“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”

― Theodore Roosevelt

 

It’s time to just grow up and be a LEADER!

Of course you can’t always have the right answers. There is a word for this, its starts with Narc – and ends with Cist – figure it out smart guy! NOT GOOD! Your command and control style may have worked well in the military – but it will not encourage anyone to follow you into battle and won’t be inspiring I can assure you. Managers and leaders are often referred to synonymously – WRONG! Level 5 leadership is Jim Collins’ term for the leadership demonstrated by leaders of what he defines as “”great”” companies, those that have gone from “”good”” to “”great.”” The previously good companies had to be led to greatness; they were not just born into greatness.

See good-to-great for more information.

Collins says that these leaders:

1. Creates superb results, a clear catalyst in the transition from good to great.
2. Demonstrates an unwavering resolve to do whatever must be done to produce the best long-term results, no matter how difficult.
3. Sets the standard of building an enduring great company; will settle for nothing less.
4. Looks in the mirror, not out the window, to apportion responsibility for poor results, never blaming other people, external factors, or bad luck.

That they absolutely posses:

1. Demonstrates a compelling modesty, shunning public adulation; never boastful.
2. Acts with quiet, calm determination; relies principally on inspired standards, not inspiring charisma, to motivate.
3. Channels ambition into the company, not the self; sets up successors for even greater success in the next generation.
4. Looks out the window, not in the mirror, to apportion credit for the success of the company-to other people, external factors, and good luck.

Only leaders allow their employees to solve problems with their own insight. The truth of the matter is this: Every leader may not be a manager, but every manager MUST be a leader. It’s easy to see that leadership and management is not the same thing, but a manager who lacks effective leadership traits will drive a business into the ground FAST – ask any VC who has had to make changes in a portfolio company leadership team. Change does not happen overnight when it comes to transforming managers into leaders. It takes time and energy to improve the way you manage and utilize more leadership characteristics on a daily basis. Lets break it down – because of course it’s pretty simple.

1. Managers “ tell “ and give answers, leaders ask questions and provide insight. There’s nothing more certain to turn your people against you faster than shouting orders at them. Why not spare yourself the impending resentment and simply ask this: “What would you do?” or “What do you think of this idea?” Allowing people to participate in the decision-making process will not only transform what could have been an order into something more easily swallowed, it also inspires creativity, motivation, autonomy and yes collaboration.

2. Managers criticize mistakes, leaders call attention to mistakes and address them indirectly It may seem more efficient to point out mistakes directly, ITS NOT – this will only leave people questioning heir own abilities, feeling embarrassed, frustrated, confused, and resentful.  Wouldn’t you rather be giving them the chance to learn and grow? Give your people chance to provide their input, while also improving for the future.

3. Managers forget to praise, leaders recognize growth and improvement. Praise means something, don’t get caught up in the always being critical – perfectionist trap! Finding time to recognize your people for even the smallest accomplishment will only increase their interest in what they do.  Regular feedback and recognition is certain to do the trick. Everyone wants to be genuinely appreciated for his or her efforts. Even you!

4. Managers focus on the bad; leaders “ lead with “ the good. This really comes down to seeing the cup half empty or half full. If you are the person who is only willing to point out the flaws of a project or a certain resource, then you’re not giving people much interest in learning. Try this – start with some form of praise, follow with the criticism r observation, and end with praise, it makes the discussion more palatable and means more.

5. Managers want credit; leaders give credit to their teams. Managers who lack leadership ability are always first to take credit, “ it was my idea “ – sound familiar – TOO Bad – GET HELP!  But TRUE leaders understand the importance of crediting their teams for the wins. This pays off BIG in the long run and creates a more positive company culture and people who care – and are driven toward more collaboration and sharing the WIN. Remember – management is not a force to be reckoned with – but is an influence.

C’mon – be a leader – NOT a Micromanager who has to be involved in every decision and process, you will never grow if you don’t and you will probably be replaced sooner than later!

 

 

 

I know it’s hip to be counter-intuitive, contrarian, and a little ironic these days. I mean, I love “Portlandia” as much as you do. If you don’t, then can we at least agree on The Colbert Report or Jon Stewart… right?

Irony and counter-intuitiveness has even made its way to Linkedin, which recently reposted an article in Business Daily that began with this quote:

“Thinking blending in is good for your career? Not necessarily. In fact, dressing differently just might help you get ahead at work.”

And where did Business Daily get this nugget of ironic wisdom? Elton John? Or if you don’t remember him… Lady Gaga?  No – they gained this nugget from – wait for it – a Harvard professor. Well, not a professor exactly…it was co-authored by a Harvard doctoral student. But you get the drift. An “allegedly” smart individual.

But here’s the thing. Wearing T-shirts and a three-day growth of beard for you guys, and flip-flops and a tank top for the women, might cut it if you do get the job at that high growth technology start-up that provides employees with a diving board so they can dive into a vat of Jell-O to blow off steam, or relax in the meditation room for those days that you need a break …but the thing is… first you have to get the job. Then you can dive into the Jello.

Actually, it’s no laughing matter if you want a job. If you think that dropping a swear word in to familiarize yourself in the interview, or having a drink to, “loosen things up a bit” is a good idea, well, it’s not, because you’re not living in the “Mad Men” era. Those things aren’t considered sophisticated on job interviews in 2014.  There wasn’t a ton of Human Resource activity back then. (And if there was, it was likely in a smoke-filled room with a whisky cart nearby.)

So LOSE the outlier-style statement (You’ll have plenty of time to prove your individuality when you get the job). Look good, dress appropriately, and DON’T ASSUME anything.

Now for my good news, and a little advice, too, because there are still things that really matter when you’re looking for the right job. So for now, let’s take the beard, T-shirt and flip-flops off the table – with all due respect to Harvard’s doctoral students – and focus on the reality of the old standbys that still matter to hiring managers, recruiters, and about everyone else whom you need to legitimately impress  in order to move to the next level.

Flip-flops off? Wearing well-fitting, appropriate articles of appropriate clothing? Great, let’s begin with what you actually need, and what still matters:

• Timing: Use your gut instinct. Search the job boards, see who’s in and who’s leaving, and when you sense it’s time to strike, hit it. Look at growth organizations that can benefit from your experience. Trust me – high growth is challenging as you sometimes might have hired the wrong person a year or two ago – ad your top grading the organization hard. It happens !

• Follow Up: Once you get that interview, or, increasingly, a series of  “discovery ” sessions (come prepared to be interviewed by multiple people from different departments), then follow up with each of them in writing. And for the love of god, word each note differently, with a reference to what was discussed in the meeting. You would be AMAZED at who doesn’t practice this lost art of basic courtesy. Thank you notes, whether email or paper (email is fine), never go unnoticed. I would recommend a hand-written note to the most senior people you meet – another lost art that says a great deal about it in a positive way . Get some stationary: you’re a professional, after all.  You may not get the job, but you’ll win points for class and respect, and a general sense of style never hurts.

• Punctuality: Do not be late for an interview. Never, never never. The interviewer can be late – bad form as it may  – but not you. Repeat this phrase in your head ten times: I am selling myself and EVERYTHING I say or do is reflective of what type of person I am and employee I’ll be. No, make that twenty. Speaking of, arrive early – not thirty minutes, but 15-20. (C’mon, you can do it.) No one minds people waiting in the reception area – that’s why companies have them.

• Materials: Don’t assume your interviewers have clicked through all your links to your resume or white paper or blog or whatever, unfortunately most have just looked at it for he first time 5 minutes before you walked into their office. Be able to speak to your background – tell a story. Bring physical material. Create a slide deck or something clever, and make it short and image rich – not a ton of text. So bring your best stuff – you have it, right? – and show people you care about this experience and want this job. Because guess what – I have interviewed thousands of candidates – and it shows every time you meet someone who cares and has PASSION around what they are doing and how they present themselves etc .

• Energy: I’m going to level with you, because I’ve seen thousands of candidates come and go, and if there is one thing you must demonstrate, it’s energy. Intellectual curiosity. Good humor. Brisk movement. Self actuated, involved in the discussion, not just answering questions. So PLEASE – LEAN in – give it your all but be receptive to comments and not overbearing, whatever the role your interviewing for. Oh and POLISH your shoes – smart interviewers notice EVERTYTHING. Showing goes a lot further that telling!

• Passion in Delivery: Again – more on his – but an interview is no time to act like you don’t care one way or the other if you get this job – IT SHOWS. Playing hard-to -get is for sophomores, folks. Know it. Live it. You have to want it, and you have to let them know you want it. Let them know what you like about their company, and why you think you can be a part of it.  Position the adventure that they are on and let them know you are into joining and why. And most important, let them know how you want to help the organization grow – because you have been around, have seen that, had this experience etc., etc. Trust me when I tell you – smart interviewers listen much more than they they talk in a session – they’ll be listening to you closely, both for content and for style. In this case, passion for the job is style.

EVP  – Employee Value Proposition:  Ask what it is – why they joined , what did they see that helped them decide to join the adventure? How long have they been here – have they moved into new roles? THEN – help them understand what you can bring to the party.  Wait. Back up. Not the usual string of clichés about being a team player blah blah blah, but what do you bring to the company?  Do you see what I mean? Rather than saying, “I think I’d be a good fit,” think about something like,  “It looks like you are investing here – I have experience relative to that when I was at XYZ and we monetized that to ABC – or whatever. Again – tell a story here.

So you are armed and ready. Be engaged – dress like an adult that has had some success, be curious, CARE about what you are saying and doing – and oh yeah – get those shoes shined and that suit cleaned!

Happy interviewing!