by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Nov 6, 2017 | Brazen Leader, Kevin Berchelmann
There is an old joke/fable that most of you have probably heard… it goes something like this:
One day a manager was scouring the countryside for a solid candidate, but striking out everywhere. Lions were too lazy, elephants ate too much, monkeys wouldn’t sit still. The eagles always wanted to be in charge. This manager, beaten and depressed, dropped down and sat in the middle of a field.
Shortly, he heard a hissing, and looked next to his foot… it was a 6-foot rattlesnake! “Hey, there,” said the snake. “I hear you need help. Just hire me, and all your troubles will be over. I’m crafty, pretty fast, and not trying to climb any ladders.”
“Wait a minute…” said the manager, “… you’re a snake! I’ll have to check your references first.” So, the manager contacted people whom the snake had been with before, and sure enough, “You don’t have a very good reputation,” said the manager. “They all say that hiring you will just come back to bite me.”
“C’mon,” said the snake. “Those people are just disgruntled, and maybe even a little jealous. Trust your gut — you need me.”
So, the manager finally acquiesced and hired the snake, who turned out to be a super employee. The manager began thinking he nearly misjudged, and that the references were misguided. Then one day, of course, the snake simply slithered up alongside and bit the manager on the leg.
“WHAT???” cried the manager… “You promised that if I would just give you a chance, this wouldn’t happen.”
“Yes, I did,” said the snake, “but you knew I was a snake when you hired me.”
Now, the real joke is much longer, but you get the idea. In this war for competitive, competent talent, it’s easy to ignore our instincts and available proof, and succomb to the belief that, “maybe they’ll work out after all.”
If something looks too good to be true, or you are convinced through judgment, history, or instinct that it’s wrong… run away from it.
It’s not worth the snakebite later…
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Oct 12, 2017 | Brazen Leader, Miscellaneous Business Topics
Leaders, new and old, sometimes lose sight of the most fundamental tenets of leadership. Here’s a reminder…
I frequently tell executives that leadership – its concepts, theory, and core applications – haven’t changed in a millennium. Some our demographics may have changed, forcing us to use alternative applications of those concepts, but the basic concepts and theory remain.
So, why don’t we “just do it?” Sometimes we aren’t motivated; sometimes the “time” just doesn’t seem right. Maybe we simply forgot some of the basics… hence this article.
I use the following rules for both new managers/leaders, as well as for any level of leadership when taking on a new role – some good things to not forget. So, here goes…
Kevin’s Survival Kit for New Managers — 5 Irrefutable Laws
- Never delay or abrogate a decision that must be made. Make it and move on. You may have to immediately make another decision; this doesn’t mean your first one was wrong, merely that your second one had the benefit of additional knowledge.
- If you want something specific done, say so specifically, using clear, plain language. Employees, generally, have some difficulty doing their basic jobs; adding “mind-reading” to their description is just plain unfair.
- If you always answer employee’s every question, you’ll forever be answering employees’ every question. Questions are teaching moments — don’t rob employees of the opportunity.
- Make your expectations clear, then back up a bit and give employees room to do their job. That doesn’t mean “never look back;” to inspect what you expect isn’t micro-management, it’s just good-management.
- Employees need their managers to be leaders; they don’t need a shoulder, a buddy, a sympatico, or a commiserator. If you want a friend, buy a dog.
Please print these out, laminate, and put in your top desk drawer…
And follow them zealously.
Be Brazen.
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Oct 10, 2017 | Brazen Leader, Kevin Berchelmann, Miscellaneous Business Topics, Organizational Effectiveness
..and a hundred other pithy, nonsensical phrases and statements that clutter our day.
None more ridiculous and colossally undefined, however, as my personal favorite, and one I hear frequently as a consultant to senior leadership:
Take us to the next level.
What??
What level??
How do you/we know what’s next??
In the memorable words of Samuel Gompers (early union guy), when asked what worker’s really wanted, he replied, more. Is that all we’re talking about here? More?
I don’t get this “next level” stuff.
If we start with strategy, and define strategy as the purposeful, planned, vision of our future, and we attempt to create a working plan to achieve that future state… what, then is “the next level” in that context?
I’ve known businesses that successfully and substantially improved their quality of earnings while reducing or flattening revenue growth. Is that “next level?”
I’ve known CEOs who were incredibly intelligent, capable of personally developing, creating, and driving toward a purposeful strategy far different than the organization’s current direction and comfort. Is that the “next level?
Here’s a thought… how about we stick to block-and-tackling, even when it involves strategy and long-term change. We aren’t seeking a next level, we’re driving toward the direction, successes and results that we pre-determined through visionary strategy and on-the-ground leadership.
Now, if we weren’t doing any of that stuff before — maybe it is the “next level.”
But I don’t think so.
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Sep 22, 2017 | Brazen Leader, Kevin Berchelmann
I currently coach a couple of Human Resources professionals, both at the Director-level. Interestingly, they both asked me, in a span of two weeks and independent of each other, how to really grow and succeed in HR; how to become a real “player” in the business, to command respect, and to develop the credibility necessary to make real-life strategic contributions.
Of course, I had comments — I never promise that what works for me will work for you; only that these DID work for someone… me.
1. Read voraciously. Understand the concepts and philosophy along with the application. Management and leadership theory are necessary foundations — not so you can spout them and sound all mensa-like, but so you can use credible theory when developing your own method of application.
2. Take responsibilities others don’t want, or aren’t doing well. I’m not talking about bush-league stuff like parties and picnics, either. I’m talking about a broken purchasing effort, an underperforming quality or regulatory shop, or something similar. Relevance to HR isn’t the key — relevance to business is.
3. Regularly exceed authority. Forgiveness IS much easier than permission. Many CEOs may not want to see/hear this, but prudent, well thought pushing on your limits of authority allow that authority to grow. It also creates an added base of credibility, as you’ve survived the heat that comes from deciding “outside the box.”
4. Decide, if true, that only the top job will work. Then don’t accept the #2 role for anyone, regardless of size or paycheck. Takes a degree of personal fortitude, and untoward personal confidence, but it pays off. The #2 person is the tactician, not the visionary.
5. Put on boots and jeans, and spend real time “in the business;” learning how knobs are twisted, metal is melted, and trucks are driven. Literally work shifts for weeks sometimes to learn the intracacies of the biz. Get smart on how things work around here.
6. No templates at all. Ever. Develop everything custom for the company you are with. Read, get general ideas, but stop short of using someone else’s compensation plan, bonus effort, human capital plan, or related document to craft yours. Be unique; that’s what your organziation is paying for.
7. Underpromise, overdeliver. Always. Don’t get caught up in saying “yes” so much that you look like one of those Tiger Woods bobble-head dolls in the back window. Say “no” when you need to, so existing commitments are not compromised. Do what you say you will.
And the most important piece — be prepared at all times for plain old “luck.” As in golf, so with a career: Take luck over skill; it’s more frequent and usually more dependable. Particularly if you prepare for that luck in advance.
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Sep 18, 2017 | Brazen Leader, Executive Improvement, Human Resources, Kevin Berchelmann, Miscellaneous Business Topics, Organizational Effectiveness
First, understand that “Talent Management” is not some vague concept, but quite simply:
(1) Identifying, sourcing & recruiting talent,
(2) Developing and motivating talent, and
(3) Retaining talent.
It stands to reason that the CEO MUST be pivotal in any successful talent management strategy. I recently surveyed my current and past clients on this specific topic, and “Talent Management,” as described above, is far and away their number one concern moving forward. Above markets, pricing pressures, and even recent legislation challenges.
Specifically:
CEOs are crucial in the identification & recruitment phase; they must establish what skills, attributes and competencies are necessary for developing future key players. That initial
definition – the foundation – must come from the very top. This doesn’t mean in a vacuum, with no input from anyone; it does, however, mean no delegation allowed.
A CEO’s role is also integral to motivating and developing that talent. Once you find a “keeper,” effective skill development (to match your organizational needs) and deployment (right job, right person) are keys to success. Identify the key employee, then pinpoint what skills and behavior that employee needs to lead tomorrow, perhaps even in a different functional area. Then work on “the gap.”
Assuming the hiring process was successful, it’s too arduous and resource-intensive to repeat, hence the CEOs essential input into retention. Key players – those most focused on in talent management – need to know they have a purpose beyond departmental or shorter-range goals. The CEO is essential for that understanding. An effective CEO can retain talent even in the face of lackluster direct management.
In short, the CEO’s role is becoming more defined today as “principally” talent management — along with a lot of other burining priorities. It’s no longer a sideline job. Done correctly, however, it can expand the CEO’s reach, and help distribute that ever-growing list of “must-do” things falling on your shoulders.
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Sep 14, 2017 | Brazen Leader, Miscellaneous Business Topics
Trigger warning: This post may offend. Tough; this blog is “The Brazen Leader,” not “The Milquetoast Leader.” Get over it… 
He who takes offense when no offense is intended is a fool, and he who takes offense when offense is intended is a greater fool.
–Brigham Young
Being offended is a choice everyone makes. Unintentional offense is taken, not given. Even intentional offense must be internalized and accepted by the offended.
Anyone has the right to be offended, about just about anything it seems these days. Their right to be offended does not necessarily extend to my changing behavior. If someone is offended at inoffensive wording, they are the one with the problem, not me. There may be some very unique exceptions around unlawful harassment in employment (and even those are not without specific limitations), but those exceptions do not extend to all language all the time. You have the right to say that anything and everything offends you, I have the right to consider if that means anything to me. A pas de deux. Even the EEOC considers the context of the behavior when determining harassment.
Many diversity experts will tell you “intent doesn’t matter.” Yeah, well, I’m a people expert; of course intent matters.
People today say, “I’m offended” as if they are wielding some mythical sword, demanding apologies and causing all to immediately alter the alleged offense or face a run-through with the blade. We have, as a society, lost our collective ability to say “whatever,” and move on. Now, we feel like we have the power to force people to change from saying anything that we take offense to, merely because we take offense.
We need safe spaces and want “trigger warnings.” Full-scale bitching about “microaggressions” and “mansplaining;” we create lists of words to be banned. Not only that, we frequently expect heads to roll or companies to be boycotted. Journalists and commentators are fired. Speakers voices are openly squelched. Corporate and political leaders are forced out. Hell, there’s practically a cottage industry of people that take offense for people who don’t take offense. We do a disservice by playing along.
Today, pronouns–pronouns–are considered offensive by many. Let that sink in for a minute. Under no circumstances, short of federal imprisonment, will I stop using them, so that means I offend someone?? Gosh, I hope I survive. No, it simply means someone takes offense. Not the same thing. Yes, it does matter.
And I’m sorry, but those folks who are always offended have a problem, and I wish them well. But their problem isn’t with me, it’s with themselves. Grow up, get therapy, meditate… whatever floats your boat.
Personal preferences do not mandate reactionary behavior. Not that we shouldn’t attempt to maintain harmony, but you don’t get to mandate my reaction to your perceived slights. A favorite quote of mine, for a variety of reasons, has been attributed to Oliver Wendell Holmes (among others): “Your liberty to swing your fist ends just where my nose begins.” I’ll paraphrase that, and make it relevant to this discussion–“Your right to be offended ends where my responsibility to change begins.”
Be Brazen.
