Often what seems to make logical sense - or is the most obvious - is not necessarily true at all. I have found that the greatest truisms are the ones that seem diametrically opposite to what one might expect. Here are some of those contrarianisms that I have found to be helpful.
When two people seem to consistently be at loggerheads in the workplace - usually it isn't because they are so different but because they are so similar (even though they will never admit it!)
It is those who need to make everyone revolve around them who are the most insecure.
Challenges that seem impossible often build new realms of possibilities.
Well over 3/4 of being a great communicator is the talent to shut up and listen.
Great control is mostly about knowing when to let go.
Persuasion isn't about getting one's own way. . .it's about sharing one's expertise with others.
True "fire drills" are about ensuring the safety of the team. . .work that has to be done suddenly and seemingly has very little purpose should never be called a "fire drill."
When an individual "winning" is more important than team success, everyone loses.
Collaboration does not detract from the individual, but instead enriches each person who is involved.
If someone rushes into your office and breathlessly announces that "Everyone is talking about. . ." or "Everybody says. . ." you should be assured that "everyone" and "everybody" generally can fit comfortably inside of a Fiat.
The sharing of information, responsibilities and praise with those around you does not diminish your share. . .it enriches it.
Don't invest too much faith in consistency. . .but instead trust the reliability of change.
Happy New Year to All!
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Dear Readers: in celebration of the New Year, I've reduced the price of my book on leadership, "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" to 2.99. So, if you just got an e-reader, tablet or even a PC, go to Amazon Kindle and give it a read. Or, if you are a member of Amazon Prime, you can read it for free. Best to you in the New Year - Brent
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Ten Virtues of a Great Leader
From what I've observed, leadership decisions are often complex - yet the pathway to great leadership is relatively simple. Great leadership is marked by (at least) ten virtues.
Visibility: People want to follow the leader who is visible - because if they can't see the leader they very well can't follow the leader. Time and again, I have seen even small absences by the leader questioned by the workplace. "Where is he/she? We haven't seen her/him. . . something must be up." Be visible and connect with the workplace.
Partnering: Build bridges. . .not turrets. Don't worry that by allowing others access you and your group won't get enough credit. At the end of the day, you are judged by the success of the entire enterprise.
Ability to Roll with the Punches. In other words, flexibility. You can react to the challenges issued by the world around you because you have a skill set and belief system that allows you to make the best out of what you have been given.
Realism. Neither pessimistic nor optimistic, a realist is balanced by facts and accurate assessments.
A Sense of Humor. People don't like "cranky." "Cranky" is difficult to follow.
Confidence. Simply put, there are few things more difficult than the insecure leader.
Multi-Dimensional. The great leader can function in many skill sets and work with many personality types. Versus "my way or the highway", the multi-dimensional leader can lead her or his team to success because they have many positive attributes.
Integrity. Truth is the foundation upon which all else is built.
Listening. I'm not convinced one needs to be a great speaker to be a great leader; absolutely, they must be a great listener.
Likability. The adage of "it's not my job to be liked" is simply an excuse to be an ass. It is 100% true that the leader often has to do things that members of the team do not like - those are actions, not characteristics. Every single one of us wants to follow someone we like. Yes, it is your job to be liked.
Selflessness. It's not about you - it's about your team
Lest you think I can't count, yes, I know, I listed eleven virtues. It takes more than ten to be a great leader.
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Brent Frerichs it the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" available for e-readers, tablets and PCs from Amazon Kindle.
Visibility: People want to follow the leader who is visible - because if they can't see the leader they very well can't follow the leader. Time and again, I have seen even small absences by the leader questioned by the workplace. "Where is he/she? We haven't seen her/him. . . something must be up." Be visible and connect with the workplace.
Partnering: Build bridges. . .not turrets. Don't worry that by allowing others access you and your group won't get enough credit. At the end of the day, you are judged by the success of the entire enterprise.
Ability to Roll with the Punches. In other words, flexibility. You can react to the challenges issued by the world around you because you have a skill set and belief system that allows you to make the best out of what you have been given.
Realism. Neither pessimistic nor optimistic, a realist is balanced by facts and accurate assessments.
A Sense of Humor. People don't like "cranky." "Cranky" is difficult to follow.
Confidence. Simply put, there are few things more difficult than the insecure leader.
Multi-Dimensional. The great leader can function in many skill sets and work with many personality types. Versus "my way or the highway", the multi-dimensional leader can lead her or his team to success because they have many positive attributes.
Integrity. Truth is the foundation upon which all else is built.
Listening. I'm not convinced one needs to be a great speaker to be a great leader; absolutely, they must be a great listener.
Likability. The adage of "it's not my job to be liked" is simply an excuse to be an ass. It is 100% true that the leader often has to do things that members of the team do not like - those are actions, not characteristics. Every single one of us wants to follow someone we like. Yes, it is your job to be liked.
Selflessness. It's not about you - it's about your team
Lest you think I can't count, yes, I know, I listed eleven virtues. It takes more than ten to be a great leader.
Like it? Share it!
Brent Frerichs it the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" available for e-readers, tablets and PCs from Amazon Kindle.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Kanye and the Art (?) of Over-Reaching
Kanye. . .Kimye. . .Clownye
It just doesn't stop. . .a constant parade of Kanye West's comparisons of himself to the famous. . .or the righteous. . .or the heroic. The latest this week: "I'm giving my body on the stage, I'm putting my life at risk. This is like being a police officer, or like war."
He does go on (of course) in an attempt to garner sympathy. "I'll explain it to my daughter one day - me and her mother, we had to fight for this position."
Seriously.
I have worked with people like this. . .those who can't trust the realities of life and need to constantly try to self-elevate themselves in public opinion. This "build it and they will come" attempt to garner a higher position usually does not come to fruition; instead, it merely results in a lot of eye-rolling.
Here's the problem for leaders who do this: they believe the world should revolve around them versus their team (or fans or constituencies). 100 to 1, leaders who are more concerned about the people around them will succeed; leaders who are more concerned about their own success ultimately fail. It's a simple matter of where the focus is placed. Self-aggrandizing leaders focus on one person - and a one person strategy is not sustainable. Leaders who focus, and place praise, on the people who are their partners have a very sustainable strategy.
Moreover, (and this is what a lot of people miss) is the impact of the perception of the leader by the team. Most people surrounding a leader have already placed that individual on a pedestal (this person has more power than I, this person makes more money than I, this person is more accomplished than I). This is problematic from the viewpoint that it can create gaps in understanding and communication between the leader and the team. If the leader further aggrandizes himself or herself, the gap widens and there is less of a common mission that the team and the leader share.
Here's what I believe is true. Real, strong leaders allow their personalities and actions to speak for themselves and do not need to stroke their egos by over-reaching. The leaders who are comfortable, and quiet about their accomplishments are the ones that teams trust.
Like it? Share it!
Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders," available for e-readers on Amazon Kindle. If you are a member of Amazon Prime, you can now borrow this book for free.
It just doesn't stop. . .a constant parade of Kanye West's comparisons of himself to the famous. . .or the righteous. . .or the heroic. The latest this week: "I'm giving my body on the stage, I'm putting my life at risk. This is like being a police officer, or like war."
He does go on (of course) in an attempt to garner sympathy. "I'll explain it to my daughter one day - me and her mother, we had to fight for this position."
Seriously.
I have worked with people like this. . .those who can't trust the realities of life and need to constantly try to self-elevate themselves in public opinion. This "build it and they will come" attempt to garner a higher position usually does not come to fruition; instead, it merely results in a lot of eye-rolling.
Here's the problem for leaders who do this: they believe the world should revolve around them versus their team (or fans or constituencies). 100 to 1, leaders who are more concerned about the people around them will succeed; leaders who are more concerned about their own success ultimately fail. It's a simple matter of where the focus is placed. Self-aggrandizing leaders focus on one person - and a one person strategy is not sustainable. Leaders who focus, and place praise, on the people who are their partners have a very sustainable strategy.
Moreover, (and this is what a lot of people miss) is the impact of the perception of the leader by the team. Most people surrounding a leader have already placed that individual on a pedestal (this person has more power than I, this person makes more money than I, this person is more accomplished than I). This is problematic from the viewpoint that it can create gaps in understanding and communication between the leader and the team. If the leader further aggrandizes himself or herself, the gap widens and there is less of a common mission that the team and the leader share.
Here's what I believe is true. Real, strong leaders allow their personalities and actions to speak for themselves and do not need to stroke their egos by over-reaching. The leaders who are comfortable, and quiet about their accomplishments are the ones that teams trust.
Like it? Share it!
Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders," available for e-readers on Amazon Kindle. If you are a member of Amazon Prime, you can now borrow this book for free.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
The Great Headline Rush
And we're off. . .!
The morning's news trumpeted "US Teens Lag in Global Education Rankings as Asian Countries Rise to the Top." If you read just the headline (By Daniel Arkin, NBC News) you would have fallen prey to the all-too-popular "woe is the American education system - let's have more testing!" mentality.
If, however, you read deeper into the article (and thank you Mr. Arkin for a thoughtful analysis) you would have discovered this nugget. Shanghai students dominated in the exam, but Tom Loveless, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution says that "the educational system in that city is not equitable - and the students tested are progeny of the elite because they are the only ones permitted to attend municipal schools due to restrictions that, among other things, prohibit many migrant children."
Oh. So. . .there was a lot more to the story. . .
Similarly, sometime in the past year I ran across the "expose" that grocery stores were encouraging shoppers to buy more groceries by providing bigger grocery carts. Apparently, a recent study indicated that people who used bigger carts bought more groceries.
OK. If it were a vast grocery store conspiracy - why would grocery stores keep adding more and more of those smaller carts? And, oh by the way, doesn't it make sense that someone who is intent on buying more groceries would choose a bigger cart?
The reason I bring up these two examples is that I believe as a culture, and as leaders, we are too quick to jump off the springboard of irrational reaction simply because of a short soundbite. Instead, we need to engage in some critical thought that allows us to make better informed decisions.
How many times has a team member thrown something like this at you?
"Well, EVERYBODY says that. . ."
"This project is REALLY a catastrophe. . ."
"NOT ONE SINGLE THING IS GOING RIGHT. . ."
These are headlines that are designed to make you jump up and take emotional action. Caution. . .more than any other time, you need to take your time, do due diligence, make critical analysis and take thoughtful action.
First of all, as a professional, it is your duty to think critically about your business and find out additional information. As a leader, it is your duty to guide your team with care, thought and precision.
Headlines are designed to grab your attention. . .but the stories that follow are what inform us as leaders and enable us to take fair and balanced action.
PS: If you want another perspective on educational testing, read this column by Diane Ravitch:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-ravitch/international-test-scores_b_4379533.html?utm_hp_ref=education&ir=Education
Like it? Share it!
Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" available for e-readers on Amazon Kindle. If you are a member of Amazon Prime, you can now read this book for free.
Keywords: leaders, rush to judgment, irrational actions of leaders, critical thought in leadership.
The morning's news trumpeted "US Teens Lag in Global Education Rankings as Asian Countries Rise to the Top." If you read just the headline (By Daniel Arkin, NBC News) you would have fallen prey to the all-too-popular "woe is the American education system - let's have more testing!" mentality.
If, however, you read deeper into the article (and thank you Mr. Arkin for a thoughtful analysis) you would have discovered this nugget. Shanghai students dominated in the exam, but Tom Loveless, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution says that "the educational system in that city is not equitable - and the students tested are progeny of the elite because they are the only ones permitted to attend municipal schools due to restrictions that, among other things, prohibit many migrant children."
Oh. So. . .there was a lot more to the story. . .
Similarly, sometime in the past year I ran across the "expose" that grocery stores were encouraging shoppers to buy more groceries by providing bigger grocery carts. Apparently, a recent study indicated that people who used bigger carts bought more groceries.
OK. If it were a vast grocery store conspiracy - why would grocery stores keep adding more and more of those smaller carts? And, oh by the way, doesn't it make sense that someone who is intent on buying more groceries would choose a bigger cart?
The reason I bring up these two examples is that I believe as a culture, and as leaders, we are too quick to jump off the springboard of irrational reaction simply because of a short soundbite. Instead, we need to engage in some critical thought that allows us to make better informed decisions.
How many times has a team member thrown something like this at you?
"Well, EVERYBODY says that. . ."
"This project is REALLY a catastrophe. . ."
"NOT ONE SINGLE THING IS GOING RIGHT. . ."
These are headlines that are designed to make you jump up and take emotional action. Caution. . .more than any other time, you need to take your time, do due diligence, make critical analysis and take thoughtful action.
First of all, as a professional, it is your duty to think critically about your business and find out additional information. As a leader, it is your duty to guide your team with care, thought and precision.
Headlines are designed to grab your attention. . .but the stories that follow are what inform us as leaders and enable us to take fair and balanced action.
PS: If you want another perspective on educational testing, read this column by Diane Ravitch:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-ravitch/international-test-scores_b_4379533.html?utm_hp_ref=education&ir=Education
Like it? Share it!
Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" available for e-readers on Amazon Kindle. If you are a member of Amazon Prime, you can now read this book for free.
Keywords: leaders, rush to judgment, irrational actions of leaders, critical thought in leadership.
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