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The Leadership Challenge: Saying “Thank You”

March 27, 2015 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: As a Marshall Goldsmith Certified Stakeholder Centered Coach (SCC), the executive coaching process typically revolves around stakeholders providing feedback to the leader on the specific behavioral actions. At the center of this feedback process, which could be good, bad, and/or ugly, is the response that the leader is to provide to those stakeholders for their “gift” of feedback… The leader is instructed simply to respond with a “Thank you” for the gift. While it appears to be a sincere moment (especially considering how some of the feedback could be far from positive, and perhaps a more belligerent response warranted), we started wondering this week how often as the leader you say “Thank you” to those you work with? More importantly, what outcomes would you receive if you included such words of thanks more frequently into interactions? So in this post, we set out to identify those “Thank you” moments, what rewards you could potentially reap from implementation, and lastly (and certainly not least), hurdles you may have to overcome in order to pull off a successful “Thank You”… Enjoy!

“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.”

— Max DePree

Leadership 101: Your Manners Count!

Every move you make as a leader in your organization will be scrutinized by your employees… Not every tenth move, nor one-hundredth… Every single move! In a line straight out of the George Cooney classic “Ocean’s 11” comes the line “Everything is on camera. Everything is being recorded!” So you too should consider the Las Vegas lifestyle as appropriate fodder for yourself as a leader when it comes to the behaviors you exhibit, and most importantly your reactions (verbal/physical).

So if everything is being observed, how can you insure that you are being “seen” as appropriate. While the typical conversation introduction begins “Hello” or “Good Morning” for example, perhaps the appropriate conclusion should be “Thank you”. Another way to think about it would be to consider if your actions were to show up on the front page of tomorrow’s CNN website… What would you want the headline or image to capture? I’m guessing something reflective of your manners, so special consideration should be considered.

The Thank You Leadership Rewards Program

So what do you have to gain in saying thanks to those you encounter? Here’s a brief list (but you’ll get the point):

Increased employee engagement
A positive work environment
Increased feedback of the good/bad/ugly variety
The ability to quickly course correct (i.e., change)
Better customer experiences
Establishing trust quicker/keeping it longer
Greater revenue (?)

So saying “Thank you” could very well be a game-changer for you as a leader, department, and organization. If that’s the case, why aren’t there leadership development programs, initiatives to increase communication skills training for leaders, and an overall betterment policy implemented by most organizations? The answer may come in the form of the hurdles you’ll encounter.

The “Thank You” Hurdles (or Mountains!)

Saying “Thank you” as a leader is relatively easy and effortless when times are good. Think about it… You have a great conversation about how profits are up, the sales pipeline is full, and the organization is achieving exponential growth/profitability. Telling those you work with thanks is a no-brainer (It’s simple, effortless, and should roll off the tongue like water off a ducks back).

But what if things aren’t so perfect? What if profits are down, the sales pipeline is vacant, and the organization is going backwards in growth/profitability? I’m guessing that as a leader saying “Thank you” might be at best difficult (That is if you can mutter it under your breath through clenched-teeth!) With blood-pressure skyrocketing, cheeks blushing, and thoughts racing a million miles an hour, I’m guessing that as a leader your vision is anything but clear.

One of the aspects that I’ve really enjoyed in Centered Executive Coaching comes from the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) process of meditating. Specifically, during meditation you’re encouraged to focus on your breath. If I hadn’t participated myself, I’d have little faith that simply focusing on the inhale/exhale exchange could cause me to have tremendously greater focus after meditating. As such, and for our purposes here, perhaps a few meditative moments are in order to hit the proverbial pause button as a leader so that you can gather your composure (and thoughts). Saying “Thank you” in these moments will allow you to do exactly that.

SUMMARY

So in this post on The Leadership Challenge: Saying “Thank You” we’ve covered ways in which you can identify those “Thank you” moments, the rewards available to you from implementation, and lastly hurdles you will have to overcome in order to pull off a successful “Thank You.” Saying it with true meaning counts, so best of luck in your “Thank You” endeavors!

Sincerely yours,

Sam Palazzolo

PS – You may also enjoy some of the other recent posts I wrote:

Sam Palazzolo is the Managing Director at Tip of the Spear Ventures, an agile Venture Capital and Business Advisory Services firm specializing in Executive Coaching, Leadership Development, and Communication Skills Training for Leaders.

The Leadership Challenge: Are You Mindful?

March 19, 2015 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: If you’re like most of the leaders we work with here at Tip of the Spear, you’re a flame-thrower! However, lately we’ve been on a crusade to “throw flames” with much more targeted focus. In other words, instead of destroying everything in your path, focusing more on specific targets and getting better results. But there is so much that gets in your typical leaders way; Board commitments, Competing projects, Budget meetings, etc… And don’t forget about your non-professional (i.e., personal) time! This post is dedicated to a new technique, one we’ve begun implementing with much success in our Centered Executive Coaching programs that focuses on mindfulness… Enjoy!

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

There’s a popular obsession in leading organizations and the Bay Area with mindfulness as a secret strategy to health and happiness. “Health and happiness?” you may be asking, I thought this was a post about how I as a leader can lead better (the central theme of “The Point Blog” and the leadership challenge at hand)… Well read on!

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that MBSR has clear benefits to those that participate. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an 8-week program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn (an MIT-educated scientist).

Mindfulness Techniques (including Meditation)

At the heart of this technique is harnessing one’s ability to be present (make that fully present) in the moment (each and every moment). If that’s the goal… The vehicle to arrive at that goal would be meditation. Ask yourself this question: “How hard would it be to think of one thing, just one sole thing at a time in a moment?”

Here are some of the challenges that you probably face:

Technology requires (no, it demands) that you fracture attention into smaller and smaller bits.
We answer a call from a work-colleague while attending your daughter’s soccer game.
We pay the bills while watching TV at night.
We order dinner while stuck in traffic (hope it doesn’t get cold?)

I’m Busy, You’re Busy… So What?

This is a time when no one seems to have enough time, yet we continue to have items compete for those limited time moments (read that as your capacity… You still only get 24 hours in a day, and 7 days in a week!) Technology allows us to be in several places simultaneously (in the past 24-hours, I’ve been in Missouri, Colorado, California, and India… Not a bad day, right?) However, are we in the right places at the right time, and are we in the places where we want/should be?

At the heart of mindfulness is the ability to recognize the present, not to dwell on the past or worry about the future… Simply to “be” in the present without judgment, fear, pain, or any of the other emotions. Think of MBSR as a technique that will allow you to quiet the extremely busy mind.

So What is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Good For?

While the body of evidence as noted above is mounting, it appears as thought MBSR is good for anyone that goes into the practice with an open mind, willing to learn. Benefits of participants seem to revolve around reductions in stress, anxiety, pain, and depression.

So where does this fit in for the today’s business leader? If distraction appears to be the illness of most leaders, perhaps MBSR can be seen as the cure. The goal of mindfulness is to focus attention fully to what you are doing. So with all this in mind, could mindfulness be the tool for dealing with the daily onslaught in the C-Suite, both emotionally and practically?

So Haven’t I Heard This All Before?

If you think you’ve heard this idea of mindfulness before, but perhaps called another name, you’re thinking along the same lines as I was! I did a lot of research regarding why leaders think the way they do, and how if you could harness the same leadership thought-patterns the average person could turn into something spectacular (Close, but no cigar!) There also is a strong religious, almost Buddhist underlying current to this whole MBSR program. Therein lies the marketing genius of Jon Kabat-Zinn.

The religious aspect of mindfulness is overcome by avoiding any talk of spirituality. Instead there is a more logical approach (think of it as common sense): If you consider your attention span a muscle, and as with any muscle it makes sense to exercise said muscle (The exercise would occur through meditation). As with any muscle that is exercise, it will develop certain muscle mass over time.

Another aspect that can be gleaned from mindfulness is what science is teaching us about the brain, and its ability to rewire itself and adapt. This study, known as neuroplasticity, suggests that there are benefits, both concrete and provable, to exercising the brain.

SUMMARY

As I mentioned earlier, we’ve begun adding a “mindfulness” approach (similar to the 8-week MBSR program) in our Centered Executive Coaching initiatives. The feedback is very positive, as leaders report greater focus, ability to concentrate as well as less wasted time, stress, and guilt. For a great read on the topic, pickup a copy of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s “Full Catastrophe Living” (catchy title, huh?) and/or visit the Institute for Mindful Leadership (http://instituteformindfulleadership.org/). If you’d like to explore Centered Executive Coaching, connect with us!

Sincerely yours,

Sam Palazzolo

PS – You may also enjoy some of the other recent posts I wrote:

The Leadership Challenge: Are You Better Off Lucky Than Good?

March 17, 2015 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: At Tip of the Spear, we’ve seen our fair share of leaders that are “blind squirrels” that somehow find a nut! Simultaneously frustrating and emotionally draining, these episodes had us wondering: “What if you were both lucky and good?” As such, the following post is aimed at providing you (the leader who no-doubt needs no luck) with three leadership action plans that when taken provide consistently higher results… Enjoy (and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!)

“Uh uh. I know what you’re thinking. ‘Did he fire six shots or only five?’ Well to tell you the truth in all this excitement I kinda lost track myself. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world and would blow you head clean off, you’ve gotta ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?“

“Dirty” Harry Callahan – Dirty Harry (1971)

Can the Luck of the Irish Help?

Clint Eastwood as “Dirty” Harry said it, but it bears repeating: “Do you feel lucky?” When it comes to leadership, should you allow luck to enter into the equation of your day-to-day management of your operation? While most of us would argue that it is in fact better to be lucky, rather than good, we certainly don’t want to rely on lady-luck to smile upon us too frequently (Read that as a sure-fire recipe for disaster!) As such, what follows are three leadership action plans (or steps) you can take to rely less on the aforementioned lady-luck, the luck of the Irish, or rubbing your rabbits foot:

Play the Process Odds

If you know that a good process (one that is well detailed out, communicated properly, and has accountability steps) is in place, you can feel relatively certain that the odds of consistent outcomes occurring will be high. Likewise, you also can probably guess that poor processes have a less likelihood of occurring consistently (but nonetheless do occur some of the time). As such, as a leader, ensure that you take note of such outcomes (and processes!) in order to play the process odds regarding what the outcomes will be. Since these good processes offer the highest probability of occurring over time, bet on them.

Follow a Checklist

Using a checklist consistently will ensure that you follow a good process repeatedly. As such, the “good” process should produce similar “good” outcomes. For example, an airplane pilot can be seen prior to departure walking around the plane checking items off on a checklist (They similarly review a checklist inside the cockpit). These checklists ensure that pilots follow all vetted procedures consistently prior to each/every flight without fail. Similarly, there’s probably a checklist that you could develop to mimic these pre-flight rituals for your operation in some form/fashion.

The Skill and Luck Correlation Effect

There may however be those processes that defy logic (or the odds). In these instances, recognize that there might not only be lady-luck playing her part, but also a certain level of skill on the part of the participant. The greater the amount of skill that is displayed, the more likely that you will be able to determine the odds of the process occurring repeatedly in the future. Important to note here is that it may often be difficult to determine skill levels.

SUMMARY

So are you better off as a leader being lucky than good? If you play the process odds, follow a checklist to repeat proven processes/procedures, and identify the skill and luck correlation, your odds of not needing luck will dramatically improve! Being a leader, you should avoid putting yourself in position where you have to rely on luck. But go ahead, make my day… Ask yourself ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do you?

Sincerely yours,

Sam Palazzolo

PS – You may also enjoy some of the other recent posts I wrote:

The Leadership Challenge: Can You Drive the Development of Leaders Who Transform Your Business?

January 8, 2015 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: At Tip of the Spear, we’ve seen a lot of leadership development programs that have cost $Millions to conduct (Yes, that’s $Millions with an ‘M’). Typically, these programs are offered by some large, stale consulting firm that has had ‘career consultants’ (read that as those that have never lead a team/business, only worked at the consulting firm). We’re often called in afterwards to ‘mop up the leadership mess’ when the leaders that went through the leadership development training can’t drive the business forward. In this post, we’ll take a look at three (3) targets you should focus on achieving in leadership development, as well as three (3) results you should expect… Enjoy!

So Much Development (A Waste!)… So Little Time!

You fly your best candidates for future leadership (sometimes referred to in the leadership development community as those assessed as ‘high potentials’ or HIPOs) into a training center environment once a month for a year to receive leadership development. They spend a week in solitude, learning from academics about leadership methodology, working in teams to analyze case studies, and role-playing “If I was the leader” scenarios in a ‘friendly’ classroom environment. Hundreds of thousands of dollars ($$$,$$$) are spent on each candidate. So what do you receive in return? Is it an elite leadership squad, ready to handle any/all challenges to drive the business forward? We doubt it…

What’s Your Leadership Development Target?

Ask yourself, or your Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) or even your Chief Learning Officer what the targets were for leadership development. Typically, you’ll receive an answer that’s akin to ‘To broaden the skill set of the leader in training to align with the challenges of today, as well as tomorrow.’

That sounds good, but what will you focus on? At Tip of the Spear, we believe that you’ll hit every target if you never aim… Because any attempt will do/suffice! In other words, if you don’t have specific targets in mind, you’ll always be lulled into a false send of leadership security by thinking that you’ve hit your target.

The Leadership Challenge: Three Targets to Aim For!

Your development offering should look to target the following broad-based targets:

Engaging Teams (Those directly overseen, as well as those with parallel support)
Satisfy Customers (You can go grandiose and identify how to delight, but asking a customer if they had a satisfactory experience, would they come back for retention capture, and if they’d advocate on your behalf to friends/colleagues should suffice)
Driving Strategy (Think of this as the all too important implementation phase of change management)

NOTE: You can/should drill-down on these topics so that they are not only department specific, but specific to each of the leader’s being developed subject matter expertise.

Results Matter… You Better Manage Them!

To get results from your talent development initiative, we recommend that you follow the following four-step process:

Anchor initiative to business goals
Map out learning journeys that not only diagnose, but develop leadership skills
Transition leaders to the next level as soon as possible
Prove impact through key performance indicator (KPI) measurement and sustain results through proper management

What Results Should You Expect?

So in the end, we know that results are all that matter… But what results should you expect? We typically look to provide the following three leadership development results:

The Right Leaders Prepared
Ready for Business and changes Therein
In the Right Locations at the Right Time Where You Need Them!

Summary

I hope you enjoyed the post. If so, don’t forget to click on the ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ buttons and tell others who may find it useful. Also, I would love it if you would take a minute to comment on this post (That’s the BEST encouragement for me to continue to write and share!)

Sincerely yours,

Sam Palazzolo

PS – You may also enjoy some of the other recent posts I wrote:

What’s Inside Your Leadership Time Capsule?

January 7, 2015 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: This week’s unveiling of a time capsule buried nearly 200 years ago in Boston by Samuel Adams and Paul Revere got us thinking at Tip of the Spear… If you as a leader were going to build/burry your own time capsule, what would you put inside it? Centuries from now, upon unearthing, what would you want future generations to know about leadership in 2015? With that in mind, we’ve identified out top five inclusions… Enjoy!

The 1795 Time Capsule – Wow!

The time capsule that Samuel Adams and Paul Revere compiled was rather small in size, measuring 5.5 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches. With such little room to share with future generations, we’ll keep the same dimensions for our purposes here. With great care (apparently the capsule was previously discovered/removed/reburied in 1855 during some other repairs), the contents were examined with brain-surgeon-like care by Pam Hatchfield, Head of Objects Conservation for Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. Using a porcupine quill and her grandfather’s dental tool, here’s what Hatchfield safely removed from the 10-pound box:

Five folded newspapers
A Massachusetts commonwealth seal
A title page from Massachusetts colony records
At least 24 coins
An inscribed rectangular silver plate (probably made/engraved by Paul Revere)

As the contents were removed, onlookers could hear Hatchfield exclaim “Wow!” with each extraction.

So What Exactly is a Time Capsule?

According to Wikipedia, a time capsule is “a historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a method of communication with future people and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists or historians.” So what would we possibly want to leave behind to effectively communicate the leadership challenges of today?

If you’re thinking like I’m thinking, we’d probably want to include items that captured not only represent the successes achieved, but the failures experienced as well. Perhaps we could also throw in a few items that captured emotions of those experiences (both good and bad). Keep in mind, we only have 5.5 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches.

The 2015 Leadership Time Capsule

Here then is a list of the items that we’d put into our 2015 Leadership Time Capsule:

An iPhone 6+ – Technology is revolutionizing leadership, and nothing says technological leadership quite like the new Apple iPhone 6+!
URLs to Google, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn – Where do you as a leader go for information? Odds are, these are your first choices to gain perspective on the leadership challenges you face day in/day out.
The Wall Street Journal – Although you can get the majority of your news fed to you virtually, we still have this tactile form a media in distribution.
A brand new $100 Bill – Sean Combs (aka, Puff Daddy) and a host of others sang (?) about it back in 1997, but this isn’t just about the song. This bill represents the economy, art, and technology coming together all in one simple (yet complicated) piece of paper.
A coin of each denomination (penny, nickel, dime, and quarter) – Ok, while the majority of us swipe a credit card for nearly all purchases, regardless of the inherent “hacker” dangers present, we’re including these because apparently the inclusion of coins wards off the growth of fungus!

Summary

Sincerely yours,

Sam Palazzolo

PS – You may also enjoy some of the other recent posts I wrote:

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