by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Jun 27, 2011 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
Triangle Performance LLC’s 2011 Survey of Senior Leadership is finally available, and with almost 30% more respondents than last year, a rousing success (and quite enlightening)!
I did want to briefly highlight some of the survey key findings. For example…
1. Revenue/Earnings Enhancement and Management/Leadership Performancecontinue to be the top 2 “big deals.”
2. Clear Vision & Strategy are more important this year than in 2010 (or, for that matter, since we began surveying).
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by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Jun 9, 2011 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
News Flash! Key Employees Don’t Grow on Trees!!
Ya think?? It’s amazing to me that companies will spend more than 30% of an annual salary on recruitment, but then never clearly spell out exactly how to identify and hire a “star.”
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by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Apr 9, 2011 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
We speak so often about “the economy,” as if it’s this latent beast lurking about that no one can influence or control. And that beast, according to many, unilaterally influences success and failure in myriad ways through all walks of life and industry.
Balderdash.
Regardless of how you measure “the economy,” it doesn’t fundamentally “cause” ANYTHING; it merely exists in the background, sort of like the movie “Matrix.” It’s a backdrop for industry, a simple, somewhat undefined engine creating a lot of white noise. And sometimes, distractions.
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by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Oct 28, 2010 | Brazen Leader, Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann, Miscellaneous Business Topics, Organizational Effectiveness
Leaders leading leaders… “Leadership Squared.”
I recently was at a board meeting, and the chair took a few minutes to recognize one of the directors (we’ll call her Linda). Instead of typical platitudes and nameless accolades, this chairman instead described this person in the highest possible manner. Taking some time to address the difficulties of leadership, the challenges we face today, and the issues confronting us as we lead our organizations, he finished with the ultimate compliment:
“Linda excels at the most difficult — she’s a leader of leaders.
Leading is hard, we all know that. Some of us can make it look easier than others, but we know we are just fooling the masses… it’s hard, takes work, thought, and purposeful action. Leading an organziation can be nearly thankless and fraught with issue — some trivial, some extreme. The most important thing we do isn’t managing earnings, driving new products/services to market, or even finding and developing “A” players (and I’ve weighed in on my feelings there).
The most important thing we do — defined by significance, impact, and long-term results, is leading leaders.
We set the stage, we act as the example, and we provide resources and break down obstacles. Then we get out of their way and let them lead. There is no higher purpose in leading an organization than ensuring your leaders can lead.
Help them, nurture them, even get out of their way at times… but lead your leaders. That’s how we get where we’re going.
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Aug 3, 2010 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
But I don’t have any money… How can I possibly motivate my staff?
Can we motivate without money? Never mind that money, for most of us, isn’t much of a real motivator anyway… can we?
Sure, it’s simple — use your leadership skills and lead. Some tips to consider…
- Be honest and become really trustworthy. Do what you say you’ll do.
- Remember always: You are not responsible for a person’s happiness. (more…)
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Jul 9, 2010 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
I recently presented “Leadership is Easy… until it isn’t: Successful leadership in challenging times“to six or seven hundred of my closest friends in San Diego at SHRM’s annual conference.
Both at the conference, and via email since then, I’ve received a hundred or so comments regarding the presentation. All positive so far, thankfully, but that could be misleading. More importantly, some of the specific comments included:
“Great presentation — the part on ‘no whining‘ was really relevant, and HR leaders would do well to take heed.”
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