“Fill up your own cup because you can’t pour from an empty cup.” As a leader my energy and attitude effects my organization. My team looks to me in many ways to set an example for how we do our work, take care of ourselves, and one another. When days are long and weeks are difficult, it’s harder to lead in a way that inspires and motivates. As a leader, just like with my physical body, my...
We’ve all heard the expression that something or someone might “Run like a Swiss Watch.” When we hear that expression we imagine a flawless device, doing what it’s supposed to do and looking good doing it. According to Hermle North America, a watch company in Virginia, the heart of Swiss Watchmaking is found in the intricate attention to detail, innovation and a strong tradition of training their employees to execute their craft to a high standard...
"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link." ~Unknown As Forrest Gump’s Mama once said, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” That is certainly true in a workplace filled with people possessing a wide variety of knowledge, skills, and drive; you get the high and under achievers all mixed together and this makes it more difficult to achieve a level of consistency and excellence in all...
"The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year." ~John Foster Dulles In our world of service, there are always challenges, right? Like fixing things, servicing equipment, and making customers happy. That's normal! But what happens when these challenges stay the same every week, month, or year? We keep facing the same problems over and over, wasting precious time and...
"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." ~John C. Maxwell When you get around purpose-driven organizations you know it. You remember the best ones for how they make you feel about the company. If you work for them, you know how they make you feel about yourself. The same is true about the leaders within the company too because they focus on the significance of aligning organizational purpose with strategies,...
"The best leaders are insatiable learners. They're never finished because they're always learning." ~Tom Peters One of the best ideas ever given to me years ago was to take my direct reports, my leaders, away from the workplace for a training session. Little did I realize that those two days would be the foundation for changing our negative toxic culture to one that would lead us to making some incredible hires and eventually allow us to win...
"The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes." ~Tony Blair, former Prime Minister England Leadership is about making hard decisions, setting boundaries, and prioritizing opportunities based on defined goals and vision. A significant aspect of effective leadership is the ability to judge well, or to develop the art of discernment in decision-making. Discernment is crucial when learning to say “no” to people and projects. This takes skill, discipline,...
"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." ~William Arthur Ward Expressing gratitude for employees is essential for fostering a positive work environment and building a strong team. Finding the time to give the gift of gratitude is a challenge, but well worth the effort. Here are a few ways we can express gratitude to our people. Recognition Programs: Establish employee recognition programs that highlight and reward outstanding performance. I have done...
Over the years of leading organizations, small businesses, and after numerous employee huddles I have discovered that one verb is critical when defining successful leadership…respect. How a leader treats other people, garnering achievements, solid character, and competency goes a long way in developing the reputation of being a leader worthy of respect. Merriam-Webster defines respect as “a relation or reference to a particular thing or situation; expressions of high or special regard or deference”. Just like trust, respect...
Delegating takes time, a precious commodity for us all. I know delegation is what I’m supposed to do, but if I do it myself, I know it’s done correctly, and I don’t have to do it again. The hardest part for me and I bet for you is to be willing to accept that mistakes may occur when delegating. But a truly effective leader knows that delegation is not just about assigning our people tasks; it’s really...