I remember early in my leadership career, I hated meetings. I had to attend so many of them that I could hardly get my job done. I remember thinking, “what a wasteful use of everyone’s time and the company’s money”.

One of the many reasons the meetings were so dreadful was because they (more often than not) lasted way to long and whoever was leading them only spoke one language… “theirs”. When you are a leader, it is valuable to know your own language (this is self-awareness), but you also need to know how to speak the language of others. Each brain (person) is unique in the way they think, behave and get their energy is different. At MSBCoach we primarily use a tool called Emergenetics http://www.emergenetics.com/products/emergenetics-personality-assessment to help leaders learn this important information. Emergenetics is a brain/science based tool to help individuals better understand how their brain works, what gives them energy and what drains their energy. It also helps them understand the brains (thinking, behaviors and energy patterns) of others. This is important if you want to be an effective leader and lead meaningful (not wasteful or boring) meetings.

We do not all think or behave alike. This is not rocket science to you I am sure, yet it is amazing how many leaders lead their people and run their meetings all the same way. Running effective meetings is brain science and Emergenetics can help leaders to be successful. Unfortunately, most leaders don’t understand this science and they do what they know as the “best way”… which is the way “they” prefer to think and behave. This may be effective with people who are just like them, but, the opposite happens with people who have different preferences from them. Take for example, Erica is the boss, and is structural/left brained. Her meetings always start and end on time, they are by the book, expected and predictable. People always know what to expect. But what happens when Steven who is social/right brained wants some time to connect with people and he never gets it? or Tom who is analytical/left brained and wants to discuss the research and data but tends to get shut down because his topic is not on the agenda? Anthony who is conceptual/right brained and wants to share his ideas and possibilities for the future, and he is told to, “focus”. What happens is brain science, these team members disengage and Erica with the best of intentions has lost them, and is not leading effective meetings with her team.

Emergenetics divides the brain into four thinking preferences and three behavioral preferences:

Thinking Preferences:

Green – structural – prefer consistency, procedures, tradition, practical, predictable, learns by doing
Blue – Analytical – prefer credible data, logical, clear thinker, rational, learns by analysis
Yellow – Conceptual – prefer ideas, brainstorming, imaginative, visionary, learns by doing
Red – Social – prefer people, connecting, working together, socially aware, empathetic, learns from people

Behavioral Preferences:

Expressive – may prefer to get energy from being quiet, alone or in small groups or the other end of the spectrum prefer getting energy from being a gregarious and a performer
Assertive – may prefer to get their energy from being quiet, maintaining peaceful energy or the other end of the spectrum and prefer to get their energy from driving hard and fast to get things done
Flexible – may prefer to get their energy through sticking to decisions once they are made or may prefer to get their energy to being open to what others want

The thing to remember as a leader is that there is not a right or wrong, it is just different. Each one of the behavioral and thinking preferences brings strength to the team.

Here are four tips to help leaders bring brain science into their meetings and make them more effective:

1. Be self-aware of your own thinking and behavioral preferences when leading meetings – you will have a bias to lead out of them because they are familiar and comfortable to you
2. Recognize there are several other combinations of thinking and behavioral preferences and their preferences need to be met in order to keep good energy, ideas, information, structure and connection in the meeting room and to the team
3. Leveraging and valuing all seven of the preferences will greatly benefit you and the team
4. Be sure your meetings tap into all seven aspects of the brain:

• Have an agenda and send it out in advance
• Be sure to include time for the following:
• People to connect
• Sharing of ideas
• Giving credible research and being practical
• Pace the meetings so they are not too fast, nor to slow
• Be sure to have energy with expression but not over the top
• Be open to new possibilities and ideas even if a decision has been made
• End on time
• Set meeting ground rules
• Only schedule meetings when necessary and not just because it is time for a meeting
• If you want someone to present then know their preferences, they may need advance opportunity to prepare. Be careful ever putting people on the spot, even if it is information they know.

If you put these tips into practice, I guarantee you more effective meetings. Do you have any effective meeting tips you have discovered that work? If so, please share them with us, we would like to learn from you.

If you would like to learn more about Emergenetics for yourself personally or for your team, please contact us at info@msbcoach.com or give us a call at 804-502-4319.

Michelle Braden

 Michelle Braden is the CEO of MSBCoach, an ICF certified business. Through her leadership MSBCoach partners with leaders and their organizations to identify challenges that are holding them back and create a plan of action to reach potential they did not think was possible. Michelle is the founder of The Emerging Executive Leadership Program and The Authentic Leadership Summit.

For over 18 years, Michelle has coached and trained teams, leaders, executives and business owners. She has worked with notables from Morgan Keegan, Capital One, UVA, General Dynamics, LexisNexis, and The City of Charolttesville, just to name a few. Michelle has taught elementary school, juvenile rehab and worked in school administration. In Michelle’s first year teaching she received the Teacher of Excellence Award in Bedford, PA. Michelle has also served leadership, coaching and training for corporations such as Robert Half International, Retirement Unlimited Incorporated as well as written two training manuals for The Church of God International. Michelle is a certified coach and received her Advanced Human Behavior Certification and her Wellness coaching certification from Leadership Institute of America. Michelle is an advance certified associate of Emergenetics International.

In my first real job, I worked with children who had physical limitations, intellectual challenges or both. Even though classes were small and led by four dedicated teachers (not to mention intermittent help from occupational, physical and speech therapists), we were unable to meet all the children’s needs. Especially the need to be held, loved and talked to.

Within walking distance of the children’s center was a nursing home. Even today, I view the elderly as greatly neglected and underutilized by society. They often possess great knowledge and wisdom not to mention the need to hold, love and be heard.

I’m sure you already see where I am going. We took “our” children to the nursing home. It was a powerful experience; one that I still remember more than thirty years later. Watching so many needs being met was exciting and brought tears to my eyes. Perhaps because of that experience, I continue seeking ways that people can help one another meet their own and others’ needs.

Do leaders have needs?

RHR International, a consulting company specializing in management psychology, recently polled 83 heads of publicly traded companies. They reported two interesting statistics. One is that approximately half of the leaders admitted to feeling significant pressure to more quickly deliver better financial results. Fifty percent also stated that their jobs contribute to a sense of isolation.

Perhaps you have a similar reaction to mine. Which is, “Boy, if the people who are responsible for running the show, setting strategy, picking up the pace, delivering improved results, navigating change and leading through the constantly shifting economic environment – if these people are feeling isolated – they (and perhaps all of us) are in trouble. Successful solutions to these issues will require exactly the opposite of isolation.

I would like to propose that leaders attempt the following:

1. Do whatever it takes to connect with the people where you work. Make the extra effort (perhaps even over compensate) for the tendency to feel and even be secluded or isolated. As simple as it sounds, walk around and talk with your employees. Perhaps even ask what they are seeing and thinking about the business.
2. Overcome any thoughts you have that because you are in charge that you have to know everything. This is certainly not possible in today’s world (if it ever were).
3. Reach out to other leaders (within and outside your company). Form a support group. Harvard Business School professor Robert Kaplan says “It’s when you are isolated that you make poor decisions. If I’ve got nobody to talk to and am under a lot of pressure and I have to make a tough decision … I am probably more likely to make a poor one.”

You don’t have to do this alone. Look for those who can help you as well as individuals you can help. They may be the same people.

About Joe Ruff

 Executive Coach, MSBCoach

Joe Ruff is a teacher, coach and performance improvement specialist. Joe sincerely believes in and advocates for life-long learning. He has been employed by both academia and the business world and aside from the United States, has lived and worked in Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Joe has a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Communications from Rochester Institute of Technology and master’s degrees in Instructional Design and Linguistics from and Indiana University.

To demonstrate his commitment to life-long learning, at the age of 49, Joe returned to school and completed a master’s in Educational Administration from Harvard University. Joe was employed by Arthur Andersen and a clinical research organization. For the last five years, he has worked in the insurance industry where he coaches vice-presidents and managers. He has also coached faculty and students at several universities. Joe uses a variety of techniques he learned in graduate level psychology classes as well as business courses and certifications which include: Performance Management Basics, Human Performance Improvement and Essential Facilitation.

I have a suggestion: Make those resolutions, but keep them a secret! Why do that? I recently watched a video on TED talks by Derek Sivers, stating that research shows if we share our goals/resolutions with someone, we are less likely to accomplish them than if we had just kept them to ourselves. Psychologists call this phenomenon a “social reality” that kinda tricks our brain into thinking that we have already accomplished something. The act of sharing and people responding positively gives the similar kind of pleasure that we receive from actually achieving our goals. Therefore, we state the goal, get a positive response and we feel good about ourselves – which translates to a feeling of accomplishment. What’s missing? The actual doing. Another year goes by and we’ve failed at achieving our goals. What will help us move from just sharing to the doing? Handwrite the goals and the needed steps (for your eyes only) and review them daily. Spend 15 minutes each day working on the next step. At the end of each week ask yourself these questions:

· What did I accomplish this week toward my goal?

· What got in my way?

· What am I doing right?

· What do I need to do differently?

Make any necessary adjustments and repeat the process.

Can I make another suggestion about your resolutions? Since most leaders want to be better leaders, here are a couple of goals that you may want to consider:

· Commit to your personal development. Find a coach who will challenge you. Read one article a week about leadership. Pick one competency you want to be stronger in, and work at it every day.

· Connect with those you lead on a deeper level. Make it a point to speak to them on a regular basis just to say hello. Find out what’s important to them. Send a handwritten note thanking them for a specific contribution. Smile more often.

And one last suggestion: Do not overcommit. You are also less likely to attain any of your goals if you create too many. Pick 3-4 goals. You can add more (no one is going to know) later if you need additional ones.

Ok, once you have committed yourself to the goals, do not tell anyone. It is your secret. Let me know what happens. I’m betting this will be your best year!

JoAnn Auger

Executive Coach and Trainer, MSBCoach

JoAnn Auger serves as a coach/consultant/educator with MSBCoach. JoAnn’s experience was developed through for the largest auto insurer in the US. JoAnn incorporates more than 30 years of business and personal experience to help organizations and individuals identify and close gaps in performance and needed results. She does that by helping leaders maximize their own potential and then teaches that leader how to tap into and leverage the potential of their employees.

JoAnn is certified and trained in the following areas:

• Myers Briggs Type Indicator(MBTI)
• Human Performance Improvement(HPI)
• Coaching Core Essentials Program(CEP) and Essential
• Conversations for Developing Others(Corporate Coach)
• Essential Facilitation
• Criterion-Reference Instructional Design(CRI)
• DiSC
• FIRO-B

My wife and I are just back to reality after visiting my sister, her children, and her children’s children in Australia.  It was the best vacation ever.  My sister, the Energizer Bunny of Australia (or should I say Energizer Roo) kept us so busy that, in three weeks, we visited and saw what most people would need (and I’m not exaggerating much) a year to see; Sydney, Hervey Bay, Cairns and the ocean, forests, islands, great barrier reef, and on and on.  We took nearly 1000 pictures (aren’t digital cameras great?) … c’mon over.

by Kenneth Karr                                        Executive Coach and Trainer

Ken Karr is Director, Nuclear Performance Improvement, Dominion Resources Services, Inc., leading initiatives to improve practices in nuclear electrical generation. He is a coach, mentor, advisor and leadership development facilitator. He has also served with Virginia Power, Carolina Power & Light, Commonwealth Edison and the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO). He was President of consulting firm KRK Inc. and Vice President of the Advanced Reactor Corporation. His work with utility CEO’s, Senior Executives, and Plant Management also included plant evaluations and advanced nuclear plant development. Ken served in the US Navy as Captain of two nuclear submarines and as the Senior Member of the Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board, U. S. Atlantic Fleet. Ken received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Engineering (Chemical) from the James Breckenridge Speed Scientific School, University of Louisville, M.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering and M.S. degree in Oceanography from the University of Washington.

By Johanna Rude, Intern, MSBCoach

As an intern with MSBCoach, I was tasked with writing an article, “What Makes A Great Leader” for our Fall Leading Edge Newsletter.

In order to find out the answer to this question, I thought it best to ask the leaders themselves. I chose to talk with leaders who have worked with MSBCoach. I had the pleasure of talking to three impressive leaders in our community: Charles “Chic” Thompson, the author of “What a great Idea!”, (a book translated into six languages and reprinted 21 times), Linda Coogle, President and COO of Clinical Care Options and Gary O’Connell, Executive Director of Albemarle County Service Authority.

After interviewing these three powerful leaders, I found a strong connection of values among them. For Chic Thompson those values are innovation, freedom and creativity; for Linda Coogle, those values are integrity, humility, knowledge and competence; and for Gary O’Connell it is trust, integrity and making a difference in the community. Being aware of your own values and fostering those values is a great strength when it comes to learning your path and understanding your motivation as a leader.

Another factor that emerged as important from my interview with these leaders is their inherited strengths that were developed from years of experience in their field as well as having an inspiring role model. Chic Thompson’s role model was Bill Gore, the founder of Gore-Tex who gave him his first creative job when he was only 20 years old. Thompson was given the challenge to generate new ideas each week.

Linda Coogle’s role model was her father, who was in the military and taught her the concepts of integrity, achievement and discipline. Gary O’Connell’s role model was his father’s best friend, who was also a city manager. Through this relationship, O’Connell was inspired and discovered his future life path in community leadership. Leaders find role models and mentors in order to better understand who they are and who they want to be. Role models show us the opportunities and challenges paired with the wisdom of years of experiences.

I asked Linda Coogle for the best advice she could give young people who aspire to be a great leader some day. Her answer was: “It is ok to fail.” The important thing is to fail, but learn from the experience. Learning about failure in theory is not nearly as effective. Without going through a difficult situation, there will not be growth.”

Another challenge a leader may find themselves in is needing to change the culture of their organization. Gary O’Connell has worked hard to build a leadership team that focuses on trust and a visionary perspective. O’Connell said this approach takes time, but is more sustainable in the long run. He has always been a visionary. When O’Connell was City Manager, he would walk the streets of Charlottesville and meet people at their houses to talk about their personal challenges and ambitions. I was inspired by this story – to find a new way to listen to people, discover their needs and gain their trust.

Linda Coogle makes it her responsibility to build a high performance team. She calls her people “rock stars”. Coogle understands that her responsibility is to have a team of leaders who achieve greatness. Coogle says, “It’s all about my team and when they shine, I have done my job”.

These interviews gave me three aspects of great leadership:

1. Leaders don’t always have to be in the spotlight to achieve great successes. On the contrary, finding the right people to support you and push them to greatness is true success.
2. If you are aspiring to be a great leader, it is crucial to find your path trough understanding your personal values, finding role models and empowering your people.
3. Last but not least, failure is an important part of success and what you learn through failure will strengthen you to be a great leader.

Thank you to Linda, Chic and Gary for their insight. Be sure to check out our Winter Newsletter for more thoughts from other leaders. If you have thoughts or feedback on what it takes to be a great leader please share it with us… you may be my next interview!

Are leaders made or are leaders born? This is an ongoing question that often triggers interesting conversations and debate. One thing is for sure, leadership is a journey and something that is continuous process.

I personally believe leaders are “made” through learning, experiences, successes, failures and choices. You are not just “born” a leader, although personalities, temperaments, upbringing, and cultural norms all play a part in what makes you who you are.

For more from Michelle Braden’s article, click here.

“All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten” says Robert Fulghum, author of the book by the same title. I find this to certainly be true in my life but it is also good to know that the learning continues.

I live in Charlottesville, VA and locally we have a summer camp for kids called “Spectrum”. The camp is sponsored by the Tandem Friends School and they have a hoot (kids and leaders)! Irish dancing, story telling, African drumming, acting, film making, singing, juggling, baking, fencing, organic food production, box city, and more! The tough part for the kids is choosing what to do … and the best part for parents (and grandparents) is the show they put on their last day. It is hard to believe that kids can team together in such a short time and put on such fantastic performances! You feel their joy radiating as they perform … and what a delight for those of us who get to watch.

I personally discovered a moral to being able to be a part of these activities. The campers spent two weeks together being highly productive in a wide variety of activities. They loved it and they want to do it again. Why? The answer is the enjoyment and fulfillment of working with their teams as well as the meaningful leadership. The leaders are very good at what they do and they coach the campers (teams) how to have fun learning new things. It was also enlightening to watch the leaders of each session light up with pride as their teams of campers performed … often, it seemed the results exceeded their own expectations.

Now think of your last two weeks at work. What is so different? Did you participate in a wide variety of activities, work with all kinds of people, learn/teach/coach with joy and enthusiasm, work as a team, produce meaningful results? If you did, I’ll bet you’re enjoying your work. If not, maybe it’s time to be a kid again and have some fun (and call it work).

Written by:

Ken Karr

Executive Coach and Trainer

Ken Karr is Director, Nuclear Performance Improvement, Dominion Resources Services, Inc., leading initiatives to improve practices in nuclear electrical generation. He is a coach, mentor, advisor and leadership development facilitator. He has also served with Virginia Power, Carolina Power & Light, Commonwealth Edison and the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO). He was President of consulting firm KRK Inc. and Vice President of the Advanced Reactor Corporation. His work with utility CEO’s, Senior Executives, and Plant Management also included plant evaluations and advanced nuclear plant development. Ken served in the US Navy as Captain of two nuclear submarines and as the Senior Member of the Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board, U. S. Atlantic Fleet. Ken received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Engineering (Chemical) from the James Breckenridge Speed Scientific School, University of Louisville, M.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering and M.S. degree in Oceanography from the University of Washington.

People nationally and globally have been inundated with powerful storms the past few months.  The destruction and aftermath is overwhelming.  The things we once took for granted have become the most important in the aftermath.  We learn to value clean water, a shower, and a hug from a caring person. In this case as with others, there are lessons to be learned.

If you have been in a leadership role for any length of time, you have experienced a few storms both personal and professional.  So, how do we weather these storms as leaders and how do we support others through their aftermath?  Below are eight things that I have been reminded of and/or learned from the recent tornadoes and floods:

1.       Stay Calm – In an audio clip I viewed there were people huddled in a store refrigerator to escape the tornado.  I could hear the leader speaking calmly as he gave directions and moved people toward action.  His calm demeanor kept them focused on what they needed to do in that moment.

If a leader panics or becomes overly emotional, only chaos will emerge.  People want to believe that their leader has things under control.

2.       Have a plan – work that plan – In another case, when waters were approaching a family farm there were initial discussions of “throwing in the towel”.  It appeared that there was no way to beat the rising water.  Then a plan was initiated by the leader.  There were plenty of naysayers, but the leader continued to encourage, “Let’s work the plan”.  They worked the plan and much of their hard work paid off.

During storms, we may need to re-work our plans or even devise new ones.  Engage others in working that plan.  People will rise to the challenge – they just need a leader who will take a stand.

3.       Speak in succinct terms – In times of stress, we are unable to hear long, laborious statements.  Be succinct in your directions and communications.  People want to know what is really important and what has to happen next.

4.       Give people something to do – Remember you are not alone in the storm.  People will help you.  They want to be part of the solution. Ask them. Or maybe it’s more of a matter of just allowing them to help you.

5.       Communicate like crazy – let others communicate – As the tornado approached, this leader kept talking to the huddled people, questions were asked and others made suggestions.  As the leader listened, he/she continued to make necessary adjustments.  The leader never stopped communicating as the tornado ripped through the building.

Many times leaders make the mistake of being silent or not listening during times of turbulence.  People want to know that their leader is aware of what is happening, willing to listen and adjust if needed.  They want to be certain that their leader will be there through “thick and thin”!

6.       Reassure/be visible – Throughout the horrific sounds of breaking glass, howling wind, and boards ripping, you could hear this leader continue to reassure people. At one point the leader used a cell phone to light up their face so others could see that he/she was still there.   His words were strong and definitive…”We are going to make it.  Hang on, it will end soon….”

Nothing speaks louder than the leader “being there” during the storm.  Your visibility and reassuring words give comfort and confidence to do or survive the impossible.  People want a strong leader who believes in herself and the power of others.

7.       Be kind – As the leader/owner and employees scurried out of the badly damaged building, this leader checked with each of the employees to make sure they were ok.  Then she told them to take any items that they thought they may need and go to their families.  She told them to let her know if they needed additional things.  One employee said he had never experienced such kindness and concern. He was willing to stay and help her start the clean-up but she insisted that he check-in with his family.

Often we are so focused on the storm; we forget to be kind and considerate of others. Kindness can make the hard work just a little easier.  Find little ways to show kindness.

8.       Remember what really counts – Reoccurring responses from those who have lost so much are statements like these: “I am just thankful to be alive”; “I only want to find my family pictures”; “I have my family that is all that matters”; “I am ready to start the rebuilding process”…..Storms have a way clearing away the “clutter” of our life and showing us what is really important and of value.

Leaders, I recommend that you remind yourself often of the question, “What is really important and what really counts?”  The bottom line is important; however, to achieve that desired bottom line, we need people.  People need to know that you care…really care.

Written by:

JoAnn Auger

Executive Coach and Trainer

JoAnn Auger serves as a coach/consultant/educator for the largest auto insurer in the US. JoAnn incorporates more than 30 years of business and personal experience to help organizations and individuals identify and close gaps in performance and needed results. She does that by helping leaders maximize their own potential and then teaches that leader how to tap into and leverage the potential of their employees.

JoAnn is certified and trained in the following areas:

• Myers Briggs Type Indicator(MBTI)
• Human Performance Improvement(HPI)
• Coaching Core Essentials Program(CEP) and Essential
• Conversations for Developing Others(Corporate Coach)
• Essential Facilitation
• Criterion-Reference Instructional Design(CRI)
• DiSC
• FIRO-B

The words leadership and fear seem to be in direct contradiction with one another, yet if we are honest and authentic, I believe most leaders would admit that there is something they fear, or of which they are at least a little intimidated.  One fear that I have often witnessed among leaders is the fear of allowing – even encouraging – people to out-shine them.

Let me explain a little more what I mean through a personal story.  My husband (Steven) and I enjoy the sport of running.  While we are not exceptional athletes, we both are committed and consistent.  A new person came into our running world a few years ago, on a brisk fall Saturday morning.  Every Saturday morning in October a group of crazy people begin training for the Charlottesville 10 Miler.  This year was no different – except for our new friend Mike, who was not a runner; in fact, this was his first attempt at training.  As the months went by, our friendship with Mike grew into one of value, held in high regard; however, something else happened during this training.  Mike discovered in his mid-50s that he has a natural talent for running.  After completing his first 10 miler at a much better pace than he anticipated, he went on to run a half marathon.  He did that so well and with such ease that he decided to run a maratho n. This year he ran the Boston Marathon and had a record PR (personal record).

The point of this story is that there was a time when Steven and I were better runners than Mike.  While we are committed runners, we do not have the talent and passion that Mike has discovered within himself.  Yet through all of this, we have maintained a strong friendship and continue to support and encourage Mike as he surpasses us.

There are strong parallels here between our friendship with Mike (and not being threatened by his success) and leaders being able to let those in their lives move beyond what they only dream of accomplishing.  It’s easy to let pride get in the way and become uncomfortable being around someone who was once a “novice”, but who is now better than you.  Or perhaps you can allow yourself to have a paradigm shift and see the influence you had in this person’s life.  As Mike discovered his hidden talent, Steven and I encouraged and supported him to pursue it more… until he was way past us.

A great mentor in my life, Yvonne Black, always said to me, “put people around you who are better than you and don’t be afraid of that.”  This is something I strive to live into.  I admit there are times I have to remind myself that this is not a threat.  Just as it is with our children, wanting them to go further than we have ever gone, so it should be with those we lead.  Our ceiling should be their floor.  “The key to change, is to let go of fear,” Rosanne Cash.

How about you?  What have you done to move past the “fear” in leadership and encouraged someone you lead to become all they possibly can – even if that means passing you up for a promotion?  I would love to hear your story, insights and suggestions.