Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Leadership Challenge: Should You Conduct Leadership Development Like The Navy SEALs?

August 1, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Ever wonder what the parallels are between The United States’ Navy’s Sea, Air, Land Teams (known as the Navy SEALs) and your daily business activities? After all, in your daily leadership role for your organization hopefully you’re not in live “combat” situations (This is quite the leadership challenge!) So what similarities do exist, and once identified would be the potential for greater success in your civilian leadership role? In this post, Tip of the Spear takes a look at the incredible awesomeness (no other way of saying it) that a Navy SEAL experiences and points out four (4) conditioning secrets that you can use to better yourself, your team, and your organization!

The Navy SEAL’s motto is ‘The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday.’ The most revered, versatile and skilled units in the world may have a thing or two to teach you about leadership development. Navy SEALs are considered the ultimate warriors of the United States Military Special Forces, and for all the right reasons. They are motivated, dedicated, focused, well trained, passionate and specialists in troubleshooting the unexpected. Perhaps not as aggressive and dangerous, but leadership challenges also require someone with similar skills and personality traits to plan accordingly and execute in business situations. See if your leadership development program measures up to these incredible standards!

Mental Toughness

The biggest weapon that the Navy SEALs officers have are their heads (think of it as their thought patterns, with mind over muscle/matter). Physical wellness can only get you so far without mental agility. Mentally strong are those who don’t feel sorry for themselves, don’t let the opinions of others get to them and do not use failures as excuses to give up. Other common traits of mentally strong people include those who welcome change, are risk takers and don’t waste time on things that they cannot control. If your heads not in the game, don’t expect those assigned to you to follow for very long!

Lead by Example and Sacrifice

Here is another one of the leadership challenges: Your team wouldn’t jump in the business “fire” until they aren’t are sure that you would be willing to do the same for them. Navy SEALs officers don’t throw their teams in the line of fire while they stand securely in safer zones. If anything, they lead the team into the danger zone. That’s exactly the kind of attitude a strong leader needs to demonstrate as well. Remember, leaders lead!

Don’t expect your team to lose sleep for three consecutive nights in a row while you sleep tight and then eventually take the credit for all their hard work. Nobody likes a leader that carries the ball into the end-zone from the 1-yard line if the team was responsible for going the majority of the way down the field. Doing so makes your team lose morale and just might make you lose a highly valuable team. Your team needs to know that you have their back and are willing to get dirty in the trenches with them not just at the end when the scoreboard gets lit up, but all the way prior to that time.

Make it Happen!

The SEALs are not asked whether or not they are ready to take on a challenge. They are told to ‘Make it Happen.’ The boss or commanding officer does not care how their team accomplishes its goals as long as they can be assured that the job would be done (within certain limits, right?) This shows the team that their leader trusts them to make the right decisions and to take responsibilities of the tasks at hand. You, as a leader, in your leadership development need to show similar faith in your team and allow them the opportunity to “Make it Happen!”

End Objective

If a team is not allowed to get out of their comfort zones without fearing consequences, their contribution to the force, whether in the battle zone or at the workplace, would be highly limited. As a leader, you need to eliminate parameters that restrict you and your team’s progress. Find the internal motivations for people to do what you need them to do, as well as the extrinsic motivations. Inspire them and encourage them to get out of their comfort zones. You need to continue setting new goals for yourself as well as the team to take you to the next level.

Summary

Any project (whether on the battlefield or in the office) and any task (whether it is to defend your country or your company’s integrity and reputation) requires hard work, determination, multitasking, discipline and the right attitude. Navy SEALs may have a task much more difficult and different than youear leadership role (mistakes cost lives, not loss of jobs!) but it is eventually all about taking the bull by its horns and turning the odds in your favor. Your ability to focus as a leader, recall your leadership development lessons, and execute accordingly in order to be successful!

For more information on Tip of the Spear Leadership Development programs, CLICK HERE.

10 Ways Your Peers Communicate Better Than You Do as a Leader

July 29, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Competition for the C-Suite is fierce. In order to compete effective (and Win!), you need every advantage you can get. At Tip of the Spear, we’ve seen a few good leaders, and far more that fall into other categories (i.e., Bad Leaders). If you genuinely want to excel as a leader (especially in terms of leadership communication skills), you shouldn’t ignore the traits of successful people around you. In this post we’ve done the competitive analysis and will share how other leaders might be communicating more effectively than you!

The following is a list of 10 ways your peers communicate better than you do as a leader (Are you considering some communication skills training for leaders as part of your individual leadership development plan? You might after you consider them!):

#1 They Solve Problems

Analyzing situations and coming up with solutions that no one else could decipher is a mark of true leadership. Excellent communication skills training for leaders involves helping clients and employees to understand the solution. In this respect, the leader becomes the teacher/detective/solution sluth.

#2 They Understand Their Audience

There is no one-size-fits-all leadership development approach. True leaders know the unique needs of their audience and respond to them effectively. If you, on the other hand, don’t care what people want and consider what you say to be holy writ, you will see your circle of influence falling way short sooner or later.

#3 They Don’t Play Safe

Leaders are thinkers and innovators. Nothing appeals to them more than new challenges and opportunities, the majority of which can be simulated in leadership development. There are many people in this world who are born in comfortable households and receive good schooling, and they excel at their academics. However, the corporate world (or even the non-profit sector for that matter) hardly sees any stability nowadays. It is how you stay true to your vision (see point 4) and teach your team to do so in changing climates that defines where/how you stand as a leader.

#4 They Ingrain Their Vision in Their Organization

No organization can sail the tides and reach the heights of success without a well-defined vision. It is the job of leader to share with their employees what direction the company has to take, and what should be their contribution in it.

#5 They Take the Initiative

A leader is the one who gets things started. They delegate, but don’t leave the business on auto-pilot. As a leader, you have to identify the unique skills of each employee, and then use him/her in the most effective means possible in executing initiative.

#6 They Are Always Available

To use an example from popular fiction, imagine Batman not answering the bat signal because he is catching up on his reading. That would be disastrous for Gotham City. As a leader of the organization, you should always be available to address the questions and concerns of employees, customers, and other stakeholders.

#7 They Assume Responsibility

Effective leadership communication entails that you don’t hide behind your company, but rather become its ‘poster’ representative in the face of controversy. This means you should be honest about personal mistakes, as well as of those successes that work in your organization.

#8 They Strive to Learn

Leaders never stop learning. While many executives enroll for leadership development communication skills training programs, there are several ways you can learn on-the-job, and a one of the most effective tips in this regard is to listen more to what people around and under you have to say about business issues.

#9 They Instill Positivity

Times can be tough, and some decisions are simply impractical. However, there is a way to deal with such situations and decisions without sounding negative. Instead of frowning on missed opportunities, focus more on the lessons learned and take corrective action.

#10 They Think Before They Speak

Great leaders know how to use the right word in the right manner at the right time. They don’t fill their speech with jargon, and they don’t speak more than they have to.

Summary – 10 Ways Your Peers Communicate Better Than You Do as a Leader

There is a lot that you can learn from your peers in terms of communicating effectively with your team, your customers and partners, and the society at large. You should take advantage of communication skills training for leaders to gain a competitive advantage!

To learn more about Tip of the Spear’s “Communicate with Influence” communication skills training for leaders series CLICK HERE.

Should You Work On Your Communication Skills as a Leader?

July 28, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Should you work on your communications as a leader? According to Bill Gates and John Maxwell, leadership is the ability to influence and empower others. Along with a host of other personality features, communications skills are what help leaders achieve their goals and drive their companies forward. Communications skills training for leaders are of prime importance for people that assume leadership roles in organizations. So to answer the question if you should work on your communication skills as a leader… The answer is a resounding yes!

Let’s go over a few reasons why as a leader you should work on your communication skills in a leadership development capacity:

Public Speaking

Public speaking not only exerts your influence as an authority in your industry, but it is also a great way of driving in monumental amounts of referral leads to your company (Think of it as an addition to your marketing initiatives). For many businesses, referrals are the number one driver of revenue.

So, if you are looking to grow your business (and who isn’t?), you need to work on your leadership communication skills in a leadership development area (You do practice, right?) This means that you have to work in a way that makes sense to every audience member. This also holds true for in-house communication. Clear and concise messages and instructions tell your employees what and why something needs to be done, and also how they should go about doing it.

Feedback – Both Giving and Getting

The economy isn’t good to everyone. If you haven’t already experienced it, there will come times in your business when you will have to make tough decisions in the face of uncertainty. It is tempting to hide things from your employees so that they may not feel demotivated, disengaged, or leave your business altogether.

But what greater leadership has shown us at Tip of the Spear is that the more honest you are about what the organization is going through, the more your employees trust you. (Remember the old leadership buzzword “transparency”?) This also brings about some of the best feedback from your team that can prove to be crucial for the survival of your business. This is yet another example of how leadership communication skills help companies tread rough waters.

Continuous Improvement (Constantly!)

Finally, as a leader, you will have to deliver speeches, send out emails, and write memos day in and day out. This can be overwhelming, right? Communication skills training helps you by teaching you how to convey the same message to different audiences, and teaching you to identify the most effective ways of communication that you can use as templates to streamline conversations in order to meet your busy schedule.

Summary – Communication Skills Training for Leaders is a “No Brainer!”

To sum up, whether it’s the business’ bottom-line or the quality of in-house operations, leadership communications skills are what make or break an organization. That’s why at Tip of the Spear we believe leaders should aim to polish their communication skills for leaders so they can manage their business and build rapport with all stakeholders at all levels (both internal and external the organization).

5 Tips to Leadership Communication Excellence

July 24, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Do you want to excel in leadership communication? Let it be known from the onset that it is not an easy job. When you are in a position of authority, your words are like fired bullets, i.e. they will do their damage, and there is nothing you can do to take them back. You’ll want to insure that your “bullets” as well as direction are on target (That’s why you have to be really careful about what you say and how you say it!) The following are 5 tips to communication skills training for leaders excellence that you will find useful in this regard… Enjoy!

#1 Choose your Words Wisely

Words are economy for leaders. Choose the wrong words, and risk losing customers and demotivating employees. Your leadership communication should be succinct, clear, and to-the-point. Whether you are speaking or writing, always go over your material and do rigorous editing, leaving only those words that you think will truly be beneficial to the intended audience. And yes, eliminate ‘umms’ and ‘you knows’ from your vocabulary! (A tip from Toastmasters International)

#2 Don’t Insult the Intelligence of Others

Bad leadership communication treats audiences like they’re kids. They give instructions and share information with the assumption that employees firstly wouldn’t understand, and even if they do, they can’t be trusted to keep it confidential.

This is leadership folly! An organization is judged by the people that work in it (Unless your organization hires dishonest people that lack basic intelligence… But that’s not you/your organization, right?) True leaders know the more honest and open they are with their employees, the more trust, and the more efficiently the company performs.

#3 Communicate Goals Lucidly

While you are to treat employees as responsible and intelligent adults, you still have to tell them in plain-language what you require from them. This is especially true if you want to empower your workforce. Tell them the areas where you would like to see them improve, and if you want them to suggest more, recommend the kind of ideas you are looking for.

#4 Be Open About Your Mistakes (You Do Make Mistakes, Right?)

Exhibit an understanding attitude when you ( or others) say or do something wrong. Leaders are human after all! No one is expecting you not to make mistakes. What people want to see instead of laying blame elsewhere or glossing over these moments is honesty from your side when this happens, how you learn from your mistakes, and drive the organization forward.

#5 Trust Others

This coincides with point 2 (Don’t Insult the Intelligence of Others). Companies thrive on meaningful efforts of their employees, and this only happens when they are kept informed. Withholding information deeming it ‘too sensitive’ only hinders this process.

Summary

If you’re looking to improve your leadership communication skills, follow these leadership communication skills training tips to improve. For more information on the Leadership Communication offerings available at Tip of the Spear, CLICK HERE.

10 Quick Tips to Improve Leadership Communication

July 23, 2014 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: Communication (excellent communication to be precise) is the most distinguishable trait of true leaders. Poor communication not only can end your career as a C-suite executive, but can cost your business significant dollars every year. If you think that a lack of communication is what is keeping your company in shackles, here a list of 10 quick tips about leadership communication that you can incorporate in your leadership… Enjoy!

#1 The Person Behind the Title

True leadership is not when people follow you for your position in the organizational hierarchy, but for your personal integrity and vision. So be humble, deliver your vision with stories (they can be personal stories as well), and don’t forget to keep a sense of humor. In communication skills training for leaders, we work on these exact skills. Bottom line… Let those you lead see you as the person you are, not the one your trying to be!

#2 Know Your Audience

Great leaders know how to deliver their message to different audiences without altering the message in the process. Likewise, they also know the unique personalities of everyone on their team so they can utilize their skills to customize delivery to the fullest potential. Practice makes perfect in leadership development. Bottom line… Customize your message based on the audience your interacting with.

#3 Interaction, Not Dictation

Great leaders know how to generate audience feedback during a lecture or speech, so that everyone is listening attentively. Think of it as an engagement level that you’re trying to get your audience to participate with you actively. Bottom line… If you want better communication with your audience, get them to listen to your message by engaging them.

#4 Give Up the Jargon

There is a popular saying attributed to Einstein: ‘If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough’. While this may not be an all-encompassing principle for leadership communication, it can help you explain why a meeting, keynote, or coffee conversation failed: the audience simply didn’t get what you were trying to say. Bottom line… Strive for clarity, and avoid using technical language (where you can) or overcomplicating your message unless necessary.

#5 A Great Opening

In both speeches and publications, it the opening that determines whether the audience will continue following or not. So make sure to create a strong opening and follow it through with succinct, to-the -point comments, and memorable information. Bottom line… Start of in the direction you want with power (Oh yeah, you might want to practice as well!)

#6 Avoid Negativity

Studies in psychology have shown that negative words like ‘no’ and ‘cannot’ have a toxic effect on the human brain. They not only demotivate your employees, but also ward off prospective clients. Bottom line… Make positivity your mantra flow from your words.

#7 Take Responsibility

If anything goes wrong in your organization, it is you that has to take responsibility. Whether in addressing any audience, publishing a retraction, or sending an apology email if you said it initially (or someone in your organization did), then it’s your “baby” to rock. Bottom line… Assure people that no matter what happens, you are in control through your actions and words.

#8 Work on Your Body Language

Remember that verbal communication accounts for less than 10% of what you actually convey. Bottom line… Make sure that you are paying attention to your facial and body gestures as you speak.

#9 Listen More, Speak Less

Two ears, one mouth… You can see where this leadership communication tip is going, right? This cannot be stressed enough. When you listen to your employees, partners, and audiences, you not only get different perspectives on business issues, but you also make them feel valuable. Bottom line… Spend more time listening for effective leadership communication.

#10 Empathize

Finally, learn to empathize. CEOs, for instance, are typically seen as unapproachable. Change that. Bottom line… Communicate with empathy and care. You will ultimately see “loyalty” increase in the people around you.

SUMMARY

True leadership communication skills involve building personal trust and rapport with your audience, and conveying your message with clarity, in a way that they truly understand. The old adage of “tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you told them” will only go so far (But it’s a great model to follow!) Follow these 10 Quick Tips to Improve Your Leadership Communication for success!

Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

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