Tag: Improvement

Leaders & Followers – How Do You Treat The Workplace Script?

August 18, 2017By CiOIn Article, General Leadership, To The Bosses, To The GraduatesComments Off on Leaders & Followers – How Do You Treat The Workplace Script?

Leadership Lesson: It’s vital to understand the culture and environment you’re coming into but even more important to maintain your objective, critical lens through which to objectively analyze it.

In coming into any endeavor or environment, it goes without saying that the more information one has, the quicker he or she can get up to speed so they feel comfortable making their own autonomous contributions.

To work toward common success, it’s important to provide methods and a foundation of knowledge to help those individuals acclimate to the environment as smoothly as possible. The more they know as they start off, the better they can do as they progress.

Everyone needs to be provided with the right tools to get started. They need to come into a baseline process that…

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What People Teach Us: Travis Kalanick — Temper vs. Leadership

March 1, 2017By CiOIn CiO Briefs, General LeadershipComments Off on What People Teach Us: Travis Kalanick — Temper vs. Leadership

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick posted a “Profound Apology” on the company’s website to atone for or, at least, begin atoning for his behavior in a video which surfaced of him berating an Uber driver, while he was a fare in the man’s car, who had challenged him on the company’s policies which purportedly cost the driver $97,000 in losses.

In the posted apology, Kalanick states “It’s clear this video is a reflection of me – and the criticism we’ve received is a stark reminder that I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up. This is the first time I’ve been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it.”

“…receiving leadership coaching…is no substitute for mental…

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Yes, Don’t Dwell On The Past. But Do You Get What You Didn’t Get?

May 22, 2016By CiOIn General LeadershipComments Off on Yes, Don’t Dwell On The Past. But Do You Get What You Didn’t Get?

Leadership Lesson: For development purposes, it’s key to look back at our endeavors that didn’t work out and determine if we truly understand their lessons.

Assessment and reassessment of one’s performance is key to growth, development and success.  But that review process should not only be limited to what we are doing or have been doing, or achieved.

What about those things which we didn’t achieve?

Have you ever gone for something or desired something that didn’t work out?  Did you ever interview for a job or volunteer for a project that went another way or was given to someone else?

Maybe you got your hopes up high assuming because you wanted it so bad, and demonstrated as much, that it would obviously work out and you’d…

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Are You Their Leader Or Are You Their Leader…For Today?

April 15, 2016By CiOIn Article, General LeadershipComments Off on Are You Their Leader Or Are You Their Leader…For Today?

Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders demonstrate the phenomenon perfectly of how the criteria for a leader might shift so drastically.

Their backers, up until Trump and Sanders’ latest appearance on the national stage, would have traditionally backed other candidates in these respective parties, seeking those whose message aligned and reconciled closest to their own concerns, but it has now taken angered, outright disappointment, and calls for drastic action in both ideologies to build a coalescence of new citizens to elevate these candidates’ poll numbers, messages, and movements.

“As a leader, have you taken the pulse of those who follow you?”

Think about those you lead. They are in a position to be lead, meaning they are waiting for your message. But…

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Where Possible, Make Sure You Keep Volunteers In Your Focus

April 8, 2016By CiOIn To The BossesComments Off on Where Possible, Make Sure You Keep Volunteers In Your Focus

One of the underlying foundations of being a leader is the ability to harness everything that is at one’s disposal.

One should be ready to utilize everything in their environment, both that which is obvious and that which is not, to improve and grow that mission with which they are entrusted or toward which they are working. We should be ready to take advantage of tools that have always been realized and used, and those which we have to dig deeper to find.  Seeing that which others might not is part of being resourceful.

“Harnessing the power of volunteers is part of the resourcefulness of being a leader.”

But sometimes it is hard to find those resources that will make one’s missions easier…

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We Need To Rethink Embarrassment So We Don’t Limit Ourselves

March 12, 2016By CiOIn To The StudentsComments Off on We Need To Rethink Embarrassment So We Don’t Limit Ourselves

As we develop and grow, there are instances where we need to take risks and step out of our comfort zone. Sometimes, we’re held back and inhibited by fears that in turn limit those development and growth efforts. But if we hold back in the face of fear, we’re holding back from both giving and achieving our best.

When it comes to fear, in essence, its most basic driver is that we always want to make sure we don’t take any steps backward in our path of development and progress, a path which can vary from person to person. Our natural tendency is to be afraid of setbacks. We fear for our safety, which can mean our physical, financial, or emotional states, among others.

With…

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In Your Environments, Be Sure To Consider Following The Golden Rule To Start

February 13, 2016By CiOIn General LeadershipComments Off on In Your Environments, Be Sure To Consider Following The Golden Rule To Start

Leadership Lesson: You can’t treat someone how they want to be treated (The Platinum Rule) without first working with them effectively enough (The Golden Rule) to learn how they want to be treated.

Although The Self 60 – Professional Development Mind/Set is numbered, the list is not necessarily listed in rank or priority order. Even though that’s the case, the placement of “Practice the Golden Rule” at number 1 is absolutely intentional.

This is because, before anything else is considered for interacting and working with others, The Golden Rule — “Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You”– is key. If there were no other items on this list, no other suggestions or advice, as long as you treated others…

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Everyone Can Teach You Something, If You Just Watch How They Carry Themselves

February 3, 2016By CiOIn CiO Briefs, General LeadershipComments Off on Everyone Can Teach You Something, If You Just Watch How They Carry Themselves

Free lessons in leadership exist in the everyday. They’re everywhere; you just need (and want) to look around and take stock of them.

Again, leadership exists everywhere and not just in those who have official titles or positions of “leadership” such as management. So look to the actions of those around you whose actions and demeanor work in tandem to develop, influence, encourage, build, and foster growth and value.

You should keep a lookout for these everyday lessons because leadership is a work-in-progress. It is something that needs refinement, growth, and development. Although there are training programs, certifications, and other educational formats for leadership development, the best lessons can be culled from everyday real-life interactions.

“…maybe we haven’t realized how much we’ve actually learned by watching.”

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During the Up’s and Down’s In Your Environment, Keep Your Fire, Not Just Your Cool

January 27, 2016By CiOIn To The GraduatesComments Off on During the Up’s and Down’s In Your Environment, Keep Your Fire, Not Just Your Cool

Sometimes, you just have to let it out, expressing what’s on your mind. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Common practice is to err on the side of caution, which is fine, but many do it to the point of paralysis. This inhibition stems from a misconception that a leader always has to be composed and can’t show the normal reactions or negative emotions that one might be able to convey in any other situation. Yes, part of being a leader is remaining cool, calm, and collected, but that doesn’t mean that a leader can’t show passion through emotion. It doesn’t mean a leader can’t get worked up. Unfortunately, most times, people of any level or title are often keeping the peace so as to not…

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