In times of high stress, we want fast answers.  As leaders we feel the pressure be decisive.  But fast is not always best, and can sometimes lead us deeper into trouble. 

What we need is rapid deliberation.  With a little help from Wyatt Earp, and people who jump out of airplanes for a living, here’s what I think that means, and how we can put it to work for us.

Notes and Resources:

• Prefer to read?  Here’s the full post:  Rapid Deliberation: 7 Ways to Hit the Target While Under Stress
• In The Slow Fix Carl Honore digs even more deeply into how to be deliberately rapid.
• For more on what to do when crisis hits, check out:  How to Respond to Crisis:  Four Steps for Leaders
• Well-written The After Action Reviews  are a great resource to help leaders anticipate potential problems and prepare for their likelihood.
  
  

Quotable: 

“Fast is fine, but accuracy is final.  You must learn to be slow in a hurry.”  - Wyatt Earp

“Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”  - U.S. Army Jumpmaster adage

“’The action that follows deliberation should be quick, but deliberation should be slow.”  - Aristotle

“Haste trips up its own heels.”  - Michel de Montaigne

Related posts: 

Team Leadership: 4 Simple Steps to Getting Stuff Done

Are you Contagious? 3 Ways to Manage your Emotional Message

11 Key Rehearsal Techniques to Keep Your Plan From Getting Torpedoed

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‘Set and forget’ leadership:  Hand off the task as fast as possible, move on to other things.  It’s what we tend to do when we’re in a hurry, but the biggest speed advantage this approach confers may be how quickly it can get us into trouble.  Here’s a way to think about how to delegate that task we’ve cooked up so that things function smoothly in the kitchen, and nobody gets burned.

Notes and Resources:

• Prefer to read?  Here’s the full post:  ‘Set and Forget’ Leadership: How to Delegate So You Won’t Get Burned
• Like so many of his books, Malcolm Gladwell’s What the Dog Saw is both and entertaining and informative look into the quirks of being human.
• Check out Delegate or Die and how to delegate for a deeper dive behind the idea of why we need to delegate, even if we can do the task best.
• For a detailed look at how to conduct an after-action review, read The After Action Review:  A Leader’s Guide – it gives a blow-by-blow approach to what to do before, during, and after the big event so that each time you keep getting better.
   

Quotable: 

“If it happened in our kitchen, our fingers are scorched; we have to own it.”  - Ken Downer

“Micromanaging our teammates can erode trust and foster disengagement almost as fast as blame-shifting can.”  - Ken Downer

“’Set and forget’ is now way to run a kitchen, not if we want to avoid sullen chefs and dissatisfied diners.”  - Ken Downer

Related posts: 

Micromanagement: 7 Signs You’re a Micromanager and What to Do About It

Getting Down in the Trenches: Tips for Taking Over

Mind the Gap: 9 Ways to Close the Trust Gap on Your Team

Stay connected with Rapidstart Leadership

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Thanks for listening, and Lead On!

Want to achieve your goals?  Don’t listen to the marketers…

We are continually bombarded by messages that to cater to, and encourage, our short attention span. There is no shortage of “life hacks,” quick-fix remedies, and promises of miraculous overnight success.  Like a blow from Thor’s mighty hammer, we’re led to expect quick resolution to our problems, and rapid attainment of our goals.

But something I saw recently reminded me that most of that is not helpful.  When it comes to achieving your goals, there is a better approach you can employ. This may be best explained using an oddly shaped chunk of apple tree.

Notes and Resources:

• Prefer to read?  Here’s the full post:  Big Hammer or Small Blade? What it Really Takes to Achieve Your Goals
• Here’s a short video of craftsman Matt Jordan turning a burled apple tree limb into a beautiful coffee mug.
• Here’s the slow motion video of what is really happening with every turn of the spindle, thanks to Bailey Woodworks.
• Here’s a short description of the Habit Cycle and how you can use it to help you stick to your plan.
• For more skills to help you achieve your goals, be sure to check out my Goal Setting Mastery Course to help you build the habits that will turn your future into the one you envision.
   

Quotable: 

“Progress is not measured in a few giant swings of a hammer but in thousands of little chips from a blade.”  - Ken Downer

“Focus small instead of big.  Know that every tiny little bit matters, and all those little bits can add up to something amazing.”  - Ken Downer

“Missing a day is like working with dull tools or a saw with missing teeth; it’s going to take longer and the outcome may not be as good; steady persistence is a multiplier.”  - Ken Downer

“One great workout will not win a race. 30-40 good workouts strung together in close proximity is what wins races!”  - Lionel Sanders, Professional Triathlete

Related posts: 

How to Communicate the Vision: Striking the Right Chord

3 Ways to Keep Going When the Going Gets Tough

Why I Resolve to do Nothing Next Year

Stay connected with Rapidstart Leadership

• Visit the site at https://www.rapidstartleadership.com/
• Tweet us at @RapidStartLdr
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Thanks for listening, and Lead On!

Not all leadership situations are the same.  Sometimes the way ahead is clear to all, and leading is easy.  But it’s when the storms roll in and the path is obscured that leaders earn their keep.  These are the lighthouse leadership moments that matter the most.  With the help of a story of amazing bravery, here’s what that means, and how to keep your team on course even on the darkest nights.

Notes and Resources:

• Prefer to read?  Here’s the full post:  Lighthouse Leadership: How to Lead Your Team When the Storm Hits
• For more detail on this story, here’s a description of the wreck of the Madeira from the Minnesota Historical Society
• Bob Tiede’s great question is to ask, “How can we do this in a way that will guarantee failure?”  Here’s about that from his web site, Leading With Questions
   

Quotable: 

“Leaders talk about values to live by, and leaders live by the values they talk about.”  - Ken Downer

“Lighthouse leadership shines brightest when it is darkest.”  - Ken Downer

“Build the lighthouse before you need it.”  - Ken Downer

Related posts: 

Cornerstone of Leadership: What’s Yours?For more on how choose cornerstone values

How to Build Team Culture From the Ground Up

Positive Feedback – Catch them Doing Something Right

Stay connected with Rapidstart Leadership

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Thanks for listening, and Lead On!

What’s the best revenge against someone who has done us wrong?  The answer might surprise you, but it has everything to do with what makes a leader.

Notes and Resources:

• Prefer to read?  Here’s the full post:  The Best Revenge: What to Do When Someone Does Us Wrong
• Here’s a short, fun video of matches going off in a chain reaction in the form of a volcano.   Don’t try this at home!
• For more diversion, here’s a short video of a triple spiral of dominoes falling
• For a brief but interesting history of America’s most famous family grudge match, check out “The Hatfield & McCoy Feud” on History.com.
  
  

Quotable: 

“When the answer to a wrong is another wrong, things don’t get better; often they only become worse.”  - Ken Downer

“The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.”  - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“A good leader is the match that keeps its cool, the domino that refuses to fall, the control rod in the reactor absorbing atomic fragments, not spewing them out.”  - Ken Downer

Related posts: 

Restoring Faith in Humanity One Act at a Time

Leaders Go First: The Surprising Impact of Making the First Move

Herd Mentality: What We Can Learn About Leadership From Ancient Americans

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Hyperbolic discounting may sound like a super-charged holiday sales technique, but in reality, it’s a phenomenon that leaves us vulnerable to making poor impulse choices and sabotaging our goals.  Here’s what it is, and seven ways to turn this dangerous penchant into a tool to help us make smart decisions. 

Notes and Resources:

• Prefer to read?  Here’s the full post:  Hyperbolic Discounting and 7 Ways to Prevent Self-Sabotage
• For more of the fascinating research behind this concept see The Economics of Immediate Gratification by Ted O’Donoghue and Matthew Rabin
• Here’s reference to the 2016 study that demonstrated the “Priming” was an effective way to reduce cognitive bias.
• Here’s the link to my Goal-Setting Mastery Course that will help you not only set good goals, but stay on track long enough to attain them.  The first several videos are free.
   

Quotable: 

“Naughty goods are sold in small packages.”  - Marketing dictum

“We are tempted to over-value options that that put things in our hands in the near-term, even though we know we’ll end up paying a greater cost down the road.”  - Ken Downer

“Since we know that our future selves are smarter about these kinds of things, we can imagine the person we want to be five years from now, and get their thoughts on what choice to make today.”  - Ken Downer

Related posts: 

Type 2 Fun: The Secret to Achieving Your Goals

Bridging the Gap to Your Goals: Building a Span That Lasts

Master the Habit Cycle and Achieve Your Goals– features a short video on how to make smart choices happen automatically.

Stay connected with Rapidstart Leadership

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Thanks for listening, and Lead On!

Self-Righteousness in the media and in my social media feed seems to have become almost as prevalent as Covid-19, driving people even farther apart than the six feet needed for safe social distancing.  So, while the scientists are searching for a medical cure to stop the pandemic, I thought I’d take a stab at addressing the symptoms of this other sickness. 

My first breakthrough:  like the stages of grief, self-righteousness seems to follow a familiar pattern. Here’s what I think the stages of self-righteousness are, and what we can do as leaders whenever we encounter someone exhibiting these symptoms.

Notes and Resources:

• Prefer to read?  Here’s the full post:  7 Stages of Self-Righteousness: Symptoms and Treatments
• The Ransperger Pivot is a useful way to discuss a topic with someone that begins by looking for points of agreement before attempting to change minds.
• For more on Benjamin Franklin’s attempts to become more humble, check out How to be Humble
  
  

Quotable: 

“Cherish those who seek the truth but beware of those who find it.”  - Voltaire

“The weaker the argument, the quicker the shift to name-calling.”  - Ken Downer

“If we all stopped talking with people we have argued with, it would be a lonely planet indeed.  - Ken Downer

Related posts: 

Leadership Tantrums – 15 Reasons to Keep Your Cool – on the harmful by-products of heated tempers and how to stay cool

The Best Revenge: What to Do When Someone Does Us Wrong

Rapid Deliberation: 7 Ways to Hit the Target While Under Stress

Stay connected with Rapidstart Leadership

• Visit the site at https://www.rapidstartleadership.com/
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How do we know if someone was a great leader?  One key is to take a hard look at their final act of leadership before they let go of the reins.  Too many would-be leaders see succession in a distorted light that invalidates any good work they may have done.  If we want to be seen as “one of the good ones” here’s how to get the focus right.

Notes and Resources:

• Prefer to read?  Here’s the full post:  The Final Act of Leadership: What Leaders Get Wrong About Succession
• Read more thoughts about Jim Collin’s book Good to Great here, or check it out on Amazon.
• Collins found that three fourths of CEOs deliberately set their successors up for failure so that they themselves would look good.
• Here’s the original video of the dropped baton; see the last 20 seconds for the slow-motion close-up.
   

Quotable: 

“Leaders who truly care about their organization and the people within it do not set them up to fail the moment they walk away.”  - Ken Downer

“If an organization soon stumbles after the leader departs, that’s not a testament to his leadership ability, it’s an indictment of it.”  - Ken Downer

“If we would be seen as great leaders, if we want our team to win, our final act of leadership is clear:  don’t drop the baton.”  - Ken Downer

"Great leaders prepare the organization to thrive even when they are no longer leading it."       - Ken Downer

Related posts: 

Who’s Your Second? Are We Really Leading, or Just in Charge?

Delegation, Part 2: What to Delegate?  Tips on how to develop your teammates through intelligent delegation.

What is Your Leadership Legacy?

Stay connected with Rapidstart Leadership

• Visit the site at https://www.rapidstartleadership.com/
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Thanks for listening, and Lead On!

Did you know that 1 + 1 + 1 does not always equal 3?  You would think that the more people on a project, the greater the output.  Sadly, that’s not always the case.  A phenomenon called Social Loafing leads some team members to do the minimum possible.  They drag down group productivity like a boat anchor.  Today we’ll look at why social loafing happens, and six ways you can be sure to get the best effort from everyone.

Notes and Resources:

• Prefer to read?  Here’s the full post:  Stop Social Loafing: 6 Ways to Get Everyone Working
• Here’s the original article about Max Ringleman’s findings.
•  Social loafing is the tendency for people to exert less effort when they are part of a group than when they are by themselves.
• For how to harness social pressures to build a higher-performing group, check out Secrets of Social Facilitation:  Putting the Audience to Work
• Reasons for social loafing can relate to group size, goal achievability, goal value, goal low-balling, skill differential within the group, and the “Sucker Effect.”
   

Quotable: 

“The larger the group, the greater the tendency to slack off.”  - Ken Downer

“Good leaders do their best to prevent a competition for ‘who’s best at doing the least.’”  - Ken Downer

“Potential ‘loafers’ will be more likely to contribute if they believe they will be found out.”  - Ken Downer

“Peers may be in the best position to assess who’s pulling their weight.”  - Ken Downer

Related posts: 

SMART Goals: How to be SMART about Goal-Setting

They Do This in Church, Too? 9 Ways Getting Constructive Feedback is a Game-Changer

How to Get Kicked Out of Leadership School: The Spotlight Leader

Stay connected with Rapidstart Leadership

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There’s a tool sitting on our leadership work bench that often goes neglected.  Yet it has the power to increase our team’s efforts, raise their spirits, and improve performance.  As a bonus, it takes very little time, is easy to use, costs almost nothing, and comes in unlimited supply.  What is it, you may ask?   It’s praise, and today we’ll talk about five ways you can give praise that motivates, inspires, and possibly even changes lives.

Notes and Resources:

• Prefer to read?  Here’s the full post:  In Praise of Praise: 5 Ways to Enhance the Power of Your Appreciation
• The longer we wait to praise, the less meaning it has
• Saying, “Good job” is not enough.  Praise is more impactful if it is specific; when we can say specifically what was noteworthy, we increase the chance that the person will do it again.
• Praise that comes through the chain of command reinforces that chain and strengthens cultural values at the same time.
   

Quotable: 

“Praise it has the power to increase our team’s efforts, raise their spirits, and improve performance.  As a bonus, it takes very little time, is easy to use, costs almost nothing, and comes in unlimited supply.”  - Ken Downer

“Putting praise in ink enhances its value and impact.”  - Ken Downer

Related posts: 

How to Build Team Culture From the Ground Up

Positive Feedback – Catch them Doing Something Right

Crutch Phrases That Weaken Our Leadership

Stay connected with Rapidstart Leadership

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Thanks for listening, and Lead On!