I love to drive, and I always have. In fact, other than in a shuttle bus or a taxi, I am seldom a passenger. I probably got this from my Dad - he always loved to drive too. And, because driving is a skill that becomes subconscious for most of us, I typically drive on auto-pilot.

Recently, however, I became a passenger for an extended period of time as my son, Parker, took the wheel for a long drive on the interstate. He's been driving for several months, but this was the first long drive on the freeway. I sat in the passenger seat as his coach, and suddenly my skills weren't subconscious anymore.

In order to give him assistance, advice and coaching all the things I do from memory had to be converted into conscious thought.

I had to think about things like:

• Where to be looking
• Use of turn signals
• When to change lanes
• What to think about when using cruise control
• What speed to pick to drive
• Keeping a safety buffer around

As a driver, you get the idea. I realized on the return trip, when I was back in my familiar driver's seat again, that I was driving better and making better decisions than I was before I sat in the passenger seat.

This is critical in developing any skill, including leadership.

Three major things happened during my freeway experience:

• My perspective changed.
• I was teaching what I knew.
• My subconscious thoughts, ideas and habits were transferred into my conscious mind.

Let's look at each of these for a minute.

Changing Perspective

When I was the passenger, I saw everything differently, and I looked at the task in a new way. I could explore new options. My mind wasn't locked in on the task itself, but rather on the process of the task. By looking at the task in a new way, I came to some deeper understandings and rationales for some changes to my existing thoughts and habits. I literally, by sitting in the passenger seat and thinking about the task of driving, learned new things about being a driver - something I've been doing for more than 30 years.

When's the last time you looked at your processes from your team's perspective? What does the 25-year production veteran know that you don't? What does a Customer really experience when interacting with your organization? As a leader, when you consider different perspectives, you give yourself the opportunity to learn at every turn.

Teach What You Know

I end every teleseminar, and most all of the training sessions I lead, by encouraging participants to teach someone else what they've just learned. Doing this "learn, teach" model helps them remember what they've learned, but more importantly it helps them begin to really "own" the content. It's no longer something "learned" from me, but something they "know".

As a leader, you will often have opportunities to be a coach. The great news about coaching is that when approached in the proper way, you can learn as much from the coaching process as when you teach to others. But that will only be true if you apply this third lesson.

Be Conscious

To get better at something/anything, you must move it from a current, subconscious habit and make it a conscious act again. Learning is a conscious act - and when it's a new skill you probably aren't very good consciously. As you progress in the skill and things become easier/routine, you seldom get back to a conscious level because your subconscious does all the work. However until you bring it out, it's very difficult to tweak, improve and change. Once you've taken the time to take those skills you "already know" and reexamine them consciously, then you can send them back into your subconscious and lock in the improvements.

As a leader, it's up to you to encourage your team to consciously examine your processes, routines and subconscious actions to find those places that need to be tweaked, improved and changed.

That day on the road, I hope Parker learned some things that will make him a more confident, competent and safe driver. I know I did. Remember this when you want to improve any skill in your life. You need to be willing to get out of the task, teach someone (or yourself) about the task and do it all consciously. When you do that you will become more proficient, confident and effective.

Potential Pointer: To learn what you know at a deeper level, you must change your perspective. One of the best ways to do that is to teach others what you know.

This book is a classic. I realized today I've never recommended it to you, so today I will right that wrong.

Before it was a book, it was a speech - a speech that was given more than 6,000 times. The writer and presenter Russell Conwell was a Baptist minister, lawyer and writer. He was also the founder and first President of Temple University - a university that was largely founded from the proceeds of him giving this speech.

The book tells a story, that I will not tell you much about. Since it's a short story, and a story well past it's copyright, you can easily find copies at little or no cost online (you also can find copies at Amazon).

Suffice it to say that this story engages you and helps you learn a very empowering and important truth.

While this book is valuable to anyone at any age -- I encourage you to have your children and co-workers read it. Its message may be especially important now as we live through what some call a Recession (though I don't believe in such a thing - and here's why).

Bottom line, everyone should read this book. It's not long; it's an important piece of American literature; and its message, when taken to heart and put into action, can change your life.

You can pick up a copy at Amazon or your favorite book seller.

Labels: Blagojevich, creativity, Hard Rock Hotel, marketing, public relations

I don't know anyone who doesn't want to be more productive. We buy time management books, go to courses, try new software, read blogs dedicated to productivity and search for the best system to help us get more done in the time we have.

Of course increasing productivity makes sense because, even if we don't always act like it, we only have a limited amount of time with a huge variety of things we would like to do with this limited resource.

This article isn't about a system or some super-special techniques.

Nothing you are going to read below is going to surprise you, and yet most of us don't do these things well, or do them so inconsistently that they lose their value. They aren't sexy, don't have a related website, and they won't cost you anything except a decision and some discipline.

The good news is they're so effective that once you develop the discipline you will have productivity gains for the rest of your life.

The Productivity Enhancers

Here are the four choices you can make to extend and enhance your productivity in any and every area of your life.

• Believing in Yourself and Your Success. While this is certainly true at the highest level - your self esteem is an important component of your success - in this case I am thinking about something more pragmatic. Have you ever had a situation where the task becomes so daunting that you aren't sure how you will ever figure it out or know if you can get it all done at all? When you are this unclear, your focus naturally moves to these negative thoughts and your confusion, frustration and overwhelm gets in the way of getting anything done; let alone large amounts of high quality work. Thankfully, the other three enhancers can help solve this one!

• Creating a Clear Purpose. As with belief, there is a big picture component to clarity of purpose. When you are clear on your life's purpose everything in your life will get better, but for now we are talking about clarity on the current situation. Do you clearly understand the problem you are facing? Do you clearly know the goal you are trying to achieve? When you get more clear, you get more focused, and as you get more focused you can get more of the right things done.

• Maintaining a Refreshed State. Have you ever noticed that stress can negatively impact your productivity? Have you ever noticed how much more effective you are after a good night's sleep or a healthy meal? In every one of these cases lies a key to greater productivity. To be more productive you must take better care of yourself. Get ample rest, eat better and exercise. All of these things will help you reduce your stress and remain refreshed and ready to tackle the work in front of you.

• Investing in Quiet Time. There are a number of forms and functions for your quiet time. You can reflect; you can pray or meditate; you can plan. Perhaps most of all, when you create quiet space in your life you can think. Thinking is something we do far too little of! When you give yourself time, space and permission to think about the things you're working on, you will generate new ideas, approaches and connections. In addition, thinking time helps you stay more refreshed and alert as well.

The Paradox

As you read these four ideas you may be thinking - these things don't give me more time - they take time.

This is so true.

Just as you must invest money to earn a return, you must also invest in yourself and your process in order to glean the best possible results. As counter-intuitive as it might sound, when you begin to invest in these activities, the resulting performance improvements will be incredible.

The Ultimate Benefits

These ideas can be applied, thinking of greater productivity in any area of life, but the best news of all is that when we decide and discipline ourselves to develop these habits, the benefits accrue in every area of our life - not just the area we were focused on when we started!

Potential Pointer: The greatest productivity improvements come from within and are a commitment to being more successful. That commitment starts with investing time in yourself, even when you think you are "too busy" to do those things.

The premise of this book is that most decisions are with our unconscious "habitual" mind, yet most products are marketed to our logical, conscious "executive" mind. It's an interesting idea that is described and explained in this well written book.

I recommend it here not because you are marketing consumer goods or in charge of large advertising and marketing budgets. (While certainly that is one of the targets for this book.) I recommend it because it has much to say to all of us - as leaders, communicators, teachers, and parents too. After all, in all of those roles we find ourselves needing to persuade, don't we?

The book sets the table for the premise by explaining (in layman's terms) some important brain concepts that are then expounded upon from a marketing perspective through the rest of the book.

If you are interested in sales and marketing you will definitely enjoy this book. Perhaps of broader application, if you are interested in persuasion and how to communicate using our growing knowledge of the brain, you will benefit as well.

While the book isn't written specifically from this perspective, it will shed new light and provide you with much food for thought for improving your own communication and persuasion habits and skills.

You can pick up a copy at Amazon or your favorite book seller.

When I think of magic, the first images that come to my mind are magicians with playing cards, hats, rabbits and sawing pretty girls in half. When I think a little longer images of more subtle and/or amazing feats of, well, magic come to mind.

Magic is a skill that can be mastered. It's also something that can be explained. Yet, for me, magic - whether sleight of hand or elaborate process - has an aura about it; it's something that has real power.

When I think of dialogue, I think of the same things.

Dialogue is real (not a sleight of hand type thing) and extraordinarily powerful. And even though relatively few are masterful at dialogue, it's a skill - like magic - that can be learned.

I realize the magic metaphor isn't perfect, there are no "tricks" to dialogue, but the potential power is real, and when it's achieved in any group, magic definitely occurs.

As a leader your role requires that you become a skilled communicator. When most people think about communication skills they typically include presenting in meetings or groups, providing feedback, discussing topics of importance, listening intently and even emailing skills.

Yet this short list of important communication skills leaves out an important one - dialogue.

Dialogue comes from the Greek "dia", meaning through, and "logos", meaning words or meaning. Dialogue, then could be translated as a flow of meaning. William Issacs, in his excellent book Dialogue and the Art of Thinking Together, takes this one step further:

"In the most ancient meaning of the word, logos meant 'to gather together,' and suggested an intimate awareness of the relationships among things in the natural world. In that sense, logos might best be rendered in English as 'relationship.'"

Dialogue then is more than just "really good conversation" or even what happens when I "really focus on listening." Rather, dialogue is a meeting of minds in the spirit of relationship and the creation of synergy. It's the open exchange of ideas in the context of relationship.

When you begin to think about dialogue in this way, you get a glimpse of the power that can be gained. While there are tools you can use to create this situation, like the magician's secrets, you must start from this understanding that dialogue is the opportunity to think together.

To help create this magic, think of the times when "thinking together" would be exceptionally important for anyone, but especially leaders:

1. When developing trust


2. When creating understanding related to a change


3. When exploring problems and solutions


4. When coming to complex decisions

And that's a very short list.

In the context of thinking about a communication that truly allows for "thinking together" (rather than trying to sell, advocate for or influence to a particular point of view or solution) you hopefully can see that the opportunities for dialogue are many.

That also means challenges and obstacles exist as well.

It would take another complete article to even begin to describe those barriers and how to overcome them to create dialogue more reliably. For this article, suffice it to say that as a leader you must be willing to go first.

Hopefully the glimpse of the magic encourages you to get on a learning journey to make that "first step" choice.

Potential Pointer: Communication is one of the most important priorities for leaders. If you want to build your communication skills, recognize the value of and learn how to create dialogue.

Most conversations, articles and training regarding feedback is focused on giving leaders, managers and supervisors more tools and approaches for offering feedback more effectively.

This is very important information, and these are skills that can help you be significantly more effective in developing others.

But it's only half the story.

Because you can do everything "right" in delivering feedback, but if it isn't heard, welcomed or valued by the other person, your technique is of little value.

This article talks about the other half of the feedback equation: receiving feedback successfully.

As a coach or leader you can share these ideas with those you give feedback to, with the goal of making the feedback you give them more effective.

But, this article is really written for all of us - because we all need feedback for our ongoing growth and improvement.

Take your coaching hat off now and consider these ideas as a part of your personal development plan. Besides, once you've practiced them for yourself, you'll be in a better position to share them with others!

Ways to Receive Better Feedback

• Ask for it. Perhaps this should go without saying, but we all need the reminder. People often talk to me about wanting more feedback on their work, a specific project, or a situation. They will lament me that they didn't get any feedback or the feedback they got was insufficient. My first question is always, "did you ask for feedback?" The blank stare I typically receive tells the story. The lesson? If you want feedback you have to ask for it! While it is often best to ask for feedback before the situation, so the other person can watch for and observe in a way that allows them to prepare for their comments, asking at any time is a great strategy for getting more feedback.


• Value it. How do you feel when you give someone feedback and they don't seem to care about it or don't seem to give it much weight? Are you as likely to willingly give them feedback in the future or to work to make that feedback as effective as it could be? Probably not! If you want more (and better) feedback, you must value it which includes (among other things) thanking the person for provided us with the input for their help.


• Listen to it. Getting the feedback isn't enough, you must hear it! Listen with your ears to what is being said, so you hear the words. But listen too with your eyes and your heart. Try to understand what isn't being said as well. Remember that giving feedback isn't always easy, and the person sharing ideas (positive or negative) with you might not be 100% comfortable, or very experienced in, doing it. For you to get the most value from the feedback, you must listen closely and actively - asking clarifying questions and for additional details and insights.


• Be open to it.Being open to feedback is easy when you agree with or have already thought of the ideas being shared. But some feedback comes as a surprise. It is especially important in those instances to be open to it. If you value it, and really listen, it will make it easier to be open. It's important to recognize that there will sometimes be barriers in your mind. When others sense those barriers, you are making it less likely that they will want to share future feedback with you. Be open and you will get more feedback in the future (and you'll make better use of the feedback you are currently receiving!).


• Depersonalize it. The single biggest barrier to receiving feedback is defensiveness. And when you get defensive, it is usually because you are taking the feedback personally. I'm sure you have received feedback from someone when you felt like it was about you personally and not your behavior. Regardless of how someone intended the message, you can - with practice - decouple the feedback from you personally and keep it focused on your behavior. When it is about your behavior and not about you as a person, it is easier to drop your defenses and hear, and be open to, the feedback. Depending on the situation and the nature of the feedback, this depersonalization may not happen instantly, but overtime you can become more effective at translating the feedback into behavioral comments rather than interpreting them as personal in nature.


• Use it. Will you agree with - and take action on - every piece of feedback you receive? Probably not. And that's OK. On the other hand, even if you do the first five ideas well but never take any action to change, you not only aren't using the feedback to improve, but you're telling others (through your actions) that you don't really want or need any feedback.

As you read through these six ideas you hopefully see a common thread. Each of these ideas will help you get more or better feedback - and some do both!

When you recognize the value feedback can have in improving your results you know it's too important to leave to chance. Use these six ideas and you will find yourself with more input and ideas to propel you to greater performance and results.

Potential Pointer: Feedback is a powerful tool for personal development, too powerful to leave up to others. If you want more and better feedback, you need to take responsibility for making that happen.

Aerobic exercises keep your heart and cardiovascular system in shape, and this small paperback suggests 83 "neurobic" ways to keep your brain in shape.

Based on the latest research on brain function and learning (as of the publish date of 1999), the book provides a brief description of how the brain works in the opening chapter then gets down to the 83 exercises.

The exercises are categorized based on certain life situations, there are chapters on:

• Starting and Ending the Day
• Commuting
• At Work
• At the Market
• At Mealtimes
• At Leisure

Some of the exercises are pretty straightforward, others a bit surprising. I find myself doing some of the exercises long after reading about them - because they're easy to remember.

I don't think I'll ever do each exercise, rather I consider the book like a smorgasbord of ideas to try when I think about it.

This is a fun, little book that delivers on its goal and helps you learn about our beautifully amazing brains at the same time. If the book captivates you, it might be a nice companion to your daily learning journal - perhaps you could consciously do one exercise per day and record the lessons and experiences you have.

After all, a big part of our potential is the potential resting between our ears. This book will help you exercise that potential for your benefit in a fun, and relatively easy, way!

The beginning of the year is a typical time to read these types of suggestions. In many ways we ascribe a special significance to the beginning of the year as a time to proactively do things to improve our future. These actions are just as relevant whenever you may be reading (or re-reading) this - at any time of the year.

As leaders we know that being proactive is one of our most important attributes - for without a bias to act, we won't be leading anyone anywhere.

The five actions suggested below can set a proactive tone for you and your whole team or organization. In fact, they apply equally well for anyone, leader or not, regardless of role. When you take these actions you will gain a new perspective, a new focus, and will move forward more resolutely and with greater energy.

The Five Actions

• Call ten Customers. Now is the perfect time to call ten Customers and thank them for their business! This is NOT a sales call. It is a call to connect, thank people for the opportunity to serve them and to ask them for feedback. While this should be a regular task on your leadership list, now is a perfect time to pick up the phone, say thank you and ask for input. If you're an internal leader and don't deal with external Customers, this advice remains the same. Talk to those people you and your team support to thank them and ask for feedback. No matter who your Customers are you will gain credibility, learn a lot and perhaps set the stage for the next action.
• Pick a relationship to improve. As a leader you have many relationships to manage. You have relationships with Customers, suppliers, your team, your peers and your boss(es). You have relationships across your network, and among your friends and family as well. Pick one. Pick one you feel needs some strengthening, or you believe needs some attention, or one you just want to improve for any other reason. Pick one and make it your goal to do whatever you can to improve that relationship in the coming days, weeks and months. Even if the relationship is outside of work, you will gain benefits as a leader from these efforts. There is no better time to pick one than right now.
• Find a focus. You might think of this as a theme. Look at the months to come, the challenges you will face, the opportunities you see and the current state of your team and create a singular focused theme for the year. Share this with your team (or have them help you craft the wording from your initial ideas). Then use that theme to focus and unify the team in the days and weeks ahead. Use it as a guidepost to help you prioritize and maintain a proactive focus.
• Set goals with your team. If you have an intact team or organizational goal setting process, these goals may already be set. If so, review them collaboratively in light of your theme. If not, use your theme as one input in creating the goals for the team as a whole and individuals in particular. As leaders we must role model goal setting and goal achievement behaviors, and there is absolutely no time like the present to do just that.
• Decide what you need to learn. Each of the previous four actions will be inputs into this decision, but may not create a complete picture. As a leader who wants to improve and grow to help others create better results, you must be on a path of learning. More specifically, you must be intentional about your learning path. Investing the time to determine what you need and/or want to learn is an important step. Once you have taken this important step of deciding, then you can build a plan to help you achieve those learning objectives.

You've read the list. My suggestion is to do all of them. Even if you aren't sold on or see yourself doing all five, before you leave this article and move onto your next task, commit to doing at least one of them. Of course the more of them you do, the greater edge you will gain. But, one is better than none, and becoming a Remarkable Leader requires that you move forward proactively doing things to help you learn, grow and stretch.

All five of these actions will do that for you. Happy New Year! It's time to get started.

Potential Pointer: The actions suggested in this article are valuable anytime of the year. If you are reading this the 5th of January, the 5th of April or the 5th of September the value is the same. Take the time to take these actions and you will, in effect, create the start of a New Year! And all will help you become a more informed, confident and effective leader.

• Go over my insurance coverage to make sure it is appropriate and current
• Check my credit rating
• Review all of my investments
• Review my will

And most importantly, schedule an annual physical exam to check on my overall health.

All are good, sound advice, and I would like to add one to the list. Get a 360 Assessment.

Those recommendations I mentioned cover parts of our financial and physical well being and progress, and a 360 Assessment is a bit like that in terms of your professional well being and growth.

If you want to improve, you need to know:

• Where you are starting from (your strengths and weaknesses), so you can chart progress.
• What you most need to work on.

A 360 Assessment will do both of these things for you.

If you don't know, a 360 Assessment provides you with feedback from people 360 degrees around you - colleagues and peers, those you lead and those for whom you work. Using an anonymous process, you are able to learn how people feel about your skills, behaviors, habits and potential in a comprehensive written report.

There are many 360 Assessments available. If you have used one in the past that you were happy with, you might consider doing it again to understand your progress and chart your future learning course.

If you haven't ever done one, or if you weren't happy with or can't access the one you have done in the past, we would be happy to help you. Our 360 Assessment is based on the 13 competencies in my book Remarkable Leadership, and our assessment package includes two coaching sessions to help you understand, evaluate and build action plans from your results. In addition it includes content selected based on your assessment to help you reach your goals.

Learn more about the Remarkable Leadership 360 Assessment process or email or call us (317-387-1424 x2) to see how we can work with you individually or help you implement this throughout your organization.

Labels: inspiration, Unleash Your Potential

Labels: goal settting, goals, resolutions