The Power of Emotional Leadership
On May 30, 2010 in Thought for the Day
There was a time when the great leaders where stoic, analytical and distant. They were able to separate their feelings from what they had to do to stay in control. They were impersonal and non-emotional. This represented strength.
Then the world has changed. Today’s best leaders are those who activate the emotional connection and emotional investment of their people. They don’t do this by remaining distant from their people. They do it by being more human and more emotional with their people.
Regardless what you feel politically about Obama, he models both effective and ineffective leadership qualities. His thinking and analytical approach to the country’s complex issues allows him to successfully manage things at once. However, his even and non-emotional responses portray him as disconnected from the feelings of those affected by challenges such as lost jobs, lost houses and the gulf oil spill.
Today’s workplace needs leaders who share their passion for what they do, and the feelings they have for the people they lead. They must be more connected to both how they think and feel, and be able to be truly present with their emotions. Emotions are not a sign of weakness – they are a sign of humanity. And if today’s managers and leaders want to engage and inspire their employees to perform, then they must be comfortable with their emotions and the emotions of their employees.
I frequently reference the book, Human Sigma, by Dr. Johnn Fleming and Jim Asplund. In this book, the authors (Gallup researchers) present that the primary difference between a satisfied customer and a loyal customer is the emotional connection a customer has to a brand, product or organization. Emotions move customers from satisfied (maybe they come back) to loyal (they always come back).
The same can be said about employees. The greatest employee performance happens when they are emotionally connected to their work through a compelling purpose and an emotional/personal connection to their manager and team.
Accurate, though dispassionate, rhetoric does not inspire; emotional connectedness inspires. Empathy matters. Emotions matter. Maintaining a constant state of evenness confuses employees to what matters and what really matters. Life and work include race and rest, excitement and stability. Leaders create the tone by how they react. The monotone, emotional-less leader inspires the same bland response from his people.
How Obama is handling the response to the BP oil spill is very telling about his leadership style. Though applauded for his ability to be constantly stayed and even, there are indeed times when the emotions – the humanity – are needed to relate to what others are experiencing. Think about Churchill at the time of the bombing of London in the second World War. To activate emotions, you have to show emotions.
Leaders who share their emotions, share their humanity. Employees relate as people. Customers relate as people. Out of control emotions are counter-productive. The lack of emotions is also counter-productive.
Do your employees see you as human and passionate about things that really matter?
Do you openly and responsibly share your feelings and emotions in the workplace?
Do you inspire your employees to be emotionally-invested in their work?
In the industrial age, emotions were perceived as performance inhibiting. In a service and intellectual age, emotions drive innovation, responsiveness and performance. Set the emotional pace for you employees; they will then set the emotional pace for your customers. There are leadership lessons everywhere.
For more information on Firing Up Your Employees, go to www.LiveFiredUp.com.
Honey or Vinegar – How Do You See The World?
On May 27, 2010 in Thought for the Day
They say honey is good for your health. Well, then living a life of honey is better for you than living a life of vinegar. Here is what I mean.
Studies support a direct connection between overall wellness and those who are upbeat, positive, appreciative, and are treated in a positive way – honey. These same studies support the negative impact on health, attitude and performance in those who are continually angry, caustic, unhappy or are treated in a negative way – vinegar.
In The Balance Within, author Dr. Esther Sternberg presents the science that connects health and emotions – that our outlook, attitude, self-talk and mental images can impact our sense of wellbeing, and the wellbeing and success of others. We can actually impact our health and performance by how we talk to ourselves and what we hear from others.
Studies in the classroom have shown a direct correlation between positive teacher expectation and student achievement. The more optimistic and supporting the teacher, the stronger the self-image students had. The stronger this self-image, the better the students performed. Their mental images were influenced by the positive expectations of the teachers.
Encouraging and supportive parents empower children to see the world in a more positive way. The children feel more capable, are happier and are more successful.
Positive and supportive managers activate the best from their people by crafting a compelling vision and by believing in the greatness of their people. They focus on purpose, success, build employee self-confidence and create a positive and supportive environment. Performance improves.
As is presented in Appreciative Inquiry: An Emerging Direction for Organization Development by David Cooperrider, “Scholars are recognizing that the power of positive imagery is not just some popular illusion or wish but an expression of the mind’s capacity for shaping reality.” When you think positively, you create a more positive reality. Honey is better than vinegar. Results prove it.
To add more honey to your life, consider the following:
1. Listen to your external talk and self-talk. Eliminate the negative and critical language. Instead of saying “I’ll probably screw this up,” say, “I will find a way to be great at this.” Use positive talk with others.
2. Develop a compelling positive personal vision for home, work and life. It is your life, what great things do you want? See it, believe it, live it.
3. Find the positive in others and comment on it. Work on seeing the greatness around you.
Science supports what our grandparents knew – you get more with honey than with vinegar. People are drawn to positivity – they respond by becoming more positive. This can create a new more positive reality. It is definitely time to start a “honey revolution.” Are you in?
Please forward this to someone who will benefit from it, and contact me to help you start your “honey revolution.” See more information at www.LiveFiredUp.com.
How About Working For Yourself?
On May 26, 2010 in Thought for the Day
In today’s changing workplace, finding one job may be a thing of the past. Instead, what do you do very well and could do for several employers? Is it time to take your talents and skills and reinvent what work will be for you?
Here is a quote from a colleague of mine, Ira Wolfe, from his powerful article ‘What Jobs Won’t Return.’ “Employees in new jobs don’t “go to work” … and if they do, they don’t work in permanent full-time positions. They work in part-time jobs, often working for several employers at the same time. But unlike the past when working part-time was a stepping stone to full-time employment or a means to propping up personal finances, part-time work in the future will be by design. Skilled workers will work remotely, simultaneously interacting with different teams in different places and even collaborating on different projects. People with the right skill sets can do that. The contingent worker, or “just-in-time” worker, will become the norm, especially in lower skill jobs. The less versatile the employee, the more expendable he or she becomes.” See his full article.
So, if we are talking about job hunting, maybe we need to expand our definition of what a job is. So consider:
1. Identifying what your best talents and skills are – what are you consistently great at?
2. Identify several environments that can use these skills or talents on a part-time basis.
3. Develop a new work approach by stringing several temporary roles together, or build a list of companies you work for when they need your skills and talents.
This can give you flexibility in work your schedule, the ability to constantly do what you do best (instead of working in a job that uses only some of your skills) and the ability to choose who you work for. This is the first step in reinventing the future of work.
The world has changed. Maybe you should be reinventing how you work instead of looking for a job that may no longer exist. Don’t get stuck in an outdated model of job hunting or work – invent what works best for you. Play to your strengths and find those who need what you are great at.
Please pass this on to someone who can benefit from it and contact me to help you reinvent what work may be for you.
A Recession Thank You Note
On May 24, 2010 in Thought for the Day
Dear Recession,
I know many people are upset with you. I am not surprised. You have made things tough for many organizations. But at the same time you have made us better. So here are ten things I wanted to thank you for:
1. For forcing us to get rid of the deadwood and the non-performing employees who felt all they had to do was simply to show up for work.
2. For the reminder that we are stronger and more profitable in some areas of our business than others, and that we should always focus on our strengths because they provide the greatest value to our customers.
3. For helping us to relearn the value of customers and the need to focus on customer loyalty, not merely satisfaction, and to never miss an opportunity to do the extraordinary.
4. For reminding us that our people are our profits and that fewer of the “right” employees can consistently outperform more of the “wrong” employees. Fit matters and a greater effort to hire and retain the right employees drives greater results.
5. For a reminder that we must support an employee-focused workplace to be capable of creating a customer-focused workplace. We now are better connected to our employees’ talents, values and interests; we know them better and can better match them to their best performance areas.
6. For the reminder that every employee must add value or they are not needed on the team; all employees are now held accountable for results, ideas and solutions.
7. For forcing us to eliminate the barriers to communication, so that information can move more freely around the organization to accelerate action and responsiveness.
8. For reminding us that we (management) must be more visible, more human, more approachable and integrated in the performance of the employees; constant contact is critical to building strong relationships with employees to earn their loyalty and to know how to activate their performance.
9. For reminding us to use our employees to stay connected to our world through their worlds (social networks) as a means to grow and develop the business in a meaningful way.
10. For the lesson that even when things are tough, employees who are valued, respected and believe in what we stand for, have the reserves needed to pull through and do the extraordinary.
I have learned many valuable lessons that somehow got forgotten in better times. You have reminded me to watch the details, own the results and inspire my people. Though I don’t need this lesson often, I am pleased to have learned it today.
Best regards,
Jay Forte
Please forward this to someone who will benefit from it and contact me to help you reactivate the performance power of your people. For more information go to www.LiveFiredUp.com.
And Why Not Do Something Extraordinary?
On May 19, 2010 in Thought for the Day
I was on a Southwest Airlines flight this week. One of the flight attendants had great one-liners, an amazing singing voice and outrageous and entertaining lyrics; she raised the quality of the service event. And why not? If it could be ordinary or extraordinary, why do ordinary?
I was at a Starbucks this week. I watched as one of the staff danced around the store to some really upbeat and fun music, handing out samples of this week’s coffee. It was fun and completely extraordinary.
I was at a great bakery this week – artisan bread and pastries that are incredible. Yum. I asked about one pastry I did not recognize. The woman behind the counter took it off the plate, cut it into pieces and offered one to me and to the others in line, then told us the process of how it is made. Extraordinary.
I was talking to colleague whose child has an amazing teacher. As they study geography, this teacher brings in authentic food, plays the country’s music and introduces some of the language. The kids are captivated and interested. They learn. Extraordinary.
I traveled this week. And hidden in my briefcase was an amazing card, reminding me how loved I am at home, and how missed I am when I travel. Extraordinary.
Notice that I did not bring up the ordinary events – I don’t remember them. They are bland, boring and leave no impression. If you want to get noticed in the workplace, do some “extraordinary.” If you want to build a more powerful relationship at home, do some “extraordinary.”
Doing the extraordinary is rarely about spending. Rather it is about doing something with greater effort, creativity, interest or passion. It is about the extra effort. It is about adding some WOW! It is about being more present, more engaged and more fired up. It is a reminder that extraordinary is so much better than ordinary.
So what ways can you move from ordinary to extraordinary this week? What ways can you kick it up at work and at home?
So remember, if you have the choice to make it ordinary or extraordinary, why choose ordinary?
Please forward this to someone who can benefit from it and contact me to help you learn how to connect to your “extraordinary.” For more information, go to www.LiveFiredUp.com.