tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18581056740959466942024-02-20T03:26:00.429-05:00SuperVISION MotivationTimes have changed from the "my way or the highway" days. Just take a look at the most successful organizations today. Here I share my ideas and reviews on issues of supervision, motivation, leadership techniques, training, and success (and whatever else comes to mind). Come and join me.Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.comBlogger272125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-43673499198722325602021-01-16T13:49:00.000-05:002021-01-16T13:49:15.939-05:00Creating Magic<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I’ve gotten back into blogging, I’ve been looking back at my favorite book reviews and realized I never wrote an actual review on my, probably all-time, favorite, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385523866?pf_rd_r=GHGMH0E3218SH16KQAAG&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8" target="_blank">Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies From a Life at Disney</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, by Lee Cockerell. I’ve mentioned it more than a few times but it deserves more.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-728eaaee-7fff-06c9-5433-7295e952acdd"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5p8B97GbLOS2aQ3EUG_aNzgYqCvPFU18xMyimjvrzwo2k_GZmPy_n-3aa7hzYscaZcaZijlnNVyxPLEKIZtkx-XY8tvcms9dgikP423Bix73JIWmJBUlL1zfIWsxghwQ9Lwip6Rma4D8/s500/creatingmagic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5p8B97GbLOS2aQ3EUG_aNzgYqCvPFU18xMyimjvrzwo2k_GZmPy_n-3aa7hzYscaZcaZijlnNVyxPLEKIZtkx-XY8tvcms9dgikP423Bix73JIWmJBUlL1zfIWsxghwQ9Lwip6Rma4D8/w123-h185/creatingmagic.jpg" width="123" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creating Magic probably took me twice as long to read, just because I did so much highlighting throughout. I have a good size personal library of leadership and customer service books and it is, by far, my most loaned out book.</span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the perfect book for any leader working in, or interested in, the service industry, and for that matter, any industry. After starting out his career as a much more hard-nosed manager, Lee has become the model of great leadership building immediate rapport with employees. He holds nothing back in this book, describing each job along his path and what he had to change about himself to become a successful leader.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of my favorite quotes is actually the very first line of the book, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It’s not the magic that makes it work; it’s the way we work that makes it magic.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Following the 10 strategies of the book, Lee was able to become a highly-skilled, efficient, and admired leader as Executive Vice-President, Operations of Walt Disney World Resort. Those </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10 Strategies</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#1 - Remember, everyone is important</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#2 - Break the mold</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#3 - Make your people your brand</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#4 - Create magic through training</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#5 - Eliminate hassles</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#6 - Learn the truth</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#7 - Burn the free fuel</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#8 - Stay ahead of the pack</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#9 - Be careful what you say and do</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#10 - Develop character.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These strategies can easily be implemented by the smallest business owner all the way to the Fortune 500 CEO. It’s the way that people are treated that makes any business, and <a href="https://www.leecockerell.com/" target="_blank">Lee Cockerell</a> gives you the common sense approach and inspiration to make it a reality.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-52042234776357676482020-12-29T07:46:00.003-05:002020-12-29T07:46:52.535-05:00Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go - Revisited<p><i>Still, one of my favorite leadership and culture books. <b>Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go</b>, by Beverly L. Kaye and Julie Winkle Giulioni, is a book that all leaders should have, not on the bookshelf, but on your desk as an ongoing reference. Below is my original review of this must-have book.</i></p><p><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><strong><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">I</span></strong>t only happens every few years. I’m talking about leadership books that come out that I like so much that I read it with a highlighter. I use them in staff development and lend them out to others who want to improve themselves and/or their staff.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdQMYqX33f7dCC7MQo9WMYT1x5GK0pBaThqxQaukvWFJ4p9zb1455XmuJb02lpdBhkaOh-4cpUyFkniwsk6rjhpVhxAbk16DKqB07dkst6Z___iY-5NQAnhsLGI3uhv9uarpudZ4gNsGN/s217/help+them+grow.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="163" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdQMYqX33f7dCC7MQo9WMYT1x5GK0pBaThqxQaukvWFJ4p9zb1455XmuJb02lpdBhkaOh-4cpUyFkniwsk6rjhpVhxAbk16DKqB07dkst6Z___iY-5NQAnhsLGI3uhv9uarpudZ4gNsGN/w100-h134/help+them+grow.png" width="100" /></a></span></div><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">A few years back it was <strong>Creating Magic</strong> by Lee Cockerell. Then came <strong>From Bud to Boss</strong> by Kevin Eikenberry and Guy Harris. Now – I've had the great privilege of reading a pre-launch copy of </span><strong><a href="https://www.help-them-grow.com/" target="_blank">Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Employees Want</a></strong><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"> by Beverly Kaye and Julie Winkle Giulioni.</span><br /><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><strong>Help Them Grow</strong> is the type of book that makes you think, <em>“Hmm, why haven’t I been doing that?”</em> It’s a straightforward roadmap on how to help your staff develop without you having to take control of the reins. Let your employees grab hold of those reins and become responsible for their own growth. Wow . . . what a concept, right? Can you see <strong>your</strong> time being freed up?</span><br /><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Kaye and Giulioni say that <em>“your role is more about prompting, guiding, reflecting, exploring ideas, activating enthusiasm, and driving action”</em>. This book shows you ways to incorporate these career conversations in your everyday work life. </span><br /><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Notice that last sentence that says <em>“everyday”</em>. Leaders don’t have time to hold extended annual appraisals that package up everything from the entire previous year – <strong>and shouldn’t</strong> – heck, they don’t remember about what you’re talking about half the time anyway! You’re already having everyday conversations with your employees (hopefully), so just change the tone a bit. You don’t need a bunch of checklists and forms. Conversations and asking questions are the keys to development.</span><br /><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">This book gives you actionable steps to <em>“focusing on what the employee needs to experience, know, learn, and be able to do”</em>. Too often, leaders think they <strong>have</strong> to have all the answers (and they avoid the topic if they don’t), when what they actually need most are the questions, permitting the employee to be a first-hand participant in their own successful development.</span><br /><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">There’s so much more to this embracing book than I have time for here, so my suggestion to you is to go to </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Help-Them-Grow-Watch-Conversations/dp/1609946324/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346857139&sr=1-1&keywords=help+them+grow+or+watch+them+go" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Amazon</span></a><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"> <strong><span style="color: red;">to order</span></strong> yourself a copy or two – others are going to want their own.</span><p></p>Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-9485399408060932782020-12-04T11:11:00.001-05:002020-12-04T11:11:49.394-05:00And So It Begins Again!<p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Soooo, I'm baaaack. It's great to be getting back in the saddle again. I've been away from reading and blogging for too long. With a little inspiration from the right person, here I am, diving back in. I've had a great time in the past connecting with everyone and hope to be able to continue.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For my first entry I'm going back . . . a number of years, to one of my first book reviews. This in honor of Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, who gave me the opportunity and who also passed away this past week. What a big loss for the business/customer service industry.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 20.8px;"><strong>T</strong></span>his week I’m breaking with <em>“tradition”</em> a bit in order to write a review of a new book. Like I’ve mentioned before, I received an advance copy of Tony Hsieh’s <em>(CEO of </em></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnlRKrIhWlO5jzQFrHM9EAPUzRXy87TXia0RoI6nbrJwPAB2ya5Y7p_3aKZDi7LzGOhCQYDXmY9IUMGL-7Se3gwch17jw8jM7TdnhiEye0_yMiOAnOPklLhB8nBZ277wVo11fKsMUk5ViJ/s600/delivering-happiness-cover1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="397" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnlRKrIhWlO5jzQFrHM9EAPUzRXy87TXia0RoI6nbrJwPAB2ya5Y7p_3aKZDi7LzGOhCQYDXmY9IUMGL-7Se3gwch17jw8jM7TdnhiEye0_yMiOAnOPklLhB8nBZ277wVo11fKsMUk5ViJ/w133-h200/delivering-happiness-cover1.jpg" width="133" /></a></em></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><em><br />Zappos.com)</em> upcoming book – it’s actually released today – <strong><em><span style="color: #000099;">Delivering Happiness: A Path To Profits, Passion, and Purpose</span></em></strong>. Let me just tell you this – it’s a must read. Many books on business jump right into the business at hand without a lot of early background. Tony takes us on a journey from his <span style="color: #009900;">early childhood entrepreneur</span> beginnings to the billion dollar success of Zappos.com. He tells us about his money making ideas as a child, including making buttons <em>(which he advertised in Boys Life)</em> and selling greeting cards. He manages to take us “mid-agers” right down Memory Lane. We get an inside look at how Zappos grew, following Tony’s sale of <strong>LinkExchange</strong> <em>(to Microsoft)</em> in 1989 for $275 million dollars. Eventually all of the money would be gone as a bunch of friends tried <em>(and succeeded)</em> to keep afloat a company they <span style="color: #000099;">dearly believed in</span>. During that time, Tony would grow a relationship with a friend that may be seen accompanying him, to this day, to <em>“breakfast, lunch, and dinner”</em>. That friend being a little drink called Red Bull. The ups and downs that the Zappos team went through prior to becoming a real success story would have been enough to cause most mere mortals to give up. Not so here. Zappos has a close, <span style="color: red;">family-like, relationship</span> that embraces every employee. They work together, play together, drink together, and basically have fun together. Zappos’ main focus has always been on customers. The customer experience is literally number one on their list. I challenge you to find another company that allows returns, with free shipping - for an <span style="color: #000099;">entire year</span>. Do any of the internet companies you work with automatically upgrade to next day shipping? Free of charge? Sure Tony and friends have made mistakes along the way. But they learned valuable lessons with each one of them. Most notably was that you <strong><em>“never outsource your core competencies”</em></strong>. If you want the best warehouse – run it yourself. If you want the best customer service – take the calls yourself. Probably the best example of all of how important and transparent the customer experience is, is the <strong><span style="color: #000099;">Zappos Culture Book</span></strong> (I have one). They put together a hardbound culture book that includes comments from employees, customers, partners and even vendors. Included are the good AND bad comments. Again – how many companies do you know that would do that? Needless to say, most comments ARE good. The book is described as a short-term expense for a long term investment. Get one for free at <a href="http://www.zapposinsights.com/main/culture-book">www.zapposinsights.com/main/culture-book</a></span><span style="font-family: arial;">. Now I could go into so many more examples and stories, like the <span style="color: red;"><strong>10 Core Values</strong></span>, or the leadership training available to everyone, but I don’t want to take anything away from your reading experience. If you’re interested in employee motivation, leadership development, corporate culture, or just Zappos in general, do yourself a favor and head out to your local bookstore (or go to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/deliveringhappiness">www.amazon.com/deliveringhappiness</a>) and pick up a copy. Then grab a Red Bull, sit back, and enjoy.</span><p></p><p></p>Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-32863644242000867062017-05-01T07:00:00.000-04:002017-05-01T07:00:13.515-04:00Goals of KPIs? Why Your Culture Needs Both<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">I</span></b> think this may be my most anticipated book of the year so far. <b>Culture Works: How to</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivIvjLm95ogkceqyR-Z9pqfxAql7s6J6k0EM1N0nQS81UX8cHwpeijLFGPdzCg3bYShrHRvrcW5D8q-J_UFqPeHcZXrRceaEbOwsT9Syu-KBcUTXbzItr2H3Dvcv0o3cd-lMEa_yrGwUg_/s1600/culture_works_fbad_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivIvjLm95ogkceqyR-Z9pqfxAql7s6J6k0EM1N0nQS81UX8cHwpeijLFGPdzCg3bYShrHRvrcW5D8q-J_UFqPeHcZXrRceaEbOwsT9Syu-KBcUTXbzItr2H3Dvcv0o3cd-lMEa_yrGwUg_/s200/culture_works_fbad_1.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> Create Happiness in the Workplace</b>, by <a href="https://choosepeople.com/" target="_blank">Kris Boesch</a>, is for every CEO and HR Director out there. You CANNOT have ultimate success without a great culture. I know. I've worked at places that don't have it. I'm sure you have also. Kris gives you concepts, tools, and real examples to put into motion, a culture that help your employees and business grow. All of the usual barriers, and more, are discussed and planned out. Even one of the most missed opportunities - continued learning - is addressed. So if you want to take it a step further, there's a workbook and book club available also. This book launches today, and is available on her <a href="https://choosepeople.com/shop/" target="_blank">website</a>, but will be available on Amazon on May 15th. I suggest you pre-order. To wet your whistle a bit, Kris Boesch is my guest blogger today. Enjoy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Goals or
KPIs? Why Your Culture Needs Both.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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I’ve seen many organizations make the cultural mistake of
either collapsing goals and key performance indicators (KPIs), or focusing on
just one.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You need both. If you
just have goals, you’re missing daily motivating momentum and focus. If you have only key performance indicators,
you’re missing inspiring strategic progress. Goals are aspirational,
strategically taking on inspiring opportunities or problem solving breakout
challenges. KPIs measure the health and
success of each position through weekly, and in same cases daily, metrics.</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>For example, in a bakery goals could include:</li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Purchase a new oven by March 31st</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Add cinnamon raisin bread to our line by October
1st</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Open a new location by July 4, 2018</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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While KPIs could include:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Ratio of number of loaves baked to number sold</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Scrap ratio – number of loaves burned or
rejected</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Batch cycle time</span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
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Hopefully you’re well on your way to making progress on your
second quarter 2017 goals – having funneled clarity from big picture
organizational goals to team goals to individual goals. If you’re not well on
your way, don’t despair, make a goal to get it done!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This culture tip focuses on developing KPIs for each
position in your organization. KPIs are
one of the many tools that support an extraordinary workplace culture. Think about it–as an employee it’s incredibly
empowering to know both where to focus my efforts and where I stand in
relationship to expectations. Similar to
goals, KPIs should funnel from the organization to the team to each position.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How to Create Meaningful KPIs:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Should answer – how do we know this position (vs
person) is accomplishing the mission critical work and is being successful?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Set weekly measurable expectations for each
performance indicator. What reasonable number or range would indicate success
and healthy on pace progress?</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Sometimes
the KPI is measured by a simple yes or no.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Employees have to have (almost) complete control
over the number being measured – in some cases you may need to focus on LEAD
indicators (actions, efforts, number of calls) rather than LAG indicators
(results).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The KPI has to be KEY. There should be no more
than three KPIs for each position.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">When
you find yourself wanting to create four, ask which of these is truly the END
measurement?</span></li>
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High-five greens. Seek to
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This is an ongoing process. If you find your dashboard is
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk479756540">***</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">Kris Boesch </span></b></a><span style="line-height: 107%;">is the CEO and founder of </span><a href="https://choosepeople.com/" target="_blank"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Choose People</span></a><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">,</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;"> a
company that transforms company cultures, increases employee happiness and
boosts the bottom line. Her new book, Culture Works, and accompanying workbook
are available now on her </span><a href="https://choosepeople.com/shop/" target="_blank"><span style="line-height: 107%;">website</span></a><span style="line-height: 107%;"> and will be available on Amazon around May 15.</span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-53632225823729235242017-04-19T07:00:00.000-04:002017-04-19T07:21:00.918-04:00Plan Every Day in Advance<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What a fantastic guest blogger I have today. <a href="http://www.briantracy.com/" target="_blank">Brian Tracy</a> has been a huge influence to so </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZ0P4N0BRMXeJ6cXI7tuZ8_V_mkWxTcBRv7xAEgG-3cjHH93RVFgOaeU3-r562o00ocIvLHQEZ-1zx6TBfV8Zk3zNksA5upJkd8wPpbY_9DfKp08ppC6DV5tLTmkRWRZlkrUwcuW-kENJ/s1600/frog.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZ0P4N0BRMXeJ6cXI7tuZ8_V_mkWxTcBRv7xAEgG-3cjHH93RVFgOaeU3-r562o00ocIvLHQEZ-1zx6TBfV8Zk3zNksA5upJkd8wPpbY_9DfKp08ppC6DV5tLTmkRWRZlkrUwcuW-kENJ/s200/frog.png" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">many people in achieving personal and business goals. His 3rd edition (out this week) of <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eat-That-Frog-Great-Procrastinating/dp/162656941X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492600509&sr=1-1&keywords=eat+that+frog" target="_blank">Eat That Frog</a></b> is just one part of that mold. Here's a great book that's going to help you to stop that procrastinating. Admit it. We all do it. With Brian's book, with 2 new chapters, you'll learn that you don't need to do everything to be successful and that in trying to you lose focus and begin to drop the ball. Share this book with your entire team.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Plan Every Day in Advance<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i>By Brian Tracy<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>The following post is an excerpt from chapter 2 of Eat That Frog. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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A word about frogs… It has been said that if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long. Your “frog” is your biggest, most important task, the one you are most likely to procrastinate on if you don’t do something about it. It is also the one task that can have the greatest positive impact on your life and results at the moment.</div>
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<b>Plan Every Day in Advance<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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You have heard the old question, “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer is “One bite at a time!”</div>
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How do you eat your biggest, ugliest frog? The same way: you break it down into specific step-by-step activities and then you start on the first one.</div>
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Your mind, your ability to think, plan, and decide, is your most powerful tool for overcoming procrastination and increasing your productivity. Your ability to set goals, make plans, and take action on them determines the course of your life. The very act of thinking and planning unlocks your mental powers, triggers your creativity, and increases your mental and physical energies.</div>
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Conversely, as Alec Mackenzie wrote, “Taking action without thinking things through is a prime source of problems.”</div>
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Your ability to make good plans before you act is a measure of your overall competence. The better the plan you have, the easier it is for you to overcome procrastination, to get started, to eat your frog, and then to keep going.</div>
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One of your top goals at work should be to get the highest possible return on your investment of your mental, emotional, and physical energy. The good news is that every minute spent in planning saves as many as ten minutes in execution. It takes only about 10 to 12 minutes for you to plan your day, but this small investment of time will save you up to two hours (100 to 120 minutes) in wasted time and diffuse effort throughout the day.</div>
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You may have heard of the Six-P Formula. It says, “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.”</div>
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When you consider how helpful planning can be in increasing your productivity and performance, it is amazing how few people practice it every single day. And planning is really quite simple to do. All you need is a piece of paper and a pen. The most sophisticated Outlook system, computer app, or time planner is based on the same principle. It is based on your sitting down and making a list of everything you have to do before you begin.</div>
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One of the most important rules of personal effectiveness is the 10/90 Rule. This rule says that the first 10 percent of time that you spend planning and organizing your work before you begin will save you as much as 90 percent of the time in getting the job done once you get started. You only have to try this rule once to prove it to yourself.</div>
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When you plan each day in advance, you will find it much easier to get going and to keep going. The work will go faster and smoother than ever before. You will feel more powerful and competent. You will get more done faster than you thought possible. Eventually, you will become unstoppable.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Brian Tracy is one of the top business speakers in the world today. He has designed and presented seminars for more than 1,000 large companies and more than 10,000 small and medium- sized enterprises in 75 countries on the subjects of Leadership, Management, Professional Selling, Business Model Reinvention, and Profit Improvement. He has addressed more than 5,000,000 people in more than 5,000 talks and presentations worldwide. He currently speaks to 250,000 people per year. His fast-moving, entertaining video-based training programs are taught in 38 countries.</i></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>In addition to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eat-That-Frog-Great-Procrastinating-ebook/dp/B01MYEM8SZ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1490672657&sr=8-2&keywords=brian+tracy+eat+that+frog">Eat That Frog</a>, Brian has written more than 80 books that have been translated into 42 languages, including Kiss That Frog!, Find Your Balance Point, Goals!, Flight Plan, Maximum Achievement, No Excuses!, Advanced Selling Strategies, and How the Best Leaders Lead. He is happily married, with four children and five grandchildren. He is the president of Brian Tracy International and lives in Solana Beach, California. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:briantracy@briantracy.com">briantracy@briantracy.com</a><span class="MsoHyperlink">.</span></i></span></span>Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-70999410065552485542017-03-14T07:00:00.000-04:002017-03-14T07:00:10.060-04:00Got Leaders?<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>S</b></span>o who's an author whose books I most look out for? Mark Miller is right about the top of </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYSIgzZ6CG3Kdl0FkSQ8VQEK7y-ren-MsSGkiUDWSdQU0UyObJDlIMAMiAuudGiLaHXbQ8ZUqUzuaRIWLYV3Dumxw13jl8QfOdT222gHJ6PCp3rs9kVydZ4KSpCdKU6K0gjAoiXUOqlgb/s1600/LeadersMadeHere_3d.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYSIgzZ6CG3Kdl0FkSQ8VQEK7y-ren-MsSGkiUDWSdQU0UyObJDlIMAMiAuudGiLaHXbQ8ZUqUzuaRIWLYV3Dumxw13jl8QfOdT222gHJ6PCp3rs9kVydZ4KSpCdKU6K0gjAoiXUOqlgb/s200/LeadersMadeHere_3d.png" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the list. His new book, <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Leaders-Made-Here-Building-Leadership/dp/1626569819/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489448496&sr=1-1&keywords=leaders+made+here" target="_blank">Leaders Made Here</a></b>, was just released and I happen to be hosting his blog this week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So many leadership books talk about theories . . . sorry, dozed off there for a second. Mark writes in a way that keeps your interest and makes it easier to sink in. Want to learn quickly? Tell stories. That's exactly what Mark does. Through parables, he tells leadership stories that strike a cord. Here, we learn about building leaders - not one at a time or as needed - so there's always a leadership pipeline . . . a real culture of successful leadership.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My favorite quote from the book sums it up and goes like this: <i>"A leadership culture exists when leaders are routinely and systematically developed, AND when you have a surplus of leaders."</i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Got Leaders?</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mark Miller - originally published on GreatLeadersServe.com</span></i></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What do you talk about at work? Recently, I’ve come to appreciate how many conversations I have every week about leadership issues… dozens, scores – probably thousands of these discussions over the past decade. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What do you believe about a leadership pipeline? Do you think this is something only big companies do? Do you wonder why you don’t have one? Do you want to know the secret to creating a never-ending supply of qualified leaders? Keep reading…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’m more convinced than ever when it comes to leadership, an organization has only two real choices: <i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Hire leaders or grow leaders.</span></i> And, over the long haul, I believe the right answer is a combination of the two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I want to address the more challenging and probably more productive method –<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">Grow your own.</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span> Here are a few questions for your consideration if your current pipeline is not producing enough leaders to satisfy demand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">How do you define leadership?</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>This is the most common mistake I see in organizations struggling to develop leaders. Without an agreed upon operational definition of leadership, creating a pipeline is virtually impossible. What do you want your leaders to be able to do? What character traits are you looking for in leaders? These are non-trivial questions! They represent the foundation for any legitimate attempt to systematically grow leaders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">Who are your emerging leaders?</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></b></span>You cannot, nor should you, invest equally in the development of all your people. Targeted and strategic investments will pay the greatest dividends. Where do you place your bet? Emerging leaders. Before you can move forward with this approach, you must know who they are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">What stretch assignments can you give them?</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></b></span>After you’ve identified emerging leaders, you can begin to shape their development. One powerful approach is to match individuals with appropriate stretch assignments. If selected carefully, these can be opportunities to test and strengthen future leaders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">What experiences do you want emerging leaders to have?</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></b></span>When we think about developing leaders, our first thought is often about the skills of leadership. This is important. However, experiences can add depth to a leader’s resume and contribute greatly to his or her confidence. Experiences can include such diverse situations as working in a union environment, turning around a struggling division, launching a start-up, and more. You decide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">Who can you ask to mentor or coach emerging leaders?</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"> </span></b></span>I am a fan of mentoring and coaching. There is something that happens in the context of a relationship that rarely happens when we attempt to go it alone. When done well, coaching and mentoring can unlock vast reserves of untapped potential in people. I realize you may not be able to afford external coaching for all your people, but you can assign an internal mentor to guide, challenge and encourage emerging leaders. You’ll be glad you did. Oh, before I finish here, I did promise you the secret to a successful leadership pipeline…<strong><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">Leadership.</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You will never find a successful leadership pipeline without leadership. A vibrant process for developing leaders will not emerge spontaneously. When leaders decide to make leadership a competitive advantage and invest accordingly, that’s the day the construction of your pipeline begins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<em><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">How strong is your process for growing leaders?</span><span style="color: #404041; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></em></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Mark Miller is the best-selling author of 6 books, an in-demand speaker and the Vice President of High-Performance Leadership at Chick-f<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>il-A. His latest book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Leaders-Made-Here-Building-Leadership/dp/1626569819/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488997723&sr=8-1&keywords=leaders+made+here">Leaders Made Here</a>, describes how to nurture leaders throughout the organization, from the front lines to the executive ranks and outlines a clear and replicable approach to creating the leadership bench every organization needs.</i></span></div>
Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-84387350124050330612017-02-28T07:00:00.000-05:002017-02-28T07:53:47.597-05:00Who Are Your Employees Playing For?<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This week, we're celebrating the paperback release of the 2014 best-seller, <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Motivating-People-Doesnt-Work-What/dp/1626569452/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1488285505&sr=1-1&keywords=why+motivating+people+doesn%27t+work" target="_blank">Why </a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_illEkhrzah_X3UO0p_uC5GYvbl9vk5xqgxrZiZnZAqjMBdJHDLnorErgtn6-vRNLlxCkm_E9Ur058QxuPpe8yAUxXWDJYJs7WdzsjglJUnqkUN59TM7eFhvSySE5CJ306cXhEKTIB2J/s1600/motivate.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_illEkhrzah_X3UO0p_uC5GYvbl9vk5xqgxrZiZnZAqjMBdJHDLnorErgtn6-vRNLlxCkm_E9Ur058QxuPpe8yAUxXWDJYJs7WdzsjglJUnqkUN59TM7eFhvSySE5CJ306cXhEKTIB2J/s200/motivate.png" width="200" /></a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Motivating People Doesn't Work...and What Does</b>, by <a href="http://www.susanfowler.com/" target="_blank">Susan Fowler</a>. I liked it so much when it first came out that I just got done reading it again. The "traditional" ways of motivation just don't cut it anymore. Through real life examples and <span style="background-color: #f3a8a3;">process </span>Susan shows us how to understand the reasons people are motivated and to capitalize on them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today, I have the honor of hosting Susan Fowlers blog post, Who Are Your Employees Playing For? I know you'll get as much out of it as I did.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Who Are Your Employees Playing For? <span style="font-size: x-small;">by Susan Fowler</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As the young man ducked his head getting into the elevator, I recognized him immediately as a new face on my favorite pro basketball team. I don’t seek out celebrity sightings and have never asked for an autograph, but like most people, I think it’s fun to see someone in person that you’ve watched on television.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I couldn’t help but ask him about the dismal circumstances of his team. “You must have been thrilled to be drafted by such a legendary franchise to play with the most winning coach in history,” I began. “But what’s it like now that he’s been replaced with a different coach, to have a losing record, and to learn this week that your teammate, who was known as the heart of the squad, has been traded to a conference rival?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After a pause, where he must have been considering the risks of being honest, he told me, “It’s hard. You tell yourself it’s just a game and have fun. But, it’s also a business and my life and livelihood. My family depends on me.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“How do you keep up the physical and mental energy needed to be a professional athlete under these circumstances?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As the elevator stopped at the lobby, he shook his head as he ducked getting out, and said, “To tell you the truth, you stop playing for the name on the front of your jersey and you play for the name on your back.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of course, on the front of the jersey is the team’s name. On the back of the jersey is your own name. I often think of that promising young player, caught in a situation he couldn’t navigate effectively. Currently, he’s playing on teams overseas, unable to take advantage of his untapped potential in the NBA.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was reminded of this chance encounter again last week. I was on a coaching call, listening to an employee describe changes going on in her organization and how her sales territory is being rearranged and her clients being parceled out among other reps. I asked how she was handling her frustration, and she said, “I’m just playing for the name on the back of my jersey, not the front.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My heart sank. I could hear the anguish in her voice. It is in our human nature to thrive through meaningful work in concert with like-minded people. Feeling alienated or unable to trust her tribe was threatening her sense of well-being.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As leaders, we need to help employees understand the reasons for their anguish. Then, we need to help them satisfy their psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Employees can’t thrive when their psychological needs are thwarted at work. When employees don’t thrive, they suffer–and so does the organization. Disengaged employees, who are so overwhelmed by circumstances that they simply give up and begin looking after their own best interests, are costing organizations billions of dollars every year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As our coaching call continued, three lessons emerged that might help you deal with a disenfranchised employee.</span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This employee’s sense of autonomy was nonexistent. She felt she had no control over the changes “being done to” her. My question to her was, “What do you have control over?” We identified three areas of her role where her choices would make a difference in the quality of her experience.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">She felt her sense of relatedness with the organization was compromised. She didn’t trust her company or the reasons for the changes being made. When I asked her why, she replied, “The changes are unfair.” Nothing erodes an employee’s psychological need for relatedness like injustice. My question to her was, “Have you discussed why the changes are taking place with your manager? Have you asked for a rationale so you can understand the reasons for the changes?” She admitted she had not. Should her leader have provided the rationale for change? Sure. But, even the best-intentioned leaders usually share an organizational perspective. People need a personal rationale–they need to understand why the changes are “being done to” them, their job, role, and world. I encouraged her to be a self-leader and seek out the answers she needed. With information in hand, she could then determine if the reasons for the changes were unjust or just unclear.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The employee’s sense of competence was diminished because she didn’t know how to navigate through ambiguity and uncertainty. But, she realized that identifying ways to refocus her autonomy and relatedness needs already made her feel more confident about moving forward.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I will continue tracking her progress. My hope is to hear about the success and flourishing that both she and her organization experience as she plays for more than the name on the back of her jersey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*****</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://www.susanfowler.com/">Susan Fowler</a> implores leaders to stop trying to motivate people. In her latest bestselling book, she explains <a href="http://motivationbook.susanfowler.com/">WHY MOTIVATING PEOPLE DOESN’T WORK… AND WHAT DOES: The New Science of Leading, Engaging, and Energizing.</a> She is the author of by-lined articles, peer-reviewed research, and six books, including the bestselling Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager with Ken Blanchard. Tens of thousands of people worldwide have learned from her ideas through training programs such as the Situational Self Leadership and Optimal Motivation product lines. For more resources, including a free Motivational Outlook Assessment with immediate results, visit <a href="http://www.susanfowler.com/">www.susanfowler.com</a>.</i></span></div>
Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-50693194332125822362017-02-14T07:00:00.000-05:002017-02-14T07:55:51.820-05:00Surprise Me!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.chipbell.com/" target="_blank">Chip Bell</a> has done it again! I so anticipate getting his newest book releases in the mail </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGGXLsn1Z0jahzokXwwEkWyg8XpzQkbhHKhotDSehfB9hQT3QDpkinqG1m-vOMCwkSHWMs9tCOO1d59PwBB9Tp6MUJUUc1zVPxj41HXZXw9EN-U8Dzk1UGkxEHY1HOMFwhMR8hNaJakcW/s1600/unique.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGGXLsn1Z0jahzokXwwEkWyg8XpzQkbhHKhotDSehfB9hQT3QDpkinqG1m-vOMCwkSHWMs9tCOO1d59PwBB9Tp6MUJUUc1zVPxj41HXZXw9EN-U8Dzk1UGkxEHY1HOMFwhMR8hNaJakcW/s200/unique.png" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and his newest, <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kaleidoscope-Delivering-Innovative-Service-Sparkles/dp/1626343942/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1487076814&sr=8-5&keywords=kaleidoscope+book" target="_blank">Kaleidoscope: Delivering Innovative Service That Sparkles</a></b>, was worth waiting for. Chip's writing style of giving us inspiring stories of actual people and organizations getting customer service right makes reading interesting and thought-provoking. Even if you're not in the customer service industry, you'll find this book worth a good read.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today, I have the privilege of hosting a Chip Bell blog post.</span><br />
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<b>Surprise Me!</b> by: Chip R. Bell</div>
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How would you like receiving a birthday present without any wrapping or colorful bow...just a Post-it note on the present with handwritten: “Happy Birthday?” What would an Easter egg hunt be like if the location of all the eggs were clearly marked with a red flag? How exciting would a treasure hunt be if some else did if for you and just brought you the bounty?</div>
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Customers today live in an over-stimulated, highly entertained world and love surprise. Unfortunately, we have so automated, programmed and managed surprise that it is now assumed when it was once upon a time enchanting. Remember a time when a front desk clerk, rental car agent, airline gate attendant, merchant or waiter enchanted us with an unanticipated value-added something. It had a neighborly, old-fashioned feeling when we got an extra. The mechanic fixed something broken while servicing our vehicle and wrote “no charge” on the invoice. We heard words like, “It’s on the house” or “we’ll comp it!”</div>
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Then, the world of unexpected extras pretty much came to an end. Easily blamed on the tough economy, the shift was more subtle. Extras were not actually taken away, they were managed away. The extremes of a “no variance” philosophy from TQM and Six Sigma got pushed way beyond its rank and pay grade requiring the frontline to hand over their spontaneous generosity to the computer. Now, the computer, not the gate agent, decides if you get that first class seat upgrade based on your frequent flyer status and seat availability. Getting upgraded to the concierge level at a hotel is a computer-driven decision based solely on availability and affinity program status and not the judgment call of the desk clerk.</div>
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And, the customer, robbed of that Jack-in-the-box feeling of surprise, has simply built the expectation of an extra into their criteria for satisfaction much like the cleanliness of a hospital or the security of a bank. Value-added has become value-assumed and no longer a loyalty-creating value at all. Proof that it has become a given not an extra is how easily the customer is disappointed when he or she fails to get what was once presented as a true surprise.</div>
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It is time to bring back the trust and authority the frontline needs to be both generous and ingenious. If the Ritz-Carlton can trust a housekeeper to responsibly spend up to $2000 to make sure a guest leaves happy, the waiter can be trusted with the decision to comp a dessert for a loyal customer. Employees who can successfully manage a family budget, juggle soccer, tutoring and baseball practice schedules, and shop for groceries can figure out ways to surprise customers without jeopardizing the unit standards or the bottom line. </div>
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Turning ho-hum service into a compelling story customers are eager to share requires bringing back a setting lined in trust; a place filled with joyful innovation. It takes leaders who are as courageous as they want their employees to be creative. It calls for leaders in search of invention, not obedience.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chip R. Bell is a renowned keynote speaker and the author of several national best-selling books. His newest book is the just-released <b>Kaleidoscope: Delivering Innovative Service That Sparkles</b>. He can be reac<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>hed at chipbell.com. </span></i></div>
Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-58716993937719875242017-01-16T07:00:00.000-05:002017-01-16T07:00:17.364-05:00A Leadership Kick in the A**<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">D</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">o leaders sometimes need a kick in the ass? You bet they do . . . even if they don’t think </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiP3nAASlGlbm0MnXZz3ttBwLe8wwXUM_4Jt4BwfPB7501s8qMbyEvmfZItR1VP4A3c2mP9048vpdaTs0uG0YOuBdTmZ4OdGhlR9CCl3cgx6elJ2QELRbU6RJYflJ0AMfzOLnwXgHbrGxE/s1600/kick+ass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiP3nAASlGlbm0MnXZz3ttBwLe8wwXUM_4Jt4BwfPB7501s8qMbyEvmfZItR1VP4A3c2mP9048vpdaTs0uG0YOuBdTmZ4OdGhlR9CCl3cgx6elJ2QELRbU6RJYflJ0AMfzOLnwXgHbrGxE/s200/kick+ass.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
so. I’m referring to the new book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Kick-Ass-Landings-Blunders/dp/1626568022/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484506369&sr=8-1&keywords=a+leadership+kick+in+the+ass" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Leadership Kick in the Ass</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, by </span><a href="http://billtreasurer.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bill Treasurer</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It's been awhile since my last post but a perfect time to start up again. I’ve been waiting months to be able to read this book, and I was NOT disappointed.</span><br />
<b id="docs-internal-guid-73d54b55-a38b-380d-e2b7-16ec296877ec" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bill’s book should be a wake-up call and a learning experience for any leader. You’ll learn a lot about yourself and how to make much-needed corrections (kicks) to become the leader you were meant to be.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to realizing that mistakes are GREAT opportunities to learn from and to improve, there are other things to look at. Case in point is Bill’s definitions of two types of leaders, Pigheads and Weaklings. We all know those people, and we probably fall into one or both categories at least on occasion. Sometimes we need a kick to get realigned. To fall into one of these categories causes damage to yourself, your team, and your organization. In addition to discussing all of the ins and outs of each, Bill gives us types of “butt kicks needed”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pigheads</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kicks that shatter the oversized ego.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kicks that instigate humility.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weaklings</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kicks that expose the withheld potential.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kicks that inspire assertiveness.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This should be an eye-opener for some of you or people you work with. Realize what went wrong, fix it, learn from it, move on.</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No matter where you are on the organizational ladder, this book WILL open your eyes. Do you have a book club where you work? This would be an excellent read to be able to share with others.</span>Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-62594904646926220752016-08-25T06:00:00.000-04:002016-08-25T08:38:03.604-04:00Embrace Millennials as the Opportunity They Are<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today's guest post comes from Dan Negroni, author of the new book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Relevance-Understand-Generation-Workplace/dp/0692643257/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472128512&sr=8-1&keywords=chasing+relevance" target="_blank">Chasing Relevance</a>. Check out my Monday blog for my great review.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Embrace Millennials as the Opportunity they are</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> A massive shift is taking place in the workplace and marketplace. Millennials—currently representing 36% of the workforce—will be 75% of your employees and customers by 2025. This change is creating a huge gap. Boomers and Gen Xers grew up with structure. Millennials have grown up with flexibility and the freedom to say what they want, when they want, simply by sending a tweet or a snap. They want feedback 24/7. They collaborate and create influence through network and community. They work way differently than previous generations. This difference is causing what you might label a “problem” in the workplace. There is a clear disconnect between expectations and work style. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> But what if you challenged yourself to view this generational gap not as a problem to be solved, but as an opportunity to be embraced? Millennials control $660 billion in spending and will soon be leading the workplace, if they’re not already. Be the solution and embrace this generational “shift,” you can “shift” your perspective on this gap and win the millennial race! Millennials hold a tremendous opportunity for your workplace to excel in the future. Here are 3 millennial “problems” that are actually opportunities to be embraced. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">1.)They constantly seek feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> Millennials grew up in an era of instant gratification, so they expect feedback all the time. While this classic millennial trait may seem annoying or ridiculous, it offers you an incredible opportunity to actually communicate and connect. The” problem” isn’t just that they want feedback, they are scared to ask for it and don’t know what to do with it or how to react.. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Use this opportunity to be a mentor and guide for your millennials. Be real, be honest, be a teacher. Show appreciation when they do a good job, and let them know when they make mistakes and how they can improve. Ask them questions on a regular, weekly basis so you can create a two-way relationship. If they see </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">you, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">their boss, asking questions, being vulnerable and caring, they will mimic your behavior and develop confidence. Use feedback the way it is intended, as a give and take. . <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">2.) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">They want flexible or their “perfect” schedule</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> It may seem like a pain to offer a flexible schedule to your millennial employees. You may think, “Why can’t they just work 8 hours straight like I did and not complain about it?” Well, technology has changed the world and millennials can get work done remotely as well as in an office. Millennials tend to seek a perfect work/life balance. By allowing a flexible schedule, you provide your millennials the opportunity to fulfill other activities that make them happy and keep them fulfilled and engaged. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> If your millennials are engaged in the other areas of their life, they will be more inspired to do more great work for your company. By caring about their needs, they are happier, therefore so are your customers and you also create more success of your company. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">3.) They have wild ambitions and ideas <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> “They all want to create the next Facebook.” The initial reaction to millennials’ wild ambitions may be that they’re entitled and expect success overnight. But what if you could focus their ambitions within your own company? As a manager, you can motivate your millennials to learn and grow within your company. You can provide opportunities for them to excel, create and innovate…a win-win that would benefit your company. Don’t suppress your millennial worker’s ambitions, but guide them so they can flourish and excel both personally and professionally. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> Where one sees trash, another sees treasure. The millennial shift is happening…its inevitable. However, it’s up to YOU how you view it…as an opportunity to be embraced!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Need help understanding, engaging, and retaining your millennial workforce? Dan Negroni, Author, Speaker, Attorney, Kick butt business consultant, coach, and proud Dad of a few Millennials delivers actionable solutions. Different from all other millennial experts, Dan's empowering business approach at </span><a href="http://www.launchbox365.com/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Launchbox</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, creates quick value and seamless connections with millennials and management each on their own terms. Using unique content and delivery methods that audiences respond to immediately he leverages results from the inside out. Allow millennials to be your secret weapon and maximize your commitment to them to innovate, create a culture of engagement and grow your businesses today. To start click here to grab your copy of </span><a href="http://chasingrelevance.com/book/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Chasing Relevance: 6 Steps to Understand, Engage and Maximize Next Generation Leaders in the Workplace</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> or call them at 858.314.9687 for a free Coaching Assessment</span></span></i></div>
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Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-20777481157423768672016-08-22T06:00:00.000-04:002016-08-22T06:00:22.264-04:00Chasing Relevance<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">S</span></b>o this may be one of the most important business books of the year - <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Relevance-Understand-Generation-Workplace/dp/0692643257/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469114048&sr=8-1&keywords=chasing+relevance" target="_blank"><b>Chasing </b></a><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Relevance-Understand-Generation-Workplace/dp/0692643257/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469114048&sr=8-1&keywords=chasing+relevance" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaDZYnLt_cDW4_MeYf5VpB2S_BuTaQxmliSO6ZiINzyMtCrKLpPNeFhW-LmBrpaocvPaxs_d_3Lcvewxh1TBaqbUsZmsdUdyg66UGYVZjLYippA7e0Fk0GYhmVzaZE7BSHbwoohCl063O/s1600/ChasingRelevance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaDZYnLt_cDW4_MeYf5VpB2S_BuTaQxmliSO6ZiINzyMtCrKLpPNeFhW-LmBrpaocvPaxs_d_3Lcvewxh1TBaqbUsZmsdUdyg66UGYVZjLYippA7e0Fk0GYhmVzaZE7BSHbwoohCl063O/s200/ChasingRelevance.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>
Relevance: 6 Steps to Understand, Engage, and Maximize Next-Generation Leaders in the Workplace</b>, by <a href="http://launchbox365.com/" target="_blank">Dan Negroni</a>.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today we live in a world of multi-generational workforces. As Dan says, by 2025 the number of millennials in the workforce will grow to 75%. That's a BIG number and leadership must begin learning from and teaching them now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Two things struck a cord with me outright. First is his profile of a millennial:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Days filled with scheduled activities.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Trophies for everyone on the team.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Families of all different shapes and sizes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Socially connected every minute to everyone.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Information at their fingertips.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Multitasking is the norm.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Center of attention.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Family technologists.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As soon as I read this, the wheels immediately began turning. This is a great starting point for understanding how millennials fit into our society and office staff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The second thing that hit me outright is the B.R.I.D.G.E model. Using this model will <i>"build genuine and caring relationships that increase engagement, productivity, innovation, results, and profits"</i>. To bridge the gap, the </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">B.R.I.D.G.E model consists of:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>B</b>ust Myths - to break through assumptions.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>R</b>eal Deal - to create authentic relationships.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>I</b> Own It - to become personally responsible for results.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>D</b>eliver Value - by understanding and mentoring.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>G</b>oals in Mind - with shared vision.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>E</b>mpower Success - with feedback and recognition.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you're a new supervisor . . . or even a baby-boomer supervisor, you're going to want to read this book and implement the ideology. There's a big difference between the 55+ era and the millennial era. Now is the time to take hold of the reigns.</span></div>
Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-82543579614007976842016-07-07T06:00:00.000-04:002016-07-07T06:00:29.870-04:00Leaders Ready Now<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">L</span></b><span style="font-size: x-small;">ast week saw the launch of a highly anticipated (and deservedly so) book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Leaders-Ready-Now-Accelerating-Growth/dp/0976151472?ie=UTF8&keywords=leaders%20ready%20now&qid=1462547661&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><b>Leaders Ready Now: Accelerating Growth in a Faster World</b></a>, by <a href="http://www.ddiworld.com/bios/matthew-paese" target="_blank">Matthew J Paese</a>, <a href="http://www.ddiworld.com/company/our-management-team/audrey-smith" target="_blank">Audrey B. Smith</a>, and <a href="http://www.ddiworld.com/company/our-management-team/william-byham" target="_blank">William C. Byham</a>. If you get half out of what I did, you'll be well on your way in your growth as a leader.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My guest blogger this week is actually by three. The three authors of this great new book.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Why Are You Pursuing Acceleration?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The business reason for acceleration is often summarized like this: “We’re running </span></div>
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desperately short of leaders, and if we can’t get more of them—good ones—very soon, we’ll be in trouble. It’s not an option to buy talent from the outside, so we have only two options: grow from within or fail.”<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This usually causes management to sit up straight and pay close attention to the next part of the meeting: How to solve this? What most executives are thinking at this point is basically what’s going through their heads when the organization faces a quality problem or a service problem or a cost problem: We need to analyze the causes, develop solutions, and execute a plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Except that acceleration is different. An organization can fix a quality, service, or cost problem with new and better processes that people learn to execute with discipline. But a leadership shortage will be filled only with energy for growth—fear and excitement—which then fuels the process and discipline that an acceleration system also requires. So, aiming to solve the talent problem demands a plan to solve the energy problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Energy will grow as you take on more risk with developing your people. But bigger risks require bigger whys. Why grow? Why accelerate? For management, the why is the business case for acceleration. In the absence of a strong one, it is difficult to convince senior executives to take any risks (much less big ones) with development. In fact, acceleration isn’t appropriate for every organization (e.g., companies in rapid start-up mode may need to emphasize talent acquisition, while others may be stocked with so much talent that the main challenge is retention).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">For individual leaders, the why is the personal case for acceleration. Without one, it is difficult to convince individuals to take big chances with their own development. The typical conversation with an individual leader highlights the potentially exciting, lucrative, and influential future that acceleration can bring; the leader can—if the process works—learn, earn, and determine much more in the organization. For most, this would be enough to garner full interest and enthusiasm for whatever may come next. But interest and enthusiasm are simply not enough. Remember that the most powerful learning experiences— the ones that truly transform leadership capability—are characterized less by design than by necessity. When asked how they came into their moments of rapid learning, leaders routinely report reasons such as, “They needed me, and I was the only one available who could do it,” or “I thought I could make a big difference,” or “My boss believed I could do it, so I agreed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When it comes to creating energy for acceleration, there is a vast difference between “You could benefit from this” and “We need you.” To create a more powerful why for both management and individual learners, it is insufficient to make a case on behalf of only the business or the person. You will need to appeal to both. “We (the business) need you (the person) to take a big chance.” Your case must be compelling to both management and each individual, conveying why the organization needs leaders to step up, what it needs from each leader, and why it’s worth taking big risks to achieve faster, more significant growth.<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">*****<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Matthew J. Paese, Ph.D., is Vice President of Succession and C-Suite Services for Development Dimensions International (DDI). Matt’s work has centered on the application of succession, assessment, and development approaches as they apply to boards, CEOs, senior management teams, and leaders across the pipeline. He consults, coaches, speaks, and conducts research around all those topics and more.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Audrey B. Smith, Ph.D., is Senior Vice President for Global Talent Diagnostics at DDI. Audrey's customer-driven innovation and global consulting insights have helped shape DDI's succession, selection, and development offerings, from the C-suite to the front line. She has been a key strategist and solution architect, encompassing technology-enabled virtual assessments and development aligned to current business challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">William C. Byham, Ph.D., is Executive Chairman of DDI. He cofounded the company in 1970 and has worked with hundreds of the world's largest organizations on executive assessment, executive development, and succession management. Bill authored Zapp!® The Lightning of Empowerment, a groundbreaking book that has sold more than 3 million copies. He has coauthored 23 other books, including seminal works on the assessment center method.</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-26636426193037837782016-05-12T06:00:00.000-04:002016-05-12T06:00:01.267-04:00Some People Change<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"Here’s to the strong, thanks to the brave don’t give up hope some people </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mEIVbSZv6meQhfpRbOqjma9siNDPUqW9lhZiKZGzMrsNAsKZO5UIX7wsQyw2o9B0dgRskrn8Y7Kbs6AQ2RhRWnJCw4D2HDDVi5VJSQnExGbi0iWQAqAoyGlv4amLL6lE6xCyRQsCZqN-/s1600/Chesney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mEIVbSZv6meQhfpRbOqjma9siNDPUqW9lhZiKZGzMrsNAsKZO5UIX7wsQyw2o9B0dgRskrn8Y7Kbs6AQ2RhRWnJCw4D2HDDVi5VJSQnExGbi0iWQAqAoyGlv4amLL6lE6xCyRQsCZqN-/s200/Chesney.jpg" width="200" /></a></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>change.<br />Against all odds, against the grain love finds a way, some people change."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These are some words from a Kenny Chesney song called, <b>Some People Change</b>. In the leadership world, do you think it's possible to change? I do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've seen some of the most in your face, micro-managing people become leaders that everyone wants to work for. It takes desire. It takes belief. It takes help. It takes time. That's where a good leadership development program comes in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A good leadership development program is going to open the doors to new ways of thinking. It's going to show those in need of an overhaul just how things could be. A good program will be able to help transform managers into leaders by providing tools and resources to become a better person. And with follow up, will help people to continue to grow and improve on what they've learned. Reading is fantastic and should be practiced by everyone, but you get the most benefit when you're able to discuss and learn with (from) others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Leadership development programs will grow your leaders, grow your employees, and grow your organization.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Remember - people don't typically leave an organization, they leave their manager.</span></div>
Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-79038655244732649842016-04-27T06:00:00.000-04:002016-04-27T06:00:07.427-04:00Get Up and DO<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>I</b></span>t's so easy to get into a rut. Especially when you're in between jobs. The worst<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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thing that you can do is sit and wait. But sitting at a computer, day after day, applying for jobs is not going to get you by. You have to be more active.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sitting and waiting for something to happen is going to weaken you. It will weaken your skills, your knowledge, your ability to interact socially, and most of all your motivation. You have to get up and get moving.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm currently in between jobs and was falling down that hole. I did two things to help me stay towards the top, allowing me to feel better about myself and my outlook of things to come. The first is volunteering.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Volunteering is actually good for you. It provides physical and mental rewards. It helps you gain other types of professional experience. And the biggie - YOU make a difference.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The other thing I did was . . . I got a job. It isn't the type of work I'm looking for, nor making the money I need, or even has the possibility of continuing. But it is pulling in some money and keeping me busy. Plus I'm able to help out a friend (grateful to that friend). Cleaning boats is not a career choice, but it's keeping my mindset in the work world. It also shows me how lucky I am to be here and reminds me of the successes I've had.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So if you're out of wack and in that rut, get out and <b>DO</b>. It's quite the pick me up.</span></div>
Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-46939796197814100112016-03-17T06:00:00.000-04:002016-03-17T08:49:16.496-04:00Paying People to Quit<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">A</span></b>s launch week, for the new book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Under-New-Management-Organizations-Upending-ebook/dp/B011H55M2W/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1458218453&sr=1-1&keywords=under+new+management" target="_blank">Under New Management</a>, is drawing to a close, I have</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the honor of hosting a guest blog by author <a href="http://davidburkus.com/" target="_blank">David Burkus</a>. Under New Management has been wildly successful this week and I encourage you to get a copy today.</span><br />
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<b>Paying People to Quit: The Cost of an Unengaged Hire<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Possibly the most counterintuitive process to appear in recent years is the idea of paying people to quit their jobs. Not only are some leaders finding it beneficial to company performance, but research suggests these incentives may even have a positive effect on the people who stay.</div>
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One benefit of paying people to quit is obvious: it screens out people who would probably end up quitting anyway. In a purely logical world, as soon as people figure out that they've made a bad decision in coming to work at a company, they would leave. However, humans are not logical creatures. As such, we’re subject to a cognitive glitch that makes it difficult to quit the things we start. Economists often refer to this as the 'sunk costs fallacy.' Sunk costs represent the time, money, or effort we’ve already invested in a course of action. Money has already been spent, and there’s no getting it back whether we continue down the same course or break away and go our separate way.</div>
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Rationally then, the moment we realize we’ve made a mistake, we should change our course of action. But we don’t do that. In one of the original studies on sunk costs, Hal Arkes and Catherine Blumer (both of Ohio University at the time) asked undergraduate students to envision the following scenario and make a choice:</div>
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Assume that you've spent $100 on a ticket for a weekend ski trip to Michigan. Several weeks later you buy a $50 ticket for a weekend ski trip to Wisconsin. You think you'll enjoy the Wisconsin ski trip more than the Michigan ski trip. As you're putting your just-purchased Wisconsin ski trip ticket in your wallet, you notice that both trips are for the same weekend! It’s too late to sell either ticket, and you cannot return them. You must use one ticket and not the other. Which ski trip will you choose?</div>
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Surprisingly, the majority of students choose the more expensive Michigan trip even though the Wisconsin trip would be more fun. Despite the fact that the full $150 was spent and couldn’t be recouped students were influenced by how much had been spent on the trip and that led them to make a less enjoyable choice. We’re biased toward throwing more money or more effort at a less enjoyable — or doomed — cause if we’ve put significant effort or money behind it already. Jobs are no different.</div>
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It takes time to find a job, and when you’re hired, if you suddenly realize the job isn’t right for you, your sunk costs exert pressure to ignore that realization and continue. Offering a quitting bonus can help offset the sunk costs building up in the mind of the future underperformer. </div>
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For both the employee and the employer, sunk costs make it difficult to end a doomed relationship. Companies that pay people to quit are acting rationally and ignoring sunk costs. They realize they can’t really head off a future problem by investing more time and money in someone who isn’t a good fit. When a company pays an employee to quit, it’s often doing so in the belief that even if they accept the offer, the company is getting a good deal. By giving the employees most likely to be disengaged the option to leave, companies save a lot in the long run. According to research from the Gallup Organization, disengaged employees are less productive, more likely to steal from their employer, skip work, and negatively influence customers and other employees.</div>
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At companies that have implemented this policy, only about two to three percent of people who get the offer take it. When people stay, not only does the company get to keep the money, but they might even get a more engaged and productive employee. So what happens to everyone who stays? The answer to that question points to the second reason why paying people to quit works: cognitive dissonance.</div>
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'Cognitive dissonance' is the term psychologists use to describe the discomfort you feel when two ideas conflict in your mind, as well as your attempts to reconcile them. The theory of cognitive dissonance was first proposed by Leon Festinger, a social psychologist who worked at a variety of universities, from MIT to Stanford.</div>
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Jack Brehm, another social psychologist, built on Festinger’s theory with a phenomenon he labeled 'post-decision dissonance.' Brehm theorized that after we make certain decisions, we modify our beliefs to strengthen the validity of that decision. In a famous experiment, Brehm asked 225 female students to rate a series of common household appliances. The students were then asked to choose between two of the appliances they’d rated to take home as a gift for participating. Brehm followed up with the students and asked them to complete a second round of rating the same appliances. Oddly, the students’ ratings had changed. In the second round, most of the participants rated the appliance they’d chosen as a gift higher than they’d rated it in the first round, and likewise rated the rejected item lower than they had before.</div>
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While it may seem counterintuitive, offering disengaged or unsuitable hires the opportunity to self-select out can lead to greater engagement and productivity from the employees who remain, as well as increased profitability for the company as a whole.</div>
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*****</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://davidburkus.com/">David Burkus</a> is the author of the new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0544630971/?tag=dbpreorder-20">Under New Management</a>. He is host of the <a href="http://davidburkus.com/category/podcast/">Radio Free Leader</a> podcast and associate professor of management at Oral Roberts University. Please visit his website at <a href="http://www.davidburkus.com/">www.davidburkus.com</a>.</i></span></div>
Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-87452523657263396012016-03-14T06:00:00.000-04:002016-03-14T08:51:18.444-04:00Under New Management<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>T</b></span>imes and technology are always changing. With these changes must come </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ryiv8vCTgyURRFgaExNpKUD8Z0FcGOhbJNG3VFqdn_H9SphoKx64ZFS6ebEyVpusAxN9g7qvcr_5ckMd94NTj9HV6OUjQkrCdyJA-5pC_ieZ_rKA26qm5kDbodagOC6dpU9W6gfKwUEx/s1600/undernewmgmt.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ryiv8vCTgyURRFgaExNpKUD8Z0FcGOhbJNG3VFqdn_H9SphoKx64ZFS6ebEyVpusAxN9g7qvcr_5ckMd94NTj9HV6OUjQkrCdyJA-5pC_ieZ_rKA26qm5kDbodagOC6dpU9W6gfKwUEx/s200/undernewmgmt.png" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">process and management style changes. The problem is, that what we need to do to keep up doesn’t always happen. A new idea here and there is too slow and dispersed.</span><br />
<b id="docs-internal-guid-1f0cd969-7525-a6cb-26aa-3b8000f2d531" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A number of things that I see in <a href="http://davidburkus.com/" target="_blank">David </a><a href="http://davidburkus.com/" target="_blank">Burkus</a>’s new book, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Under-New-Management-Organizations-Upending/dp/0544630971/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457958642&sr=1-1&keywords=under+new+management" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1553922822"></span>Under Management: How Leading Organizations Are Upending Business as Usual</a><span id="goog_1553922823"></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I’ve seen before. But what’s great about it is that he gathers these things - and much more - shows great examples, and puts them into one easy to read, understand, and implement reference.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Including research and case studies, Burkus presents examples of organizations that have successfully implemented each of these practices. Zappos paying people to quit. Whole Foods hiring as a team. Wegmans putting customers first. Adobe eliminating yearly performance appraisals. McKinsey & Company celebrating employee departures (and keeping contact).</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the book to read if you’re ready to make a positive change in your organization or even if you’re just starting out and building from scratch. Leave the past in the past. Let go of the old ineffective methodologies. Create an organization that will provide the base for success.</span></span>Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-24702957183265457232016-03-02T06:00:00.000-05:002016-03-02T10:25:33.415-05:00I don't know . . . but I'll find out<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">A</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nyone who has worked in customer service has heard the phrase, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I don't </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">know . . . but I’ll find out.”<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It's a wonderful phrase that will help keep </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkTn3fwJ8i41kUhPLINt3tUr461DTpvBFwvMzXE_sC13P1CSLFApUMLSPLjm8fUXz8RZZHwtsLPC9-BDg5ebaIQ1DyCEtN2txFSnQ6omDcjRA3cUJ9xaebo3WzLogAaN52fvOlVWlPQCl/s1600/shrug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkTn3fwJ8i41kUhPLINt3tUr461DTpvBFwvMzXE_sC13P1CSLFApUMLSPLjm8fUXz8RZZHwtsLPC9-BDg5ebaIQ1DyCEtN2txFSnQ6omDcjRA3cUJ9xaebo3WzLogAaN52fvOlVWlPQCl/s200/shrug.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></div>
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customers happy and coming back. You shouldn’t have a problem saying it, as nobody expects you to know everything. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>How long will this movie be showing? What are the requirements? Is there an age limit?</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> You should never leave them wondering. </span></span><br />
<b id="docs-internal-guid-f616cd55-37bd-890a-dc48-f2acf8735011" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But there's another side to this phrase. Saying </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I don't know, but I'll find out”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, benefits you also. If you don’t know something, you need to find out even if it’s not for this customer. Someone is eventually going to want to know - and BAM, you already have the answer and you don’t have to spend valuable time finding it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now take that phrase and apply it to your everyday work, or hobbies, or whatever. Learning never ends. Not after college, job orientation, or even relationships. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>How can I utilize Google Docs? Why do we do it this way? What problems have people run into before me?</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Saying this phrase, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I don’t know, but I’ll find out”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to yourself, will make you continue to seek out knowledge. It keeps your imagination and curiosity flexible.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Personally embrace this phrase to learn and explore areas that lead you in new directions. You’ll never become stagnant. You’ll never be bored.</span></span></div>
Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-18265620378802089262016-02-08T06:00:00.000-05:002016-02-08T10:28:28.369-05:00The Missing Dab<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>W</b></span>ell, I'm sure you've seen it by now. I'm talking, of course, about Carolina Panthers QB,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLc_eKQaGE9nU_caho6y_FodwfAV9MISkoJ370F-2vq9Om4yILNr9ek5uARc6uSTcBfAvdtsyUlcVe24Se22NjzzSaxnWcxV59igAD5pl6tpJsbNjcMIx5ZEjXfvE5LbeHf230kPsgYSU5/s1600/newton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLc_eKQaGE9nU_caho6y_FodwfAV9MISkoJ370F-2vq9Om4yILNr9ek5uARc6uSTcBfAvdtsyUlcVe24Se22NjzzSaxnWcxV59igAD5pl6tpJsbNjcMIx5ZEjXfvE5LbeHf230kPsgYSU5/s200/newton.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cam Newton's post-game press conference. It was the perfect example of an inexperienced leader. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's all fun and games while he's winning, but talk about a 180 when he loses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Keep in mind that Newton was drafted just five years ago and although he's had some great success on the field, he still has much experience to gain in the off-field leadership arena. He's the face of not only his own brand but of the Panthers. What he displayed, no matter how painful, was the wrong picture. I've seen high school state championship losers act better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A leader can't dab and dance while things are going well and then turn over when things don't go your way. That sets the tone for the rest of the team. The people that look up to you and respond off of your cue's. A leader is a role model, which can go either way, positively or negatively.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So hopefully Newton learns a lot from this experience - his first of multiple Super Bowls - and takes some cue's from QB's that "aren't like him, such as Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and even rookie Jameis Winston (I've been totally impressed with his attitude during his first year). The Super Bowl is a HUGE stage and no matter what happens, sometimes, as a leader, we just have to suck-it-up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">BTW. Congratulations to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.</span>Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-39827178295112608292016-02-04T06:00:00.000-05:002016-02-04T06:00:00.877-05:00The Serving Leader<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The newly updated edition of </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Serving-Leader-Transform-Community/dp/1626566143/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Serving Leader: Five Powerful Actions to Transform </span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3sUARnSTvsnVsxtt-EF-lzUyfsQZbrBG-vplhyphenhyphenUwr3FfxbZ11tyDHwP2PdH_79c3BNMwa0Z609BkSWoESaoix5C19LYMQSeWtskhDUTv6Ed_dAljEPWx4DdUQno8Gokbh39j1rUeLueT/s1600/share_09.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3sUARnSTvsnVsxtt-EF-lzUyfsQZbrBG-vplhyphenhyphenUwr3FfxbZ11tyDHwP2PdH_79c3BNMwa0Z609BkSWoESaoix5C19LYMQSeWtskhDUTv6Ed_dAljEPWx4DdUQno8Gokbh39j1rUeLueT/s200/share_09.png" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Your Team, Business, and Community<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, by </span><a href="http://www.3rd-river.com/about/team/ken-jennings-phd" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kenneth R. Jennings</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://www.centerforservingleadership.com/home/about-us-center-for-serving-leadership/about-john-stahl-wert/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">John Stahl-Wert</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is one for your bookshelf. Better yet, keep it on your desk. It’s a small (154 pages) read with a big message.</span></span><br />
<b id="docs-internal-guid-3315fbf9-a95b-7fdb-e32f-34020245bc33" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The authors take you through their leadership model via parable, stopping throughout to discuss in more detail the five actions of transformation,</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Upend the Pyramid</i> - You qualify to be first by putting other people first.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Raise the Bar</i> - To serve the many, you first serve the few.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Blaze the Trail</i> - To protect your value, you must give it all away.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Build on Strength</i> - To address your weaknesses, focus on your strengths.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Run to Great Purpose</i> - Arrange each person in the team to contribute what he/she is best at.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This all adds up to becoming the serving leader. It’s time to step away for self-centeredness. The book provides the traits and actions that are needed. All that needs to be done is take it all to heart (there’s a lot of heart in this book) and put it into play. This is a caring and sharing book for your team, family, and colleagues.</span></span>Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-33544816939313255242016-01-27T06:00:00.000-05:002016-01-27T06:00:08.117-05:00Out of the Question<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">T</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">his could be the 2016 winner of best leadership books - </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Out-Question-How-Curious-Leaders/dp/1599324601/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453848838&sr=8-1&keywords=out+of+the+question" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Out of the Question: How </span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0hC4nrlKOUNRJ5HsRzgsx5cUa_VK6QTuarTMo-ZOlbCzyCz1bKjjU3TcdGlgwMAFhugJ7I0L9E0M6-Zazi4_pfpTuaWwibBxW6EKH5E2YlpSnH-niocJ60jP93QmOnPhYbVn7_0j-DZo/s1600/OutOfTheQuestion-Book-CoverBR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0hC4nrlKOUNRJ5HsRzgsx5cUa_VK6QTuarTMo-ZOlbCzyCz1bKjjU3TcdGlgwMAFhugJ7I0L9E0M6-Zazi4_pfpTuaWwibBxW6EKH5E2YlpSnH-niocJ60jP93QmOnPhYbVn7_0j-DZo/s200/OutOfTheQuestion-Book-CoverBR.jpg" width="131" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Curious Leaders Win<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, by </span><a href="http://www.leanvs.com/Default.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guy Parsons</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://www.makingboldmoves.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Allan Milham</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Two words in the title sum it up - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Question </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Curious</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span><br />
<b id="docs-internal-guid-5f8085a8-8042-104b-92f6-729834f5be4b" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In this new book, Guy and Allan discuss the difference between Knowing Leaders and Learning Leaders. Knowers know what to do and how everyone should get there. Learners are open, creative, and foster collaboration. Which one do you think is more effective?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today’s workforce is nothing like that of the past. The, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">my way or the highway</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> days are over. Try that with your younger workers and see how long they stick around. Leading with curiosity brings out questions and collaborative learning. Just because you may be in a leadership role doesn’t mean you have all the answers . . . although we see many people who still think that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I love the section on the Power of the Pause. Yes, pause. I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many “leaders” I’ve known who never pause during a discussion or planning session. They always have THE answer - immediately. How many times have we run into that and ended up reworking?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I recommend this book to anyone who wants to take themselves and their teams to the next level. Read this book and use it and you’ll probably end up multiple levels ahead.</span></span>Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-43290179433051095062016-01-15T06:00:00.000-05:002016-01-15T14:27:09.651-05:00The 3 Gaps<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdGTqEMq6qT0CukhPO9d5jC9oTmjgONBeRoH7Zyykyp-5WM33EGKtOJbTisDLjoghuOP8O4oTEVq2yk8v1qM6vWOqJQ7ARijwimqqJ9gqXo1BFCjqMB5pNBIgipnlGGHWysySFsE_NM68/s1600/share_01+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdGTqEMq6qT0CukhPO9d5jC9oTmjgONBeRoH7Zyykyp-5WM33EGKtOJbTisDLjoghuOP8O4oTEVq2yk8v1qM6vWOqJQ7ARijwimqqJ9gqXo1BFCjqMB5pNBIgipnlGGHWysySFsE_NM68/s200/share_01+%25281%2529.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">I</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>knew there was going to be something special about the new book, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1626566623/ref=s9_simh_gw_g14_i1_r?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=180VMDTKWX82EHQ0Z8R3&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop" style="text-decoration: none;">The 3</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1626566623/ref=s9_simh_gw_g14_i1_r?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=180VMDTKWX82EHQ0Z8R3&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gaps: Are You Making a Difference?</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, by </span><a href="http://www.hyrumwsmith.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hyrum W. Smith</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, once I realized that he was one of the original co-founders of Franklin Covey. I surely wasn’t disappointed.</span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-190efc06-46b4-baf6-53c8-6db3312bf645" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just reading a short description of each of the 3 gaps was an indication that I needed to read this book. Unless you actually sit down and realize what these gaps are, and how big they are, you’ll never live up to your potential. Without action, the gaps will stay open.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Within each chapter are personal accounts from people throughout Hyrum’s life that drive the messages home. The Beliefs Gap shows the difference between what we believe is true and what actually is. The Values Gap shows the difference between what we most value and what we actually do. The Time Gap shows the difference between what we plan on doing and what we actually do. It sounds so simple, but we all have gaps that need help closing. I can see it in myself, in my friends, and in the people I work with.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We constantly hear people saying they want inner peace. Here’s your chance. This is a book that everyone should read as a guide to managing ourselves to be our very best. It would be a great book to add to book club or to share with others.</span></span>Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-57806423186075055612015-12-01T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-01T06:00:01.885-05:00Mastering Leadership<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">W</span></b><span style="font-size: x-small;">ow, how time flies. It's been about a month since I posted last, but what a way to come back, with a guest <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-qrkwpF8FQDSOUAGRjVKnxN7gx4rRM1AkHdVWYKXoNnLbjL6Cy7H6vY1rDwNdX8xxPiVF-j5M6EcwPzQ3oG6pyvRzixacXMczX3cTXSpCV1wdJheij2vmAmxa09PF9eXt_3dQVUip6YN/s1600/masteringleadership.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-qrkwpF8FQDSOUAGRjVKnxN7gx4rRM1AkHdVWYKXoNnLbjL6Cy7H6vY1rDwNdX8xxPiVF-j5M6EcwPzQ3oG6pyvRzixacXMczX3cTXSpCV1wdJheij2vmAmxa09PF9eXt_3dQVUip6YN/s200/masteringleadership.png" width="200" /></a></div>
post </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">from <a href="https://leadershipcircle.com/about/management/" target="_blank">Bob Anderson</a> and <a href="https://leadershipcircle.com/about/management/" target="_blank">Bill Adams</a>. Their new book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Leadership-Breakthrough-Performance-Extraordinary-ebook/dp/B015EN6NXK" target="_blank"><b>Mastering Leadership</b></a>, was released yesterday. You should definitely pick one up. I'm sure you won't regret it.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>From Taxi Team to Team Captain</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The most powerful beliefs are the beliefs and internal assumptions by which we establish our identity. These powerful self-defining beliefs get incorporated into the core of our IOS throughout our life from emotionally powerful, positive, or painful experience. They also are installed by important people in our lives—parents, teachers, coaches, bosses, mentors, political leaders—and by institutional, national, and cultural affiliations. As we adopt these assumptions, we live by them and reinforce them. The brain puts them on autopilot so that we do not have to think about them anymore. They are just seen as true. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Bob: One of my deeply embedded assumptions is that I must be perfectly successful in order to be okay. I come by this belief honestly, and most of the experience that created this belief was positive. For example, when I was 13, I tried out for the football team. I had never played football, and most of the guys on the team had been playing for a few years. I did not know that you needed to work hard to get noticed by the coaches, so I stood patiently on the sidelines waiting to be put on the practice field. As such, I was not seen as a player. Since the coaches did not have the heart to cut me, I ended up on the “Taxi Squad.” The few of us on this squad practiced together on another field. The real team had eight male coaches. We had Mrs. Dixon, a nice lady who knew nothing about football. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">At this time, I was not moving in the circles in which I wanted to move. The cool kids were on the football team, and as long as I was on this Taxi Squad, I had little chance of getting accepted into their group. To make matters worse, all the cheerleaders practiced near where the team practiced, and I did not have their attention either. I was a nobody. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">One day, Mrs. Dixon did not show up and the coaches were forced to allow the Taxi Squad to practice with the team. What happened that day changed my life. I was playing left defensive tackle and after a play in which I must have done something right, one of the coaches picked me up, lifted me up above his head and screamed into my face, “That was great! Do that again.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I was so unaware of what I just did that I asked him what I had done. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He took a personal interest in me for the rest of the practice. He taught me how to play that position. Soon, I was wreaking havoc on the offense. That week I went from Taxi Squad to captain of the team. I started on offense and defense for the rest of the season. I also moved into the center of the boys with whom I wanted to be friends. I even piqued the interest of the cheerleaders. I went from nobody to somebody in one practice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I learned that day that I am somebody if I am first string, captain of the team. I learned that I had to be the best, first string or else I would be a nobody. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This story illustrates how the driven nature of my personality began to form. I could tell other stories about how this drive was refined into the need to be flawless at everything I did. So, I entered adult life believing that my worth and self-esteem, the success and security of my future, depended utterly on being flawlessly successful all the time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Of course, I assumed I would be a good mentor; however, that was not the case. My perfectionist standards and fear of failure combined to make me inept at letting go to others so that they might learn. What made this so difficult for me was that I had to let go when we were working with key clients. I did not do this gracefully. Every time one of my colleagues was not performing well enough, I became terrified that I would lose the client. Consequently, I took over the session and later pointed out all the ways my colleague could have done better. This approach so undermined their confidence that no one could learn from me, and I was failing to scale the business. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">My perfectionism and need to be successful had me. I did not have them. I did not start to face this belief until after two years of failing to scale the business. Once I saw how I was the problem, as I dropped into this belief structure to see its illusion, and as I began to see my fear-driven perfectionism as resulting from another irrational belief, I began to mentor more effectively and the business began to scale nicely. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">These beliefs form the core of the Reactive operating system—the mechanisms by which we form our externally validated identity. Because we need to be seen by others as X, our self-esteem, security, and future are in their hands. They make us up. How they see us defines us. We depend on external validation, living within the confines of a Socialized Self, as the Self-Authoring, Creative Self lives beyond the bounds of these Reactive beliefs. We tend to oscillate and return to normal as we react to meet the expectations of these beliefs. This is how Reactive Mind is structured and, since structure determines performance, how it performs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">*****<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><i>Excerpted from Mastering Leadership: An Integrated Framework for Breakthrough Performance and Extraordinary Business Results, by Robert J. Anderson and William A. Adams (Wiley, 2015)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><i>Bob Anderson is Chairman and Chief Development Officer and Bill Adams is CEO of The Leadership Circle and the Full Circle Group. They are coauthors of Mastering Leadership (Wiley). Visit <a href="http://www.fcg-global.com/">www.fcg-global.com</a> or <a href="http://www.theleadershipcircle.com/">http://www.theleadershipcircle.com</a>.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-13150793665820170712015-10-27T06:00:00.000-04:002015-10-27T06:00:01.021-04:00The New Social Learning<span id="docs-internal-guid-9d129a1e-a6a8-ff1d-7a23-ff4fc16f8bf8"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>T</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hings are not always as they seem. They’re not as simple as they seem. And social learning is no different. Social learning is of course nothing new. But how it’s accomplished is always changing. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiisU79eAYiywcH7huT0C5KM0rVk7L-RWwKGJ3YA693f83qSzttjTqJVGJE9q7cWt1BDX2TwP17ZUgtb3bqf2To9C-bqsU9UfOQPjxh5uOGoKv4CGMknezYLv4LVV5DxYzFhfakvZg-ZsBt/s1600/share_06.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiisU79eAYiywcH7huT0C5KM0rVk7L-RWwKGJ3YA693f83qSzttjTqJVGJE9q7cWt1BDX2TwP17ZUgtb3bqf2To9C-bqsU9UfOQPjxh5uOGoKv4CGMknezYLv4LVV5DxYzFhfakvZg-ZsBt/s200/share_06.png" width="200" /></a></div>
We’re not just talking Facebook and Youtube. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Social-Learning-Connect-Collaborate/dp/1562869965/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445905207&sr=8-1&keywords=the+new+social+learning" target="_blank">The New Social Learning: Connect. Collaborate. Work</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, by <a href="https://www.td.org/About/Leadership" target="_blank">Tony Bingham</a> and <a href="http://marciaconner.com/" target="_blank">Marcia Conner</a>, shows us how to capitalize on the people, tools, technology, and practices in order to increase engagement and collaboration. In this book you will read about organizations that have transformed meaningful social learning into advantages over other organizations.</span><br />
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don’t do what most people do and just focus on the tools. How can they be used to your advantage? People have a great desire to make a difference. Learn here to facilitate the growth in the way people learn. See how you can learn to “work outloud” to build learning relationships.</span></span><br />
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Share this book with your training, marketing, and HR departments. Heck, all departments. And don’t forget the leadership team.</span></span>Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-13339739998693638912015-10-12T06:00:00.000-04:002015-10-12T09:19:07.600-04:00Collaboration Begins with You<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If there’s one thing I’ve learned about reviewing books, it’s don’t miss a </span><a href="http://www.kenblanchard.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ken Blanchard</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> book. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRC2Y759xZrXoos6fRLqMlKM2eRkBFOlcjyySBz6HtC03z3NqBf48WJMzmCnrGRkR-QbhjNUL3-n-jMR1ZMis4E9TJYcEg19244L5fakuvWz3D_THHM_WF3dnPHRUWx4N_nQkJm3_HxMeB/s1600/share_06+%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRC2Y759xZrXoos6fRLqMlKM2eRkBFOlcjyySBz6HtC03z3NqBf48WJMzmCnrGRkR-QbhjNUL3-n-jMR1ZMis4E9TJYcEg19244L5fakuvWz3D_THHM_WF3dnPHRUWx4N_nQkJm3_HxMeB/s200/share_06+%25282%2529.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Collaboration-Begins-You-Silo-Buster/dp/1626566178/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444655595&sr=8-1&keywords=collaboration+begins+with+you" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Collaboration Begins with You: Be a Silo Buster</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, is no different. This new book by Ken, </span><a href="http://www.wiredleaders.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jane Ripley</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><a href="http://www.kenblanchard.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eunice Parisi-Carew</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a book for every employee. We shouldn’t wait for a culture of collaboration to begin from the top. It begins with you.</span><br />
<b id="docs-internal-guid-3dbe57f8-5c31-22d3-595b-3ed1fd3c6310" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The authors share a parable - which makes it an easy read for everyone - on the three-part approach to busting silos around you; the heart, the head, and the hands. Put it all together and it provides a way for us to change our beliefs of collaboration so that we can truly work together instead of just going through the motions. In order for collaboration to really work properly, it needs to become company-wide . . . and accepted.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So you think you, or your organization, are already collaborative. Try the self-assessment towards the end of the book. You may soon feel a bit different about those thoughts. It’s easy for organizations to fall into the beliefs of how good they think they are. But once you actually, honestly look at the Heart, Head, and Hands domains of collaboration, you might very well see that, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hmm, we have some work to do</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This book will show you how to break down the barriers and get started, instead of waiting for it to filter down. The outcome? A collaborative mindset leading to increased trust and productivity.</span></div>
Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858105674095946694.post-18467485738942273752015-10-07T06:00:00.000-04:002015-10-07T08:34:04.032-04:00Flip Flops in the Office<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was talking to a friend of mine the other day about things his manager does that drives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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him nuts (many). The one issue that really struck a cord was flip flopping.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've had a couple of managers throughout my working years that were pros at flip flopping. Whether it was making changes to a new SOP and eventually flipping right back to the way it was originally written, or telling me to do one thing and then completely going off when it's being done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with changing your mind. Things change. Circumstances change. I totally expect it. But to be a good and trusted leader, you must take the time to think things through. Knee jerk reactions have a bad habit of coming back on you. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">People start to wonder what the </span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">interpretation of the day</i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> is.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> You may think it doesn't affect you, but it affects your team and the way they do their jobs and the way they think about you, whether positively or negatively. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Flip-flopping will eventually lead to people throwing up their arms and giving up and negatively impacting the culture. Then everyone's productivity goes down.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think a lot of it comes down to time management. Throughout the last 20 years or so I can't even count the number of times I've heard how "busy" people are, and that's their excuse for not reacting or thinking through. Everyone is busy, but time is an important factor in good leadership. You have to make the time. Leaders are role models, whether that means good ones or bad ones. The easier you make your teams job, the easier you're going to make your job.</span></div>
Andy Uskavitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11361206548817317381noreply@blogger.com0