How to Lead Without Saying a Word

Another interesting article to ponder. Enjoy

Leaders can sometimes communicate more without words than with them. What matters is poise and conviction.
That came to mind as I watched Kevin Bacon's performance in Taking Chance, an HBO movie based upon Lt. Col. Mike Strobl's moving account of escorting a slain Marine, Lance Corporal Chase Phelps, to his final resting place in Wyoming. While Bacon has the lead role, it seems he has no more than 10 pages of dialogue to deliver and most of that in one to two sentences at a time. Without the benefit of words we see the compassion he bears for the young Marine, the conflict he undergoes because he is not in combat himself, and the strong bond for service he carries.
What Bacon's performance reminds us is that a leader need not always use words to convey meaning; non-verbal cues often say more than words can ever do. Unfortunately, too often non-verbal cues are displayed to the wrong effect, that is, to display distraction, disregard or even distaste. Those in charge, especially those in very senior positions, must be careful not only with their words but with their body language. Here are some suggestions.

Relax your facial muscles. I once worked with a talented engineer who had a real affinity for teaching others; it was something he enjoyed doing. But since he was new to his firm, people didn't know him and when they saw him they would see him in his office with his face scrunched up and seeming very intense. His body language said, "Stay away!" In reality he was deep in concentration but with people he could be engaging. He worked on reminding himself to relax his facial muscles. When he did so, he seemed more approachable, and as such was able to connect better with his new colleagues. (Yes, you can practice relaxing your facial muscles by looking in a mirror. This is not vanity.)

Invite inspection. Ask a trusted colleague to watch your facial expressions and your posture during a meeting, particularly a meeting where there will be intense discussions. If you look bored or irritated, or if you are slumped in your seat looking out the window, you are sending a message that you would rather be elsewhere. If your face bears a severe expression, you may be radiating irritation. Be conscious that people are not only listening to what you say, but how you carry yourself when you say it.
Keep your powder dry. In some cultures, notably Native American and Scandinavian, the person at the top says very little, often speaking last on important issues. Business leaders can also encourage subordinates to speak first and freely; only interject when you have something of real substance to add. When the fur is flying, what gets people's attention is quiet confidence. Don't raise your voice. Instead, once you have people's attention, speak calmly and with conviction. Nothing radiates power like controlled emotions when everyone else is shouting at each other.
Leaders need not walk around with facial expressions that appear "botoxed." If real issues are at stake, it is wholly appropriate to show some emotion, and not simply with words. A leader is entitled to communicate with authority and vigor, and make it known the urgency of a moment. For example, if a team does not seem to be responding to deadlines, and they have the tools and resources necessary, a pep talk with heat is wholly in order. Such emotion expended for a good cause is a great way to focus attention on important matters at hand.
Of course, you must do it with discretion. I remember a conversation I had with the legendary University of Michigan hockey coach, Red Berenson. He said that if he raised his voice with a freshman, he might cost the kid his confidence. On the other hand, if he didn't raise Cain occasionally with a senior, that player might lose his concentration. It's a matter of picking your spots and acting appropriately.
One of the most poignant scenes in Taking Chase Taking Chance is when Bacon's character eyes the body of the fallen marine in his casket. No one else will see the body, but Bacon feels it is his duty to ensure this young Marine is dressed appropriately for burial. No words are spoken. Bacon's countenance tells us all we need to know.
John Baldoni is a leadership consultant, coach, and speaker. He is the author of eight books, including Lead Your Boss, The Subtle Art of Managing Up. See his archived blog for hbr.org here.

Something I picked up this morning

From time to time we have to catch ourselves and remember that our talent around us is always watching what we as leaders are doing. I happened upon this article this morning and think it is fitting to remind ourselves the powerful impact of leading by example. Enjoy!

An excerpt from 212° Leadership by Mac Anderson

Leaders lead by example, whether they intend to or not. What example did you set today? When you lead by example, you engage your people to follow your vision...not by words, but by action. While you are measuring your employees' performance, they are measuring how well you follow through on both your words and your deeds. Think leading by example is only for top management? Think again. Whatever your position in your organization, the way you do your job...and the attitude with which you do it...determines the impact that you have. I recently read a story by Mark Brown in the Chicago Sun-Times that really drives this point home. Mark wrote about a Chicago-area mailman, Mike Martinez, who passed away at the age of 50, but left a lasting impression by the example he set: "Mike was a heckuva nice guy who knew everyone on his route by name and always greeted them with a smile, a wave and some friendly chitchat. "He was the kind of mailman who would warn them if they'd forgotten to move their cars on street-sweeping day, search the post office on his weekend day off for their missing package or stop by their homes after work for a beer or a barbecue." The article goes on to describe other people that Mike touched as he delivered the mail, including Tom Lutz, who had suffered a stroke. Mike would call Tom and ask him to help deliver the mail to his neighbors as part of his rehab. "He would encourage me to try a little harder each day, as my bad leg would get better little by little," said Tom. "Martinez was such an unforgettable character, in fact, that some of those customers built a memorial garden in his honor. "I've never seen anything quite like 'Mike's Corner,' certainly not for a mailman. The garden consists of an exquisitely landscaped corner parkway plot with a small stone monument topped by an old-fashioned flag mailbox and a plaque designed to look like a letter. The letter to Mike T. Martinez Jr. carries a return address of 'Rest in Peace 1959-2010.' "You don't need to have a big-shot job to leave your mark in this world. All it takes is a warm smile, an upbeat attitude and a kind heart." There's no doubt about it. Mike left some big shoes to fill along his route...but that challenge to achieve the same connection with those he served is part of his legacy. "'It really makes you step up your game,' said mail carrier Tamme Price as she worked his old route." That's the power of a living example. It can make those around you "step up their game,"...sometimes long after you are gone. Jeff Gitomer, author of the Little Book of Leadership said it best, "Your people are a direct reflection of you. They watch you. They follow you. They measure you. They listen to you. If you want them to be dedicated to you, you have to be dedicated to them." Through your words, actions and deeds, you set the foundation for building an environment of trust and respect. Trust is the key to both managing people and building a high performance company. It is the foundation on which relationships are built. According to Tom Peters, "Technique and technology are important. But adding trust is the issue of the decade." Peters suggests that managers must take a "high-tech and high-trust" approach, putting the issue of trust at the top of the agenda and treating it like a "hard issue, not a soft issue." If employees feel you don't trust them to do their jobs correctly and well, they'll be reluctant to do much without your approval. On the other hand, when they feel trusted that you believe they'll do the right things well, they'll naturally want to do things to the best of their ability and be deserving of your trust. In On Becoming a Leader, Warren Bennis outlines the four ingredients for leaders to generate and sustain trust: 1. Constancy. Whatever surprises leaders themselves may face, they don't create any for the group. Leaders stay the course. 2. Congruity. Leaders walk their talk. In true leaders, there is no gap between the theories they espouse and the life they practice. 3. Reliability. Leaders are there when it counts; they are ready to support their co-workers in the moments that matter. 4. Integrity. Leaders honor their commitments and promises. While corporate scandals, terrorist threats, office politics, and broken relationships have created low trust on almost every front, I contend that the ability to establish, grow, extend, and restore trust is not only vital to our personal and interpersonal well-being, it is the key leadership competency of the new global economy. I am also convinced in every situation, nothing is as fast as the speed of trust.

Recent Webinars, Seminars and Workshops attended or Facilitated

Attended - Aligning People Strategies to Business Objectives. SHRM Webinar, September 2011

Attended - Managing Change in Turbulent times: How to Keep Your Employees Engaged, Motivated and Heading in the Right Direction. SHRM E-learning, October 2011

Facilitated - Presenting with Confidence, Family Health & Support Network, Rites of Passage program November 2011

Become a chief motivation Officer

This is a good article I found on LinkedIn. Enjoy

(Ping! Zine) – With the recession finally in our rearview mirror (so they say), most companies are finally beginning to pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and at least try to get back to business. But the past year has left its mark: employees are in a funk. They are fearful, overworked, distrustful, and have less enthusiasm and passion than ever. And many leaders are continually frustrated by their team’s performance and low morale and engagement. The answer, says author Jon Gordon, doesn’t involve fancy technology, a new piece of equipment, or extensive R&D.  In fact, the answer lies in a basic human emotion: motivation.
Gordon isn’t advocating for a mass hiring of motivational speakers to address America’s sluggish workforce. Nor is he suggesting you spend thousands of dollars on motivational products. In fact, Gordon, who is the author of the newly released Soup: A Recipe to Nourish Your Team and Culture (Wiley, May 2010, ISBN: 978-0-4704878-4-6, $22.95, www.Soup11.com) and who speaks to organizations around the globe says that motivational speeches don’t work. “But,” he continues, “leaders who motivate do. Now, more than ever, a leader’s job is to motivate and rally his or her team through challenging times.  You can’t outsource motivation.  It is the leaders and managers who must motivate.”
“Most business leaders want to take the emotion out of business,” he goes on to say, “but that is a huge mistake. When fear and negativity are the primary emotions people in your organization are feeling, you have to counter that with an even more powerful emotion, like faith, belief, and optimism. And your success in that depends on your ability to motivate.”
He explains that motivation has long been considered a soft skill that was hard to quantify, so most companies left it up to annual meetings and inspiring rallies to keep their employees fired up. But what leaders are realizing is that it’s quickly becoming a vital part of their everyday job descriptions.
Nobody knows this better than Gordon. In 2007, Jon Gordon released The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy with low sales and little acclaim. A business fable, with strategies for overcoming adversity and negativity and bringing out the best in your team, the book saw its largest jump in sales this past year, becoming a WSJ bestseller when the economy was at its worst. Why? Because businesses everywhere were struggling, and their leaders were looking for answers.
The Energy Bus, along with Soup, gives leaders the tools they need to take their teams through tough times. Read on for Gordon’s six strategies to motivate your people (and get the results you want!):
Don’t be too busy to communicate. Recovery or no recovery, these are uncertain times. Employees are wondering what’s going to happen next, whether their job will be impacted, and what action to take. That uncertainty creates a void. Unless you, the manager, fill that void with clear and positive communication, people will assume the worst and act accordingly. Fear and negativity will creep in and dominate their thoughts, behaviors, and actions. Don’t let your busy schedule get in the way of taking the time to talk with your team. In fact, Gordon says that you should make communicating with your employees a top priority on your list each day.
“The number one thing a manager can do during times of uncertainty is to communicate,” asserts Gordon. “Communicate with transparency, authenticity, and clarity. Whether you have a scheduled morning meeting each day, make office rounds in the afternoon, or take your team to lunch, make it a priority to make time to talk to each and every member of your team on a regular basis. You may be busy, but the truth of the matter is that you really can’t afford not to.
Lead with optimism. The engine for America’s growth and prosperity has always been its “can do” attitude and spirit. Unfortunately, in the past year, optimism has been in short supply. Between the doom and gloom media coverage, the workplace rumor mill, and the overall uncertainty of the economy, it seems that pessimism has become the name of the game. Gordon says that, as a leader, your most important weapon against pessimism is to transfer your optimism and vision to others. This inspires others to think and act in ways that drive results.
“Leadership is a transfer of belief—and great leaders inspire their teams to believe they can succeed,” explains Gordon. “As a leader and manager, you are not just leading and managing people, but you are also leading and managing their beliefs. You must utilize every opportunity available to transfer your optimism. From town hall meetings to daily emails to individual conversations to weekly teleconferences, it’s imperative that you share your optimism with your team. Optimism is a competitive advantage, and you need to convey it in all you say and do. As one of the greatest American innovators, Henry Ford said, “Think you can or think you can’t—either way you are correct.”
Share the vision. It’s not enough to just be optimistic. You must give your team and organization something to be optimistic about. Talk about where you have been, where you are, and where you are going. Share your plan for a brighter and better future, talk about the actions you must take, and constantly reiterate the reasons why you will be successful.
“Create a vision statement that inspires and rallies your team and organization,” Gordon suggests. “Not a page-long vision statement filled with buzzwords, but a rallying cry that means something to the people who invest a majority of their day working for you. This vision statement can’t just exist on a piece of paper. It must come to life in the hearts and minds of your employees. So it’s up to you to share it, reinforce it, and inspire your people to live and breathe it every day. A positive vision for the future leads to powerful actions today.”
Relationships build real motivation. It’s much easier to motivate someone if you know them and they know you.  After all, if you don’t take the time to get to know the people who are working for you, then how can you ever truly know the best way to lead, coach, and motivate them effectively? And for that matter, how can you expect them to trust and follow you if they don’t know you as well?
“Relationships are the foundation upon which winning teams and organizations are built,” says Gordon. “I advise managers to make their relationship with their employees their number one priority. In fact, I’ve worked with numerous NFL coaches and have seen firsthand how the most successful coaches and best motivators are those who develop meaningful relationships with their players. The same strategy that works on the field works in the office as well.”
Create purpose-driven goals. When it comes down to it, the real force behind motivation has nothing to do with money or number-driven goals. Real motivation is driven by purpose and a desire to make a difference. In fact, people are most energized when they are using their strengths for a purpose beyond themselves. When employees feel as though the work they do is playing an integral role in the overall success of the company and the world, they are motivated to work harder. Similarly, when they feel as though they are working for something more than just the bottom line, they feel good about the work they are doing.
“So as a leader, you will want to motivate your team by focusing less on number goals and more on purpose-driven goals,” Gordon explains. “It’s not the numbers that drive your people but your people and purpose that drive the numbers. Sit down with each individual on your team and talk through what their personal goals are and how you see those goals fit in to the bigger picture. Give them a sense of purpose that will fuel their fire towards taking action.”
Nourish your team. These may seem like strange words to apply to the workplace. But Gordon insists they are spot-on. He says the main question every employee in every organization wants to know is, “Do you care about me; can I trust you?” If your answer is yes, they will be more likely to stay on the bus and work with you. Employees who feel cared for, honored, and nourished are more engaged in what they’re doing and will work at their highest potential.
“Think about it,” Gordon continues. “Gallup’s research shows that employees who think their managers care about them are more loyal and productive than those who do not think so. If you nourish your team and take the time to invest in them, they will pay you back in productivity, creativity, and loyalty. If your employees know that you care about them, they will want to do good work for you. It’s the greatest motivator of all.”
“Remember this simple formula,” Gordon concludes. “Belief plus action equals results. If you don’t believe that something can happen, then you won’t take the actions necessary to create it. If you believe that your team can do big things, they will believe it, too. And that belief will fuel the fires of action and provide you with the results you’re looking for.”
About the Author:
Jon Gordon is a consultant, keynote speaker, and the international bestselling author of Soup, The Energy Bus, The No Complaining Rule, and Training Camp, all from Wiley. He and his books have been featured on CNN and on NBC’s Today show, as well as in Forbes, Fast Company, O, The Oprah Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. Jon’s principles have been put to the test by NFL football teams and Fortune 500 companies alike. He has worked with such clients as the Atlanta Falcons, the PGA Tour, Northwestern Mutual, JPMorgan Chase, and Publix Supermarkets. A graduate of Cornell University, he holds a master’s degree in teaching and works with numerous businesses, professional sports teams, schools, universities, and nonprofit organizations.
For more information, please visit: www.JonGordon.com. and www.Soup11.com.
About the Book:
Soup: A Recipe to Nourish Your Team and Culture (Wiley, May 2010, ISBN: 978-0-4704878-4-6, $22.95, www.Soup11.com) is available at bookstores nationwide, major online booksellers, or direct from the publisher by calling 800-225-5945. In Canada, call 800-567-4797.

If you think you are having a bad day...

If you think you are having a bad day or you are just feeling down on your self for whatever reason. I have a cure for you. Do something for your community in an area where you believe they need the most help and do your part.

I facilitated a 3 hour review and learning session for 14 foster kids who are African American young men between the ages of 11 to 15. They have been brought together in a Rites of Passage program that started a few months prior to my arrival. The program emphasizes young men interacting with other men to develop positive life styles and positive solutions to life problems by recognizing their strengths, their talents and abilities under the guidance of well-trained and committed staff, community volunteers, experts from the community and a Council of Elders who have a strong commitment to their passage into manhood. 

The program focuses on assisting these young men in developing interpersonal skills, building positive and appropriate relationships, and visualizing and constructing positive self images. These young men will also learn the benefits of working collectively and develop the skills necessary to identify and access resources beneficial to themselves, their families and their communities.  Its is a very creative and unique approach to the infusion of the Afro-centric values called Nguzo Saba which in Swahili means the Seven Principles which will assist them in becoming constructive contributors to their community, through a positive appreciation of themselves and their culture.

Sounds great right? Well that is just a small snippet of what the organization I am working with is doing for these young men and their community as a whole. However let me tell you that my first day as a facilitator was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Without telling you just how bad my day was and how bad these young men were, I will let you use your imagination. Think of the kids in Lean on me, Stand and Deliver or Dangerous Minds and then make them real life individuals that have various behavioral and social issues that have not been given much of a say, let alone a chance to flourish until now. Now I would love to say that  by the end of the day I had prevailed like Morgan Freeman, Michelle Pfeifer and Edward James Olmos did in those movies but I did not. To be rather frank I called my girlfriend on the way home so she can share what I went through (OK my pain) and referred to them as "these terribly little bad boys"! Yes I may have used a few other words...

What did happen is that out of the 14 young men I determined that there were perhaps 4 or 5 that truly paid attention as best they could, actively participated and sincerely want to get something out of this experience. I could also tell that there are another 4 or 5 that seemed somewhat interested and if I can get things figured out and dial them in, it may prove worthwhile for them. This leaves the reaming 4 or 5 who were the most disruptive or simply not even remotely engaged at all. In that group I have assessed that I may be able to get through to maybe 1 or 2 of them if I'm lucky. Now on the surface for this group maybe that is what you would expect but for what at I am use to having for classes that I have facilitated before, this was simply not good enough. 

Initially as I closed the session and packed up my materials I felt I had failed the organization and those young men. I had gone in there with all of the training I have received over the years to deliver a flawless presentation with all of the confidence in the world. However I was not trained to deal with kids this age and with some of the burdens that they have had to carry. As it turns out I was invited to join them for dinner and as we were eating a couple of the young men came up to me and shook my hand and one apologized for how he behaved and wanted to thank me for coming to their facility and the other thanked me for coming, apologized for how some of his fellow participants had acted and asked if I was going to come back. In doing so one other young man over heard this conversation and chimed in saying "can you please come back we will be better next time". I was asked by the executive director at the end of dinner to come back and I told them I would come back which is this afternoon as a matter of fact.

I have to tell you by the time I got home I felt as though I had done a three day leadership boot camp and was physically and emotionally spent. Yet I found myself reflecting on those three young men that spoke with me and I realized the impact that I made on their day and the ripple effect it could make for them and their community if I continue working with them. This also lead to thinking about what it did for me and made me that much more grateful for all of the facets of my life. Needless to say I am more than ready to go back today and give them all I have. Its going to be a great week!