By JoAnn Auger, MSBC Executive Coach/Trainer

Anyone that has been in a car equipped with GPS has heard this word – “Recalculating”.  Actually it can be quite annoying at times. But the other day as I was listening to a guest on a radio program talk about their GPS, it got me to thinking about how the word “recalculating” could apply to how we view our world.

I challenge you to consider if you need to do some “recalculating”. Do you need to make a U-turn? Take a new path? Be a little more trusting? Try it. It will be ok..if you make a wrong turn again, don’t worry…your GPS will let you know.

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

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Michelle Braden, CEO of MSBCoach

The development of emerging leaders (ELs) is often overlooked or the EL is not given the energy needed for healthy growth to sustain leadership. To explore why it is important to invest time, energy and funding into ELs, we need to identify and understand their challenges.

Let’s first identify the EL. The EL is typically a star performer. This is why we choose them for leadership. They show the ability to excel in a given area, be it sales, technology, customer service, etc. Star performers are used to being on top. Often this personal success has won them affirmation, bonuses and autonomy. Managing oneself to accomplishment is quite different than bringing an entire team to success. Herein lies the first mistake, seasoned leaders (SLs) make. SLs assume because an individual is a star performer they will make an excellent team leader. They then proceed to promote them, give them the keys to their new office, print business cards and think they are good to go… thus, unintentionally setting the EL up for failure.

Read the full blog post at http://tbd-consulting.typepad.com/jonena_l_relth/2012/04/are-you-developing-your-leaders.html

Michelle Braden, CEO MSBCoach

One of the most common calls my office receives is to work with someone who is facing challenges in leadership or is new to leadership. This would make sense as MSBCoach focuses on leadership development.

A common thread found in these phone conversations is, “the problem is someone else’s fault”. Interestingly enough, the individual I am asked to give leadership coaching to, is not the only one who places blame. Often, the initial call goes something like this, “We have a leader who is struggling with…. They have strong qualities in… but they are causing a lot of frustration in…. we see potential in this person so we are calling you for help…”

Read the full blog post at http://tbd-consulting.typepad.com/jonena_l_relth/2012/04/where-does-change-begin.html

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Michelle Braden, CEO MSBCoach

Have you ever found yourself making this statement, “I just call it like I see it” or have you known a leader, friend or family member who says this?

Calling something as you “see” it can be strength. People are not left wondering what you think or how you feel, which can be refreshing and provide clear communication. So many leaders “beat around the bush” and their teams are not clear on what they want.

Read the full blog post at http://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/2012/04/the-dangers-of-calling-it-like-you-see-it/

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By JoAnn Auger, MSBC Executive Coach/Trainer

I was in an all-leadership meeting recently where there was much talk about pace and innovation.
A phrase that I heard repeated several times was: “We all have to get comfortable with ambiguity”.
Hmmm, I thought good leaders were all about providing clarity and certainty. Living in ambiguity is like
living in a murky haze…not a comfortable, encouraging place, right?

Given our global community fraught with economic pressures, competitiveness, down-sizing, rapid
changes, slow growth, mergers, changing markets, cultural differences, etc., it’s no wonder that things
are so ambiguous. So, how do we lead through all this ambiguity? Here are seven steps to consider to
bring clarity to you and those you lead:

1. Start with you. You cannot lead alone. You need others coming along with you even if you
are not exactly sure how you are going to get there. People follow people – not a convoluted,
abstract plan. Are you a credible, caring, relational leader? Do people trust you? If you cannot
answer a resounding yes, find a mentor/coach to support you. This is foundational to the 21st
century leader.
2. Translate the vision into the language of those that you are leading. Connect it to what they do
every day. Repeat it. Model it. Reward those who live it.
3. Focus and simplify messages. We live in a world of information overload. Be a filter for your
employees.
4. Listen, Listen, Listen. Ask more than you tell. This will help you problem solve much quicker. And
give you insight on what messages need to be clearer or delivered.
5. Create and promote an environment of excellence and innovation. Show enthusiasm and
positivity. Reduce the fear and anxiety of change and failing by inviting others to give you
feedback….and then actually using the feedback. Become known for giving and receiving
feedback.
6. Stop the blame game – promote accountability.
7. Be a visible leader – that can be done through many venues –team meetings, personal notes,
newsletters, video messages, employee gatherings, email updates, etc.

The ability to lead in an ambiguous environment is a skill that is rapidly increasing in value. It actually
has been defined as “ambiguity tolerance”. Organizations need leaders that can operate and succeed
in ambiguous situations. Can you claim “ambiguity tolerance” as one of your top skills/competencies? If
not, start sharpening because….that’s our new world! What have you done to bring clarity? I shared 7
suggestions and would welcome you to add what has worked for you.

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

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by Joe Ruff, Executive Coach, MSBCoach

As a former teacher of ESL (English as a Second Language) I have lived and worked in Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Even the differences between the Japanese and Korean cultures can be great, but I especially remember what a jarring experience it was to leave the Kuwaiti desert one day and find myself on Tokyo’s Ginza the next evening. Surviving in these vastly different cultures required paying attention and learning as much as I could. I still draw from what I learned and am able to apply it in the world of business.

In my previous career, I attended a conference on teaching writing. The presenter (a teacher who taught foreign students in the United States) read an essay written by one of her pupils. I still remember the event, probably because it left a number of the people in the audience in tears. The student described her experience trying to live and communicate in the United States. Her essay was filled with frustration and many painful stories mostly because she struggled with trying to be understood.

The essay ended with the student thanking her teacher and in fact all ESL teachers. She concluded that the major difference between her experience inside and outside the classroom was that her teachers tried, wanted and made an effort to understand her. Outside the classroom, this was not her experience. The people she met seemed as though they could not be bothered to try to understand this young Vietnamese woman with poor pronunciation and syntax.

We can learn a great deal from this student and her story particularly when applied to the topic of Conflict Resolution. When we approach conflict that we wish to resolve, the single most important factor is simply the desire to do so. I would argue that without the desire to resolve the conflict (and the other person perceiving this desire), success is considerably less likely.

The next time you face conflict, forget about what you wish for yourself and let the other know that you are trying, wanting and making an effort to resolve the conflict. It will take you far down the path of reaching your goal.

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.

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Today’s employees want to work for an organization that they can feel proud of: an organization that has values and viewpoints compatible with their own; an organization that is oriented toward the long haul, working toward the prevention of ills, not just curing the symptoms; an organization that cares about morals and ethics, doing what is in the best interests of its clients; and an organization that cares about the impact it has on the environment. Employees want this because they recognize that such an organization will also care about them.

This new breed of employees knows that the kind of organization just described conducts a never-ending search for the best and brightest people; that it encourages managers to develop their people both personally and professionally; that it recognizes and rewards employees for their unique contributions; that it delegates responsibility, not just accountability. They want to work for a company where they are encouraged to make a meaningful contribution; where procedures, policies, and paperwork are never more important than results; and where building bonds between people is considered as important as the bottom line. How do we get there, you ask?

It’s time for a new style of leadership. Workers do not respond well to micromanagement or to being treated like cogs in a wheel. In order to increase workforce productivity, management has learned various theories, techniques, and approaches that are believed to motivate employees. But they are all based on the fundamental premise that it is management’s role to do the motivating–– that is, it is up to management to push employees toward certain behaviors or to control them in a certain way. Management can reward employees by giving them a promotion, a raise, or a pat on the back; they can reprimand, discipline, or fire them; they can create rules and procedures that give selected individuals the authority to make decisions over a minimum threshold. Or, managers can earn the respect of their colleagues through their expertise, their personal integrity, and their ability to foster trust. While reward, punishment, and authority come with an individual’s position, the most effective forms of management––respect, expertise, and trust—reside in the person and are earned over time.

Successful leaders know that today’s motivational techniques may satisfy employees only long enough to achieve short-term goals. If you supplement today’s forms of employee motivation by instilling a belief in your organization’s mission and stress the importance of every employee’s contribution, you bring about commitment that motivates people forever. The question is, “Is it possible to create this kind of environment and strive for market leadership?” The answer is, “You don’t have much of a choice.”

Frank Sonnenberg, a marketing strategist, has written four books and published over 300 articles. This article was adapted from Frank’s new book, Managing with a Conscience: How to Improve Performance Through Integrity, Trust, and Commitment (2nd edition). It was named one of the Top 10 Small Business Books of 2012 • Trust Across America named Sonnenberg one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders of 2011 and 2012 • In 2011, Social Media Marketing Magazine (SMM) selected Sonnenberg as one of the top marketing authors in the world on Twitter. http://www.franksonnenbergonline.com © 2012 Frank Sonnenberg. All rights reserved.

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As a woman who has been in the workplace since the 70’s, I believe that we women have certainly made a great deal of progress and impact.  There is definitely more progress to be made especially in the area of leadership.  It always “pains” me when I hear a woman question how she should “act” as a leader.   My simple answer to that question is always to act like you, but I know that the question and concern goes much deeper.  So here are some of thoughts about who we should be as leaders:

• First and foremost, be authentic.  People want and deserve the real you.  And you can be sure that people can spot a “fake”. Finding your own voice is the greatest gift that you can give to yourself and others. This takes a good deal of self-awareness and feedback from trusted advisors. And a willingness to grow.

• Strong competencies and good skills are the make-up of a great leader.  Be honest about what you have to offer.  Don’t hide behind the “they are picking on me because I am a woman” excuse. Do your competencies and skills align with the needs of your workplace? Competencies and skills are not gender specific. We are capable of improving/growing. There are plenty of ways to improve…a good mentor and/or a coach that will challenge you is a place to start.  Be willing to learn from everyone without regard to position or power.  Value and learn from your experiences. Seek opportunities that will stretch you and maximize your time by focusing on getting good results and building good relationships.
• All humans are emotional beings. It is by the degree and amount of control of those emotions that we are judged.  If people describe you as too emotional, you may have some work to do.  And, yes, women tend to more emotional but it should not be a weakness.  Also, there is a difference between passion and emotion.  Don’t confuse the two.
• Accept and relish that, as women, we bring much to the workplace.  We bring different perspectives, ideas and leadership styles and that is a good thing.  We need to remember that respect is a two-way street. We do this by respecting and appreciating what others contribute.  It is not about competing to be heard but having something that needs to be said.

I will end with a lesson that I learned many years ago:  My first leadership position was in a predominantly all male environment with all male leadership.  Every Friday for the first six months, I would write my resignation letter.  The guys were rude and crude.  And my direct supervisor was so demanding and always having me “re-think” most of my decisions.  He said that I thought way too much with my heart and emotions and not enough with my head.  In meetings, everyone talked over or just ignored me.  On one particular Friday when once again I was trying to hand in my resignation letter, my supervisor gave me some advice that I still appreciate.  He asked me what kind of leader I wanted to be and what did I “bring to the table”?  He said that people wanted a leader who was confident, knowledgeable, honest, and that would go the distance with them, leading the charge.  To be that kind of leader, I needed to be honest with myself, learn from everyone and stand up with a confident voice when necessary.  And the final thing he said, “The only thing that should make you cry is a personal tragedy or that of another person. Never should it be anything that has to do with this work.  What we do here every day deserves our full attention and our best effort but never does it deserve crying or being upset over.  At the end of the day if you have given your very best and challenged others to do the same, you have been a good leader.”  With that he tossed my resignation letter (for the final time) in the trash and told me to leave his office and go do my job.  So, I leave you with this: Go do your job and do with it confidence!

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

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In the past leadership was about command and control… remember “Atlas Shrugged”?

Today leadership looks much different. It begins with knowing yourself as a person as well as a leader (these two things should go hand in hand and be the same). An effective leader is aware that they have to understand themselves before they can understand others. Today’s leader takes self-awareness and learns to value and respect their own strengths as well as their weaknesses. Once a leader goes through this process for themselves, they can transfer this learning to others. In order for today’s leader to be effective, they have to value and respect people that are different from them. They appreciate what is learned from others and the gift it brings to the organization.

The “old school” of leadership may have been “control and command” but the truth is the only time the “control and command” style of leadership is effective is when we are in crisis. For example, the building is burning down and we need a leader to say, “Go this way and let’s get out and be safe”. Crisis leadership is sometimes necessary and is not the time for sharing ideas and collaborating on what to do next; however, this is not a style to use on a regular basis. People have always been able to think for themselves, even in the days when the “control and command” style of leadership was the only style valued. We “dumb down” our people if we are telling them everything to do… how to do it… solving all of their problems for them. We need to allow them to critically think, make mistakes, correct their mistakes, grow and move forward. It is the leader’s responsibility to make a safe and confident culture where sharing, learning and growth take place. This is what today’s leader does whether they are leading a Fortune 500 company or a small family business.

What have you found that works in your leadership? I would love to hear from you.

Michelle Braden is the CEO of MSBCoach, an ICF certified business. Michelle is an ICF and TED certified coach and received her Advanced Human Behavior Certification and Wellness Coaching certification from the Leadership Institute of America.  She advanced certified associate of Emergenetics, Int. and advanced trainer for DiSC. Michelle has worked with notables from Morgan Keegan, Capital One, the University of Virginia, General Dynamics, LexisNexis, and the City of Charlottesville, and has served in leadership, coaching and training positions for corporations such as Robert Half International and Retirement Unlimited Incorporated. She has written two leadership training manuals for The Church of God International and is a freelance writer for Thought Leaders Blog, Lead Change Blog, Leadership Courseware Blog, The Business Networker, and Forward/Adelante magazine.

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Published on the LeadChangeGroup blog.

This weekend I watched the movie, “Anonymous,” a primarily fictionalized theory about the authenticity of William Shakespeare’s work.  I’m not writing a review nor a recommendation for the movie. I’m writing because of a couple of lines that caught my attention. These lines were: “….words will prevail” and ”it is words that will live on and tell the story…”   Maybe the reason these lines struck me was because of a book that I had recently read (Words That Work by Frank Luntz). Perhaps it is because I spend a great deal of time of listening to people as an Executive Coach and I must pay close attention to words.

For whatever the reason, I have been thinking about how we use words. How much time do we spend thinking about the words that we speak or write? I’m not referring to being “politically correct” or just being careful with our words. No, what I wonder about is what do our words and the words of others to reveal about us?

Read the full article here.

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