5 Tips To Make Things Happen

Decisions get made. It's time to start.

The goal is clear. There is a picture of what the result should look like.

Now we just have to "do it."

Some don't make it...

.. .individually or organizationally.

Given that there are entire industries built around "doing it"--continuous improvement, change management, life coaching-- there must be some trick to that whole in between area. If you are involved in any kind of a change, here are 5 tips that you can take to the bank. (Ignoring them may put you in the collection agency).

1. Language matters.

"We're going to make a transition from___to____" impacts the brain a lot better than "We're going to change."

(Honestly, I don't want to change--do you? But I don't have any problem making a transition).

2. Friendships matter.

Be willing to talk and be willing to listen. When things change at home or in your family, you have coffee and conversation with friends. Why? It's cathartic. And you don't feel alone. Changes at work are no different.

3. Grace matters.

Transitions and change imply, by definition, that people are trying something for the first time. When your little child tried out her first steps and fell after the third one, you didn't offer a performance appraisal. You hugged her, made a big fuss, took a video, and called the grandparents.

Offer the same to adults who are trying something for the first time. Truth be told, they are feeling like kids at that moment.

Note: I'd avoid the hug and the video; it's your call on whether to phone the grandparents.

4. Accountability matters.

This isn't opposed to numbers 2 or 3. Accountability is an act of deep friendship. Friends don't let friends drive drunk. They also don't let friends do things--or avoid doing things--that are hurting their careers.

5. Small wins matter.

Make an example of anyone or any result that approximates the longer term ideal. Do it often.

If you wait until everyone gets it perfect, there won't be a celebration. There may not be a reason for it.

That's why continuous improvement is called continuous improvement. 

_______________________________

Bonus for You For 2012

During the Christmas/New Year respite, I scrolled through the list of leadership and workplace blogs that I've subscribed to over the years. Some I read religiously, others I spot-check for information. Here are seven that I recommend for those who want a glimpse into the insights of writers who possess depth and breadth of experience and are engaging in their writing and subject matter. The numbers aren't rankings, simply an orderly way to present the information. These seven writers will add, exponentially, to your leadership and workplace savvy.

1. Michael Hyatt, Intentional Leadership. The Chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishers shares personal leadership insights, productivity tips, and and offers glimpses of his life, personal and professional. The model of transparency, authenticity, and a leaders of substance.

2. Steve Farber consistently reflects his commitment to his theme for Extreme Leadership. His message is simple, yet profound: "Truly great leaders in life become so because they cause others to become greater than themselves."

3. Managing Leadership is the engaging online presence of Jim Stroup whose military and academic credentials go a long way in explaining the depth of his thinking and writing. Jim is a must-read for those who want to delve into the facts and fantasies of modern management development.

4. Wally Bock is the force behind Three Star Leadership. Each week, Wally makes sure you are in touch with new and useful resources; helps readers look at what really works (and doesn't) when it comes to developing supervisors; and provides a free weekly newsletter (you just need to sign up) that will give you fascinating and surprising glimpses into the lives of people who have made a difference in our lives.

5. Dan McCarthy combines years of experience as a learning executive with Paychex with his current role as Director of Development Programs at the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire. Great Leadership By Dan is a place where you can explore working models for talent and leadership development and interact with Dan (he's all about learning and his responses to comments are frequently mini-lessons unto themselves.

6. Mike Myatt focuses on his work with CEOs and, as a result, allows a glimpse into the daily challenges of the C-world. Mike is also enjoys engaging with his readers and trying out different ways to connect and keep others connected.

7. The term Remarkable Leadership points to just one person: Kevin Eikenberry. Leadership Coach and Author, online teacher, and social media maven, Kevin is the kind of of guy you want to meet after reading a few of his articles and listening to what he's up to on any given week. The place to do it all? Leadership & Learning.

You can't get off to a better "leadership learning" start in 2012 than with this gang. Enjoy!

Comments

[Only]

Hello.I was reading someone elses blog and saw you on their blogroll.All I can say is that lucky I found your blog. Great work!!!!!!!!!!!

[Damenbekleidung]

I would like to say thanks for the efforts you have made compiling this article. You have been an inspiration for me. I've forwarded this to a friend of mine.

[Denise Green]

I'm predicting that this will be one of my favorite posts of 2012 (I know it's early but I'm putting it out there). I don't know whether it's because you can cover so many angles with so few words, or because of great one-liners like "Accountability is an act of deep friendship". With that context, I might even un-ban the word accountability from my vocabulary.

Sadly, I can envision on HR leader (from years past) giving the 3-year old an appraisal.

I agree that everyone on your list is there deservedly so. And I can't help but notice that they are all men. Not that there's anything wrong with men. But I have been struggling (and making lots of assumptions) to understand why there are more men who are prolific leadership bloggers. I thought that maybe I just hadn't found the women. I follow several great women coaches including Pam Slim, Martha Beck, Fierce Inc (Susan Scott's team), and Liz Weber. But they aren't all focused on leadership development. If you have any recommendations, please share them.
And in 2012, I'm going to commit to blog more frequently, and with fewer words. As you'll see with my related post about making change stick (written about a year ago), I like to cover a lot of ground. http://brillianceinc.com/self-improvement-that-sticks/
Hopefully I'll earn a place on your list one day.
All my best, Denise

[Jim Stroup]

Thanks, Steve, for the very kind mention, and in such truly great company.

I was very interested in Denise's comment, also - as well as relieved at her tolerance of men - we need that. I think her point is interesting. It is often noted - by everyone from grade-school teachers to adult observers like Denise - that males are more proactive about volunteering their opinions and insistent about their getting a hearing than females. This means, however, only what it says - it doesn't mean that only men have such opinions, nor, certainly, that only their opinions are of worth.

My observations, for what they're worth, are that this assertive verbosity of men is just one indicator of one of our weaknesses as managers, and the apparent silence of women in this regard masks some of their great strengths. I wrote a series of articles about this some years ago on my blog - the general take was that women have innate strengths as managers that men lack and that some of them are so key to the function that women may indeed be better suited to senior management than men.

This is a complex subject, of course, and one that admits of many exceptions and qualifications all around. It is surely a highly sensitive one as well. It may be interesting to revisit it - should I ever finish the series I'm on now.

In the meanwhile, I've added Denise's blog to my rss reader, and look forward to hearing more from her.

And, as always, from you, Steve! Thanks again for the mention and especially for your wonderfully insightful and eye-opening work.

Best,

Jim

[KevinEikenberry]

Steve - Thanks for another great post (which is no surprise, it is what I've come to expect when I come here!)

Thanks too for the inclusion on your list of leadership bloggers. I'm honored to be included.

YOU are Remarkable!

Kevin :)

[Mike Rogers]

Hi Steve,

As a fellow leadership blogger, I am grateful to have come across your blog. I enjoyed your post on change or might I say transition ; )

Often times we lose sight of the human side of leading others. The importance of listening and patience are key to effective leadership.

One comment and question around accountability. I like the point that friends don't let friends do things that can injure their career. I have always felt that the greatest leaders care enough to hold others accountable and provide the difficult feedback when necessary. To not do so is usually selfish on the leaders part because he or she doesn't want someone to think of them as less, rather than caring enough to help by being honest. But how do leaders in your opinion build the type of trust that allows them to do the tough things that are for their own good? And how do leaders get the courage to do it?

Mike
teamworkleadership.com

[Mike Brown]

Steve

I hear you. Who wants to change? It's haaaarrrd (Can you hear the whining?).

This year I am going with the peer pressure approach. I am telling everyone about the two things I want to do differently this year.

First - I am committing to talking to at least one customer every day. I get so caught up in meetings and performance reviews and whatever else I get caught up in that I could go a whole week without talking to a customer. On the whiteboard in my office - I have a little place that says "Customers I have talked to this week." I have asked everyone in the office to give me a hard time - if I am behind on my customer calls.

Second - I am committing to reading a book a week. It doesn't matter if it is the History of SNL or The Flinch by Julien Smith.

So Steve (or anyone else reading this blog), next time you talk to me or see me - ask me what I learned from a customer or from the last book that I read.

Cheers

Mike

[Steve Roesler]

Denise,

Thanks for covering a lot of turf in a meaningful way. And, I will have to check out the post (a year gives it a vintage--doesn't make it "old").

There are certainly women bloggers out there on leadership--Jesse Lynn Stoner is one who I read and who comes to mind immediately--and Mary Jo Asmus approaches it from the standpoint of coaching. As I was doing the first post of the year I decided to add the half dozen mentioned and, quite frankly, they are ones that I find consistently helpful, broadly experienced, and that I have been reading for a long time. I could do a top 50 list from my RSS reader but I'll leave that to the folks who do that sort of thing.

Very pleased to connect with you here and look forward to an ongoing online relationship. . .

[Steve Roesler]

Jim

Here's to a terrific year ahead and to all of the series that we'll be reading. For me, part of the magnetism of your blog has been the "series" approach and watching a thought unfold in the blog as well as the comment section.

All the best,

Steve

[Steve Roesler]

Kevin

Wishing you an equally Remarkable year ahead!

[Steve Roesler]

Mike

Those are two darned good questions (hate when that happens).

When I say or write anything about leadership, it's based upon experiential evidence in the consulting practice and/or my own experiences and struggles with leadership challenges and growth throughout my life.

So, here's a first shot at the questions:

a. Building trust. That one is actually easy:

1. Do exactly what you say you are going to do; if something changes, tell people right away that something changed and why it changed.
2. When you mean "no", say "no". People only trust other people who say "No" to them. (Think about it).

b. How do you get the courage? That seems to be quite an individual thing. Speaking for myself, at some point in time I realized that doing the right thing, regardless of the flak, still allowed me to sleep soundly. Waffling on an issue meant my sleep was equally waffled because I knew I had not been courageous. I believe that when it comes to leadership, courage is the result of assessing a situation honestly and acting on it honestly. Note: There are people in leadership positions who are scoundrels, dishonest, and "successful" according to certain standards. Therefore, it's important to know--and hold fast to--your non-negotiable values before you decide to follow someone or ask others to follow you.

History is filled with leaders who have made the world a better place and leaders who have left bodies lying in the streets while still being able to get a good night's sleep. One of the things that we can do a much better job of is teaching the truth between good and bad and right and wrong in our educational system. If we become appalled at the number of business leaders who think that truth is a relative concept and that leads to a lack of trust in their organizations, at some point we need to ask ourselves where that was learned and reinforced.

Mike, I hope that addresses your questions at least to some degree. After reading my stream of consciousness, there may be other comments as well:-)

Thanks for weighing in.

[Steve Roesler]

Mike B

OK: What have you learned from a customer today?

If nothing, then what were you reading?

Awesome goal.

(Pleading guilty to the "need to talk to customers more frequently" issue.)

[Mike Brown]

Good customer learning this week - Managing Expectations... As clear and concise as you think you are - it doesn't matter what you think - it is what the customer thinks...

This particular customer's expectations and mine were not aligned and they wanted their money back... In my head I was thinking "Did you read the marketing copy?!? - It clearly said what we were and were not going to cover" But I choked all of that back and used this as an opportunity to better understand where they were coming from... I didn't entirely agree with their point but see where I could have better clarified the situation... After talking to the customer I refunded their money, gave them my direct number and email address - and told them to contact me directly if they were planning on attending another one of our events and I would be able to help them to decide if it was appropriate for their organization... They were extremely surprised and pleased with this gesture - and told me that they would work with us again in the future...

This brings me to another point - which is Customer Service in today's world has deteriorated so rapidly - that people are shocked when they receive good, quality Customer Service...

As for the book I am reading - UnMarketing by Scott Stratten... I would recommend it to anyone with responsibility of building and sustaining new business...

[Hojindo:Hospitality Job Indonesia]

thanks for the information provided and keep posting Steve...cheerss

[Facebook Application Developer]

I have read your another article, it was already interesting but now your article is motivated and informative. Thanks for sharing.

[Mike Rogers]

Thanks Steve! Loved your answers. I liked the response especially around courage. I admit that I have sometimes waffled myself on several occasions and haven't slept so well. I know better. Heck, I write on this stuff, but it can be difficult. But being honest with yourself and to the situation is really the key.

Leaders who are dishonest can sleep well because they don't care. It's only the leaders that care that don't sleep well from time to time... : )

Mike

[Matt]

I love the second point that is Friendship matters, I agree that.

[Dan McCarthy]

Steve -
Thanks for including me on your bonus list and the kind words. I wish you and your readers all the best in 2012!
Dan
p.s. - Giants or Patriots?

[Steve Roesler]

Dan--

Well -deserved.

Live in NJ--has to be the Giants.

[Ilana]

Well, if you have the confidence that you can do it then you have already won half of the battle. Other things you need is expert's opinion and friends to help you when needed. I don't think anything is impossible then.