ELEPHANT ALERT!

Alarming news: “On your next flight your plane will be on target – it will have its nose directly in line with your destination – less than 5% of the time,” a participant recently shared.

Even with a clear vision, strong execution and determination, there will be moments when we are not on target. How leaders respond in such moments determines their results.

Here’s the elephant in the office: Some people spend hours focusing on, ridiculing and criticizing those who are off target. Somehow, these bosses believe that by making people feel bad, stupid or incompetent, that off-target people will respond in a healthy way.

Yet, how excited do you get about changing when you feel like gum on the sole of a shoe? This approach exacerbates errors. Conversely, people change when they feel good about themselves.

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

Imagine if every time your flight was off course you went to the cockpit and yelled, “Hey pilot, you’re an idiot! We’re off course. You’re not flying this tin can the right way!” This seems ludicrous. Yet, have you observed others who use this approach when giving others feedback?

This doesn’t mean we should tolerate being “off target.” The key is: As a leader, how quickly can you get yourself and others back on target? Two course-correcting steps achieve this:

1. Provide a statement of affirmation that builds confidence. For example, “It’s clear you are passionate about delivering excellence.”
2. Ask a question that allows the pilot to self-correct. “What will be your next steps to ensuring greater quality?” Or, “What does your completed objective look like now?”

We go in the direction of our focus. Today, help two people course correct: another person – and yourself.

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

ELEPHANT ALERT!

Nothing beats momentum. When the thrust of energy moving forward is strong, obstacles become smaller and inconsequential. What percentage of time does your team feel like it can achieve anything? Increasing the “momentum percentage” is a top leadership priority.

Yet, guess what approach too many people bring to business?

Here’s the elephant in the office: Some people try to build momentum by focusing on momentum-killers, such as problems, what’s not working, and blame. This approach is rationalized because “the facts must be looked at clearly.”

But why position facts so they drag like anchors on progress?

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

A friend shares, “It’s crazy. I’ve got people around me who point out all the places we’re successful, all the things we’re doing well. But I’ve always felt I had to sit on the ‘reality train’ and focus on where we’re coming up short. I realize I can do a lot better job of looking at the same facts – but in a way that builds momentum.”

Every person reading this blog knows that perspective is reality. Yet, why wouldn’t one choose a perspective that creates a healthy, more productive reality?

A Cincinnati company is building the population of leaders within their organization who can address reality in a way that builds the belief (and capabilities) that they can achieve even more. This naturally leads to achieving more! They just landed the largest contract in their history – and are now more strategically positioned in the market than ever before.

Even though they’re dealing with the same economic facts as their competitors, their reality is different. They are mastering their focus, which means they’re mastering their perspective.

What sort of momentum do you and your team have right now? What train are you riding?

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

ELEPHANT ALERT

During a leadership training three months ago, Jim shared how his life was becoming increasing hopeless, leaving him with an overwhelming sense of being out of control.  He said there were days he was so discouraged, he could barely get out of bed.  He shared that he dreaded going to work…where he was sure he did more harm than good. 

Jim admitted that the only reason he came to the leadership training was that he was desperately seeking some kind of a “magic cure.” 

Here’s the Elephant in the Office:  Many people are waiting for a magic cure, or worse yet, they’re waiting for someone else to tell them how to fix their life.

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

Twelve weeks after the training, still using concepts he’d learned, Jim stated he had discovered something important - he now saw clearly that he had spent years digging his very own “hole of despair.”

“For years I was continually upset by all the things that weren’t working in my life.  I would ruminate about all of the boring and wasteful meetings I was forced to attend.  My forehead creased as I worried about all of the impossible deadlines.  When I woke up in the morning, I was already mad that I had so much to do…mad that I wasn’t appreciated…mad that my wife and kids were an endless hassle…mad that I never had time for myself.  Each day, I’d come home more discouraged than ever.  I kept asking myself, ‘why is my life going so poorly?’  I had dug a hole of despair so deep that I could no longer see any light.”

“What I now know is that I can keep digging a deeper hole or I can start filling it up.  I was waiting for someone or something to come along and fix my problems.  Had I continued, it would have been a very long and dangerous wait.  I now realize that my life, health and happiness depend on the tiniest leadership moments.   I have started to build a very strong awareness muscle.  I now realize that every single one of those moments is a choice… A choice to focus on my blessings: the things that are going well, the things I want to improve on, and the people I want to serve.   Leadership by leadership moment, I have a long way to go, but I’m starting to see some light.”

Jim’s story reminds us of an important lesson: We all know there is no magic cure. But there is something that works every time. We can purposefully choose our focus and our direction in each and every leadership moment.

What are you doing with your leadership moments today?

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

ELEPHANT ALERT!

A friend sent this: “The only thing we have to give that is new is the growing edge of our lives.  Everything else is old.”

What are you giving others? And are the people in your workplace bringing a fresh and new version of themselves each day? Or is it a bit like the summer TV season: full of re-runs?

Here’s the elephant in the office: Daily workplaces are exposed to the “business as usual” scourge: people coming to work and thinking they already know everything – especially other people and their ideas.

Have you ever caught the contagion? Its symptoms include focusing on what we don’t like about people and things, arrogant and defensive attitudes, conversations about what’s not working, and the folly of trying to outsmart problems. When you model these behaviors you become outdated.

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

We just completed a session in Ecuador. And I wish you could have been there to meet Humberto.

Humberto models leadership in many ways, including his immunity to the “business as usual” scourge. He’s been working in his industry for 43 years (that’s not a typo). And yet you won’t catch this man yawning, not listening, being defensive, or putting his nose in the air. Instead, Humberto sits on the edge of his seat; he asks questions; he laughs; he engages with passion – and he delivers great results.

You won’t get re-runs with Humberto because he models his ever-growing personal edge.

Become immune to the “business as usual” contagion by asking yourself: In what ways will I be a student today? Where will I set down assumptions and collect new data? What will my growing edge look like to others?

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

ELEPHANT ALERT!

When I was ten I had an experience I will never forget. It was a typical, oppressive, hot and humid day in Minnesota. I’d been in the field picking rock for hours and wasn’t happy.

Suddenly, an idea came to me that would make my life easier – and possibly change the world!

Walking into the house I shared my secret. “Dad! Someday I’m going to invent a very thin, lotion-like substance that will insulate me from the sun and keep me cool. It will be like an invisible suit you can wear in the heat.”

My dad looked at me and laughed. “It’s already been invented, son.”

I was shocked. “Really?”

“Yep,” my dad replied. “It’s called sweat.”

Here’s the elephant in the office: There’s a lot of people under stress who are functioning as if they’re incomplete, as if they lack what it takes to be a success. They whine, complain, and mope around…wishing they had what they already have. Such people function in a perpetual state of failure.

What does it mean to you and your chances for success knowing that most of your competition is probably using this “elephant in the office” approach?

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

Try this conversation with a friend or team: What is the difference between determining what we need to acquire in order to be a success vs. determining what we can do to leverage what we already have to be an even greater success? As you consider your results, include in your observations the varied impact the two approaches have on attitudes, confidence and momentum.

Consider that you don’t need to invent sweat to be a success – you simply need to sweat.

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

ELEPHANT ALERT!

Is it possible the difference between succeeding and falling short of your goals comes down to one characteristic? There are many success variables – but one is more important than all the rest.

Observe the people around you: What percentage of the time are they bringing their ‘A’ game? Giving their best effort?

Here’s the elephant in the office: “It drives me crazy,” said my neighbor. “There’s a small group of us at work who give the job our all. And then there’s a whole bunch of people who seem to be going through the motions. It’s like life is just a dress rehearsal for them.” He shook his head. “What are they waiting for?”

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t isn’t just talent. And it certainly isn’t luck. The key characteristic is this: Successful people always bring the best version of themselves to the game.

A friend named Jay recently started his own business. Within a year he’s not only profitable – his biggest challenge is managing the rapid growth. I asked him, “What’s your secret?”

His answer inspires: “I show up. It’s that simple. Every day, in every meeting, I give my all. It surprises me how many people come to the dance – but don’t dance.”

What’s on your schedule today? If you’re like most, you’ve got little or no time to prepare. How will you ever be successful? Try this: Before each meeting, ask yourself this question: What will I do to be the best I can be? Then engage. Dance. Show up. Be on a roll. Contribute. Drink it up.

Dress rehearsal is over.

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

ELEPHANT ALERT!

Do you inspire people? Do people like being around you? Do you influence the effectiveness of others – for the greater good – when you’re in the room?

These are questions aspiring leaders should ask themselves. The answers tell us a lot.

Here’s the elephant in the office: There are some people who don’t care what people think of them. “Screw ‘em,” they say. “What you see is what you get. I’m not going to change me. Deal with it.” (Is this a form of laziness? Denial? Insecurity?)

This, of course, leaves everyone else dealing with what they get: breakdowns in communication, poor relationships, and ugly results.

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

Autonomy, the ability to determine your own value, is a strong characteristic of influential leaders. It also has a dark side: when we disregard the feedback we receive from others and no longer work to improve who we are.

We just worked with a team in Medellin, Colombia. The top 30 leaders of this already-successful organization are determined to take their company to new highs. And here’s one reason why we’re betting they’ll succeed: they’re dedicated to functioning in a way where those they lead say, “I want to be like you.”

Their secret to achieving this is simple: in every interaction with others they focus on building stronger relationships.

At the end of the day what do people say about you? Are you functioning in a way that inspires people to emulate you…or are you a model that leaves people muttering, “I’m learning a lot from him: everything I don’t want to do when I’m in his position”?

This end-of-the-day test has a bonus section: who do your children wish they could be like?

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

ELEPHANT ALERT!

It seems every company puts up posters that say “our people make the difference.” But what sort of difference are they making?

Intelligent, highly-skilled, and experienced people who are not aligned, can’t communicate with one another, and don’t have a common language might just as well not be intelligent, skilled or experienced. Operating alone, people make as much difference as a water removal specialist approaching the Pacific.

Here’s the elephant in the office: Many companies trademark their products so no one else can steal and sell them. Yet, the teams that make and deliver those products flounder in toxicity are often unaligned and can’t communicate effectively. These companies should post signs that read, “Our people make a difference – occasionally, usually around the holidays or when we give bonuses.”

The most important edge you can have over your competition – and the one thing your competition can’t steal – is HOW the people in the organization work together.

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

Jose is the president for the Latin American region within a Fortune 500 company. His team delivers greater profits to their global organization than any other region. And Jose knows why: “How we work together is what makes the difference. It’s our trademark. It’s what separates us from everyone else. We must protect this.”

Jose’s organization is facing the same economic and market issues as their competition, yet his team is planning for growth. And the confidence to deliver on that plan is palpable.

Are you – your company’s culture – worth a trademark? What will happen to the value of your trademarked products as the people who create your culture function as one – so they really can be “the difference”?

What is your priority today?

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?