Inspiring Conversations, LLC

I’ve quoted this subtitle “Wishful Thinking Fails Again” from a dear friend’s book: Edward Espe Brown’s Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings. This September his book, The Complete Tassajara Cookbook comes out renewed, maybe that particular story had made it into the new compilation, too.

I just looked around and found his decisions about biscotti and a birthday cake strangely resonating with some business decisions I encountered. “They’ll be OK this time” the famous words of the cook, just before the biscotti burns on the lowest shelf in the oven (that is already full of lasagna) or before the mistakenly salty vanilla beans won’t miraculously turn sweet, just by serving up the cake… it remains inedible.

Have you been there too?

• Have you hired the new guy though some parts of you already knew he won’t last;
• Did you give a second chance to an employee though there was enough smoke going on to call the fire brigade;
• Have you produced thousands of units as a sure-fire pilot but had no sales strategy;
• Have you expanded your business into a new direction though you doubted the possibility of strong sales;
• Or paid for a huge marketing campaign just to realize that the rest of your company still wasn’t ready for the boom?

I’ve been there, oh well… How many times I was challenged by my own wishful thinking… just to look back 5-10-20 years later and admit… I actually knew that wasn’t the thing to do. I just wasn’t in the mood to start it over, not ready to throw away the effort and absolutely not willing to risk coming back empty handed. I, too, have been there, with investments, expansion, marketing efforts, business partners, relationships, job offers, and of course, with the walnut cake too… since I already made a note to myself, I can own up to those failures now.

For the future, will I be able to use those lessons, those notes to self? Where is the friend who can help me catch myself saying “This time it will be OK”? Several times I was pondering… how I could offer a reality check to clients when they were not willing to hear it?

So I remain with an intention: I am here to really trust my ability to see what is going on. So I could make only Real Mistakes, as Oriah Mountain Dreamer calls them in “The Invitation”… not the ones where my wishful thinking was allowed to second-guess my initial judgment. Or those cakes, relationships, hiring decisions, business expansions were also par for the course…

– Copyright protected worldwide. Marta Dabis. (888) 850-2206 Ext 702

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he/she wants to do it.”
—Dwight Eisenhower

Answer these questions about leadership.
Leadership Questionnaire

1. Authority has no place in effective leadership.
   True______ False______
2. Dysfunctional leaders abuse authority and demand power.
   True______ False______
3. Power may be defined as:
   ___________________________
   ___________________________

Have you ever observed two individuals of equal position, rank, and authority in an organization? One seems to accomplish everything successfully and with ease, while the other seems to always be "under the gun," having a crisis, and a difficult time.

The true leaders in any organization are easy to recognize. They're the ones who always seem to accomplish more with apparent ease. The key is their ability to get others to accomplish more than they thought they could. The effective leader is one who makes a difficult task look easy. An ineffective leader is one who makes a simple task look difficult. This phenomenon occurs at all levels in an organization.

Improving your understanding of two concepts, authority and power, can help you to develop a more effective leadership style and help others to become better leaders. The terms authority and power have been used interchangeably over the years. However, power and authority are two very different concepts. Understanding each will help you to drive leadership skills throughout the organization.

Power may be defined as the ability or capacity to act in ways which influence the behavior of others. It is a personal talent which can be developed. It is the ability to get others to do things. It has little or nothing to do with title, rank, or authority.

Power is a measure of personal effectiveness. It is granted to you by those over whom you have influence. Power is earned and given by those who follow. Authority, on the other hand, defines limits and actions which you have the contractual right to take or use. It is granted to you by the organization as part of the organization’s attempt to control and manage. It is the right to settle disputes, to control operations, to make and implement decisions, and to administer or manage. It has little or nothing to do with the ability to influence the behavior or others. It is entirely possible to possess a great deal of power, while not possessing any authority. It is also possible to possess authority and very little power.

Dysfunctional leaders may have authority, but typically have little or no power. Because of this, they frequently abuse their authority, thereby diminishing any potential power, and their ability to influence and lead others. When people are subjected to constant use of abuse of authority, they will develop subtle and effective ways of subverting it to protect themselves. Excessive use of authority often produces behavior in others, which resembles the reactions of a child who rebels against severe, excessive parental restrictions. Turnover, grievances, absenteeism, and dissention may all be signs of this behavior. They diminish rather than enhance a productive, creative, positive work environment.

Formal leaders who have both power and authority are effective because they only use authority as a last resort to achieve goals. Authority is used sparingly and rarely is pushed to this extreme. If you have earned power by creating a climate of trust, permitting and helping others to maintain their dignity, their pride, and their autonomy, people will work and achieve because of the value they place on themselves and the goals of the organization. Both they and you are aware of the reciprocal nature of the relationship and recognize that everyone functions better with cooperation, than with coercion.

Authority does fill a very necessary and important function in the operation of any organization and can be an effective tool of management when used judiciously. A leader should not shun its use when the situation demands it, but should avoid creating situations in which authority is the only recourse.

Informal leaders can have a great deal of power in an organization while possessing little or no authority. They can be great assets to formal leaders and are frequently viewed as “Fast Trackers” who are groomed to quickly rise through the ranks.

Succeeding in a highly competitive, fast-paced, global environment means everyone in the organization must be focused on improving customer satisfaction, increasing revenues, improving processes, and reducing cycle time. Leadership behavior must create an environment in which people are encouraged to seek out innovative ways of doing things which will ultimately lead to more revenues or lower costs.

Leadership questionnaire answers

1. False – Authority fills a very necessary and important function in the operation of any organization and can be an effective tool of management when used judiciously.
2. True.
3. Power may be defined as the ability or capacity to act in ways which influence the behavior of others.

– Adapted with permission from Leadership Development, Resource Associates Corporation. All rights reserved worldwide. This material shall not be copied by any means without the express written consent of Resource Associates Corporation & Sorrell Associates, LLC 740-824-4842.

By Susan Nielsen

Have you ever been motivated to act, energized or transformed, in either a small or significant way by conversations you've had with others? If so, you've already had a taste of coaching and its value. Your relationship with your coach will be different from every other relationship you have ever had, and it can be more powerful than any other relationship you will ever form. Your coach is totally and unconditionally dedicated to accelerating your success and your sense of well-being. They have no agenda except to assist you in becoming the best you can be. They are in your corner, focused entirely on serving you and advancing your interests.

Your spouse or partner is extremely important to you; however, this partnership isn't always the best context for dealing with a number of issues, especially issues related to work. No doubt your friends offer advice at times, but they have their own challenges and their accessibility may be limited. Sometimes professional associates can be helpful, but their interests and priorities may not always be aligned with yours. And oftentimes, your boss isn't the proper person to consult with on personal concerns. Sometimes people confuse coaches with traditional consultants. Unconsciously, people ask coaches to give advice. The role of the coach is not to provide answers or solutions. It is to help you develop the potential that lies within you, so that you increase your capability to overcome all obstacles and achieve all of your goals. Sometimes people expect coaches to serve as mentors. They want their coach to go before them and show them the way. However, your coach's role is not to lead you. Rather, it is to help you discover for yourself where you are today and where you want to be in the future. Once you chart your own course, your coach will accompany you on the journey and provide ongoing support, guidance and encouragement. You will gain more courage to strive for new goals, develop new skills, and reach for higher levels of success when your coach is running beside you.

With your coach's support, you'll set goals that are in harmony with your values and beliefs and in alignment with your life's purpose. You will aspire for levels of accomplishment beyond anything you would have dared to attempt alone. And through the coaching process, you'll discover on your own the solutions to any challenges that confront you.

– For more information about coaching, please contact us. (888) 850-2206 Ext 701. Adapted with permission from Leadership. © 2007 by Resource Associates Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

By Arno Ilic

There will always be “bad apples”, or so the saying goes. In fact, checking some consulting firms, they advertise their business on how to get rid of these so-called bad apples. There are even some who will sell a handbook on how to take a step-by-step approach to ridding yourself of unwanted employees. There are even steps that you could take to force the employee to quit on his or her own. It’s a lot less messy that way.

Is that really how you want to treat your employees? Don’t they deserve better? Would you like it if someone took that approach with you? Don’t we have an obligation to run our organizations with integrity and honesty? If you are trying to get rid of employees by forcing them to quit, what kind of message are you sending to the rest of your employees? They have friends who also have friends. Your company may get a reputation of being a bad place to work. Worse still is that potential customers may hear of those business practices and decide they do not wish to do business with you.

Have you noticed that you are different around different people? For example, how you act with your parents is different to how you act towards your friends, work colleagues or church members. Why is that? You have expectations of behaviour. You expect your parents to act and behave as they always have. If you have disagreements around certain subjects that cause conflict, they are merely performing to your expectations. Don’t your closest friends behave the way you expect them to? What about your children? Surely they too behave as you expected; so do your employees and peers. You see, we have set life up in such a way that people will respond to us the way we expect them to. So, it may not be your employees’ attitudes that have to change but your way of relating to them.

When treating your employees as human beings who want to make a difference, the attitude of your employees will change. Instead of wanting to “get” the employee, you will want to discover the barriers that are holding them back from fulfilling their potential. You will want to work in partnership with employees towards reaching common goals.

Of course there may be employees who are totally mismatched in their jobs, and it is inappropriate for them to continue working in this job as they are costing you money. Rather than manipulating them to quit, wouldn’t it be healthier to sit down with the employee and explore opportunities? Some employees are desperate for work and will say anything to get the job. Once there, it becomes evident that they are not suited for the position. We then need to sit down with the employee in a compassionate manner, knowing we are threatening not only their livelihood but that of their family, and try and work out the best solution possible.

It is no accident that we are called Inspiring Conversations. We take a different approach to managing. We will help coach middle management or front line managers to be able to get the most from their employees. Employees love to work for someone who leads with conviction, compassion and integrity. If you want your staff to manage like this and are not seeing the results, give us a call. Any one of us would be glad to assist you in reaching your goals.

– Copyright protected worldwide. Arno Ilic. (888) 850-2206 Ext 705

Why Not

When it comes to announcing change initiatives, most companies have mastered only four of the five W's. They can tell workers who, what, when, and where—but somehow they keep forgetting to explain why. If you're trying to get workers to accept change, begin by meeting with them face-to-face so you can explain the rationale behind the initiative. Opt for a Q&A format that allows them to express their concerns. Even if they don't agree with the proposals, they'll appreciate knowing why the changes are being implemented.

– Adapted from "You can't motivate without WHY" by Linda Dulye, on the Maurer & Associates Web site
Contact Jeff Johnston.  (888) 850-2206 Ext 704

Be a visionary, because without a clear goal, you will not be able to show others the direction to move.
— Kalai Selvan, Motorola Inc. (Singapore)

The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.
— Socrates

Your business should be defined, not in terms of the product or service you offer, but in terms of what customer need your product or service fulfills. While products come and go, basic needs and customer groups stay around, i.e., the need for communication, the need for transportation, etc. What market need do you supply?
— Ken Blanchard and Terry Waghorn in 'Mission Possible'