Procrastination is a way of handling stress. Have you ever thought of it like that? Much like any other habit, it has a trigger, an action and a result. Read on and see if this sounds familiar – you sit down at your desk to start the workday and remember the voicemail left on your machine at the end of day yesterday from an angry client wanting you to call them back. Your brain immediately goes into stress mode and decides to first check your inbox to see if anything else important is happening has come through, and before you know it, it’s your lunch break and you still haven’t tackled that important phone call.

Have you had an experience like this before? Yeah, me too. More often than not, procrastination is the response to some type of stress, and triggers us to find something else more enjoyable. The good news is that as we recognize our triggers and decide ahead of time how we’re going to handle those moments of stress we can get closer to tackling those obstacles faster and avoid the black hole of procrastination.

3-Steps To Overcoming Procrastination

1. Only touch it once.

I have a rule for myself in my inbox. If it takes less than 2 minutes, I respond immediately. If it’s going to take more time, I respond letting them know when I’ll get a chance to work on what they’ve asked. The key here is to only touch each email once. Either respond immediately, trash it, or put it on your calendar.

2. Break it into 10-minute steps.

In my experience, putting a giant task on my calendar that has 4 or more steps involved, (or worse- you don’t even know what the steps are!) tends to get procrastinated the most often because I don’t even know where to start. In situations such as these, I like to break out the steps into smaller to-do items. That way each task feels easier to tackle and gives me a faster feeling of accomplishment. If I’m not sure where to start, I’ll make that the first task – “Figure out the steps for Project X.” This helps relieve some of the stress and makes the big task easier to take action on.

3. Put it on your calendar

Last but certainly not least, PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR! Not only is a great way to stay organized, but it’s also a simple and free way to organize tasks by priority. My calendar is color coordinated, depending on low, medium and high priority tasks. When tasks are added to my daily calendar, I’m constantly moving them around as some things take less time, and others take longer. It’s also helpful when you do get those last minute requests to be able to quickly see everything you have on your calendar for the day and how time sensitive the task is.  Oh, and if you have more than one calendar, combine them!  One calendar, no confusion.

The hardest part is always the first step; in fact, we know from science that if we can just take the first step, 80% of people keep going. So make a new habit and take action right away. You’ll find you get a lot more done in the day when you start managing your time by kicking procrastination out of your everyday routine.

Time Management is critical when it comes to effectively achieving our goals. It becomes an even more powerful tool when it comes to leadership. When we are properly managing our time, we notice that the benefits start rolling in! Decreased stress, increased opportunities and a strong feeling of accomplishment, to name a few!

I have a good friend whom I love dearly.  She is the kindest, sweetest person you’ll ever meet. but she can’t say no.  She’ll start out her day prepared to work on a project, then someone will ask her to do something that is not her responsibility to do, and she will say yes and start doing it.  She becomes derailed from what she started off doing.  Then while she’s doing the second thing someone will ask her to do something else and she will get side-tracked with that.  And so goes her day, trying to please everyone and never actually pleasing anyone.  She comes off as flaky because she says she will do something and doesn’t.  All that action goes on without her ever accomplishing anything, and that time-wasting is costly.

Undoubtedly the cost of time can’t be ignored in situations such as budgeting out projects and tasks, and the more successful a person becomes, the more valuable their time becomes. A shift needs to occur in every leader’s life, from taking every opportunity for experience and goodwill, and instead handpicking the projects and tasks that hold the most weight. This is when the word ‘no’ turns from being a negative and becomes more comparable to a super-power; a definitive positive in every leaders book.

3 Mindsets For Success

1. Perspective

It may not always be easy to say no, especially when getting caught up in other’s created sense of urgency. I’ve found that often, urgency has less to do with immediate needs and more to do with managing expectations.

Saying no puts you in the seat of power when it comes to spending your time. Think back to the many times before when you’ve said yes to others, wasting preciously budgeted time on solving someone else’s problems as opposed to accomplishing YOUR goals. When you say yes to others, you are, in fact, saying no to yourself.

2. Necessity 

Some personalities will have a difficult time saying no, but it’s important to acknowledge that it’s not selfish to say no. Saying no is a necessary part of leadership and time management, and a lesson every successful individual needs to learn. It’s a choice to determine the budget of your time and where to spend it the most wisely. When you are effective at time management, you’ll develop an awareness of the difference between helping others (and budgeting time to do so), and being sidetracked from your goals. Remember, it’s not being mean when you say “no,” rather it’s a choice to say YES to your goals and stick to your plan.

3. Boundaries

Many leaders who haven’t learned the power of “no” still struggle with the establishment of boundaries and will continue to struggle in achieving their goals. Both co-workers and employees alike will develop a greater respect for you when clear boundaries are established.

If you find that your time is being eaten up and you’re struggling to say no, try setting up daily sprint meetings or “huddles” at the beginning or end of the day for the team to get together to ask questions and give updates. Make sure that you’re completely present for those 15 minutes daily, and the rest of the day is blocked off for you to work on your goals! If daily meetings don’t work, we suggest weekly or monthly one-on-ones with your team members.  Think of these meetings as problem prevention or interruption reduction time.  Your people will enjoy the personal attention and mentorship from their leader, and you’ll enjoy the boundaries of an interruption-free workday.

How To Say No

The thought of saying a blunt “NO” seems to make us cringe.  We don’t want to be a jerk, do we?  But we don’t need to be blunt.  Here are a few soft phrases that all mean “no”:

• I wish I could help you with that but unfortunately, I can’t.
• It sounds like you’re really dealing with an urgent situation. I’ve got one or two of those going on myself right now.
• I plan my schedule at least two days in advance and I’m booked solid. If you can give me at least two days notice I hope to be able to help you in the future.
• You know, that’s not within my area of expertise or responsibility. I suggest you ask       .
• I would love to get that done for you, boss. Which of these other projects would you like me to stop in order to do that?

Take Action!

Is your team struggling with time management, establishing boundaries, or setting clear, actionable goals? You’re in luck! Lighthouse Leadership is now offering free Lunch & Learn programs for qualifying businesses! There are 32 dynamic and engaging workshop topics to choose from. Check out Mastering Personal Productivity to discover how discipline and structure in your schedule give you control, freedom, and work/life balance. Contact us now to learn more and see what quality leadership training can do for your business!

Trust is a key attribute that we rely on every single day, whether we recognize it or not. It’s the confidence that we place in others that guide our daily interactions and allows us to believe that they mean what they say.

Research suggests that the core elements of trust include integrity, competence, and compassion (Preston Pond, Roger Allen, 2012). While not all three of these aspects may be equally important in all situations, in order to foster healthy and productive relationships, all three aspects must be present in the development of a trust bond.

Real Life Example

I recently worked with a team of 24 in a highly technical branch of a national organization. Many team members could be described affectionately as “nerds” who love their technical work about as much or more than they love people. The team had created a culture of avoidance when it came to differences, and miscommunication was rampant. This along with false assumptions and suspicion combined to create a culture of very low trust.

The negative culture came to a head when formal accusations were made toward the branch director, who was demoted and transferred to a different branch.  This created a very clear “us versus them” mentality between those who thought the action was fair, and those who thought it was a travesty.  That’s when they brought me in.

The branch members were in full dysfunction, with many having a hard time even looking at each other, much less work together.  Some highly talented people had already left the branch and many more were preparing to.  My approach to resolving the multi-faceted conflict and re-building trust was to first, do surveys and interviews.  A trusted colleague and I interviewed everyone and identified the most common themes of the conflict.  The results were troubling and fascinating.  The troubling part was the low engagement, low respect, low trust, fear of speaking up, and suspicion between coworkers.  The fascinating part is that they still loved their work, even with the dysfunction.

The first problem with low trust is the parties don’t see each other as people, they see them according to the labels they have put on them.  To help them see each other’s perspective we held a meeting in which the results of the survey and interviews were revealed.  The goal was to have every branch member feel heard and validated.  Anonymous interview comments from each person were shown to the entire branch.  Some felt their opponents didn’t trust their ability to do the job (low trust in their competence).  Others felt like they couldn’t trust others’ words (low trust in their integrity).  Some felt their opponents’ motives were based in self-interest and were unable to consider the needs of others (low trust in their compassion).

As was told to me following the meeting, “It was a real eye-opener to hear the effect my words and actions were having on the others.”  They started to see each other as real people, with valid feelings and challenges.  For the next month, we did some additional important things to re-build trust inside that organization, but I can only describe a few of them in this article. We identified the lightning rods in the conflict – those who seemed to instigate issues and be the objects of distrust – we gave them each an emotional intelligence assessment, and we coached them one-on-one.  As a group, we established new standards of acceptable behavior that they all can expect from each other.  At the end of the month, we met again for a whole day and had a trust-building workshop. We did some cooperative activities that provided an opportunity for former opponents to have fun side-by-side and see each other as human beings, not as objects.

One person commented, “I learned that it all came back to me.  I’m responsible for my own reactions to others, and the assumptions I make.  I can choose to think, speak, and treat others better.” Through intentional effort, the culture is becoming more positive and people report enjoying coming to work again. They’re not out of the woods yet, but they’re on their way. This kind of culture change requires months of consistent effort and is some of the most important work an organization can focus on for long-term success.

The Three Aspects of Trust

Integrity

When someone is said to have integrity, it means that they continually practice honesty and consistently live their lives according to strong moral and ethical values that are important to them. When someone has high integrity, they fulfill their promises, can be counted on to keep their commitments, and are known to do the right thing, without looking for praise. They will always have the best interest of their company and their team in mind.

Demonstrate integrity to your team by avoiding gossip, giving respectful and honest feedback, and always following through on what you say you will do. If you ask them for their opinion, make suggested changes the best you can. Let your team know the process you need to take in order to make the change happen and stay transparent with the process. Few things are more damaging to trust and integrity then telling your team you will do something and never following through with it.

Competence

Competence is the ability to perform or complete a task successfully. A quick way to break the trust between two individuals, especially an employee/manager relationship, is for someone to promise something and then not be able to deliver.

Honest feedback can shape your team and provide measurable improvements to work on together. Set up regular feedback sessions and talk about not only things to be improved but ways the employee is doing well. As the line of communication is opened, you’ll find progress and relationships will improve faster than almost any other strategy.

Compassion

 One simple way to demonstrate compassion is by remembering details about your team’s personal life and asking them about it. Showing that you care about not just their work but their personal life as well will show that you care about them as a whole, not just as an employee.

Organizations Depend on Trust

Organizations are built by, and thrive on, the hard work of their employees. Individuals working within teams and interdepartmentally can only function when they can trust each other. This interdependence requires communication and collaboration, which is only successful when the information being shared is through channels built on trust. When these three aspects of trust are present, success can be achieved.

If your team is struggling with open communication, lack of follow through or overall dysfunction, a lack of trust could be the root cause. Lighthouse Leadership is now offering free Lunch & Learn programs for qualifying businesses! There are 32 dynamic and engaging workshop topics to choose from. Check out The Trust Imperative: Life-Changing Principles to find out more information on how we can emphasize the importance of trustworthiness. Contact us now to learn more and see what quality leadership training can do for your business!

Life is full of daily interactions that can lead to conflict; whether it’s at home, in the workplace, or, a personal favorite for some, in the comment section of your favorite social media platform. Everyone has patterns that emerge while engaging with conflict. These patterns have been studied and grouped into categories called “Conflict Management Styles” (CMS). When leaders take the time to study conflict management, they become more equipped to respond intentionally, even in the heat of the moment.

5 Conflict Management Styles

There are five main conflict management styles and each is best suited for different types of situations. When the improper style is used, results can be disruptive and lead to unresolved decisions, increased negative emotions, and may even foster harmful environments, especially at work.

When you’re able to match the right conflict management style to the situation at hand, the result is much more constructive and nurtures an environment of learning, growth, and respect. Mastering the ability to adapt between styles is a skill I call Situational Conflict Management.

The first step to mastering conflict management is to learn about the conflict management styles, determine which ones are best used for certain situations, and most importantly, which ones you tend to default to first. Self-awareness is key to self-improvement! Let’s dive into each of the five conflict management styles:

1. Collaboration

Collaboration, also called “cooperative problem solving,” often results in win-win outcomes. When collaborating, you typically have a high concern for self and a high concern for others. Collaboration involves working together to redefine the problem at hand and a solution that will meet each individual’s interests. This style is best used in a team environment, especially when tasked to solve a problem. Collaboration allows for open and honest communication and will require a level of vulnerability from participants as they offer solutions. When in a collaborative situation, it’s best to have an active listening mindset, encouraging participation from all members.

2. Competition

Competition involves a high concern for self and a low concern for others. Choosing a competitive conflict management style means a person is putting his or her own interests before anyone else’s. This produces a “Win-Lose” situation and tends to be a very disruptive style of conflict management. This style is useful when it comes to sports as it drives athletes to continuously be better than their competition, but can be damaging in the workplace and should generally be avoided. Individuals who default to this style can sometimes be so committed to getting what they want that they may end up ruining friendships and work relationships in the process.

3. Compromise

Compromising involves a medium concern for self and a medium concern for others. Individuals choose this style of conflict management when it is important to satisfy some of their interests, but not all of them. They are likely to “split the difference,” or agree, “something is better than nothing.” With a compromise, everyone wins something but everyone loses something as well. This conflict management style works well when a solution that satisfies all parties seems to be out of reach. Many therapists suggest compromise as a solution for relationships that are struggling to stay in sync. While both parties may not walk away winning everything they want, most can agree on a solution that meets most of their wants and will be satisfying for all parties involved.

4. Avoidance

Individuals who choose avoidance, as the name suggests, avoid getting involved in conflict altogether. They have a low concern for self and a low concern for others. Unfortunately, this is the most frequently used style for dealing with conflict and portrays an attitude of, “you decide and leave me out of it.” This style is often used until the problem can’t be ignored any longer. The problem with this style is that it can allow problems to grow and become unmanageable when they should have been dealt with at an earlier stage. Putting yourself in a mindset to stretch, grow, and be a little uncomfortable up front can save you a lot of heartaches, extra work, or even costly mistakes down the road!

5. Accommodation

Accommodation is when one has a low concern for self and a high concern for others. People who choose accommodation as a conflict management style put their interests last and typically let others have what they want. These individuals place greater importance on the relationship than the situation and believe that a good relationship requires them to accommodate the other parties. This style is useful in some situations, especially if there are higher levels of leadership to take into consideration or if it’s truly a situation in which you have low stakes. However, defaulting to accommodation can often breed resentment, especially in situations that you’re passionate about. It can also set an expectation that the other parties’ wants are more important, so when you do voice a conflicting opinion, it can lead to a higher level of conflict because your response will be unusual, based on past behavior.

Relating To A Specific Style

As you can see, each conflict management style has its own strengths and weaknesses. As you read through each type, did you find yourself relating to a certain style? Maybe you found yourself reflected in multiple styles as you thought of the different situations you find yourself in daily. Self-awareness and knowledge are the best ways to recognize your response to conflict and adapt when necessary!

If your team is struggling with conflict management, proper awareness and training can transform a workplace. Lighthouse Leadership is now offering Lunch & Learn programs with 32 dynamic and engaging workshops, FREE for qualifying businesses! Contact us now to learn more and give Lighthouse Leadership a test run to see what quality leadership training can do for your business!

As an authority figure, strong leadership skills are your key to success and understanding various leadership styles and their outcomes give us the power to choose how we will lead. In my leadership development program, we study the science behind 10 different leadership theories and one question inevitably gets asked each time.

What Leadership Style Is Most Effective? 

Over decades of studying, practicing and implementing the theory of various types of leadership, I’ve found golden nuggets in each. However, above all I’ve found this one truth to be most valuable: Authentic leadership is always most effective.

 Finding My Own Authentic Style

I once had an employee in a satellite office who regularly had to drive through windy mountain passes. When the company decided to replace all vehicles with new 2-wheel drive only, she no longer felt safe making that trip during the winter months. I went to bat for her trying to get an exception, but the answer still came back no. I decided to do some extra work and was able to find a company vehicle that had 4-wheel drive just sitting idle! It was perfect so I made the 5 hour drive out to bring it to her.

When I showed up, the first look in her eye was envy! When I told her the car was for her, she got tears in her eyes. She couldn’t believe I went to extra efforts to get her a 4-wheel drive, and then drove 5 hrs to get it to her. That moment felt pretty great, but the real magic happened after.  This employee transformed! She went from being a typical employee to highly committed and engaged, and incredibly loyal to me. We still enjoy keeping in touch today, 13 years later.

This along with other early wins in my career helped me understand that leading others using concepts from transformational leadership theory, situational leadership theory, and servant leadership theory is my authentic style. I get a zing of joy in my heart and mind when someone I’ve lead or coached has obtained that job promotion they seek or have been recognized for excellence in some way that I assisted.

How can you develop your authentic leadership style? 

1. Complete a 360° degree personality assessment.

• A 360° assessment requests anonymous feedback from those in your work and personal life.
• The questions asked are designed to shine a light on your strengths, limitations and blind spots.
• All the best organizations use these in their leadership development programs, government and private alike, as they are extremely effective.

Typically only available through pricey paid services, I’ve recently created one I’d like to offer you for free! To get access to your FREE 360° assessment,  email me and I’ll send you the information!

2. Take a Comprehensive Leadership Assessment

• I offer one of my favorite assessments on lighthouse-leader.com called “Leadership Potential.” 
• You’ll be shown your strengths and limitations on 15 different leadership competencies such as motivating, coaching, delegation and more.

This paid assessment will give you extensive research on each of your top attributes and can launch you into defining a more focused and comprehensive leadership style for yourself.

3. Hire a coach

• For those ready to place their personal development as a priority.
• Coaching refines your limitations, challenges you in ways you didn’t know you needed and opens up opportunities previously unavailable to you.

If you’d like to book a free 15-minute call with me to discuss your career goals, please reach out! No pressure, I’d love to hear from you.

“Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet – thinking, saying, feeling, and doing the same thing – consistently. This builds trust, and followers love leaders they can trust.”

-Lance Secretan

Have a great week my friends,

Doug

P.S. If you like this article, the best compliment I could receive would be subscribing or forwarding this onto a friend!

20-something year-old Doug

My wake-up call

I can remember vividly learning the hard way the effects of asserting position power in one of my first leadership roles as a 20-year-old. I was over a team of ten other people about my age and got in a disagreement with my assistant district leader. Our disagreement became heated, to say the least. There was yelling and stubbornness on both sides, and each of us held our ground.  Finally, he exclaimed, “Okay, we’ll do it your way, only because you’re the District Leader!”  To which I replied, “And don’t you forget it!”

Well, I got my way but I had lost the trust, respect, and support of the most important person on my team.  As you can imagine, things didn’t go well after that.  Our relationship was strained and our productivity fell.  If I had been savvier back then, I might have understood that maintaining a good working relationship was more important than asserting my authority or proving I’m right.

Personal power versus position power 
A question I like to ask leaders is, “which of your people would follow you if you had no authority?”  Some people follow us because of our position of authority, and some follow us because of our personal character and competencies.  For the follower, it’s either because they must comply with the requirements of the boss, or because they are committed to the leader’s vision.  Which mindset would you rather have people follow you? Which do you think would produce a better outcome?  The answer, of course, is obvious.

The Challenge to Act
If you’re truly looking to improve your leadership skills, take action. This week, look at the leaders around you. Which category do they fall into and why? How can you more fully engage and share your vision with your team and those under your stewardship?

Doug
Lighthouse Leadership

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Business studies conducted around the globe have demonstrated the impact of social awareness of leaders and employees on the overall success of an organization.  Leaders who exhibit strong emotional competencies consistently outperform their counterparts.

“You will catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” A classic idiom we have all heard, but also a principle successful leaders are mindful of. In short, they know that it pays to be nice and that to be successful, they cannot operate alone. This is such a commonly understood and accepted “truth”, I am always surprised at how many fail to act on it.

Unaware vs. Aware Leaders

I once worked with a department manager, James, who was highly qualified, intelligent, talented and driven to succeed. He was always so focused on results, however, he was completely unaware of the impact he had on his staff or other departments. He also tended to operate in a vacuum with little regard for others or their interests. James was so blind to the dissatisfaction left in his wake; he ultimately lost the support of his team. Simply put, he was socially unaware and it eventually cost him as he fell short of goals and was passed over for promotions.

Fortunately, the world is also full of people who are socially aware and I have had the pleasure of working with a number of them.

My good friend and colleague Sara is one example. I admire the authenticity and integrity she has always demonstrated in professional relationships. She knows how to bring out the best in others and how to use all the human talent at hand to reach goals without stepping on anyone. Like other successful leaders, Sara has developed a knack for finding common ground and bringing together opposing parties for mutual gain. She is gracious in her success, shares the wealth with her team and has been able to achieve so much more because she genuinely connects with people on a personal level.

It just goes to show, you can build teams, even armies, of people to work for you and help you reach your goals; but whether you are the head of a large corporation, a department manager or the owner of a small business, simply surrounding yourself with talent and resources is not enough. Just like kids on a playground, we would all much rather be on the team with the nice captain, than the bully.

The Driving Force

Social awareness is the cornerstone of emotional intelligence. It comes first from being self-aware and being able to manage yourself and your own emotions and then develops from an understanding of the people around you. When you become socially aware, you are better able to empathize with others’ emotions, as well as the intent behind their actions. You are also better able to understand your environment and recognize the factors that influence people and impact outcomes.

At the heart of social awareness is empathy. True empathy combines understanding both the emotional and the logical rationale that goes into every decision. Leaders who can develop this level of awareness, and empathize with others, are better able to adapt, persuade and motivate their team to achieve greater results.1 James was unable to accomplish this, whereas Sara excelled.

Understandably, social awareness skills are highly regarded as critical attributes of today’s successful business leaders. It is taken for granted that top managers like James have the expertise, business knowledge and technical skills to do their jobs. In a highly competitive market, the real advantage is found in leaders, like Sara who exhibit a high emotional IQ with a well developed social awareness.

SOCIAL AWARENESS

Empathy: Understanding others emotions, needs and concerns.

Organizational Awareness: Understanding the politics within an organization and how these affect the people working in them.

Service: Understanding and meeting the needs of others.
—Daniel Goleman
The most effective people in organizations naturally use their emotional radar to sense how others are reacting, and they fine-tune their own response to push the interaction in the best direction. As the former Chairman and CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch states, “a leader’s intelligence has to have a strong emotional component. He has to have high levels of self-awareness, maturity, and self-control. No doubt emotional intelligence is more rare than book smarts, but it is actually more important in the making of a leader. You simply can’t ignore it.”

Business studies conducted around the globe have demonstrated the impact of social awareness of leaders and employees on the overall success of an organization.2 Leaders who exhibit strong emotional competencies consistently outperform their counterparts and have a strong track record of success, increased revenues, significant cost savings and higher employee and customer satisfaction. Corporations have come to recognize the economic impact of emotional IQ and seek out these traits in potential leaders.

The unique thing about emotional and socials skills is that, unlike traditional IQ, emotional IQ can be improved.3 Emotional competencies and social awareness can be routinely assessed and, with guidance, practice and training, can be developed and fine-tuned.

Lighthouse Leadership has worked with hundreds of companies and professionals, identifying and removing the barriers to success through standardized, scientific assessments and progressive leadership coaching and training in emotional intelligence and social awareness. We can help your team overcome their limitations to reach a higher potential. For more information please contact Doug Lundrigan, doug@lighthouse4business.com.

1. “The Complete Summary: Working With Emotional Intelligence By Daniel Goleman.” Soundview Executive Book Summaries, 2010.
2. “The Business Case for Emotional Intelligence.” Cary Cherniss, Ph.D, Rutgers Universoty; Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations, 1999.
3. “Return on Emotion: Predicting and Improving Human Performance.” Diana Durek and Wendy Gordon, February 2006.

Rarity confers value. Take natural pearls, for example. Only about one in 10,000 natural oysters will have a pearl in it, and far fewer than that will have a pearl with desirable form and color. I recently stumbled across a high value pearl in business, a rare gem in the health care industry. Come gaze with me in wonder, at something exceptional.

A talk I was giving at the Oregon Health Care Association was called, “Authentic & Mindful: A Powerful Combination.” After I concluded a man approached me, his body language exuding excitement. “You’ve validated what I’ve been doing at my facility!” He is the chief administrator of a skilled nursing care facility. Allen James, tall, good-looking, and fortyish, described to me an amazing transformation in culture that has occurred at his facility.

Frankly, I was skeptical. I know that successfully changing an organization’s culture is rare, takes many years, fraught with challenges, and requires much persistence. Kind of like forming a natural pearl. So we met at his facility, Gateway Care & Retirement Center (Gateway) in NE Portland. This time his passion in describing his people and culture was even more inspiring. His excitement was infectious to me. What came through was his love for his employees and facility residents as he described experience after experience of the wonderful interactions between people. I wanted to meet some of these people.

I interviewed a sampling of the 84 staff, and here’s what I learned about what is going on at Gateway:
1. Unity of vision. Each staff member could state and describe the facility’s vision. There were no outliers, no misunderstandings, no tangential visions. And they believe it. They have “bought in,” they are engaged in it. When asked, some of them said they were doubtful when first introduced to the new vision. Then they watched it come to fruition first in Allen’s actions, then in other leaders. That stimulated the buy-in.
2. Celebrate the Love. Every interviewee used the words “family” or “love” or both to describe their culture. They all had real examples of things coworkers or bosses did for each other that demonstrated their love. They talk about and celebrate those experiences with each other. They share one another’s joys and burdens, they cry together, and the feeling grows. What was most startling was that loving people at work was a choice for each person. Not like “falling in love” as if love is an external force acting upon us. The good staff at Gateway make a daily decision to act in loving ways. Their love for each other is generated from within themselves as a conscious behavioral choice. “Love is good business,” as Allen puts it.
3. Relentless. At every All-Staff Meeting, every party, every gathering, even in the break room the vision is discussed, and examples shared of it being practiced. This has been consistent for over a year. It takes extreme focus and commitment to keep that up.
4. Personification of Principles. Starting with Allen James, spreading on through department heads to the whole staff, the principles of their vision are acted upon and lived out. The vision is not a set of lofty platitudes to be posted on the wall and forgotten. It’s more like a way of life to be embodied by all. They make the vision real by their actions.
5. People CAN Change. And they did change, they are changing. Each interview included at least one example of a person who changed positively in some significant way. The first one to change was Allen James. What compelled the change? From our discussions Allen would identify believing and living the LEAP* principles as the compelling force. People see themselves differently first, feel loved and supported, which gives them energy and space in which to change themselves, and then change their world.
6. Perpetual Lovely Road. “We’re not there yet” was a frequent comment. Although there has been a rare and wonderful cultural shift, it’s not over. The common sentiment seems to be that, we have not arrived, we are enjoying the journey, we continue to do what’s working. The love we feel gives us energy to keep going, striving to change the world, talking about the proving experiences that what we’re doing is real and effective.
7. Metrics of Success. It’s not theoretical. Since the time their culture shift began to be implemented Gateway’s Medicare rating improved from a four star to a five star, Quality Measures improved from a one star to four star, turnover decreased by 15% from the previous year, and revenue improved by 10%. Wouldn’t we all like those kinds of results in our business?

Nursing homes are not glamorous. Talking with residents who may have trouble with coherent thought, the scent of sanitized bodily excretions, the mundane daily tasks of keeping the elderly in reasonable health. This is not the stuff of dreams or an inherently engaging workplace. And yet out of these circumstances Gateway has created something precious. The staff won’t leave, even for higher paying jobs, and the residents consider it the home they love. The staff at Gateway are creating a pearl of great value.

* The Gateway vision is called LEAP, from the book called The Radical Leap, by Steve Farber. LEAP is an acronym for Love, Energy, Audacity, and Proof. A full explanation can be found in the book.

What’s it going to take for you and me to be more successful this year?

I loved my first business, but I was struggling. I was doing something very close to selling ice cubes to Eskimos. I was selling ice cream to Canadians. So what’s not to love about ice cream? It doesn’t sell well when there are three feet of snow on the ground. I had to do something to survive the short selling season of summer. The winter months gave me plenty of time to get good at analyzing, planning, and optimizing my business practices. The business executive checklist (Exec Check 7) was planted like a seed in that cold place almost 30 years ago, nurtured by the warm sunlight of my coaches, by the pure water of education, and the rich soil of experience, it matured to a fruit-bearing tree in my current company, Lighthouse Leadership. I have a passion for sharing that precious fruit with my peers to help you assess how ‘on target’ you are to make the next year better than the current year. Are you ready for a better year?

The Exec Check 7 poses some hard questions. But asking and finding answers to hard questions is what we successful executives do, isn’t it?. Here they are:

☐ 1. BHAG. What is the Big Hairy Audacious Goal* for my organization next year and beyond, and can I articulate it in a clear and inspiring way?

☐ 2. Personal Competencies. What is my plan to hone my personal skills and talents so that I am a better leader next year? Who can I trust to tell me the truth about what I don’t see about myself? Do I have the courage to ask?

☐ 3. Employee Engagement. Have I measured employee engagement for my organization, and am I satisfied with it? What specific actions will I take next year to gain the discretionary efforts (willing efforts by employees above minimum job requirements) of my people? Who is leaving my organization and why?

☐ 4. Employee Competencies. What is my plan to hone the skills and talents of my people so they are more valuable employees next year? A CFO asked the CEO, “What happens if we train them and they leave?” Replied the wise CEO, “What happens if we don’t train them and they stay?”

☐ 5. KPI Score. What are my organization’s Key Performance Indicators (those metrics that predict success) and what will be our weekly, monthly, and yearly stretch goals for them? These are the steps toward achieving your BHAG.

☐ 6. Razor’s Edge. What will I do next year to get or stay on the cutting edge of knowledge, systems, marketing, and technology in my industry?

☐ 7. Knowledge is Power. Do I know, understand, and give appropriate attention to all the important facts about my organization? What information do I need that I’m not getting? For example:

• Annual and monthly revenues
• Annual and monthly expenses
• Top five customers
• Top five competitors
• Major external factors influencing my organization
• Two most serious quality issues
• Changing market conditions

How did you do with the checklist? If you’ve got these under wraps you’re headed for a highly successful year. These are not exhaustive, but are the most crucial. You can fill in the missing pieces, if needed, by examining your culture, strategy, structure, core processes, and efficiency.

Do you feel stuck on any of the Exec Check 7? Lighthouse is ready to help. You too, can be brilliant!

by Doug Lundrigan

http://www.lighthouse4business.com

* The term BHAG was coined by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in their 1994 book Built to Last.

Conflict is an inevitable result of social interaction in our everyday lives.

It occurs because we engage in situations and circumstances with people who have different goals, values and backgrounds.

In every work place conflict is present to varying degrees. We define conflict as a “strong disagreement between people, groups, etc., that often results in anger and arguments.” When management teams know how to resolve conflict effectively, they save time by turning potentially destructive situations into positive opportunities for growth and development.

Conflict can be split into two categories, disruptive conflict and constructive conflict. Disruptive conflict may result in unhealthy competition, defensive communication, personal attacks and a closed work environment, all of which hinder productivity. On the other hand, constructive conflict results in cooperation, collective focus, open work environments and supportive communication.

It is not possible for two or more people to work together and always agree. Conflict can, at times, be necessary and beneficial, and help foster team growth. Constructive conflict can help make you more focused on the work at hand. Disruptive conflict can make you resistant and defensive.

One way to reduce discomfort with conflict or disagreement is to identify and use common steps to manage conflict in a positive way. Effectively dealing with conflict is one of the most difficult aspects of being in a leadership position. When faced with conflict, we often react without realizing that we have constructive, healthy choices available to us, and we unconsciously start pushing back.

Well-managed conflict can spark creativity and challenge employees to think about what they are doing and how they might improve methods and procedures.

Come back next week to learn about: The Five Management Conflict Styles!

Please “share,” or “comment” on this article.

If you can ensure that the five primary dimensions of trust are present throughout your organization, you will be in a great position to navigate economic and market challenges in today’s business environment.

EXECUTIVE  EVERYBODY ELSE
The predictability and reliability of executive management in the eyes of the employees will, in large, determine the loyalty of the workforce in tough times. Unfortunately, many surveys and research studies report that senior management is the least trusted group in an organization.

MANAGER  EMPLOYEE
Research on this dimension consistently reports that employees have a greater level of trust in their immediate supervisor than any other management level in the firm. When a manager’s behavior toward employees is consistent over a period of time, employees can reasonably predict that manager’s behavior. The manager will be trusted at a high level. Managers who have difficulty demonstrating faith in others are typically not highly trusted.

PEER  PEER
Whereas the first two dimensions span the company hierarchy, this dimension explores horizontal interaction, involving manager-to-manager and employee-to-employee interaction. Trust is a foundational piece of teamwork and the presence or absence of trust can predict the effectiveness of a team or group of peers. This dimension can be greatly impacted by collusion, secret interactions, plots, and agreements that undermine and erode authentic, constructive workplace interactions.

COMPANY  MARKET
The impact of this dimension has been apparent for some time. Lack of integrity, indifference to the end user and an “anything to increase profits” mentality have soured customers and investors for decades. Consumers have “advertising fatigue” and demand a more personal relationship with the companies with which they do business.

COMPANY  VENDORS/PARTNERS
Though this may be the least-reported-on dimension, the presence or lack of trust with suppliers, vendors and third-party partners has a significant impact on company growth and health. This element of trust is crucial given the increasing role that outsourcing and other third-party relationships are taking in today’s business environment.

For more information on corporate trust issues you can find a valuable white paper and additional articles on this website.

Please feel free to comment or share this article!

Leadership is the most important factor in achieving and sustaining organizational success. In order to understand how a Leader might view the overall productivity of their individual area, consider this:

THE FIVE LEADERSHIP ROLES

All leadership behaviors can be grouped into five major roles:

Technician: A doer, grounded in the present, who works on one technical project at
a time; is controlling, dislikes abstraction and believes the adage: “If you want it
done right, do it yourself.”

Manager: Pragmatic and directly controls the flow of work; managers prefer order,
planning and the “status quo.”

Architect: A systems thinker and creator of social and technical systems; envisions
the relationship between parts and has a long-term plan and perspective.

Trailblazer: A visionary and innovative catalyst for change; imagines the future
and asks: “What if?”

Coach: Develops, motivates and inspires people; provides resources and training
through excellent and impartial communication skills.

Expert Leaders should be able to master all five of these roles.

In traditional organizations, Leaders often emphasize the manager and technician roles. However, in High Performance organizations, leaders emphasize the architect, trailblazer and coach roles. The key to leadership is finding the right balance between these roles. If there is not a good balance, the organization will be lopsided.

To learn more about instilling all five of the above roles in your leaders, get in contact with me at www.lighthouse4business.com. I look forward to chatting with you! – Doug

It’s becoming increasingly difficult for businesses to survive in today’s market. According to Business Week, the life span of average multi-billion corporations is approximately 12.5 years. Only 12 percent of new businesses will survive past five years. Why is the survival of a business so difficult? The answer is typically a combination of factors — numerous competitors, lack of a business strategy, undefined goals or poor leadership

Leadership is the most important factor in achieving and sustaining organizational success. Leaders have the power to influence an organization. They provide the vision, inspiration and motivation that direct the organization as a whole.

A higher value should be placed on initiating change, solving problems and implementing processes, therefor achieving long-term results and building commitment. Remember, leaders do face challenges every day. Leadership involves working with many complex individuals, each filled with common emotions. People cannot be programmed like computers. Instead, people act on their own free will and are often unpredictable. Poor leadership always results in poor production and high turnover.

LEADING FROM THE BALCONY
Leaders must view your organization “from the balcony,” or from the outside looking in. Leaders are the ones with a “big picture view” of what is happening on the floor or in the cubicle. Good leaders do not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the organization; they take overall observation. Good leaders cannot be ‘micro-managers,’ but have trust in their subordinates and delegate.

Would you like to provide your leadership staff with better leadership skills? Contact me today about the many seminars and trainings I have for corporations just like yours. www.lighthouse4business.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

The concept of a team is not unfamiliar to us. From athletics, to school assignments, to volunteer activities, we are trained to become members, active participants and, even, leaders of teams. Most people recognize that teams are crucial to the success and progress of businesses and organizations.

Yet, the difference between a “group of people working together” and a high performance team is similar to the difference in a LION hunting its prey on the African savanna and a domesticated CAT sitting in front of a fire.

High performance teams are more than a group of people working together to accomplish a common task. They share a common vision and purpose that inspires their performance. They feel accountable for their work, solve problems, make decisions and fully invest themselves in the organization. In order for a team to achieve high performance, they must be allowed the time to set their purpose, operating norms, characteristics and desired performance results.

High performance teams have been defined as self-managing, multi-functional groups of people who are organized around a whole process and empowered with full responsibility for their own success. To achieve this, certain elements must be present.

The CHARTER (or the “why”) is the definition of why the team is in existence and provides clarity for team members. It focuses on the customers, purpose, team goals and team vision.
The DESIGN (or the “what”) is the architecture of the systems and structure of the team. It focuses on the core work processes, roles and responsibilities, procedures and norms, and systems.
The RELATIONSHIP (or the “how”) is the area in which team members understand how to relate to each other. In this element, the focus is on trust, respect, communications, cohesion, and synergy.

Come back next week for Part 2 of this story – and do contact Lighthouse4Business.com to talk about our trainings for your teams.

Why should your business be interested in an esoteric subject such as Emotional Intelligence? Why should your firm invest training dollars in a program designed to increase emotional competencies for your staff? Does it make a difference when employees are aware of their feelings, values and goals?

For any business that would like to see increases in productivity and efficiency, more effective sales people, more creative teams and more nimble management—the answer is an unequivocal YES!

In his best-selling book, Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Golman reported that research shows the traditional IQ test only accounts for 20% of a person’s success in life. (1) What accounts for the remaining 80%? Psychologists have concluded that a portion of the missing factors lie in Emotional Intelligence. The more aware we are of our own emotions, the more control we have over them; and the more we empathize with the emotions of others, the more emotionally intelligent we become.

Emotionally competent people exude self-confidence, which makes them good leaders and active team
players. They maintain an optimistic outlook on life, which helps them overcome obstacles. Their ability to delay gratification and to manage stress, anger, envy and other negative emotions helps them build productive relationships and complete tasks.

Emotional Intelligence is not some New Age, touchy-feely concept. In fact, the United States Air Force saved three million dollars by using Emotional Intelligence Screening to select recruiters. Those with the most Emotional Intelligence were three times as effective as general candidates. The more emotionally competent recruiters also stayed on the job longer, cutting training costs.

Emotional Intelligence is crucial for most roles in business. But business people have one overriding question: How does it affect the bottom line? Can putting employees in touch with their emotions actually make them more productive?

Find out more by contacting me today via my web site. I look forward to hearing from you!

(1) Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam Books.

The predictability and reliability of executive management in the eyes of the employees will, in large, determine the loyalty of the workforce in tough times.

Executive > Everyone Else

The predictability and reliability of executive management in the eyes of the employees will, in large, determine the loyalty of the workforce in tough times. Unfortunately, many surveys and research studies report that senior management is the least trusted group in an organization.

To raise the level of trust in this dimension, ensure:

• Open and honest communication in all levels of the company
• A collaborative approach to the workforce
• Consistent principles and behaviors

Manager > Employee

Research on this dimension consistently reports that employees have a greater level of trust in their immediate supervisor than any other management level in the firm. When a manager’s behavior toward employees is consistent over a period of time, employees can reasonably predict that manager’s behavior. The manager will be trusted at a high level. Managers who have difficulty demonstrating faith in others are typically not highly trusted. To raise the level of trust in this dimension:

• Tell the truth and share honest information, even if it is to your disadvantage
• Demonstrate and foster a win-win focus
• Actively seek feedback

Peer > Peer

Whereas the first two dimensions span the company hierarchy, this dimension explores horizontal interaction, involving manager-to-manager and employee-to-employee interaction. Trust is a foundational piece of teamwork and the presence or absence of trust can predict the effectiveness of a team or group of peers. This dimension can be greatly impacted by collusion, secret interactions, plots, and agreements that undermine and erode authentic, constructive workplace interactions. To raise the level of trust in this dimension:

• Create opportunities for social interaction
• Take a strong line against collusion and other demoralizing and counter-productive behaviors
• Motivate employees at all levels to solve problems by providing appropriate training, resources and rewards

Attend a High Performance Leadership seminar to increase the level of trust in your organization. Find out more at www.lighthouse4business.com.

So what happens when a job requires transitioning from left-brain to right-brain job functions?  For example, a physician who is an excellent technician and very analytical, gets promoted to department head which requires emotional competencies that are under-developed? What does the individual do?  Bumble around, or take intentional steps to increase his or her competencies?  The same goes for the right-brained graphic artist who may be promoted to an Art Director, now responsible for managing others within a structured environment and budget. Can this person tap into the analytical skills necessary to be successful in this new role?

Is it possible to train the non-dominant side of the brain in order to improve our skills and emotional intelligence? The answer is YES!

The brain’s hemisphere divider is a thick layer of cells called the Corpus Callosum. Neuroplasticity theory tells us we are able to increase the function of the Corpus Callosum to integrate our right- & left-brain functions. 2

But how does one begin to engage skills from the non-dominant side of the brain? It simply starts by learning something new. The brain is like a muscle, the more it is “flexed,” the stronger it will become.

For the left-brained Physician who just became the Department Chief, by flexing the right side of the brain, she can dramatically improve success factors such as innovation and teamwork within the department. The same holds true for the right-brained Sales Person who has just been promoted to Manager. By training the left brain, he can improve success factors using analytics and metrics.

2: brain.oxfordjournals.org

The War Between Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence
By Doug Lundrigan, MBA

What is this mindfulness stuff that everyone seems to be talking about, and how can I get some? What do you think?

Do any of these describe mindfulness:

1. An Eastern philosophy corrupted?
2. It’s all about meditation and spiritualism?
3. A set of skills that can be developed?
4. Has some scientific research behind it?
5. A buzz-word du jour?

As I did some research on the topic of mindfulness I discovered that all of the above are true to some degree, and there are some simple and complex definitions. The one I like best is this (Kabat-Zinn, 2003):

Mindfulness is the awareness that arises from:

• paying attention on purpose,
• in the present moment,
• with suspended judgment.

So it’s all about finding a heightened awareness by intentional presence without judgment. Well that sounds much like the emotional competency (E-Comp) workshops I give that include self and social awareness. As I describe the knowledge and skills of E-Comp I break it into four sub-categories as shown here. It seems to me there is a clear overlap between mindfulness and E-Comp. There is no war between mindfulness and E-Comp, but harmony. As we do make that connection we obtain a very significant advantage.

Yes, there is excellent research behind mindfulness; the focus it brings to the mind, the calming effect it can have, and the improved neural pathways that can be developed over time. The research on E-Comp and related topics is, however, dozens of times more voluminous. There are thousands of controlled scientific studies over at least 30 years on various aspects of E-Comp, or EIQ. Many of those studies focus on measuring tools. Whereas we don’t really have a validated method of measuring mindfulness, we do have many validated tools to measure self and social awareness. So if you want to know how mindful you are, and how to get more of it, step into the world of E-Comp. I can help.

For more information on E-Comp please check out other articles, my white paper, and take an online self-assessment.

Procrastination takes the form of ‘time wasters,’ or actions that lead to decreased productivity. Time wasters come in all shapes and sizes. They can be physical or mental, created by you, or imposed on you by other people. The causes of procrastination are endless—but once the cause is identified, it can be resolved.

Perfectionism
When tasks are fussed over long after they have been achieved to a sufficient level, the task begins to delay other issues requiring attention. Often times, perfection is not necessary to complete the task at hand and is not cost-effective to achieve.

Boredom
Mundane jobs are typically put off until the last minute.

Hostility
When an individual feels hostility towards the task, or towards the person who appointed the task, there is a strong temptation to delay doing it. When faced with actions that are unpleasant, boring, complex or time-consuming, procrastination creeps in. Many times we put off completing tasks because we are unable to see the overall value. When combating procrastination, it often helps to determine whether or not the action is really important to us. Individuals are less likely to procrastinate on things that hold value. Senior management holds the responsibility of communicating the value of tasks to employees,  in an effort to fight off procrastination.

Leaders must be intentional in creating and developing a culture that encourages an entangled philosophy. Employees must be empowered to act on their knowledge and understanding of the organization. Entangled cultures generate employee retention and invest in training and development programs that will further empower and motivate their employees.

Research conducted by Thompson, K.R., Benedetto, R.L. shows that creating an entangled culture requires leaders to be purposeful in their commitment to this model.

While it is important to ensure a company has the right people in the right positions at the right time, this is not enough to produce a successful culture where optimal results in the workplace can be achieved. Unfortunately, statistics reveal that the majority of organizations fall short in being able to produce a healthy culture for their employees.

However, when a culture is conducive to creating and developing entangled employees, the overall performance of the company improves in measurable ways.

Leaders within entangled organizations realize they are continually working to improve their culture and using the transformational model to help them experience greater results. They are committed to achieving optimal performance. This results in not only a greater working environment; it results in greater output at all levels of the organization.

Works Cited:
Thompson, K.R., Benedetto, R.L., (2013, Feb), “Creating and Optimal Culture: The Emergence of the Entangled
Organization”, Employment Relations Today, Winter 2013, Vol.39 Issue 4, pp.13-19. Print.

What in the World is Entanglement?

These were the first questions that popped into my head when I first began to study the concept of workforce entanglement. My first thoughts of entanglement were negative, as I thought of being caught up in some type of net that could keep me bound or suppressed within a complex culture. However, this is not the case. Let me explain.

Engaged Employees Make a Conscious Decision to Have an Emotional Attachment to Their Work.

They could be a great match for their position, they could actually love the type of work they do and perform it well, they could possess a strong drive to perform to the very best of their ability, or, they could be engaged because they are happy in their personal circumstances, and their positive outlook on life can extend into their workplace.

However, simply being engaged does not necessarily convert to sustainable organizational results.

The entangled employee has moved beyond engagement.

This individual possesses the drive and determination for positive employee-organization dedication and commitment. Entangled employees are able to look beyond themselves and appreciate the organization from a much broader perspective. They rely on others rather than their own achievement. They seek collaborative

decisions that benefit the organization as a whole. They understand synergy is dynamic. In short, they

understand that the culture of the organization does not exist for or revolve around them; that they are

part of a much greater whole.

When an organization develops a collective entangled mentality, it is able to solve problems proactively, becomes more innovative and develops a greater understanding of team performance and individual responsibility – resulting in greater organizational success.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this concept next week!

Lighthouse Leadership is committed to providing each and every client with the highest level of service. Our core values help us achieve this standard of excellence and exceed expectations each and every day. Here’s how we work:

1. Initial Engagement

You recognize a need for a coach to help you get past some limitations.  Start with a 60 minute (no charge) conversation with the Coach to discuss your needs and challenges.

2. Development Plan

You take an online assessment to discover your strengths and limitations.  By end of this meeting you have a development plan custom fit for you.

3. Coaching

You meet regularly with your coach, at a frequency that fits your circumstances. Recommended duration to get you past your limitations:  minimum three months.

4. Success Measurement

You take the online assessment again. You evaluate your coaching experience by subjective and objective measures. We debrief and compare your behaviors and outcomes before/after coaching to measure improvement and the effectiveness of Lighthouse coaching.

Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. So many of us are desperate to follow our dreams and live the lives we imagine, but when it comes down to actually starting our own small business, it’s easy to get bogged down in fear and lose momentum … or give up entirely.

That’s why I wanted to introduce you to my [colleague/business mentor/teacher] Jackie B. Peterson. Jackie is an entrepreneur, business coach, and the author of Better, Smarter, Richer: 7 Business Principles for Encore, Creative, and Solo Entrepreneurs. She has worked with thousands of [solo/creative/encore] entrepreneurs, and she knows what it takes to get your business off on the right foot.

I’ll be joining her on Friday, August 21st at 10 a.m. PST for a free webinar, and I hope you will too. It’s all about how to conquer that fear, take the leap, and start your [creative/encore/solo] business from scratch. In addition, we’ll be getting a sneak peek at her brand new webinar series Best Beginnings, which launches September 16th. Sign up for this free event here: http://app.webinarjam.net/register/2556/f36acb69c5 See you on the 21st!

All leadership behaviors can be grouped into five major roles.
Technician: a doer, grounded in the present, who works on one technical project at
a time; is controlling, dislikes abstraction and believes the adage, “If you want it
done right, do it yourself.”

Manager: pragmatic and directly controls the flow of work; managers prefer order,
planning and the status quo.

Architect: a systems thinker and creator of social and technical systems; envisions
the relationship between parts, and has a long-term plan and perspective.

Trailblazer: a visionary and innovative catalyst for change; imagines the future
and asks, “What if?”

Coach: develops, motivates and inspires people; provides resources and training
through excellent and impartial communication skills.

Expert leaders should be able to perform all five roles.

In traditional organizations, leaders often emphasize the manager and technician roles. However, in High Performance organizations, leaders emphasize the architect, trailblazer and coach
roles. The key to leadership is finding the right balance between these roles. If
there is not a good balance, the organization will be lopsided.

Exerpts from: Burns, James MacGregor. Leadership. New York: Harper & Row, 1978. Print.

NO –The Most Powerful Word in Time Management.

It’s vital to effectively managing time. It may not be easy to say no, but the truth is, the most important things are typically not urgent and the urgent things are often not that important for long-term success.

Your ability to say no is a very valuable component of your time management skills. Saying no determines how much of your time will be wasted on solving someone else’s problems, as opposed to accomplishing YOUR goals. This isn’t a selfish action – it’s a constant awareness of the difference between helping people and being sidetracked by people.

Some personalities will have a difficult time saying no. Rather than considering it as being mean, think of it as a commitment to YOUR goals. It’s important to have clear goals and commit to a plan where you can be assertive in your time management and decision-making abilities. Assertiveness is a skill similar to time management – it can be learned if one commits to it.

Coworkers and others will develop greater respect for you when clear boundaries are established. If you are on a path towards accomplishing your goals, their respect for your goals will increase.

For more information and a FREE white paper called Leveraging Time with more on saying no, visit my web site!

Lighthouse Leadership

www.lighthouse4business.com

503-805-8882

excerpt from: Covey, Stephen. First Things First. London: Simon & Schuster, 1999. Print.

Would it surprise you to learn that many dog owners trust their canine companions more than they trust their bosses? Research shows that only 36% of employees actually trust their bosses.

Trust has long been part of the underpinnings of society and can be defined as “confidence in our relationships with others.” Trust is a key aspect of relationships and studies show that creating and maintaining high levels of trust is vital for healthy and sustained company growth.

Despite this understanding, trust is often misunderstood or mismanaged in companies, leading to lost productivity. Creating an environment of trust in the workplace is more important and more difficult to cultivate than ever before. Lack of trust in the workplace can lead to confusion, worry, fear, and other emotions that in turn can slow the wheels of progress and profit.

Fostering an environment of trust begins at the managerial level.

By establishing relationships based on several key elements, leaders can foster a healthy working environment across all levels, resulting in higher morale, increased initiative, and improved productivity.

If you’d like to learn more about how to apply trust in your workplace, contact us to see how we can help.

Lighthouse Leadership

www.lighthouse4business.com

503-805-8882

Envision Success: 3 Tips for Achieving a High Performance Workplace

A few years ago I ran my first half-marathon. Crossing the finish line amidst the cheers from my family was one of the most powerful moments in my life. Thinking back to that day, I’m reminded of how similar creating a High Performance Workplace (HPW) is to training for an athletic event. So how can YOU achieve the peak business performance needed to successfully compete in today’s market?

Tip #1: Envision Success

As Abraham Lincoln once said: “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” If your goal is to create an HPW, then your first step is to visualize an environment where employees work in collaborative teams built on open communication, trust, and a sense of a shared mission – to improve outcomes.

Tip #2: Work with a Coach

When I decided to run 13 miles non-stop I asked myself: “What is my current level of fitness and how will I meet my goal for this race?” As a business leader you might ask yourself, “What is our current workplace performance level and how can I meet our desired performance outcomes?”

By thinking of your workplace in terms of athletic performance, it’s easy to see how important a healthy environment is to increased productivity. Just as important is obtaining an outside view of the current situation. The same is true in the workplace.

Tip #3: Follow Knowledge with Action – The Road to Success.

The canyon between knowledge and results is bridged by action. Develop a plan to achieve your goal and stick with it, remembering that change takes time to quantify. Progress was gradual. Remember . . . it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

In Conclusion

By obtaining an outside perspective to examine your current workplace performance levels, you might find that assumptions about low morale, high turnover, and declining revenues may differ from reality. At Lighthouse Leadership, we can help you achieve your HPW goals. 

PS: Using one of our Business Health Exams is a good place to start. You might be surprised to find out that often times the real hurdles to success aren’t the obvious perceived issues.

Lighthouse Leadership

www.lighthouse4business.com

503-805-8882

Is your company’s leadership pool, a puddle or a lake?

To have a deep lake, when is the best time to invest in talent development and  training? When it comes to preparing your top performers to become leaders, which strategy does your company embrace:

• Promote ⇒ Develop & Train
• Develop & Train ⇒ Promote

Is it wise to wait to invest training dollars in order to weed out the bottom feeders and invest in top performers once they’ve been slotted into managerial positions? Or should companies invest in training top performers prior to giving that big promotion? The answers to these questions rest on one fundamental fact: The talents and skills that make an excellent leader are completely different than those that enabled top performance in the previous position.

Put simply: Present Success ≠ Promoted Success

Many companies fail to realize the shortcomings and consequences of not having a management development program in place for future leaders. Promoting top performers with no prior management experience can in fact be a recipe for disaster. Let’s take a look at Lisa, a consistent top sales achiever for a pharmaceutical company. Lisa had the opportunity to sit next to the national sales director at a meeting and, by impressing him with her unique and creative ideas for driving sales, was offered a regional sales manager position, despite not having any prior leadership training.

Upon arrival to her new team, Lisa immediately relied on her sales skills and instincts, not possessing adequate leadership skills. She spent most of her time with the fun sales people chasing the big deals, instead of creating a team vision and goals, developing a strategy, or coaching her team members for better performance.

Lisa also had difficulty prioritizing tasks and, because she hadn’t learned how to delegate, her poor time management caused her to fall behind, along with her regional sales.

She was overwhelmed with “busy work,” and responded to problems with a “hair on fire” reaction. Within the first year of Lisa’s promotion to regional sales manager, once a top sales achiever, she was now discouraged and frustrated. She decided to leave the company, along with 70% of the original regional sales employees. That is a costly problem for a company to have.

All too often managers are typically top performing employees who have been promoted into management positions. They have incredible skills in their present position but insufficient management skills to justify a leadership position. In Lisa’s case, she did not fail the company, the company failed her in their talent development strategy.

Allow me to contrast Lisa’s experience with my own. I worked at a similar company with aspirations to become a leader within the organization. Early in my career I enrolled in the company’s management development program.
The criteria to be accepted into the leadership development program included consistent top 50% performance markers over at least two years. This motivated my performance to be continuously “Exceeds Expectations.” Under the advice of a mentor I took charge of my own development and enrolled in company-provided training courses, read leadership books, learned public speaking techniques, conflict management, communication skills, employee engagement, and related courses that inherently made me a better employee. The company had a checklist of development requirements and assessments to be passed before qualifying to be a leader. Because the company used these advanced talent development practices and invested in me early on, they not only retained, engaged, and improved a top performer but also produced a High Performance Leader. And because of these practices they had a deep pool of ready talent, in addition to myself, from which to select for promotion.
After some time I became a leader for the company. I was prepared and ready to hit the ground running. With my new team we developed a vision, goals, strategy, and a standard of success. I led by example and possessed
many of the qualities of a true leader (no one’s perfect.)

I coached poor performers to positions of success. I had learned to “inspect what I expected” from my team and follow through accordingly.
We created a culture of accountability, which raised the bar for all of us. Not only did we achieve top 20% performance, I had earned the loyalty and affection of my team. Most importantly, I also invested in top performers by developing their talents to be ready for opportunities to be promoted.

The Message companies send by investing in early training and development programs reinforce a positive response in their employees. Employees who feel valued by their employer are much more likely to be passionate about their jobs and exhibit a strong drive to produce results. This in turn results in a high retention rate for the company. Additionally, an organization with a knowledgeable and passionate workforce will be significantly more successful than one with lackluster worker bees waiting for “quittin’ time”.

Implementing quality training is just as important as implementing early training.
According to master Dale Carnegie. “Cheap training will result in cheap work: quality employees require quality training programs”

Fortunately Lighthouse Leadership offers excellent training programs for management and leadership development. The classes and workshops we offer at Lighthouse are designed to improve your business, and fully leverage your most valuable asset – your people.

Applying my decades of experience and education I proudly work hand-in-hand with my strategic partners to serve businesses like yours in the development of your people, the improvement of processes and the management of performance.

Back to our original question: Is your leadership pool a puddle or a lake? It’s not going to become a lake unless you do something about it.

I am prepared, ready and poised to help your employees build their skills now to be the High Performance Leaders of the future for your company.

Contact Lighthouse Leadership today – the future is now!

Are you naturally brilliant at certain work related tasks and perhaps feel like a bumbling fool at others? Chances are if you’re like the rest of us, you most likely do and there is good a reason for it.
It’s because the brain has two hemispheres, each with their own natural tendencies, capabilities & individual patterns of thinking. The most dominant side of your brain determines your strengths and weaknesses. Theories and experimentation indicate that the two sides, or hemispheres of the brain are responsible for various and different patterns of thinking.

Learning styles and personality

Ned Herrmann a researcher considered the “Father of brain dominance technology” developed the brain dominance theory that people develop a dominant mode of thinking preference. These range from an analytical “left brain” approach to “right brain” approaches involving pattern matching and intuitive understanding. As we develop from childhood we tend to respond with our strongest abilities as these lead to quicker short-term rewards and a positive feedback system that strengthens those abilities. Eventually this can lead to a powerful preference for one style over the other and a dislike and discomfort for other modes of thinking. 1

Early Patterns

In early school years, students who responded well to curriculum requiring logic, analytics, and fact interpretation as with math and science would primarily engage the left side of the brain, and are thereby considered “Left-Brained” people. Alternatively, students who exceled in art, music or writing would become the “Right-Brained” thinkers.

Some people actually engage both sides of the brain and are competent in a broad spectrum of activities, but this is not the norm. The majority of people have a distinct disposition toward one of these patterns of thinking.

Career Choices

Doctors, lawyers, accountants, and engineers are required to use logic, analysis, and fact interpretation to be successful. People possessing left-brain dominance are drawn to careers like these and tend to be naturally successful. Alternatively, design professionals, sales people, and athletes are usually people who enlist the intuitive, aesthetic, creative and physical skills located in the right side of the brain

Puzzled?

So what happens when a job requires transitioning from left-brain to right brain job functions?  For example, a physician who is an excellent technician and very analytical, gets promoted to department head which requires emotional competencies that are under-developed? What does the individual do?  Bumble around, or take intentional steps to increase his or her emotional competencies?  The same goes for the right brained graphic artist who may be promoted to an art director now responsible for managing others within a structured environment and budget. Can this person tap into the analytical skills necessary to be successful in this new role?

 Hope!

Is it possible to train the non-dominant side of the brain in order to improve our skills and emotional intelligence? The answer is YES. The brain’s hemisphere divider is a thick layer of cells called the corpus callosum. Neuroplasticity theory tells us we are able to increase the function of the corpus callosum to integrate our right & left-brain functions. 2

But how does one begin to engage skills from the less non-dominant side of the brain? It simply starts by learning something new. The brain is like a muscle, the more it is “flexed”, the stronger it will become.

For the left-brained physician who just became the department chief, by flexing the right side of the brain she can dramatically improve success factors such as innovation and teamwork within the department. The same holds true for the right-brained sales person who has just been promoted to manager. By training the left brain he can improve success factors using analytics and metrics.

Hey You! The Left-brain Thinker!

Right brain training in emotional competencies is a foundation for improvement for analytical thinkers. It will be further enhanced by exercises include team building and group games, social activities, even something fun like painting a group mural. Adding music or movement can also stimulate the right side of the brain. It’s important for the individual to recognize the importance and take the initiative to step out of their comfort zone to develop these new skills.

What does Whole Brain Thinking have to do with Leadership?

Will this trend toward emphasis on improving whole-brain thinking result in a new age of right-brained CEO’s chanting in the workplace? Or lonely graphic artists crunching numbers for a higher paycheck? We are living in an era where new ideas and corporate innovation from CEOs, require higher levels of emotional intelligence and whole brain thinking.

Daniel H. Pink author of five books and who has sold two million copies worldwide writes in A Whole New Mind, “the future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind. According to Pink, “The era of ‘left-brain’ dominance, and the information age that it engendered, is giving way to a new world in which creative and holistic ‘right brain’ abilities mark the fault line between who gets ahead and who falls behind.” Pink states, “Left brain approaches haven’t become obsolete. They’ve become insufficient. What people need today isn’t one side of the brain or the other, but a whole new mind.” 3

Whole Brain Competitive Advantage

One company that harnessed the power of whole brain thinking is IBM. “To be truly global requires that (we) be culturally adaptable.” says Rich DeSerio, manager of the IBM global leadership development program. “This extends beyond just understanding our cultural diversity to using this diversity to extend that competitive advantage. Whole brain thinking allows us to understand, appreciate, and most importantly, leverage the diversity of thought that naturally exists in our company.” 4

Ann Herrmann-Nehdi, author, researcher and daughter of Dr. Ned Herrmann summarizes so eloquently why professionals and future business leaders should be exercising the whole brain in business “Whole brain thinking can build bridges between functions, generations, and levels, and between any “disconnects” that exist in an organization. This in turn contributes to reaching greater productivity, innovative solutions, increased speed, and even cultural transformation.”

The Golden Nugget

Put simply, we can learn to become better whole-brain thinkers.Whole-brain thinkers have higher emotional intelligence.Emotional intelligence is proven to lead to high performance leadership, high trust, high engagement, effective teamwork, and HIGHER SALARIES. These outcomes lead to higher productivity and profits.Higher productivity and profits give opportunity for greater freedom and happiness for you.

Next Steps

When you see a need to improve whole-brain thinking at your organization, please email me at: info@lighthouse4business.com.

References & Citations:

1. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Academy Publisher
2. brain.oxfordjournals.org
3. projectsmart.co.uk
4. Herrmann International

You know him, the one with abundant talent and potential, but who always seems to fall short. You also know the person who overcomes every obstacle and outperforms all expectations.

From the classroom to the board room, from amateur ranks to professionals, there are those who reach amazing heights, in spite of limited experience or talent, and those who never amount to much, yet have all the talent you could hope for. What sets them apart? Intent? Drive? Ambition? Or self-control?

A funny thing about intent, drive and ambition – without discipline, they aren’t much more than empty promises. As the saying goes, the road to “failure” is paved with good intentions. If we can’t manage ourselves and control our impulses, our good intentions are continually self-sabotaged and it becomes harder to accomplish anything, let alone meet our goals or build healthy relationships.1

I once had responsibility to direct a manager who, when she was under pressure, became short tempered and abrasive and would say demeaning things in the heat of the moment. Her staff feared her and the most talented employees were leaving to work for competitors. While she was quite talented in her own right, she was unable to manage her emotions.

The situation was intolerable and reached a boiling point when she finally snapped at me. Rather than terminate her, I confronted her. We had a discussion about her ability to manage her emotions and not let frustrations spill over into her work relationships. Over some months, my coaching provided her the tools to remain calm amid turmoil, she seemed genuinely happier and so did her staff. Termination was not necessary and we stopped losing good people. She eventually led her team so well, they received high performance awards.

Clearly, the difference between mediocrity and excellence is in how we manage ourselves. Maintaining control of our emotions is crucial, as my story illustrates, but all the little choices we make throughout our daily lives also have an impact on how well we perform. Do we read that leadership book or watch that movie?  Should we respond to that email about a project deadline, or check YouTube for the latest cute puppy video? Are we more interested in self-improvement or entertainment?  Not that some entertainment doesn’t have a place, but finding a good balance is the key.

The highest performers are not always the most skilled or talented, but they are masters at self-control. They manage their impulses, regulate their emotions and stay focused on their goals.

So how well do you manage yourself? Do you have control of your impulses and emotions, or do they control you? How about your employees? If you watch how they manage themselves, I bet you can easily pick out the star performers who have a bright future. Wouldn’t you like to have more people like them on your team?

Unfortunately, only one in five applicants for entry level jobs have good self-discipline in their work habits, and more than half of employees lack the motivation to continue improving in their job?2 What if you or your associates were better “self-managers”? Think of the positive impact this could have in your work and your life!

I’m not suggesting you fire the lot and look for better people. This would be costly and counterproductive. What I am saying, is you’ve probably already hired skilled and talented people, but they may just need some coaching on how to become better self-managers.

Not sure how to begin? You can start by taking an accurate, scientifically validated Emotional Competence Assessment HERE.

1 Daniel Golman, Emotional Intelligence, Why it can matter more than IQ, 2005, Bantum Pub.
2 Gallup Poll of American Businesses.

1.    Unfulfilled Expectations

2.    Being Misunderstood

Oprah gave the 2013 commencement speech at Harvard and revealed a startling observation.  “I have done over 35,000 interviews…and as soon as the camera shuts off everyone always turns to me and they all want to know: Was that okay? Did you hear me? Do you see me? Did what I say mean anything to you?”  It seems that people from every imaginable background, demographic, and level of expertise have this one thing in common: the desire to be understood and validated.  I have felt the painful frustration, as I suppose you have, of not being understood.  People not really listening to each other, not seeking to understand, is a huge source of conflict in business.  Feeling misunderstood can sometimes drive us to use hurtful words, thereby magnifying the problem.  It comes out in words like:

“This is not rocket science” (meaning: you’re stupid not to understand me) or,

“You always interrupt me!” (meaning: you’re not listening to me) or,

“Why do you contradict everything I say?” (meaning: I don’t feel validated).

3.    Unrequited Love

When I was in the first grade there was a little girl named Sarah who was so cute and sweet I just wanted to be near her.  It was the first time I felt affection for someone my age.  I wanted to play with her at recess and lunchtime, I wanted her to come over after school.  But Sarah liked Larry.  He was a funny boy with a bubbly personality.  This was my introduction to unrequited love.  Because my little heart was hurt I was much more cautious about who I would give it to in the future.  Subsequently nearly all my teen romantic relationships I was the one who did the heart breaking.  That early pain was memorable.  Whether investing our caring in a friend at work or in our romantic relationships we learn early to be cautious and not invest more into a relationship than the other person.  When we find ourselves wanting to give and say more about our caring for another, but we hold back, this is evidence that we’re protecting ourselves from possible emotional pain.

4.    Fear

We don’t feel safe.  We think someone is out to get us.  We feel vulnerable to the malicious intent of others.  These feelings can be very painful if we allow them to fester and grow.  Similar to having unfulfilled expectations, we make up a story in our mind about the terrible things that another person or circumstance may do to us.  Maybe we’ve failed or been mocked or abused in the past and that taints everything we see now.  Our fears may grow to anxiety and panic if unchecked.  The same physical reactions may manifest as with the reaction to fight or run from a predator in the wild.  We may be setting ourselves up for unnecessary pain from fear if we notice ourselves fortune-telling.  We tell ourselves all the terrible things that will happen to us in the future.

Some Solutions to Emotional Pain

 1.    Expect Differently

Hope is the positive side of forward thinking.  A hope is an expectation without the teeth.   When we see evidence in ourselves of unfulfilled expectations we can avoid the pain by softening our expectation into a hope.  For example, rather than thinking, “I wrote the work team meeting minutes last time so I expect Orville to write them this time,” we can soften it to, “I wrote the work team meeting minutes last time and I hope Orville will write them this time.  I’ll ask him if he thinks it would be fair for him to take a turn.”

2.    Give First

Knowing that everyone craves being understood and validated, what if we become the ones who give it.  What difference would it make in our lives if we became the one everyone enjoys talking with because our only intent is to understand and validate others?  A funny thing happens when we give people the gift of being understood and validated, they want to give back.  Let it start with us.

3.    Bigger Love

Rather than protecting ourselves against unrequited love, I propose making our love bigger, into the kind of love the Greeks call agape where you forget about yourself.  It’s where we care about the wellbeing of the other as our primary concern, not what we can get or have with the other person.  This is the kind of love that allows us to say, “I want the other person to be happy whether or not s/he cares about me.”  It takes a big heart to have this kind of big love.  Our hearts can grow into it by practice.  When we find ourselves protecting our hearts by not caring about others as much as we could, we can ask ourselves, “Who am I really concerned about?” and reply,  “Forget about me, what can I do to make her/him happy?”

4.    Step into the Darkness

Feeling emotionally vulnerable is uncomfortable.  I avoid it as much as I can, and I’ll bet you do too.   I was listening to a speaker describe her feelings about a traumatic event that happened to her husband, and her emotions overcame her.  As she wept and struggled to continue speaking I found myself liking her, feeling connected to her, and wanting to ease her pain.  As I’ve tried to figure out this phenomenon so common to human beings I’ve decided that it was her vulnerability in allowing me to see her humanity.  I was trying to understand how her pain felt as it related to the pain I’ve felt.  I could only imagine her pain, but I wanted to relate to her.  This built an invisible connection.  In an amazing Ted Talk by Brenè Brown I learned that, what may seem most scary to us, may be the very thing that relieves our pain.

A little less pain in the world is what I hope for.  I little less pain in me and you, at work and at home.

By Doug Lundrigan