Lead From Here

Anytime you are managing someone that hasn't had a job (or a professional job), it can be a unique kind of challenge. You aren't only teaching them how to do the tactical pieces of the job correctly, you are also teaching them how to behave in a workplace, expectations of how to grow in your career (you aren't just waiting for a year or two to get promoted) and how to carry themselves in a team setting.

There are a lot of variables that come with this unique challenge and one of those are the aspirations of that individual. A lot of people that have never had a job before don't understand the time it takes to build a career...so they will come in and expect the world and fast promos and lots of money. It's your job to show them the path to success, set realistic milestones on that path when they can expect to get promoted or pay bumps and then help them walk that path. It's also important to show them how they are diverging from the path.

I recall a person I worked with at one point that wanted to be like the best developer we had at our company...I laid out the path and what that would look like and they quickly realized they didn't want to work that much or hard. So we created a much more realistic path and that was the path they started down. Helping them understand the different routes one can take to success allows them to make the decision that most fits the lifestyle they want.

Just remember that there is a base level of focus, growth and effort an individual has to put in to be a successful, contributing member of the team...and if that doesn't fit their lifestyle, they need to change their lifestyle or change companies.

I hope this is helpful, thanks for being here! Reach out for questions or comments!

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Leading by example is one of the easiest ways to build trust. If you don't ask your team to do anything you wouldn't do, they immediate respect and trust you more, knowing that you will sit in the mud with them when shit hits the fan.

This doesn't have to be a complicated task either...most of the time, it's just showing up. If they are being asked to stay late, stay late with them, order them dinner, be in the mud with them. If they are being asked to take on more, find ways to protect their time more or step in an help take a little bit of that extra load where possible.

The main goal is to show them that you care and that you aren't there to just tell them what to do, you are there to support and work right alongside them. You are not "In Charge" they are "in YOUR Charge"...which means it's up to you to take care of them.

I hope this is helpful, thanks for being here! Reach out for questions or comments!
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Leading teams through good times is a topic that most people feel, probably doesn't need to be covered. Times are good, pipelines are full, budgets are solid, teams are probably at a good size, work is getting done...life is good right? So why do we need to focus so much on leadership?

Good times can be a time of progress, innovation and growth...but only if we lead effectively through this time. Just because things are going well, doesn't mean it's time to take your foot off the gas. Set big hairy audacious goals, push your teams to grow and learn, push everyones boundaries...not because we have to, but because it's important to keep everyone sharp and their skills honed.

Whether people want to admit it right now or not, business and markets are very cyclical, so there will be a tough time at some point in the future...continuing to push hard now, will take the sting of the next hard time down a couple notches. Whether you innovated to create new revenue from a different part of the market, or you increased efficiency in a core process that allows you to get more done faster...those wins in times of prosper will lead to greater stability in times of drought.

It's not easy to keep on top of teams when things are going so well...but it's important for the long term strategy of your business and more specifically your teams!

I hope this is helpful, thanks for being here! Reach out for questions or comments!
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Whether you are a leader of teams, leader of a group or a leader of a project...title or no title, your To-Do list will never truly be done.
Your new job as a leader, outside of taking care of your people, is understanding the context of the business/team/project/product current needs and prioritizing the work, your to-do list, etc to match that current need. Like it or not, your most technical task on a daily basis as a leader is managing your to-do list. Prioritizing, re-prioritizing, de-prioritizing, dropping things, adding things and everywhere in between.

Your job isn't to complete you list, that isn't possible...your job is to make sure that your To-Do list matches the current climate in the business and you are working towards the most important things on the list TODAY. That doesn't mean ignore the future, that is another topic for another episode, but you can't be long term strategic all the time. You have to balance long term strategy, with action based on the immediate need of the business/team.
It's a lot to manage and can weigh on you a bit, especially if you are a person that loves to complete your To-Do list everyday. You can find ways to set yourself up to have a daily focused To-Dos...but there isn't ever really a world where you are "Done" and wondering what to do next.

I hope this is helpful, thanks for being here! Reach out for questions or comments!

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Excutive Presence is a business term that is thrown around a lot. It sounds like a big deal, it sounds like something that is very ethereal...like you are either born with it or you aren't. The reality is, it's a very tactical, practical understanding of how you carry yourself, the words you choose, the speed at which you talk and efficiency of your communication.

Anyone that has spent anytime around a c-suite leader in a large company knows that, unless it's over dinner or cocktails, they aren't there to waste time and listen to someone talk for the hell of it. They are there to get the job done, which means, get the information, make a decision and move on to the next one. That is why it isn't just how you sound or the words you choose. It's the whole package. Speak with a consistent even tone, make sure your topic is concise (verbally or via email/slack/etc) with a clear problelm statement, ask and potential solution if you have it...and lastly make sure that still sound like yourself.

One other fun will side note, that a lot of people ignore...don't talk to your people (or peers) the same way you talk to your executives. It will make you seem unapproachable, which will make people feel more hesitant to be open and talk freely with you.

Executive presence is important to nail if you want to climb into higher levels of leadership, but at the end of the day, it's more important be yourself and know your weaknesses, than it is to pretend to be somoene you aren't.

Thanks for being here! Reach out for questions or comments!

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Let's be honest, your words ALWAYS matter. As a leader, they matter just as much, but the impact can be exponentially greater than on an individual basis.

The words you choose, can inpsire, electrify, motivate, tear down, build up, anger, calm, etc...it's up to you to decide how you want to show up for your people. We as leadersare responsible for the words of our voice and I promise you that your people will hold you to what you say. With that, it's very important to have a very clear picture on what you intend to say.

This is never more important than a difficult conversation. Whether it's a coaching situation, a hard topic discussion or a performance improvement plan situation...your words can have very disastorous consequences if you aren't careful. If you choose vague words, or qualifying words, the weight of the message could get lost and people won't know exactly where they stand. Which could put you as a leader in a tough spot because you may think you told them they were going to lose their job if they don't change, but your words led them to believe it was just a warning.

When HR gets involved and they follow up with the individual and they didn't understand the severity of the situation...it can look bad on you as a leader and can also hinder that persons ability to overcome whatever is in front of them. Be concise, be clear and be canderous with them.

You might be wondering...how do I not say the wrong thing? First off, we all make mistakes and say things in ways we don't intend, it's part of our growth as a leader. With the being said, there are ways to improve your chances of saying the right things. Have a plan, role play that plan and if you don't have someone to role play with, talk to yourself in the mirror...it may sound silly, but hearing yourself say the words out loud can be a great way to make sure they make sense and sound correct.

Saying the wrong thing will happen, when it does, own it and learn from it. That is the best way to ensure you continue to improve.

Thanks for being here! Reach out for questions or comments!

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Managing up is an interesting topic. A lot of people don't realize they are doing it when they do it. Anytime you are taking information to your leader to help drive a project, topic or situation forward...you are managing up.

Let's get this out of the way...this is not an opportunity to manipulate or be shady. This should be a mutually beneficial relationship between two people. Managing up, allows you to support the person, who in the right setup, will in return help support you. Their growth is usually the catalyst for growth of their team.

How exactly do you manage up? Be your leader's eyes and ears in the teams, cross functionaly and in conversations with their leaders. Listen for opportunities for them to step in, be proactive or flat out take over. Help them understand the context of situations, give them information about what is happening in the teams, upcoming issues, whatever information that helps them be in the know and effective...allowing THEM to manage up effectively.
Managing up can be a great place when you have a leader you trust, if you do, lean on them and let them lean on you...you will be amazed at all the amazing things you can get done

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This topic is a fun one, because it will usually ruffle some feathers and it's USUALLY (not always) people, that don't value a healthy culture. They are more focused on bottom line, just getting the job done and the immediate outcomes. Those people won't be able to see the long term damage someone that is a poor culture fit, could actually overtime put the project/product/company at risk.

Why would a top performer be anything but a positive for a project/product/company? When they are a poor culture fit, it can stunt the growth of the people around the top performer. It can make people leave, which creates high churn in the team, which puts you as a leader at risk...because if the top performer decides to move on, you are now left with a bunch of people that are either brand new, or have been there for a long time, but have checked out to stay out of the way of the poor culture fit.

The absolute worst case, the poor culture fit actually changes the direction of the culture of your teams. Then it makes it difficult to get people into the company and the few people that do join, will be fast to leave. It's up to you as a leader to protect your culture at all costs...that doesn't mean immediately cut a poor culture fit. It's a coaching opportuntiy and you should be stepping up and coaching the poor culture fit. If you coach well and they don't turn, then it's your job to move them out.

This is a very volatile topic and even people in your company will argue to keep a top performer at all costs...but the reality is, in the long run...if they won't change, it's better to move them on.

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The leadership table is the place where you grow leaders...both current and up and coming leaders!

I learned about the leadership table while I was reading The Leaders Greatest Return, a book by John Maxwell! If you haven't read it, it's a GREAT read, I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone that is leadership and looking to grow as a leader and grow your leaders.

The point of the leadership table is to give your leaders a place to interact, be vulnerable, learn from each other. It also gives people interested in leadership a place to come get a taste of what being a leader looks like. The main focus of the leadership table is to talk about daily, very tactical issues, questions and strategy. There is a place for longer term learning and growth, but the immediate main goal is to unlock real time, tactical solutions to issues!

The leadership table can be weekly, monthly or however often that works for your team...but for your leadership core, you NEED to do it. Check out The Leaders Greatest Return!

Thanks for being here! Reach out for questions or comments!

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People are usually afraid of the word failure. We hear about failure a lot. We are taught at a very young age to not fail, whether that is homework, tests, sports or childhood responsibilities. It's no wonder that as adults we are so afraid of failure.

As you become a leader, there are plenty of opportunities to fail. If you are a leader and you aren't at risk of failing SOMEWHERE in your professional life...there is a good chance you aren't growing and your teams aren't operating at peak efficiency. Solid, effectiv, impactful leadership is walking a fine line between burnout and flow, failure and success. Sometimes you will crush it. Sometimes you will fail.

The important part is that you are constantly learning from those failures and missteps. If you are doing that, you and your teams will continue to grow and absolutely crush whatever is put in front of you, regardless of the failures.

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