Leadership sometimes requires Leaders. Whouldathunkit??

In the linked article, GE's Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt said "...the company is preparing for a once-in-a-generation "reset" as it tries to weather what he called the worst recession in 80 years."

He goes on to say that there's a great deal of uncertainty on "next steps," and that it's very difficult to "gauge this recession."

In other words, my staff economists, accountants, and dedicated soothsayers have hit a sort of futurist's "wall." We are, as they say, in unchartered territory.

Times ike these don't have nice, neat, mathematical models. No actuarial tables or trendlines with obvious outcomes. No crystal ball with a clear vision of what is yet to come.

Sometimes, we, as leaders, must use real leadership.

Now is that time. Step up, evaluate, decide. You don't have all the nearly-guaranteed future state's to follow, and your staffs simply don't have their normal repoirtee about what's coming down the tracks.

It might be a train, it might be the way out.

We'll only find it -- successfuly -- if we buckle down and realize that now is the time for real leadership. Not just the final crunch in a number-crunching food chain. Now, we use intellect, experience, and judgment based on the same.

Now, we simply must act like leaders.

Watch for icebergs, and Full Speed Ahead.

But that's just me...

KB

Kevin Berchelmann
http://www.triangleperformance.com/

Why do Leaders make this so HARD??

This is an area where mediocre leaders just don't get it.

And because of their egocentric defensiveness, they lose a ton of credibility.

Without writing a treatise here, suffice to say that there are three very simple things that a leader can do to set himself apart (positively) from the pack:

1. Ask for input. Even when you already think you know the answer.

2. Say please and thank you. Face it -- no employee with the brains God gave a rock believes when their boss "asks" them to do something, it's really a choice... what does it hurt, then, to always -- ALWAYS -- say "please,' and "thank you?"

3. Admit mistakes. Freely. And don't water them down with that passive-aggressive crap, like "I probably shouldn't have done that, but..." or "In hindsight..." Call it like it is -- I SCREWED UP! I made a mistake, and I hope to do better. Then LEAVE IT ALONE!

These three things -- all by themselves -- can help leaders stand out from the mediocre masses. You'd think it was pulling teeth, though, since none are as common as they should be.

But that's just me...

KB

Kevin Berchelmann
http://www.triangleperformance.com/

Frequent Decisions Usually Make Successful Decisions

Years ago, I worked for a USAF Colonel named Scott Atkins. He would tell me frequently that, "If 25% of your decisions aren't wrong, you simply aren't making enough decisions."

Action -- well thought, purposeful action -- must always be rewarded over inaction.

Regarding action and failure, I always remember a couple of things:

1. Good people working for a strong, decisive leader, can make a mediocre or near-poor decision into a rousing success. Not condoning mediocrity, but promoting action, and reminding us to surround ourselves with good people.

2. Sometimes, when we make a decision, we must immediately make another. It doesn't mean our first decision was "bad," per se, it's that the second one was made with additional information -- one more thing that "didn't" work.

So, when leading, Think, Decide, Act. Rinse and repeat.

But that's just me...

KB

Kevin Berchelmann
http://www.triangleperformance.com/

So, is HR Really Important?

Well, is it??

A company needs human resources (people, talent, etc.) to survive. It does not, necessarily, need Human Resources (the department). The challenge for HR, then, is to become the real expert and leader in those things positively impacting the organization's human capital -- creating value, improving productivity, increasing returns, etc.

If HR's sole claim to fame is compliance, they'll generally be seen as a barrier, and can be replaced by a $50 CD. Equally, if they simply act as a broker of others' efforts (vendors, consultants, outsourcers, etc.), this adds minimal value.

Much of HR is "blocking and tackling." Decidedly UN-strategic. It still must be done -- the question, then, is who to do it, and how, to best serve the organization?

The real value -- in my opinion -- that HR leaders can provide is melding human resource efforts of the organization with that organization's plans, goals, and objectives. Things like:
** Real talent management
** Leadership development (all levels)
** Planning (functional &/or corporate)
** Culture maintenance/exploitation
** Successful change leadership & implementation
** Organizational development & design

Not all of these are applicable, all the time, with all organizations. SOME, however, ARE applicable ALL the time to ALL companies.Not all HR leadership roles require these specific, personal skills, either. Some require being AWARE of the NEED for the skills, and leading the implementation via other means.

The key, of course, is providing value that OTHERS can see; not simply doing what some may think is the "HR thing to do..."

But that's just me...

KB

Kevin Berchelmann
http://www.triangleperformance.com/

Who Best to Develop Leaders?

Well, me, of course...

OK, seriously... had a colleague recently ask me how to determine which consultant or firm is "best" for a particular organization's needs. Though much of this may be common sense, there are some specifics of which you should be mindful.

Some keys, from my experience, in selecting a firm to help:

1. Make sure they've worked in your industry (or close to it). And I don't mean just "the training company," but the specific individual(s) who will be facilitating your efforts.
2. Ask if they can either do a needs analysis, or validate yours. They should have a process for both.
3. Along those lines, make sure they can respond specifically to your training needs. No off-the-shelf-total-program." To be sure, you probably don't want to pay for course development, but there should be the ability to mix content to fit your needs.
4. Ask about reasonable customization. Again, you don't necessarily want to pay for course development, but they should be able to add relevant case studies, examples, and exercises based on interviews with you and others in the organization.
5. Finally, make sure there's philosophical "fit." If you are largely a "control" type of company, an uber-empowering philosophy from a training firm may be too bold of a single step. Just a single example.

Equally key is to remember that developmental activities are adjunct to reinforcement. Look for evidence of that reinforcement and support of applications. "Train and disappear" is of little value to anyone.

But that's just me...

KB

Kevin Berchelmann
http://www.triangleperformance.com/