ArLyne's Diamonds

A running commentary of ideas

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Ten Steps to Success

Ten Steps to Success

I meet so many professionals who dream about creating their own success but find themselves being stopped by obstacles of their own doing. In the many years in which I’ve been consulting to people, I often help them look at and overcome these obstacles so that they can reach the heights to which they subscribe. The obstacles are different for different people, and the steps to success are also different.

I am offering an on-line, or on-the-phone consulting service called “Ten Steps to Success” which will consist of three separate sessions over a one or two month period to mentor and coach those interested in taking the ten steps to success. The rate for this service is a flat $1,000.00. If you are interested, or know of anyone interested in creating their success path, please contact me.

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Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Sitting Shiva

I lost a dear friend this week and I am in mourning. My dear friend Paul Fisher died of a brain tumor. It's wiped me out because he was like a brother to me and I feel awful that he died.

In the jewish religion we mourn by spending time thinking about, talking about,and remembering those we love. I've spent a loit of time this week remembering Paul and the things we all did as kids.

Sitting Shiva is an important tradition.

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Sunday, October 02, 2011

Management by Intimidation and micro-control

How do you expect to get the best out of people when you treat them badly? I had a very short (and very unsatifying) business relationship with a local non-profit that will remain nameless.

The CEO, who had been with the company all his working life, and had no other working experiences treated everyone with distrust and dislike - under a veneer of charm. I learned when interviewing his employees that no one wanted to be promoted, feeling that they were preserving their jobs by staying under the radar. No one wanted his help and tried avoiding him where ever possible. Really competent people left the firm as soon as they could find other work, and mediocre people kissed up to him and kept their jobs.

Since all the money came from state funding, apparently they have been able to get away with mediocre people doing as little as possible for a very long time.

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Leadership for a Global Workforce

Yesterday, in 3 sessions, I met with 120 San Jose State University students who were actively involved in community service. A delightful group our workshops were lively and highly interactive. i thought it might be helpful to anyone else interested if I shared my outline:


Leadership in the 21st Century
San Jose State University
Saturday, October 1, 2011

Who are You? What would you like to get out of this workshop?
• Quickly – name, major, work experience
• Write down three things you want to learn today
• Take responsibility for participating and making sure you learn them.
• Highlight of topics we will cover today
What makes Leadership in the 21st Century Different?
Today – we are Leading and Managing in a Global Economy
• What does that mean? How is it different from 20-30 years ago?
o What countries – cultures are represented in this room?
o How well do we understand people of other cultures?
• If we can’t really understand them – how can we lead and manage them?
• Changes are happening all over the world – look for example at China today.
Today – we are changing the way we interact with others at work
• Yesterday we dealt with people face-to-face.
o Yesterday we managed by walking around and really seeing what others were doing.
o Yesterday teams all worked together side by side.
• Today, our teams are all over the world
o Today, we contact them by e-mail and social media
o Today, we sometimes never get to see the people with whom we work
• What does that mean to the development of trust? To management skill?
Today – technology and how we use it changes almost minute by minute
• Phones – I-phones, Tablets – laptops, Chips in our brain?
• Every day we must learn how to use another tool
o Exciting – chaotic
o Causes us to have to stop and re-learn, slowing work down
Today – only businesses that create ‘Disruption” are considered exciting
• What does that mean?
• What about good solid stable ideas?

How do these changes matter to those of us wishing to lead tomorrow?
What is your definition of leadership?
• How does leadership compare to management?
• How does one become a leader?
• Name some leaders that are/were famous (good or bad)
• What does a leader have to do in order to acquire followers?
o Give them what they want
o Inspire them to want to do what you are advocating
o Be trustworthy – walk your talk
Leading and Managing an educated workforce
• Hiring well
• Funnel theory of management
• Delegating
• Decision-making – shared
• Performance appraisals – timely – dartboard
• Accountability
Emotional Involvement
• People stay or go based on their relationship with those closest to them, including team mates and management.
• If the product/service of the company is helping humanity people feel better about what they are doing.
• If the company is involved in the community – showing how it helps others (charity, donations of time, etc.), employees feel proud to be part of it.
o Sometimes this requires proving to the shareholders how it enhances their profits.
o Community involvement can include role-modeling acceptance and celebration of the differences between people.
• What works for you? What are your examples?
Team Interaction – and Conflict Management
• Building trust – especially in distant teams
• Dealing with “storming” – disagreements
• OK – to disagree – “Tyranny of Pleasantness”
• What’s ok – and what crosses the line

What do you need to do to become a successful leader tomorrow?
• Personality
• Image
• Knowledge and experience
• Surrounding yourself with those smarter than you.
• Presentation style
• Self-confidence
• Health
• Risk-taking
• Charisma – what does that mean?

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