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Intentional Leadership — D5, W3, M4 — Focus

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , on April 26, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Happy Friday! Time for your Friday ritual.

Are you like many, so excited to have made it through another week that you rush into the weekend without giving it much thought? Or do you take the time to thoughtfully plan ahead, considering the attention some of your relationships might need, or the rest or reflection time you might need? I’ve been working at this, since we started this journey together in January. I don’t always get it just right, but I am much more thoughtful about my weekends these days, and what I can do to think ahead and plan for the next few weeks, as well.

This weekend, my plans are to rest and prepare for a couple of big events coming up in the next couple of weeks. Of course, there will be play time, as well; one cannot not have play time with a six-year old!

While I did get my flowers planted, I didn’t make it to the nursery for the lavender, and I could freshen the mulch in my beds. I have some fine-tuning to do on the keynote presentation I will be making on Wednesday during the Women in Leadership Luncheon put on by the Mid-Ohio Valley Chamber of Commerce. That’s going to be a fun event! The theme is What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, based on the best-seller by Marshall Goldsmith. In addition to my presentation, we will offer a self-assessment on global leadership for the attendees to work through and discuss; great tool for increased self-awareness and potential growth and change opportunities in the future. In the afternoon, we will have a panel of successful women in various stages of their careers who will share their stories of points in their career where they stumbled and had to learn new behaviors to support their growth to a new level of their work.

If you haven’t read this book, and you are feeling stuck in your work, I recommend you pick up a copy; the answer may be quite plainly spelled out in the book!

There are, of course, a number of other things going on these days, but these are the big rocks for my weekend.

How about you?  What’s on your weekend list?

With our attention turned to “focus” this month, what has changed for you in how you look at and plan your time?

Who will command your time and attention this weekend?

What activities will you fit into the weekend?

What planning or preparation do you need to do for the coming weeks?

Have a great weekend, and I’ll “see” you Monday!

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Intentional Leadership — D4, W3, M4 — Focus

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , on April 25, 2013| Leave a Comment »

This has been a fast week for me. What about for you?

What benefits have you experienced from identifying and removing distractions this past week to stay focused on your project?

What do you need to do to maintain this kind of focus over time?

How could being this focused increase your production and fulfillment at work?

I encourage you to really spend some time with these questions and your journal today.

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Intentional Leadership — D3, W3, M4 — Focus

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , on April 24, 2013| Leave a Comment »

How many projects are you currently working on? Today, let’s focus on just one.

Pick one and recruit some others on your team, or within your organization, and strategize how to get it done. Then, ask each person to write down all their thoughts about the potential distractions that could keep you from completing the project. Share everyone’s list of potential distractions, then as a team discuss how you can eliminate or protect yourselves from the distractions.

As a team commit to the actions defined above and to remain focused on the project until it is completed. Agree to a plan and move forward.

First step: Name the project.

Second step: List the names of the people you will recruit to help you.

Third step: Describe how they can help you.

Fourth step: Take action!

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Intentional Leadership — D2, W3, M4 — Focus

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , on April 23, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Step back in time, briefly, and think of a time when you were focused on a task and then became distracted. Now, get out your journal and write about what happened. Describe the circumstances and the factors that led to the distraction.

With this new level of awareness, what recurring factors easily distract you when working on tasks or projects? What are your top three most frequent reactions?

Awareness is the key, so now that you are thinking clearly about your most common distractions, you can develop a system that will allow you to manage them.

Depending on what your distractions are, your management system may be about starting some new behaviors, stopping some existing behaviors, or implementing new behaviors.

For example, if your distractions are emails, phone calls, and unexpected visitors, perhaps you could create a different environment for yourself to work in, uninterrupted. Log-out of your email. Turn off the ringer on your phone and/or send it straight to voice mail. Close your door — with a “Please do not disturb” sign on it.

I worked with someone once who used “traffic lights” on his office door to let his co-workers know if it was ok to enter his office. If the light was green, he was working on things that wouldn’t be negatively impacted by an interruption. When the light was yellow, he was interruptible if the issue was really important (he defined what that meant for him and his team). If the light was red, that meant he should be interrupted ONLY if there was imminent danger of death and destruction! Of course, this system took some educating within his team, to understand what the lights meant and how to determine if what they were about to interrupt him with was really important in the grand scheme of things, or was important only to them in that moment.

So, what is your plan for retaining your focus and dealing with common distractions? Develop a plan that will work for each of your most common distractions. Once you’ve mastered the top three, refocus your attention on the next most common distractions. Over time, you’ll be amazed at how much more focused you are and how much more control you have over how you spend your time, rather than how you may fall victim to distractions.

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Intentional Leadership — D1, W3, M4 — Focus

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , on April 22, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Wow! We’re already into week three of our fourth month on this journey! Time flies…

What does clear focus do for you and your team? When I work with teams, I begin with team building (have to have a foundation of trust before anything else of significant value will happen), and once we have that foundation, we work on where the team is headed — defining and clarifying what their vision is. Then I walk them through plotting out the steps they will need to take to achieve their vision, how they will measure their progress along the way, and how will they hold themselves and each other accountable for their individual and team commitments.

As they begin to move forward, they will develop momentum, but they will also be dealing with the rest of their lives, which creates some distractions, both at home and at work. It’s critical they remain focused on the end game. Clear focus eliminates distractions, unifies activity, and guides decision-making.

When your focus is diverted, all kinds of things will come into your path to get you and keep you off track. You will find competing goals and your team mates will be pulled in other directions. As the leader, you must be the reminder, relentlessly keeping the team focused on your shared vision, championing that vision, and celebrating the work your team is doing and the milestones it is achieving along the way.

Think back to the Cold War. There were several different schools of thought about the approach we should take with the USSR: Befriend them and seek common ground; divvy up territories — giving them control of Eastern Europe and parts of Asia; others said they must be defeated at all costs.

Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher agreed with the final approach — defeat them at all costs. Our leaders had determined that the USSR having any significant control beyond its own borders was not an option that would be good for the rest of the globe. Each took a specific approach. Reagan framed it as a struggle between liberty and suppression. Thatcher focused on unraveling socialist policies at home and abroad. Together, they focused the resources and willpower of half the globe toward crushing communism.

What do you think would have happened if they didn’t have a laser-sharp focus on these issues?

What distractions threaten to sway the focus of your team?

What can you do — daily — to unify your team’s attention and activities?

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.   ~Alexander Graham Bell

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Intentional Leadership — D5, W2, M4 — Focus

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 19, 2013| Leave a Comment »

It’s somewhat warm, humid, and rainy as I write this, and I am so looking forward to this weekend.

My plans are to rest and play… mostly! And, yes, there will be some work. On my business, on Empowerment Mentoring, on Women in Leadership Luncheon prep, but mostly fun.

I have flowers to plant in my boxes out front. Need to hit a local nursery to replace a few lavender bushes that didn’t make it last year (there’s always a risk when you buy them at 80% at the end of the season and they are totally root bound in their containers!). And on Sunday, will be the highlight of my weekend: An afternoon with a good friend, lunch, shopping, and painting. Yes, I said painting. We are going to a place called Uncork and Create for Mimosa Sunday. I’ve never been, but you go and paint a picture, and while you paint you may enjoy a glass of wine and snacks…if that suits you. I’m just really looking forward to the girl time and creative outlet. Don’t get me wrong, though…this activity will push me out of my comfort zone. I’m not a “visually” creative person usually. My creative juices normally flow along the lines of words, ideas, and concepts. So, I truly welcome this opportunity to get outside myself for a bit and see what happens.

Oh, and it looks like I’ll be spending a week in June, in Guatemala with John C. Maxwell, and a number of my fellow John Maxwell Team Members, teaching transformational leadership! How’s that for the opportunity of a lifetime? I’m more excited than I can say, and as you can imagine, there’s a lot of work to do to prepare for that!

Now, it’s your turn. What’s on your list?

Who really need your attention this weekend? You? Family? Friends? People you’ve not yet met?

What really needs your attention this weekend? Is it projects, rest, relaxation…?

What thoughts do you have about the level of focus you are applying to your life?

What’s in store for you this weekend, next week, and in the coming weeks? Are you taking the steps to set yourself up for success and fulfillment?

Have a great weekend, and I’ll “see” you Monday!

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Intentional Leadership — D4, W2, M4 — Focus

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , on April 18, 2013| Leave a Comment »

It’s time to get your journal out. Take some time today to reflect on what you’ve learned this week, and especially about the benefits of focusing on and improving a specific skill. Consider, also, the affect on your relationship with the person (people?) you reached out to for help.

How could your efforts in sharpening your skills, and building stronger connections, impact your production and effectiveness at work? What’s the impact on the larger organization — beyond just your role and your team?

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Intentional Leadership — D3, W2, M4 — Focus

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , on April 17, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Now that you’ve defined the skills necessary for success in your current role, and are actively working to sharpen at least one of them, let’s think about who can help you.

Who do you know who can help you deliberately develop the skills required in your role?

While you surely have an extensive network and a long list of contacts, create a list of specific people who are key players with respect to your position. Designate each one based on expertise and associate their names with the skills from the list you created yesterday. Think of them as your “inner circle” with respect to sharpening your skills in this job.

On a piece of paper, make two columns. In the left column, list your top ten skills, one per line. In the right column, list the people you identified above who can help you with each specific skill on your list.

Contact at least one person on your list today to help you with something specific.

You know, people are flattered when we recognize their skills and abilities; they want to know that others recognize their talents and competence. You can win in two ways with this exercise: First, you sharpen your skills, and second, you will likely develop a stronger connection with the people you reach out to.

What are you waiting for? Get started…

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Intentional Leadership — D2, W2, M4 — Focus

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , on April 16, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Let’s work through an exercise to clarify your role, sharpen your skills, and refine your ability to focus. Before you can do this, it’s important to understand you role and what skills are necessary for you to be successful in it.

First, on a piece of paper, describe your current role. What are you responsible for?

Next, outline the skills required for you to be successful in your role. List at least 10 skills, then circle the top three.

Now that you are clear on the top three skills required for success in your job, what can you do in the next week to improve your mastery of just one of those skills?

After you have picked one, create a simple plan that will drive you to sharpen that skill at least twice over the next week. Be very specific and even put the time and activities in your planner. If you don’t commit to it, something else will surely come along and eat up the time you’ll need.

I look forward to hearing what you are working on, the actions you are taking to sharpen your skills, and what your results are.

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Intentional Leadership — D1, W2, M4 — Focus

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , on April 15, 2013| Leave a Comment »

As we move into week two of this month on focus, I am reminded of John Maxwell’s Law of the Inner Circle (21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership), which essentially says that because no one person is strong in every quality, characteristic, behavior, or skill, we need an inner circle — people around us who are strong in areas where we are not. Strong, confident, self-aware leaders realize this and know it to be true.

I know this to be true. As an example, I am a strategist. I see the big picture. I thrive on concept development and deep discussions around ideas and problem solving. I can deal with the details, and have spent a considerable number of years doing exactly that, and quite well, but it’s a huge energy drain for me, and quite tedious. Not the best use of my time, energy, or talents. I have a number of skills and talents, and a number of other areas where I’m not the best. The good news is, I recognize this about myself. So, as I build my team, I will be wise to include someone who loves the administrative stuff, who thrives on dealing with the details, among other things.

This was also true of Anne Mulcahy, former Chairperson and CEO of Xerox Corporation. When she was appointed to the top position, a promotion she wasn’t looking for, Forbes Magazine dubbed her “The Accidental CEO.” While she was in an unexpected position, she was not unintentional about how she handled her new-found responsibility.

And a heavy load it was. At the time, Xerox was $18 Billion in debt and under SEC investigation for accounting fraud. Mulcahy knew she had to turn the company around, and to do this she — and her inner circle — would have to be bold and dauntless. Knowing her strengths and weaknesses, she was smart in surrounding herself with outstanding leaders in their areas of discipline, especially in finance and accounting. She expected them to challenge her instincts, to be transparent and blunt about what they found, and they delivered.

During this trying time, Mulcahy put the company through rigorous financial changes, including massive lay-offs (more than 25,000 jobs!), shutting down unprofitable divisions, and even relocated executives to less extravagant offices. All the while, she had her eye on growth, continuing to fully support Xerox’s Research and Development team because she knew the company would required new products to stay afloat.

You could say, Anne Mulcahy had crystal clear focus on where she was taking the company and what was required to get there, and she did this with the support of a strong inner circle. As a leader, you will also need the vision, insight, different perspectives, and support of others.

Who is in your corner and on your team — part of your Inner Circle, if you will — who helps you in your current role?

What skills do you have and what tools do you use to help you stay focused in your job?

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