A Simple Formula for Success: ?=+

One of the most powerful formulas for leadership success is simple:   ?=+

Questions equal connections.

Leaders are often proficient at giving directives, announcing strategies and making statements.   There's nothing wrong with any of this - but it often does not maximize the power of the workforce because often the statements fail to engage.

Asking questions creates a stronger relationship and engages the workforce.

I'm not talking about the tactical or snarky,  "Will you finish that report before global warming brings the water level to the second floor?"  Instead, these should be questions of honest interest because the answers can help you build both a better workforce and a stronger business.

• "Can you think of a better way of doing this?"
• "What are ways that we can edit our work so that what we do is more meaningful (and streamlined)?"
• "Can you give me another perspective on this project?"
• "If you were responsible for the final result - what would you do differently?"
• "What are your ideas on how we can make this work?"

What I believe many managers find fearsome in the idea of asking for input is that they perceive it obligates them to do exactly what the responder said.  That's not the deal.   The manager should accept the responses as honest options as to how to do the work better - in some cases, they may do exactly what the team member suggested;  in others, they may implement other solutions.   The successful workplace understands that healthy input does not obligate either party; but instead, increases the options and paths to success.

Here's a case history.     Managers of a business decide to do a major remodel - don't ask for input from any of the staff.   Staff is disenfranchised from the many changes going on around them;   some of the changes make their work with clients more challenging.    Clients are disoriented and look to staff for re-assurance;   because staff has not been involved, staff cannot clearly communicate what is good about all of the changes.  In short, what was an expensive remodel that should have been a boon for business was not fully optimized because the staff was not engaged from the get-go.

They weren't asked . . .they weren't involved.

Asking questions makes connections. . .and those connections not only build the relationship with your team, but build your business as well.

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Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders"  available for e-readers, IPads, PCs and tablets from Amazon Kindle.

Leadership Training You Can Skip

I came to learn over the years that most leadership training was beneficial and should be a top priority.   Recognizing, however, that time is a valuable resource, let me help you edit.   If, for some reason, these leadership seminars should ever come to a community near you - you can skip them.    In fact, you should probably run the opposite direction as fast as you can.

Living Conflict-Free with the Real Housewives:    Nene Leakes, Kenya Moore, Brandi Granville and Lisa Vanderpump. . . all speaking at separate times. . .share their secrets to the harmony that produces strong relationships and results.

Pathways to Collaboration with Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid.     For a very lucky audience, Mitch and Harry relinquish their tips for negotiations, their patented "give-and-take" conversation method and how to successfully come up with the best possible solution by removing roadblocks.

How to Have Calm Conversations "The Scandal Way."   The writers of one of TV's most popular shows demonstrate how to have thoughtful, zen-like conversations through the use of foresight and the variance of tone and pacing.

Keys to Diplomacy with Dennis Rodman.    Who knew?    Apparently all you need to do to make nice with a despot is a little game of basketball. . .after one or two. . .or three . . .or more adult beverages on your flight.

Vladimir Putin's Adventures in Diversity.  We wish we could describe this course in detail without it being labeled as propaganda. . .resulting in fear of imprisonment.

Clear, Concise Communication with Sarah Palin.   Ms. Palin er. . . well. . .you know, demonstrates to all the ability to have, well, don'tcha know, clear. . .well not exactly communication as our most well spoke of forefathers knew it, but. . .well, more like. . .you know. . . a thoughtful prayer or something like that it would speak volumes about the speaker's experience in speaking.

Which is a way of saying that much of popular culture has little to do with effective leadership.

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Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" available for e-readers, tablets and PCs on Amazon Kindle.

Leadership Conversations that Live

You know the conversation.     The obligatory we-have-to-talk-about-the-(fill in the blank with whatever you choose. . . numbers, procedures, mission, professional review).  The conversation has the same thrill as watching moss grow.  You, and your team members, walk away from it with essentially the same reaction:   "Well, that was a complete waste of time."

The tragic part about all of this is that probably the content was pretty important - both to you and your team - and in the end, it was a missed opportunity.

So, how do you take content and create a conversation that lives?   Because, seriously, if you can take some of the business-basic stuff and make it applicable to your team member's work life - you've won more than half of the battle.

Connect the Dots.   Connect how the content is relevant to your team members - and this isn't just something that you do at the time of the meeting.   Throughout your daily interaction, talk about how the basics of your business are impacted by every member of the team.

Treat the Subject Matter with Importance.    I have been guilty of this:   "Well, we're supposed to talk about this so we may as well get it done."    As the leader, you set the tone.   If you treat it with importance - it will be important.   You don't need to be a cheerleader, but your own personal enthusiasm and conviction goes a long way toward making the content relevant to the individual.

Treat the Audience with Importance.    Your team makes it happen.    Reminding them, in positive terms, of their influence on business is one of the most important and realistic things you can do.  It is also important to integrate them in the conversation - give them time to speak and ask questions.

Timing.   Often these meetings are scheduled at a time least likely to conflict with anything else - which translated means they are at the least convenient times of the day.   Timing is everything:  pick a time when people are refreshed, when they can focus and aren't preoccupied.

Your Relationship Isn't Everything, It's Almost Everything.    This is why it is so important for a leader to be liked;   the daily relationship that you have with your team is the foundation for your leadership conversations.    A positive relationship reaps extra bonus points at the time you have conversations with content that's important to your team.     Again, if it's important to you - it's important to your team.

Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders," available for IPads, e-readers and PCs on Amazon Kindle.

Leadership Lessons from a Super Bowl

As a Seattle based author, I will not bow to the temptation to gloat (much) about Sunday's Super Bowl.   Upon reflection, however, I think there are several things worth noting because, again, we can learn from just about anything.

Miscommunication gets everything off to a bad start.   Seattle got an advantage for little effort (translated, made gains at the competitor's expense) due to a miscommunication by the competitor.  In the opening minute, Denver snapped the ball passed Peyton Manning and Seattle got to it for a safety. The only possible explanation seems to be miscommunication.  How often do we give away valuable resources due to internal miscommunication?

And what if Denver let that safety set the tone for the game?     One could argue that Denver never recovered from that unfortunate miscue - that it set the tone for the rest of the game.   Listen, we all make mistakes - we should be judged, however, on our ability to recover and regain leadership.

Seattle's win was not about just one person.   As good as some of Seattle's individual players are, it was not about one person on Sunday - it was a collection of strong individual contributors pulling together.    If you want a diva, hire a diva. . .if you want to win, build a team.

It's not about hiring the "top talent" but instead, hiring the "right talent."   Key contributors in Sunday's victory were not first round draft picks, they were not considered the top of the heap.    They were picked in subsequent rounds because they matched the talent needs that Seattle outlined.   Don't be deceived by someone billed as top talent. . .pick the right talent.

Bruno Mars topped expectations.  And let's talk about half time.      Should the show have been, say, Kanye West, we would have been hearing about it weeks beforehand as if it were forecast in the Book of Revelations.   Bruno Mars, on the other hand, was not over-hyped and he delivered a show that exceeded expectations.       Always put yourself in the position to exceed expectations.

And about Russell Wilson being a "manager" on the field?    Hard for me to believe that this was lobbied as a criticism against the quarterback.    Beyond his own strong performance, he did indeed manage his team. . .the final score was 43-8.  Enough said.

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Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders," available for e-readers, tablets and PCs on Amazon Kindle.