Truly Make This Year New!

My personal greetings to you, John, for a productive and successful new year! Let me pass along some quick tips for you as a leader to start the year off right, in this January 2012 edition of QuickTips. Please keep in touch, and let me know how I could help you. --Josef S. Klus, Certified Coach Coachable Errors Leaders Commit ...and Four Keys to Overcome Them Executive coaching research shows that a leader's greatest strengths are also their greatest weaknesses. Four major flaws could derail their careers, if not their companies' success: 1. Ready to React Instead of Respond. A spontaneous reaction to familiar work scenarios can alienate one's team, propagate dysfunctional precedence, and deter a culture of best practices. To listen and learn --a habit of highly successful CEOs-- will safeguard the reactive leader from this pitfall. Listen to your employees and customers; then, respond appropriately. 2. Fear of Rescinding Decisions. Ego often gets in the way of the Management Team, when executives fear for their reputation in changing direction. They tend to tenaciously hold onto their dated ideas and decisions, over pursuing the company's welfare. As facts change, the leader's mind should also change. The best leaders are adept data analysts, not decision-archivists. 3. Reliance on Past Laurels. Stale executive suites typically do something "because that's the way we've always done it." The It's-Worked-Before-Attitude only keeps initiatives in the old comfort zone. No stretching, no growth, no risk. No new markets conquered, while current ones whither. When senior management is less versed in the full breadth of business overseen, you will need even greater skill at trusting, teaching, and delegating to their junior allies. 4. Newbie Change-Agent Addiction. We've often heard it repeated that mergers and acquisitions are almost never successful, on various planes. Newly placed leadership regularly demonstrate a need to 'clean house' just to establish their role and presence. Don't look for trouble spots. Instead, appreciate the current successes of units and individuals. Validate and leverage those for greater solidarity and growth. Take the time to know the organization and its culture. Many leaders have ascended the ranks based on their accustomed talents: bold actions, firm decisions, proven systems, and novel vision. However, the best leaders adopt keys to counter their greatest strengths from becoming their greatest weaknesses: reflection, flexibility, listening, and learning. They pursue humility and seek others who will help them see their blind spots. (Special thanks to Kaveh Naviecy, adapted from his report, The Four Coachable Since of Leaders, Human Resource Executive Online, August 2011.) Feel free to forward this newsletter on to colleagues you know who are intent on honing their leadership or communication skills, in order to better execute their strategic plan. JSK Coaching Associates Coaching Leaders and Organizations through All Phases of Transition.

Recap What You've Learned Each Day

Not only do clients get clarity when we meet and talk, but I come away having learned something from what they've learned. Today is no exception:


1. Big rocks first.

2. We've all got something to say 'No' to that will make us more efficient with time and respected by people.

3. Other people's priorities can unintentionally steam-roll over our own, unless clear communication and ground rules are established at the start.

4. Worrying over something is just a way to excuse not having planned well enough.

5. It's the little stones that steal away my time from my schedule (not the big stuff).

6. Little foxes spoil the vine.

7. I can enforce the discipline of having subordinates hold off all their less important questions until one time.

8. Fifteen minutes of planning saves me hours during the day.

9. Fifteen minutes of clear communication saves me wasted effort during the day.

10. Starbucks' Caramel Macchiato tastes even better with half the caramel, syrup and sweetener.