Whelmed

I’m not a big fan of leaders who do not inspire others. That may not be fair; but candidly, I do not care. Serving as a leader, at least to me, requires some level of connection to the broader team (peers, superiors, subordinates) beyond simple authority.

That connection signals you are not only working hard, but you have something engaging about your leadership style that shows others around you that you are worth paying attention to…and following.

Being knowledgeable is obviously important, but is that the most important part of effective leadership? Maybe not. The best leaders I’ve worked for had a fire inside. They made me want to do more, take on more projects, stretch myself, and think bigger about my future. Imagine if everyone you worked with felt the same way? How would your organization perform?

We’ve all worked with leaders who are decent people, know generally what to do and how to do it, yet there is something missing. They could easily be one of a thousand other nondescript leaders.

They are…whelming.

Don’t be them. Find your voice. Get fired up about your people…your organization…your path forward.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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Forge Something New

I like to think I'm a reasonably well-adjusted adult with a good perspective on the world of work after more than twenty-five years in leadership. I believe I have something to offer both my organization, and the clients I serve.

I like to think I know what to do…but I’m not entirely sure sometimes.

Maybe that feeling hits you too?

Sometimes.

Feeling a bit stuck is not unusual for leaders at any stage of their career. Wondering if the effort, stress and pressure is worth the trouble is a common mental journey we all take from time to time. Add the anxiety of making the right decision at the right moment and you have a recipe for a leadership break down.

Having someone to connect with, to work through current challenges, and plan a path forward to advance your career is a normal, and candidly, healthy way to build your professional life.

I’ve never been more passionate about the opportunity leaders have today. Think about it…the world is in absolute turmoil…work rules have changed…employee expectations of their employers have changed…and leaders are the ones who can grab hold of all of this and forge something completely new.

Let’s connect and talk about how you are going to transform…for real…yourself and your organization.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

Artificial Intelligence and Me

"The upheavals [of artificial intelligence] can escalate quickly and become scarier and even cataclysmic. 

Imagine how a medical robot originally programmed to rid cancer, could conclude that the best way to obliterate cancer is to exterminate humans who are genetically prone to the disease."
- Nick Bilton, tech columnist wrote in the New York Times

What Is Going On Out There
Okay...Nick's view on AI may be a bit much, but that doesn't mean that taking the deep dive into the world of artificial intelligence isn't a potentially risky endeavor.

Consider what's at stake in your world:
- your employer brand integrity
- consistent messaging and tone
- avoidance of potential discriminatory issues
- and needless mistakes being made over and over again

As you consider stepping into the world of AI in your HR organization, can you honestly say that you trust the technology solutions you are considering rolling out?

Who tested them?
What is their full / limited functionality?
Are you prepared to trust the results of the AI 'work' done in place of a human?

I'm Fired Up
As for me, I am absolutely fired up about what AI will mean for me in 2019! 

We are rolling out cutting edge tools that we have confidence will deliver for our clients.

In just the last few months major milestones have been achieved with a variety of solutions that move from basic clunky 'tech' to actual operationalized AI.

That is exciting stuff!

How About You
Is your CEO asking you about AI? What is your answer? Are you prepared to deliver in a world that is accelerating faster than ever? 

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.
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New Year, Old Challenge

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward."
- Amelia Earhart

The start of each year is often filled with self-reflection, motivation to create change, or a list of 'goals' for the months ahead.

Perhaps this year, we should all focus on one simple task in our work lives...

...making decisions.

Indecisive leaders are perhaps the most frustrating, ineffective, and candidly useless members of the team. 

They don't add value, because they never make a decision. 

They don't command respect because no one is really sure where they stand on the issues. 

And, they don't instill confidence in their teams because their employees see the fear of failure in their eyes every single day.

How About You
Which leader in your organization do you need to reach out to this year to help make the decisions required in their role? Go to them today. Have an open and honest conversation...and help them realize their full potential this year.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Your Career Site Is A Retention Tool

A job list.

That is literally what your "career" site is. A simple, boring, ineffective list of current open positions.

Oh, wait. You might have a picture of a smiling beautiful person who doesn't work at your company on your "site" too. Nice touch. I'm sure that will bring in the qualified applicants!

Content (hint, your employees sharing their stories)
Their is a reason that you hear employer branding and content so frequently relative to recruitment. It's how you represent yourself in 2017 to prospective employees. What is often not said however, is that employer branding can move the needle on retention as well.

Think about it. A robust employer brand / recruitment marketing strategy uses current employees constantly to spread the good news about the employer. Highlighting your own employees (instead of those 'models') on your career site is a very public form of recognition.

Sure, the certificates you hand out thanking people for being awesome are a sure-fire strategy; but maybe interviewing them for a blog post or video that could reach the entire universe is a bit more impactful? 

Are you with me?

Retain First, Recruit Second
Have any of you ever said this phrase..."our employees are our most important asset." Of course you have... WE ALL HAVE!

Except, how many of us highlight our employees on our digital properties to make sure we keep the best ones, and attract the ones we need like they do and they do?

Anyone?

When you put your people on your careers page, loaded with stories, engaging photographs and videos, you send a powerful message that your employees literally are your most important asset.

How About You
Are you ready to start retaining your people, and show potential applicants that you are the most progressive employer in your industry? What are you waiting for? I'm ready to help you!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Market Garden Leadership

I hear a lot of big talk from leaders. Epic plans! Grandiose statements about "doing this" and "delivering on that!" 

Big talk is important. It can inspire others to follow you. It can motivate teams to take that extra risk to achieve breakthrough results. It can be...something special.

It can also be a colossal failure.

Plan the Big Talk
I've tried lots of bold strategies in my career. Some were wildly successful, and others....well...not so much. One phrase, however, proved to be true in each scenario whether it was a winning idea or a losing one: preparation and execution.

The common trap of over-preparation often leads to inaction, which I've railed against many times before on this blog. We can never be fully prepared; rather, we just have to be as prepared as possibly without delaying the second half of this phrase.

Execution.

Execute (and monitor closely) the Big Talk
Simply putting together a good plan is not even remotely close to actually leading the effort. High success rates require leaders understand what is happening, recognize when the situation starts to drift from the original intent, and most importantly, not be afraid to jump in and literally lead the project across the finish line.

Too many leaders cower in fear when the anticipated outcome is "suddenly" at risk. They freeze up hoping to blame others instead of making real-time decisions to keep things moving forward.

Oh, how arrogance and fear get in the way of success!

How About You
When have you seen a leader struggle with the execution of a plan? Have they frozen in place when that plan seemed to be in jeopardy; or, did they have the resolve to pivot and personally ensure the correct decisions were made?

What did you do while they struggled? Did you jump in to help...or, stand idly by?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Pick Up the Full Armor

Leadership in the digital age is a curious thing. On one hand we try to inspire, motivate, and encourage other leaders to be as impactful as possible. We share positive images from our lives, we call each other out, we push ourselves...all wrapped in an online presentation that seems...just right.

Sometimes Things Go Wrong
Despite all the effort we put into sharing our world online, sometimes that world turns upside down.

Who is to blame?
Why did it happen?
What will happen next?
What should happen next?

My world is no different than yours. Once in a while something happens that gets me all worked up. It's frustrating. It's usually unnecessary. It's always a pain in the neck to resolve.

But, it always gets resolved.
Always.

The Most Important Part
Getting things fixed is not always easy. But for most of us, we are not performing brain surgery. We are not responding to a domestic violence call that could turn deadly. We are not on the front-line of a war zone wondering if today will be our last.

We are blessed to have jobs that allow us to not not only be challenged with problems, but we can also resolve them for our organizations; and in so doing, make our organizations even better than they were previously.

It only happens if we are willing to put on the armor and go into our own "battles."

It can only be successful if we are willing to be fully engaged in understanding our role, and then making decisions to keep things moving forward.

It will only matter, if we elevate our leadership presence to one that is passionate and driven and unwavering on the quest to be world-class.

How About You
Do you need to pick up the full armor this week and make a difference? You are not alone. 

The need for bold leadership is everywhere, particularly when life isn't all unicorns and rainbows. Now, get after it!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Be Relentless

"I don't care how good you think you are, or how great others think you are - you can improve, and you will. 

Being relentless means demanding more of yourself than anyone else could ever demand of you, knowing that every time you stop, you can still do more. 

You must do more. The minute your mind thinks, "Done," your instincts say "Next."
- Tim Grover

Career
How are you going to be relentless in your career? Is it playing it safe, avoiding risk like so many of your colleagues around the conference room table? Or, is there another door waiting for you to kick open?

Safe = Death

With so many changes, pressures, and expectations on leaders in today's world of work, taking the same old tired path of safety and excuses is unacceptable. 

There is only one option...so what are you waiting for?

Personal
Finding the proper balance between our professional and personal lives is a never ending challenge. The solution is not as complicated as you might think.

Commit to connecting with those you love on a very regular basis (daily, weekly.) Call, visit, text, facetime, tweet, or spend time with them....it doesn't matter how you do it...just make sure they hear from you no matter what. 

Fitness and Nutrition
This might be the most difficult because society has basically allowed us to default to an endless list of excuses so we can avoid being healthy, and eat piles of garbage on our couches night after night.

Stop it. Download MyFitnessPal, start tracking what you put in your body, and for God's sake get up and move each day.

When was the last time you took the stairs and didn't feel like dying after one flight? 

How About You
Life is an amazing adventure...and we can achieve so much more than we ever thought possible. However, corporate cultures, society, and the obsession with "busyness" has created the myth that a relentless attitude is somehow odd.

I'm calling BS on that. Being relentless is the only way to live.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Propaganda, Culture & Employer Brand

You spend so much time telling me your culture and people are the most valuable assets of your organization....but you don't round, you don't invest precious resources in employees, and you spend your whole day in meetings claiming to be busy.

You don't have the culture you think you do.

Your turnover hasn't improved in a meaningful way for years

You don't dare take risks to move your organization from old school to a cutting edge contemporary company...but...

...you care about your organization and your employees.

Please. Stop. Talking.
All of this has happened on your watch.

If you believe that your press releases, HR policies, and "Memos to Staff" are even remotely based on how your employees, and potential employees view your organization you are kidding yourself.

You can not hide from reality.
You can not hide from indecision.
You can not hide from how the world sees you.

Please. Start. Doing.
Here's the good news. You have the ability, today, to turn your excuses into a well thought out plan of action. It will require effort. It will require perceived risk...and it will require your leadership.

No one else can do it but you.

Step One
Take a look at your value statements, your messages to your employees, and (if you have anything) the messages to prospective candidates about your organization on your career site.

Now, align your behavior, the time on your calendar, and the words you use with your colleagues to match these messages.

Step Two
Build a comprehensive employer brand strategy to immediately begin using your employees as both retention and talent attraction tools.

Step Three
Ignore the noise. Your senior leadership colleagues will not understand what you're doing. Your Marketing department will feel incredibly threatened because they will have no idea what you're doing either.

Keep pushing. Only you can make this happen. 

It will be lonely...and nerve-wracking...and...

...IT WILL WORK!

How About You
Are you ready to finally get rid of all of those tired excuses you've been using since the 1990s?

There is a reason HR does not get the respect it deserves, and that starts with us.

You can do it...and I will help you if you need me.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Simple, Not Easy

I've attended many leadership development classes. I've facilitated hundreds of hours of them too. In addition, conferences have been a regular part of my life for years as an attendee and speaker, and I've sought out the leadership-oriented sessions at every opportunity.

Through it all, the various approaches discussed, models I presented, and the themes about effective leadership behaviors all seemed so...

simple.

Why Are We Still Talking About This
So why are we still struggling to move from all of the talk about effective leadership, to workplace cultures that have world class leaders with employees lined up to join their teams?

Anyone?

The answer actually is quite simple...

...leadership is hard. 

All of the wisdom, case studies, models, encouragement, examples, and fancy jargon are incredibly useful up to the point where we have to do something. It's the "doing" that is so damn hard. 

If we think about practicing a musical instrument for hours, it still feels very different when we take the stage and perform in front of a crowd. 

If we think about practicing a sport for hours, it still feels different when we step on the ice or court to play in front of a crowd.

And when we lead people, it is very different from "practicing" in an artificial classroom setting.

How About You
What approach do you take to transition from the simple messages around effective leadership behavior and turn them into your leadership practice? Would your employees tell me you are doing a good job; or, is there some room for humility, and then improvement?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Bleed the Fifth

"If you are a boss, ask yourself: When you look back at how you've treated followers, peers, and superiors, in their eyes, will you have earned the right to be proud of yourself? Or will they believe that you ought to be ashamed of yourself and be embarrassed by how you have trampled others' dignity day after day?"
- Robert I. Sutton

Fear
For those that believe they are "great leaders" and have so much experience and "always know the answers" I have some bad news for you.

You have created a corporate culture rife with fear. 

Yes you have. 

Your arrogance and "coaching" are not perceived the way you've convinced yourself that they are. Your teams are not being honest with you, they are worried about losing their jobs, and the fact that you are "always right" simply adds fuel to the culture bonfire you've created.

You Can't Change
Well, maybe you can change. But I suspect it will be the most difficult thing you've ever done in your career, and here's why.

You have to actively infuse humility into who you are as a leader.

I'm not talking about dropping a bunch of leadership jargon on the team. I'm not talking about employee feedback sessions that you facilitate and get the comments that you were expecting all along.

Newsflash! They are not going to tell you their truth. They will continue to bleed quietly and "accept" your reality.

As the high value team members slip away, and you continue to behave in the exact same way year after year, it makes me wonder how much longer the tired excuses can be used to justify the same results?

How About You
What would it take for you to really change your style? Perhaps if you were threatened with your position? Maybe if you publicly fell flat on your face and your team, despite their feelings about how you treat them, rallied to support you?

What would it take for you to get over yourself?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Vulnerability - A New Leadership Competency

I've been working for a long time. Well, actually, for a really long time, and most of that has been in leadership. Some of the "virtues" of leadership I learned early on were to never show weakness or be indecisive, because...

weakness = career over
indecisive = zero respect

I'm guessing that mindset is not unique to the healthcare industry.

However, I would suggest there is a different competency out there that is a far cry from the commonplace failings of weakness and the inability to make a decision.

Vulnerability.
- "open to criticism"

New Leaders
Once upon a time I was a new leader eager to climb the corporate health system ladder. I wanted to try new approaches, use new technologies, and take risks. For some reason I've always been enamored with risk!

...which doesn't make me sound like an HR guy...but whatever...

What I often ran into though was a large group of old-school leaders: bright, successful people who had no interest in doing anything differently, ever.

I quickly grew frustrated with what turned out to be my perception of these folks...what they considered their "strengths" I considered to be an "out of touch" view. What they thought of as "steady and consistent" I soon labeled as "stale."

Fast forward to today...am I'm asking myself if the young leaders in the world of work look at you and me that way?

Are we out of touch and stale?

New Expectations
I'm convinced now more than ever that not only is effective leadership about staying current with industry trends, technology, and employee expectations as they shift and modulate over time. But also to show something else...

...our vulnerable side.

How many of us equate being vulnerable with weakness? 
How many of us see a direct link between loss of credibility and being vulnerable?
How many of us are obsessed with maintaining our perceived power as leaders?

Consider the impact of being real and showing our human side to the employees in our organizations. Do you think they will connect with us more? Might they see beyond our fancy job title and lofty position on the maze of boxes on the org chart?

Maybe, just maybe, they will believe in us and want to stay and be part of something special.

How About You
How do you show your human side at work? Perhaps embracing vulnerability, and leveraging it as a true leadership competency is the missing piece in your approach.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Give Me Your Soul

Loyal - "unswerving in allegiance"

Then
There was a time when employees were thankful to have a good job, working for a good company, one that would 'take care' of them for the duration of their career. It seems to me however, there was an imbalance between the organization and the employees who worked hard for those companies to grow and prosper.

It's as if the popular mindset of employers as all-powerful beings that controlled one's entire future was real. Did those loyal employees actually feel that way; or, was it some sort of cultural power play that tricked employees into believing they had to feel loyal or some grave outcome would surely befall them?

While I have tremendous respect for those individuals who feel so deeply connected to the mission of their organizations that they couldn't imagine leaving, that is not what I see playing out in the contemporary world of work.

Now
I think we've had our view of the employer / employee relationship completely backwards for years. 

Yes, bold leadership is absolutely essential if an organization is going to be successful. 

However, the burden on leadership is not only to be provide effective decision-making, but also to be equally as focused on their relationship with the people on the team.

When leadership believes they are always the smartest people in the room, that organization has begun a death spiral. 

Arrogance never plays well.

Never.
Ever.
Ever.

How About You
When we ask our employees to give us their souls, we sure as hell better be prepared to give them everything we have in return. That does not mean imparting our wisdom as if it is some sort of divine message.

Rather, it is a mandate that we stay connected, listen, respect, support and by all means ensure that our team feels valued. Absent that, we will be just another organization that had great potential, but the leadership team screwed it up.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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The Corporate World's Hot Mess

I'm not one of the young guns anymore. I'm not that 'rising star' (in my mind) that takes bold action, launches new strategies, or sets the world on fire. Wait a second, who am I kidding, of course I still do all of those things! 

However, I view the responsibilities of executives differently now.

Pushing the envelope will always be how I roll...but being so caught up in covering my ass, or feeding my fragile ego at the expense of the amazing people around me, is just about the biggest sin in the executive bible that I can think of. Yet I've seen it happen all too often.

I Wish I Had One of "Those Jobs"
It's actually pretty easy to be an executive...under one basic premise:

Every single thing,

about every part of the entire organization, 

in every circumstance, is perfect in every way, 

at every moment.

The rest of the time, it's hard as hell.

Do Your Job
When you consider the "priorities" that many executives focus on, they are often quite far from the reality of successfully operating their companies. Political infighting, building alliances, scolding direct reports for issues that have no real impact on the business but do impact the warped view the executive's have of leadership, all add up to failure. 

These massive insecurities result in catastrophic damage:
- loss of credibility for the executive 
- loss of focus on the drivers of success (or failure) for the organization
- hours of wasted time addressing the behaviors of executives who have potential, but move down a path that is counterproductive

Is all of this harsh and offensive? Out of touch with reality? Um, no it's not. If I were to spend a few minutes with the leaders who report directly to executives, I would have more than enough "proof."

I've also been hearing it from these same folks (as well as other frustrated executives around them) for years and years...

Solutions
Oh, where to begin! While it is easy to blame our colleagues across the many organizations we encounter in our careers, that doesn't actually help. 

The real opportunity here is for HR to play a far more bold and active role in the operational life of the company.

Some questions to consider as you step up your game:

- When executives get caught up in protecting their position and power instead of focusing on the most important challenges ahead, do you speak up or remain silent?

- When you see high potential leaders being promoted too rapidly, do you speak up or allow it to happen?

- When political agendas start to impact organizational decision making, do you expose it or try to join the club?

How About You
We must be proactive.

We must be internal executive coaches.

We must take control of dysfunctional situations, not just slide into secondary roles.

We must be the executive role models for our junior executive colleagues (regardless of their 'senior' titles) to help them develop into truly effective leaders.

...and we must start today.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.


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I've Arrived!

The desire to 'play' at the highest level is a powerful aphrodisiac. Whether in sports, academia, research, entertainment, or climbing the corporate ladder, the laser focus to get to the top is sometimes a hindrance to our success.

Chasing Glory
For many professionals, that first taste of a high level role feels like winning a career championship game. The new found power can often be confused with having "arrived." 

Is that big promotion an end point to a long quest? 

Is that breakthrough job offer an affirmation of what you've always believed you could be?

If the answer was yes, the risks to future success just became exponentially more complicated. You see, chasing the glory of career success is actually a never ending series of milestones and new beginnings.

Years of hard work and professionalism can lead to exciting opportunities. Those opportunities, in effect, are a reset of everything you once knew. The previous behavior, routine, and internal peer network all change. 

You have to be open to change too.

Learning the Role, Not the Tasks
The most important step many successful new leaders miss is the ramp up phase into learning "how" to do their new job. Not focusing exclusively on the tasks listed on their new job description.

Think about that for a second...learning the role, not the work.

How does a junior executive behave? What interpersonal skills are now mandatory, regardless of what feels comfortable? 

Is a fragile ego going to be put to the side in order to do the work, make decisions, and earn respect? 

Or...will the previous goal of "most popular rising leader" be the label that supersedes all else?

How About You
Who do you know that is very talented, yet has not invested the time to learn their role? How are they doing? Could they use your trusted consultative support?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Expectations and Engaged Employees

The concept of employee engagement is used so frequently in the world of work, I often see my leadership colleagues in a variety of industries roll their eyes when it comes up in conversation.

Yet, they publicly espouse the value and priority of having an engaged workforce...that it will make a huge difference in the performance of their companies...and that without it they will fall behind their competition.

Wait, what? 

I think I've stumbled onto one of the disconnects between leaders and engaged employees.

Expectations.

The Leader Lens
In my experience, I see many leaders wishing they could somehow "see" or "feel" the engagement of the employees. I'm not entirely sure what this means though.

- Should there be big smiles all day every day?
- Should there be verbal expressions of gratitude?
- Should there be public displays of a$$ kissing?

Regardless the expectation, the notion that a tangible behavior validates a degree of workforce engagement seems to be more important than whether or not they actually are engaged in the first place.

The Employee Lens
Here's my candid take on the employee side of the engagement issue. 

Create a positive energy in the workplace, prioritize their needs, be supportive and inclusive, share as much as you can as quickly as possible, pay competitively, recognize good performers and remove poor ones, be accessible to the team, be clear on expectations and performance, don't trick yourself into believing your job title makes you smarter than the team, laugh at yourself, be honest, be fair, be human.

Oh, and I don't think they necessarily want to jump up and down in joyful praise...they just want to do a good job.

How About You
Try strapping the employee lens on when you walk out of your office this afternoon. How does your world look now? Any different?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

Still I Rise

"I thought I had the promotion all locked up...I can't believe it went to someone else."

"This company...this opening...is perfect for me. How come they won't even give me an interview?"

"There is so much going on in my personal life, I'm not sure I can keep up at work."

"After all of my years here it's going to end like this? What am I supposed to do now?"

"They went with a different vendor...but, how? We are exactly what they need."

"My new boss has changed everything...I used to be valued here...now, not so much."

The End of Days

Can you relate to any of the statements above? If we're honest with ourselves, they might hit a little too close to home. But, for me, that means they are real. 

Real is good.

When the world seems to be crashing down around us, whether it's personally or professionally, we often feel overwhelmed. Desperation, hopelessness, and even despair can creep into our minds. It's as if everything we had worked so hard for was evaporating right before our eyes.

But, what may feel like the end of days, is quite honestly, not even close to the end.

New Days

But, how does one move from a dark place, to a place of momentum, progress, and action?

Let's frame things up first:

- it's not about simple "trust" in your organization

- it's not about just "going with the flow"

- it's actually about making your own decisions!

Put your thoughts on paper:

- get them out of your head
- work on them
- improve them!

Take action each day:

- update your resume

- spend an hour making your LinkedIn profile look the way it should

- reach out to several colleagues in your network each day

- taking action means you are gaining control of your circumstances!

How About You

In the dark times, consider a new mantra..."Still I Rise." When the outlook is so bleak that you hear your self-talk machine spinning out of control...consider a new mantra...

Still I Rise!

You can be unstoppable...if you make the decision to be.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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