Category Archives: Leadership

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smart connections

Smart Connections Are Built To Last

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Do you have some good connections? How long have they lasted? Building smart connections ensures better quality and creates lasting relationships.

What are connections for, are they for leaning on when you need them? Are they built for you to help them, or them to help you? Is help part of the equation?

Are connections about back scratching? I’ll scratch yours and then you scratch mine? Is it the good olde boy network?

Today, it often feels like you need a degree in psychology to sell many products or services. You have to understand the marketplace, the people, and use all of the resources at your disposal. It’s not true in every sector, but it is true in many.

It may also be true in social media. Social connections, people you’ve never met. Social proof, do your pictures tell a story and spring others to action? Are you active on social media?

What about that new job you’re thinking about? Does anyone there know you, who would be a good reference or could give you a gleaming recommendation?

Smart Connections

Not all connections are the same. Many, but not all, seek reciprocity.

That isn’t all bad, but is it the true basis of connection?

Many non-profits go on funding drives. They make the ask. They apply a little pressure and you’re forced to consider your options.

Chambers of commerce host events. Drop a business card, shake (or fist-bump) a hand, or refer someone you know. Some of these have even ventured into an online, virtual option. Join us, we’ll chat, and become friends. Now, you’re on the email list.

LinkedIn, is designed mostly for business. People join, create a profile of experiences and credentials, make some connections, and establish a network.

Are any of these activities good? Are they smart?

Yes, and yes. They can also be over-cooked.

The elephant in the room is generosity. The more generous you are the better.

The tables haven’t turned, but people don’t value the feeling of being used.

Be authentic.

Be smart.

Strive to be more generous.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.


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learning together

Learning Together Is Still An Option

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There are plenty of people who have decided that the online, virtual learning options are a better choice. At the same time, there are plenty of people who insist learning together, live, in-person is better.

What works best for you? Are you committed to only one path?

First, let me clarify that the discussion here is related to adult education, not K-12, or not necessarily a traditional post-secondary education.

In the workplace, how is your team learning?

Are they doing it together or more isolated?

Is time a factor? Can everyone participate in training at the same time or are staggered options more attractive?

When someone reads word for word from the slide deck is that a waste of time? You’ve granted them your attention, would it better to just read it yourself?

Learning Together

Most online platforms allow breakout rooms? Do these work for bringing thoughts, ideas, and interaction forward? They can.

Are you able to learn together whether you are on-line or in-person? What about asynchronous learning versus synchronous learning?

Learning together is a powerful option. So is instructor or facilitator led development.

There is power to connection. Power to group interaction, decision by consensus, and synchronized brainstorming.

People may have changed some of their habits. Habits about a movie theater or watching at home. Habits about eating out or cooking in, and even habits about how they will choose to socialize.

Is there still power to learning together. I think so.

Like most things in life, there is more than one way to do it.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.


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remembrance

Remembrance May Be Creating The Change You Seek

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What sparks change for you? Remembrance of past events may be the key to keeping the future on a different trajectory.

Every day, everybody has a chance to make a difference. They might make a difference for themselves, their family, or for the organization they work for. What helps drive them forward?

Reliving past negative events may not always be the best idea, yet, at the same time, pretending it didn’t happen may mean that nothing was learned.

The best place is probably a balance of somewhere between.

Influence Happens

Change might be considered to be created by influence.

Influence of the people, the forces on a structure or a system, or careless actions that might be categorized as a mistake.

When people are creating influence, they do it through words, actions, and behaviors. It might also occur in a marketplace through advertising, marketing strategies, and social forces.

Influence may even be created by government rules and regulations, technology changes, and the economy.

A pandemic might be a force of influence.

Should influence be a driver for change?

Remembrance Creates Change

Observations or the study of the past may create a positive position for future change. When people realize how something does not work, it might also illustrate segments or pieces of success.

Woodworkers, chefs, and business coaches might all learn something from trial and error. Try a little of this, or a little of that and notice what is working and what is not.

Over a period of time, skill improves and the practice of the craft is honed.

In workplace circles many people fondly label that as experience. Sometimes it is said to be missing from a formal education.

Do you remember what you’ve learned?

Remembrance is an opportunity. An opportunity to change the course of what happens next. It might also be an opportunity to shy away, retreat, or withdrawal.

It’s entirely up to you.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.


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skill scarcity

Skill Scarcity May Be The Scapegoat

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Are you concerned about skill scarcity? Those skills that you or your team are missing? Perhaps you feel you have everything covered and skill scarcity isn’t an issue, are you sure?

When you consider influence, especially in sales or selling, scarcity is often a leading principle.

When something is scarce it may have more value, be an easier sell to the right party, and allow a higher-than-normal margin on the sale. It’s scarce and you should grab it while you can.

In businesses and organizations people often base shortcomings on a lack of skill, or not having the right talent.

If we had better sales professionals, we could move more product.

Our marketing team doesn’t understand the customer.

We need to stop the drama. I’m not sure we have the right people.

Is it a people problem? It certainly could be.

Are the people trainable? What is the culture and how are you a contributing factor?

Paying More

If sales are coming up short, you might believe the solution is to hire a big gun sales person. Someone with a very successful track record, someone who commands a high salary, and someone who can easily outperform existing staff.

Similar concepts might exist in engineering, quality control, or supply chain management.

The saying is, “You get what you pay for.”

Yet, is that always the case?

Have you ever had a lousy meal at a pricey restaurant?

A Cadillac Escalade costs more than a Chevy Spark, both will get you across town or to the local supermarket.

It might be an emotional choice to drive the Escalade. You’re different and successful and you want to show it.

That may be true and is great, but either vehicle will get you to the other side of town.

Skill Scarcity

The great thing about skill scarcity is that it can be developed.

When economies are tight, when the availability of skilled employees is low, scarcity seems to be the scapegoat.

Things change when you decide to see the situation different. When you trade the pride of luxury for the value of economically sound, you see different opportunities.

Sometimes you need the best and it costs. Sometimes you just need to make a smarter investment in practical resources. It is true for automobiles and it is true for your workforce.

Are you making the most of what you have?

A wash and a wax for the Spark may be all you really need.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.


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voluntary leadership

Voluntary Leadership Is What Everyone Faces

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Are you familiar with voluntary leadership? You may be, and you don’t even realize it.

Do you recognize that all leadership is voluntary?

Sure, some people are in positions of authority. Some of those positions are paid jobs.

There is a sharp contrast between the authority that a job or position grants you, and the leadership (or lack of) that is present with others.

Is there a difference between supervising, managing, and leading?

Being a supervisor or manager may provide you with some level of authority. Authority to make decisions, insist on quality, or even plan a work schedule for employees.

Is that leading?

While there may be shades of gray, in most cases the act of supervising or managing isn’t really leadership.

The reason is, leadership is a voluntary act.

Voluntary Leadership

Employees may decide to do what you say. They may even decide that commands are the method of how they receive their next job task or duty.

An employee may consider that they are paid for doing what the boss tells them to do. All of this is fine, and perhaps a cultural aspect of work for at least a few hundred years.

It is leadership?

When someone chooses to follow is there a leader? Likely, yes, of course.

When someone chooses to lead are there followers? Sometimes.

At the root of the matter, leadership is largely voluntary. People choose to lead and people choose to follow.

Receiving money for doing an instructed task is known as compensation.

It doesn’t guarantee leadership.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.


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society shift

Society Shift, Is It Change You Can Manage?

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Is there a society shift? You bet, it has been happening for hundreds or even thousands of years or more.

Is the pace of shift or change different? Likely, yes, the access to information, thought leaders, news media, and even social media have likely accelerated the pace.

It is good, bad, or indifferent?

What are your thoughts?

Culture Change

People use the word culture to describe many different aspects of societal connections. Culture is sometimes linked with race, especially in third world countries. Culture may be linked with occupations, such as farming, artists, or perhaps even architects. And one of my favorites is, culture that is connected to workplace norms.

Culture can shift, things change, technology is a force that drives changes in culture. Other forces might include government actions, environmental concerns, and the economy.

There is also the force of the people.

Some people want to hold tight to older values and beliefs. An Amish community might be a great example.

Other people want to change the rules, insist that there should be more diversity, more fairness, and more generosity granted to those who might be labeled underprivileged or less fortunate.

Largely it’s a tug of war between old-school and new-school.

Society Shift

It is often suggested that there are two sides to any story. It may be true for the kids on the playground who engage in some disruptive behavior and it may be true in the workplace.

A natural reaction for many people is to become very opinionated about their side of the story. Emotions often run high and anger erupts.

Social media is a great example of a medium where emotions, debates, and arguments are placing pressure on what may have once been considered a cultural norm.

Some people suggest a quieter reaction, or what may be considered to be no reaction at all. Play it safe, play it somewhere in the middle.

You are probably not going to stop change, cultural or societal shifts. They are always moving, some faster than others. There may even be evidence of ebb and flow, expansion, contraction, and a full-circle back to the way things were before.

The way you choose to navigate change will have a lot to do with what happens next.

You may not be able to stop or control the changes around you.

You can choose how you’ll respond.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.


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moving forward

Moving Forward, Sticky Leadership Ideas Sell

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We’re moving on, or we’re moving forward. It’s a charge that many people have grown to expect as their team moves from obstacles, setbacks, or even failure. Is this good leadership?

Leadership requires responsibility. It requires action, effective communication, and fosters opportunity.

Change is often based on a decision. Sometimes it is based on a need, an obstacle, or an event.

Revenues falling short, you have a need.

Good momentum, suddenly halted, and you may have an obstacle.

Some unexpected force, an act of God, a stock-market crash, or a pandemic, any of these and many others might signal the start of an event that requires change.

Leaders often come to the table with new ideas. It is considered to be a fundamental part of leadership.

Are your ideas good? Will your idea work? Are you able to get buy-in?

Moving Forward

Whoever made the first donut likely did it accidentally or with purpose. Either way, the first donut, at the time, may not have seemed like a good idea.

We could probably say the same about flavored coffee, the personal computer, or built-in cameras on telephones.

Arguments against, or obstacles in the path, may have been a challenge that needed to be overcome.

It first, it may not have seemed like a good idea. Too expensive, or simply undesirable.

Creating change, or examining a product life cycle, can often be represented on a bell curve. In the beginning, not much is happening, it is hard to gain momentum. After the peak, it is much harder to grab a piece of the market or be successful.

The most difficult challenge may be that in the early moments, a good idea may be a tough sell. No one seems to know if the idea is good or bad.

Leader’s Lead

There are many components of leadership. The idea is that leaders lead forward. They help discover, create, or engage with forward movement.

Good ideas are often a hard sell at first. When a good idea gets sticky, you’ve probably achieved buy-in.

It’s more than just having an idea. Leadership includes the act of making them sticky at just the right moment.

Most ideas are just ideas until they move forward.

Long curves or short curves. Jumping on the curve early has the most advantage.

Belief often conditions what happens next.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.


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technology tools

Technology Tools, Still Room For Improvement?

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Do you like technology tools? For example, do you like your navigation system in your car, or the app on your phone? What about streaming content? Netflix for example, YouTube, or Peacock?

Are tech things working for you? Have they made life better?

There are many more things you can add to the list, but this is a good start.

Yesterday, I had to drive about 80 miles away from my home. I’ve been to this location twice before in the past 10 years. The last time was 4 years ago. The location is somewhat remote, several winding and twisting back country roads in the last 10 miles or so. I know the way, until the last few miles.

Why can’t I put my destination in my navigation system, and when I need help, just ask. For example, “What exit off route 283?”

Granted my car is a few years old, and newer navigation systems (or apps) may have better features, but are they at that level yet?

What about Netflix?

I like Netflix on some level, but why does it show me little kids movies in the top 10? I don’t see myself ever watching them. Ever.

Why can’t the filter features be better or easier? In my search, I haven’t seen a filter to remove movies that are dubbed over from another language. It may be there, but I have haven’t noticed it.

Why can’t Netflix be smarter? It should know by now that every time I play a movie that is dubbed over, I only watch the first 5 minutes.

Flying (air travel) was much better in the 1990s than it is today. More flights, better service, fewer delays, less crowded planes. Why isn’t it better in 2021? There are a lot of reasons, but some of it comes down to cost.

Technology Tools

This is not intended to be a rant session. It is intended to illustrate that while we’ve come a long way, there is still room for improvement. Why haven’t there been more improvements?

It may be simple, improvements in technology cost. The price is something that not everyone is willing to pay.

Seen through a different lens it is about profit. The other side of cost for the consumer is profit for the business.

How much pain will the consumer accept before rejecting the offer?

I like my navigation system, I like Netflix, air travel is really taxing me lately and I definitely can’t say that I like it much right now.

There is a chance for improvement, yet it is a scale with a slippery slope.

In society, business, or personal habits, things often don’t change if the people do not see a compelling enough reason to do so.

Some things will stay the same.

For now.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.


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hours worked

Hours Worked Is Never a Good Metric

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Are you measuring your performance by your hours worked? What about the company or organization you work for, are they doing it? Is it part of the culture?

One of the great things about my business is that I get to see, hear, and feel a lot of pain points from both the organizational viewpoint, and the employee viewpoint.

Has your organization faced tough hiring challenges? Does it struggle with employee turnover?

You can blame it on all of the typical stuff. Too much free money, not a high enough pay rate, location, type of business, and so much more.

Most of those things probably have something to do with it and so does the business culture and reputation.

Hours worked is a lousy professional occupation measurement tool.

It is certainly applicable for hourly staff, paid by the minute, according to the clock. For everyone else, it doesn’t make a lot of sense and it may be just one of many lingering cultural problems your organization and team face.

Hours Worked

A few years back I was on a corporate coaching assignment. Which means, I was hired by a business to coach several employees. After a session or two, I found a common thread.

All of the employees being coached had corporate speak of, “he/she isn’t puttin’ his/her forty.” They weren’t talking about a 40-ounce bottle of beer and a brown paper bag. There was a culture of professional level positions (salaried) having some measurement based on observations or gossip of hours worked.

Something so simple. It told me a lot about the culture.

Certainly, I think that there is some value, in some professional occupations, to being present and not missing in-action during the normal workday. An old-school observable metric that has been tested to the max since the start of the 2020 pandemic.

At the same time, I believe sitting at a desk or being present in a workspace from 9 to 5 doesn’t mean very much about your contributions, value, or efficiency.

Having a talking point about hours worked doesn’t say much either. Often, the root of this is based in management team members who are resentful about the time they spend at work versus doing other things.

The metrics that you measure will have a lot to do with the results. Time is nearly always part of a metric, but hanging around the office for 10 hours a day and being productive for about 4 hours of that time doesn’t really say much.

A measurement based on hours observed at the workplace might tell a story.

A story your business can’t afford.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.


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small fires

Small Fires and Your Workplace Success

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Managing small fires is much easier than dealing with a full-blown blaze. What are your habits for the metaphorical, workplace fire management?

Managers are often in place to solve problems. They’re also in place to execute strategy. Which activity consumes the most of your time?

Fixing a problem sooner, when it is smaller, seems to make sense.

If that is true, why do so many start burning out of control?

Is it a systems problem?

Systems Problem

If there is a system in place, does it help?

When the process starts to slip out of tolerance is it corrected?

Systems are often created to build something. They are also created to prevent something.

Too much production time and not enough preventative maintenance and you may have a break down.

It is true for production machinery and it is true for customer satisfaction, brand reputation, and marketing.

It might also be true for organizational culture and leadership.

Should you fix it before it grows?

Small Fires

How long has the problem been a problem? The longer it goes, often the worse it gets.

Your job likely includes putting out some fires. The smaller the fire the easier it is to manage.

When you put a system in place, you should adhere to the specifications.

If the check engine light comes on, check the engine.

Low tire pressure or low on fuel, resolve it before it becomes a bigger problem.

You should do that for your car. And if you don’t, you’ve probably already had a small fire turn into a blaze.

Small fires are easier to manage and faster to resolve.

That allows you to spend more time with strategy.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.


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