Leader? Or Hamster on a Wheel?

Posted on October 11, 2013 by chesterman


The little blue wheel keeps following me

One of my Vistage groups decided to read the book “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael E. Gerber. Reading the book had a significant impact on most of the members, helping them to understand why some of them are still working so hard in their business and having less time than they’d like working on their business and having a life outside of work. I had read the book many years ago and realized once again how relevant some of the concepts are to business owners and leaders within companies.

Many business owners and leaders start out as technicians – they are very good at something. They continue to do a good job and, in some cases, decide to start a business that does that very thing. However, they often become trapped, because they have not established the proper vision and systems with which to grow the business. They just continue to work harder and put in more hours thinking that eventually they will reach the point where the business will thrive. They hire positions that they need now, without considering what they will need in the future. They are so busy working in the present, that they are not clearly seeing the future and working toward that vision.

For businesses that are larger and have some systems and processes in place, the book is still a good reminder of how to get your leaders to continue to develop themselves and their leadership skills. And if you are having trouble hiring great people because they cost more than you can justify paying, you may want to consider how you could create better processes, training and systems so you can hire lower level employees and allow them to succeed.

If you feel a bit like a hamster on a wheel, running as fast as you can and not getting anywhere, you may want to consider looking at your business differently by reading a book such as “The E-Myth Revisited”.

Photo by: Zebra Pares / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

Are You Living in a Reactive Mode?

Posted on September 27, 2013 by chesterman

It’s always fascinating to me to observe human behavior. When driving down the interstate, if someone sees a police car driving along, they automatically slow down, even when they were going less than the speed limit originally. This overreaction can cause accidents. The drivers aren’t thinking about what they are doing. And when they are already going lower than the speed limit, it seems a little silly to slow down even more for a police car that’s driving along with traffic.

So how often do we have that type of silly, reactive behavior that can hold us back and may cause unintended consequences for others? When you live in a reactive mode, you are not going to get where you are going very quickly. You could think you are in the fast lane, but if someone ahead of you hits the brakes and slows you down and you haven’t planned for that possibility, you may be stuck.

Have you ever spent a day putting out fires, and then realized at the end of the day that you did not accomplish any of the important things you should have done? How many of those fires could have been prevented or at least anticipated with a little more planning?

One way to get out of reactive mode is to set goals, make them “SMART” goals, look at them daily, and diligently work toward them. Thoughtfully consider what may interfere with those goals, and be prepared to tweak your route so you are still able to get where you want to go. Having goals will help you to determine priorities and to make sure you are spending time on the most important things. It’s much better to take the approach of “Ready, Aim, Fire” than “Ready, Fire, Aim”. If you take time to actually aim at the target, you are more likely to hit it!

People often react too quickly. I’m not suggesting that you delay decisions and slow things down to the point of analysis paralysis. Taking a few minutes to evaluate the situation and consider the alternatives might prevent you from making a big mistake. Getting the right balance between being proactive and reactive is what you should strive to achieve. Why don’t you evaluate your recent performance to see if you are making decisions too quickly or too slowly? Just like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, there is always an approach that is just right.

Photo by: cishore™ / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Unsung Heroes

Posted on August 5, 2013 by chesterman

: Unsung Heroes

Whenever we hear about a major event in the news, there are often stories of people doing heroic things for others. At the Boston Marathon, a runner helped to save the life of another by putting a tourniquet on their wounded leg. Elsewhere, a bystander dove into the water to save a child from drowning. Someone else went into a burning car to rescue its occupants. Every day there are stories of regular people putting their own lives at risk to help others. These are mostly unsung heroes. We expect firefighters, police officers and our military personnel to be heroes, and yet often it’s a normal, everyday citizen who is able to perform amazing, heroic feats in times of need. While some of these heroes receive public recognition and praise on the front page of the news, others are unsung heroes who do not receive the recognition they deserve. Sometimes we don’t even know their names.

Most companies have unsung heroes who do things above and beyond their position and call of duty. Do you know who the unsung heroes are in your organization? Do you have a process to identify them and recognizing them? Why not encourage that behavior by recognizing it and giving public praise for specific situations and accomplishments? Change your culture from having unsung heroes, to front page heroes.

Photo by: Chris Reinhold / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Finding My Greatness Zone

Posted on July 18, 2013 by chesterman

In a recent post, I spoke about college graduates and recommended Jay Forte’s book, “The Greatness Zone”. Since then, I’ve been asked about my own experience in finding my greatness zone. I am a prime example of how you can find your greatness zone at any age. A friend of my parents told me that I should go into accounting since I enjoyed math. That’s all it took to get me to take an accounting class in high school and declare that as my major in college. I did enjoy the accounting and business classes I took, yet I also really enjoyed psychology.

Upon graduation, I worked for a public accounting firm, became a CPA and continued my accounting career for over 20 years. I would still be in some type of executive financial role if it were not for a group of my peers. I was a member of a TEC (now known as Vistage) Key Executive program when I was faced with merger that would require relocation to another part of the country. While the opportunity was exciting, we did not want to move. I brought the issue to my TEC group, and two people in the group suggested that I change careers completely and become a Chair of groups such as ours. They saw some traits in me that I had never considered, and when I eventually took their advice and became a Chair, I realized I had finally found my greatness zone.

Unlike some of the people I described in my previous post, I was not unhappy in my executive financial roles. I was very good at what I did, and I enjoyed managing people. I also enjoyed the excitement of the many acquisitions and dispositions with which I was involved. However I found that I became bored easily and always felt that something was missing.

Now I know that what was missing was that I am passionate about helping people and I thrive on challenges and change. I love working with a variety of people and industries, and helping them become better leaders, make better decisions and achieve better results. Just like in the book, it took other people to help me realize how to find my greatness zone. And I am very thankful to be here!

Photo by: Jose Luis Mieza Photography / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

4th of July Pride – Have You Established Pride in Your Organization?

Posted on July 1, 2013 by chesterman

Every year as the 4^th of July draws near, I reflect on how proud I am to live in this great country. We are able to experience freedom in so many ways, while people in other areas of the world are still struggling to be free of oppression. I am grateful for what our forefathers were able to envision almost 240 years ago. Although we may stray from that vision occasionally, we are still far ahead of so many other nations throughout the world.

What about your company? Do your employees have that same sense of pride in your organization and in what you would like to achieve? Are they grateful to be part of your team? Or do you need to work on cohesiveness and vision? If your people are not proud to be part of your company, find out why. It could be that your culture needs to be improved. It could also be that your vision has not been clearly communicated or that your employees disagree with the vision. In any case, I’d suggest that you get to the bottom of it quickly. Having engaged, focused employees can provide a significant competitive advantage.

Photo by: Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton / Birthday Photos / CC BY-NC-ND

Graduates and Greatness

Posted on June 15, 2013 by chesterman

I have several friends whose children graduated from college and then were not motivated to seek a job in their chosen profession. They ended up finding other types of jobs, often making less money than they could have if they had sought a job in the area they had studied. While the economy over the past few years has made it hard for some college grads to find work, what I found interesting was that these kids did not even try! After four years in college, they had decided that they didn’t want to do what they had thought they wanted to do. Now they are floundering, trying to figure out what they would like to be when they grow up, and taking jobs that they do not enjoy just to pay their bills.

It’s sad, and yet perhaps not as sad as the person who works their entire life in a job that they hate. I’ve known a lot of those people over the years, and always wondered why they didn’t try to change their situation if they were so miserable. Perhaps they just didn’t know where to start.

That’s where my friend Jay Forte comes into play. He is passionate about helping people find the career that will make them happy. His book, “The Greatness Zone”, is a terrific story about how a college student realizes partway through his studies that he is not excited about his major. The 90 page book describes how he identified his “Greatness Zone”, which is the place where he could use his talents, strengths and passions to create his best, happiest and most successful life.

If you have high school or college students, or even just people working for you who seem unhappy, I would recommend that you give them this book. It may just change their life. And imagine how simple your role as a leader would be if all of your employees truly loved their jobs!

In Honor of Memorial Day

Posted on May 24, 2013 by chesterman

: Red Poppy and the Meaning of Memorial Day

When I was growing up, I always looked forward to Memorial Day with excitement and anticipation. Memorial Day weekend was when we would go to our grandma’s lake cottage and “open up”. That meant we would air out the cottage, put the boats and the dock in the water, and officially start our summer. The water was always very cold and the weather was often unpredictable, yet it was always a joyful weekend.

As a child, I didn’t really understand the meaning of Memorial Day. We flew our flag and sometimes attended a Memorial Day parade, where we received a red poppy. I thought the poppy was a nice gift and I enjoyed the parade and didn’t have any idea how they were connected. I was typically impatient to get back to the cottage so I could swim or fish or play with my cousins. In my childish mind, Memorial Day meant fun! I had no idea it should have been a day of somber remembrance and respect to honor our military personnel who died while serving our country. My family did not effectively communicate to me the true meaning of Memorial Day or the red poppy. It was only when I was older and read the poem, “In Flanders Fields” that I gained a better understanding of the meaning behind this tradition.

What are you not communicating effectively? How many traditions or norms have you created in your company where the employees do not have a clear understanding of why you do those things? Have they become habits or even chores without meaning? Do some of your employees seem to have a sense of entitlement? If so, it may be time to go back to basics and start communicating the true meaning behind your traditions.

As we celebrate this Memorial Day holiday, let us consider the true meaning behind the holiday. Think about how different our lives might be without those unselfish heroes who gave their lives for our freedom!

Photo by: R/DV/RS / Foter.com / CC BY

Leadership Beyond Your Comfort Zone

Posted on May 6, 2013 by chesterman

: Stretch Beyond Your Comfort Zone

Think about the times in your life when you have grown the most. I suspect each of those times were situations where you were stretched beyond your comfort zone. Perhaps it was a time of crisis, and even though there was no clear roadmap to follow, you were able to push through and achieve success. Perhaps you had a tough decision to make, where neither choice was a good one, so you just had to choose the lesser of two evils and forge ahead. Perhaps it was when a relationship was tested and you saw someone’s true colors for the first time. Perhaps it was when you experienced a loss – the death of a loved one or a loss of a job or a business.

When you were dealing with that situation, you likely had to behave differently in order to survive. You had to take chances that were uncomfortable, or do things that you would not normally choose to do if things were going well. By stretching beyond your comfort zone, you were able to accomplish more than you would have imagined.

So why do people tend to stay in their comfort zone? Are they lazy? Are they afraid of failure? Are they afraid to grow? If you want to grow and stretch yourself, why not start with baby steps, making sure that the stretching you do is in alignment with your core values? Instead of taking the easy, comfortable route, why not take the path that is just a bit more challenging (and likely more fulfilling?). Pretty soon, that new path will seem comfortable, and you will have grown a bit more. Then you can take the next step and reach beyond your comfort zone even more. Charge ahead a little at a time and keep track of your progress. You’ll be amazed at how far you will come!

Photo By: Boston Public Library / People Photos / CC BY-NC-ND

To Leave a Legacy

Posted on April 24, 2013 by chesterman

: To Leave a Legacy

Shortly after I wrote my previous blog posting honoring one of my mentors, Charles “Red” Scott, I received a package from his estate. The package contained a lovely note and gift as well as a summary of Red’s presentation in August 1999 to 500 CEOs. I would like to share the summary of “TO LEAVE A LEGACY” with you since I feel it is relevant to our business life as well as our personal life.

TO LEAVE A LEGACY

By Charles “Red” Scott

August 1999

The quality of one’s life absolutely depends upon the degree to which we align ourselves with and feel a sense of Reverence for:

God – Our Creator and Father.

Service is the virtue that distinguishes the one grade of all times by which we will be remembered. It places a mark of nobility upon its disciples. It is the dividing line that separates the two great groups of the world:

Those who help – those who hinder
Those who lift – those who lean
Those who contribute – those who consume

How much better it is to give than to receive! Service in any form is both generous and beautiful.

To just give encouragement, to impart sympathy, to show interest, to banish fear, to build self-confidence or simply to awaken some hope in the hearts of others…

NO GREATER SERVICE OR GIFT CAN ONE GIVE!

Thank you, Red, for reminding us of the importance of giving of ourselves to others.

Photo by: shchukin / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Humble Leadership

Posted on April 17, 2013 by chesterman

: If You\’re Green, You\’re Growing

Have you ever met someone who was amazingly accomplished, and yet humble? Someone who led by example and who always did the right thing, even when the right thing was difficult? Someone who could admit his mistakes, and share the lessons he learned from those mistakes so that others could learn from them? Someone who gave you his full attention and truly listened to your perspective, even when he thought differently? Someone who truly cared about the world in which we live and wanted to make a difference? Someone who impacted thousands of lives in a positive manner over his lifetime?

Charles “Red” Scott exemplified all of those traits, and I am proud to share that he was one of my mentors for many years before passing away at age 85 earlier this month. One of his favorite sayings was, “If you’re green, you’re growing. If you’re ripe, you’re rotten!” Red always wanted to grow and learn. He started from humble beginnings in Texas during the Depression, and later became CEO of multi-billion dollar companies. He was what some people like to call a “self-made man”. Red received recognition over the years for his many achievements, including receiving the Horatio Alger Award for Distinguished Americans in 1984. And yet, he often seemed embarrassed by the attention. His mission in life was to make a positive difference in the lives of others, which he did through his ownership in Vistage Florida, as well as through his many speaking engagements, volunteer roles, and interactions with anyone and everyone who approached him. Red’s “Business Cardinals” are a favorite of Vistage members throughout the world. His legacy will live on for many years to come.

Largely because of Red, I want to make a positive difference in the lives of others. I do not have an expectation that I can influence thousands of people as Red was able to do. I can, however, make a positive difference in the lives of those around me. And that is a great place to start!

So now my question for you as a leader is, “What will be your legacy?” Are you making a positive difference in this world? Do your employees consider you a mentor and someone who leads by example? Or do they point to you as an example of someone they do not want to emulate? Do you proudly remind people of all of your accomplishments? Or do you humbly defer recognition to others who helped you along the way? Think about the legacy you will be leaving – intentionally or unintentionally. How will you remembered after you are gone?

Photo by: tanakawho / Nature Photos / CC BY-NC

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