Leaders with "It" are . . .

Leaders with “It” are Inclusive!

Posted on May 16, 2010 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” by being inclusive.

“Hey, I stopped by your desk to tell you that next Friday will be my last day,” my coworker and friend stated.
“Oh no,” I cried. “You’re not leaving the corporation, are you? Where are you going?”
“Well, you know I adopted my nephew, and he now has some issues with learning disabilities and a seizure disorder. I need to be able to work from home and supervise his afterschool activities, even though he is in middle school. This group doesn’t support a “work from home” model, so I’m moving on to another group.”

How often have you encountered the situation outlined above as a leader? You have goals to retain top talent, but unusual things come up and you just can’t find a way to hold on to a valuable resource. We are all familiar with the concept of Diversity and Inclusion as it relates to ethnicity, religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, and persons with disabilities, that is, with permanent needs for inclusion. Most of our corporations have programs in place to help support these broad groups of associates. But what about what I am calling “situational special needs inclusion”?

Some examples of temporary situations that require special inclusion are bereavement, unexpected accidents or illness, paternity/maternity leave, and others. Most large corporations do a relatively good job of offering paid time off for funerals, for some sick time in the hospital for us or family members, for adoption or maternity leave. But usually these are very short-lived paid breaks that eat up a certain quota of accrued sick and vacation days.

Most corporations also have a policy allowing for a 6-month leave, where your job will be held for you if you qualify under certain conditions. But so very often persons in these challenging situations cannot really afford an unpaid leave; they need the dignity of a paycheck and work to do. But above all other things they require flexibility.

For persons experiencing “situational special needs inclusion”, flexibility can take many forms:

Work location flexibility
Work day flexibility
Work assigned flexibilty

There has been a lot of buzz the last few years about working remotely. Many corporations have allowed resources to give up their permanent work location and work from home. Some even provide remuneration for internet and phone connectivity, and office supplies, for their remote workers. But this is just location flexibility – it doesn’t usually address the workday and the actual work being performed.

Workday flexibility is the ability to do the work in pieces, inside or outside of the normal business hours. Perhaps someone experiencing a complex family situation needs to work 3 hours in the morning, 2 hours mid-day, and 3 hours late evening. They want to work, they want to earn a pay check, but they have responsibilities that require them to come in and out of the work day.

Work task flexibility supports the on-again, off-again nature of the broken work day. There has to be an ability to assign them work that can be done in pieces. Project deliverables, tracking statistics, dashboards, data collection . . . some examples of the type of work that could be assigned this way.

How creative are you, as a leader, when faced with these temporary situations? Are you willing to think outside of the box? Are you able to overcome your fear about managing a resource in such a situaiton – about trusting them to really put in the hours you are paying them for?

I have had two situations where I have experienced “situational special needs inclusion” myself. I worked and supported my husband’s care when he had cancer 4 years ago. I was able to pair up with another project manager who took most of the actual phone meetings during the “normal” work day. I was able to work on resource plans, financials, project deliverables, that could be done via email communications and that could be slotted into the pieces and parts of the day that I could manage. I greatly appreciated the support of the other project manager, and of my leadership, and I remained productive during that period.

Recently I had (and am still experiencing) a situation with my high-school age daughter. What was to be a simple surgery, and one week of time off for me, ended up being an on again, off again 6 weeks of repeated hosptilization. The recovery continues as I write this. The ability to fade in and out, to work remotely, and to level tasks by assigning to others has made a real difference to me!

I have found that the outcome of this type of flexibility and inclusion is Associate Satisfaction and Loyalty, and the retention of top talent. Become Inclusive, and you, too, can begin Seizing “It”.

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Diversity & Inclusion, Executive Presence, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer | 2 Comments »

Leaders with “It” are Paradigm Pugilists!

Posted on February 28, 2010 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” by being a paradigm pugilist.

A few years ago I attended a training session where the trainer said that his entire job could be summarized in two words, “Paradigm Pugilist”. I thought this was very clever, as the concept covered by the two words was powerful, and I liked the alliteration. However, as often happens with communication, my friends with me did not like it at all, because they did not understand what it meant! And thus are great ideas sometimes lost!

In this context, some definitions to get us started:

Paradigm – your view of reality
Pugilist – a boxer
Alliteration – words that begin with the same letter 🙂

So why do I think it is important that Leaders With “It” become Paradigm Pugilists, or boxers who take left and right jabs until they bust apart the current reality?

To really drive effective change, a leader has to sometimes recognize that the way an organization does things is no longer effective. To take small incremental steps in a new direction is just not enough, and will take too long to bring about real progress. A true leader, in these circumstances, has the courage to take drastic measures to move in that new direction. These leaders become Paradigm Pugilists.

I think it is important to note that this is the first part of effective change management, that is, the courage to look at things in a brand new way and change course. Executing on the change, and preparing the organization for that change by communication and training, are also critical steps.

Can these concepts be applied to our personal lives as well? Are you stuck? Are you tired of repeating the same patterns of behavior? Have you ended up in a place that isn’t where you want to be anymore? Do you need to take stock and reevaluate your direction? You might need to become a Paradigm Pugilist to effect real and meaningful change in your life. Sometimes we have to look at a new route to get to where we want to go.

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer, The Power of Intention

Awareness is the first step to bringing about any change – awareness of your dissatisfaction with where you are; awareness of your ability to bust out of the box you have placed yourself in and create a new reality. If awareness is followed by discovery of a new horizon, if intention to reach that horizon is born, and if that intention translates into action, then we can move ourselves, and our organizations, to new and better possibilities. Become a Paradigm Pugilist, and you, too, can begin Seizing “It”.

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Executive Presence, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer, Personal Growth | Leave a comment »

Leaders with “It” are Intentional!

Posted on January 4, 2010 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” by being intentional.

While participating in a training class last year, I was given a homework assignment to interview executives and ask them a series of questions about qualities they looked for in their leaders. I took the assignment to heart and interviewed over a dozen different people (including the new Bank of America CEO, who at that time managed the division for which I worked). And while I received many unique answers to my questions, one thing was abundantly clear: successful leaders were all intentional!

So what does this mean and how can you incorporate intention into your daily practices?

A definition for intention that highlights my interview findings is: “fixedness of attention, a stretching or bending of the mind towards an object”.

This is so much more than mere goal setting, or one more resolution at the beginning of this New Year! This is like a captain steering a ship on a long journey towards a distant compass point. While there may be much prolonged activity, and many supporting goals, the captain never loses sight of that point to which he ultimately must steer. When a leader can first define this intention, then articulate it, then guide others towards it, they are leading with intention and real power.

This idea of intention is not just for the professional business executive; it can be used to attain all personal goals. While visiting my daughter at college last fall, I had occasion to visit the pool locker room, and the section set apart for the swimmers on the collegiate swim team. One of my favorite quotes from Alexander Graham Bell was on the locker of an individual swimmer, and served to remind the swimmer, every day, of her intention:

“What this power is I cannot say; all I know is that it exists and it becomes available only when a man is in that state of mind in which he knows exactly what he wants and is fully determined not to quit until he finds it.”

As we begin this New Year, I would encourage you to define and focus on your Intention, because in the words of Wayne Dyer: “Our intention creates our reality”. Remember to practice Intention, and you, too, will begin “Seizing It”!

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Executive Presence, Intention, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer, Personal Growth | Leave a comment »

Leaders with “It” are Persistent!

Posted on November 1, 2009 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” by being persistent.

Do you sometimes get stuck because you can’t do something perfectly, and in your mind perfection is the only goal? Are you afraid to take risks because you can’t contemplate the prospect of potentially failing? Do you know people who are so worried about being perfect that they become afraid to try new things? Well, I used to fall into all of those categories. In a world focused on perfection, I was the poster child!

Today, I actually loudly proclaim myself to be a “recovering” perfectionist. And believe it or not, I have become my most successful AFTER giving up perfectionism. Does that seem to you to be a contradiction? The secret is that I have replaced Perfectionism, and it’s sometimes associated “paralysis of analysis”, with Persistence, and the sometimes baby steps of persistent action.

Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar has stated, “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly . . . until you learn how to do it well”. WOW. I did NOT like this statement the first time my husband said it to me many years ago. He edited the statement to say, “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly, until you get the hang of it”. This was so completely outside my paradigm. What, do substandard work? Be slopppy? Appear less than competent? I can’t do THAT!

But now, this is a very freeing thought! What a gift, to be able to try new things and see where they go! To be able to explore a potential talent, and live in the question of whether or not it is something I want to pursue; to actually embrace failure as an opportunity to grow! Well, I won’t go so far as to say that I’ve fully “embraced” failure, but I am much more willing to try new things!

Persistence is my new “P’ word that replaces Perfection. Persistence allows me to take one small step at a time, and over time, those steps add up to real progress. Persistence allows me to realize, in the words of David Nour, that “version one is better than version none”. As I move forward with my first attempt (version 1), and assess results, I can make adjustments along the way (version 2; not necessarily perfection). I hold the vision of where I want to go, with faith and purpose, and persistently move in that direction. And results truly follow! With perfection, I was often frozen in fear and indecision, and thought I had to cover the entire distance with one leap. With persistent action, one step at a time, I begin to create the things I want in my life, personally and professionally. Remember to practice Persistence, and you, too, will begin “Seizing It”!

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Executive Presence, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer, Persistence | 1 Comment »

Leaders with “It” are Authentic!

Posted on September 27, 2009 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” by being authentic.

Have you had occasion to watch leaders on the news and in your company present the benefits of a new business process or philosophy or action? Have you listened as they described the details? Did you become excited, interested and motivated? Or did you find yourself wondering if the leader believed his own message? While the leader might be saying the right words, was there just something about the message or delivery that gave you pause?

Leaders with “It” effectively bring their whole selves to the table, their combined beliefs and passions and experiences. They can only do this by knowing who they truly are and by working from this core knowledge; by being authentic. I consider this to be the most elusive part of “It” and one that takes us on an inward journey. But the benefits are great if we are willing to do the work of self discovery.

Goethe, an 18th century writer, had this to say about being unique and authentic: “There are many echoes in the world, but few voices.”

Last month I was at a speech being given by Nido Qubein, an author, consultant, and motivational speaker. He discussed the need for differentiation, to be willing to leave the “ocean of sameness” that is the home place for the common thinker, and become a part of the “pond of distinction”. But to be able to take Mr. Qubein’s advice, to differentiate ourselves, we have to be willing to do the work of identifying and owning who we truly are, as people, professionals, and members of our families and communities.

I also had the occasion this month to meet and hear Scott McKain, the author of the book, “The Collapse of Distinction”. (I strongly recommend his book to you and will be adding it to my bibliography listing within this site.) To build distinction he created the idea of 4 pillars of distinction, and the first pillar is Clarity. It takes work to become clear on your strengths, your goals, your business value proposition, but it is also freeing. Because, as he points out in his book, to have clarity also means that you know what you are NOT. And I have found that knowledge (what we ARE and what we are NOT) allows us to draw the perfect target with the perfectly centered bull’s eye, and aim our arrows of action and energy exactly there.

We simply cannot be everything to everybody, or we drown in the “ocean of sameness”; we exhaust ourselves and don’t achieve the outcomes we desire. And how wonderful and freeing it is to affirm that we ALL have a unique voice! We all have the ability to move and motivate others, and impact real change, when we come from our own authentic center. Remember to share your authentic self, and you, too, will begin “Seizing It”!

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Executive Presence, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer, Personal Brand | 3 Comments »

Leaders with “It” are Passionate!

Posted on August 23, 2009 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” by being passionate about your topic.

Have you ever sat through a training class or presentation, where the presenter pulled out a 60 page PowerPoint deck and started reading from it, with no real passion or flair? If it was a virtual presentation, how long did it take before you began reading your emails or answering instant messages? If it was an in-person presentation, how long before you whipped out your Blackberry or started thinking about the things you were going to do as soon as this meeting was over?

Leaders with “It” value their audience’s time, and are passionate about their topic. They are eager to share their ideas and to learn from others through interaction. I love this quote from Winston Churchill, who was a superior speaker:

“The orator is the embodiment of the passions of the multitude. Before he can inspire them with any emotion he must be swayed by it himself. Before he can move to tears his own must flow. To convince them he must himself believe.”

I have a mission statement for my own speaking career that I read every morning, and before I do a workshop or presentation. This mission statement reminds me of my passion and excitement for my material. Here is an excerpt:

“I am so excited that I connect with people as I speak; that I help them grow leadership skills and presence. I love it when they tell me that my message resonates with them; that it helps them move forward. Forward towards their dreams, goals and possibilities, towards awareness that they, too, can begin Seizing “It”!”

While you may not have a defined mission statement, remember to do your audience the honor of being excited about your message. You bring your whole self, experiences and passions to the table every time you are in front of others. We all have a unique voice and a unique message, if we just recognize it and use it. Remember to share your passion, and you, too, will begin “Seizing It”!

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Executive Presence, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer, Passion, Personal Brand, Presentation tips | Leave a comment »

Leaders with “It” are Committed!

Posted on August 22, 2009 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” through understanding and practicing commitment.

Years ago I was in a study group and someone gave out a “poem” on commitment, with the author listed as “anonymous”. At the time I was a fairly new manager and struggling with some personal issues in my life. The opening sentence gave me great pause. (“Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.”) I had the sudden shocking realization that I spent a lot of my time as if poised on the edge of my chair. Not sitting all the way back in the seat and getting comfortable, and not getting up and walking away. I was trying to keep all of my options open, choosing to believe that made me flexible. But in a moment of deep personal insight I saw my approach really was ineffective. At some point, whether in my personal life or professional life, I really did need to choose an option and commit deeply to it.

Since then, I have repeated this opening line so many times over the years that my 18 year-old daughter has put it in a list of quotes she is developing for college. 🙂

The text goes on to make other equally profound points: that once we commit things begin to happen to support that commitment, and that we must start whatever it is we dream about.

May this “poem” enrich your journey in the way that it enriches mine. May it help you grow in awareness that you, too, can begin “Seizing It” through the practice of commitment in your personal and professional lives.

Commitment

Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.

Concerning all acts of initiative, or creation, there is one elementary truth, and ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:

that once one is committed then Providence moves too!

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.

A whole stream of events raises in ones favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and accidents and material assistance,

which no one could have dreamt would have come his way.

I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets:

“Whatever you do, or dream you can do, begin it! Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Commitment, Executive Presence, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer | Leave a comment »

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