Everything You Can Imagine

What is it about how we see the world? Some see the negatives, live in fear, and move so cautiously they miss any realistic chance of making a difference.

Others move so rapidly that they don't pause for even a moment to consider the impact of their reckless decision-making style.

Still others are so full of confidence that they are sure their approach is the right one. Until it's not.

Finding Balance
As someone who has a...shall we say, healthy ego...finding the sweet spot between confidence and arrogance can be challenging at times. 

Maybe you struggle with that too. Since I've been around the block more times than I care to count, that elusive thing known as experience has suddenly become an ally. 

It guides me...protects me...and spurs me on when I see opportunities that others don't see.

Blind Spots
But where is that balance? How do we find it when we know, whether we would like to admit it or not, that we have blind spots...even with all of our 'experience?'

Having a team that you trust around you makes a big difference. When you trust your team, ideas can be shared, different perspectives can be examined, and the best plan can be executed.

In the absence of that culture, you are destined to fall prey to those blind spots. Right?

How About You
Lead the way and build the culture in your organization that allows for growth, camaraderie and trust. Just imagine what could be possible!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Where Did the Courage Go?

Leadership, teamwork, risk, collaboration, trust...and courage...important words that dramatically impact the life of an organization. Not only are they important at the team member level, they are essential at the senior levels of any organization if it is to thrive.

Easy to Say
Sure, the quick out here is that "leadership-speak" is simple and straightforward to say, but a very different thing to practice in real life.

I disagree.

It seems to me, after several decades in the leadership business, that the absence of courage is the key trait that derails leaders and their effectiveness.

Think about the members of your team:
- Who runs toward a problem, not away from it?

- Who is upfront and honest about what is happening vs. spinning things toward a self-interest point of view?

- Who is willing to hold others accountable vs. blindly following along?

Easy to Do
No, not easy to do. But, when your values are in proper alignment, it no longer becomes an issue of easy or hard. Instead, it is simply about having the courage to do the right thing.

So, how does it happen? What is the secret to trying to do the right thing each time? And how do you avoid falling into a political mess? Good questions, with only one answer...

Do the right thing regardless.

How About You
When was the last time you tapped into your reserve of courage? It's there...waiting for you to access it. I say, go for it.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses. 

Do You See Them?

This week is one of my favorites of the year. Why? It's the week of our annual meeting at Kinetix. We bring all of our employees together from across the country to our corporate office in Atlanta for training, team-building, and celebration of an incredibly successful year.

Moments
One of the best parts of the week each year is the series of individual moments I have with our team. Quiet sidebar conversations about work, life, career aspirations, or challenges happening right then.

It is a privilege to have these moments actually. They are important to the team members who are kind enough to value my opinion; and they are important to me because the team trusts me enough to be involved in what's happening in their world.

That's not just "work." That's trust, and respect, and how it should be.

Seeing Them
During our company photo shoot I was chatting with one of the other executives here, and they said to me...

"...just look at our group...we have an unbelievable team of people here now...I'm not just saying it...

they truly are incredible..."

That's powerful.

...and that's one of the things I love about being a member of the leadership team here at Kinetix. 

Our employees are not FTEs, or staff, or commodities. 

They are people, who work hard, have good values, and add to our culture far beyond their performance of 18% productivity growth. 

They are people who we have the privilege to have on the team.

How About You
How do you see the members of your team? Are they replaceable, or maybe simply a seat that needs to be filled? Or, are they much more than that?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Your Tops for 2018

For those of us who are devoted to Spotify we have just received our Top Songs list for 2018. It's not a big surprise to me that many of the songs near the top of the list are from bands I've seen this year. 

It's been a fantastic music year...as I look back at it all.

Caught Up in the Moment
As I scanned through the long list of music I realized I had 'forgotten' some of the songs and bands. How could that happen so quickly? One day at the top of my playlist, and the next I don't even remember them?

How is that possible?

...and then I thought about all of the work my team has done this year...

One day I'm deep into an issue...and the next I don't even remember?

How is that possible?

Time to Reflect
As we stare down the end of another year, and before the blogosphere gets crowded with resolutions and fresh start messages, I thought my Spotify-moment was worth raising as a pathway to considering all of the work you and your team have accomplished this year.

If you're anything like me, the minute a big initiative is successfully completed I am going full speed into the next one...and now that I'm no longer, shall we say, young-ish, I don't always remember all of those successes.

I think something wonderfu is lost in the hustle to always launch the 'next big thing' as quickly as possible, don't you?

How About You
As you wrap things up for 2018, take some time to reflect with your team on the successes of the past year. Talk about those wins. Re-congratulate each other for quality work that made a difference. Savor those moments...you're part of a special group of people all working toward the same goals. 

That my friends is a blessing we should never take for granted.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

I Saw, Today

I saw commitment today.

I saw dedication to patients.

I saw a team completely focused on a goal.

I saw preparation.

I saw real-time accountability.
I saw transparency.
I saw energy.

I saw follow through.

I saw transparency.

I saw communication.

I saw passion.

I saw priorities.

I saw teamwork.

I saw action.

I saw results.

How About You
What did you see today?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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I Know Everything

"They'll have to recognize my success this year. I've been the most effective member of the team!"

"I don't need them. It's better if I do it myself anyway!"

"I'm the life of the party. Just look at how charming I can be!"

"Those ideas are so stupid. Why would I even waste my time listening to that point of view?"

"Fortunately I am usually right. I don't need to worry about making big mistakes any longer. I'm at the top of my game!"

"There's really no need to say I'm sorry. I haven't done anything wrong!"

"Wow, what is wrong with them? They don't seem to fit in at all!"

How About You
Sometimes we get caught up in our own stuff, right? Maybe today is the best day to step back, look at those around us, and put them first. It's not always "about us."

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.
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I Can Handle It (All)

I've been told recently that when work issues get a little complicated, I switch into "I will handle everything mode" in order to resolve the crisis of the day.

Well...that kind of makes me sound like I believe I'm Superman...and for as much as I would LOVE to believe that is true...

...sadly, it's not.

Leading vs. Owning
My role quite honestly is not necessarily to resolve every single issue that pops up. Instead, my role is to ensure every single issue gets resolved. 

That doesn't mean that I am supposed to manage each step of the process; rather, just to provide the appropriate coaching, guidance, and occasional kick-in-the-pants to make sure the work gets done in a world class way.

Leading through issues is harder than owning them.

- Leading means I have to trust others.

- Leading means I have to open my mind to other ideas.

- Leading means I have to go with ideas that I many not necessarily agree with.

Owning can be awesome (and overwhelming.)

- Owning means I can control every single thing at every step.

- Owning means I don't have to listen to anyone's ideas or input.

- Owning means I get all the credit for fixing things.

...and owning is absolutely impossible to be done alone.

But...Results
The flip-side of all this self-reflection and humility is this...

...what about results?

Sometimes a driving force is not only helpful, but required to achieve those results.
Sometimes a bold decision-maker is the only one that will push the team far enough.
Sometimes ensuring results are achieved is the only way to prove that risk = success.

Sometimes...we have to go far beyond what is safe and comfortable to get across the finish line.

How About You
Where is the balance point for you between trusting the team and driving the team forward? 

Is there something we're all missing; or, is there something that the best leaders do in the moment that allows them to dance on the line between foolish trust and bullying arrogance?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Screaming Soul

I yelled today.*

It was loud.

It was aggressive.

It was on point.

I'm not one to raise my voice very often. But there are times when it is necessary to break through the malaise of the world of work and cut to the heart of an issue. 

How many times have you watched something fail...knowing it would fail...but you stood by watching it fall apart anyway?

It's not easy to get that fired up and still (hopefully) have the respect of your colleagues. 

It's not easy knowing that the space you're venturing into with your words and energy is going to go beyond "disruption."

But leadership isn't about watching things fail and praising how wonderful the organization is because it is so skilled at failure. I hate that BS excuse.

Leadership is about going hard (and often solo) in order to avoid disaster.

How About You
The next time you see well intended actions headed for a major miss, and the warning signs are ignored, make sure you do something about it. Not only are you getting paid to do the right thing, but others are watching to see if you have the courage to stand tall when it matters most.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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*Happened a long time ago

Master of Puppets

“There are those whose primary ability is to spin wheels of manipulation. It is their second skin and without these spinning wheels, they simply do not know how to function. They are like toys on wheels of manipulation and control. If you remove one of the wheels, they'll never be able to feel secure, be whole.” 
- C. Joybell C.

Leadership Facade
It's sad when you think about it. The negative energy that so many put into chasing personal glory instead of collaborating with the team-driven modern world of work, often results in damaged relationships and poor outcomes.

They may hide behind the label of leader, but in fact they are not even close.

Seriously, are there any roles left in our organizations that are truly at the individual contributor level anymore?

Hidden Agenda

What is their real agenda? Is it a passion for the mission of the organization? Is it the pressure of bringing people together to ensure deadlines are met? Or, is it a self-absorbed path that only serves to fuel their own misguided career aspirations?

Sadly, their agendas are hidden to no one but themselves. The negative impact of their behavior, their lack of personal accountability, and their almost laughable attempt to position themselves as a dynamic leader drives a wedge between themselves and their colleagues.

How About You
Who is it in your workplace that tries to play the role of puppet master? Maybe it's time someone told them the only thing they are manipulating is their own credibility.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Dead World Assembly

I hear a lot of leaders talking about culture, teamwork, and how they have a "vision" for how work should be done.

Ha!

Sadly, many of these same leaders are so out of touch with how the modern world of work functions that they don't even realize they are the root of the problem.

Team
Let me toss out a few questions to get us started:

- Are you losing valuable employees?
- Have you convinced yourself and the other executives that this is all "good turnover?"
- Do you still believe in the embarrassingly ineffective command and control style of leadership?

How is that working out for you?

I'm Calling You Out
The responsibility to create a culture that actually values employees in a tangible way is entirely up to the leader. No one else. 

I don't want to hear that employees complain too much. 

I don't want to hear about your fancy job title. (I've had a fancy job title for years, and the only result was that the burden on me to be a better leader grew exponentially.)

Guess what? Your staff meetings are nothing more than a dead world assembly. 

Stop trying to justify your struggles. No one believes you anymore.

How About You
It's time for a new start. Get over yourself. Accept that you've made some mistakes...and open your mind to leading in 2016.

Otherwise, you're going to lose the rest of your team. I promise.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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You I Need

I think it's fascinating how some leaders make their lives so difficult. Those same leaders typically make the lives of those around them equally as difficult, yet they can't see how disruptive they are. SMH.

I Need You (in the mirror)
There is a simple reality to getting work done these days in my opinion. You have to do the heavy lifting. Unless you understand what is happening and invest the time to help build work plans, you are not leading. We can talk about delegating work all day long, but I've personally seen many executives fail because they believed they no longer needed to learn anything, and that delegating was actually leading.

Um, no. 

I've had to learn over and over again throughout my career in order to both grow my career and to understand what it actually takes to lead at a high level. (I'm still learning by the way...that's the fun part!) 

Beware the leader that says  they are an expert or have figured it all out. The world is moving so fast, I'm not sure anyone is an expert any longer. 

You may be damn good...but be careful with the self-appointed labels.

What does need to manifest itself however is the inner drive that the best leaders demonstrate each day. They have vision, they build plans, make decisions, and have stopped running scared of the political noise that can dominate an organization but provides zero value.

I Need You (everyone on the team)
Newsflash: real leaders are not individual contributors. Honing your communication skills, understanding that different members of your team need different levels of attention and guidance, and appreciating that without the team's efforts you will fail are all hallmarks of the best of the best.

Let me say it again...you will fail without them. Now, how do you think you should treat your team?

How About You
Trust yourself first. Trust your team second. "You" need them.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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The Wonders At Your Feet

There are times when we believe we have built the perfect team. We convince ourselves that once those final few pieces fall into place all will be right in our world of work. We so desperately want things to be smooth and steady.

But that's not how work happens.

So Much To Do
For any of you that have glanced at my blog over the years you know I am a big fan of lists. When I say lists, I mean digital lists. (Post it notes and stacks of paper are so 1985.) The upside of using lists for everything in your life means you're super organized. The downside is that you can feel pretty overwhelmed at times.

Don't let the lists become your world. They are a tool...they are not the boss of you! They are a system to help you keep your priorities moving in the right direction. They are an asset, so stop thinking about them as a daily liability.

Teams Are Stronger Than You Think
When we realize some of our team members are struggling, and combine that with our never ending task list we can feel like throwing in the towel.

However, all is not lost. Nor is the road ahead as bumpy as we may think. Challenge yourself to do the following:

- identify and recognize the strong players on your team and what they've done to overcome adversity, rise up and meet challenges, and push themselves to a new level

- summarize the huge amount of work that you and your team have completed in the last six months

- push those who are lagging behind very, very hard

You Are Stronger Than You Think Too
Some days the cumulative weight of pressure at work can bring us to our knees. But today is not one of those days. 

Your focus, commitment to world-class work, and unwavering intolerance for anything less than exceptional performance  has helped you get this far, and it will power you ahead into the future.

Do not lose sight of the impact you have on the workplace, or on the lives of those around you.

How About You
Are you looking at the days ahead with a sense of loathing; or, have you decided to take a look around and appreciate the wonders that have been lurking just beneath the surface? Now is the time to keep pushing, and to keep making the difference you make every day.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Campfires and Bonfires

I love new ideas that push me and my team. Sometimes the ideas don't work out so well; and other times they are more successful than expected. What is exciting for me though is that we're taking the risks. 

It's as if we have our own little campfires that sometimes grow a little bigger, and sometimes they don't have enough fuel and they die out.

Your Campfires
What new ideas, approaches, or strategies have you been thinking about? You and I may share the same vision. In the world of work we will each end up building our own little campfire and hope they start to burn. 

The problem with campfires is they are small, are a combination of luck, good weather, plenty of kindling, and hopefully a patient fire-starter. There are many factors that can put our campfires out before they have a chance to grow.

Our Bonfires
Imagine an environment where our small campfires are joined together? 

Suddenly the level of energy jumps, and the blaze is roaring. Imagine that same level of energy in our work? 

One of the most powerful ways to build our collective bonfires is to connect with each other. 


That may sound obvious, but consider how effective you've been in the past when you worked with someone else on a problem, team, or project.

Stepping outside your comfort zone to ask for help, get others opinions, and share your knowledge and expertise (yes, you have expertise) can create a  powerful result.

How About You
What are you going to do to move past your little campfire and build your ideas into a blazing success? Isn't it time to reach out, be humble, and add your insight to make a difference? You can do it.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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When A Team Jells

It's an interesting phenomenon...teams coming together...getting traction...thinking bigger than they did previously. I'm part of a team of human resources executives that are jelling right now. We've worked together for the last couple of years, although we're separated by more than five states. Sometimes distance without a commitment to new forms of communication make it difficult to stay connected in today's world.

But we're jelling now...and it's good. 

Hello...My Name Is

We didn't start out this way. We've been adding members to our team as new organizations are acquired and become part of the larger enterprise. Team dynamics are funny sometimes. Every one's intentions have been positive, but there is no substitute for time, building trust, and shifting the focus from transactional to strategic thinking.

You can't rush progress...but you sure can nurture it along. 

Take the Lead vs. Take the Assignment

There was a time when we all took assignments as part of our evolving group. We each felt the obligatory guilty tug to take a piece of the whole and do our fair share. Or at least it seemed that way to me.

We don't take assignments anymore. Our focus has shifted, and so has our commitment to each other. Now we take the lead on projects and come back to the team with ideas, recommendations and controversial solutions. 

We have healthy conflict now, and still like each other afterwards. In fact, we now acknowledge that our meetings are good. 

When was the last time you left a meeting and said it was good?

How About You

The team is producing high quality work now, and we have so much more we know we can accomplish. It's an exciting time; and, even after long meetings you can feel the difference in the room. 

You can feel it. 

I hope you can help create that same culture where you work. For me, it's a whole new reason to think it bigger...and make a difference.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Hire Your Weakness

I enjoy spending time with people who have similar interests as me. Whether it's business, sports, staying fit, or just being with an interesting person who is outgoing and engaging, I know we'll hit it off. If you happen to work in #HealthcareHR and you love hockey we will undoubtedly be friends for life.

I'm not kidding. For life!

Egos, Threats, and Teams
There is a big problem with focusing on people who are similar to me when it comes to building my team though. If I allow my ego to dictate that I have to be the smartest person on the team (read here --> we're doomed); and if I'm so threatened by someone who might be able to add something that I cannot to our work (read here --> we're doomed again); then I need to shut off my computer and call it a day.

Leadership isn't about knowing everything, or worse yet, putting pressure on yourself to perform as if you did have an answer for every challenge. That doesn't make any sense. 

Yet time and time again as leaders climb the corporate ladder they somehow convince themselves that because of their success they must know it all. Otherwise how would they have achieved such status to begin with?
 
I'd say that is just about the craziest thing I've ever heard.

It's Called Leadership...Not Me-ship
Why is it that so many successful leaders fall into the trap of believing they have it all figured out? Self-esteem? Pressure to perform? Insecurities that they feel would hurt their careers if they ever surfaced?

Yes, yes, and yes. However, showing your human side to your team not only makes you more real, but allows them to feel empowered to contribute, add value, and make the work you are ultimately responsible for that much better.

Now why in the world wouldn't we all show the human side of ourselves? We are in human resources, right? It's in our job title!

How About You
The next time you have a vacancy on your team, instead of defaulting to the normal process of evaluating the position, take a look at where you are weakest and make that skill set the number one priority for the search process. Does that sound scary, liberating or maybe a little bit of both?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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