TheLeadershipNotebook

Just Do It

 

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage.

 If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it.

Go out and get busy.”

~Dale Carnegie

 

About a month ago I wrote a post I titled, Thinking About Thinking, extolling the value and benefit of “sitting awhile and thinking.” Taking the time to stop and reflect on your opportunities and challenges can provide you with creative solutions and insights into your toughest obstacles. I still believe in the power of self reflection. But we all know that good ideas, taken to extremes, can turn out to cause problems of their own.  There ARE times with Thinking TOO MUCH can actually paralyze you, freezing you into non-action.

I was reminded of this yesterday when I was talking with my 25 year old daughter, Lisa, who lives in Chicago. Last month she signed a lease for a new apartment and is scheduled to move this weekend. Over the last month, she has been thinking about her move, knowing that along with her job and other outside commitments, fitting in an apartment move would be a challenge.

Her “aha” moment came yesterday when we were discussing her moving plans.  “Mom, I am currently in full on panic mode about moving. But I know if I would just bite the bullet, get some boxes and start tackling things, I would calm down. Procrastination causes more stress than taking action!” Sounds so simple and something we know but don’t always act on.

So the next time you find yourself “all balled up” and stuck, just take one small step forward. Take one action that will move you off dead center. Or as Nike says, Just Do It.

To your success,

Mary

 

Here We Go Again

“The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies,

can continue growing as long as we live.”

~Mortimer Adler

 

Summer is winding down and kids, young and old, are heading back to school. Two of my daughters head back into graduate school classes on Monday. Summer for them is officially over.

While I hate to see summer come to a close, I’ve always looked at fall as a time for a fresh start, a time for renewed interest in learning. There’s something about back to school time that signals new beginnings and opportunities for new growth and development.

What about you? Whether you’re in the classroom or on the job, the beginning of fall is a great time to ask yourself: what can I learn to keep my skills sharp, my opportunities alive and my overall attitude refreshed? How can I take charge of my own development, to continue to learn and grow?

New beginnings and opportunities for learning can be exciting. I’m reminded of my youngest daughter Emily’s first day of kindergarten. (She’s now a 2^nd year law student.) On her first day, Emily was up, bright and early, at 5 am, dressed and ready to go with her new ninja turtle backpack squarely on her shoulders. She was so excited and couldn’t understand why I wasn’t up yet. “Come on, Mom. Let’s go! I’m ready!”

How about you? Are you ready?

To your success,

Mary

The Crucial Conversation

As I pulled out of my driveway this morning with my radio tuned to WJR, the morning host, Paul W. Smith, was introducing his next guest to shed light on how a headline – and soon to be punch-line – could likely have been avoided. Seems that a Jet Blue flight attendant caused one major commotion yesterday when he lost it with an angry passenger and then left the grounded plane in dramatic fashion by inflating the emergency exit ramp, only to be arrested upon arriving on solid ground.  Not a good situation for the flight attendant, the passenger or Jet Blue.

My ears perked up when I heard that Smith’s guest was Joseph Grenny, one of the authors of the best-selling book, Crucial Conversations.  Grenny shared his insight on the Jet Blue situation and the powerful impact that a composed, articulated conversation can have in a difficult situation. I’ve seen their process work, time and time again, and I use the book frequently in my coaching work to help clients address tough situations head on.

Coincidentally, that’s exactly the kind of meeting I was headed to.  One of the firm’s long time partners had consistently behaved intolerably and the two partners who hired me told me they’d had enough but were stumped. Both of them had avoided confronting this behavior for a long time. This morning, we talked about several possible action steps for addressing the situation but none appeared to be quite right.  

“Maybe this situation simply calls for a crucial conversation.” I said. Now their ears perked up. It was time for the straight forward approach. "Crucial" conversations happen when emotions run strong, opinions vary and the stakes are high. The Crucial Conversations approach is a seven-point strategy geared toward getting people to lower their defenses, creating mutual respect and understanding, increasing emotional safety, and encouraging freedom of expression.

Could it be that simple and straight forward to address a situation with the mutual benefit of both parties in mind? Straight forward, yes. Simple, not so much. But certainly this conversation was the partners’ first but, “crucial” step.

How about you? Are there crucial conversations that you need to have? Letting intolerable situations fester does not get you the results you’re looking for. Just ask the flight attendant from Jet Blue.

To your success,

Mary

 

 

 

Mountains on My Mind

 

“Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe,

and enthusiastically act upon... must inevitably come to pass.”
~ Paul J. Meyer

 

 

Last Wednesday, I facilitated a leadership team meeting for one of my clients. The topic of building a shared vision for the future was front and center on this leadership team’s agenda. The client Company had recently developed a well articulated corporate vision, but that vision has yet to be fully integrated into the hearts and minds of leaders at this particular divisional site. It was time to take the next steps.

In one of his most critical leadership roles, Jim, the division head, is fully committed to building a shared vision for his team and his division. And both practice and research shows that the result of a well-defined and communicated corporate vision is a team that is inspired, aligned and engaged around the strategy and future of the organization. And the best corporate vision is a short, succinct and inspiring statement of what the organization intends to become and achieve at some point in the future. It is an image that instills energy and a sense of possibility.

During our meeting, Jim did a fantastic job of communicating his view of the Company’s vision, what it meant to him as a leader and how it integrated with the operations of the division. To communicate his perspective on the vision, he chose the image of Mount Everest. Mount Everest, located in the Himalayas, is the world’s highest mountain at 29,035 feet high.

 

 

Jim used this image to build a compelling future for the team, describing their challenges in the context of climbing this very large and imposing mountain. Yes, the challenges are great but the feeling of success and accomplishment when you reach the top are definitely worth working toward. He shared his view that there are many different paths to the top and that with strength and perseverance he and his team members would reach the top.

Jim’s message was clear, inspiring and of course very challenging. But his words and most importantly his actions are aligned with the Company’s vision. He is passionate about the future and the possibilities for his division. And during this dialogue, he did not force compliance but rather, asked for input on how each team member saw their role in “climbing the mountain.”

This meeting will not be the end of discussions on the division’s shared vision. Vision will remain front and center as each goal is identified and each action step is undertaken. When Jim was finished, each of the team members nodded their unanimous commitment to take their teams to the top as well.

The day after the leadership team meeting, I was on a plane to Seattle Washington, the home of Mount Rainier. Mount Rainier is 14,410 feet high and the fifth highest peak in the contiguous US.  When the pilot announced to us that Mount Rainier could be seen from the left side of the plane, the guy in the seat next to me offered that he would be climbing Mount Rainier over the weekend.

 

 

We talked briefly about his climbing experience (he had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro last year and Pikes Peak the year prior). When he shared his perspective on mountain climbing, I just smiled. “It’s extremely challenging but exhilarating when you reach the top.” he said.  “I really enjoy being part of a team that trains and prepares for reaching our goal. I keep that vision and the feeling of success and accomplishment at the forefront of my mind especially during the challenging parts of climbing the mountain.”

Sounds like a vision to remember.

What about your team? Do you know where you’re going? Do you have a compelling image or vision for inspiring, engaging and aligning your team? Regardless of the size of your team or organization, building a shared vision is one of your most critical responsibilities as a leader.

To your success,

Mary