Always wonder if my leadership and mentor quotes travel well.
Received the image above a couple weeks ago from a Career Center friend in South Florida. The Career Center had Graduate Assistants (GAs) present to leadership how they would incorporate National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) competencies into daily interactions with students and alumni.
One of their GAs researched the NACE site and found an Authentic Leadership article done with me and leveraged my words to make her point on how a leader truly inspires an organization. I was happy to see my words helping the next generation of college students and future leaders.
So, yes, proud to say people are listening and putting these words into action! 😊
I continue to promote Authentic Leadership as a platform to enhance organizational success. The four variables are easy to understand and apply in daily interactions within the work environment. True leaders need to be visible and available to engage direct reports to ensure everyone has input in how the organization operates. Top down leadership may be needed in isolated situations, but your people want to be engaged. The only way to accomplish this is to engage them—simple concept.
Leverage Napoleon’s words above and become a dealer of hope.
What’s your favorite leadership quote? How does the quote impact your daily interactions? I welcome your thoughts, thanks!
“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others”.
‘Good teams incorporate teamwork into their culture, creating the building blocks for success.’
(Ted Sundquist)
The 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team was nicknamed the Dream Team because of the collection of NBA superstars who made up the team’s roster. The roster included Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley to name a few players. Every member of the Dream Team was considered the top player(s) on their respective NBA team—the best of the best.
So, with a collection of overwhelming talent available on the Dream Team, this roster is considered the greatest basketball talent ever assembled on one team. With that in mind, do you know what their ‘overall’ record was? Most people will say the Dream Team was undefeated in their run towards Olympic gold in 1992. The Dream Team’s overall record was: 8 – 1. That’s right, the greatest collection of individual basketball talent lost a game in their quest for Olympic gold.
Head coach Chuck Daly assembled a collection of college basketball stars to scrimmage the Dream Team to help prepare for the style of play they would encounter in the Olympics. College stars Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway, Chris Webber and others were invited to training camp to match up with their basketball idols. The Dream Team lost to their understudies on June 24, 1992, 62-54 because they assumed, they would roll through the college kids.
The Dream Team hadn’t completely bought into the ‘team’ concept because they were all great individual players and thought they would overwhelm any team put in front of them. To be fair, coach Chuck Daly limited Michael Jordan’s minutes and didn’t utilize his players to optimize their playing time. This strategy was taken to get the pros to focus and understand they could be beaten without ideal situations. The next time the Dream Team played the same collection of college players, they beat them soundly.
The Dream Team provides an excellent example of how team building enhances organizational success. Simply hiring people and then telling them they are a team does not work. Understanding team members’ strength, weaknesses and communication styles are a few things needed to build and enhance team dynamics.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
The MBTI is a self-report tool that provides and makes psychological types as described by C. G. Jung understandable and useful (MBTI). Organizations use the MBTI for various in-house needs. One area I have found useful for the MBTI is for team communication. I have direct reports complete the MBTI and then create an organizational chart we share with the team, so everyone knows the MBTI for their teammates. We create desktop placards or MBTI heads to display in individual offices as a quick reminder of everyone’s MBTI.
I leverage this knowledge when assigning tasks to team members. There are MBTIs who crave fast-paced and deadline filled assignments and others who view these type things as torture. The key is balancing assignments to maximize the team and help individuals grow. So, I’m not saying an introvert never has to do presentations but understanding team members helps with the overall health of an organization.
Understanding MBTIs within a team construct has led team members to appreciate each other more. My MBTI is ISTJ and if you view the MBTI head associated with me you discover things like analytical, organized, and calm. This knowledge helps everyone on my team understand why a perceived crisis does not impact me the same way it would someone who is an ENFP. No MBTI is perfect but understanding other indicators provides a team with a foundation to grow. This growth is a starting point for open communication and a successful team.
CliftonStrengths
I was introduced to CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthFinders) during my time at the University of Central Florida Career Center. We were looking for ways to maximize our team and contracted to have someone come in to facilitate a workshop for the organization. This was an eye-opening experience for staff. I discovered my Talents were: Analytical, Relator, Learner, Deliberative and Strategic.
This knowledge will allow leaders and teams to build on current talents in the organization. I can leverage my identified talents with someone who has more talent in another area to ensure the team can complete a task. This can only be done ‘if’ talents are identified in advance.
There are other tools available to help leaders build teamwork and communication strategies for an organization. The MBTI and CliftonStrengths are two I have used and provided multiple organizations with outstanding results.
“If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive”.
(Audre Lorde)
I was introduced to Audre Lorde’s work through the 1999 movie, The Best Man. The two characters in the scene were trying to decide how to proceed with their relationship when the quote above was introduced. It provided a moment of clarity and highlighted commonality the characters unknowingly had with each other—they both used this quote in their daily lives.
The quote has been with me ever since because it resonates a strong sense of self that leads to empowerment. I leverage the quote to highlight doing things differently than others is okay—everyone has a different path to walk daily.
My presentation and writing styles are uniquely me. There are times people will ask how I generate presentation materials and then look at me like I’m an alien when I explain it. Again, I stay true to me and my preferred methods because they work for me. When I try to generate content in a manner that doesn’t fit me, I struggle, so decided not to go down that road anymore.
Had to explain this process when presented with a potential speaking role that would have taken me out of ‘character’ for who I am. The opportunity was very appealing from a surface level but would have required me to present in a style that is not really me. Could I have faked it? Probably, but I wouldn’t have been happy with me and I’m sure this fact would have bled into the actual presentation of material. Decided a long time ago to stay true to my core truth to avoid being eaten alive.
“Being the best for yourself is how you can be the best for others”.
Discovering your core truth can be used in other areas of life. I recommend once you discover your core truth then stick with it. I described the BIG GULP phenomenon in an earlier post—this concept is incorporated within my core truth—I never do business or move forward with a project that makes me take a big gulp. This concept has saved me on multiple occasions and kept me from doing something I would regret.
I’m not saying people cannot evolve over time. Continued learning and growing are integral parts to personal and professional success. The core truths you define for yourself provide an actual road map to how you view and deal with others. Don’t let outside influences ‘eat you alive’.
Had an interesting conversation yesterday about defining a core truth leadership style. Believe this provides a foundation that will allow a leader to adjust and help direct reports grow. My leadership core truth is authentic leadership but I’m well-versed in other leadership styles if/when authentic leadership principles are not effective for the current situation. I’ve never yelled or cursed to prove I’m a leader. People who do are poor leaders—my opinion.
What things do you consider when defining your core truth? What areas in your professional life can establishing a core truth enhance your work environment? Interested in your thoughts—thanks!
I love the image above for the simple message it sends. True leaders are not afraid to engage to ensure team success. Leaders display a level of humility when they show direct reports they are a part of the overall team, not just the person demanding results.
Contrast the two examples in the image. Who would you want to work for? The leader or the boss? Why?
I have been lucky to work for some truly great leaders in multiple work environments. They all shared a vision of what success looks like and made sure everyone was working toward the same goals. These great leaders always led by example and made professional development/learning a priority in the workplace. This enhanced direct report engagement and made everyone want to get more accomplished. Regardless of style (authentic, transformational, democratic, etc.), great leaders provide positive interactions and examples we can emulate and utilize within our own leadership practice.
Luckily, I have not experienced too many of the boss examples in the image above, but I have made a point to learn from these people as well. Don’t be so quick to write off the lessons you gained from a boss:
How did your boss make you feel daily?
How easy was it to bring them problems?
Did they explain tasks or just say go get things done?
How competent were they getting the job done?
How invested were they in your professional development?
How much fun were they to be around?
How much staff turnover did your office have?
I could add more things to this boss check list but believe you see my pattern now. So, what lessons can you learn from a boss? I’ve learned to never repeat a boss trait I viewed as a negative.
Getting up from behind a desk or closed door to engage with people daily is an easy task for everyone. Never get so comfortable with a position you forget your responsibility to the people you serve. Servant leadership is centered on the idea the leader serves their people. Take the time to explain the WHY of a task not just the WHAT needs to be done. Leverage the strengths of everyone on the team. This requires the leader to know the strengths and weaknesses of each team member.
It’s okay to have fun at work! No, really, fun and work can go together. Look at some of the most successful organizations and the culture they build in the work environment. Work still gets done but fun happens daily—may be a coincidence but these type organizations are able to retain their staff members.
Consider implementing a stay interview process. Stay interviews allow great leaders to engage staff to see what they need in the work environment. The stay interview builds a dialogue to enable both sides to enhance relationships and create a productive culture. The leader does not have to promise anything they can’t back up and allows them to explain these things directly to staff members.
Note: Had a great conversation during a virtual networking event last week in Orlando about the term stay interview. Some organizations/leaders do not like this term. That’s fine, call it ‘professional development interview, career development orientation, etc.’ but look for ways to engage staff on their professional needs.
So, continue to emulate the great leaders you have had in your work life but don’t miss the valuable lessons the bosses have provided.
What leadership traits do you emulate daily? What have you learned from a boss (no names needed)?
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Photo by Markus Spiske temporausch.com on Pexels.com
“True leadership stems from individuality that is honestly and sometimes imperfectly expressed—Leaders should strive for authenticity over perfection”.
(Sheryl Sandberg)
Had a great lunch meeting and chat with one of my Orlando tree branches at the end of May. We were able to catch up before my scheduled guest speaking role on the Intern Pursuit podcast. Always love catching up with my tree branches in-person and jumped at the chance to hear the great things she was doing in Orlando with her small business marketing firm.
We were able to share professional and life updates during this visit and got into the concept of leadership in the workplace. Just general stuff but I’m a big believer in leadership development and the impact ‘good’ leadership can have on the work environment.
Most people have heard numerous leadership styles mentioned: transactional, transformational, authoritative, authentic, etc. I recommend new leaders have a good understanding of multiple leadership styles and then work to find their inner voicewithin the work environment.
What’s your inner voice? This concept can be used to determine your true leadership style and then put things into place to ensure your work environment and people can grow. I tell anyone who listens I’m a huge believer in the authentic leadership style. Guess what, authentic leadership takes some of the best aspects of other leadership styles and packages them into a concise, four variable approach to leadership. The variables of self-awareness, relational transparency, internalized moral perspective and balanced processing are used by authentic leaders to develop their inner leadership voice. An authentic leader needs to ensure these variables are on display and utilized daily to truly be an authentic leader.
Please note, all leadership styles have variables of some level. Transformational leaders are called ‘quiet leaders’ because they are described as leading by example. Transactional leaders can be viewed as reactive and ‘may’ be more beneficial within large corporation settings.
So, as you can see, there are a lot of leadership styles available to new and experienced leaders.
“It can be done. Leaders make things happen. If one approach doesn’t work, find another”.
(Colin Powell)
The key to finding your leadership inner voice is assessment of your work environment and flexibility. I can say I practice authentic leadership, but this style may not be practical for every direct report. A direct report who is not performing to standards may need daily transactional interactions whereas the rest of the staff thrive with the authentic leadership environment created. Knowing the needs of your staff is something that comes with experience, lots of reading and training. The ability to adapt to changing work situations and needs of direct reports allows a leader to impact the work environment in a positive manner.
It’s okay to take a personal interest in direct reports and things they are interested in. You may be able to adjust work assignments to keep them engaged based on strengths and interests. It’s also okay if you can’t accommodate everything your staff would like to do in the work environment. Example: staff may want to work from home but if that model does not fit the mission then it’s up to the leader to say so. Saying no in this situation is not a personal attack, it’s just the way the organization must operate.
A lot goes into being a leader. Understanding leadership styles, your strengths and weaknesses as well as continual learning will help as you develop your inner leadership voice.
“Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the self-esteem of their staff. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish”.
Wanted to dive deeper into the title of my blog, Walk into the Future. Last year I decided to change my mindset and physical space to embark on a journey. This journey was designed to allow me to experience a level of freedom that wasn’t present, but I knew existed—just had to open my eyes a bit and walk forward.
Merriam Webster defines future in multiple ways, “time regarded as still to come AND what is going to happen”. Both versions provide a flexible view and allows individuals to determine what the future means to them.
I selected Walk into the Future as my title to embrace the future and identify the courage to move forward. This forward approach covers personal and professional adventures as well as insight I want to share with readers. I created this project to share my ‘walk’ and provide insight into important concepts for me. There are days I sit down to write, and the words just come to me. There are other days where I will reach out to my tree branches to see what they want/need to read and then develop content around their inputs. I am keenly aware of my surroundings, so inspiration comes to me from multiple outlets, I just capture an idea and then work to develop into something readable.
My Walk into the Future (so far) has allowed me to:
Post blog articles weekly
Get back down to Jamaica
Visit Paisley Park
Improve my half-marathon time (3 times)
Mentor others (in-person and virtual)
Serve as a professional development vendor with the Seminole Tribe of Florida
Gain followers for my blog
Inspire people
Live life
I could add more things here but believe you can see the positives I’ve experienced from posting blog articles on my current walk.
Walk into the Future has become a life style for me and I’m excited to see how it develops moving forward.
Remember, enjoy the process—walk, don’t run!
What does Walk into the Future mean to you? How can you leverage this concept in your daily walk? Interested to hear from you—thanks!
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”
‘I have never had to face anything that could overwhelm the native optimism and stubborn perseverance I was blessed with.’
(Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor)
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! This question has been posed in multiple military settings and I was introduced to the concept during a senior leadership program while serving in the Air Force.
There are times when human nature takes over and we view a project (elephant) as something too large for completion. Instead of trying to eat the ‘entire’ elephant, what happens when you simply dive in and begin to take small bites? Over time the project is completed, and you have conquered something that appears to be too large.
Merriam-Webster defines perseverance as continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties.
Think of the freshmen who enter colleges and universities each year. The elephant in the room (pun intended) for them is completing their degree. There are multiple factors and steps needed in order to eat that elephant. The ability to have and display perseverance is needed because there are a lot of variables that come into play when working towards a degree. Course offerings, prerequisites order, housing, financial aid, roommates, support systems, and nutrition are some things that could impact a student’s ability to start and complete a degree program. Breaking down these variables and others that come up into manageable action steps (bites) provide an avenue to eat the elephant and persevere towards degree completion.
You can leverage the eating an elephant analogy in the work environment as well. I view projects and speaking opportunities as my version of elephants. I identify actions steps needed to complete the project and then incrementally build a platform for success. This concept allows me to focus on the desired outcome by putting in the work to ensure I’m taking the necessary bites to meet my goal. I build presentations using this process and can identify holes early. Filling the gaps identified is much easier for me by leveraging this concept.
So, who’s ready to eat their next elephant? Try this as an approach when faced with a new project at work or for that next class assignment.
What benefits would ‘one bite at a time’ have for your personal and/or professional development? Thanks!
Unicorns: something unusual, rare or unique. (Merriam-Webster)
The term or concept of the mythical unicorn comes up in my conversations from time to time. The unicorn can symbolize different things for people; from the image of a horse like creature with a single horn, to a magical being or someone who is unique.
I’ve been called a unicorn in multiple settings. I wear this designation as a badge of pride because being a unicorn means I have a uniqueness about me.
My life and career pivots have taken me from a computer analyst, classroom instructor, conference planner (US Air Force), career specialist (Macon State College), guidance counselor (Government contractor), adjunct psychology professor (multiple schools), employee development consultant (Goodwill), employer relations (UCF & FSU) and now a blogger/consultant/speaker. The ability to adapt and believe I can pivot into different settings/outcomes generates the unicorn concept some associate with me.
I have a lot of great mentors and friends who provide advice and support to ensure I’m prepared for the next pivot. The efforts from my mentors/friends/tree branches provide me with a platform to stretch my professional boundaries to ensure I’m continually growing.
How do they do that? They feed the unicorn:
Display a desire to partner
Willing to share knowledge
Expert listeners
Words and actions match (Consistency)
Regular check-ins
Positive affirmations
Tough love when needed
The list above can be used by YOU to feed the unicorns you meet in your daily lives. You can add more ‘feeding’ variables based on the unique situations encountered but my list is a starting point to engage others daily. I’m sure there’s someone you work with who would benefit from being treated as a unicorn. They may not realize their uniqueness or potential until you start to feed the unicorn. You may be surprised by the number of unicorns around you once you start the feeding process.
FYI—I consider everyone who follows and/or reads the Walk Into the Future blog, unicorns. My words, thoughts, and adventures are designed to help you forge your own unique path on your personal walk.
“I never do business with anyone where I have to take a big gulp to move forward”.
(9 Things You Simply Must do to succeed in Love and Life)
The quote above comes from a book written by one of my favorite authors, Dr. Henry Cloud. It is a piece of advice he received from a mentor when faced with a big business decision. This concept can be used in multiple situations and has been a big part of my life.
I was able to leverage this quote with one of my most positive ‘tree branches’ last week to help with a decision she was facing. I’m encouraged with my ability to shape this quote to help my tree branch and others when faced with tough choices.
I was introduced to the written works of Dr. Henry Cloud during a career development course while finishing my masters program in Counseling/Human Relations. The book was so influential it was the first college text book I decided to keep for my personal library. Most days you will find this book on me as I refer to it constantly for additional insight.
The Big Gulp can be defined as the apprehension you may feel prior to making a commitment. The commitment could be business related, personal or a combination of both. How you handle life’s Big Gulp moments can increase your level of happiness as you move forward on your Walk into the Future.
My personal Walk into the Future has been defined by leveraging Big Gulp moments to my advantage. I never accept deals, offers or partnerships with anyone I would have to take a Big Gulp before moving forward. I didn’t heed this concept a few times and moved forward and regretted every minute of the partnership. It took me a few times to experience this before I became a firm believer in this process: when offered something I would have to take a Big Gulp before moving forward, I do not accept it.
The opportunity may seem like the best thing ever, but the Big Gulp reaction should identify additional research is needed. The Big Gulp reaction comes from past experiences where things didn’t seem quite right or the person offering you the deal has done things in the past to make you cautious. Trust your instincts when faced with these situations. Better yet, run the situation by your mentors for additional insight. I recommend you share your apprehensions with your mentors so they can provide advice to cover all angles of the decision. The ultimate decision belongs to you but remember the Big Gulp came from somewhere.
Can you isolate the Big Gulp to something tangible? Can you trust the person offering you the opportunity? There are other things to consider, but these are a few to help jump start the process.
Have you ever experienced a Big Gulp moment and still moved ahead? How did that experience work out for you?
How can you leverage the Big Gulp moving forward? I welcome your thoughts—thanks!
References
Cloud, Henry. (2004) 9 Thing you simply must do to succeed in love and life. Brentwood, TN: Integrity.
We are all leaders! The actual title you have is not as important as understanding your impact on others you interact with. There are people in this world with the ‘title’ that implies they are the leader, but they don’t ‘move the crowd’.
Leading from the front can be done by everyone.
I continue to highlight the key to effective leadership is self-awareness. Self-awareness is needed in order to lead from the front in your daily activities. The self-aware leader understands strengths and weaknesses, have a fully developed self-view and demonstrate they understand how their interactions impact others (direct reports, clients, colleagues, etc.).
Things a leader can/should do:
Inspire people
Empower people
Lead change
Share a vision
So, if you can inspire people, empower people, lead change and share a vision, you are a leader. Again, you don’t need a specific title to be viewed as a leader. Don’t give away your influence because a specific title is not attached to you.
We can all lead! Look around your current work environment. Who do you inspire daily? How do you inspire these people? Your level of self-awareness within the work environment creates empowerment.
Do you need anyone’s permission to inspire your students, clients, colleagues or direct reports? I don’t think so. Now you need to identify/understand how you inspire others. Are your actions positive and consistent? Do you create an environment conducive for communicating new ideas?
I believe empowered leaders initiate, act, and adjust within the work environment. These things are available to all of us. I promote to direct reports, ‘Mistakes happen, just don’t make the same mistake twice’. Use situations like this to create an environment where your people can learn and grow.
Leveraging your ‘Why’ can also impact how you lead from the front. Identify why you show up every day and then ensure your leadership decisions are made to positively impact your ‘Why’. Simple enough, huh? It can be!
How do you lead from the front daily? What adjustment are needed to ensure you lead from the front in your work environment? Thanks!
Walk Into the Future 