March 22, 2011 – 10:57 am
As I’ve taken on more leadership positions, I’ve had to redefine my decision-making process to accommodate new challenges and find a balance between individual and group decisions. It has taken some practice, but I now feel my decisions are best when they are a product of groupthinking.
When decisions are made by us as individuals, they can be an empowering exercise of autonomy. But leaders must make decisions based on input from their teams and organizations – these decisions are an entirely different beast. Here are some strategies I’ve used:
Evaluate Decisions: Decision-making is a skill and like any other skill it must be honed, sharpened, and refined after each use. If you’re not evaluating the decisions made then nothing is learned from the decision. Upon completion of a project, ask teams to discuss which things they would do again and which things they would not. Reflecting on the decisions made and their results allows you to make better decisions during the next project.
Accept Mistakes: Mistakes happen and they should be thought of as learning opportunities. A good leader knows when to be flexible enough to allow for the possibility of mistakes and what actions to take to move past them. When [...]
Things don’t always go as planned. On Friday, the Revolution Road trip embarked on our month long journey to promote social good and inspire change. However, before we actually got on the road, anything that could go wrong did go wrong. Half of my team had personal tribulations that forced them to stay home, there were last minute venue changes, and then I found out that our van was having engine issues. What’s a control freak to do but let go?
Both personally and professionally, life keeps showing me that I need to learn to be flexible – to let go and trust. I just have to take what life throws at me and say, “Ok, what can I make with this pile of Legos?”
The poet Robert Brown once wrote, “The best laid schemes of mice and men go often askew.” The trick is to remain flexible enough so that you can adapt to sudden and drastic changes in your plans. Here are some ways to do just that:
Accept what you cannot change. Sometimes the milk spills, and there is no use crying over it. You need to relax and accept the inevitability that things almost never quite work out the [...]
February 22, 2011 – 8:33 am
Whenever I take on a new leadership role, I’m reminded of the famous words of Baron Acton – “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It’s tempting to want to lead by your ego when you’re in charge. Trust me, I’ve seen it happen. Good bosses that have lost sight of what it means to be a successful leader, simply by letting their own personal agenda take precedence over what’s good for the business. Even I’ve had some moments where I had to step back and ask myself, “Is this what is best for the company or just for me?”
As you begin to take on new leadership roles, possibly when you hire a freelancer or by outsourcing jobs, you also run the risk of being corrupted by power. So what can we do to guard against falling into this trap?
Refocus on the good – If you have authority, remind yourself what good it can potentially accomplish. For example, does your power allow you to push for innovation or envision new possibilities? Or do you find yourself using your power to squash new ideas that threaten your position?
Acknowledge the dark side – Denying or ignoring power’s pull toward corruption is the first step [...]
November 1, 2010 – 9:01 am
I cannot stress enough how essential it is to build company culture. In fact, whether you’re a new small business entrepreneur or an old hat at running a business, this is one of the most important things to focus on. Your company culture is directly tied to your brand, and it affects people’s perceptions about your brand. In today’s podcast, “Simple Ways to Build Company Culture”, I talk about how this can make or break your business.
When you think about company culture, what are some of the first things that come to mind? Join the conversation by leaving me a comment today.
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Looking to start a business or own a small business? Please consider buying my book, How to Start Your Business with $100 because it will save you thousands of dollars and you should find what you’re looking for.
By Ja-Naé Duane
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Posted in Business Tools, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Podcasts
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Also tagged brand, Brand identity, brand image, business, business podcast, company culture, leaders, Marketing, small business, starting a business
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October 19, 2010 – 9:00 am
Even though I left the church, I feel inclined to help an institution that has run into so many issues. I sincerely believe that the ordination of women will benefit not only the Catholic Church but make a positive impact on the world.
October 12, 2010 – 5:30 pm
By falling back on addressing your crowd with questions that are safe for everyone, you may only generate a discussion useful to no one. Questions will result in immediate feedback. You can enhance the relationship between you and your crowd and find better ways to connect with them. The more in sync a leader is with their audience, the more effective your crowdsourcing efforts.
I was so pleased to read Talent Culture contributor Mike Brown’s list of recommendations for leaders seeking to foster creative strategy and build creative minds amidst their team members! I’ve experienced tons of trial and error regarding this very subject, especially because I deal with teams in so many industries, including the small business, freelance, social media, consulting, and life coaching sectors. The core of Brown’s advice turns a leader’s questioning gaze inward, to ensure a level of accountability that sometimes gets ignored when a manager assumes that the root of a team’s deficiency is the result of individual deficiency. Speaking of accountability, I love how one of Brown’s strategies is to up the ante of accountability for EVERYONE, not just for the boss.
Long story short, creativity is a process of give and take, and that should be mirrored in the collaborative process between managers and staff. Take a look at these strategies and let us know what you think. How do you build creativity on your team? How do you encourage your staff to think outside of the box? Any anecdotes from the field? Any tips to add [...]
In a recent Telegraph Finance article, Daniel H. Pink raises the taboo question of, “Is it okay for a businessperson to question their ability to achieve a particular goal?”
Thankfully, he does so using the adorable Bob the Builder as a model entrepreneur for the humble and self-reflective businessperson. In my experience as a life coach and home-based business mentor, I find that it is a fine line to walk between encouraging freelancers, entrepreneurs, and home-based businesspeople to think positively/dream big and helping burgeoning entrepreneurs set achievable goals in the midst of starting their own businesses. This same conundrum is present in various leadership arenas as well: I want to encourage my team without allowing them to set unrealistic expectations. My advice to those with similar dilemmas: your choice of words and tone to colleagues and team members should encourage positivity and self-reflexivity. Instead of asking whether or not something can be done, ask questions that encourage a scaffolded approach to a project or goal. Questions like, “How can you achieve ‘X’” or “Is there a way to reach ‘X’ in the timeframe we are allowing ourselves?” are better alternatives than, “So [...]
My father and I have not always had the best relationship. While he and my mother were going through their divorce, I found that I resented him more and more for abandoning us in such a horrific situation. This led to tons of conflict and I was constantly fighting any advice he would give, even when I knew he was right. Ah, the joys of teenage angst!
Though we have mended our relationship, there are tons of things that we still do not see eye to eye on. So, when I started my first business, dad was more than happy to offer me advice. Some of it I was willing to absorb. I mean, here is a man who has had a successful company with my aunt and uncle for over 15 years. I may be rebellious, but I am not stupid. They were obviously doing something right and I am a sponge for knowledge. So, in honor of my dad and Father’s Day (Yes, I know I am a day late) here are the 10 vital lessons I learned from him about starting a business and building it successfully:
1. Respect: At my father’s 50th birthday party, I had the pleasure [...]
I have been thinking a ton about the artists program I’m putting together in Assisi and my spiritual pilgrimage to Taizé. Of course, it brought back great memories of my last trip to the monastery and a conversation a friend and I had over a pint of Guinness:
Sam: “You do a lot of sh*t, Nae. I am not sure if you sleep.”
Me: “Of course, I sleep. Didn’t you have to wake me up this morning?”
Sam: “Yeah, but how do you tell people what you do and who you are?”
Me: “I believe that we can sum up who we are in one word. Sooo….what’s yours?”
Though I won’t go into our answers, I still firmly believe this. As Americans, we put a lot of emphasis on what we do instead of who we are and what we believe. Isn’t who we are and what we stand for more important than what we do for work (unless you are completely aligned with doing what you love)?
People connect with people, not tasks or jobs. So, I figured I would reach out to some of my Facebook peeps and see who they are. Which one word represents each of them. Here are some of their [...]
