Lee Ellis's Blog, page 217
February 15, 2018
Fill-in-the-Blank – “When I’m frustrated about not getting results with my team, I usually _________________.”
Fill-in-the-Blank – “When I’m frustrated about not getting results with my colleagues and/or team, I usually _________________.”
Please post your answer below – thank you
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February 14, 2018
Honoring Former POW Leo Thorsness Today
Today Col. Leo Thorsness USAF (1932-2017), one of America’s great heroes will be honored and laid to rest in Arlington Cemetery. Leo not only served courageously as a six year POW in Vietnam, but also was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his courageous airmanship as a fighter pilot, leading air strikes over Hanoi.
We all could learn a lot from the way Leo lived his life. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife of Gaylee and their family.
Read this New York Times article about his life and legacy.
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Quick Leadership Tips: 4 Unrealistic Leadership Remedies
Are you tempted to “rattle the cage” with your team and dole out some unrealistic goals or objectives? Stop and evaluate that strategy first. There’s a better to meet goals and get results while avoiding pressure to meet unrealistic expectations. Follow these four steps to help your team succeed the right way –
Recognize the realities of the human domain. People want to succeed. People want to look good to others. Management pressure can be even more powerful.
Clarify and create an atmosphere that feels safe. Build trust. Clarify expectations. Dialogue and gain agreement with the understanding that at any time the project gets off course, they will let you know. Listen and engage in discussions. Set the example by being authentic and vulnerable.
Connect with your people. Connect based on your and their unique talents. Connect with their hearts by letting them know they are valued and appreciated.
Collaborate with the mindset that your goal is to help them be successful. Communicate via an ongoing dialogue of realistic discussions about goals and challenges. Allow them to debate the issues with you and listen. Solicit status reports and give them feedback and coaching.
When you have been diligent with this process, you can almost guarantee success for your people and you have helped them stay honorable as well. Healthy relationships matter. Dictating unrealistic goals puts them in a corner, and that’s dangerous for everyone.
What’s your opinion or advice? Post something here – thank you
You can also read the entire article on this topic – “Dangers of the Unreachable Goal: 4 Leadership Remedies”
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February 13, 2018
Introverts’ secrets of success
You’ve heard it before—introverts cannot be good leaders. That’s not true, but it is about learning how to use your natural behavior in a positive and skillful way.
This interesting CNN article gives more insight – check it out and share your comments below – thank you
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February 11, 2018
On This Day in Leadership History, February 11th
On this day in leadership history in 1975, Margaret Thatcher became the first woman to head a major party in Britain when she was elected leader of the Conservative Party.
What’s the leadership lesson? If you’re in your specific area of natural talent and passion, accept no limitations. Keep leading with honor.
Margaret Thatcher – Wikipedia
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February 9, 2018
Leading with Honor Wisdom for Today, February 9, 2018
“The honorable leader must have a keen understanding of the human domain and face the dangerous reality that people desperately want to succeed at all costs.” – Lee Ellis
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February 8, 2018
Sign Up Today for Tomorrow’s Free Video Coaching
In tomorrow’s new release of ‘Leading with Honor’ video coaching, Lee Ellis focuses on “The Consequences of Unrealistic Expectations” and how to thwart putting your team in a corner where they’re forced to choose an unethical path.
Sign up today and get instant access in your email inbox when it’s released on Thursday, Feb 8th –
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February 7, 2018
Dangers of the Unreachable Goal: 4 Leadership Remedies
By Lee Ellis
Here we go again. Another unrealistic goal handed down from leadership where I didn’t have any input. Accept it and figure out how to make it happen. Now I’m trapped in a corner, so I’ll have to “lie, cheat, and steal” (as the saying goes) or possibly lose my job.
Does this scenario really happen anymore in small or large organizations? And, how effective is this “motivation”?
A New UGA Study
Sadly, we hear a lot about cheating in the workplace these days, and it can come from some very lofty and successful people and organizations. A recent article from the University of Georgia (UGA) Terry College of Business highlighted research that concluded –
“It’s the desire for self-protection that primarily causes employees to cheat.” [Tweet This]
In recent years, we’ve seen the Volkswagen emissions and the Wells Fargo scandals. In Atlanta Public Schools, we continue to hear about the administrators and teachers who cheated on testing to ensure that their students’ scores met the standards to get their pay raises. Even today, there are denials left and right of wrongdoing for lawbreaking and abuses. All too often, though, the push for meeting unrealistic, unethical, or illegal goals come from leaders at the top.
A Personal Example
I can remember back in the late 70’s when some key military units didn’t have the resources to reach fully mission capable status. Yet out of fear, some commanders fudged the numbers rather than admit they could not measure up. The pressure to look good (or to get what they want) can take out dedicated people.
The Pulse of People
At the same time, let’s not ignore the significant value of stretch goals in organizational success and personal human growth, too. Without them, we have no progress. Yet, when taken to the point of unreachable goals, or when the goal is one that is beyond our control, the stage is set for the ethical problems noted above.
“It’s so critical for the honorable leader to have a keen understanding of the human domain. We must face the dangerous reality that people desperately want to succeed at all costs.” [Tweet This]
Unfortunately, when they’re backed into a corner and cannot withstand the light of truth, these qualities become at risk by rationalizing and cutting corners to cover up their actions and performance.
So, what’s the solution?
Honorable leadership must prevail to get the maximum performance out of your team. Your goal is to wisely manage tactical goals and results while avoiding pressure to meet unrealistic expectations. Follow these four steps* to meet your goals and help your team succeed the right way –
Recognize the realities of the human domain.
People want to succeed.
People want to be valued
People want to look good to others.
Peer pressure is powerful.
Management pressure can be even more powerful.
Clarify and create an atmosphere that feels safe. Build trust.
Clarify expectations. Dialogue and gain agreement with the understanding that at any time the project gets off course, they will let you know.
Engage in discussions about what is achievable and what is not.
Listen to their ideas.
Set the example by being authentic and vulnerable. Let them know you know that you’re not perfect and you don’t expect them to be either.
Connect with your people.
Connect based on your and their unique talents.
Connect with their hearts by letting them know they are valued and appreciated.
Collaborate with the mindset that your goal is to help them be successful.
Communicate via an ongoing dialogue of realistic discussions about goals and challenges. Allow them to debate the issues with you and listen to their words and pay attention to their energy/emotions.
Solicit status reports and give them feedback.
Provide coaching, training, and support as needed to help them succeed.
When you have been diligent with this process, you can almost guarantee success for your people and you have helped them stay honorable as well. And when the goal is met, pause to celebrate together!
The Right Balance
Honorable leaders recognize that they are working with humans who operate in the human domain. Healthy relationships matter. Dictating unrealistic goals puts them in a corner, and that’s dangerous for everyone. Getting results should also be the goal, and this model will you get there.
Accept the challenge of achieving the mission and taking care of your people. There will be tension—but finding that balance pays big dividends and insures that you lead with honor. What has been your experience? Please comment below.
LE
*These four steps are covered in-depth using the Courageous Accountability Model in Lee’s latest book, Engage with Honor: Building a Culture of Courageous Accountability. Purchase your copy from the favorite book retailer or www.EngageWithHonor.com.
Reach Your Goals with an Honorable Plan
[image error]The Engage with Honor Launch Package Special Offer is still available with any purchase from the Leading with Honor Online Store! Over 10 complimentary leadership development tools provided for personal and/or professional development –
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February 6, 2018
How to Choose Happiness in the Workplace
In his decades of working with CEOs, and in occupying the position himself, author and consultant Stuart Levine’s diligent work on maximizing the CEO’s positive effect on the culture organization is always on his mind. We know that there is no “one size fits all” approach to leadership, yet he sees how much an organization benefits when a CEO chooses to be positive and chooses happiness.
When leaders choose happiness, businesses do better. Please read his new article on his website for more insight and comment below – thank you
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February 5, 2018
A Connecting Idea for Your Team – See Inside
One of Lee’s most effective ideas as a leader is to create a printed page or wall hanging with each direct report’s picture, name, title, spouse’s name, current projects, development goals, and more.
This is just one idea to better connect as an honorable leader in his book, Engage with Honor. Check it out in our Online Store or Amazon.com, and look for bulk savings options for your entire team –
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This is an example of an Individual Accountability Checklist that leaders use with their members.
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