Are you able to help others grow and improve?

Do you coach a sports team, lead a business unit or manage sales professionals?  This short two minute video will explain the four things you can accomplish in any coaching situation and help you take your development skills to the next level.

This week, the 2011 Nobel Prize for Peace was conferred on two women who changed the world around them for the better without ever having the benefit of a title. They both grew up in very modest circumstances in societies that don’t traditionally allow women to have important titles or positions of power. They didn’t let that stop them. They decided to start working for positive change around them, one person at a time. They both ended up changing the course of history.

The first, 39-year-old Leymah Gbowee, spent most of her early life as a refugee fleeing the warring factions of Liberia’s civil wars. Surrounded by so much suffering and violence and motivated by her strong faith, she sought training in the treatment of victims of trauma and began to minister to those around her. Eventually, she realized that if any change was to be made in the culture of violence in Liberia and in Africa, “it had to be made by the mothers.” Herself a mother four, she formed a regional network of women and mothers who opposed factional violence and helped its victims. “No one else in Africa was doing this,” she said, “focusing on women and on building peace.”

Her network grew into a national movement for peace and democracy. It started with gatherings of women who convened in marketplaces to pray and sing for peace. It ended with a truce in Liberia’s civil war and the democratic election of president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (who is also sharing the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize this week).

The second, Tawakel Karman, is a 32-year-old journalist and mother of three from Yemen. Although she always held strong views about freedom and human rights, she has been prohibited by the culture and tradition of Yemen from holding any positions of power because she is a woman. She never let that discourage her. She formed a group of women journalists to fight for human rights in Yemen and even started her own newspaper and radio station to promote the cause.

In the last couple of years, she helped lead protests in Yemen against government corruption and injustice. This year, she helped organize student rallies that turned into mass protests that eventually resulted in democratic reforms in Yemen. Throughout, she has maintained her independence from political factions and worked without the benefit, or constraints, of an official title. “My positions are determined by my beliefs, and I do not ask anyone’s permission,” she says.

Rather than focus on the things that they were prohibited from doing or unable to do, these women acted with purpose, accomplishing the things they were able to do, piece by piece, bit by bit, creating a legacy of accomplishment that can stand against that of any titled leader anywhere. They did so without the benefit of titles or privileges themselves.

And now, they do have a title, one that they share: 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

Read more on these Nobel Peace Prize Laureates

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Peter Legge, O.B.C. is Chairman / CEO of Canada Wide Media Limited, a $30-million publishing company based in Vancouver with a staff of 140. He is the author of 14 books and an accomplished speaker. Peter is a long time friend and colleague in Speakers Roundtable. Recently he shared this article in his ezine and I wanted to share his insights with you:

William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army, was once asked to telegraph his officers using just one word to describe what The Salvation Army is all about. After much thought, the one simple word that he came up with was, “OTHERS.”

“It is not about us,” he said, “It’s about others.”

The Salvation Army has been true to this one word for over 100 years in Canada – helping the needy, the sick, the downtrodden and the disheartened. The book Leadership Secrets of The Salvation Army, written by the former Commissioner of The Salvation Army in the United States, Robert Watson, captures the real essence of leadership as one of service to others.

The Salvation Army’s military style is rooted in the militaristic spirit that was prevalent in the mid-1800s, when William Booth and his wife Catherine began their work in London, England. This organizational style has proven effective in making the Army a highly disciplined and mobile organization, able to respond quickly and efficiently to human need whenever and wherever it arises. Today, The Salvation Army’s uniform is recognized as a symbol of commitment and a sign of availability and accessibility in times of need or crisis.

Peter Drucker once said, “The Salvation Army is by far the most effective organization in the United States. No one even comes close to it with respect to clarity of mission, ability to innovate, measurable results, dedication, and putting money to maximum use.”

The fact that The Salvation Army is one of only two organizations that were around when the Dow Jones started in 1884 and still in existence today is a testament to the strength of purpose of this organization.

When William Booth died on August 20, 1912, at the age of 83, 40,000 people filled the auditorium to pay their respects. Monarchs sent wreaths and behind the funeral cortege, 5,000 members of the famed and highly respected Salvation Army marched six abreast. Even Queen Mary, an admirer of Booth and his work, chose at the last minute to attend. Because of her late decision, however, no special place of honour had been arranged for her and she took her place among the common folk of England. Finding herself seated in a sea of people, the queen soon discovered that she was sitting next to a one-time prostitute whom Booth had told shortly before his death, “One day, when you get to heaven, you’ll have a place of honour.”

So how did this one man leave behind an organization so prepared for the future that it could continue growing strong nearly 100 years after his death, recently attracting the largest single charitable donation – $2 billion – in history? In Leadership Secrets of The Salvation Army, Robert Watson shares the principles that have made The Salvation Army so effective in the U.S., Canada and around the world. These include the following five laws that would make any organization more productive and efficient:

1. Clarity of Mission – The Salvation Army uses a laser-like focus to evaluate everything it does in terms of its mission of preaching the gospel and meeting human needs without discrimination.

2. Ability to Innovate – The Salvation Army’s investment in people gets incredible returns making it as much “venture capitalist” as it is charity.

3. Measurable Results – The Army has developed a unique way of setting, monitoring and celebrating the achievement of measurable goals that allows it to say, “Look, we promised we would do this and we delivered.”

4. Dedication – It’s how The Army accomplishes so much with a relatively small cadre of officers.

5. Putting Money to Maximum Use – The Army’s bare skeleton of a national organization makes the most of every resource and ensures that each operational unit is self-sufficient.

What do you do when customers call with feedback?

I offered feedback to a local restaurant operator last year. He happens to be one of the most thoughtful manager/leaders I know. He thanked me for my suggestion and, more importantly, took it seriously enough to address. Recently he sent me this note:

“I had to share the recent  fulfillment of a vision you gave me about a year ago.  You shared with me last year how difficult it had been to purchase food at the store on a busy Saturday.  Chaos is the word that describes our counter when we are busy.  I have often worked on ways to make the counter less chaotic but nothing seemed to work all day, everyday.  Your kind sharing of a continuing frustration for you and other customers prompted me to dig deeper for an answer.  Through a series of events and various attempts to improve things we have arrived at a wonderful solution.  We have a queue system in the store that brings order to chaos ….. and it’s ultimately because of you and your willingness to share about your experience at the store. I’m pleased to tell you I receive many compliments on organizing the chaos at the counter. Thanks for being willing to offer me a ‘carefrontation’ after your visit many months ago.”

It is easy to complain but it takes effort to give a service provider feedback they can use. I’ve found it powerful to offer positive and negative feedback, and not always at the same time. Because I’d made it a point to offer positive feedback to this operator in the past, he knew my intent when I  pointed out an ongoing frustration. He accepted it as an opportunity and looked for  a solution.

It takes both useful feedback and a receptive listener to improve. Carefrontation, as my friend calls it, is powerful

Friday afternoon, end of the week: what will you do to “wrap up” successfully? You could squeeze in one more call or meeting, but maybe you’d be better served to reflect on the week. What did you learn? Who did you connect with? What was a waste of time? What returned dividends? If you don’t make time to reflect, you miss out on learning.

Someone once said if you never slow down, nothing good will be able to catch up to you. That is true of insight. For as much value as leaders place on speed, there are times when leaders are better served to slow down.

As  you start into the weekend, do you have clear intentions about how to spend your free time? Will you rest, enjoy liesure and renew on purpose or slog through the weekend only to arrive at Monday unchanged?

Why not use the same skills to get the most out of your workweek to get the most out of your weekend?

One of the biggest reasons many of us struggle to adopt the methods and mindsets that give us the best chances for success is that we get distracted by all the wonderful opportunities that come our way. In fact, I often think the only thing harder than trying to have everything is trying to do everything — even when everything seems so good.

Discipline, I’ve discovered, isn’t just about rejecting time-wasting activities in favor of the things that matter. More often, and more challenging, it’s the good things that distract us from pursuing the better things. So effective discipline sets our agendas, allowing us to reduce or eliminate some things from our schedules. By saying “no” even to things we enjoy or that provide some benefit, we can say “yes” to things that provide a greater return on our investments.

For instance, consider Frank Bures. In 2010, Frank decided to stay “offline” for one full workday each week. No Internet, thus no surfing of his favorite sites for work or for pleasure; no email; no YouTube, no Twitter, no LinkedIn, and no Facebook.

The first day of his tech-fast was surreal. “It was like finding myself on the moon, staring back at earth,” he wrote in an April 2011 article for The Rotarian magazine. By the end of the day, however, “I felt something that I hadn’t in a long time: a sense of accomplishment,” he wrote. “And when I finally logged on to see what I had missed, I was surprised by the answer: not much.”

Discipline allows us to develop the things we value most; it drives all the processes that create results that set us up for success regardless of the circumstances around us. Are you maximizing the disciplines in your life?

This blog is based on content in my latest book, Up, Down, Or Sideways. It is available wherever you buy great books. Click here to learn more about the book or click here to learn about my other speaking services and learning resources.

Joel Garfinkle is a new friend in the professional development profession. I first became familiar with his work when I received and endorsed his latest book Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level. Joel is recognized as one of the top 50 coaches in the U.S., having worked with many of the world’s leading companies. You can view his books and FREE articles at his Executive Leadership website.  You can also subscribe to his Executive Leadership Newsletter and receive the FREE e-book, 40 Proven Strategies to Get Promoted Now!”:

Why is influence important in leadership? Before learning how a good leader armed with influence can create massive change in an organization, let’s take a closer look at what influence really is. The term influence is defined in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary as “the act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force.” The definition suggests that the true meaning of influence is to get people to take action without any sort of force or exertion.

If you as a leader practice influence—staying true to its core meaning—you can really make a difference. Influence is an indispensable leadership quality that gives you the ability to sway just one individual or a large crowd, take initiative to undertake a massive project, make crucial decisions and create monumental change in your organization. Influential leaders do what others believe to be important.

Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business Administration at the University of Southern California, talks about the power of influence saying that, ‘‘the basis of leadership is the capacity of the leader to change the mindset…of another person.’’

So how can you actually do that? How can you become a leader of influence?

First, understand this:  Influence is NOT reserved for managers, presidents, CEOs, and others with a title.

No matter where you are in your organization right now, YOU have the power to influence change. Think back to a time when you voiced your opinion, which led to altering or changing a situation. That’s influence. If you’ve had a hand in influencing the outcome of something by improving it or have made an important decision that had impact, you’ve practiced influence.

Here are 5 key questions you can ask yourself to determine and gauge how influential you are in your company:

• Have you received credit from your seniors or upper management on an idea you put forth that was well received and acted upon?
• Do your employees trust your judgement and promptly carry out any requests and tasks you assign them?
• Can you convince clients to buy into your projects and successfully close the deal?
• Do your colleagues respect your decisions and agree to come on board with your ideas?
• Do you often take the team lead position and pilot projects and direct tasks?

If you answered yes to most of the above questions then you carry some weight in your organization and have the ability to influence people. If you answered no to most of the above questions, you have some work to do BUT with keen determination and a few tips you’ll be on your way to becoming more influential.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Leaders are made, not born?” The same goes for influence. Influence is a learned art and you too can learn how to do it right. Next time you’re in a board meeting, take the initiative to take the lead. Don’t be afraid to put forth some of your ideas, and pay close attention to how your ideas are received. You might be pleasantly surprised. The more people actually start listening to what you have to say, the more confident you’ll become.

Once you get to a position where you know you have the power to influence people, realize that the key to influential leadership is to bring your ideas, skills and voice into your organization without stepping over others. Be fair and honest and don’t undermine, intimidate, and take credit for others’ success. These are certainly NOT the traits of an influential leader.

As you’re climbing the leadership ladder, always remember to ask yourself, “How can I positively influence and support others?” And more importantly, “How can I develop other leaders to improve my company’s bottom line?”

Strive to become an influential leader. I guarantee that you will not only mature both professionally and personally but you develop the executive leadership skills necessary to lead your organization to positive growth and make the most of your inherent potential.

Leadership Lessons by Mark Sanborn

November 2011

Deluged with information? Me too. Frankly, I don’t need moreinformation but I am always interested in insight. Insights are the useful ideas derived from the plethora of information that surrounds us. Insights improve our thinking and our behavior.My goal in my books, e-zine, blog and other communication is to provide you with valuable insights. My aim is to help leaders at every level turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. That requires both good ideas and the motivation and encouragement to implement them. Providing all these things is always top of mind when I communicate.  What would you like to learn more about in future e-zines? Are those topics related to leadership, extraordinary service and remarkable performance that you’d like me to address? If so, please email me at mark@marksanborn.com

Scroll Down for more information about Mark’s new book & presentation:

——————————————————————————————————————————————————   feature article:

A Work Manifesto

Manifesto (def.): A public declaration of policy and aims.

What follows are my views about commitment to work based on 30+ years of being employed and being an employer. These are philosophies I subscribe to and that I desire in those I work with and encounter in the marketplace. MHS

I work because I need to and because I want to. There is satisfaction in work well done. Good work produces value and isn’t just a means to an end but an opportunity to be a productive, contributing member of society. Work helps give life purpose and structure.

I don’t like everything about the work I do but understand that is the nature of work. Work often requires that we do what needs to be done as well as what we like to do. Doing great work is a choice I make; to do less cheats not just my employer and customer but myself.

Impediments to work are temporary. If my place of employment blocks my ability to be productive in an honest and ethical way, I will not sell my soul to continue working there. If my boss doesn’t understand the concept of a healthy work environment I will actively look for a different boss or organization that does. My current situation may not allow me to switch jobs or employers immediately but I refuse to resign myself to a work life of misery. I will endure for the short term with the goal of prospering in the long term.

How I do my work makes life a heaven or hell for others. How I treat colleagues and customers makes their lives better or worse. Neutrality is a myth as any attempt to disengage will appear to others as indifference, and that indifference is an insult to others.

I will not actively or passively inflict pain. While the bad behavior of others might make it tempting to do so, I will choose to play by a higher standard. I will do what I can to make working with me enjoyable.

I do not control how others act, but I completely control how I act. When others act inappropriately to me, I will respond professionally but will not accept and thereby condone the inappropriate behavior. I will politely but directly address the inappropriateness.

I understand that others come to me for solutions to problems and that is what I am paid for. Therefore problems, as difficult as they can be, are not an impediment to my work but often they are my work itself.

I will take responsibility rather than place blame. If I can’t fix it I will either live with it or leave it. There are no other rational options.  I understand there is no perfect workplace, but refuse to make where I work worse by my own apathy or lethargy. I won’t let the poor attitudes and behaviors determine my own choices. I know that I often succeed at work not because of but in spite of undesirable circumstances.

In a time when not all who truly desire work have that opportunity, I am grateful for the work I have.

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Mark Sanborn is a best selling author, advisor to top leaders and president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an idea studio for leadership development.

He’s also an acclaimed speaker and member of the Speaker Hall of Fame.

BRING MARK INTO YOUR ORGANIZATION FOR A POWERFUL LIVE PRESENTATION.

Mark provides more than a speech-he gives organizations a competitive edge. He’s a proven professional with over 2400 paid presentations and he can tailor a program to fit you needs. His clients include Harley Davidson, Costco, Morton’s of Chicago, Wells Fargo, HP, IBM and John Deere.

 For a presentation that will engage, educate and entertain, call Helen Broder  (703) 757-1204

——————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Up, Down, or Sideways: How to Succeed When Times are Good Bad or In Between. Click herehttp://www.marksanborn.com/up-down-or-sideways/ to download a free excerpt and to order.

Featured Blog: There is no “new normal.” Blog at

http://www.marksanborn.com/blog/there-is-no-new-normal/

PROGRAM NOTE: Mark can present this program to a mixed audience of managers and employees – or tailor it specifically to managers and top tier leaders.

Please contact his new business manager, Helen Broder, at Helen@MarkSanborn.com or (703) 757-1204 with any questions or to book Mark for your clients’ upcoming events. 

Manifesto (def): A public declaration of policy and aims.

What follows are my views about and commitment to work based on 30+ years of being employed and being an employer. These are philosophies I subscribe to and that I desire in those I work with and encounter in the marketplace. MHS

I work because I need to and because I want to. There is satisfaction in work well done. Good work produces value and isn’t just a means to an end but an opportunity to be a productive, contributing member of society. Work helps give life purpose and structure.

I don’t like everything about the work I do but understand that is the nature of work. Work often requires that we do what needs to be done as well as what we like to do. Doing great work is a choice I make; to do less cheats not just my employer and customer but myself.

Impediments to work are temporary. If my place of employment blocks my ability to be productive in an honest and ethical way, I will not sell my soul to continue working there. If my boss doesn’t understand the concept of a healthy work environment I will actively look for a different boss or organization that does. My current situation may not allow me to switch jobs or employers immediately but I refuse to resign myself to a work life of misery. I will endure for the short term with the goal of prospering in the long term.

How I do my work makes life a heaven or hell for others. How I treat colleagues and customers makes their lives better or worse. Neutrality is a myth as any attempt to disengage will appear to others as indifference, and that indifference is an insult to others.

I will not actively or passively inflict pain. While the bad behavior of others might make it tempting to do so, I will choose to play by a higher standard. I will do what I can to make working with me enjoyable.

I do not control how others act, but I completely control how I act. When others act inappropriately to me, I will respond professionally but will not accept and thereby condone the inappropriate behavior. I will politely but directly address the inappropriateness.

I understand that others come to me for solutions to problems and that is what I am paid for. Therefore problems, as difficult as they can be, are not an impediment to my work but often they are my work itself.

I will take responsibility rather than place blame. If I can’t fix it I will either live with it or leave it. There are no other rational options.  I understand there is no perfect workplace, but refuse to make where I work worse by my own apathy or lethargy. I won’t let the poor attitudes and behaviors determine my own choices. I know that I often succeed at work not because of but in spite of undesirable circumstances.

In a time when not all who truly desire work have that opportunity, I am grateful for the work I have.

Note to readers: If you were to summarize your views on work, what would your personal manifesto say? What would you add to what I’ve written? What would you change?