“The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.”

- Harvey S. Firestone

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
Leo Buscaglia
Author and Lecturer

Can effective leadership skills be learned or do you have to be born with them?  Yes they can be learned, depending on whether or not the “leader” truly has an interest in other people (versus just themselves or things).  By definition a “leader” is someone who provides guidance and direction to others; shows the way.  So, that means to be an effective leader you gotta wanna work with, be around, talk to, nurture, care for, be tolerant of, be open to, praise and teach other people.  And because it is pretty evident that not all people are created equal where intellect, values and behaviors are concerned, I believe that not all people have a fundamental interest in other people.  Therefore, if you are not prone to doing all those things I mentioned above, then I don’t believe you have what it takes to be an effective leader!

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It really is nice not having to report to anyone or have anyone  report to me for a change.  But then again, I miss my peeps!  The biggest drawback to leaving my work family after so much time is not being able to see them everyday.  Yes, I admit, I miss having employees to delegate to, rely on and collaborate with on a daily basis.  I am now on a steep learning curve of self sufficiency.  But what I really miss are all the intangible benefits of having them around.  They inspired me, they made me laugh (sometimes cry), they motivated me, they held me accountable, they gave me confidence, they taught me things I didn’t know, they tolerated me, they kept me grounded and they protected me.  They made me a better person and a better leader.  I had the best peeps any leader could ask for.  Now who do I have everyday to do those things for me?  Just me!  Yes, I am on a steep learning curve and I miss my peeps.

I have officially been outside the walls of corporate HR for almost 6 months.  I guess because I no longer wear an official HR hat, other business professionals – like CEO’s, CFO’s, COO’s, business owners, leadership in general – now feel comfortable telling me what they really think about the HR function.  What I am hearing makes me very sad. 

 The following is a list of direct quotes that I have heard:

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When I was still but a young pup in the burgeoning world of HR, just recently renamed from the dreaded “personnel”, I worked for a crusty old fart, whose name I will protect because I actually like the guy.  He was about as traditional as they come.  He was stubborn, believed in the class line between management and employees, and had a very clear idea of what he wanted, so woe is ye who stood in his way!  And, he did not care one iota what anyone thought of him.  We were a little (ok, a lot) intimidated by his large physical presence, his booming voice and his very direct attitude.  Well, he called me into his office not long after I started working for him, not unlike being called into the principal’s office, and he said to me, as he roared out a big belly laugh, “You know, I like you.  You’ve got moxie!”  I said, “Thanks!  I appreciate the compliment (I think).”  But inside the bubble atop my head was, “What the heck is moxie?”  

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Ken Blanchard is at the top of my all time favorites list of business authors.  I like him because he knows how to cut through the BS and fluff to get to the practical stuff you need and can learn from.  I’ve had many “a-ha” moments over the years reading his books.  To follow is a recent article from his newsletter  that really resonated with me.  If you’ve read my website information and if you’ve spent any time around me in the past few years, you will know why.   Written differently, the article expresses the same basic message as mine - to be successful, you have to connect with your Peeps.  Enjoy!

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How to Motivate Employees

How do you motivate employees?  Besides having a pretty compelling business plan, it’s simple.  Treat them with respect.  That’s it.  No daily pep rallies and cheer-leading required.  Unless you’re just one of those peppy types of people, it’s not realistic anyway.  And how do you treat them with respect?  Well, if you have to ask that, you shouldn’t be in a position of leadership!

Let’s talk about it anyway.  The following leadership behaviors and actions are basic demonstrations of respect.  If you do these things consistently, I’d say you’re a pretty motivational leader. (more…)

I’ve been wanting to blog for a while.  I’ve always had loads of ideas, opinions, beliefs, etc. swirling around in my head, constantly, driving me crazy.  And, I’m sure, driving the people around me crazy as well.  Although I took notes on all these thoughts, it’s hard to recapture the passion behind them when they were first born.  So here I am with my own blog and nothing to write about!  Whenever I am at a loss for something to talk about, a rarity really, I get out my “chat pack”. (more…)

Have you looked in the mirror lately? Sure you have. We all do every day. But do we really see who’s staring back at us, warts and all? What I mean by that is when there is conflict in your life, how often do you look in the mirror to find both the cause and the resolution? (more…)