People - the Asset

I love Hugh McLeod - his art is uber-cool & his words always make me think.

Working with client that have teams, I am sometimes hard-pressed to understand that they cannot grasp the dollar investment they are making in their people right from the moment of putting together a job description, right through the recruiting process to the actual on boarding of the new team member.

While it is an investment of time and money, the lack of importance placed on this key process completely goes against my grain.  If I would like build an engaged workforce, I have to work at engaging them - this is my job first, and then their job as they become part of the team.

No matter what business or organization we lead, our connection to our end user (people) is usually through our people.  Understanding the value of the relationships our people build can only enhance the value they add to our business - meaning we need to attribute this value to them.

How do you do this?  Here are some thoughts:

• be clear about expectations and provide real-time feedback on a regular (no less than monthly) basis
• plan to grow them as you grow yourself and your business
• be honest - sometimes the culture fit is not there - find a fit
• take time to hire, move quickly to end relationships that are not working
• have a people plan - for today, tomorrow and next year
• seek feedback from the team, listen to it and work to change
• onboard well with frequent check-ins to verify learning and developing engagement
• don't compromise - your gut knows what is working & what is not

How are you protecting/caring for & engaging your people assets?

May Brave

This has been an eventful month.....and it has no end in sight!
Leading a large group through a development day challenged me to new levels.
It was great!

Up to this point, I was feeling somewhat insecure about the expected outcomes.  I guess I had not recognized the amount of credible and deliverable work that supported the day that was way out of my realm of control.  I was/am truly grateful for the execution.

So here it is....I learned so much that day - I may have had to pretend to be ON at some points during that day....to be BRAVE, even when I was worried and stressed - I tried my best to keep it to myself.

Here it is:

• I got out of the way - letting others do what they needed to do was easy because they understood the vision we created and cast together.
• I let it happen -  if a glitch arose, we tackled it.
• I gave in to the experts - when others asked to help, I said 'sure'.
• I checked in - spent time visiting and acknowledging and listening
• It was about them - even though the sentences here start with 'I' (that's my personal learning), the day was about the attendees and what they could receive from the speakers, the connections and the time.

And guess what....with the thought that this would be the last event of this nature that I host....I will move on to host another next year.  I will continue to get comfortable with being uncomfortable - that is what leadership is & what it does.

What have you learned in your leadership journey this month?  Happy to have you share it here.

What is Happy?

Lots has been said about happy.  Do you know what it means to you?
More importantly, do you know what it means to your team?
Each member of your team interprets this word differently - and some don't even equate happy with state of being, but only with a smile on their face.

How do you focus on happy?  How do you bring joy to work, play & home with you?
Happy is a key factor in engagement & retention.
Happy is a key factor in mental health.
Happy is a key factor in success.
Happy is a key factor in self-confidence & self-esteem.
Happy leads to kindness.
Happy takes gratefulness.
Happy can be all it needs to be.

The wonderful thing about happy is this.....it is whatever we want it to be, and as we grow, learn and change so does our happy.

Your job for today - look for happy as it happens.  Happy is about perspective and experience.
Tell me about your happy.

Relationships in the Real World

Today takes leadership to a whole new level.  Leadercast is out there, worldwide for all to see.
This is a day I look forward to every year - even though it is the most stressful one of my life each time.

The power of people coming together to learn more about themselves and create the heartbeat of community around leadership is inspiring and really honours the focus that each and every one of the participants on this day bring to the table.

They are courageous and curious.
They are open-minded and willing.
They are passionate and ready.

They are forging new bonds and building relationships with like-minded individuals.

I am grateful.

I am happy.

I am blessed.

Thank you for being a part of my life.

Spark(le)

We all have it.  That little spark.
The one that becomes what we are know for in all of our circles. It is our star.

As a leader this becomes that one thing that you say or do; it serves to inspire others; it becomes the touchstone of who you are and why you do what you do?

This sparkle can also be known as your personal brand - it is that one thing that gets you 'fired-up!'.  It is that one thing that you will not compromise.  It is that one thing, that even on the most difficult day, when you think about it, you can still smile.  Your team knows that this is your go-to in tough times and it is what you measure success against.

What is your spark?  What makes you sparkle?
How do you define it?
What do you do with it?
How do you help other showcase their spark?