maximum impact leadership

Maximum Impact Leadership: Step 7 of 7

July 9, 2015 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: I’ve seen a lot of leaders come, and I’m certain I’ll see a lot go in the future. But what is it about the “best” leaders that we can share with you? The “Best” Leaders one way or the other always have maximum impact on their organizations, their industries, and the world! The following seven (7) part series was developed from coaching conversations at Tip of the Spear and plays an integral part in our Business Advisory Services (Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, and Communication Skills Training for Leaders Series). In Step 1 of 7 for Maximum Impact Leadership we looked at your ability to ask questions. In Step 2 of 7 we looked at your ability to secure feedback from those questions by listening. In Step 3 of 7 we looked at your ability to think of what is being said. In Step 4 of 7 we examined your ability to thank others for their feedback. In Step 5 the opportunity arises for you to respond (but do so at your own peril!) In Step 6 we look out how you can best engage your stakeholders and take action! I hope that you’re able to implement these seven (7) “best” practices for maximum impact leadership… Enjoy!

Recall that in Step 1 of 7 of developing your maximum impact leadership, you are asking stakeholders to provide you with feedback on how you can be the “best” leader possible. You’ve asked several key questions that drive towards that destination. In Step 2 of 7 you needed to do the easy part of listening (or difficult part, depending on if you read the post!) In Step 3 of 7 we took a look at ways in which you could “think” differently (or at least this should have been different from your current thinking habits. In step 4 of 7 we realized that thanking is as much a part of the leadership equation as doing. In Step 5 of 7 we looked at how you should respond in a short, positive, targeted, and to the point manner. In Step 6 of 7 we summed up how you can engage your stakeholders and position yourself for action.

Follow Up / Follow Through

Step 7 of 7 in our Maximum Impact Leadership formula is to follow up and follow through. If the secret to real estate is location, location location.. Then the secret to Maximum Impact Leadership is follow up, follow up, follow up, and follow through! Similar to responding to a stakeholder with “Thank You” was short, positive, targeted, and to the point, so then is follow up and follow through.

Stakeholder Centered Coaching

In our Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching initiatives, part of the program is for leaders and stakeholders to meet on a monthly basis to share progress on behavioral actions identified for improvement.

Their conversations, sometimes held formally during one-to-one (1:1) meetings or less formally at the coffee pot during a business break typically always sound the same and go something like “You know Ms. Stakeholder, thank you again for providing feedback on my 360-degree assessment a few months back. Recall how I stated a few behavioral changes I was looking to make based on such feedback and asked for your assistance periodically in keeping me on-time/on-target. I was wondering if in the last 30-days you saw any behavior change in those areas as well as how I can further change for the better moving forward?”

Results Matter

As I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve conducted well over 500+ Executive Coaching initiatives with leaders all around the world. I’ve noticed something encourage for us all during those conversations… While I might have been the apparatus for change, the conduit was the leader and their stakeholders. In other words, I provided the structure and established with these leaders the criteria for change. However, it was up to the leaders and their stakeholders to actually create the results.

So if results are what you seek, and maximum impact leadership is a destination you believe you should be heading for, you now have the recipe (or 7 steps) to take you there.

A Word to the Wise… Get a Coach!

I’m a DIY’er (A “Do It Yourself’er”). I was fully engaged in my youth devouring everything I could get my hands on to read on topics of leadership, management, success, etc. Here’s what I found, and perhaps this is where you are to: There is more information available and no “one size fits all” recipe that’s applicable to you as an individual. I won’t say that it wasn’t without much effort/energy expended on my behalf (Read that as I not only tried really hard, but took action). Unfortunately, my efforts/energy were ultimately not rewarded until I got smart.

My Father always used to compel me to work “smart” and not “hard” when I was younger (Yours too?!?) I was certain that he was imploring some Protestant Work Ethic mind-trick on me (even though we were Catholic). In the end, with quite a few dollars spent and somewhat no closer to my goals I grabbed yet one more book. The message resonated with me, and so I reached out to the author to see if they were available for a quick call. To my surprise, he called back and suggested that I work with him in an upcoming class he was teaching on how to grow a business. So now you know the “rest of the story” (Thanks Paul Harvey) and you won’t have the pain/suffering involved in attempting to find your own way. Bottom Line: Get an Executive Coach to help you!

SUMMARY

Ask, listen, think, thank, respond, engage/act and follow up/follow through with the stakeholders around you for maximum impact leadership. I hope you enjoyed the many leadership development lessons and executive coaching moments shared during this Maximum Impact Leadership series. While it might seem intuitive to most, the actual step-by-step process can be daunting to accomplish. So what will you do now in your leadership development journey?

Sam Palazzolo

Maximum Impact Leadership: Step 6 of 7

July 8, 2015 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: I’ve seen a lot of leaders come, and I’m certain I’ll see a lot go in the future. But what is it about the “best” leaders that we can share with you? The “Best” Leaders one way or the other always have maximum impact on their organizations, their industries, and the world! The following seven (7) part series was developed from coaching conversations at Tip of the Spear and plays an integral part in our Business Advisory Services (Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, and Communication Skills Training for Leaders Series). In Step 1 of 7 for Maximum Impact Leadership we looked at your ability to ask questions. In Step 2 of 7 we looked at your ability to secure feedback from those questions by listening. In Step 3 of 7 we looked at your ability to think of what is being said. In Step 4 of 7 we examined your ability to thank others for their feedback. In Step 5 the opportunity arises for you to respond (but do so at your own peril!) Here in Step 6 we look out how you can best engage your stakeholders and take action! I hope that you’re able to implement these seven (7) “best” practices for maximum impact leadership… Enjoy!

Refresh of Maximum Impact Leadership Step 1 Ask | Step 2 Listen | Step 3 Think | Step 4 Thank | Step 5 Respond

Engage & Act

Step 6 of 7 is actually a two-parter… In order to be an effective Maximum Impact Leader you’re going to have to engage the stakeholders around you and take action. Let’s break it down…

Engage My Stakeholders?

My research over the years has been on leadership behavior, and why we as leaders do what we do. I’ve noticed the good, the bad, and the ugly behaviors that leaders exhibit in a variety of settings. One thing that I am crystal clear on is that in order for a leader to take feedback from their stakeholders and implement it into their “game” they need to engage those same stakeholders. The story could go something like the following:

“You know folks, I’ve been thinking about the feedback that you provided me in my 360-degree assessment. As a result of that feedback, these are the behaviors that I’m going to ask you to look out for. These are the behaviors that I’m going to ask you to keep me honest regarding. In our weekly one-to-one (1:1) meetings, I’m going to remind you that I’m working on them and please provide me with any examples where you saw me exhibiting them. Thank you!”

Take Action… Charge!

I also can share this little bit of a secret with you when it comes to setting goals… You’re going to have to align the troops (sometimes only yourself) and take action. Putting one step in front of the other is one method, but can be an awful slow haul. Enlisting others to keep you on track (engaged) and looking for you to take action is the best methodology.

How Do You…?

In one of the leadership development programs I’m engaged with, one of the leaders was asked for their perspective on how they have excelled at performing their job function recently (especially in light of how others might be struggling). His response was rather direct… “You need to just do it!”

You need to just do it rings true on several fronts, especially when it comes to change and taking action. No one ever got to the other shore by having the other shore come to them. If you want to get to there (Wherever “there” might be), your going to have to devise a plan to get their and then take action.

SUMMARY

Ask, listen, think, thank, respond, and engage/act with the stakeholders around you for maximum impact leadership. There are many leadership development lessons and/or executive coaching moments you can explore for further assistance. Know this much, “Engaging” is not optional and “Action” can never be replaced with procrastination.

Sam Palazzolo

Maximum Impact Leadership: Step 5 of 7

July 7, 2015 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: I’ve seen a lot of leaders come, and I’m certain I’ll see a lot go in the future. But what is it about the “best” leaders that we can share with you? The “Best” Leaders one way or the other always have maximum impact on their organizations, their industries, and the world! The following seven (7) part series was developed from coaching conversations at Tip of the Spear and plays an integral part in our Business Advisory Services (Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, and Communication Skills Training for Leaders Series). In Step 1 of 7 for Maximum Impact Leadership we looked at your ability to ask questions. In Step 2 of 7 we looked at your ability to secure feedback from those questions by listening. In Step 3 of 7 we looked at your ability to think of what is being said. In Step 4 of 7 we examined your ability to thank others for their feedback. Here in Step 5 is the opportunity for you to respond (but do so at your own peril!) I hope that you’re able to implement these seven (7) “best” practices for maximum impact leadership… Enjoy!

Refresh of Maximum Impact Leadership Step 1 Ask | Step 2 Listen | Step 3 Think | Step 4 Thank

Thank You… No Really, Only Say Thank You!

On one leadership development assignment I had nearly a decade ago, the client asked if I would work with them to create a customized 360-degree assessment. This assessment tied in perfectly with the leadership competencies we had identified earlier in the consulting arrangement, and appeared to be the next logical step in developing tomorrow’s organizational leaders today. However, throw logic out the window because we failed to put in place a “braking” mechanism that in hindsight was a no brainer, but for where we were wasn’t even on our radar map.

I’m Gonna Get You Sucker!

The braking mechanism that we should have thought of (but didn’t) was the idea of report-out retribution. In other words, once a leader received 360-degree feedback from their stakeholders, it’s imperative that they don’t take action against those that have taken the time to provide them with such feedback. Instead, the leaders of tomorrow acted more like Genghis Kahn of Mongolian Empire fame than Ghandi.

One leader in the development program went so far as to write out his own “Hit List” based on feedback received. Sometimes accurate, sometimes not he developed a list of his stakeholders and guessed which feedback went with whom. Having identified in his mind who was “with” him and who was “against” he proceeded over the next two-three years to handout easy assignments to those “with” and punishing ones for those “against.” All in all, he was wrong… Not only in guessing those with/against, but also in his methodology.

The “Thank You” Model

So what is the proper way to say “Thank You” after receiving the feedback from a 360-degree assessment? I’m often asked if there is a method I recommend, and here is a word track for it:

“Mr. Stakeholder, I wanted to thank you for participating in my 360-degree feedback assessment. I don’t know the details regarding who said what, but I do know that in providing me with details regarding how/where I can improve, my stakeholders like you have provided me with very valuable data on how I can be a better leader. So thank you!”

You might have noticed that the proceeding message is short, positive, targeted, and to the point. The focus of your “Thank You” is on the feedback and how you can be a better leader moving forward (Exactly the target-zone of the 360 degree assessment, right?)

Keep Your “But” Out Of The Thank You

There is one mistake that some leaders make when approaching this feedback moment through their reply. Some leaders insist on saying “Thank You” and then following it up with a nice/big “But” to their stakeholder. In doing so, whatever goodwill moment you were hoping to achieve went straight out the window. In executive coaching sessions I hear of this “but” moment and inquire as to why the leader did so. Mostly from a place of blame-avoidance, sometimes from a fear of loss of control, and almost always from an ego zone the leader feels compelled to bring up why they are the way they are.

In completing your 360-degree assessment, your associates know who you are and that you act a certain way in given situations. Good, bad, or ugly they really don’t care to learn what your logic is for your behavior. So keep your “but” out of the response.

SUMMARY

Ask, listen, think, thank, and respond to the stakeholders around you for maximum impact leadership. In your leadership development sessions and/or executive coaching moments you will have the opportunity to search for best practices and word tracks on how to respond to stakeholder feedback. Know this much, “But” is never an acceptable response and should be kept out of your reply.

Sam Palazzolo

Maximum Impact Leadership: Step 4 of 7

June 20, 2015 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: I’ve seen a lot of leaders come, and I’m certain I’ll see a lot go in the future. But what is it about the “best” leaders that we can share with you? The “Best” Leaders one way or the other always have maximum impact on their organizations, their industries, and the world! The following seven (7) part series was developed from coaching conversations at Tip of the Spear and plays an integral part in our Business Advisory Services (Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, and Communication Skills Training for Leaders Series). In Step 1 of 7 for Maximum Impact Leadership we looked at your ability to ask questions. In Step 2 of 7 we looked at your ability to secure feedback from those questions by listening. In Step 3 of 7 we looked at your ability to think of what is being said. Here in Step 4 of 7, we’ll take a look at your ability to thank others for their feedback (Simple, right?) I hope that you’re able to implement these seven (7) “best” practices for maximum impact leadership… Enjoy!

Refresh of Maximum Impact Leadership Step 1 Ask | Step 2 Listen | Step 3 Think

Saying “Thank You”… That’s Good Manners, Right?

How many times have you asked for input on a project, task, or assignment as a leader? Outside of your leadership development training or executive coaching session, I would say the number probably is in the hundreds or thousands (conservatively speaking). Now ask yourself the follow up question: How many times have you actually “thanked” the person providing you with the feedback? Unfortunately, and this is no conservative accident, the number is probably represented by less than the digits on your two hands (That’s less than 10!)

So if you believe that saying “Thank You” is a good representation of manners, why do so few leaders extend the courtesy? I’ve asked this question to well over one hundred leaders, and here are the answers I typically receive:

It’s work, not pleasure
The answers should be provided as part of the other person’s job
I don’t have enough time in the workplace to get all my work done as is, let alone take the extra second it would take to say “Thanks!”

Pathetic, right?

Killing the Messenger is BAD

Here’s another way to think of the situation of thanking those that provide us with input… How many times have you received such input, and then instead of thanking the other party looked at what was being said in a defensive manner? Odds are, if you’re a leader (or human) your ego got in the way and you became defensive.

Instead of looking at the input received as positive, you instead looked at the message as deconstructive and went on the defense in an attempt to get even.

While killing the messenger is rarely a good strategy, listening to what is said and saying thank you is. It doesn’t mean that you are not planning on taking action at a later time on what was discussed (This should be your strategy, instead of looking to take action against the party delivering the constructive feedback!)

SUMMARY

Ask, listen, think, and thank the stakeholders around you for maximum impact leadership. This is just the beginning of the success recipe, and we’ll explore the remainder in the following steps. Don’t forget those messages you heard in your leadership development sessions or executive coaching moments… They just could help you overcome many of the leadership challenges you face!

Sam Palazzolo

Maximum Impact Leadership: Step 3 of 7

June 9, 2015 By Sam Palazzolo, Managing Director

The Point: I’ve seen a lot of leaders come, and I’m certain I’ll see a lot go in the future. But what is it about the “best” leaders that we can share with you? The “Best” Leaders one way or the other always have maximum impact on their organizations, their industries, and the world! The following seven (7) part series was developed from coaching conversations at Tip of the Spear and plays an integral part in our Business Advisory Services (Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, and Communication Skills Training for Leaders Series). In Step 1 of 7 for Maximum Impact Leadership we looked at your ability to ask questions. In Step 2 of 7, we looked at your ability to secure feedback from those questions by listening. Here in Step 3 of 7, we’ll take a look at your ability to think of what is being said. I hope that you’re able to implement these seven (7) “best” practices for maximum impact leadership… Enjoy!

Refresh of Maximum Impact Leadership Step 1 Ask & Step 2 Listen

You’ll Want to Lead

What’s the first thing that you’ll want to do upon receiving some feedback? If you’re like the leaders I work with, you’ll want to start talking immediately. Cutting stakeholders off before they’ve finished providing you with feedback will cut you off from receiving further feedback from them. It will also show your defensive nature and glimpses of your ego shining through. These are BAD moments, often disguised as leading!

Instead of raising your defensive posture, take a deep breath and continue to breath while being fully present in the conversation. This will provide you with the opportunity to actively think about what is being said.

Are You in Control?

Ask… Listen… Breath… Think! Sounds like a simple program, but is very difficult. Think of the most successful person you know and their ability to think. What does it reflect for you?

If you’re like most of the leaders I work with, they are looking for the competitive edge that will allow them, when the chips are down and the pressure is on, to have their best leadership moments. Moments where they will have to be 100% in control. If you think about the technique we just discussed, it reflects a high level of leadership control. After all, why would anyone listen to you if you weren’t in control of your own faculties?

If you’re acting out, defensive, showing your ego, etc. you are actually showing any/all that you are out of control. Out of control is a situation where your situation is dictating your outcomes. Instead, make an effort to never let your situation dictate your outcomes.

What Were You Thinking?

In executive coaching sessions my client and I will typically discuss a successful occurrence from the past week/month/etc. I’ll ask them to meditate, or reflect on exactly what made that situation successful.

In a similar vein, I’ll also ask them to meditate, or think, about a leadership moment that made them angry. Anger is a state that typically is associated with a cry for help, or an attempt to regain control. I’ll ask the leader to reflect on the angry moment and ask themselves the question: “What were you thinking?” The responses I get are often with much embarrassment. Leadership development training typically teaches leaders to think a certain way about Marketing or Finance, but these questions ask them to look at how they performed in non-technical areas (Something leadership development often leaves participants fare short on!)

I’ve had leaders cry in executive coaching sessions when reflecting on what made them angry. While some want to argue that in these moments of anger, that they actually have great vision, focus, and productivity. More times than not, that’s their ego talking. If they get past their ego, they’ll see that they’re ability to ask, listen, breath and think will provide them with much better control moving forward.

SUMMARY

So to start on our journey of maximum impact leadership, we fixed your cross hairs on being the best leader ever. Remember, if you ask they will tell you! The second step is to listen to what is being said. Active listening should be employed to set the right atmosphere, get more feedback through drill down questions, and reflecting that you really are listening. Here in Step 3 we looked at the act of thinking. Thinking sets the stage for great control moving forward (What everyone wants in leading, right?)

Sam Palazzolo

maximum impact leadership

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