Sunday, February 28, 2010
Leadership
Leadership is having the tenacity and conviction to pursue your vision on a daily basis and solicit others to help in that endeavor. http://edwardknab.blogspot.com/
Monday, February 22, 2010
Positive Benefits
Over the years I've done a lot of research on the positive effects of being positive and the negative affects of being negative. The research is clear. It really does pay to be positive and the benefits include enhanced health and longevity, happiness, career advancement, athletic performance, team building and financial success. Being positive is not just a nice way to live. It’s the way to live. In this spirit here are 11 benefits of being positive.
1. Positive People Live Longer - In a study of nuns, those that regularly expressed positive emotions lived on average 10 years longer. (The Nun Study)
2. Positive work environments outperform negative work environments. (Daniel Goleman)
3. Positive, optimistic sales people sell more than pessimistic sales people. (Martin Seligman)
4. Positive leaders are able to make better decisions under pressure. (Heartmath.org)
5. Marriages are much more likely to succeed
when the couple experiences a 5 to 1 ratio of positive to negative interactions whereas when the ratio approaches 1 to 1, marriages are more likely to end in divorce. (John Gottman)
6. Positive people who regularly express positive emotions are more resilient when facing stress, challenges and adversity. (Several Studies)
7. Positive people are able to maintain a broader perspective and see the big picture which helps them identify solutions where as negative people maintain a narrower perspective and tend to focus on problems. (Barbara Fredrickson)
8. Positive thoughts and emotions counter the negative effects of stress. For example, you can't be thankful and stressed at the same time. (Several Studies)
9. Positive emotions such as gratitude and appreciation help athletes perform at a higher level. (Heartmath.org)
10. Positive people have more friends which is a key factor of happiness and longevity. (Robert D. Putnam
11. Positive and popular leaders are more likely to garner the support of others and receive pay raises and promotions and achieve greater success in the workplace. (Several Studies)
1. Positive People Live Longer - In a study of nuns, those that regularly expressed positive emotions lived on average 10 years longer. (The Nun Study)
2. Positive work environments outperform negative work environments. (Daniel Goleman)
3. Positive, optimistic sales people sell more than pessimistic sales people. (Martin Seligman)
4. Positive leaders are able to make better decisions under pressure. (Heartmath.org)
5. Marriages are much more likely to succeed
when the couple experiences a 5 to 1 ratio of positive to negative interactions whereas when the ratio approaches 1 to 1, marriages are more likely to end in divorce. (John Gottman)
6. Positive people who regularly express positive emotions are more resilient when facing stress, challenges and adversity. (Several Studies)
7. Positive people are able to maintain a broader perspective and see the big picture which helps them identify solutions where as negative people maintain a narrower perspective and tend to focus on problems. (Barbara Fredrickson)
8. Positive thoughts and emotions counter the negative effects of stress. For example, you can't be thankful and stressed at the same time. (Several Studies)
9. Positive emotions such as gratitude and appreciation help athletes perform at a higher level. (Heartmath.org)
10. Positive people have more friends which is a key factor of happiness and longevity. (Robert D. Putnam
11. Positive and popular leaders are more likely to garner the support of others and receive pay raises and promotions and achieve greater success in the workplace. (Several Studies)
Positive Benefits
Over the years I've done a lot of research on the positive effects of being positive and the negative affects of being negative. The research is clear. It really does pay to be positive and the benefits include enhanced health and longevity, happiness, career advancement, athletic performance, team building and financial success. Being positive is not just a nice way to live. It’s the way to live. In this spirit here are 11 benefits of being positive.
1. Positive People Live Longer - In a study of nuns, those that regularly expressed positive emotions lived on average 10 years longer. (The Nun Study)
2. Positive work environments outperform negative work environments. (Daniel Goleman)
3. Positive, optimistic sales people sell more than pessimistic sales people. (Martin Seligman)
4. Positive leaders are able to make better decisions under pressure. (Heartmath.org)
5. Marriages are much more likely to succeed when the couple experiences a 5 to 1 ratio of positive to negative interactions whereas when the ratio approaches 1 to 1, marriages are more likely to end in divorce. (John Gottman)
6. Positive people who regularly express positive emotions are more resilient when facing stress, challenges and adversity. (Several Studies)
7. Positive people are able to maintain a broader perspective and see the big picture which helps them identify solutions where as negative people maintain a narrower perspective and tend to focus on problems. (Barbara Fredrickson)
8. Positive thoughts and emotions counter the negative effects of stress. For example, you can't be thankful and stressed at the same time. (Several Studies)
9. Positive emotions such as gratitude and appreciation help athletes perform at a higher level. (Heartmath.org)
10. Positive people have more friends which is a key factor of happiness and longevity. (Robert D. Putnam Positive and popular leaders are more likely to garner the support of others and receive pay raises and promotions and achieve greater success in the workplace. (Several Studies)
1. Positive People Live Longer - In a study of nuns, those that regularly expressed positive emotions lived on average 10 years longer. (The Nun Study)
2. Positive work environments outperform negative work environments. (Daniel Goleman)
3. Positive, optimistic sales people sell more than pessimistic sales people. (Martin Seligman)
4. Positive leaders are able to make better decisions under pressure. (Heartmath.org)
5. Marriages are much more likely to succeed when the couple experiences a 5 to 1 ratio of positive to negative interactions whereas when the ratio approaches 1 to 1, marriages are more likely to end in divorce. (John Gottman)
6. Positive people who regularly express positive emotions are more resilient when facing stress, challenges and adversity. (Several Studies)
7. Positive people are able to maintain a broader perspective and see the big picture which helps them identify solutions where as negative people maintain a narrower perspective and tend to focus on problems. (Barbara Fredrickson)
8. Positive thoughts and emotions counter the negative effects of stress. For example, you can't be thankful and stressed at the same time. (Several Studies)
9. Positive emotions such as gratitude and appreciation help athletes perform at a higher level. (Heartmath.org)
10. Positive people have more friends which is a key factor of happiness and longevity. (Robert D. Putnam Positive and popular leaders are more likely to garner the support of others and receive pay raises and promotions and achieve greater success in the workplace. (Several Studies)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Why do 40% of New Leaders Fail?
Why do 40% of New Leaders Fail?
Laptop_airport Most executives think it is important to "go it alone" due to their belief in the myth of individualism; they hold tightly to the idea that everyone succeeds or fails on the basis of individual efforts and abilities.
This assumption is so powerful that when an alternative view is suggested (that success depends on our relationships with others as much as it does on us) the usual reaction is denial. Denial of the role of relationships in the executive's success preserves the self-enhancing illusion that we are masters of our own fates and, therefore, deserving of all the credit for our successes.
The myth of individualism can negatively affect our chances for success.
Consider that four out of ten newly promoted managers and executives fail within 18 months of starting new jobs, according to research by Manchester, Inc, a leadership development firm in Bala Cynwyd, PA. "Failing" includes being terminated for performance, performing significantly below expectations or voluntarily resigning from the new position. When newly recruited, the following types of executives experienced the highest failure rates within the first 18 months: senior-level executives (39%), sales executives (30%), marketing executives (25%), and operations executives (23%).
Here are the major reasons for failure in the new job:
They fail to establish a cultural fit……………......................75%
They fail to build teamwork with staff and peers…...........…52%
They are unclear about what their bosses expect….............33%
They don't have the required internal political savvy…..........25%
There's no process to assimilate executives into the firm…...22%
Two out of every five new CEOs fail in the first 18 months (HBR, January 2005).
During the second half of 1999, when statistics began to be compiled, nearly 270 chief executives were forced to leave their companies or simply resigned, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the Chicago-based outplacement firm that follows employment issues. Since then, the pace has quickened--in 2004, 663 chief executives departed and turnover doubled to 1,322 in 2005, according to the firm.
CEOs are now lasting just 7.6 years in office on a global average, down from 9.5 years in 1995, according to consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton.
Leaders often fail for a few common reasons: due to unclear or outsized expectations, a failure to build partnerships with key stakeholders, a failure to learn the company, industry or the job itself fast enough, a failure to determine the process for gaining commitments from direct reports and a failure to recognize and manage the impact of change on people.
Focusherenow_22 Executive onboarding coaching of the newly recruited or promoted executive can turnaround this high rate of failure.
February 13, 2010 in Career , Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Failure, Leadership, Myths | Permalink ShareThis
Technorati Tags: common failure reasons, failure to build partnerships, failure to gain commitments, failure to manage change, leadership failures
Laptop_airport Most executives think it is important to "go it alone" due to their belief in the myth of individualism; they hold tightly to the idea that everyone succeeds or fails on the basis of individual efforts and abilities.
This assumption is so powerful that when an alternative view is suggested (that success depends on our relationships with others as much as it does on us) the usual reaction is denial. Denial of the role of relationships in the executive's success preserves the self-enhancing illusion that we are masters of our own fates and, therefore, deserving of all the credit for our successes.
The myth of individualism can negatively affect our chances for success.
Consider that four out of ten newly promoted managers and executives fail within 18 months of starting new jobs, according to research by Manchester, Inc, a leadership development firm in Bala Cynwyd, PA. "Failing" includes being terminated for performance, performing significantly below expectations or voluntarily resigning from the new position. When newly recruited, the following types of executives experienced the highest failure rates within the first 18 months: senior-level executives (39%), sales executives (30%), marketing executives (25%), and operations executives (23%).
Here are the major reasons for failure in the new job:
They fail to establish a cultural fit……………......................75%
They fail to build teamwork with staff and peers…...........…52%
They are unclear about what their bosses expect….............33%
They don't have the required internal political savvy…..........25%
There's no process to assimilate executives into the firm…...22%
Two out of every five new CEOs fail in the first 18 months (HBR, January 2005).
During the second half of 1999, when statistics began to be compiled, nearly 270 chief executives were forced to leave their companies or simply resigned, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the Chicago-based outplacement firm that follows employment issues. Since then, the pace has quickened--in 2004, 663 chief executives departed and turnover doubled to 1,322 in 2005, according to the firm.
CEOs are now lasting just 7.6 years in office on a global average, down from 9.5 years in 1995, according to consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton.
Leaders often fail for a few common reasons: due to unclear or outsized expectations, a failure to build partnerships with key stakeholders, a failure to learn the company, industry or the job itself fast enough, a failure to determine the process for gaining commitments from direct reports and a failure to recognize and manage the impact of change on people.
Focusherenow_22 Executive onboarding coaching of the newly recruited or promoted executive can turnaround this high rate of failure.
February 13, 2010 in Career , Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Failure, Leadership, Myths | Permalink ShareThis
Technorati Tags: common failure reasons, failure to build partnerships, failure to gain commitments, failure to manage change, leadership failures
9 Things You Must Absolutely Do To Having Winning Relationships At Work:
9 Things You Must Absolutely Do To Having Winning Relationships At Work:
1. Act Like a Human
Organizations run by a closed group of executives hovering above in the "C - suite" are falling. Leading Without A Title, where everyone is a key player is the new way to win in business. This fresh method of leading means that leaders not only master the essential skills but also understand how to act human. You can't treat human beings like capital - you will lose your greatest talent.
Acting human engages people - human engagement facilitates others towards their brilliance. A refreshing burst of humanity at the office outlasts and outshines the paycheck, the office with the view, or driving the company car. As the lights go out on the stage of old-school leadership, acting human is your game-changing solution.
2. Be One of the Few Who Perfect the Endangered Craft
It's an amazing time to be alive. Revolutionary technological innovation to enhance our lives, freedom of choice to create the life you love, and the daily opportunity to choose from an endless list of beautiful rewards. Yet an insatiable hunger still lingers inside each one of us - the hunger to be heard. I'm talking about the transformative experience that happens when someone truly listens and totally gets where you are at. I'm talking about listening at the level you feel like the listener is hanging onto each one of your words like they are the most important words in the world.
The new leadership is all about relationships with people. And you can't relate without listening. It's impossible. Yet engaged listening is a craft rarely mastered by leaders. You can have the most competent leader in the world, but if he doesn't listen his leadership potential will go unrealized.
Feeding the hunger to be heard brings out the best in people. People will trust you, respect you and shatter their limitations for you when you give them the gift of listening.
3. Be Scarce
We tend to value that which is scarce. We put a premium on objects and experiences we believe will run out: a Limited edition Gucci Ronson sneaker, a two week showing of Michael Jackson's This Is It. Reserve wine. We are impacted and motivated most by that which we don't come across everyday or that which comes in a limited supply. If you are seeking to create long term loyalty in your business relationships, ask yourself what is noticeably scarce? Is it generosity? Authenticity? Encouragement? Spot the scarcity and rock it.
4. Be the Most Positive Person in the Room
Today there is perpetual buzz about the state of the economy, the shock of once-admired organizations collapsing before our eyes and the alarming daily rate of bankruptcy. Yes this is current reality however, focusing relentlessly on negativity is subscribing to failure.
Powerful leaders neutralize the infectious cycle of negativity; they deploy hope where it's seemingly forsaken. Enlisting yourself as the most positive person in the room breaks the binds of negativity. Change the music and people will either stop dancing or start dancing a new step. Either way, it will set a precedence - "negativity is what everybody else is doing - we are the organization that refuses its limitations." Utilize the power of positivity to step up and make today better than yesterday.
5. Go Bigger than Your Paycheck
Just when we thought Apple couldn't wow us anymore they showcased innovation with the iPad, the tablet computer. Amazing. You might not love the design but you have to love how Apple delivers surprise above and beyond. Have the audacity to go bigger than your role. If a colleague is struggling to meet a deadline or lagging in productivity, don't be the first to point out the deficiency, be the first to roll up your sleeves and do whatever it takes to help out. Knock the status quo "it's not my job" to its knees and do more than you are paid for.
6. Be the Perfect Investment
When it comes to your relationships, be a dream investment: low cost with exceptional high return. Prove to be a no gossip, no games, no regrets, no maintenance investment of other people's time and focus. Manage yourself with others at the highest level possible - a.k.a with grace.
7. Get Naked in Your Conversations
Make your conversations count. Speak with candor. Brave the real issue. Say only that which is helpful: don't use your words to criticize or divide. Anybody can do that. Be radically honest, define reality. Trust is born out of the truth. Sloganeering and masking the truth breeds mistrust and disrespect. Go to the difficult truths and people will go the mile with you.
8. Get Famous for Reliability
Next time a teammate or department is unexpectedly riding the wild rapids, be the person out in the water risking the rapids with them. Become known for acts of reliability.
Every single person needs to take ownership of the organization's results. Everyone needs to take responsibility for what does or does not get accomplished in a day. Anyone can reach success if they consistently do the right things. Reliability, no matter what, is the right thing. Reliability translates into ownership and taking ownership is a way to present yourself as a leader.
9. Turn Everyone Into a Cover Story
Commit to noticing everyone. The young new associate in the elevator on Monday morning, the CFO's assistant, the receptionist, the customers, the interns... Remember everyone's contributions, what's important to her, what he does well, and what makes everyone smile. Everyone is worthy of being the next cover story and leaders show it.
1. Act Like a Human
Organizations run by a closed group of executives hovering above in the "C - suite" are falling. Leading Without A Title, where everyone is a key player is the new way to win in business. This fresh method of leading means that leaders not only master the essential skills but also understand how to act human. You can't treat human beings like capital - you will lose your greatest talent.
Acting human engages people - human engagement facilitates others towards their brilliance. A refreshing burst of humanity at the office outlasts and outshines the paycheck, the office with the view, or driving the company car. As the lights go out on the stage of old-school leadership, acting human is your game-changing solution.
2. Be One of the Few Who Perfect the Endangered Craft
It's an amazing time to be alive. Revolutionary technological innovation to enhance our lives, freedom of choice to create the life you love, and the daily opportunity to choose from an endless list of beautiful rewards. Yet an insatiable hunger still lingers inside each one of us - the hunger to be heard. I'm talking about the transformative experience that happens when someone truly listens and totally gets where you are at. I'm talking about listening at the level you feel like the listener is hanging onto each one of your words like they are the most important words in the world.
The new leadership is all about relationships with people. And you can't relate without listening. It's impossible. Yet engaged listening is a craft rarely mastered by leaders. You can have the most competent leader in the world, but if he doesn't listen his leadership potential will go unrealized.
Feeding the hunger to be heard brings out the best in people. People will trust you, respect you and shatter their limitations for you when you give them the gift of listening.
3. Be Scarce
We tend to value that which is scarce. We put a premium on objects and experiences we believe will run out: a Limited edition Gucci Ronson sneaker, a two week showing of Michael Jackson's This Is It. Reserve wine. We are impacted and motivated most by that which we don't come across everyday or that which comes in a limited supply. If you are seeking to create long term loyalty in your business relationships, ask yourself what is noticeably scarce? Is it generosity? Authenticity? Encouragement? Spot the scarcity and rock it.
4. Be the Most Positive Person in the Room
Today there is perpetual buzz about the state of the economy, the shock of once-admired organizations collapsing before our eyes and the alarming daily rate of bankruptcy. Yes this is current reality however, focusing relentlessly on negativity is subscribing to failure.
Powerful leaders neutralize the infectious cycle of negativity; they deploy hope where it's seemingly forsaken. Enlisting yourself as the most positive person in the room breaks the binds of negativity. Change the music and people will either stop dancing or start dancing a new step. Either way, it will set a precedence - "negativity is what everybody else is doing - we are the organization that refuses its limitations." Utilize the power of positivity to step up and make today better than yesterday.
5. Go Bigger than Your Paycheck
Just when we thought Apple couldn't wow us anymore they showcased innovation with the iPad, the tablet computer. Amazing. You might not love the design but you have to love how Apple delivers surprise above and beyond. Have the audacity to go bigger than your role. If a colleague is struggling to meet a deadline or lagging in productivity, don't be the first to point out the deficiency, be the first to roll up your sleeves and do whatever it takes to help out. Knock the status quo "it's not my job" to its knees and do more than you are paid for.
6. Be the Perfect Investment
When it comes to your relationships, be a dream investment: low cost with exceptional high return. Prove to be a no gossip, no games, no regrets, no maintenance investment of other people's time and focus. Manage yourself with others at the highest level possible - a.k.a with grace.
7. Get Naked in Your Conversations
Make your conversations count. Speak with candor. Brave the real issue. Say only that which is helpful: don't use your words to criticize or divide. Anybody can do that. Be radically honest, define reality. Trust is born out of the truth. Sloganeering and masking the truth breeds mistrust and disrespect. Go to the difficult truths and people will go the mile with you.
8. Get Famous for Reliability
Next time a teammate or department is unexpectedly riding the wild rapids, be the person out in the water risking the rapids with them. Become known for acts of reliability.
Every single person needs to take ownership of the organization's results. Everyone needs to take responsibility for what does or does not get accomplished in a day. Anyone can reach success if they consistently do the right things. Reliability, no matter what, is the right thing. Reliability translates into ownership and taking ownership is a way to present yourself as a leader.
9. Turn Everyone Into a Cover Story
Commit to noticing everyone. The young new associate in the elevator on Monday morning, the CFO's assistant, the receptionist, the customers, the interns... Remember everyone's contributions, what's important to her, what he does well, and what makes everyone smile. Everyone is worthy of being the next cover story and leaders show it.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Whatever you want!
Whatever You Want
A few years ago I ate lunch at Aqua Grill, a restaurant near my house. While there I met the owner, Cary Hart, and told him I had food allergies. I asked him if he could customize a dish for me without eggs since I’m allergic to them. He said, "Whatever you want Jon. Whatever you want." I told him I loved hearing that and he said, “That's my philosophy. I just walk around the restaurant telling customers, Whatever you want. Whatever you want. Whatever you want. You don't want to pay. That's fine. Whatever you want.” :)
We had a good laugh but Cary's customer service was no laughing matter. I go there all the time and have bought hundreds of meals because I know when I go there I'll get what I want. It’s no wonder that Aqua Grill has been open for 20 years while every week it seems another restaurant in my area has opened and closed.
I found the same service at Pappasito's in the Houston airport while coming home from speaking at the Texas Children's Hospital. I was starving but not too hungry to walk to the other side of the airport to go to Pappasito’s. Javier is the manager there and when I asked him if I could get the Fish Tacos grilled instead of battered with egg he said, "It will take a little longer but if you have the time I’d be glad to do it.” Code words for "Whatever you want.” Javier and Pappasito’s believe in satisfying their customers and that's why I eat there every time I'm in the Houston airport, which is often.
Success is simple. Give customers what they want and they'll come back. You don't have to give away the house. In fact Aqua Grill and Pappasito's cost a little more than their nearby competition but they are busier and more successful.
Great service and getting things “your way” is something a lot of people, including me, will pay for in any economy. If you provide great service and make it the goal of everyone in your organization to satisfy your customers they will keep coming back and invite their friends and colleagues (who knows, they may even write newsletters about you that reach a lot of people).
Your job is to serve your customers and give them what they want. If you don’t, someone else will.
A few years ago I ate lunch at Aqua Grill, a restaurant near my house. While there I met the owner, Cary Hart, and told him I had food allergies. I asked him if he could customize a dish for me without eggs since I’m allergic to them. He said, "Whatever you want Jon. Whatever you want." I told him I loved hearing that and he said, “That's my philosophy. I just walk around the restaurant telling customers, Whatever you want. Whatever you want. Whatever you want. You don't want to pay. That's fine. Whatever you want.” :)
We had a good laugh but Cary's customer service was no laughing matter. I go there all the time and have bought hundreds of meals because I know when I go there I'll get what I want. It’s no wonder that Aqua Grill has been open for 20 years while every week it seems another restaurant in my area has opened and closed.
I found the same service at Pappasito's in the Houston airport while coming home from speaking at the Texas Children's Hospital. I was starving but not too hungry to walk to the other side of the airport to go to Pappasito’s. Javier is the manager there and when I asked him if I could get the Fish Tacos grilled instead of battered with egg he said, "It will take a little longer but if you have the time I’d be glad to do it.” Code words for "Whatever you want.” Javier and Pappasito’s believe in satisfying their customers and that's why I eat there every time I'm in the Houston airport, which is often.
Success is simple. Give customers what they want and they'll come back. You don't have to give away the house. In fact Aqua Grill and Pappasito's cost a little more than their nearby competition but they are busier and more successful.
Great service and getting things “your way” is something a lot of people, including me, will pay for in any economy. If you provide great service and make it the goal of everyone in your organization to satisfy your customers they will keep coming back and invite their friends and colleagues (who knows, they may even write newsletters about you that reach a lot of people).
Your job is to serve your customers and give them what they want. If you don’t, someone else will.
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