On key skills for future execs…
WAIT – “Why Am I Talking?”… each panel member stressed the importance of listening as being a mission-critical skill. Sounds easy, but most executives are really lousy at it. After all, you’re paid for your bright ideas and ability to solve problems. Jody Peck shared a visual structure that might help chatterboxes: place a rubber duck on your desk and remember to “shut the duck up”.

“Know what you bring to the table”… there’s a stereotype around what a successful executive should look like and many businesses have “models” of leadership that people need to aspire towards. If you fit outside the “norm”, plan ahead and think about how you will bring a value to the leadership team and make an impact in your own way.

On prioritizing…
“Don’t worry about the mice in the attic when there’s an elephant in the kitchen.”… in other words, don’t sweat the small stuff. In my own observation, great leaders have an uncanny ability to know how to focus on the big picture. They don’t allow themselves to get mired down in all the small stuff. At the mid-level, it’s very easy to find yourself drowning in a million little details. Step back and ask yourself, “what are the 3 most crucial things I have to deliver in my job?” Drive your work day around those priorities and apply the “delegate, defer or let die” rule to the rest.

“First things first and second things never.” Loved that one.

On managing up…
“Plant seeds and remember to make your boss look good.”… whether you’re in a big multi-national or running your own show, everyone reports to someone else. Understand your boss’s agenda; know his or her pressures and endeavor to make them look good. But don’t be a “yes” wo/man. Sometimes to help your boss look good you have to stop them from doing something stupid.

“Do the job you were hired to do.”… your boss won’t be impressed by the fact that you’re thinking about higher level ideas if you’re not over delivering on the job you’ve been hired for. Do that well and then look for opportunities to present your thinking on more strategic or higher level matters.

On leading through difficult times…
“You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet”… the biggest job for any leader is to align their teams around the vision and priorities for the organization. People need to know the “why” around what they’re being asked to do. This is especially important during times of change.

“When you’re on thin ice, skate fast”… when things are uncertain, keep people moving and focused on the most important priorities.

As always, there was so much more. Many thanks to our fabulous panelists and to our members who brought their questions and energy to make this an outstanding session. Our final forum of the year will be Wednesday, June 6 and feature Charles Brown, CEO of The Source. Seating is limited, so if you’re interested, register today and don’t forget to check out our upcoming webinar and special event programs through the summer.

Happy leading!

There’s a saying “if you want something done, give it to the busiest person you know.”  I don’t know who came up with that saying, but it certainly speaks to the fact that some people just seem to have a higher capacity for productivity than others, so you can load more on their plates.

When you’re the person with the high capacity, the danger is that you start believing all that hype.  You delude yourself into thinking that you really can manage everything that’s being thrown at you.  And, if your self-image is based around the idea that you are the guy/gal who can get anything done, no matter how big it is, well… you’re all the more at risk for derailing yourself.

I mean, look at Oprah.  Here’s a woman who has had a track record where just about everything she’s touched has turned to gold.  Everyone around her tells her how wonderful she is (turn into Season 25 behind the scenes to get a great view of what corporate “yes men” behaviours look like) and so she decides to launch a network.  Her very own OWN (how many times did you hear her say “that name really worked out for me!”).  Um, yes… great name.  But about the amount of work it’s going to take to run a network, Oprah…

So, as Oprah laments about how much work running a tv network is, I have one reaction:  D’Uh.  No kidding!

Before you commit to that next big project, ask yourself: am I having an Oprah Winfrey moment?  Is this something that you really can devote yourself to or does it have the potential to be a colossal career derailer where you’ll be wishing, like Oprah, that you’d said “no”?  Get yourself a sounding board who’s going to give you a good solid reality check before over-committing yourself and regretting it later.

Happy leading!

Greg Smith reportedly earned $500k plus a year in his role at Goldman.  With that kind of annual salary, one has to think that he can sit pretty for a while until he finds his next full time gig.  But why the need for the public disclosure?  Many people leave jobs and don’t feel the need to broadcast their grievances to the world.

If you’re thinking about taking your exit public (afterall with social media, it takes seconds to go global), here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. You’d better be able to back up your claims… personally, I’m all for corporate whistleblowing.  It should happen a lot more often, but unfortunately, most of us are held by fear, so we keep our heads down, do the work and pray that we’ll land another job soon.  If you are going to go public, be ready with the facts and the concrete / bottomline impact on why the problems need to get addressed tout suite.
2. Be prepared to be black listed… maybe Smith will never work in finance again.  Maybe he doesn’t want to.  Maybe he’ll start a vigilante investor activist group or maybe he’ll move to California and sell shell necklaces on the beach.  With any big risk career move you have to ask yourself if you’re prepared to live with the consequences… whatever they may be.
3. Never say never… the flip side to the blacklist notion is that maybe some other firm with snap him up because they like what he’s standing for.  Sometimes being the “tall poppy” can work in your favour.  (But best to get comfortable with your personal “worst case scenario” idea before banking on that).
4. Make sure this is the right strategy for you… I don’t know if Smith is planning to launch his own firm where his public stand would be an asset to potential clients, but hopefully this is part of some larger strategy that he’s thought through, which leads me to the final thought…
5. Take a deep breath and count to 10… Greg Smith is 33 years old.  When I was 33 years old I was in the massive throws of a “mid career crisis”.  A colleague pointed out that “Christ came out at 33” and, since then, I’ve noticed most people seem to hit some kind of crazy career malaise that spins around the notion of “what the hell am I doing with my life? Is this all there is? What am I really going to be when I grow up?” etc.  This is where sounding boards like coaches, mentors or other advisors can really help you separate the irrational from the rational.

In my opinion, the risks of going public with your resignation outweigh the rewards if you want to continue on a career trajectory in your field unless: what your saying will prove true very soon and you will be propelled to superstar whistleblowing status; and/or you can back up your actions (and can show others what you did internally to try and make something positive happen; or, and perhaps most importantly of all…

If your actions can help others and taking a potential career hit is less important than being able to live with yourself, then maybe it’s worth it.  Only you can know what’s the right thing to do, but do seek some alternative perspectives before you launch your torpedoes.

Happy leading!

When you think about our world of work, the gig triangle adapts a little to be more like this: great money, great work and great environment (people/culture/work space). With two out of three factors being hit, your inner voice may go something like this…

• I can put up with these twits because I’m doing what I love and they’re paying me fantastically well!  (money/work)
• Even though the money’s not great, I love my colleagues and every day feels like play because I’m doing what I LOVE LOVE LOVE!  (work/environment)
• I may not be doing exactly what I want to do, but the money is awesome and the people I work with are fantastic.  I’ll pursue my real passion in my side business. (money/environment)

Having lived through several of those career gigs myself, my opinion is that you can put up with two out of three for a bit, but chances are, you’re not going to be able to put up with it for long.  Something’s going to have to give.

Twits or a lousy work culture may be tolerable when your work is fun and your paycheque is fat, but eventually all the money in the world isn’t going to make it worth the stress or toll that it’s probably doing to your health.  If you love your job but the money is limiting your options in the lifestyle department, eventually you may need to move on and stop living like a student.  And, if you’re pursuing your real passion/talents outside of work, that may eventually turn into your new full time gig.

Bands like Kiss and the Rolling Stones may be able to sustain the “gig” triangle with two out of three things being covered (or maybe, in the Stones case, with one out of three if the money is big enough), but most bands and careers will eventually implode with only two out of three being hit (after all how many ‘original’ band line-ups are there anyway?  Someone usually gets punted for bad “hang”… which makes you think that the people element probably carries more weight than the money and the tunes when push actually comes to shove.).  For a short-term project, the two-out-of-three mantra may work, but any longer and chances are – like the Stones Bill Wyman - you’ll be moving on.

So, how’s your gig triangle?  Are you living a 1/3, 2/3 or 3/3 career life?  What’s the conversation you need to have to get a better balance?  Afterall, you only get one go-around in this lifetime so you might as well make the best it can be.

Happy leading!

It’s lots of work, so you better love it… sure, being asked to participate on a Board can be ego flattering and may build lots of career connections for you, but if you don’t love the cause and the organization, it may turn into more of a grind than you’d like.

Know two crucial skills… to participate at the Board level, in addition to the expertise you’re bringing to the table, you’ll need a basic understanding of financial statements and some sense of board governance.  It’s important to know your role and responsibilities.

Do your due diligence… before jumping on board, make sure the fit is there for you.  Take a close look at the dynamics of the board, the decision-making process, the stage of the organization’s life cycle (newer organizations will be far more hands on than more established ones), and the overall culture.  Board leadership is very different than organizational leadership, so make sure the group you’re joining is one you can work with.

Check out the Chair… the Board Chairperson is a pivotal role.  Get to know that individual and their leadership style before committing to the group.  And, if you fear that your Chair has Machiavellian tendencies, step down quickly and, if you’re brave enough, do what you can to blow the whistle on their behaviour.

Flex your collaboration muscle… Boards are a collective leadership group with each member having equal vote.  Unlike corporate leadership where you may get away with a “my way or the highway” approach, Board work will require you to flex your consensus-building and collaborative muscles.  It’s a great place to learn leadership via informal influence.

It’s who you know… Board members are given a great deal of responsibility and therefore, members want to feel comfortable and trust those who are sitting around the table with them.  Most Board referrals come from existing relationships and word-of-mouth referrals.  Leverage your network to get a shot at a Board post.

Work your way up… if you don’t have any existing Board member friends and would like to make your way onto a Board, start with a committee.  This will allow others to see you in action and help you become the “known entity” you need to be to get considered for a Board post.

Education is advised… whether you look at BoardMatch, ICD or other organizations, our panel recommended additional training to help you get ready for your Board responsibilities.  It won’t guarantee you a post on a Board, but it will help you know what you’re doing when you get to the table.

Volunteerism is a wonderful way to genuinely give back, share your expertise and continue to challenge yourself.  You’ll build incredible relationships and have the opportunity to truly make a difference to the organization and the people you’re supporting.

If you’re interested in getting on a Board or other volunteer positions, check out Altruvest’s BoardMatch service or Charity Village for resources and listings.

Happy leading!

When you first start a new position, you are in stage 1 of the “doom loop”.  You are:

in a job you LIKE / that you’re NOT GOOD at  (goes to reason… when you start out, you don’t even know where the photocopier is, never mind how to contribute to your best ability).

Which then leads us to stage 2.  You are:

in a job you LIKE/ that you are GOOD AT (you’ve hit your stride, your contributing, your employer adores you)

Which then leads to the next stage and the time when the “doom looping” begins.  You are:

in a job you DON’T like / that you are GOOD AT (ah yes, the boredom factor has kicked in. You’re still good, but you’re starting to check out.)

Which is when, one of 2 things will usually happen:

1)  You continue to slide to the final stage of the “doom loop”:  you don’t like your job / you’re no longer good at it.  You’ve probably seen this around organizations.  It’s often called “dead wood”.

or,

2) if you are a high performing fast tracker, you’ll never even hit the fourth and final stage.  You will likely pop yourself out of your organization and head to greener pastures where you can begin again at stage one in a job you like, but that you’re not great at yet.

And there, my friends, lies the lesson.  If you are currently managing a fast tracker, don’t stick your head in the sand when you see the boredom factor setting in.  To keep these ambitious types engaged, you have to throw them into a situation that they’re excited about but not good at yet.  Yes, this might mean transferring them to another department to get a new set of experiences, and that means you’re going to have to deal with a hole on your team… but really, isn’t that better than them walking out the door and taking all their IP to your competitor?

And, if you are said “fast tracker”, here’s the thing to think about.  If you’re working for a boss who hasn’t read your boredom and/or doesn’t have the wherewithal to issue a new challenge, why not try suggesting one to them yourself?  Afterall, the grass always looks greener when you’re getting stuck in a career rut.  But sometimes, our best opportunities can be found right under our noses, if we’re justing willing to look.

Happy leading!

There are lots of theories as to why CEO pay has increased six fold over the last 20 years but here’s mine: since magazines started publishing the salaries of CEO’s, executive comp packages have skyrocketed.  The likely cause is a little thing called “comparison other”.  It happens to everyone.  You’re happy with your pay until you find out the guy in the next office is making $500 more a month than you.  After all you’ve been there longer; got a better degree; or, just feel that you work harder.  All of a sudden that pay difference becomes a sticking point.

Somewhere along the way, compensation packs for execs started spiraling up and nobody seems to be calling bullsh*t on the problem.  Instead, people (namely Boards of Directors and the execs themselves) seem to go out of their way to justify the increasing pay gaps.  And, we just seem to keep getting ourselves deeper into it.  Since the late 80’s recession when the “do more with less” mantra started getting chanted, the workforce has tightened while executive comp has expanded.  Once the economy bounced back, the only thing that got bigger were executive wallets.  Front line and middle management workers continued to play double duty and “work smarter, not harder” became the corporate line for reasons why headcount couldn’t be added.

Today, more and more people are working huge hours for measly cost of living increases while CEO’s rake in huge dollars.  All this work is leading to an increase in stress and a decrease in quality of life for the average worker.

The frightening part about all this is that I’m not sure there’s a way out of this hole.  Can next generation executives “man and woman-up” and push back on egregious compensation packages?  Can we insert some “me to we” thinking into corporate Canada?

It’s probably a pipe dream, given that power certainly corrupts, but wouldn’t it be great if our generation could start to shift the balance back to something that’s a little more reasonable?  Executive leaders like bank CEO’s certainly deserve to be paid fairly for the work they do, but do they need to make the equivalent of 300 front-line workers salaries?  Probably not.

When you’re given the opportunity to step into a significant leadership role, what will you do?  Take the money and run or accept a compensation level that’s balanced and fair given the efforts of the people who work with you? The choice will be yours alone to make.

Happy leading!

• Be great at what you do… Jolie’s an Oscar winning actress.  She’s proved her mettle, so pulling quirky leg stunts can be overlooked.  Doing great work is the ultimate way to stand out.
• Be consistent with your brand… Jolie has been consistently weird (kissing her brother, wearing her husband’s blood), so she can get away with shoving her knee out of a black dress at a weird angle and it’s staying within her brand.  What’s your brand?  Are you the “go-to” person? Or the natural teacher?  Do you have a network that people would die for or are you able to whip up ideas at the drop of a hat?  Leverage your strength to stand out from others.
• Pick your moments… Pitt and Jolie showed up at the Oscar’s late and had the run of the red carpet, giving photographers lots of opportunities to snap Jolie in full form.  There’s  a good lesson here in  the importance of timing.  Look for opportunities to speak up and get noticed.  Find ways to bump into your boss or other key stakeholders when you know you’ll get their undivided attention.
• Show confidence… if you’re going to stick your leg out at a bizarre angle, at least own it.  Whatever you’re doing, do it with confidence and you’ll stand out from the crowd.
• Lighten up… when Jim Rath, one of the winners accepting the Oscar from Jolie, struck the same pose, she laughed along with the joke.  People who stand out in a positive way are people who lighten the atmosphere and make you feel good about yourself. Be that person…not the one who gets caught up in their own drama and sucks everyone else into it.

If you find yourself needing ways to stand out from the pack, try a few of these strategies to set yourself apart from the crowd.  And, if all else fails, strike a fabulous pose at the next company function.  You’ll be sure that people will be talking about it for years to come.

Happy leading!

There are countless books written on why people fail, but in my experience (both personally and from working with a variety of leaders over the past decade), I’ve got five key factors that seem to consistently trip people up:

1.  Overestimating the importance of IQ… for anyone who believes that they’ll be a successful leaders because they’re smart, here’s the newsflash:  only if you’re uber “Steve Jobs” smart.  The rest of us need EQ .  IQ is what gets you to the table.  It’s your ability to work with others – the “how” of how you lead that will truly differentiate you.

Tip:  Develop your self insight and figure out where your leadership behaviour blindspots are.  Try online tools or ask your staff… name 3 things I do well and a leader and 1 thing I can improve on.  And then go do that one thing and get feedback on how well you’re doing.

2.  Underestimating the importance of culture… I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, culture will eat strategy for lunch and it will eat leaders too.  The more senior you get, the more important your ability to navigate the politics and relationships that drive an organization’s culture.

Tip:  know your own personal values.  Make sure there is strong alignment between them and the place you choose to work.

3.  The Syndromes… Superhero and Imposter… Superhero’s take on more and more and can’t say “no”.  They stretch themselves until they start derailing on the things that they used to be good at and end up burning out and getting bitter.  Imposters are driven by the fear of being “found out”.  They can derail by creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage.

Tip:  Get clear on your strengths.  This can help you say “no” to things that are too much of a stretch and help build confidence to fight back feelings of inadequacy.

4.  Believing your own hype… Too much success can create out of control egos (delusions of significance).  You start to believe you’re untouchable.  Unbeatable.  You ignore trends, changes in client needs, emerging technologies and get stuck resting on the fumes of prior success (RIM??).

Tip:  Surround yourself with peers and advisors who will “tell it like it is”.  Create “red flag mechanisms” for yourself early on.  Join an advisory group to help you keep a clear perspective and stay grounded.

5.  Overusing strengths… Overused strengths become liabilities and relying on leadership techniques that worked well for you at one level of leadership may be less effective at another.

Tip:  Create a clear leadership plan for yourself based on the realities of your current role and the requirements of the organization.  Enlist the support and accountability you need to work your plan.  Coaches, mentors, peer groups and supportive colleagues can help you stay on track.

As you enter your mid-career, the stakes get higher and miss-steps get more costly.  By being proactive, leaders can avoid costly career limiting moves and enjoy increased career success throughout their mid-career and beyond.

For more tips, visit the Resources section of our website for helpful book reviews, leadership tips and newsletter archives.

Happy leading!

Some women like being the only one at the table.

Now, you may think I’m being cynical and that maybe I’ve had a few bad female bosses in my life that’s made me jaded.  Or you may think that I’m waving some big “equal opportunity” banner because I’m a woman and think women should always be equally represented in leadership roles.  But you would be wrong.  I’ve had some great female bosses, peers and colleagues and I’ve had a couple of nightmares.  I’d say the same about my male bosses, peers and colleagues.  And, when it comes to leadership, I’d just like to see the best PERSON in the job regardless of gender.

What got me fired up here is the potential that what we’re seeing in Ms. Sandberg is evidence of someone who’s talking the talk but not walking the walk.

In the mid-2000’s, I found myself in what should have been a female executive’s nirvana job, working for a women’s organization that promoted women in leadership.  It was there that I first experienced the unspoken darkside of women “trailblazers”.

It came to light when I was expressing to one of my mentors disgust about the behaviour some so called “top women” were exhibiting towards members of our team (condescending/arrogant/rude…. you name it).  This seasoned former female CFO looked me in the eye and said “Look… some women like being the only woman at the table.  It’s part of their “brand”.  They really don’t like or want to help other women at all.”  And yet, here we were honouring them.  Charming.

Which leads me back to Sheryl Sandberg.  Maybe she got overruled by Mark Zukerberg.  Maybe she kicked and screamed and showed all the stats that said organizations with strong female board representation do better than homogenous male-only boards.  Maybe she did all that and more.

Or maybe she didn’t.  Maybe Sheryl likes being the woman who talks a lot about how women need to stick their hands up but then turns a blind eye instead of reaching out to grab that hand.  I doubt we’ll ever know the real truth (but I bet the women who report into her do).

Chalk it all up to another cautionary tale about personal branding and what happens when your actions don’t align with your hype.  Frankly, I’d rather have someone behave like Margaret Thatcher and be openly disdainful of women in leadership.  At least you know where you stand.

Keep it real people.

Happy leading!