Walk Into the Future

Tag: Positive Leadership

  • Leadership lessons from the GOAT

    “Complacency breeds a blatant disregard for doing what’s right”.

    (Nick Saban)

    Leadership lessons are available daily.  I normally write about my preferred style of Authentic Leadership but continue to seek out new ways to improve my leadership knowledge.

    One of my 2024 goals is to read two books monthly.  I naturally gravitate to leadership topics and found myself shopping for a new leadership book on Amazon.  The algorithm used by Amazon always provides me with recommendations based on my past book selections.  There were several interesting books available but the book “The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban” caught my attention because of his continued success and recent retirement.

    Always knew Nick Saban was a great coach who won a lot of football games and put a ton of players into the National Football League (NFL).  His players ranged from high first round draft picks to solid contributors that spent years as professional ball players.  He is known as an outstanding recruiter and an even better developer of the talent he recruited to the University of Alabama.

    His ability to recruit players at a high level and then the development of those players were reasons I wanted to explore his leadership style and techniques.  Opened the book without any knowledge of how Coach Saban was able to become successful but wanted to learn directly from him on how he led his teams to multiple championships.

    The book opened with the concept of building a team framework.  This provides a solid foundation for the team and sets the tone needed for success.  Coach Saban’s first meeting was designed to inform everyone of his vision for the team and how team members would operate.  Recruiting was identified as the life blood of the program, and everyone needed to be on the same page when it came to recruiting players. 

    He ensured the team understood that there needed to be other leaders in the organization—he set the foundation but needed others to step up their leadership.  He created player leadership councils and allowed players to lead each other.  He demanded that players get involved in the daily operations of the team activities.  This created multiple leadership voices within the team but that all resonated with Coach Saban’s message.  This translates to all organizations that want to see staff and process growth.

    Coach Saban also welcomed staff turnover in his organization.  He saw staff turnover as a way to improve the organization as new staff members brought in their ideas.  These new ideas were added to Coach Saban’s routine to enhance his overall message.  He lost staff members yearly but was able to regroup and still win multiple championships.  His core beliefs remained but he was willing to adjust based on new staff members input and continued to lead a championship program. 

    Coach Saban was known for The Process which is the system and mindset everyone must follow.  Coach Saban stressed winning each play as the goal instead of winning the game.  The concept of do your job each play led to the success his team maintained.  This focus gave the players a more immediate outcome than simply saying we need to win this game.  Win each play over and over and the game will be won—in theory.  This translates directly into the work environment for employees.  Teams that focus on the next task and complete it well win—sounds simple, huh?  The Process can work for us all.

    The last concept I will explore is Be True to Yourself.  This resonates with me because it parallels Authentic Leadership and the need to be self-aware.  Internal moral perspective requires leaders to evaluate themselves daily to ensure they are not doing anything that compromises who they truly are.  You don’t have to rant and rave to get staff members to do the right thing.  Leaders can remain themselves and not have to try to become something or someone else.  You can be a quiet leader and still get positive things accomplished.

    There are a ton of other outstanding leadership lessons in this book.  Highly recommend this for your leadership library.

    What are you currently reading?

    Irie!

    “Success is not a continuum; it’s momentary”.

    (Nick Saban)

  • Operational Gears

    close up photo of stainless shift knob
    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

    “Winning requires reaching inside of yourself for that extra gear to accelerate challenges”.

    (Orrin Woodward)

    How many gears do you have?  This may be the first time anyone has asked you that question, but I leverage this daily in my work environment.

    Yes, I know people are not machines with a gear shift like cars.  I use this concept to identify team members who can handle more responsibilities and help the organization grow.

    My goal is to hire 5-gear staff members or work to help current staff members develop additional gears.  This is not a simple process considering staff may have already maxed out on the number of gears they possess.  The Peter Principle identifies a person competent at their job will earn a promotion to a position that requires different skills (gears).  I added the word gears to this definition to highlight my thought process.

    A 5-gear staff member in theory will have the emotional intelligence, intellectual curiosity, and grit to continue to get positive things accomplish.  My view centers on the 5-gear staff member being able to take in information, process this information and then put it into action quicker than someone with less gears.  I view myself as being a 5-gear person and this allows me to take on more responsibility at work and continue to thrive.  I may not be the smartest person in the room, but I have an insatiable curiosity that serves me well.  Organizations with a large contingent of 5-gear staff members can pivot and grow because of their ability to handle and process information and tasks.

    Now, imagine what would happen if an organization was comprised mostly of 1-gear, 2-gear, or 3-gear staff members.  Things would continue to get done but the organization’s growth would be limited by the capacity and capability of these folks. 

    Think back to the gear shift analogy.  A vehicle moves the fastest when it is shifted into 5th gear.  It can move in 1st gear but there will be limitations on the speed the vehicle can travel.  Same with 2nd gear, 3rd gear, and 4th gear.  The higher you go up on the gear shift the vehicle performs better and you can fully enjoy the ride.

    Bring this concept back into the workplace and my theory is this translates to staff members as well.   All the gears are needed but to fully engage the 5th gear needs to be present.

    Professional development and training are two key components to gear building.  I’m not sure a 1-gear staff member can ever be developed into a 5-gear person, but professional development and training needs to be present to bring out the best in everyone.  These programs need to be consistent and prescribed for everyone in the organization.  The concepts need to focus on helping staff members improve in areas they are lacking.  A healthy dose of self-awareness is needed for the staff to provide a real assessment of their gears and identify ways to develop additional gears.

    Self-aware staff members will have a full understanding of their strengths, values, and weaknesses.  Building a self-aware staff is a foundational process to increase the gear potential for the staff member and the organization.  Imagine the lack of productivity that happens when a 1-gear staff member fully believes they are helping the organization at maximum capacity.  This staff member would frustrate their teammates unless they put in the effort to gain and/or display additional gears.

    Organizations begin to thrive with higher gear staff members because they have the capacity to bring new ideas and concepts into the workplace.  These new ideas provide a new level of growth for the organization and help move everyone forward.  Too many 1-gear staff members and things remain stagnant. This is never good for an organization looking to produce at a high level.

    So, I ask again.  How many gears do you have?  What are you doing to gain additional gears in your work environment?

    Irie!

    “God, I hear you giving me an earful but I’m gonna cruise in 5th gear until I’m near you”.

    (Joe Button)

  • Career Choices 101 (Repost)

    (Image by Orange Fox from Pixabay) 

    “Don’t chase the paper, chase the dream”.

    (Notorious B.I.G)

    The Great Resignation is a term that describes the trend of the mass voluntary exit of employees from their employment obligations.

    The Great Regret is a new term that describes the feelings of 80% of the people who took part in the Great Resignation.

    The quote above is one of my favorites from the great hip hop artist, Notorious B.I.G.  He was a lyrical genius, and the quote above can be used as a career metaphor. 

    My simple translation = find your WHY and career success will follow.

    The Great Resignation provided a lot of people the freedom or guidepost to see the world of work in a different way.  The new work view provided some with the vision to seek more and bet on themselves with so many new opportunities available.  That’s a positive considering I preach to everyone to explore as much as possible.  My blog is titled Walk into The Future because I continue to explore opportunities and will not limit my options (work, travel, fun).

    There are some folks who viewed the Great Resignation as an opportunity to change their work situation and in some cases cash in more financially.  That’s not a problem if the workplace change was made to get the individual closer to doing things they enjoy.  It could be a problem if the individual changed careers simply because there was more money available for the new job.

    Quick question:  How much of a pay raise will it take for YOU to be happy today?  Would $5,000.00 or $10,000.00 make you enjoy what you are doing more?

    I ask clients and staff this question to get them thinking about what they truly want.  Chasing the paper may seem like the logical answer but don’t forget you still have to pay taxes on that paper.  Also, an extra $5,000.00 to continue to work in a place you are not happy with does not sound enticing to me.  Conversely, leaving a company for a job paying more money may sound just as good but the switch should not be based solely on the money.  Refer to the quote above from the Notorious B.I.G.

    The best of both worlds would be to find your WHY and build up your skills so that when your dreams come true, the paper (money) follows.  Sounds like a simple concept and it can be, but nothing will be simple without knowing/understanding the WHY. 

    Going to work without a WHY causes a lot of people issues daily.  I work with folks who believe that they are not being paid their true worth in the workplace.  Some are completing the same duties they have been assigned for 10+ years—no additional responsibilities or growth from them but they want more.  Why is that?  They have not identified a WHY for their work life and have not built the skills to chase the dream.  A larger problem is some don’t even know what dream to chase to find the happiness they seek. 

    The lack of paper (money) is not really the problem.  The problem is chasing something they are not fully invested in and believing additional funds (salary) will turn this around and they will immediately become happy with what they are doing. 

    Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

    No WHY equals a form of insanity in the workplace.  I coach clients to seek/find their WHY to determine the best course of action for their careers.

    Chasing the DREAM can bring the paper.  Well stated Biggie Smalls!

    What dream are you chasing?

    Irie!

    https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/02/80percent-of-workers-who-quit-in-great-resignation-regret-it-new-survey.html

  • Busy or productive? (Repost)

    Busy or Productive

    “Beware the barrenness of a busy life”.

    (Socrates)

    Dictionary.com defines busy as having a great deal to do.

    Conversely, Dictionary.com defines productive as producing or able to produce large amounts of goods, crops, or other commodities.

    So, which of these definitions describes your daily endeavors in the workplace?

    People use the terms in a similar fashion, but I am quick to tell folks my goal is to be productive daily. 

    Busy can quickly become a mindset that leads to staff becoming overwhelmed with the tasks they must handle in the work environment.  I ask staff members how they are doing throughout the day and when I hear someone say they are busy I simply ask:  are you busy or productive?

    This makes folks pause for a bit and then they want to know the difference.  Again, I refer to the two distinct definitions.  Someone who exclaims they are busy is identifying they have a lot of things to do, and they are thinking about that workload.  Some will just come out and say I have a lot on my plate and need to get things done.  Sounds reasonable but it can also cause a mental drain on the staff member and anyone else who hears a constant “I am busy” drumbeat in the work environment.  Yes, there may be a lot to do but saying ‘busy’ does not move the needle to get things done. 

    Flip the script!

    My goal is to be productive daily, and this starts with the concept of coming to work to get things done.  The old saying talk is cheap would apply here.  Talking about being busy does nothing to get task accomplished.  A productive mindset allows staff members to come in with focus and take an active role in getting things done.  Tools I use to increase productivity:

    • To Do Lists (daily, weekly, monthly)
    • Outlook calendar (meeting reminders, team time off, out of office reminders)
    • Face to face conversations
    • Email
    • Large Post It Notes on my office walls
    • Staff meetings (group, 1:1, virtual)

    I have used To Do Lists for most of my professional life and these lists help me plan/organize my day to keep me focused on deadlines and work products I need to complete.  I begin each morning before going into the office with a list of action items I want to accomplish for the day.  I sync this list up with any items I did not complete the previous day once I arrive in the office. 

    FYI, I am also the first person in the building most days so I can have 45 minutes to consolidate my lists and build a game plan for the day.  Yes, I put this much thought into my operation to ensure I have a productive day.  I am trying to maximize my opportunities to be productive and leverage all the tools available to help me with this.  A secondary benefit of my lists is they allow me to pick up where I left off when I must help staff members with a task or problem.  I can come back and pick up where I left off without wasting time trying to remember what I need to get done.  Please note, staff and clients take priority, so I get a lot of practice coming back to my daily lists.

    Face to face conversations are a great way to keep the productivity flowing.  I find simply getting up from my desk and going to have a conversation is more productive than emailing back and forth.  We can talk things through, come to a consensus and eliminate potential misunderstandings.  Of course, this only works if the person is available to have a conversation. 😊

    Busy or productive office

    The large Post It Notes on my office walls is something I started while working in the Florida State University’s Career Center.  The concept was for me to put big projects on Post It Notes so staff could come into the office and add updates to each project.  I began to allow staff to build their own projects and put them on my office walls so we could work them together.  I got the Post It Note idea because my white board was not large enough to highlight multiple projects.  I purchase the Post It Notes from Staples and they stick to the wall.  These notes provide a great visual to highlight how productive we are on any given day.  One of my current staff members said coming into my office and seeing the notes is like being ‘in my mind’.  I quickly told her to get out of there because there is a lot going on up there. 😊

    There are other ways to become productive in the work environment, but these are a few that I leverage daily to help move me and the organization forward.

    So, I ask you, are you busy or productive?  What tools are you using to help your productivity?  I welcome your thoughts—thanks!

    “Focus on being productive instead of busy”.

    (Tim Ferris)

  • Who are you? Self-awareness

    Make Things Happen

    “Self-awareness is the golden key to making life changing decisions and sticking to them”.

    (Dr. Prem Jagyasi)

    Dictionary.com defines self-awareness as conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives, and desires.

    Sounds simple enough but I like to explore self-awareness more when I conduct teambuilding exercises. Self-awareness is needed within the work environment and impacts how well the team functions.  We all bring different things into the work environment daily and need to understand how and what these things are.  I routinely ask the following question when I start the teambuilding process:

    Who are you?

    Take 2 minutes and ask yourself the question Who are you? multiple times.  Record each of your responses.  My examples to this exercise are:

    • Who are you?  Black man
    • Who are you?  Blogger
    • Who are you?  Leader
    • Who are you?  Running tourist
    • Who are you?  Son
    • Who are you?  Uncle
    • Who are you?  Mentor
    • Who are you?  Friend

    Now it is your turn—answer the question and record your responses—I will wait! 😊

    How many responses did you list to the question?

    The answers may surprise people you work with and maybe yourself.  There is not a right or wrong way to supply responses to the question.  The major point is everything you listed enters the work environment with you daily.

    This is an important point as we build teams and help staff members get to know others on the team.  I have used this teambuilding exercise multiple times to enhance the work environment and help with team growth. 

    The point of this process is to allow team members to fully understand what they bring to work. It also shows a new level of self-awareness and how we interact with others.  This exercise enhances team awareness and shows everyone they have more in common than they thought.

    True leaders can use this data to ensure they treat staff members as individuals and not let their self-awareness impact how they treat others. 

    Example:  I do not have kids–this should not impact how I deal with a parent who needs to leave work early because of a sick child.  Some people in leadership positions make decisions based on their worldview only.  This is a horrible way to lead a team.

    Authentic leaders understand how they are viewed and the impact this has on the team.  Self-aware leaders create more self-aware leaders. 

    So, I ask again—who are you?  How does this level of self-awareness impact your daily interactions?

    “What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself”.

    (Abraham Maslow)

  • Heavy is the head that wears the crown!

    crown

    (Image by Radfotosonn from Pixabay) 

    “Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets”.

    (Luke 6:26)

    My Walk into the Future in 2020 was an interesting journey!

    I am sure everyone who just read that last sentence can highlight how 2020 was a unique year to remember—good or bad.  We all had to adjust in 2020 due to COVID-19 and these adjustments impacted our daily lives.

    One area I needed to adjust was how I lead an organization with COVID-19 work protocols–working from home, virtual meetings and having staff with preexisting conditions.  None of these things were on our radar when 2020 started but quickly became necessary talking points in early March 2020 for most of us.

    My gravitation to the Luke 6:26 verse came about because even when I am doing great work, I continue to look for an angle to motivate myself to do more.  I am not a person to rest on my laurels but look for ways to motivate myself and team to do more.  Luke 6:26 stands out to me today because I am happy to report not all men speak well of me on my current Walk into the Future.

    I do not make that claim lightly but have found a level of motivation, enjoyment, and humor in this fact.  Turns out the people who do not speak well of me are the people who are slackers in their daily work endeavors.  It is obvious I take a lot of pride in getting positive things done, correctly and on-time.  I have discovered people who do not take pride in their work, who are satisfied with the status quo or who are plain lazy are not fans of people like me. 

    I enter new organizations with the mission to make a difference daily—amazingly simple concept but one I do not take lightly.  I have discovered in my new work environment there WERE several people who were not held accountable for their daily actions.  You cannot make a difference daily without being accountable, so these people hear from me they are not meeting my expectations. 

    Please note, these folks work or worked in multiple departments, so it was not isolated to just one area. 

    “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes the wicked incur abuse.”

    (Proverbs 9:7)

    A funny thing happened when I identified we all need to be accountable in the work environment.  Some did not speak well of me!  Not saying that to be nonchalant or play it down but I heard someone say they could not thrive in a work environment with expectations.  True statement!

    I wish I were making this up, but it is true.  Imagine being in a work environment and a staff member has an issue with being accountable to the team and overall mission.  I have been on this professional journey for 30+ years now and find this a terribly sad state of mind for anyone. 

    Turns out the previous leadership did not value accountability as much as they should have.  It is amazing how much energy is needed within an organization to correct these type thoughts and actions.  There have been times new leadership has been questioned but The Energy Bus continues to move forward.  Great things are happening and staff who did not have a voice are now able to fully contribute.  The new energy is contagious!

    I hope there are other folks who do not speak well of me!  My work speaks for itself.  I was promoted to Administrative Director of Advising and Career Services on July 1, 2021.  Must be doing something right, huh? 😊

    We will continue to Walk into the Future and do great things!  Irie!

    Believe Shakespeare perfectly sums up this episode below!

    “Heavy is the head that wears the crown”.

    (Shakespeare)