I asked folks to send in stories about those who have helped them personally or who they have encountered who make a difference. Here is a powerful one from Katherine Matson who is a participant in our “Total Leadership Connections Program“.
Katherine is a skilled technology expert who spent years at IBM. She is also an individual who cares about making the world a better place and developing models for user friendly work settings, both technically and relationally.
Every leadership development programshould have a module on burnout; how to avoid it and what to do when yikes, too late, it’s right there in front of you.
Burnout is one of the leading causes of conflict in the workplace. When you are exhausted even the softest squeaky wheel will set your teeth on edge. Burnout causes you to be irritable, unfocused, and less willing to hear others.
I was watching an “expert” talk about how to get a team motivated. His question was “Is threatening people a good idea”? In less than the two minute YouTube response his answer was basically “yes, that if people are not living up to our expectations we need to confront them and tell them what is wrong and what they have to do.”
Needless to say, I was frustrated with this simplistic and one step answer. My concern is that while we want, and the internet prefers, easy answers we are losing the capacity to search deeply and broadly for what really works in terms of motivating and developing leaders as well as valued employees. This concept of how to motivate and engage was front and center a few days ago.
Last month we were in the middle of our 41st “Total Leadership Connections” program and the context was integration. Mainly about how things are connected and what to look for when people work together.
The group consists of highly trained, very competent executives who want to take their careers to a higher level. Their skills in marketing, education, and sales are exemplary. What we were discussing was how people who work together can find a new point of connection when they are more open with each other. The idea is about a group hug, it’s about innovation and creativity.
I just found a note I wrote when I was putting the information together for my book “Don’t Bring It to Work”. It was a simple statement, “Anger at work and at home costs a lot of money”.
I began to think about all the arguments I have had, at least the BIG ones that I can remember, actually, the ones I know I will never forget. And I decided to see what it would be like to put a cash amount on each one. I finally stopped when I realized I had exceeded the national debt.
Then I looked at research about the cost of anger in the workplace. I took out violence that belongs in another category. I just wanted to look at law suits, wasted time, people quitting, people being fired. Again, it was way beyond what this country owes the Chinese.
I was in a discussion with a colleague about the key drivers for leadership success and what core elements in leadership developmentwould make the greatest long term difference.
Think about it for a minute; what would you say is the #1 factor for success. I want to underline, long term success. What does it take to get to the top? I want to underline, to get to the top and stay there!
We have seen so many CEO’s topple from their positions in maybe, two years. And often when they fall, they fall hard with a long list of things that were done poorly or not done at all. Most of the CEO’s who are no longer CEO’s were good strategic thinkers and had excellent business knowledge. So what was lacking?
Last week there was an article in BNETdiscussing why women are so unhappy. Many good points were covered; yet, that is not what I want to write about today. I have been fascinated by the number (almost 150) by count on Sunday of responses to this article.
Most of the reactions were from women, and an occasional man who also put his thoughts in the commentary section. I began to look for the patternsthat would give some understanding to the angst that is in the atmosphere around the men vs. woman debate that is still going strong.
I must admit, I am a strong advocate of partnership and have not been willing to take a strong stand for or against women being put upon. I have been fortunate in my career to be able to speak up and be heard. I also chose a career that began in psychology that is more welcoming to women that most.
What does it mean for the world thatPresident Obamais receiving the Nobel Peace prize? Maybe, just maybe it means we are in a turn the corner place for deeper thinking. Maybe, just maybe, we can find ways to care about each other rather than continue to set up polarizing, frozen perspectives.
My curiosity is peeked. How will the Rush Limbaughtypes of the world respond to this news? I expect with their same old rhetoric, their same old blaming, judging, and attacking. It is thepattern of communicationthat has garnered them millions of dollars, fame, and a place to talk and talk and talk.
What I do not see in these loud and negative folks is a thought, ever, about conciliation, giving the other side credit, new thinking about how to solve old problems. I listen to them to stay in touch with all perspectives. Often, when I turn off the radio or television I have a sour taste in my mouth, a knot in my stomach. It’s not so much what they say; it’s the anger that is at the core of their commentary.
As I explore the essence ofleadership I hear a similar thought from many of my colleagues that goes like this “Too much retread, too much superficial same old same old”.
So when new ideas that make us really think come along I want to share them with the world. Thus, the video of David Logan, on the faculty of USC, who gives us pause to think about how leaders can help get each of us to a new and more effective place in our ownleadership development. Enjoy!
There is a new movie out called The Invention of Lying. Great premise: what if no one knew how to lie and only told the truth, the whole truth, no matter what? It would certainly be a different world. Here is an example from the film. People go out to dinner and one woman to the other “I am very threatened by you” is truth sentence rather than a simple “Hi there”.
I was thinking about this when I saw an article written byRachel Zupekfor CareerBuilder.com titled Should You Ever Lie at Work? Good article with ways to tell the truth in common situations we all face.
We all know it is easier to be honest because there is less to remember. Yet, we all want to look good and be in control of our lives. It is super important for us to present a competent and strong image at work. So how do we tell the truth without looking weak and incapable?
I was in a discussion with a colleague about the key drivers for leadership success and what core elements in
