by D. Kevin Berchelmann | May 13, 2013 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
Congruence is critical in business. In fact, when leadership isn’t aligned with goals, all kinds of things go wrong. But it’s not just business goals that need to be aligned, it’s the actions behind those goals that really matter. When your actions are incongruent with the bigger picture or the message, it’s no surprise to anyone when things aren’t getting done. So, what about your organization? Are you setting your business up for success or failure?
Avoid Sending Mixed Messages
Mixed messaging is everywhere in the modern organization, and it’s no wonder why people are confused. Organizations claim, “We want you to take risks” and “We want to empower you to do the right thing”, yet frequently when someone slips or makes a mistake, they get chastised, hammered or even fired. We do these incongruent things all the time without even recognizing it. We ask one thing, and then we penalize people for doing it. We say we want “this,” but then we don’t have the systems in place to support it. (more…)
by Triangle Performance Staff | May 5, 2013 | Kevin Berchelmann, Organizational Effectiveness
Communication can be difficult to define. What does it mean? Is it a simple communication flow between two people? Is it a conversation involving more than two people? Regardless, I don’t see communications as a separate, distinct effort, but something that’s imbedded in each of the other leadership competencies. Effective communication is still one of the easiest ways to increase success in the organization, and something we should focus on intently.
Keep it Simple
A formal communications plan is probably unnecessary. But I do think a solid communications effort is critical for maintaining important relationships. Sometimes it can be as simple as sitting down with someone and saying “I’m not sure I’m communicating with you effectively. What’s the best way? Can we exchange e-mail every now and then or talk face to face?” The point is, communications doesn’t have to be formalized or structured, if there’s a problem, simply address it. (more…)
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Apr 23, 2013 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
When a business brings on a private equity group, whether it is to help them out of turmoil, cash out some owners, allow an exit from an earlier PE group or to continue to grow the company, one of the most important elements that often requires rethinking is the difference in leadership styles between the CEO and the private equity group. It can be a bit rough in discerning these differences and that’s expected. Not sure you understand the nuance? Here’s a quick tutorial. Take notes… (more…)
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Apr 15, 2013 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
So the big guns are coming in– the private equity group, the new guys. Okay, what now? The process isn’t rocket science, but the devil is in the details for sure. As the CEO and fearless leader of your company, you have genuine concerns–there are two main areas to focus on:
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by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Apr 9, 2013 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
Listening, like any other skill, can be taught and learned. But when you’re dealing with senior leadership in powerful organizations, egos can get in the way. Ironically, we actually want our executives to have strong egos (note: I said strong, not big). The strong ego, driven by self-confidence and high self-esteem is actually what we look for and what is needed from leadership. So we have to make sure when we’re talking about developing listening and communication skills that we manage those skills within that ego framework. After all, we can’t help organizations succeed if we break down the ego, so instead, lets channel it and use it for good instead of evil. (more…)
by Triangle Performance Staff | Apr 2, 2013 | Kevin Berchelmann, Organizational Effectiveness
So you’ve made some pretty significant gains, but you still can’t reach that next level. Stop your whining. It’s not rocket science. The good news is, you’re not alone. It’s just an inability to communicate sincerely – giving and receiving feedback – not earth shattering stuff here, but critical for your success as a leader nonetheless. (more…)
