Leaders developing leaders.

Goals

2021 Needs Versus Desires

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential…
these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.
–Confucius

We dealt with the challenges that 2020 provided us, now it’s time to assess if/how our needs and desires have changed from last year or if they have pretty much remained the same.

Things to consider:

From an individual perspective:

  • Where do you want to be more impactful? (personally and professionally)
  • What development area(s) would help most with your growth? (financially or intellectually)
  • Are there relationships that need to be developed or strengthened?
  • How are your communication skills? Do you over or under communicate?
  • Do you schedule time for you? (To use however you choose!)
  • How could your life be more meaningful?

From an organizational perspective, do your colleagues/direct reports:

  • Support shared goals?
  • Trust one another?
  • Engage in healthy conflict?
  • Hold one another accountable?
  • Collaborate on achieving collective results?
  • Support an agile mind-set?
  • Embrace differences? (values/culture/gender/behaviors/styles)

What are your “needs” for 2021?  What about your “desires”?  How are you differentiating them?  We suggest that you:

  1. Write them down
  2. Prioritize them (and add target completion dates)
  3. Consider any barrier that could get in the way
  4. Document any dependencies
  5. Track your progress regularly (at a minimum, monthly)

    May all your wants and desires be fulfilled!

The starting point of all achievement is desire.
–Napolean Hill

Down To The Last Month!

Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past.
Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go.
—Brooks Atkinson

What a year. December is upon us and as we wrap up 2020, it’s not quite yet time to “let it go” as the above quote suggests. There’s one month left with time allowing us the possibility to achieve more goals, to ensure all accomplishments have been celebrated, and that 2021 planning has been initiated.

With reduced resources due to holiday and vacation time, what are your priorities?

Ask yourself:
1.What’s the number one goal/task I’d like to see completed before year end?

2.Have all major 2020 accomplishments been recognized and rewarded?

3.How are staffing/resource levels? Does anything need to be done prior to 1/1/2021?

4.Are there any major goal/vision/mission changes for 2021?

5.Do budgets include “people skill” development? Should they?

6.What was the #1 obstacle encountered in 2020 and can anything be done to remove barriers?

7.Do any new skills or behaviors need to be strengthened?

8.What about roles and responsibilities – could changes be beneficial?

9.Are relationships in place to discuss and address shared 2021 goals?

Ask your colleagues and direct reports to answer these same questions – ideally you’ll be on the same page to graciously “let go” of 2020 and be ready for 2021.

Life gives us a flair of awareness in the breeze of our daily journey and offers a free reign to explore what we are, to experience what we are not and to find out what we may become . . 
― Erik Pevernagie

Personality and Work Mode Preference

Extraverts are comfortable thinking as they speak. Introverts prefer slow-paced interactions that allow room for thought. Brainstorming does not work for them. Email does.
—Laurie Helgoe

It’s probably no surprise that our work mode preference is impacted by our personality. Some of us enjoy structured and group work environments while others prefer a quieter and perhaps even isolated environment.

The Myers-Briggs Company has a tool: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) that assesses preferences and breaks them into 16 categories. Are you familiar with MBTI and do you know your type?  What about the types for your colleagues/direct reports?

You may ask why this matters. Currently there’s the need for so many to work from home, with “essential workers” mandated to continue to go to work; both may have their “happy factor” impacted.

We won’t go into the 16 types, but based on some high-level feedback, there are pluses, and there are negatives. Sample feedback includes:

  • I am more productive
  • I miss being able to talk to people informally
  • I am less stressed
  • I enjoy the solitude
  • I am more engaged with my work
  • I feel lonely
  • I am better organized
  • I take more breaks from work
  • I am frustrated by slow communication from co-workers
  • I feel isolated
  • I am not aware of what is happening in my organization
  • I can be easily reached by co-workers
  • I can easily reach my co-workers
  • I have job security

Do you know your team members well enough to know which comment(s) they agree or disagree with? What about knowing who needs help with:

  • Staying organized
  • Respecting deadlines
  • Celebrating tasks, goals, or accomplishments
  • Pre and post deliverable check-ins
  • General communication

As a leader awareness is key, and we encourage you to understand and adapt to the differing styles and preferences of those you work with, and for.

Introverts like being introverts. We are drawn to ideas, we are passionate observers, and for us, solitude is rich and generative. — Laurie Helgoe

Getting Started

The secrets of success are getting started and being persistent.
–Debasish Mridha

In September 2019 we asked you to assess where you “were” and where you wanted “to be” before the end of the year.

We received very few comments so feel it’s necessary to ask again. As 2020 kicks off, from both a personal perspective, and for your organization, what actions do you have in place to get started?

Ask Yourself:

  • Does your Vision and Mission remain the same?
  • Are they documented and have they been communicated?
  • What goal changes need to be made to support 2020?
  • What role changes need to occur?
  • Are there any key positions that need to be filled?
  • Would mentorships or cross training help build bench-strength?
  • What are your top 3 priorities for the 1st QTR?
  • Does new technology require up-skilling?
  • Are there any new relationships that need to be assessed and enhanced?
  • Have all 2019 obstacles been identified and removed?

What are you doing to GET STARTED? Is your team engaged? Have you created a work culture that is aligned and fosters success?

You don’t have to be good to start … you just have to start to be good!
― Joe Sabah

Just Two Things

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
– Walt Disney

Why “Two Things” you ask? 

  • We’d like you to pick ONE thing (event, process, etc) that worked well for you/your organization in 2019 and will likely continue to add value in 2020. Don’t lose sight of it!
  • Next, pick ONE thing that you will change to make 2020 more successful

The change could be related to you as an individual, or for your team/organization. Some things to consider:

From an individual perspective:

  • Where do you want to be more impactful? (personally or professionally)
  • What development area(s) would help most with your growth? (financially or intellectually)
  • Are there relationships that need to be developed or enhanced?
  • Does communication need to be addressed – is it insufficient or lacking clarity?
  • Are you committed to being a continual learner?
  • How’s your home/work balance?

From an organizational perspective, do your colleagues/direct reports:

  • Trust one another?
  • Engage in healthy conflict?
  • Commit to decisions?
  • Hold one another accountable?
  • Focus on achieving collective results?
  • Does the work culture support the agile mind-set?
  • Is risk taking encouraged?
  • Are differences (values/cultural/strengths/behaviors) recognized, appreciated, and valued?

It all starts with awareness, goals, and taking action. What do you have planned for 2020? How are going to make your plans real? Are there any barriers preventing you from succeeding? What or who could help?

Wishing you success in 2020!

Do what you can with all you have, wherever you are.
– Theodore Roosevelt

Black, White or Grey Leadership?

Black and white thinking is the tendency to think in extremes

Have you ever been told your thinking was too black and white? That your mind-set was limited? That finding middle ground with you was difficult? That grey areas DID exist? Have you ever been called an extremist? Or that it’s okay to incorporate “maybe” or “possibly” into your vocabulary?

On the favorable side, it’s said that black and white thinkers are “great resources for personal growth and understanding”. Also, that they drive results and are needed for goal attainment.

As with any style or behavior, over-using a strength can result in a weakness.

Rebecca Joy Stanborough, MFA suggests being aware of our usage of certain words. How often do you say:

  • always
  • never
  • impossible
  • disaster
  • furious
  • ruined
  • perfect

If over-used, she shares that not only can you sabotage your career and relationships, but your physical and mental health may suffer as well. Wow!

Enter the grey area. Effective leadership includes building relationships, supporting goals, driving results, and seeking advice when needed, while also taking into account what’s good for your work culture, the people, and your organization.

Author Jody Maberry says: If you are a leader, working in the gray is your new normal.

Do you agree?

Black-and-white thinking leaders are typically those who value processes and production over the individual concerns of the people.—Fred Jakoby, MA

Goals and Measures – Keys To Success

People with goals succeed because they know where they are going.
–Earl Nightingale

We’ve discussed how VISION statements are dreams or aspirations that provide direction and also how MISSION statements provide us with clarity and personalize our VISION statements. The next key elements for success include GOALS and MEASURES.

GOALS add even more clarity to our vision and mission statements and ACTION is required.    Think in terms of what, when, and how the actions will be executed, by whom, and in what time frame. (Dates must be identified, even if they are only target dates).

GOALS keep us moving forward. They help us focus and track progress towards what we’d like to achieve. No one knows why a written goal is more effective than one that’s known and understood but not committed to paper. Some psychologists theorize that writing triggers important processes in the subconscious, which in turn inspires action towards achieving those written goals. So, don’t keep your goals in your head, document and share them!

It’s okay to start small. Consider one to three goals you wish to accomplish this year. Make sure they are clear; if the goals require others to be involved ensure that the “supporting” cast knows their roles, and that time frames, tasks, and ownership are assigned. (ex. Who’s going to what by when with weekly check-ins).

Note: Understand that goals can be changed or dropped – the idea is to keep on target with your desired results. Sometimes goals must change when dependencies or personal or organizational strategies and priorities change. That happens. Communicate the “what and why”, and document and share the new goals.

Don’t neglect to include measures that track your progress. Have milestones been met? Why or why not? Celebrate your successes and assess any misses (what kept you off track? What’s needed to gain momentum and move forward?)

What would it take for you to get excited and motivated to realize your goals? Determine what you want to achieve, make a plan, commit to it, and go for it!

Sticking to good habits can be hard work, and mistakes are part of the process.   Don’t declare failure simply because you messed up or because you’re having trouble reaching your goals. Instead, use your mistakes as opportunities to grow stronger and become better.—Amy Morin

Having A Known Vision

VISION = A dream or aspiration that provides direction and guides us to a place far away. It may be unattainable, but we can focus our attention and make strides for ideally getting there.

Having written VISION, MISSION, GOALS, and MEASURES is old “news”, but they are essential elements for achieving the results we (and our organization) desire. Not everyone has a vision statement and struggle creating one, so we wanted to share a few:

ZAPPOS: Our purpose is to live and deliver WOW!

AMAZON: To be earth’s most customer-centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.

FORD: People working together as a lean, global enterprise to make people’s lives better through automotive and mobility leadership.

MICROSOFT: Empower people through great software anytime, anyplace, and on any device, and to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential.

DISNEY: To make people happy.

CVS: We will be the easiest pharmacy retailer for customers to use.

TARGET: Make Target your preferred shopping destination in all channels by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and exceptional guest experiences by consistently fulfilling our Expect More. Pay Less. Brand Promise.

And ours:
PEOPLETEK: Creating Worldwide, Individual, Team and Organizational Excellence.

As you can see, some visions are very simple and to the point, and others add a bit more detail. There is no right or wrong vision statement as long as it’s a dream or aspiration that provides direction.

Do you have and support a vision statement? Is it understood and shared across the organization?

Good leaders have vision and inspire others to help them turn vision into reality. Great leaders create more leaders, not followers. Great leaders have vision, share vision, and inspire others to create their own.– Roy T. Bennett, author The Light in the Heart

Feedback Increases Effectiveness

We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.–Bill Gates

Can you believe it’s the 4th QTR of 2018? How are you doing?  How are you feeling? Have you accomplished all that you planned for, or will the next few months be action packed?

Hopefully your annual plan included soliciting feedback. Bill Gates’ quote above shares that we need feedback to improve.

As leaders, we may be more comfortable giving feedback than receiving it.  We view giving feedback as part of our job and have scheduled meetings (one on ones, performance appraisals) that lend themselves to discussing the positive behaviors and accomplishments, as well as the missed goals and opportunities.

We all have perceptions as to how our peers, subordinates, and business partners would evaluate us, but we rarely solicit feedback on a regular basis.   So what can we do?

You can start simple.  Ask 3 questions:

  • What do I do that makes a difference that you want me to continue doing?
  • What am I doing that you want me to stop?
  • What could I do better?

You may also want to consider using a formal 360’ feedback program – we use Wiley’s 363 For Leaders tool that evaluates 8 approaches for effective leadership (pioneering, energizing, affirming, inclusive, humble, deliberate, resolute and commanding). (Contact us if you want to learn more).

As leaders it’s pretty much a given that we provide regular and honoring feedback to our staff or team members, but there’s added value to the organization when we extend this to include peers and our boss.

How do you feel about both giving and receiving feedback? Do you find the process constructive and a learning experience?

Make sure any feedback you provide is timely, well intended, and delivered in an honoring way.  Also, when you receive feedback, you don’t necessarily have to take action – listen to what you’re being told, process it, and evaluate if acting on it would serve you well.

Remember, the whole idea of feedback is to grow and improve!

Author Alexander Lucia says:
Truly great leaders spend as much time collecting and acting upon feedback as they do providing it.

Activity Does NOT = Achievement

Never Mistake Activity for Achievement—John Wooden

There are mixed opinions about whether effort should be rewarded, or if it should be limited to results only.

We too have varying thoughts. There are goals and initiatives that need to be attained by individuals, teams, and entire organizations. (That’s how we survive and thrive). As a leader, how do you feel when you see colleagues/direct reports committed to doing everything they can to achieve results, but are unsuccessful? Do you acknowledge their contributions even when success is not achieved?

Below are excerpts from Craig Impelman’s perspectives published in SUCCESS magazine, based on John Wooden’s achievement model:

1. Proper Execution of the Plan
A daily practice plan should be prepared and followed. If you fail to follow the program on one thing, it may affect others. If you planned poorly, make the corrections for the following day . . .

2. Attention to Detail
The coach should be on the floor early to make certain that everything is ready for practice. I like to have a checklist for the managers to go by, but the coach must make sure. Anticipate from past experience and be prepared.

3. Maximize use of time.
Even though a particular drill may be emphasizing one specific fundamental, other fundamentals in use should not be overlooked.

4. Post-Practice Analysis
I like to sit down with my assistants immediately after practice and briefly analyze and discuss the practice of that day.

This was written for basketball, but it also applies to business:

  • Create a plan (or goals) and identify all steps required (and possible roadblocks
  • As leaders, we don’t need to execute the plan, but we need to clearly communicate the desired results and timeframes
  • Remain focused and understand and incorporate dependencies and under-lying needs/skills
  • Conduct a debrief after every initiative/deliverable. What worked well, what didn’t, and what could you do differently next time?

Not everything is a success, nor does everything go as planned despite all of our efforts and critical contributions. So, back to the original question “Do you acknowledge contributions even when success is not achieved?”

Let us know!

Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence. –Colin Powell