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Leadership’s Many Flavors by @SBSLEducSoltns

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Leading from the Front with Four

 

Ground Floor : Leadership & Management

 

It’s nearing mid summer in the northern hemisphere; recently, we celebrated national Ice Cream Day! Many have favorite flavors of this delish dessert; this holds true for leadership, too.

 

Paraphrasing a Supreme Court justice: ‘We know leadership when we see it.” , yet we all don’t ‘see’ the same thing, since we view business through our own experiences, lenses, & mindset.

 

Further, let’s push a related theme up for thoughtful discussion:

 

Leadership & management are NOT differing flavors; instead, they are two landmasses, separated by a gigantic ocean. We realize this while standing on the ground floor; now, let’s climb up a metaphorical ziggurat for a panoramic view.

 

Position, power, experience, credentials …?

On level 1 & 2 of our ziggurat, we start separating the wheat from the chaff; this act drives big answers , bringing us closer to leading from the front.

 

Q> Are any of the below characteristics necessary for organic leadership?

 

  • Seniority / experience

  • Credentials

  • Power \ Authority

  • Position

  • Perks /privileges

 

A> None are truly required. For a positional leader, they might bring benefit in a company’s hierarchy; however, in a free enterprise entrepreneurial business, they’d likely delay professional development.

 

Q>> Does leadership necessitate a certain type of business structure?

 

A>> No. Most structures ‘tell‘ us that an established business has an uneven field; you’ve built a ladder for your staff to climb up a pyramidal hierarchy, &/or you’ve not empowered them to address deep issues, like customer service, in your workplace, putting a collar on their ability to organically lead.

 

Bottom Up > Top down ; front > back

 

Leading is most impactful from the bottom up if there is a structure; Why? Easy. Those people are most aware of the day to day matters impacting your business’s success.

 

Take note, founders:  if you’re one, put yourself out front, clearing roadblocks so your staff can be most effective in building a better workplace for the betterment of all.

 

“People ask the difference between a leader & a boss. The leader leads & the boss drives.“

— Theodore Roosevelt

 

Q >>> What to do in situations where staff engagement, customer service, &/or client retention are below par?

 

A >>> Leverage this call to action using a ‘Test of 3’

 

 

First of 4 Flavors : Thought

 

Your climb up our ziggurat continues! Any of 4 could be next, as we aren’t building a rigid hierarchy; instead, you’re encouraged to visually sketch out this post’s content to better grasp these principles.

 

A thought leader leads from the front by sharing learned wisdom, stories, & a vision for the future with her staff, fellow entrepreneurs, & her tribe.

 

She might call herself a futurist, a disrupter, or an innovator. No matter the lingo, she oft comes up with fresh ways to address persistent business problems.

 

Second of Four : Replicative

 

Often, an entrepreneur, especially a family business owner,, recognizes replicative leadership as = succession planning; it could be, yes.

 

I thoughtfully ask you to expand your mind, furthering the case that this ‘flavor’ is imperative for all types of businesses, regardless of size, industry, or age.

 

A replicative leader seeks to replace herself; no longer is she indispensable; she’s begun, or accelerated her ability, to work ON her business & no longer IN it, becoming dispensable.

 

Systems thinking, soft skills [ e.g., humility & adaptability, ] & a focus on a self directed education all enable the above.

 

Third of 4 : Servant

 

When we serve, we win = Truth.

 

Yet, sole proprietors & entrepreneurs with staff, especially those who’ve come from corporate backgrounds, each have big adjustments in unlearning positional leadership & replacing w/ servant leadership’s unwavering principles.

 

Allow yourself to challenge assumptions, dismissing nostalgia & past credentials earned, as you realize that serving first gives you rich tools to lead from the front, flipping hierarchy upside down.

 

Fourth of Four : Conscious

 

Leadership done well is often a lonely path. Engaging mind, soul, & spirit is far stronger than merely one. Thus, being conscious about leading yourself & others enables infinitely more progress in your business culture, while concurrently helping you buck societal winds regarding capitalism.

 

Rarely are we taught that free enterprise & capitalism are very different concepts. Those who become conscious leaders better grasp this truism & cultivate a business that embraces the former.

 

Organizations dedicated to this flavor of bottom-up leadership often hold gatherings in your local area; seek them out & turn their events into networking opportunities.

 

Suggested Social Follows :

 

SR Thought Leader

Angela Montgomery

Waters Center

SLI Lead

Greenleaf 

Conscious Leadership

 

Dig for more gold — it’s 1849 all over again!

 

This blog is a drop of water into a deep sea. Be a modern day gold prospector & start a new rush!

 

How to Become …

6 Steps …

Don’t Let the … 

Rela Leadership

The Serving Leader

5 Ways to … 

Practicing the 15 …

 

In short :

 

  • Ground floor
  • Characteristics of leadership
  • Test of 3 – CTA
  • Thought & Replicative
  • Servant & Conscious
  • Social follows
  • There’s a vast universe to explore

 

Thank YOU for reading!

____________________________________________

Hiring a Summer Intern? Here is What You Should Know by @deborahsweeney

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Hiring a Summer Intern? Here is What You Should Know

Photo Credit: Vladimir Yaitskiy via Compfight cc

by Deborah Sweeney | Featured Contributor

Good news internship fans – a recent ruling by the US Appeals Court in Manhattan re-affirmed the legality of unpaid internships last week, knocking back a 2013 decision that the interns for certain media companies were due compensation because the businesses benefited from their work. Personally, I’ve always recommended paying your interns, but I understand that isn’t always possible. And, with school out and summer officially underway, many college students are looking for real-world experience. Labor standards for unpaid internships are deceptively simple. The Department of Labor published a handy worksheet on the subject, but the rules are broad, and enforcement is notoriously patchy. Thankfully this recent ruling, and a few other cases, clarifies a few points.

You have to teach them

That is take-away number one for this case. Legal unpaid internships must be tied inextricably to the intern’s education, and the intern must learn more than they would have as a standard employee over the first few months of a new job. Now that doesn’t mean you can’t ask them to pick up coffee, but the vast majority of their work must be a practicum of their broader education. The court case mentioned above shows this is fast becoming one of the biggest litmus tests for the legality of an unpaid internship. A for-profit company thus can’t just saddle an unpaid intern with busywork like answering phones or making copies. You must teach your interns. Social media firms, for example, should cover ROI standards and measurement. Construction companies should cover order fulfillment and jobsite management. When planning an intern’s workload, look at the intricacies of running a business in your industry, and base it on that.

They can’t replace paid employees

Your intern cannot be a free secretary or personal assistant. In fact, they have to be closely supervised at all times. Sticking them behind the front desk or on the phones with some vague instructions to greet and route customers obviously does not meet this requirement. But even if their job is chock full of teachable moments and industry-related education, they still cannot displace a regular employee. A good way to test this is to first figure out under whom you’d like the intern to work. That way they have a direct supervisor, and you aren’t using them in lieu of hiring another employee.

Interns cannot benefit your company

At least from a pragmatic standpoint. Businesses hire interns for different reasons – sometimes it’s an attempt to inject new ideas into the company, other times it’s simply an act of philanthropy. But whatever the reason, a business cannot be the primary beneficiary of an unpaid internship. In fact, if you can prove work was actually impeded, you’re in a good position. This point is what landed the defendants in the cases ruled on last week in trouble. The plaintiffs argued that their employers benefited from their work, so they deserved a paycheck. You thus must make sure that no part of your business is dependent on an unpaid intern – if it is, they are benefiting your company.

As I mentioned before, I’m a big proponent of internships, and while I pay my company’s interns, I see the merit in unpaid opportunities. But, as the argument over whether interns deserve an income rages on, it is up to the providers of these internships to stay abreast as to what is expected. Above all else, ensure that any unpaid internships you offer are, first and foremost, educational. Sticking unpaid interns with your best employees – or even directly under yourself – is a good way to make sure your company meets supervision and teaching requirements. As long as your interns feel they are learning, and are appreciated, you’ll have a smooth summer.

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Deborah Sweeney – Legal Expert, CEO, MyCorporation.com – Calabasas, CA

Deborah Sweeney HeadshotAs CEO of MyCorporation Business Services, Inc. (MyCorporation.com), Deborah Sweeney is an advocate for protecting personal and business assets for business owners and entrepreneurs. With her experience in the fields of corporate and intellectual property law, Deborah has evolved from lawyer to business owner. She has extensive experience in the start-up and entrepreneurial industry as she has been involved in the formation of hundreds of thousands of businesses for MyCorporation.com’s customers.

Ms. Sweeney received her JD & MBA degrees from Pepperdine University. She is active in the community and loves working with students and aspiring entrepreneurs. She serves on the Board of Regents at California Lutheran University and is a founding member of Partners of Pepperdine. Deborah has served as an adjunct professor at the University of West Los Angeles and San Fernando School of Law in the areas of corporate and intellectual property law. Ms. Sweeney is also well-recognized for her written work online as a contributing writer with top business and entrepreneurial blogging sites.  She is a regular contributor on Forbes, American Express, Social Media Today, and BlogHer among many others.

In her ‘free’ time, Deborah enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, Benjamin (8) and Christopher (6). Deborah believes in the importance of family and credits the entrepreneurial business model for giving her the flexibility to enjoy both a career and motherhood. Follow her on Twitter @deborahsweeney and @mycorporation.

How to Create a Productive Workforce: The 3 As of Happy Employees by @eMakeitHappen

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Strong teamby Emily Worden | Featured Contributor

There’s a difference between managers and leaders.  The two roles are intricately linked and complementary, but they’re not the same.  Managers plan, coordinate, and organize tasks. Leaders inspire, motivate, and influence people.  Managers are about accomplishing short-term goals, leaders are focused on long-term vision.

As business owners, we often have to assume the role of manager and leader.  It’s not easy to do – how can you motivate, inspire, and focus on the long-term when you’re drowning in the demands of daily tasks and pressing needs?

Here’s how:  foster empowered, happy employees who trust your vision and work diligently to make it happen.

It’s easier to do than you think.  Most employees are motivated by the same three things:

The 3 As of Happy Employees:

Appreciation:  People are driven by the desire to create great work and be recognized for it.  We want to feel that our talents are respected and our contributions appreciated.  Notice your employees’ efforts;  give praise and compliments when appropriate:  “This is great work, thank you.”  “Nice job on the presentation today.”  “This is your best report yet.”  Be specific whenever possible:  “Clearly you put a lot of research into this.”  Specifically praise behavior you’d like to see again:  “I appreciate that you worked extra hard to meet our tight deadline.”

Alignment:  Happy employees understand how their position in the organization supports the common cause.  People are driven to contribute to the greater good – we want to create meaningful work and make progress towards a larger goal.  Help your employees understand the purpose of their job in the context of the organization’s goals; explain why their work is important and impactful.

Autonomy:  People are happiest when they’re in control; they’re the least motivated when they’re taking direction from someone else.  Happy employees feel like autonomous decision-makers in their organization.  They’re able to work on their own schedule and accomplish tasks in their own way.  They have independence and don’t have to get purchases under $100 approved.  Make your team members feel like they’re business owners themselves – allow them to make their own decisions about method, metrics, and deliverables and watch productivity soar.

To sum up – happy employees work independently to create something meaningful that is appreciated and contributes to the common good.  Whew!  Sounds like a tall order but you can do it as an effective leader, manager, and business owner.  Here’s six steps to get started:

(1) Tolerate mistakes:  Encourage employees to take risks and accept the inevitable mistakes.  Failure is fine, as long as we learn something valuable about it.  Tell your employees it’s ok to make mistakes; this eliminates the fear of failure and fosters radical innovation.

(2) Have a vision and communicate it:  Project several years into the future – what do you want your business to accomplish?  Develop a concrete vision for your organization’s mission then clearly communicate it to all employees.  Remember, people want to work autonomously while contributing towards the common cause.  A clear vision helps independent employees make their own decisions while staying true to the organization’s mission.

(3) Foster trust:  Be honest, accept responsibility, and don’t blame others for your mistakes.  Likewise, don’t take credit for other people’s work. Hold yourself to the highest standards and your employees will too.

(4) Solicit feedback:  Most employees undergo performance reviews, why should business owners, managers, or leaders be any different? The best review is a 360° review – that is, people at all levels review you – bosses, peers, and subordinates alike.  Ask around – are you clearly communicating goals or just discussing vague talking points?  Do you let people work independently or do you micromanage?  Are you giving people the tools they need to succeed or leaving them high and dry?  If subordinates are uncomfortable reviewing their “boss,” make the feedback anonymous with surveys from SurveyMonkey (www.surveymonkey.com).

(5) Improve EQ:  Most business strategists agree that it’s more important for great leaders to have emotional intelligence (EQ) than intellectual intelligence (IQ).  Why? Those with high EQ are empathetic to employees’ needs.  They ask questions, listen, and respect other opinions.  Empathetic people make others feel comfortable to express concerns, doubts, or criticism without fear of reprisal, which is critical for a successful organization.  Business owners should treat employees with the same respect as VIP clients, and EQ makes this possible.

(6) Delegate:  Don’t micromanage – it’s the death of happy employees.  People like to be in control and micromanaging takes that away.  Instead, delegate tasks to those with the appropriate skills and encourage people to step out of their comfort zone and take on new tasks.  Outline project parameters and provide the tools, then get out of the way.  Contribute support only when asked and check in occasionally only to ensure everyone’s on the right track.

Great managers, leaders, and business owners understand that employees are an organization’s best asset.  Employees are to be supported and empowered, not squashed and controlled.  Put aside ego and think about it this way: employees don’t work for you, you work for your employees.  Treat them with respect, give them autonomy, and show your appreciation to create an entire organization full of dedicated, happy, and productive people.

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Emily Worden – Entrepreneur, Business Strategist, Impossible Optimist – Cambridge, MA

headshot1sheownsitEmily Worden is a Boston-based entrepreneur, consultant, and writer. She started her custom handbag business eThreads.com in 2006 while pursuing an MBA and working 3 jobs. After a particularly awful shift at her weekend catering gig, Emily threw down the apron and said, “Screw it, I’m going to do something I love!” She graduated in 2008 and quit everything to pursue eThreads full time. Emily started the cat lifestyle business Ferocious Friends in 2012 with her husband Case to satisfy the needs of their cats Lulu, Smoke and every feline around. She started her consulting business emilyworden.com in 2013 to assist other businesses with persuasive writing, strategic vision, and customer satisfaction.

Emily is an avid DIYer and loves making things with her hands. Her happy place is the library where she walks once a week; she’s always excited to learn something new. Her extra happy place is a great view of sunset with music pumping in her ears. Emily is grateful everyday for following her dreams and hopes to inspire others to do the same.

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