Talking Politics

Well, talking politics at work that is! You are never suppose to talk about politics and religion in a business setting, at least that is what I have been told. Well, I had a dinner with a prospect last night and what happens when the client raises a political debate?

1. Do you just shake your head and hope the lack of any feedback, stops the discussion?

2. Since you want the business, do you agree with the prospect, no matter what you really believe? Or, if you agree, it is okay to say so and continue to the debate?

3. Or, do you roll up your sleeves and have a friendly debate (obviously with all the caveats of not calling the client "YOU DONT KNOW ANYTHING?"

Those who know me, which option do you think I chose? Hey, the prospect started it! Yes, option #3.

I have had some wonderful debates with colleagues in the past . . .

• Whether in a pub in London with my global mobility colleagues discussing the possibility of the end of US as a world power?
• Making a bet on the presidential election in an Indian restaurant in the UK?
• Having a heated debate on conservative versus liberal views on government in a restaurant in New York City?
• Debating "free" press issues with one of my favourite colleague in China at a coffee shop in Shanghai?
• Debating the "true" democracy in Switzerland at a Turkish restaurant in Geneva?

(you all know who you are . . . and there were many more discussion)

(why is it that drinks and food seem to always be involved).

Anyway, back to the prospect political debate, we had a constructive discussion, the prospect made good points, and they recognized some good points as well. I thought we left the discussion having a better relationship, more respect and understanding than we would had if the client did not begin to discuss politics. We will see if the business comes our way. (oh, it is great to be able to spend time with clients again, being external focus for me is more fun than dealing with bureaucracy).

How does this relate to YOU!

1. Never bring up politics and religion with clients/prospects unless they do.
2. If they do, be a good listener, understand what they are saying, there are always good points on both side in a debate
3. Don't get emotional, be constructive
4. If you don't feel comfortable talking about it, then don't

. . . and, oh, by the way, Go Ron Paul!

Is a Successful Leader Replaceable?

Many times, you hear people talking about replacing a legend and how difficult it is . . . whether a popular and successful CEO like Jack Welch, or a legendary coach who retires after many championships. As they say, it would be a hard act to follow as expectations are high for continued success but the new leader needs to build their own team, culture and vision which may take time. Who else has read Machiavelli?

This is the dichotomy. On one hand, continued great success is expected but a change is needed and usually takes time to happen. Consequently, new leaders end up "failing" because they did not continue the success or their vision did not get implemented fast enough.

So, there are three things that can happen:

1. Maintain the course the previous successful leader was on

This approach could be successful in the short run but this means that the new leader has the same philosophy and culture as the previous one. If not, there will always be comparisons (which is not right). They are in maintenance mood and are typically a focused on maintaining what the unit has done (becomes defensive and in "not to lose" mood), this overtime will suffer because of lack of vision because of the ubiquitous (oh, look it up, yes, I can use big words too!)nature of business.

2. Have a new leader that will initially be disruptive (one that is outside of the current "regime")

This sends a clear message that senior management wants a change in direction from the previous leader and therefore a new vision and possibly new change in a leadership team. This hiring strategy is risky, as staff wonder if they actually belong in this new team. The upheaval of this approach can be fairly tramatic, but there is an upside, if the current path of the business was not going to be sustainable, this approach might be best to "shake things up" and send a message that there is a new sheriff in town and we are moving in a different direction.

3. Hybrid approach, select someone that the current unit knows and appreciates but who also can spin a new vision based upon the foundation that has been provided by the previous leader.

This is the best strategy in my book. Selecting a new leader who is respective by current team, but smart enough to provide a new vision in the six months is the right approach in my opinion. The leader can maintain the existing success, but gather the team together to say what do we want the business to be in five years, which may or may not be the same path the unit is currently on.

As I have mentioned in previous postings, the new leader needs integrity above all else. Any leader who is not seen as having integrity (and out for themselves) will surely fail.

It is interesting because some "legendary" leaders have been so successful that their senior management cannot "touch them", and has to live with them even though they want that leader to leave or retire (this is true of those new senior managers who came in above the leader and had no say so in their hiring). The successful leader can be bold, question authority because of their past success, but this makes the new senior management uncomfortable. So, senior management cannot force the successful leader to retire (how would that look?), so they have to live with it, or cause that successful leader so much difficulty that the leader ends up saying enough is enough, I see the writing on the wall. And leaves.

From Machiavelli (Prince)

A good ruler will invariably choose competent companions who offer honest advice in response to specific questions and carry out the business of the state without regard for their private interests; such people therefore deserve the rewards of honor, wealth, and power that unshakably secure their devotion to the leader. Ineffective leaders, on the other hand, surround themselves with flatterers whose unwillingness to provide competent advice is a mark of their princes' inadequacy.

How is your organization? does it try to surround itself with flatterers? Will the selection of the new leader be a "yes person" or serve as a leader with integrity and doing the right thing!

Bottom Line: A successful leader is replaceable, if it is done in the right way and selecting the right person who can "be their own person" and has the respect of the staff but also can build upon the existing foundation of success with their own vision of the future.

Facing Obstacles

Sundays are usually my longer run days. Yesterday, I planned to do a 7 mile run (12K). I also need to get up early to this run because of our standing Sunday commitment. However, when I woke up, it was pouring rain. I laid in bed thinking, "oh, maybe I can take the day off or run later in the day". After many minutes of debate, I came to the following conclusions:

1. Life is too short
2. When the going gets tough, the tough get going (a little reference to Animal House)
3. Taking the easy road does not make you a better person

So, I got up and drove down to the lake, and it was raining let me tell you! Austin is a runner's town, it seems the entire city runs. Usually, there are hundreds of people running, when I show up at my normal parking place, there is only one other car (normally at least 30 at this time).

During my run, it became more enjoyable than my usually sunny run. I was able to get use to the rain. More importantly, there were interesting obstacles that I had not faced before, including: small puddles, large puddles, mud, wet creek beds that are usually dry and no one else running (i.e., no one passing me on the trail). I had to jump over the puddles or use inventive techniques to minimum the wetness that my shoes would get. It was one of my most enjoyable runs in a few months.

What has this got to do with leadership or business? Well, I would say everything as it epitomizes what leaders go through many times a day, a week, a month, a year. Many times, you are faced with a fork in the road, do you take on the tough challenge or do you shy away (read Scott Peck's The Road less traveled), sometimes you dont have a choice but you can deny it as its staring you in the face. Take on that challenge, you will face obstacles that you wont normally run into and might even enjoy the change and in the end, feel positive about yourself and your team! You can do anything you put your mind to . . . so get dressed, take on the challenge head-on . . . as Vince Lombardi once said "It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get back up"!

So, take on that challenge, you will be happy by facing it head on . . . whether it is a difficult client, software that is behind schedule, personal relationship that has been souring, a possible promotion, a surprising communication that you had no idea about . . . face it, you will be better off and might even enjoy it!

Joke of the Weekend

Weekends are for Fun! So, I am going to post a joke for those weekend readers (this one in honor of all those wonderful assistants):

Two weeks ago was my forty-fifth birthday, and I wasn't feeling too hot that morning anyway. I went to breakfast knowing my wife would be pleasant and say “Happy Birthday,” and probably have a present for me.

She didn't even say “Good Morning,” alone any “Happy Birthday.” I thought, “Well, that's wives for you. Maybe the children will remember.”

The children came in to breakfast and didn't say a word.

When I started to the office I was feeling pretty low and despondent. As I walked into my office, my secretary, Janet, said, “Good morning boss, Happy Birthday.” And I felt a little better; someone had remembered.

I worked until noon. Then Janet knocked on my door and said, “You know, it's such a beautiful day outside and it's your birthday, let's go to lunch, just you and me.” I said, “By George, that's the best thing I've heard all day. Let's go.”

We went to lunch. We didn't go where we normally go; we went out into the country to a little private place. We had two martinis and enjoyed lunch tremendously.
On the way back to the office, she said, “You know, it's such a beautiful day. We don't need to go back to the office, do we?” I said, “No, I guess not.” She said, “Let's go to my apartment.” After arriving at her apartment she said, “Boss, if you don't mind, I think I'll go into the bedroom and slip into something more comfortable.”

“Sure,” I excitedly replied. She went into the bedroom and, in about six minutes, she came out carrying a big birthday cake, followed by my wife, children and dozens of our friends. All were singing “Happy Birthday” and there on the couch I sat... naked.

Enjoy Yourself (at Work)

It is interesting, we spend at least 40 hours per week at work (usually it is a lot more than that), then you think that we sleep between 6 to 8 hours a night (so if we say 7, that is another 35 hours a week), then you probably take somewhere around a hour or two per day getting ready for and traveling to and fro work (this might be a gender specific thing about getting ready, I can get ready in 15min and my commute is about 50 steps. life is good) . . . so, there is 168 hours a week. Just work and sleep take up 82 hours, that is almost half of the entire time for a week. And don't forget about all the errands that we have to do during the week . . . You might spend more time working with colleagues than spending with your spouse or partner!

I think we need to lighten up a bit during work, so many are uptight. I dont mean to slack off and not deliver on goals. But smile a little more and enjoy yourself!

You have probably have had several leaders in the past, which one did you work harder for and probably had more fun. My guess would be it was the leader who liked to have fun (probably did not take themselves as seriously as other leaders) and who really celebrated successes and wins. Maybe I am in the minority but I worked much harder when you were in an environment that was a fun place to work, am I wrong? I have been lucky reporting to most leaders who created a respectful but fun environment. A leader should put a smile on your face! Does your leader do that?

I made it my personal commitment to create such an environment, I will allow others to determine if I reached that goal!

I have had many funny business stories, so I will share one with you, names removed to protect the innocent.

I was co-instructing for software training at a large facility with about 30 clients. This facility was very nice, each "user" was in a pod with their own PC, microphone and speaker. Those that know me, know that my voice is . . . should be say . . . strong, so I did not need to use a wireless lapel microphone, however, my co-instructor's voice need one. So, my co-instructor is finishing their section and hand over to me the next section so I begin instructing. During that time, my co-instructor left the room (to get a glass of water?). Well, I am teaching and then all of sudden a hear a water leaking sound . . . everyone helps hears it as well, we are looking around the room to see if a water pipe broke or something . .. but we could not find anything, then all of a sudden, there was a big WHHHHOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH, yes, my co-instructor did not turn off their wireless mike and went to the restroom . . . so, here I am, standing in front of 30 clients (while we were listening to my co-instructor using the restroom), what would you do? Well, I had to say something, right? Quickly, I said, well, sorry for that, but lets make sure they wash their hands . . . within a few seconds, you hear running water . . . a few moments earlier, a colleague had run to the restroom to let the co-instrutor know, so you end up hearing some rustling and then silence. Needless to say, the co-instructor was a little embarrassed, but bottom line, it was a good time had by all . . . .life is short, have fun when you can! Oh, there are so many more stories that I can share . . . anyone else have any?

Think through what you are about to do!

WOW! Thanks for all the comments yesterday, dont be shy! There was some interesting comments. Also, found a setting to make it easier to comment, so if you tried and found it difficult, try again.

This blog posting is about two items . . . (1) find something to do instead of just sitting around, get out of your chair and do something with your life, i.e., "Dont just sit around" and (2) as leaders, we really need to think through the process from A through Z, if you just think through A through M, you might find yourself in the same situation as the following person. This is a true story.



(1982, California) Larry Walters of Los Angeles is one of the few to contend for the Darwin Awards and live to tell the tale. "I have fulfilled my 20-year dream," said Walters, a former truck driver for a company that makes TV commercials. "I'm staying on the ground. I've proved the thing works."


Larry's boyhood dream was to fly. But fates conspired to keep him from his dream. He joined the Air Force, but his poor eyesight disqualified him from the job of pilot. After he was discharged from the military, he sat in his backyard watching jets fly overhead.


He hatched his weather balloon scheme while sitting outside in his "extremely comfortable" Sears lawnchair. He purchased 45 weather balloons from an Army-Navy surplus store, tied them to his tethered lawnchair dubbed the Inspiration I, and filled the 4' diameter balloons with helium. Then he strapped himself into his lawnchair with some sandwiches, Miller Lite, and a pellet gun. He figured he would pop a few of the many balloons when it was time to descend.
Larry's plan was to sever the anchor and lazily float up to a height of about 30 feet above his back yard, where he would enjoy a few hours of flight before coming back down. But things didn't work out quite as Larry planned.


When his friends cut the cord anchoring the lawnchair to his Jeep, he did not float lazily up to 30 feet. Instead, he streaked into the LA sky as if shot from a cannon, pulled by the lift of 42 helium balloons holding 33 cubic feet of helium each. He didn't level off at 100 feet, nor did he level off at 1000 feet. After climbing and climbing, he leveled off at 16,000 feet (that is height of Mont Blanc for those in Europe and Los Angeles is at sea level).


At that height he felt he couldn't risk shooting any of the balloons, lest he unbalance the load and really find himself in trouble. So he stayed there, drifting cold and frightened with his beer and sandwiches, for more than 14 hours. He crossed the primary approach corridor of LAX, where Trans World Airlines and Delta Airlines pilots radioed in reports of the strange sight.
Eventually he gathered the nerve to shoot a few balloons, and slowly descended. The hanging tethers tangled and caught in a power line, blacking out a Long Beach neighborhood for 20 minutes. Larry climbed to safety, where he was arrested by waiting members of the LAPD. As he was led away in handcuffs, a reporter dispatched to cover the daring rescue asked him why he had done it. Larry replied nonchalantly, "A man can't just sit around."


The Federal Aviation Administration was not amused. Safety Inspector Neal Savoy said, "We know he broke some part of the Federal Aviation Act, and as soon as we decide which part it is, a charge will be filed."



One of my favorite websites is http://www.darwinawards.com/ So, please think through all initiatives completely before proceeding!! Understand the implications on what you do, when I talk about taking risks, take intelligent risks!

Okay, Let's do a Fun Posting . . .

One of items that I am "branded with" is from early in my career, I hated sitting around dinner tables or at happy hour and all the individual conversation going on, and some people who might be on the quiet side would not be involved in any discussion (or have you ever sat next to people that you wish you were eating at a fast food restaurant versus a sit down long meal, you know what I am talking about) . . . so I developed a "technique" whereby I got all involved in the conversation.

I have two techniques that many of the readers have probably been involved in . . .

1. I Call it "brink dinner rules", after each course, you get up and change places with others, if there is same number of male and females, the females remained seated and males change places . . . this breaks up the conversations and mixes things up. Please please please, make sure you bring the utensils that you had been using, your napkin, and your drink (downside is the waiter(tress) get confused when they bring the next course if different meals, but that becomes fun as well for all parties include the waiter(tress), they want something different as well).

2. I like to ask general questions of everyone at the table, everyone gets to talk, everyone learns something about all the people around the table, which then helps future conversations (gosh the things that you find out about people, WOW!).

a. Here are some questions that I ask?

b What place in the world that you would like to visit but never have?

c What has been your favorite vacation spot?

d If you could live anywhere in the world (money no object), where would you live?

e If you received $1M what would you do with the money?

f If you could relive a year in your life, what age would it be . . . it could mean to just relive or relive and make some changes during that year of life?

g If you were stranded on an island (and there happens to electricity, a dvd player, and CD player), what Book, Movie and Album would you select (yes, I could say, your are on a ship with a complete library of books, movies and albums, the ship catches fire you are only able to grab one of each . . . )

h If you weren't doing what you are today, what would you love to do (if you were paid the exact same)?

i When in your life have you been the happiest? (this is tougher than you think)

j If you were going to have your last meal, what would it be?

k Who was your first kiss? (okay, there are variations on this but this is a public blog . . . )

Now, there has been lots of shy people out there . . . so go ahead and give some answers, I will give my answers shortly.


But bottom line, involve others is key to success, make they feel part of the team, its lonely out there when you feel as an outsider . . . as leaders we need to be inclusive . . . and it will pay off in major dividends in the future. Party On!

Taking Risk . . . Is it in YOU?

What is it about my traveling in April . . . I was delayed several hours today because a bird hit the plane and damaged some equipment (or was it the plane hit the bird, hmmm).

Someone once said "Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out."

Bottom line: there are some people who like to take risks (just like riding on a rollercoaster) and some who dont like to take risks (and riding the merry-go-around is just fine). Neither is better than the other. However, I am one who likes to take risk. I want to be "in the game", give me the ball with seconds left on the clock, or up to bat with bases loaded or be the last person to take the penalty kick in futbol (okay that was just for my international friends). I want my blood moving and my heart pounding . . . my belief is that I dont want to watch others having all the fun! Life is short, my belief is that we are only here for a short time so live life to the fullest, whether work or play!

There is the old adage, no pain, no gain! You do not get better if you do not push yourself, so you need to be in a place that might be a little uncomfortable. As a leader, I tried to push staff to do a little more than they thought they would be able to . . . and you know what, they were successful and accomplished more than they thought was possible.

So, as a leader, identify specific behaviors that encourage risk taking and those that discourage it (there are those who benefit from the status quo, and that is not a good thing, as we need continuous innovation not just continuous improvement which is a very different way of thinking).

Second, it is okay to fail or make a mistake, just as long as it was not careless or repeated over again. Learn from mistakes, throughout my career, I learned more from failure than I had from successes, that might sound strange but it is so true and can point to those failures not as failures but as learning experiences. You should too!

Lastly, it is important to recognize and celebrate intelligent risk taking no matter the outcome. When I took over the information business at Mercer, it was only a small unit and was losing a tremendous amount of money. It was a career risk to take the global role, being in the US role, the business had tripled and was profitable and was performing well. However, I wanted a new challenge, a risk, and I decided to take the global role when it was offerred and thanks to many of the readers, the business grew exponentially and became very profitable. What if I had said, no, I am going to stay where I am and maintain my role . . . what would have happened? It was the same decision process that I looked at in determining to leave Mercer, same role 7 years, no other challenges, I needed to take a risk which I am doing now . . . and already beginning to enjoy this because my blood is flowing and my heart is pounding . . . and if this becomes a failure, that is okay because I am sure I will learn from this wonderful experience!

Be Young, Have Fun, Take a Risk!

Economics of Childhood Thinking

Yesterday, my oldest son had his 8th year old birthday party. It was held at a place called "Main Event", which includes bowling (some would call bumper bowling, as it has an option for each user to have a bumper that pops up so you can never get a gutter bowl). Needless to say, my bowling is only slightly better than US Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama who recently bowled a 37 . .. I did break 100 . . . (no, I did not use the bumper). It also includes many video games, games that you win tickets (and then with those tickets you can buy things), putt putt golf, virtual rollercoasters and lazer tag. Oh, I admit it, it is a lot of fun even for an old guy like me!

We had six kids (outside of family members show up) out of about 10 invites (not too bad on a busy weekend). I was so nervous for my son that no one would show up . . . and crush his heart, but they did even some girls (if you remember at that age, not alot of social interaction between the genders).

My two sons have a different way of thinking . . . they were both playing these games whereby dependent on how you do, you win tickets . .. well, one of them, kept "purchasing" this one basketball shooting game, because he would score some tickets, he played over and over and over again (of course who purchased the games, ME!). The other son would mix it up, play some same games (usually different ones) win some tickets, play a video game (usually those ferrari driving games which his feet can barely reach the peddles).

Well, I run out of money (which is easy to do in my current money-making scenario, or lack thereof), so we go to leave and visit the store . . .

The son who has "won" the most tickets looks for something to buy and ends up buying a little football (yes, it costs me about $20 for all of the games but where we could have gone to a sports store and gotten it for about $6). The other son decided to wait (there is no time limit on when you can buy something) and he would continue to build up his "winnings" because he saw something he really wanted but was going to take time to save (probably will be about ten visits, which I can enjoy that as well, or do I just buy the thing he wants which might be cheaper, although it is an autograph football helmet).

The point is some of us, want that immediate gratification, and some are willing to wait and save to get something that they really want . . . which one are you? I use to be an immediate gratification person but have transitioned to being more patience and trying to get what you really want . . . of, course, the USA economy might need a good combination of both, because if everyone had immediate gratification, economy would do well in the short term, but less savings to lend people to buy on credit. On the other hand, if everyone wanted, economy would continue to be in a downfall of GDP . . . We need both types and happy that I have delivered to the world one of each . . . Love those kids, they grow up way too fast!

Integrity

Someone once said "If (leaders) are careless about basic things - telling the truth, respecting moral codes, proper professional conduct - who can believe them on other issues."

Integrity is the TOP attribute of a successful leader. People will not follow you if you don't have integrity, they want to know that you are honest, consistent with decisions, doing the fair thing for employees, etc. Everyone must play by the same rules. Being a leader may have certain privileges that may apply in some situations, but NEVER when it comes to integrity issues. One item is when you say something, you keep your promise. Advice to Leaders: When you make a promise, write them down and honor them!

I understand that nobody's perfect - we all make mistakes (reminds me of Queen's song "We are Champions", in the song talking about we are the champions states "About the mistakes, there has been a few"). When you make a mistake, admit it and address any impacts that they may have caused. It is how you react to your mistake is a true indication of your integrity.

Integrity can be summed up by doing the right thing no matter how inconvenient, unpopular, or painful it may be . . . some leaders take the easy road, don't rock the boat, do what their boss says all the time without standing up to what is right.

Do the RIGHT thing that your heart and head says is the right thing! That's integrity. If your leader or boss says "get on the bus" and do as I want with no questioning, it is time to take the #1 Freedom we all have, the ability to LEAVE! Integrity is that important because it something that you have and no one can take away, you are the only one that looks at yourself in the mirror!

Unsung Heroes

Next week (April 23) is Administrative Professionals Day! Yes, I know it is one of those "marketing" days to sell flowers, cards, have lunches, etc. However, everyday should be Administrative Professional appreciation day. I have been blessed to have had terrific administrative support in my leadership days (Thanks to you all, you know who you are). Yes, sometimes I took it for granted (and sorry about that) . . . however, one key element for success of leadership is that you do you have strong support, someone or a group who helps make the business run smoothly so that you can focus on the more strategic issues of the business.

I remember when I was a Janitor at a Bowling alley working my way through university. It was on an Air Force base. The busiest nights were the league nights, there were two main one, an Officers league (those who are the high ranking staff, middle management, or top management) and an NCO league (those who are usually the "working" staff). As janitor, I would need to walk around and pick up trash (usually beer cans and cigarette butts) . . . it was interesting to see the reaction of people . . . during the NCO league, they were very helpful, placing their trash in my trashcan, being nice, saying "thank you", and treating me well. However, during the Officers league, they treated me like a second class citizen, I was definitely beneath them, they made jokes about me, etc. Where would they be, if I decided not to do my job, they would have a mess and not be as enjoyable time as they were having . . . It was those days, that I promised myself, no matter what I ever became in life, I would treat people the same as I would like to be treated . . . it takes a team to be successful and just so happens we have different roles to meet the goals. I do my best to treat all the same, whether the CEO or the person who delivers water to your table at dinner.

As a leader, remember those unsung heroes because they help make you successful. While every day should be Admin support appreciation day, at least next week, there is a day set aside to ensure you say "thanks"!

Knowing if you are a Bad Boss

Sometimes you learn to be a good boss by examining what a poor boss is . . . Inc magazine published the 7 signs that you're a bad boss.

#7 Creation of Boss Rules

The staff has developed ways of working around the boss' behaviors which get passed around to new staff members. In addition, there are separate rules for you, the boss, then others . . . i.e., do as I say not as I do.

#6 Employees start sucking up

Often when a boss is perceived as universally loathed, the staff opportunist offers herself up as sole confidante and friend, seeking power and favor at the expense of more honest, critical employees. The honest, critical employees end up getting left behind and end up leaving the organization (and guess who you are left with . . . "yes" people, which will destroy the unit)

#5 Your staff hides from you

You never see people walk by. Employees would rather circumnavigate the entire office to get to the coffee machine or bathroom than take the shortcut past your door and risk being invited in. Or may even not want to ride with you on an elevator.

#4 Bogus Reviews

Your 360-degree evaluations come back short and full of generically positive comments, with one very mild criticism ("Sometimes she works too damn hard for her own good") thrown in for credibility's sake.

#3 Apprehension

People don't volunteer for your pet projects. The idea sucks, and they're afraid to tell you, or it's brilliant, but the consequences for letting you down are too terrible to imagine. And, of course, if it's your pet project, you'll probably work on it as well. Which means more time spent…gulp…with you.

#2 Former Employees Disappear Forever

You have legions of former employees, but they rarely give your name as a reference for new jobs. Either they don't trust you to give them their due, or they worry that because they were so miserable working for you, your recollections will also be dismal.

#1 The revolving door

You have legions of former employees, period. If your staff falls away like linty Post-it notes, ask yourself: Is high turnover the problem? Or am I? Sometimes, the boss is too arrogant to think that it has to do with them (e.g., it's not me, it's them)

To read more on the Inc article, here is the link: http://www.inc.com/multimedia/slideshows/content/7-signs-that-youre-a-bad-boss_pagen_1.html


One sign of a good leader is self-awareness . . . look constructively at the signs . . . and in the mirror.

Never Give Up

My youngest son plays Flag Football (American style that is), yes, usually football is a fall sport but here in Texas is a year around sport . . . so we changed his league from one location to a closer one where he had new teammates and coaches . . . the coaches really did not know my son's strengths and weaknesses, but this league is great in that everyone gets to play the same time (however, whether you get to throw, catch or run with the ball is mostly reserved for those players with that ability). After the first few weeks, my son was a little discouraged . . . you see, he was a "star" in the other league but this one he was not getting lots of chances to showcase his abilities. However, he still loves it and has fun!

My counsel to him was keep plugging away, try your best, and whatever you are suppose to do in your specific position, do it to the best of your ability. He did as I recommended, he did his best. His last game, he got a chance to run with the ball, he made the best of his opportunity and ran 90 yards (that is about 90 meters) with the ball, running around, over, and through the opposing players (if you have played flag football that is not too easy), and ended up with a TouchDown. The smile on his face almost made me cry . . . isnt it funny how we get so proud of our sons and daughters and it hits you right in the heart . . . but it was better because he was so pleased (and isnt that what life is about . . . seeing others that you are close to, actually succeed).

Relating back to leadership and work,
For Leaders
1. Continue to give encouragement
2. Give people opportunities to assess their abilities, as you might have a hidden talent
For those working hard,
1. Keeping trying your best, even though you might not be in your ideal job, because if you have strong leadership, someone will give you an opportunity to test your skills
2. Celebrate when you take that opportunity and "run for the touchdown", or "hit a homerun" or "score a goal"

. . . remember never give up . . . you will never fail, if you keep trying!

The Last Chapter

Last Monday, I traveled for my "send off" from Mercer. It was my last chapter in my Mercer Book and must say it was one of the best chapters to read . . . thanks for everyone to make it so special. There were many special moments, but the one that hit me the most (yes, I am still emotional!) was that I received good wishes cards from our colleagues in over 30 different countries (along with books, wine (yes, I still like to drink), tons of pictures, paintings, and DVD (yes, I am afraid to play in case of what might be on it). I must point out that Warsaw and Canada had the largest card (Largest that I have ever seen, they were almost as tall as me)! Thanks everyone! You all are so very special!

My closing remarks (i.e., speech) at the get together last week were as follows:

What kind I say when I am leaving so many people I care for and like and a business that I love . . .

When you needed someone to listen to,
I provided my ear,
When you needed words of encouragement,
I tried to provide motivating words and a pat on the back,
When you needed to see the future or how your career path could go,
I provided my eyes so you could see the vision,
When you needed comfort because of illness, death in family, or other issues
I provided my heart and hugs,
When you won whether promotion, new role, or new clients,
I tried to create an environment of celebration including my dancing feet,

I gave all I could to you and the business . . .

but you all gave me each one of these and more . . .

thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your support over these many years, best of luck to you in the future,

Steve Brink, Louisville, KY April 7, 2008

THE END.

Oh, I did write this myself and wrote right before my talk . . . i tried over and over to think of what to say for two weeks and could not express my true feelings . . . hope it came close.

My next book is just getting started . . . if you have liked my previous books, so stay tuned to read about the next one . . . there is so much opportunity to build a business where people do make a difference and through a group can assist people to make a difference in both their work and personal life . . .

Bad Business Travel Days

"let's sit right back and hear a tale . . . a tale of a faithful trip . . . a three hour tour", Yes, who remembers Gilligan's Island TV Show . . . I know many of the readers of this blog have had bad travel days . . . but I had one yesterday that might be an all-time worse.

I had a meeting that I needed to attend for my future opportunities. It was suppose to be a total of about 3 hours (a three hour tour) . . . well, if you had been paying attention to the news, I just so happened to be flying American Airlines, so the following is the chain of events . . .

4:30am I wake up early because I wanted to go for a run
6:25am Check in for my flight online
6:30am I head for the airport for a 8:15am flight
7:10am I arrive at airport to a complete zoo . . . lines that were so long that I thought the entire city of Austin was suppose to fly American Airlines on the same day
NOTE: since I just moved back to the USA, my status for frequent flyer is fairly low on American Airlines (AA), so I had to stay in the longest line
NOTE 2: I really need to attend this meeting since I do need a job soon
11:00am I make it up to the front of the line and discuss my status with the agent, only to find out, every seat on other airlines are totally sold out (as those in the USA know, airlines have been cutting back on flights and are always flying at capacity anyway), however, I was able to get the same flight the next morning. The agent suggests I check in with Southwest Airlines (SWA) because AA can not see flights on SWA.
11:30am I go home and use home computer to search SWA and find out there is a SWA flight out of San Antonio that will at least get me in for the planned dinner with this group, however, the flight is at 2pm and the airport is at least 90 minutes away (driving over speed limit)
1:20pm Make it to San Antonio airport through rain and traffic (I think 50% of all trucks in the USA were on the highway between San Antonio and Austin), but thinking I am still flying AA, park in wrong terminal, run to the other terminal where SWA is located.
NOTE: Good luck, no line to get ticket . . . bad luck, line for security . . . good luck show up at gate at 1:40pm
1:40pm find out that plane is delayed 30 minutes
1:50pm Realize that my connection was only an hour to begin with . . . so now I might miss my next flight
2:20pm Board the plane . . . however, those that dont know SWA, they do not have assigned seats and you board by the order that you check in . . . I boarded 149 out of possible 150 seats on plane.
2:25pm I have to take a seat between two large (seemingly, American Football players) guys whose shoulders were much wider than the seats . . . needless to say, my elbows were implanted into my ribs for the entire 3 hour fly
5:30pm Landed and run to next gate
5:35pm Boarding already happening, but since I was again the last to board get stuck between someone who has been at the bar since noon, and a young lad who played his ipod at the loudest setting possible that even made my hears hurt.
6:40pm Land . . . but realize that I could nto get into the city that I wanted but instead got a flight into a city that is a two hour drive from where I needed to be . . .
9:00pm Made it to the dinner . . . I hope I scored well in persistence?

So, after 14 hours after I started I made my destination versus a scheduled three hour tour.

Anyone want to share there recent mishaps with travel . . .

Learning New Things

I have been asked to clarify the #12 from the Lessons Learned post . . . so I thought the best way to do that was to go back to the archive and repost the explanation.


I have decided to make an attempt at a triathlon (no, not the ironman, but much shorter one). A
triathlon is three sports in one, swimming (1500 metres), cycling (40K), and running (10K), one after another. I have to be challenged, so this seems like a good one to try (I am getting too old for the marathons). My weak event will be the swimming (of course, most would probably say all three are my weaknesses). So, I asked a veteran triathlon athlete for any suggestions, so he recommended that I get a wet suit, which he had an extra one that was slightly too big (needless to say, the veteran is at least 10cm shorter and 20cm less around the waist than I am). But nice gesture and brought the wet suite home.

Well, we have a swimming pool in the back yard (you know the one that is still leaking and no one can find the leak to fix it). The water is still fairly chilly here. So I decided to try on the wet suite this weekend and jump into the pool. Well, the first thing was getting the damn thing on, has anyone tried to get into a wet suit before? my goodness . . . so I am trying to figure out if it is too small, or I am not the “sharpest tool in the tool chest” if you know what I mean. So, I finally get the thing on (of course it is so tight I am talking at a much higher pitch than normal), my boys were calling me “rubber man” and “penquin man” because I could barely walk in the thing.

Anyway, I roll (yes, roll) myself over the edge of the pool and get in the walk, little did I know why they call this thing a WET SUIT! I about froze for the first few minutes. For those that dont know, the wet suit allows water (i.e., the cold water) penetrate into the wet suite against your body, and the theory is that the water warms up from your body and then keeps you warm against the cold water.

So, this was my adventure, who thinks this is funny. Which brings me to the work related thing about this. We need to do more with our clients on education, because if we just hand something over to them, will they end up really using it in the right way or making assumptions that are totally wrong or misinterpreted. In other words, providing a complete turnkey (not turkey) solution which optimizes the experience for the “client” is important and not have them try it by themselves alone without true context of what is right or not. Don’t make assumption that the user knows what to do, put yourself in their shoes! To my veteran triathlete, thanks but no thanks!

Oh, and by the way, it took approximately 56 minutes and 32 seconds to get the damn thing off of me. Not sure this wet suit will help my time unless I also ride the bike and run (or roll) with it on . . . do you think it might be a little too small?

Since this blog is open source, I can tell you the person who provided me the wet suite (if you did not know) was Sean Luitjens (Mr. Triathlete himself). I have not tried the wet suite on again, nor plan to . . . but hangs in my closet as a reminder that sometimes when you try new things, it does not always work out . . . gosh, I hope this was not an omen for what I am now embarking on . . .

Lessons Learned

I thought I would repost one of my last postings from the previous blog . . .


Well, by now, everyone should know that I leave in seven days. I still cannot believe. I would like to thank many of you for your well wishes and kind words, I continue to be humbled by your
thoughtfulness. You all are one of a kind.

This blog has been going on for some time and thought I would provide my top twelve lessons learned
from past blogs . . . so here I go . . .

1. Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free (things dont always appear as they are, seek
the truth and you will be better from it)
2. Be passionate about what you do (find your flow), as it wont feel like “work” then
3. Whatever you do, as parent, manager, analyst, sportsman . . . give 100%, you don’t want to wish in
the future you had not given your best!
4. Family Always Before Work
5. Life is Short, Don’t forget to enjoy it
6. Nobody on their death bed, wished they had worked more . . .
7. Make the Best decisions you can given the information you have, inaction will destroy
8. We all make mistakes, just make sure you learn from them
9. The will to win cannot be beat (sometimes just trying is victory)
10. Work hard, play hard
11. Celebrate Wins and Successes, understand losses
12. Dont wear a wet suite, wait until the water is warm enough!

Cheers all . . .

Enthusiasm

In a prior blog, I gave a quote that I have carry around with me for many years . . .



"Every person is enthusiastic at times. One person has enthusiasm for thirty minutes; another person has it for thirty days,but it is the person who has it for thirty years who makes a success of life."



You need to be enthusiastic about what you do and even why you do what you do . . .otherwise, you may be missing out on life.



Get excited about positive things. If you are normally calm, find something that will get you "fired up" . . . initiate enthusiasm and the feeling will follow!



You know those around you who are enthusiastic, go ahead and ask them why and how do they get so enthusiastic . . .



Tom Peters (I think most know who he is), said "if you're working in a company that is not ENTHUSIASTIC, energetic, creative, clever, curious, and just plain fun, you've got troubles, serious troubles."



Enthusiasm starts with YOU . . . and one thing about enthusiasm, it's contagious!!!!

Leadership Communications

I cannot say enough that Communications is one of the keys to successful leadership.

"How well we communicate is determined not by how well we say things but how well we are understood" Andrew Grove, CEO, Intel Corporation

This statement is so true. How often have you sat and listened to a "presentation" and after an hour, what did you as the listener, actually remembered? That is why presentation material is key and how it is presented. I know I have sat listening to a leader and end up day-dreaming and missed a whole section of the presentation because it was so monotonous!

So, if you are presenting, use Right Brain messages. Try communicating creatively with stories, pictures, even music to help convey your message and increase retention. Dont be shy, try something new!

That is how you say it, but must state any communication is key. Someone once said, "If you don't give people information, they'll make up something to fill the void". Don't be an information gate keeper . . .

Also, it is so important that you create an environment where withholding bad news is the worse violation of all. Communications is a two-way channels, if you are transparent, people will be more transparent to you!

So. Communcate . . . . Communicate . . . .Communicate

Sometimes you learn from leaders on how not to communicate and you know how you feel in that environment!

The Brink Theory of Management

Well, that is if anyone cares . . . I would not say it is really a new theory or anything but I read a book many years ago that had a major impact on me and how I manage people and business, and it is one of the drivers why I would like to lead a company. My view is that many companies view people as numbers when talent is the only sustainable competitive advantage that a company has . .. wouldn't you want to keep the most valuable asset happy and motivated?



Here is the book:



The Great Game of Business

by Jack Stack



If you lead people or manage a a product line, I highly recommend it!



This is not your typical consulting-speak management book, you know those books by people who have never led people or managed a business before . . .



The books starts with "The Higher Laws of Business"



1. you get what you give

2. it's easy to stop one guy, but it's pretty hard to stop 100

3. What goes around comes around

4. You do what you gotta do

5. You gotta wanna

6. You can sometimes fool the fans, but you can never fool the players

7. When you raise the bottom, the top rises

8. When people set their own targets, they usually hit them

9 If nobody pays attention, people stop caring

10. As they say in Missouri: S#%t rolls downhill. By which we mean change begins at the top



The books goes into more details into each of these . . .



Those who might be in the know, might understand my desire to Leave my last company and adventure on my own . . . there might be some misalignment with some of these.



I do highly recommend . . . it is true empowerment of those who work so hard to do a good job!

First Day of Freedom

Oh my . . . I looked at the mirror today (the first day of not being employed by Mercer since 1994) and I think my hair is turning to its original colour from the grey (okay, yes, the hair that is left, did not notice any more hair . . . .yet, but its only been a day). The pressure is off, I feel I can breathe deep.

I was able to walk my boys to the bus stop this morning. I am going to have lunch with my wife. I will be picking the boys up at the bus stop . . . it is the little things we really miss out on life sometimes that are real special!

I went for a very long run along one of the lakes in Austin this morning. Here were my song selection on my IPOD for this run . . . okay, dont laugh . . .

These are the Days Van Morrison
- It is the now, today . . . live for the moment
Come Sail Away Styx
- Come join aboard ... for a new adventure
If it Makes you Happy Sheryl Crow
- Hey, life is short, make the best of it . . . do what makes you happy
You Cant always get what you want Rolling Stones
- but you can get what you need . . . what is really most important in life?
Son of a Son of a Sailer Jimmy Buffet
- Yes, I lived in many places . .. for first ten years of my life, our home had wheels, yes, lived in a trailer, first and only college educated person in entire line of family (my daughter will graduate in May 2009 and will be number two).
Good Riddance Green Day
- Well . . . . a little Obvious?
Survivor Destiny's Child
- I know, but I like the beat and I will survive any challenges I face. . . all you have to do is believe!
Easy Commodores
- Time for to move on . . .
Green Eyes Coldplay
- This is just a special song to me
This is the Day The Soul Mining
- yes, this day is a definitely a change in my life
'Till I Collapse Eminem
- I will never stop working and fighting for what is right