Latest News from Loraine Antrim

The Secrets of Selling IT to CEOs

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:41:30 EDT

Selling IT products or services to CEOs? Not the easiest task, and very different from selling to CIOs, but thinking like a CEO and not an IT salesperson is the key to opening the door to the CEO suite.

Bloggers Affected by FTC Ruling

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:46:14 EDT

The FTC has revised its "Guidelines Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." The new guides will have a profound impact on product reviews and will influence not only bloggers, but manufacturers, advertisers and marketers.

Chicks Rule Social Media!

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:45:46 EDT

Who uses social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn? The guys or the gals? Based on two recent studies tracking social media usage by gender, you might be surprised to find that chicks rule the social media web!

Amelia Earhart: Lessons for Leaders

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:58:17 EDT

How much courage do you have? Enough to lead a global team or complete a difficult IT initiative on time or come in under budget? Child's play.

Don't brag too much. If you can accomplish these, you're simply par for the course.

Want to demonstrate real courage…true accomplishment? Test your mettle and show uncommon leadership? Pull an Amelia.

"PULLING AN AMELIA"

Take fifteen hours out of your life, all alone, no sleeping, sitting in a compartment no bigger than a box, and fly across the Atlantic as you watch ice form on your plane's wings and fire shoot out of your engine's exhaust pipe. That was Earhart's day on May 20, 1932. Raw courage.

Makes meeting your budget seem paltry, doesn't it?

Amelia Earhart lived life with courage and grace and a bit of humility. You could do no better than to look to this uncommon leader for inspiration.

The upcoming movie on Amelia Earhart's life, starring Hillary Swank, got me thinking about this iconic pioneer-hero and what business leaders can learn from her unflinching tenacity and courage.

In rereading her books, 20 Hours, 40 Minutes [the time it took for her first Atlantic crossing] and The Fun of It, I came across a number of quotes that could inspire any business leader:

AMELIA EARHART'S QUOTES FOR LEADERS

Decide whether or not the goal is worth the risks involved. If it is, stop worrying.
Worry retards reaction and makes clear-cut decisions impossible.
The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity.
Fears are paper tigers.
You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure. The process is its own reward.
Preparation, I have often said, is rightly two-thirds of any venture.
Never interrupt someone doing something you said couldn't be done.

The next time you're wavering, faltering or not focusing, take inspiration from my all-time favorite Amelia quote: "The most effective way to do it, is to DO it."

Post-script to Nike: shouldn't you at least footnote Lady Lindy when you use your tag line?

The CIO as Tarzan

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

In this age of collaborative technologies and social media, is there still a place for in-person meetings and real phone calls? Yes! The idea of "going primitive" can actually give you a strategic advantage in your communications.

Cracking the IT Da Vinci Code

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:45:00 EDT

When non-IT folks listen to technology staff talk about IT, it's a bit like trying to crack the Da Vinci Code. It sometimes seems like a secret language that confuses and maybe even intimidate business users. But by following a few communication best practices, IT personnel can crack "the code" and have an effective and successful dialogue with their business units.

The Top Ten Executive Mistakes

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 07:30:00 EDT

Want to feel old? Sixteen years ago, in 1993, The Late Show with David Letterman premiered on CBS. Where has the time gone?

Letterman, for most people, is synonymous with his 'Top Ten List.' It's such a part of our culture that The Top Ten List even has its own Wikipedia entry. Fun trivia, you're thinking, but how does this relate to executives?

Executives and lists have a long history together. Business leaders love to make lists, they hand out lists, they read lists. Lists are popular with everybody. You can't pick up a leading newspaper without finding a list of something. Everybody does lists: Business Week, Newsweek and dozens of other business journals, and Forbes has lists that go far beyond the top ten. They trump everybody with their list of the Top 100.

So, in honor of Letterman's anniversary, here is The CXO Mindset's List of the Top Ten Ways to Get Kicked Out of the C-Suite:

The Top Ten Executive Mistakes

Mistake Number 1: Talk too much and don't actively listen to your team's concerns.

Mistake Number 2: Don't take responsibility when you've messed up.

Mistake Number 3: Have lots of ideas, but don't execute on any of them.

Mistake Number 4: Think you can do it all, and don't delegate power and responsibility.

Mistake Number 5: Give presentations that have no inspiration or vision.

Mistake Number 6: Think that what got you into the C-suite will keep you in the C-suite.

Mistake Number 7: Rely on people you like vs. people with skills.

Mistake Number 8: Don't communicate to your staff on a regular basis.

Mistake Number 9: Stay isolated from the "shop floor."

Mistake Number 10: Do not "give back" to all the people who helped you get into that C-suite office.

The Language of Leadership

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:19:18 EDT

Have you ever taken your car in for service and heard the mechanic talk to you about a cracked manifold? (VERY nasty, BTW). Or maybe you've gone to a doctor who told you your symptoms indicated preliminary Pharyngitis and you needed a broad spectrum, BID?

All you're thinking is, "This is so much blah, blah, blah...speak plain English!" Great advice. But why don't business leaders take it?

No matter what industry you're in, you have your own jargon. Whether you speak in IT ( God help us all on this one), health care, engineering, or construction, you have a specialized language, insider buzzwords and idioms. Many of them are vague and at times unintelligible, even to the insiders!

Say it So Your Grand Mother Can Understand It!

The best advice for leaders is to use plain-speak. Cut the jargon, stop using acronyms, and approach every speech, every email, every presentation as an opportunity to show how brilliant you are using your own words and language!

Imagine that your grandmother is in the audience. Naturally, she is a very intelligent woman since she has a grandson/daughter as a business leader!

Do you think she understands ROI, TCO, ERP, bandwidth, ALAP, scalability, flexibility or cross platform? How many "regular folks" do you have in your audience who might be the same as your grand mom? Intelligent listeners, who might miss out on an idea because you used too many in-terms and jargon of your industry.

The key to communicating like a true leader is to know your audience. Use a language everyone can understand.

That means think like and write for the audience! So, if you are a medical researcher speaking at a conference of neurosurgeons, you know that your audience can handle the scientific buzzwords. OK, they can get into radioactive isotopes and acoustic neurinomas.

But unless you are sure that everyone of your listeners is tuned-into jargon, better to go broad and just be yourself without the acronyms and in-lingo. Think of Oprah or Ronald Reagan. No one scratched their heads and looked confused after they spoke. But most of all, think of your grandmother and make her proud!

What if God Texted the Ten Commandments?

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:45:00 EDT

CEOs are known for flawless communication, right? We understand their ideas and can execute on them. Well, maybe...it depends on the communication vehicle they select.

When leaders speak or write, we have the chance to capture the flavor and nuances of their communication: in depth insights. But with Twitter and text messaging, some of that brilliance and subtly can get lost. Corporate mission statements in 140 characters? Hmmm...maybe not a bad idea. But for critical communications, perhaps social media is not the best choice.

In a wonderfully creative post, Jamie Quatro at Mcseeenys posted what a CEO's strategy might look like in text. BTW, the CEO happens to be God.

So how would God communicate his vision and strategy for mankind, i.,e the Ten Commandments, if he had to use text? Here is Jamie's wickedly inventive text version of the Big 10:

1. no1 b4 me. srsly.
2. dnt wrshp pix/idols
3. no omg's
4. no wrk on w/end (sat 4 now; sun l8r)
5. pos ok - ur m&d r cool
6. dnt kill ppl
7. :-X only w/ m8
8. dnt steal
9. dnt lie re: bf
10. dnt ogle ur bf's m8. or ox. or dnkey. myob.
M, pls rite on tabs & giv 2 ppl. ttyl, JHWH. ps. wwjd?

Note to earthly CEOs: to avoid confusion, maybe you should keep vision and strategy statements off of Twitter!

Powerpoint: Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:55:56 EDT

Some leaders have minds that are as logical and clear as a bell. We listen to these executives speak and immediately connect with their ideas. They are genuine human beings. And of course, all readers of The CXO Mindset are such genuine human beings and communicators!

But...a strange thing happens to some execs when they get near a Power Point deck. A pod person takes over. Invasion of the Body Snatchers redux.

Invasion of the PPPs

Why do otherwise bright and brilliant minds end up going South when they create a PowerPoint deck? It's as if all good sense and brain juices just get drained and flushed away. And a clicker-obsessed PPP takes over (Power Point Pod Presenter). These presenters speak differently, in a stilted non-conversational way. They're like robots reading a prescribed script, and they are certainly NOT genuine.

But most importantly, they think differently when under the influence of PPT. You're probably thinking, "Why should I care?" Well, think of your Power Point deck as a mirror of how you think and process information, and it is a big clue to what kind of leader you are.

A Scary Mind

The absolute scariest example of PPP thinking is from the halls of the US government (no real surprise here...). Congressman Kevin Brady distributed the following chart to show how he envisioned the current health care plan playing out.

Warning: the faint-of-heart should just look away...

OK, I know the engineers reading this blog are saying, "Wow! Nice chart!' But this is NOT an engineering schema; it's an organizational chart of the U.S. proposed health care plan. This was designed for business users and US citizens, not engineers. It would probably frighten most voters.

What's really scary about this chart is what is says about the author's mind: how he thinks and sees the world. Can you imagine the chuckles, moans and side comments when this slide came up in the Senate?

Lessons for PPPs

What's the take-away from Congressman Brady's ridiculous chart? Don't imitate it!

Your slides should help simplify your teams' world!

Let your organization see you as a leader who cuts through complexity. When they see your slides, they should sit up and be interested, not groan and take out their Blackberrys. Your slides are a reflection of how your mind works...how you see the world...the connections you make and the way you process information. More importantly, your slides are a snapshot of how you lead.

The next time you or your staff put a deck together, bring out the Health Care slide as a reminder. Your manta should be, "I will not be a PPP! And I won't pull a "Congressman Brady!"

IT Has Gone to the Dogs: What Breed of IT Are You?

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EDT

IT personnel have been referred to as many things:from heroes and essential partners, to %^&**!@#!! villains. But how about a Pit Bull or a Chihuahua? If you take a look at some of the most dramatic canine personalities, you might find some interesting similarities between engineers or developers and man's best friend.

The BEST Executive Decision

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:01:32 EDT

Tweet alert. Almost 100 years ago on August 20^th, The Times "telegrammed" the first message for global distribution. The simple sentence: This message sent around the world, comes in at six words, 35 characters. (Was this the original tweet?)

OK, cool trivia, but as a busy executive, why should you care?

The Times' historic "tweet" got me thinking. Can we communicate like the NY Times telegram ? From a communication standpoint, think of this anniversary telegram as a gauntlet of sorts. Take up the tweet-headline communication challenge.

(BTW, If you want to feel REALLY old, try to explain to your teenager what a "telegram" is and how it got transmitted..)

Get Memorable: Think in Headlines

Do you want your teams to remember your messages? Think like a headline!

It's tough for teams to retain information when they're bombarded with emails, voice-mails, tweets, presentations, VODS, face-to-face meetings, etc.

Take a lesson from the Times (and Twitter): scale down the length of your initial sentences. Think in terms of a concise and focused headline. It's one of the best executive decisions you'll ever make.

Strategic Editing

Now, I'm not suggesting that every sentence be limited. But how you begin an idea is a critical place for a headline or tweet. The shorter, the more memorable. That means in:

Emails: the subject line should be a compelling "headline."
Voicemails: after you say, "hi", the next ten seconds should announce or "tweet" the main point of the call.
Presentations: the title should be on one line, and it should be a value-rich message, not a factoid.
Face-to-face meetings: Anounce the initial idea or main point as a headline.
VODs: Absolutely critical that you frame your ideas succinctly. Remember, most people are multi-tasking. Grab them with a verbal headline that is a 3-5 second soundbite.

No matter what the communication venue, frame your initial idea concisely. Make it a communication best practice. You'll set the tone for targeted, focused communication and gain an uptick in memorability!

IT Personnel Hit Hard by New Flu Outbreak

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:54:00 EDT

IT presenters are being hard-hit by a rampant new disease: the F5 Flu, a variation of Death by Power Point. Read on to find out about transmission, symptoms, and most importantly, how to get vaccinated.

Leadership Lessons from Woodstock

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:34:53 EDT

How can you not escape the Woodstock hype on this, the 40th anniversary weekend of THE event of the sixties? Peace, love and music are everywhere in the news.

No matter what your feelings for this sixties meta-marvel, you have to admit, it DID shape a generation. So what you say! Fair enough.

But before you dismiss the media obsession with Woodstock, get creative...amid the hype and the hyperbole, there actually might be some leadership lessons for managers, directors, vice presidents and yes, even CEOs. Groovy!

What can we take away from the the folks who peaced-out at Yasgur's farm in 1969 and apply to how we manage and lead?

Lessons in Collaboration

The big take-away from Woodstock is a lesson in collaboration.

Think of a half-million strong crowd and the potential for harm and mayhem. But cooler heads prevailed because people were respectful and listened, and took stock of the needs of others.

How can you apply that collective model of sharing to how you lead your teams?

1. Communicate Freely. OK, you're not going to share a blanket in your team's meeting (or other substances that we only read about...), but the open channel of communications that was Woodstock's hallmark is a very effective model. There was heated debate over Vietnam war philosophies, but everyone had a voice. As you think about how you interact with your team, are you a "command and control" project manager or a collaborative leader who actively seeks input and drives to consensus? The latter is the model that many progressive companies and leaders are making a defacto standard.

2. Control Expectations. Half a million free-loving and substance-loving radicals all together in one place had the potential for disaster. How to control the crowds? Control their expectations. Every banner, every poster spoke to two things: peace and music.

As you motivate and lead your teams, how can you control their expectations for outcomes? Clearly define your goals at every meeting so your troops know exactly what is expected of them. Verbalize it often and put it in writing if you must, but let people know exactly what they should do or not do.

3. Turn Their Passion On. Whether it was Jimi Hendrix or Janis Joplin or The Who, music is what everyone came for, and that common bond untied and inspired the crowds.

What can you offer your teams and your organization that is inspirational? Whether you're an IT project manager trying to motivate 20 engineers to rally around a virtualization initiative or a CEO trying to get your sales force back on track, find a common cause that all team members can relate to, and then inspire and motivate them.

40-years ago, in a place as far removed from corporate America as you possibly could get, Joni Mitchell sang about how "we are stardust...we are golden...." Wouldn't it be great if you could inspire your teams to feel that THEY were golden? Take out that old Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young CD and get inspired again!

Leadership Stripped Bare

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:16:29 EDT

Can leadership be boiled down to just three basic lessons?

Whether you're a retail team supervisor with a staff of three, an IT project manager overseeing 20 engineers, or a CXO leading thousands of disparate employees, it's a provocative question.

Really, it's a great question to get the executive juices going and a wonderful conversation to have over a glass of wine (but it's GOT to be a hearty zinfandel...no lack luster Chadonnays or Pinots for such a heady discussion).

Think of all the leadership advice you've gleaned from blogs, books, seminars, videos, self-help manuals and mentors. Can all that wit and wisdom be concentrated in three "must have" lessons for business leaders at any level?

Leadership Lessons Stripped Down to Basics

A recent Harvard Business blog post by Anthony TJAN did boil down the core of leadership in a conversation with Dick Hampton, former CEO of Reuters. Hampton said that what he learned in his twenty years at the helm was three things:

1. You have to have an "approximately correct" strategy -- you have to know where you are going, but directionally correct is the key.

2. You have to be highly focused and intensely execute that strategy by motivating and aligning the troops you have. And

3. It always comes back to the customers and the fact that you have to manically know your customers and drive everything from that.

Bravo to Mr. Harrington! It might very well be that the core of great leadership is just that simple. Sometimes we so over-think things. We need a process; we need flow charts; we need consensus-building; we need a methodology; we need technologies. Maybe what we need is simplicity.

How about the power of three simple lessons: have a clear vision and know where you want to go, be able to articulate that vision to your team(s) and get them to execute on it, and at the core of everything is the customer or end-user: think like the customer in everything you do. If that's not the best three lessons for leaders, at least it's one heck of a start!

Go ahead...whether you're having this leadership discussion or not, have that glass of zin. You deserve it!

Can You Hear Me NOW?

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:15:00 EDT

IT professionals often speak a complex language that business listeners just don't understand, and when listeners tune out, they go into the Communication Dead Zone. Read on for the causes for Dead Zone communication and more importantly, some remedies.

Executive SOS Signals

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:21:08 EDT

... _ _ _ ...

OK, trivia fans, what did I just say?

Ex-boy scouts, sailors, or ham-radio buffs will recognize those dots and dashes as Morse Code for SOS. And for the really trivia-obsessed, today is an SOS anniversary. On Aug 11th 1907, the first SOS distress signal was used by an American ship, the Arapahoe, off Cape Hatteras, NC. (You've got to love the History Channel's This Day in History for finding all things trivia like this).

Executive Communication Distress Signals

That SOS anniversary got me thinking about the distress signals managers or executives might send out when communicating with teams or colleagues. We can unknowingly send out SOS distress signs with our gestures, words or our demeanor. We unwittingly are saying, "I'm in trouble...."

See if you recognize some of the following communication SOS signals you might be sending in your own communications.

Tentative Language. Do you send out messages that say you're unsure or not certain? Every time you use, "I think" or "perhaps" or "maybe" or "might," you're sending a signal that you are not in authority. Think about it, did you ever hear President Obama say, "I think I have a strategy for the recession"? or "I might have a plan for the auto industry"?

Even worse are phrases like, "sort of" or "kind of." "We kind of have a network management problem." It's either a problem or it's not! It's like "kind of pregnant." Pick one: your're having a child, or not. If you are using these phrases, you're not just sending up a plain old SOS, this is a Titanic distress call!

Eye Contact. Especially when delivering a presentation, do you take a moment to have direct eye contact with at least some audience members? Great! Then you are NOT sending out any negative signals.

But when you speak, if you tend to look over the heads of your listeners or spend more time looking at your slides, then think about the message you're sending: I'm nervous and unsure and am not confident enough to look you square in the eye.

Hand Gestures. Here's another SOS signal: do you fold your arms in front of your chest? What about hands in pockets? Or standing with arms in front, hands folded one over the other? Your SOS says, I am NOT confident, I am NOT powerful, I am NOT in charge of anything, let alone my own gestures. Stand as if you owned the room! If you're speaking, you DO own it!

Once you recognize some of your own SOS signals, you can put a plan in place to eliminate them one at a time.

For business leaders, the only meaning SOS should have is "savvy, organized supervisor"!

A Line in the Sand; a Line in the Milk

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:24:36 EDT

Need a cool metaphor to wow your team into action? Listen-up to how Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz used metaphor to focus his organization and give them a rallying cry.

A recent Business Week article highlights Schultz' story about Starbucks and spilled milk.

Schultz would not allow his baristas to re-steam milk (a quality-control thing). They had to pour leftover milk down the drain. (Not the best "green" message, Mr. Shultz!) So store managers came up with a simple and obvious idea: put etched lines in the steaming pitchers so the baristas would know exactly how much milk to use. Before, they just guessed. Simple, yet dramatic. No more spilled milk.

This metaphor is now mythic in the halls of Starbucks. Managers ask, "Where else can we find lines"? And the good news is that they are actively seeking and finding other ways to save, just like they did with the milk lines. This type of simple metaphor can rally your troops and impact team productivity and your image as a leader.

Where Are Your Milk Lines?

Think about how you can create your own metaphors.

Especially in these challenging times, teams need something to rally around, and a simple phrase like Starbucks' milk line might be just the thing to motivate your folks. There are probably many places to look for your own metaphors:

Where can a team save time?
Is there a process that can be streamlined?
Are there meetings that could take place virtually?
Is there a wasteful practice that could be re-channeled?
Any simple and easy ways to increase customer contact or intimacy?
New channels of communication... perhaps a Twitter suggestion box?

Attach a metaphor to any one of these ideas and you have a rallying cry and incentive. Maybe even banish the summer doldrums by offering a team challenge: which team can come up with the best metaphor and savings idea?

Prizes could range from the latest iPod to a day at a spa to...hmmmm...a $100 gift card to Starbucks?

Cash for Communication Clunkers?

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:50:33 EDT

The government is going to pay you to get rid of outdated cars and trade-up to a more efficient vehicle. Sweet.

What if you applied that same reasoning to your presentations?

What communication clunkers would you get rid of? What are some of the outdated and ineffective words or phrases you use? Trade them in for more efficient patterns or eliminate them all together.

If you want to keep your presentations at an executive level, here are a few suggestions for phrases that belong in the junk heap:

Communication Clunkers

1. "I'd like to talk about..." Why waste your listeners' time by announcing, "I'd like to talk about X" or "I'd like to tell you about X" ? Why not just talk about it!

2. "I think..." Not a very leader-like subject and verb combination. It shows indecision. By virtue of the fact that you have a functioning brain, you do think! Why announce it? Do you ever hear leaders say, "I think I have a vision" or "I think we will make our quarterly numbers"? Throw this one in the trash. Apologies to Descartes.

3. "To make a long story short." So, do you really want to announce that you tell long (and probably boring) stories? Worse yet, you're telling the audience I'm cheating you out of some information. Just tell your story!

4. "To be perfectly honest." Right. So, you haven't been honest previously?

5. "I know you've probably heard this before." Then why are you wasting my time telling me again?

6. "What I'm trying to say is..." Don't even hesitate, just open the trash bin and toss this.

7. "Just." Ok, if you are a judge in a courtroom, you CAN use the term "just," but for executive speakers it demeans your executive presence. Do you really want to say, "I just thought..."?

8. "I like to take a few minutes." Great. Now you're announcing that you are a time thief.

9. "In my opinion," or "It seems to me." Of course it's your opinion, isn't that what you've been expressing all your life? If not, then you should announce, "In Jane's opinion..."

10. "A great many people have said..." Hmmm. So why are you repeating what so many others have already told us?

Rethink your own vocabulary or better yet ask a friend to monitor your presentations for these "clunker" phrases and trash them! Then you'll have your own Presentation Stimulus Pan!

Are You An IT Superhero?

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EDT

At times, do you think you're a Superman or Wonder Woman? Pitted in a daily struggle between the IT department and the business units? We all know that IT managers juggle a number of hats and scramble to put out dozens of fires, and truly can be a superhero to their organizations. But did you ever think about what kind of superhero you are? Where do you rank in the Legion of Superhero's taxonomy? Are you an IT Wolverine, Green Lantern or Flash? Take the IT X-Men (or Women) quiz to see if you have the right stuff to be an IT Superhero.

Do You Hate People?

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:13:43 EDT

Are you a leader who hates people? Good!

Well, it's good if the people you hate are the people targeted in the wonderfully humorous book, "I Hate People: Kick Loose from the Overbearing and Underhanded Jerks at Work and Get What You Want Out of Your Job."

Authors Marc Hershon and Jonathan Littman target a list of people in our work environments--the types of workers who can get us down, make us miserable and just make work a chore. It's a great summer read.

What to do With the Joy Suckers?

I call these types of people Joy Suckers: they suck the joy out of work. Instead of being innovative and leading your team, you end up wasting time dealing with these difficult people who drain your creativity, time and patience.

The great thing about Littman and Hershon's book is that for leaders, you can see their humorous taxonomy of worker types as a tool to help you make hiring or promotion decisions.

For example, once you identify someone who is a "Stop Sign", you can eliminate them from critical initiative meetings. All they're going to do is pour cold water on creative ideas and stop all progress. Or once the "Minute Man" is identified (he's the guy who only wants a minute of your time...then another...and then just one more minute...) you know he should NOT be the facilitator of the partner conference.

Re-Configure Your Teams

Amid the fun and laughs, I Hate People offers some sage-like advice for leaders and how they can configure and reconfigure their teams based on the taxonomy of people we hate. You can't change these folks and the authors urge managers to accept who employees are, even as unpleasant as they might be, and then reconfigure existing teams.

"Companies can create makeovers of groups, rather than makeovers of their physical offices," Hershon suggests. So you can rethink how you deploy your teams and reassign who collaborates with whom according to their personalities.

So, smear on your sun block, put on your Maui Jims, and take I Hate People to the beach as a fun summer read. And come back recharged ready to rethink how you deploy your teams.

Oh, and the guy who kicked sand on you as he walked by, you can just go ahead and HATE him!

Bare Bones CEO: Linking the Outside World to the Inside

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:15:00 EDT

What are the bare bones minimum tasks that only a CEO should do? That question was raised by Procter & Gamble's CEO A.G. Lafley in Harvard Business Review. Ultimately, he says the job that ONLY a CEO can do is to link the outside world to the inside. Lafley talked about how as CEO of P&G, he zeroed in on four areas that enabled him to make the outside to inside link. But if we really examine Lafley's critical tasks, they form a solid foundation for any type of leader in any type of organization.

Twitter as a CIO's Executive Coach

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EDT

Busy CIOs might consider Twitter as their new executive communication coach. Don't scoff. It can be a highly effective teacher of powerful communication strategies. And a cost-effective alternative to executive coaches! What makes Twitter a great coach? It's all about developing the succinct Twitter mindset. Concise communication can drive IT projects forward, gain mindshare and foster a greater understanding of the value of IT.

You're Fired!

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:32:55 EDT

Want an interesting summer mini-project guaranteed to impact your career?

For a moment, put down that mojito, shut down the barbie grill, and imagine that Donald Trump just gave you the "You're Fired"! line.

Now ask yourself, "WHY did I get fired?" Hmmmm. Don't reach for that mojito again, instead, reach for a really accurate and soul-searching appraisal.

Fire Yourself

A very savvy executive, Luanne Tierney VP of Cisco's WW Channels Marketing, goes through this "firing yourself" process to fine-tune her leadership skills. Tierney believes, "the exercise of firing yourself can be a great eye opening experience that helps pinpoint your strengths, as well as your weaknesses. The result is a blueprint of your leadership traits showing you where you should focus your efforts to further develop your skills."

A Fair Self- Appraisal

Taking Luanne's lead, what weaknesses would get you fired? Give an objective and even brutal appraisal of where you do NOT hit the mark:

What traits hold you back from greatness?
Where are you weakest in interpersonal relationships with colleagues?
What projects did you NOT complete on time as promised...why?
What communication patterns are NOT strategic or leader-like?

OK, now prioritize. Which needs to be remedied asap? Put a plan in place to eliminate each trait that got you fired.

You're Hired!

Now flip the question: why would someone hire you? What traits qualify you to be a CEO? Don't rest on your laurels. There's some work here as well. These strengths also need a plan: what can you do to extend and build-on these positive traits? One positive trait per month, strengthened and amplified. Sweet.

This is a great summer exercise and one that highly effective leaders might consider as a quarterly career tune-up.

OK, I know you're all dying to get back to the barbie...you can pick up that mojito now, but in between sips, remember to keep your leadership brand on the front burner!

100 Ways to Kill Your PPT Presentation

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EDT

A CEO once asked me, "As an executive coach, what are the top mistakes you've seen when business leaders give a presentation"? He was expecting just a few insights, I'm sure. But once I got thinking about all the mess-ups I'd seen, I just could not stop writing them down. What started as a Letterman "Top Ten List" took on a life of its own. So, for all you executives getting ready to present, here are 100 of the top mistakes I've seen over the years.

Walter Cronkite's IT Career Advice

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EDT

IT managers can look to an unlikely source for career inspiration: the late Walter Cronkite. The guiding principles that made Cronkite, "the most trusted man in America" can help impact your career in the world of high tech. The late Walter Cronkite as a role model for IT managers? At first glance, we might not see the connection between "the most trusted man in America" and high tech management. But if we pull back the layers of how Cronkite approached his job, there are solid day-to-day career lessons for those working in IT.

Leadership Lessons from the Newsdesk

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:15:00 EDT

The death of Walter Cronkite got me thinking about his leadership qualities and how business leaders can take a few cues from "the most trusted man in America." I posted on Ulitzer about what IT professionals can learn from the legendary newsanchor, and even if you are not in IT, "Walter Cronkite's IT Career Advice" might be an interesting read. But from a purely leadership perspective, Cronkite is a fabulous role model with lots to offer anyone in any management position.

CXOs: To Tweet or Not to Tweet?

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:45:00 EDT

Should busy executives use Twitter? Hmmm. There is a line (or a tweet) in the sand on this one. It's a hot topic guaranteed to bring out heated opinions. And be sure to get your gloves on if you enter this dialogue. A recent Business Week article on CEOs tweeting can give you insights into how top global big wigs use the micro-blogging service. But what if we approached "To Tweet or Not to Tweet" purely from the perspective of advancing your CXO communication? Should you use Twitter as an executive messaging platform? Let's explore some pros and cons.

CEO Chimps

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:15:00 EDT

Did you ever meet a big-wig from some ever-so-important, is on the cover of Fast Company type of organization, who thinks his leadership is spot on? But he never once asks a question about you, your company or what YOU do. He hardly even listens to you. It's all about his blah, blah, blah. I call these executives "Chimp CEOs." They're deaf, mute, and blind to anything that does not relate to them. If you go to industry confabs a lot, you hear a lot of this simian chatter.

CEO or Czar: Which Leader Are You?

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:00:00 EDT

The "C" word is getting a lot of press these days (you WERE thinking CEO, weren't you?). It seems that every time someone gets appointed to a government post, they get the title "czar." There are so many of these little crazy Ivans running around in Washington that Senator McCain said Obama has, "more Czars than the Romanovs."

Leadership Lessons From the Heart

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:15:00 EDT

CEOs lead by using their brains: they think about how to generate revenues, they ponder company vision and they constantly think about how to advance and grow their organization. Competitive analysis, differentiation, profitability, sustainable growth and innovation. Whew! Heady heads! And that's good stuff going on in the brains of business leaders.

IT Lessons from the King of Pop

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:45:00 EDT

CIOs and IT professionals can take a few pages from the Michael Jackson playbook. By looking at some of the best practices the King of Pop used to change the face of music, IT managers might find inspiration to change perceptions about IT in their organization.

Does Cloud Computing Need a Shrink?

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EDT

What if "The Cloud" visited a psychiatrist? Does Cloud and Cloud Computing need therapy? Are they suffering from split personality disorder? With so many people giving different definitions of what Cloud Computing is, no wonder The Cloud has an identity crisis. Be a fly on the wall and listen in to the Cloud's therapy session.

Do You Think in PowerPoint Part 2

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:26:52 EDT

Do You Think in PowerPoint Continued...

In my previous post, I looked at executives who have very organized thoughts: seeing ideas from a three-bullet point perspective, i.e., "Thinking in PowerPoint." There are definite scenarios where this type of highly structured thinking works well (just think how it worked for the logical Mr. Spock saving the day for Kirk et al.).

Anti-PowerPoint Thinking

But there are many other paradigms for effective executive thinking. I know many business leaders whose minds would never see the world in terms of an ordered list. Their brains are just whirring with ideas but not necessarily in a logical structure. Sort of anti-PPT thinking.

Random thoughts and ideas strewn all around their cerebellum. Think of dozens of different colored marbles, each representing a CXO thought: the current sales model...competitive tactics...economic downturn...staff reviews...product innovation...navigating for the upturn...customer loyalty. To an outsider, this might seem like a cluttered mind. Not so.

Connect the Dots Thinking

But if you look closer at what some execs do with these ideas, you WILL see an order. They connect disparate thoughts to form logical connections.

IF the economy continues spiraling down, THEN what will that do to our sales strategy?
IF we modify our sales strategy, THEN how will that impact what our competitors do; will they ramp-up?
IF we increase customer satisfaction,THEN how will that impact customer loyalty?
IF we release product X early, THEN how will that impact innovation?

Classic IF...THEN Thinking or Connecting the Dots.

When business leaders see the world as a giant chess board, with interconnected moves and relationships, they're using connect the dots thinking. Remember Philosophy 101 in college? If all men are mortal, and Socrates is a man, then Socrates is mortal. That's CXO "connect the dots" thinking. From what I've seen of the executive suite, this is one of the most critical mindsets any executive can develop.

A LEARNED SKILL

And that's the good news. This is not necessarily innate; it is a learned skill. If we start looking for connections, and start thinking in terms of "what if?" then we can develop IF...THEN thinking. For budding CEO's, it can be as simple as looking for clear connections between easily related ideas: a direct line. "IF we increase sales force by 10% THEN what...? IF we don't meet Q4 quota, THEN...."

Once you start training yourself to see a single connection, you can progress and start adding and looking for connections among two, three, four ideas. With determination and practice, you'll have "connect the dots" thinking as a default mindset. Then you're on your way to being the Bobby Fischer of the executive suite!

Do You Think in PowerPoint?

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:46:35 EDT

Recently, I spoke with Maryfran Johnson, editor-in-chief of CIO magazine on the pros and cons of executives using PowerPoint as a vehicle to deliver their ideas. Maryfran has probably seen thousands of presentations from countless CXOs, and she firmly believes in telling a story, using humor, and speaking in plain language. Bravo Maryfran!

Our chat about PPT got me thinking. Do some executives think in PowerPoint? Can there be a PowerPoint mindset that guides leaders' thinking, planning and analysis? Based on some executives I've worked with, yes, I think there is.

Do You Think in PowerPoint?

Now, just the thought of actually thinking in PowerPoint would make you take a gun to your head, or return to psychedelic 60's practices to blank out the stream of slides in your brain. Not that any readers of this blog actually engaged in those 60's activities. You read about them in Wikipedia like I did...right?

Not literal PPT thinking, but what about the process of thinking that PowerPoint promotes: seeing ideas organized in bullet points, logical structure, little deviation from status quo, confined analysis. Think about it. The templates and wizards in PPT allow for clean, streamlined thought patterns: main idea, three bullets to support it. Do you think this way?

A Time and Place for PPT Thinking

There are times when PowerPoint thinking and speaking come in handy.

In a crisis situation (and aren't execs always dealing with fire drills?), you want a fixed verbal template with prepared remarks and no ad libs. Organizing your thinking and communication following the template of PPT bullets and numbered lists might hit the mark.
When explaining complex issues. A terribly obtuse concept or complicated engineering schema sometimes could benefit from a structured explanation. Don't you wish Timothy Geithner could explain derivatives with a one, two, three logic?
During an earnings call. Going off-script and rambling will not help your investors. Tight, buttoned-up, structured communication is what you need, and the template of PPT thinking gives you just such a focused structure.
Describing a process. Have you ever had to explain steps your team should take to attack a challenge? Or a new selling model? Process thinking and speaking is right out of the PPT bible.

If your mind naturally thinks in a structured, formatted fashion, you're a PPT thinker. You're focused, tend to stay on script, and see logical "buckets" in which to place ideas. It can be comforting to think and communicate this way, and for many listeners, it's easy on the ears.

Breaking the PowerPoint Crutch

For executives who don't want to use PowerPoint thinking or speaking, what are the alternatives? When should you break the template pattern? What situations demand you don't have a template?

We'll address that in our next post. And for Macintosh fans, no; it's not using or thinking in Keynote!

Leadership Lessons from the Cockpit

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:07:58 EDT

Engines dead. Plane heading into the Hudson. All aboard braced for impact. US Air flight 1549 WILL go down.

What would you do if you were the pilot?

What Captain "Sully" Sullenberger did was turn to his first officer and say, "Any ideas"? Then he acted. Quick, concise, controlled actions. Cool, calm and pure grace under pressure.

This week we get to admire Captain Sullenberger all over again as we listen to him testify before the National Transportation Safety Board. America is re-embracing him as a hero. And with good cause. Thinks like a leader. Acts like a leader. Communicates like a leader. Sully is a super role-model for any executive.

So what can business leaders take-away from Captain Sullenberger's actions?

1. Think problem-solution. Captain Sullenberger said he saw this as, "a problem I had to solve." There are many ways to look at a situation, but if you analyze business scenarios from this standpoint, logic is sure to kick-in. "What's the problem, what resources are at hand, who can assist, how to attack: in one action or a series of smaller ones"? Bottom-line, thinking in terms of problem-solution as a default mindset, sets you up for a plan and most importantly, action and execution.

2. Focus. Sully told Congress that he, "focused on nothing else." We get distracted by the day-to-day activities of running our organizations, but what Captain Sullenberger reminds us is that for some situations, a single-mindedness is the right tactic. Clarity of focus enabled him to clear out all the non-essential distractions and zero-in on the task at hand.

3. Determination. Guts and resolve. Great traits for the CXO suite. Sullenberger said he was determined to find a way out of this. Firm conviction. Definite actions. And although companies are not Airbus 320s, the determined efforts to guide a plane to safety can find a parallel path in organizations of any size.

4. Rely on Training. Ultimately, Captain Sullenberger said he made his decision and let his training kick in. For business leaders, that could mean formal training, but more often than not, it's in the trenches training. What lessons can you look to from similar situations? What best practices can you tap into? Train yourself to not just knee-jerk react, but fall back on patterns of success.

5. Concise Communication. Wouldn't you love to see Sully deliver a PowerPoint presentation? My guess is, he'd have only 5 slides and probably not even use all of them. His communication style is simple: don't bore people with details they don't need and be precise in what you say. Lessons for us all.

Ultimately, Captain Sullenberger didn't just bring 150 people safely home to their families, he also brought a new breed of hero and leader to the forefront. Determined, focused leadership and a no-nonsense style of communication. Forget Harvard School of Business. Let's all commit to taking lessons from the Sullenberger School of Leadership.

Are You Losing Your Executive Hair?

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:06:42 EDT

How many of you remember Aesop's fable about the man with two wives? For those in the C Suite, it's a fable very much worth remembering:

In the old days, when men were allowed to have many wives, a middle-aged Man had one wife that was old and one that was young; each loved him very much, and desired to see him like herself. Now the Man's hair was turning gray, which the young Wife did not like, as it made him look too old for her husband. So every night she used to comb his hair and pick out the white ones. But the elder Wife saw her husband growing gray with great pleasure, for she did not like to be mistaken for his mother. So every morning she used to arrange his hair and pick out as many of the black ones as she could. The consequence was the Man soon found himself entirely bald. Moral: Yield to all and you will soon have nothing to yield.

Whether you are a male or female executive, no hair is...well, not the best look for most of us. If you let colleagues pick at your follicles, giving each one what they want, when they want it, you'll end up like Aesop's barren-headed gentleman. Not a pretty sight for an executive and certainly not one to be respected. You can't be all things to all people.

Authentic leaders don't give everyone what they want: they always respectfully listen and consider, but in the end, THEY make the decision, guided by their best judgment. Authentic leadership is about being true to yourself and your instincts and sensibilities. After all, that's what got you into your leadership position.

So occasionally if you want to let someone have one of your executive follicles, go ahead, be magnanimous. Remember it's OK to say, "no," and it's perfectly fine to say, "no way!"

After all YOU are the leader!

CEO Top Ten Communication Best Practices

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:37:00 EDT

Thinking like a great CEO. What does it really mean? It means being able to communicate those great thoughts and rally people to action. It's combining speaker and thinker.

Who are the best of the best executive communicators, those with best practices other leaders want to emulate? Not in the CEO suite of the West Wing, but in the C-level suite of major companies. I'm sure we could all conjure up a few favorite names—leaders like Jack Welch and Steve Jobs for example. But can you pinpoint their favorite communication strategies and the communication best practices they deploy?

When I think of the best communicators I've worked with, they all have replicable communication strategies. Strategies that enable CXOs to rally their troops, win-over customers and create a strong executive brand. Here's a short list of communication best practices I've observed over the years:

1. LESS IS MORE. Say what you have to say, and then step down. Information overload in any communication is NOT the way to show you're thinking like a CEO.

2. STORIES ENGAGE. Captivating an audience depends on your ability to tell a story—one that the audience can relate to. Use universal themes that can inspire any listener.

3. DATA DUMPS BORE. Even for a techie crowd, talking about data all the time can be boring as $#&(!!, so use data to back up an idea, but NOT be the backbone of your communication).

4. THINK "WHAT DO THEY NEED TO HEAR"? Master communicators don't just talk about what they want to say. First and foremost, they consider what does this audience need or want to hear?

5. DON'T MEMORIZE. Get as comfortable as you can with your material--practice and know your ideas like the back of your hand, but never memorize word for word. The minute you rely on rote, you sound canned and over rehearsed.

6. HAVE A CONVERSATION. No matter if you are delivering a PowerPoint presentation, a prepared speech or an off-the-cuff comment, talk in a dialogue with your listeners. No one likes a pedantic lecturer.

7. USE EXAMPLES. We learn and remember via examples. Great communicators use them to make a concept real or help explain a complex idea. Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech had many memorable examples that rallied the crowd and the nation.

8. BE PASSIONATE. Let your passion for your ideas come through loud and clear--in your voice, your gestures, and your commitment to whatever it is you are communicating.

9. USE SILENCE. Good communicators know that effectively using a pause or moment of silence can be a dramatic way to accent an idea or gain attention.

10. HAVE AN AUTHENTIC VOICE, (WARTS AND ALL). You're not Bill Clinton, never will be, so get over it. The best executive communicators find a voice that is their own and perfect it.

Looking to role models for inspiration is fine, but don't imitate the voice of others. Great communicators also recognize that the warts are part of your authenticity. Just be yourself. The great CEO that you are.

A Personal Social Media Strategy

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:47:01 EDT

Today, leaders don't just innovate and communicate. Today they must tweet, connect, blog and join the virtual conversation. The social media world is here to stay, it's no longer the latest fad for Gen Y. And business leaders must have a presence in the virtual world. No ifs ands or buts. It is a business imperative!

Many leaders bemoan the fact that they don't have time to get engaged in all the virtual chatter. Here are a few strategies I've seen successful business leaders use to survive and thrive in the brave new 2.0 world.

1. Manage Your Tweet Time. Many busy execs bemoan the fact that time just flies along and they can't find a few extra minutes for social media. But it's relatively easy to make time.

What's your morning routine? Java or tea, of course. Then perhaps reading an online news source, answering emails and voice mails etc. etc. Why not program 5 minutes for tweet strategy and 15 minutes for your blog? If you plot out your social media time as a "must do" along with other morning requirements, it soon becomes part of your daily habits...you execute, and move on.

2. What to write about? Take your blog cues for material from news sources you read everyday. Timely topics featured on CNN or in The Wall St. Journal or Financial Times can open up op ed ideas for your blog. One of the best sources for material is your customer base. What was the latest conversation you had with a big prospect? Or look to your own team. What are they talking about at the water cooler this week? What challenges do they face or what solutions are working?

3. Prioritize Ideas. What is critical and timely to post or tweet about now? Some ideas as time-sensitive, like a current stimulus package or a highly publicized merger. If you want to rant on a timely topic, you can't waste a second. But some ideas are what journalists call "evergreens." they last indefinitely. Why not keep a list of evergreen ideas that you can pull out and turn into blog material? Relevant business ideas that will fly in any time or season. I know some execs who write a half dozen posts while traveling, then file them away until needed.

Bottom-line. It's about having a vision for your online presence and then putting a personal social media strategy in place.

CEOs: SHINE OR SHUT-UP!

Wed, 20 May 2009 11:23:09 EDT

Dull CEO Thinking

There’s a big void in CXO thinking these days. Grey matter that is truly grey. Thinking that is sometimes boring and totally uninspiring.

Having been an executive coach for a number of years, I’ve seen up close and personal the mental workings and machinations of many Fortune 500 leaders. Cool, innovative, kick-ass thinking. But lately, what I’ve heard in the public forum is pretty depressing blah blah stuff. It’s doom and gloom like, “There’s a great deal of uncertainty among our customers.” DUH! Or how about the executive who says, “The economic situation is pretty dire” Talk about depressing!

Inspiring CEO Thinking

Note to CEOs: cardinal rule of being a CXO is that true leaders are inspiring and motivating. They raise our spirits, not raise our hackles. They find ways to drive our ambitions, not drive us to happy hour at 3pm. They look for ways to innovate, not ways to state the obvious again and again. Think inspiration.

Case in point, our new Chief Technology Officer, Vivek Kundra.

Mr. Kundra has said, “Why is it that we can’t innovate...one of the biggest problems in the federal government is that process has trumped outcome...nobody is thinking about innovation and how to drive change in government.’

All Executives: Inspire or Shut Up!

Spot on! Innovation and change—you just can’t say these words enough these days. But it's not just those words, it's the attitude of inspiration and "let's get it done" that makes Kundra's comments noteworthy,

So all Denizens of the C Suite, if you can’t let optimism shine through, then shut up! Take a page out of the West Wing’s playbook, and start saying, “Yes, we can”!

CEO of the Future: Traits to Cultivate Now

Tue, 19 May 2009 16:45:10 EDT

Timeless CEO Traits

Some leadership qualities are timeless. The C suite will always welcome those who are visionary, inspirational, innovative and most of all, those who can execute. But are there new traits that future CEOs need to cultivate now?

A recent article by Dan McCarthy entitled "The Leader of the Future: Ten Skills To Begin Developing Now," appeared in this month's IABC's CW magazine.

Dan outlines ten traits future leaders will need, including having a global mindset, developing financial acumen and mastering the current web technologies. Solid advice. But I'd like to add one more executive trait to Dan's list: develop a collaborative mindset.

Get Collaborative

The social media are here to stay, and as the Millennials continue to take their place in the upper echelons of management, the collaborative mindset that drives Facebook, Twitter et al. will be more imporant than ever.

If the next gen of CEOs could select only one trait, I'd tell them to go for a collaborative mindset.

Some companies and CEOs are already ahead of the curve. Cisco Systems' John Chambers "gets" collaboration, so does his CTO, Padmasree Warrior whose keynote at VoiceCon described how collaboration is changing society, and especially VP of WW Channels Marketing and Social Media Guru, Luanne Tierney who shows channel partners how to harness the power of social media marketing.

And Cisco is not alone. Execs from the Lego Group, Eastman Kodak, P&G, SAP and many others, recognize that leaders who eschew the command and control mindset for collaboration are poised for the future.

So heads up current and future CEOs: start blogging, tweeting, and interacting with the web 2.0 technologies and become a part of the leadership conversation.

Top CEO Says, "Put Your Laptops Away"!

Tue, 19 May 2009 16:29:41 EDT

Eric Schmidt, Google's CEO, gave the commencement address yesterday at my alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania in Philly (yeah, yeah, I know, all us Philadelphians eat soft pretzels and say things like "YO"... but we don't care, the Phillies are world champs, so "YO"!).

Schmidt gave some pretty interesting and somewhat controversial advice to Penn's new grads:

"You need to turn off your computer, turn off your phone, look at the people who are near and around you, and decide that humans are the most important things..."

This is some pretty heady advice for anyone, not just graduates, but especially for leaders. Here is one of the chief technology brains on the planet suggesting that technology has its place, but people come first (for those keeping score, this means: Technology 0 Humans 1).

Schmidt is saying in essence, humans are at the heart of everything, whether technology or culture or business or politics. It seems to me that keeping a human perspective is the best advice any leader can take to heart in our web 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and growing world.

Effective leaders can use the latest technologies to communicate: they might Tweet and tape VODs and be LinkedIn and YouTube their latest messages for all the world to see, but in the end, they are communicating to people. Leaders who really "get" it use Telepresence and CUVA cameras, but they also connect with their teams the old fashioned way: shake hands, eye contact, one-on-one conversations.

So as you speak to your colleagues, teams, your customers, and your partners, yes, use the latest 2.0 technologies, they bring speed, clarity and innovation to your leadership platform, but don't forget that humanitas is at the heart of authentic leadership, not an Intel processor.

Career Advice for Moving Up the Corporate Ladder

Sat, 16 May 2009 10:51:32 EDT

Old World Mindset: Create a Niche

A common question I hear from the executive suite is, "How can I get to the next rung on the corporate ladder and advance my career"?

Old-world wisdom was to go deep and develop an in-depth and specific skill set. Master a skill and be known for it. You made a name and reputation as a wicked bean counter or as a strategic planner bar none. But in an economy where many large companies' growth depends on a global presence and a diverse workforce, being a specialist might not be the best strategy for you or your organization.

New World Wisdom: Be a Jack of All Trades

We've all heard the phrase, a Jack of All Trades and a Master of None. It is certainly not a phrase we want associated with our business persona. But what if we varied the expression: be a Jack of All Trades AND a Master of One. A Renaissance person--a Leonardo Da Vinci of business.

In other words be an executive who has a mastery or specialty, but also a working knowledge of other areas crucial to the growth of your organization. Going broad has replaced going deep.

Many Organizations Now Seek Generalists

As you advance up the rungs into higher management positions, there is a broader strategy you might consider: cultivate your specialty, but also know enough about your organization so you can step up and contribute to other parts of the business.

Today, many innovative enterprises encourage or even require a rotation so their employees can grow a broad skill set. For some organizations, part of their succession plan is to insure that top managers gain expertise in a variety of areas crucial to the health of the organization. In other words, they are looking for qualified generalists who can see the whole picture, not a limited view of the company. Bottom-line, don't use a micro lens, rather a wide angled one.

Five Tips for Climbing the Career Ladder

With that in mind, here are some tips for business leaders seeking a strategy to help advance within their organizations:

1. Gain a broad working knowledge of your organization. For example, if you are in marketing, educate yourself in finance, in sales, or in areas of corporate governance or strategy. Get to know lines of business outside of your specialty.

2. Each business quarter, target one area outside of your comfort zone, and educate yourself. Read journals, attend meetings and associate with others who have skills in this new area of interest.

3. Keep an ear to the latest trends outside of your area of expertise. This means reading a broad base of business magazines and journals, not just specialty or trade publications.

4. In meetings, speak up and comment on topics that are not directly related to your area of specialization (remembering to only comment when you can add value). It is important that others in your organization see and recognize that you have interest and knowledge outside of your specialty.

5. Finally, find a mentor outside of your department--someone who can give you in-depth and insider insights into another area critical to your company's growth.

Ultimately, you'll not just be preparing yourself to be a future leader who can impact your organization, you'll be preparing yourself to be a more well-rounded contributing member of society!

CEO Robots?

Wed, 13 May 2009 18:08:14 EDT

I recently read that Japanese Robot makers have created a "robot teacher." She can bark commands like, "be quiet," and "stop talking"! Hmmm. That got me thinking about CEO Robots.

Seems American industry is inundated with them. CXOs who just prattle off the same old jargon as if they are programmed to say the same words each quarter. Not a very good example of executive thinking. More like Unthinking. Turn on the vocabulary autopilot and turn off original thought.

Over the years, predictable CXO jargon has littered the corporate landscape. How many times have you heard "stay the course", or "our key differentiation is..." or "crush the competition" or "think outside the box"? Vapid vocabulary.

The hallmark of a real leader is using words and ideas that are authentic--being true to yourself and your style. Authentic communication. I really admire executives who speak from the head and heart and not from the hackneyed phrasebook. Remember JFK's totally unique, 'Ask not what your country can do for you..."phrasing? How about more corporate inspiration like that? And to all CXOs who say, "But I'm not JFK..", no, you're not. But every word his speechwriters used IS in your vocabulary, too.

Especially in today's environment, I'd love to hear a unique, heartfelt and inspirational speech from a CXO. Not in twitter speak, not cloaked in predictability, but genuine and authentic. Realspeak, not robotspeak. Gauntlet down. Any takers?

The Best CEOs

Sun, 10 May 2009 09:04:16 EDT

So who are the best CEOs of the century?

More importantly, what are the traits a business leader needs to cultivate if she or he wants immortality?

Portfolio.com, in a recent April article, created a list of the Best and Worst CEOS, ranking this century's top leaders. A board of academics helped the Conde Nast publication put the list together, and discussed not only the highest and lowest ranking CEOs, but also the traits that earned them their ranking.

Guess who came out on top? Henry Ford.

He might not have been your first choice, but you can't deny his titles: innovator, change agent, mover and shaker.

BTW, you can vote on portfolio's site for an interactive best and worst ceo list.

The university profs pointed to traits like innovation, and of course, Apple's Steve Jobs made the cut. Being a great philosopher ranked at the top, and the likes of Warren Buffett, the business Buddha made the grade, as did Katharine Graham for demonstrating social responsibility when she backed up Woodward and Bernstein over their Watergate investigation.

How about we add three other CEO brand traits to portfolio.com's list: communication, honesty and execution.

If a leader can't communicate his or her vision...rally the troops...inspire action and speak in plain language everyone can understand, then they don't get my vote. We only need to think of "The Great Communicator" , Ronald Reagan, as an example. Simple language, yet inspiring.

As far as honesty goes, it should be a default trait for all CXOs. But in the post Nixon and Clinton era, leaders who lie seem more like the status quo than the exception. This year, the chip-maker Microsemi decided to keep their CEO James Peterson after he lied about his qualifications. Twice! Once on his resume and once in a public denial. Go figure.

And lastly, let's hear it for executive execution. Any Tom, Dick or Jane can talk big ideas and vision, but real leaders act...get things done...they execute.

Sir Richard Branson is the quintessential role model. He's a leader who acts and executes and has the accomplishments to show for it (balloons, flying, and all that virgin stuff).

In his book, "Screw It, Let's Do It: (14 Lessons on Making it to the Top While Having Fun and Staying Green)" Branson talks about executing in business and in life. Main message: stop talking: just get out there and do it!

Heads-up current and would-be CEOs: advice doesn't get any better than that! Think and live like Nike and Sir Richard!

Leaders Should Just Lead

Sun, 10 May 2009 09:01:38 EDT

One has to wonder what business leaders are thinking sometimes when they utter things that they have to know are going to send waves throughout the universe.

The iconic Warren Buffett opened up his mouth yesterday and turned the financial world on its head. Hopefully his comments do not show executive prescience. They clearly don't highlight executive presence or reflective CXO thinking.

In an interview, Mr. Buffett chose to express his views of the current economic times by saying, “this is an economic Pearl Harbor” and equated the current financial situation in the United States to “falling off a cliff.” These comments may seem innocent enough. But coming from a financial executive who has changed a whole generation's view of finance, these words are quite devastating to a country that is already reeling. Buffett's words carry weight in arenas that we would not normally consider. The ripple effect can be staggering.

As a seasoned executive, he should have chosen his words a bit more carefully. While few might disagree with what he is saying, there are better ways to put it. Thoughtful ways that would make us aware of the situation AND build a little confidence that we can get this thing turned around.

That's what a CXO mindset is all about. A leader knowing when to bite her or his tongue or when to advance an idea. Sometimes, being a great CEO means biting your lip more than flapping it.

Advice to up and coming executives: having the mindset of a real leader is not always about speaking your mind and sounding pithy. It's about knowing when and how to package a concept. Just because an idea pops into your head, it is not always prudent to let it find a pathway to your mouth.

Managing Gen Y in a 2.0 World

Thu, 07 May 2009 18:05:35 EDT

OK, all the business leaders who have kids in their 20s, raise your hand. Hmmm, lots of virtual hi-fives out there. Now, how many of you want to manage your twenty-something son or daughter at work? What...NO hands?

Well, we all know that Gen Y or the Millennials or Gen C (The Connected Generation) have values and attributes that Gen X or Baby Boomers don't always share (and if you are a parent, you know this all too well). And for many Boomers who did not grow up digital, Gen Y's affinity for all things technology is a definite distinction.

So for executives who manage Millennials, (and that is almost everyone these days), here are three tips for using technology to connect with employees from the Connected Generation

1.Think like Facebook.
This generation is collaborative; they love to share with friends, family and colleagues. To foster that collaborative mindset, create wikis and collaborative portals to enable the sharing of ideas. Better yet, challenge THEM to develop the wikis and portals themselves and offer an incentive: a contest with a cool technology-related reward (perhaps the latest ipod with $500 i tunes gift card?).

2. Use Web 2.0 Technologies Since this generation grew up digital, the more you immerse your organization in web 2.0 activities, the more your Millennial employees will feel at home.

Encourage writing for a corporate blog or Twitter account. Use video, video and more video. Send out a message via email and my guess is 99% of Millennials won't read it. Send your corporate message out in video, you've got guaranteed clicks.

And encourage employees to mentor others via videos. Quick "how to's" on subjects of interest is a natural magnet and it will let Gen Y's creative juices have a natural and comfortable web 2.0 outlet.

You can also use Twitter to keep in touch with your Gen Y employees. Why not have a set "Twitter time" 30 minutes once a week where you are open to suggestions, sort of a virtual suggestion box on your Twitter feed. Great way to maintain contact and keep open the channel of communication.

3. Don't Pull a Mark Antony Antony's famous line about coming to bury Caesar and not praise him would not endear Antony to today's Millennials. They live for praise and had it most of their lives from doting moms and dads (all you parents who told your Millennial children they were wonderful just for showing up for soccer practice might feel a bit of guilt at this point). From an executive's standpoint, all this means is that you need to take the time to recognize and praise accomplishments. Not such a bad idea for everyone--we all like to get recognized.

But make your praise and recognition digital. Hook up a CUVA camera to your laptop if you don't already have one and send a quick video praise quote. Watch how quickly your Gen Y employees respond.

Another option is to offer recognition via MP3. Make a quick podcast of your comments and send a text note with the MP3 attachment.

And for those who truly deserve mega praise, if you think it is appropriate, post your recognition on your internal company blog.

Bottom line, using the latest technologies to communicate with your Millennial workforce could help ensure the most important part of Gen Y in your organization--RETENTION!

Executive Presentation Tip: Think Like Aesop

Wed, 06 May 2009 18:37:33 EDT

Want to take your executive presentation skills to the next level? Ape Aesop.

There's volumes of good advice out there on raising the presentation bar, everything from get in the "zone," to have eye contact and don't have cluttered slides. But tips like this are tactical. Executives and business leaders need to get strategic.

One strategy is to stop talking about quarterly results and start telling stories of how people achieved those results. The storytelling strategy worked for Aesop, The Grimm Brothers, Steve Jobs and Barack Obama, and it can work for any executive.

STORYTELLING AS STRATEGY!
Storytellers captivate, motivate and inspire an audience. And executives who tell good stories are memorable. We all remember some story from childhood or a story a friend or relative has told us. You can't underestimate the power of an inspiring story. Great salespeople know its power, and a good story resonates for audiences the world over.

Your strategy is to use stories to inspire and educate your listeners. Use examples and stories of salespeople, customers, partners, products. Be known as someone who tells a great story we can all take a lesson from. If done well, storytelling is a strategy that can elevate your executive presence in no time.

A SIMPLE STORY FORMULA
So how do you plan a presentation based on story? What are the elements of a great business story?

It boils down to a simple formula: someone doing something against odds.

The "someone" can be a person, a company or even a product. The "something" is an action. In narrative terms, it's the plot. And the odds, well, that could be a villain or obstacle or challenge. These are the base elements of a good story. Now, how do you put those elements to work?

STORIES NEED A HERO or HEROINE
Start with describing the main character. This could be someone like Erik Weihenmayer an adventurer who climbed Mount Everest! It could be one of the countless homeless people who struggle everyday to have a decent life and survive on the streets. It could be a small company struggling to gain market share against Fortune 500s or a salesperson with a disability like Bill Porter who would not take no for an answer. Or your innovative product that just hit the 1million selling mark.

DESCRIBE THEIR CHALLENGE
So now you've fleshed out the main actor in your story. But a good story explains how this character struggled to achieve something or conquered obstacles against all odds. For mountain climber Erik Weihenmeyer, his challenge is that he's blind. He not only climbs mountains, but scuba dives and parachutes out of planes!

For Bill Porter, cerebral palsy that struck in childhood left him with impaired speech and a crippled, pain-wracked body. But that never stopped him for selling in a grueling door-to-door market. The movie of his life, "Door to Door", shows how he overcame insurmountable odds to be one of the top salesmen in America.

The best characters and challenges are inspirational, and like Aesop, the audience can see a lesson in the character's struggle to succeed.

RELATE TO YOUR AUDIENCE
And this is the most important part of your story--making the challenges relevant to your audience. Show how Erik Weihenmeyer or Bill Porter's challenges are similar to those of your audience. Doesn't your team face obstacles? What could they learn from Eric or BIll's determination and resolve?

Is the economy a villain working against a small company? What strategy did they put in place to succeed? Or a unit in your organization, show how they topped yearly targets again and again. Show your audience HOW they could do the same. Even better, what is your personal story of rising above the odds...your obstacles...your solution?

THE BEST STORY ENDING
Mastering the art of the story can propel your speaking to new heights, but you need to practice it. It's definitely an art. Try storytelling on a regular basis in small meetings or staff events to gain feedback on your skills. And when you've mastered it, take it out for that memorable big pitch. When you've got the right story for the right audience, go for it!

The best ending to any executive presentation is not the applause, but the comment, "Wow, she is one great storyteller"!

CEO Alert: Think Like Mona Lisa

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:34:16 EDT

Want to develop your CXO mindset? Listen very carefully to Mona. Hmmm.

At first glance, it doesn’t seem possible that she can put syllables together let alone help a business leader with executive thinking. But she DOES talk, and quite loudly. And executives the world over can take a lesson from her playbook.

Say the words, “Mona Lisa” to almost anyone, and in a nanosecond, they get a mental picture of the enigmatic lady with the quirky smile. The mention of her name forces us to see her picture in our mind. Smart Mona! (and word on the street says she does not even have an MBA!).

Nothing is more powerful than an arresting image, especially coming from business leaders communicating to their teams. Using powerful verbal pictures can increase your clout as a communicator and make your ideas memorable. Learning to think in terms of imagery should be in every leader's communication handbook.

So how does a business leader use verbal images or pictures? By creating relevant analogies or metaphors (comparisons between two things). A rare economic occurrence could be compared to “a hundred year flood” or the ups and downs of the stock market to a “rough mountain bike ride.” Think Martin Luther King’s, “I Have a Dream.”

The metaphors can not only be verbal pictures but a call to action, as in Malcolm Gladwell's book, The Tipping Point. Or William Cohan's, House of Cards.

Analogies can be educational tools that help us understand complex topics or come to grips with difficult issues. Randy Pausch got a nation to understand how to prepare for tragedy in his famous, The Last Lecture.

But analogies and metaphors can also have a touch of whimsy and make us smile.

A recent post on Copyblogger by James Chartrand used a great verbal image: Forget The Tao of Pooh. How about the Blog of Pooh? James' tips on blogging via a Winnie the Pooh analogy are memorable and a great example of verbal pictures (can't you just see the Pooh toiling over a keyboard writing pithy poohisms?).

Just make sure your verbal pictures are fresh. Gyrations in the stock market described as a “roller coaster ride” is too hackneyed a phrase to be relevant. The key is to be original. Rule number two: don’t over-use analogies. A strategically placed verbal picture can be powerful. Too many and you can come off as a comedy king. Don't abuse the power!

See-Through CEOs

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:11:06 EDT

I was listening to an old Bonnie Raitt song the other day, ‘Have a Heart.’ And the lyrics really hit home in terms of executive thinking and communication (clearly NOT Bonnie’s intended audience). Check out her opening lines: “Hey! Shut up. Don’t lie to me. Hey! Mister, how do you do? Oh pardon me I thought I knew you. Would you stand back baby cause I want to get a better look.”

Here's a novel take: interpret the lyrics in light of what AIG’s CEO Edward Liddy said to Congress, and Bonnie’s words take on a WHOLE new light! Instead of "Have a Heart, " how about, "Have a see-through communication strategy." Well, that's not catchy enough for a Grammy or an MTV music video, but such a strategy might garner major kudos for an executive from his/her core constituents.

With Enron as a backdrop, and our current economic troubles, we now have a new landscape that demands disclosure and transparency of all business leaders. And not just windows into executive compensation, options and bonuses, but windows into CEO activities, initiatives, vision, strategies and major decisions. Let's get inside their heads and see how they think!

Let's call this new era, The Saran Wrap Age--a major see through into executive actions.

So how does an up-and-coming business leader become a "See Through" CEO and incorporate communication transparency into her/his daily activities? Does it mean opening the kimono to ALL executive business decisions and actions? Not necessarily. But for starters, we can follow the lead of CEO David Fox.

Jeff Elliott in his article, David Fox: Transparent Executive, highlights Mr. Fox's efforts to be a transparent leader. Mr. Fox is President of Good Samaritan Hospital in Illinois, and he is so committed to transparency that he publishes how well his own activities align to stated hospital goals. Performance metrics at saran wrap levels! Employees can actually track his job performance on their internal web site. Hats off to Mr. Fox and his dedication to communicating measurable performance objectives. Imagine if all executives did this!

This is a perfect starting point for all leaders who want to add more visibility into the C-level suite. Let your employees see how you measure up to your organization's stated goals or objectives or how you are aligning to you board's stated vision. Communicate your report card quarterly, as well as your plan for improvement. Don't your investors deserve this insight? It's not a plan for the weak of heart or those shy on principles. But it is a plan for leaders who want integrity to be their legacy. Let the saran wrap challenge begin!