Laughing Reduces Stress

According to a bit in the June/July 2008 issue of Scientific American Mind magazine, "Anticipating a good laugh whisks away stress."

Research scientists at a California University conducted the following experiment: They asked one group of men to watch a funny video and another to page through a bunch of periodicals. Lo and behold, the group that saw the comedy had "much lower levels of stress hormones such as cortisol" as compared to the magazine group.

Of particular note was this: The movie watchers' stress levels went down before the film even began!

In other words, the mere anticipation of laughing provided some of the exact same stress-reducing benefits as actually laughing.

Now that's funny, don't you think?! (To reduce stress, I recommend that you laugh whether you think so or not!)

Team Excellence, Revisited

Back in August 24, 2006, I uploaded a post titled, "What Makes an Excellent Team?" in which delineated his six benchmarks that enable team excellence, according to Jesse Stoner, Ed.D. in his work called Benchmarks of Team Excellence:

1. Alignment - whereby team members share a common vision or purpose for the team's existence.
2. Processes - whereby the policies and procedures enable team members to coordinate their efforts smoothly and effectively (Stoner calls this Team Effectiveness, but I like using the term 'Processes' better as it's more about the infrastructure that required than the outcome resulting from it).
3. Empowerment - whereby team members feel authorized to do what's necessary to get the job done, and supported in their efforts in doing so.
4. Passion - whereby each member brings a high level of enthusiasm, energy, excitement, excellence, and confidence to the group.
5. Commitment - whereby each member feels a deep commitment to purpose of the team ... and to each other.
6. Standards - whereby the group purposefully raises the level of performance above and beyond what is necessary. (Stoner calls this Results.)

The day prior, I also referenced Stoner's work with respect to his five levels of team performance:

1. Excellence - Teams at this level produce consistently outstanding results. Meetings tend to be more about the future than on today's crises. Conflict is handled openly and directly.
2. Effective - Teams at this level produce consistently good results. Team member passion and energy is noticeably lower, though, and they sometimes fail to communicate with each other as proactively as they might.
3. Typical - Teams at this level produce good, sometimes even outstanding, results, but tend to do so inconsistently. Team members often do not understand the team's mission, how their goals align with that mission, or how their goals relate to other team member goals. As such, they're typically more focused on performing their own roles and responsibilities than they are on team performance.
4. Unfocused - Teams at this level tend not to function well at all. While the work often gets done, it is not through any coordinated effort, unless the group leader directly manages that coordination. Individual team members have very little commitment to the team.
5. Unconnected - Teams at this level are not really teams at all; they are just collections of individuals doing their work with little interest in, concern for, each other.

In the intervening two years, I've come to realize that it's not so much about where a team is, developmentally-speaking, at any point in time, as much as it's about where the team is currently headed.

Some times it takes time. But once everyone (most everyone) starts pulling in the same direction rapid improvements are possible in both the benchmarks realized and the level of team performance achieved.

Welcome, September!

So, after a brief break from blogging, it's nice to be back uploading posts, again!

D'ja miss me?!

Summer Hiatus - August 2008

I'm going blog-free this month.
Look for new posts to resume after Labor Day.
Thanks!
- bz

Locus of Control: Self-Management across the Continuum

Based on Julian Rotter's work in the late 1950's, Locus of Control is about peoples' perceptions about why they do the things they do and, by extension, why things are the way they are - at work, and in life:

• The more we believe that our behavior is guided by fate, luck, or other external circumstances, the more of an external Locus of Control it can be said we have.
• Conversely, the more we believe that our behavior is guided by our personal decisions and efforts, the more of an internal Locus of Control we can say we have.

(Did you notice how I used "it" when defining external, and "we" when defining internal?! Sometimes, the basis of one's Locus of Control can be that subtle.)

Now typically, coaches don't spend a lot of time on the "Why?" question - let alone findings that come from observing therapy patients, as did Rotter's. But Locus of Control is an important concept to understand if we want to truly maximize our potential.

What's important to realize, and as the chart indicates below, is that one's Locus of Control is not fixed or unmovable; actually, it's more of a point on a line - a point that routinely shifts, quite radically at times, depending on issue and circumstance.

So rarely does someone always embrace an external Locus or Control. Rarely does someone always embrace an internal Locus of Control, either.

And therein lies the power of the notion, because: If your Locus of Control can shift without you realizing it, it can also be made to shift because you realize it.

• Feeling that everyone (and everything) is working against you? Shifting to more of an internal Locus of Control will help you be a bit more assertive and/or realize it's time to take a more decisive action to move things meaningfully forward.
• Blaming yourself when things go wrong - even when they're not your fault? Shifting to more of an external Locus of Control will help you accept that certain circumstances (and failings) really are out of your control and it's really okay to give yourself a break every now-and-again.
• Struggling in a personal relationship that's not working no matter what you do? Shifting to more of an external Locus of Control will help you request that the other person step-it-up a notch or two, as well, and not just leave it all for you to do.
• Sensing you're not in a good mood much of the time? Shifting to more of an internal Locus of Control will help you accept responsibility for the state of your mood and do something enjoyable to chipper yourself up a bit.

Locus of Control is no panacea - it's more just a way to explain the "why?" behind the "what?". But it's also a great way to help become more conscious and purposeful of what you do, say, and believe - all keys to effective self-management ... and success.

Low-Cost Employee Motivation

Some things stand the test of time. One example is a December 2006 article called, 20 Low-Cost Employee Perks, from Entrepreneur.com. Here's some of what it says [and some comments from me]:

• Family days. For those times when the kids have a half day of school or a snow day, family days allow employees to take a day off without having to use up vacation or sick days. [Don't forget that life outside of the job - theirs, or yours!]
• Computer discounts. Buying in bulk typically allows a business to get good prices on computers and peripherals. [And how about extending the savings to employee' friends and families so they can benefit, too?]
• Movie days. A group movie outing or free movie passes can be a pleasant perk. For the sake of variety, you might also consider an outing to see a community theater group. [I've given packs of movie passes to employees' spouses as a thanks for, and in recognition of, them letting their significant others work all those extra hours.]
• Free car washes. The latest in "express exterior" car washes costs around $5 per wash, meaning for $100, you could give 20 employees a shiny car every few months.
• Continental breakfasts. They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, so serve a free breakfast once or twice a week. Bagels, muffins, coffee and similar fare make for a nice way to start the day. [Discount coupons at the local coffee shop is a nice touch, too.]

What are some of the things you do to treat your employees right?

Air Cover: Getting Support from the Big Boss

Scenario: You need to do something that you just know a coworker, Mary, is not going to like. She'll dislike it so much, she'll likely go over your head to to complain about it.

So how can you increase the probability that you'll get the 'air cover' and support you need from the Big Boss?

By bringing your boss up-to-speed before you roll out your plan so s/he can comfortably say, "Yes, I know of, and approved, the approach taken."

Can't get your boss to approve your plan exactly as is? Then just tweak it a bit so that you can.

Then, play it out: Tell Mary. Let her complain to your boss's boss. (You can't stop her, anyway.) Watch as your boss's boss asks your boss, "What's this all about?" Then, see how:

• If your boss can speak intelligently about your plan, you'll likely be supported by the Big Boss; and
• If your boss cannot speak intelligently about your plan, you'll likely get overruled.

It's not just about how good your idea is; it's about how well your boss supports it when it's ultimately challenged.

End of story. Try it yourself and see.

Measuring Executive Presence

How you measure your Executive Presence - by achievement, or by attendance?!

Sure, go ahead and laugh, but a lot of executives believe, to their (and their staff's) detriment, that "face" time is the answer. Playing the "visibility game" like that may give the illusion of working - and may sometimes even seem to work -, but:

True Executive Presence is not measured in minutes, but by one's impact.

That's not to say that visibility is irrelevant - being "seen" is a form of impact. But it's what you do when you're seen that matters more. Indeed, there are many ways that executives can have a significant impact:

• some excel at thinking strategically
• some excel at understanding the needs and wants of key stakeholders (customers, business partners, staff, bosses, competition, etc.)
• some excel at conflict resolution and/or having difficult conversations
• some excel at articulating the likely unintended consequences of a proposed action
• some excel at creating contingency plans and fall-back processes
• some excel with start-up opportunities
• some excel at turnaround situations
• some excel at being a great sounding-board to other executives

While this is surely not a comprehensive list, notice that "working hard" is nowhere to be found on it. That's not to say that working hard is not important. It's just to say, though, that as with being "seen", working hard is typically not enough. While they both may enable Executive Presence, Executive Presence is more about what results from your work, not just how much effort you put into it - or who happens to see you when.

Something else to consider the next time you're just showing up to be seen:

Idle minutes of visibility tend to decrease one's visibility and diminish one's credibility.

Why might I say that, I wonder?

What do you know about your Energy Levels?

Had an interesting conversation with a former client yesterday – we got to talking about energy levels vis-à-vis time-o-day.

“I’m a morning guy," he said, "so I like to work out in the evening.”

Counter-intuitive thinking like that fascinates me. Turns out that although he likes to "hit it hard" at the gym, working out is relaxing for him - something he'll do anyway. So, he prefers to focus his high energy periods on work, rather than working out.

Now I consider myself pretty self-aware on a lot of levels, but I have to admit that I have only a very basic sense of how my energy level relates to time-o-day. For me, it seems to be more a function of what I’m doing, or planning to do, rather than when I'm doing it: If it’s "important" work, or fun, my energy tends to run high; if there’s not much on my plate, not much energy.

How about you? What do you know about how your energy operates?

Deciphering Priorities

It goes by a variety of last names, but its first name is always the same:

• "Another" Number One Priority
• "Another" hot-hot one
• "Another" just get 'er done
• "Another" by-end-of-day deliverable
• "Another" rush request
• "Another" gotta do to-do
• "Another" can't-wait task
• "Another" small thing
• "Another" request from on-high
• "Another" oh, just one more thing before you go

Whatever name you know it by, your boss just gave you "Another" one - and you're fit to be tied. Oh well, that's life!

Oh, sure, you can just refuse it, but that's not a great strategy this time of year - especially it you haven't had your mid-year performance review yet.

So what to do? I like to ask two key questions:

Key Question #1: Do you want this done before, or after, that?

Most people know to ask the "What's the Priority?" question, but the problem with that is that it's really hard to say those words without sounding particularly defensive - or dismissive. Plus, when asked, its typical response is an equally dismissive and defensive, "They're both important."

But, by asking your boss if s/he wants this done "before, or after that", you're not challenging his/her right to move work through the system. You're not questioning his/her ability to push back on his/her boss. And you're not allowing it to be inferred hat you're so bad at time management that virtually anything out of the blue would likely send you into a tizzy, and undermine your credibility as a value-added contributor to the cause even more.

No, by asking your boss if s/he wants this done "before, or after that", you're showing you understand that some Number One Priorities, some hot-hot ones ... some get 'er dones ... etc., need to get done before others even if they weren't assigned to you in that same order. Too, it allows the boss the opportunity to consider which s/he would like completed first, which is a very helpful - for the both of you - to know.

Key Question #2: What's the minimum you need to make this work for you?

Here's how it works: There's what the boss wants ideally; there's what the boss can realistically work with; what would be minimally acceptable; and what falls short. Your goal in such situations, is to provide what's minimally acceptable ... and maybe a bit more, but only if it's easier to just include more, not because you have to include more.

Think it through: You're busy, overloaded, slammed ... whatever. Now is not the time to luxuriate in your perfectionistic tendencies - it's time to just get 'er done.

So how will you know when done is done? By knowing what's the minimum that your boss needs to make it work for him or her and working to achieve that, ASAP.

Need a metaphor for these particular busy spells? Okay, assignments are like toll booths. Your job is to provide exactly what's required ... no more ... and certainly not a penny less.

Validate your Assumptions when Talking with your Boss

When your boss says something that doesn't make sense to you, do you: (a) think s/he's wrong; or (b) think there might be more to the story than you already know?

Many choose (a). But even if your boss isn't what one might call a mental giant, it's a far better strategy to choose (b). Why? Because (b) might very well be the truth and to simply assume away that possibility is what one might call a 'career limiting' activity.

So rather than basking in the certainty of your assumptions, try validating them - early, and often. If it turns out that your boss is wrong, so be it. But at least you'll know for sure.

8-Year Anniversary for GottaGettaCoach!

July 4, 2008 - GottaGettaCoach! is celebrating its 8th anniversary today - thank you to all for your continued support!

And a special thank you to everyone who's ever worked with me, or referred me as an Executive Coach, Management Coach, Leadership Coach, Personal Life Coach, Career Coach, Small Business Coach, or New Coach Mentor, to someone else.

Word-of-mouth recommendations is a truly powerful way for a small business to flourish. (As is doing a blog!)

Business Justification Checklist

When establishing the business justification for a request, here are some helpful questions to consider:

• What opportunities does your initiative enable? Note, while it may be most comfortable to lead with this answer, many bosses focus much more on problem-solving than opportunity-seizing. As such, if yours is like that, figure out how to re-frame the opportunity you want to address as a problem in need of being solved.
• What pressing business problems does your initiative solve or at least meaningfully address? Don't forget to articulate the implications of the problem not being meaningfully addressed and how the mere passing-of-time (read: inaction) will impact the situation's ongoing risk and exposure.
• What's the precedent-setting nature of your request? You'll no doubt find that your answer to this question can have some significant implications as to what happens next. As such, it's best you know beforehand so you can speak intelligently on the topic when it inevitably comes up - and modify your request accordingly, if necessary.
• What's the ROI (Return on Investment)? In other words, if things go as planned, how long will it take to recoup the initial investment based on anticipated savings or additional revenues resulting from the investment. If you don't already know, you may also want to benchmark your request against the ROI projections of previously-approved projects and programs.
• What synergy can be expected? How will approving your request also move other initiatives forward? What other expenditures will no longer be needed if this one is approved? Broaden your view - you know your boss will likely go there, so get there first!
• How might existing dollars be used to fund it? While this isn't always possible, there often are lesser-priority initiatives that have already received funding approval that could be de-listed and its monies reallocated. Example: A more expensive seminar - in town - costs the same as a less expensive one requiring travel and lodging; purchasing more expensive equipment than planned might be manageable if there's a resulting reduction in year-over-year maintenance costs.
• In what order do you want to order your points? In that you'll likely have several points you'll want to use as the basis of your business justification, give consideration to the proper sequence of your making them. Whenever I'm providing more than 3 points, I try to lead with my strongest two points, and save my third-strongest for last - a grand finale as it were. Each point should be strong enough to stand on its own merit, though - if it can't, you likely have more homework to do.

Hope this helps you get your next initiative approved.

Making Requests UP the Chain

When making a request up the chain, make it easier for your boss to say 'yes'. Here's how:

1. Pick just one issue at a time - This is not time for a 'kitchen sink' strategy...unless you're planning a major initiative with multiple parts, in which case the major initiative is your issue, not its components
2. Succinctly provide relevant background information - Keyword: "Succinctly". Provide only as much as is needed to justify that the issue warrants attention. Have additional backup/documentation available, but don't assume it will be automatically relevant to the decision to move forward. That said, be sure to articulate the business justification for your request. If all you've got is a BIWI (Because I Want It) then don't bother even starting the conversation.
3. Make a specific request - State clearly and crisply what you're looking for: authorization to do something, permission to not do something, additional funding, additional non-monetary resources? Whatever it is, don't just lay out the issue and make the boss figure out what you want.
4. Be open to a counter-offer - Sometimes you can't get exactly what you propose, but if you're open to the give-and-take of a meaningful discussion on the topic, you might very well get several of the key components of it. And that may really be all you need.

Repeat with other issues as you see fit.

Tim Russert, 1950-2008

A moment of silence for this life and leadership role model.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25145431/

The Five (or Six) Truths About Fear

Susan Jeffers, in her ground-breaking book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, identified five basic truths about fear^a:

1. The fear will never go away as long as I continue to grow.
2. The only way to get rid of the fear of doing something is to go out … and do it.
3. The only way to feel better about myself is to go out … and do it.
4. Not only am I going to experience fear whenever I'm on unfamiliar territory, but so is everyone else.
5. Pushing through fear is less frightening than living with the underlying fear that comes from a feeling of helplessness.

"By now you've gotten the picture," writes Dr. Jeffers. "We can't escape fear. We can only transform it into a companion that accompanies us in all our exciting adventures ... Some people have told me they are never afraid, but when I question them, they reveal that we are just differing on semantics. Yes, they feel nervous or anxious sometimes - they simply never labeled it as fear."

Know, though, that whether you label it as fear, or not:

Unfamiliarity with HOW to do something is not the same as Inability TO do something.

So, the next time you find yourself "feeling the fear", or feeling nervous, or anxious, or whatever it is you feel when you're in an unfamiliar space ... STOP ... and remind yourself that just because you haven't done this particular thing before, it does not mean you're incapable of doing it (or learning to do it).

This simple realization is central to all personal / professional growth ... all relationship growth ... all leadership growth ...all life growth ... all everything growth.

So I want to add a 6^th Truth of Fear to the list:

6. Our ability to push through fear has far less to do with the difficulty of a given situation - real or imagined - than it does with our readiness to learn and grow, regardless of circumstance.

As such, it seems to me that fear can be recast as a basic "invitation to learn", rather than an inhibitor of learning.

Ha! I guess you could say that while "opportunity knocks but once," fear rings the bell again and again and again - until you accept its invitation to come out and play!

----
^aTaken from Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway^®, Susan Jeffers, Ph.D. Copyright ©1987-2008 Susan Jeffers, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Archived Topic: Fear

For reference purposes, here are some additional blog posts about "FEAR" from the archives of GottaGettaBlog! and the NotJustTalk! newsletter that were not yet linked with the category label "fear":

• 15 Networking Do's
• Authentically Munch
• Career Day Comments
• Choosing to Choose
• Coaching Next Level Leaders
• Five Keys to Pushing Past Fear
• Hope and Help for Your Nerves
• How to Succeed Like a Workaholic
• improv wisdom
• Taking it Off-Line
• The Real Reason People Don't Change
• The Six Habits of Highly Defective People
• The Wisdom of Letting Go

Candidate City: Chicago!

Congrats to Chicago for becoming one of only four cities in the entire world to make it to the Final Phase of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games host city selection process. How exciting!

Per the Chicago2016.org website:

"Chicago offers a magnificent backdrop in the heartland of America for athletes to compete and spectators to cheer them on. We are a city that prides itself on achieving harmony among our lakefront, our 29 miles of shoreline parks and the city itself. In 1909 Daniel Burnham’s “The Plan of Chicago” introduced a comprehensive design for the city, and it still serves as a guide for planning today. By placing the Olympic Games in the very heart of our city, we will give our global guests the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the downtown parks and lakefront and offer athletes from around the world a compelling and unique experience.

"A city is only as vibrant and strong as its citizens. Chicagoans embody Midwest values — integrity, hard work and optimism. Our community is a melting pot of ethnicities represented in our neighborhoods by 26 nationalities of more than 25,000 each. And we are passionate about sports, as evidenced by the 8 million tickets sold to sporting events in Chicago every year. We embrace athletes, support them in triumph and despair and are inspired by their efforts. The Olympic and Paralympic Games would likewise inspire us.

"Mayor Richard M. Daley has pledged to make the city the greenest in the country. To that end, he has overseen the planting of a half million trees, bisected major boulevards with median strips spilling over with prairie grasses and colorful blooms and pledged to have the city using renewable sources for 20 percent of its energy needs within five years. Indeed, there’s hardly a neighborhood in which you don’t see some sign of continuing beautification.

"Chicagoans are proud of our past, invigorated by our present and excited about our future. We are energized by the prospect of playing host to the Olympic Games, an event that would showcase and promote global partnership and harmony. We will not only stage an inspiring sporting event but also embrace and strengthen the Olympic Movement. Together we will Stir the Soul™."

Tokyo, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro also in the Final Four, so congratulations to them, too. But I know which city I'm rooting for! Very exciting, indeed.

Stupid Questions and What Happens Next

"There's no such thing as a stupid question."

Wrong. There are all sorts of stupid questions. We hear them every day. We ask them every day. We label them as such every day. And life, amazingly, goes on.

But whether a question is considered stupid or not is not really the issue. What matters more - much more - than the caliber of the question, is what you do with the answer.

If the answer has you (and everyone else in the room) lapse into silence, it probably wasn't a question worth asking - at least not at this particular time, in this particular place, or to this particular person.

If the answer has you say something like, "Well if that's the case, then ....", or "So it logically follows that...", or has you offer up some insightful inference that helps move the conversation meaningfully forward, then it's GOOD you asked your stupid question - GOOD for everyone!

And if the answer has someone else say something like, "Well if that's the case, then ....", or "So it logically follows that...", or has them offer up some insightful inference that helps move the conversation meaningfully forward, then it's REALLY GOOD you asked your stupid question - REALLY GOOD for everyone!

That said, the best way to avoid the harsh glare - and potential embarrassment - from asking a stupid question is to ask it with the intention of applying the answer (whatever it is) in an absolutely brilliant, or at least quasi-intelligent, way. Fear not how you'll do that, just set the intention to do that ... and proceed accordingly.

Not sure how to do that? Not sure how you'd apply the answer (whatever it is) in an absolutely brilliant, or at least quasi-intelligent, way? Then maybe it's a stupid question that's better to not ask at this particular time, in this particular place, or to this particular person.

And what if you're asked a stupid question? Two things on that:

• Thing One: Please, puleeeeeze, don't say, "There's no such thing as a stupid question!" (Sorry, pet peeve of mine.)
• Thing Two: Answer the question thoughtfully and immediately follow-up with a stupid question of your own - something like, "So what can you infer from my answer?"

Professional Development: What Works

New Book Alert: Professional Development: What Works, by Sally J. Zepeda, professor at the University of Georgia in the Department of Lifelong Education, Administration and Policy.

Published less than a month ago by a joint between Eye On Education and the National Staff Development Council, Dr. Zepeda has created "a robust balance of research, theory, and practice" in this, her 17th book.

Per Dr. Zepeda: "I am indebted to the teachers, professional development consultants, principals, and higher education faculty who allowed their practices to be included in this book. These practices are exemplary."

Indeed, one such "outside resource" whose work was discussed (pages 191-193) was yours truly, Barry Zweibel.

Thank you, Sally. I admire your ongoing passion for, commitment to, and leadership in, furthering the ongoing professional development of others.

Motivation 301: Get Them to Desire the Right Things

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to go to the forest to gather wood, saw it, and nail the planks together. Instead, teach them the desire for the sea." - Antoine de Saint Exupéry

Life on Track: In a Minute You Could ...

(a) Be grateful - Write a thank-you card.

(b) Relax - Close your eyes, breathe deeply and slowly three times.

(c) Connect - Pick up the phone to call someone you haven't seen in a while.

(d) Gain Perspective - Look out the window toward the horizon.

(e) Think about you - List three things you like the most.

Hey, it's your life, do something wonderful with it ... as in the next 60 seconds!

----
from the April/May 2008 edition of Success magazine
Stopwatch picture courtesy of Wikipedia

The BEST Interview Prep Question EVER

"What question(s) do you hope they don't ask you?"

Now go figure out your answer(s).

How Are You Holding Your Staff Accountable?

• Do you assign tasks to your direct reports that never get done?
• Do you find that if you don't follow-up on open items you never hear about them again?
• Do you have to repeatedly remind people to do what they said they would?
• Do you believe that the quality of the work coming back to you is sub-standard?
• Do you not delegate as much as you might because it's just easier to do it yourself?

Worry not - or at least don't worry a lot about it. The bad news is that you're likely not holding your staff sufficiently accountable for the 'extra' work you give them. The good news, though, is that it's not all that difficult to change that. You simply need to get a little clearer with them about your assignments and their implications:

• The Who - "Here's why I'm choosing you do work on this assignment..." - Maybe it's because it's in the person's area of responsibility, maybe it's because you see this as an important developmental stretch for the person, maybe it's because of some particular competency the individual possesses. Regardless, be clear to whoever is the "Who" that s/he is the "Who."

• The What - "Here's what I specifically want you to accomplish..." - Try being more specific about what you want than you usually are. So if you want pie charts instead of bar graphs for some reason, say so on the front end, before the work is completed. If you want a year-over-year analysis when it's more typical to just give YTD figures, specifically say so. If you want a detailed plan, explain what you mean by "detailed." Since you're the one giving the assignment, you get to be the one who asks for what you really want, not just for something in the neighborhood. And that includes what types of interim updates you want from the person, along the way, as well.

• The Why - "Here's the reason why I want you to do this..." - Don't underestimate the value of explaining your Why to people. It really helps. Two caveats, though: (1) if you're in a real crisis situation (not just feeling under pressure) you may not have time to explain the Why, so quickly state that fact and offer to provide the additional background information about your request once the crisis subsides, if the person is still interested; (2) if it's clear that your delegatee truly understands the Why already, it may not be necessary to provide line-and-verse about it. It's best to be sure, though, which you can do by simply asking them to explain to you the Why. Don't forget to explain the Why behind your those interim updates you want, either.

• The When -"I'd like to get the finished product back from you by..." - Back in my days in the telecommunications world I worked with a purchasing agent (I'll call her Phyllis) who taught me a very important lesson about the When. I needed some telecom gear in a hurry, so I filled out the necessary paperwork and in the box that asked "When Needed" I put the letters ASAP, meaning As Soon As Possible. When the gear didn't come, I went to visit Phyllis personally to find out what was (not) going on. "Didn't you see my ASAP?" I asked her. "Yes, I did," she replied, "But Barry, you have to understand, I'm a very busy person. And there are only so many hours in a day. It was just not possible for me to get to your request yet." And she was dead-serious. "So what am I supposed to do if I really need something right away, Phyllis?" I asked while teetering on the edge of insanity. "Oh, that's easy, just put today's date in the When Needed box on the form," she said with a smile that curiously made it seem like she was really trying to be helpful. "Really?!" "Yes, really!" So a few days later I tried Phyllis' suggestion ... and you know what? It worked perfectly! The moral of this story: Make sure you're asking for the right When in the right way. And that includes the When you want those interim updates, too.

There's the Where and the How, too, but I'll leave them to you to figure out.

I'll also leave to you an obvious implication of all of this: You'll likely need to think through the Who, What, Why, When, Where, and How a bit more before you start to delegate. If you do, though, I guarantee it will be time well spent.

From (totally) Perfect to (merely) Excellent

I work a lot with executives who relish their perfectionism - and why not, it's what, in large part, got them promoted to be executives.

To help them 're-frame' how they think about their work, I have them do a little exercise. First, I have them draw a line from left to right, with arrows on each end; a continuum, if you will:

On it, I then have them put a big A on the far left and label it (inescapably) Awful; and a big P on the far right and label it (totally) Perfect. Like this, perhaps:

I then ask where on the line they'd put an E,which stands for (merely) Excellent - still excellent, but just barely so.

E

If you do this exercise yourself, be sure to notice that wherever you put your E - it's likely somewhat left of P, but still considerably to the right of A. That is, meaningfully less than (totally) Perfect, but still nowhere near (inescapably) Awful.

My challenge to them - and to you - is to spend the next two weeks operating in the E space - wherever it's located - to see what that's like.

If you do, you'll likely find, as they do, that not one person (excepting yourself) will notice any decrease in your performance whatsoever. And, by allowing yourself to be just (merely) Excellent you'll free up literally hours of time in your workweek - and at home - that you can then use to complete several other things in a (merely) Excellent way AND still have time to clean up your overflowing email inbox already, for crying out loud!

It's a fun little experiment, one that I invite you to try.

And what if someone becomes dissatisfied with your (merely) Excellent performance? Don't worry. For now, just apologize and indulge yourself in making things (totally) Perfect.

It'll still be the exception, rather than the rule.

28 Common Leadership Mistakes

How many of these leadership and management mistakes do you make?

1. Thinking and acting like you know all the answers
2. Confusing delegation with 'dumping'
3. Not being really real or genuine
4. Not being an exemplary role model
5. Treating staff like children
6. Not practicing The Platinum Rule^® - treating others as they wish to be treated
7. Not knowing what you want people's value-added to be
8. Not communicating the context for certain decisions you make or override
9. Saying, "...because I'm the boss" as justification for, basically, anything
10. Not saying, "...sorry, my bad"
11. Discounting constructive feedback instead of learning from it
12. Not really listening
13. Fooling yourself into thinking that you are listening (when you're not)
14. Not addressing the right issues
15. Not knowing what the right issues are that need to be addressed
16. Giving vague or 'coded' answers to requests for specific information
17. Not stimulating healthy debate among your staff and peers - even if it makes you wrong
18. Not admitting that you made the exact same mistake once (or twice) yourself
19. Being too serious
20. Being too fast to judge others
21. Not realizing that the goal is not to make the best decision possible, but to make the best decision given the time allotted and the info available
22. Feeling threatened by your staff's competence and zealousness
23. Not saying what you mean
24. Not meaning what you say
25. Not saying, 'Thank you', 'please', and 'nice job' often enough
26. Not saying, 'Let's talk about how to do this more efficiently' often enough
27. Discouraging others from taking vacation or leaving work early from time to time
28. Forgetting that a true leader never stops learning about how to be an even better leader

For the ones you recognize yourself doing, start tracking how many times you do them each week. You'll be amazed at the power that little tick marks can have in helping you to modify your attitude and behavior.

Hello, Barry? This is the BBC News calling...

I got a call today from the BBC News. And oddly enough, it seemed perfectly fitting, having just completed a morning call with a client in London. But it was not about her. It was about me...or so I thought.

"Hello, Barry?" asked the man with the decidedly British accent. "This is the BBC News calling..."

It seems they wanted to do a piece on Clinton vs. Obama, but with a twist. The BBC wanted to interview an American Life Coach to talk about how one would coach the ultimate loser of the nomination - whoever that would be. Is that a great topic, or what?!

Unfortunately, they wanted the life coach to come to their Washington D.C. office to do the interview ... this afternoon! Sorry, can't get there from here (Chicago) by then. Oh well.

Nevertheless, I thought it'd be interesting to consider - and blog about - how I might coach Hillary or Barack if the situation actually did present itself. And, while the specific questions I'd ask would likely emerge as our conversation unfolded, I'm pretty sure I'd approach the dialogue in this way:

1a. Public "Do" questions - That is, questions to get at what was needed to deal most effectively with the situation publicly today, and moving forward. Yes, they'd be pretty obvious, but when dealing with high-powered coaching clients, it's important to create a safe path before traveling into deeper, more personal, areas of discussion.

• What will be the primary message of your public statement about this?
• What relationships do you need to circle back to - to thank and/or repair?
• What else needs to be mopped up a bit?

1b. Private "Do" questions - These would be similar to 1a-type questions, but would focus more on what the individual needed to do, privately, to turn the page as it were.

• Now that this is over, what do you need to do for yourself?
• What makes that so important for you?
• How can you get more of that for yourself more quickly?

2a. Public "Be" questions - Public figures are identified, in many ways, by what they stand for. Given that, a whole series of questions can be asked about how they want to show up and "be" publicly.

• How important is it to you that your constituents' issues continue to have a meaningful platform?
• From a historical perspective, how do you want your role in this campaign to be remembered?
• What is your message to the American people about the importance of trying, even if you don't succeed?

2b. Private "Be" questions - This is really the heart of coaching, questions designed to help an individual better understand how to stand in the world.

• So, how are you with not having won - as in really?!
• What do you need to feel 'complete' about this and be ready for whatever comes next?
• What are you most proud of for having made happen during the campaign?
• What are your Lessons Learned that made your campaign particularly worthwhile?
• How has this empowered you, as a person, moving forward?

It's hard to say how much any of this would resonate for the non-nominee. It's hard to know how receptive s/he would be to even having this conversation. But I suspect that whoever it would be with, it'd likely be an important conversation for the person to have ... for the good of the the individual ... the Democratic Party ... and the people of the United States of America.

To think it was all spurred by the BBC News calling. Jolly good.

Jolly good, indeed!

Poem In Your Pocket Day

Yup, that's right. Not only is April National Poetry Month, but April 17th is Poem in Your Pocket Day!

"The idea is simple:" says the Academy of American Poets. "[S]elect a poem you love during National Poetry Month then carry it with you to share with co-workers, family, and friends on April 17. Poems from pockets will be unfolded throughout the day with events in parks, libraries, schools, workplaces, and bookstores."

Or, if you prefer, you can download your favorite poems to your cell or smart phone: Poems to go!

Now I'm not a big fan of poetry, per se, but in honor of the day, let me pull out an old fave, Knots, by "Independent British Psychoanalyst, Social Phenomenologist, Radical Psychiatrist, Existential Philosopher," and poet if you ask me, R. D. Laing.

Here's an excerpt from Knots:

There must be something the matter with him
because he would not be acting as he does
unless there was
therefore he is acting as he is
because there is something the matter with him

He does not think there is anything the matter with him
because
one of the things that is
the matter with him
is that he does not think that there is anything
the matter with him

therefore
we have to help him realize that,
the fact that he does not think there is anything
the matter with him
is one of the things that is
the matter with him

(Can you see why the piece is called Knots?!)

What Makes the Google Search Engine - and Leadership - So Good

Friday's post looked at what search engine optimization can can teach us about leadership. Today, let's look at what we can learn about leadership from Google and how it manages its search engine infrastructure.

First some perspective from John Dvorak's Inside Track (PC Magazine, April 2006):

"Anyone who runs a blog can clearly see the search engine bots as they roam through a Web site. The Google bots will show up and scan the site perhaps ten times as frequently as either the MSN or the Yahoo! bots. Combining the MSN and Yahoo! bots still does not even come close to the Google bots' level of activity.

"This is the real key to Google's success in search. Google is better because it works harder - or at least the computers work harder. Everybody wants to believe that there is some magical algorithm that makes Google the winner. That's not it. It's the relentless crawling of the Net that does the job.

"[And] Google continues to make this network of Web crawlers bigger by the day."

So what's this got to do with Leadership? I submit that if you increase your scanning of the world around you (as the Googlebots do) and incorporate what you find into:

• the questions you ask
• the answers you give
• the views you hold
• the directives you give
• the conversations you have
• the conclusions you reach
• the 'pinging' you do
• the activities you engage in

...you'll become a a better leader - a much better leader.

Try it this week and see for yourself.

An SEO - that is, Leadership - Audit and Upgrade

How does SEO (search engine optimization) connect with you becoming a better leader? Whether you know anything about getting better website rankings on Google, or not, let's take a closer look courtesy of Website Magazine, and author Dante A. Monteverde, as to commonalities between improving organic search engine placements and leadership excellence:

• SEO Resolution: "Resolve to complete an SEO audit of your website." The idea here is that there are all sorts of things behind the scenes on a website (like meta tags, alt tags, keyword phrases, and h1, h2, and h3 tags, as example) that can affect search engine rankings. so too with your leadership style.

GGCI Leadership Corollary: "Resolve to complete an audit of your leadership infrastructure." That is, look behind the scenes at what helps you lead how you lead. How effectively do you keep track of (and hold others accountable for) the things you delegate?

How effectively do you keep track of (and honor) the commitments you make? How sufficiently do you prepare for difficult conversations? What tone and mood do you bring to work each day? Objectively audit such leadership infrastructure elements and upgrade, as necessary.

• SEO Resolution: "Resolve to update your content." In website parlance, this refers to adding new materials to your website so that it's interesting enough for people come back to it to see what's new and what else they can learn from it. GottaGettaBlog! is an example of one way to do that.

GGCI Leadership Corollary: "Resolve to further your leadership discussions." What new aspects of leadership are you learning and sharing with your staff, colleagues, upper management, and vendor contacts, about leadership? What subtleties of human performance and motivation are you studying?

What questions do you have about effectively leading people that you can incorporate into your conversations with others? Objectively audit your leadership conversations and upgrade, as necessary.

• SEO Resolution: "Resolve to obtain new incoming links." One of the ways that Google and the other search engines determine where a site should be placed on its rankings is by how many other sites have hyperlinks to that site. The basic idea is that as more and more sites refer to another site in its own content, the value of that other site is continually enhanced. (No wonder they call it link love!!)

GGCI Leadership Corollary: "Resolve to help others say good things about you." It's long been know that the more that people say good things about you - especially if they're people from other departments - the better raises and bonuses you'll likely get. (See More Needed Than Good Work, a blog posting I did on this topic almost four years ago!)

People who do this effectively are called network entrepreneurs as they recognize the value derived from building their personal and professional contacts and connections with an entrepreneurial zeal.

The thing to remember is that people can't say good things about you - even if they want to - if they don't know what good things you've been up to. Objectively audit how good of a network entrepreneur you are and upgrade, as necessary.

The article goes on to identify other key SEO Resolutions, as well, but I think you get the point:

It's probably a good time to audit - and upgrade - your Leadership Style, as necessary, yes?!

Who's in Your Doghouse?

We get mad. We get cranky. We judge. We blame. We put people on ice. Send them to Siberia. Put them in the doghouse. And there they stay, sometimes for a very looooooong time.

But it can be exhausting to be annoyed at too many individual people at any one time. And you miss out on all their otherwise goodness, if you do.

So, if you're thinking that your doghouse needs a room addition this spring, maybe it's a good time to take stock of who's in there and when they might be up for parole.

Here's how to tell if it might be time to turn the page:

1. If you can't remember exactly why you're mad at someone, it might be time to forgive and forget;
2. If your 'why' is more than 7 days old, it might be time to just let go of it, already;
3. If you've been waiting for the other person to apologize, it might be time for you to be the one who extends the olive branch first;
4. If you're not sure what to say, it might be time to just jump in and start swimming;
5. If your righteous indignation has taken control of your spirit, it might be time to focus back on all that's good in the world.

Or you can just stay mad.

But, it might be easier to just give some people the benefit of the doubt and let them out of your doghouse; let them get back in your good graces, as it were.

Not only will that save you the trouble of having to build a bigger place for all these troublemakers, it will also create some much-needed space for the next batch of ne'er-do-wells who will likely be getting on your bad side, moving forward.

New Thinking; New Doing

Ever have one of those weeks where nothing seems to go right?! While it's perfectly normal for that to happen from time to time, the bigger question is:

"Is there anything you can you do, besides just being patient, to help insure that next week will be better?"

I believe there is and that the answer has a lot to do with what I'll call New Thinking; New Doing. The idea is to force your brain to create new synapses - ones that wouldn't normally occur - as a way of jump-starting your mind into a more resourceful place. Here's how:

1. Pick a topic, preferably one you have some definite views about
2. Take the other side of the story and embrace it even more fervently
3. Smile at how clever you are to have been able to do that

Some examples?

• If you're a New York Yankees fan, be a die-hard BoSox supporter for a day and see how your fanaticism is far more transferable than you realized.
• If you're a red, red, meat eater, be a vegan for a few days and see what happens to your views about food.
• If you're a strident Barack Obama supporter figure out what Hillary Clinton should do to win the Democratic Party's nomination.
• If you're classical music lover, switch to jazz or C&W and allow the emotions of the music to 'speak' to you.

One of the things that keep us stuck - especially when things get tough - is when we become even more entrenched with what we believe to be true. Consciously challenging yourself (and your myopia) is precisely what New Thinking; New Doing is all about.

See what it can do for you.

Slacker Radio Rocks, or Chills, or Any Other Style of Music

PC Magazine calls it, "The most exciting thing in digital music to happen in a long time."

Forbes says, "Slacker's No Slouch."

CNET News.com calls it, "a distinctive new Web music service."

I just think it's a great on-line music companion that offers an incredibly wide array of music styles, and a surprisingly deep collection of artists and song titles for my listening pleasure - without commercial interruption ... especially if you enjoy "alternative" musicianship.

Try it yourself: Just head over to www.slacker.com, select the type of music you like, and click the 'play' button. (I'm listening to its Alternative Chill at the moment - and loving it.)