The original article is from http://www.forbes.com
Written Glenn Llopis, Contributor
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
1. Make Others Feel Safe to Speak-Up
Many times leaders intimidate their colleagues with their title and
power when they walk into a room. Successful leaders deflect attention
away from themselves and encourage others to voice their opinions.
They are experts at making others feel safe to speak-up and confidently share their perspectives and points of view. They use their executive presence to create an approachable environment.
2. Make Decisions
Successful leaders are expert decision makers. They either
facilitate the dialogue to empower their colleagues to reach a strategic
conclusion or they do it themselves. They focus on “making things
happen” at all times – decision making activities that sustain
progress. Successful leaders have mastered the art of politicking and
thus don’t waste their time on issues that disrupt momentum. They know how to make 30 decisions in 30 minutes.
3. Communicate Expectations
Successful leaders are great communicators, and this is especially
true when it comes to “performance expectations.” In doing so, they
remind their colleagues of the organization’s core values and mission
statement – ensuring that their vision is properly translated and
actionable objectives are properly executed.
I had a boss that managed the team by reminding us of the
expectations that she had of the group. She made it easy for the team
to stay focused and on track. The protocol she implemented – by clearly
communicating expectations – increased performance and helped to
identify those on the team that could not keep up with the standards she
expected from us.
4. Challenge People to Think
The most successful leaders understand their colleagues’ mindsets,
capabilities and areas for improvement. They use this knowledge/insight
to challenge their teams to think and stretch them to reach for more.
These types of leaders excel in keeping their people on their toes,
never allowing them to get comfortable and enabling them with the tools
to grow.
If you are not thinking, you’re not learning new things. If you’re
not learning, you’re not growing – and over time becoming irrelevant in
your work.
5. Be Accountable to Others
Successful leaders allow their colleagues to manage them. This
doesn’t mean they are allowing others to control them – but rather
becoming accountable to assure they are being proactive to their
colleagues needs.
Beyond just mentoring and sponsoring selected employees, being
accountable to others is a sign that your leader is focused more on your
success than just their own.
6. Lead by Example
Leading by example sounds easy, but few leaders are consistent with
this one. Successful leaders practice what they preach and are mindful
of their actions. They know everyone is watching them and therefore are
incredibly intuitive about detecting those who are observing their
every move, waiting to detect a performance shortfall.
7. Measure & Reward Performance
Great leaders always have a strong “pulse” on business performance
and those people who are the performance champions. Not only do they
review the numbers and measure performance ROI, they are active in
acknowledging hard work and efforts (no matter the result).
Successful leaders never take consistent performers for granted and are
mindful of rewarding them
8. Provide Continuous Feedback
Employees want their leaders to know that they are paying attention
to them and they appreciate any insights along the way. Successful
leaders always provide feedback and they welcome reciprocal feedback by
creating trustworthy
relationships with their colleagues.. They understand the power of
perspective and have learned the importance of feedback early on in
their career as it has served them to enable workplace advancement.
9. Properly Allocate and Deploy Talent
Successful leaders know their talent pool and how to use it. They
are experts at activating the capabilities of their colleagues and
knowing when to deploy their unique skill sets given the circumstances
at hand.
10. Ask Questions, Seek Counsel
Successful leaders ask questions and seek counsel all the time. From
the outside, they appear to know-it-all – yet on the inside, they have a
deep thirst for knowledge and constantly are on the look-out to learn
new things because of their commitment to making themselves better
through the wisdom of others.
11. Problem Solve; Avoid Procrastination
Successful leaders tackle issues head-on and know how to discover the heart of the matter at hand. They don’t procrastinate
and thus become incredibly proficient at problem solving; they learn
from and don’t avoid uncomfortable circumstances (they welcome them).
Getting ahead in life is about doing the things that most people don’t like doing.
12. Positive Energy & Attitude
Successful leaders create a positive and inspiring workplace culture. They know how to set the tone and bring an attitude that motivates their colleagues to take action. As such, they are likeable, respected and strong willed. They don’t allow failures to disrupt momentum.
13. Be a Great Teacher
Many employees in the workplace will tell you that their leaders have
stopped being teachers. Successful leaders never stop teaching
because they are so self-motivated to learn themselves. They use
teaching to keep their colleagues well-informed and knowledgeable
through statistics, trends, and other newsworthy items.
Successful leaders take the time to mentor their colleagues and make
the investment to sponsor those who have proven they are able and eager
to advance.
14. Invest in Relationships
Successful leaders don’t focus on protecting their domain – instead
they expand it by investing in mutually beneficial relationships.
Successful leaders associate themselves with “lifters and other leaders” – the types of people that can broaden their sphere of influence. Not only for their own advancement, but that of others.
Leaders share the harvest of their success to help build momentum for those around them.
15. Genuinely Enjoy Responsibilities
Successful leaders love being leaders – not for the sake of power but
for the meaningful and purposeful impact they can create. When you
have reached a senior level of leadership – it’s about your ability to
serve others and this can’t be accomplished unless you genuinely enjoy
what you do.
In the end, successful leaders are able to sustain their success
because these 15 things ultimately allow them to increase the value of
their organization’s brand – while at the same time minimize the
operating risk profile. They serve as the enablers of talent, culture
and results.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
14 Things Successful People Do On Weekends
The original article is from http://www.forbes.com
Written Jacquelyn Smith, Forbes Staff
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
Written Jacquelyn Smith, Forbes Staff
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
Spencer Rascoff is only 37. Yet, the Harvard grad and father of three has already accomplished so much.
He co-founded Hotwire.com and served as a VP for Expedia; he held the roles of CFO, vice president of marketing and COO at Zillow; and in 2008, Rascoff was promoted to chief executive of the popular real estate information site.
Wondering how the Zillow CEO has achieved and maintained his success? His weekend routine has something to do with it.
“My weekends are an important time to unplug from the day-to-day and get a chance to think more deeply about my company and my industry,” Rascoff says. “Even when I’m technically not working, I’m always processing in the background and thinking about the company. Weekends are a great chance to reflect and be more introspective about bigger issues.”
He says he always spends weekends with his family. “Even if I’m on the road on a Friday and have to be back in that same city the following week, I always come home no matter what.”
Last year Rascoff’s New Year’s resolution was to refrain from checking e-mail during the day on Saturdays–but it didn’t stick. “I’m trying again this year and am having more luck,” he says. “I have three young children so weekends are usually an exhausting but fun smorgasbord of fort-building, bike-riding, soccer-playing, chess-tournament-competing, stroller-pushing, zoo-going, diaper-changing, book-reading and birthday-party-going. I never go into the office on weekends but I do check e-mail at night, and I use weekends as an opportunity to catch up on work-related reading.”
Laura Vanderkam, author of What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast (Portfolio, 2012) and What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend (Portfolio, 2012), says successful people know that weekends are actually the secret weapon in professional success. “You need to hit Monday ready to go,” she says. “To do that, you need weekends that rejuvenate you, rather than exhaust or disappoint you. Cross-training makes you a better athlete, and likewise, exercise, volunteer work, spiritual activities, and hands-on parenting make you a better worker than if you just worked all the time.”
Executive coach Dale Kurow, M.S., says successful people usually spend their weekends participating in a “combination of family activities with their kids and spouse, errands, and creative activities to exercise the right side of their brain.”
Penelope Trunk, a career coach and author of Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success, adds: “A highly successful person is very focused on what they want to be doing. The weekend and the week look very similar: They are focused on creating the life they want.”
So who are “successful people,” and what exactly are they doing on weekends?
Sometimes success is defined by an internal compass, says Marsha Egan, a board certified professional coach.
“A successful person is usually one who has achieved a measure of happiness and fulfillment in their work, family, and spiritual life (however that is defined for the individual),” Kurow adds. “Most successful people need to feel a sense of accomplishment and are self-motivated to tackle the next challenge.”
Roy Cohen, career coach and author of The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide, believes success is often defined in two ways: Achieving and exceeding financial milestones or achieving great satisfaction through one’s work. “From my perspective as a career coach, real meaningful success bridges the two–great prosperity combined with real joy and passion for your work.”
Here are 14 things successful people do (or should be doing) on weekends:
He co-founded Hotwire.com and served as a VP for Expedia; he held the roles of CFO, vice president of marketing and COO at Zillow; and in 2008, Rascoff was promoted to chief executive of the popular real estate information site.
Wondering how the Zillow CEO has achieved and maintained his success? His weekend routine has something to do with it.
“My weekends are an important time to unplug from the day-to-day and get a chance to think more deeply about my company and my industry,” Rascoff says. “Even when I’m technically not working, I’m always processing in the background and thinking about the company. Weekends are a great chance to reflect and be more introspective about bigger issues.”
He says he always spends weekends with his family. “Even if I’m on the road on a Friday and have to be back in that same city the following week, I always come home no matter what.”
Last year Rascoff’s New Year’s resolution was to refrain from checking e-mail during the day on Saturdays–but it didn’t stick. “I’m trying again this year and am having more luck,” he says. “I have three young children so weekends are usually an exhausting but fun smorgasbord of fort-building, bike-riding, soccer-playing, chess-tournament-competing, stroller-pushing, zoo-going, diaper-changing, book-reading and birthday-party-going. I never go into the office on weekends but I do check e-mail at night, and I use weekends as an opportunity to catch up on work-related reading.”
Laura Vanderkam, author of What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast (Portfolio, 2012) and What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend (Portfolio, 2012), says successful people know that weekends are actually the secret weapon in professional success. “You need to hit Monday ready to go,” she says. “To do that, you need weekends that rejuvenate you, rather than exhaust or disappoint you. Cross-training makes you a better athlete, and likewise, exercise, volunteer work, spiritual activities, and hands-on parenting make you a better worker than if you just worked all the time.”
Executive coach Dale Kurow, M.S., says successful people usually spend their weekends participating in a “combination of family activities with their kids and spouse, errands, and creative activities to exercise the right side of their brain.”
Penelope Trunk, a career coach and author of Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success, adds: “A highly successful person is very focused on what they want to be doing. The weekend and the week look very similar: They are focused on creating the life they want.”
So who are “successful people,” and what exactly are they doing on weekends?
Sometimes success is defined by an internal compass, says Marsha Egan, a board certified professional coach.
“A successful person is usually one who has achieved a measure of happiness and fulfillment in their work, family, and spiritual life (however that is defined for the individual),” Kurow adds. “Most successful people need to feel a sense of accomplishment and are self-motivated to tackle the next challenge.”
Roy Cohen, career coach and author of The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide, believes success is often defined in two ways: Achieving and exceeding financial milestones or achieving great satisfaction through one’s work. “From my perspective as a career coach, real meaningful success bridges the two–great prosperity combined with real joy and passion for your work.”
Here are 14 things successful people do (or should be doing) on weekends:
1. Make time for family and friends. This is especially important for those who don’t spend much time with their loved ones during the week.
2. Exercise. Everyone
needs to do it, and if you can’t work out 4 to 5 days during the
workweek, you need to be active on weekends to make up for some of that
time, Vanderkam says. It’s the perfect opportunity to clear you mind and
create fresh ideas.
“I
know an owner of a PR firm who takes walks in the park with his dog to
spark ideas about how to pitch a new client, or what angle to take with
the press for a story,” Kurow says.
Cohen suggests spin classes and outdoor
cycling in the warmer months. “Both are energizing and can be organized
among people with shared interests. For example, it is not uncommon for
hedge fund folks and Wall Street professionals to ride together on
weekends. It is a great way to establish and cultivate relationships
based on membership in this elite professional community.”
3. Pursue a passion.
“There’s a creative director of a greeting card company who went back
to school to pursue an MFA because of her love of art,” Kurow says.
“Pursuing this passion turned into a love of poetry that she now writes
on weekends.”
“Successful people make time for what is
important or fun,” Egan adds. “They make space for activities that add
to their life balance.”
4. Vacation. Getting away for the weekend provides a great respite from the grind of an intense week at work, Cohen says.
5. Disconnect. The most
successful people avoid e-mail for a period of time, Vanderkam says.
“I’m not saying the whole weekend, but even just a walk without the
phone can feel liberating. I advocate taking a ‘tech Sabbath.’ If you
don’t have a specific religious obligation of no-work time, taking
Saturday night to mid-day Sunday off is a nice, ecumenical time that
works for many people.”
6. Volunteer. “I know a
commercial real estate broker who volunteers to help with cook-off
events whose proceeds are donated to the Food Bank,” Kurow says. “The
volunteer work provides a balance to the heavy analytical work she does
all week and fulfills her need to be creative — she designs the
promotional material for the non-profit.”
Cohen says a lot of successful people
participate in fundraising events. “This is a great way to network and
to meet others with similar interests,” he says. “The visibility also
helps in branding a successful person as philanthropic.”
7. Avoid chores. Every
weekend has a few have-to-dos, but you want these to take the minimum
amount of time possible, Vanderkam explains. Create a small window for
chores and errands, and then banish them from your mind the rest of the
time.
8. Plan. “Planning makes
people more effective, and doing it before the week starts means you can
hit Monday ready to go, and means you’ll give clear directions to the
people who work for you, so they will be ready to go, too,” Vanderkam
says.
Trunk agrees. She says successful people
plan their month and year because “if you get stuck on short-term lists
you don’t get anything big accomplished.”
9. Socialize. “Humans are
social creatures, and studies of people’s experienced happiness through
the day finds that socializing ranks right up there, not too far down
below sex,” Vanderkam says.
Go out with friends and family, or get involved in the local community.
“It has been demonstrated that successful
people find great satisfaction in giving back,” Cohen says. “Board
membership, for example, also offers access to other successful folks.”
10. Gardening/crafts/games/sports/cooking/cultural activities. This is especially important for those cooped up in an office all week.
“For the pure joy, some folks find great satisfaction in creating beautiful gardens,” Cohen says.
Kurow knows an attorney who uses her
weekends to garden and do mosaics and tile work to satisfy her creative
side. “Filling her life this way enables her to be refreshed on Monday
and ready to tackle the litigation and trial prep work. Artwork for her
is fulfilling in a way that feeds her soul and her need to connect with
her spiritual side.”
Bridge lessons and groups can also sharpen
the mind and often create relationships among highly competitive smart
professionals, Cohen says. “I once saw a printout of a bridge club’s
membership list; its members were a who’s who of Wall Street.”
Theatre, opera and sporting events can also enrich one’s spirit, he adds.
11. Network. “Networking
isn’t an event for a successful person, it’s a lifestyle,” Trunk says.
Wherever they go and whatever they do, they manage to connect with new
people.
12. Reflect. Egan
says truly successful people make time on weekends to appreciate what
they have and reflect on their happiness and accomplishments. As Rascoff
said, “weekends are a great chance to reflect and be more introspective
about bigger issues.”
13. Meditate. Classes and
private instruction offer a bespoke approach to insight and peace of
mind, Cohen says. “How better to equip yourself for success in this very
tough world?”
14. Recharge. We
live in a competitive world, Vanderkam says. “Peak performance requires
managing downtime, too–with the goal of really recharging your
batteries.” That’s how the most successful people get so much done.
Successful people know that time is too precious to be totally
leisurely about leisure, Vanderkam concludes. “You’re not going to waste
that time by failing to think about what you’d like to do with it, and
thus losing the weekend to TV, puttering, inefficient e-mail checking,
and chores. If you don’t have a busy workweek, your weekend doesn’t
matter so much. But if you’re going from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, it
certainly does.”Saturday, March 23, 2013
8 Business Principles That Never Go Out of Style
The original article is from http://www.inc.com
Written OWNER'S MANUAL | Jeff Haden Mar
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
Some business principles come and go.
A company I worked for started so many game-changing transformational programs and then, like a disgraced member of the Politburo, quickly abandoned and airbrushed them out of our corporate history so we could start yet another "business-critical" program that would be abandoned. We referred to them as the "acronym of the month."
Fortunately, there are some business principles you can use forever:
1. Look past the messenger and focus on the message.
When people speak from a position of position of power or authority or fame, it's tempting to place greater emphasis on their input, advice, and ideas.
Warren Buffett? Yep, gotta listen to him. Sheryl Sandberg? Yes. Richard Branson? Absolutely.
That approach works to a point--but only to a point. Really smart people strip away all the framing that comes with the source--both positive and negative--and evaluate information, advice, and input idea based solely on its merits.
When Branson says, "Screw it; just do it and get on with it," it's powerful.
If the guy who delivers your lunch says it, it should be just as powerful.
Never discount the message because you discount the messenger. Good advice is good advice--regardless of the source.
2. Focus on collecting knowledge...
Competing is a fact of professional life: with other businesses, other products, other people. It's not a zero sum game, but it is a game we all try to win.
Smart people win a lot.
Smarter people win even more often.
Continually striving to gain more experience, more experience, and more knowledge is the second-best way to succeed.
3. ...But focus more on collecting knowledgeable people.
You can't know everything. But you can know enough smart people that together you know almost everything.
And, together, do almost anything.
Work hard on getting smarter. Work harder on getting smart people on your side.
How?
4. Give before receiving.
The goal of networking is to connect with people who can provide a referral, help make a sale, share important information, serve as a mentor, etc. When we network, we want something.
But, especially at first, never ask for what you want. Forget about what you want and focus on what you can give.
Giving is the only way to establish a real relationship and a lasting connection. Focus solely on what you can get out of the connection and you will never make meaningful, mutually beneficial connections.
Approach networking as if it's all about them and not about you and you'll build a network that approaches it the same way.
And you'll create more than contacts. You'll make friends.
5. Always work on next.
It's impossible to predict what will work, much less how well it will work. Some products stick--for a while. Some services flourish--and then don't. Some ventures take off--and flame out.
You will always need a next: a new product, a new service, a new customer or connection,
No matter how successful you are today, always have a next in your pipeline. If somehow your current products or services or ventures continue to thrive, great: You will have created a bigger line of products and services and ventures.
That's how successful people weather the storm when times are tough, and become even more successful when business is booming.
6. Eat as many of your words as you can.
If you're always right you never grow. When you look back, one of the best things to be is wrong because when you make a mistake you are given the chance to learn.
(Don't worry. Every successful person has failed numerous times. Most have failed more than you. That's why they're successful today.)
Own every mistake, every miscue, and every failure. Say you made a mistake. Say you messed up. Say it to other people, but more importantly, look in the mirror and say it to yourself.
Then commit to making sure that next time things will turn out very differently.
7. Turn ideas into actions.
The word "idea" should be a verb, not a noun, because no idea is real until you turn that inspiration into action.
Ideas without action aren't ideas. They're regrets.
Every day we let hesitation and uncertainty stop us from acting on our ideas. Fear of the unknown and fear of failure are what stop me, and may be what stops you, too.
Think about a few of the ideas you've had, whether for a new business, a new career, or even just a part-time job. Looking back, many of your ideas would have turned out well, especially if you had given them your best effort.
Trust your analysis, your judgment, and your instincts. Trust them more than you do. Trust your willingness to work through challenges and roadblocks.
Granted you won't get it right all the time but when you let an idea stay an idea, you almost always get it wrong.
8. Learn about squirrel nests.
Yeah, you're hyper-focused. Yeah, you've got your head down and your blinders on. Yeah, you're a 24/7, take no prisoners, failure is not an option gal or guy.
Occasionally we all need to lighten up.
Example: There are acres of woods behind our house. It's like a squirrel paradise. Squirrels are always racing around the yard and scooting across the deck.
When the leaves fall their nests are visible high up in the trees. I've seen their nests for years and always wondered about stuff like what they're made of (besides leaves) and how many squirrels share a nest. One day I stopped wondering and took a break to check it out.
Stupid example? Sure. But it was a fun five minutes that made me appreciate my squirrel friends a little more--and sent me back to work with a little extra oomph.
Once in a while, take the time to learn a little about your "squirrel nests," whatever those might be.
Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Explore. Indulge a curiosity.
You never know where it might take you.
Written OWNER'S MANUAL | Jeff Haden Mar
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
Some business principles come and go.
A company I worked for started so many game-changing transformational programs and then, like a disgraced member of the Politburo, quickly abandoned and airbrushed them out of our corporate history so we could start yet another "business-critical" program that would be abandoned. We referred to them as the "acronym of the month."
Fortunately, there are some business principles you can use forever:
1. Look past the messenger and focus on the message.
When people speak from a position of position of power or authority or fame, it's tempting to place greater emphasis on their input, advice, and ideas.
Warren Buffett? Yep, gotta listen to him. Sheryl Sandberg? Yes. Richard Branson? Absolutely.
That approach works to a point--but only to a point. Really smart people strip away all the framing that comes with the source--both positive and negative--and evaluate information, advice, and input idea based solely on its merits.
When Branson says, "Screw it; just do it and get on with it," it's powerful.
If the guy who delivers your lunch says it, it should be just as powerful.
Never discount the message because you discount the messenger. Good advice is good advice--regardless of the source.
2. Focus on collecting knowledge...
Competing is a fact of professional life: with other businesses, other products, other people. It's not a zero sum game, but it is a game we all try to win.
Smart people win a lot.
Smarter people win even more often.
Continually striving to gain more experience, more experience, and more knowledge is the second-best way to succeed.
3. ...But focus more on collecting knowledgeable people.
You can't know everything. But you can know enough smart people that together you know almost everything.
And, together, do almost anything.
Work hard on getting smarter. Work harder on getting smart people on your side.
How?
4. Give before receiving.
The goal of networking is to connect with people who can provide a referral, help make a sale, share important information, serve as a mentor, etc. When we network, we want something.
But, especially at first, never ask for what you want. Forget about what you want and focus on what you can give.
Giving is the only way to establish a real relationship and a lasting connection. Focus solely on what you can get out of the connection and you will never make meaningful, mutually beneficial connections.
Approach networking as if it's all about them and not about you and you'll build a network that approaches it the same way.
And you'll create more than contacts. You'll make friends.
5. Always work on next.
It's impossible to predict what will work, much less how well it will work. Some products stick--for a while. Some services flourish--and then don't. Some ventures take off--and flame out.
You will always need a next: a new product, a new service, a new customer or connection,
No matter how successful you are today, always have a next in your pipeline. If somehow your current products or services or ventures continue to thrive, great: You will have created a bigger line of products and services and ventures.
That's how successful people weather the storm when times are tough, and become even more successful when business is booming.
6. Eat as many of your words as you can.
If you're always right you never grow. When you look back, one of the best things to be is wrong because when you make a mistake you are given the chance to learn.
(Don't worry. Every successful person has failed numerous times. Most have failed more than you. That's why they're successful today.)
Own every mistake, every miscue, and every failure. Say you made a mistake. Say you messed up. Say it to other people, but more importantly, look in the mirror and say it to yourself.
Then commit to making sure that next time things will turn out very differently.
7. Turn ideas into actions.
The word "idea" should be a verb, not a noun, because no idea is real until you turn that inspiration into action.
Ideas without action aren't ideas. They're regrets.
Every day we let hesitation and uncertainty stop us from acting on our ideas. Fear of the unknown and fear of failure are what stop me, and may be what stops you, too.
Think about a few of the ideas you've had, whether for a new business, a new career, or even just a part-time job. Looking back, many of your ideas would have turned out well, especially if you had given them your best effort.
Trust your analysis, your judgment, and your instincts. Trust them more than you do. Trust your willingness to work through challenges and roadblocks.
Granted you won't get it right all the time but when you let an idea stay an idea, you almost always get it wrong.
8. Learn about squirrel nests.
Yeah, you're hyper-focused. Yeah, you've got your head down and your blinders on. Yeah, you're a 24/7, take no prisoners, failure is not an option gal or guy.
Occasionally we all need to lighten up.
Example: There are acres of woods behind our house. It's like a squirrel paradise. Squirrels are always racing around the yard and scooting across the deck.
When the leaves fall their nests are visible high up in the trees. I've seen their nests for years and always wondered about stuff like what they're made of (besides leaves) and how many squirrels share a nest. One day I stopped wondering and took a break to check it out.
Stupid example? Sure. But it was a fun five minutes that made me appreciate my squirrel friends a little more--and sent me back to work with a little extra oomph.
Once in a while, take the time to learn a little about your "squirrel nests," whatever those might be.
Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Explore. Indulge a curiosity.
You never know where it might take you.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
7 Ways You Can Tap Into Your Inner Leader
The original article is from http://money.usnews.com
Written By Hannah Morgan February 20, 2013
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
Being a leader doesn't mean managing people. You can lead yourself and even lead others without an official title. Instead of leadership falling on the shoulders of those with titles, what if each member of the organization took on a leadership role? What if the power to inspire fell on each of us? What if you jumped on the self-leadership bus today?
1. Hang with smart people. There is so much to learn. This is true for people just entering the workforce as well as for those closing in on retirement. Great leaders realize they don't know all the answers and are aware of their weaknesses and strengths. Learn from the best peace-keeper, the best negotiator, the best strategic thinker, and the best friendly face.
2. Take initiative. Do you cast blame or get frustrated when people who should take responsibility don't? Do you wait for others to notice problems that need solving? Taking initiative means you don't wait to be told what to do. You seek answers to solve problems and appropriately convey your findings. Be aware of the fine line between being compliant and being insubordinate.
3. Collaborate. Leaders know they can't solve a problem on their own. This is why they bring together people with proven expertise.
4. Stay true to your moral compass. A good leader knows right from wrong. Since you were young, you have been taught the difference between right and wrong.
5. Treat everyone with respect. Who would have thought this even needed to be said, but it does. No one is below you, nor is anyone above you. We are all human beings and should treat one another with respect, regardless of position or title held.
6. Be proactive. Often managers do a good job guiding and evaluating your performance, but not always. Proactively suggest you meet with your manager more regularly. Set mutually agreeable terms for the meeting's purpose and outcomes in advance.
7. Give the best you can each day. Some days you perform better than others; that's just how humans work. You aren't perfect and sometimes you might even fail miserably.
Written By Hannah Morgan February 20, 2013
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
Being a leader doesn't mean managing people. You can lead yourself and even lead others without an official title. Instead of leadership falling on the shoulders of those with titles, what if each member of the organization took on a leadership role? What if the power to inspire fell on each of us? What if you jumped on the self-leadership bus today?
1. Hang with smart people. There is so much to learn. This is true for people just entering the workforce as well as for those closing in on retirement. Great leaders realize they don't know all the answers and are aware of their weaknesses and strengths. Learn from the best peace-keeper, the best negotiator, the best strategic thinker, and the best friendly face.
2. Take initiative. Do you cast blame or get frustrated when people who should take responsibility don't? Do you wait for others to notice problems that need solving? Taking initiative means you don't wait to be told what to do. You seek answers to solve problems and appropriately convey your findings. Be aware of the fine line between being compliant and being insubordinate.
3. Collaborate. Leaders know they can't solve a problem on their own. This is why they bring together people with proven expertise.
4. Stay true to your moral compass. A good leader knows right from wrong. Since you were young, you have been taught the difference between right and wrong.
5. Treat everyone with respect. Who would have thought this even needed to be said, but it does. No one is below you, nor is anyone above you. We are all human beings and should treat one another with respect, regardless of position or title held.
6. Be proactive. Often managers do a good job guiding and evaluating your performance, but not always. Proactively suggest you meet with your manager more regularly. Set mutually agreeable terms for the meeting's purpose and outcomes in advance.
7. Give the best you can each day. Some days you perform better than others; that's just how humans work. You aren't perfect and sometimes you might even fail miserably.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
HP-Taking On A Turnaround
The original article is from http://www.linkedin.com
Written Meg Whitman CEO at Hewlett-Packard
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
My experience with turnarounds is that they happen from the inside out. This starts with people – from the way we manage the business to how we communicate to how we serve our customers
It starts with execution
When I started, HP was suffering from the classic problem of having costs out of line with the company’s revenue trajectory. No organization can be successful, let alone turn itself around, if it is failing in the basic blocking and tackling of business.
We’ve brought stability back to the business through a range of actions, including improving operations, implementing an aggressive cash management program and putting in place clear strategies across the company. My message to our top leaders is simple: Results matter. Hit your numbers.
Run to the fire, don’t hide from it
Following years of constant changes in leadership and inconsistent strategies, one of my first priorities was to bring a sense of accountability back to the business and empower our employees. When it comes to fixing what’s not working and focusing on what is, I don’t want excuses. I want action.
I don’t hesitate to call our teams to inspect a situation I see. I’ll always ask why we won, why we lost and what we could have done differently.
Transparency and credibility
When I say “no excuses,” that goes for me and the entire organization. Credibility among investors, customers and employees hinges on an ability to admit mistakes and to tell it like it is. A failure to provide an accurate picture of a situation also slows down your ability to capitalize on an opportunity or fix a problem.
We took transparency to heart when we provided a frank assessment of the challenges facing HP and laid out our multi-year strategy at a Security Analyst Meeting in October, 2012. While we knew the event wasn’t going to generate the prettiest headlines, we wanted our stakeholders to have a clear understanding of the journey we are on.
Communication, communication, communication
HP’s founders built a reputation for being immersed in the business, constantly walking around offices and labs to engage with employees and ask questions. I encourage our leaders to lean on the side of over communicating. Don’t assume your teams or customers know what’s going on. Visit your people. Stop the emails and actually talk.
Early on at HP, I made the decision to move our executives, including myself, out from offices and into cubicles. The message was simple: we have to communicate and collaborate as one HP if we are going to succeed.
Be a leader
This last point isn’t going to break new ground, but it’s the most important: it is incumbent on every single leader at a company to actually lead. Employees read body language and care about leadership. That holds true for customers. Simply put, you don’t stand a chance if you don’t have the will to win.
Written Meg Whitman CEO at Hewlett-Packard
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
My experience with turnarounds is that they happen from the inside out. This starts with people – from the way we manage the business to how we communicate to how we serve our customers
It starts with execution
When I started, HP was suffering from the classic problem of having costs out of line with the company’s revenue trajectory. No organization can be successful, let alone turn itself around, if it is failing in the basic blocking and tackling of business.
We’ve brought stability back to the business through a range of actions, including improving operations, implementing an aggressive cash management program and putting in place clear strategies across the company. My message to our top leaders is simple: Results matter. Hit your numbers.
Run to the fire, don’t hide from it
Following years of constant changes in leadership and inconsistent strategies, one of my first priorities was to bring a sense of accountability back to the business and empower our employees. When it comes to fixing what’s not working and focusing on what is, I don’t want excuses. I want action.
I don’t hesitate to call our teams to inspect a situation I see. I’ll always ask why we won, why we lost and what we could have done differently.
Transparency and credibility
When I say “no excuses,” that goes for me and the entire organization. Credibility among investors, customers and employees hinges on an ability to admit mistakes and to tell it like it is. A failure to provide an accurate picture of a situation also slows down your ability to capitalize on an opportunity or fix a problem.
We took transparency to heart when we provided a frank assessment of the challenges facing HP and laid out our multi-year strategy at a Security Analyst Meeting in October, 2012. While we knew the event wasn’t going to generate the prettiest headlines, we wanted our stakeholders to have a clear understanding of the journey we are on.
Communication, communication, communication
HP’s founders built a reputation for being immersed in the business, constantly walking around offices and labs to engage with employees and ask questions. I encourage our leaders to lean on the side of over communicating. Don’t assume your teams or customers know what’s going on. Visit your people. Stop the emails and actually talk.
Early on at HP, I made the decision to move our executives, including myself, out from offices and into cubicles. The message was simple: we have to communicate and collaborate as one HP if we are going to succeed.
Be a leader
This last point isn’t going to break new ground, but it’s the most important: it is incumbent on every single leader at a company to actually lead. Employees read body language and care about leadership. That holds true for customers. Simply put, you don’t stand a chance if you don’t have the will to win.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Five Leadership Lessons From Jean-Luc Picard
The original article is from http://www.forbes.com
Written Alex Knapp, Forbes Staff
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
Written Alex Knapp, Forbes Staff
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
1. Speak to people in the language they understand. (Or, it’s okay to threaten a Klingon.)
“In my experience, communication is a matter of patience and imagination. I would like to believe that these are qualities that we have in sufficient measure.”
Perhaps one of the key skills for any good leader is the ability to empathize and understand the people they work with, both on their team and outside their organizations. This is especially true in a globalized world. People bring to the table not only their skills, but also their experiences, personalities, and cultures. Understanding those cultures and experiences enables you to effectively communicate.
2. When you’re overwhelmed, ask for help.
“You wanted to frighten us. We’re frightened. You wanted to show us we were inadequate. For the moment, I grant that. You wanted me to say ‘I need you.’? I NEED you!”
3. Always value ethical actions over expedient ones.
“There are times, sir, when men of good conscience cannot blindly follow orders.”
Leaders of organizations are often faced with ethical dilemmas – times when it seems that the easiest option is to just “bend the rules a little” to get things done. Captain Picard, too, faced this type of decision on a number of occasions. But Picard had a strong moral center, and he refused to do the wrong thing – even when that seemed to be the easiest thing to do.
In your own job, you’ll probably never encounter a situation where you have to convince the government to recognize a new sentient species. (If you do have that job, though, that’s awesome and please email me for an interview.) But in leadership situations, there are a number of temptations to do the wrong thing to make yourself look better, whether that’s cutting corners to beat a schedule or gaming numbers to make your results look good. It’s in those times we should look to Picard as an example of maintaining our integrity, no matter the short-term costs. In the long-term, integrity is what matters.
4. Challenge your team to help them grow.
“Lieutenant, you are a member of this crew, and you will not go into hiding whenever a Klingon vessel uncloaks!”
Oftentimes, the greatest challenge that a well-run team can face is complacency. When you have a great team where everyone is filling out their roles and doing a good job, it’s pretty easy to just let things lay the way they are and coast on inertia. The problem is, when you have a complacent team, no matter how competent they are, they can fall apart when they’re faced with a big challenge. In order to keep your organization nimble, it’s vital that you encourage your teams to stretch their capabilities, even if that makes them uncomfortable.
When you have someone on your team whose doing their job, and doing it well, it can be hard to assign them new or more difficult tasks in a way that shakes up your organization. But to be an effective leader, you need to shake them up, so that when your team faces harder crises, they’ll be more resilient and effective.
5. Don’t play it safe – seize opportunities in front of you.
“Seize the time… – live now! Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.”
It’s easy to get stuck like that alternate Picard. You can do your job, and at the end of the day go home, with no real plan or goal – just coasting while you let other people tell you what to do. The lesson Picard learned from this experience is the same one that we should learn for ourselves. Life is short, and the time we lose is time we’ll never get back again. When opportunities present themselves, we need to seize them. We need to go forth in our lives, careers and projects with goals and be ambitious about carrying those goals out.
Final Takeaway:
Like James T. Kirk, Captain Jean-Luc Picard embodied several leadership lessons that we can use in our own lives. We need to learn to empathize with others so we can communicate with them effectively. We need to have the confidence to ask for help when we’re overwhelmed without feeling humiliated. When faced with the choice a famous wizard offered, between “what is right and what is easy,” we have to do what is right. We need to challenge our teams to grow and change so they can adapt to any situation. We need to seize opportunities as they come so that we don’t coast through our lives. Follow these lessons, and they’ll take us on the next stage of exploration. Which, in the words of Q on the show, is “not mapping stars and studying nebulae, but charting the unknown possibilities of existence.”
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Wakeup Call on Employee Privacy
The original article is from http://blogs.hbr.org
Written by Peter Holland | 9:00 AM December 27, 2012
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
Written by Peter Holland | 9:00 AM December 27, 2012
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
With social networking and other electronic communications making employees' actions and attitudes more visible than ever to employers, it's clear that a big change in the relationship between work and private life is well underway. My colleagues Dr Brian Cooper from Monash University and Dr Rob Hecker from the University of Tasmania and I have just conducted a survey to understand workers' awareness of employer policies and the current state of what they consider to be fair and reasonable. We polled a random sample of 500 working people in our own country, Australia.
Of particular interest to us was the realm of social media. It is clear enough why employers might want to monitor employees' activities on sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. These can be real distractions with a negative impact on productivity. Indeed, our survey revealed that, among the many employees who access social media sites while at work, only 14% claim that use is purely work-related. Many more, 42%, say their at-work use of social media is solely for personal purposes. (Another 44% say it is both personal and work-related.) There can also be reputational damage when employees clearly affiliated with organizations share their opinions and behaviors so publicly, and even leakage of information valuable to competitors.
Given the potential for misunderstandings and misuse, it is surprising to discover how unconcerned the typical worker seems to be. Asked whether it was appropriate for employers to monitor the web sites visited by employees, fully 78% thought it was. This makes internet activity monitoring the most acceptable of the various forms of surveillance we asked respondents to consider.
What better time than now to sound a wakeup call? The festive season is upon us, a time when people traditionally let their hair down. Employees need to be more aware than ever that a careless tweet, photo, or comment on their social website could have major ramifications when they return to work in the new year. And as for employers, there may be no better resolution you could make than deciding to develop, revisit, or update your social media policy.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
11 Simple Concepts in order to be Decent
The original article is from https://www.linkedin.com
Written Dave Kerpen January 28, 2013
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
1. Listening
Listening is the foundation of any good relationship. Great leaders listen to what their customers and prospects want and need, and they listen to the challenges those customers face.
2. Storytelling
After listening, leaders need to tell great stories in order to sell their products, but more important, in order to sell their ideas. Storytelling is what captivates people and drives them to take action.
3. Authenticity
Great leaders are who they say they are, and they have integrity beyond compare. Vulnerability and humility are hallmarks of the authentic leader and create a positive, attractive energy. Customers, employees, and media all want to help an authentic person to succeed. There used to be a divide between one’s public self and private self, but the social internet has blurred that line.
4. Transparency
There is nowhere to hide anymore, and businesspeople who attempt to keep secrets will eventually be exposed. Openness and honesty lead to happier staff and customers and colleagues. More important, transparency makes it a lot easier to sleep at night - unworried about what you said to whom, a happier leader is a more productive one.
5. Team Playing
No matter how small your organization, you interact with others every day. Letting others shine, encouraging innovative ideas, practicing humility, and following other rules for working in teams will help you become a more likeable leader. You’ll need a culture of success within your organization, one that includes out-of-the-box thinking.
6. Responsiveness
"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." -Charles Swindoll
7. Adaptability
There has never been a faster-changing marketplace than the one we live in today. Leaders must be flexible in managing changing opportunities and challenges and nimble enough to pivot at the right moment.
8. Passion
Those who love what they do don’t have to work a day in their lives. People who are able to bring passion to their business have a remarkable advantage, as that passion is contagious to customers and colleagues alike.
9. Surprise and Delight
Most people like surprises in their day-to-day lives. Likeable leaders underpromise and overdeliver, assuring that customers and staff are surprised in a positive way. There are a plethora of ways to surprise without spending extra money - a smile, We all like to be delighted — surprise and delight create incredible word-of-mouth marketing opportunities.
10. Simplicity
The world is more complex than ever before, and yet what customers often respond to best is simplicity — in design, form, and function. T
11. Gratefulness
Likeable leaders are ever grateful for the people who contribute to their opportunities and success. Being appreciative and saying thank you to mentors, customers, colleagues, and other stakeholders keeps leaders humble, appreciated, and well received.
Written Dave Kerpen January 28, 2013
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
1. Listening
Listening is the foundation of any good relationship. Great leaders listen to what their customers and prospects want and need, and they listen to the challenges those customers face.
2. Storytelling
After listening, leaders need to tell great stories in order to sell their products, but more important, in order to sell their ideas. Storytelling is what captivates people and drives them to take action.
3. Authenticity
Great leaders are who they say they are, and they have integrity beyond compare. Vulnerability and humility are hallmarks of the authentic leader and create a positive, attractive energy. Customers, employees, and media all want to help an authentic person to succeed. There used to be a divide between one’s public self and private self, but the social internet has blurred that line.
4. Transparency
There is nowhere to hide anymore, and businesspeople who attempt to keep secrets will eventually be exposed. Openness and honesty lead to happier staff and customers and colleagues. More important, transparency makes it a lot easier to sleep at night - unworried about what you said to whom, a happier leader is a more productive one.
5. Team Playing
No matter how small your organization, you interact with others every day. Letting others shine, encouraging innovative ideas, practicing humility, and following other rules for working in teams will help you become a more likeable leader. You’ll need a culture of success within your organization, one that includes out-of-the-box thinking.
6. Responsiveness
"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." -Charles Swindoll
7. Adaptability
There has never been a faster-changing marketplace than the one we live in today. Leaders must be flexible in managing changing opportunities and challenges and nimble enough to pivot at the right moment.
8. Passion
Those who love what they do don’t have to work a day in their lives. People who are able to bring passion to their business have a remarkable advantage, as that passion is contagious to customers and colleagues alike.
9. Surprise and Delight
Most people like surprises in their day-to-day lives. Likeable leaders underpromise and overdeliver, assuring that customers and staff are surprised in a positive way. There are a plethora of ways to surprise without spending extra money - a smile, We all like to be delighted — surprise and delight create incredible word-of-mouth marketing opportunities.
10. Simplicity
The world is more complex than ever before, and yet what customers often respond to best is simplicity — in design, form, and function. T
11. Gratefulness
Likeable leaders are ever grateful for the people who contribute to their opportunities and success. Being appreciative and saying thank you to mentors, customers, colleagues, and other stakeholders keeps leaders humble, appreciated, and well received.
9 Business Books that will change your life
The original article is from http://www.linkedin.com
Written Dave Kerpen
February 11, 2013
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
1) What Color is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career Seekers by Richard Bolles
I read this book when I was 21 years old and didn't know what to do with the rest of my life. It helped me go from a Crunch n Munch vendor at the ballpark to a top salesperson at Radio Disney. Ffifteen years later, I have given at least 40 copies away to interns, staff and friends who are searching for their career purpose. It's difficult work - because not only will you read the book, but you'll have to do a lot of exercises and soul searching throughout - but whether you're 21 or 61, you'll emerge with a clearer vision of what you want to do next and where you'll want to work.
2) Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers Into Friends & Friends Into Customers by Seth Godin
No author has influenced me more as a marketer, business person and writer than Seth Godin. I could have easily included 9 books just by Godin - Purple Cow, Tribes, Linchpin, Poke the Box & his latest, Icarus Deception are all amongst my favorites. But Permission Marketing described social media marketing before it existed. Seth understood push-vs-pull marketing long before others, and this book, published in 1999, is still a must read for anyone in marketing today.
3) The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
This classic, one of three by Gladwell (Blink & Outliers are the others), demonstrates how successful products are launched, how ideas spread and how a trend can take off. It's influenced me a great deal, as a word of mouth and social media marketer. And it's an essential read, whether you're in marketing or sales, or just want to become better at getting your ideas to spread.
4) Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap - and Others Don't by Jim Collins
Collins is scientist of great companies - and this is his best work - chock full of case studies and simple yet profound principles like Level 5 Leadership. Even though I read this book when my company was only a handful of employees, it inspired me to want to build something great, and enduring. Whether you work at a large company that has the potential itself to become great and enduring, or you have a vision of a company you'd like to one day build, this is a must-read.
5) Mastering the Rockefeller Habits: What You Must Do to Increase The Value of Your Growing Firm by Verne Harnish
It's hard to believe I even had a business before I read this book by the founder of my favorite business group, Entrepreneurs Organization. Verne's 1-page strategic plan is now used by both companies I've founded, and thousands of other companies. And our management teams use much of the methodology from this book. What's great is that it's both inspirational and quite practical - an excellent read for any entrepreneur or manager at a small business.
7) Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You by John Warrilow
Make no mistake - if you are an owner or leader at a business - this is a great, super valuable read, even if you or your owners have no intention or ever selling the business. The idea isn't to create a business in order to sell it - it's to create a business that has sustaining value beyond you and without you. Warrilow's book is a short, easy story - with powerful, unforgettable lessons - so much so, that after my business partner and I read it, we gave copies to the entire Likeable team to read.
9) The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family: A Leadership Fable About Restoring Sanity to The Most Important Organization in Your Life by Patrick Lencioni
Along with Seth Godin, Patrick Lencioni is my favorite business author. I've read and love The Advantage, Getting Naked, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, and The Five Tempations of a CEO. But the reason I've selected this one as my favorite, is that, as I've written before here, our ultimate legacy isn't our career, but our family. In this book, Lencioni applies his management consulting methodology and brilliant storytelling ability to the running of a family. It's amazing how little strategy most of us parents apply to the most important organization we've got, our families, and this book helps change all that. Six months after my wife and I read this book, I'm proud to report that our family now has a strategic plan, complete with a mission statement, quarterly objectives, and weekly 10-minute meetings. And it's going GREAT.
Written Dave Kerpen
February 11, 2013
If you want to read more, please refer to the link above.
1) What Color is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career Seekers by Richard Bolles
I read this book when I was 21 years old and didn't know what to do with the rest of my life. It helped me go from a Crunch n Munch vendor at the ballpark to a top salesperson at Radio Disney. Ffifteen years later, I have given at least 40 copies away to interns, staff and friends who are searching for their career purpose. It's difficult work - because not only will you read the book, but you'll have to do a lot of exercises and soul searching throughout - but whether you're 21 or 61, you'll emerge with a clearer vision of what you want to do next and where you'll want to work.
2) Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers Into Friends & Friends Into Customers by Seth Godin
No author has influenced me more as a marketer, business person and writer than Seth Godin. I could have easily included 9 books just by Godin - Purple Cow, Tribes, Linchpin, Poke the Box & his latest, Icarus Deception are all amongst my favorites. But Permission Marketing described social media marketing before it existed. Seth understood push-vs-pull marketing long before others, and this book, published in 1999, is still a must read for anyone in marketing today.
3) The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
This classic, one of three by Gladwell (Blink & Outliers are the others), demonstrates how successful products are launched, how ideas spread and how a trend can take off. It's influenced me a great deal, as a word of mouth and social media marketer. And it's an essential read, whether you're in marketing or sales, or just want to become better at getting your ideas to spread.
4) Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap - and Others Don't by Jim Collins
Collins is scientist of great companies - and this is his best work - chock full of case studies and simple yet profound principles like Level 5 Leadership. Even though I read this book when my company was only a handful of employees, it inspired me to want to build something great, and enduring. Whether you work at a large company that has the potential itself to become great and enduring, or you have a vision of a company you'd like to one day build, this is a must-read.
5) Mastering the Rockefeller Habits: What You Must Do to Increase The Value of Your Growing Firm by Verne Harnish
It's hard to believe I even had a business before I read this book by the founder of my favorite business group, Entrepreneurs Organization. Verne's 1-page strategic plan is now used by both companies I've founded, and thousands of other companies. And our management teams use much of the methodology from this book. What's great is that it's both inspirational and quite practical - an excellent read for any entrepreneur or manager at a small business.
6) The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work, and What to Do About It by Michael Gerber
This
is a must read for any small business owner - especially "technical"
owners such as lawyers, accountants, florists, restaurateurs,
consultants and dentists.
Gerber inspires the small business owner to get out of his/her own way,
and to build systems and processes that scale and allow the business
owner to work "on" the business and not "in" the business.7) Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You by John Warrilow
Make no mistake - if you are an owner or leader at a business - this is a great, super valuable read, even if you or your owners have no intention or ever selling the business. The idea isn't to create a business in order to sell it - it's to create a business that has sustaining value beyond you and without you. Warrilow's book is a short, easy story - with powerful, unforgettable lessons - so much so, that after my business partner and I read it, we gave copies to the entire Likeable team to read.
8) Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
No
matter what you do, this easy read will change the way you think about
your work. It is so simply written, with small words and big pictures -
and yet contains profound wisdom about how to be more productive and
successful without being a workaholic or sacrificing anything. I read it
in an hour on a plane, and have since shared it with two dozen
colleagues, and referred back to it myself at least a dozen times.9) The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family: A Leadership Fable About Restoring Sanity to The Most Important Organization in Your Life by Patrick Lencioni
Along with Seth Godin, Patrick Lencioni is my favorite business author. I've read and love The Advantage, Getting Naked, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, and The Five Tempations of a CEO. But the reason I've selected this one as my favorite, is that, as I've written before here, our ultimate legacy isn't our career, but our family. In this book, Lencioni applies his management consulting methodology and brilliant storytelling ability to the running of a family. It's amazing how little strategy most of us parents apply to the most important organization we've got, our families, and this book helps change all that. Six months after my wife and I read this book, I'm proud to report that our family now has a strategic plan, complete with a mission statement, quarterly objectives, and weekly 10-minute meetings. And it's going GREAT.
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