Leadership Archives - Page 2 of 89

The 10 Simplest Ways to Turn Challenges into Opportunities

Even optimists know sunny skies grow dark quickly.

Plans derail. Teams implode. Results disappoint. Talent moves on. Mistakes escalate. Crisis erupts. Skillful leaders turn challenges into opportunities.

The 10 simplest ways to turn challenges into opportunities

#1. Recall.

Find confidence by looking back. Think about times your team turned challenges to opportunities in the past.

#2. Reflect.

Big obstacles are accusers. “You can’t do it.”

What did you do well when you turned challenges into opportunities? Who rose to help? Name one thing you want to stop doing. One thing you want to begin.

#3. Reduce.

Shrink challenges into near-term goals. Forget about next month. What can you do today?

Reject “nice to do”. Focus on “must do”.

Action answers anxiety.

Inaction amplifies anxiety.

#4. Realign.

Crisis clarifies what matters. What matters now?

#5. Reconnect.

Strengthen relationships within the team and with external partners.

Who has wisdom you need?
Who has encouraged you in the past?
Who has experience that applies to your current situation?

#6. Rethink.

Big challenges call for new strategies. Old ways of doing don’t work when tornadoes show up.

#7. Reassign.

People take on new responsibilities when teams turn challenges into opportunities. Temporary shifts may stabilize into permanent roles that provide greater fulfillment.

#8. Recruit.

Seek new talent, both internal and external. Who is waiting for the opportunity to make a difference?

Turn challenges to opportunities by turning toward them, not away.

#9. Reassure.

Let people know they matter and that you believe in them.

#10. Reassess.

Evaluate methods frequently. Focus on what’s working. Acknowledge what didn’t work and let it go.

Bonus:

What resources are available now? Forget about finances and people you wish you had. What’s available now?

What’s one thing from the above list that applies to you today?

What can you add to the above list?

Still curious:

How to Reinvent Your Relationship with Problems and Opportunities

4 Ways to Turn Problems into Opportunities

How to Change Your Mindset to See Problems as Opportunities

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The Fundamentals Make You Great

Today is the saddest day of the year. March Madness is over. My wife and I gobbled up many of the girls’ and boys’ basketball games. Last night the finals were on. (Don’t tell me who won. I recorded it because bedtime is 9:00 p.m., 10 at the latest. The game didn’t start till 9.)

We’ll start watching it during breakfast today. It’s better than the news.

The fundamentals:

Athletes who excel practice the fundamentals – the things you do so you can be great at something else.

The “box out” commercial for Buffalo Wild Wings capitalizes on the fundamentals.

In the commercial, a buffalo with wings stands at the bar complaining about young players. “Oh! Come on! You gotta box out. That’s the problem with kids these days, no fundamentals.”

Getting rebounds in basketball is about getting in front of your opponent. Success is more about position than jumping (usually). The fundamentals hold for bowling too.

I subscribe to my friend Bob Burb’s Daily Impact email (click to subscribe). The other day he shared a delightful story from his youth. I share it with his permission.

I (Bob) was about 12 years old, watching 16-year-old Greg nail strike after strike at the local ten-pin bowling alley.

“Wow!” said very-impressed young Bob. “You must really practice getting those strikes!”

“Not at all,” said the Zen-like teen. “I don’t concern myself with the strikes. I practice nailing those spares. When I do that, the strikes come by themselves.”

12-year-old mind…blown…!

Makes total sense though, doesn’t it?

Fundamentals are so key to success.

Key Point: Master the spares…and the strikes will come by themselves.

What are some of the fundamentals – the skill behind the skill – of leadership? For example, pausing before speaking or succuss is about solutions, not problems.

Still curious:

The Principle of the Rope

Four Essentials For Developing Your Leadership

Five Heart Habits of Uncommon Leaders

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Good Stupid or Bad Stupid You Choose

“Momma always said, ‘Stupid is as stupid does.’” Forrest Gump

I’ve always had trouble understanding what momma meant, but my wife tells me it means stupid is about what you do. Smart people do stupid things. Stupid is defined by actions.

There are two kinds of stupid, bad stupid and good stupid.

Bad stupid:

Bad stupid is thinking you know when you don’t. The Dunning Kruger Effect explains that people with limited knowledge think they know when they don’t. (You always have limited knowledge.)

Good stupid:

Good stupid is showing up curious even when you think you know, and you usually overestimate what you know.

The cure for bad stupid is humility. The practical expression of humility is asking open questions. Closed questions protect your power because they control responses. For example, “Don’t you think…?” holds power with the questioner. Asking, “What do you think?” gives power to the responder when it’s spoken sincerely.

Closed questions:

Yes or no.
Factual questions.
Have an ‘or’. Do you prefer x or y?
Have one correct answer.

You retain power when you ask closed questions because you judge the answer.

Note: Some closed questions are useful.

Open questions:

#1. Explore:

How do you feel?
What’s going on for you?
What are your thoughts?

#2. Cause reflection:

What makes that important to you?
What would you do differently next time?
What’s working?
When are you at your best?
What gives you energy?

#3. Generate solutions:

What are some options?
What else comes to mind?
What contributed to this issue?
What would you like to try?

Application:

Assume you don’t know as much as you think. Ask questions especially when you think you understand something or someone. Practice saying, “Tell me more,” or “And what else?”.

How can you practice “good stupid” today?

Still curious:

How Solutions Make Leaders Stupid

If You Aren’t Dumb You’re Stupid

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When SMART goals are Dumb

I wonder if SMART goals are dumb when working to change your life. Goal setting requires history.

SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound. Last year you went to the gym zero times.

It’s not smart to set a yearlong goal for something you’ve never done.

SMART goals and experience:

Experience informs goal setting. When you don’t have experience, long-term personal goals are a shot in the dark. If you don’t read books, forget about reading a book a month. Read one book and see how it goes.

Over the years I’ve worked with leaders at inflection points. They say they want to work less and spend more time with family. I challenge them to define “less” and “more”. How many hours a week do you want to work? How much time do you aspire to have with family? Be specific.

Set short-term goals and see how it goes. Reflect and set another short-term goal.

Targets create clarity and define the win. Goals enable you to track progress. Give yourself grace when you’re doing things you’ve never done. Get some experience. It’s dumb when smart goals defeat you.

SMART goals – when changing your life – should be short-term. Try things and learn. Learn and adapt.

Life changes in iterations, not giant leaps. SMART goals reflect reality and aspiration.

You think you know what you want, but you can’t know until after you’ve done it.

I still plan to press leaders to be SMART when setting goals. I also plan to include large doses of learning and flexibility in the short term when people step into uncharted waters.

How can people avoid being dumb when setting goals?

What are some important practices when making life change?

Still curious:

Beyond S.M.A.R.T Goals

Why Goals are Dangerous and How to Make them Work

SMART: an Acronym for Success (indeed.com)

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Culture Building Demands Little Energy

Imagine energy is an ax. You get 100 energy swings every day. If you make two chops on 50 trees you ruin the forest. If you make 20 chops on five trees, one tree might fall. If you make 50 swings on two trees two medium size trees will fall.

Culture Building Demands Little Energy:

Culture building doesn’t take much energy. You build culture while you work, not in place of work. (The exemption to this is the training people might need to thrive within your culture.)

Suppose you aspire to a culture of service. When one lumberjane goes to get a drink she asks, “Would anyone like me to bring some water when I come back?”

A culture of ownership:

Suppose you aspire to a culture where every leader adopts a whole forest point of view. Tree harvesters think “our” success even while they work on their own team’s success.

When a tree starts to fall a lumberjack yells, “Timber,” to alert everyone else. All the leaders feel responsible for the success of all the teams. It’s “we” not “me”.

Lumberpeople ask “whole forest” questions. “I wonder how my work impacts your work?” Or “How can I help you swing your ax more effectively?” Or “Did you know we’re chopping down trees right behind your team?”

Application:

Ask the leadership team to determine five behaviors that express one aspect of the culture you aspire to build. Commit to live those behaviors every day for a month. After you live your culture for a month roll it out to middle-managers. In the third month roll it out to front line supervisors. After three months, choose another aspect of your culture and repeat the process.

Questions:

I suggest that culture building is done primarily while we work. What do you think?

What behaviors build the culture you aspire to create?

Still curious:

Yesterday’s post: Culture Building in the Real World

5 Essentials of Culture Building

The 8 Elements of Great Company Culture | Great Place To Work®

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Culture Building in the Real World

Culture is mortar, not bricks. Culture building is laying a bed of mortar on bricks. Culture binds people together. Culture is expressed by the way people treat each other while they do the work.

Culture building is about people. Rules and regulations express culture, but culture is built with the tools of influence, not coercion.

Four channels of personal influence:

Attitudes.
Words.
Actions.
Responses.

Attitude is your habitual disposition. For example, are you primarily disposed to complain or celebrate?

Words influence behaviors. If this isn’t true, why are you talking so much? You invite people to take initiative when you ask, “What are you learning,” after responsible failure.

Consistent actions shape culture. You can tell people to take initiative but when leaders avoid making decisions, initiative goes out the door.

Responses express values and shape culture. Leaders who quickly spout answers without asking questions, put an end to collaboration, for example.

Culture building questions:

Suppose you desire a culture where people love coming to work. Here are some questions to ask top leaders.

How much do you love coming to work on a scale of 1 to 10?
How would strangers know you love work if they heard you talking?
What are you doing that gives you energy? What makes that energizing for you?
What is the most meaningful thing you can do today? Or you did yesterday?
Brag to me. Tell me something you got done that makes you proud.
What’s your latest happy customer story?
How much enjoyment do you see on faces around you?

I plan to explore a simple plan to scale culture building any organization can adopt.

I define culture as the way we treat each other. It’s mortar. How do you define culture?

I believe culture building is a top-down and middle-out activity. What are your thoughts?

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Have an Aliveness Mindset by Reframing Your Negative Thoughts

It’s another great book giveaway.

20 copies available!!

Leave a comment on this guest post by Jack Craven to become eligible for one of 20 complimentary copies of his new book, Aliveness Mindset: Lead and Live with More Passion, Purpose, and Joy.

Deadline for eligibility is 04/07/2024. International winners will receive electronic version.

What we tell ourselves becomes our reality.

When I’m coaching a client, I pay close attention to the words they use. How are they describing a situation? Here are some recent examples:

“Work’s a grind.”
“I’ve never done this before.”
“I have to do this.”
“That would be egotistical.”

How we relate to the experience is the experience.

Work IS a grind.
They approach work with fear and caution.
They act from obligation.
They are timid.

When we are feeling fear or reactivity, we are likely in a fixed mindset and feeling disempowered. We are not at our best.

4 steps to an aliveness mindset:

Awareness is the first step.
Notice when you are in a fixed mindset. Pay attention to the words you are using. Remind yourself to approach it with a growth mindset.
Take responsibility for your experience.
Your reaction is a choice. Ask, how do you want to feel and approach the situation? What do you need to do differently?
Reframe what you are telling yourself.
If a thought isn’t helpful, replace it with a more helpful thought.

I like using this quote by James Clear to help clients and teams reframe. “Without altering the facts of the situation you are facing and without ignoring the reality of what must be done, what is the most useful and empowering story you can tell yourself about what is happening and what you need to do next?”

These are real examples from my clients:

Work is challenging, and I love challenges.
I’ve thrived taking on new roles and responsibilities.
I choose to do this.
I embrace owning the value that I bring at work.

Appreciate yourself.
When you change your pattern from reactivity to an empowering thought, appreciate yourself for about 15-30 seconds. It helps rewire your brain and create new neural pathways for healthier, more productive thoughts.

How can you shape your mindset today?

How might leaders influence the mindset of others?

Jack Craven has always shaped his professional journey around his passions. He’s been a trial lawyer with the Chicago State’s Attorney’s office, a CEO for nearly two decades, and an executive coach the past decade. He helps leaders feel more empowered to discover deeper purpose, joy, and happiness in their lives. His debut book,…

What Will Your Future Self Thank You For

Sometimes I ask clients to imagine their future self saying thank you to their present self.

Gratitude from your future self provides clarity to your present self.

There’s research that validates the power of temporal distancing. Two simple activities clarify your perspective on the present.

Send a letter to your future self.
Write a letter from your future self to your present self.

Tap your future self:

Reflecting on the future expands life.

When you’re crushed by responsibilities or problems, image looking back at yourself a year from now. You’re thriving in the future. Your future self is composing a thank you card to your present self.

What will your future self thank you for?
What will you future self advise you to keep doing?
What will your future self advise you to stop doing?
What will your future self suggest you start doing?
What words of encouragement might your future self say?

Clarity and courage:

My experience indicates people find clarity about the present by reflecting on the future. They often know what they should or shouldn’t do. They also find courage to take small steps toward their preferred future.

Problems don’t dissolve when you practice temporal distancing. Perspective changes. Bringing your preferred future into reality requires more than imagination. It calls for intention, planning, and some sweat.

Other ways to explore:

What will your future self be glad you did today?
How much will this matter tomorrow? A month from now? Next year?
Imagine your future self giving advice to your present self about next steps.

How might leaders use future-back thinking to find clarity?

How does future-back thinking impact the way you think about dealing with people?

You might enjoy:

Future-Back: How Leaders Create the Future Today

6 Ways to Honor Your Future Now

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Tap the Power of the FORD Method

The FORD Method has nothing to do with cars.

You struggle to build relationships because connections begin gently with small talk. Maybe you hate doing it.

“Small talk is not exactly an introvert’s favorite pastime. In fact, the simple phrase small talk can be code for torture.” Susan Cain

The FORD Method is about connecting with people. I’m not sure where it originated but searching Google for “FORD Method” delivered over 30,000 results. I guess it’s been around awhile.

The FORD Method:

F: Ask questions about family.

O: Ask questions about occupation.

R: Ask questions about recreation.

D: Ask questions about dreams.

Before the question:

The FORD Method is a conversation strategy, not an interview technique. When you ask one question after another you sound like an interviewer.

Create a comfortable runway for questions.

Use sentences before the question to soften your approach.

Before you ask, “Do you have family in the area,” Or “What do you do for a living,” say, “I’m just curious.”

Jumping from one question to the next feels like an inquisition.

Give a little of yourself before you ask the next question. “Oh, you work in the tech industry. I work in healthcare. We rely on technology all the time. How did you get into that?”

Soften questions by declaring intention. “I’d like to learn more about that. Do you mind if I ask how you got started?”

Transition from “O” to “R” (Recreation) by saying, “That sounds like a challenging job. What do you do for fun?”

Transition from “R” to “D” (Dreams) by saying, “I admire people who paint. Have you ever thought about doing that for a living?” If they haven’t thought about being an artist, ask, “What would you love to do for a job?”

What’s your best tip for building a connection with someone you don’t know?

Still curious:

If You Hate Small Talk Read This

Have better conversations using the FORD method

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3 Ways to Energize People during Conversations

Lousy conversations with the boss drain people.

Successful leaders energize people. Focused energy makes success more likely.

3 ways to energize people during conversations.

#1. Focused attention.

People hate meeting with you when they feel like an inconvenience.

You have a million things to do and now it’s time for a conversation with one person. Maybe you’re thinking about all the problems you need to solve. Or perhaps you’re frustrated because of all their weaknesses and mistakes.

People won’t tell you this, they don’t like talking with you when you don’t like talking with them.

#2. Applause.

Two of our granddaughters slept over last night. One is learning to play the recorder. Mimi and I asked her to talk about things she’s learning. I asked her why she bobbed her head while she played. She explained she was counting. We listened with wonder.

Before long she decided to put on a show. She wrote a dozen notes on some paper and performed in front of us. We applauded. She added some notes and announced her show again. We were delighted again. Then she decided to give us a quiz about music.

I didn’t tell you her older sister played the flute in a concert last night.

Applause energizes people.

#3. Action plans.

Turn conversations into practical action. You energize people when they identify next steps.

Action plans begin in the past.

What happened?
What did you try?
How did it work?
What worked?
What didn’t work?

Actions plans turn toward the future.

What’s next?
What do you need to stop?
What are three things you might try? Which one do you choose to do?
What challenges might you face when you do that?
How will you know you’re succeeding?

How do you energize people during conversations?

Still curious:

12 Questions Guaranteed to Energize People

Quick Strategies to Energize One-On-Ones

How to Have a Fun Conversation Again (NYT)

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