![Strengths: Connecting all 5 Generations. Side by Side.]()
Employee Engagement, People
As our Employee Engagement Specialist, Jenny Jacobs brings an infectious humor and midwestern sensibility to everything she does. Jenny is a lifelong learner and a natural teacher who guides our clients through a structured employee engagement method that improves bottom lines and results in changes that last. Jenny holds a B.A. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Michigan and is a 2017 Masters candidate for Organizational/Industrial Psychology from Azusa Pacific University. And don’t forget to check out the short video below where Jenny introduces herself and our new program.
By: Jenny Jacobs
What does it mean to operate from a place of your strengths? I’m not talking about how strong you are or if you are able to leap tall buildings in a single bound… I am talking about helping your employees recognize the talents that naturally exist within them. Each of your employees serves a special purpose within your organization based on their strengths. When we tap into them as a strengths-based team, we can build a vibrant, healthy work environment.
I recently heard a fascinating radio program about Suzanne Simard, a forest ecologist. In a study on collaboration among trees, Simard discovered that trees work together through a network of forest floor communication. Simard states that trees need a complex and diverse community to thrive in.
In her June 2016 TED Talk, Simard explained the symbiotic needs of trees in a forest. Trees are connected to their forest community in a kind of “underground super-highway”, Simard explains. They need other plants that can cycle nutrients more quickly or that can access nutrients in different niches. They need neighbors that are resistant to insects and diseases. So, instead of competition for resources, trees are actually communicating and cooperating with their neighbors. They make sure their neighbors — their diverse community — is vibrant because that feeds back to them and impacts their health.
Simard equates the forest community to the way our communities work. We live in communities of doctors and teachers and people who run coffee shops and bakeries. A thriving community requires a whole range of skills and resources. We need each other. If you take away the baker, we’ve got no bread. If you remove the banker, financial stability is shaken.
Just as the trees in the forest share resources to remain vibrant and healthy, so must managers identify individual strengths of team members for maximum collaboration and engagement. Don’t hire people for their strengths then ask them to work on their weaknesses. Instead, unlock their natural talents, give them the tools and support that best suits their individual style and you’ll build a team that thrives!
Click here to learn more about 5 Generations. Side by Side. and reserve your seat for our June 6 workshop!
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CEE News is designed to help you with the challenges you face every day by sharing infographics, white papers, best practices, and spotlighting businesses that are getting it right. I hope you’ll subscribe to CEE News and it becomes a resource that continually adds value to your walk as a leader. If I can be of assistance in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
![Strengths: Connecting all 5 Generations. Side by Side.]()
People
I’m taking some time off writing new blogs this month to enjoy Women’s Leadership Month. In honor of the theme, I’m reposting some of my favorite blogs to celebrate women in leadership. Today’s post is to recognize women who have served as strong leadership role models. Their insights can motivate both women and men to set aside their fears and become better versions of themselves. I hope that they will inspire you too.
“It’s sometimes surprising to discover the cumulative progress women have made in recent times. Just think. What field has not been enriched by females – in art, theatre, finance, politics, law, entrepreneurship, science? The list is as impressive as it is enlightening. To realize that we are no longer pioneers. The startling exception. The first to fly, or swim, or sail prodigious distances in bad weather. No longer the first to be elected, the first to discover cures in medicine, or the first to untangle problems in science, math or physics. No. We are multitudes, and society is clearly the better for our peaceful invasion. There is no modernity and no justice without the talent, passion, and the steely intelligence of women.” – Toni Morrison
No matter what your political views are, the question of women in power was brought to the international stage during last year’s election season in the U.S. Below are insights from six women driven by their inner strength, passion, and drive to make a difference. Their examples can serve to motivate both women and men to set aside their fears and become better versions of themselves.
1. Alicia Keyes, 15-time Grammy award winner
Her experience: Strong women like my mother showed me that you can claim what you want out of your life. I loved the concept of rebel – of challenging the mainstay.
Her advice: When you erase fear from your vocabulary, you can’t fail.
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2. Aimee Mullins, Record-breaker at the Paralympic Games in 1996 and fashion model
Her experience: I am a double amputee, but whether or not I am disabled is a subjective opinion. I determine what I am capable of doing.
Her advice: Adversity isn’t an obstacle that we need to get around in order to resume living our life. It’s part of our life.
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3. Gloria Allred, Discrimination attorney and feminist lawyer
Her experience: In civil rights, we are not politicians, but attorneys. What we seek is often not popular at the moment, but later it is. I have a duty to help victims win change.
Her advice: If people call you names, see that as a victory, because you know they don’t have a good argument on the merits.
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4. Shonda Rhimes, Producer of 3 Emmy-nominated shows and author of The Year of Yes
Her experience: I was dictating stories into a tape recorder when I was 3 years old. After college, I moved into my sister’s basement and tried to figure out what I wanted to do. There was no plan. It was both breathtaking and terrifying.
Her advice: Dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change.
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5. Sarah Blakely, American businesswoman and founder of Spanx.
Her experience: I had $5,000 in savings, an idea, and some cellulite. The moment you have an idea, that is when it’s very vulnerable. It’s also the moment that we want to turn to a friend, a co-worker, a husband or wife, and share it. And out of love and concern, million dollar ideas get squashed.
Her advice: Be willing to make mistakes. The worst thing that can happen is that you become memorable.
6. Madeleine Albright, Former U.S. Secretary of State
Her experience: When I became Secretary of State, the challenge was not so much how foreign leaders would regard me. They knew that I represented the United States (and I arrived in a big plane). In some ways, I had more problems with the men in our own government.
Her advice: It’s a wonderful time of opportunity, but don’t forget how hard it’s been for women. We need to respect each other, and we need to help each other.
Question: What women have inspired you to become a better version of yourself?
Interested in getting more content like this? Subscribe to CEE News!
CEE News is designed to help you with the challenges you face every day by sharing infographics, white papers, best practices, and spotlighting businesses that are getting it right. I hope you’ll subscribe to CEE News and it becomes a resource that continually adds value to your walk as a leader. If I can be of assistance in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
![Strengths: Connecting all 5 Generations. Side by Side.]()
People
“Please let me know if you would have an interest in dropping into a room of Navy SEALs and coaching them.” That was the message I received on July 21, 2016, from someone named Philip Dana through a LinkedIn request to connect.
“Hi Phil,” I replied, “You certainly know how to get my attention. Let’s meet for coffee.” That was the beginning of my journey this year into the world of The Honor Foundation. THF is a non-profit organization headquartered in San Diego that helps former Navy SEALs and other elite U.S. Special Operations Forces transition out of military service and into the corporate world.
THF is a world-class, 120-hour program started by CEO Joe Musselman out of a combination of desperation and drive to serve others. In 2012, Joe was faced with the most difficult transition of his life. He had enlisted in the Navy with a dream to become a Navy SEAL. While in training one day, Joe sustained a serious injury. By nightfall, he was medically discharged. The next 12 months led Joe through rehabilitation and the discovery of dozens of other members of the SEAL community who were in serious need of help to transition out of military service and into the civilian world.
As he dug further into the issue, Joe found that just 13% of SEALs had job offers when they got out of the service. He compared this to the 98% of Wharton MBA graduates who received 2-3 job offers upon graduation. Even those SEALs who did find employment often moved from job to job in the first five years after transitioning. That was the injustice that Joe set out to correct in 2013.
Last week, THF graduated its 9th group of Special Operations Forces in a ceremony at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium. 32 men and 1 woman who have served our country with honor now have the tools they need to confidently enter the workforce with pride and a sure-footing. They are prepared to take the leap of faith that the civilian world will honor their service, embrace their elite training, and place them in positions worthy of their talents.
It is my honor to introduce you to ten members of the Group 9 graduating class, and to invite you to learn more about how you can employ, mentor, coach or donate to this amazing organization.
1. Phil Gilreath, “Seeking new challenges in the San Diego area.”
Areas of Interest: Operations Management, Project Management, Leadership, Strategic Planning
Experience: From leading small units to leading an operations department and the strategic long term planning for an organization of over 750 people, I have had the opportunity to work with amazingly talented performers at multiple organizational levels.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree, History
Availability: Phil transitions from the Marine Corps in December of 2016
2. Bob Howell, “I want to create a better environment for my kids through environmental overhaul.”
Areas of interest: To provide ethical leadership to organizations that have a responsibility to improve the environment.
Experience: Responsible for task management and primary assignments of a 3500-person work force with direct oversight of 8 global subordinate units. Chairman of the “Issue Resolution Board” to establish priority and tracking of operations initiatives. Negotiated or approved contracts with suppliers, distributors, federal and state agencies. Approved all out of budget and discretionary funding.
Education: The Honor Foundation
Availability: Bob transitions from the Navy in January of 2017
3. Anthony Alessi, “Thrives in competitive environments with high stakes.”
Areas of Interest: Technology as a solution to environmental change. Renewable energy, emerging technologies, automation in vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, wireless charging, and a people-centric corporate culture.
Experience: Collaborated effectively to integrate tactics within a team in order to maximize unit cohesion, standardize operating procedures and expand capabilities.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Economics
Availability: Anthony transitions from the Navy in March 2017
4. Blake Campbell, “I love to win, but love winning with my teammates even more.”
Areas of interest: A small business with good values, fun, and down to earth culture.
Experience: Unsurpassed focus and motivation. Ability to lead, mentor, and continuously learn. Proven management of million dollar + assets with zero discrepancies.
Education: Bachelor’s degree, Business Strategies (2017)
Availability: Blake transitions from the Navy in March of 2017
5. Louis Godeaux, “Cross-Functional Team Leader, Senior Program Manager”
Areas of Interest: Seeking a leadership position in a visionary organization that values cutting-edge designs and solutions.
Experience: Senior technical program leader responsible for integration management across multiple cross-functional teams. Analytical activator with demonstrated ability to solve complex problems in high-stakes environments.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Information Technology-Security
Availability: Louis transitions from the Navy in March of 2017
6. Nate Lampert, “Proven operational leader, who motivates, empowers, and develops teams to achieve in difficult environments.”
Areas of Interest: To work for a dynamic company where people first, innovation, and environmental stewardship are essential ethos of the organizational culture, preferably in the Pacific Northwest.
Experience: Senior operational advisor to executive leadership in formulation of plans, personnel requirements, and procedural guidance covering a personnel network over 12 Pacific nations from Sri Lanka to Indonesia. Managed security and human resource operations for a 100-man unit; established training plans and directed the operational activities for information gathering and employment of new technologies.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Intelligence Studies
Availability: Nate transitions from the Marines in the summer of 2017
7. Kelsy Holle, “Determined to create positive changes in the educational opportunities of students with autism.”
Areas of Interest: Non-profit, education and training
Experience: As a strategist I have synthesized data to create tangible, actionable information and increase operational capabilities. As a personnel manager I identified each person’s strengths to allow each member of the team to perform at their highest level.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Psychology
Availability: Kelsy transitions from the Navy in October of 2017
8. Floyd McClendon, Jr., “Experienced, inspirational public speaker with a purpose to positively affect peoples’ lives. Passionate about initiatives that will develop those who are struggling socially, mentally, and/or physically.”
Areas of Interest: Currently seeking a position in the public service sector with the long-term aspiration of holding a seat in the legislative and/or executive branch.
Experience: Director of Operations responsible to plan, coordinate, command, control, and conduct operations in support of operations, strategic initiatives, and contingencies.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Liberal Arts
Availability: Floyd transitions from the Navy in the fall of 2017
9. Mark Mason, “A proven leader who loves to network and inspire teams toward shared goals. Excited about the opportunity of solving enterprise-wide problems. High-performance organizational experience building a mastery of a diverse range of technical, tactical, and strategic skills, which transfer seamlessly to private sector needs.”
Areas of Interest: To pursue a career that allows him to continue to build, train, and lead high performance teams, preferably in the San Diego area.
Experience: 26 years of Team Building, Organizational Leadership, Servant Leadership, Public Speaking, Curriculum Design, Conflict Resolution, Leadership Development, Risk Management, Operational Management, and Data Analysis
Education: Master’s Degree, Organizational Leadership
Availability: Mark plans to transition from the Navy in December of 2017
10. Ray Jobi, “I am a passionate learner who adds the extra to ordinary.”
Areas of Interest: Project Management, Commercial Real Estate
Experience: Repeated success guiding sizeable, cross-functional teams in the design and development of critical projects in a dynamic environment. The ability to forge solid relationships with strategic partners and build consensus across multiple organizational levels.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Organizational Leadership (2017)
Availability: Ray transitions from the Navy in October of 2018
If you feel inspired to employ, mentor, or coach a member of this elite group, or be a THF sponsor, please fill out this online form directly on their website. Someone will be in touch with you soon. Thank you for your support!
Interested in getting more content like this? Subscribe to CEE News!
CEE News is designed to help you with the challenges you face every day by sharing infographics, white papers, best practices, and spotlighting businesses that are getting it right. I hope you’ll subscribe to CEE News and it becomes a resource that continually adds value to your walk as a leader. If I can be of assistance in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
![Strengths: Connecting all 5 Generations. Side by Side.]()
People
One of the most dramatic changes in employee and leadership development programs in the last decade has been the shift from correcting weaknesses to enhancing strengths.
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A Google search for “strengths coaching” yields over 27 million hits. Amazon sells over 35,000 books on the subject, including StrengthsFinder 2.0 which instantly became a Wall Street Journal, Businessweek, and USA Today bestseller, and was named Amazon’s bestselling book of 2013. Gallup’s Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment is used by 1.6 million employees and 467 Fortune 500 companies every year.
Strengths has developed a cult-like following among HR and talent management professionals. Like all cults, this one too has developed myths that deserve to be debunked.
Myth #1 – Focusing on strengths means you can ignore your weaknesses. Sorry. Not true. Ignoring a problem is never sane management theory. Instead, get clear about what your weaknesses are, and develop ways to minimize them.
Strengths coaches are fond of saying that there is no such thing as a well-rounded person. Instead, focus on being a well-lopsided person and develop a well-rounded team. Spend your time where you can excel, then delegate to, or partner with, others who are naturally more adept in areas where you are weak.
Myth #2 – Strengths and weaknesses are two sides of the same coin. Wrong again. Strengths are not the flip side of weaknesses. You can make strengths stronger. You can make weaknesses not so weak. But you cannot transform weaknesses into strengths.
What is true, is that a person can operate either in the balcony or basement of a strength, and the basement can be unpleasant for everyone. Consider Achiever. When things are going well, an Achiever can be a tireless go-getter with a strong work ethic. Conversely, she can be overcommitted and in danger of burning out. Being in the basement isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength overapplied.
Myth #3 – You can become too specialized if you focus on your strengths. Good reasoning, but not the case if your manager takes the time to understand how to put strengths to work. First, strengths are not labels. If your manager locks all “Strategics” in a room and expects they will come out with the perfect strategic plan, it’s not likely to happen. That’s simplistic and a little reductive.
Managers who understand the power of strengths know that the best way for people to grow and develop is to identify how they most naturally think, feel and behave, then build on those talents to create strengths. People with Strategic as a strength are naturally good at anticipating alternatives and finding different paths. They may be good a mediating debates or contract negotiation. The best managers will not only have a good working knowledge of strengths, but will also take the time to get to know what situations enable their employees to succeed.
We all have weaknesses. But putting your time, energy and focus on fixing your weaknesses will only yield mediocre results. If you want to unlock your greatest potential and bring out the best in your team, let go of the myths and put strengths to work.
Question: Have you taken the StrengthsFinder assessment? What are you Top Five?
![Strengths: Connecting all 5 Generations. Side by Side.]()
Leadership, People
(Join me live on April 27 in San Diego where I will be co-hosting The Re:Imagine Leadership Summit with Dr. Tony Baron.)
For 25 years, Great Place to Work® has studied the link between organizational culture and business performance. Last week, throngs of people from around the world poured into San Diego to attend the 2016 Great Place To Work® annual conference. Keynotes and breakouts were given by leaders who shared the secret to how they achieved a spot on coveted lists like Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For.
Companies that make the list have nearly half the voluntary turnover of their peers, and perform nearly 2x better than the market average. So what’s their secret? In a word, trust.
Here are three distinct examples shared about how to create a high-trust organizational culture:
1. Define Your Company’s Purpose and Connect People To It. Keynote speaker Robb Webb, EVP of CHRO at Hyatt Hotels, confided that employees used to have to memorize scripts when dealing with guests. Instead of getting a human conversation, guests were put through a rigid set of questions and answers at check-in. That Q&A was designed to collect data and generate a higher profit:guest ratio, rather than improve the guest experience.
“Today,” Webb said, “we tell employees to throw away the maps (or the scripts) and use a compass to find true north (our purpose).” Hyatt’s purpose is simple – We care for people so they can be their best. To achieve that purpose, Webb asks colleagues to follow 3 simple rules:
1) Be in the moment
2) Be yourself
3) Meet the guest where the guest is in the moment.
Simple. Human. Effective. That’s the secret to how Hyatt has achieved several GPTW list rankings, including #47 on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For 2016.
2. Get Your Values Off the Walls. In 2002, Atlassian co-founders launched an enterprise software company with no sales force. From Australia. Their strategy was to make great software, price it right, and make it available to download from the internet. Their hope was that people would build great things with their software and tell their friends, and so on. Along with Atlassian’s unconventional business model, is an unconventional set of core values that shape its culture and its products.
Breakout leader Jeff Diana, Atlassian’s Chief People Officer, shared the company’s core values (including ones like “Open Company, No Bullshit,” “Build with heart and balance,” and “Play, as a Team”). Diana described how the values serve as the foundation that directly impacts employee performance from Day 1. “48 hours before each new employee begins the job,” Diana said, “they get a welcome box delivered to their home.” Among the items in the box are temporary tattoos for each of the company’s core values. “We encourage new employees to show up to work wearing their favorite value tattoo,” said Diana, “It’s a great conversation starter about what our values mean and how we use them every day to make business decisions.”
Among its many GPTW listings, Atlassian most recently ranked #6 in Best Workplaces in Technology 2016.
3. Give Employees a Voice. In 1999, San Diego-based Scripps Health was losing $15 million a year, and employee and physician confidence had hit bottom. That was the scene when Scripps tapped new President & CEO Chris Van Gorder to restore Scripps’ fiscal and cultural health. Van Gorder responded with a transparent, co-management style, configured an award-winning executive team, streamlined business operations and focused on workplace culture to lead a landmark turnaround.
“An integral part of the turnaround strategy,” Van Gorder told guests at a Scripps Health site visit, “was to enlist the staff directly in the planning of the Prebys Cardiovascular Institute – the largest provider of cardiovascular medicine, research and training on the West Coast.” “We had a voice in designing every detail from the size of the elevators to the configuration of the patient rooms,” said Chief Nurse and Operations Executive Cindy Steckel. The staff tested their designs in rooms marked “Day In the Life” to assess patient safety, staff circulation, and infection control.
Listening to the voice of the employees is just one of many ways that Van Gorder helped Scripps achieve multi-year GPTW spots, including #42 on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For 2016.
If you look over these three examples carefully, you’ll notice that these organizations have found ways to treat employees like adults. They give them inspiration, motivation, and the tools necessary to get the job done – then get out of their way and trust them to deliver results.
Question: Would your employees say that they are treated like trusted adults?
Join me and Dr. Tony Baron on April 27th in San Diego for The Re:Imagine Leadership Summit
Discover how to create a culture that can respond swiftly, communicate freely, encourage experimentation, and organize as a network of people motivated by a shared purpose to meet the demands of the 21st century business environment. To learn more or register, go to: executiveexcellence.com/reimagine
![Strengths: Connecting all 5 Generations. Side by Side.]()
People
Last week, I attended the Inspiration Conference at Harrah’s Resort in Southern California. The day was packed with inspiring and motivational speakers in celebration of Women’s History Month.
One such speaker was Amy Cuddy, the social psychologist and sensational TED Talk speaker. You may remember her from “that YouTube video about posing like Wonder Woman.” Cuddy’s premise sounds simple: assuming a posture of confidence, even for a couple of minutes, can increase your testosterone and cortisone levels, and help you feel more powerful before an important meeting or presentation. Power posing inspires you to be more authentic, more passionate and more present.
Her book, Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges, is packed with research and anecdotes about how to help you to demonstrate your worth with ease and conviction. Here’s a snapshot:
Take a Stand Against Imposter Syndrome
You know the feeling. You take on a new challenge – prepare for a keynote, negotiate a major deal, interview for an advanced position. At first, you’re filled with enthusiasm about the possibilities. But soon, you find yourself bumping up against the limits of your ability. Then, a voice inside your head asks, “Who do you think you are?” Suddenly, your courage is overtaken by self-doubt and paralyzing fear that the world will find out that you’re a fraud.
Studies show that this modern neuroticism is common, especially among high-achieving women. The antidote to this paralyzing self-consciousness, Cuddy argues, is the quality of presence — the ability to project poised confidence, passion, and enthusiasm in high-pressure situations.
Cuddy suggests that the first step to overcoming Imposter Syndrome is to “fake it till you become it.” By assuming the power pose, you can improve your mood and turn self-doubt into self-confidence. The power pose also affects the way others perceive you. When people acknowledge the presence you exhibit, a positive feedback loop is created. You settle yourself, engage in the moment, and the physical manifestation overpowers the mental neurosis.
“The ideal effect of presence [is that] you execute with comfortable confidence and synchrony, and you leave with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, regardless of the measurable outcome,” Cuddy writes.
Presence isn’t just about how to become a relaxed public speaker, a more persuasive negotiator, or a more compelling interviewee — although it certainly can affect those outcomes. It’s about something much deeper than that. It gives us permission to become a witness to, but not a victim of, our vulnerability.
Presence and impostorism are opposite faces of the same coin—and we have the power to determine which face we present to the world.
Question: When was the last time you battled the fear of your limitations? Did you win?
Join me and Dr. Tony Baron on April 27th in San Diego for The Re:Imagine Leadership Summit
Discover how to create a culture that can respond swiftly, communicate freely, encourage experimentation, and organize as a network of people motivated by a shared purpose to meet the demands of the 21st century business environment. To learn more or register, go to: executiveexcellence.com/reimagine
