April, 2013

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20 Things all Great Organizational Leaders Do

Leadership Freak

'Jim Collins said he wanted to write a book about great organizations not great leaders. But as his research grew, he realized great organizations had one thing in common, great leaders. He ended up writing, “Good to Great,” a book about leaders. Never underestimate the power of lousy leaders to demotivate people and destroy organizations. [.].

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How Leaders Build Momentum

Kevin Eikenberry

Watch the Final Four this weekend and I can guarantee two things: You’ll see lots of camera shots of celebrities and parents of players, and the word momentum will be spoken by the announcers at least once. You can watch any sporting event and hear that word – momentum – used almost with reverence. It [.].

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Top Ten Qualities of Exceptional Leaders

Leadership Freak

'Fitting in is the formula for mediocrity. Average is safe, boring, and deadly. I’ve been rubbing elbows with outstanding leaders from organizations on the Great Place to Work list of exceptional companies. Excellence electrifies the air at their annual conference. Outstanding leaders live by bold principles. Exceptional leaders courageously declare themselves.

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Top Five Qualities of an A **e

Leadership Freak

'“We have a no a **e policy at Baird.” (Beth Kavelaris, Director of Culture & Integration, Robert W. Baird & Co. at the Great Place to Work Annual Conference 2013) I was impressed with Beth’s candor. Baird manages nearly $97 billion in client assets at more than 100 locations scattered around the globe. Definition: “How do you [.].

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SME Relationships: Proven Solutions for Seamless Collaboration and Success

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

💢 Do you find yourself stuck in never-ending review cycles? Are you wondering if your Subject Matter Expert actually got that last review request? Are you having trouble trying to decipher impractical or conflicting feedback? 💢 If any of these scenarios sounds familiar, you may benefit from a crash course on managing SME relationships!

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How to Get Where You Want to Grow

Leadership Freak

'Growth is a function of engaging in new activities. “New” is the difficult thing. Everyone wants to grow but not everyone wants to step from the known into the unknown. The edge and beyond: Growth happens on the fringes of leadership where comfort and discomfort meet. You can’t grow if you can’t be uncomfortable. Growth [.].

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Death to Bobble Head Leaders

Leadership Freak

Bobble head leaders don’t say what they really think. They go with the flow to get ahead. Bobble heads don’t speak their mind they defend the company line. Leaders become bobble heads to protect position and get promoted. It’s dishonest and disingenuous. Look around. How many bobbing heads sit at the table? Is anyone disruptive? [.].

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Seven Simple Steps From Can’t to Can

Leadership Freak

'Every organization has “can’t do” people in it. Their first words are no, can’t, or won’t. Successful leaders change can’t to can. Real influence: Coercion creates conformity; influence transforms. Incompetent leaders pressure; skillful leaders influence. Inept leaders us power, authority, and position to intimidate. Influential leaders move people from can’t to can by changing what [.].

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The Most Dangerous Leadership Weakness

Leadership Freak

'Dangerous leadership weaknesses include: Lack of self-awareness. Listening to brown nosers. Pointing out problems without celebrating progress. Closed ears and opened mouths. People pleasing. More on Facebook (4/8/13). All: All strengths have corresponding weaknesses. Good with people often means bad organizational skills, for example. The law of equilibrium: Extraordinary always includes extra-lousy.

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16 Dumb Questions You’re Afraid to Ask

Leadership Freak

'The hardest question to ask is the obvious one. Fearful leaders remain silent. Courageous leaders ask. What are we doing? Compared to what? Who said? Why not? Move from “either/or” to “and” by asking, “Why not?” What problem are we solving? What’s working? How? Why? Begin agenda items by asking, “What questions should we ask?” What [.].

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The Worst Leadership Tragedy

Leadership Freak

'The worst leadership tragedy is *p **g away your potential. Stop insulting your Maker, degrading yourself, and disrespecting the people around you by wasting inborn aptitudes and abilities. Neglect and negativity never achieve results. If I traveled back in time and met the young Leadership Freak, I’d say, “Danny, your first responsibility is developing your leadership. [.].

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Change Management 101: A Practical 3 Part Guide

Implementing new tools or business processes in your organization? Lemon Learning put together a practical 3 part guide to prevent the pitfalls of change management. Drive a successful change management project from diagnosis through to measurement.

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How to Solve the #1 Problem with Meetings

Leadership Freak

'Bosses need to run meetings because they need to exercise authority and control. That attitude hinders free, honest involvement by participants. Worse yet, controlling-bosses obstruct ownership. Others won’t own what you own. The problem with meetings is bosses run them. No one can effectively manage a meeting and participate at the same time. Transform meetings by [.].

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Toxic by Accident

Leadership Freak

Image source by George Hodan My children used to say, “Stop yelling dad.” I’d say, “I’m not yelling.” My voice sounded calm to me. Authority and power amplify actions and words. Every behavior of respected leaders is magnified. Tell a team member, for example, “Your report is late.” They hear, “I’m getting fired.” Or, you [.].

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Connect or Die

Leadership Freak

'No wonder your office feels like a morgue. You connect with vendors and clients but not with your receptionist, employees, or colleagues. It’s all business with coworkers but you send notes, make calls, and take clients to lunch. Bosses who mouth the words, “We’re family here,” but stand aloof are hypocrites. Leaders nod with knowing [.].

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7 Secrets to Leading Through Turbulence

Leadership Freak

I chartered a sailboat for our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. It was clear, sunny, and we could see the shores of St. Croix, when the captain invited me to “take the helm.” Even a former farm boy can steer the boat in calm waters. I felt more important than I was. But… Leaders matter most during [.].

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Is Training the Right Solution?

Speaker: Tim Buteyn

Let's set the scene: you’ve identified a critical performance gap in your organization and need to close that gap. A colleague suggests training, but you suspect there’s something going on that training can’t address. How can you determine if training is the right solution before you commit your budget and resources to a new training program? In this webinar, you will learn how to determine if training is the right solution using the Behavior Engineering Model.

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I Felt Like a Leader But I Wasn’t

Leadership Freak

'Carry-on bags are stowed “below” in small planes where overhead storage is small. After landing, passengers line the jet bridge waiting for their luggage. Most contact friends or chat. People in the back can’t see. Bags pile up. Nobody does anything. I decided to take matters in hand by holding bags up and calling out [.].

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The Most Awkward Leadership Topic

Leadership Freak

'You got to the end of your rope because you feel misunderstood and uncared for. You serve, understand, and support others. Who serves, understands, and supports you? I’m not asking, “Who finishes tasks for you?” I’m asking, “Who supports you as a person?” Alone: You’re alone because: You pretend you don’t need others. Those around [.].

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How to Break Destructive Patterns

Leadership Freak

'Those who can’t or won’t see patters are doomed to repeat the past. Ignore patterns and yesterday’s decisions become tomorrow’s destiny. “Patterns, not problems, will ruin your business.” Dr. Henry Cloud Pattern recognition may be the least discussed and most neglected leadership skill. Yet, pattern recognition informs plans, enables innovation, and empowers decision making.

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Ten Ways to Gain Initiative by Giving Authority

Leadership Freak

'Image source by ??????? ???????? Ineffective leaders seize and hoard authority; successful leaders give it. Those who cling to authority loose it. Those who give authority gain authority. Authority is permission to act without permission. Control freaks never inspire initiative. The more they control the less initiative – acting without permission – others take.

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Revitalizing Dry Content: A Lesson in Engagement

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

We’ve all been there. You’ve been given a pile of dry content and asked to create a compelling eLearning course. You’re determined to create something more engaging than the same old course that learners quickly click through, but how do you take this “boring” content and create something relevant and engaging? Many instructional designers will say, “Boring in means boring out.

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Six Steps to Energy

Leadership Freak

'Leaders correct too much and affirm too little. Hold monthly affirmation sessions. Here’s how. Invite one key player to an affirmation sessions for the sole purpose of encouragement. Be prepared. You do this so little it may freak them out. First, clarify mission, vision, and values. Second, honor their admirable qualities, outstanding service, consistency of character, [.].

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Books for Leadership Freaks

Leadership Freak

'Leaders are learners. When I’m asked for book recommendations, I always ask, “Have you read, “The Leadership Challenge,” by Kouzes and Posner. Recently read and recommended: The Secret of Teams Culture Secret Focus Leadership and the Art of the Struggle The Outstanding Organization Boundaries for Leaders On the shelf and recommended: Full Steam Ahead The [.].

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From Tantrums to Leadership

Leadership Freak

'Image source by by Piotr Siedlecki Weak, fearful leaders are like unrully two year olds. They create messes and throw tantrums. Undeveloped, incompetent leaders are “takers” who believe followers exist to serve them Weak leaders take: Control. All micro-managers are fearful. Power. Weak leaders fill their need for power by dis-empowering others.

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The Proven Path to Leadership

Leadership Freak

'Don’t push people into leading. Desire to lead is leadership’s first requirement. If they don’t desire leadership, step away. Reluctant leaders are burdens to colleagues, followers, and organizations. If they desire leadership but feel anxiety, don’t worry! Desire includes anxiety. But, you should worry if they don’t. Follow the desire to lead; face anxiety as you [.].

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Brain Fog HQ: Memory Enhancement Techniques for Professional Development

Speaker: Chester Santos – Author, International Keynote Speaker, Executive Coach, Corporate Trainer, Memory Expert, U.S. Memory Champion

In October, scientists discovered that 75% of patients who experienced brain fog had a lower quality of life at work than those who did not. At best, brain fog makes you slower and less efficient. At worst, your performance and cognitive functions are impaired, resulting in memory, management, and task completion problems. In this entertaining and interactive presentation, Chester Santos, "The International Man of Memory," will assist you in developing life-changing skills that will greatly enha

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How to Avoid Failing Successfully

Leadership Freak

'If busy equals success, you’ve arrived. But, the busier you are the easier it is to forget what matters. Hectic leaders are distracted leaders. Leaders without focus succeed at what doesn’t matter. Busy leaders get results but ruin relationships, for example. Achieving results without building relationships is the formula for short-term success and long-term disaster.

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When Your Heart Let’s Others Down

Leadership Freak

'Negative environments are built by negative leaders. Organizations reflect their leaders. All leaders influence attitudes and behaviors. The people closest to you reflect you. If you aren’t influencing, you’re not leading. (Take this as a general principle not a moral absolute. Some people stay positive inspite of you.) Rude in other’s eyes: Rushing makes you rude.

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Isolated Leadership: Dangers and Solutions

Leadership Freak

'Two exclusive leadership development opportunities at the end of this post. First, don’t miss today’s live call with Dr. Cloud. Plus, leave a comment on today’s post to become eligible for one of two complimentary “Boundaries for Leaders” packages! ($146 value) Isolated leaders inevitably run down, grow ineffective, and become irrelevant.

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All’s Well that Begins Well

Leadership Freak

'This note arrived from a young leader: I’m spearheading some interdepartmental activities with the goal of more open communication and increased relationships between departments. Could you suggest some good resources? Would you consider posting a question on your Facebook page? Reply: You’re asking the wrong questions. Leaders often rush to fix painful symptoms before defining [.].

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When Teammates Collide

Leadership Freak

'Forward-focused teammates clash with foot-draggers. But, foot-draggers aren’t the problem. My approach to an opportunity is grab it and go. Planning isn’t high on my list. I know it’s important but can’t we plan as we go. “Just do something” is my motto. Build the airplane in the air. “Just do something people” drive planners crazy. [.].

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Learning From Boston

Kevin Eikenberry

'Monday afternoon a nation’s collective consciousness focused on one of the grand cities of our country. During a day of celebration, horror happened. This short piece isn’t meant to make light of or lessen the pain and problems caused by Monday’s events, but it does give us a glimpse into human behavior that we as [.].

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How Leaders Must View Opportunity

Kevin Eikenberry

'124 years today, something amazing and historic happened. The United States government made about 2 million acres of public land in Oklahoma available to homestead. Here’s how it worked. Starting at noon April 22, 1889, legal settlers could claim lots up to 160 acres. If the settler lived on the land and improved it, they [.].

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Thinking About Leadership Style

Kevin Eikenberry

The topic of leadership style is an important one, and one that usually comes up as I teach leadership to groups everywhere. Sometimes the phrase “leadership style” itself isn’t mentioned, and yet it is underneath many conversations, questions, and even excuses (I’ll get to that in a bit). My goal today is to share some [.].

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Helping New Leaders Succeed From The Start

Kevin Eikenberry

'Every day, someone gets promoted to be “the boss.” Often, they get promoted from within a team to lead a team of former peers and friends. This is a situation fraught with challenge and offering great opportunity. I’m not alone in recognizing the challenges. My friend, Mike Figliuolo, conducted an unscientific poll here asking about awkward [.].

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Decide Already!

Kevin Eikenberry

'In the leadership workshops I teach, decision making always comes up. In the consulting and coaching I do, I see the habits and approaches of leaders around decision making. While some people are quite proficient at decision making, more are proficient at not making a decision. Indecision. I see it everywhere, and it is hurting [.].

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