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Category: Personal Development

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Investing Personal Development Women In Business

Are you Financially Healthy? – 7 Simple Action Steps to Beat Financial Stress

While tax season has come and gone, it’s not the only time we deal with financial stress. From budget planning, P&L, and quarterly reports to payroll and accounts receivable financial stress can be a constant throughout the year regardless of the nature or size of your business.

In a recent survey 7 out of 10 people claimed to be stressed about money and debt. Loss of sleep and anxiety are some of the most common health challenges we might experience. A study shows 27% will suffer from ulcers and digestive issues, 44% from migraines, 23% from severe depression and 6% will experience heart attacks.

Chronic stress has caused a rise in healthcare costs only to create further expenses for the individual, increase the debt, leading to more stress thus creating a vicious cycle.

What does a high-performer do to stay healthy? They make sure to cover, business, health habits and mindset. While on the business side, you would consult your CFO and accounting team to provide you the proper financial advice, what do you do to handle those nights your mind is racing?

Here are seven practical health solutions:

1. Create a physical avenue to channel out your stress levels. Exercise is a great way to do that. Walk, hike, run, dance – especially for those with high energy people that need to be active.

2. Need a calming activity? Take a Yoga or Tai Chi class – meditation thru movement, allowing you to focus on your body and your breathing.

3. Create daily quiet time for breath work. Deep breathing delivers oxygen to the muscles allowing toxins to move out and reduce the tension. Breathe in thru your nose to a count of 4 hold for a count of 4 and breathe out through your mouth to a count of 4.

4. Learn to meditate – You don’t need to chant “Om” and sit in silence for an hour “attempting to clear your mind.” I know that is a reason some people tend to shy away from meditation. If you choose, you can follow a guided meditation/relaxation program You can listen to instrumental “New Age” music or just sit in the quiet for 10 minutes a day without distractions focus on your breath, close your eyes if you choose and think of just being in peace. Meditation practiced before bedtime will help you get a better night’s sleep.

5. Eat healthy, balanced nutritional meals, avoid sweets, alcohol, and high carbs – they will add to your stress and to your waist.

6. Drink plenty of water to clear out the toxins in your body.

7. Get self-care – stress affects your health. See a chiropractor, massage therapist or bodyworker regularly to reduce the effects on your nerve system and strengthen your immune system.

Those activities will help reverse the negative physical effects of financial stress in your life.
What about mindset? That’s a story for another time…

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Best Practices Growth Management Personal Development Technology

Arming the Cyber Defender – Your Employees

Too often cybersecurity professionals talk about people being the weakest link in security, but I would much rather look at these individuals, your employees, as your first line of defense rather than the weakest link. That is because they are your first line of defense in the cyberwar waged against us.

You may think I’m being melodramatic when I use the term cyberwar, but this is exactly where we are. Our biggest adversaries are foreign governments who use their immense resources to gain access to our personal information and our intellectual property in order to gain advancements and a competitive edge over our country, our companies and our technologies. This is happening every day and China is leading this war against us while we do very little to respond.

You may think that you can’t do much against the Chinese Communist Party, but that is where you need to think differently, there is a lot you can do and it will take you and many more organizations being armed and ready to take action. We are mistaken if we have the attitude that someone else will take care of the problem. That is because we are not fighting this war on the traditional battlefield, the fighters are not the military, they are you and me and we all have a part to play.

For your organization, the defenders in this war are you and your employees, the people sitting in front of a computer all day or connecting a device to your network. They are your first line of defense, but they have not been weaponized, as in, they don’t know how important their role is in this fight; actually they don’t even know the fight exists.

Here is a checklist you can use to help ensure you have your bases covered in arming your employees in this war and protecting your organization and our countries assets.

  • Provide security awareness training that connects the user to their responsibility for security – teach them how to behave, what to do, what not to do, and how to respond then reinforce the training on a regular basis. Make sure they understand their role and how important it is. The more interactive and real the training the more they will connect with it and remember what they have learned.

 

  • Do not allow users to have administrative rights to their computers, talk to your IT department about this because this right gives attackers more access and a much better chance of installing malicious software on your network.

 

  • Do not allow users to disable end-point security like host-based firewalls or anti-virus software and keep the software current and working properly.

 

  • Provide users with clear instructions that are easy to find and follow for how to report suspicious or anomalous activity – make sure they know what it means – test them. Then ensure the response team knows what to do in various situations and test them too. Testing reinforces what people have learned, make it part of the process and not something for them to be afraid of.

 

  • Provide specialized security training for your business leaders and empower them to discuss security with their employees. Engage your security teams or security consultants to help. This is specialized knowledge that you have to teach everyone in your business, you can’t leave it up to the small group of security experts when all your users are your first line of defense.

 

  • Provide users with secure methods for transmitting sensitive data and teach them how to use it. They need to know that email is not secure unless you have given them a secure method for using it.

 

  • Provide users with secure methods for storing sensitive data and make sure they know where those locations are and how to ask for access. Users need to understand that storing sensitive data on their computers or unprotected network file shares opens the risk to losing that data to an attacker.

 

  • Keep the conversation in front of everyone at all times, don’t become complacent or allow your people to become complacent. This is on-going and ever changing topic and so must be the conversation.

When I said test them there are many ways you can do this. You can use products that simulate phishing attacks that users will learn from if they click on the email. You can use a penetration test to simulate an attack and test your response capabilities. You can use consultants who can perform social engineering tests to see if users provide sensitive data like passwords or customer information. Testing helps ensure the training you provide is working. It is not to punish those who don’t respond correctly. The only way to know where you stand and correct behavior is through testing, training, and re-testing.

What I like about all of this is that not only are you protecting your organization, but you are empowering your employees to go home and protect their home computers through what they have learned. They can teach their friends and families what to look for. Our attackers are not just after our organizations they are after anyone who can give them the edge they are looking for and that includes you, your children, your parents, and your friends. The more you can teach your employees and the more other leaders do the same, the more we are arming our people at home and at work to be our best line of defense.

This is a high-level list that will help you get the conversation started with your IT, security, and executive team. If you want to dive deeper email sharon@c-suiteresults.com and we can discuss your individual situation. For more articles on this topic visit my C-Suite Advisors Page.

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Growth Leadership Personal Development

Hey Leaders, Are You Setting Up Your Team to Fail?

Take, for instance, when we hear about air traffic controllers reportedly nodding off on the job and pilots being forced to land unassisted. As frightening as that may be, personally, I don’t blame the controllers. They were set up for failure.

The majority of these controllers work schedules that sound something like this: work an 8-hour shift, rest for 8 hours; work an 8-hour shift and rest for 8 hours. Many work repeated back-to-back midnight shifts, during which most of them are flying solo.

As Charlie Sheen would say, “DUH!” They’re all falling asleep at the switch because they’re all sleep-deprived!

This system is clearly flawed and therefore, it has failed the controllers – and us. Where are the leaders here? I know grocery store managers who do a much better job of scheduling their clerks than this, and these clerks (typically) are not responsible for the lives of hundreds or thousands of people in one shift.

So, here is my question for you as executive leaders, as bosses, as team leaders, as business owners. Are you scrutinizing your procedures and systems to make sure that you are setting people up for success rather than failure?

I once had a client contact me requesting a team-building training program. In an effort to conduct a little quick and dirty needs analysis I asked him what was going on – what prompted his request. (Since I’ve worked with this company in the past, I have a pretty good idea of their leadership structure.) He explained that they wanted to provide the teamwork training to their salespeople. He further elaborated that these salespeople are set up into two divisions and are essentially competing against each other for customers.

Wait a minute. Back up! You want to provide teamwork training, presumably to help them to work together better as a team, while they are expected to compete against each other? Sounds almost like an oxymoron to me.

The heaviest dose of team-building, training, or rah-rah-rah inspirational/motivational pep talks can’t get these people to function as a team when they are required to compete against each other for their livelihood. That system is inherently flawed.

Policies, procedures, systems, processes all have to be established to set your team members up for success. Do you periodically re-evaluate and re-assess yours to make sure that they still make sense?

Duh!

What will you:

  • start doing,
  • stop doing, or
  • continue doing or do differently

to make sure that you’re leading your team and preparing them success rather than failure?

Use the comment box below to share your action plan and experiences with us!

To receive solutions to your people problems in your inbox every month, and to receive our report: “7 of Your Biggest People Problems…Solved,” click here.

More articles by Jennifer:

Leadership Team Accelerated Results Program

12 Powerful Questions to Stash in Your Leadership Toolbox

Leadership Lessons to Push Past Homeostasis

Jennifer Ledet, CSP, is a leadership consultant and professional speaker (with a hint of Cajun flavor) who equips leaders from the boardroom to the mailroom to improve employee engagement, teamwork, and communication.  In her customized programs, leadership retreats, keynote presentations, and breakout sessions, she cuts through the BS and talks through the tough stuff to solve your people problems.

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Investing Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

Know When You’re Playing A Long Versus Short Game

“The less you leave to chance, the less chance will be the source that leads you.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

He gently stroked her hand as she was transitioning from this world to someplace more worldly. As he did, he gently whispered to no one in particular, “had I known you were going to be such a pivotal force in my life, I would have treated you differently.”

In your dealings with people, do you play a long or short game (i.e. develop long-term or short-term strategies)?

To a degree, that’s a trick question. Yes, you should have strategies developed based on what you’re attempting to achieve in a relationship, and those strategies will be based on the person that you’re involved with. That means you’ll develop strategies for family members and others that are close to you that are different from those that do not fall into that category.

You may not be aware of the degree that you’re implementing strategies when dealing with people, but nevertheless, you are implementing strategies. Even if it’s just at a subconscious level, you engage with others based on the benefits derived from doing so. If you raise your sense of awareness, related to the short-term gains/opportunities you seek from such engagements, you can gain greater control of yourself and those interactions for the long-term.

When you’re mindful of what you want from a relationship, you become more aware of what you need to do to enhance it. That should trigger the degree of willingness you put forth to engage in actions that promote what’s required for that enhancement.

With a heightened sense of awareness, per the value you associate with any relationship, you gain greater control of where the relationship goes. So, no matter where you are in a relationship, reflect on what you want from it, what you’re willing to change about it, and where such changes might lead. In making such assessments, you’ll find paths to longer, more satisfying relationships … and everything will be right with the world.

What does this have to do with negotiations? 

If you’ve followed my articles, you’re aware that my motto is, “you’re always negotiating.” That means, what you do today impacts tomorrow’s outcomes. When it comes to playing a long or short game in a negotiation, your strategies might tend to be more to the point in a short-term undertaking, while the opposite will more likely be the case if the negotiation will be protracted. Thus, one strategy you may adopt in future negotiations, especially if you’re not sure where it might lead in the future, is to treat a short-term engagement as though it was long-term. Doing so may disclose unforeseen benefits.

Remember, you’re always negotiating! 

What are your thoughts? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

To receive Greg’s free 5-minute video on reading body language or to sign up for the “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

#LongGame #ShortGame #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions #Psychology #Perception #ControlLife #Control #leadership #HowToImproveyourself #Achievement

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Personal Development

What CEOs and C-Suite Leaders Really Want

Chris Westfall Leadership Meeting

What do leaders really want?
That’s the question that IBM asked over 1500 CEOs: what’s the number one quality you look for, in a leader?

From Dubai to Dubuque, and everywhere in between, CEOs weighed in on the most desired aspect of leadership.

Surprisingly, the most-desired quality or characteristic was not technical competence.

It wasn’t loyalty, or communication skills, or financial acumen.

The top characteristic wasn’t charisma. Or empathy.

The number-one most important characteristic for business leaders?

Creativity.

That characteristic is quite surprising, when you consider the traditional definition of creativity.  Under careful consideration, “being creative” is not always a positive and encouraging description.

Related: Find out what Entrepreneur has to say, about Identifying Your Blind Spot

For financial professionals, project managers, executives and other task- or numbers-oriented individuals, the call for creativity seems quite contrary to the training and experiences that form the very foundation of the business world.

For example: Where do you find creative accountants?
Answer: Jail.

“Creative” skills are not commonplace in shipping, accounts payable, or operations.  Or are they?

Creativity, in the context of business, means the power of creation.  Creativity is the way that leaders harness imagination to disrupt the status quo, and find new solutions to the same old problems. The global leaders in the IBM survey are seeking creative solutions to business challenges.  The leaders in the survey identify creativity as the antidote for the status quo.

For leaders, creativity is a vital disruption. Creativity is the birthplace of innovation.

Creativity can exist anywhere a process is created or improved. That means in shipping, accounts payable, or operations. And especially in the C-Suite.

Creativity means many things, but at its core, the process of creation begins with an idea.

Based on current information, “what if?” opens the door to imagination. New solutions can only come from within the realm of new ideas.  As the economy continues to expand, the leaders of tomorrow are the ones who are open to new concepts, new perspectives and new solutions.  Seeing things as they are is an important skill.

But, for C-Suite leaders: seeing things as they could be – and then making them that way? Well, that takes some creativity.

  • Do you agree? What does creativity mean to you, and to your organization?
  • How do you develop a workplace where creativity is allowed to thrive?
  • How is creativity linked to innovation for you?

 

About the Author:

Chris Westfall is the publisher of seven books, including the international best-seller, The NEW Elevator Pitch. His latest title is Leadership Language: Communication Skills for Changing Your Results, coming from Wiley in the fall of 2018. Find out more on his website, and follow him on twitter.

 

 

photo credit: Philadelphia Business Meeting image by the author

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Growth Management Personal Development Technology

The Secret to Hiring Cybersecurity Professionals

I have had a successful career in Cybersecurity since 2005 when we called it Information Security. Ironically, my background should never have landed me the job, but it revealed an important hiring secret: Sometimes the best person for a cybersecurity position is not a cybersecurity professional.

I know that sounds paradoxical and confusing so let me explain. With the proliferation of job titles and educational programs with the word cybersecurity in them, it might make hiring managers think they need to hire someone with cybersecurity experience, and that is understandable. However, as we keep hearing that there are more jobs than qualified employees, the gap is going to continue and grow, and there is not enough diversity in the field, alternatives become necessary.

Therefore, instead of searching for the perfect cybersecurity employee with a very specific skill set, technical background, knowledge of one particular tool, set of certifications, degree, and many years of experience, look to the less obvious source to hire your next cybersecurity employee – the artist, the accountant, the liberal arts major, the writer, the veteran, or the gamer (to name a few). Here’s why.

Cybersecurity professionals are creative problem solvers, enjoy tinkering with new tools, and like connecting the dots or solving puzzles. They need to be strong leaders and proficient writers. Depending on the role, they may need to enjoy solitude or thrive in chaos. They are good communicators, team players, and dreamers.

My success in this field is because someone gave me a chance when I had no relevant experience. They needed my skill set as an auditor and gave me the opportunity to learn on the job, which I did with their help. The guys I worked with started me off slowly and then started to give me more and more responsibility. They saw that I would ask questions and that I could take what I was learning and use it. Before long I was on client sites alone, traveling internationally and given a lot of responsibility. If it were not for these guys who took a chance on me 13 years ago I don’t know what my career would look like today. I am forever grateful to them and why I have some recommendations for hiring your next cybersecurity employee.

My Top 5 Recommendations for Hiring Your Next Cybersecurity Employee

1. Know the underlying skills needed for the position. Many cybersecurity positions require lots of writing and documentation, sometimes for non-technical audiences. You may find an excellent candidate with a journalism degree or background in technical writing. You may just find that it is easier to teach a good writer about security than teach an IT or security expert how to write and it may offer more qualified candidates for the position.

2. Determine if the role require lots of solitary work like looking at monitors or analyzing log files. You want someone who enjoys the solitude of this type of work and also enjoys puzzles. People who can spend hours alone working on puzzles, crosswords, games, or other brain teasers are well suited for this type of work because they enjoy solving problems and thrive working alone. You will teach them what puzzle they are trying to solve and they will get busy solving them. This may be more challenging to identify in a traditional resume, make it part of the hiring questions or job description where applicable.

3. Know if chaos at the heart of the position. Depending on the role it may involve a lot of chaos like lots of moving parts, threats, cyber attackers, high visibility, high expectations, and competing priorities amongst the business executives and board of directors. Working well or even thriving in chaos takes a special individual; it’s not for everyone and you can’t teach it. Look at military veterans, former police officers, and people who have held positions where chaos was their daily norm, even if outside of IT and security.

4. Understand the amount of technical knowledge necessary. Many roles today are for compliance and a strong auditor could be a great fit, even if they don’t have a strong technical background. Auditors are skilled at learning new topics very quickly and analyzing information to determine deficiencies and gaps. When you give a strong auditor the information they need and the tests to perform they will pick the rest up quickly and learn on the job.

5. Consider on the job training. This will allow you to bring in more entry level employees with less cybersecurity or technical experience at a lower cost and train them with the tools and information that is important to your organization. With the right training and mentorship these entry level employees will thrive and grow into your next generation of leaders.

The traits I’ve listed above are those you need to consider whether you are bringing in someone with previous experience or whether you are looking to diversify and bring in raw talent. There are many qualified employees who will make excellent cybersecurity professionals if given the opportunity and they are hungry to learn and be part of this exciting field. All they need is the chance, a mentor, some training, and the opportunity to learn and grow in the field.

My Top 5 Don’ts for Hiring Your Next Cybersecurity Employee

1. Don’t assume someone with a long list of certifications is a good at security or good in the role you are looking to place them in. Many people can pass a certification, but that does not automatically mean they are right for the job. Does the job require skills that someone who passed the exam would have over someone without the certification? Plus you don’t know how many times they took the test before they passed. The person who finishes last in medical school is still called Doctor. Don’t assume a certification means they are a good fit for the job or that the job needs someone certified, be specific as to why the certification matters before making it a requirement.

2. Don’t dismiss candidates because they don’t have certifications. Yes, this is the opposite of number one, but just as important. I did not have any certifications when I was introduced to this industry. Some certifications require years of experience to get and you will miss out on some great employees if you set the bar for entry unnecessarily high with certification requirements.

3. Don’t assume that people with strong IT backgrounds make good security professionals. IT professionals may not know security just like security professionals may not be technically proficient. While most of what a cybersecurity employee does has to do with technology, it is not all about technology. Make sure that an IT professionals is being considered because they are a good match for the underlying needs of the position and not just because they have IT skills. If they fit into the category of being well suited for the needs of the position and can learn security on the job like the auditor, journalist, or artist we’ve mentioned before than of course they make a great candidate too.

4. Don’t write the job description so specifically or narrowly that only a few people in the world could match it. This is especially true if you are looking for more of a junior role. When you combine a desire for lots of experience with knowledge on very specific tools, and think that someone in your geographic area is going to be a fit, it could take a long time to fill the position. Go to #1 on the Do list instead.

5. Don’t dismiss the importance of soft skills. The best cybersecurity professionals have strong soft skills like communication, writing, and diplomacy. These positions are often in front of executives and other business leaders and require the ability to communicate in language that everyone will understand and in a way that will build relationships, not be adversarial.

Candidates with cybersecurity experience are great and you should definitely consider them as long as they fit the specific needs of the position, not just because of their general experience, education, or credentials. If you are hiring for a senior position or a consultant who will be out advising clients on topics of security, of course you need and want experienced employees; just make sure they are the right employee so that you and they have a long and happy working relationship together.

If you want to discuss hiring for cybersecurity, building teams, or cybersecurity strategy, email sharon@c-suiteresults.com.

Sharon is an information/cyber security veteran who has been helping clients navigate security and compliance challenges since 2005. She currently works as a Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) for small to medium sized clients who don’t have their own CISO or security department. Sharon received her Masters in Forensic Science, High Technology Crimes Investigations from The George Washington University and currently is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

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Best Practices Body Language Entrepreneurship Human Resources Investing Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

What Is The Color Of Money In Your Negotiations?

“All that glitters may not be gold, but if you know where value resides and how to extract it, you can turn any color into green (i.e. money/opportunity).” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

“I’m a grown man and I don’t want my bedroom painted pink!”

Those were the words of an exasperated man exclaiming his displeasure to a movie scout, that wanted to paint the man’s bedroom a color that the man didn’t think was manly. The scout had very excitedly told the man how perfect his house was for a scene that had to be shot within a few days for a movie with a big budget. The scout had also let on that the movie company didn’t have a lot of time to investigate other properties. The more the scout talked, the more he placed his negotiation position in jeopardy.

In reality, when the man was stating his displeasure with the color of the room, he did so as a setup to extract more money from the movie scout.

What ploys do you employ to enhance your negotiation position? Do you know what the color of money is (opportunities) in your negotiations?

The following insights will allow you to quickly identify hidden opportunities in your negotiations.

1. When the other negotiator constantly talks, let him. The more he talks the better off you’ll be. He’ll divulge information and insights that you’ll be able to use in the negotiation.

2. Before your negotiation, consider what points of leverage you can obtain, simply by placing a strategic objection at the appropriate time. Opportunities occur in every negotiation, but they’ll be missed if you don’t know what to look for. Plus, if you plan for them, you’ll be more mindful of how you can promote them to

3. To be even more effective, consider the rebuttals that might be offered to your objections. Then, think of the body language you’ll exhibit to assist in your ruse. As an example, you can display disgust by curling one corner of your lip. Even if the other negotiator is not aware at a conscious level of what that means, he’ll sense it at a subconscious level. Depending on his overall demeanor and the timing of the display, he may adopt a mercurial nature that states, you can go faster, or that it’s time to slow down. Be aware of which one it is. Nevertheless, when body language and words are synchronized, your words have a more powerful impact on you.

4. Know when to forge forward with a request and know when to ease up. Such direction can be gleaned from the reaction of the person you’re negotiating with, based on the body language and words they use to respond. As an example, if you receive several concessions as the result of your ploys, you might consider giving in to a hard and strident pushback you receive. The theory is, let him win sometimes, so he’ll grant you more concessions.

5. Always be mindful of your emotions. The more you keep your emotions in check, the greater control you’ll have over them, and the other negotiator.

In the opening situation, I described how a man used the color pink to obtain more green (i.e. money). If you’re observant of situations that offer you the opportunity to enhance your negotiation position, you too can gain more from every negotiation you’re in … and everything will be right with the world.

Remember, you’re always negotiating! 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

To receive Greg’s free 5-minute video on reading body language or to sign up for the “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

#moneyMatters #RecognizingValue #HandlingObjections #negotiations #Negotiator #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #psychology #CombatDisinformation #HowToHandleObjections

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Best Practices Growth Management News and Politics Personal Development

Politics, Obstruction and REAL Leadership

Doesn’t it seem like our political leaders specialize in obstruction, when that might just be the last thing anyone really needs?

Street SceneNo matter which side of the aisle you’re on, it seems that stopping things is the main focus of our representatives in Washington these days. Look, I’m not a political guy, but when it comes to leadership, shutting down the dialogue is the last thing you need. Seems to me that there’s a real misunderstanding going on.

Changing the conversation is about helping people to get to “yes”, not the opposite. Obstructing others from getting what they want might classify as political leadership – but, in business, those kinds of politics can kill your career.

Look for openings, not obstruction, if you want to create new results.

As Sam Shepard said to his friend, rockstar Patti Smith:

“When you hit a wall, kick it down.” – Sam Shepard, Author, Playwright and Actor

What would happen if you helped people to find doors, instead of blocking them with walls?

As you go through the week, take time to consider the folks that matter most to you: your stakeholders, your team and your customers.

What would change for you if you started to look at everyone around you … as your client?

What happens if the people around you became your clients as well? In my new book, Leadership Language, I talk about the value in seeing the people around you as clients – seeing that the service you provide is the key to the impact you create. It’s easy to see that your customers are those you serve – after all, that’s why they call it ‘customer service’.

I talked about how to create greater influence for your internal clients, in my latest article on Forbes – check it out right here: “How to Get Buy-In for Your Ideas”.

Common Ground, Uncommon Results

The idea of internal customers (or clients) is nothing new. But focusing on how you can help people to get where they want to go – instead of shutting them down – can be a powerful place for your attention.

If you find yourself being frustrated by other people, and other agendas, here are some useful questions that can make a difference:

  • What would have to change, outside of the people involved, for this situation to improve?
  • What assumptions are you making, about the people and processes involved, that are leading to your frustration?

When it’s time for a difficult conversation, ask yourself: what is the focus that’s going to be most useful? Is obstruction really the answer?

Then, get out of the “he said-she said” mode. Focus your team (and your client) on that thing that matters most.

Leadership Language Cover Mock-up
Coming from Wiley – Fall 2018

I’m not suggesting that you turn into Santa Claus, or start granting wishes. Sometimes what people want and what can realistically be delivered are two different things. That’s when you’ve got to ask yourself, “What’s this conversation really about?”

And, as a follow up: What does this conversation need to be about? Maybe the dialogue needs to be shut down. Incorrect initiatives must be stopped. A new beginning often starts with a fresh ending.

But understand where that decision is really coming from.

Is obstruction the kind of impact that you want to create?

Obstructing the Possibilities

Block the shot. Or take the shot. The choice is yours. (Decisions like that are why you’re in the C-Suite).  But why you choose your shot is what matters.

Can you influence your team and the clients that matter most to you, by obstruction? What good comes from the absence of dialogue? What’s the real impact of shutting down the conversation?

There’s no need for a vote; new solutions don’t come from obstruction. Open up the conversation, if you want to discover new results.

Look in the direction of ‘yes’ – and guide your clients to the solution that fits, for everyone involved. Take time to look at your assumptions. In my experience, you will discover what changes when those assumptions aren’t written in stone. Because trying to block someone isn’t the best way to lead them to a new solution.

About the Author

Chris Westfall is the publisher of seven books, recognized as the US NATIONAL ELEVATOR PITCH CHAMPION. A keynote speaker to Fortune 100 companies and high-growth businesses across multiple sectors, he provides performance coaching for leaders and their teams. He’s appeared on CNN, ABC NEWS, NBC TV, and in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Fortune and many other media publications. Find out more on his website and follow him on twitter.

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Growth Leadership Personal Development

What is the Most Important Quality of Great Leaders?

“What is the most important quality of great leaders?”

The answers on social media ran the gamut from honesty and integrity to fairness and fun. I even sparked a bit of a debate, with responders vehemently defending their vote. One quality that kept popping up intrigued me, and that quality was ‘courage.’

Successful leaders, business executives, managers, and entrepreneurs felt that this is THE one most important quality of a great leader. Some felt that many of the other characteristics listed are important for anyone to have, but that to be a truly great leader, one must have courage.

At a National Speakers Association conference, I once had the privilege of hearing Nando Parrado’s story. While you might not recognize his name, you may recall his story. It’s quite the tale! Back in 1972, a charter plane carrying Nando’s Uruguayan rugby team and a few family members crashed deep in the desolate, snowy mountains of the Andes. For a whopping 72 days, the world assumed they were all dead. The survivors endured unimaginable cold (many had never seen snow before), starvation, and an avalanche. They finally resorted to cannibalism to survive.

After recovering from a severe head injury and learning that both his mother and sister had died, Nando, as well as several friends, quickly assumed a leadership role. No one assigned this role to him, or gave him a title. He simply saw a need and stepped up to the plate. Ultimately, young Nando, (he was only 22 at the time), decided he was not going to wait to be found, and, with a teammate, set off to find help. Nando told his teammate Roberto that there was no going back. While they might die making the trek, they would die if they DIDN’T try. They hiked for 10 days until they found a Chilean farmer who summoned rescuers.

This emergent leader’s story has fascinated me since I heard it as a young girl. Being able to hear him tell it in person was incredibly moving. I was especially struck by his unbelievable will to live and his courage. I know that I wasn’t the only person listening to him wondering if I would have had a fraction of his courage in a similar situation.

To be an effective leader, you must have many great qualities, but courage is right at the top of the list. Why? As some of my social media contributors pointed out, a leader must have courage to make the tough decisions. They must have the courage to get under the outer, shiny layer and get to the “tough stuff,” like people problems. A great leader will have the courage to go first, to be a model for others. Would you “go first” like Nando did?

And we can all hope that your courage will never be tested in a life-and-death situation the way that Nando’s was.

So, after reading this article, let me ask you,

What is the most important quality of a great leader?

Connect with me on LinkedIn to share your comments.

For more resources on leadership and employee engagement, be sure to sign up for our monthly Ezine and you will receive our report: “7 of Your Biggest People Problems…Solved.”

Related articles by Jennifer:

Leadership Team Accelerated Results Program

Successful Leaders Ask These 12 Powerful Questions

7 Steps to be a More Effective Leader

Jennifer Ledet, CSP, is a leadership consultant and professional speaker (with a hint of Cajun flavor) who equips leaders from the boardroom to the mailroom to improve employee engagement, teamwork, and communication.  In her customized programs, leadership retreats, keynote presentations, and breakout sessions, she cuts through the BS and talks through the tough stuff to solve your people problems.

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Growth Management Personal Development

Leadership, Creativity…and Burt Reynolds

Burt Reynolds and Ariel Winter in
Burt Reynolds and Ariel Winter in “The Last Movie Star”. Source: IMDB

As an independent film maker, Adam Rifkin is in the dream-making business. Come to think of it, if you’re a C-Suite leader, maybe you are too.

Leadership is about bringing your dreams to life – not only for yourself, but for your team… and your customers.

Here’s how a seven-year search for financing – and the patience of Burt Reynolds – brought Adam’s boyhood dream to the big screen. An excerpt from “Leadership Language” by Chris Westfall

As a kid, growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Rifkin was practicing for his career in Hollywood by making movies with his junior high pals.

Back in those days, if you could ride your bike to Adam’s house you could be in a movie.

Rifkin commandeered his father’s video camera and began producing middle-school masterpieces like MURDER CAN KILL YOU, PAPERBOY CRIMES and THE BURGLAR FROM OUT OF THE DISHWASHER.

Adam Rifkin
Director Adam Rifkin

Adam explained, “I didn’t realize it at the time, but out of necessity I was actually teaching myself the basic principles of leadership.” Even at an early age, he had a knack for getting his fellow middle schoolers excited about the next opus.

“My enthusiasm must’ve been infectious because each project began the same way: I’d tell my core company that I had a cool idea for a new movie. This was inevitably met with a chorus of ‘no thanks’, ‘not this time’ and ‘I’ve got soccer practice’.  Yet somehow, after a few more minutes of colorful discussion, where I’d wax poetic about the glories of the new idea and the fun that was going to be had bringing it to life, everyone signed on yet again.”

The Secret to ‘YES’

“Here’s what I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt: if it were to cease to be fun, my team would disperse. As a leader, even when I didn’t really know what that word meant, I had to develop a unique set of skills that enabled me to be able to speak to each cast and crew member individually. I had to get the most out of them creatively, also keep them engaged.” And that conversation is where leadership and creativity came together.

From backyard movies to the backlot in Hollywood: cut to Rifkin’s latest project, The Last Movie Star, featuring his childhood idol, Burt Reynolds.

More Burtastic than Ever

“Burt Reynolds was my hero. Not only was he the biggest movie star in the world when I was a kid, he was funny and self-deprecating and approachable. He made being famous seem fun, and I dreamt that someday we’d not only be friends, but that we would work together,” Adam shared. A film buff from a very young age, Smokey and the Bandit made a lasting impression on Adam.

“I wanted to create a role that would remind movie fans just how great of an actor Burt Reynolds is. Selfishly, I also wanted to make good on my secret dream of getting to work with The Bandit.  I didn’t know Burt but I felt it was worth rolling the dice. So after writing the script I submitted it to his manager.  I shared my passion for all things Burt and asked him to please send Burt the script. I also told him to let Burt know that if he wasn’t interested in playing the role I wasn’t going to make the film. I wrote it solely for Burt. My impassioned pitch was apparently enough for Burt’s manager to agree to send over the screenplay that day.

Smokey and the Bandit and Leadership
Do you remember The Bandit?

“Much to my shock and delight, the next afternoon I got a call from none other than Burt Reynolds. Suddenly I was transported to that fateful day in 1977 when I was watching SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT for the first time, and dreaming of Burt and I becoming pals. And now, here I was, talking to the man himself.

“Little did I know in that instant, things were about to get a whole lot more Burtastic.

“Burt accepted the role and attached himself to play Vic Edwards.

“Now, the only thing left to do was everything.”

An initial success created a new vision: namely, how to get this project funded.

The Search

“When I approached Burt I didn’t have any of the money secured to make the film. I naively believed that with Burt attached to this particular script, in this particular role, finding the cash would be easy. I was wrong. It ultimately took more than seven years to finally find the money,” Adam explained.

A creative journey, indeed. How can you maintain your vision, even when it seems like you’re not getting closer to your goal?

“It had almost gotten green lit multiple times along the way, but each incarnation fell through. Every time the financing dropped out I had to call Burt and give him the bad news. I always expected him to use each disappointment as his opportunity to graciously bow out, but instead, each time the financing disappeared, Burt seemed more determined than ever to stick with the project and see it through to fruition. His enthusiasm inspired me just as I believe my enthusiasm inspired him.”

Enthusiasm?

“Each cast and crew member is required to focus on a particular task that services the whole. As the director, it’s my job to not only keep a focus on the individual components needed, but more importantly, keep an eye on the macro task of how all these countless pieces will fit together. From carpenters to fine artists to performers to financiers, a movie brings together a very disparate group of individuals who might otherwise never have a reason to interact. The director needs to not only understand how to best communicate with each as an individual, but also inspire this eclectic team to work well together to essentially create this temporary movie making bio-machine.”

Can you relate?

From childhood dream to reality: a lifetime of leadership lessons on contagious enthusiasm, and a seven-year journey to bring this project to the screen. From a place of understanding, Rifkin made it all fit together.

“Leading by example, and being passionate and enthusiastic about a project is fundamental to getting the very best out of your crew,” according to Adam.

Fun is what makes it functional, when it comes to making movies. What about in your industry? Rifkin points to loving his work, time and time again. From that place he found new results for himself, his crew and his actors. “The director needs to be well versed in how to talk to all manner of cast and crew member to get the very best out of him or her.”

Do you see the creative spirit inside of yourself? Whether you are making movies, or making gadgets, your creativity is what makes a difference.

In fact, that creative spirit is the foundation of leadership.