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COACH “There’s a lot more to good leadership than just getting the job done. Getting the job done makes you a success. Getting the job done through others makes you a leader. But developing the people while helping them get the job done at the highest level makes you an exceptional leader. When you develop others, they become better, they do the job better, and both you and the organization benefit. Everybody wins. The result? You become the kind of leader that others seek out and want to follow because of the way you add value to people. There’s a difference between equipping people with the skills to do the job and actually developing them. When you develop people you are helping them to identify their strengths and weaknesses and improve as individuals. You are helping them acquire personal qualities, like communication, teamwork, time management, etc. Things that will benefit them in many areas of life.” John Maxwell, The 360 Degree Leader MY TO-DO: During the next 1:1 meeting with 0ne or more members of my team I will inquire about their career interests, and explore how I can support their growth. |
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COACH I’d never said this quite this way before, but I liked it as soon as I said it. So I repeated it a second time slowly, “Each of us will be rewarded based on our effectiveness in making the people around us better.” It was a mantra that came to me in an instant, but has remained with me forever. Monty Moran, CEO Chipotle - Love is Free, Guac is Extra MY TO-DO: I will see my role as a leader to make the people around me better. |
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COACH “Employees need to be able to gauge their progress and level of contribution for themselves. They cannot be fulfilled in their work if their success depends on the opinions or whims of another person, no matter how benevolent that person may be. Without a tangible means for assessing success or failure, motivation eventually deteriorates as people see themselves as unable to control their own fate.” Patrick Lencione, The Three Signs of a Miserable Job MY TO-DO: I will ensure each person on my team knows how to assess their own progress and success. |
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COACH “Good leaders are committed to helping their people win. When someone fails they accept responsibility for that failure. I think anytime you fire someone who works for you or anytime you’re looking for a place to hide someone who works for you, step up to the mirror and take a peek. In most cases the biggest cause of the problem is looking you in the eyes. The main job of a leader is to help his or her people succeed in accomplishing their goals. And when people accomplish their goals and win, everyone wins.” Ken Blanchard, The Heart of a Leader MY TO-DO: Be a coach - I will see the potential in each person and help them succeed. |
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COACH “All good performance starts with clear goals. This quote reminds me of the story of the Cheshire Cat. Alice was puzzled. As she searched for a way out of wonderland, she came to a fork in the road. “Which road should I take? She asked the Cheshire Cat. “Where are you going? The cat responded. Alice said she didn’t know. The smiling cat gave her this reply, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.” An important way to motivate your people is to make sure they know where they are going. See that each person’s goals are clearly defined and he or she knows what good performance looks like. This will give them a clear focus for their energy and put them on the road to becoming high performing, empowered producers.” Ken Blanchard, The Heart of a Leader MY TO-DO: I will ensure that each person knows what’s expected and what good performance looks like. |
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COACH “I believe leadership is a privilege. I also believe deep down in my bones that all people, when given a choice, have an inherent desire to do the right thing, to contribute, to make a positive difference through the work they do. And I’m absolutely convinced it’s crucial to have this mind-set in order to get the most out of the people you work with. As a matter of fact, I believe there is potential in every person, and as the leader, it’s my job to unleash it.” David Niovak, Taking People With You MY TO-DO: I will let each person on my team know, through my words and actions, that II believe in their potential. |
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COACH “Questions develop people. They help people escape the trap of their own paradigms by broadening their perspective and forcing them to take responsibility for their own viewpoint. Asking good questions also forces you to listen attentively to your constituents and what they are saying. This action demonstrates your respect for their ideas and opinions. If you are genuinely interested in what other people have to say, then you need to ask their opinion, especially before giving your own. Asking what others think facilitates participation in whatever decision will ultimately be determined and consequently increases support for that decision. Asking good questions reduces the risk that a decision might be undermined by either inadequate consideration or unexpected opposition.” Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner,The Leadership Challenge MY TO-DO: I will make a habit of asking my team what they learned in the past week and how they can be even better this week. |
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COACH It’s not always easy to get feedback. It’s not generally asked for, and most people aren’t used to providing it. You can increase the likelihood that people will accept honest feedback from you if you make it easier for people to give honest feedback to you. To be most effective, good feedback needs to be specific, not general; focused on behavior, not on the individual; solicited rather than imposed; timely rather than delayed; and descriptive rather than evaluative or judgmental. You have to be sincere in your desire to improve yourself, and have to demonstrate that you are open to knowing how others see you. Leaders often fear the exposure and vulnerability that accompany direct and honest feedback. Those giving the feedback can often feel a bit exposed themselves and may even fear hurting someone or possible retribution. It’s a risk but the upsides of learning and growth are far greater than the downside of being nervous or embarrassed. Learning to be a better leader requires great self-awareness, and it requires making yourself vulnerable. Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner,The Leadership Challenge MY TO-DO: I will let my team know I’m a work in progress and would like their ideas on what to work on. |
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COACH People need to know they’re making progress toward the goal or simply marking time. Their motivation to perform a task increases when they have a challenging goal and receive feedback on their progress. Goals without feedback and feedback without goals, have little effect on people’s willingness to put extra effort (or motivation) into the task. Just announcing the goal of reaching the summit is not enough to get people to put forth more effort. They need information on whether they’re ‘still climbing in the right direction, making progress toward the top, or sliding downhill. With clear goals and detailed feedback, people can become self-correcting and can more easily understand their place in the big picture. With feedback they can also determine what help they need from others and who might be able to benefit from their assistance. Under these conditions, they will be willing to put forth more productive effort. When there is no feedback, production will be less efficient and will exact a significant toll in the form of increased levels of stress and anxiety. Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner,The Leadership Challenge MY TO-DO: I will help people stay on course and let them know how they’re progressing. |
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COACH My job was to help people: customers and trainees, and, most of all, my team. It wasn't about me. It was about them. The beautiful part of this discovery is that it felt good, really good. Brian Bosche, owner and CEO of The Purpose Company and co-author of The Purpose Factor, calls this "fulfillment." He says, "Fulfillment is using the best of what you have to help others." That is the feeling. It's fulfillment. Lessons
Monica Rothgery, Lessons from the DriveThru MY TO-DO: I will be a role model for others and help them see and act on their potential. |
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COACH Leadership is more than just a job. The leader of a group of any size, from a family, club, congregation, or classroom to a multinational corporation or a nation, sets the tone for all the members of the group. Leaders touch lives and hold destinies in their hands; it is a sacred calling with sacred responsibility. That calling is best honored when a leader sets the highest example of personal and professional behavior and then enlists others to take this challenging path as well. To accomplish both of these tasks, nothing is more vital than coaching. Effective coaching, to bring out the strengths and talents of all the people in the group or organization, serves a dual role. It is a generous contribution to each individual's growth and fulfillment. At the same time, it is one of the most practical strategies for maximizing the effectiveness and success of the group. The more capable and fully developed each individual in your group, the stronger the group. Each person in the group who is not living up to his or her capabilities is dragging the group down, diminishing its effectiveness. Kevin Cashman, Leadership from the Inside Out MY TO-DO: Going forward, I won’t consider coaching as something extra that I do. I will see it as my main job. |
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COACH I believe that people can change their attitudes and can improve their abilities. And because I do, I talk to them about where they're coming up short. If you're a leader and you want to help people, you need to be willing to have those tough conversations. So how does a leader handle being relational while still trying to move people forward? By balancing care and candor. Care without candor creates dysfunctional relationships. Candor without care creates distant relationships. But care balanced with candor creates developing relationships. Caring Values the Person While Candor Values the Person's Potential. To lead successfully it is important for you to value people. That is foundational to solid relationships. John C. Maxwell, The Five Levels of Leadership MY TO-DO: I won’t hesitate to have tough conversions. And I will do so in a candid and caring way. |