Words for Leaders

"Don't ever be afraid to admit you were wrong. It's like saying you're wiser today than you were yesterday.--Robert Newell

No one, not even the best manager, is right 100% of the time. Trying to cover your mistakes, or worst, blaming them on someone else is the fastest way to lose the respect of your team as well as your credibility.

Make A Difference

Thanks Jim Busch

Words for Leaders

Growing up during the centennial of the Civil War I have had a life long fascination with the history of that great conflict. When I became a manager I studied the leadership styles of the generals and political leaders on both sides.

After years of fruitless struggle U. S. Grant took command and brought the war to a conclusion. Grant was not considered the smartest, best educated or most experienced general but he had one salient quality--He was totally focused on defeating his opponent and refused to retreat. When his predecessors were defeated by Robert E. Lee, they would turn back to lick their wounds and regroup. Grant continued to push forward until he ultimately won the war. Here is a quote from the general that expresses his philosophy:

"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is, get at him as soon as you can, strike him as hard as you can and keep moving on."

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Thanks Jim B.

The Dr. Phil Question

I was working with a rep today as she was trying to sell an upcoming special section. We were making the rounds of her territory and dropping off a collateral brochure for the product. Her plan was to "contact" all of her advertisers and prospect in this manner in hopes they would call her with an order. If she didn't get a response she might followup with a "Did you read the literature?" call. I asked her the question Dr. Phil made famous on his TV show--"How's that working for you?" I asked her how much business she had sold using this technique. She sheepishly admitted that she had sold virtually nothing this way. Reps often do something out of habit or because it is painless. This is the classic definition of insanity but the path of least resistance can be very tempting. Asking the Dr. Phil question can make reps realize that this isn't the way to get the job done.

Make A Defence!

Thanks Jim Busch

Words for Leaders

S.L.A. Marshall interviewed thousands of allied troops immediately after some of the largest battles of WWII. He produced one of the most comprehensive studies of leadership ever produced. Here is one of his conclusions:

"The art of leadership is the art of dealing with humanity, of working diligently on behalf of men, of being sympathetic with them, but equally, of insisting that they make a square facing toward their own problems."

This describes one of the keys of leadership--to hold people accountable for doing the job.

Make A Difference

Thanks Jim Busch

Follow up for results

As a manager, I always maintained a "meeting file" for each of my reps. I kept these files in a multi-pocketed expanding file. This file was always within reach so I could grab it whenever I talked to a rep. If I asked a rep about something or they made a commitment to do something, I noted this fact in the file. I used this information to ask follow up questions of my reps. This helped me to make sure they had acted on my instructions and lived up to their promises. It didn't take long for my reps to discover that they couldn't let something slide in hope that I would forget about it. It is important to keep the file current and discard notes once they are completed. This allows you very quickly review a reps activities.

Make A Difference

Thanks Jim Busch

Words for leaders

"A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking." Harold Fricklestein

As leaders it is important that we don't pass judgement on anything until we've reviewed all of the available facts. If something goes wrong, we need to look at the facts before placing blame. I was working with a manager who was ranting and raving about our production department because they had "screwed up an ad." and he was going to give them a piece of his mind. I suggested we get the details first and upon examination found that his rep had submitted the wrong ad. Had he acted on his initial conclusion. This would have done irreparable harm to his relationship with the other department impacting the level ofsupport his team would receive in the future. Follow Davy Crockett's philosophy of life--Be sure your right then go ahead.

Make A Difference.

Thanks Jim Busch

Word

New Magazine Discovery

While browsing the magazines at my local Barnes and Noble, a new magazine shouted out to me. The title in big bold letters said MOTIVATED. I picked it up and when I saw Seth Godin's picture on the cover I knew I had to buy it. This is an interesting magazine with a number of stories about people who impact the world in positive ways. The Summer 2010 edition revolves around the theme of "Audacity". In addition to Seth Godin it features stories about Jimmy Wales the founder of Wikipedia, advice from Warren Buffett, public speaking, personal branding and much much more. I think you will find a good ROI on your $5.95 investment.

Make A Difference

Thanks Jim B.

Words for leaders

Here is this week's quote:

"It is wise to direct your anger towards problems--not people; to focus your energies on answers--not excuses."
William Arthur Ward

As managers and leaders we are in the solutions business. If we jump down people's throats when presented with a problem, they will soon learn to avoid bringing us problems. They will become expert at crafting excuses and at shifting the blame. We will find ourselves in the dark and frequently surprised by challenges. We need to work with our people to solve their problems because their problems are our problem. Encourage your people to bring your their problems as soon as they arise. Problems are easiest to fix before they have a chance to grow.

Make A Difference

Thanks Jim Busch