I succeed, some days I fail, but each day brings a new opportunity to do something to lead and benefit others.

Leadership can be judged or scored on a revolving type of system, similar to the current credit scoring system we use to determine the interest rates we earn on a car or home, or the type of credit card we receive.  Credit scores are weighted on your entire history; however FICO and other credit agencies place much more weight on your more recent interactions versus ones which occurred 7 years ago.  A true leadership score should be the same way.  Yes, actions which took place 7-20 years ago are important in shaping the leader you currently are.  However, what are you doing today to grow as a leader and have a positive influence on your employees who rely on you to inspire them?

Similarities between a Leadership Score and a Credit Score:

• Consistency should be rewarded:  Leadership is an all day and every day responsibility.
• No delinquencies – handle tough conversations as quickly as your recognition conversations.
• Leadership scores improve with experience- nobody starts off with a credit score of 850 and there is not a leader out there who was perfect from day 1.
• Giving an in-experienced person a chance – All leaders have to be provided an opportunity to succeed at a job they have never had, similar to a mortgage company providing a loan to a first time home buyer.
• People are interviewing for a leadership position at all times, not just when a position is posted.  Credit scores are also built over time…you can’t positively improve your credit score with 1-3 months of responsible behavior.
• Having multiple experiences and roles adds to your overall leadership score
  • However too many inquires (or jobs) may hurt your overall score.

3 Ways to build a positive leadership score:

• Be successful with the job you currently have. This should be your #1 priority.  Do not spend too much time focusing on the next step in your career. Many employees are too focused on their next job or promotion, versus being successful at their current role.  Ask your supervisor what you can do to exceed their expectations and document your performance and review regularly.
• Your team’s feelings are more important than your own.  Great leaders are more concerned about how decisions impact their teams versus how they impact the leader personally. When meeting with members of your team, talk about situations that are affecting them more than you talk about yourself.  Your team will appreciate your listening and being engaged with their priorities versus your own.
• Avoid cynical leaders.  Cynical leaders know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.  Identify leaders of influence within your organization who understand how to bring new ideas to fruition.  For every new tactic or idea you propose, discuss the value of the initiative in addition to the cost.  Network with a group of people who share your work values and are true multipliers.  For a more robust definition of a what a multiplier is, follow Liz Wiseman on twitter (@LizWiseman) and read her book “Multipliers”…this book is a must read for anyone who reports to me who leads and influences others.

The title of this blog is “Always Learning Leader”…I am constantly learning things from people I interact with and I know that my “peak” years are still ahead of me.  Many times, I am learning more about what not to do from people who make questionable decisions versus modeling positive behaviors from the leaders I respect. Great leaders are constantly learning from all experiences (positive and negative) and increasing their knowledge about how to attract high potential employees to come work with them and motivating them to exceed expectations.  This is a very difficult task to accomplish, but nobody said leadership is easy!!!  However, leading others is the most rewarding, empowering, and humbling job I have ever had.

I am a huge Foo Fighters fan.  Over the years, they have evolved into one of the most popular bands in the world, performing in front of millions of fans.  What impresses me the most is their willingness to innovate and take chances, without straying from their roots of creating amazing music.  In the past several years, they have recorded an album in their lead singer Dave Grohl’s garage and supported this project by playing live shows in their fan’s garages throughout the country.  Their next adventure was to write songs in 8 cities throughout the US and record their experiences both with an album and a documentary series, all produced by Dave.  At their live shows, they have invited fans to come on stage to sing and play the drums, and have realized that their fans are the #1 priority in the world…google “Cesena Italy Learn to Fly” and witness their fan’s passion for a live show and the bands response.  This past fall, they recorded a surprise 4 song album as a thank you to their fans and offered this album as a free download.  They are true leaders in communicating with their fan base who is constantly asking for more.

Professionally, our teams and employees are asking for more…more feedback, more opportunities, more resources, more specific direction.  In this day and age,  we are constantly accessible to our teams, our peers, and our customers via cell phones, email, text messages, what’s app groups, instagram, twitter, etc…yet customer service seems to be suffering as a result of technological advances.  For external customers requesting assistance, it is very common to go through a series of prompts on your phone only to remain on hold for 10-15 minutes before speaking to someone.  If you send an email, it is normal to receive a response 24 hours later, which may point us to a FAQ document to find the answer. For internal employees, the #1 reason people change careers is due to their direct supervisor (this is not the only reason people leave an organization but is a major factor).   With all of our methods of communication, leadership has become shallow and we must figure out new ways to inspire our employees, who are our most important customers.  Much like the Foo Fighters, we have to innovate without forgetting who we truly are.

Tips to avoid shallow leadership:

1. Talk more than type or text.  Texting and emailing should be touch points in your leadership style, however should not dominate your modes of communication with your team.  “Major” information (you have to determine what major is defined as) should be discussed live versus messaging.  For example, if your company is changing your strategic plan mid quarter, this should be considered major information and should not be sent via a group text message.  In addition, make a point to spend quality time actually talking to your teams.  You can find out more in 5 minutes talking versus 5 hours texting.
2. Define what your team culture is.  Your team culture and what motivates them should be the #1 priority for you.  Peter Drucker says that “culture eats strategy for breakfast”.  I tend to agree with this statement, especially as it relates to leading others to conduct worthwhile work. Ask your senior leadership what their definition of your company’s culture is (hopefully they can answer) and insure you are aligned with their vision.  Before making any decision, ask yourself if this decision provides a positive impact on your company’s vision or culture…if not, then I would review other alternatives.
3. Set aside 30 minutes per week to get better at something.  The best athletes and musicians practice a lot more than they play.  The Foo Fighters just don’t walk on stage to perform without hours of fine tuning their craft. Why should leadership be any different?  Set an appointment with yourself for 30 minutes per week to improve at anything (professional or personal development).  Treat this appointment the same way you would treat an appointment with your most valuable customer…if a conflict arises, make sure to reschedule this time.
4. Lead with solutions, not problems.  When Dave Grohl broke his leg on-stage near the beginning of the 2015 Foo Fighters tour, many thought the remaining dates of the tour would be cancelled.  Instead, Dave crafted a solution with his tour crew to create a seat and throne in the middle of the stage allowing him to play guitar, sing, interact with the crowd, and not diminish from a Foo Fighters live show experience.  When challenges and opportunities arise, make sure not to focus too much on the situation, but present solutions that can overcome these potential setbacks.  My quote to my team is “come to me with your problems and solutions”.  This grants them ownership to lead through change.  Also, discuss challenging scenarios with your peers to gain additional insights before finalizing a solution…if you are experiencing certain challenges, your peers probably are as well.

When you listen to members of the Foo Fighters talk during interviews, you realize they have been through high and lows in their careers, both personally and professionally. Each band member realizes the individual role required to create music which pleases both fans and critics alike.  They seem to truly enjoy being around each other and have a true passion for delivering for their fans.  Over the last 20 years, the band has taught me many lessons around leadership…continue to challenge yourself to try new things, never forget your roots or who you are, and continue to be visible and relevant to meet the evolving needs of your customers, both internal and external.  They are a great example of “well done > well said”.

Cliché : Something, most often a phrase or expression, that is overused or used outside its original context, so that its original impact and meaning are lost. (source: wiktionary) 

Most of us have witnessed this scene before.  A manager and one of their direct reports do not see eye-to-eye on an issue at large, whether performance or behavior based.  The conversation between the employee and their manager is heading towards a non-productive outcome when the manager states, “You know what, It Is What It Is” (I refer to this as IIWII syndrome.)  Coaching and counseling sessions should be dialogs, not monologues, and managers who suffer from IIWII syndrome will turn most coaching sessions into a one way conversation.

There are many clichés used in sports, business, and the entertainment world.  When we see people use clichés in these forums, usually they are trying to avoid a difficult topic or not wanting to answer a question for fear of repercussions.  As a member of the viewing public, we can see right through these cliché’s and realize that a vague response does not offer much value to either member of the conversation.

Are we being effective with our coaching and counseling if we consistently use clichés to lead others?  Here are some examples of clichés used in the management world and reasons to avoid them:

1. “It is what it is” – There are times and places to use this quote, but this term is extremely overused when trying to gain buy-in from a direct report.
2. “Take it to the next level” – Managers use this quote when they are not sure what the next level is or should be.
3. “Let’s think outside of the box” – This one really confuses me. How big is the box?  If I think outside of this box and provide a solution, does that solution go into the box? Is there room in the box for more ideas?
4. “At the end of the day…” – Unless you are talking about a specific action to be completed at the end of a specific day, this quote should be used sparingly.  I have even heard this used with IIWII.  “At the end of the day, it is what it is”.

5. “Cross Functional Experience” – Just because someone has worked in many different departments, it does not necessary mean they were good in those roles. Remember that experience does not equal proficiency.

I am sure there are many other clichés that are used in management and would love for you to e-mail me your favorites at jfkitson@gmail.com

Cures to Cliché Managing:

Cliché Managing is often used when a manager is not confident in their abilities to lead the individual.  Managers must understand their direct reports and what motivates them in order to effectively lead the individual to meet and exceed their goals.  Each of the 5 quotes listed above can be re-worded to provide more specific clarity to a coaching conversation.  Let’s provide you an example from #2 above.

Cliché Manager: “I am ready for you to take your career to the next level.”

Non-Cliché Manager: “In your development plan for this year, you mentioned your career interests include a move into our training department.  Over the last several months, you have participated in meetings with several department leaders, and helped mentor new hires.  As a result of your efforts, you have my support to apply for this new position.  If you get this position, I know it will be a great next step in your career”.

Tips to Avoid Cliché Managing:

1. Make sure you are specific with your questions concerning what motivates your employees. People may say they are motivated by money, but their internal motivator is having money to pay bills, buy a new car, provide for their family, etc.  Money and Recognition are not what motivates people.  The true motivator is what an individual does when they have money or receive recognition.  Find this out for each direct report before having coaching discussions, especially for your newer employees.
2. Develop a pre-call plan before your next coaching conversation. We always ask sales representatives to have a pre-call plan before a sales meeting.  Managers need to do the same thing before working with their employees.  Review the employees file, review their career interests, and know their personal information.

There are times when clichés can be used in your development conversations.  Sometimes, we are presented with a challenging scenario that will require us to use clichés to manage others.  These cliché conversations should be the exception rather than the norm and the most effective leaders are the ones providing specific direction to their employees to help them achieve their goals.  So, don’t be afraid to take your coaching to the next level…be all you can be and push the envelope to create win-win situations for your employees. (4 clichés in one sentence!)

“Well Done is Greater than Well Said”

I have been a leader of individuals for more than 20 years…At 25 years old, I was given my first managerial job…and I was not good at it.  I was an ineffective general manager of both individual contributors and other managers.  I was unable to effectively communicate because I felt managing others was all about my interests and not about the people working for me.  I did not set clear goals, did not invest time in other’s interests or development, and did not act with a sense of humility, integrity, or accountability.  I look back on those years and realize how much I needed to learn…and how important it was to transition from being a manager to being a leader.

I am starting this blog to routinely share my thoughts around leadership, both professionally and personally.  The one thing I have learned throughout the years is that leadership is a skill which needs to be constantly developed.  If you ask 10 people to discuss a leadership scenario, you will get 10 differing opinions and examples on how to handle. While some may handle situations “better” than others, we can all learn from sharing ideas and best practices and hopefully improve as leaders, whether we are leading teams of 5 or 500.  I am constantly learning from the people I interact with on a daily basis and growing as a leader in my organization and in my personal life.

My team has been rallying around the motto “Well Done is Greater than Well Said”.  My dad used to say that “actions speak louder than words” and I feel that there is no truer statement than this.  I hope the actionable items shared in updates to come will result in more effective leadership in your daily lives.

Well Done > Well Said

-Jimmy