Anger is actually a cover-up for fear, hurt, or sadness, but we’re so caught up in our anger that we rarely connect with the soft emotions it tends to belie. Typically when someone makes us angry, we see a direct relationship between our upset and their comment or action.  Yet all of our emotions are driven by beliefs and life experiences, which can explain why some people are oblivious to the same comment that seems to unravel someone else. So what might this suggest? If I have a belief somewhere in the recesses of my mind (whether from my conscious awareness or unawareness) that I do not measure up or may not be good enough, and someone suggests my project is lagging a bit or may not be addressing all the issues, I may find myself feeling angry. However, if that is not a belief residing in my subconscious or past experiences, I may simply ask “How so?” or “Tell me more,” thereby allowing a healthy discussion culminating in my improved project. Point being, once we know our stuff, we can start to manage our anger before we react to comments that end up robbing us of the very credibility we deserve.

This is but one example of the value of self-awareness in leadership and loveship.

Marketing leadership programs, coaching and consulting can be tricky. Ever notice that some people feel ashamed while others feel special to be sent for leadership coaching or development? “Maybe people will think something is wrong with me.” “Maybe they are considering me for a promotion.” It is important that coaches and leadership consultants market in a way that helps remove this stigma.  Years ago I did not always do that. I also strive to avoid the word training with leadership, although that’s a bit harder to do than it sounds.

Leadership development is all about optimizing relationships. So while it is true that leadership is also about being a visionary, if CEOs with a great vision cannot create buy-in, then they have a leadership crisis on their hands regarding their relationships with others.  No matter what the definition of leadership, success ultimately falls back on the quality of the leaders’ relationships within and beyond their corporate setting.

So, whether you are a client or vendor in this industry, how do you describe leadership development or whatever it is that you want to get out of such training (see, it’s hard to avoid that word!)? What key words do you use or look for to show the by-products of leadership services? What will it take for you to know you’ve had a successful leadership development experience?

Have you noticed that what motivates your baby boomer work associates may have a sizzling effect on your Generation X and Y team members or those younger than mid-40s? That’s because the leadership style of yesteryear that worked with baby boomers does not likewise invigorate our younger generational cohorts. Because of these generational differences, the leadership industry has undergone a bit of a Zeitgeist within the last two decades, given we are a marketdriven industry and are now working with a preponderance of Generation X and Y work associates representing anyone from the C-Suite throughout all ranks within the organization.

Picture this. You hire a bright, promising Generation X or Y member to your team and find within a very short period of time, this person seems to be losing steam. While there can be multiple variables in play here to potentially explain this nosedive phenomenon, Saratoga Institute reports that 80% of turnover is related to unsatisfactory relationships with the boss. Anytime you have a turnover problem or a boss problem, you have a leadership problem. The cost of an investment in leadership training pales when compared to the cost of attrition. Shop wisely – your goal is to impact relationships to impact bottom line.

“Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one’s thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”  Mark Twain

Both of these great literary figures have put the key to success into one step- take action.  It is simple, yet complex at the same time.  It is easy to be overwhelmed when we assume action has to be a huge step, but it really doesn’t have to be so complicated.  Sometimes, a simple identification of the true problem is the hardest step, but once the problem is known, the solution comes easily.

Breaking down the big steps into smaller portion that you can tackle daily will help you realize the goals, projects, aspirations, and changes you want to see in your life.  One day at a time, one step at a time, you will achieve your goals before you even know it!

What do you do to help break down the big picture into smaller steps?  Please share your tips with us!

Want new ideas for your company?  Trade places with another CEO.

In a recent Harvard Business blog post, author William (Bill) Taylor, describes the experiment executed by two top CEOs on Fortune Magazine‘s Best Companies to Work For list.  Maxine Clark, founder and CEO of Build-a-Bear Workshop, and Kip Tindell, co-founder and CEO of the Container Store switched places for the day and were able to gain much insight into how they can better run their own companies.

Taylor describes how many business leaders look outside their industries for the newest ideas and processes that easily transfer into revolutionary concepts that can challenge current misconceptions or assumptions.  “Strategies and practices that are routine in one market segment can be revolutionary when they migrate to another, especially when those ideas challenge the prevailing assumptions that have come to define so many market segments,” Taylor writes.

Read the full article here.

As leaders, we have to continually scan the horizons for new ideas, new forms of communication, new techniques, and creative ways to work with our people, our companies, and our goals.  This example is a great way to give/receive an outside perspective for your company.  If you need help, ask for it.  Talk with other CEOs and maybe trade places with them!  That’s how good leaders become great leaders and how we can all reach our full human potential!

Oftentimes our leadership failures are not life-threatening, but when they are, as in the case of Toyota’s response to the multiple reports of accidents from sticking accelerators, it only adds fat to the fire.  I have encountered only one life-threatening situation on the job during my life span.

During my internship at a large, prestigious training hospital, I had a patient whose surgery left her worse off than had she never had the surgery. Because the mishap landed her on a respirator for six months flat on her back, the mistake in her family’s eyes was indeed life-threatening.  I overheard them talking one day, saying, “If we don’t soon get an explanation and apology, we’ll sue!” A week later, the family spoke openly about how much they appreciated the sincere apology and honest admission of a misplaced incision. “It was a human mistake,” they conceded.  Still, I imagine there are times when apologies and explanations are given to harsh, unforgiving ears. Humanistic leadership is a two-way street.

Once we hear CEO Toyoda speak before a Congressional hearing, how will we respond? I have a notion that we’ll see a more timely response to future accident reports, assuming Toyoda offers a transparent account of where he and his team failed the public and how the enactment of new policies will preclude a similar future public outrage.  This may be exactly the crisis Toyoda himself needs to start him on a path of more enlightened leadership.

William George, Harvard Business professor wrote his take on the crisis Toyota is currently experiencing in a recent blog post this week.  To read the full story, click here.  George details Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda‘s actions of hiding and avoiding the true problems have created a leadership crisis for his company.  It’s too soon to tell how long a recovery make take or how successful that recovery will be for Toyota.  To help Akio Toyoda, George offers his advice, based on his recent book, 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis.

How do you feel Akio Toyoda handled himself and the media during this challenging time?  What did he do that was good; what should he have done differently?

Want to learn what your employees are really thinking?  Go undercover.

CBS has created a new reality show, Undercover Boss,  in which the CEOs of large companies, go undercover as an entry level new employee to learn how the front line employees experience work.

Not a fan of reality TV?  BNET author, Steve Tobak, isn’t either, but he watched anyway and learned a great deal.  Tobak writes, “Now, my initial impression of the concept was “nice idea on paper, train wreck in practice.” I’ve seen CEOs in the trenches; it’s not a pretty sight. Trained in problem-solving, they tend to hone in on what’s wrong: incompetent employees, their “good intentions” botched by middle management, their grandiose plans failing in practice.

The show begins with Larry O’Donnell (pictured), president and COO of Waste Management — a $13 billion company — telling his senior leadership team that he’s going undercover to find out what effect their aggressive cost-cutting and restructuring is actually having in the field.”

Miss the episode?  Watch the full show here.

Tobak goes on to write about the experience O’Donnell had while undercover and the update since he taped the show one year ago.  Check out the follow up interview here.

Would you be interested in going undercover at your company?  What information would you learn?  As leaders, we need to know how the decisions made at the very top effect the front line employees.  We can’t lose sight of the daily operations for our team, or we will wander off course. Contact Us and we’ll be happy to discuss how we can help you go undercover and collect valuable information for your company that will help you as the leader!

The Leadership Trust® is a behavioral science firm specializing in both leadership and organizational development as well as all aspects of performance management, placing special emphasis on emotional intelligence and self-awareness. We personalize all workshops according to the wellness needs of our participants and those whom they impact, and we customize all consulting services to meet organizational goals based upon comprehensive assessments as needed. Our ultimate mission is to contribute towards a kinder, gentler world through the growth of the human spirit.

Picture courtesy of BNET.

As the 2010 Olympic games approach, we invite you to watch the games with a new perspective- as a leader.  The opening ceremonies are a great example of what it looks like when great resources-human capital- of different kinds, different backgrounds, and different origins come together to achieve a common goal.

Olympic coaches and successful leaders are both familiar with performance management.  As a leader, that is our job.  We are responsible for getting all the pieces of our organization to fit together cohesively for the success of everyone.  We are tasked with developing our resources-  our human capital- to the best of their ability, so they can compete in the marketplace for us.  Much like the Olympic athletes have undergone many years of training, we too, should put in the time for our employees to develop and to grow in their skills so they are at their best.

So let’s all watch the 2010 Olympic games with a new appreciation for what it takes to be a good leader!  To learn more about the 2010 Olympic games, visit the official website.

Oprah Winfrey’s success in creating and protecting her brand can be attributed to what she doesn’t do as what she does do, according to Harvard Business Blog writer John Baldoni.  Oprah was quoted to say, “”I don’t know what the future holds but I know who holds it.” (Read the full article here.)

Baldoni goes on to explain the three pieces of advice for people wanting to build their own leadership brand.  He says to

1. Practice What You Preach
2. Act on Principle
3. Insist on Integrity

Because everyone plays a leadership role in any organization, what do you do to help your company build your leadership brand?  What does your company do – or fail to do – to help support its brand amongst others in your industry? Share your story. We would enjoy hearing from you.

We want to take a few moments to say Thank You to the Veterans of our various military branches.  Their personal efforts, their work, and their sacrifices are not taken for granted.  Let’s remember those we’ve lost and not lose sight of the great leadership our military has displayed over the history of our country.

“Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.”~General George Patton

“The study of leadership is a fundamental aspect of a leader’s duty.” ~ General George C. Marshall

“This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.”  ~Elmer Davis

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”  ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Do you have a story about veteran leadership you’d like to share?