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Two Sure-Fire Leadership Killers

I have been coaching and developing leaders for many years and during that time, I have found two behaviors that are “leadership killers.” They are acts that consistently, no matter who the leader is, weaken their position in the eyes of their reports and lessen their ability to lead. These leadership killers are: wanting to be a friend and orphaning instead of confronting.

Friendly But Not Friends

It’s important to realize/accept the responsibility you have as a leader that you must convey your observations, especially those that are focused on areas where employees can improve. But many times, I see the leader’s desire to be accepted by the direct report, to be considered a comrade and a friend, as something that stands in the way of delivering those observations. I counsel my clients that while it is perfectly fine to be friendly, you cannot act as their friend or they will not take your input seriously. You are the leader they are following into battle and as such, you must separate yourself so that they count on you for honest, direct input that isn’t mired in emotion.

Don’t Leave Them Orphaned

Providing the input described above can be difficult.  And so, some leaders will avoid the “tough” conversation with a direct report. Avoiding this conversation sets a precedent; it says it’s okay to keep doing what you are doing, it’s fine…when it’s really not. In a sense, you are orphaning your direct report by not interceding and letting them continue on a path towards failure without your guidance.

People you coach can be just as skeptical, jaded and fearful of being led as you are to lead them. Hey..it takes courage to lead! But the big question is will you deliver frank, constructive input that will eventually help them achieve their goals, and those of your department, or will you simply set them to sea without a compass?  If you constantly choose the latter, you can expect to develop a team that will not take your orders/input to heart and will time and time again blaze their own trail.  That’s usually a recipe for disaster.

Keep interceding. Give them what they need, even if it’s not what they want. You will become a stronger leader and people with thank you for it.

 

It’s Not Me…The Problem Is The Job

Of course it’s not you. The job…that’s the real issue, right? If only your skills were being put to use in a more productive way.

Oh really?

As you develop as an executive, and coach others as well, you will discover that leadership is more about the courage and desire to change than it is about finding blame.

You Have to Want It

To develop yourself, you have to want it. Doesn’t work any other way! Believe me…I’ve seen too many people go through the motions of development but not be fully committed to learning/changing. It’s not worth going through a 360 review or collaborating with a coach unless you TRUST your superior genuinely wants you to grow and advance in your organization.

Trust Them…and You

You also need to TRUST yourself. You need to trust that a part of you knows you need to develop and your boss sees this nascent behavior in you already, they just want to accelerate it for you.

The value of the 360 when done in person, with tailored questions to pinpoint behaviors to strengthen, is a gift of awareness that many executives never get the chance to realize. Hold this feedback as a gift, not a jail sentence.

Are You a Horse?

If enough people call you a horse…buy a saddle. What I mean is, when you get feedback that points to behavior trends, it is the objective evidence you can either a) reject because they just don’t know you well or, b) use to develop yourself. I bet you can guess which option I recommend.

Face it, fifteen people can’t be all wrong, nor can the “job” have done this to you.

Your management team is providing you with your first road map with which to shape into a development plan. Try it, you’ll like it.

Promote From Achievement, Not Longevity

“We should promote Ben. He’s been here the longest and we’ve passed over him twice.”

Leaders, ever hear a colleague say this? Too many times, people are promoted because they’ve simply stuck around even though they’ve not achieved results. This is not good for anyone, especially the one being promoted.

What’s Been the Plan?

In the example above and you are the leader of the group, speak with Ben’s manager and find out if Ben’s been orphaned developmentally.

Ask yourself, or the manager, these questions to find out where things stand for Ben:

  • Does Ben have a development plan? Did he agree to it?
  • When was he reviewed last? What was the outcome?

The greatest way you can contribute to Ben is to have a formalized conversation with him about his developmental areas. Let him know you appreciate his loyalty and you want to promote him if he raises his skills to a higher level. Next, mutually create his development plan with his manager so that you all own it.

Create Structure

Quite often leaders have development conversations on an ad hoc basis versus a structured basis.

Ben needs the structure…and so do you.

When you have the development conversation, bear in mind that you are contributing to Ben, NOT castigating him. Most leaders need coaching in how to deliver tough feedback.
There are many ways to be candid with Ben and retain his desire to grow.

Know Their Goals

Developing employees must include understanding what’s important to them. Ben will have personal goals, which you need to know as you map out his growth. You can also observe his actions and note towards what projects, actions, and clients he gravitates, a sure sign that this is where his passion lies and that a certain client type/group is where he finds satisfaction. Set him up for success by capitalizing on those while also creating a plan to develop skills that will help achieve the goals YOU have for him too.

Ben must buy into this plan or it will fail. Make sure you get agreement from him, and his manager, to create a covenant that will move his development, and your department, forward.

Have an employee like this? Use these tips and, let me know how it goes!

To Be a Great Leader…Teach, Don’t Tell or Do

Many of my clients are quick-learning, driven executives. Often, though, I stress the importance of teaching directs how to accomplish a task/project versus telling them how to accomplish it or worse, doing it for them. Read more

03.29.12 Leadership Development…on Safari?

I am currently on safari in East Africa in the Serengeti Game Reserve and have been blown away by our guide/tracker “Ray.”

Throughout each game drive, Ray has educated us every step of the way.  With my passion for African wildlife, I really appreciate his openness to learn and further appreciate the land.

Read more

Steve Giglio Builds Confidence, Provides Peace of Mind

When you have confident leadership, you have the confidence to let them lead. Steve Giglio’s executive development programs, tailored to the needs of each individual, provide your executives with new tools and techniques essential for effective leadership and management. Once the program is completed, your team will have a blueprint from which to work, infusing their own style while ensuring the company’s culture remains intact.

Case Study

American Express Executives Inspired to Excel

Steve Giglio thoroughly researches companies, competition and industries for executive development programsThe situation:

American Express already had a team of exceptional leaders but needed to raise them to the next level. Lew Taffer, former Senior Vice President, American Express Establishment Services, felt that “it would take an outside perspective to see where areas of development were and to formulate a plan to address them.” He was, however, wary of bringing in someone who had little knowledge of the company’s business and culture.

Steve Giglio allayed those fears. “I was immediately impressed with Steve’s polished, professional demeanor and acute business knowledge,” says Taffer. “He has a keen insight that allows him to quickly and accurately assess a situation, and then address it directly in a manner that puts people at ease but also gets their attention. He opened my eyes to things about my teams I would never have seen.”

The result:

Steve created an action plan based on each individual’s needs that focused their attention on areas of weakness. And the results were immediate. American Express senior managers were more assertive, they had better command of their business segments and were far more effective leaders.

ALSO SEE:
Return on Executive Investment
Accelerated and Anchored Change
Superior Team Management

Steve Giglio Builds Confidence, Provides Peace of Mind

When you have confident leadership, you have the confidence to let them lead. Steve Giglio’s executive development programs, tailored to the needs of each individual, provide your executives with new tools and techniques essential for effective leadership and management. Once the program is completed, your team will have a blueprint from which to work, infusing their own style while ensuring the company’s culture remains intact.

Case Study

American Express Executives Inspired to Excel

Steve Giglio thoroughly researches companies, competition and industries for executive development programsThe situation:

American Express already had a team of exceptional leaders but needed to raise them to the next level. Lew Taffer, former Senior Vice President, American Express Establishment Services, felt that “it would take an outside perspective to see where areas of development were and to formulate a plan to address them.” He was, however, wary of bringing in someone who had little knowledge of the company’s business and culture.

Steve Giglio allayed those fears. “I was immediately impressed with Steve’s polished, professional demeanor and acute business knowledge,” says Taffer. “He has a keen insight that allows him to quickly and accurately assess a situation, and then address it directly in a manner that puts people at ease but also gets their attention. He opened my eyes to things about my teams I would never have seen.”

The result:

Steve created an action plan based on each individual’s needs that focused their attention on areas of weakness. And the results were immediate. American Express senior managers were more assertive, they had better command of their business segments and were far more effective leaders.

ALSO SEE:
Return on Executive Investment
Accelerated and Anchored Change
Superior Team Management

AMEX ED Case Study

Case Study

American Express Executives Inspired to Excel

The situation:

American Express already had a team of exceptional leaders but needed to raise them to the next level. Lew Taffer, former Senior Vice President, American Express Establishment Services, felt that “it would take an outside perspective to see where areas of development were and to formulate a plan to address them.” He was, however, wary of bringing in someone who had little knowledge of the company’s business and culture.

Steve Giglio allayed those fears. “I was immediately impressed with Steve’s polished, professional demeanor and acute business knowledge,” says Taffer. “He has a keen insight that allows him to quickly and accurately assess a situation, and then address it directly in a manner that puts people at ease but also gets their attention. He opened my eyes to things about my teams I would never have seen.”

The result:

Steve created an action plan based on each individual’s needs that focused their attention on areas of weakness. And the results were immediate. American Express senior managers were more assertive, they had better command of their business segments and were far more effective leaders.

ALSO SEE:
Return on Executive Investment
Accelerated and Anchored Change
Superior Team Management

Go Back

Steve Giglio Defines Your Team

Your teams must know your customers to be successful. You must know your teams. Steve Giglio will help define the strength of each team member so you can put them in a position to thrive. He will find areas needing attention so you can proactively address them head on. And he will do it quickly. Using his keen insight and inuition in concert with his finely honed business acumen, Steve will assess your team and create a plan for managing their unique personalities effectively.

Case Study

Vanity Fair Executive Gets Quickly Up to Speed on New Team

The situation:

Jason Wagenheim had just joined Vainity Fair and was tasked with managing a complex team of seasoned sales veterans and relatively new associates. He needed to learn as much as he could about his team, understanding where they excelled and what challenges they faced. From there, he could adjust his own style to meet the needs of his team and their clients.

Wagenheim and Steve Giglio worked together to uncover the talents of the Vanity Fair sales team while pinpointing areas needs immediate attention. Steve conducted in-depth interviews of each sales person and provided individual analysis. “Steve gave me such incredible insight into my team. I was quickly able to address key issues that had limited our team’s success.”

The result:

After just three months in his new position, Wagenheim altered his managment style, allowing for more flexibility while also more assertiveness when needed. “The work Steve and I did together made me a stronger manager. Roles and goals are well defined. Standards have been set and are being met consistently. And my team is motivated to learn about our clients in new, innovative ways. Steve’s impact on our success will be long standing.”

Regarding Steve’s style, Wagenheim says, “He always wants you to win and will accept nothing less. He doesn’t coddle people. He provides direct, honest feedback but always in a way that is constructive. And even though his humor is so important to his style, everyone takes him seriously. It’s how he is so remarkably effective.”

ALSO SEE:
Return on Executive Investment
Accelerated and Anchored Change
Increased confidence and peace of mind

Arsenal Capital ED Case Study

Steve Giglio accelerates and anchors change in an organization

Case Study

Arsenal Capital Defines Company Messaging Through Executive Training

The Situation:

“We needed an outsider to hear how we communicated our company’s core values and help us streamline our brand to be powerfully effective,” says Terry Mullen of Arsenal Capital.

Steve immediately noticed Arsenal’s message was too complex. It needed to be distilled down to the point where it could be easily understood, and it needed to be flexible enough to address diverse audiences. Steve rigorously studied Arsenal’s industry, finding areas where the company’s messaging and the market needs were at odds. He then worked with four top-level executives, tailoring programs to fit the company’s messaging needs and the skill sets of each individual.

The result:

Arsenal Capital now has consistent and concise messaging that can be tailored to any audience. Steve Giglio was able to pinpoint the company’s value proposition and the unique services offered. He created a communication standard that ensures an accurate presentation of the company to investors. The changes he initiated are now used for all communications efforts.

ALSO SEE:
Return on Executive Investment
Superior Team Management
Increased confidence and peace of mind