An ideas exchange about what makes leadership at all levels in an organisation really work.
Don’t ever fall into the none value adding situation, always speak up.
Never hold back the thoughts that matter the most , just wait for the ideal when, where, how and to whom you shall speak your mind, it will make a whole difference. Continue reading “I rather not speak, she said”
Sometimes people don’t do their best not because they don’t want but because condition for that to happen is not being created – mostly by the leader.
It is being a while since I published my last post. I am under job transition and this subject came up during one of my sessions as part of getting to know my stakeholders – and I thought it worth sharing with you.
Sometimes people don’t do their best not because they don’t want but because condition for that to happen is not being created – mostly by the leader.
My personal experience has taught me that if I haven’t received from life what I think I deserve, it is most likely because I need to do a better job at earning it.
I was resting before my next fight during my latest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament when a mother of one of the kids, who was competing in the children’s competition, approached me, looking quite desperate, looking for feedback she told me that she needed my help. Her son had just lost his first fight against a more skillful kid and she insisted on showing me the video of her son’s fight to see if I could give her tips on how to improve his technique. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a sport that does not believe in talent. One improves by training constantly. There is no secret formula for overnight improvement, just like life. I looked at her and noticed that she was very concerned and recommended that she should have a talk with her son’s coach to understand the process and let him take care of his progress. She replied, “I want to help him but I do not know how”. I am also a father and completely understood her position. We do not want our kids to go through unnecessary hardship.
Continue reading “What You Think You Deserve vs. What You Have Earned. A Tale about Hard Work”
This has been a real lesson in stepping back, taking time and remembering to breathe. It has reminded me that professionally and personally it’s fundamentally important to create space. Only then can we achieve the perspective we need on what we’re working towards.
This week is a big week for me. We are moving house, have said goodbye to builders who have been preparing our new place and are expecting our second child in less than two weeks. All the things you’re told not to do together, we’re doing them.
This has led me to reflect on resilience and leadership. With a heavily pregnant wife much of the heavy lifting (literal and metaphoric) has fallen to me. At times I haven’t held up as robustly as I would like to think I would be able to.
We need to remind our firms’ leaders and managers that their principal accountability is to create and sustain a values-driven, high-performance work climate.
“Carillion had a ‘rotten corporate culture’” screamed the headline above the article in the business section of BBC’s news website on Wednesday, May 16th, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44129678.
The article remarks, “In a damning 100-page report, the Work and Pensions and the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy committees said:
The Big Four accountancy firms were a “cosy club incapable of providing the degree of independent challenge needed”
Carillion’s collapse had exposed “systemic flaws” in corporate Britain and showed regulators were “toothless”
And warned “Carillion could happen again, and soon”
Furthermore, the two committees called Carillion’s rise and fall “a story of recklessness, hubris and greed“.
Undoubtedly, these are strong words. Despite emanating from two bodies representing a larger group of people, MPs, in whom the public have lost trust and respect, they should not be disregarded as an example of the pot calling the kettle black, of people throwing stones in glass houses. They beg a broader question being posed.
Continue reading “Carillion: just an isolated symptom or the first case of corporate Ebola?”
Are you a “Yes-all the time-round the clock-person”? , Do you feel bad when you say No, so you immediately go to a “but” that opens a lines of real or unrealistics reasons to eventually say Yes?, Do you know why do you do it? Want to experience the “FREEDOM” that saying “NO” can bring to your life?, then let me share what I did to stop feeling guilty by really wanting to say no, and always ended up saying yes to everyone.
As I think about my work and what matters to people, I’m beginning to realise in a deep way, how important empowerment is.
Today I was had.
It’s not a great feeling and it’s left me furious. As I reflect on the particular circumstances of the scam (no crime, just a disingenuous shop owner) I find myself trying to understand the nature of my rage. Because that’s what I feel. Rage.
It’s shouldn’t be a big deal. I have a new charger for my mac that works, but it’s not worth the money I paid and not as good as the proper Apple product. So why am I so upset by the incident?
Complain to the top of the organisation. After all, a complaint is a gift to a service oriented company!
Brian Cranston won this year’s Best Actor Olivier Award for his role of Howard Beale in Network. In recognition, I thought his infamous mantra, “I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!” should fire us up not to accept poor customer service. Otherwise, you have to bite your tongue and meekly walk away.
Not long after his appointment as CEO of Barclays Bank, the “Montreal Marauder” to give Matthew Barrett his sobriquet, remarked in an interview with the Independent newspaper in August 2001, “The consumer, whatever they are buying, is long suffering. A service revolution is a little overdue. I find the legendary politeness of the English to be not in their self-interest. I think they should be ranting and raving at the service they get, wherever they are getting it, banks included. The consumer cuts business too much slack in this country.”
Why did Matt mention only the English? Why didn’t he include the other home nations? From Scotland, if speaking today, he could have chosen the Simpsons characterisation of a Scot in the form of Orkney-born “Groundskeeper Willie”.
Alternatively, that of Robert Carlyle’s foul-mouthed, violent Begbie in Trainspotting. I’ll leave you to search Google for comparable examples from Wales and Northern Ireland.
During my years in the corporate world as a leader, I met leaders in different levels who despite being “successful” professionals were not happy individuals. We already know that if you are not someone who seeks happiness by enjoying moments and being thankful, it will show in other roles of your life impacting the way others may see you.
Continue reading “How to be HAPPY TODAY, TOMORROW and repeat it all over again”
What does the coachee’s experience look like? We see how a Key Account Sales Manager responds to being coached by her experienced Leader and raises her sales performance within a very short period of time.
The voice of the Coachee. This article is another chapter in an ongoing story about how coaching is Blooming in Shanghai. One year ago I published the article about Key Account Sales Manager Tracy Zhi’s experience as a Coachee. Staying with the same team in Shanghai, in February and March of this year I featured articles about Jerry Chen’s ‘Best’ and ‘Most Challenging’ coaching sessions with his direct report is an account manager Jennifer Yao.
Now it’s Jennifer Yao’s turn to tell her story. We hear from the person being coached. So listen up again Leadership Coaches; see what you can learn from Jennifer’s experience as a Coachee.
Continue reading “Leadership Interview: Jennifer Yao ‘My Experience as a Coachee’”
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