Churchill vs. Hitler as leaders

I listened to a lecture given by Winston Churchill's grand-daughter, Celia Sandys, on American History TV. Ms. Sandy's discussed the difference between her grandfather and Adolf Hitler. She said that when Hitler spoke he could convince his people that he could do anything and that when Churchill spoke he could convince the people of Britain that they could do anything. I think this is a mark of a really great leader, the power to make people believe in themselves.

Give them some "AD"vice

The numbers are important, sales are important but we shouldn't forget about what goes into our papers. A lot of reps put all of their efforts into selling the ad and very little into designing it. A well designed ad with a good headline, strong offers and an easy to read layout will certainly generate a better response for the advertiser. When they get a good response they are much more likely to continue advertising. As a manager it is in your best interest to look at you rep's layouts to make sure they are doing good work. Also look to see that your rep's instructions to the artist is clear and easy to understand. This will avoid mistakes in the ad. Of course make sure you publicly praise the reps who produce good layouts.

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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.

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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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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Get'm where they live

When a rep goes above the call of duty or closes a big sale, sent a thank you note to their home. This not only makes the contact very special but lets them share their feelings with their families. I have even gone so far as to send a note to a reps significant other if they've been working extra hard saying "I know NAME has been working extra hard and spending a lot of time at the office, I appreciate you supporting him/her. I know he/she is driven by a desire to build a great future for your both. Thank you." This can go a long way toward building morale and keep your reps motivated.

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Words for leaders

Theodore Roosevelt was one of the great leaders in American History. He lead the US to a place of world dominance in the early 20th century. Here is the cornerstone of his leadership philosophy:

"Example is the most potent of all things"

During the Spanish American War the Roosevelt's rough riders were pinned done by murderous rifle fire. When Roosevelt decided to take the hill held by the entrenched Spanish he did not order them forward, he led them. He not only took the lead in the advance up the hill but he went on horseback. As the only man on a horse he made himself a prominent target. He did this to encourage his men by showing them that he was not afraid. Throughout his career, Roosevelt made sure his image and actions were in perfect alignment with his words. You may not have to take a hill under fire, but you can show your people that you are willing to work hard and not let stress or negativity get to you.

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Buy-in question

Sometimes we have to make decisions that our people don't like or agree with. When you get push back try using this question. Restate the situation and all the information you used to come to your decision and then ask "If you were in my position what would you do." This is a good conversation starter. If the rep makes a suggestion that would benefit them ask "How would the rest of the team feel if I did that?" or "How would you feel if you were...?" This process helps the rep see things from your perspective and while they might still disagree with you, they will understand that your decision was not arbitrary. As always good questions are the steering wheel in any conversation and they let you control where things are going.

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Words for Leaders

"Leadership is an invisible strand as mysterious as it is powerful. It pulls and it bonds. The most precious and intangible quality of leadership is trust." IBM Publications

As managers and leaders it is vital that we consistent and honest with our teams. These are the building blocks of trust. Without trust your team can not function efficiently or smoothly. Trust must be built one interaction at a time. Before taking any action, take a moment to consider what effect it will have on the bond of trust between you and your team.

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The "Semper Fi" Effect

It can be very challenging to lead people who are tasked with doing a very difficult job. When the market is down and your people face a lot of rejection it is hard to keep them motivated and sometimes it is just hard to keep them. Many managers respond to this situation by minimizing the problems the team is facing. I strongly disagree with this strategy.

Rather than deny the challenges my team is facing I use them. I use them as a source of pride to build my reps self esteem and my team's cohesion. I remind my reps of the challenges they face and tell them that I am glad to have such skilled professionals on my team. I want them to take pride in overcoming challenges that would stop lesser people in their tracks.

I call this the Semper Fi effect in honor of the U. S. Marine Corps. The marines take immense pride in the fact that they are "always outnumbered" and that they can fight their way out of the toughest situations. Their training demands almost super human endurance and mental toughness because they know this builds a highly motivated team.

When facing challenges, acknowledge and use them. Give your people a sense of pride in adapting and overcoming to the less than favorable circumstances. After a while instead of complaining, your reps will brag about how tough the market is and about their ability to persevere in the face of difficulty.

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Words for Leaders

Over the last 30 plus years I've read a lot of business books. Most I read and discard, but there are a handful of books that I have read and reread and frequently recommend and refer to. One of these books is "Up the Organization" by Robert Townsend. He offered some very interesting insights into both organizational and personal psychology. Here's a quote from Townsend that I like:

"If you don't do it excellently, don't do it at all. Because if it's not excellent, it won't be profitable or fun, and if you're not in business for fun or profit, what the hell are you doing there?"

This is a good question to ask yourself and your people. Excellence is simply holding yourself and your team to a higher standard.

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Tap into your reps goals

Recent research has found that external motivations such as bonuses and contests have only a short term effect. This is due to a phenomenom psychologists have dubbed "Hedonic Adaptation." We become accustomed to these things very quickly. We may dream of earning $50K a year but once we attain that goal, somehow $50K doesn't seem like that much money. For long term continuous motivation you need to stimulate a person's intrinsic motivations. Intrinsic motivations may not be tangible. Internal feelings like pride, a desire to prove themselves or a feeling of mastery provide. To learn what gets your reps juiced, sit down with them and talk about their goals and motivations. Ask lots of questions and encourage them to open up and share their true feelings. One of the hallmarks of a great leader is that they treat reps as individuals. They strive to learn what makes their reps tick and then develop a motivation plan for each of the people on their team.

For more on this subject, I suggest you read "Drive" by Daniel Pink. This is a very interesting book whic may change your thoughts on motivation.

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Words for Leaders

Just to show I don't hold a grudge, here's a British quote in honor of
Independence Day:

"Leadership is about saying no, not yes. Saying yes is easy"
Tony Blair

As a leader we often have to tell people things they don't want to hear. Leaders have to stay focused on what is best for the group. They have to set limits and do what is best in the long run. Anyone can say yes every time, it takes a leader to say no when it is the right thing to say.

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Face time

Common wisdom says that everyone hates meetings, but I learned otherwise this past week end. One of my former employees was retiring and his coworkers gave him a little send off party. Some of my former telephone sales reps were reminiscing about when I ran the department (Almost 1 0 years ago). They all agreed how much they missed my regular sales meetings. I would recognize excellence, talk about our progress to our goals and let them in on any upcoming projects or changes. Several years ago the current manager decided that e-mail would be a more efficient way to communicate this information. The reps missed the opportunity to discuss issues and especially missed the recognition. They felt less appreciated and not as well informed. If you do your home work and run a tight well planned meeting your reps will be better informed and more confident.

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