Champion Leadership Tip #1 - Leadership Defined
October 24, 2009 by Skip Weisman
Filed under Featured
Ten years ago I heard U.S. Army General and first Gulf War Commander Norman Schwartzkopf speak at a leadership conference. He told us that day that defining leadership was similar to the Supreme Court’s definition of obscenity, “I can’t define it but I know it when I see it.” He proceeded to try to define it anyway with, “getting others to do things they ordinarilly wouldn’t do because they want to do it.”
In preparing for a leadership keynote address I was asked to deliver recently at a regional martial arts school I decided I needed a definition that rang true for me.
I sat down this week to craft my own and in reviewing not just my 27 years in business, 20 years in minor league professional baseball management, and now 10 years studying business success and successful leadership I reflected on the role those I respect as the best leaders I’ve experienced in my life played in making me who I am today.
What I realized was they inspired me to go for something that I was not even aware of was something I could enjoy achieving or being a part of. They usually did so by being a role model in how they went after the same or similar thing. Additionally, they took responsibility for their role in inspiring me to go for it and continued to me by coaching and guiding me to perform at the level necessary to achieve success at it.
Based on my experiences as identified above, here’s what I came up with:
“Inspiring others to do something they ordinarilly would not do, and/or coaching them to perform at an even higher level than they ordinarilly would perform, if left on their own.”
What do you think? Does it ring true for you? What would you add or change about it? Or, what is your definition of leadership and what specific references do you have that have directed you to define leadership in the way you do?
I look forward to your comments and contributions.
“Little” Things Make a “Big” Difference in Customer Service
October 16, 2009 by Skip Weisman
Filed under Featured
Often times when I walk into a company for a meeting, whether it be a marketing call on my behalf or a client consulting session I am usually offered a beverage by someone in the company. Sometimes the offer doesn’t come until I meet with my party, other times it comes when I am greeted by reception and I am waiting for my party to arrive.
Today, with regards to customer service I experienced something completely new, different and most importantly - exceptional and memorable
The company is one of the largest and most prestigious CPA firms in the Hudson Valley Region of New York - Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni and Weddell.
After the “Director of First Impressions” greeted me from behind her open window at the reception counter, she promptly called my party to let him know I had arrived, she handed me a menu of beverages. This menu was presented to me as if it were a wine list at a fine restaurant. The options included soft drinks, coffee, tea, sparkling water, and regular water. I chose plain water.
A few moments later she walked out to the waiting area and handed me a real glass full of water. Usually I am proferred a paper or plastic cup, or a coffee mug with water. This was an impressive drinking glass.
In my business consulting I encourage my clients to focus on the “fundamentals” to achieve market differentiation. In football they call it “blocking and tackling,” in ice hockey its skating and stickhandling, in basketball its the free-throws and blocking out under the basket. Every sport has them and all businesses have them.
My musical hero Bruce Springsteen wrote a song a long time ago which is rarely, if ever played, called “It’s the Little Things That Count.” It relates to personal relationships but is just as pertinent in the business setting.
So, today, my vote for a “Champion Business” goes to Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni and Weddell based in Newburgh, NY for the presentation of a beverage “menu” to its guests, offered by their “Director of First Impressions.” Great job!
What are the “little things” in your business that for little or no cost and little additional effort, you could easily raise the bar on the impression you make on your clients, prospects and competitors? Pick one today and start working on it.
It Is Time to Forget About Your Company’s “Mission”
October 14, 2009 by Skip Weisman
Filed under Featured
One of the most mis-understood and mis-construed concepts in all the business world has to be the concept of “mission.” There are probably as many different takes on “mission” as there are consultants who facilitate strategic plans. Many times the vision and mission are confused. Other times the mission is two-three paragraphs long and no one cares to read it after its created and put on a poster to hang in the hallways, never mind trying to memorize it.
I want to give business leaders a different approach to make the concept more useful and give it greater impact throughout their organization. That is why I am recommending doing away with your company’s “mission.”
Instead of developing a “mission,” business leaders should be focusing on their company’s “purpose.” Your company’s “purpose” is a very simple concept to understand. There should be no confusion.
What is a “purpose”? It is the reason your company’s exists. In eight years of facilitating strategic planning processes this has been the number of concept that has provided the most value to my clients and is something that has been extremely well received and remembered.
This concept was reinforced for me twice last week. The first time was when I was watching the new Ken Burn’s PBS series on “The National Parks.” In reviewing the history of Yellowstone National Park the message over the North Gate was discussed, which states, “For The Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.”
This message over arch of the gate is Yellowstone’s “purpose.” It is simple, easy to recite and remember. It is also a statement both park employees and visitors can understand and associate to in a very positive way.
Other examples include the first purpose I ever created with my co-workers at my former employer, the Hudson Valley Renegades minor league professional baseball team. There is a long story and a lot of inner-office debate behind the creation of this purpose and it took all of my influencing skills as a leader to help our executive team agree to it, but it is something I believe is the true essence and purpose of the organization to this day:
“Making Magical Moments and Memories for Our Community”
Some other recent clients have developed the following Purpose Statements and are all using them in place of “Mission” which I believe to be an obselete concept, it is time to put it out to pasture:
“Constructing Exceptional Buildings and Exceptional Environments for Our Community”
“Transform the mental health system so that each individual with mental illness
has hope for recovery, choices for quality care, and a sense of empowerment and self-determination.”
If you want to get the most out of your employees, connect at a deep level with your customers and build a brand around something that shows your company makes a difference forget about the mission and find its“Purpose.”
At a recent workshop with a half-dozen business leaders this subject was a hot topic we discussed for at least 30-minutes because they all wanted to know “where to start?”
You start with asking and answering these questions:
“What is the one thing that our company must fulfill for our customers that will absolutely ensure our financial success for the long-term?”
“What is it that we do consistently that makes a difference in our customers lives/businesses every day?”
Even with these questions leadership teams have a challenge in answering them by themselves because internal facilitators fail to push the issue deep enough to get to the core essence of the company’s existence. What is created is a statement that lacks power and emotion. If you want to create a statement that has power and emotion like the ones above, it helps to have an outside facilitator take the leadership team through the process.