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.

Make A Difference.

Thanks Jim Busch

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.

Make A Difference!

Thanks Jim Busch

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.

Make a difference!

Thanks Jim Busch

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.

Make A Difference

Thanks Jim Busch

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.

Make a difference.

Thanks Jim Busch

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.

Make A Difference

Thanks Jim Busch

Words for Leaders

Here is a quote from Positioning by Al Ries and Jack Trout. This is a must read for anyone in the advertising business. This is quote is particularly pertinent to the art of management.

"What's called luck is usually an outgrowth of successful communication."

As managers and leaders we need to be constantly communicating our vision and intent to our teams. Unless you are able to recruit mind readers this is the only way you will accomplish your goals. Continually confirming that your team "gets it" is an important part of being an effective leader.

Make A Difference

Thanks Jim Busch