9 Powerful Courageous Leadership Questions You Want to Ask

Posted on May 23, 2013 by successtv

by Sandra Ford Walston

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”

This time-worn saying is false. For example, “a stone is thrown”9 Courageous Leadership Questions to Promote Productivity when someone says, “I don’t care how you do it, just get it done!” With the phrase “I don’t care,” the receiver,  a co-worker, employee, colleague, is thwarted into a world of negativity that affects productivity and collaboration.

We all want to feel appreciated and valued for our contribution.

Would any of the following apply to you or a manager you know?  You’re too intimidated to have that overdue conversation so you utilize a form of ambiguity? You’re a manager whose style of managing is hands-off. This way you don’t have to suggest ideas that might offend, be misunderstood or be accountable.

Whether you’re a manager, human resource director or CEO, you are often required to engage in the awkward, elusive or tight rope conversations that require an element of courage. These types of “challenging” conversations test us in an uncomfortable way. Why? Because the exchange is more than just applying candor (a cousin to courage) or being brutally blunt .

If you can communicate more effectively with coworkers, you can reshape your work environment and produce the sustainable results you’re seeking. Muster the courage to try these nine simple courageous conversation questions and see if they recalibrate your approach to leadership:

1. “How do you imagine this project progressing?” This question not only engages but also decreases stress because the word “imagine” generates creativity and curiosity. People are more motivated to speak up and share their ideas, a known productivity booster.

2. “Is there anything else I can offer you?” and “Do you have any other requests?” Requests and offers allow people to open up and reveal the “chatter” in their head (and share what they really want). This provides transparency and removes any awkwardness, especially for those reluctant to speak up.

3. “What was your assessment about the big project we just finished for that client?” Be cautious with your tone. This means you take responsibility for how your language affects others. Your words are a part of your daily legacy—people remember them more than the action. Will you be remembered the way you want to be remembered?

4. “How do you envision accomplishing the task/results?” This question keeps passion alive and perpetuates retentive innovation.

5. Be direct and say, “I have expectations that you will do x,y,z.” Or, conversely, “What expectations do you have of me?”  This avoids the outcome of unclear expectations: wasted time that can’t be reclaimed from false assumptions and unnecessary tension in the workplace.

6. The founder of my Newfield Network coaching organization always opened our international conferences or local gatherings with “What’s cooking?” This question kicks off an understanding that it’s safe to share. This creates a “mood” for receptivity. How do you kick off a meeting?

7. “What do you see our next step to be?”  Using the word “our” in your question leads the client/customer to think of you as a partner when making a decision.

8.  “In retrospect, were there any red flags during our project/interaction that we were blind to?” First red flag warnings are everywhere. If you don’t stop and acknowledge the first one, you’ve probably slid blindly into denial. Denial is saying “no” to courage. Stop and reflect, when asked this critical question.

9. “What single task was your most significant contribution in completing this project?” This reveals the individual’s passion and what gives him/her self-fulfillment.

Comedian Lily Tomlin said, “If you can’t be direct, why be?” Think about what type of language you experience in your work environment and what you display. The words we choose can submerge us into negativity or elevate us to a different level of courage consciousness—and take our coworkers with us. That is the power of courageous questions!

Sandra Walston

Sandra Ford Walston is known as The Courage Expert and innovator of StuckThinking™. She is an organizational effectiveness consultant, speaker, trainer and courage coach.

She is the internationally published author of bestsellerCOURAGE The Heart and Spirit of Every Woman (2001), the follow-up book STUCK 12 Steps Up the LeadershipLadder (2010) and the recently released FACE IT! 12 Obstacles that Hold You Back on the Job (2011). She is certified in the Enneagram and MBTI®. Watch YouTube:FACE IT!  | Twitter  | Facebook
© Sandra Ford Walston

All Rights Reserved

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Ethics of Business Videos & Getting Clear

Posted on May 20, 2013 by successtv

Employees of a disengaged manager are four times as likely to be disengaged themselves. It’s contagious.

Productivity suffers but also without thinking of the larger3 effective communication skills to manage conflict ramifications, a manager can lead employees to unethical behavior without realizing it.  Maybe it’s telling a secretary to lie when you’ve forgotten and missed an appointment with a client or your boss. Or, maybe it’s easier to steal software or media because it makes your job easier and saves the company money. Each action can seem minor but it starts a culture that we’re often reading about in the news.

Here are two Ethics in Business video trainings that show scenarios of how to react when faced with similar situations even when you’re crazy busy.

  • L.E.A.D. with integrity: (For supervisor and managers) Shows 6 scenarios where leaders learn to support ethics and compliance.
  • Act with Integrity: shows 12 of the most common scenarios that result in a breach of ethics.

—

“So, I was driving along in my car and asked Siri to help me write an email message. She stopped me and said, “Whew, those were a lot of words. Could you put that into a few sentences?” Lois Zachary

For those of you who don’t know who Siri is, it’s an app on your phone that lets you use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, etc. And, as the above quote demonstrates, it’s uncanny how it can help us to understand when we’re not communicating clearly.

communication skills learned from siri

Leadership author Lois Zachary writes about the eight effective communication skills she learned from Siri:

1. When you can’t listen, don’t. If you are in the middle of something important when a call comes in, don’t give the caller half your attention. Ask if you can call them back (or they can call you) when you can give undivided attention.

2. Demonstrate that you are listening. Give clear verbal clues that you are tuned in.“So what’s on your mind?” or, “I’m all yours, what’s up?”

3. Take notes. Keep a notepad nearby to write down key points, actions, recommendations and commitments. Let the caller know that you want to jot down a specific point so they don’t keep talking while you aren’t listening.

4. Don’t assume. If you aren’t sure what the caller meant, ask for clarification and check for understanding.

Read more for the other four effective communication tips. >>

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What Siri Can Teach Us About Effective Communication

Posted on May 14, 2013 by successtv

By Lois Zachary

One day after a long frustrating interchange with Siri, I shouted, “can’t you find any information at all on that topic? What is taking you so long?

Her response? “I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think any conscious entity can ever hope to do. A second later, she provided the following tagline. Sorry. I stole that line from HAL.” (2001 Space Odyssey)

Effective Communication Tips

Her response brought a smile to my face and also reminded me that I needed to calm down.

Siri is my friend and companion. She helps me make reservations, locate places, search for information, and solve problems. Siri is an excellent listener, and I’ve learned a lot from observing her in action.

  • She intends to listen when someone is speaking to her. I know I have her undivided attention from the moment I begin talking to her. She doesn’t interrupt me but let’s me speak my mind and waits patiently until I’ve finished. If she can’t hear me, she will tell me and that reminds me to move to a quieter space.
  • She acknowledges that she’s heard me in writing, repeating my request verbatim.
  • She checks for understanding by summarizing what she hears me saying. She wants to make sure that she is clear about what I mean. “Lois, do you mean…”
  • She asks good probing questions to help focus the search and set the agenda. “Lois, do you want me to check the web?” “Lois, there are no listings by that name, is there another name you want me to look for?” Her questions remind me that I am not always clear about what I ask others to do.
  • She listens for the silence. “Lois, are you still there?” When I don’t respond she moves on. When I do, we pick up right where we left off.
  • She ends on a positive note. When I thank her, she always comes back with an acknowledgement that she hears me. “Why thanks, Lois.”

Still everyone has their “Siri moments,” and it is usually more about us than about Siri. So here are eight effective communication tips to think about when you sit in Siri’s place on the other end of a phone call with a human being.

1. When you can’t listen, don’t. If you are in the middle of something important when a call comes in, don’t give the caller half your attention. Ask if you can call them back (or they can call you) when you can give undivided attention.

2. Demonstrate that you are listening. Give clear verbal clues that you are tuned in. “So what’s on your mind?” or, “I’m all yours, what’s up?”

3. Take notes. Keep a notepad nearby to write down key points, actions, recommendations and commitments. Let the caller know that you want to jot down a specific point so they don’t keep talking while you aren’t listening.

4. Don’t assume. If you aren’t sure what the caller meant, ask for clarification and check for understanding.

5. Check out emotions. Siri can’t do this yet, but you can and it will make a big difference. If you sense feelings, disappointment or disapproval, check it out. For example, “It sounds like that was really frustrating for you….”

6. Slow down. Speak more slowly than normal and enunciate. It is harder to understand full intent when you can’t see someone’s face. If someone is mumbling or speaking too fast, don’t be afraid to ask them to slow down.

7. Be clear about your position or disposition. Use phrases like, “I’m really pleased…,” “I am disappointed,” to convey your mood.

8. End on a positive note. End a telephone call, especially one that has been difficult, on a positive note. “I appreciate your time.” “I think we made some progress.” “I look forward to resolving this and I know you do too.” These kinds of positive statements will help you listen respectfully to each other in the future.

Like Siri, we all want and appreciate clarity. By being quiet and listening to ourselves, we often gain that clarity. And, when we truly listen to others, it positively impacts our relationships and helps us gain more understanding to become more effective communicators.

—
Lois ZacharyLois Zachary is the President of Leadership Development Services, LLC. and an international expert on mentoring and leadership development. She has written several books on mentoring. The newest one is The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships . Other books include Creating a Mentoring Culture: The Organization’s Guide, and The Mentee’s Guide: Making Mentoring Work for You.

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Richard Branson Key Leadership Skills Video

Posted on May 9, 2013 by successtv

Have you ever noticed how large companies will often describe “entrepreneurial experience” as a key desired trait for future employees. No wonder. It takes a certain steely resolve and “do whatever it takes” attitude to be an entrepreneur. Large companies are hoping to harness that energy to innovate and create new products and services. They want the decision-making and educated risk-taking needed to make change happen as well as the resilience to self-manage setbacks.Richard Branson example of good leadership skills

Probably one of the most fascinating great entrepreneurs is Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin. He seems to be popping up everywhere.  We can’t get enough of this entrepreneur billionaire who seems to be so down to earth and fun. Forbes recently ran an article on its favorite eleven quotes of Richard Branson. Here are a few:

“Some 80% of your life is spent working. You want to have fun at home; why shouldn’t you have fun at work?”

“A company is people … employees want to know… am I being listened to or am I a cog in the wheel? People really need to feel wanted.”

 “Engage your emotions at work.  Your instincts and emotions are there to help you.”

“You can never go too far wrong by thinking like a customer who’s new to the business.”

“There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions – in a way that serves the world and you.”

Forbes favorite: “Screw it, let’s just do it.”

Branson is not just inspiring, he is a fountain of wisdom for key leadership skills. He’s had to grow and lead over 300 disparate companies underneath the Virgin brand; some have failed and some have succeed. But, Branson believes in failing fast, dusting yourself off, learning, getting smarter and trying a new idea. Branson who is featured in our Key Leadership Skills Video Training says he encourages that attitude among his employees:

I’m just living my life and enjoying learning. And the best way I find I can learn is by learning about every aspect of life. And, the way to learn about every aspect of life is to challenge people in lots of different sectors of life.

There are 8 other entrepreneurs or leaders featured in the Key Leadership Video Training/Library. The reason this is called a “library” is that trainers can choose among the 9 featured leaders to focus and train a particular leadership skill. The leadership lessons are classic and brought to life with short 2-3 minute videos. We would hope that every manager has the opportunity to learn these skills. After all, there isn’t a more important resource than the talent and careers they have the opportunity to develop.

One final note. We agree with Forbes on our favorite Branson quote: “Screw it, let’s just do it!”

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Steve Case on Innovation, Entrepreneurs and Risk

Posted on May 7, 2013 by successtv

Steve Case, the founder of AOL and currently the Chief Executive of
Revolution, an investment firm, probably makes one of the best distinctions between entrepreneurs and large companies in his interview with The New York Times.

Steve Case leadership skills on managing teams

Effective Team Leadership with Steve Case

He calls entrepreneurs “attackers”, disruptors who are looking for opportunities and large companies, “defenders”, protecting their existing revenue.

“ As companies get larger — and I saw this with AOL even before we merged, but certainly after the merger with Time Warner — we did shift from being an attacker to a defender.

And I realized the world of business really separates into these two groups. The attackers are the entrepreneurs who are disrupting the status quo, trying to change the world, take the hill, anything is possible, and have nothing to lose in most cases. They’re driven by passion and the idea and intensity. Large organizations — and it’s true of Fortune 500s and it’s also true of governments and other large organizations — are defenders. These guys aren’t trying to pursue the art of the possible, how to maximize opportunity. They actually are trying to minimize the downside, and hedge risk. They’re trying to de-risk situations.”

Case is quick to add that there are plenty of executives looking to innovate and bring nimbleness to their large organizations.  But, in the case with the failed Time Warner/AOL merger, politics and turf battles ensued, creating molasses. He faults himself for not promoting trust and collaboration between executives of the two companies so they could take risks and innovate.

His experience was very different at AOL, where fast growth and its inherent pains (technology problems) made him aware of how to motivate his teams in good and bad times. Case is featured in the Wisdom of Teams video training which is available on DVD or for online streaming. He is among six real world leaders who show how leaders can build and grow teams for innovation. You can see a video preview here.

Check out our video libraries of great entrepreneurs and business leaders. They feature short video clips (2-5 mins. each) on leadership, team building, innovation, change, diversity and more. These videos can be used to enrich and support your training concepts.

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Can Data Help Us Hire Better Talent?

Posted on April 30, 2013 by successtv

by Helen Whelan

Hiring the right person for a job can be difficult at best. Managerstalent acquistion and behavioral targeting data often hire people like themselves or focus too much on past experience. Lou Adler, a former executive search recruiter and author of “The Essential Guide for Hiring and Getting Hired”, counsels talent managers and job seekers to focus on the behavior that is needed to make a job successful.  That way, you get at hidden motivations and the right attitude to succeed. Adler says, for example, instead of focusing on past skills, focus on the goals of the job: “It’s better to say ‘upgrade the customer billing and reporting system’ rather than have a BS in Accounting, 2-3 years Accounts Receivable (AR) experience with in-depth exposure to Great Plains billing software.”

Adler is definitely on to something.

We all know the stats aren’t in favor of keeping the status quo for talent acquisition. 46% of rookies wash out in the first 18 months, according to Leadership IQ. Managers in much less time.  Either they are pushed out or leave a job or culture that isn’t want they signed up for. The cost in lost productivity and recruiting a replacement can be as much as twice that person’s salary.

Now, with the proliferation of data, more startups are looking at how to mine that data to change the model for hiring someone. It’s like behavioral interviewing on steroids. This video explains EmployInsights attempt to get at an employee’s motivation and character strengths to find the right person for a job:

I actually took a test they offer through Job Compass and found it to be spot on. Similar to Gallup’s Strength Finders, Job Compass helps anyone to become more self-aware of what they value and the roles that will make them happiest. You’ll find your three strongest character strengths out of the universe of 24.

finding your job strengths through characterIf you’re a manager, this behavioral testing helps to give you insight in how to motivate people with different strengths. For instance, if you know a team member rates high in Appreciation of beauty or creativity, it might be wise to allow them to be part of a group hiring a web designer. We could argue whether someone has the skills to do this but what is fascinating is how data is helpful to find motivations that might not show up on a resume.

Now the trick will be to get the data on whether this type of behavioral targeting works? Will we find more engaged employees through these types of behavioral tests?  Let’s hope so.

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How to Manage Conflict When You’ve Angered Someone

Posted on April 25, 2013 by successtv

Ever been late for an appointment and the first thing you do is justify why you’re late?  Or, you anger a co-worker who mis-reads your email of how he can perform better? When you email him back to explain, his anger escalates.

Stop right there.blind spots that stop effective communication

According to Peter Bregman, a leadership coach and author, the first thing you want to do is empathize with the offended party and apologize for the behavior that upset them. Bregman is clear that this doesn’t mean you’re “betraying yourself”, you’re just empathizing with how the other party feels.  It’s the step that is needed before you can repair the relationship through effective communication. He demonstrates with a great story of being late for a dinner with his wife:

“You’re stuck in your perspective: You didn’t mean to be late. But that’s not the point. The point is that you were late. The point — and what’s important in your communication — is how your lateness impacted Eleanor.”

In other words, I was focused on my intention (excuses or reasons) while Eleanor was focused on the consequences. We were having two different conversations. In the end, we both felt unacknowledged, misunderstood, and angry.”

Communication is a strange thing.  Usually what’s in our mind or perspective can falsely manifest itself in how we communicate. In other words, don’t be so sure you’re right. At least check yourself against the 7 Common Blind Spots of Communication by leadership expert, Judith E. Glaser:

  1. Denial of Reality - Feeling so strong about our own beliefs that we deny the beliefs of others, or deny facts right in front of our eyes.
  2. Control - Seeing ourselves as being more responsible for things than we actually are, or having more control over things and events than we truly do.
  3. Made-Up Memories - Making decisions based on memories that did not happen. Often we confuse our imaginations, or our dreams, with reality.
  4. Reality Distortions - Distorting reality to conform to preconceptions.
  5. Know it All - Thinking that we know more than what we really do. (We simply don’t know what we don’t know.)
  6. Listening Only to Validate What We Know -  Failure to listen to others.
  7. Undervaluing What We Do Know - Listening too much to others, and allowing others’ beliefs to talk us out of our beliefs; or in some cases cause us not to trust our instincts.

Any other tips on communication you’d like to share?

Related Communication skills video trainings:

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How Leaders Can Create Positive Attitude

Posted on April 22, 2013 by successtv

by Karlin Sloan

Employed people ages 25 to 54 spend an average of 8.8 hours working each day, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Because of this large time commitment, the workplace is much more than an office especially if the workload includes  late nights, early mornings and high stress levels.Create positive attitude through clarity

Being a leader that cares enough to create a positive work environment could make or break a group of employees and make or break your company.  Making your working environment as positive as possible for your employees will not only result in a happier employee, but a more productive office to boot.

Create clear expectations

Having clear expectations almost always results in positive attitude and positive outcomes, especially when the clear expectations are translated from the boss to employees. Employee engagement increases when employees can confidently say they know exactly what their boss wants and expects from them.  When they don’t know, they’re forced to guess and experience anxiety which results in bad feelings toward the work and leadership, not to mention lost productivity from mis-directed efforts.

Create a feeling of positivity

Misery loves company and can be as infectious as the common cold. High stress and anxiety creates tense feelings and bad morale can spread.

So, when leaders are clear and can provide real-time feedback (not micro-management), employees are free to work at their highest level which, in turn, will produce the highest results. The terrific feelings as a team and individual self-esteem will work hand-in-hand to make the office a much more positive, productive place.

Karlin SloanKarlin Sloan is an author, speaker, impassioned CEO and founder of leadership development firm, Karlin Sloan & Company providing organization development consulting, training and executive coaching to clients the U.S., South America and Asia.

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Are You Sailing Without a Rudder?

Posted on April 18, 2013 by successtv

Starting a career in management can seem like it’s all about giving orders or telling people what to do. Then, as we get more
experience and become more knowledgeable about running a business, we can think the juice comes from savvy deal-making or even buying and selling companies. While that can be exciting, it can leave one “feeling dry” or exhausted, especially during the tough times if we haven’t found a deeper meaning to why we’re working so hard.

The importance of finding your life's purpose

What is Your Life’s Purpose?

Harvard Business School Professor and author Clayton Christensen teaches his MBA students to understand the need to find their life purpose before they embark on their careers. He even wrote a best-selling book called, “How Will You Measure Your Life”:

More and more MBA students come to school thinking that a career in business means buying, selling, and investing in companies. That’s unfortunate. Doing deals doesn’t yield the deep rewards that come from building up people.

I promise my students that if they take the time to figure out their life purpose, they’ll look back on it as the most important thing they discovered at HBS. If they don’t figure it out, they will just sail off without a rudder and get buffeted in the very rough seas of life.”

While this work/life advice can sound theoretical coming from a college professor or author, it becomes a stark reality when explained by a former CFO of Lehman Brothers, who found out in her mid-forties that being on top of her career came at a steep price:

I didn’t start out with the goal of devoting all of myself to my job. It crept in over time. … Inevitably, when I left my job, it devastated me. I couldn’t just rally and move on. I did not know how to value who I was versus what I did. What I did was who I was.  Erin Callen 

The last part of that quote is bolded because it is so profound. Talk about losing a rudder!

For those of you who want to know the end game, there’s a great article, “Regrets of the Dying”, written by a nurse who took care of people at the end of their lives. Here are their top five regrets:

  1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
  2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
  3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
  4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
  5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

So, whether you’re an experienced manager or just embarking on a career, it’s never too late to explore your life purpose. What do you want your legacy to be? If you’re 90 and on your deathbed, what will you have wanted to have accomplished?

Training Resources:

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How to Improve Decision-Making and Innovation in the Workplace

Posted on April 5, 2013 by successtv

There’s the good and the bad of having so much knowledge at ourdecision-making skills in a sea of information fingertips, literally. It’s easy to “Google” the answer to any question. Knowledge is no longer held in the hands of a few. But, do we know what to do with the answers? How do we make good decisions in the workplace? How do we teach young workers how to ask the right questions and older workers to look for new answers?

The capacity to innovate — the ability to solve problems creatively or bring new possibilities to life — and skills like critical thinking, communication and collaboration are far more important than academic knowledge. As one executive told me, ‘We can teach new hires the content, and we will have to because it continues to change, but we can’t teach them how to think — to ask the right questions — and to take initiative.’ Thomas L. Friedman, The New York Times

Also, knowledge and self-awareness that comes from within can guide us to make the right decisions. We can think the answers come externally but if we ask ourselves the right questions, we can pull out the answers. As an example, Greg McKeown, a leadership expert, recently wrote in the Harvard Business Review that the path to being happy and choosing the right career can actually come from looking at our past.

Mapping your career happiness

 

McKeown suggests we draw a map of our career starting from our earliest job to the present. Think back on when you had a peak experience or a project you loved. What was it that you loved about that project or job? What theme do you keep coming back that makes you happy? Why was the work meaningful?

You’ll notice that your map will have its peaks and valleys, making the peak times stand out. What is similar about your peak times? Also, just by drawing this, you’ll trigger a different part of your brain and hopefully come up with a fresh or different idea than you would if you were to type or write down your thoughts.

This can be a handy tool to use as a manager when you’re coaching an employee to tap into his or her motivation, to find the gem in a tough work assignment or project. That knowledge of what jazzes us helps with a whole host of issues: attitude, team building and commitment.

Related Resources:
• The Practical Coach Video Training: teaches managers how to coach their teams to success.
• The Business of Paradigms: benefiting from change and communication skills.

 

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