Being right isn't enough

“People will not bear advice when it is violently given, even if it is well-founded.  Hearts are flowers; they remain open to the softly falling dew, but shut up in the violent downpour of rain.” – John Paul Richter

Who are you being when you speak?

Alternating Current

For me, there are times of the day when I am best at focused thought and other times when I am best at interacting with people.

I schedule my creative time and my meetings/interaction when I’m best at it.

How about you?

Selling value added products

People know cheap things are not good.  Remind them.

Ask the customer – “Is buying the cheapest _____________ in your best interest?”

Talk, talk, talk…too much?

Many leaders make the same mistake many salespeople do – they talk too much.  They think it’s their job – to talk.  But you can’t learn anything by talking.

Ask important questions.  Ask deep questions about obvious things.  Ask for opinions and ideas.  Listen to what people are saying and complaining about.

Then when you do finally talk, you’ll be saying the right things.

Do you tolerate any low performers?

If you answered yes, you obviously know it, so you’re part of the problem.

Why do you tolerate low performers?

See it clearly

If you have a hole in the net you’re going to lose fish.  But, what if you don’t know you have a hole in the net?

We’re leaders and we have a bias for action.  But to set things right,we have to see things right first.

Are you spending enough time looking at the numbers, asking questions and walking around observing?

Believe in others, and watch them rise

The leader who does not believe their people can become more and do more has a team of disengaged people who won’t try to rise higher than their current performance – or want to.

Words from a leader however, are very powerful. 

“Sarah, I think you have ideas in your head to share to make this company better.  Am I right?” 

“Carlos, I think you can be a leader here one day, am I right?”

Tell them there is a path above them, and believe in it before they do.

Creativity, not competition.

Competition is the opposite of creativity.  When you play a game that is already being played how it is already being played, you can only compete on price.  Competition is good for consumers this way, but not necessarily for you.

Creativity gets you in a new game.  If what you create is valued more by the consumer, you are out of the old (price) game and into a new game where you can make some money.

Compete, yes – but not without creativity.

Leaders – take responsibility

Who is responsible for how it is going?  For the results?  For all of this?

There are lots of paradoxes.  Sharing responsibility and giving away control is the mark of a leader who can grow and not get stuck inside his/her own limitations of time and talent.

At the same time, if we’ve let the rope out and it’s not going so well, sometimes we need to take firm responsibility for it once again, and make it right.

Given your skills, are the odds in your favor?

Are you in a place, doing a job, in a business where you have a great chance of winning given your unique set of talents?