COMMUNICATION

Oct

2019

Learning From a Leader in the Copy and Print Industry

We were sitting in a conference room overlooking the Indianapolis skyline. Our meeting was originally about his new role, but it evolved into a different conversation. This man I was sitting across from had served as an executive level leader in the copy and print industry at two companies.

I had to capitalize on the opportunity to learn from him so I asked him what his top three leadership principles are . . . and he gave me four. Over his years in various roles with Xerox and later Sharp Business Systems Ross developed and lived by these ideas.

Integrity

Yes, any good leader would say this, but his definition was very powerful:

“ An uncompromising value system to do what is right”

He takes this a bit further by emphasizing the importance of having people who will hold you accountable. This is the inner circle that John Maxwell refers to in his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. These individuals Raifsnider speak truth with each other’s permission.

Culture

I’ve heard it said that culture eats leadership for lunch. At the same time leaders have a responsibility to be aware of and influence the culture of the organization. Ross described a healthy culture as one where people are first. This environment creates a sustainable and predictable organization versus a toxic, unproductive and stagnant organization.

Ross suggested that a continuous learning environment also creates a healthy culture. This will require investing in your people both by formal educational opportunities and on the job challenges to stretch them. Raifsnider found that when you attract the right people, invest in people, and people understand and embrace and understand their role in the mission and vision, a healthy culture evolves.

Communication

Leaders know this is critical to leadership at any level, but Ross broke it down to three “C’s”.

Clarity – make sure what you say makes sense. I would add use the KISS principle and keep it simple to keep it clear.

Context – the leader helps provide clarity when he or she explains the purpose behind what is being communicated. This improves understanding and increases buy-in.

Consistent – We have a lot pulling at us professionally and personally. We would love to say something once and be done, but unfortunately that is not always the case so we must communicate the message consistently.

When leaders combine these three “C’s” they equal trust from those who follow them.

Results Matter

We can be the best leader in the world, but we won’t stay the leader if we fail to get results. What do results look like? For the non-profit sector these are the areas that are relevant to the key stakeholders. When that is determined metrics can be placed behind it for accountability. For-profit organizations must determine what results are relevant in a return for their measurables. Ultimately accountability for results Raifsnider suggests must honor people for the greater good of the organization. Keep the people first to maintain a healthy culture and ultimately drive the desired results.

What about you? When you look at these principles which do you need to focus on over the next week, month, quarter, or year? How would your team or organization look different? Need help getting your organization thinking like leaders? Contact me to schedule a 15 minute discovery call to learn about a 45 minute leadership training for your organization or team at no cost to you. In the meantime, lead well!

Jul

2017

Founder’s Leadership

July 4^th 1776 a handful of men came together to found the nation we now know as the United States of America. I have the privilege of living in a country where we are free to speak our mind and start an organization with limited challenges. I live in a country where people can coexist and many times cooperate with different perspectives on life and function peacefully. I am thankful for the many people who have fought so we can experience these freedoms and more that we have today.

As I think of that period of time in American history three key leadership principles come to my awareness which we can learn from the founders of the United States of America. Before starting if you really want to explore this topic years ago I read a book by Donald Phillips (which I somehow lost) called The Founding Fathers on Leadership which will take you much deeper into the lives of these men and draws out many more leadership principles.

Leadership – First and foremost these men were leaders. If at the core a leader is an influencer then these men exemplified that. Not only were they able to organize resistance to stand against a powerful nation to fight for their freedom, but they had the skills to create the foundational principles America is founded on. They knew if they worked as a team using each of their leadership strengths, then they would lead even better than trying to accomplish the goal independently.

Courage – These men had to know what they were about to embark on was not going to be easy. In fact they must have known they were putting their lives on the line and were asking many others to do the same. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to take action amidst the fear. They were stepping into the unknown. All they had was a vision . . . freedom. These individuals and those who followed them had the courage to continue to take the next step even amidst the possibility of great loss, failure, and even death. No matter the vision, courage is required of any leader and these men exemplified that courage.

Communication – Any leader understands communication is critical for success. I don’t know about you, but some of my greatest challenges at home come from miscommunication, poor communication, or simply a lack of it. The ability to express your thoughts in a clear and concise manner that others understand is what I mean by communication. I attempt to communicate through these posts (sometimes clear and concise and sometimes not . . . still growing). These leaders had the leadership challenge of communicating America’s foundational principles clearly and in a manner that would make sense for many generations. That was one method, surely they had to communicate to one another in a manner that was clearly moving plans forward.

You are a leader because you have influence and it takes courage to lead at work and at home. How well do you communicate? Do you need to grow in your communication? Join me and others on July 13^th for a FREE experience of the Maxwell Speaker’s Club. This will be a safe place to grow your communication skills that will help you grow as a leader. Click here for more details and to register.

Be the great leader you are. Lead courageously and communicate in a manner that helps advance your cause.

Mar

2017

Four Methods for Connecting as a Leader

One of the great challenges when leading a group is knowing how to communicate clearly and effectively. Communication is an action, but connection takes a little extra effort. As a leader, you need to communicate the vision and strategy on a regular basis as well as the daily details that keep the organization moving forward.

When we communicate are we noise or are we connecting with people? Leadership expert John Maxwell says in his book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect that people want to know the answer to three questions: do you CARE for me? Can you HELP me? Can I TRUST you? If all three of these are answered with a yes then your vision will more likely be embraced and plans implemented to help fulfill the vision.

In my experience, the first hurdle to overcome is knowing what platform to use to communicate. Here are some options:

E-mail – great two way communication tool, BUT tone cannot be heard and if too much is said it can get confusing. A former boss once suggested if it takes more than two sentences, pick up the phone.
Phone – if we are talking about a verbal conversation to work out details this would be second to meeting in person, but some people will not answer the phone and it can be ineffective.
Texting – this is a great way to communicate quickly, BUT it can be quite cumbersome. Remember just like an e-mail keep it simple so the message is clear.
Social media – some people can be reached more easily via social media outlets such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and many other platforms. This can be potentially the best method to not just communicate with others, but connect by various methods of communication.

In order to know what the best method for being heard is, we must first know what we need to communicate. If it is simply information such as setting up a meeting or simple facts all the methods can work. If we want to inspire and connect then we need to keep it simple, but impactful.

No matter the method chosen we need to be consistent in our communication. Share the message enough that people remember the vision, product, us, etc., but not so much we are tuned out. Second, when communicating information we need a reliable method. Technology evolves quickly therefore we may use a new platform, but if neither we nor those we communicate with can rely on it, use something else.

After you have decided on how you are going to communicate ask whether or not that method will connect with those you are trying to reach. If you are trying to communicate beyond facts and inspire then determine the communication method that will best connect with others.

What is your best method of communicating with those you lead? Whatever method you use do those you lead feel connected to you? Do they feel your care, that you want to help, and that they can trust you? If not, how can you grow in this? Keep leading well and connecting well.