by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Creativity, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Wellbeing
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 20 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: 5 Problem-Solving Qualities Every Leader Must Have
— From The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow by John C. Maxwell
Whenever we read about leaders’ lives and accomplishments—whether contemporary or throughout history—one underlying common stands out: their problem-solving ability.
“No matter what field a leader is in, he will face problems,” says John C. Maxwell, author of The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. “[Problems] are inevitable for three reasons. First, we live in a world of growing complexity and diversity. Second, we interact with people. And third, we cannot control all the situations we face.”
Thus, as a leader, Maxwell suggests cultivating these five problem-solving qualities, because “you can’t let your problems be a problem.”
1. Leaders anticipate problems. “Since problems are inevitable, good leaders anticipate them. Anyone who expects the road to be easy will continually find himself in trouble… If you keep your attitude positive but plan for the worst, you’ll find yourself in a good position to solve problems that come your way.”
2. Leaders accept the truth. “People respond to problems in these ways: they refuse to accept them; they accept them and then put up with them; or they accept them and try to make things better. Leaders must always do the latter. […] No leader can simultaneously have his head in the sand and navigate [his/her] people through troubled waters. Effective leaders face up to the reality of a situation.”
3. Leaders see the big picture. “Leaders must continually see the big picture. They cannot afford to be overwhelmed by emotion. Nor can they allow themselves to get so bogged down in the details that they lose sight of what’s important.”
4. Leaders handle one thing at a time. The author shares this great quote from Richard Sloma, management guru: Never try to solve all the problems at once—make them line up for you one-by-one. Then Maxwell goes on to say, “The leaders who get in trouble most often are the ones who are overwhelmed by the sheer size or volume of their troubles and then dabble at problem-solving. If you’re faced with lots of problems, make sure you really solve the one you’re working on before moving on to the next one.”
5. Leaders don’t give up a major goal when they’re down. “Effective leaders understand the peak-to-peak principle. They make major decisions when they are experiencing a positive swing in their leadership, not during dark times.”
After reading all this, you’re probably wondering how you can improve on your problem-solving skills. Well, I have good news and not-so-good news…
First, the not so good news: “The ability to solve problems effectively comes from experience facing and overcoming obstacles,” says Maxwell. There’s no way around it. Experience is the best teacher indeed: “if you never try, fail, and try again, you’ll never get good at it.”
Now, for the good news: “Each time you solve another problem, you get a little better at the process.” And this is something that builds on itself, giving you more experience and tools every time.
And here’s the happy ending: you can (and definitely should) always write a great last chapter. It’s the best way to come out better, stronger, and with the gift of having learned something, than prior to the problem.
ACTION
TODAY: To flex your problem-solving muscles, Maxwell suggests going out looking for trouble. “Find situations that need fixing, come up with several viable solutions, and then take them to a leader with good problem-solving experience. You’ll learn from [his/her] decisions how he thinks when handling difficulties.”
FUTURE: When faced with problems in the future, Maxwell offers the following TEACH approach to problem-solving:
T ime: Spend time to discover the real issue.
E xposure: Find out what others have done.
A ssistance: Have your team [or get a group together to] study all angles.
C reativity: Brainstorm multiple solutions.
H it it: Implement the best solution.
Know someone who is a whiz at problem-solving? Or someone who is going through hell and could use some help? Please share this post: Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Collaboration, Creativity, Goals, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Planning
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 14 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: When creating your business vision, keep these points in mind
— From Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
Walt Disney came up with his business vision after taking his two daughters to an amusement park. In there, he was captivated by the carousel. However, when it came to a stop, “he observed shabby horses with cracked and chipped paint. And he noticed that only the horses on the outside row moved up and down. The others stood lifeless bolted to the floor.”
This disappointment is what inspired him to create his business vision of “an amusement park where the illusion didn’t evaporate, where children and adults could enjoy a carnival atmosphere without the seedy side that accompanies some circuses or traveling carnivals.” From there, Disneyland was born and the rest is history.
As a leader, it is very important that you, too, create your business vision. John Maxwell, leadership guru and author of Leadership 101, says, “Vision leads the leader. It paints the target. It sparks and fuels the fire within, and draws him forward. It is also the fire lighter for others who follow that leader.”
To create a successful business vision, keep in mind the following points:
Vision starts within. “You can’t buy, beg, or borrow vision. It has to come from the inside… If you lack vision, look inside yourself. Draw on your natural gifts and desires. Look to your calling if you have one.”
The author says that, as you look within for your vision, you must listen to several voices:
The inner voice. “Do you know your life’s mission? What stirs your heart? What do you dream about? If what you’re pursuing doesn’t come from a desire within—from the very depths of who you are and what you believe—you will not be able to accomplish it.”
The unhappy voice. “Discontent with the status quo is a great catalyst for vision. Are you on complacent cruise control? Or do you find yourself itching to change your world?”
The successful voice. “Nobody can accomplish great things alone. To fulfill a big vision, you need a good team. But you also need good advice from someone who is ahead of you in the leadership journey. If you want to lead others to greatness, find a mentor. Do you have an adviser who can help you sharpen your vision?”
And this last voice is essential if you’re having a hard time coming up with a vision of your own. Maxwell suggests hooking up with a leader whose vision resonates with you. If you can’t come up with your vision yet, but you are in alignment with someone else’s vision, perhaps, for the time being, the best thing you can do is to help out and learn as much as you can from this other leader. That way, when you have created your own business vision, you will know how to execute.
Vision draws on your history. “Vision isn’t some mystical quality that comes out of a vacuum, as some people seem to believe. It grows from a leader’s past and the history of the people around him.” Look at the story of Disney and many other leaders; it was connecting the dots of past events to their present capabilities that lead them to create their vision.
Vision meets others’ needs. “True vision is far-reaching. It goes beyond what one individual can accomplish. And if it has real value, it does more than just include others; it adds value to them. If you have a vision that doesn’t serve others, it’s probably too small.”
Run your vision by a small group of trusted friends and ask for their feedback. They will come up with ideas and twists that would have never occurred to you. Take what works and discard the rest, and you will be able to broaden your vision to add more value to those whom you will serve.
Vision helps you gather resources. “One of the most valuable benefits of vision is that it acts like a magnet—attracting, challenging, and uniting people. It also rallies finances and other resources. The greater the vision, the more winners it has the potential to attract. The more challenging the vision, the harder the participants fight to achieve it.”
ACTION
TODAY: Do you have a business vision? This can indeed mean that you are starting a business, but not necessarily. It means that you have a vision for yourself in business, whichever path you decide to follow, whether your own, or as an employee for a company whose business vision resonates with you. If you don’t have one, give some thought to the points above and create one. Remember this awesome quote by Rosabeth Moss Kanter: “A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.”
FUTURE: As you grow in life and business, make a point of revising your vision from time to time. Your vision must be exciting and relevant to the stage you’re in, and it’s also important to make sure it continues to lead you to where you want to go.
Know someone who would like this post? Please share! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Goals, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Time
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 48 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Top 5 Barriers to Teamwork
— From Equipping 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
Our culture loves the myth of the self-made man or woman. We applaud and admire the story of the lone entrepreneur who builds an empire.
But the truth is that nobody reaches the top by themselves. Everyone gets help along the way.
John C. Maxwell, leadership guru and author of Equipping 101, challenges us to think of one act of genuine significance in the history of humankind that was performed by a lone human being. “No matter what you name, you will find that a team of people was involved.”
Teamwork is not necessarily seen—or even considered so—when it comes from an external source and not directly within the immediate circle, such as funding, government licenses and permits, outsourcing help, or any kind of metaphorical push along the way that gets the person unstuck and moving in the right direction.
Yet it’s important to recognize that no man is an island and that any worthwhile feat requires teamwork. As the author’s famous quote and title of another one of his books says, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” And he goes on to provide a list of the benefits of teamwork:
- Teams involve more people, thus affording more resources, ideas and energy than would an individual.
- Teams maximize a leader’s potential and minimize her weaknesses. Strengths and weaknesses are more exposed in individuals
- Teams provide multiple perspectives on how to meet a need or reach a goal, thus devising several alternatives for each situation.
- Teams share the credits for victories and the blame for losses. This fosters genuine humility and authentic community.
- Teams keep leaders accountable for the goal.
- Teams can simply do more than an individual.
But we already knew this… right? So, why are we so adamant and hardheaded about doing things by ourselves?
Maxwell thinks there are four main barriers to teamwork, and he shares them with us.
Barriers to teamwork
Barrier 1: Ego. “Few people are fond of admitting they can’t do everything, yet that is a reality of life. There are no supermen or superwomen. So the question is not whether you can do everything by yourself; it’s how soon you’re going to realize you can’t.”
Barrier 2: Insecurity. “Only secure leaders give power to others… insecure leaders usually fail to build teams because of one of two reasons: Either they want to maintain control over everything for which they are responsible, or they fear being replaced by someone more capable. In either case, leaders who fail to promote teamwork undermine their own potential and erode the best efforts of the people with whom they work.”
Barrier 3: Naiveté. “[Some people] naively underestimate the difficulty of achieving big things. As a result, they try to go it alone.”
Barrier 4: Temperament. “Some people aren’t very outgoing and simply don’t think in terms of team building and equipping. As they face challenges, it never occurs to them to enlist others to achieve something… But whether or not you’re naturally inclined to be part of a team is really irrelevant. If you do everything alone and never partner with other people, you create huge barriers to your own potential.”
And besides these four ones from Maxwell, I’d like to add a fifth barrier that I’ve come across:
Barrier 5: Time (perceived lack of). Some people (read: me… #notproud) are so pressed for time in general, that we think bringing someone on board—or even outsourcing—is going to take a lot of time due to the time and effort involved in training the new person. Eventually, we come to realize that the time and effort in training will be well worth it, as it will be a small investment up front, in comparison to the return in the form of help that we need, the freedom to take that off our plates, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing it’s being done (and done well!).
ACTION
TODAY: Are you trying to work on something where you’d be better off enlisting the help of others? I’ve learned that almost everything can be optimized, automated, or outsourced (thanks, Ari Meisel!) Which one of the barriers is holding you back? What steps do you need to take to overcome it?
FUTURE: What are your big, hairy and audacious goals? If you break them down into doable chunks, where could you use some help? Keep in mind that help is not just for the things you don’t know how to do or can’t do, but also (and especially!) for the ones that you do very well and should not be doing (not the best use of your time).
Know someone who is battling with these barriers to teamwork? Please share this post! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Collaboration, Creativity, Goals, Growth, Mindset, Opportunity, Planning, Tools, Wellbeing
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 7 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: The 10 Es of great customer service
— From Woo, Wow, and Win: Service Design, Strategy, and the Art of Customer Delight by Thomas A. Stewart and Patricia O’Connell
As we get closer to Thanksgiving here in the U.S., I’ve been seeing more and more offers from retailers who have started their Black Friday sales early this year.
Thinking how much people like to buy stuff, I was surprised recently when I read, “people derive more happiness from new experiences—a day by the sea, a night at the opera—than from new things.”
It makes perfect sense in light of the fact that “the pleasure of a new object diminishes over time (as every child knows on December 26), while the pleasure of experience grows (as every adult knows, enjoying those warm holiday memories).”
So, knowing this, how can we create great customer service and a memorable experience, no matter how big or small a product or service we sell?
The answer for designing great service that is delivered expertly, according to Thomas A. Stewart and Patricia O’Connell, authors of Woo, Wow and Win, is to find “alignment among your strategic goals, your customer’s wants and needs, and what actually happens between you.”
And that alignment is a function of the following 10 E’s working together:
1. Empathy: “Developing products, services and experiences from the customer’s point of view; taking full account of how your customers use and interact with you.”
2. Expectation: “Ensuring that customers know what to expect from their interaction with you.”
3. Emotion: “Knowing the emotions your customer brings to your relationship, and guiding customers to a satisfied feeling about working with you.”
4. Elegance: “Providing offers that are clean, simple, easy to work with, and complete—nothing superfluous, nothing omitted.”
5. Engagement: “Communicating with customers—and they with you—at every point of contact, to understand their experience and how to improve it.”
6. Execution: “Reliably meeting all the expectations you have set.”
7. Engineering: “Possessing technical excellence (for example, compared to peers, but also general business standards) and eliminating waste of materials, time and effort, so that no extraneous effort is necessary on the part of you or your customer.”
8. Economics: “Pricing your services appropriately, so that the customer gets value for money and you the profit you expect.”
9. Experimentation: “Building processes for improvement and innovation into the daily work of your business; developing capabilities to develop and roll out new offerings.”
10. Equivalence: “Managing the customer, your team, and partner organizations so that you, the seller/service provider, are satisfied too.”
As you can see, the first five Es are focused on the customer’s side of the equation, and the last five ones are focused mostly on you.
These elements come together to create a system to build great customer service. But, “To what end?” the authors asked an expert in service design.
The answer?
Relationships. The goal of great customer service is to build a relationship with the customer; otherwise it’s merely a transaction.
“It is difficult to think of a transaction between a buyer and a seller that cannot be made more valuable to both parties by adding at least the possibility of a relationship beyond the transaction itself.”
What’s an instance of great customer service that you have received where you were happy to create a relationship with the seller? Please let me know here in the comments, I always love to hear these kinds of stories!
ACTION
TODAY: Think of the role you play in selling your products/services. How many Es can you apply toward creating great customer service in your business?
FUTURE: Study the customer’s journey and look at every touch point. What kind of relationship would you want to build (or strengthen) with your customers?
Want to build great customer service? Please share this post with your colleagues so that all of you can be in alignment: Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Goals, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Opportunity, Planning, Tools
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 15 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: 10 Tips from Seth Godin on how to be remarkable
— From Seth Godin’s blog post titled “How to be remarkable,” (in turn from Godin’s post on The Guardian).
I’ve always enjoyed Seth Godin’s definition of remarkable: in a nutshell, something to make a remark about.
And as I was looking for that specific quote for a project of mine, I came across this great post and news article that Godin posted over a decade ago, that is as valid today as it was back then.
I’ll leave the whole piece below for you. Enjoy it – it’s remarkable! 😉
How to be remarkable
You’re either boring or you stand out. You’re either invisible or remarkable. And, all your life, everyone has been pushing you to fit in. All your life you’re told to keep your head down, work hard, don’t make waves and get it done. What rubbish. Here, in 10 easy steps, is how to grow. How to stand out. How to get noticed, make a difference and have a shot at the big time.
1.Understand the urgency of the situation. Half-measures simply won’t do. The only way to grow is to abandon your strategy of doing what you did yesterday, but better. Commit.
2.Remarkable doesn’t mean remarkable to you. It means remarkable to me. Am I going to make a remark about it? If not, then you’re average, and average is for losers.
3. Being noticed is not the same as being remarkable. Running down the street naked will get you noticed, but it won’t accomplish much. It’s easy to pull off a stunt, but not useful.
4. Extremism in the pursuit of remarkability is no sin. In fact, it’s practically a requirement. People in first place, those considered the best in the world, these are the folks that get what they want. Rock stars have groupies because they’re stars, not because they’re good looking.
5. Remarkability lies in the edges. The biggest, fastest, slowest, richest, easiest, most difficult. It doesn’t always matter which edge, more that you’re at (or beyond) the edge.
6. Not everyone appreciates your efforts to be remarkable. In fact, most people don’t. So what? Most people are ostriches, heads in the sand, unable to help you anyway. Your goal isn’t to please everyone. Your goal is to please those that actually speak up, spread the word, buy new things or hire the talented.
7. If it’s in a manual, if it’s the accepted wisdom, if you can find it in a Dummies book, then guess what? It’s boring, not remarkable. Part of what it takes to do something remarkable is to do something first and best. Roger Bannister was remarkable. The next guy, the guy who broke Bannister’s record wasn’t. He was just faster … but it doesn’t matter.
8. It’s not really as frightening as it seems. They keep the masses in line by threatening them (us) with all manner of horrible outcomes if we dare to step out of line. But who loses their jobs at the mass layoffs? Who has trouble finding a new gig? Not the remarkable minority, that’s for sure.
9. If you put it on a T-shirt, would people wear it? No use being remarkable at something that people don’t care about. Not ALL people, mind you, just a few. A few people insanely focused on what you do is far far better than thousands of people who might be mildly interested, right?
10. What’s fashionable soon becomes unfashionable. While you might be remarkable for a time, if you don’t reinvest and reinvent, you won’t be for long. Instead of resting on your laurels, you must commit to being remarkable again quite soon.
“But wait!” I hear you say. “My boss won’t let me. I want to do something great, but she won’t let me.”
This is, of course, nonsense. Your boss won’t let you because what you’re really asking is: “May I do something silly and fun and, if it doesn’t work, will you take the blame – but if it does work, I get the credit?” What would you say to an offer like that?
The alternative sounds scary, but I don’t think it is. The alternative is to just be remarkable. Go all the way to the edge. Not in a big thing, perhaps, but in a little one. Find some area where you have a tiny bit of authority and run with it. After you succeed, you’ll discover you’ve got more leeway for next time. And if you fail? Don’t worry. Your organisation secretly wants employees willing to push hard even if it means failing every so often.
And when? When should you start being remarkable? How’s this: if you don’t start tomorrow, you’re not really serious. Tomorrow night by midnight or don’t bother. You’re too talented to sit around waiting for the perfect moment. Go start.
ACTION
TODAY: Start today at being remarkable! Start small, where you are and with what you have.
FUTURE: Keep this tip sheet handy and frequently refer to it. Start the habit of becoming remarkable in little things first, as Godin suggests, and then run with larger projects! Rinse and repeat.
Know someone who is remarkable? Please share this post with them! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Goals, Growth, Habits, Leadership, Mindset, Resources, Tools
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 54 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Leaders take initiative
— From The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow by John C. Maxwell
A trait in leaders is that they always take initiative. In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, leadership guru John C. Maxwell pointed out that it is a leader’s responsibility to initiate a connection with his or her followers.
Yet, “that’s not the only area where leaders must show initiative,” says Maxwell. “They must always look for opportunities and be ready to take action.”
Maxwell is a genius when it comes to distilling the characteristics of every aspect of leadership. And in this case, his brilliance comes through again in The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, with four qualities that he believes enable leaders to take initiative and make things happen.
1. Leaders know what they want. Clarity and vision are the keys here. Maxwell points to Napoleon Hill who said that the starting point of all achievement is desire. “If you are going to be an effective leader, you’ve got to know what you want [and where you’re going]. That’s the only way you’ll recognize opportunity when it comes.”
2. Leaders push themselves to act. “There’s an old saying, ‘You can if you will.’ Initiators don’t wait for other people to motivate them. They know it is their responsibility to push themselves beyond their comfort zone. And they make it a regular practice.”
3. Leaders take more risks. “When leaders know what they want and can push themselves to act, they still have one more hurdle. That’s willingness to take risks. Proactive people always take risks. But one of the reasons good leaders are willing to take risks is that they recognize there is a price for not initiating too.” Maxwell shares a quote from President John F. Kennedy:
“There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.”
4. Leaders make more mistakes. “The good news for initiators is that they make things happen. The bad news is that they make lots of mistakes. […] Even though initiating leaders experience more failure, they don’t let it bother them. The greater the potential, the greater their chance for failure. […] If you want to achieve great things as a leader, you must be willing to initiate and put yourself on the line.”
As Maxwell reflects on these traits, he asks, “When was the last time you initiated something significant in your life?” I’ll leave you with that thought to ponder today and a quote by former Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca who said, “Even the right decision is the wrong decision if it is made too late.”
Where do you need to jump-start your initiative?
ACTION
TODAY: Think about something that you’ve wanted to do for some time but have been putting it off. Why is that? Analyze your mindset and determine why you’re hesitant. Ask why five times so that you can get to the bottom of it and take initiative today—even if it’s just a tiny little step—towards making it happen.
FUTURE: Opportunity is everywhere. That is a wonderful thing, but it can also be overwhelming. Cultivate a mindset of discernment so that you can take initiative and act only on those opportunities in which you can succeed. That’s where your time and efforts will be rewarded.
Know someone who is constantly taking initiative? Please share this post with that person, he or she deserves recognition for being an initiator, hats off! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
