Loud Whisperings to Deaf Leaders
I pulled this from a LeapFrog e-zine…. love it! I think you will too!
Psst… What advice would you whisper in the ear of a senior leader?
We asked thought leaders, industry leaders and leading practitioners that we work with the following question:Â If you had 25 words or less to whisper in the ear of a senior leader….to dramatically impact her/his leadership team’s effectiveness….what would you say?
Here’s what ten respected clients and colleagues whispered in response:
1 - “Discover, deep at their inner core, why each member of your team is working in the job they are. Then you must feed that.”
Douglas “Yoda” Vlchek, Chief Wisdom Officer - DaVita Inc.
2 -“Have you thanked someone today for what they’ve done to help you achieve your vision for yourself and your team?”
Bob Hoffman , Executive Director, Organizational Development
Novartis Oncology
3 - “Leadership teamwork is about individual genius, collectively experienced. Don’t normalize eccentricity or brilliance. Orchestrate a way for people playing full out to do so together.”
Foster Mobley, Chief Executive Officer
The Foster Mobley Group: Advisors in Innovative Change
4 -“Let your actions speak much louder than what you say.”
Cliff Hakim, Career Consultant Author: We Are All Self-Employed
5 - “Be visible, articulate a clear vision, communicate in person often, walk the talk, listen, and respond in a timely manner.”
Jeff Peris, Chief Learning Officer - Wyeth
6 -“Know your business…know your people…have a clear vision and direction that you are able to communicate to your people. Be authentic, decisive, inclusive and most important, be humble.”
Tawfik Kamal, MD , Executive Director - Head of Strategic Marketing Capabilities
Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation
Â
7 - “Find the people in your organization who are already doing what you wish others would do and make a big deal out of it.”
Keir Carroll, Performance Improvement Concepts
8 - “Self-awareness is critical. . . even in the executive suite. Be aware of what others (1) think of you and (2) say about you. Don’t criticize, judge or gossip about your peers, as your team will do the same. Be a role model and mentor for others . . . you will then truly lead by example.”
Kathleen Sack , Director Learning Programs - Tyco International (US) Inc.
9 Drop your need to be right all the time. Your whole purpose is to help others be right” Court Chilton, Principal -Court Chilton & Associates
10 - “No matter what results you are trying to drive through the organization, the culture will bleed through. It starts at the top, so if your senior leaders aren’t modeling teamwork, don’t expect to break downs walls anywhere.”
Deborah Slobodnik, Principal -Options Consulting, Inc.
11 - “Breakthrough performance is rooted in remarkable people. To attract, retain and leverage remarkable people YOU must weave the connection between their passions, their work, and one another.”
Dick Eaton, Founder and Chief Energizing Officer -Leapfrog Innovations
Now if we could just whisper loud enough to be heard!! : ) Hey, what would you say to your boss? Please share in response to this T4D by clicking here and responding to the BLOG version.
Helping to Make Your Culture Count - THANK YOUÂ ~Â KIRK OUT
September 21st, 2007 at 5:49 am
The fact that your door is open does not constitute an open door policy. Invite others to meet with you and share their thoughts. Better yet, get out; move about and let others know you are approachable and interested in their feedback.
September 21st, 2007 at 7:11 am
There are people who exercise power, and people who exercise power over. Be the kind of leader who sees power as a tool to inspire greatness in your team, not to demonstrate your own success.
September 21st, 2007 at 9:03 am
Loved this quote because this sums it all up well:
“Breakthrough performance is rooted in remarkable people. To attract, retain and leverage remarkable people YOU must weave the connection between their passions, their work, and one another.â€
Dick Eaton, Founder and Chief Energizing Officer -Leapfrog Innovations
September 21st, 2007 at 10:19 am
WOW! What amazing quotes and how energizing to hear from those who value and promote successful leadership principles. I am going to pass these along to our teenager so that she can dwell on practical advice as she seeks to be a future leader. Your message couldn’t have been more timely!!! Thanks so much Kirk and other contributors to the blog!
September 21st, 2007 at 12:05 pm
“Perception is reality” when you get advice you don’t like seek to understand their “reality”
The people working for you have knowledge and insights that you do not, so don’t dismiss their input assuming you know more.
Keep up the great work!!!!
September 21st, 2007 at 7:57 pm
It doesn’t say there is any ranking of these quotes but personally I reckon number 1. is in it’s right spot. Get that one right and I believe you would find the rest are natural progressions anyway… pure gold and straight onto my collection of quotes on the wall.
One last point, it reminds me of a story I heard you tell in Sydney once Kirk about a guy in a call centre (I think) you were working with who was always a little eccentric, quiet and not really all that motivated. You found out he was into surfing or something like that then one day you bought a magazine on his ‘passion’ i.e. the reason he turns up to work to make money to give him freedom to do what he loves. You were ‘in the neighbourhood’ one time and dropped in to visit and gave him the mag with some well chosen words. He was blown away and his attitude at work changed almost overnight… the quotes are great, but only when put into action.
See, I WASN’T asleep while you were talking that day!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:53 am
There are two very powerful, very underused words in the English language: Thank you.
What would happen if we spent as much time encouraging and thanking people as we do complaining about each other? It actually takes less energy to say Thank you, than to be angry and say something discouraging. Are you willing to go out of your way to speak to management when something goes wrong? What about when something goes right?
I keep in mind the times someone said thank you and what a difference it made at a time when I was feelling discouragement. What does it cost me to say Thank you to someone to whom those words may make a difference in their day? Encouragement - pass it on.
January 2nd, 2012 at 4:11 pm
Impart you for major article. Where added could anyone get that good of accumulation in such a perfect way of activity? I get a presentation close period, and I am on the await for collection.