Jun

28

Short and Sweet for an Efficient Week

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Friends,

Today: a fact and a simple invitation to redeploy the knowledge you have.

The fact: Internet and associated technologies have made worker-leaders
busier and heightened demands upon us.  The Pew Center on the Internet
found in September of last year that nearly half of adults said the
internet increased their work hours (46%), stress (49%) and the difficulty
of disconnecting from work at home (49%).  (Oh, there’s an upside to be
sure: 80% said it’s imporoved their ability to do their job.)  Nine months
later, I suspect the stress and demands have mounted measurably due to two
factors: layoffs have increased workloads, and technology keeps adding
more ways to connect to work. Among the technology changes are two:
Upgrades in mobile internet connectivity, and utilization of social
networking – use of the latter quadrupled among adults from 2005 to 2009 -
adding another burden (of opportunity) on us.

So, if you’re feeling hyper-extended, you’re not imagining it and not alone.

Here’s the invitation:  Focus on ONE strategy that has helped you to be
time-effective in the past.  I’ll offer some suggestions, but the keys, I
believe, are adopt a focused, single strategy; and focus on what works for
you, regardless of what works for others.

Here are some suggestions.  Again, I invite you to put one up on by
deadly computer in front of you:

•   Without fail make a goal/to-do list (daily or weekly or in the
interval that works for you; I prefer 2-week and 6-week goals that I keep
posted)
•   Close the Windows! Work on one application at a time.
•   Keep a “no” list to force yourself to say no to things that don’t add
value
•   If you have an assistant, ask them to screen and flag your email
•   Set specific times in the day to do email and voicemail; don’t let
them constantly interrupt your workflow
•   Ignore the blackberry during meetings and meals (be clear about
exceptions and communicate them to senders, e.g., kids, assistant, as well
as to those interrupted)
•   Reject the multi-task temptation when it comes to people.  To quote
David Crosby in a different context, “Love the one you’re with!”  Be
present.  It’s nicer, more efficient, and less crazy-making.

If you accept my invitation to adopt a (single) strategy, tell someone
you’re doing it and ask them to help hold you to it.

As always, I invite you to hit the comments button and share what works
for you and learn what works for others – as you:

Lead with your best self,

Dan

Jun

27

2 Great Radio Shows on Leadership

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Great 2 weeks on the “Everyday Leadership” radio show.  Jim Kouzes last week – one of THE best leadership writers.  Today, a great show with Rich Sheridan of Menlo Innovations sitting with me for the entire second hour, talking about how democracy is key to innovation.  He’s amazing.  Go directly to my shows at iTunes to catch the podcasts.  Or find a station to listen live.

Jun

22

No More “Because I Said So”

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“You don’t want me to have to tell your father about this!” was a near-universal threat spoken throughout the little ranch homes on Hiveley Street where I grew up in Inkster, Michigan. And the most popular parent-line of the time was the answer to a child’s query “Why?” – with the conversation-ending, “Because I said so. That’s why.” In many homes today these words are gratefully obsolete. It’s hard to overstate the changes in family roles, structure, and expectations, especially related to authority. And in the “adult worlds” of politics, business management, academe, and even religious organizations, there has been a fundamental shift in the focus of authority figures. The essential shift? From control to empowerment.

Resistance to the shift is ultimately futile. Presidents Nixon, Reagan, Clinton, Bush II – none could win with their “executive privilege” type arguments. Truth outs. Faster and surer than ever.

We are watching it live: In the cell phone, texting, Twitter-Facebook-YouTube world, the curtain will be pulled back on Ahmadinejad.

On the back-side of Fathers Day in this new era that invites men to be (like women): more relational, authentic and collaborative, I offer an argument and a question. The argument: Every authorized leader should live as though they’re governed by the Freedom of Information Act. No ”fathers knows best.” No executive privilege. No “information on a need to know basis,” where your manager decides what you need to know. Open book – on strategy, systems, right down to pay, including executive compensation! The shift from control to empowerment is scary, just ask Ahmadinejad, Gorbachev, de Klerk or others who thought they could open things up a lot but still keep control. But it’s worth it to open up. The upside in empowerment and trust and collaboration is huge.

The question – which we’ll discuss on the air on Saturday – is one I’d love you to comment on today. It begs discussion: Should not-for-profits and for profit businesses choose to act like the Freedom of Information Act controls them, and throw open their books and memos to anyone in the organization who wants to know? I say, YES. The time has come and the rewards are great.

What would it take to for you to lead as that kind of parent, boss or owner? I predict that a shift to total openness would drive you to

Lead – even more so – with your best self,

Dan

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Jun

15

Special Guest: Jim Kouzes

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I believe that the best book on leadership is Jim Kouzes’ and Barry Posner’s The Leadership Challenge. 

I am excited to announce that Jim will be joining me for the full first-hour of the Everyday Leadership show this Saturday, the 20th, at 7 AM (Detroiters: it’s on in your area at 9 PM).  You can find affiliate stations or listen to the livestream here.

Listen in ! ! !

Jun

15

Father Leaders

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Friends,

 In the last 50 years women have changed the world.  After centuries of struggle – struggles that are not over – I agree with Tom Peters who assessed women as leaders in this way, “Women roar. Women rule.”  Women ascended to public and business power by employing many tools:  debate, dialogue, demonstrations, mentoring, strategizing, and risk-taking.  They – with the help of many male allies – liberated themselves from the confines of the house and the confines of strangling gender roles.  In an odd asymmetry their forceful revolution quietly liberated men.  Our liberation – to lead at home and be freed from our gender chains – came without our employing the tools, strategies, and the constant rich dialogue that characterized the women’s movement.

As Father’s Day approaches, I am celebrating the chance to be an everyday leader at home.  And I am eager for the dialogue, debate and mentoring that will help us to shine as much in the home-world as our wives and daughters, nieces and neighbors are doing in the public sphere.  I am profoundly grateful that women fought for their space and created ours.  Jennifer’s aspirations and career choice opened up an incredible opportunity for me; often a difficult and confusing one, but always a rich opportunity.  As men bear the weight of many of the economic cutbacks – especially in manufacturing and construction – I hope that some will walk eagerly back into their homes to be everyday leaders and create a great workplace culture there with their kids (recognizing that the economics can be crippling).  Whether we are the lead parent at home or not, our success and happiness will grow as we (learn to) talk more and better with each other.

 With Father’s Day consider giving a book or CD that will help dad (or a reflective grandpa) to see his nontraditional gifts and develop them fully.  

  • I took leadership principles and transposed them into the world of parenting; you can find my CD with ten lessons to Be the Parent Your Children Want to Follow.  
  • My friend Kevin O’Shea has written a great book called The Fatherstyle Advantage and you can follow his blogs at MichDads Blog at the Detroit News.  One of the great things about blogs is that you can engage with others there!  And since one of the challenges for the primary parent is that it’s somewhat isolating, a blog’s a nice way to find a virtual community.  
  • You can find a solid list of parent books at Amazon.  One of the best in that bunch is, Raising Cain; it’s a thoughtful guide to raising emotionally healthy boys. Also on the list, is Reviving Ophelia, a rather frightening but helfpul look at what adolescent girls go through. 

And many boys and girls don’t have fathers.  Gratefully, many have mentors.  Meijer is celebrating Fathers Day on Saturday by contributing $2 from every $25 gift card to Mentor Michigan.  Go in and load up for the kids!  It’s a really easy way to…

Lead with your best self,

Dan

Jun

8

Who Will Lead the Job Growth?

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Friends,

 

Dana Johnson, chief economist for Comerica Bank said last week:  “I don’t know where the growth will come from but there will be growth” in the Michigan economy in 2010.  He suggested where the new jobs will not come – manufacturing.  He noted that auto manufacturing jobs have gone from 6.9% of Michigan’s non-farm jobs at the beginning of this decade to only 2.9%.*  Wow!  Could you have imagined – less then 3% of Michigan’s jobs are auto-related?  And that percentage will likely shrink with more layoffs in the year ahead.   So, especially to my Michigan friends, but all are welcome to answer, here’s a twist on Dana’s query:  “We don’t know where the growth in jobs will come from.  Will it come from . . . you?” 

 

What’s stopping you?  In a world where it’s easier than ever to invent, find customers, and keep overhead costs to the barest of minimums, what keeps you from employing yourself – and maybe others?  It seems like a time for us all to ask that.  Here are three questions that will give you (and help me get) a picture of the degree to which you think about starting your own business, the obstacles in your way, and then the way your own doubts may undermine your progress.   Once you finish the survey it will automatically take you to the results page.

 

I’m looking for a spirited discussion this week –there was a great one last week! – on how we adults in this country become more entrepreneurial and the ways in which we overcome our inner uncertainties to move ahead.  Hit the comments button at the bottom right to share your experience and your ideas.

 

What do you think?  Do you need to get way more proactive to

 

Lead with your best self?

 

Dan

 

 

See Katherine Yung’s Free Press report of economist Johnson’s report here:  http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009906060456

Jun

5

How do you get promoted?

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Take the one question survey, and listen to the Everyday Leadership radio show tomorrow from 7-9 AM, EST.

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