Telling someone to follow their passion and dreams may seem like great advice. In fact, many of us confidently tell others that we love what we do and have found our true passion. But telling others to “follow their passion” isn’t always the best advice. Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks NBA basketball team states, “‘Follow Your Passion’ is easily the worst advice you could ever give or get.” In fact, it may be bad advice for three big reasons. First, many people haven’t found their passion. Without passion, it is hard to crystallize a vision or develop a plan that will turn your vision and passion into a reality. Second, and for some, even more importantly, their passion has no connection to bringing them financial stability or a regular paycheck. Third, passionate entrepreneurs who follow their vision and dreams without a viable business plan often find this approach one of the quickest paths to financial ruin.

We are all passionate about something on which we would like to spend our time and energy.  To be able to have a paying career within our passion is an even greater hope and dream for many of us. Passion is a great driving force, yet to be successful in your passion requires other elements of planning and execution. If following your passion is your dream, here are 7 tips to consider to turn your passion into a successful reality.

1. Find your passion

What draws you and what drives you? What difference would you like to make in the world and what are you good at? Most people find passion in doing the things they do really well.  Research tells us that for most people, passion does not come in the early part of your career when you are trying to figure out how to do your job. Passion comes from being able to successfully execute your goals and deliver huge values to others… most times better than others in the same position or industry. This takes time.

2. Test your passion

Think twice when people tell you to follow your passion. Telling someone who has not found their passion that they need a passion may send the individual looking for confidence in a false passion. We all know someone who had a dream and a false passion to be in a certain profession and when they finally arrived, they hated the job. It’s difficult to admit that you followed a false passion and this job or career is not for you.

3. Do a reality check. 

Where is there a need for your passion? Do people value what you’re passionate about enough to get involved?

4. Does your passion need to pay the bills?  

When you have true passion and the expertise to deliver the passion, others value the gift and are willing to pay you for your expertise. Passion without being paid is a hobby or avocation. Regardless of your level of passion, it’s hard to admit that you don’t have the ability to pay your bills or put food on your table.

5. Develop a strategic business plan

Passion without a plan is merely a dream; or worse it could spell disappointment and disaster. Once you know your passion and have a vision for the future you want to create, set goals with deadlines and underlying actions steps in your strategic plan.

6. Take Action and Work Hard

Hard work, plus the results and rewards of that hard work, are what fuels passion. Jeff Foxworthy, the comedian, once concluded his show by telling the audience, “I just want to thank you for making it so I never needed to get a job.” That may be his perspective, but Jeff Foxworthy has worked really hard to be such a great comedian that he doesn’t rely on foul language for laughs.

We all know someone who would tell you they have passion and a dream they are following. It’s even more motivating to listen to someone tell others about their passion and dreams. The problem for some is that’s all there is… all talk and no action. If it’s truly a dream backed by passion, actions will follow. Best of all, actions will follow and they won’t feel like real work.

7. Innovate

When you have passion, you always find the time to do what you love. In fact, you spend so much time thinking about your passion that you figure out creative ways to innovate, bring value to others and do even more of the things you love.

It’s our hope that you’re passionate about your work and calling. When you discover the work that you love, work becomes more than a job. It becomes your mission, and doesn’t even seem like work. Passion is central to your energy level and overall quality of life. Here’s to living life with excitement, awe, wonder and most off all, with gusto!

The post Will following your passion bring you riches or ruins appeared first on Peter Barron Stark Companies.

• Has a clear positive vision of the future
• Provides clear goals and strategic direction
• Good communicator
• Hires strong team members
• Builds a great team
• Defines clear goals and responsibilities
• Values diversity and diversity of opinion
• Able to solve big problems
• Good mentor
• Holds team members accountable

What seldom comes up is the important competency of being grateful for the contributions that others make. In reviewing our Benchmarks, the data tells us that the Best of the Best leaders and companies score higher on appreciating employees for their contributions and employees feeling adequately recognized. There is a strong personal benefit for the leader who consistently lets team member know he is grateful. Scientists have also found clear evidence that letting others know you are thankful and grateful for the contributions yields improved results for our health, relationships and teams.

This data makes sense. Although there are always employees who go around the organization telling everyone, “I don’t need no stinking recognition.” It has been my experience that the people who live by this line need the recognition more than anyone. They have learned to say they don’t need it for the lack of not getting positive feedback or feeling valued. Almost everyone has a deep seeded need to feel valued and appreciated. Knowing this, why don’t more leaders demonstrate their gratefulness by providing positive feedback and recognition?

Managers may not demonstrate their feeling of being grateful to employees for several reasons. Here are a few managers have shared with us:

1. Since they are paid well and still have a job, this should be enough appreciation.
2. If they provide positive feedback, the employee may not be motivated to maintain a continuous improvement philosophy.
3. Since they don’t get positive feedback from their boss, why should they give it to others. Not providing positive feedback is in our culture.
4. Low confidence or self-esteem. Although seldom mentioned, if managers do not feel positive and believe in the value of their worth and contributions, they find it difficult to provide positive feedback to others in the organization.

What is both neat and simple about gratitude is it takes little money. What is does take is heartfelt thought and action. Many leaders think about the contributions their team members make (think about it in the car on the way to work) but then take no action.

Here are seven ideas that leaders can take action to demonstrate to their team members they truly are grateful for their contributions.

1. Say “thank you.” Our mother taught us this and as simple as it is, it is forgotten a lot at work. Thank you can be conveyed in person, email, a phone call or even a voice message. When it is genuine and heartfelt, it means something.
2. Shake hands or give someone a high five. Combine shaking hands, a high five or nugs, a thank you becomes even more meaningful.
3. Be specific: A thank you is nice. A thank you for something that is specific and significant is even better. Instead of telling a team member they do a great job with customers, customize it. You could tell the team member, “I am really grateful you are on our team. Ever since you joined our team, we have not received one complaint from the Acme Company. You are awesome!”
4. Involve team members. When team members are involved in the decision making on projects or actions that impact their jobs, they know their contributions are valued and appreciated.
5. Provide learning and growth opportunities. A study by the American Psychological Association with over 1,700 employees conducted in 2012, indicated that 70 percent of employees feel valued at work when they have opportunities for growth and development. Although it may be difficult to give someone a promotion, you can invest in their development through training and development, assignment to significant projects, cross-training and involving them in discussions involving innovation or continuous improvement.
6. Do it today. This Thanksgiving, before you eat your Thanksgiving meal, let each person around the table know why you appreciate them and are grateful that they are in your life. We have done this in our family and it is a great way to start an awesome meal.
7. Make a gratitude list. Each day or once a week, make a list of what others do that you are really grateful for their contribution. This works best when you do it for both your family and the team members in your professional life. You will find that, when you express gratitude, you have less stress at home and people at work will go out of their way to help you achieve your goals.

Taking the thought, time and action to express gratitude can prove great results. All the data tells us that the gratitude actions that great leaders take really do work. Think about it. Most likely, on the days you feel the very best about the contributions you make in this world is when someone took the time to express their gratitude to you. At the end of the day, this leadership competency is so simple. What we all have in common is the need to be valued and appreciated. What are you grateful for today? As Oscar Wilde once said: “The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.”

The post What Makes Leaders Great appeared first on Peter Barron Stark Companies.

Would your employees describe you as a leader who has an open mind?

The ability to change your mind is an essential quality of leadership. Leaders with open minds are often described as humble or flexible. Humility and flexibility are almost always positive leadership attributes. But not all the time. At the other end of the spectrum are the leaders who are wishy-washy, always trying to please everyone, and can’t make a decision. Minds that are always either 100 percent closed, or 100 percent open, are not fit for leading.

First, let’s look at the benefits of having an open mind:

1. You listen:When you listen, you learn things. Another benefit of listening is it indirectly tells the people who are speaking that you care about them and that you value their opinion.
2. You’re able to change your mind or change your decision:When Austin Klipinger, of Klipinger Publishings, asked the Economist, Dr. Paul Samuelson about his reversed statement on inflation being desirable to promote growth, Dr. Samuelson responded, “Well when events change, I change my mind.” He then asked Mr. Klipinger, “What do you do?”
3. You’re confident:Only confident people can have an open mind and feel good about changing their opinion when they receive new information. People who lack confidence tend to defend what they’ve said or done to their deaths.
4. You’re approachable:When people feel you’re approachable and can incorporate different points of view into your decisions, people are much more comfortable coming to you with information.
5. You make better decisions:When you have the ability to incorporate new information and many different points of view, you ultimately have the ability to make a better decision.

How can you reap the benefits of being a leader with an open mind?

1. Thank people:Let people know you are grateful that they care enough about you to bring you information that’s different from what you currently believe.
2. Take action:You can listen, nod your head in agreement, and thank people for the new information, but if you don’t take action on the new information, you’ll gain zero points for having an open mind.
3. Give credit:When someone provides you with information that demonstrates a need for you to be more flexible or change your mind, give credit where credit is due. Say something along the lines of, “This is a great idea, but I can’t take credit for it. It’s so-and-so’s idea and I’m excited about having the team implement this solution.”
4. Provide an explanation:If you change your mind, explain to people the basis for the change in your decision. Give others the new facts or the new information that created the need to change your decision or solution.
5. Ask yourself two questions:When you feel adamant that you are right and there is no reason to change your opinion or decision, give yourself one last test. Ask yourself, “What if I’m not right? And, what if there’s a better way to do this?” These two questions will make you more receptive to information that’s different from what you already believe.

Theoretical physicist Richard Feynman once said, “Keep an open mind, but not so much that your brain will fall out.” In leadership there’s a healthy balance between having an open mind and having a closed mind. We know that having an open mind can be positive, but how do you know when to close your mind and stand strong on an issue? Here are three signs:

1. The decision goes against core values:If an employee asks you to lower your quality standards or to communicate dishonestly, you need to take a strong stand and respond with a closed mind and a lack of flexibility.
2. You find yourself becoming too easily swayed:I’ve heard some team members joke about their boss and say that, “You had better be the last person in to see her or her support of your initiative may be heading in a different direction depending on who met with her last.” When you are easily swayed by many people with many different positions because all of the viewpoints make sense to you, then you have become too flexible and you need to make a choice and take a stand.
3. When the short-term decision is easy, but the long-term impact is bad:For example, not giving a difficult employee feedback is both easy and pleasurable. Avoiding the employee is easy. Putting off the needed feedback under the guise of obtaining more insight about the behavior is easy, but the long-term impact is devastating for you, your team, and the business. Take a strong stand and do the right thing.

When you thank people for bringing you information that doesn’t agree with what you already know, take action on the information when appropriate and last, take a stand and make a decision in a timely manner, you will be described as an approachable leader with an open mind.

The post Is It Possible to be Too Open Minded? appeared first on Peter Barron Stark Companies.

While the definition of fairness might vary from person to person, here are some behaviors of unfair leaders, as shared by employees we’ve interviewed throughout the years:

• Overlooking bad behaviors in some employees while holding others accountable
• Withholding honest feedback from team members who aren’t receptive to feedback
• Being personal friends with some members of the team
• Inviting only certain employees to happy hours or other gatherings outside of work
• Sharing information with some employees and not others
• Giving only some team members desirable projects and not others
• Spending quality time with some employees, while making it a challenge for other employees on the team to meet with the leader

Whether you’re an organization leader or a parent, treating everyone consistently and fairly is a challenge. If everyone was equally as agreeable, treating everyone fairly would be a lot easier.

The following tips will help you do the right thing and increase your reputation as a fair leader:

Be friendly, be caring…but don’t be friends with your direct reports: This is a point that many of our clients like to debate. They strongly feel that leaders can be friends with direct reports and that the other employees should just accept that fact. I’d beg to differ. You should never be friends with your direct reports because, when you are, it becomes even more difficult to make the right business decisions. With that said, you should be friendly and caring to each one of your direct reports and hopefully, they will return the favor. Now, for those of you who still think that being friends with employees is a positive, I encourage you to pursue that friendship because that will help us build our consulting practice. Over the years, I’ve noticed that leaders who are friends with their direct reports, tend to need a lot more consulting support to navigate leadership’s white waters.

Recognize that equal and fair are two different issues: Some of your direct reports may take more of your time to coach and mentor. That means that your time is not divided up equally among all your team members. Regardless of time spent, you’re still showing fairness because you remain equally committed to each team member’s success.

Be consistent: If you are going to go to lunch with one employee, invite other employees along or rotate so you take every team member out to lunch.

Hold all team members accountable: Having different standards for different team members will make others perceive you as unfair. This becomes especially apparent when some team members are allowed benefits and rewards that others with similar achievements are not. And it can really backfire on you when poor performers are allowed to slide.

Welcome difficult or challenging feedback: If you don’t welcome feedback or only hang out with the people who tell you what you want to hear (aka brown-nosers), you risk being seen as unfair.

Give honest credit and recognition: Difficult team members make it easy to forgo giving positive feedback. When someone does great work, makes a good suggestion, or makes a positive contribution to the team’s success, a fair leader provides the positive feedback and finds a reason to celebrate.

Even if your employees already view you as the fairest leader of them all, the six tips outlined above will help build better working relationships not only between yourself and your employees, but between each team member.

The post 6 Tips to Increase Your Reputation as a Fair Leader appeared first on Peter Barron Stark Companies.

In this rapidly changing world, one of the keys to being a successful leader is to be adaptable with a strong willingness to learn and change. A few of the powerful changes that are impacting today’s leaders include: technology; workforce demographics – the baby boomers are beginning to leave the workforce and a new workforce that has different values, skills and connection to work are taking the boomers place. Marketing that was directed to the masses versus today’s social marketing that is focused on making a strong “connection” with a few. Instant on-line access to just about anything you desire. The need for speed, urgency, efficiency and effectiveness that by-passes the traditional channels to get things done.

How effective are you as a leader in learning new ways to adapt to the changes? Can you make a list of 10 things you have learned to do differently this year? In our seminars on leadership and change, we teach the four stages leaders go through when making a personal change. Learning how to change, and change quickly is a critical skill for leaders in today’s workforce. We live in a change or become obsolete world. Below are four stages of change that will help you make the necessary transitions that are required to be a leader today.

Stage 1: Unaware
J. Paul Getty once said, “In times of rapid change, experience may be your worst enemy.” In this stage, the leader did not even know that changes were taking place that might impact them or their organization. We call this stage the unconscious incompetent stage. They did not know and they did not know they did not know.

Stage 2: Awareness…then Denial
Back when I first heard of sites like Twitter and LinkedIn. My initial thoughts were…great, but it has nothing to do with my business or me. Worse, one day I thought to myself, “the people on those sites have way too much time on their hands.” If these types of comments do not demonstrate my ignorance and resistance to change, I said, “fine, but my clients are not going to be using these social media sites.” I was officially aware, but just in major denial. If leaders are going to seek out any information in this stage, they tend to seek out only the information that confirms what they already believe…that this change will not work. It has been said that if you can argue long enough for your limitations, eventually they will be yours.

Stage 3: Exploration
In Stage 3, leaders start to open their minds to the possibility of change. Although Stage 3 and exploration is a good thing, the challenge is usually people are jumping on the wagon late in the change cycle. Yesterday at the gym, I saw a man carrying around a CD player. CD players were good in their day, but he should explore streaming music from his phone, or at least an iPod or MP3 player.

Stage 4: Acceptance and Commitment
My father once told me, “In a fight between you and the world, bet on the world.” As we discuss acceptance and commitment, it is important to note that at least one person reading this is probably thinking this thought: not all change is good change. We are the first to agree…not all change is good change. All of us can cite hundreds of examples when change has occurred and it has not been good. But, what is important to note is that not one improvement can be made in your organization or department without a change occurring. It is in this stage that for the first time, people can see a positive vision of the change working for them and benefiting their life.

So how have you changed as a leader over the last 12 months? Have you…
• Clarified and communicated your vision and goals
• Incorporated new technology into your life to become even more productive and efficient
• Raised the bar on accountability and results for your team?
• Became an even more effective communicator
• Balanced your work and personal life…and encouraged your team members to do the same
• Learned something new…and then taught what you learned to others
• Taken on a new project or task…that makes you and the team uncomfortable
• Celebrated your successes of how you and your team have changed

When it comes to change, we are fond of saying, “you can change…or you will be changed.” General Eric Shinseki, former US Army Chief of Staff, stated, “If you don’t like change, you are going to like irrelevance even less.” So it is time to get to work. Can you come up with a list of 10 ways you have significantly changed in the last year? Good luck!

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

The post Can You Change Fast Enough to Not Become Obsolete? appeared first on Peter Barron Stark Companies.

Are you allowing a senior leader to coast while organizational results and revenues are suffering?  Most likely, this manager is getting enough accomplished to get by and satisfied by his performance. But, you face three major problems when your direct report is allowed to maintain the status quo. First, although this individual may hold the title of vice president, he is not a leader. Leaders continuously bring innovation to their team with one goal…to improve the organization. Second, you and the rest of your team are not satisfied by this team member’s performance and the negative impact he is having on overall organizational productivity. And third, other members of your team have lost respect for this team member, and possibly you, for not holding the team member accountable for the results that will make the team or organization fully successful.

Some of the common complaints we hear from CEO’s in this situation are that the coasting manager: avoids innovative changes or change altogether; justifies or negates constructive feedback; band-aids system or process issues rather than creating a better process; doesn’t solicit or appreciate feedback for improvements.

Often, when we provide executive coaching in these situations we find the coasting manager has been in their position for a long time. In the past, they brought significant value to the organization because of their knowledge or they had an exceptionally strong relationship with the company’s largest customer. Unfortunately, these contributions never make up for the lack of results in other areas.

As the leader of a manager who is leading the status quo, you know you need to do something other than pray they will significantly change tomorrow or leave. Although prayer is a good thing, in this situation, it also requires intervention. You know you need to do something before they derail your strategic plan, but, what do you do?

Ask yourself an important question. Is it in the best interest of the organization, team and customers to continue to let this manager maintain a status quo culture? If it is not, you will need to take action. Here are 6 tips that, if implemented, will make a difference.

1. Set measurable goals. In situations where team members are coasting, most times they tell everyone else what their goals are and when they can be accomplished. This time it needs to be different. As the leader, clarify the vision, set very clear expectations, establish a timeframe to accomplish the goals, hold the manager accountable to meeting the expectations, and schedule regular follow-up meetings to review the manager’s progress in meeting the goals.
2. Determine Competence and Motivation Levels. It will be important to find out whether the status quo manager is competent and motivated to lead change. A manager may be competent, but lack the motivation to get the job done. Or, lack competence, but be highly motivated to gain the competence. When motivation is present, you may be more willing to give the manager time to develop a higher level of competence and make the needed changes. If the manager is not motivated or most likely will not gain the competence in the needed timeframe, strategize an exist plan and start interviewing.
3. Have the performance discussion. Be direct and honest. Share your concerns about the manager’s inability to raise the bar and meet or exceed the needs of the organization and customers. Then listen to the manager and see if you can learn why he is unable to lead the necessary changes to improve the team. If the manager believes he can achieve the goals, outline solutions and an action plan. Schedule follow-up meetings to review progress.
4. Review progress. If the manager is making significant improvements for the team, great, just don’t take your foot off the gas in maintaining accountability. Praise and recognize this manager for the improvements that benefit the organization. If significant progress is not being made, move to Step 5.
5. Establish an exit plan and start interviewing. You will know quickly if the manager is capable and motivated to lead the needed change. If they are not, decide upon an exit strategy and start interviewing. The new leader joining the team will only have two questions for you and the team, “What are the goals and how quickly do you want them to happen?”
6. Conduct a leadership assessment. In some cases, we have found it best to hire an outside consultant to conduct a 360 assessment. If the manager is in denial about the need for change, there is nothing better than a hard-data report that all their peers, direct reports, and manager have participated in to bring reality to the forefront and open-up a conversation.

As the CEO or senior leader in your organization, you need to make decisions that will improve the condition of your team. Direct reports who manage the status quo need to be coached, counseled, and trained. Give them every opportunity to improve, but when that does not work, share them with your best competitor so they will have a status quo strategic plan.

If you have a leader who is just managing the status quo, we can help. Peter Barron Stark Companies specializes in Executive Team Building, 360 Leadership Assessments, and Executive Coaching.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

The post Challenging the status quo or derailing your strategic plan? appeared first on Peter Barron Stark Companies.

Every day we are bombarded with news about decisions made by leaders that cause us to question their integrity and ethics. So much so that we have banned the news in our home, especially after 7:00 p.m., to stave off the restlessness that comes with this kind of news and in the hopes of getting a sound night’s sleep!  We are facing a new kind of poverty – ethical leadership practices.

No matter what situation an organization finds itself in, it didn’t get there by chance, someone led it there. Organizations and their cultures are, therefore, shaped by the values and ethics of their leaders. Your decision-making, whether ethical or unethical, sends a powerful message throughout the organization.

Here are 7 tips to help you make ethical decisions, especially when the right decision seems difficult to make.

Practice “both-and” strategies with your values: Say, “Our goal is to return great profits and maintain a high-quality product.” Statements like this will keep every employee in your organization focused on your values and will ultimately yield more positive outcomes. When you say, “Either we can make great profits or we can produce a high-quality product,” you send a message that you are willing to compromise one of your core values and, ultimately, your integrity.

Take a firm stand on your values: Ethical leadership practices demonstrate unwavering commitment to their beliefs and values. During problem-solving and decision-making discussions, stay the course, provide time, and encourage everyone to persevere until you have a plan that supports all of your values. Using your values and long-term goals as a compass will help you avoid poor decisions based on short-term gains at the expense of long-term implications; and your character will remain intact.

Weigh each option against your values: Lay out a range of options and determine the pros and cons of each possible decision in light of your core values. When you ensure your decisions meet the “values test” you are modeling a commitment to high ethical standards.

Be honest and transparent in all communication: People want to know the truth, even when the information is difficult to hear. Employees can make sound decisions if they know what they are dealing with. The minute you sugarcoat bad news or cover up critical information, you have not only breached the trust between you and members of your team, you have undermined their ability to make productive decisions.

Reward employees for speaking up and seek their honest input: Employees need to feel empowered with the knowledge that their leaders want them to tell the truth and do the right thing, even during difficult circumstances. Leaders are better able to make sound decisions when they know the truth. When employees sense their leaders don’t want to hear the truth, they also believe their leaders are willing to compromise their integrity.

Imagine the decision publicized: Imagine that the soundness of your decision is going to be highlighted on the cable news networks or written about in an internet blog. Will others consider your decision a sound one that will positively highlight your moral character?

Do the right thing: Once your analysis leads you to a values-based decision, take action and hold everyone accountable to the decision, even in the face of opposition.  When it comes to doing the right thing, honesty and full disclosure will seldom be the wrong call. Remember the words of John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach at UCLA. “In life, there is a choice you need to make in everything you do…so keep in mind that in the end the choices you make, make you!”

What are the leadership values that guide your organizational decisions? You have a choice, and what you choose to value will ultimately determine your leadership legacy. Set high standards, walk your talk, and live by your values. The security of your position depends on it.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

The post Ethical Leadership: A new kind of poverty? appeared first on Peter Barron Stark Companies.

As much as we wish for it, we’re not going to get more time. The key, then, is to use the time we have as effectively as possible. Saying “no” is critical to freeing up time that could, and should, be spent in better ways.  Effective leadership is about saying “no” to the requests, decisions, and actions that are not effectively turning your vision into a reality. The yearning to be well liked and make only decisions that others agree with is the Achilles heel of leadership.

Steve Jobs, arguably one of the greatest innovators of our time, understood the power of “no.” In 1997, shortly after Steve was reinstated as the CEO of Apple, he surveyed every single product team in the company. He called them into Apple’s conference room one by one, and the teams had to convince Jobs that their product was essential to the company’s vision and strategic plan. Jobs then cut the number of projects Apple was working on from 350 to 10. (To be fair, his predecessor, Gil Amelio, had already started the turnaround work by cutting the number of Apple projects from 350 to around 50.) With that many “no’s” it’s safe to assume there were a lot of unhappy people working on important projects that no longer existed.

The problem with saying “no” is that it can put the leader in a situation where employees may lose their enthusiasm, and become unhappy or even disengaged. There’s a right way, and a wrong way, to tell an employee “no.” Here’s how great leaders say “no” in an encouraging way that keeps their teams motivated, enthusiastic, and engaged:

Listen. Show that you respect and value the ideas and opinions of others by taking the time to hear out others’ ideas before you respond with “no.”

Ask questions. If you are truly listening for understanding (as you should be), ask questions that allow you to more fully explore the merits of an idea or recommendation.

Gain more information. Instead of saying “no” outright, gain more information to see if this idea or recommendation could be the best use of resources to turn your vision into a reality.

Respond with a conditional “no.” Though you may not support implementing the idea or recommendation at that moment in time, it may be an idea worth pursuing further down the road. Respond with something along the lines of, “Although our plates are full with our current projects, I fully support you implementing this idea when you complete the XYZ project.”

Provide a “no” with encouragement. People take “no” personally. They may interpret “no” as, “my idea is not worthwhile,” or “you don’t trust me to turn this idea into a success.”  Encouragement can help take the sting out of a “no.” You might say, “Although I don’t want to implement this idea now for X and Y reasons, I don’t want you to be discouraged. We can’t implement every idea, but improvements cease in our organization if people like you stop coming up with ideas that may or may not work. Keep thinking of ideas to improve our team.” Hopefully, you can give a positive response if the next idea takes you closer to the vision.

Be clear and direct. If you know your answer is “no,” and you are hesitating because you know it won’t please the recipient, you are doing them a disservice by not quickly and directly letting them know your decision. Don’t waste their time or your time by softening a “no” to the point where it sounds like a “maybe.”

Provide an explanation. I recently overruled a staff decision, and said “no” to a recommendation they had made. I don’t often tell my team members “no” because I have a high level of trust in their decisions and recommendations. But in this case, I had gut-instinct concerns about the decision, and explained to each team member why I wanted to move in a different direction. After I explained my decision, I asked for, and received, each team member’s support for the new direction.

Be humble. When you do say “no,” let people know that you’re willing to look at the recommendation again if new information emerges. When new information does present itself, be quick to make the decision and give recognition to the team member who asked for the original “yes.”

“No” is a necessary word to have in your leadership vocabulary.  Great leaders say “no” in a way that promotes continued innovative thinking and engagement from employees. When you tell someone no, you free up your time and others’ time, both mentally and physically, to work on the things that are most closely aligned with your vision. Effective leadership depends on your ability to prioritize your time. Make sure you’re not wasting valuable time saying “yes” to the things you know will not get you and your team closer to your vision.

The post Great Leaders Need to Say “No!” appeared first on Peter Barron Stark Companies.

Here’s the challenge: politics in business gets a bad rap from the people who are known for playing them the most. The use of power and the appearance of fairness in the workplace impact how engaged employees are with their jobs. Negative examples of office politics would be the strategies people use to seek advantage at the expense of others, or the greater good.

What do leaders who play politics do?

• Kiss up: Team members who utilize political power in a negative way are good at pleasing their boss and those they perceive as having the right political power
• Withhold information
• Fail to respond or acknowledge requests for information or support
• Communicate different messages to different people, depending on their political goal
• Gossip about people they do not value or respect
• Withhold critical support or resources, causing others to fail to achieve their goals

All of these behaviors send out a message that they value and respect some people, but do not hold the same level of value and respect for others. Ultimately, leaders who exhibit the behaviors listed above are perceived as being untrustworthy or unfair. When people don’t consider you to be trustworthy or fair, it’s difficult to build relationships where people want to follow you.

Here’s the problem with playing workplace politics. It works well as long as you are in perfect alignment with the direction the political winds are blowing. If your boss loves you but everyone else on the team thinks you’re an unfair team player, you are most likely secure as long as you have the same boss. The problem begins when the political winds change direction. If your boss retires or gets fired, people participating in politics are in trouble because they don’t have relationships that will support their negative political style moving forward. For the first time, team members have a voice, and they don’t want to work with this type of leader. Another example is when there’s a promotional opportunity within the organization. Unless the promotion is under the same boss, chances are strong that this individual will not get the job.

Wondering how to play office politics, then? Here are 3 keys to dealing with workplace politics by building a reputation as a leader.

Do the right thing for the team and the organization. When you are focused on what is best for the overall team or organization, it won’t matter whether someone is liked or perceived to be in the right political favor.

Build strong relationships across the organization. If you build strong relationships across a wide section of the organization, and you have a reputation for doing the right thing, you won’t have to worry when the political winds change direction.

Lean into people who practice bad politics. People practicing negative politics impact you and/or your work, and you need to get closer to them. Meet with the individual and discuss your concerns. For example, you might ask this political individual, “When you launch this new program without involving, or at the least informing our department, how does that benefit our organization and our customers?”

Positive or negative – dealing with workplace politics happens. The philosopher Plato said, “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” Positive office politics will help you get what you want in the working world without compromising others in the process. Implement the 3 tips above, and you’ll be on the road to building a reputation as a trusted and fair leader who knows how to build positive relationships to get things done.

The post How to Play Office Politics Without Selling Your Soul appeared first on Peter Barron Stark Companies.

So what can a leader do when facing the daunting task of redirecting the culture?

Start with a clear vision

Vision is a fancy word for a clear mental picture of the outcome. What will the culture look like in the future and how will it operate? The neat thing about vision is that everybody has one of three visions. Some leaders have a positive vision and feel that tomorrow will be even better than it was today. Others have a vision of status quo; they want tomorrow to be similar to what it is today. And last, all of us have had an employee who has a negative vision and truly believes that tomorrow will be worse than it was today. Great leaders know that it’s almost impossible to know what goals you have to set and roles you need people to fulfill without a clear positive vision of what you want for your organization.

Set goals to turn the vision into a reality

Once your vision is clear, set and communicate the goals to everyone in the organization … multiple times and through multiple channels. When it comes to clear vision and goals, you can’t over-communicate.

Over-communicate

Team members need to be clear on the vision, goals and strategic direction. They also want to know they’re valued and can trust their leaders. One of the fastest ways to build trust in an organization is to over-communicate. And, the only time you will even gain points for being trustworthy is by being honest when it costs you something. For example, we recently worked with a CEO who told the troops that their healthcare co-pays were not expected to go up this year. About a month after he made the announcement, he had to go back to everyone in the company and let them know he made a mistake, communicated too quickly, and now needed to set the record straight. The CEO felt compelled to take the heat for providing incorrect information and took the responsibility for getting the information corrected.

Sell people on the problem, not the solution

Tell people why the culture needs to change. Maybe your competitors are providing a better quality or faster service and you have recently lost several accounts. That would be a great example of selling people on the solution or the “why” you need to change the culture. A much better way to change cultures is to sell people on the problem and not the solution. Ask you team members, “If all our competitors are improving the quality of their products and the speed of their service, and we don’t, is it possible even more of our clients are going to stop doing business with us?” When people think about the problem, they are much more motivated to be a part of finding the solution.

Start with the rudders first

When it comes to leading change, there are three types of people. First, you have the propellers. They see the vision and are actively engaged and providing the needed energy to lead the new vision. Rudders are in the middle. They take a wait and see attitude and, while they aren’t actively road blocking the change, they aren’t leading the change either. Last, you have the anchors. They are actively opposed to the change and do whatever they can to stop the change from being implemented. Where leaders need to spend the majority of their time is with the rudders, the group in the middle. The propellers are moving in the direction of the vision and may not even need your support. It’s the rudders who can be pulled in either direction. The anchors only have one goal: to pull rudders down into anchor territory because misery loves miserable company. Leaders should spend their initial time moving rudders up the change ladder and align them with the propellers.

Create a plan and set firm timelines for implementation

Once you have the vision, goals and a plan, set a firm timeline for implementation. If you wait until the right time or when people are really ready, you will never implement the change. If, for example, you’re introducing new values, the sooner you do it the better.

Hold team members accountable for the desired results

All change is uncomfortable. If you do not believe this fact, try asking someone to place their watch or bracelet on the opposite arm they are used to wearing it. When we make this request of people in seminars, seldom do participants leave their watch on their new arm for the rest of the seminar. Some participants even refused to move their watch at all. Why? Because it’s uncomfortable. The best way to change the culture is to identify the vision and goals you want to achieve, and then measure regularly to ensure you’re on target. What do you measure? Everything that will help you turn your vision into reality. (i.e. service, quality, productivity, number of new innovative products, sales, teamwork, client satisfaction, retention, etc.)

Promise people big problems

As I write this, President Obama continues to be drilled over the implementation of the American Health Care Act. As you listen to the Republicans and the media, it does not sound like much has gone right. Whenever you make a big change–and the ACHA definitely falls into this category—you’re better off telling people about all the problems you’re going to encounter versus all the benefits you will receive once the change has been implement. When you promise people a ton of problems with the change, and the problems do occur, you’ll gain points for being honest.

Hire winners

Since your culture is heavily influenced by those on your team, it’s important that you hire people who share your cultural values. Once you identify your vision, communicate to the hiring managers what characteristics people might have who can help push your company forward. When hiring, rather than asking people what their values are (it’s unlikely that candidates will know their true values off the top of their heads) ask them what they’re proud of. When they tell you that they’re proud of the work they’ve done in their local soup kitchen, that will tell you that they value serving others; when they tell you that they’re proud of their last promotion, that will tell you they’re ambitious; and when they tell you that they’re proud of a recent class they took, that tells you that they value education.

Change what you reward

One of the biggest differences of the PBS Benchmarked Best of the Best Organizations is the Best of the Best are much stronger in the areas of cross-departmental communication and teamwork. Almost always, in organizations that are challenged by a lack of cross-departmental teamwork and communication, the senior leaders have placed most of the rewards upon managers who achieve individual contributor or departmental success. If you want to improve cross-departmental communication and teamwork, you need to start rewarding people and teams who exhibit those behaviors and achieve even higher levels of results.

Of the things that are hard to change, your culture is up there. However, as we discussed, it is possible. Put into play the actions from this blog and you will significantly increase your chances of successfully leading your team or organization’s culture change.

The post Can you Change your Company Culture? appeared first on Peter Barron Stark Companies.