Bad Day? It'll all be okay.

Was talking with Bernice in our office today and we had a good giggle (as we often do) about how several people in our world were upset that things were not going their way or that they were having a bad day. In our moment of quick conversation and giggles, we both came to admission that in fact, for us and all those other folks who were having a rough day, it would all be okay and that all the other bad days we had had were okay, too. Besides, if you hadn't been able to handle a bad day before you would no longer be around and the reality is that good things pass quickly, just as quickly as bad things, in fact. If there was something you couldn't handle, you'd be dead and the reality is that we can handle just about anything that doesn't kill us. Make sense?

If you're having a bad day - know that it is, and will be, all okay. :)
Stay contagious!

What Does Leadership Take? Reminding yourself that the learning you've done so far didn't happen over night and new learning won't either.

Leading in Times Like These

What is the difference between good times and these times?

There are a couple of things, but the key question is do you lead differently during tough times than you lead during great times? The short answer is "no", but there's more.

When I have led teams through muliple mergers, budget crunches and hiring freezes, the stress gets high and the emotions run wild, but the reality is that those you lead are still looking to you for leadership, guidance, motivation and understanding.

Keep in mind leadership doesn't mean you doing all the work, it means you are developing those you have the privilege of leading.Tough times are not an excuse to stop leading or to stop leading well, they are merely a reason for you to improve your skills that much more and keep on truckin'. (er, I mean leading) That may also mean that what becomes most important in "tough times" is your skill level, your persistance, your ability to avoid taking stressed out reactions personally, and your drive to push through it until the "times" improve.

Stay Contagious!
Monica

Leaders: When Times are Tough

Leaders: When Times are Tough use your skills and make some TRADES. We are not talking about stock market trading, or trading your values for something else, we are talking about what TRADE stands for. Contagious Leaders TRADE when times are good and especially when times are tough. Take a look:

1. Take things professionally, not personally
Not everything is a personal affront and when times get tough, we tend to be a bit more sensitive to taking things personally from others. Look at someone's stressful reaction, consider your own stress level and then consciously make a decision about how you are going to react. Taking things personally is a reaction, not a conscious decision. Leaders make conscious decision.

2. Remember the power of your words
What you say carries more weight than you might think and a few of the words that carry the most weight are: but, however, and why. But and However tend to negate all the words that come before them. Think of "I love you, but... ". How does that sound? Why, on the other hand, is one of the most defensive mood creating words you could use. Try instead saying things like "help me understand" or "can you share some of your reasoning with me" are better at getting the information you seek. Why will bring you a reaction that gives the recipient a reason to think you are questioning their judgment.

3. Act as if “You’re cool!”
In our Contagious Conferences we use a phrase that helps you remember you are good enough and worth it. That phrase is: "I'm cool!" and you are! And if you don't believe it right now, try believing it just for now and see if you can make it stick. Sometimes acting as if will help to propel the real emotion. Next step is to stand in front of a mirror and say "I'm Cool!" to yourself. You will, if nothing else, laugh your way into a better mood. :)

4. Don’t let stress strangle your talent
Stress creates reactions that you don't need and stress is all perceived. We see something and we think it is stressful and then feel the affects of stress. Let me repeat, we see, THINK, and then feel. One does not feel stress and then decide why you feel that way. So, change the way you think about things and the stress will dissipate. yes, it really is that simple.

5. Escape need for balance
I wrote an article for Orlando Woman Newspaper not long ago, about balance. I assigned the concept of balance to a scale and unless you are one, it flat out does not apply. Balance is an unrealistic concept as you will always be off balance in how you spend your energies, your time, and your efforts. Now, as Dan Thurmon says, there is a big difference between being off - balance, and OUT OF BALANCE. Either, stop looking for balance and seek fulfillment.

Contagious Leaders develop the skills to do the above actions in a way that looks instinctive or natural, but the truth is we all can develop these skills and your work in this direction could begin... well... now.

Stay contagious!
Monica

Delegation and Follow Through

In our Monday Moment on April 13... we discussed the concept of delegation.
Here is what delegation normally sounds like...
"giving to others all that junk that we normally don't like to do." Yuck!

Instead, here is what delegation REALLY is...
"giving others an opportunity to learn a skill that they did not already have."

If you approach the concept of delegation in this second manner, you are far more likely to see the things you delegate getting done when you want them to, in the manner that you've asked, and on time.

To further secure those things that you delegate, try these steps:
1. give as many details as possible
2. share your specific expectations as to the final outcome (assume nothing!)
3. provide a reasonable deadline for completion
4. make one or two (at most) follow up calls, visits, or emails depending on distance from deadline, to ensure project or task progress
5. Reassure person that you are available for questions along the way

Stay Contagious and Happy Delegating!
Monica

Seth Godin's view of Leadership

Am reading the new book by Seth Godin - Tribes - WOW - well worth the read.

He actually talks about you being able to be a leader of anything about which you have passion. He also goes on to say that with the new tools available in social media, you can be a leader of a tribe that is equally passionate about your specialty, hobby, product or service. Are you leading a tribe? Are you aware of all the tribes out there?

Now, what are the tools to find your tribe? Well, there are many:
Twitter
Facebook
MySpace
Squidoo (founded by Seth Godin)
Plaxo
Linked In
and many more...

And finally, Mr. Godin describes the difference between management and leadership...
"Management is about manipulating resources to get a known job done.
Leadership, on the other hand, is about creating changes that you believe in."

My hats off to you Seth Godin.. sounds like a description much like the one we use in Contagious Leadership.. thank you for being a great leader!
Stay Contagious,
Monica

Do you need someone who thinks "Out of the box?"

The March issue of Harvard Business Review made me laugh!
Leaders often look for employees who utilize out of the box thinking and when you apply that concept to this cartoon - it's good for a great chuckle.


Are you a Contagious Leader who is looking for a unique,
out of the box thinker? Are you hiring for attitude and
teaching skill or are you looking at skills, hoping to change and instill a great attitude. Let me recommend the first as a better
practice.

Determine whether you need a follower on the team who
will stay in the box, follow directions, and fulfill the needs you outline OR if you need a leader who will toss out the box, make a new one, reshape it, or build a better mousetrap.

Oh, and as a cat owner, the whole out of the box thing... totally different connotation. Made the laughs even better. Have a contagious... out of the box... kind of day!

Leadership Training - Art Form?

The Harvard Business Review this month listed Leadership Training as more of an art than a science. What are your thoughts?

It does seem that leadership training and the act of leadership, contagious or otherwise, is an an art form. In fact, Max Dupree wrote The Art of Leadership some time ago. Yet there are also specific skills that can be scientifically developed and trained and that go beyond the "gray area" soemtimes seen in an art form.

There is the science behind learning how to communicate with others. There is the science of learning how to appropriate recognize and how to discipline, as well as coach. And of course, there is also the science, if you will, of learning how to maintain your sense of humor, even when things get stressful.

Maybe leadership is an art, but when we make it all about an art, it leaves far too much to the imagination and less to responsibility for learning the process and the skills that are also required.

Best of success of your Contagious Leadership journey!

Leaders Learning What Sells: Spirituality has trumped Sex

Contagious Leaders Look Out! Beware in boardrooms everywhere and pay attention to the new marketing and sales buzz. In the coming years, your ad plans may change and the way you "sell" your ideas may change as well.

Leaders, whether of a business, an industry, or even the voices in your head...ha!... often want to know how to sell an idea or product. Selling is a primary revenue driver and there's new news on the horizon. In the ad and media world, sex has been trumped as the primary sales vehicle by... spirituality.

Now, let's be clear - selling sex can be a dicey topic, but it comes out in things like image, the models you choose for an ad, and person you send in to close the deal for your next big client. It isn't all tawdry and for years it has been the reality of what "sells" stuff the most. Studies are now showing and experts are clear that spirituality has more selling power.

Check out these resources to see how "getting more out of life" and "finding your purpose", as well as "feeling fulfilled" via religion or other spiritual sources is becoming a major selling point:
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/search/article/550578/spirituality-sells/
http://www.iamnext.com/spirituality/metrospirituality.html

There are many ways one could look at the shift, but a key question that this change in trends brings about is how are you selling your ideas to those you lead and those you serve. Contagious Leaders already focus on the people they lead, but now maybe it's time to incorporate more focus how those people feel. Are they connected, feeling fulfilled, and clear on their purpose?

Have you Heard: "I'm Not Participating in the Recession... "

Have you heard people saying "I know there is a recession out there, but I am choosing not to participate."? It seems to be the fluffy mantra of the times. In fact, I heard it again this morning and it seems to be that the ones saying it the most, are my fellow speakers.

I've even said it a time or two and though the essence of the statement, when I said it, was true, there is more to the story and Contagious Leaders know that. Here is the rest of the story...

There is a recession going on. Period. That is our reality and for many it is really, really, challenging heart breaking, and difficult. Those of us in the "positive, empowerment" or even "motivational speaking" industries need to know this and many of do. BUT, the difference is recognizing reality DOES NOT require getting sucked into the vortex of fear. In the face of fear and ambiguity, many people freeze. They don't know which end is up or where to go or what to do. That is an even scarier reality. When times are challenging and difficult is when you as the leader of your life, have to be even more diligent in making good decisions, taking good action, and consistently working toward a solution. Freezing provides no solutions and no feedback.

So, if you have heard and/or are saying "I choose not to participate in the recession." that's great, but here's a news flash, you're in it. Now you get to choose whether or not you going to appear dangerously naive or whether you are going to face your fear and do what you need to do anyway. Contagious Leaders choose to participate in reality, while looking fear dead in the eye and saying "Thanks for sharing, but I've got work to do!"

Stay Contagious!

Leading in Tough Times

Times are tough, to be sure, but how tough are you being on yourself and thus those around you. Each and every thing you do and say rubs off on others or impacts others in some way, so what you do in your leadership is contagious! If you are being too tough on yourself in times that bring out the best and worst in us all, then maybe it's time to revisit that.

Give Yourself a Break - stress will slow down your productivity and it is human nature to freeze in the face of ambiguity. If that's where you are, it's normal. Not helpful, but normal.

Get Serious - the whole world is not going to end, the earth will not cease to spin or anything other extreme that you may be saying to yourself. You can what -if and worry yourself to death or you can get seriously focused on what you can do versus what you might have to do.

Get Out of Your Own Way - Contagious Leaders manage themselves well. In fact, you really have no business managing or leading others if you cannot first lead yourself. Are you doing that? Or are you letting everything other than what you should be doing, get in your way of doing what needs to be done for your office, your business or your life. Stop getting in your own way and get out there and get after it. (that's a lot of gets, heh! You get the idea.)

Stay Contagious and know that tough times allow us to appreicate when the living is easy...
Monica

Is Entry Level too small a role?

With the number of layoffs and job transitions in our world right now, we are facing an issue that has long since been in existence, but seemingly ignored: The stigma associated with entry level positions.

Part of the challenge Contagious Leaders face is finding the right folks to fill entry level positions. Now, however, the challenge is shifting with finding people who are not overqualified for an entry level position. But also, and perhaps more importantly, it is finding those who will bring a great attitude and work ethic to a position that might be seen by the applicant as "beneath his or her abilities".

What happened to starting somewhere, doing that job to the absolute best of your ability, and working your way up in the organization. This used to be an expected practice. But now, it seems so many want to start out as management, when they really aren't sure how to do management, much less leadership. There is no shame in beginning at the beginning.

Entry level is not too small, it is the beginning. And it will likely give you a bird's eye view of the rest of the organization in ways that you might not be able to explore from the executive suite. If you are a contagious leader, hiring an entry level position, keep this in mind. You are hiring the future leaders of your organization. If you are going into an entry level position, contagiously lead yourself and your own attitude. This is a role that could be a launching pad, a springboard, and certainly ripe with learning opportunities and possibilities.

Stay Contagious!

Doing too much?

Last Christmas I received a calendar from a dear friend of mine entitled: Women Who Do Too Much. I finished it up this year on Dec. 31 and what I found is that not only, yep, I do too much, but that I was also trying to do too much all by myself. Oddly enough, that is not a very good leadership principle, particularly for someone who teaches leadership of both yourself and others. Here is what I found in a year of reading up on Women Who Do Too Much. (and hey, this applies to men, too!)

Contagious Leaders delegate well and often:
If you are doing too much - just flat out staying busy, instead of being truly productive and purposeful - you may find that you are missing opportunities. (that is, provided you stand still long enough to be able to notice what you are missing) When you, as a Contagious Leader, delegate tasks and projects, and take the time to explain:

• the importance of the project
• the details in a way that the person to whom you are delegating understands
• the timeline of completion or milestones

then you are truly helping someone else grow, while taking something off of YOUR list, but ALSO getting more done by sharing the work and employing the efforts, talents, and skills of others.

Contagious Leaders who try to do it all, all the same time, and all by themselves, they limit their own success by the mere number of hours in the day and your own physical efforts. There is a lot we can do in a little time, truly, but the constant running, buzzing, and stressed out craze of being busy will diminsh your productivity, make you work slower, and in effect, force you to get less done.

As I reflected on this year of doing alot (as I would likely really say it was a LOT or rather not enough, instead of too much), it occurs to me that although I did a lot, there are some questions that are begging to be asked:

1. Did I do the right things?
2. Did I do them at the right time?
3. Was I just busy all the time or was I acheiving those things that mattered most?
4. Am I happy with where I am at the end of the year of "doing so much"?

As a Contagious Leader, step back and reflect on your own answers to these questions. And before you jump into the 4 billion emails tomorrow, the pile of voicemails, and the stuff you tossed in a box before you left for the holidays... consider this: what is your strategy for 2009. This may be a more important question to ask, instead of 'what's next on my "to-do" list'?

Stay Contagious!
M

Leading Difficult... er, Depressed People

The holidays are a challenge for some and in our current economy, there may be more challenges than you usually see. As a Contagious Leader, you may not see the difference between a stress induced reaction, or a bad holiday attitude, or fear based thinking that turns into a morale problem, unless you know what to look for. Try these leadership tips to help you get through the holidays and lead those who need you most during this time...

1. Remain compassionate - not everyone's holiday looks like a Kay Jewelers commercial. There are money concerns, family stresses and issues you may not even know about that surface between Thanksgiving and the December holiday season. Depression usually reveals itself in ways that mirror a "bad attitude", but don't be fooled. Compassion and patience can carry you a long way to maintaining productivity, fortifying your ability to earn respect, and simply, showing others that you do really care. You do, don't you?

2. Address the fear - if you're company is among the many who are talking about layoffs and cost reductions, be clear with those you work with on what is coming in the next few weeks. If the team you lead is walking around in fear of their jobs, their performance will not likely be stellar, but more often it will slow down, if not stop all together. Fear creates a freezing type of behavior. In the face of ambiguity, people also freeze. Tell what you know to the point of over informing and if you have been given a gag order to tell anything, help those you lead to work through the consequences you know are coming. In other words, if you are going to lay someone off and you know it, find a way to help them get clear on what action they should take to land on their feet. There is a way you can help without revealing that which you have been asked to keep secret.

3. Watch your own tolerance and attitude - compassion is one thing, dealing with your own stress is another. This is a time in our office when we wrap up all the open projects we have been too busy to finish. While others are decorating trees, planning holiday dinners, and wrapping presents, I am usually delegating tasks, reviewing websites, writing books, and more. That means that my own stress, of my own doing, may rub off on others and I have to be careful not to let this spill over into the relationships with those that I have the privilge of leading. Your fuse may be shorter this time of year and watch out. A mere drive to the office supply store the closer we get to Christmas, could create an unusual amount of stress. Pay attention to how that is affecting your mood and don't let that stress be contagious.

You are a Contagious Leader and it is always about those you have the privilege of leading. This time of year, that can become an even more important fact. Stay Contagious!

Contagious Leaders: Pride - Is it a good thing?

Contagious Leaders Beware: Exessive Pride will keep you from Success

When we talk about Contagious Leadership, the emphasis is on realizing all that you do rubs off on other people. If you rode your broom into work today, it rubs off on others. If you are happy go lucky in your leadership style, that, too will rub off on other people. And, as I read recently, an excessive amount of pride will also rub off and frankly keep you from achieving the type of success you may be looking for. The fourth lesson in Contagious Leadership, my first book, written in 2001, is "Leaders Ask for Help from those they lead". With excessive pride, you will not be able to ask for help, much less admit that you might need some. See the below quotation from Mark Cole and give it some thought. In fact, let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you on your Contagious Leadership journey.

Stay Contagious!
Monica

"Pride, the excessive and false sense of self importance, is the number one block to prosperity and the basic breeder of poverty. Every time you allow your pride ot be spurred on by fear of rejection it will keep you from asking questions and for help. It's your refusal to ask that will keep you from receiving. Only when you overcome your fear and pride will you begin to ask rightly and only then will you receive your just due." M. Cole, A Little More off the Top.

Now is the time for Relationship Economics

When hundreds of companies are cutting back on two of the most important budgetary items: training and marketing, you contagious leaders out there may have to take some of this into your own hands and create your very own form of Relationship Economics.

A very good friend of mine, Mr. David Nour, is the author of a fantastic and relevant, as well as helpful book entitled Relationship Economics: The Art and Science of Relationships.





Here are just some of the highlights in what you will learn with this new tool and how it will help you to grow your Contagious Leadership:





"In interviewing over 1,000 managers, directors and executives of Fortune 500 organizations, mid-market companies and early-stage ventures, without exception, they all concurred that beyond educational foundation and professional pedigree, your personal and professional success depends on the diversity and quality of your relationships. Yet most of us don’t spend enough time building and nurturing the key relationships we need to achieve success. That’s where Relationship Economics® comes into play.

Relationship Economics isn't about networking. It's about learning how to invest in people for an extraordinary return. It's about exchanging Relationship Currency®, accumulating Reputation Capital®, and building Professional Net Worth®. It's about learning the art and science of transforming your most valuable relationships into execution, performance, and results."

Order your very own copy at Amazon.com today. this book was just released on September 18, 2008!

Stay Contagious!

Contagious Leadership is important when the money runs out

What does a Contagious Leader do when the money runs out in the business? Last night on the news, we heard of one company that owns the chain Bennigan's and Steak and Ale (or at least a number of them in the nation) closing almost all of the existing locations of these popular restaurants. For a moment I was a bit sad, as I can still remember when Steak and Ale opened in the city I grew up in, Waco,Tx. It was a big deal and where you went when you wanted to go someplace "fancy".

Then I thought of how I would have responded to employees who asked "Are our jobs secure?" How would a Contagious Leader respond? Truth is, I've been there both as a middle manager and an executive, being asked that very question. Sometimes in a corporation of that size, you as a middle manager know what is going on and at other times you are just as much in the dark as the employees. The key is to be as honest as you can and even if you have to day "You know, I am not sure if your job is secure. I think it is, but something tells me it might not be. So if you need to make plans or need my help, let's talk. If not, let's see if we can get through this together."

Contagious Leaders work with employees and treat them as people. People deserve the truth and they deserve the utmost of your respect, as well as you deserve it from them. Thus when the money runs out, tell 'em how it is and tell 'em what you can. That does mean you simply say "All is well and things are good." particularly when you know they are not. Shooting straight will serve you much better.

Stay Contagious,
Monica

Contagious Leaders... can be women too!

Check it out, there's a new book in the works and it's all about women as leaders and the effect it has on others.

Not only are these women leaders... these are contagious women.
Not only are these women leaders, they are what we call Commanders in the CORE Profile.
(check out www.monicawofford.com coaching programs, then click CORE)
Not only are these women leaders, they are the ones wearing the heels.

Get the idea....? Well... there's more..

Tell me what you think about the title of my 4th book:
Contagious Commander in Heels

In addition, tell me what you think about the subtitles...

Our Love Affair with Achievement and How it Rubs Off on Others and Can Hurt our Image, but Doesn't Have to.

How to Keep Your Achievement Affair from Rubbing Off on Others and Ruining Your Relationships

Looking forward to your feedback. ALL comments will be read!
Stay Contagious!
Monica

Leadership Begins With You!

When we talk about leadership, we usually are talking about leading others, however, the truth of the matter is that if we are unable to lead ourselves, we have no business leading other people.

Leading yourself, for Contagious Leaders, means the following:
1. Believe for yourself what you are saying to others
2. Apply to yourself those skill sets and mind sets that you are asking others to follow or use
3. Moderate your own self talk
4. Watch the ratio of those things you take professionally versus those you take personally
5. Be as fascinated by your own mistakes as the mistakes of others sometimes frustrate you

And now for the moment of truth, being a Contagious Leader isn't about just giving advice, giving direction, or sharing wisdom for the purpose of helping others be better... it is about taking your own advice, giving yourself good direction and regularly gaining more wisdom.

Sometimes we have to focus as much or more on ourselves in order to be there for those that we lead, when they need us...

Stay Contagious!
Monica

Insights into Incentives

Modified from a fantastic book that has more to do with leadership than you might think... "Make it Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath, this insight into how incentives might be designed and responded to is powerful!

'Imagine that a company offers its employees a $1,000 bonus if they met certain performance targets. There are three different ways of presenting the bonus to the employees:
1. Think of what $1,000 means: a down payment on a new car or that new home improvement you've been wanting to make.
2. Think of the increased security of having that $1,000 in your bank account for a rainy day.
3. Think of what the $1,000 means: the company recognizes how important you are to its overall performance. It doesn't spend good money for nothing.

When people are asked which positioning would appeal to them personally, most of them say No. 3. ... Here's the twist though: when people are asked which is the best positioning for other people, they rank No. 1 mos followed by No. 2. That is, we are motivated by self-esteem, but others are motivated by down payments. This SINGLE insight explains almost everything about the way incentives are structured in most large organizations.'

Thanks Chip and Dan Heath for explaining how Contagious Leaders might want to re-think their incentive plans. Are you postioning the benefits of your company with a focus on how they (employees) might receive them or how you might like to receive them?

Stay Contagious!