Posted: August 8, 2024 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Self-Improvement, Team Building

“How would I fill his shoes?  I can’t.  I need to find my own shoes” –Jim Daly:  President: Focus on the Family

The above quote from Jim Daly was said in 2005 when a reporter asked him how he was going to fill the shoes of the world-renowned organization founder, James Dobson.  To use a cliche, James Dobson was a “tough act to follow”.

In 1978, Lee Iacocca took over the helm of the nearly bankrupt Chrysler Corporation.  No one I knew truly believed that Mr. Iacocca could revive a company in such serious trouble.  Mr. Iacocca went to Congress and convinced the government to give him $1.5 billion in loan guarantees.  He got to work and brought Chrysler back to profitability.  The loans were paid off early.  Iacocca, the father of the beloved Mustang, had seemingly performed a miracle.  He retired in 1992.

Bob Eaton was hired to replace Iacocca.  Bob had his own style, and it was quite different from his predecessor.  Raised in Kansas, Bob had a low-key temperament and quiet demeanor.  He knew what he was doing, and he developed a workforce that led Chrysler to be one of the most cash-rich corporations in the country in 1996.  Bob knew his own style and strengths, and he put them into play.  Here are some things he did to strengthen the company:

• Transformed the culture from “combative to participative”.
• Had a clear vision.
• He was flexible, forceful, a good listener, and eager to learn.
• He engaged the labor force of the company to become more than the sum of the parts.
• He introduced new models with cost-cutting discipline.
• Led Chrysler to be the lowest-cost auto producer.
• Developed effective cross-functional teams to design cars quickly and cheaply.
• He saw opportunities that had not been seen before
• He fostered teamwork, set goals, and rewarded achievers.
• Briefed everyone after Board meetings
• Would not agree to acquisitions.

I think we can safely say that Bob “found his own shoes” and left the company better off than when he started.  Bob knew his strengths and the unique qualities he brought to the table, and he used them.  We can too!

Posted: June 17, 2024 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Self-Improvement, Team Building

Two weeks I was talking with a client (we’ll call him Sam) who was struggling with a dip in his confidence as a leader.  A couple months ago Sam had made a serious error of omission, and the result was going to be a heavy fine for his company.  Sam takes pride in his work and he took this “ding” in his record personally.  Rather than brood, Sam decided to take action to help get himself ouf of his “funk”.

The action Sam took was to conduct “Stay Interviews” with all his direct reports.  Management consultant Richard Finnigan defines a “Stay Interview” as “A structured discussion a leader conducts with an individual employee to learn specific actions the leader can take to strengthen the employee’s engagement and retention in an organization.”

As a result of the interviews, Sam found himself well on his way to regaining his confidence and momentum.  His people were positive and affirmed how much they enjoyed working for him.  The team members also gave helpful and consistent feedback on what Sam could do to make their jobs easier.  (What do you need from me?)

Sam’s decision to conduct “Stay Interviews” proved to be just the right action to give both Sam and his staff a boost.  It is important to note that Sam had already built a high level of trust with his team and he also had a very supportive boss.  Sam had put together the right team atmosphere to make the “Stay Interview” effective.  If you are proud of your team and committed to continued professional growth, I recommend you consider the “Stay Interview”.

Posted: May 7, 2024 | Categories: Leadership, Self-Improvement, Team Building

“Seek first to understand” – Stephen Covey

The above quote is from the late self-help author and trainer Stephen Covey.  This vital piece of the Golden Rule can serve us royally:

Two days ago I experienced a touching example of this powerful principle.  My wife and I were visiting our son and grandson.  Little 3-year old Levi was not having a good day.  He was cranky, defiant, and exhibiting unpleasant behavior.   Normally, he is cheerful and happy.  That night my son went through his normal routine of reading Levi a story and putting him to bed.  At around 3am, my son was awakened by Levi.  He was standing right next to David.  For the first time, Levi had crawled out of his crib.  A whole new era began!

The next morning Levi and his Dad worked together to convert his crib into a bed.  Then Levi asked his Dad, “Does this mean I can’t be your son anymore?”  WOW!  That is a show stopper.  Now we could see why his behavior was so conflicted.  He knew he needed to give up his crib, but he didn’t want to give up his Dad with it.  A warm, quality conversation followed, and Levi, his attitude, and behavior were back on track.

As I reflected on this story, I realized that, even though we are not 3 years old, we can relate to Levi.  When we know we need to move forward and undergo change, it can create an inner conflict.  If the source of this conflict is not discovered, hurt and misunderstanding can occur.  Seek first to understand.  When we do, barriers are removed, trust is strengthened, and we move forward!

Posted: March 12, 2024 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Team Building

“My name is Lisl, I’m 16, and I don’t need a governess!”

Movie:  “Sound of Music”

Have you ever tried to help someone, and the person you are trying to help totally rejected you?  Did you think you were wasting your time?  In some cases, maybe you weren’t.

Many years ago I learned a lesson that I have never forgotten.  I was facilitating a 12-week leadership class, and it was session one.  We started by putting the spotlight on one class member at a time.  The goal was for each person to introduce themselves and explain what they wanted to gain from the training. Things were going fine until Gordon came up.  He said, “My name is Gordon Evans.  I was ordered by my boss to be here, and my goal is to get this class over with so I can keep my job.”  Hmmm…, I thought.  I like to meet people where they are at and Gordon was giving me ample opportunity to do that.

I decided to give Gordon his space for the first 3 weeks.  To his credit, he showed up for each class prepared.  Gradually, I began to break the ice…patiently.  I felt I was making incremental progress.  Then came week six, and he had a major breakthrough.  From that point on in the training, he was locked in, learning and growing as much as anyone in the class.

Six months after graduation, I received a call from Gordon.  He had received a promotion and was now in New Jersey.  He called to tell me a great success story he had that was a direct result of applying something he had learned in class.  I asked, “So you did enjoy the class after all?”  He replied, “No, I hated it.  I just thought you would want to hear this story.”  A smile came to my face.  Lesson learned:  If you really care and try to help someone, stay in there with them.  Your persistence can pay off in a wonderful way.

Posted: March 8, 2024 | Categories: Leadership, Management, Team Building

Were you born between 1965 – 1980?  If not, you quite likely have worked with someone born in that time frame.  It is called Generation “X”.

Last week I was clearing out some old files and I came across some notes I had scribbled down in the fall of 1997.  The notes pertained to things we should know when working with the Gen X-er’s.  To my surprise, the recommendations and bits of wisdom were the same as what I read in an article last month.  Here is what we now know is important when working with Generation “X”:

1. Every job is temporary.  Every organization is a means to something better.
2. As a “latch key” generation, these folks are not comfortable being closely supervised.  They are remarkably competent working on their own..YET…
3. They crave time with their supervisors and need continual feedback on their performance.

When we put all these pieces together, the second and third points seem contradictory.  They want to be on their own, and they also want their bosses in there with them.  Bottom line:  If we work with Gen X-er’s, we need to make sure we give them latitude while at the same time be in there with them side-by-side giving sufficient acknowledgement and reinforcement.