Lolly Daskal's Blog, page 101
July 13, 2017
Daily Two Minutes Of Greatness
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Lolly Daskal is the founder of Lead from Within, a global leadership, executive coaching, and consulting firm based in New York City. Lolly has more than thirty years of experience with clients ranging from Fortune 500 executives to government leaders, to entrepreneurs and nonprofits.
Lolly is one of today’s most sought-after executive leadership coaches and leadership consultants, and was named a Top-50 leadership and management expert by Inc.com and was named ‘The Most Inspiring Woman in the World’ by Huffington Post.
She has written thousands of articles and columns for a variety of media, including Inc., Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Huffington Post, and Psychology Today as well as a couple of best-selling books, the latest being ‘The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness’.
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June 30, 2017
Closing the Leadership Gap Within Small Business
Lolly Daskal is one of the most sought-after executive leadership coaches in the world.
Her extensive cross-cultural expertise spans 14 countries, six languages and hundreds of companies. As founder and CEO of Lead From Within, her proprietary leadership program is engineered to be a catalyst for leaders who want to enhance performance and make a meaningful difference in their companies, their lives, and the world. Her writing has appeared in, among others, the Harvard Business Review, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today.
Lolly is known for having her clients produce exceptional results by getting them to understand who they are. She shares with us how she uses a mix of modern philosophy, psychology and decades of coaching and consulting experience to do this and why it sits at the core of her programs. She strongly believes that understanding who you are will naturally lead you to create your why, know who you can and cannot work with, understand how to implement advice from coaches and books and, even learn when to say no. She shares insights on the seven different archetypes that exist in all people and how best to leverage on each of them to fulfil your leadership potential and grow your small business.
You can also get in touch with Lolly and find out more about what she does through her website and the following social media platforms:
Website: www.lollydaskal.com
Twitter: Lolly Daskal
Facebook: Lolly Daskal
LinkedIn: Lolly Daskal
You can get Lolly’s book The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness here.
Conference Highlight
Avanti Entrepreneurs Summit
http://avantientrepreneurgroup.com/Av...
New York, NYC: November 2, 2017
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June 29, 2017
EO FIRE Podcast John Lee Dumas and Lolly Daskal
Heart based leadership with Lolly Daskal and John Lee Dumas
Listen below
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Asking for a Raise When You’re Afraid To
Much has been written about how to negotiate for a better salary. But what about when you’re not sure you deserve a raise in the first place?
As an executive coach for more than 30 years, I’ve worked with many top leaders who appear extremely successful externally, yet struggle with their self-worth. Michael, an esteemed leader in his company, stands out in particular. He was dedicated and loyal, and had been doing his job diligently for years.
But when several longtime colleagues left the company, their positions were filled by new hires — who he discovered through office chatter were all being paid more than he was. At first he shrugged it off, but this new information started to trouble him. He realized that he was managing a team of 140 people but making significantly less than new hires with teams of only 20 to 30 — and in one case, just five.
He started to feel uncomfortable and insecure. Why didn’t they offer him a raise? Did they not appreciate him? Didn’t they see how hard he worked?
He lost his enthusiasm for his job. Where he had once been a positive force, he now found himself feeling sullen, resentful, and distrustful. He knew his only chance to reclaim satisfaction at work was to ask for a raise. But for reasons he couldn’t even identify, he hesitated.
Objective reality showed an easy case for a raise: He worked harder than most and had a bigger team. He had more seniority within the organization and more experience in his field. He had great results and his team performed consistently well year after year. But his changed work situation had resulted in a massive failure of self-esteem.
For leaders facing this situation, it’s important first to understand and acknowledge your self-worth – and then learn how to sell it within your company. Here are four steps to make it happen.
Develop a sense of urgency. It’s human nature to seek out safety, and – especially if you’re not confident in your abilities – it may seem risky to ask for a raise. But the truth is, you may already be past the breaking point. If you’re finding yourself resentful and frustrated, you have two options: stick with what you’re doing, knowing how deeply dissatisfying it is, or step up and ask. Recognize that if you don’t take action, your dissatisfaction may leak out through words or deeds, and damage the reputation you’ve worked so hard to cultivate.
Of course, you may fear that your request for a raise is unreasonable. That’s why it’s essential to boost your confidence with competitive research. Consult salary surveys on the Internet to get a sense of what competitors are offering for your position, to establish a lower and upper pay scale. To the extent possible based on what you know, compare your compensation to that of others in your organization, allowing for factors like changes over time to the benefits packages for new hires. That can give you baseline information that’s useful in negotiation, and it will also likely increase your confidence, as you know for certain that your request is within reason and supported by sound data.
Next, it’s time for a personal assessment. You’ll want to look at almost every factor to get a complete picture, from your educational background to your long-term record within the organization to your team’s performance in the past quarter. Most importantly, make a list of the things that make you unique and set you apart from others in your company. You can draw anecdotes and hard data from performance reviews, personal letters and commendations, and client satisfaction surveys. Look for documented instances where goals have been met, sales and revenue earned, detailed performance statistics, initiatives you’ve undertaken, and key areas where you’ve demonstrated your loyalty and commitment.
When you’ve amassed this mound of information, you’re almost certain to feel worthy to make a case for yourself. Note that it’s important not to treat this as a one-time event; instead, set up an ongoing system to document and periodically communicate your accomplishments to your boss and, where relevant, throughout the organization.
Finally, even though you should approach the negotiation with a collaborative mindset, it’s important to prepare for push back. You’ll need to anticipate and prepare for potential objections, and not let them rattle your confidence. If you encounter push back about your data, focus the conversation on understanding how your compensation is set. Above all, your objective is to gain agreement that the market rate you’re looking for is reasonable and equitable, without giving up. It’s useful to do some practice sessions with a coach or trusted colleague, to ensure you can respond to objections without getting overheated and end the conversation on a positive note.
Even those who know they deserve it can have a hard time asking for a raise – and it’s especially challenging if the voice inside your head wonders whether you’re really deserving. But don’t let other people’s opinions define your value. Take an honest look at your own achievements and the competitive landscape. You’ll feel more confident in asking for what you’re worth. Even if your boss is resistant, if you’ve crafted a strong enough case, it’s likely that if you’re brave enough to ask, your true value will eventually shine through.
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June 27, 2017
The Story of Everybody, Somebody, Anybody And Nobody
Recently I told a group of leadership executives a simple but meaningful story that you may have heard before. It’s the story of four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.
Here’s the story, titled “Whose Job Is It, Anyway?”
There was an important job to be done. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.
The story may be confusing but the message is clear: no one took responsibility so nothing got accomplished.
It’s a story that plays out often in organizations and companies and on teams—anywhere there is culture that lacks accountability.
But how do you get people to take responsibly for their work? Different things work in different situations, but here are some strategies that have proven to be effective:
Become a role model. You can’t tell people what to do if you yourself aren’t willing to hold yourself to the same level. If you want people to act responsibly, you have to be accountable. Your team and your company look to you for direction.
Don’t make assumptions. Don’t assume that others know instinctively what to do and when to do it, or even what you expect from them. Before people can take responsibility for their work they require clear communication. The more you communicate, the better the results are likely to be.
Set the standard. If you expect excellence, it’s up to you to set the standards for results and performance. Make each task or goal measurable and set it on a reasonable timeline so it’s achievable. Give people a clear target and they’ll work to reach it—and maybe even surpass it.
Get the buy-in to go the distance. You need people to buy in and commit if you want to succeed. Each vision should be compelling; each goal should build toward the whole; each task should be laced with motivation. You need people to feel compelled, inspired and motivated to take responsibility.
Make regular check-ups. One of the biggest reasons people fall short is a lack of follow-through by leadership. Help people stay focused by setting up regular checkpoints—phone calls or meetings where everyone can communicate and catch up, staying focused on moving forward and being accountable. When people know there will be check-ups, they’re less likely to procrastinate and more likely to hit their targets.
Provide support and training. Especially with a start-up or a new initiative, people are taking on projects or tasks that they’ve never faced before. Make sure everybody has the training and resources they need to be successful, and provide help in resolving any issues that may arise.
Encourage candor. One of the worst things that can happen to a team is for people to feel uncomfortable discussing problems and expressing their honest opinions. Build a culture of candor so that people know it’s the norm to tell the truth, even when it’s difficult or awkward.
Concentrate on solutions and not only problems. If people are having problems or falling behind, expect them to come to you with possible solutions, not just the problems. Create an expectation that the first response to a problem is to start finding solutions.
Praise performance. Praise people for good results and be specific with your acknowledgment. Let them know what they did well and how their work is affecting others. If they fall short, coach them privately and let them know how they can improve. And if their performance does not improve, also address this with meaningful consequences that have been explained ahead of time.
To avoid having your team become Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody, commit to becoming the kind of leader who takes responsibility for your own life and leadership.
Lead from within: Don’t let Anybody (or Everybody, Somebody or Nobody) stop you from doing what you need to do to create the kind of leadership and life you can be proud of.
Learn more about running great teams in my National Bestseller book:
The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
buy now
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
The Remarkable Power of the Truth Teller
The Test Every Great Leader Must Pass
12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
The Deception Trap of Leadership
Photo Credit: Getty Images
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June 21, 2017
Supervising Friends, Ethically
QUESTION:
I was recently promoted to a new midlevel supervisor position, and several of the people I now oversee are good friends. I think they are doing excellent work, but I’m concerned that I not show special treatment. How does one supervise friends ethically? ANONYMOUS
Asking this question is a good sign. After all, it’s easy to assume your judgment and decisions are unimpeachable. Pausing to reflect shows a degree of thoughtfulness that will serve you well.
Still, you don’t want to overthink this — and end up behaving in response to your perception of others’ perceptions. It may be more useful to take a step back and frame the situation a little differently. For some input on that, I spoke to Lolly Daskal, a longtime leadership coach and consultant and the author of the bestselling book “The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness.”
“I’ve bumped…
Article appeared in the NEW YORK TIMES in the The Workologist (section) By ROB WALKER
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5 Unconventional Leadership Books You Need to Read
“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.”
―Margaret Fuller
Want to know one of the “secrets” to becoming a better leader? Become a more voracious reader.
One of the best ways to “stand on the shoulders of giants” is to read. We hear it all the time–that the most successful people, our greatest leaders, are people who read constantly (including Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Warren Buffett).
Reading for leaders is a way to broaden their knowledge, to expand their world view, to gain insight and widen their perspectives.
But the secret is knowing what to read. Not every book will get you where you need to be. Here is my list of the top five books you must read if you want to become a more successful, well-rounded leader.
#1. The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness by Lolly Daskal
“If you want to get your leadership right, you have to get yourself right.”
In The Leadership Gap, Lolly Daskal reveals the consequences that highly driven, overachieving leaders face when they continue to rely on a skill set that has always worked for them but is no longer effective.
Article on Inc Written by Chris Winfield
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Top 5 Tips for Making Managers into Better Leaders
Managers are usually the men and women responsible for coordinating, planning, and organizing activities and tasks within a company. These skills are certainly important, but how managers embrace and apply these skills might be even more important.
If you want to be the best manager you can possibly be, here are five things you’ll need to do.
The Best Managers Are Great Leaders
Some say that managers aren’t leaders, and leaders aren’t managers — that these two jobs are completely different.But the truth is that a manager has to be a leader, and a leader has to know how to manage.
Many people in business believe that the job of a manager should be only about directing or controlling, and that the job of a leader should be only about motivating and setting direction. But we know that this is never the case in any great company.
A manager has to be able to motivate and inspire people. We need leadership in management as much as we need management in leadership.
by Lolly Daskal, Founder & CEO, Lead From Within on NBC News
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Um… Excuse Me… “Your Gaps” are Showing [Becoming a Great Leader Especially if You Are Not One]
The Leadership Gap
Some books connect with you because they align with your beliefs. Other books connect with you because they inspire you to be better. Still others connect with you because they open your mind to new possibilities. Lolly Daskal’s new book, The Leadership Gap, did all three for me. It will probably connect in all three ways with you as well.
What stands between you and greatness?
Article posted on Linkedin written by Mareo McCracken
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The 7 Essential Leader Archetypes And The Hidden Gaps That Accompany Them
Have you ever wondered why some people are able to stand in their greatness as leaders, and evolve and grow even in the face of extreme challenges, while others falter in their gaps? There’s been volumes and volumes written about great leadership today, but much of it doesn’t look at how we can honestly and deeply evaluate our own blind spots and gaps, and close them, so we can reach our highest potential as leaders and influential forces for good in the world.
Lolly Daskal seeks to change that. A sought-after executive leadership coach, Lolly has spent over three decades working with top leaders from business, government, and nonprofit sectors around the world. She is the founder and CEO of Lead from Within, and her leadership programs bring together modern philosophy and science along with the wisdom born of her varied, in-depth experience.
Article written on Forbes by Kathy Caprino
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