New Things

New routines and plans can cause stress on the team and for yourself.  Taking a risk to implement new things - routines, schedules, reports, creates change to the status quo.

This action now becomes about change - improvement and innovation, new ideas and following up on the suggestions/input of others.  Getting people on board with the change is where leadership is required.

Questions to consider when taking a risk:

• why am I taking this risk?  what will the results be?
• what is the difference between new and old?
• who will be impacted?
• what education and follow up is required to make the new 'thing' stick?

If you have considered this during your plan, you have mitigated some of the risk in introducing new things to your team.

Go ahead - take that risk - you will learn from it no matter what!

Voices of Change

Every year, Giant Impact presents the Chik-fil-A Leadercast.
A fabulous full-day simulcast with world-class speakers on leadership.

The theme this year:  Voices of Change will inspire us to use our voice to tell our story and change the world in which we live and work.

This phenomenal day will leave you uplifted, ready to move in new directions and change the way you think and act.

To participate in a Leadercast event near you visit www.leadercast.com.
If you are in the local Essex County Area - visit Windsor Essex Leadercast 2011

When Their Problem is Yours

There comes a time in every leader's life when the problems of the team become their problems.  What to do?  Why does this happen?

As the leader, you have already accepted responsibility for the team and their results (see, I did not say actions).  Your role is to guide them to success through execution of the plan or project.  There will be a time when the team gets stuck and the problem becomes yours.  Have a look at the reasons you now own the problem:

• was the direction unclear
• were the steps not cohesive
• were all the roadblocks anticipated, examined and resolved
• were all the stakeholders involved

Now - push the problem back to the team.  Unless it is one of funding or lack of people-power, you really can't solve their issue.  You can guide them through it.  That is what you do as the leader.

Here are 2 great books to read that can help you with the struggle of accepting the problems of others:

 

2011 – Own Your Goals

Focusing your sites on the New Year, you are getting ready to set goals...

...professional and personal ones at that! 

How can you stay on top of them and make sure you

Own Your Goals?

Click here to find out:  100 DAY START UP

LinkedIn How?

Getting to know other professionals, join conversations and discussions about your field or even looking for a new job can be done on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is a social media network that connects professionals together in a simple format that can open the world around you, helping you see more, learn more and build more relationships.

If you are already on LinkedIn, you may be using it to track your contacts and communicate - there is much more to this network that can create new business and/or clients for your product or service.

Want to learn all about it?  Click Here

The Leader In Me

The Leader in Me is focused on service.  Helping others, through working with them, guiding, coaching, mentoring and challenging them to be the best version of themselves in all they do.

The Leader in Me is courageous.  Taking risks that better the future of my company, my colleagues, my team and myself.

The Leader in Me is authentic.  I am who I am, always - transparent, honest and open-minded.

The Leader in Me is decisive.  Making decisions with the facts at hand, research in my back pocket, advice from those who can help and consideration for all stakeholders.

Who is the Leader in You?

Learn more about developing your Inner-Leader by clicking here:  The Leader In Me

212 Degrees - The Extra Degree

"At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with boiling water comes steam. And with steam, you can power a train.” Applying just one extra degree of temperature to water means the difference between something that is simply very hot and something that generates enough force to power a large machine.

Straight out of the book, this simple idea built within me I read the book and I started to find possibility in everything. Better yet, I started looking at my everyday routine to see how I could make a difference. I go to the gym – I actually schedule it to make sure I do it without any excuses. At the gym though, I can get lazy and hitting the treadmill can be boring if that is all that it is. By applying the extra degree, I started to turn up my pace a little each time, try the intervals that my trainer showed me in my orientation and it actually worked. I could easily keep a 6 mile/hour pace for 30 – 40 minutes and have even been able to crank it up to 6.5 in incremental steps – it was all that extra degree - the extra degree of push that I needed in my head and on the treadmill. If I continue to apply the extra degree, I will be able to reach my goal of a 10 km run in less than 1 hour. One extra degree can make a difference.

Just imagine what you can do.