The Spoon

What activity am I describing below?

• It doesn't really take that long.
• It should be part of a regular routine, not something you only do twice a year.
• Despite poor technique, just doing it can produce decent results.
• Most people admit (and feel guilty) that they don't do it as often as they should.
• The benefits have been experienced by many and supported in research studies.
• Everyone agrees it's a good idea, and it's not particularly painful if you do it regularly.

If you said flossing, then you are correct.
If you were thinking coaching... well you are correct, too!!

Managers are tasked with executing business strategies. Simply put: getting the work done. At the same time they are supposed to own talent management — developing their staff for not only continued professional success and engagement, but also to fill the future talent needs of the organization.

Coaching of employees fits into this management agenda as a core discipline, just like flossing is part of dental hygiene. It's part of the managers' nuts-and-bolts, day-to-day activities — or is it?

The Financial Crisis: How Leaders Face Fear & Find Courage
by Steve Tobak
October 17, 2008 @ 7:00 am
http://blogs.bnet.com

Businesses are run by people. Leaders are people. And, in times of crisis, people feel fear, confusion, anxiety and panic. This post is about how business leaders - effective and aspiring leaders - face crisis.

Read the Article

Respect definitely takes some time to earn, but if you can consistently demonstrate behavior that deserves it, you're on your way to being a respected leader. Here are some easy ways to earn respect:

• Treat Each Person As If They are Your Top Priority

When you are engaged in a conversation, you need to focus on making the person feel as if they are your top priority. When you genuinely communicate that you value others, you are laying the foundation for a relationship built on trust and respect.

• Be Predictable

People respect those who have proven that they can be counted on time & again when times are tough.

• Lead With the Courage to Be Who You Are

When leaders have the courage to be who they are by projecting their strengths and improving their weaknesses, they inspire trust, confidence and respect.

• Display Integrity in All that You Do

Respected leaders are able to praise positive reults, but also able to deliver bad news when it is needed. They don't mince words or water down remarks. They rely upon integrity to communicate with honesty, compassion, sincerity and directness.

I hope you answered "being respected" and chances are, many of you did. So why do most people work harder at being liked than they do at earning respect?

Like the word "Leader", respect is not something that you are entitled to because of position, title or authority. It is something that you earn. If you have ever had to remind someone that you are in charge; if you have ever had to resort to using the words, "Because I said so" with your kids, or if you have ever wondered why you staff just isn't listening to you, you need to take a step back and ask yourself what you have done to earn their respect.

Think about those people in your life who you respect. They are probably people who you know pretty well. They have opened their authentic selves up to you; shared their beliefs, their values, and their true personalities. And then they have lived accordingly. They have made decisions based upon what they believed was right - instead of what may have been popular. They have been true to themselves and have never attempted to act like someone else or play another part. They have continuously performed up to and surpassed high standards and then set the bar even higher. They have earned your respect over time, displaying consistency in who they are, what they believe and their strong performance.

An authentic leader knows that respect is critical to the ability to effectively lead others. Be authentic and hold fast to your decisions that may not be popular, but are best for the team and company. You will be much better able to influence others and outcomes by diligently earning the respect of others.

Do you have a "To Learn" list? I do. Every day there are things that catch my attention and I want to learn more about. It's a wide variety of topics and interests. My list isn't formal, written down, or even checked-off as I learn new things. It's basically just a collage of things I want to know more about.

Some people have a "skills-I-need-to-get" list. You may be more focused on a career shift, or just keeping up with the changes in your field. It's important to have such lists.

Jim Collins, in an essay in Learning Journeys, wrote, "A true learning person also has a “to-learn” list, and the items on that list carry at least as much weight in how one organizes his or her time as the to-do list."

"To Learn Lists" themselves can take the form of:

• Outlines
• Mind Maps
• Concept Maps
• Documents (HTML, Word, text, .ppt, .xsl, MS OneNote etc.)
• Web 2.0 (Blog notes, wiki posts, etc)

The reason I'm talking about "To Learn" lists is because we should be looking at how we manage "Informal Learning" and how we reconcile that with our daily tasks. Here’s something that would be cool for all of us looking for new learning opportunities that allow us to grow within our current organization:

Look for opportunities to traverse the opportunities in the company, and compare the skill set needed for that position to your current skill set. This becomes your "To Learn" list. Then you make an action plan, at work, to advance your career and fill needs in the company. Then, people wouldn’t feel like they need to leave the company to advance, and the company wouldn’t lose their investment in each employee. Everyone is happy, we all grow together.

Thoughts? Do you have a "To Learn" list? Tell me about it using the Comments function.

A refresher from high school government class. Enjoy!

 To ensure a productive work environment, managers must ensure they are providing continuous feedback.  This feedback must be balanced, meaning positive feedback is just as important as the negative.