Wake Up and Shake It Up Post

While I'm not very good at keeping my own blog site current, I recently co-wrote a piece with Tanveer Naseer titled, "Is Your Leadership Serving Others . . . or Just Yourself?"

You can read it here at Shawn Murphy's leadership blog series called "Wake Up and Shake It Up."

Purposeful Preparation

The last few weeks have flown by as I've traveled the globe speaking to different organizations and meeting amazing people! Frequently, I will have people come up after a presentation to ask how I became a speaker. My answer is: 1) I've known for over two decades that this is my calling -- I love it; 2) I spend hundreds of hours preparing my presentations . . . reading books, blogs, newspapers, interviewing people, and actively listening to learn the best; and 3) I practice and present frequently.

My goal is to always offer something new in each presentation and that requires me to stay connected and on my toes.

Recently, while preparing for a presentation in the speaker's prep room at a conference, I heard another speaker bragging about how she made her stories up to support her points. She was proud of her inauthentic style and defended it as if she were justifying the behavior. I know other speakers that rely on the same material year after year, and I've heard some fairly wild leadership philosophies that were based on nothing but the opinion of the presenter.

Fortunately, I know many speakers that work very hard and deliver amazing presentations as well. They work hard and prepare well for each engagement. I'm always inspired to do more as I see such fine examples. Indeed, when I was only 16 years old it was Stephen R. Covey that made a lasting impression in my life. I knew then that I would speak. Recently, while speaking at the same conference, I finally met Dr. Covey (no, we're not related and my hair loss was completely natural).

Before I speak, I always ask:

• What can I do to serve the people that have come to listen today?


• How do I create a conversation that leaves people with hope and optimism?


• How can I be authentic and genuine?


• Ultimately, how do I ensure that this conversation is about others, and not just a performance from me?


• Is the information I'm sharing relevant, real, and reflective of current realities?

I'm not perfect. Indeed, I'm constantly seeking new ways to improve, learn, and grow. The preparation time is significant and I'm constantly seeking new material that is relevant, and most importantly, real. I'm grateful to be able to share, meet, and converse with people all around the world. I'm grateful to be a speaker.

What are you passionate about? What is your calling? Where do you spend hundreds of hours of your life?

Now, back to preparing for my presentation tomorrow.

Unnecessary Accusations of Inaccuracy

I appreciate Dawn Westerberg's blog on healthy & unhealthy behavior in the workplace. She wrote it after reading a tweet I posted the other day that said this:

REAL leaders celebrate when others on the team succeed . . . ego-driven managers fear they will lose status.

Interestingly, I wrote this based on my own past experience with managers that were very threatened by the success of anyone else on their team. They reluctantly praised people, but you could feel their hesitancy, and worse, they talked down the team accomplishments while searching for as much praise and recognition as they could find for themselves.

The problem with this is that managers that lack self-esteem often try to cover it up with ego that does even more harm. According to Wikipedia, healthy narcissism is often required to overcome a sense of insignificance. However, an unhealthy narcissism quickly leads to magical thinking where the person thinks they are perfect and they distort the truth to dump on others instead. It is a major cause of bullying, arrogance, and envy -- all of which destroy workplace morale.

We all want to feel good about ourselves. Indeed, a healthy dose of confidence is critical to healthy relationships where people can appreciate one another and celebrate when others do well. The danger comes when one feels compelled to distort the truth to protect their own perceived status of importance. Indeed, to use Dawn's words, unhealthy behavior results in "unnecessary accusations of inaccuracy."

The Power of Service / Milestone Awards

Companies have long used milestone awards to thank people for their years of service to the organization. Now, some are suggesting that such recognition isn't relevant anymore since the average tenure of employees is only SIX years (much less in some industries), and the younger generations don't want it. Before you throw it out, let me ask you a few questions:

1. How do you deliver service awards?
2. What percentage of your population do you reach in a positive way?
3. Do you make it memorable for the recipient & the audience?

The truth is that a great service award program is a terrific way to reinforce your company values and purpose. While many people work hard, it is good to stop and celebrate once in a while as a reminder that our efforts are not in vain. The kicker is that it must be done well to have a meaningful impact, but doesn't every program?

Unlike other forms of recognition, service awards also have no dark side. No one will be jealous of the award recipients, and when done respectfully, the other employees will see how the company appreciates good work. It isn't a survival award (though in some cases, it could be). It is a celebration of one's contribution to the company's values & purpose.

Do it right and you have a powerful way of communicating your company message without a lecture or threat. The nice thing is that people respond better to a positive message as well!

Real Recognition Radio Show Guests

This week Roy & I had the privilege of interviewing Sonia Di Maulo and Tanveer Naseer on Real Recognition Radio.

While the effort to create a better work environment may seem like common sense, the value in the conversation comes from actually doing something about it. I encourage you to take a look at your own workplace to consider the following:

• What is the language like?
• Do people build each other up or spend more time protecting themselves?
• Are managers so concerned with their own ego that they are unable to genuinely celebrate their team member's success?
• Can you trust the people around you?
• Do people hoard information and hoard the credit for work others do?
• Is the culture one that supports an abundance mentality where many people can contribute and succeed?

I encourage you to take the time to listen to the show and read the blogs from Sonia & Tanveer summarizing the conversation.

My Favorite Tweets this Week

When used properly, social media can be an amazing tool and a vast land of learning. Here are some favorite tweets from people this week:

• "Nothing stunts a leader's growth like an overdeveloped ego." (via @tedcoine)
• "The greatest thing a generation can do is lay a few stepping stones for the next generation." Charles Kettering (via @johncmaxwell)
• "Leadership should be more participative than directive, more enabling than performing." Mary D. Poole (via @thehrgoddess)
• "The bridges you cross before you come to them are over rivers that aren't there." Gene Brown (via @salespowertips)
• "Love and kindness are the very basis of society. If we lose these, society will face tremendous difficulties." The Dalai Lama (via @UpayaChaplains)
• "Ask for help not because you are weak, but because you want to remain strong." Les Brown (via @ReadyTOFeedback @czaucha @BillyCoxLive)
• "Employee recognition is powerful when you understand the principles and practices behind it -- Make it more than a gimmick! (via @smaxbrown -- me)

The Measure of a Man or Woman

In his book titled, "Making Your Company Human: Inspiring Others to Reach Their Potential," Le Herron suggests that CEOs should be paid based on how fairly they serve their customers, their employees, and the shareholders. What is their reward? His answer was simple, yet important to repeat: "When you achieve the intangible result of helping people to open up and contribute their best efforts, it makes the tangible results, like revenue growth and market share, better and more likely."

He went on to say that for the "leader who tries to live in accord with the priciples of fairness and serving others," there is a greater reward. Le then shared the story of the day he retired and all of the associates at his company came together to present him with this poem titled, "The Measure of a Man":

A man's no bigger than the way he treats his fellow man.
This standard has his measure been since time itself began.
He's measured not by tithes or creed, high-sounding though they be;
Nor by the gold that's put aside, nor by his sanctity.
He's measured not by social rank, when character's the test.
Nor by his earthly pomp or show, displaying wealth possessed.
He's measured by his justice, right; his fairness at his play;
His squareness in all dealings made; his honest, upright way.
These are his measures, ever near to serve him when they can,
For a man's no bigger than the way he treats his fellow man.

Author Unknown

How do you measure success? Is it the way you treat others?