When was the last time you were so passionate and enthusiastic about a topic you were speaking about that you forgot to breathe? And when you were speaking before groups, you actually wrote into your speaking notes…”breath,” really?
It has been a while for me, maybe never. However, this week I watched a young entrepreneur, whom I was coaching, become so passionate about his science and research and what he thought the market would buy, he actually stopped talking to catch his breath and verbally told himself to breath. I was impressed with his passion and enthusiasm and felt excited for this person wished nothing but success.
Enthusiasm and passion are great characteristics for leadership and a way of life, but they do not create a market of buyers who will line up to purchase your products, goods, or services. Regardless of our excitement we will only win in the market place when we provide an offering that our customers are motivated to buy because it will help them find new customers, keep current customers and make money.
Quick Note: In November, I will be facilitating a three day event on Level 5 Leadership. This will be my third time hosting the event and we keep adding to and refining the agenda based on my actual field experience of coaching high level executives. I can assure you it is unique, but based on solid Dale Carnegie principles and thinking. If you, or if you know of another high level leader, that might be looking for a high level engagement, please respond and we will get you the specifics on time, content and costs.
In a nutshell, Level 5 Leadership is a process in which we learn to become more helpful in our approach to those we lead, rather than being controlling. What I find interesting about most of the executives I coach is that they believe they are being helpful, but only from their perspective. Guess what I discovered when I go and interview subordinates and peers and ask how their leaders can improve their leadership skills in the future? Yes, they are controlling and not helpful in 90% of the cases. I wish it was as easy as simply pointing out to executives the challenge and then have them see it, own it, solve it and then just do it…hmmmm. The 1st step is facing the reality of where we are and then committing to, over the next 18 months, to fundamentally change how we communicate and lead.
In my Level 5 Leadership events all participants will take a four hour executive assessment where we measure, scientifically, your understanding of servant leadership and then what percent of your time are you leading at a Level 5 verse Levels 1-3. Then we spend time in the “how to” and actually commit to becoming a Level 5 Leader.
Last week I was in an executive team coaching session. We were working on Position Results Descriptions – (PRD’s). When we write a PRD, we do not just list duties and activities but also have agreement in performance standards. In other words, how do we know a major goal has been adequately met? Oh what fun…suddenly accountability becomes real because at the end of the agreed time frame the performance standard was either met or not met. PRD’s become a powerful tool of the Level 5 Leader because guess who establishes the major goals and then who agrees with or adjusts the performance standards? Also, the Level 5 Leaders welcome their own PRD and demand to be held accountable to their performance standards because it empowers them to build and grow their teams.
If you have enjoyed reading my Mid-Week Mentor blogs over the past two years, then I challenge you to come spend 3 days with me and be challenged in new ways.
For more information on the course, please see our website HERE, or give our office a call at 412.471.3500.
Human Relations Principle of the Week:
Become genuinely interested in others.
– Dale Carnegie