As this week marks the official start of Spring for most northern countries, I wanted to take the opportunity to revisit an idea I wrote about sometime ago about a seasonal event in these parts and the lessons we can glean from it on leadership and organizational success.

In addition to the appearance of the first seedlings in our gardens, one of the most emblematic symbols of the arrival in Spring in this area is the return of Canada geese flying in V-formation across the sky. Although I’ve discussed the lessons on teamwork and collaboration that we can learn from this seasonal migration, seeing these birds in flight over the weekend brought to mind some additional lessons we can apply in how we serve those we have the responsibility to lead.

1. Encourage your employees to develop their skills
One of the reasons why Canada geese fly in V-formation is in order to help reduce air drag, where the birds at the front essentially reduce the air resistance so that the birds at the back of the flock have an easier time flying.

Naturally, this means that the birds in the front expend the most energy flying and consequently, experience fatigue before the other birds do. This is the reason why this particular bird formation shifts so much as the other birds move up to take the lead, giving the birds who were flying at the front a chance to rest and recuperate.

It’s a smart strategy as it not only allows the birds to share the workload, but it also ensures that the flock is not dependent on a few strong birds to help them fly over the great distances of their migratory path.

When it comes to managing your team or organization, Click here to continue reading »”A Springtime Leadership Lesson From The Birds”

The following is a guest post by Mark Murphy.

It’s a fascinating exercise to read your own job ads and ask: “How many other companies could say the identical thing that we’re saying?”  If your answer is one or more, then you’re probably not giving the high performing stars you want much incentive to apply for a job with your organization.

I recently logged onto a major job board and did a search for programmer jobs at some major companies.  Then I started reading.  And reading. And then my eyes started glazing over.  After a while, I couldn’t tell any of these tell companies apart because they all sounded exactly the same.

I wanted to make sure I wasn’t just imagining the similarities, so I clipped the key phrases used in the various ads.  Every single job ad said they had “Dedicated passionate coworkers”, “Tremendous opportunities for professional growth”, and a “Chance to make a difference.”  And of course, every ad said that their employees are the source of their strength.

I can only imagine that these companies distinguish their products and services better than they do their job openings.  After all, they have billions in sales that would suggest a competent sales message.

But when all their job ads tout dedicated passionate coworkers and tremendous opportunities for professional growth, what makes one company more appealing than another?  And what would make a high performer quit their current job to go work for one of these companies?

High performers want to know Click here to continue reading »”Talk About Your Brown Shorts If You Want To Hire Stars”

Whether you’re a fan of the NBA or not, it’s hard not to take notice of the story of Jeremy Lin, a basketball player who in two weeks went from being the back-up for the back-up players, to a celebrated point guard for the New York Knicks. In most business circles, Jeremy Lin’s story has served as a powerful reminder of the hidden talent that lies dormant in so many teams and organizations, waiting for that moment when they can finally bring their talents out into public view.

Unfortunately, the key point that’s not getting enough attention is the role leaders play in finding and developing such talent within their workforce. Specifically, how it’s up to an organization’s leadership to create an environment where such hidden talent can not only be discovered, but encouraged to thrive and bloom.

Consider, for example, the fact that Lin hadn’t received a basketball scholarship, he wasn’t drafted after he graduated from Harvard, and he was cut by two other NBA teams before he got the third-string position with the New York Knicks. In each of these cases, what we’re seeing is not simply an oversight in discovering Lin’s hidden talent. Rather, what’s at play is a failure in leadership to provide opportunities which would have allowed Lin to demonstrate his abilities.

Although the article “What Makes a Good Boss” is meant to highlight the traits and behaviours necessary to be an effective leader, the skills and attributes shared in this piece also serve to remind us of the role leaders play in discovering and nurturing hidden talents like Jeremy Lin within their organization. Here are two in particular which help to illustrate this point: Click here to continue reading »”The Role Leaders Play In Discovering Your Organization’s Hidden Talent”

Does vision still play a key role for organizations in today’s ever-changing world?

That’s one of several questions which I discuss with my guest, Jesse Lyn Stoner, in the third episode of my podcast series, “Leadership Biz Cafe”.

Jesse Lyn Stoner is a business consultant, former executive, and bestselling author. For over 30 years, she has worked with leaders in hundreds of organizations including Honda, Pfizer, Marriott, Edelman Public Relations, Yale University, and SAP.

In this episode, we discuss some of the ideas she shares about vision in the international bestseller she co-authored with Ken Blanchard, “Full Steam Ahead: Unleash the Power of Vision In Your Work and Your Life”.

Over the course of our conversation, Jesse and I discuss:

• Why creating a vision remains a critical tool for organizations to navigate the growing competitive market.
• The key elements necessary for creating an effective vision statement.
• Why organizations need to not only establish, but rank in importance, the values that define their internal culture.
• Why leaders need to present their vision in terms of what their employees will gain as opposed to focusing on what they have to give up from implementing this plan.
• How leaders should go about creating a vision to encourage their employees to embrace it and make it their own.
• What leaders can do to ensure their vision remains relevant in the face of continual change and increasing global competitiveness.

The insights Jesse shared during our conversation illustrate that vision is more relevant than ever and the fact that we continued our discussion about vision long after we finished taping this episode was a clear indication to both of us that this is a topic that deserves another look.

Also, as I mentioned at the end of the show, I’d love to hear what you think about this episode, as well as what other topics you’d be interested in hearing more about in upcoming episodes of my show. You can share your thoughts/ideas by leaving a comment below or by filling out the contact form on my website.

Click on the player below to listen to the podcast:

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Noteworthy links:

Buy Jesse Lyn Stoner’s book “Full Steam Ahead: Unleash the Power of Vision In Your Work and Your Life” on Amazon.com (or Amazon.ca for Canadian readers)

Check out her blog at SeapointCenter.com to read more of her insights on leadership and vision.