High Performance Leadership

  I've said it before, and I'll keep on saying it because it makes the difference in a leader.  High performance leaders get to know their people. There is no substitute for time spent talking with people who matter most. -- doug smith

It seems like a small detail. It's just a minor change in the process, or order date, or procedure. A simple decide-and-announce should be enough, right? Not so fast. People in all kinds of organizations share one little thing: they do NOT like to be told what to do. People like input. People like feedback. People like to know that you are considering them. Even when there really is no choice on the direction, there is always a choice in the communication. One-way communication invites resistance. One-way communication stirs up chaos. One-way communication creates uncertainty and delay. Share your ideas. Share your thoughts. Share your proposes. And then invite responses. Welcome feedback. Listen, listen, listen. One-way communication is sketchy. Give the conversation a chance. Talk about it. -- Doug Smith

When was the last time that someone said something to you that triggered a strong emotion? Was that their intention? Sometimes people push our buttons - they find our little insecurities or idiosyncrasies or pain points and push them until we feel an emotional response. That's an opportunity, but it sure doesn't feel like one at the time. Long ago, I would react to those moments with an emotion-triggering response of my own. That'll show 'em. Take that. What do you think of that? The trouble was, that's just trouble. I've never fixed an unhealthy situation with an unhealthy behavior. What I've learned is, to breathe. Take a big breath. Give my response about five seconds before letting it come out. By doing that, I create a much better response. We don't choose how people communicate with us - but we do choose how to respond. I'm working at responding positively every time. How about you? -- Doug Smith