TheLeadershipNotebook

"Know Thyself"

The quote above by Socrates says it best. "Know Thyself." But Marshall Goldsmith, executive coach to CEO’s and many successful business professionals shared the same message when he opened his HBR blog post on Friday with these words:

 

“Years ago, when most organizations were based on the hierarchical business model of the Industrial Age, great leaders were those who were unemotional, rational, even mechanistic. Those days are gone. Today's leader, especially one who is in charge of a dynamic, global organization, finds himself or herself in desperate need of one key trait — self-awareness.”

 

Goldsmith goes on to state that a great leader is one who is self aware enough to know that he or she is not adept at everything. Self awareness includes knowledge of your own behaviors, motivators and competencies. Self knowledge AND admitting to your weaknesses are key.

 

You don’t have to be CEO of a global mega corporation to witness the benefits of building your self-awareness. Leaders at all levels, in professional firms, entrepreneurial ventures and non-profit leaders can enhance their leadership by working on being more self-aware. I know. I've witnessed this growth with my clients.

 

Goldsmith identifies a few things you can do to achieve self-awareness and personal mastery in your leadership.

 

·  Monitor your performance. Note areas in which you excel and need improvement. Communicate these to your team.

 

· Realize that failures and mistakes are just one step on the road to success.

 

·  Recognize that being aware of the impact that your behavior has on other people is a critical leadership skill.

 

·  Remember that when criticism is difficult to accept, there is probably some truth to it.

 

·  And, finally, learn to give yourself and others credit for improving.

 

Self-awareness often gets a bad rap as a soft skill that is “woo-woo” or just too nebulous. But utilizing self assessments, 360 feedback and conscious reflection are absolutely essential in building an awareness that is the hallmark of a great leader.

 

To your success,

 

Mary

 

Re-Ignition

When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."
~Author Unknown

 

 

 

It’s mid-February and you know what that means….and I’m not referring to Valentine’s Day. It’s that time of year when many, if not all of our New Year’s resolutions have been tossed aside. The beginning of the year – and the goals we embraced whole-heartedly – are a distant memory. The reality of day-to-day life has taken over and we have forgotten how badly we wanted them.

 

I’m no different. I set some goals in the beginning of 2010. One particular goal is establishing a regular running habit. I knew it would be tough. Living in Ohio, where the average daily temperature in January is about 20 degrees, is a challenge. But I was committed, even if it meant running on a treadmill indoors when I just couldn’t face the cold. I also sought support from my husband, who was interested in getting in shape, too. I set a target to run in the Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago on March 20 so I HAD to remain focused and committed.

 

Over the last six weeks, I’ve been fighting the same old internal battle. On some days, I say, “It’s cold outside” or “I have to work late to finish this project” or “my legs are sore.” On others, I’m more positive, saying “I can do this,” or “I WANT this.” And then I go run. I know that getting in shape has wonderful, positive benefits.  But admittedly, it’s been hit or miss.

 

Over the weekend, I happened to run across a quote that one of my daughters, as senior captain of her high school soccer team, had given to her teammates to help them prepare for their State High School tournament.

 

The quote said:

 

“Your biggest challenge isn’t someone else.

It’s the ache in your lungs and the burning in your legs.

And the voice inside you that yells, “CAN’T.”

 

“But you don’t listen. You just push harder.

And then you hear the voice whisper, “CAN,” and

you discover that the person you thought you were

is no match for the person you really are.”

 

That quote reminded me what I knew all along, that I’m determined to stick with my goal…and achieve it.

 

How about you? How will you reignite your commitment and determination to reach your goal?  Are there support systems that you can put in place? How will you access them?

 

The Shamrock Shuffle is just five short weeks away. And I’ll be ready.  

 

To your success,

 

Mary  

 

 

 

 

Be Careful...

Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words;

Be careful of your words, for your words become your deeds;

Be careful of your deeds, for your deeds become your habits;

Be careful of your habits; for your habits become your character;

Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny.

 

   Anonymous

     

To your success,

Mary

Ugh! My Boss is So ___________

 

“Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you'll understand what little chance

you have in trying to change others.”

 

You fill in the blank.

 

A good friend of mine called me last week. When I asked her how she was, she took a long pause and then she launched in. She was steaming. She shared that her boss was SO FRUSTRATING, SO NEGATIVE and SO SHORT-SIGHTED. He was, she said, a roadblock to her progress and the progress of her team.

 

We’ve heard the adage before. People leave bosses and not organizations. But in this case, my friend has a great job, working in a great industry, with otherwise great people. Her boss, however, is in her opinion, the barrier to her progress. But she doesn’t want to leave. She wants to make it work.

 

So what should she do? How can she get him to change, to see his leadership is not effective?

 

At first she didn’t like my answer, and probably regretted calling me. Because, as the quote above so aptly states, trying to get her boss to change is a lost cause. The simple answer is that SHE needs to be the one to change.

 

I wanted to help, so even though she’s not my client I did ask her a couple questions…..and if you feel like you’re having the same problem, maybe they’ll help you, too.

 

· What are your boss’s strengths? What are your own strengths and weaknesses? Does he talk details and you talk big picture? Could it be a difference in style? Understanding his strengths and weaknesses allows you to try to approach your relationship from a different perspective.

 

· What pressures is he dealing with that cause his perceived short-sightedness or negativity? How would you behave if you were in his situation? What can you learn from him?

 

· How do you contribute to the relationship? Do you lose your temper or act defensive? Ignore him or tune him out? What he may see in you is a lack of respect and commitment to the team.

 

· Do you know what drives him? What is important to him? What he believes you need to do to add value? Ask for feedback. Get specific on your performance and what you need to do to excel.

 

We’ve all faced challenging bosses who drive us crazy for one reason or another. But the first step is not expecting someone else to change. Rather, it all begins with our own behavior and our contributions to the problem.

 

In the end, you may be the one who moves on. But remember, only YOU can change YOU.

 

To your success,

 

Mary