Do You Have a "Dream Team?"

It's sometimes called a network, personal board of advisers, or mastermind group.  But I like this definition from Patti Johnson taken from the Success Magazine Blog site:  The Six People You Need on Your Dream Team.

1. The Pro
2. The Encourager
3. The Innovator
4. The Challenger
5. The Connector

Ooops, where's the 6th?

I'ts you.  But for most of us, we try everything as a solo-act.  Read the article and find the five people who will help you get where you want to go.

Thematic vs. Hands-On Leadership

A manager can provide thematic leadership when on the command deck while the crew mans the guns and gets the work done.  But that same manager also needs to be able to and willing to role up his sleeves to do the work when needed.

The troops need leadership, and they also need to know their leader would join along side them if needed.

It reminds me of the story about the battle leader who proclaimed he could win over his opponent and that his army would do anything for him, because he knew they were each ready to give their life for him.

The battle leader's opponent knew different.  "It is my troops that are unstoppable, because each of them know I am willing to give my life for them.

Dare Yourself to be Real

Candor.  Jack Welch calls it "the Biggest Dirty Little Secret in Business."

Why is that?  Because often enough, people just don't open up and say what's on their mind--good or bad.  They withold criticism, they want to "make nice" and avoid conflict (as I said two Blogs ago in "Did You Reach Consensus?  Oh-oh").

We have to be determined to use more candor in the way we deal with our people, our teams, our meetings, and our situation.  From Welch's book "Winning:"

1. "....candor gets more people in the conversation, and when you get more people in the conversation, to state the obvious, you get idea rich."  "Instead of everyone shutting down, everyone opens up and learns.  Any organization-or unit or team-that brings more people and their minds in to the conversation has an immediate advantage."

2. "...candor generates speed.  When ideas are in everyone's face, they can be debated rapidly, expanded and enhanced, and acted upon.  That approach-surface, debate, improve, decide-isn't just an advantage, it's a necessity in a global marketplace."

3. "...candor cuts costs." "Just think of how it eliminates meaningless meetings and b.s. reports that confirm what everyone already knows.  Think of how candor replaces fancy PowerPoint slides and mind-numbing presentations (with real conversations)."

You've seen and know when people are using candor.  Dare to do it yourself.  Don't hold back.

In fact, be blunt.  Do it with respect, but better to show tough love than hold back and fail to achieve.

The Three Essences of Confident Direction

This economy, political environment, the employment situation, and--the outlook for the future--both that of our companies and of ourselves--cause some fairly radical self-questions to emerge.

And so I propose three filters be used for a "thin slice" response to where you stand.

#1 Follow Your Gut. There is no mistaking that "your gut" telegraphs the right decisions to you. Don't know what to do on an issue? Follow your gut. It's that tingling, sometimes raw-gut feeling that beckons to you. Follow it. Your gut instinct is almost always right.

#2 Take Care of Number One. That means so many things to so many different audiences: the company; the family; the individual; the self. The most seasoned veterans of our economy today were to first to cut employees, downsize and eliminate branch locations, and adjust their businesses to the new economic reality. So whether you are wresting with laying off 20 or 200 employees to keep "#1 afloat," or if you are contemplating closing your company so that you can walk away as unscathed as possible--take heed of this advice: Take care of number one. I do not take away anything from the noble ethic and desire of the most devoted of you. I simply shine a light of reality your way to make sure your emotion or pride is not driving your thinking to extreme.

#3 Change the Rules Until You Win. This I can't underscore enough. Take "out of the box" to a whole new level. Do not let yesterday's realities be today's realities. Think out of the box and do something you would have never thought of doing before. Change customer bases, change who you work for, change the way you "show up and suit up," or change the way success is measured. Change your services. Deliver a new value that never existed. Change the rules until you can win.

Follow your gut. Take care of number one. And change the rules until you win.