Tag: blogging101 (Page 2 of 3)

The people we surround ourselves with are more valuable than words can often express.  Recently, an old friend popped into my mind so I reached out to catch up.  He was amazing, generous & supportive as always.  We spoke about many things but the most prevalent & surprising was workplace culture.

He spent some 27 years in the newspaper business only to be unceremoniously let go in the name of “progress”.  Their loss was another’s gain.  His one-of-a-kind voice & magnetic temperament led him to employment in radio & community relations.  His passion for people has made him successful no matter the enterprise.  At this point in his career, he’s seen it all & has always believed that to grow good grass you must have good soil.

Most organizations are good at broadcasting what they do & how they do it.  It gets a bit more difficult to align everyone’s efforts toward why they’re doing it.  This communication is a constant challenge.  The real tough job in connecting to why remains of top concern for leaders.  It’s their ability to do this that often defines their effectiveness.  There are a number of turn-around savior stories, not the least of which is Alan Mullaly when he took over the Ford Motor Company.  It was a massive undertaking but ultimately he was successful in bringing them back to life.  How did he do it?  He couldn’t have personally met everyone in such a huge company.  How do leaders change the contaminated “soil” to keep businesses viable?

“Why” is King

There’s nothing quite as compelling as a great vision for the future, of what could be.  We all want to be part of some endeavor larger than ourselves to make the world a better place.  It’s where personal growth is inspired.  This outlook is only the beginning, it takes leaders who are willing to go first with their effort to show the way.  Leaders know you don’t create movement toward a preferred future without others deciding to join the adventure.  None of us have joined to simply go along, we join out of the trust built on why it’s worth it.  The leaders have connected our passions to a higher purpose.  Our curiosity compels us to go even when the outcome isn’t exactly crystal clear.  We’ve decided it’s worth it, plain & simple!

Invest in People

For everyone to be successful, leaders have to commit to creating the proper environment.  It starts with a total commitment to people & realizing work is always a bring your own meaning endeavor.  The key is creating the right environment where everyone has the space to realize their potential.  Leaders must be brokers of “best”; supporting a culture where everyone feels safe to bring their best & that it’s always enough.  Best is just that…best.  Connection & extension of the collective “best” inside any organization keeps the focus on comprehensive agricultural growth.  We must let go of the hope for a better past & remain forward-looking.  After all, the future is the only place where change for the better can actually happen for our companies & ourselves.

In a recent article, Michigan State University Head Football Coach, Mark Dantonio stated his four aspects of setting (culture) goals.  You’ll notice each of these is rooted in a fundamental belief in others & what happens when we unleash a positive culture of together!

1. Lifelong relationships  (This matters the most!)
2. Successful & self-sufficient  (We can’t coach players on what we haven’t taught!)
3. Build trust to “win” with people  (Peak their natural curiosity!)
4. Positive impact through discipline & maturity  (Structure is the key!)

Back to my friend…he is living proof that staying true to who we are is enough to get through even the most trying adversity.  By creating limitless opportunities for others he has thrived.  His example doesn’t include a multi-national corporation turn-around but his impact is just as impressive.  He now leads four different radio stations & continues to create meaningful progress in a seemingly “old-fashioned” medium.  He serves to inspire employees & millions of listeners every week.  What he has done for others is his legacy!

Organic farmers aren’t “plant” farmers they’re soil farmers.  They know that if they don’t take care of the soil it won’t matter what they plant.  Likewise, we must be intentional about the culture we foster because it’s always shifting, good or bad.  The intention we give to it keeps a healthy culture.  Who we are & what we do matters!  Take time to recognize the best efforts of those you lead; what’s rewarded is repeated.  If we keep doing for a few what we wish we could do for everyone it will inspire amazing results!

All the best,

Karl
Follow Karl Bradley on WordPress.com

PS  Thanks for the inspiration & timely reminder Mark!

Once in a while we come in contact with people who impact us in positive ways & they don’t even know it.  In this case, it was a gentleman many of us saw regularly just “around”.  Upbeat exchanges were his norm.  He has since moved but recently my notes from a presentation he gave emerged from a pile of papers.  With a few of my own synthesized thoughts sprinkled in, here they are.  Probably nothing new here but I hope there’s a nugget of value for you!

One goal seems to elude even the most experienced leaders.  How do we create the environment to maximize the collective talents of our people?  In essence, how do we create a truly great team?

“So much of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to work.”    –Peter Drucker

Time isn’t just a magazine!

A little story about our time…                                                                                                    When a critical strategic initiative at a major multi-national business stalled, company leaders targeted a talented emerging executive to take over the project.  There was just one problem: she was already working 18-hour days, 5 days a week.  When the leaders put this suggestion in front of the CEO he quickly remarked that by his calculation she still  had “…30 more hours Monday to Friday plus 48 more on the weekends.”  This is what happens when our companies are run by good ladder climbers instead of good leaders.  They “manage” the heck out of their people, especially the ones that give the most.

The $1,000,000 Question

How can we do less with less amongst all the distractions & challenges and still be fantastically successful & effective at the “thing” we deliver for our customers?

Priorities first!

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things!”  -Peter Drucker  We all know it’s a reality that we must have both to be truly effective.  It’s when we get it backward that we get in trouble; managing people & leading stuff.  Throughout history, there have been no successful teams “managed” into battle.  Likewise, leadership is lost on the “stuff” where we work.  Stuff has no feelings, people do!  Here’s a short list using the rule of 3’s…

1. Lead people!  Become a “keynote listener”, deliver clear communication, practice good self-control/discipline, provide development opportunities & improve “life” balance.
2. Manage resources!   View your workforce as partners, fund instead of budget, provide the proper facilities/equipment & create efficient “time” processes.
3. Do your “thing” better!   Whatever it is, figure out what’s in the way of your people doing it as awesome as you know they can.  Eliminate unnecessary processes & rules to help them “wow” each other so the customers are “wowed”!

But how?

We’ve all heard about the 80/20 principle from Vilfredo Pareto.  He may not be a household name but his concept comes pretty close.  He says we should spend 80% of our time on the vastly important 20% that yields 80% of positive outcomes.  To decide what these are, simply ask 3 “why’s” in a row.  Once you have your list, ask “what for?” to determine what stays & what goes.  Just try it, you’ll be surprised how powerful this little exercise can be!

Stop Chasing “Crisis”

“What is important is seldom urgent & what is urgent is seldom important.”                         -Dwight D. Eisenhower

Manage activities that demand immediate attention out of necessity.  Focus on activities & processes that are critical to long-term success.  Avoid activities that are important yet divert focus from core processes.  Limit activities that detract from effective & efficient “energy” management.  Do it now, schedule it, re-direct it or don’t do it!  Like most things, it’s easier said than done.  Once we have priorities in line with our vision our “say” & “do” become aligned.  Don’t manage the “joy” out of things, just be passionately curious about designing intuitively common sense practices into all facets of the “voodoo” that you do.  Your people will love you for it & feel safe at work to push the boundaries of how good they can be together!

“Whatever comes out of these gates, we’ve got a better chance of survival if we work together.”    – General Maximus Decimus Meridius

Instead of playing “Simon Says” take what Simon Sinek says to heart…together is better!  When we marry passion with profession we can take the enterprise past what the “science” of management says might be possible.  Your leadership can & will make all the difference!

All the best,

Karl
Follow Karl Bradley on WordPress.com

PS  Sincere thanks to Colonel Rob Dotson for the great example of professionalism & courage.  His leadership & presentation(s) served as a catalyst for positive change in the face of many adversities.