Leadership Solutions

Leadership: Full Circle

There it is, in large print for everyone to read.

It's an ad in Wired magazine by Chase Bank that states:

"Here's a nice surprise:

  You call, we answer."

Then at the bottom of the page, there's more. You'll find:

"A real live person picks up when you call."

Stunning.

I'm pleased that this is happening, especially after spending years writing articles recommending that business leaders hire real live people to answer the phone.

Now, how about you?

Do you have a real live person answering the phone for your business? If not, you're using old technology, such as that horrible voice menu  ("Press nine to start over") or that bothersome robot ("I'm sorry that word is not a number").

Recognize that this could be the beginning of a dramatic shift toward better business communication. Thus I'm sure you'll want to be part of it before you're stuck trying to catch up. So, start interviewing. And hire a real live person to answer the phone.

Then imagine the possibilities.

Your customers will be able to talk directly with your employees so that they can buy your products and services.

It might change your business.

Key Point: Use a real live person to answer the phone.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

714-528-1300

PS: My workshop on Communication Skills shows people what to say after they answer the phone.

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

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Leadership: Lost by Northwest

Actually this happens every day.

The people in charge fly past an opportunity. Or they miss a goal. Or they ignore a warning.

Then they have to turn around and try again.

It's like the two pilots of Flight 188 who seemed to forget that they were flying an airplane. As a result, they missed Minneapolis. (But wait, it's not that bad. They could have missed something larger, like Canada.)

This event: 1) highlights an important point and, 2) leads to an incredible opportunity.

First, the people in charge of an organization are responsible for leading it, not getting lost.

This requires paying attention, reviewing progress, and making adjustments.

It also requires real leadership skills. Tip: my workshops show how. 

Second, let's recognize that anyone can sit in a cockpit while an airplane flies 150 miles past its destination. Similarly, anyone can sit in meetings while a business goes bankrupt.

Which brings us to a cost effective way to achieve unexplainable failure.

Now, instead of wasting money on an expensive human, you can hire a cat for a fraction of the cost.

Olivia Felini (photo below) is available at 10% of whatever salary you are now paying for a person.
 

Olivia is an outstanding candidate for this job because she excels at doing nothing (career profile).

For example, she can nap while planes fly past their destinations, sit in meetings while businesses go bankrupt, and so on.

Call now before her popularity causes the price to increase.

Key Point: Why waste money on people who do nothing when you can hire a cat?

Much success,

Steve Kaye

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

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Leadership: Inspiring Greatness

What happens when you scare small children?

Obviously, they cry.

Or the run away.

This is an important point for leaders who want to inspire people to be creative.

Why?

The muse is a child.

In fact, it's a very timid child. It scares easily. And then it hides, leaving people with ordinary ideas -- perhaps the same old ideas that they mulled over yesterday.

There is an important twist in this.

Creating an environment that facilitates creativity requires strong, courageous, mature leadership.

It's the type of leadership that you will find in exceptional parents who want their children to become more successful than they are.

Such leaders support others with praise. They focus on what others do well. And they provide the resources so that others can exceed every possible expectation in achieving greatness.

Then the muse appears. And people invent ideas that amaze everyone with their brilliance.

Key Point: Great leaders help others surpass their achievements.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

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Leadership: Final Score

Some day you will reach a time when you get the final score on your career.

This is very important because many people ignore long term financial planning. As a result, they may be living their way into a financial disaster.

Here's why.

Once you retire, your future income will be essentially fixed. There will be no more promotions or bonuses. If you receive any raises, they will be modest cost of living increases, based on decisions that are beyond your influence.

Your income will come from three sources.

1) Pension. This will depend upon many things, such as years of service, maximum income, and your company's pension plan. If you worked as an entrepreneur, this payment will depend upon whether you set up a pension plan for yourself.

2) Social Security. This will depend upon how much money you paid into the Social Security system. If you had a high paying job over a long career, your payments would be the maximum allowed. If you paid less, you will receive less. And if you didn't make payments for at least 40 quarters, you will receive nothing.

3) Income from Savings. Ideally, your savings should earn enough income to: a) increase the principal at a rate that matches inflation, and b) provide any needed supplemental income in addition to your pension and social security.

Certainly, your retirement income matters. It determines the quality of life for your final years. It provides security and support. It also buys any special care that may be needed.

So, what do you do?

Here are two recommendations:

1) Obviously, maximize your earnings during your career. Otherwise, prepare a business or career that you can continue beyond the "normal" retirement age.

2) Work with a financial planner to develop a savings plan. This, by the way, requires spending less you make.

Key Point: Every day you are investing in your financial future. Make sure it's a future that you can live with.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

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Leadership: Creating Wisdom

On July 27, 2009, I began my 53rd journal.

Now I'm within a few weeks of finishing this book.

Filling 53 journals represents a lot of writing. Here are the lessons that I collected about creativity.

1) Some writing must occur to move you into the flow of good writing. This is one of the best ways to push through being stuck (or "writer's block"). Just write. Anything. Eventually, you'll relax and let the writing go. Then new ideas appear.

The Point: You must begin in order to continue. Even nonsense can be useful because it leads to better ideas.

2) Consistency leads to success. I write almost every day. And so writing has become a natural activity. My mind expects that I will write. So it's ready to cooperate.

The Point: Discipline sets the foundation for serendipity.

3) Detach from all expectations. This includes all judgment, evaluation, intentions, memory, criticism -- everything. Recognize that you must write bad copy as part of the process of writing good copy.

The Point: You must forget what you did in order to find something new.

4) There is always more. There is always another idea, another view, another way -- another something. So it's important to keep searching.  Because the next great idea is waiting to be found.

The Point: Creativity is an ongoing process with an infinite horizon.

5) Good tools make writing enjoyable. In this case, I use fountain pens and different colored inks. The smooth nibs and beautiful ink colors add an extra dimension to the joy of writing.

The Point: As you become skilled in a craft, the quality of your tools begins to matter.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

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Leadership: Cure for Being Busy

What if you're busy?

Here's an advanced (aggressive) strategy that may help.

Take on more work. Volunteer for more projects. Start more activities.

Wait. Before you run off, here's why.

1) You will have to set better priorities.

Adding work (especially higher value work) will force you to discard lower value activities. Some of these activities may even be acting as distractions that keep you from reaching your full potential.

2) You will have to seek better achievements.

In order to benefit from this strategy, you will have to seek more complex, more difficult, more challenging work. This will force you to leave the easier tasks for others.

3) You will have to find better productivity.

Most tasks receive more time than they're worth. Thus, having more work will cause you to become more effective. You will develop better systems and use the most essential steps necessary to complete tasks.

You have heard the quote, "If you want something done, ask a busy person." The reason this works is that high performers understand the importance of achievement.

Key Point: Adding more work can make you more effective.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

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Leadership: Good News

It's here!

After a long wait, TypeStyler is now available for Mac OS X.

And with this comes a mixed collection of leadership lessons.

First,

1) Persistence.

The folks at Strider Software have been working on this new version for seven years. Through that time they encountered many setbacks, such as changing operating systems and evolving computer technologies. As a result, they had to rewrite parts of the code to accommodate these changes as they appeared.

In addition, Strider Software is a small company with one programmer. It's amazing that they could produce a software product with over a million lines of code in any amount of time.

My Point: They deserve our admiration for completing this task.

2) Priorities.

There are dozens of comments appearing on chat sites complaining about Strider Software for taking too long and for ignoring e-mails asking for (demanding sometimes) information on a completion date.

Let's recognize some realities. No business is going to take longer than necessary to release a product that makes money for them. And spending time responding to all those queries, would have taken time away from working on the software.

My Point: Complaints and criticism slow progress on a project.

3) Support.

I bought the upgrade. I did that to celebrate the fact that Strider Software successfully accomplished their goal. I also now own a cool program that makes incredible text images, which I can use in many ways.

My Point: We need to support those who are doing good things.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

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Leadership: Key Part of Professional Growth

Today's question is: Do you belong to a professional association?

Here's how you can benefit:

1) Gain Knowledge

Professional associations hold meetings and conferences that feature educational sessions. Through these you can expand your knowledge of the technology that defines your profession.

2) Gain Relationships

Your membership puts you in the society of peers. These relationships can lead to business and career opportunities. By attending association events, you'll meet influential people who can help you advance in everything you do.

3) Gain Skills

If you become involved in association activities, you can gain experience organizing events, managing projects, and leading people. These volunteer opportunities also increase your visibility among the members, which expands your network.

4) Gain Wisdom

Associating with intelligent people will challenge your thinking and accelerate your learning. This causes you to lift your performance. As a result, you will become more effective in your work.

5) Gain Credibility

Most associations recognize achievement through professional designations and awards. Earning these demonstrates your ability to perform well within your profession. In addition, your membership in a professional association shows your commitment to personal growth.

As an example, here's what I'm doing:

1) I'm a member of the International Association of Facilitators, where I earned the CPF (Certified Professional Facilitator) designation in 2002. At this time there are only nine members in California who have earned a CPF.

2) I've been a member of The National Speakers Association since 1992, having served as the 1996-97 president of GLAC (the Los Angeles chapter). Other GLAC credits include: being honored as their 2002 Member of the Year, winning the Connie in 1995, and earning their Gold Microphone.

3) I've been a member of the Orange County Chapter of The American Association for Training and Development since 1992, having served as program chair in 1994.

4) I just joined the Professional Coaches & Mentors Association.

Why?

I want to be the best that I can be. And active memberships in these associations help me achieve that.

Key Point: Membership in your professional association demonstrates your commitment to professional growth and excellence.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

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Leadership: Who's in Charge?

You may have noticed this in grade school. And then most likely it continued in high school.

It was an overt disdain for the students who earned good grades.

You probably heard it expressed as ridicule when the good students were called names, such as "nerd," "teacher's pet," "geek," or worse.

The problem with this is: the poor students -- the ones who didn't study or complete homework -- set the standard for the rest. They often became the class president, team captain, or voice of the students.

While that may be harmless in a child's world, it's disastrous when it happens in the adult world.

Right now, there are too many people who couldn't pass a third grade science test or a fifth grade geography exam influencing decisions on critical matters that will affect our future.

Specifically, their loud ridicule of scientists and experts is delaying urgent actions that need to be taken in the area of environmental sustainability.

I'm very disturbed by this.

Over thirty years ago I worked with scientists at Gulf Oil's Research Center who were talking about global warming. They were speculating how much temperatures would rise if we increased the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by burning oil.

Now, climate change has evolved from being a curious possibility to a threatening reality.

Yet, loud pundits are still denying it. And they're using the old tactic of discrediting the good students, i.e., the intelligent, knowledgeable people who have been issuing warnings for decades.

By the way, this issue is not about politics. And it's not about economics.

It's about the future of humanity. Climate change concerns us all.

We need to support those who are working to arrest it and ignore those who deny it.

Key Point: When you want results that last, work with an expert.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

714-528-1300

PS: This blog is posted in support of Blog Action Day 

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

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Leadership: Last Chapter

Imagine that it's many years from now.

And you're surrounded by children. They might be a class from a local grade school or they might be relatives.

Being children they bubble with questions.

They ask, "What did you do?"

What do you tell them?

That is: What did you do with your life? What did you create, build, or accomplish? What are you proud of? How much happiness did you create? How many people did you help? What legacy did you leave?

They're impressed with what you have done. So they ask, "How did you do it?"

What do you tell them?

That is: What steps did you take? What process did you apply? What obstacles did you overcome? What help did you seek? What systems did you use? What made you effective?

They're excited by the story of your achievements. Now they ask the big question that they came to ask, "What did you learn?"

What do you tell them?

That is: What insights did you gain? What lessons can you share? What wisdom represents the sum of your life experiences?

Of course, right now, you're here.

You're living in today creating the answers to these questions. This leads to the question: What story do you want to tell the children of the future when you reach your last chapter?

Key Point: Plan the end of your story now. Then design a life that takes you toward it.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

714-528-1300

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

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