 It's refreshing to see more people speaking publicly about their "Dirty Little Secret" - in many companies and country cultures, there are still folks that think seeking support to grow is sign of weakness when instead, it is a strength. I liked this article from Forbes by guest writer Harley Finklestein, COO at Shopify, as he candidly shares his thoughts on how he went from feeling he could do everything by himself to understanding why booking his first appointment with his coach was the smartest business decision he ever made. He also shares how working with his coach helps him in both his business and personal lives. Lastly, if you are curious about the experiences of other executives, you may find something interesting in the Testimonials section of executivehat.com .
Have a great weekend! My Dirty Little Secret: I Have an Executive Coach by Harley Finklestein, COO at Shopify to read about other experiences, read more here: executivehat.com/testimonials.html  In an era where virtually everyone is calling themselves a leader or entrepreneur, how can we distinguish the truly great ones from everyone else? And more importantly, how can we become one of the great ones? Here is an article from Inc Magazine sharing some of the behaviours consistently exhibited by truly authentic leaders. Read the article here:
8 Consistent Behaviors of Highly Authentic Leaders Authentic leaders that truly walk the walk engage in these 8 behaviors every day. by Marissa Levin http://www.inc.com/marissa-levin/8-consistent-behaviors-of-highly-authentic-leaders.html  from HBR...
Are you an "intense attack-mode" junkie? Do you thrive on the adrenaline and caffeine buzz, over-scheduling yourself, and getting things done just in the nick of time, that "productive stress"? Feel like you've run a marathon after a day in the office? Emma Seppala points out that "when sustained over longer periods – chronic stress compromises our immunity, memory, and attention span. In other words, high intensity — whether it’s from negative states like anxiety or positive states like excitement — taxes the body." Then gives us some suggestions on how we can balance ourselves. read the full article here (remember you can read 8 free articles a month on HBR) Your High-Intensity Feelings May Be Tiring You Out https://hbr.org/2016/02/your-high-intensity-feelings-may-be-tiring-you-out  A great article from Inc Magazine highlighting behaviors we see in leaders people WANT to follow. Beyond the title and past positions held, people that consistently and genuinely demonstrate these behaviors go on to accomplish great things. Take a read...
10 Signs You Really Are a Leader (and Might Not Know It) Many times people who influence us the most aren't even aware they are leading us. by Lolly Daskal http://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/10-signs-you-really-are-a-leader-and-might-not-know-it.html  from the Enterprisers Project,
download a free pdf of an HBR article I often speak to clients about being authentic while enabling others to gain trust and to engage by getting to know you better as a person, not just as a manager. This article helps illustrate where leaders sometimes fail in their attempt to gain more intimacy with their teams, then puts forth five simple steps to help leaders achieve more effective and authentic disclosure. Starting with self-awareness, relevance, keeping revelations genuine, knowing the context in which you are operating, and finally, what may be too personal. read the full article here Be Yourself, But Carefully Learn how to be authentic without oversharing, by Lisa Rosh and Lynn Offerman https://enterprisersproject.com/resources/be-yourself-carefully  from INC. Magazine
As I think to the leaders I have admired over the years, I found that this article hit the spot. I share it with you as something to reflect upon for your own self as a leader - do you recognize these as a part of your daily repertoire? Which areas do you need to re-incorporate into your daily leadership? Want to Be a Highly Respected Boss? 20 Things to Do Every Day Think about the best boss you've ever known. Here are 20 things I'll bet he or she never stopped doing by Bill Murphy Jr.. read the full article here: http://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/want-to-be-a-highly-respected-boss-20-things-to-do-every-day.html  Sometimes my clients struggle to connect with their leadership team members. Everyone is polite, does what they need to do to get the job done, but interactions are polite, brief... there seems to be a lack of engagement. One of the first areas I check is how well does the team really know you - as a person, as a human being, understanding the context of the challenge you face? When I speak of leadership vulnerability, often times the first reaction I get is a fear to show themselves as weak or incapable. Actually, over the years I have learned the opposite. Leaders who can show vulnerability invite a connection and relationship with their team members that is far stronger than a leader who tries to appear perfect and knows all the answers. This article is a great summary of some of the real life experience I have had as a leader myself as well as with my clients.
from Entrepreneur Magazine Practice the Magical Strength of Vulnerability by Beth Miller Read the full article here http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/254229  from Entrepreneur.com
Stress Literally Shrinks Your Brain. Here Are 7 Ways To Reverse This Effect. by Travis Bradberry "We all know that living under stressful conditions has serious emotional, even physical, consequences. So why do we have so much trouble taking action to reduce our stress levels and improve our lives? Researchers at Yale University finally have the answer. They found that stress reduces the volume of grey matter in the areas of the brain responsible for self-control. So experiencing stress actually makes it more difficult to deal with future stress because it diminishes your ability to take control of the situation, manage your stress and keep things from getting out of control..." read the full article here http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/270629  A very common challenge facing my clients is the overwhelming amount of work they face as they step into the senior executive role. Have you heard of the term "drinking from a fire hose"? Not a very flattering image, yet it can be the perception left with your colleagues and direct reports as you step into your new role. Responding to emails after midnight just doesn't send the message that you are on top of things. In comparison, as I think to leaders that I have aspired to over time, I see a calm and purposeful demeanor, yet they seem to accomplish more and be more knowledgeable than those around them. How do they do it? I like this article by Jacquelyn Smith at Inc. Magazine because it speaks about focus, priorities, creating capacity, and knowing one's own value. A simple yet refreshing read... take a look.
from INC. Magazine 3 Qualities that Make High Performers Different from Workaholics While both look like they work hard, high performers have a sustainable work ethic, while workaholics are on the fast track to burnout by Jacquelyn Smith
read the full article here http://www.inc.com/business-insider/what-makes-you-a-high-performer-instead-of-a-workaholic.html  from HBR.org
Secrets of Superbosses How Exceptional Leaders Hire and Hone Talent by Sydney Finkelstein "What do Ralph Lauren, Larry Ellison, Julian Robertson, Jay Chiat, Bill Walsh, George Lucas, Bob Noyce, Lorne Michaels, and Mary Kay Ash have in common? Certainly all of them are known for being talented and successful—even legendary—in their respective fields. All have reputations as innovators who pioneered new business models, products, or services that created billions of dollars in value. But there’s one thing that distinguishes these business icons from their equally famous peers: the ability to groom talent. They didn’t just build organizations; they spotted, trained, and developed a future generation of leaders..." read the article here https://hbr.org/2016/01/secrets-of-the-superbosses?utm_campaign=harvardbiz&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social  from INC.com
8 Habits of People With Amazing Determination and Willpower How successful people resist temptation, stay focused and determined, and remain resolute in pursuit of their goals. by Jeff Haden "Consistently doing what you need to do to succeed, with total focus and resolve, is incredibly difficult. And that's why the ability to work hard and respond positively to failure and adversity is so crucial. Resolve, willpower, and determination help successful people work hard and stick to their long-term goals..." read the article here http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/8-habits-of-people-with-exceptional-determination-and-willpower.html  from INC. Magazine...
9 Mantras That Will Keep You Mentally Strong in Tough Times The way you think about adversity affects your ability to persevere. by Amy Morin "While it's often easy to be mentally strong when life is going well, your true strength becomes apparent through adversity.... The way you think about life's inevitable obstacles affects your ability to cope with tough times. Developing a productive inner dialogue is one of the most productive ways mentally strong people keep building their mental muscle." read the article here http://www.inc.com/amy-morin/9-mantras-that-will-keep-you-mentally-strong-in-tough-times.html  from HBR.org
The Set-up.to-Fail Syndrome: How bosses create their own poor performers by Jean-Francois Manzoni and Jean-Louis Barsoux "When an employee fails—or even just performs poorly—managers typically do not blame themselves. The employee doesn’t understand the work, a manager might contend. Or the employee isn’t driven to succeed, can’t set priorities, or won’t take direction. Whatever the reason, the problem is assumed to be the employee’s fault—and the employee’s responsibility. But is it? Sometimes, of course, the answer is yes. Some employees are not up to their assigned tasks and never will be, for lack of knowledge, skill, or simple desire. But sometimes—and we would venture to say often—an employee’s poor performance can be blamed largely on his boss...." read more here https://hbr.org/1998/03/the-set-up-to-fail-syndrome
 From HBR.org "We all have default behaviors. And when we are in the moment, trying our best to perform well, how we handle these automatic reflexes can be the difference between success and failure. It’s these moments that add up to the larger tasks and projects that are our work. Moments in which behavior – what we think, feel, say, and do - is the primary driver of performance." read more here How to Override Your Default Reactions in Tough Moments by Lee Newman https://hbr.org/2014/04/how-to-override-your-default-reactions-in-tough-moments/ as a note: you can read up to 4 free articles each month on HBR.org, If you register on the site (free) you can read up to 8 free articles per month.
 The following is an excerpt from the day book by Mark Nepo, The Book of Awakening, from April 27th. It is beautifully written, and there is little that I can add to it. It serves as an inspiration and a valuable reminder to me perhaps it will do the same to some of you out there. If you like it, perhaps you can consider to pick up his book. I was grateful that a colleague introduced it to me more than a year ago, and I still return to it. Jean Let There Be Light
“Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe “When Edison was discovering the light bulb, he first engaged in a process of envisioning how an unseeable current of energy could be harnessed and turned into light. Like most of us, the vision came out first. Once he understood what came to him, it took quite some time to find the precise material that would work as a filament in the bulb itself...  I wanted to share a very interesting read this morning. It is from the businessinsider.com and was shared on LinkedIn… nice to see what has shaped people, and how long they remember these little yet significant nuggets over time.
http://www.businessinsider.com/executives-share-the-best-advice-they-ever-got-2012-3?IR=T Enjoy! |
